In August California’s Board of Equalization (BOE) began its legal requirement to re-tender the supply of tax stamps for cigarette products. The original contract was awarded to SICPA and Meyercord in 2004 and was for three years with an option for two one-year extensions. As the second of these expires at the end of this year, the BOE is obliged to go to public tender.

The first stage of the process – the issue of a Request for information (RFI) to interested parties and a meeting with these parties – has already been concluded. The next stage will be the issue of a Request for Proposals towards the end of the year, inviting bidders to propose complete cigarette stamping systems that meet the BOE’s requirements.

According to the BOE, the basis for the award of the contract will be the solution that provides ‘best value’ to the State of California. This will include the provision of complete tax stamp system plus application machinery for the 120 or so licensed wholesalers of tobacco products in the state.