Texas State Contract Update
(8/11/2008) Independent dealers and their manufacturer suppliers came together to achieve significant amendments to the office furniture RFP, and bidding is now open on those contract opportunities. CPA agreed to maintain the TXMAS (Texas Multiple Award Schedules) system for purchasing office furniture and amended its RFP in ways that are expected to result in the award of multiple term contracts for a variety of categories of office furniture. CPA also backed away from its unrealistic plans to issue term contracts for furniture installation and other related services.
CPA was far less receptive to amending its RFP for general office products (615-A1). It agreed to maintain TXMAS as "a parallel" purchasing vehicle, but major doubts remain about the degree to which TXMAS will remain as a viable alternative to terms contracts. Active lobbying by Texas dealers led to some initial amendments to the RFP, including a decision to award a term contract for each of 25 subdistricts within the State. However, numerous other terms and conditions within the RFP were unrealistic and extremely small business unfriendly.
This bid process opened on September 2 with only a small number of independent dealers presenting bids, most in remote areas of the State. The general assessment among dealers was that the bid should be postponed and rewritten to make it equitable for small business participation. Several dealers have now formally protested the RFP and are awaiting a response.
NOPA members in Texas are encouraged to continue contacts with legislators regarding the failures of sole-source contracting for office products, using the audit reports and other resources available from this website in the government advocacy section.
The TXMAS purchasing option must be preserved in practice, not just in theory, since it is more flexible and inclusive of small business bidders than the term contracting approach.
The Texas Legislature unwittingly has given impetus to "strategic sourcing" in the 2007 general appropriations bill and the Comptroller's office has used this legislative guidance as justification for the RFPs on office supplies and furniture issued this summer.
A legislative correction may be necessary if the State awards most or all of the 25 proposed substate term contracts to one of the Big Box companies. NOPA is actively monitoring this situation and will provide further guidance to members as warranted later this fall.
NOPA sent a letter to Texas Comptroller Susan Combs on August 11 asking for a temporary withdrawal of the RFP. This letter may be included as an attachment to any email you or your employees send to Texas legislators as background on our industry's request for a more open and small-business friendly purchasing approach in the State.
Contact Chris Bates, NOPA President, at 704/842-0100 or by email at cbates@nopanet.orgfor further information.
Questions regarding the status of the office products or office furniture bid review processes should be directed to James Gonzales at james.gonzalez@cpa.state.tx.us.
