(a)  Potential bidders shall be prequalified for participation in each electronic auction.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 37-2-25.1

  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
  • Request for qualifications: shall mean all documents, whether attached or incorporated by reference, utilized for soliciting qualifications of offerors prior to or during the solicitation of bids or proposals. See Rhode Island General Laws 37-2-15
  • Reverse Auction: shall mean a bid competition where the lowest responsive and responsible bidder wins the auction. See Rhode Island General Laws 37-2-15

(b)  A request for qualifications shall be issued stating the intent to conduct a reverse auction in accordance with the provisions of § 37-2-18.1. The request for qualifications shall identify the goods and services to be purchased and the criteria to be used to determine how many and/or which bidders will be selected to participate in the reverse auction. All requests for qualifications shall be solicited through utilization of the Rhode Island Vendor Information Program (RIVIP) as set forth in § 37-2-17.1.

(c)  Participants shall be selected based on the criteria set forth in the request for qualifications, including agreement to any terms, conditions or other requirements of the solicitation. Written or oral discussions may be conducted with all responsible vendors determined in writing to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award.

(d)  Prior to the execution of the auction potential bidders shall be required to receive instruction on the use of the selected electronic bidding procedure. Only bidders who successfully complete the training phase of prequalification shall be permitted to participate in the electronic reverse auction specified in the request for qualifications.

History of Section.
P.L. 2005, ch. 296, § 2.