1-73-RFP00761.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Western Carolina University

Request for Proposal #: 73-RFP00761

WCU Cleaning and Fireproofing University Stage Draperies and Soft Goods

Date of Issue: 02/09/2026

Proposal Opening Date: 02/24/2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Chelsea Pressley

Purchasing Specialist

Email: cpressley@email.wcu.edu

Phone: 828-227-7203

Ver: 11/2025

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Request for Proposal #

73-RFP00761

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register athttps://evp.nc.gov/SignIn https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Proposal Number: 73-RFP00761 Vendor: __________________________________________

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Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Chelsea Pressley Purchasing Department Western Carolina University Phone: 828-227-7203 Fax: 828-227-7444 Email: cpressley@email.wcu.edu

Request for Proposal #: 73-RFP00761 Proposals will be publicly opened:

**Proposals must be submitted electronically at:

https://wcu.bonfirehub.com

Responses will be opened by team’s video meeting on 02/24/2026 @ 2:00pm et at the following link:

Microsoft Teams Meeting ID: 299 703 458 396 31 Microsoft Teams Passcode: CL2vw7ZG Call-in (Audio Only): 1-980-228-9213 Phone Conference ID: 469 553 39#

Using Agency: Western Carolina University

Commodity No. and Description:

WCU Cleaning and Fireproofing University Stage Draperies and

Soft Goods

Requisition No.:

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

It and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

301 HF ROBINSON BLDG

CULLOWHEE, NC 28723

https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/

Ver: 11/2025 2 including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE

NUMBER:

TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

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FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Western Carolina University)

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.5 REFERENCES

4.7 PERSONNEL

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.9 QUESTIONS TO VENDORS

Is your company certified for the Scope of work specified in section 5.0 Yes____ No ______ 14

4.10 SUBCONTRACTORS

4.11 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.2 TECHNICAL APPROACH

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5.3 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 INVOICES

6.3 POST AWARD BUSINESS REVIEW MEETINGS-

6.4 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.5 PERIODIC Weekly Reports

6.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.7 FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE

6.8 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.9 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.10 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this scope of work is to outline the tasks and requirements for the contractor hired to clean and fireproof the stage draperies arid associated soft goods. The project aims to ensure the safety and maintenance of the soft goods, providing a clean and fire-resistant environment for university venues to remain compliant with referenced National Fire Protection Agency standards and insurance requirements.

The project will take place at the venues noted on the Request for Proposal. Cleaning and fireproofing must be performed on stage while the draperies and soft goods are hanging.

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1.1 CONTRACT TERM

Term of this contract will be a one (1) year term with Western Carolina University’s option to extend the contract for two (2) additional one (1) year terms.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

• Proposals must be submitted electronically at:

https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum.

The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise.

This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

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Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State 02/09/2026 @ 12:00pm est

Site Visit State 02/17/2026 @10:00am est

Submit Written Questions Vendor 02/18/2026 @ 10:00am est

Provide Responses to Questions State 02/19/2026 @ 5:00pm est

Submit Bids Vendor 02/24/2026 @ 2:00pm est

Virtual Bid Opening via MS Teams University Date: 02/24/2026 2:00pm et Microsoft Teams Meeting ID: 299 703 458 396 31

Microsoft Teams Passcode: CL2vw7ZG Call-in (Audio Only): 1-980-228-9213 Phone Conference ID: 469 553 39#

Contract Award State TBD

2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

Mandatory Site Visit

Date: 02/17/2026 Time: 10:00am Location: WCU Facilities Management Steam Plant Conference Room

111 Central Drive Cullowhee, NC 28723

Contact #: 828-227-7224

Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that each Vendor representative be present for a pre-bid site visit. Attendees must meet promptly. All attendees must sign in and Sign Out upon arrival and departure clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN, PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISIT NOR SHALL THEIR BID BE CONSIDERED. Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances allow.

The purpose of this visit is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves with the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this RFP. Vendors shall stay for the duration of the site visit. No allowances will be made for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this RFP.

Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP and any resulting contract.

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to cpressley@wcu.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 73-RFP00761 Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

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Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

• Proposals must be submitted electronically at:

a) Submit a signed, original executed bid responses, via bonfire.

b) Submit your bid via bonfire with the following information: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number; and (3) the due date. If Vendor is submitting more than one (1) bid, each bid shall be submitted in separate bonfire application.

Bids are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above.

If applicable to this RFP and using bonfire, all bid responses shall be submitted electronically via bonfire. For additional information, the NC BIDS for Vendors page includes online training videos and a link to NC BIDS FAQs for Vendors.

Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s bid(s).

Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload bids.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this IFB. It is important that all Vendors responding on this IFB periodically check Bonfire for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this IFB and all Addenda thereto.

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

https://evp.nc.gov/

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b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. [Indicate relative section references as a guide to responding to sections requiring additional responses outside of the solicitation document. If not required, delete.]

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

i) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #___ ”. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest.

All responsive bids will be reviewed, and award or awards will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications to include any required verifications set out herein such as but not limited to past performance, references, and financial documents.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the

Ver: 11/2025 10 communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated, based on completeness, content, cost and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on the criteria listed below, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

• Pricing

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• Adherence to Specifications

• Past Experience

• Completion of Attachments in this RFP

EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

To be considered, responding agencies shall have at a minimum (but not limited to) the following:

• Must return RFP in a timely manner with all sections requiring responses completed and document signed.

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• Proposals must be submitted electronically at:

https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852

• Items in bid must be received and invoiced no later than June 20th, 2026 Can your company meet this deadline Yes____ No______

4.1 PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to the State for delivery fully assembled and ready for use, including all applicable charges for shipping, delivery, handling, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s response.

4.1.1 Import Tariff Temporary Surcharge

Pricing shall be exclusive of any pending tariffs or temporary tariff surcharge. Vendor may request a temporary tariff surcharge in ATTACHMENT A: PRICING SUBMITTAL WORKBOOK as a charge separate from the contract price. Any temporary tariff surcharge(s) associated with purchases shall be provided by way of a percentage tariff surcharge. All tariff surcharges proposed are intended to be temporary and based on current tariff implications specific to related commodities with evidence of submitted documentation of affected MSRP products. Vendor understands that the agency may request additional justification. Any temporary tariff surcharge percentage will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon. The state is not obligated to accept any proposed import tariff surcharge. Proposed tariff surcharges may be used as a factor for evaluation and award.

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

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4.5 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. References shall not be from the same company or from the soliciting State entity. . In addition, Vendor shall provide references for and identify other government contracts it has received, for which your company has provided services of similar size and scope. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.6 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Vendor and its personnel are required to provide or undergo background checks at Vendor’s expense prior to beginning work with the State. As part of Vendor background, the following details must be provided to the State:

a) Any criminal felony conviction, or conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation or deception, by Vendor, its officers or directors, or any of its employees or other personnel to provide Services on this project, of which Vendor has knowledge, or provide a statement that Vendor is aware of none;

b) Any criminal investigation for any offense involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation, falsification or deception pending against Vendor of which it has knowledge, or provide a statement Vendor is aware of none;

c) Any regulatory sanctions levied against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies within the past three years or a statement that there are none.

As used herein, the term “regulatory sanctions” includes the revocation or suspension of any license or certification, the levying of any monetary penalties or fines, and the issuance of any written warnings;

d) Any regulatory investigations pending against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies of which Vendor has knowledge or a statement that there are none.

e) Any civil litigation, arbitration, proceedings, or judgments pending against Vendor during the three (3) years preceding submission of its proposal herein or a statement that there are none.

Vendor’s response to these requests shall be considered a continuing representation, and Vendor’s failure to notify the State within thirty (30) days of any criminal litigation, investigation or proceeding involving Vendor or its then current officers, directors or persons providing Services under this Contract during its term shall constitute a material breach of contract. The provisions of this paragraph shall also apply to any subcontractor utilized by Vendor to perform Services under this Contract.

4.6.1 VENDOR BACKGROUND CHECK AGREEMENT

Vendor agrees to conduct a criminal background check per the specifications above in this section on all employees proposed to work under this Contract, at its expense, and provide the required documentation to the State in order to perform Services under this Contract:

Yes: ____ No: ____

4.7 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner.

“Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

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Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecom-munications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.9 QUESTIONS TO VENDORS

Is your company certified for the Scope of work specified in section 5.0 Yes____ No ______

Vendor shall respond to each of the following questions. Vendors are requested to keep responses concise and relevant and should not include generic marketing materials. Responses will be reviewed as part of the evaluation process.

4.10 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

4.11 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State. Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award.

No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D- 7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

Vendor registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes☐ No ☐ https://www.sosnc.gov/

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5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

Scope of Work: Cleaning and Fireproofing University Stage Draperies and Soft Goods at the following locations listed below.

FPAC Bardo Stage- Main Border (1-CT-Red) Main Stage Drapery (2-CT-Red) Borders (2-CT-Black) Borders (2-CT-Black) Legs (8-CT-Black) Mid-Stage Travelers (2-CT-Black) Scrim (1-CT-Black) Cyclorama Drapery (1-CT-White) Catwalk Curtains (multiple CT-Blue) Austrian Valence/Swag (1-CT-Silver)

Storage- Skirt (12 ct) Skirt (3 ct) Skirt (10 ct) Skirt (3 ct) Skirt (5 ct) Skirt (2 ct) Skirt (2 ct) Skirt (1 ct)

Niggli Theatre- Legs (4 ct) Legs (6 ct) Legs (2 ct) Travelers (2 ct)

Breese Gym Dance Studio- Stage Drapes (4 ct)

Coulter Recital Hall- Main Border (1 ct) Main Stage Drapes (10 ct)

Ramsey Center Main Arena- Legs (1 ct) Legs (4 ct) Legs (1 ct) Legs (7 ct) Legs (1 ct)

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Borders (2 ct) Borders (1 ct) Borders (1 ct) Borders (4 ct) Borders (1 ct) Mid-Stage Travelers (6 ct) Misc. Borders (9 ct) Scrim (1 ct) Tunnel Curtain (2 ct)

Aisles- Multiple Panels (36 ct) Masking Panel (24 ct) Drapes Purple (100 ct) Drapes Black (100 ct) Drapes Gray* (600 ct) *multiple sizes

Seat Covers- Multiple Sections (52 ct)

University Auditorium- Stage- Legs (1 ct) Legs (4 ct) Legs (1 ct) Legs (7 ct) Legs (1 ct) Borders (2 ct) Borders (1 ct) Borders (1 ct) Borders (4 ct) Borders (1 ct) Travelers (6 ct) Scrim (1 ct) Misc. Borders (9 ct)

Storage- Leg (1 ct) Drapery (1 ct) Borders (2 ct) Borders (1 ct) Scrim (1 ct)

Project Overview:

The purpose of this scope of work is to outline the tasks and requirements for the contractor hired to clean and fireproof the stage draperies arid associated soft goods. The project aims to ensure the safety and maintenance of the soft goods, providing a clean and fire-resistant environment for university venues to remain compliant with referenced National Fire Protection Agency standards and insurance requirements.

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Project Location:

The project will take place at the venues noted on the Request for Proposal. Cleaning and fireproofing must be performed on stage while the draperies and soft goods are hanging.

Contractor Qualifications: [The following Sections should be adapted, as appropriate for the particular Services to be performed.]

Contractor Qualifications:

• The contractor must have a minimum of 5 years of experience specifically in the maintenance of stage draperies.

• The contractor must clean and fireproof the soft goods on stage, in place where they are hanging.

• The contractor must use professional, environmentally friendly, dry-cleaning solvents and UL-listed fire-retardant product and provide the Safety Data Sheets with their bid. The contractor must be certified to apply UL-listed fire retardant and provide proof of certification for applying the UL-listed fire retardant with their bid.

Contractor Tasks and Responsibilities:

1.Inspection: Conduct a thorough visual inspection of the stage draperies and soft goods to assess their condition, identifying any damage, stains, or areas requiring special attention. Notify the project manager of any repairs needed and provide a separate quote for these repairs.

2.Cleaning and Fireproofing: Dust, dirt, and debris must be removed from the surface of the soft goods by utilizing professional, environmentally friendly, dry-cleaning techniques to effectively clean the entire soft good (ie, not just spot cleaning). UL-Listed fire retardant must be applied to the soft goods to ensure the safety of the building.

3.Tagging and Flameproof Certificates: Each drapery must be tagged with information regarding date of service and expiration. A 5-year flameproof certificate must be issued for each venue.

5.1 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

5.2 TECHNICAL APPROACH

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to accomplishing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included.

5.3 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

Any manufactured items and/or fabricated assemblies provided hereunder that are subject to operation under pressure, operation by connection to an electric source, or operation involving a connection to a manufactured, natural, or LP gas source shall be constructed and approved in a manner acceptable to the appropriate inspector which customarily requires the label or re-examination listing or identification marking of the appropriate safety standard organization acceptable to govern inspection where the item is to be located, such as the American Society of

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Mechanical Engineers for pressure vessels; the Underwriters Laboratories and /or National Electrical Manufacturers’ Association for electrically operated assemblies; or the American Gas Association for gas operated assemblies, where such approvals of listings have been established for the type of device offered and furnished. Further, all items furnished shall meet all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and state and federal requirements relating to clean air and water pollution.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes.

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

Contract Manager Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State for customer service. The customer service point of contact shall be the State’s point of contact for customer service-related issues (define roles and responsibilities).

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State for customer service. The customer service point of contact shall be the

State’s point of contact for customer service-related issues (define roles and responsibilities). Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

6.2 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Procurement Entity. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Procurement Entity with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Procurement Entity to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

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INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED

6.3 POST AWARD BUSINESS REVIEW MEETINGS-

The Vendor, at the request of the State, may be required to meet periodically weekly, with the State for Business Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.4 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.5 PERIODIC Weekly Reports

The Vendor shall be required to provide weekly reports to the designated Contract Lead on a regular basis. This report shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the work accomplished during the reporting period; work to be accomplished during the subsequent reporting period; problems, real or anticipated, and notification of any significant deviation from previously agreed upon work plans and schedules]. These reports shall be well organized and easy to read. The Vendor shall submit these reports electronically using the format required by the Procurement Entity. The Vendor shall submit the reports in a timely manner and on a regular schedule as agreed by the parties.

Within 30 business days of the award of the Contract the Vendor shall submit a final work plan and a sample report, both to the designated Contract Manager for approval.

6.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices.

Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Manager.

Acceptance of Vendor’s work product shall be based on the following criteria:

The State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, as adopted in North Carolina.

6.7 FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE

Any Contract may include terms ensuring a Vendor's performance such as: (1) a bond, or similar assurance; (2) liquidated damages; (3) a percentage of the Contract value held as a…