GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPLIERS
The District School Board of Niagara (hereafter referred to as the DSBN) hereby invites submissions to pre-qualify Vendors of Record for the Supply and Delivery of Awards and other Student Achievement Recognition Items for a term of eight (8) months commencing January 1, 2024 and ending September 1, 2024. 

Consideration will be given to renew the contract for five (5) separate one-year periods ending September 1, 2029. 

Objective: 

The intent of this RFSQ is to prequalify Vendors of Record to provide a variety of options for award and other achievement items on an as needed basis. Various Award requirements include medals to recognize DSBN sporting and academic events, Various additional items are included in the scope of this RFSQ, including trophies, plaques, engraving, Magnets, Rings, Pins, Crests, Acrylic Awards, Crystal & Glass Awards, Sculptures, certificate holders, of which a representative, non-inclusive list has been provided. 

The DSBN currently has an Athletic Award Ribbon contract which expires February 19, 2025 and the scope of work may be incorporated into this Contract at expiry only at DSBN's discretion subject to pricing and availability of required items.

There will be categories of products, each of which will have a set of prequalified Vendors. A Vendor may be pre-qualified in more than one category.

This is not an all-inclusive list. Other award related items may be required and become part of the contract.

The pre-qualified section consists of: 

Section A Core Pricing for Specific Award Items 

Section B Minimum Discount off Catalogue Pricing for Additional Items. Where catalogue or online pricing varies, the discount should apply to the lower price unless otherwise indicated in the Response.

DSBN intends to award One (1) Vendor for Section A Core Pricing where firm pricing is required.

For Section B Minimum Discount off Catalogue Pricing for Additional Items only, Suppliers that do not meet the original submission deadline are still eligible and encouraged to submit a proposal. Suppliers may submit a Pre-qualification proposal at any time throughout the duration of the contract. Additional Supplier(s) will be added to the list for Minimum Discounts as they are received and reviewed by DSBN staff.

For Section B Minimum Discount off Catalogue Pricing for Additional Items, DSBN schools and departments will purchase on the basis of “best fit” subject to the availability, quality, services and discount from a Supplier to meet DSBN requirements at DSBN’s sole discretion. The DSBN reserves the right to obtain quotes from multiple pre-qualified Suppliers for Section B items, at our discretion, although we are not required to do so and may proceed with a pre-qualified Supplier providing the highest minimum discount percentage or Supplier providing the service/product that best suits the individual need without further quotes. There is no guarantee that any items will be purchased.

The DSBN serves over 40,000 students and their families in 78 elementary schools and 17 secondary schools across the 12 municipalities that make up the Niagara Region.
DSBN complies with the Broader Public Sector Directives (as directed by the Province of Ontario); and applicable trade agreements such as Ontario-Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement, Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA) and Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).