Solicitation Questions and Answers
Question: When is the bid due?
Answer: Bid due date and bid opening is Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM Central Daylight Time.
Amendment One:
Please note this error and correction: Central Standard Time (CST) is listed nine times in the Invitation for Bid (IFB) where it should indicate Central Daylight Time (CDT) for times listed after March 9.
Change to note: All CST times listed in the Invitation for Bid that take place after March 9 are changed to CDT. Interflex indicates CDT for times indicated after March 9.
Question: Can you confirm if the address below will be the only delivery location, or if there will be multiple locations? Also, Would this be a one-time drop?
Operator:
AEA Purchasing (Iowa Association of Area Education Agencies), 1400 2nd Street NW, Elkader, IA 52043
Answer: Please note, there are two answers.
1. If referring to delivery of the solicitation, please see section 4.4 of the Invitation for Bid.
4.4 Submission of Bids
PLEASE NOTE: Failure to submit bid material as required may result in disqualification. Responsive bids meeting all minimum qualifications will be considered for award. Bidders must submit the bid electronically. The electronic version must be submitted through BidAdvantage, accessible here: https://bidadvantage.interflex.net/ Interflex BidAdvantage is a web-based procurement tool where Bidders can utilize a free vendor portal to respond to bid opportunities for K-12 schools and cooperatives. The system is available 24 hours a Day and uses the latest Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) security technology. Again, all bids must be submitted through the Interflex BidAdvantage system. If you need help setting up an Interflex profile (username/password) or need technical assistance at any time while responding to this bid, please contact Interflex at 610-898-4487 or email Jason Grim, jgrim@interflex.net. Bids should be submitted no later than 1 pm CST, April 9, 2025. Bid material will not become public record until a Contract is awarded, to the extent permitted by law. On April 9, 2025 at 1 pm CST at the AEA Purchasing office, 1400 2nd Street NW, Elkader, IA, 52043, each bid will be opened electronically, the name of each Bidder read aloud and recorded. Bids will be reviewed for completion of all Qualification Criteria and requests for any missing documents related to the Qualification Criteria will be sent to Bidders on April 9, 2025 by 5:00 pm CST via email address provided. Resubmission of any requested documents will be accepted no later than 1:00 pm CST, April 15, 2025. Bid material will not become public record until a Contract is awarded, to the extent permitted by law.
2. If referring to the delivery of items being solicited, no, the address in question is not a delivery location; 1400 2nd Street NW, Elkader, IA 53043 is one of the AEA Purchasing offices.
For more information regarding delivery locations, there are a number of sections of the AEA Purchasing Invitation for Bid (IFB) 020525 that address "Participating members", defined as "Eligible Members that have signed agreements to participate in the Cooperative Purchasing Program" that provides more detail regarding potential delivery locations. Sections include but are not limited to: SECTION 3- SERVICE ZONE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPATING MEMBER SCHOOLS, section 4.6 Qualification Criteria & subsections, Attachment 7: 2023 - 2024 Participating Members, & more. Please review the IFB 020525 for more detail. If you are unable to see these details, please connect with Megan Brink, megan@aeapurchasing.org.
Regarding the "one-time drop" question, please refer to section 4.6 Qualification Criteria & subsections & section 6.5 Delivery for requirements, and ATTACHMENT 1: BIDDER’S WORKSHEET IFB 020525 for areas to which bidders may elaborate on their proposed delivery process.