Request For Proposals
For
Furniture for Elementary School
Issued By
Fleming County Schools
211 West Water Street
Flemingsburg, KY 41041
District Contact
Andy Plank
Andy.plank@fleming.kyschools.us
606-845-5851
Section 1. Introduction
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is issued by Fleming County Schools (“the district”) to solicit proposals from qualified individuals and organizations (“Offerors”) to furnish furniture for Flemingsburg Elementary. The district is constructing a new elementary school to open August of 2026 and will be providing the school with new student desks, chairs, teacher desks, teacher chairs and office furniture.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Offerors are advised that any contract resulting from this RFP must comply with all applicable provisions of KRS Chapter 45A (Kentucky Model Procurement Code) and other statutes and policies noted in this RFP. The District Procurement Policies and Procedures are fully incorporated by reference into this RFP. A copy of these policies and procedures may be obtained from the District Office upon request at a cost not to exceed the cost of reproduction.
AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP
Please note that any amendments to a solicitation (such as the revision of the RFP to include the answers to the written questions) will be posted on the district website where the RFP was originally posted.
It is important for prospective Offerors to check the website regularly for posted addenda. No amendments will be issued later than seven (7) days prior to the submission deadline of proposals, except for postponing the date for receipt of proposals, or withdrawing the request for proposals. Each Offeror shall determine prior to submitting his proposal that it has received all amendments issued. Offerors are responsible for submitting proposals using the latest version and amendments to the solicitation.
Section 2. Scope of Work
The selected vendor will be responsible for the supply, delivery and installation of the furniture items. The following list includes the rooms or areas that will need furniture. A diagram or the school layout is available by request.
A. 4 Resource Classrooms
a. Each room will need seating for 12 students and a teacher desk/chair.
B. 24 Classrooms
a. Each room will need 24 student desks and chairs, that will be size appropriate for the grade. Additionally, each room will need a teacher desk and chair.
C. 4 Preschool/Kindergarten Classrooms
a. Each room will need seating for 24 students that is size appropriate for the grade. Each room will need a teacher desk and chair.
D. 5 Offices
a. Basic office setup with desk, office chair and additional seating for 2.
E. 1 Music Classroom
a. Seating for 28 students.
F. 1 Art Classroom
a. Seating for 28 students.
G. 2 Special Education Classrooms
a. The district will have to work with selected vendor to properly furnish these rooms.
H. 1 Life Skills Classroom
a. The district will have to work with selected vendor to properly furnish these rooms.
I. 1 Meeting Room
a. Conference style table with seating for at least 12.
J. 1 Work Room
a. The district will have to work with selected vendor to properly furnish these rooms.
The district is requesting that vendors provide the district options on desks and chairs based on quality and price. Please include in the submission any warranties included with furniture.
The selected vendor will need to work with the district to ensure that installation will be completed by the time the school is opened. The expected open date is August of 2026 but vendor will need to be flexible due to construction timeline.
Section 3. Submission of Proposals
Submissions must be made to the district by close of business, Tuesday, September 30th. Submissions may be emailed to andy.plank@fleming.kyschools.us or mailed in a sealed envelope to the board office at 211 West Water Street, Flemingsburg, KY 41041. No late submissions will be accepted.
Please submit the bids to correspond with the scoring rubric. The scoring rubric will be based on the following metrics;
1. Quality and durability of furniture
2. Cost competitiveness
3. Delivery and installation timeline
4. Vendor reputation and references
5. Warranty and support services
6. Visual appeal and aesthetics
7. Compliance with education specifications
RFP will need to show the quantity and per unit price for every item.
Vendors may submit multiple submissions based on different products and manufacturers that they represent.
No pre-bid conference will be held.
Section 4. Evaluation and Award
Bids will be evaluated based on a 35-point rubric with 5 points available per section of the rubric. The sections of the rubric are listed in Section 3 of this RFP. A committee will review the bids for accuracy, promptness and completeness and apply the point values appropriately.
Notification of award will be made by October 10th, 2025. A recommendation will then be presented to the Fleming County Board of Education for approval at their Board meeting on October 16th, 2025.
Section 5. General Terms and Conditions
CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
The successful Offeror shall furnish a certificate of insurance in accordance with the requirements set forth below, as applicable, or at minimum, in accordance with local and state laws for the performance of the awarded Contract.
RIGHT TO WAIVE MINOR TECHNICALITIES, IRREGULARITIES, OR OTHER INFORMALITIES
The district retains the right to waive minor technicalities and irregularities, or other informalities in the solicitation process, if it is in the best interest of the district to do so
RECIPROCAL PREFERENCE
In accordance with KRS 45A.490 to 45A.494, a resident Offeror of the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall be given a preference against a nonresident Offeror. In evaluating proposals, the district will apply a reciprocal preference against an Offeror submitting a proposal from a state that grants residency preference equal to the preference given by the state of the nonresident Offeror. Residency and non-residency shall be defined in accordance with KRS 45A.494(2) and 45A.494(3), respectively. Any Offeror claiming Kentucky residency status shall submit with its proposal a notarized affidavit (included in this solicitation) affirming that it meets the criteria as set forth in the above referenced statute.
OPEN RECORDS AND OPEN MEETINGS EXCEPTIONS
a) Pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(n), any meetings of any selection committee, evaluation committee, or other similar group established under KRS Chapter 45A to select a successful supplier for award of a contract are exempt from the open meetings requirements.
b) Pursuant to KRS 61.878(1)(c), any records disclosed by a bidders or offeror which are generally recognized as confidentiality or proprietary (i.e., records which if openly disclosed would permit an unfair commercial advantage to competitors), are exempt from public disclosure, except on order of a court.
c) Pursuant to KRS 61.878(1)(o), except for the specific information which is disclosed at a public bid opening (typically names of bidders and price bid), any other records relating to a procurement process are confidential, until a contract is awarded, or the procurement process is cancelled and there is a determination that the contract will not be resolicited.
CONFIDENTIAL DATA
Prospective offerors should designate those portions of the initial proposal which contain trade secrets or other proprietary data which is to remain confidential. This information should be prominently noted to avoid accidental distribution in the event of open records requests.
If the Procurement Officer does not agree with the confidentiality of such data, or any portion thereof, he shall inform the offeror in writing what portions of the proposal will be disclosed. The offeror may protest this determination to the Superintendent, who serves as the Chief Procurement Officer and arbitrator of any disputes arising from the procurement process.
MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS
Contractor must maintain records for a minimum of five (5) years after the final payment on the Contract.
TAXES
Kentucky Sales and/or Use Tax
Proposers are informed that service contracts of the Board of Education are exempt from the provisions of the Kentucky Sales and/or Use Tax. Offeror will be furnished proper tax exemption certificates upon request. All adjustments and allowances for the current sales and/or use tax shall be provided for in the quoted amount as no adjustments will be permitted and/or made after the fact.
a) Federal Excise Tax
The Board of Education is entitled to exemption from Federal Excise Tax. All proposers or contractors shall take this into consideration in their bid.
b) Deductions for Taxes, Worker’s Compensation, etc.
The contractor will be required to accept liability for payment of all payroll taxes or deductions required by local, state, and federal law. Worker's Compensation Insurance shall be carried to the full amount as required by Kentucky Statutes.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
Contractor shall perform its duties hereunder as an independent contractor and not as an employee. Neither Contractor nor any agent or employee of Contractor shall be deemed to be an agent or employee of the district. Contractor and its employees and agents are not entitled to unemployment insurance or workers compensation benefits through the District and the District shall not pay for or otherwise provide such coverage for Contractor or any of its agents or employees. Unemployment insurance benefits will be available to Contractor and its employees and agents only if such coverage is made available by Contractor or a third party. Contractor shall pay when due all applicable employment taxes and income taxes and local head taxes incurred pursuant to this contract. Contractor shall not have authorization, express or implied, to bind the district to any agreement, liability or understanding, except as expressly set forth herein. Contractor shall:
a) provide and keep in force workers' compensation and unemployment compensation insurance in the amounts required by law;
b) provide proof thereof when requested by the district, and
c) be solely responsible for its acts and those of its employees and agents.
ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING
a) Contractor may not subcontract, transfer, or assign any portion of the contract without prior, written approval from the district. The district must approve each subcontractor in writing. The substitution of one subcontractor for another may be made only at the discretion of the district and with prior, written approval from the district.
b) Notwithstanding the use of approved subcontractors, the Offeror, if awarded a contract under this RFP, shall be the prime contractor and shall be responsible for all work performed.
c) Contractor shall require each of its subcontractors of any tier to carry the aforementioned coverage or Contractor may insure subcontractors under its own policy.
EXCUSE FOR NON-PERFORMANCE
The successful offeror shall be excused from performing hereunder during the time and to the extent that they are prevented from obtaining, delivering or performing in the customary way because of fire, strike, partial or total interruption of, loss or shortage of transportation facilities, lockout, commandeering of raw materials, products, plants or facilities by the government when satisfactory evidence thereof is presented to the other party providing it is satisfactorily established that the non-performance is not due to the fault or negligence of the party not performing.
TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT
Contracts may be terminated for default at any time by the district with thirty (30) days' notice or upon the discretion of the school district, in a shorter period, if the terms of the contract are violated. The district may choose to give a Contractor the opportunity to cure the identified deficiencies within a specific time, prior to termination, if it is in the best interest of the district.
In case of default by a contractor, the district may procure a substitute contractor which shall operate under the remainder of the existing contract breached by the contractor and the original contractor shall be liable for any and all excess costs incurred in the procurement of the substitute contractor.
TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE
Contracts may be terminated for convenience at any time by the district with thirty (30) days' written notice to the Contractor, unless the Chief Procurement Officer for the district makes a written determination that a shorter notice of termination for convenience is in the best interest of the district. If a contract is terminated for convenience, the Contractor may request reimbursement for contractual costs incurred before the date of termination.
TERMINATION BASED UPON UNAVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
Financial obligations of the district payable after the current fiscal year are contingent upon funds for that purpose being appropriated, or otherwise available. The district may terminate a contract if funds are not appropriated, or otherwise available for the purpose of making payments without incurring any obligation for payment after the date of termination, regardless of the terms of the contract. The district shall provide the Contractor with thirty (30) calendar days written notice of termination of the contract for this reason.
FINAL DISPOSITION OF DISTRICT DATA
The Offeror agrees, upon termination, cancellation, expiration, or other conclusion of this Contract that District data will be made available to the district in the format requested by the Board. The
Offeror also agrees, that upon termination, cancellation, expiration, or other conclusion of this Contract, and after making District data available to the District in the format requested by the Board, the Offeror shall erase, destroy, and render unreadable and infeasible for recovery or re-use, all District data, regardless of its format, mode of storage or location, including such data that may have been provided to the Offeror’s employees, agents, or other affiliated persons or entities, and certify in writing that these actions have been completed, within thirty (30) days of the termination, cancellation, expiration, or other conclusion of this Contract.
INDEMNITY
Contractor shall (a) hold harmless, indemnify, and defend the District and its Board members, agents, and employees from any and all claims or losses accruing or resulting from injury, damage, or death of any person, firm, or corporation, including Contractor and any personnel assigned to this project by Contractor, in connection with the performance of this Contract, and (b) hold harmless, indemnify, and defend the District and its Board members, agents, and employees from any and all claims or losses incurred by any supplier, contractor, or subcontractor furnishing work, services, or materials to Contractor in connection with the performance of this Contract. This provision shall survive the termination of this Contract.
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS
The successful Offeror must operate in conformity with all applicable, federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, orders, rules, and regulations pertaining to work. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that all permits and/or licensees required for operation are valid and current. Failure to comply with this provision may be cause to cancel any contract awarded, and award may be made to the next lowest, responsive, responsible Offeror.