Section Overview and Policies:
This section provides guidance on the requirements agencies must follow when procuring and paying for moving services from the Office of General Services’ (OGS) centralized contracts. It is important that agencies become familiar with these requirements. The moving services contract is a multi-award contract that requires agencies to solicit bids from the contract vendors to ensure the agency receives the best value for moving services. The OGS Moving Services centralized contract provides a listing of eligible contractors by region. Services available under these contracts include planning and preparation, moving, disassembly, assembly and other general activities related to relocation of agencies. By using these pre-established contracts, agencies save administrative time and the expense of individual solicitations. Each agency is required to complete a streamlined bid process, referred to as a “best and final offer” (BAFO) process, from the list of eligible contractors. The BAFO is an abbreviated bid process by which an agency can solicit final total pricing for its specific move based upon the competitive hourly rates in the contracts. The contract allows users to further negotiate advantageous rates for time and materials to accomplish moving tasks.
Policy References:
NYS OGS Group 79004 – Moving Services Award #23140 (replaces #22723) – centralized contract currently effective March 3, 2019 through March 2, 2024.
NYS Department of Labor Prevailing Wage Rates (Section 3 of the Contract Award Document)
Process and Transaction Preparation:
The moving services contract is a not-to-exceed contract, which requires close monitoring so an agency is not overcharged for services performed. Vendors cannot charge the agency more than the original price quote obtained as a result of the BAFO process for each cost category included in the BAFO response. When billing the agency, vendors must reduce the amount charged per cost category if the actual move takes less time, work hours, or equipment than originally quoted. However, if the actual move requires more time and/or more employees/trucks than provided for in the contractor’s BAFO response, the final charge may not be adjusted upward. That is, hours, rates, or charges for employee and equipment cannot exceed those provided in response to the contractor’s best and final offer. Exceptions where additional charges would be allowed may include but are not limited to: acts of God, building equipment malfunction, or police department or fire company blocking access to or from a building where a move is taking place. All such charges must be fully documented as to occurrence, location, time, and duration and requires the authorization of the OGS’ Procurement Services Group or the agency representative. It is also necessary that the contractor make every attempt to notify the agency representative of the problem during the actual occurrence. No charges are allowed for traffic delays that do not directly block access to the building.
Taking the following steps will help your agency get the services expected at the right price.
RECEIVING A THOROUGH BID
To receive a thorough BAFO, an agency should identify the move origin and destination locations, prepare a complete list of all items to be moved, and document any other details pertinent to the move in the Project Definition. See Guide to Financial Operations