Athletic Supplies

State of Delaware
Athletic Supplies
Request for Proposal
Contract No. 2608
3/31/2026
- Deadline to Respond -
Wednesday 4/8/2026
3:00 PM (Local Time)
RFP V020426DAC
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
CONTRACT NO. 2608
ALL VENDORS:
The enclosed packet contains a "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL" for Athletic Supplies. The proposal consists of the
following:
Contents:
I. INTRODUCTION
II. SCOPE OF WORK
III. FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL
IV. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES
V. MANDATORY PREBID MEETING
VI. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS
VII. PROPOSAL REPLY SECTION
ATTACHMENTS
Appendix A - STATEMENT OF WORK AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Appendix B - PRICING FORMS
** Ctrl+Click on the headings above will take you directly to the section.
In order for your proposal to be considered, the Proposal Reply Section shall be executed completely and correctly
and returned in a sealed envelope clearly displaying the contract number and vendor name by Wednesday
4/22/2026 at 3:00 PM (Local Time) to be considered.
Proposals must be mailed to:
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
1417 Newport Road
Wilmington DE, 19804
Please review and follow the information and instructions contained in the General Provisions and this Request for
Proposal (RFP). Should you need additional information, please call Sean Sokolowski at 302-995-8020or email
sean.sokolowski@nccvt.k12.de.us.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
I. INTRODUCTION
A. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Request for Proposal is to obtain sealed proposals for athletic supplies.
It is the goal of this Request for Proposal to identify a vendor(s) and execute a contract to equip the school
district with athletic supplies.
1. COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL
It has been determined by New Castle County Vo-Tech School District, pursuant to Delaware Code
Title 29, Chapter 6924 (a) that this solicitation be offered as a request for competitive sealed
proposals because the use of competitive sealed bidding is not practical and/or not in the best interest
of the State. The use of competitive sealed proposals is necessary to:
* Use a contract other than a fixed-price type; or
* Conduct oral or written discussions with vendors concerning technical and price aspects of their
proposals; or
* Afford vendors an opportunity to revise their proposals through best and final offers; or
* Compare the different price, quality and contractual factors of the proposals submitted; or
* Award a contract in which price is not the determining factor.
2. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS
This contract will be issued to a vendor to supply all athletic supplies needed for the school year.
3. AGENCY USE CONTRACT
Pursuant to 29 Del. C. 6904(e) respectively, if no state contract exists for a certain good or service,
covered agencies may procure that certain good or service under another agency's contract so long
as the arrangement is agreeable to all parties. Agencies, other than covered agencies, may also
procure such goods or services under another agency's contract when the arrangement is agreeable
to all parties.
4. MULTIPLE SOURCE AWARD
The Agency reserves the right to award this contract to more than one vendor pursuant to 29 Del. C.
6926 if the agency head makes a determination that such an award is in the best interest of the State
of Delaware.
5. POTENTIAL CONTRACT OVERLAP
Vendors shall be advised that the State, at its sole discretion, shall retain the right to solicit for goods
and/or services as required by its agencies and as it serves the best interest of the State. As needs
are identified, there may exist instances where contract deliverables, and/or goods or services to be
solicited and subsequently awarded, overlap previous awards. The State reserves the right to reject
any or all bids in whole or in part, to make partial awards, to award to multiple vendors during the
same period, to award by types, on a zone-by-zone basis or on an item-by-item or lump sum basis
item by item, or lump sum total, whichever may be most advantageous to the State of Delaware.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
6. SUPPLEMENTAL SOLICITATION
The State reserves the right to advertise a supplemental solicitation during the term of the Agreement
if deemed in the best interest of the State.
7. CONTRACT PERIOD
Each Vendor's contract shall be valid for a fourteen (14) month period from 4/28/2026-6/30/2027. Each
contract may be renewed for three (3) one (1) year periods through negotiation between the Vendor and
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District. Negotiation may be initiated no later than ninety (90) days
prior to the termination of the current agreement.
The State reserves the right to extend this contract on a month-to-month basis for a period of up to three
months after the term of the full contract has been completed.
B. KEY RFP DATES/MILESTONES
The following dates and milestones apply to this RFP and subsequent contract award. Vendors are advised
that these dates and milestones are not absolute and may change due to unplanned events during the bid
proposal and award process.
Activity Due Date
RFP Availability to Vendors 3/31/2026
Mandatory Pre-bid Conference waived
Written Questions Due No Later Than (NLT) 4/2/2026
Written Answers Due/Posted to Website NLT 4/8/2026
Proposals Due NLT Wednesday 4/22/2026; 3:00 pm local time
Public Proposal Opening Wednesday 4/22/2026; 3:00 pm local time
Proposal Evaluation/Presentations as required N/A
Vendor Best & Final Discussions, as required N/A
Contract Award Will occur within 90 days of bid opening
C. INQUIRIES & QUESTIONS
We welcome your interest in working with us, and we will be pleased to answer any questions you may have
in formulating your response to this Request for Proposal.
All questions with regard to the interpretation of this solicitation, drawings, or specifications, or any other
aspect of this RFP must be received in writing by 4/2/2026. All questions will be answered in writing by
4/8/2026 and posted on https://bids.delaware.gov/ website. All questions must make specific reference to
the section(s) and page numbers from this RFP where applicable. Oral explanations or instructions will not
be binding.
D. RFP DESIGNATED CONTACT
All requests, questions, or other communications about this RFP shall be made in writing to the State of
Delaware. Address all communications to the person listed below; communications made to other State
of Delaware personnel or attempting to ask questions by phone or in person will not be allowed or
recognized as valid and may disqualify the vendor. Vendors should rely only on written statements issued
by the RFP designated contact.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Sean Sokolowski
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
1417 Newport Road
Wilmington, DE 19804
Sean.sokolowski@nccvt.k12.de.us
To ensure that written requests are received and answered in a timely manner, electronic mail (e-mail)
correspondence is acceptable, but other forms of delivery, such as postal and courier services can also
be used.
E. CONTACT WITH STATE EMPLOYEE
Direct contact with State of Delaware employees other than the State of Delaware Designated Contact
regarding this RFP is expressly prohibited without prior consent. Vendors directly contacting State of
Delaware employees risk elimination of their proposal from further consideration. Exceptions exist only
for organizations currently doing business in the State who require contact in the normal course of doing
that business.
II. SCOPE OF WORK
A. OVERVIEW
The Vendor(s) shall provide all equipment, materials and labor to supplement the State of Delaware's need
for Athletic Supplies as described herein. The contract will require the Vendor(s) to cooperate with the
ordering agency to insure the State receives the most current state-of-the-art material and/or services.
B. BACKGROUND
NCCVT School District requires athletic supplies for sports including, but not limited to football, field hockey,
soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and golf.
C. STATEMENT OF NEEDS
NCCVT School District requires athletic supplies listed in the Appendix B, a Rewards Program, and a blanket
discount for items not on bid.
D. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS
The technical requirements of this RFP are stated in Appendix A. Vendors must provide pricing for the items
listed in the Excel Spreadsheet, Appendix B.
III. FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL
A. INTRODUCTION
This section prescribes the mandatory format for the presentation of a proposal in response to this RFP.
Each Vendor must provide every component listed in the order shown in this RFP, using the format
prescribed for each component. A proposal may be rejected if it is incomplete or conditional.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
B. PROPOSAL RESPONSE
The Request for Proposal may contain pre-printed forms for use by the vendor in submitting its proposal.
The forms required by this solicitation shall be considered mandatory, prevailing documents.
When preprinted forms are used, the forms shall contain basic information such as description of the item
and the estimated quantities and shall have blank spaces for use by the vendor for entering information such
as unit bid price, total bid price, as applicable.
The Vendor's proposal shall be written in ink or typewritten on the form provided, and any corrections or
erasures MUST be initialed by vendor's representative completing the bid submission.
If items are listed with a zero quantity, Vendor shall state unit price ONLY (intended for open end purchases
where estimated requirements are not known). The proposal shall show a total bid price for each item bid
and the total bid price of the proposal excluding zero quantity items.
Vendors' proposal must respond to each and every requirement outlined in the RFP criteria in order to be
considered responsive. Proposals must be clear and concise.
C. NON-CONFORMING PROPOSALS
Non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Non-conforming proposals are defined as those that do
not meet the requirements of this RFP. The determination of whether an RFP requirement is substantive or
a mere formality shall reside solely within the State of Delaware.
D. CONCISE PROPOSALS
The State of Delaware discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals. It is the desire that proposals be
prepared in a straightforward and concise manner. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other promotional
materials beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired. The State
of Delaware's interest is in the quality and responsiveness of the proposal.
E. COVER LETTER
Each proposal will have a cover letter on the letterhead of the company or organization submitting the
proposal. The cover letter must briefly summarize the Vendor's ability to provide the services specified in
the RFP. The cover letter shall be signed by a representative who has the legal capacity to enter the
organization into a formal contract with NEW CASTLE COUNTY VO-TECH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
F. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Each proposal must include a Table of Contents with page numbers for each of the required components of
the proposal.
G. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND QUALIFICATIONS
Each proposal must contain a detailed description of how the Vendor will provide the goods and services
outlined in this RFP. This part of the proposal may also include descriptions of any enhancements or
additional services or qualifications the Vendor will provide that are not mentioned in this RFP.
H. DISCOUNT
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Vendors are invited to offer in their proposal value added discounts (i.e. speed to pay discounts for specific
payment terms). Cash or separate discounts should be computed and incorporated into unit bid price(s).
I. SAMPLES OR BROCHURES
Samples or brochures may be required by the agency for evaluation purposes. They shall be such as to
permit the Agency to compare and determine if the item offered complies with the intent of the specifications.
J. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING OF TERMS
By submitting a bid, each Vendor shall be deemed to acknowledge that it has carefully read all sections of
this RFP, including all forms, schedules and exhibits hereto, and has fully informed itself as to all existing
conditions and limitations.
K. BID BOND REQUIREMENT
The Bid Bond requirement has been waived.
L. PERFORMANCE BOND REQUIREMENT
The Performance Bond requirement has been waived.
M. NUMBER OF COPIES WITH MAILING OF PROPOSAL
To be considered, all proposals must be submitted in writing and respond to the items outlined in this RFP.
The State reserves the right to reject any non-responsive or non-conforming proposals. Each proposal must
be submitted with _4__ paper copies and __1_ electronic copies on flash drive or USB. One of the copies
shall be marked "Master Copy" and will contain original signatures in all locations requiring a vendor
signature. The remaining copies do not require original signatures. Flash drive or USB must also contain
the completed Appendix B Excel sheets, in Excel format. There is no need to include a copy of the RFB
with your submission.
All properly sealed and marked proposals are to be sent to the State of Delaware and received no later than
3:00 PM (Local Time) on Wednesday 4/22/2026. The Proposals may be delivered by Express Delivery
(e.g., FedEx, UPS, etc.), US Mail, or by hand to:
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Sean Sokolowski
1417 Newport Road
Wilmington, DE 19804
Any proposal submitted by US Mail shall be sent by either certified or registered mail. Any proposal received
after the date and time deadline referenced above shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened.
The proposing vendor bears the risk of delays in delivery. The contents of any proposal shall not be
disclosed as to be made available to competing entities during the negotiation process.
Upon receipt of vendor proposals, each vendor shall be presumed to be thoroughly familiar with all
specifications and requirements of this RFP. The failure or omission to examine any form, instrument or
document shall in no way relieve vendors from any obligation in respect to this RFP.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
The State reserves the right to award the proposed contract to multiple Vendors if the Head of the Agency
determines that such an award is in the best interest of the State.
N. PROPOSAL EXPIRATION DATE
Prices quoted in the proposal shall remain fixed and binding on the bidder at least through 06/30/2027.
Delaware reserves the right to ask for an extension of time if needed.
O. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS
A Vendor may withdraw its proposal unopened after it has been deposited, if such a request is made prior
to the time set for the opening of the proposal.
P. PROPOSAL MODIFICATIONS
Any changes, amendments or modifications to a submitted proposal requires that the original proposal be
withdrawn, prior to the time set for the submission of the proposal, and a new proposal submitted prior to
the deadline for submission of proposals.
Changes, amendments or modifications to proposals shall not be accepted or considered after the hour and
date specified as the deadline for submission of proposals.
Q. LATE PROPOSALS
Proposals received after the specified date and time will not be accepted or considered. To guard against
premature opening, sealed proposals shall be submitted, plainly marked with the proposal title, vendor name,
and time and date of the proposal opening. Evaluation of the proposals is expected to begin shortly after
the proposal due date. To document compliance with the deadline, the proposal will be date and time
stamped upon receipt.
R. ADDENDA TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, revisions will be posted at
https://bids.delaware.gov/ . By submitting an offer to the State, vendors have acknowledged receipt,
understanding and commitment to comply with all materials, revisions, and addenda related to the
Request for Proposal.
S. INCURRED EXPENSES
The State will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by the vendor in preparing and submitting a
proposal.
T. ECONOMY OF PREPARATION
Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straight-forward, concise description
of the Vendor's offer to meet the requirements of the RFP.
U. DISCREPANCIES AND OMISSIONS
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Vendor is fully responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their proposal, and for examining this
RFP and all addenda. Failure to do so will be at the sole risk of vendor. Should vendor find discrepancies,
omissions, unclear or ambiguous intent or meaning, or should any questions arise concerning this RFP,
vendor shall notify the State of Delaware's Designated Contact, in writing, of such findings at least ten
(10) days before the proposal opening. This will allow issuance of any necessary addenda. It will also
help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of vendor's proposal upon which award
could not be made. All unresolved issues should be addressed in the proposal.
Protests based on any omission or error, or on the content of the solicitation, will be disallowed if these
faults have not been brought to the attention of the Designated Contact, in writing, no later than ten (10)
calendar days prior to the time set for opening of the proposals.
V. EXCEPTIONS
Bidders may elect to take minor exception to the terms and conditions of this RFP by completing
Attachment 3. New Castle County Vo-Tech School District shall evaluate each exception according to the
intent of the terms and conditions contained herein, but New Castle County Vo-Tech School District must
reject exceptions that do not conform to State bid law and/or create inequality in the treatment of bidders.
Exceptions shall be considered only if they are submitted with the bid or before the date and time of the bid
opening.
Exceptions must be submitted utilizing Attachment 3 to be considered. Exceptions listed elsewhere
in the Vendor's proposal will not be considered. New Castle County Vo-Tech School District maintains sole
discretion to reject any vendor exceptions that are submitted.
W. BUSINESS REFERENCES
Provide at least three (3) business references consisting of current or previous customers of similar scope
and value using Attachment 6. Include business name, mailing address, contact name and phone
number, number of years doing business with, and type of work performed. Personal references cannot
be considered.
X. DOCUMENT(S) EXECUTION
All vendors must complete and submit with its proposal the non-collusion statement that is enclosed with
this Request for Proposal labeled as Attachment 2. The awarded vendor(s) will be presented with the
contract form for signature and seal, if appropriate. Both of these documents shall be executed by a
representative who has the legal capacity to enter the organization into a formal contract with New Castle
County Vo-Tech School District.
The State of Delaware requires a new vendor to complete the registration process through the Delaware
Supplier Portal at http://esupplier.erp.delaware.gov. Successful completion of this registration enables the
creation of a State of Delaware supplier record. The Taxpayer ID (SSN or EIN) and Applicant (supplier)
name are submitted to the Internal Revenue Service for "matching". If the Taxpayer ID and name do not
match, the vendor record cannot be approved.
It is the applicant's responsibility to select the appropriate 1099 Withholding Type and Class. If
incorporated, a business is not subject to 1099 reporting unless the business is providing legal or medical
services.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Any questions about completing this registration or specific comments about the registration, please
contact supplier maintenance by phone at 302-672-5000.
Y. SUBCONTRACTS
Subcontracting is permitted under this RFP and contract. However, every subcontractor shall be identified
in the Proposal using Attachment 7.
Z. CONFIDENTIALITY
Subject to applicable law or the order of a court of competent jurisdiction to the contrary, all documents
submitted as part of the vendor's proposal will be treated as confidential during the evaluation process.
As such, vendor proposals will not be available for review by anyone other than the State of
Delaware/Proposal Evaluation Team or its designated agents. There shall be no disclosure of any
vendor's information until a fully executed contract is received unless such disclosure is required by law
or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
The State of Delaware and its constituent agencies are required to comply with the State of Delaware
Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. C. 10001, et seq. ("FOIA"). FOIA requires that the State of
Delaware's records are public records (unless otherwise declared by FOIA or other law to be exempt
from disclosure) and are subject to inspection and copying by any person upon a written request. Once
fully executed contracts are received, the contents of all vendor proposals are subject to FOIA's public
disclosure obligations and exemptions.
The State of Delaware wishes to create a business-friendly environment and procurement process. As
such, the State respects the vendor community's desire to protect its intellectual property, trade secrets,
and confidential business information (collectively referred to herein as "confidential business
information"). Proposals must contain sufficient information to be evaluated. If a vendor feels that they
cannot submit their proposal without including confidential business information, they must adhere to the
following procedure or their proposal may be deemed unresponsive, may not be recommended for
selection, and any applicable protection for the vendor's confidential business information may be lost.
In order to allow the State to assess its ability to protect a vendor's confidential business information,
vendors will be permitted to designate appropriate portions of their proposal as confidential business
information.
Vendor(s) may submit portions of a proposal considered to be confidential business information in a
separate, sealed envelope labeled "Confidential Business Information" and include the specific RFP
number. The envelope must contain a letter from the Vendor's legal counsel describing the documents
in the envelope, representing in good faith that the information in each document is not "public record"
as defined by 29 Del. C. 10002, and briefly stating the reasons that each document meets the said
definitions.
Upon receipt of a proposal accompanied by such a separate, sealed envelope, the State of Delaware will
open the envelope to determine whether the procedure described above has been followed. A vendor's
allegation as to its confidential business information shall not be binding on the State. The State shall
independently determine the validity of any vendor designation as set forth in this section. Any vendor
submitting a proposal or using the procedures discussed herein expressly accepts the State's absolute
right and duty to independently assess the legal and factual validity of any information designated as
confidential business information. Accordingly, Vendor(s) assume the risk that confidential business
information included within a proposal may enter the public domain.
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