Project Information

Bid Title

RFB 2026-093 University of Maine: Propane

Issuing Agency

University of Maine

Location

Maine

Published Date

Mar 27, 2026

Closing Date

Apr 10, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

2026-093

Original Source

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Bid Inquiries

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

bid #	due date	due time	commodity	attachments	addenda
2026-093	10-Apr-2026	04:00 pm	RFB 2026-093 University of Maine: Propane	No attachments available	No addenda file(s) available

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REQUEST FOR BIDS

Administered by:

Competitive Energy Services, LLC

FUELS:

PROPANE

University of Maine

RFB# 2026-093

ISSUE DATE:

March 27, 2026

BIDS RESPONSE DATE:

April 10, 2026

(See Section Two for details)

Competitive Energy Services

Attn: Sarah Bilodeau

SECTION ONE

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION:

1.1 Purpose: Competitive Energy Services (“CES”), the Bid Administrator, on behalf of the

University of Maine System (”University”), is seeking quotations from fuel distributors to

supply University of Maine locations with fuel.

1.2 References: Each respondent to this Request for Bids (“RFB”) shall be referred to as a

"Bidder." Each Bidder to whom a contract is awarded shall be referred to as a "Contractor."

1.3 Objectives: To obtain:

(a) Firm fixed price, pay-as-delivered, contract(s) for fuel product, quantities, and delivery

terms as specified in Section 2 below. Hereinafter, these prices shall be referred to as

the “Fixed Price.”

(b) Spot-market index price delivery contract(s) for fuel product, quantities, and delivery term

as specified in Section 2 below. Hereinafter, these prices shall be referred to as the

“Spot-Market Price.”

1.4 Timeline of Events: Timeline dates are subject to change at the University’s sole discretion.

The University reserves the right to award this RFB at any time it determines that market

conditions are favorable and such award is in the best interests of the University.

Event

Issue Date

Inquiries Deadline

Response to Inquiries

Bids Due Date

Estimated Award Date

Due Date

Friday March 27, 2026

EOB Wednesday April 1, 2026

EOB Monday April 6, 2026

4:00 PM Friday April 10, 2026

On or before July 1, 2026

1.5 Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the low Bidder provided that all other

requirements are satisfactorily met and competitively bid and based upon the University’s

evaluation of bids to unlike market indices, preference may be given to the Bids offered that

are consistent with the University preferred market indices specified in Section 5. The

University will not consider non-responsive bids or proposals, i.e., those with material

deficiencies, omissions, errors or inconsistencies.

1.6 Award: The University reserves the right to award this bid on a location-by-location basis,

price and other factors considered. The University reserves the right to conduct any tests it

may deem advisable and to make all evaluations. The University reserves the right to reject

any or all bids, in whole or in part and is not necessarily bound to accept the lowest bid if that

bid is contrary to the best interests of the University. The University may cancel this request

for bids and reject any or all responses in whole or in part. The University reserves the right

to waive minor irregularities. Scholarships, donations, or gifts to the University, will not be

considered in the evaluation of bids. A bid may be rejected if it is in any way incomplete or

irregular. When there are tie bids, there shall be a preference for "in-state Bidders". When

tie bids are both in state or both out of state, the award will be made to the bid that arrives

first in the office designated to receive the bids.

1.7 Freedom of Access Act: The University must adhere to the provisions of the Maine Freedom

of Access Act. (FOAA), 1 MRSA sec 401 et seq. As a condition of accepting a contract under

this section, a contractor must accept that, to the extent required by Maine FOAA, responses

to this solicitation, and any ensuing contractual documents, are considered public records

and therefore are subject to freedom of access requests.

1.8 Award Protest: Bidders may appeal the award decision by submitting a written protest to the

University Chief Procurement Officer within 5 business days of the date of the award notice

with a copy of the protest to the successful bidder. The protest must contain a statement of

the basis for the challenge.

1.9 Costs of Preparation: Bidder assumes all costs of preparation of the bid and any

presentations necessary to the bidding process.

1.10 Debarment: Submission of a signed bid in response to this solicitation is certification that

your firm (or any subcontractor) is not currently debarred, suspended, proposed for

debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by

any State or Federal department or agency. Submission is also agreement that the

University will be notified of any change in this status.

END SECTION ONE

SECTION TWO

2.0 BIDDING REQUIREMENTS:

2.1 Bid Understanding: By submitting a bid, the Bidder agrees and assures that the

specifications are adequate, and the Bidder accepts the terms and conditions herein. Any

exceptions must be noted in a Bidder’s response. Notwithstanding a Bidder’s apparent low

bid price or any provision to the contrary herein, any conditions or exceptions that Bidder

places upon the University’s terms and conditions shall be weighed as part of the evaluation

criteria for bid award.

2.2 Communication with the University and the Bid Administrator: It is the responsibility of the

Bidder to inquire about any requirement of this RFB that is not understood. Responses to

inquiries, if they change or clarify the RFB in a substantial manner, will be forwarded by

addenda to all parties that have received a copy of the RFB. The University will not be bound

by oral responses to inquiries or written responses other than addenda.

Inquiries must be made to:

Sarah Bilodeau

Tel (207) 772-6190 x268

Fax (207) 772-6320

Email sbilodeau@competitive-energy.com

Chris Brook

Tel (207) 772-6190 x255

Fax (207) 772-6320

Email cbrook@competitive-energy.com

2.3 Submission: Signed bids must be received VIA FAX OR EMAIL no later than EOB April

10, 2026 in accordance with this RFB. The signed bid document must be submitted to the

Bid Administrator acknowledging the terms and conditions of the bid. Bids that do not

include a signed bidder form will not be considered. Late bids will not be considered.

Bids shall be submitted to the Bid Administrator via fax to 207-772-6320 or email to

sbilodeau@competitive-energy.com.

Bidders may submit additional information, at their discretion. Such information should be

submitted in accordance with the terms of this RFB.

Due to market volatility, the bidding process may be conducted in multiple rounds. If market

conditions are unfavorable the University may decide not to award a contract on that day but

may invite Bidders to submit bids at a later time, such as if market conditions appear

favorable.

There will be NO public opening of the bids. All bids will be held confidential until an

award is made. After an award has been made bids will be available for public inspection.

Products and Services

Please provide fuel prices in one or more of the following two forms:

1) Spot-Market Price

The Spot-Market Price shall consist of a firm mark-up adder for transportation and delivery

of fuel to each location, this price to be in excess of an open and transparent market index

price, or price point (for example, Mt Belvieu Price for Propane). All fees for service shall be

included in the mark-up adder, such that this price may be added to the market Index Price

to determine the delivered cost of fuel to the University.

Section 5 specifies the preferred index by fuel; however, other regional market indices or

price points will be considered. Under this approach, The University would contractually

commit to only the mark-up adder and the market Index Price would float.

Option to lock: Bidders shall agree to provide the University the option to lock fuel products

at the best then-current market rate for the remainder of the contract term on a best-efforts

basis. CES or the University may periodically request, and bidder shall agree to provide, an

update on the then-current lock-in rate. This would have the effect of converting quantities of

fuel from a Spot-Market Price contract to a Fixed Price Contract.

2) Fixed Price:

The Fixed Price shall consist of a firm delivered price for fuel over the contract term,

indicative of then-current market conditions, to be paid as delivered and invoiced per the

terms of this Agreement. The indicative Fixed Price bid should be provided for 12 month

and 24 month terms starting July 1, 2026.

Bids should be based upon fuel market settlement on April 9, 2026 (the day before the bid

response is due).

NOTE: If market conditions are unfavorable the University may decide not to award a

contract on that day but may invite the Bidders to resubmit their Fixed Price bids at a later

time, such as if market conditions appear favorable.

END SECTION TWO

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