Maryland Correctional Enterprises employs incarcerated individuals in vocational training roles. The staff produce a range of products – such as furniture, apparel, license plates, and signage – for state and local government agencies, state universities and colleges, and non-profits. MCE secures roughly $50M in annual revenue. MCE’s furniture business represents a key component of overall business. The furniture catalog includes a wide variety of office and dorm furniture, such as chairs, panel systems, shelving, storage, and tables. Each year, MCE spends roughly $7M with furniture vendors. Since MCE staff complete furniture assembly, vendors do not supply fully finished furniture; instead, vendors will provide furniture kits and components (“value-added furniture”). MCE staff then use the furniture kits to produce furniture. MCE is looking to partner with furniture vendors that will provide high-quality furniture aligned with MCE’s specifications. MCE will prioritize vendors that offer favorable pricing for furniture components and kits. All of the furniture kits and components must be compatible with MCE’s existing tooling and software requirements, as detailed below. These furniture kits must be broken down in component format for training and manufacturing purposes. Tooling MCE currently uses specific equipment and metal molding frames in the manufacture of partitions. The partitions are then used in the assembly of MCE’s modular office systems. As the equipment used by MCE represents a considerable capital expense all submissions by potential suppliers would need to be compatible with the existing equipment. Current equipment used include the following: ● Partition Weld Cell ● Twenty-Nine Weld Cell Pre-Fixed Metal Frame Sizes (12 x 42, 12 x 66, 18 x 66, 18 x 80, 24 x 32, 24 x 42, 24 x 54, 24 x 66, 30 x 29, 20 x 32, 20 x 42, 30 x 54, 30 x 66, 36 x 32, 36 x 42, 36 x 54, 36 x 66, 42 x 32, 42 x 42, 42 x 54, 42 x 66, 42 x 80, 48 x 32, 48 x 42, 48 x 54, 48 x 66, 60 x 42, 60 x 66). ● Adj Welding Fixture ● Air Compressor Controlled Jig ● Frame Assembly Software All furniture kits must be compatible with MCE’s current software setup. MCE uses block libraries configurable with AutoCAD in a pull down menu format for space planning, end user quoting and component breakdown capabilities for the manufacturing / ordering process. Software support to include updates, changes, additions, etc. is the responsibility of the vendor at MCE Headquarters and the MCE Design Plant located inside the MD Correctional Institute for Women (MCIW). Software support may/must require in person needs at both locations.
