Emergency Fuel Services

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION
RFP Bid Solicitation
Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
Request for Proposals
Emergency Fuel
RFP # 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
Suite 701-A Woolfolk State Office Building
501 North West Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Contact:
Ramona Jones
Director, Travel and Fleet Support Contracts
ramona.jones@dfa.ms.gov
FAX: (601) 576-2740
PHONE: (601) 359-3409
Alicia Adams
Contract Analyst, Travel and Fleet Support Contracts
alicia.adams@dfa.ms.gov
FAX: (601) 576-2740
PHONE: (601) 359-3409
Due Date:
Sealed Proposals
MAIL or HAND DELIVERY ONLY
Thursday, August 27, 2026
2:00 PM Central Daylight Time
1

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
RFP Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 General Instructions .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Project Description ............................................................................................................................ 4
2.0 Scope of Work ................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Duties of the Contractor ................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Duties of the Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management ............................................... 6
2.3 Selection Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 6
3.0 Qualifications ..................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Required Information ........................................................................................................................ 7
4.0 Format and Procedures for Delivery of the Request for Proposals ................................................ 7
4.1 Procedures for Delivery of Proposal ................................................................................................ 9
4.2 Force Majeure ................................................................................................................................... 9
4.3 Acceptance of Proposals ............................................................................................................... 10
4.4 Rejection of Proposals .................................................................................................................... 10
4.5 Disposition of Proposals ................................................................................................................. 10
4.6 Acknowledgements of Amendments ............................................................................................. 11
4.7 Conditions of Solicitation ................................................................................................................ 11
4.8 Submission of Questions ............................................................................................................... 12
5.0 Standard Terms and Conditions for Contract .............................................................................. 13
Appendix A - Proposal Transmittal Form .................................................................................................. 20
Appendix B - Contractor Signature Page .................................................................................................. 21
US MAIL OR HAND DELIVERED ................................................................................................... 22
Appendix C - Sample Contract .................................................................................................................. 23
2

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
1.0 Introduction
This Request for Proposals (RFP) for the procurement and distribution of fuel in emergency
situations for the State of Mississippi, its agencies and governing authorities is issued in
accordance with the authority granted to the Mississippi Department of Finance and
Administration, Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management (OPTFM) pursuant to
Mississippi Code Ann. 31-7-1, et seq.
The purpose of this RFP is to create the mechanism necessary for the State of Mississippi, Office of
Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management (OPTFM) to select and enter into a contract or contracts
with Contractors for the purpose of the acquisition and distribution of fuel during emergency
situations. OPTFM is seeking to secure professional and specialized services to assist in the
procurement, storage, distribution and recording of fuel for state agencies and governing
authorities of this State during emergency situations, and at the agreement of the Contractor, also
for state agencies and local governing authorities of other States.
OPTFM currently has a contract for normal fuel needs. During emergency situations, the State
desires a contract to provide adequate assurance that the State will receive priority allocation of
fuel. It is the intention of OPTFM to have the proper quantities of fuel in locations that are
reasonably acceptable to the agencies so they can fulfill their assigned missions. The State would
need to not only have the fuel in the proper locations but also be able to dispense the fuel into
vehicles and potentially portable tanks to fill generators, as needed. OPTFM is attempting to
determine if there are ways that would provide the State with greater assurance of adequate
supplies and/or transportation of fuel under emergency conditions.
OPTFM will receive proposals and will evaluate the proposals to determine which Offeror has
proposed the best opportunity for the State to be guaranteed access to adequate quantities of fuel
while limiting the costs and risks to the State. The chosen Offeror will be required to enter into a
contract which is in substantial compliance with the sample contract attached as Appendix
C.
While OPTFM does not intend to tell Offerors how to provide these services, several potential
options, or portions thereof, are presented herein. It is OPTFM's belief that the private sector may
have more creativity and, thus may be able to improve on this plan or present a totally different
plan.
Potentially, an Offeror could enter into a contract with one or more fuel terminals with which to
provide up to 2 million gallons of fuel and diesel, as well as some propane, for the express use of
the State. They would, of course, rotate this stock, but would always have at least this quantity
available to the State. The Offeror could also enter into contracts with one or more distributors that
would guarantee availability of trucks and drivers in case of an emergency (hurricane, earthquake,
flood, ice storm, etc.) for the distribution of the fuel from the terminal to locations throughout the
state which would be determined at the time of the emergency by specified State employees. The
Offeror could also enter into a contract or contracts with one or more firms that would guarantee
3

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
access to multiple non-manned units for dispensing of fuel to individuals holding the State's Fuel
Cards. These units would be mobile and would be placed at locations agreed to by the Offeror and
the State. The State could pay for all fuel at the time of usage at the cost of OPIS, plus a fee and
documented transportation costs, or transportation costs could be included in the fee. It is
possible that the State may desire to have such arrangements at more than one terminal, as
limiting to a single location may cause problems should that area be impacted by the emergency.
One potential scenario could be the Offeror proposes a guarantee of 100% of the fuel specified
with a set monthly or annual fee for this guarantee. The State would then pay for the fuel if and
when it is actually ordered. If this concept is used it may be beneficial to also offer a sliding scale
wherein the Offeror could propose to guarantee amounts less than the 100% for a reduced monthly
fee. For example: a guarantee of 100% of the fuel could cost $100 per month, a guarantee of 90%
could cost $95 per month, and so on. This would allow the State to determine, during the
evaluation and contracting phase, the amount of cost the State is willing to take on while having a
clear view of the potential risks involved. While the State is willing to consider any proposal for the
method of payment, at this time, this "monthly or annual fee" appears to be the preferred method.
It is possible that the State may choose not to contract for all of the duties listed in Section 2.1
and/or the different duties may be paid for by different agencies, therefore it may be advantageous
for the Offeror to provide prices on each of the duties individually and as a group.
Another possible scenario could be for the State to hold a large fuel reserve and use a sliding scale
to price the fee based on the size of the reserve. The larger the reserve, the smaller the storage fee.
This could allow for the purchase of the fuel at a fixed price and guarantee its availability. If offered,
the Contractor should describe storage location(s) and method of assuring fuel availability and
freshness. Contractor shall detail all aspects of the purchase of an emergency fuel reserve,
including pricing or margin based on a third party (such as OPIS) verified rack price.
There are many options that could give the State the robust emergency fuel plan it desires. Once
again, it is the State's goal to have immediate access to fuel when needed while reducing costs and
risks as much as possible.
OPTFM seeks submittal of proposals from qualified firms to secure professional services with
which to accomplish these goals.
1.1 General Instructions
Proposals shall be submitted as set forth in Section 4.1.
1.2 Project Description
The Project Description is set forth in the Introduction.
4

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
2.0 Scope of Work
The awarded Contractor(s) shall provide the customary activities and services associated with
providing fuel and transportation of fuel during emergency situations.
2.1 Duties of the Contractor
1. Prior to potential emergency situation, and at the direction of the Mississippi Emergency
Management Agency's Logistics Chief ("state representative"), the Contractor will position
tanks and equipment that would form five (5) fueling facilities to be used for emergency
event response in a location or locations whereby the tanks will be able to be moved to
strategic locations and made operable immediately upon notification of safe conditions
and clear roads. Each fueling site shall have a minimum capacity of 3500 gallons of diesel
and 3500 gallons of gasoline and be equipped for use as temporary fuel stations capable of
dispensing and metering fuel to vehicles or other tanks. These facilities shall be self-
sustaining in case there is no electricity available and equipped for night use. The tanks
should be double walled, UL listed, with appropriate containment systems, equipped with
industry approved vents and fill openings. These tank systems should also allow for the
recording of fuel using the state fuel card system transaction information. The State will
provide the location, as well as security and an onsite individual to record usage.
Alternatively, the Contractor can provide its proposed fee for providing such security and
onsite personnel.
2. Contractor is to provide storage and deployment services for small tanks, so they remain
ready for service and out of the weather.
a) After the occurrence of an emergency situation, as soon as conditions are deemed safe
and the roads are adequately cleared, and at the direction of the state representative,
move up to five (5) mobile tank facilities to locations designated by the state
representative.
b) Guarantee the availability and delivery of fuel to the mobile tank facilities for 15 days.
With 5 tanks having a capacity of 7,500 gallons of gasoline and 7,500 gallons of diesel,
this would be about 562,500 gallons of gasoline and about 562,500 of diesel. The
specific sites and quantities will be as specified by the state representative. Fuel is not
to be delivered, unless requested by the state representative.
c) As requested by the state representative, guarantee the availability and delivery of up to
2 million gallons of fuel (gasoline, diesel and/or propane) to state and county locations,
over a 15-day period. The specific sites and quantities will be as specified by the state
representative. Fuel is not to be delivered, unless requested by the state
representative.
5

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
d) If requested by the state representative, move the mobile tank facilities to new sites as
designated by the state representative.
e) Provide fuel transportation (including drivers and all personnel required to pump fuel)
through the use of tankers, bobtails (with the ability to dispense fuel directly into
vehicles), and skids as requested by the state representative.
f) Provide fuel rotation services, if requested by state facilities that have on-site fuel
storage.
g) Provide an adequate number of trucks with tanks and fueling capabilities that could be
used by a county to fuel generators throughout the county. The Contractor would be
responsible for filling the tank(s) as needed over a 15-day period. The specific sites and
quantities will be as specified by the state representative. Fuel is not to be delivered,
unless requested by the state representative.
2.2 Duties of the Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
The specific responsibilities of OPTFM are as stated below:
1. Receive proposals.
2. Evaluate proposals to develop a contract or contracts that will ensure the
state agencies of an adequate supply of fuel in emergency situations.
3. Conduct negotiations with the best Offeror or Offerors, as necessary.
4. Prepare contract for signatures.
5. Establish methods for payment.
2.3 Selection Procedure
1. Of the proposals received, an evaluation will be conducted to determine that the required
information set forth in 4.1 has been submitted and that the minimum qualifications, as
set forth in Section 3.0, have been met.
2. All proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation team comprised of representatives from
the State, which may include procurement professionals, technical subject matter
experts, and other individuals deemed necessary by the State. This evaluation will be
made based upon the specific needs and a comparison of the various
proposals/qualifications, taking into consideration; proposed plan (35 points), prior
related experience (10 points), personnel (10 points), resources (10 points), and cost (35
points).
6

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
3. The evaluation and award selection process will begin following the opening of all
proposals. Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State anticipates issuing
award notifications via email on or before December 30, 2026. Vendors selected for
award, as well as those not selected, will be notified electronically at the email address
provided in their proposal submission.
3.0 Qualifications
OPTFM reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to request and evaluate "best and final
offers" from some or all of the respondents, to negotiate with the best proposed offer to address
issues other than those described in the proposal, to award a contract to other than the low
Offeror, or not to make any award if it is determined to be in the best interest of OPTFM.
Minimum Qualifications are as follows:
The Contractor and all proposed subcontractors must maintain any and all licenses to do
the proposed business in the State of Mississippi.
The Contractor must be able to provide proof of minimum insurance coverage as herein
provided.
3.1 Required Information
The information set forth in Section 4.1 must be provided
4.0 Format and Procedures for Delivery of the Request for Proposals
Proposal Organization
The proposal shall consist of three parts:
Part I
Proposal Transmittal Form (Appendix A)
Part II
Executive Summary (Limited to 15 pages)
Provide a summary of the Offeror's proposed plan, as well as, area(s) of expertise
and resource capabilities that highlight your company as superior or unique in
addressing the needs of the State
Qualifications and Experience -
Provide a brief history and organizational structure of the
company (Limited to 1 page).
Past performance in similar activities. (Limited to 5 pages) List projects similar in
scope and size.
Title and brief description of each project to include:
7

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
Client Name, including contact person, address, telephone number and fax
number
Nature of work involved in each project
Dates of agreement
Total value of contract
Briefly explain the process and methods used to minimize costs and risks, if
applicable.
Qualifications of Personnel (Limited to 5 pages)
Listing of the individuals and details of qualifications of individuals to be assigned
under this agreement:
Individual's resume
An outline of the proposed function(s) of the individual in the proposed
engagement
Individual's office location
List current litigation, outstanding judgments and liens, etc...
Listing of any subcontractors, their location(s), and the proposed function(s)
of the subcontractors in the proposed engagement
A copy of any applicable license
A copy of existing insurance or a statement indicating that such will be
provided upon awarding of a contract
List any potential risks to OPTFM or the Contractor related to this contract,
as well as, the methods that will be used to minimize risks to all parties.
Part III
Fee Schedule (Limited to 3 pages)
The proposed fee schedule shall include the following:
Any proposed fees or costs to the state to be charged by the Contractor
Offerors may submit different pricing proposals, thus allowing the state to choose
the plan that is most advantageous to the State
Offerors should price the mobile tank units (500-to-10,000-gallon tankers, bobtails
with dispensing ability, skids, etc.) separately as the State may choose another
method of acquiring these units.
Offerors should submit pricing for labor rates for drivers
Offerors should price each of the duties listed in Section 2.1 separately as the State
may choose not to contract for all services and/or different agencies may be
required to pay for the different services.
List any other costs OPTFM may anticipate relating to the services to be provided
List any additional anticipated categories and/or costs associated with the tasks
Offeror must use the designated forms or formats, as instructed. Failure to respond in the format
and context prescribed by OPTFM may result in disqualification of the proposal.
OPTFM reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
8

RFP for Emergency Fuel
RFP# 3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
Office of Purchasing, Travel and Fleet Management
4.1 Procedures for Delivery of Proposal
Proposals for this RFP must be submitted with Parts I, II, III clearly tabbed. Three (3) copies of the
written proposal, which must be in sealed packages that are clearly identified as RFP Emergency
Fuel RFP #3120003391. A hard drive may be submitted along with the written proposal.
Proposals must be received by 2:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time, on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Failure to respond in the format and context prescribed by OPTFM may result in
disqualification of the Offeror.
Proposals must be mailed or hand delivered to:
Ramona Jones, Director, Travel and Fleet Support Contracts
RE: Emergency Fuel, RFP #3120003391
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration
501 North West Street, Suite 701-A
Jackson, Mississippi 39201
As the proposals are received, the sealed proposals will be date-stamped and recorded by OPTFM.
The parties submitting proposals are responsible for ensuring that the sealed competitive proposal
is delivered by the required time and to the required location and the parties assume all risks of
delivery. No facsimile proposals will be accepted in OPTFM. The proposal must be signed by a
company official authorized to bind the Offeror to the proposal provisions.
Proposals and modifications thereof received by OPTFM after the time set for receipt or at any
location other than that set forth above will be considered late and shall not be considered for
award.
4.2 Force Majeure
If the agency is closed for any reason, including but not limited to: acts of God, strikes, lockouts,
riots, acts of war, epidemics, governmental regulations superimposed after the fact, fire,
earthquakes, floods or other natural disasters (the "Force Majeure Events"), which closure
prevents the opening of bids (or the receipt of sealed proposals) at the advertised date and time, all
bids received shall be publicly opened and read aloud on the next business day that the agency
shall be open and at the previously advertised time. The new date and time of the bid opening (or
deadline to receive sealed proposals), as determined in accordance with this paragraph, shall not
be advertised, and all bidders, upon submission of a bid proposal, shall be deemed to have
knowledge of and shall have agreed to the provisions of this paragraph. Bids shall be received by
the agency until the new date and time of the bid opening is set forth herein. The agency shall not
be held responsible for the receipt of any bids for which the delivery was attempted and failed due
to the closure of the agency as a result of a Force Majeure Event. Each bidder shall be required to
ensure the delivery and receipt of its bid or competitive sealed proposal, where applicable, by the
agency prior to the new date and time of the bid opening.
9