Safety Shoes

The City of Charleston
Procurement Division
2 George Street, Suite 3600
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
P) 843-724-7312 F) 843-724-7354
www.charleston-sc.gov
Proposal Number: 26-P008W Proposals will be received until: May 22, 2026 @ 12:30pm
Proposal Title: Safety Shoes
Mailing Date: May 1, 2026 Direct Inquiries to: Vera M. White
Vendor Name: FEIN/SS#:
Vendor Address:
City - State - Zip:
Telephone Number: Fax Number:
Authorized Signature: _____________________________ Title: __________________________
Date: _________________________
I certify that this bid is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a bid
for the same materials, supplies, equipment or services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I agree to abide by all
conditions of this bid and certify that I am authorized to sign this bid for the bidder. This signed page must be included with bid
submission.
IMPORTANT
1. This solicitation seeks proposals responding to the Scope of Work for a Safety Shoes.
This solicitation does not commit the City of Charleston to award a contract, to pay any
costs incurred in the preparation of applications submitted, or to procure or contract for
the services. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any, all or any part of any
proposal received as a result of this Solicitation, or to cancel in part or in its entirety this
Solicitation if it is in the best interest of the City to do so. The City shall be the sole
judge as to whether proposals submitted meet all requirements contained in this
solicitation.
2. Offeror may mail, or hand-deliver response to the Procurement Division. Do Not Fax in
the proposal response. Please show the solicitation number on the outside of any mailing
package. The City of Charleston assumes no responsibility for unmarked or improperly
marked envelopes. If directing any other correspondence to the Procurement Division
not related to the solicitation, please do not include the solicitation number on the
envelope. If the Bidder chooses not to respond to this solicitation, it is recommended to
return the "No Proposal Response Form" to our office.
3. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFER: Any proposal or offer received after
the Procurement Director or his designee has declared that the time set for opening has
arrived, shall be rejected unless the offer has been delivered to the designated purchasing
office or the governmental bodies' mail room which services that purchasing office prior
to the proposal opening.
4. Questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing to Vera M. White
no later than 12:00pm on May 12, 2026. Questions may either be faxed to 843-724-
7354 or emailed to Vera M. White, whitev@charleston-sc.gov.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION
The City of Charleston, South Carolina is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide
Safety Shoes for City employees.
PROCUREMENT PROCESS
The RFP (Request for Proposal) is not a bid. In the event the City elects to negotiate a contract
with the successful Vendor, any contract shall contain, at a minimum, the term and conditions (or
substantially the same term and conditions) as hereinafter stated. The City reserves the right, in
its sole discretion, to reject all submissions, reissue a subsequent RFP, terminate, restructure or
amend this procurement process at any time. The final selection and contract negotiation rests
solely with the City.
QUESTIONS
Every effort has been made to insure that all information needed by the Offeror is included
herein; however, questions are allowed and encouraged to clear up any information as described
herein, etc. The City will not accept telephone calls or visits regarding this RFP. All questions
shall be in writing and addressed to: Vera M. White, City of Charleston, Procurement
Division, 2 George Street, Suite 3600, Charleston, South Carolina 29401, or email to:
whitev@charleston-sc.gov. Written Questions may also be faxed to: 843-724-7354. All
questions must be received before 12:00 pm on May 12, 2026. No interpretation shall be
binding upon the City unless in writing from the City's Corporate Counsel.
ORAL STATEMENTS
No oral statement of any person shall modify or otherwise change, or affect the terms, conditions
or specifications stated in the resulting contract. The City of Charleston shall not be legally
bound by any amendment or interpretation that is not in writing.
NON-ENDORSEMENT
If a Proposal is accepted, the successful Offeror shall not issue any news releases or other
statements pertaining to the award or servicing of the agreement that state or imply the City's
endorsement of the successful Offeror's product or services.
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
If an Offeror does not desire proprietary information in the Proposal to be disclosed, the Offeror
shall identify all proprietary information in the Proposal. This identification will be done by
individually marking each page with the words "Proprietary Information" or "Confidential" on
which such proprietary information is found. If the Offeror fails to identify proprietary
information, it agrees that by submission of its Proposal that those sections shall be deemed non-
proprietary and made available upon request through the Freedom of Information Act.
UNAUTHORIZED COMMUNICATIONS
Respondents' contact regarding this RFP with employees or officials of the City of Charleston
will result in disqualification from this procurement process. Any oral communications are
considered unofficial and non-binding with regard to this RFP. The only authorized contacts for
this procurement are any designated Procurement staff.
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CONTRACTOR SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PERFORMANCE
Vendor shall be responsible for the performance of the services required by the contract. Vendor
is an independent contractor and does not act as the City's agent or employee.
DISQUALIFICATION OF OFFERORS
Offerors may be disqualified for any of the following reasons:
* Reason to believe collusion exists among the Offerors
* The Offeror is involved in any litigation against the City
* The Offeror is in arrears on any existing contract or has defaulted on a previous
contract with the City
* Lack of financial stability
* Failure to perform under previous or present contracts with the City
* Is currently debarred by the State of South Carolina Procurement Services
SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT
The Offeror certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are
presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily
excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state or local agency. Where the
Offeror is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such Offeror shall attach
an explanation to this proposal.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
The City will rank, based upon the evaluation criteria, all responsible and responsive Vendors.
The City will begin negotiations with the top ranked Vendors and will continue with negotiation
down the ranking until a satisfactory contract with the City is finalized, if any. The terms and
conditions of the contract will be no less advantageous than the provisions of this RFP or the
Vendor's proposal. The City reserves the right to make a partial award or to split the award at its
sole discretion.
CONTRACT TERMS
The initial term of the Agreement shall be for one year. The City reserves the right to extend the
Agreement if the City determines the extension is in its best interest; said extension will be on an
annual basis and shall not exceed four (4) additional one (1) year periods.
VENDOR'S DUTY TO INSPECT & ADVISE AND DECLARE ALL COSTS
Each Vendor shall become fully acquainted with the City's requirements and the scope of
commodities and/or services to be provided. Vendor shall have a duty to request any
information from the City as it deems necessary to prepare the RFP. No change order will be
granted or additional compensation permitted if based upon information the Vendor knew or
should have known as part of the Vendor's duty to become acquainted with the City's
circumstances and requirements.
RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS
Proposals must be submitted to and received by the City no later than the date and time specified
within this RFP. Offerors mailing proposals should allow a sufficient mail delivery period to
insure timely receipt (May 22, 2026 at 12:30pm) of their proposal by the City. Proposals
received after the scheduled due date and time will not be considered. Proposals must be
completed and delivered in sufficient time to avoid disqualification for lateness due to
difficulties in delivery. The time and date stamp clock in the City Procurement Division is the
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official clock for determining whether submittals are submitted on time. The City of Charleston
is not responsible for delays in the delivery of mail by the U.S. Postal Service or private couriers.
It is the responsibility solely of the Offerors to ensure that its proposal reaches the City of
Charleston Procurement Division, by the designated date and time. Proposals received after the
scheduled due date and time will not be considered.
Late Proposal documents will not be accepted under any circumstances.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
To assure similarity in proposal presentation and allow the Selection Committee to easily
compare competing proposals, Offerors shall include, in the order described, the material
indicated below. It is not the intent of the City of Charleston to constrain Offerors with regard to
content, but to assure that the specific requirements set for in this RFP are addressed in a uniform
manner amenable to Evaluation and Selection Committee review. Offerors may include
additional information sections or appendices if desired, to present additional pertinent
information. Offerors should submit information in a concise and responsive manner for every
requirement. Non-responsive or incomplete submittals or inability to meet City requirements set
forth may lead to disqualification of the Offeror's submittal.
Only information presented in the Proposal will be used to evaluate the submittals.
Responses shall be completed in accordance with the requirements in the RFP. Statements
made by an Offeror shall be without ambiguity, and with adequate elaboration, where
necessary, for clear understanding.
Specific Requirements
Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the City may properly evaluate
the Offeror's capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to submit the
following items as a complete proposal:
Complete response to RFP, signed, completed and submitted as required with a
detailed outline and description of proposed goods, including a list of standard limitations
and exclusions.
A narrative summary of all the deviations from the specifications. The detailed explanation
and description of price quotation deviations should be submitted as required in the RFP.
Sealed package marked on the outside with the Offeror's name, address, and the solicitation
number.
All submittal forms.
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Proposals are to be prepared in a manner design to provide the Selection Committee with a
straightforward presentation of the capability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP.
All documentation submitted with the proposal shall be in a single volume. Documentation must
be on 8 12 x 11 pages.
Include the following items:
o RFP Cover Page listing title of project, "RFP 26-P008W Safety Shoes", date of submittal,
and name of company
o List of lead contact(s) for the City
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o List of Qualifications and References: provide at least four (4) clients (at least three (3) of
them being municipal/government) in the past two (2) years. References are provided with
accurate and up-to-date contact information. *Reference form is provided.
o Acknowledgement of any issued Addenda
o Proposal must be signed by an official authorized by the vendor's company to contractually
bind the vendor.
RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION
To assure similarity in proposal presentation and allow the evaluation team to easily compare
competing proposals, Offerors shall include, in the order described, the material indicated below.
It is not the intent of the City to constrain Offerors with regard to content, but to assure that the
specific requirements set forth in this RFP are addressed in a uniform manner amenable to
Evaluation and Selection Committee review. Offerors may include additional sections or
appendices if desired, to present additional pertinent information. Offerors should submit
information in a concise and responsive manner for every requirement and every question. Non-
responsive or incomplete answers to information requests and/or City requirements may lead to
disqualification of the Offeror's submittal.
REQUIRED FORMS AND SIGNATURE PAGES
Offerors shall include as an appendix, all ancillary forms required in this Request for Proposal
(RFP). Required forms include, but are not limited to the following:
* RFP Cover Page
* Certificate of Familiarity
* Any Addenda
COMPLETION OF REPONSES
Only information presented in the Proposal will be used to evaluate the safety shoes that best fits
the needs of the City. Responses shall be completed in accordance with the requirements of this
RFP. Statements made by an Offeror shall be without ambiguity, and with adequate elaboration,
where necessary, for clear understanding.
QUANTITY AND IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSALS SUBMITTED
Each vendor must submit the following:
o One (1) original un-bound, single-sided Proposal labeled as "ORIGINAL"
o Three (3) bound, double-sided Proposals
o One (1) electronic copy on a flash drive. Please have submittal on flash drive divided
into two documents: 1) the proposal; and 2) the cost.
o The Vendor must mark on the envelope or box containing the proposal the follow
information: "26-P008W Safety Shoes"
o Note the RFP identification number on the outside of the envelope or box
o All Proposals, including original, copies and the flash drive, shall be submitted together
in one envelope or box
o Proposals must be submitted by mail or hand delivered to City of Charleston,
Procurement Division, 2 George Street, Suite 3600, Charleston, SC 29401, ATTN: 26-
P008W
No more than one proposal may be submitted by any Vendor.
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PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS
An Evaluation and Selection Committee will be established to evaluate the Proposals and select a
proposal which represents the best value to the City. The Evaluation and Selection Committee
will be comprised of City personnel and any other persons as designated by the City. This
Committee will determine the responsiveness and acceptability of each proposal. The
Evaluation and Selection Committee may request additional information from Offerors.
The City will conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial evaluation of all Proposals received in
response to this RFP. Each Proposal received will first be analyzed to determine overall
responsiveness and completeness to this RFP. Each Proposal will then be evaluated based on
each of the criteria as outlined in Proposal Evaluation Criteria Factors, and after which identified
as either reasonably qualified or unqualified. A Proposal may be declared unqualified if it
clearly fails to demonstrate, in any of the listed areas, a standard that the City believes necessary
to meet the requirements set forth in this RFP.
Following their review of all submitted Proposals, the Selection Committee may select a shortlist
of the highest ranked reasonably-qualified Offerors. Shortlisted Offerors will be invited to
present their Proposal to the Evaluation and Selection Committee.
After the proposals are evaluated, the City will determine whether formal presentations and
interviews are necessary, and if so, which vendors may be invited to make a formal presentation
and/or sit for a panel interview. The City may choose not to require formal presentations or
interviews. The City may choose to contact officials from other jurisdictions regarding the
vendor, their prior work experience and their ability to successfully complete the scope of
services. The City may request clarification or additional information from a specific vendor in
order to assist in the City's evaluation of a proposal. Finally, the City may require changes in the
scope of services as deemed necessary by the City, before execution of the contract.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA FACTORS
The following weighted criteria will be used to evaluate the Proposals for purposes of selecting
the Offeror(s) to negotiate with or to shortlist.
Criteria Factors
* Compliance with Specifications/Quality/Testing
* Company's History/Stability/Qualifications
* Quality and Organization of Proposal Submission
* Turnover Time of supplying Safety Shoes
* Safety Shoes Warranty
* Quantity of options of products available
* Past Performance/Experience
It is the Offeror's responsibility to effectively communicate their qualifications, services, and
products to the City by thoroughly responding to each requirement contained in this RFP.
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Proposal Contents
Compliance with Specifications/Quality of Safety Shoes/Testing Confirmation for
Compliance and Quality
1. Vendor must provide manufacturer's specifications for each item giving information
of the quality
2. Maximum response time and follow-up process for customer service issues.
Quality and Organization of Proposal Submission
1. All proposals will be evaluated for completeness, organization and submission of
required data and materials.
Turnover Time in Supplying
1. State whether vendor is capable of maintaining ample inventory to comply with a
just-in-time contract as stated.
Order Processing Options
1. State methods available for your company to accept orders.
2. State and describe if your company utilizes the internet ordering process thru a secure
site.
3. Vendor may be requested to demonstrate the website ordering process during the
evaluation.
Company's History/Stability/Qualifications
1. Provide a brief summary on the history of your company.
2. Provide information that shows the stability of your company.
3. State the qualifications of your company to provide the items and services requested
in this solicitation.
Past Performance/Experience
1. Vendor to provide a company profile to include but not limited to date organized,
name and title of person authorized to sign bids.
2. Vendor to list at least three references of other similar contracts with comparable
quantity showing name, title, email address and phone number for each entity.
Agencies listed should be contracts that have been in service for more than two years.
The three minimum companies should not include the City of Charleston. State the
size of contract and years of service for each company.
3. Please state whether vendor has any pending litigation or contracts cancelled due to
cause/ neglect or breach of contract. State cause, year and resolution.
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Cost
1. Vendor must provide pricing for each item. Price must be inclusive of all fees for
emblems and delivery. No other costs or additional charges will be allowed after
award of contract for full term of contract.
The vendor must provide a complete pricing list. All prices must be inclusive of any
fees and taxes. No additional costs or charges will be permitted after the contract is
awarded for the full term of the agreement unless agreed upon and approved by the
City.
Product options
1. Vendor must provide detail on quantity of options available (make of boot / model or
style of boot) for all shoes and boots which will be available within the amount
allotted for purchase.
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Safety Shoes Specifications
Vendors are expected to provide a proposal on items that are requested, equivalent or better than
specifications in this solicitation. Vendors must enclose a detailed list of all discrepancies and
deviations from specifications as well as enclose the manufacturer's specifications. The City
reserves the right to request information on items not listed in this solicitation.
Vendor shall require City employee to present official City of Charleston identification and shall
have them sign documents pertaining to their purchase. It will be the responsibility of the
Vendor to record the employee's identification information. Vendor will be completely
responsible for costs of shoes that cannot be matched with an authorized City employee.
Vendor must maintain an adequate inventory of items specified in this solicitation in order to
comply with a turnaround time (TAT) of 2 days. Any item that is not in stock shall be delivered
within one week after receipt of order.
If the Vendor has not previously performed the services for the City, the City reserves the right
to require a test period to determine if the Vendor can perform in accordance with the
requirements of the contract, and to the City's satisfaction. Such test period can be from thirty
(30) to ninety (90) days, and will be conducted under all specifications, terms and conditions
contained in the contract. A performance evaluation will be conducted prior to the end of the test
period and that evaluation will be the basis for the City's decision to continue with the Vendor or
to select another Vendor.
Vendor must provide a list of locations and operation hours for each location.
Scope of Work
Style Requirements: Men's and Women's OSHA approved steel-toed safety shoes, any style or
color. Shoes must be lace up boots, between 6" and 9". Some Electrical Service employee may
obtain composite toe boots with written permission of the Safety Management Director.
Additionally, some employees may obtain oxford style protective toe work shoes or lace less
boots if recommended by a physician. All shoes and boots must meet or exceed the most current
ANSI Z41/ASTM 2413 standards.
Dollar Limit: Eligible employees are allowed up to $125.00 plus tax for non-electrical
employees and $150.00 plus tax for electricians per year toward the purchase of Safety Shoes. If
an employee wishes to purchase shoes exceeding the amount allowed, the employee must pay
the difference at the time of purchase.
Purchasing Authorization: A designated City contact will provide a monthly list of employees
eligible to purchase shoes using the $125.00 plus tax and the $150.00 plus tax allowance. The
list will include a purchase order number which the allowance charges per employee are to be
billed against. In order to receive the allowance, eligible employees must be on the current list
and present a City picture ID badge at the time of purchase.
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NOTE: Vendors must either 1) submit published price list(s) with their proposal (on paper or
electronic format), or 2) provide a Web address where the list(s) may be accessed. Please check
one of the following:
Price list(s) attached and submitted with this proposal. _________________
Price list(s) available at the following Web address:
______________________________________________
Warranties. Vendor warrants that the workmanship and/or merchandise will conform to its
description and any applicable specifications and shall be of good, merchantable quality and for
the known purpose for which it is sold. This warranty is in addition to any standard warranty of
service guarantee given by Vendor to the City.
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