Office of the Superintendent of Schools Rockville

Office of the Superintendent of Schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Rockville, Maryland

January 30, 2019

MEMORANDUM

To: Members of the Board of Education

From: Jack R. Smith, Superintendent of Schools

Subject: Classroom Furniture (01-08-19-06)

During the discussion of Consent Item 11.4 - Contract Approval for Bid No. 4114.6, Classroom

Furniture, Ms. Dixon requested the following information:

Question A

What is the level of awards going to Duron?

Response

Douron, Inc. is one of the approved vendors on four different contracts with Montgomery County

Public Schools (MCPS). Three of the four contracts are for Classroom Furniture; Office Furniture;

and Vertical File Cabinets. The fourth contract is the Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing

Committee Contract, which is a multi-agency cooperatively bid contract that MCPS uses but does

not lead. That contract is for a specific type of furniture, HON brand, only.

The following table displays the total amounts paid to Douron, Inc. in the last 10 years through

all contracts. This information is available through the Funding Accountability and Transparency

database on the MCPS website.

Fiscal Year Amount Paid

2019 (to date) $3,285,096

2018 $3,971,604

2017 $3,045,313

2016 $2,241,513

2015 $2,890,932

2014 $4,502,345

2013 $3,848,740

2012 $3,958,854

2011 $1,947,586

2010 $1,527,317

http://funding-account.mcpsmd.org/fundingtransparency/

Members of the Board of Education 2 January 30, 2019

Attachment A presents a summary of the various bids for the past 20 years that include Douron, Inc.

as an approved vendor. The summary sheet indicates the totals awarded to each successful vendor

in each of these bid processes. The initial amount awarded by the Board is an estimate for spending

authorization; the actual amounts paid to each vendor cannot exceed that award amount without further

Board approval, but may differ based on actual purchasing.

It is important to note that the other vendors awarded parts of these contracts listed in the attached

summary also may have contracts with MCPS that are not reflected in this summary. For example,

Lakeshore Equipment Supply was not awarded a contract through this bid process, but has other

contracts for early childhood equipment and supplies, as well as elementary math supplies.

Question B

What other companies bid on the furniture contract?

Response

Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. 4114.6 was issued on November 1, 2018, and closed

on November 30, 2018. MCPS received five bids in response. This bid was for classroom furniture

and contained 112 items. Respondents provided a unit cost bid for each item in the bid package.

Once the bid was opened and evaluated, the lowest price for each item was awarded to the lowest

bidder for that item. In total, three of the five vendors were awarded items within the bid. Their unit

price then is multiplied by the quantity estimated in the bid and the totals are summed per vendor

for Board approval. The following vendors submitted a bid for this process:

American Design, Inc.

Cascade School Supplies, Inc.

Douron, Inc.

Lakeshore Equipment Supply

Leisure Craft, Inc.

The following items were awarded to the lowest bidders:

American Design, Inc.

o Non-virco chairs and desks

o Rocking chairs (wood)

o KI folding tables

o Chair and table dollies and trucks

Douron, Inc.

o Virco classroom chairs and desks

o Virco tables, including cafeteria

o Smith System tables

Leisure Craft, Inc.

o Custom built chart racks

o Custom built easels

Members of the Board of Education 3 January 30, 2019

The Summary of Contracts, Attachment B, details the items and unit price by each awarded vendor.

This information also is public and will be posted on the Procurement website.

The MCPS Procurement Manual states the following related to this type of Invitation for Bid (IFB)

procurement process:

The Board will award the contract (Board Policy DJA, MCPS Procurement Practices

and Bid Awards) to the lowest responsible bidder who conforms to the specifications

and contract terms and conditions as outlined in the IFB.

The manual includes additional factors that can be considered, such as product quality or service

record, which may affect award of the contract. It is a common practice in public procurement

for the purchase of goods to award to the lowest responsible bidder as a way to minimize costs

and to ensure fair competition. There are many variables within any given industry that affect vendor

pricing and the resulting product bid.

Questions C and D

Overall, how many other companies were able to bid on these contracts?

Overall, how many other companies have we contacted about bidding on the furniture contracts?

Response

For IFB No. 4114.6, a total of 25 vendors were contacted about the bid invitation. As noted previously,

five bids were received. In the previous bid cycle for classroom furniture in 2015, 20 vendors were

contacted and 6 bids were received.

These numbers are similar for the other furniture contracts identified in the response to Question A.

For office furniture, the 2015 bid cycle received 6 bids from 28 vendors contacted, and for vertical file

cabinets, the 2015 bid cycle received 5 bids from 23 contacted vendors.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Andrew M. Zuckerman, chief operating officer,

at 240-740-3050 or Mrs. Angela S. McIntosh-Davis, team leader, Procurement Unit, Department

of Materials Management, at 301-279-3555.

JRS:AMZ:em

Attachments

Copy to:

Dr. Navarro Ms. Diamond

Dr. Statham Mr. Turner

Dr. Zuckerman Ms. Dawson

Mr. Civin Mrs. McIntosh-Davis

Dr. Johnson Ms. Webb

Summary of Bids that Include Douron, Inc.

Attachment A

Bid No. Bid Name Term Awarded Vendor(s) Awarded Value

4599.1 Verticle File Cabinets 2011-2015 Douron, Inc. 370,172

4599.2 Verticle File Cabinets 2015-2019 Douron, Inc. 397,282

4114.1 Classroom Furniture 2001-2004 Douron Inc. 1,129,994

Jakanna Woodworks Inc 5,040

Maryland Correctional Enterprises 15,560

4114.2 Classroom Furniture 2004-2007 Douron Inc. 1,137,385

Glover Furniture and Design 38,358


4114.3 Classroom Furniture 2007-2011 American Design Associates 22,940

Douron Inc. 2,299,215




Douron Inc 862,836

Glover Furniture and Design 475


School Specialty Inc 36,736

4114.5 Classroom Furniture 2015-2019 Diversified Educational System 1,180

Douron Inc 1,944,797


Leisure Craft Inc 784

School Specialty 2,840


Douron Inc. 2,203,045

Leisure Craft Inc. 6,050

4058.1 Office Furniture 1999-2002 Douron Inc. 201,295


4058.2 Office Furniture 2002-2006 Demco Inc. 22,460

Douron Inc. 182,594

Dynamic Business Interiors 2,424




Office Depot Inc 37,332




Mdm Office System Inc 119,544





Zoom Inc. 4,205

4058.7 Office Furniture 2019-2023 American Design 173,878

Douron Inc. 79,620

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Attachment B

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Documents

Office of the Superintendent of Schools Rockville