Section 6: Competitive sealed proposals; requests for proposals; additional evaluation criteria
Section 6. (a) A chief procurement officer may enter into procurement contracts in the amount of more than $50,000, or, a municipal or regional school district, more than $100,000, utilizing competitive sealed proposals, in accordance with the provisions of this section. The chief procurement officer shall not solicit competitive sealed proposals unless he has determined in writing that selection of the most advantageous offer requires comparative judgments of factors in addition to price, specifying the reasons for his determination.
(b) The chief procurement officer shall solicit proposals through a request for proposals. The request for proposals shall include:
(1) the time and date for receipt of proposals, the address of the office to which the proposals are to be delivered, the maximum time for proposal acceptance by the governmental body;
(2) the purchase description and all evaluation criteria that will be utilized pursuant to paragraph (e); and
(3) all contractual terms and conditions applicable to the procurement provided that the contract may incorporate by reference a plan submitted by the selected offeror for providing the required supplies or services.
The request for proposals may incorporate documents by reference; provided, however, that the request for proposals specifies where prospective offerors may obtain the documents. The request for proposals shall provide for the separate submission of price, and shall indicate when and how the offerors shall submit the price. The chief procurement officer shall make copies of the request for proposals available to all persons on an equal basis.
(c) Public notice of the request for proposals shall conform to the procedures set forth in paragraph (c) of section five.
(d) The chief procurement officer shall not open the proposals publicly, but shall open them in the presence of one or more witnesses at the time specified in the request for proposals. Notwithstanding the provisions of section seven of chapter four, until the completion of the evaluations, or until the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals, whichever occurs earlier, the contents of the proposals shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to competing offerors. At the opening of proposals the chief procurement officer shall prepare a register of proposals which shall include the name of each offeror and the number of modifications, if any, received. The register of proposals shall be open for public inspection. The chief procurement officer may open the price proposals at a later time, and shall open the price proposals so as to avoid disclosure to the individuals evaluating the proposals on the basis of criteria other than price.
(e) The chief procurement officer shall designate the individual or individuals responsible for the evaluation of the proposals on the basis of criteria other than price. The designated individuals shall prepare their evaluations based solely on the criteria set forth in the request for proposals. Such criteria shall include all standards by which acceptability will be determined as to quality, workmanship, results of inspections and tests, and suitability for a particular purpose, and shall also include all other performance measures that will be utilized. The evaluations shall specify in writing:
(1) for each evaluation criterion, a rating of each proposal as highly advantageous, advantageous, not advantageous, or unacceptable, and the reasons for the rating;
(2) a composite rating for each proposal, and the reasons for the rating; and
(3) revisions, if any, to each proposed plan for providing the required supplies or services which should be obtained by negotiation prior to awarding the contract to the offeror of the proposal.
(f) A proposal may be corrected, modified or withdrawn to the extent provided in paragraph (f) of section five.
(g) The chief procurement officer shall determine the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals. The chief procurement officer shall award the contract by written notice to the selected offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals. The parties may extend the time for acceptance by mutual agreement. The chief procurement officer may condition an award on successful negotiation of the revisions specified in the evaluation, and shall explain in writing the reasons for omitting any such revision from a plan incorporated by reference in the contract.
(h) If the chief procurement officer awards the contract to an offeror who did not submit the lowest price, the chief procurement officer shall explain the reasons for the award in writing, specifying in reasonable detail the basis for determining that the quality of supplies or services under the contract will not exceed the governmental body's actual needs.
(i) If a contract requiring payment to the governmental body of a net monetary sum is awarded to an offeror who did not submit the highest price, the chief procurement officer shall explain the reasons for the award in writing as set forth in paragraph (h).
(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, with respect to contracts for the recycling or composting of solid waste or the treatment, composting or disposal of sewage, septage or sludge at a facility to be owned and constructed by a private party or parties whether such facility will be, located on public or private land, the request for proposals may include proposed contractual terms and conditions to be incorporated into the contract, some of which may be deemed mandatory or non-negotiable, provided that the request for proposals may request proposals or offer options for fulfillment of other contractual terms. The chief procurement officer shall make a preliminary determination of the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals. The chief procurement officer may negotiate all terms of the contract not deemed mandatory or non-negotiable with such offeror. If after negotiation with such offeror, the chief procurement officer determines that it is in the best interests of the governmental body, the chief procurement officer may determine the proposal which is the next most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals, and may negotiate all terms of the contract with such offeror. The chief procurement officer shall award the contract to the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price, the evaluated criteria set forth in the request for proposals, and the terms of the negotiated contract. The chief procurement officer shall award the contract by written notice to the selected offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals. The time for acceptance may be extended for up to 45 days by mutual agreement between the governmental body and the responsible and responsive offeror offering the most advantageous proposal as determined by the chief procurement officer.
(k) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, with respect to contracts for energy-related services entered into by a city or town or group of cities or towns, the requests for proposals may include proposed contractual terms and conditions to be incorporated into the contract, some of which may be deemed mandatory or non-negotiable; provided, however, that the request for proposals may request proposals or offer options for fulfillment of other contractual terms. The chief procurement officer shall make a preliminary determination of the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in a request for proposals. The chief procurement officer may negotiate all terms of the contract not deemed mandatory or non-negotiable with such offeror. If after negotiation with such offeror the chief procurement officer determines that it is in the best interest of the governmental body, the chief procurement officer may determine the proposal which is the next most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals, and may negotiate all terms of the contract with such offeror. The chief procurement officer shall award the contract to the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration price, the evaluated criteria set forth in the request for proposals, and the terms of the negotiated contract. The chief procurement officer shall award the contract by written notice to the selected offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals. The parties may extend the time for acceptance by mutual agreement.