How to do Business with the State of Tennessee

1. How to do Business with the State of Tennessee A Bidder’s Guide

2. Welcome • The State of Tennessee is pleased to have your organization indicate an interest in exploring business opportunities within State government

3. Selling to the State of Tennessee The Process: • Registration as a bidder/vendor • Successful response to public solicitations/events • Award made to lowest qualified bidder *Public administration of this process is done in an open, fair and accessible manner to all prospective bidders

4. Edison E-Procurement • The State of Tennessee has implemented an E-Commerce system named Edison using Oracle People-soft technology for all business processes • During this gradual implementation, there will be documents produced in both the existing purchasing system, known as TOPS, as well as the new system of E-procurement, known as Edison • We thank you for your patience as we make this business process transition • For the latest information, please view this ink: http://tennessee.gov/finance/ERP_files/supplier.html

5. Where do Purchasing Rules and Guidelines come from? • Purchasing authority comes from the Tennessee Code, annotated • Additional operating rules specified by the State Board of Standards • Purchasing Division issues the Agency Purchasing Manual outlining agency rules • All State purchasing offices are required to handle procurements in accordance with these established rules

6. Purchasing Methods Used by the State Purchasing Division • Over $25,000: Formal sealed solicitation/event process • $5,000.01 - $25,000: Informal solicitation/event process

7. Department of General Services Purchasing Division • As the State’s central purchasing agency, this office has oversight for procurement of all goods and non-professional services • Statewide Term Contracts for common needs for all agencies • Agency Term Contracts for specific agency needs • One-Time Purchases over $25,000

8. Purchasing Methods Used by Agency Purchasing Offices • $5,000.01 to $25,000 – must obtain competition • $0-$5000 – may purchase without competition • Purchases are required from established Statewide Term Contracts and Agency Term Contracts

9. What’s Important about Vendor Registration? • Must be a registered vendor in order to receive a contract award • Registration by category codes will result in receipt of e-mail notifications of solicitations/sourcing events that are publicly posted

10. Vendor Registration Two ways to register as a new bidder/vendor: • Preferred: On-line vendor registration at the General Services Purchasing Division link: http://www.tennessee.gov/generalserv/purchasing/dobuis.htm • Alternately, download the registration form, print, complete, and return by fax or mail to Purchasing Division • Personal assistance as well as on-line kiosk available at the Purchasing Division office: • 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243 • 3rd Floor, Tennessee Tower • 615-741-6875 (phone) or 615-741-0684 (fax)

11. Update Vendor Registration Existing Vendors will perform self maintenance of the information listed below through the Edison Portal: • Category codes; TN is using NIGP codes (areas of interest for doing business) • Contact Person (s) and e-mail addresses • Physical Address (es) and Locations • Telephone and Fax numbers • Sensitive financial information will be maintained and updated by TN Department of Finance and Administration

12. Diversity Vendors • The Purchasing Division actively partners with the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise in order to maximize procurement activity from those identified and certified business sectors

13. Diversity Business Enterprise Certifications • Minority Owned • Woman Owned • Small Businesses

14. Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) • Is a continuing, independent, for profit business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more minority individuals who are impeded from normal entry into the economic mainstream because of past practices of discrimination based on race or ethnic background. The following are the minority ethnic groups: • African-American • Asian-American • Hispanic • Native American

15. Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) • Is a continuing, independent, for profit business which performs a commercially useful function and is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women or in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51% of the stock of which is owned and controlled by one or more women whose management and daily business operations are under the control of (1) or more women. The following are the female designated groups: • Non-Minority • African-American • Asian-American • Hispanic • Native American

16. Small Business Enterprise (SBE) • A business, including its affiliates meeting the following criteria: • Independently owned and operated • Not an affiliate or subsidiary of a business • Not dominant in its field of operation Must meet the guidelines established by the GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF DIVERSITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE Refer to: www.tennessee.gov/diversity for Small Business criteria per Industry

17. Diversity Language • The diversity language included in all solicitations/sourcing events requests bidders to indicate their level of diversity business participation • Bidders that do not respond to the diversity language in a solicitation may be considered non-responsive • Bidders may visit the Go-DBE web site to identify certified diversity firms of which to partner with at: www.tennessee.gov/diversity

18. Majority Owned Firms are encouraged to: • Partner with, • Subcontract with, • Develop a joint venture, or • Establish distributorship with: • Minority • Woman Owned and/or • Small businesses… Contact Information for further assistance: • (615) 253-4657 • http://www.tennessee.gov/diversity

19. How to locate Solicitation Documents/Sourcing Events • Frequent review of the Purchasing Division’s web-site: http://www.tennessee.gov/generalserv/purchasing/index.html • Viewing the Edison supplier portal for daily posting of public events: https://supplier.edison.tennessee.gov/psp/supplier/SUPPLIER/ERP/h?tab=DEFAULT Or: http://www.tennessee.gov/finance/ERP_files/supplier.html • Existing vendors registered in the State legacy system (TOPS) and/or as an Edison e-Supplier and receive notifications of opportunities by e-mail

20. Pre-Bid Conference • Reviews in detail the requirements of the solicitation • Vendors and end users discuss critical points and specifications • Pose questions; receive responses • Site visit, if necessary • Results in fair and competitive solicitation document

21. Responding to Solicitations/Sourcing Events • During this time of transition for the Edison system implementation, vendors will receive and respond to solicitations in both the existing system, TOPS and sourcing events in the new E-Procurement system, Edison • E-procurement (Edison) sourcing events – registered vendors may receive email notification, respond electronically, or choose to receive hard copy in the mail and submit hard copy response • Existing System (TOPS) solicitations – vendors will receive e-mail notification, print out from the internet and return hard copy OR receive hard copy in the mail for return to the Purchasing Division • Dual operation during system implementation – vendors may receive solicitations from the State using both systems

22. Bidder’s Responsibility • Thoroughly read and understand the solicitation document • Provide all required information requested in the solicitation • Provide required documentation or samples • Signature is required on hard copy responses; electronic signature is secured through system security in electronic submission • Timely response; no late bids accepted

23. Errors on Solicitations • In written submittals, corrections made by the bidder must be INITIALED in ink • No bid or line item shall be altered or amended after the bid opening. • Unit price governs

24. Withdrawal of Submitted Solicitation Document • Prior to opening, bidders may withdraw or amend a bid anytime following specified guidelines; HOWEVER • After opening, request for withdrawal of a bid or a portion of a bid for an obvious error requires submission of written cost documentation to demonstrate vendor’s position that enforcement of award would impose unconscionable hardship on the part of the vendor

25. Mailing Instructions for Solicitation Documents • One solicitation per envelope • Apply proper postage. Mail will be returned for insufficient postage • Use blue window envelope, or • If using your own envelope, the solicitation number and opening date must be on the outside of the envelope.

26. Special Delivery • If using special carriers for express/overnight delivery: • Solicitations must be properly identified • Individual bids must be submitted in separate envelopes • Do not use P. O. Box designation for express/overnight mail deliveries, use physical address

27. Late Bids • Late bids will be rejected, both electronic and hard copy • Due date, time and destination is specified on the first page of the document or on the electronic page

28. Payment Terms • If bidder offers cash discount, it must be offered on the solicitation/event response • Discount for prompt payment periods of less than 30 days will NOT be considered in the award process • All discounts offered will be taken if earned

29. Public Opening of Solicitations/Sourcing Events • Bidders are encouraged to attend the public opening at the date, time and location indicated on the solicitation • The following information is publicly read to attendees: Make/model, unit price and discount, if offered

30. Evaluation Process Evaluation of solicitation/event includes: • Specifications • Terms and Conditions • Compliance with requirements of solicitation *Confidentiality is maintained during this evaluation period

31. Notification of Intent to Award • For formal solicitations/events, a notification is sent to all responding bidders of intent to award seven days in advance

32. Inspection of Solicitation/Event File • Inspection of the bid file permitted after completion of evaluation and upon recommendation of award • Interested parties should contact the purchasing agent to schedule an appointment to review the file

33. Award Made to: • Lowest responsible bidder (s) • Meeting solicitation/event requirements • And other criteria as set forth in the solicitation/event

34. Tie Bids • Two or more vendors offer products that meet specifications, other criteria and have identical pricing • Broken by: • Certified Small/Minority business • Bidder utilizing Certified Small/Minority business as sub-contractor (s) • Bidder low on additional line item (s) in solicitation/event • Best delivery • By lot or coin toss

35. Public Records • Bid tabulations will be posted after contract award for 30 days • Physical files are made available during regular business hours by appointment

36. Vendor Protest • May be filed by any actual or prospective bidder claiming to be aggrieved in connection with a solicitation, the bid process, or pending award of contract, may protest to the Commissioner of General Services • Protest must be accompanied by a Protest Bond in the amount of 5% of the lowest bid or the estimated value of contract (if the bid has not yet opened) • Protesting party must submit such protest in writing within 7 days after knowledge of facts giving rise to the protest

37. Visit Purchasing Offices • As a bidder, you are encouraged to visit the purchasing offices to share product information • Please schedule an appointment in advance • Most purchases originate at the end user or agency level.

38. Physical Location of State Purchasing Division • 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243 • Third Floor, Tennessee Tower • Bring photo ID for validation of identity • Allow adequate time to secure parking • Phone Number: 615-741-1035 • Fax Number: 615-741-0684

39. Thank you for your interest • We hope you found this presentation helpful • For additional information, please visit the Purchasing Division website at: • http://www.tennessee.gov/generalserv/purchasing/index.html • Telephone: 615-741-1035 • Or the Edison portal at: • http://tennessee.gov/finance/ERP_files/vendortrain.html