Athletic Apparel, Equipment, Uniforms, and Accessory Products

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF
WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
RFP # 2026-12 R1
ATHLETIC APPAREL, EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS,
AND ACCESSORY PRODUCTS
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
10:00 AM (CT), THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026
All time references in this RFP refer to the Central Time Zone.
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REVISION #1, 5/13/2026
Vendor Questions & District Responses
Q1. I wanted to get clarification on whether cheer and dance would be included under athletic clothing.
A1. Yes. Cheer and dance apparel are included within the scope of athletic clothing for this contract.
Q2. Is the district looking for a single vendor/distributor/supplier for this contract as a 4 High School contract
or individualized contracts per school?
A2. This contract will cover all four high schools and four middle schools under one District-wide agreement.
A single vendor is preferred; however, the District reserves the right to award to multiple Vendors if doing so
is determined to be in the District's best interest.
Q3. Is the district looking for a single brand (Nike, Adidas, Under Armor) per high school and/or district?
A3. No. The District expects all major brands to be available. No single-brand restriction will be applied.
Q4. Is the district already a member of any co-op purchasing organization (Equalis, Omnia, TIPPs, Purchase
Pros, BuyBoard, etc.)?
A4. Yes. The District is a member of all organizations listed in the question.
Q5. Is there an anticipated/target spend by each high school and/or the district overall for the three-year
agreement (or average per year).
A5. No. Purchases will be made on an as-needed basis. The District does not guarantee a minimum spend for
any school or for the contract term.
Q6. Is there record of the average spend for the last three years - either by school or by district - for the
purchases outlined in this RFP?
A6. For the combined 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, the District spent approximately $500,000 on
items within the scope of this RFP.
No further revisions.
[END OF REVISION #1]
[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL
IMPORTANT
Proposals shall be received by the deadline for proposal submission noted in Section 2.
Offerors are encouraged to use the following "Proposal Submission Checklist" to ensure they have
included all the items required by the solicitation.
Mail or hand-deliver your Proposal to:
Warren County Schools Board Office
303 Lovers Lane
Bowling Green, KY 42103
If mailing, allow for ample time for your proposal to be received before the deadline.
If hand-delivering, allow for ample time for potential long lines at the Board Office and to get through
any security and check-in procedures.
Proposals received after the submission deadline WILL be disqualified.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST
A. SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR TECHNICAL PROPOSAL IN AN ENVELOPE LABELED "TECHNICAL
PROPOSAL."
*
TECHNICAL PROPOSAL RESPONSE (see Sections 4.A.1. - 4.A.4 for content)
*
ATTACHMENT A (signed) - SOLICITATION RESPONSE COVER PAGE
*
ATTACHMENT B - NON-DISCRIMINATION/MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS FORM
*
ATTACHMENT C (notarized) - REQUIRED AFFIDAVIT FOR BIDDERS, OFFERORS AND CONTRACTORS
*
ATTACHMENT D (if applicable) (notarized) - RESIDENT VENDOR AFFIDAVIT
*
ATTACHMENT E - REFERENCES
*
CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENT (see Section 6 for details) - Providing this is optional during
the RFP process but is required within 5 business days of Contract award.
B. SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR COST PROPOSAL IN A SEPARATE AND SEALED ENVELOPE AND LABEL
THE ENVELOPE "COST PROPOSAL."
ATTACHMENT F (signed) - COST PROPOSAL FORM
*
Both Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal envelopes may be INCLUDED together in a single larger envelope
for mailing or delivery purposes.
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SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
This Request for Proposals ("RFP") is issued by Warren County Public Schools ("the District") to solicit
proposals from qualified individuals and organizations ("Offerors") to furnish the goods and services described
in this document. Additional details may be found in Section 3. Scope of Work.
B. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Offerors are advised that any contract resulting from this RFP shall comply with all applicable provisions of KRS
Chapter 45A and other statutes and policies noted in this RFP. The Warren County Public Schools Procurement
Manual (as adopted by the Warren County Board of Education) shall be fully incorporated by reference into
this RFP. A copy of this Procurement Manual may be obtained from the District Office upon request at a cost
not to exceed the cost of reproduction.
C. SYNONOMOUS TERMS
As used throughout this proposal and its attachments, the following terms are synonymous:
a. Warren County Public Schools and District are synonymous.
b. Solicitation, Request for Proposals, and RFP are synonymous.
c. Offeror, Supplier, Vendor, Company, Firm, are synonymous.
d. Agreement and Contract are synonymous.
e. Successful Offeror and Contractor are synonymous.
f. Project, Services, Scope, and Work are synonymous.
SECTION 2. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, COMMUNICATIONS
A. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Event Date Time (CT)
Release of RFP 4/20/2026
Deadline for written questions from Offerors 5/6/2026 3:00 pm
Answers for written questions posted 5/13/2026
Deadline for Proposals to be submitted 6/4/2026 10:00 am
Anticipated Date of Contract Award 6/26/2026
Anticipated Contract Start Date 7/1/2026
The District reserves the right to adjust these dates during the solicitation process.
B. RFP AND ADDENDA
The RFP and addenda may be downloaded from the District website while the RFP is posted.
C. COMMUNICATIONS
Any questions about the RFP must be submitted by the deadline for written questions specified in the
Schedule of Events. Questions must be submitted by email to the District Finance Director, Kathy Phelps, at
kathy.phelps@warren.kyschools.us.
The abovementioned individual shall be the sole point of contact concerning this solicitation. Prospective and
actual Offerors shall not directly contact other District personnel regarding matters concerning this solicitation
or to arrange meetings related to such. Any unauthorized contact may be cause for disqualification of the
Offeror.
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D. 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 its proposal that it has received all amendments issued. Offerors are responsible for submitting
proposals using the latest version and amendments to the solicitation.
SECTION 3. SCOPE OF SERVICES
A. OVERVIEW
The Warren County Board of Education seeks the goods and services of a qualified vendor to provide athletic
apparel, equipment, uniforms, and accessory products to support its educational and athletic programs. The
District has 4 middle schools and 4 high schools, listed below.
Drakes Creek Middle School Greenwood High School
Henry F. Moss Middle School South Warren High School
South Warren Middle School Warren Central High School
Warren East Middle School Warren East High School
Scope of Services
The awarded Vendor should be capable of providing a full range of athletic products and related items,
including but not limited to:
Apparel: uniforms, practice gear, footwear, and other team or athletic clothing.
Equipment: wind screens, game and practice balls, helmets, weighttraining equipment, shoulder pads,
and similar athletic equipment.
Major Athletic Installations: scoreboards, videoboards, shot clocks, netting systems, and other new athletic
project components.
Accessories: bags, water bottles, training aids, and other ancillary athletic items.
Competing Quotes for NonApparel Purchases: For nonapparel purchases exceeding $40,000, the District
reserves the right to solicit and obtain competing quotations at its discretion.
Procurement from Alternate Vendors: If required items are unavailable within four (4) weeks, or when the
District determines that an urgent need exists, the District reserves the right to procure the items from an
alternate vendor.
The District reserves the right to award this contract in whole, in part, to a single or multiple Contractors, or
not at all so that its best interest is served. The District also reserves the right to waive informalities and minor
irregularities in proposals received, to request additional information, and to negotiate with contractors.
B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The Contractor should provide the services described in Section 3.A. Scope of Work.
No employee of the Offeror shall be assigned or allowed on school district property who is a registered sex
offender or who is otherwise prohibited by law from being on school district property.
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Dress Code: For services performed on District property, shirts are to be worn; they may not be torn or cut off;
and they may not have unsightly logos or text.
The School District reserves the right to ask the Offeror to remove any employee of the Offeror whom the
district finds objectionable.
Tobacco and Vape Free Campuses: Smoking, tobacco use of any kind, vaping devices, and electronic cigarettes
are strictly prohibited on any WCPS property.
Reports: The Contractor shall maintain and keep a current summary report that will reflect cumulative dollar
figures for items invoiced. This report shall be made available to Warren County Public Schools upon request
(within 14 calendar days) and shall reflect cumulative dollar figures for each product category.
SECTION 4. PROPOSAL CONTENT
IMPORTANT: This Section outlines the items needed in your Technical and Cost Proposals.
All information contained within the Technical and Cost Proposals should be verifiable based upon the
documentation provided. Failure to provide all information, or any inaccuracy or misstatement may be
sufficient cause for rejection of the proposal or rescission of an award. Conversely, the District reserves the
right to ask for specific information from an Offeror, where an Offeror did not provide requested information.
A. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL CONTENT [1,000 POINTS]
Provide responses for the items within the sections below: Company Overview, Mandatory Requirements, and
References, preferably in the order shown. The Technical Proposal should NOT include any references to cost
or pricing.
1. Mandatory Requirements [PASS/FAIL]
Offerors shall meet the following requirements:
a. Actively engaged in the industry for a minimum of 5 years. [PASS/FAIL]
Indicate Yes or No
b. Assign a minimum of two (2) dedicated sales representatives who maintain primary residence in
Warren County or an adjacent county. [PASS/FAIL]
Indicate Yes or No
c. Carry the required amount of insurance stated in Section 7. Terms and Conditions.
This is optional during the RFP process but is required within 5 business days of Contract award
and execution. [PASS/FAIL]
Indicate Yes or No
d. In accordance with KRS 160.380, if required by the District, Contractor agrees to have
background checks obtained at the Contractor's expense for all workers prior to commencing
any work. [PASS/FAIL]
Indicate Yes or No
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2. Company Overview [250 POINTS]
a. Provide an introduction and general description of your company/organization background and
the nature of business activities. [50 PTS]
b. Provide the number of representatives servicing the Bowling Green area, where they are located,
and their contact information (phone/email). [200 PTS]
c. If your company/organization is the subsidiary of a larger corporation, describe the relationship
and the extent to which your parent corporation is financially obligated to uphold the
commitments made by your firm.
[PASS/FAIL] Fail for this item may not disqualify the vendor.
d. Has your company/organization ever been suspended, decertified, or barred by any governmental
or public agency from providing services, even temporarily? If yes, explain.
[PASS/FAIL] Fail for this item may not disqualify the vendor.
e. State any proposed exceptions or deviations you may have with any term, condition, or
requirement listed in this solicitation. The District reserves the right to summarily decline any
proposed exceptions, or deviations which are not included in the Cover Letter.
[PASS/FAIL] Fail for this item may not disqualify the vendor.
f. (Optional) Provide any additional relevant details about your company, team, and/or services.
3. Goods and Services [750 POINTS]
a. Describe your commitment to serving the schools and sports programs throughout the district and
providing timely delivery, customization options, and responsive customer service. [250 PTS]
b. Provide a copy of your catalog(s) and/or website link(s). [150 PTS]
c. Describe your customization capabilities (e.g., screen printing, embroidery). [100 PTS]
d. Describe your delivery timelines and logistics. [100 PTS]
e. Provide a list of manufacturer names and descriptions of products to guide. [50 PTS]
f. Provide a list of promotional products. [50 PTS]
g. Describe your warranty and return policies. [50 PTS]
4. References [PASS/FAIL]
Provide at least three (3) previous client references for whom you have provided similar services during
the past 5 years. Warren County Public Schools may be a reference. The District reserves the right to
contact any references listed.
You may use the References Form in Appendix A.
B. COST PROPOSAL CONTENT [500 POINTS]
All costs, prices, and/or billable rates should only be included in the Cost Proposal, Attachment F.
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Any proposed costs will be subject to further negotiation with the awarded Contractor prior to Contract
issuance.
SECTION 5. EVALUATION AND AWARD
A. EVALUATION CRITERIA
All proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be reviewed for responsiveness by the Finance Department
prior to referral to the evaluation committee(s). A technical evaluation committee will evaluate all responsive
proposals in accordance with the criteria and points noted below. The evaluation and scoring of the Cost
Proposal will be performed independently of the technical evaluation. The proposal with the lowest cost bid
will generally receive the highest score for the evaluation of cost. Oral Presentations/Discussions and the BAFO
process are optional components and may not be required. After the entire evaluation process is complete and
negotiations are concluded, the Contract Award will follow.
Evaluation Stage Description Maximum Score
Technical Evaluation Mandatory Requirements Pass/Fail
Company Overview 250
Goods and Services 750
References Pass/Fail
Cost Evaluation Cost Proposal 500
Optional Oral Presentations/Discussions 300
Optional BAFO TBD
B. ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Oral presentations and/or discussions may be requested by a shortlist of Offerors, if it is in the best interest of
the District to do so. Since presentations are optional, Offerors are encouraged to submit full and complete
information with their proposals. Presentations may be held in person, via conference call, or via video
conference. Details will be finalized when the presentations are scheduled.
C. BEST AND FINAL OFFER (BAFO)
The District, at its discretion, may utilize a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) stage. If this phase is utilized, the District
shall submit to the shortlisted Offerors requests for specific clarification and allow Offerors to revise their cost
proposals. If an Offeror is invited to participate in the BAFO stage, the dates may not be flexible. If the District
requests BAFOs, the District may revise cost proposal scores, based upon additional information and
clarification received in this stage. In lieu of revising initial cost scoring, the District may evaluate BAFOs by use
of an additional scoring phase.
D. CONTRACT AWARD
Any resulting contract(s) from this solicitation will be awarded to the Offeror(s) whose overall offer is deemed
to be the most advantageous to the District as determined by the evaluation process. Please note that the
reciprocal preference for resident bidders required by KRS 45A.494 may impact final contract award in certain
circumstances. See Section 6 of this RFP for additional information. Following evaluations of proposals and any
applicable negotiations, the District will submit a recommendation for contract award to the Warren County
School Board for review at its next Board meeting. If the School Board approves the recommendation, the
District will notify the Offeror(s) selected for award.
SECTION 6. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
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TERM OF THE CONTRACT
The initial Contract term is expected from July 1, 2026, or upon Board approval (whichever is later) through
June 30, 2029. Upon mutual agreement of the parties, the Contract may be renewed for the same and/or
additional projects of a similar scope for up to two 1-year periods. Prices quoted herein or as negotiated by the
parties are to remain firm for the initial contract term. Costs for renewal periods will be mutually negotiated by
the parties.
INVOICING AND PAYMENT
Payments for goods/services will be made upon satisfactory completion. Invoices shall be sent or delivered to:
Warren County Public Schools
Attn: Finance Department
303 Lovers Lane
Bowling Green, KY 42103
Invoices will be reviewed and submitted to the District Board for payment approval and typically paid within 30
days of receipt. Depending on the next scheduled Board meeting and the agenda deadline, it may take up to
60 days to remit payment. The District pays invoices by check. If requested, the District may pay by credit card,
however, the Contractor is responsible for any fees for credit card payments.
CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
This is optional during the RFP process but is required within 5 business days of Contract award and execution.
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.
The successful Offeror agrees that required insurance shall not be canceled or permitted to lapse during the
term of any awarded Contract without prior written notification to Warren County Public Schools. The
Certificate of Insurance shall name the Board of Education of Warren County (Attn: Insurance/Real Estate
Department, 303 Lovers Lane, Bowling Green, KY 42103) as additional insured.
OFFEROR'S LIABILITY INSURANCE
The insurance required shall be written for not less than the following limits or greater if required by law:
Worker's Compensation:
State Statutory
Applicable Federal (e.g. Longshoreman's) Statutory
Employer's Liability $100,000.00
Comprehensive or Commercial General Liability (including Premises-Operations; Independent Offeror's
Protection; Product Liability and Completed Operations; Broad Form Property Damage):
General Aggregate (Except Products-Completed Operations) $2,000,000.00
Products-Completed Operations Aggregate $1,000,000.00
Personal/Advertising Injury (Per Person/Organization) $1,000,000.00
Each Occurrence (Bodily Injury and Property Damage) $1,000,000.00
Limit per Person Medical Expense $5,000.00
Exclusions of Property in Offeror's Care, Custody or Control will be eliminated.
Property Damage Liability Insurance will provide coverage for explosion, collapse and underground
damage.
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Contractual Liability:
General Aggregate $2,000,000.00
Each Occurrence (Bodily Injury and Property Damage) $1,000,000.00
Automobile Liability (Commercial Vehicles):
Bodily Injury (combined single limit) $2,000,000.00
Property Damage (combined single limit) $1,000,000.00
Commercial Buses $10,000,000.00
Professional Liability (for architectural or construction management services):
Per Occurrence $1,000,000.00
Annual Aggregate $2,000,000.00
Cyber Insurance (if Contractual requirement exists): $5,000,000.00
PROPOSAL UTILIZATION OF MINORITY VENDORS
The utilization of minority and subcontractors are encouraged, wherever possible, on public Contracts. The
Contractor should make full efforts to locate minority business persons. For assistance in identifying minority
vendors and subcontractors, contact the Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance Cabinet, Minority and Women
Business Enterprise Certification Program.
PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS
The District shall not pay any costs associated with the preparation, submittal, clarification, or presentation of
any proposal.
PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
All proposals shall be valid for a period of ninety (90) days from the opening date to allow for tabulation, study,
negotiation, and consideration by the Warren Board or its designee. An Offeror may withdraw a proposal,
without prejudice, prior to the official Submission Deadline, by providing official written notice of such to the
District Finance Department.
PROPOSAL NEGOTIATIONS
The District Finance Department may conduct post negotiations of technical aspects of the proposals, items,
and/or prices after reviewing all proposals submitted. If negotiations are necessary, the District Finance
Department will facilitate negotiations with the highest-scoring vendor, and then the next highest-scoring
vendor as necessary until a Contract is awarded. The District reserves the right to seek Best and Final Offers
from vendors if appropriate.
CANCELLATION/REJECTION OF PROPOSALS
A solicitation may be canceled, or all proposals may be rejected, at any time, if it is determined in writing that
such action is in the best interest of the District. Grounds for the rejection of proposals include but shall not be
limited to:
a. Failure of a proposal to conform to the essential requirements of the solicitation.
b. Submitting a proposal which does not conform to the specifications contained or referenced in the
solicitation.
c. Submitting a proposal imposing conditions which would modify the terms and conditions of the
solicitation or limit the Offeror's liability to the Board on the contract awarded on the basis of such
solicitation.
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