REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ)
RFQ NUMBER: / 2015-EWMI-GE-09-01FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF: / Two (2) Computer Servers
ISSUED BY: / East-West Management Institute Representative Office in Georgia
DELIVERY ADDRESS: / East-West Management Institute Representative Office in Georgia
5 Marjanishvili Street, 3rd floor
0102, Tbilisi
Georgia
DATE OF ISSUANCE: / September 28, 2015
QUOTATION DUE: /
October 9, 2015
IT EQUIPMENT NEEDED BY: /30 days after purchase contract is signed
QUOTATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED BY E-MAIL ONLY AS AN ATTACHED FILE (as a .PDF or MS Word / Excel Document) TO /East-West Management Institute in GeorgiaEast-West Management Institute, Inc. (EWMI) is a U.S. not-for-profit organization promoting the rule of law, civil society and free market systems globally. In Georgia, EWMI is implementing two programs funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID):
1) Promoting Rule of Law in Georgia Activity (PROLoG), whose purpose is to strengthen the justice system to ensure due process, judicial independence, and the protection of human rights.
2) Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for Sustainability project (ACCESS), which aims to build the capacity of the civil society sector as an end in itself while also supporting civil society to be a more effective force for demanding more transparent and accountable governance and more responsive policies.
Please submit your offer in accordance with the Instructions, Terms and Conditions of this RFQ. This RFQ includes the following Parts:PART A - INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORSPART B - TERMS AND CONDITIONSPART C - SPECIFICATIONS & TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTSPART D - OFFER COVER LETTER TEMPLATEPART E - PRICE QUOTATION TABLE TEMPLATEAll correspondence and/ or inquiries regarding this RFQ must reference the above RFQ Number and must ONLY be by e-mail.
PART A: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS
ARTICLE 1 - RESPONSIBILITY OF OFFERORS
Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their offers are received by EWMI in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this RFQ. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this RFQ may lead to disqualification of an offer from consideration.
ARTICLE 2 - ELIGIBILITY OF OFFERORS
By submitting an offer in response to this RFQ, the offeror certifies that it and its principal officers are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible for an award by the U.S. Government. EWMI will not award a contract to any firm that is debarred, suspended, or considered to be ineligible by the U.S. Government.
Organizations responding to this RFQ are requested to submit a copy of their official registration or business license.
Individuals responding to this RFQ are requested to submit a copy of their private entrepreneur registration documents and tax registration documents.
ARTICLE 3 – DUE DATE
Offers must be received by the date and time indicated on the first page of this RFQ. Offers received after the specified time and date will be considered late and will be considered only at the discretion of EWMI.
ARTICLE 4 – QUESTIONS
Please reference the RFQ number in any correspondence relating to this RFQ.
Questions regarding the technical or administrative requirements of this RFQ may be submitted by email to the email address indicated in the first page of this RFQ. Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Questions and requests for clarification—and the responses thereto—that EWMI believes may be of interest to other offerors will be circulated to all RFQ recipients who have indicated an interest in bidding.
Only the written answers issued by EWMI will be considered official and carry weight in the RFQ process and subsequent evaluation. Any verbal information received from employees of EWMI or any other entity should not be considered as an official response to any questions regarding this RFQ.
ARTICLE 5 – SPECIFICATIONS
Part C of this RFQ contains the technical specifications of the required items.
All commodities offered in response to this RFQ must be new and unused.
Please note that, unless otherwise indicated, stated brand names or models are for illustrative description only. An equivalent substitute, as determined by the specifications, is acceptable.
ARTICLE 6 – QUOTATION BASIS
All quotes in response to this RFQ must be priced on a fixed-price, all-inclusive basis, including packing, insurance, delivery and all other costs. Pricing must be presented in U.S. Dollars (USD).
In case of any discrepancy between a unit price and a total price, the unit price will be taken as correct and the total price adjusted accordingly. It is assumed that the offeror is not offering an item for which the unit price is not shown.
ARTICLE 7 – VALIDITY OF OFFERS (quotations)
Offers shall remain valid and open for acceptance by EWMI for a minimum of thirty (30) days after the RFQ closing date. Offers specifying a shorter offer acceptance period will be considered non-responsive and will be rejected.
ARTICLE 8 – DELIVERY
The delivery location for the items described in this RFQ is the EWMI representative office in Tbilisi (address is listed on the first page of this RFQ.) As part of its response to this RFQ, each offeror is expected to provide an estimate (in calendar days) of the delivery timeframe. The delivery estimate presented in an offer in response to this RFQ must be upheld in the performance of any resulting contract.
ARTICLE 9 – SOURCE/NATIONALITY
This procurement is financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); therefore offerors may not offer or supply any commodities or services that are manufactured or assembled in, shipped from, transported through, or otherwise involving any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Laos, Libya, North Korea and Syria.
ARTICLE 10 – LOCAL COMMODITY REPRESENTATION
It is preferred that the specified equipment have an authorized in-country (in Georgia) representative/agent of the manufacturer for warranty service (parts and labor). Offerors must present proof from the equipment manufacturers of their authorization to sell the products they quote. If the equipment has no authorized representative in-country this must be clearly mentioned.
ARTICLE 11 – COMMODITY WARRANTY
The specified equipment must be covered by a manufacturer's international warranty that has full support in Georgia. The term of the warranty must be for three (3) years. The Offeror shall provide evidence of such a warranty under which the duly authorized local In-Country (in Georgia) Representative/Authorized Agent will replace or repair the equipment to be supplied under this purchase contract, or repair or replace any parts of such commodity, found to be defective due to faulty design, workmanship or materials. Replacements and repairs shall be made without cost to the buyer during the warranty period. EWMI shall give the Offeror prompt notice of any claims under such warranty and, if the Offeror’s Local In-Country (in Georgia) Representative/Authorized Agent fails to remedy the defects within a reasonable time, EWMI shall have the right to take such remedial action as may be necessary and to claim the reasonable costs thereof from the Offeror himself. The warranty shall be valid for a minimum period of no less than 36 months (3 years) after purchase (defined to as of the data of delivery to EWMI offices in Tbilisi, Georgia).
The warranty shall cover parts and labor or complete replacement, at no cost to EWMI, and shall be honored by the equipment manufacturer’s duly authorized Local In-Country (in Georgia) Representative/Authorized Agent.
ARTICLE 12 - COMMERCIAL REFERENCES
All quotations submitted must include the current contact information for at least two (2) commercial references. EWMI plans to contact these references to determine the quality and consistency of each offeror’s previous performance in the marketplace. The resulting information (or lack of should EWMI not be able to contact an offeror’s references) will become an important piece of information in deciding who will be selected to receive this award.
ARTICLE 13 – TAXES AND VAT
EWMI USAID-funded programs in Georgia, are free and exempt from any taxes and VAT. Offers in response to this RFQ shall not include any Georgia taxes, duties, levies, etc. from which these USAID programs are exempt.
ARTICLE 14–QUOTATION SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST
Offers are to be submitted as an attached file (in .PDF or MS Word format). Do not submit a quotation unless you also submit all of this documentation at the same time.
To assist offerors in preparation of proposals, the following checklist summarizes the documentation to include an offer in response to this RFQ.
Document / Comments1 / Cover Letter on company letterhead signed by an authorized representative of offeror / See template in Part D of this RFQ document.
2 / Price Quotation Table / Fill out our Price Quotation Table Template (PART E of this RFQ) listing all specifications of offered items
3 / A Statement of Compliance (with specifications) / Written statement saying the specifications have been met
4 / A piece of Descriptive Literature / Please include the product‘s data sheet
5 / A copy of Manufacturer’s International Warranty / It must cover the specific item being quoted
6 / Contact Information for Authorized in-country (in Georgia) representative / Specifically for brand & model quoted (note in offer cover letter)
7 / Maintenance Service Agreement / A document describing this service
8 / Copy of offeror’s registration or business license / Per article 2 of this RFQ
9 / Commercial References (minimum two) / Must include current contact information
PART B: TERMS AND CONDITIONS
ARTICLE 15 –GENERAL TERMS
This is a request for quotations only, and in no way obligates EWMI or USAID to make an award or issue a Purchase Contract or pay for costs incurred by potential offerors in the preparation and submission of an offer.
If a Purchase Contract is issued as a result of an offer, the terms and conditions of this RFQ will become an integral part to that Purchase Contract. A signed Purchase Contract will in effect become the official contract between the seller and the buyer in this procurement. The awardee (seller) must sign the Purchase Contract upon receipt which signifies his acceptance of the order and all terms and conditions of the transaction.
The title to any goods supplied under any award resulting from this RFQ shall pass to EWMI following delivery and written acceptance of the goods by an authorized representative of EWMI. Risk of loss, injury, or destruction of the goods shall be borne by the offeror until title passes to EWMI.
ARTICLE 16 – EVALUATION, SELECTION AND AWARD
Awards shall be made to the offeror whose offer is responsive to the RFQ and is most advantageous to EWMI, price, quality, warranty period, delivery time and offeror’s references considered. A responsive offer is one, which complies with all of the terms, conditions and technical requirements of the RFQ without material modifications. A material modification is one which affects the price, quantity, quality, delivery date of the requirement, or which limits in any way the responsibilities, duties, or liabilities of the offerors.
If there are significant deficiencies regarding responsiveness to the requirements of this RFQ, an offer may be deemed “non-responsive” and thereby disqualified from consideration. EWMI reserves the right to waive immaterial deficiencies at its discretion.
Any and all bids or offers may be rejected when it is in EWMI’s interest to do so.
The successful offeror will be notified, in writing, as soon as selection is formally made by EWMI’s Technical Committee and a Purchase Order is funded and authorized.
Please note that in submitting a response to this RFQ, the offeror understands that USAID is not a party to this solicitation and the offeror agrees that any protest hereunder must be presented—in writing with full explanations—to EWMI for consideration, as USAID will not consider protests regarding procurements carried out by implementing partners. EWMI, at its sole discretion, will make a final decision on the protest for this procurement.
ARTICLE 17 - EWMI RESERVES THE RIGHT…
A. To reject a quotation of any offeror if, in EWMI’s judgment, the offeror is not responsible or responsive or when it is in EWMI’s interest to do so.
B. To conduct negotiations with and/or request clarifications from any offeror prior to award.
C. To increase or decrease the quantity of a line item duly awarded in accordance with the RFQ by fifty percent (50%) plus any fraction necessary to equal a whole number of the quantity offered, at the unit price offered. This option shall be exercised, if at all, at the time award is made or up to a sixty (60) days later, if agreed to by both parties.
D. To remove any line item from the RFQ. This option shall be exercised, if at all, at the time award is made.
E. To issue separate purchase orders for the each batch of equipment, based on delivery dates.
F. Cancel this RFQ at any time.
ARTICLE 18 - PAYMENT
Payment in Georgian currency (by converting the USD award amount to Georgian currency at the exchange rate of EWMI’s commercial bank) will be made by bank wire transfer to the specified financial institution designated by the Offeror who is awarded this procurement. Any incoming wire transfer fees assessed by the Offeror’s bank will be an expense of Offeror and will not be reimbursed by EWMI. These payments are defined as:
1. Initial Deposit – this will equal 10% of the total value of the Purchase Contract. It will be released at the same time the Purchase Contract is signed. It is meant to secure the order.
2. Final Payment – this will equal the remaining 90% of the value of the Purchase Contract and will be made by wire transfer to the same bank as Payment #1. This payment will be made when the delivery has been completed, the EWMI representative has signed an acceptance for the equipment once it has been setup and EWMI has verified it is working, and upon presentation of a commercial invoice and any other documentation requested by EWMI.
ARTICLE 19 – PENALTY FOR LATE DELIVERY
Late delivery is subjected to 1% penalty of the value of the delayed item for every day or part of a day with maximum of 10% after which the next lowest offeror will be selected to supply that item according to his price and the initial awardee shall cover the difference in price.