04042024-1400 RFP Fiber Phase II.docx

KING GEORGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

ISSUE DATE: 02/29/2024 RFP # 04042024-1400

TITLE: King George County Fiber-Phase II Project

Sealed Proposals will be received until 2:00 PM on April 4, 2024, local prevailing time, as per the Official Purchasing Timeclock, for furnishing the services described herein. Late, facsimile and/or electronic proposals will not be accepted. All inquiries must be directed to:

Kimberly Cook – Procurement Specialist Phone: (540) 775-1657 Fax: (540) 775-7692 E-Mail: kimberlyc@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us

PROPOSALS MUST BE MARKED AS FOLLOWS ON THE OUTERMOST DELIVERY PACKAGING, AND DELIVERED TO:

King George County Procurement 10459 Courthouse Drive, Suite 201 King George, VA 22485

RFP #04042024-1400

Offeror’s Name and Address must also be noted on the outside of the delivery container.

King George County does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4310 or against any Offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law relating to discrimination in employment. If you need any reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate in this procurement, please contact the Procurement Manager as soon as possible.

Name and Address of Firm/Individual Submitting Proposal:

Date:

By:

Signature In Ink (Preferably Blue Ink)

Print/Type

Telephone:

Fax:

E-mail Address

Virginia State Corporation Commission No.

Questions: All questions must be submitted in writing directly to the King George County Procurement at the address referenced above. Questions will be accepted until 1:00 PM, March 18, 2024. Questions may be sent by fax or email.

DO NOT RETURN ALL PAGES OF THIS RFP PACKAGE – SEE SECTION 2.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION SECTION CONTENTS PAGE

2 Proposal Requirements

2.1 Effect of Proposal Submission …………………………………………

2.2 Due Date and Copies Returned ……………………………………

2.2.1 Facility Closure ……………………………………………………

2.3 Conflicts of Interest …………………………………………………….

2.4 Collusion ………………………………………………………………….

2.5 Ownership ……………………………………………………………….

2.6 Confidentiality …………………………………………………………..

2.7 Statement of Qualifications Submittal Contents

2.8 Proposal Format Instructions ………………………………………….

3. Selection of a Contractor

3.1 Approving Authority …………………………………………………….

3.2 Selection Committee …………………………………………………..

3.3 Interview …………………………………………………………………..

3.4 Basis for Award …………………………………………………………..

3.5 Evaluation Criteria ……………………………………………………….

3.6 Ownership of Documents ………………………………………………

3.7 Prime Contractor ………………………………………………………...

3.8 Contract Development …………………………………………………

3.9 Standard Contract for Goods And/Or Services ……………..……..

3.10 Notice to Proceed/Purchase Order …………………………………..

3.11 Acceptance, Invoicing, and Payment ………………………………

3.12 Insurance ..……….………………………………………………………….

3.13 Nondiscrimination (Contractor) …………………………………………

3.14 Certification of Authority to Transact Business

in the Commonwealth ………………………………………………...…

Attachment A – Standard Sample Construction Services Agreement Attachment B – Fiber Pathways Attachment C – Cost Proposal Attachment I – Performance Bond Attachment J – Payment Bond

This Request for Proposals (RFP) plus the resulting contract shall be consistent with and governed by the King George County Purchasing Ordinance and has been prepared in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act.

This section of the RFP sets forth general information for all potential Offerors to assist in the preparation of proposals for the services identified in this RFP. The proposal submission requirements are addressed in Section 2 of this RFP. King George County’s process for selecting the best proposal and developing a contract are summarized in Section 3. The requirements and processes set forth therein shall be binding on all Offerors.

1.1 PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST:

King George County, Virginia, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia and a body politic, (County), herein referred to as KGC, desires to engage the services of a qualified firm(s) to provide the installation of an outside plant fiber optic cabling interconnect between the Fire Rescue & Emergency Services, herein referred to as FRES, Fire Station Company 1 to Fairview Beach Fire Station Company 2 and to Dahlgren Fire Station Company 3 Demark, and the inclusion of the Service Authority Water Treatment Plant and Waste Water Treatment Plants, herein referred to as Water Treatment Plant at Hopyard Farms and WWTP at Dahlgren, Fairview Beach and Hopyard Farms, as further detailed below under Scope of Work. Additionally, a transfer of the existing fiber at the old King George Middle School site interconnect for the redundant electronic communications for the KGC Emergency Medical Services Radio Communications Tower Site.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is part of a competitive procurement process that allows KGC to obtain the best value and also provides interested Offerors a fair opportunity for their services and capabilities to be duly considered. Price is not the only factor in determining an award.

KGC intends to enter into a contract with the selected Offeror(s) using its Construction Services Agreement. A sample Construction Services Agreement is attached to this Request for Proposals as Attachment A.

The contents of the proposal submitted by the successful Offeror, this RFP and all modifications made thereof, will become part of any contract awarded as a result of this solicitation.

For ease of reference, each organization submitting a response to the Request for Proposal will hereinafter be referred to as an “Offeror”. An Offeror whose proposal would result in a formal agreement will hereinafter be referred to as a “Contractor”.

Additional installations, as detailed in this RFP, may be considered, in whole or in part, by KGC. No minimum amounts of work or purchases of service are guaranteed.

1.2 COMPETITION INTENDED

It is KGC’s intent that this Request for Proposal (RFP) permit competition. It shall be the Offeror's responsibility to advise the King George County Procurement Manager in writing if any language, requirement, scope of work, specification, etc., or any combination thereof, inadvertently restricts or limits the requirements stated in this RFP to a single source. Such notification shall be received by the Procurement Specialist not later than 12:00 PM on March 7, 2024.

1.3 CONTRACT TERM:

The contract period shall be for 1 year from the Notice to Proceed. Upon mutual written consent KGC shall have the option to renew the contract for up to four (4) additional twelve-month periods contingent upon satisfaction with services provided, and availability of funds for the purpose.

Details for each renewal term may be negotiated. Amended fees, and program modifications shall be agreed upon in writing a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to the date set for contract renewal. A new/revised fee schedule, and/or program detail must be approved, in writing, by KGC before the new fees and contract renewal may be put into effect.

1.4 PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING/SITE VISIT:

A pre-proposal meeting will be held on March 12, 2024. Pre-Proposal Meeting to begin at 2:00 P.M. in the King George County Board of Supervisors Meeting Room – 10459 Courthouse Dr., King George, VA 22485. Please RSVP no later than March 8, 2024. This meeting is nonmandatory.

The selected Offeror (Contractor) will not be relieved from assuming all responsibility for properly estimating the difficulties and cost of performing the services required by, described in, this RFP because of the failure to become acquainted with all the information concerning the services to be performed.

1.5 QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Qualification requirements shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1.5.1 Business Operation: Offeror shall have experience in providing similar installation/support and services for a minimum of five (5) years. King George County requires each Offeror provide verifiable, documented evidence of public school system, local government, and corporate experience, preferable in an environment comparable in size and scope to the proposed project, for all the services detailed in its proposal. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to explain how past experiences relate to its proposal, including appropriate quantifiable data.

1.5.2 Business Compliance: Offeror shall have a current Class A Virginia Contractor’s License. Offeror shall, also be in compliance with all King George County and Virginia business licensing, bond and insurance requirements. VA Class A License number shall be provided with all submitted proposals. License number and firm’s status with VA state will be confirmed by the King George County Procurement Specialist. A Contractor organized as a stock or non-stock corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership or registered as a registered limited liability partnership shall be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 or as otherwise required by law.

1.5.3 Service: Offeror shall have local (within a 50–100-mile radius of King George County), full-time employees who are qualified, and authorized to provide technical support for equipment and services purchased.

At a minimum, Offeror shall provide the following:

Adequate Staffing: Offeror shall have a fully staffed business office, which includes, at a minimum, one (1) person to answer service calls and operational questions and two (2) technical employees. During normal business hours, the phone shall be answered by office staff. After-hours telephone answering may be automated if an escalation call list to bypass it has been provided by the Offeror. (In addition, the Offeror shall give the trouble escalation schedule in terms of who handles the problem at each level of the escalation and the length of time spent at each level before further escalation is required.)

Qualified Employees/Technicians: Offeror shall provide one or more on-staff employees who are BICSI RCDD Certified and/or have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience with outside plant cabling, who are full-time employees with evidence of the certification and/or experience attached to the proposal. These certifications will be verified.

Full-Service Coverage: Offeror agrees to provide normal service between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding County holidays. Offeror further agrees to provide emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Emergency service means “resolving problems that occur that interfere with the normal operation of King George County business.”

Timely Response: Offeror agrees to provide 4-hour response time for normal service requirements during business hours and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 2-hour response time for emergency service.

Dispatch Number: Offeror shall provide a service dispatch number answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Adequate Parts Inventory: Offeror shall maintain a spare parts inventory that will allow the Offeror to meet maintenance requirements specified under the contract. The chosen Offeror’s spare parts inventory may be inspected at any time during the contract period for compliance. Failure to comply could cause forfeiture of the contract.

1.5.4 Account Manager And Location: Offeror shall assign a dedicated Account Manager to service the King George County account. Offeror shall have a local Sales and Service Center located within 2 hours of King George County.

All individuals/firms submitting proposals must be authorized as required by law to transact business in the Commonwealth. The Offeror’s Authorization to Transact Business in the Commonwealth number (SCC #) issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia State Corporation Commission shall be noted on Page 1 of this RFP an included with the proposal submission. Proposals submitted without proof of Authorization, or without a noted exemption from the Virginia State requirement will be rejected. All Authorization to Transact Business in the Commonwealth numbers and exemptions will be confirmed by the Procurement Manager prior to proposal distribution.

1.6 SCOPE OF WORK/SERVICES:

This section establishes the minimum Scope of Work for this project.

1.6.1 King George County invites qualified Offerors to provide separate proposals for each installation (please see the attached cost proposal forms ATTACHMENT C) of Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cabling Interconnect between select King George County facilities. King George County will have the option to accept the Offerors proposal location to location for the installation of Outside Plan Fiber Optic Cabling Interconnect.

1.6.2 Contractor shall assume full responsibility for the complete effort as required by this RFP. The Contractor shall be the sole point of contact for King George County with regards to all contractual responsibilities.

The Contractor will be required to provide first time consultation to King George County on each location prior to networking. Work must be conducted in coordination with the COUNTY, SERVICE AUTHORITY, FRES and SCHOOLS.

1.6.3 Offeror shall propose a turn-key solution to include all design, permitting, installation, termination, testing, and documentation. The locations to extend outside fiber optic cabling are as follows:

· Kings Highway & Ridge Road – King George County interconnect between existing County fiber and existing King George Schools fiber

· Dahlgren Road - King George Schools existing fiber to King George FRES Company 2 via new County fiber

· Dahlgren Road - King George Schools existing fiber to Dahlgren WWTP via new County fiber

· Dahlgren Road – Old King George Middle School existing fiber to the EMS Radio Communications Tower site via new County fiber

· Kings Highway & Comorn Road – King George Schools existing fiber splice to Fairview Drive to Fairview Beach FRES Station Company 3 via new County fiber

· Fairview Drive - Fairview Beach FRES Company 3 to Fairview Beach WWTP via overhead Dominion Power pole lines

· Kings Highway & Port Conway Road – King George County Schools existing fiber splice to Hopyard Farms Water Treatment Plant via new County fiber

· Port Conway Road - Hopyard Farms Water Treatment Plant to Hopyard Farms WWTP via new County fiber

1.6.4 Installation Requirements:

· Complete and Timely Installation: Contractor shall be solely responsible for complete and timely installation of all proposed outside plant fiber optic cables and connectors. King George County Work - completion date: 6 months after Notice of Proceed is issued.

· Cable Routing: Before the installation of any fiber optic cable, a Cable Routing Plan will be submitted to the King George County Technology Project Manager for approval.

· Site Drawings: Before the work is approved for payment by King George County, the Contractor shall provide the Technology Project Manager with a set of professional legible drawings. Drawings shall be accurately marked to indicate the following:

· Fiber Optic Testing: Upon completion of each fiber optic installation, the Offeror shall test all single mode fiber at 1310nm and 1550nm wavelengths. An Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) shall have a current calibration. All test results shall be submitted in both hard and soft copy form along with two (2) copies of as built drawings of the fiber optic cabling layout. All test results shall be saved to the test equipment. Attenuation should be less than the standards noted below. Any loss greater than the standards noted below shall be approved by King George County or repaired.

· Fiber Labeling: Upon completion of each network installation, the Contractor shall label all terminated optical fibers on both ends with a machine-generated label using a corresponding numbering and/or name scheme (both ends shall have the same number).

· Single Mode Outside Plant: 1310nm .5 dB per/Km Max Atten.

1550nm .5 dB per/Km Max Atten.

Buried Cable Placement:

1.6.5 Special Installation Requirements:

· Cover or Trim Mold, Core Boring, Inside Wiring, etc.: Some jobs may require a cover or trim mold, and core boring such as firewalls, etc. These jobs can be priced per requirements and agreed on by both parties before starting.

· Change Orders: Additions, moves, and changes may be ordered as needed for the duration of this agreement, via the Offeror contact person and referenced with a work order number or Request for Capital Expenditure (RCE) number. All change orders must be approved, in writing, by King George County prior to change order work commencing.

1.6.6 Cable Requirements:

· Fiber Optic Cable: Fiber optic cabling used for networking Ethernet systems, backbones, and point-to-point shall have the following specifications. Offeror shall price fiber per foot, including installation. All fiber will be terminated with Corning SC Unicam connectors. (No product substitution without King George County’s written authorization.)

· Other Network Equipment: Other network equipment will include equipment racks, patch panels, etc.

Substitution for different manufacturers of like equipment will be considered upon written request by Offeror and written approval by King George County.

· Damage to Existing Infrastructure: Any damage to existing production fiber/infrastructure is the responsibility of the contractor to repair or replace at the discretion of King George County.

1.6.7 Maintenance and Warranty:

· Warranty and Serviceability Requirements: All fiber optic cabling and connectors shall include a guarantee of one (1) year on all labor and material.

· In the event that warranty or non-warranty repairs are necessary, Contractor shall respond in person:

1.6.8 Service Outside of Business Hours, Per-Hour Labor and Site Visit Charge: KGC views King George County Schools, Fire Stations, and Wastewater Treatment Plants all as 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week operations. Offerors shall quote a per-hour labor charge for service outside of normal work hours, as well as a minimum charge per site visit if applicable, in the Cost Proposal.

1.6.9 Optional Pole Installation:

KGC may consider optional pole placement of fiber connections opposed to ground/boring. If proposing this alternate/optional solution, Offeror to provide a price for this optional form of installation in their proposal submission.

1.7 COST:

A fixed, firm price, cost proposal shall be provided with the proposal. Cost proposal shall cover all work detailed in this RFP, and be a firm fixed price for the initial contract period. Price adjustments for each renewal term shall be negotiated no less than sixty (60) days prior to the start of any renewal period.

Performance and Payment Bonds will be required for this project. Samples of the bonds are included as Attachments I & J.

PLEASE NOTE: THE COST PROPOSAL AND FURNISHED BONDS ARE NOT REQUIRED WITH THE INITIAL RESPONSE TO THIS RFP. THEY SHALL BE REQUIRED OF SHORTLISTED VENDORS AND REQUESTED BY THE PROCUREMENT MANAGER AT A LATER DATE.

1.8 QUESTIONS:

Questions concerning general and/or technical details of the work, or this RFP, shall be submitted in writing (email, fax, USPS, or mail delivery service) to:

mailto:

Potential Offerors are required to submit any and all questions in writing directly to King George County Procurement at the address referenced above no later than 1:00 PM, March 18, 2024. Written responses, including the questions, will be provided to all Offerors via an official Addendum. Questions may be sent by fax or email.

1.9 DECISION NOT TO RESPOND:

Some recipients of this RFP may elect not to respond with a proposal for a variety of reasons. KGC is very interested in learning whether issues with the solicitation process have discouraged responses, or whether there are other reasons.

Accordingly, if your firm elects not to submit a proposal, we ask that you return Page 1 of the RFP (by fax or USPS) with a statement as to why you are unable or unwilling to respond.

1.10 AWARD OF AGREEMENT:

KGC, in its sole opinion, reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive informalities and to negotiate an Agreement with the selected Offeror. KGC reserves the right, in its sole opinion, to reject any proposal it believes would not be in its best interest.

1.11 TERMINATION:

Subject to the provisions below, the Contract may be terminated by KGC upon thirty (30) days advance written notice to the Contractor; but if any work or service hereunder is in progress, but not completed as of the date of termination, then the Contract may be extended upon written approval of KGC until said work, goods, or services are completed and accepted.

A. Termination for Convenience:

KGC may terminate the resulting Contract for convenience at any time in which the case the parties shall negotiate reasonable termination costs.

B. Termination for Cause:

In the event of Termination for Cause, the thirty (30) days advance notice is waived and the Contractor shall not be entitled to termination costs.

1) Termination Due to Unavailability of Funds in Succeeding Fiscal Years:

If funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation of the performance of the Contract in a subsequent fiscal year, then the Contract shall be canceled and, to the extent permitted by law, the Contractor shall be reimbursed for the reasonable value of any nonrecurring costs incurred under the Contract.

1.12 CONTRACTUAL DISPUTES:

The Contractor shall give written notice to the Procurement Manager of intent to file a claim for money or other relief within ten (10) calendar days of the occurrence giving rise to the claim or at the beginning of the work upon which the claim is to be based, whichever is earlier.

The claim, with supporting documentation, shall be submitted to the Procurement Manager by US Mail, courier, or overnight delivery service, no later than sixty (60) days after final payment. The Contractor shall submit its invoice for final payment within thirty (30) days after completion or delivery of the vehicle. If the claim is not disposed of by agreement, the Procurement Manager shall reduce his/her decision to writing and mail or otherwise forward a copy thereof to the Contractor within thirty (30) days of KGC’s receipt of the claim.

The Procurement Manager's decision shall be final unless the Contractor appeals within thirty (30) days by submitting a written letter of appeal to the County Administrator, or his/her designee. The County Administrator shall render a decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of the appeal.

1.13 SEVERABILITY:

In the event that any provision shall be adjudged or decreed to be invalid, such ruling shall not invalidate the entire Contract (Agreement) but shall pertain only to the provision in question and the remaining provisions shall continue to be valid, binding and in full force and effect.

1.14 EMERGENCY ORDER:

In the event of an emergency KGC reserves the right to order the contracted services or supplies from other sources which could provide a faster delivery time.

1.15 TAXES: King George County is exempt from excise taxation by virtue of exemption certificate No. 54-0716449. The Purchasing Agent will complete such documents as may be necessary for the CONTRACTOR to comply with applicable tax laws and regulations. The price or prices quoted here shall include all other federal and state, direct and indirect taxes which apply.

1.16 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS: Contractor shall provide Performance and Payment Bonds as required by the King George County Purchasing Ordinance, if the project cost exceeds $100,000.00. The Bonds shall be furnished within 10 calendar days of contract execution.

SECTION 2

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

In order to be considered for selection, Offerors must submit a complete response to the RFP. All information requested, and the requirements of this RFP must be supplied in writing in order for KGC to consider the proposal complete. One (1) original and three (3) copies of each proposal must be submitted to the Owner. The Offeror shall make no other distribution of the proposal.

2.1 EFFECT OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION:

Submission of a proposal shall constitute an agreement to include the provisions contained in this RFP and/or in the Offeror’s proposal in any agreement negotiated between the parties unless an exception or clarification to any such provision is clearly indicated in the proposal labeled “Clarifications and Exceptions”.

By submitting a proposal, the Offeror agrees that it is satisfied from its own investigation of the conditions and requirements to be met, that it fully understands its obligation, and that it will not make any claim for, or have to right to, cancellation of or relief from the contract because of any misunderstanding or lack of information.

KGC shall not be responsible for any expense incurred by the firm in preparing and submitting a proposal or expenses incurred related to subsequent inquiries or interviews for evaluation or contract negotiations. All proposals/materials submitted shall become the property of KGC

2.2 DUE DATE AND COPIES RETURNED:

Proposals will be received until 2:00 PM local prevailing time, as per the Official Purchasing Timeclock, on April 4, 2024, Proposals must be received by the Finance Department/Purchasing Office prior to, or by the date/time noted above. KGC will not accept proposals after that date and time. Proposals received in the Finance Department/Purchasing Office after the date and time prescribed will not be considered for evaluation and will be returned, unopened, to the Offeror.

It shall be the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure his/her proposal has been received by the Finance Department/Purchasing Office on or before the deadline published above. KGC is not responsible for delays in the Postal service or other methods of delivery.

Offerors shall submit one original and three (3) copies for a total of 4 of their technical proposals with one marked “Original”. Each copy of the proposal shall be bound or contained in a single volume where practical.

Offerors shall deliver sealed proposals to:

King George County Attn: Procurement Specialist

No other proposal distributions by the Offeror shall be permitted.

2.2.1 FACILITY CLOSURE:

Due to inclement weather, or other emergency conditions, KGC may temporarily close its Administration facility. If bids are due on a day that the KGC Administration facility is closed, bids will be considered due at the same time on the next business day the facility is open to the public. During inclement weather, KGC facility closures are posted on the Web at http://Fredericksburg.com, or call (540) 775-9181.

2.3 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:

This solicitation is subject to the provisions of Section 2.2-3100 et seq., of the Code of Virginia, “the Virginia State and Local Government Conflicts of Interest Act”. No member of the King George County Board of Supervisors, King George County Economic Development Authority, King George County Service Authority, or any employee of King George County, or the spouse or any other relative who resides in the same household as any of the foregoing, may be a sub-contractor in connection with any bid or proposal, or have a personal interest therein, as defined by Code of Virginia.

2.4 COLLUSION:

All submitted proposals shall be made without collusion or fraud. This includes a prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, partnership, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same requirements. Collusive bidding is a violation of Federal Law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

2.5 OWNERSHIP:

KGC requires all Offerors submitting proposals to indicate their form of organization and current principal place of business.

2.6 CONFIDENTIALITY:

Proprietary information that is submitted must be clearly identified as such at the time of submission (The Virginia Freedom of Information Act –FOIA- § 2.2-3700 et. seq. of the Code of Virginia.) Offerors must invoke this protection by written request, and identify the specific area or scope of data or other materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is needed. Proprietary information, if any, shall be clearly identified as such within the submittal and should be easily segregated from other portions of the proposal; pricing and other material portions of the proposal will not be considered proprietary. The entire proposal cannot be protected, only that information that is considered proprietary or trade secrets.

2.7 STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS SUBMITTAL CONTENTS:

Offerors shall submit four (4) total copies of their Proposal (Statements of Interest and Qualifications, and price proposal) with one marked “Original”. Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that KGC may properly evaluate the Offeror’s capabilities to provide the required services. Proposals shall be submitted on 8-1/2” x 11” paper, and prepared simply and concisely. Elaborate artwork, expensive paper, bindings, visual, and other presentation aids are not required. Each Offeror’s proposal shall be organized in the sequence outlined in Section 2.8 of this RFP.

All proposals shall be signed by an officer or employee authorized to bind the firm contractually.

Page 1 of this RFP must be completed and submitted with your proposal.

2.8 PROPOSAL FORMAT INSTRUCTIONS:

KGC is not responsible for failure to locate, consider and evaluate qualification factors presented outside of the format identified below. Proposals that do not meet the KGC proposal submittal guidelines listed below may be excluded from the evaluation process.

KGC will utilize the evaluation process and selection criteria described in Section 3 of this RFP. In order to provide each Offeror an equal opportunity for consideration, adherence to a standardized proposal format is required. The format of each proposal must contain the following elements organized into separate chapters and sections:

A. Page 1 of this RFP:

Page 1 of this RFP must be completed and included with the proposal.

B. Cover Letter:

The cover letter shall confirm the Offeror’s understanding of this RFP, and has a general understanding of the work. The cover letter shall also clearly identify the work the submission is for.

C. Offeror Information, Personnel, and References:

Provide detailed information and qualification information regarding personnel to be assigned to this agreement including resumes and required certifications.

List all software tools and diagnostic equipment that the firm possesses to service the existing direct digital control and automation systems.

Provide an organizational chart for the firm including the personnel to be assigned the KGC account.

D. Offeror’s Experience and Capabilities:

The purpose of this section is to provide KGC with an overview of the Offeror’s firm and also demonstrate the qualifications of the staff to be assigned to this work if selected. At a minimum, the proposal shall discuss the history of the firm’s prior experience providing similar services, discuss any work currently being performed that is similar in scope and size to the services requested by this RFP, and the optional services and capabilities declared above.

E. Project and Management Approach:

Provide a detailed description of how the firm intends to provide and meet the requirements contained in this RFP.

The Offeror shall also demonstrate how the necessary resources will be allocated and managed to complete the work within the agreed upon schedule. The Offeror may also discuss potential alternatives applicable to the work.

F. Certification:

Provide copies of licenses and certifications of the firm.

Provide documentation of licenses and certifications as may be required during the completion of the requirements contained in this RFP.

G. Representative Projects:

The Offeror’s proposal shall list and describe any previously completed work that was similar in size and scope, and representative of, the work identified in this RFP.

H. Subcontractors:

The Offeror shall clearly state if it is proposing to subcontract any of the work herein. The names of the subcontractors are to be provided. By proposing such firm(s) or individuals, the Offeror assumes full liability for the subcontractor’s performance. The Offeror shall state the amount of previous work experience with the subcontractor(s).

I. Cost Proposal:

Provide a firm fixed price tor the initial contract period to provide the services detailed in the RFP.

16.1 All Prices Disclosed: All prices shall be separated by fiber segment; no additional charges (e.g., transportation, container packing, installation, training, out-of-pocket expenses, fuel charges, etc.) will be allowed unless so specified in the proposal. All components necessary to meet requirements shall be included in the link cost, with all extra cost options specifically stated in a separate section. King George County reserves the right to break up the project into several phases for payment. These phases will be determined by funding allocations.

16.2 Full Maintenance Pricing: Maintenance service prices quoted shall include all diagnosis, parts, materials, and labor (exclusive of replacing lost or stolen items), preventive/remedial services, and engineering modifications and their documentation.

16.3 After-Hours Service: Offeror to provide Site Service Fee and Hourly Rate for after normal business hours service (emergency service) on each Cost Proposal. Provide hourly rates by discipline.

J. References:

Provide the current name, address, and telephone number of a minimum of three (3) references the Offeror has served in a similar capacity either currently or in the past three (3) years that are similar in size and scope to the requirements of this RFP. Indicate the Scope of Services provided to each reference.

The Offeror shall include a list of clients for whom they provide on-going maintenance and support and identity the following:

-How long they have been providing such support.

-What the terms and conditions of the support are - include response times.

-Exclusions - what is not covered by the support contract.

- The process used to replace failed equipment

K. Each Offeror shall submit proof Authority to Conduct Business in the Commonwealth (SCC Identification Number). All SCC Identification numbers will be verified by the Procurement Manager prior to proposal acceptance and consideration for award.

L. W-9 Form:

Each Offeror shall submit a completed W-9 form with their proposal in the event of contract award. This information is required in order to issue purchase orders and payments to your firm. A copy of this form can be downloaded from http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.

SECTION 3

SELECTION OF CONTRACTOR

This section of the RFP outlines KGC’s process for selecting the best proposal plus the major elements of the subsequent contract resulting from this selection.

3.1 APPROVING AUTHORITY:

The approving authority for this RFP is King George County, Virginia.

3.2 SELECTION COMMITTEE:

KGC will appoint a Selection Committee to review and evaluate all proposals received. In turn, the Selection Committee will make its recommendation for selection of an Offeror to the King George County Board of Supervisors.

3.3 INTERVIEW:

Based on the results of proposal evaluation by the Selection Committee, the highest rated Offerors may be invited by the KGC Procurement Manager to make oral presentations to the Selection Committee. Such presentations may include, but are not necessarily limited to, explanations of the proposed approach, work plan, and qualifications of the Offeror. There is no specified number of Offerors that may be selected for interview.

Interviews will be conducted in a location selected by KGC as provided by law.

Presentations by the selected Offerors during the interviews shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes in length, followed by a question/answer period not to exceed thirty (30) minutes in length. The selected Offerors may use any presentation method deemed by the Offeror to be most effective.

3.4 BASIS FOR AWARD:

The Selection Committee will base its award recommendation on the “Evaluation Criteria” set forth in this RFP.

The Award will be made to the responsible Offeror whose proposal, interview and resulting contract conforms to this solicitation and is most advantageous to KGC, price and other factors considered. If KGC is unable to come to agreement with the highest ranked Offeror during negotiations, the negotiations will be terminated and the Offeror ranked second shall be selected for negotiations. This process will be followed until a contract satisfactory to KGC can be made.

Should KGC determine in writing, and in its sole discretion, that only one Offeror is fully qualified, or that one Offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that Offeror.

3.5 EVALUATION CRITERIA:

The Selection Committee will base its initial and final evaluation on the following criteria:

Maximum Points Evaluation Criteria

15 Offeror’s written technical plan and approach towards providing the requested service as stipulated in this RFP

25 Offeror’s ability to deliver timely support & maintenance

25 Offeror’s relevant experience, qualifications, and track record in providing the goods and services outlined in this RFP

30 Offeror’s financial proposal and relevant terms including discounts, service charges, hourly rates, and overall cost

05 Proximity of materials/warehouse for easy access

Proposals should be submitted initially on the most complete and favorable terms from a technical standpoint. Should proposals require additional clarification and/or supplementary information, firms should be prepared to submit additional clarification and/or supplementary information, in a timely manner, when so requested. KGC reserves the right to request submission of additional information from selected firms after initial review of their proposals.

The KGC Procurement Manager may arrange for discussion with Offerors submitting proposals, if required, for the purpose of obtaining additional information or clarification.

The Selection Committee may make such reasonable investigations as it deems proper and necessary to determine the ability of the Offeror to perform the work. The Selection Committee and/or its representative(s) reserve the right to inspect the Offeror’s physical premise prior to making a final selection.

After review and evaluation, and based on its sole discretion, KGC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received in response to this request and will not compensate Offerors for the cost of proposal preparation whether or not an award in consummated.

3.6 OWNERSHIP OF DOCUMENTS:

The Offeror shall provide KGC with documents bound and suitable for distribution. In addition, all electronic copies of documents shall be provided in a format compatible with KGC’s word processing and AutoCAD hardware and software.

All documents, including computer disks, submitted in response to this solicitation shall become the property of KGC. All documents, including computer disks, prepared in conjunction with, and relating to, the work detailed in this solicitation and resulting contract shall become the property of KGC upon final payment of all fees to the Contractor as forth for in the contract.

3.7 PRIME CONTRACTOR:

The successful Offeror (Contractor) shall assume full responsibility for the complete effort as required by this RFP. The selected Offeror shall be the sole point of contact for KGC with regard to all contractual responsibilities.

3.8 CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT:

Once an Offeror is tentatively selected based on the “Evaluation Criteria” detailed in this solicitation, KGC reserves the right to conduct further discussions/negotiations with the selected Offeror. As a result of this discussion and negotiation, KGC may propose, in writing, a contract that amends the scope of the RFP or the Offeror’s proposal prior to signing the contract. At the same time, this RFP and the Offeror’s proposal may be incorporated by reference directly into the final contract.

The contract, this RFP, any addenda, and the Offeror’s proposal submission in response thereto shall constitute the whole agreement between the parties.

If a satisfactory proposed contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked Offeror, negotiations will be terminated. Negotiations shall then be undertaken with the Offeror rated second most qualified and so on until an agreement is reached with an Offeror.

3.9 STANDARD CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES:

Absent legal requirements, the award will be governed by the “Standard Sample Construction Services Agreement” for this work. A sample Agreement is attached to this RFP as Attachment A.

Specific obligations of each party will be identified in the executed contract

3.10 NOTICE TO PROCEED/PURCHASE ORDER:

A Notice to Proceed will be enclosed with the resulting contract.

A purchase order may or may not be enclosed with the resulting contract or may or may not be issued shortly thereafter. If issued the purchase order will form an integral part of the resulting contract. The purchase order indicates that sufficient funds are obligated and assures distribution of the necessary receiving reports and/or invoice payment approvals.

However, the purchase order does not supersede any provisions of the resulting contract. Performance time and dates are determined solely by the Contract and any modification thereto.

3.11 ACCEPTANCE, INVOICING, AND PAYMENT:

Tasks and all reports shall be conducted and completed in accordance with recognized and customarily accepted industry practices and shall be considered complete when the product or service is approved as acceptable by KGC.

The Contractor shall submit invoices detailing the services performed and completed to KGC. The invoice submittal shall provide sufficient information to justify the invoiced amount. Invoices that, in KGC’s sole opinion, do not clearly detail services provided and completed shall be returned to the Contractor.

The Contractor’s invoice shall cite the appropriate KGC purchase order and contract numbers.

KGC will make payment to the Contractor, net forty-five (45) days or in accordance with discount terms, if offered, after receipt of an acceptable invoice and satisfactory completion of the requested services as verified by KGC.

3.12 INSURANCE:

The successful Offeror shall comply with the insurance requirements set forth in the following numbered paragraphs and those required under the Commonwealth of Virginia statutory requirements. The Offeror’s proposal shall clearly describe any desired exceptions to the insurance coverage required.

A. The Contractor shall be responsible for its work and every part thereof, and for all materials, equipment, and property of any and all description used in connection therewith. The Contractor assumes all risks of direct and indirect damage or injury to any person or property wherever located, resulting from any action, omission, commission, or operation under the contract, or in connection in any way whatsoever with contracted work.

B. The Contractor shall provide certified copies of all insurance coverage on behalf of the Contract five (5) days prior to work beginning. These certified copies will be sent to the KGC Procurement Manager from the Contractor’s insurance agent or representative. Certificates of Insurance submitted to KGC shall have the corresponding Contract/Agreement number noted on them.

C. The Contractor shall, during the continuance of all work under the contract, provide and agree to maintain the following:

1) Worker’s Compensation and Employees insurance under the Commonwealth of Virginia statutory requirements, to protect the Contractor from any liability or damages for any injuries (including death and disability) to any and all of its employees, or subcontractors, including any and all liability or damage which may arise by virtue of any statute or law in force with the Commonwealth of Virginia, or which may be hereinafter enacted.

2) General Liability insurance sufficient to protect the Contractor, its subcontractors, and the interest of KGC, against any or all injuries to third parties, including bodily injury and personal injury, wherever located, resulting from any action or operation under the Contract or in connection with the contracted work. The General Liability insurance shall also include the Broad Form General Liability endorsement, in addition to coverages for explosion, collapse, and underground hazards, where required. Completed Operations Liability coverage shall continue in force for one year after completion of work. Professional liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000.00 is also required.

3) Automobile liability insurance, including property damage, covering all owned, non-owned, borrowed, leased, or rented vehicles operated by the Contractor and/or his/her subcontractors in the performance of the work. In addition, all mobile equipment used by the Contractor in connection with the contracted work, will be insured under either a standard Automobile Liability Policy, or a Commercial General Liability policy.

4) Liability insurance may be arranged by General Liability and Automobile Liability policies for the full limits required, or by a combination of underlying liability policies for lesser limits with the remaining limits provided by an Excess or Umbrella Liability policy.

The Contractor will provide an original, signed Certificate of Insurance, evidencing such insurance and such endorsements as prescribed herein, and shall have it filed with the County Procurement Manager before a contract is executed and any work is started.

D. The Contractor will secure and maintain all insurance policies of its subcontractors. Those policies shall be made available to KGC on request.

E. No change, cancellation, or non-renewal shall be made to any insurance coverage without a thirty (30) day written notice to KGC Procurement Manager. The Contractor shall furnish the KGC Procurement Manager a new prior to any change or cancellation date. The failure of the Contractor to deliver a new and valid certificate will result in suspension of all payments until the new certificate is furnished to KGC Procurement Manager.

F. Insurance coverage required in these specifications shall be in force throughout the contract term. Should the Contractor fail to provide acceptable evidence of current insurance within five (5) days of written notice at any time during the contract term, KGC shall have the absolute right to terminate the contract without any further obligation to the Contractor, and the Contractor shall be liable to KGC for the entire additional cost of procuring the incomplete portion of the Contract at time of termination.

G. Compliance by the Contractor and all subcontractors with the foregoing requirements shall not relieve the Contractor and…