1-RFP265831 Vanpool Operations and Management Services.pdf

Pinal County Office of Budget and Finance Purchasing Division 31 N Pinal Street, Building A Florence, Arizona 85132

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831

COVER SHEET

Release Date May 19, 2026

Solicitation Number RFP265831

Solicitation Title

Services to be performed for

VANPOOL OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT

SERVICES

Pinal County – Air Quality Control District

Responses will be received until 2:00 P.M., MST, Tuesday, June 23, 2026 Electronically through the Bonfire Purchasing System

For additional information please contact Brisna Canizalez Email: Brisna.Canizalez@pinal.gov 520-866-6223

Documents included in this package Request for Proposal Cover Sheet Response Submittal Requirements Scope of Work Special Terms and Conditions General Terms and Conditions Attachments

The undersigned hereby affirms that (1) he/she is a duly authorized agent of the vendor, (2) he/she has read all terms and conditions and technical specifications which were made available in conjunction with this solicitation and fully understands and accepts them unless specific variations have been expressly listed in his/her offer, (3) that the offer is being submitted on behalf of the vendor in accordance with any terms and conditions set forth in this document, and (4) that the vendor will accept any awards made to it as a result of the offer submitted herein for a minimum of one-hundred eighty (180) calendar days following the date of submission. Offers must contain, in blue ink, a manual signature of an authorized agent of the Vendor or a verifiable electronic time and date stamped signature in the space provided on all appropriate signature lines in this solicitation. Typed names as signatures are not allowed.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Sheet Page 1

Table of Contents Page 2

Executive Summary Page 3

Specifications Page 5

Special Terms and Conditions Page 10

General Terms and Conditions Page 17

Fee Schedule Page 23

Vendor Information Page 24

Inquiry Form Page 29

Proprietary / Confidentiality Statement Page 30

No Bid Statement Page 31

Submission Form Page 32

Exhibit 1 – Exceptions Form Page 33

Exhibit 2 – Lobbying Certification Page 34

Exhibit 3 – Non-Collusion Affidavit Page 35

Exhibit 4 – Minimum Insurance Requirements Certification Page 36

Insurance Requirements Page 38

Reference and Instructions Regarding Attachment A, Agreement Page 39

Substitute W9 Form Page 40

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 3 of 43

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OFFICIAL SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS: Pinal County officially distributes solicitation documents through the Bonfire Purchasing System and notification through the local newspaper. Copies of solicitations obtained from any other source are not considered official copies. Only those Vendors who obtain solicitation documents from the Bonfire Purchasing System website will be in receipt of officially posted and relevant information regarding solicitations issued by Pinal County. The County cannot be held responsible for incorrect information, nor can it attest to the accuracy of information found on websites other than the Bonfire Purchasing System.

PURPOSE OF SOLICITATION: Pinal County is issuing this Solicitation for the purpose of entering into a contract for services as specified herein from a Vendor(s) that will provide prompt and efficient service to the County for Vanpool Operations and Management Services. Although this Solicitation specifies an exact location and timeline for these services to be completed, it is understood and agreed that the County may, during the term of the contract, request additional services be performed by the successful Vendor(s) at other locations within Pinal County. This option, if exercised, is the prerogative of the County and shall be honored by the Vendor(s) throughout the contract period. No guarantees are made that additional services will be requested.

TERM OF CONTRACT: The awarded contract shall commence on September 1, 2026, and shall remain in effect through August 31, 2027.

OPTION TO RENEW FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS (WITH PRICE ADJUSTMENT): The prices or discounts quoted in this Solicitation shall prevail during the specified term of the contract, at which time the County shall have the option to renew the contract for four (4) additional one-year periods. Continuation of the contract beyond the initial period is a County prerogative and not a right of the Vendor and will be exercised only when such continuation is clearly in the best interest of the County. During the option period, the County will consider an adjustment to the pricing structure if the manufacturer or supplier notifies the Vendor of a price adjustment. It shall be understood that such price adjustments shall not exceed the amount passed on to the Vendor/supplier by the manufacturer.

The Vendor shall notify the County of such adjustments during the option period at least ninety calendar days prior to the end of the current contract year and must include detailed justification for the requested adjustment. The County reserves the right to reject any price adjustments submitted by the Vendor and/or to terminate the contract with the Vendor based on such price adjustments.

The County may consider an adjustment to the pricing structure outside of the option period if such adjustment would be detrimental to the Vendor. The Vendor shall submit an immediate request for such an adjustment in writing to the Purchasing Division and must include detailed justification for the requested adjustment outside of the option period. This consideration is a County prerogative and there is no guarantee that the request will be accepted outside of the option period. The County reserves the right to accept, reject or negotiate any price adjustments submitted by the Vendor and/or to terminate the contract with the Vendor based on such price adjustments.

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES: The following activities and dates tentatively outline the process to be used to solicit Vendor responses and to review each Vendor Response.

May 19, 2026 Release Request for Proposal May 29, 2026 @ 5:00 p.m. Deadline for Submitting Questions June 23, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m. Response Submission Deadline August 2026 Issue Notice of Intent to Award September 2026 Contract Award

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 4 of 43

IDENTIFICATION OF TAXES IN OFFER: The County is subject to Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) and local sales/use taxes, as set forth in the contract terms and conditions. Taxes shall be identified as separate items by amount or by rate, as applicable, in the offer.

EXCISE TAX: The County is exempt from certain federal excise tax on manufactured goods. The County will provide the necessary exemption certificates as evidence.

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS: Questions which arise during the Response preparation period regarding issues around this Solicitation, purchasing and/or award should be directed electronically, via the Bonfire Purchasing System, to Brisna Canizalez, Procurement Officer, Purchasing Division, Pinal County. The Vendor submitting the question(s) shall be responsible for ensuring that the question(s) is received by the date and time listed above in the schedule of activities for submitting the question(s).

Any official interpretation of this Solicitation must be made by an agent of the County’s Purchasing Division who is authorized to act on behalf of the County. The County shall not be responsible for interpretations offered by employees of the County who are not agents of the County’s Purchasing Division.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 5 of 43

SPECIFICATIONS

1. SPECIFICATIONS

Pinal County

A. Background

Pinal County currently administers an employee vanpool subsidy program for qualifying vanpools commuting to County worksites. Under the existing process, vanpool coordinators are required to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and establish and manage a bank account for the administration of vanpool related expenses and subsidy payments.

Subsidy payments are issued directly to the vanpool coordinator for deposit into the designated vanpool account.

Vanpool coordinators are also responsible for calculating, collecting, and managing each rider’s share of fuel costs and remaining invoice balances after application of the County subsidy. This decentralized process places significant administrative and financial responsibility on individual employees serving as vanpool coordinators.

Pinal County currently has four (4) active vanpools with fewer than fifty (50) participating riders in the employee vanpool subsidy program.

B. Objective

The objective of this solicitation is to secure centralized Vanpool Operations and Management Services from a qualified Vendor for the Pinal County employee vanpool subsidy program. The selected Vendor shall provide vehicle leasing, rider management, centralized billing, fuel card administration, reporting, and a web-based and/or mobile platform to support the daily administration and operation of participating vanpools.

The County’s goal is to improve operational efficiency, increase transparency and accountability for vanpool participants, and reduce the administrative and financial burden currently placed on individual vanpool coordinators. The Vendor shall support the County by administering rider cost allocations, maintaining ridership records, providing monthly and annual reporting, and coordinating with the County to verify subsidy eligibility and participant status.

2. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

Failure to provide required information may deem your submittal non-responsive. Submittals must contain, in blue ink, a manual signature of an authorized agent of the Vendor or a verifiable electronic time and date stamped signature in the space provided on all appropriate signature lines in this solicitation. Typed names as signatures are not allowed.

Vendor Information Form Proprietary / Confidential Statement Certificate of Good Standing from the Arizona Corporate Corporation Commission Exhibit 1 – Exception Form

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 6 of 43

Exhibit 2 – Lobbying Certification Exhibit 3 – Non-Collusion Affidavit Exhibit 4 – Minimum Insurance Requirements o Insurance documentation shall be provided

3. SCOPE OF WORK

Pinal County Responsibilities:

Determine eligibility for participation in the Pinal County vanpool subsidy program based on County requirements.

Verify monthly ridership information and County employee participation status submitted by the Vendor.

Provide subsidy payments directly to the Vendor for approved vanpools. Subsidy payments may cover up to one hundred percent (100%) of the monthly vehicle rental cost and applicable taxes for qualifying vanpools.

Provide an estimated annual subsidy budget of approximately $72,799 for the program. This amount is provided for informational purposes only and does not guarantee any minimum compensation and usage volume.

Coordinate with the Vendor regarding program administration, reporting requirements, and participant eligibility.

Vendor Responsibilities:

Provide vanpool operations and management services for approved vanpool groups participating in the Pinal County vanpool subsidy program.

o Vendor shall provide a web based online platform and/or mobile application for vanpool coordinator and rider.

o Vendor shall provide vehicle maintenance services in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the vehicle rental agreement.

o Vendor shall provide information regarding approved vehicle parking locations for both daily and weekend parking.

Provide monthly ridership information participation status to Pinal County for subsidy program.

Provide annual reports to Pinal County regarding vanpool subsidy program activity.

o Annual reports shall include ridership information, mileage information, and trips taken by vehicles participating in the vanpool program.

Provide vehicles through month-to-month rental agreements.

o Vehicles shall accommodate a minimum of five (5) riders.

o Vehicles shall include required safety equipment, current registration and proof of insurance, and roadside assistance services.

o Vehicles shall comply with all applicable emission standards and requirements.

o Vendor shall provide a monthly fee schedule to ridership.

Provide one (1) fuel card for each participating vanpool vehicle.

o Fuel cards shall be intended for shared vanpool fuel purchases and not be issued to each individual rider.

o Fuel expenses shall appear as a separate line item on the monthly invoices.

o Fuel expenses shall be allocated among riders according to the approved cost sharing methodology.

o Fuel expenses are not eligible for reimbursement through the Pinal County subsidy program.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 7 of 43

Vendor shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing vanpool operations, commuter transportation services, or similar transportation management services to governmental agencies, public sector entities, or large employers.

Vendor shall accept and apply Pinal County subsidy payments for approved vanpools participating in the County’s subsidy program.

4. VENDOR AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

The County’s Professional Services Agreement shall be the governing contract document for this project and the language of the Professional Services Agreement shall supersede any other language. No guarantee is made that Pinal County will approve language provision requests of month-to-month rental agreements presented by the Vendor.

Vendors shall provide information regarding any web-based platform and/or mobile application included as part of the proposed solution, including applicable support services, system requirements, and user access features.

If applicable, Vendors shall also provide copies of any Service Level Agreements (SLAs), support plans, or software service terms associated with the proposed solution. No guarantee is made that Pinal County will approve any language provision in the SLAs, support plans, or software service terms.

The Vendor shall provide:

Provide a web-based platform and/or mobile application for use by vanpool coordinators and riders.

Provide customer support for platform, billing, and rider related issues.

Provide an assigned account representative for ongoing contract administration and support.

Maintain a customer support process within the web-based platform and/or mobile application for submitting and resolving vehicle, billing, and service-related issues.

Provide reasonable advance notice of planned system maintenance or service interruptions.

Provide designated County personnel access to ridership, billing, and reporting information required under the contract.

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation committee will score Responses based on the following criteria not listed in any order of importance. The total number of points allowed under this evaluation is 100 points.

Experience Providing Services to Other Government Agencies, Public Sector Entities, or Large

Employers of Similar Scope o Demonstrate experience providing vanpool operations or commuter transportation services to government agencies, public sector entities, or other large employers of similar scope as Pinal County.

o Demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing vanpool operations, commuter transportation services, or similar services for government agencies, public sector entities, or large employers of similar size and scope to Pinal County, including descriptions of comparable programs administered.

User Interface and Functionality of Online Platform / Mobile Application o Demonstrate usability, accessibility, and functionality of the proposed web-based platform and/or mobile application for vanpool coordinators and riders.

o Describe platform features such as billing, reporting, rider management, and ease of navigation.

Reporting Availability and Approach o Describe the approach for providing monthly and annual reports related to vanpool participation, ridership, mileage, billing and subsidy program activity.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 8 of 43 o Describe the availability, format, accuracy, level of detail, and accessibility of reporting capabilities through the proposed web-based platform and/or mobile application.

Response Time for Emergency Situations o Describe ability to respond promptly to vehicle breakdowns, rider emergencies, or critical system issues.

o Pinal County expects emergency service requests to be responded to within one (1) to two

(2) hours of notification. Vendors shall indicate whether they can meet this response expectation and provide documented response times, escalation procedures, and after-hours support availability.

Availability of Fuel-Efficient Vehicles for Vanpool Use o Describe the quality, reliability and environmental compliance of the vehicles proposed for vanpool use. Pinal County currently has four (4) active vanpool vehicles and expects Vendors to provide vehicles capable of accommodating a minimum of five (5) to fifteen (15) riders, while meeting all applicable safety, registration, inspection, and emissions requirements.

o Provide vehicle age, fuel efficiency, emissions compliance, seating capacity, and availability to meet program requirements.

Cost o Provide the total proposed cost to provide vanpool operations and management services in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation.

6. RESPONSE FORMAT

Failure to respond in the required format or failure to provide required information may deem your submittal non-responsive.

To facilitate an effective evaluation process, responses must be submitted on 8.5” x 11” paper, with a minimum font size of ten (10), and all pages should be numbered in the following manner: page __ of __ pages with a maximum of twenty-five (25) pages. All acronyms in the response must be defined.

Attachments/Exhibits included in this solicitation that require signature and/or are a required document to be returned with your Responses shall be included as an exhibit to your Responses and will not be included in the 25-page limit. Schedules, if applicable, may be submitted on 11" x 17" sheets and are counted as one page (limit of five pages).

Submittals should be prepared concisely and provide a straightforward description of the Consultant’s ability to fulfil the requirements of this Solicitation.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF OFFERS: Pinal County will only accept electronic bid Responses submitted through the Bonfire Purchasing System. A Submittal Log will be posted after the County has had an opportunity to review and verify the submittals offered to the County.

The original Offer must be received before the due date and time through an electronic package transmitted through the Bonfire Purchasing System. The Vendor is responsible for ensuring its Response is posted in its entirety by the due date and time outlined in the solicitation document. No allowances will be provided to those Vendors whose submittal is not uploaded prior to the due date and time outlined in the solicitation.

If the submittal arrives late and/or is not uploaded in its entirety, it will not be included in the electronic lockbox.

The Solicitation Opening for RFP265831 will take place VIA GOOGLE MEET on June 23, 2026 @ 2:00PM MST utilizing the call-in information below:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 9 of 43

Google Meet Joining Information:

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/pps-qsng-hyf Or dial (US): +1 347-569-5327

PIN: 615 210 746#

Respondents are NOT required to participate. No in-person entry to our building will be permitted.

To enable the County to conduct a uniform review of the information submitted in response to this Solicitation, Vendors must address the following information, numbered in a manner that directly corresponds with the number of the Table of Contents section of the submitted Response. The County reserves the right to reject submittals that do not follow the required format. Include concise, complete information which will demonstrate that your firm is uniquely qualified to provide the products and services specified in this Solicitation.

ALL signatures on required documents must be in blue ink or a verifiable electronic time and date stamped signature in ONE (1) PDF document.

A. Provide response without reference to Pinal County logo or company logo in one PDF document B. Submit response in a format that follows a clearly outlined Table of Contents that identifies all material and attachments that comprise your response by section and by page number. I.e. – Required Documentation section, Evaluation Criteria section, etc. as outlined on the Response Submittal Requirements page

C. One-page Cover Letter. Submit a Cover Letter on official business letterhead that:

a. Affirms your willingness to comply with all work requirements and other terms and conditions as specified in this Solicitation.

b. Provides, in brief and concise terms, a summation of your submittal and identifies the points that make your firm uniquely qualified for this project; and

c. That is signed by an Authorized Representative of your firm who has the authority to commit to the proposed work.

D. Provide documentation that satisfies the Required Document Requirements E. Provide documentation that satisfies the criteria to be evaluated F. Provide the completed and signed Cover Sheet G. Addendum(s) Acknowledgement, if applicable H. Inquiry Form I. Submission Form J. Pricing Form K. Certificate of Good Standing from the Arizona Corporate Corporation Commission L. Completed W-9 M. Universal Entity Identifier (UEI) Number N. Additional Attachments, if applicable

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 10 of 43

SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. METHOD OF AWARD - BEST EVALUATIVE SCORE BASED ON WRITTEN RESPONSE: It is the intent of the County to award this Solicitation to the Vendor who receives the highest score when the Responses submitted by interested Vendors are reviewed by the County's Response Evaluation Committee. For this Solicitation, the Evaluation Committee will score Responses based on the following criteria listed in no particular order. The total number of points allowed under this evaluation is 100 points.:

Experience Providing Services to Other Government Agencies, Public Sector Entities, or Large Employers of Similar Scope User Interface and Functionality of Online Platform / Mobile Application Reporting Availability and Approach Response Time for Emergency Situations Availability of Fuel-Efficient Vehicles for Vanpool Use Cost

A more detailed description of these criteria can be found on Pages 7-8 of this document.

Evaluation criteria, other than costs, are evaluated first. After rating the written Responses, costs are then considered against trade-offs such as satisfaction of requirements in the Solicitation, qualifications and financial condition of the Vendor, risk, and incentives.

If it is in the best interest of the County, the Evaluation Committee may invite a limited number of Vendors who received the highest scores during the written phase to provide an oral presentation and discussion. The number of Vendors who may be invited to participate in this discussion will be determined by the Evaluation Committee after the written Responses have been scored.

The County reserves the right to conduct negotiations with Vendors and to accept revisions of Responses.

During this negotiation period, the County will not disclose any information derived from Responses submitted, or from discussions with other Vendors. Once an award is made and the contract is finalized, the Solicitation file and the Responses contained therein are public records.

2. NON-APPROPRIATION. Pursuant to A.R.S. §35-190, as amended, the financial obligations of the County as set forth herein after the current fiscal year are contingent upon funds for the purpose of being appropriated, budgeted and otherwise available. The awarded agreement will automatically terminate on July 1st of the first fiscal year for which funds are not appropriated. The County shall give the Vendor written notice of such non-appropriation.

3. ISRAEL BOYCOTT PROHIBITED: Pursuant to A.R.S. §35-393.01(A) and to the extent allowable by law, if the Contractor engages in for-profit activity and has ten (10) or more employees, and if this agreement has a value of $100,000 or more, the Contractor certifies it is not currently engaged in, and agrees for the duration of this agreement to not engage in, a boycott of goods or services from Israel. This certification does not apply to a boycott prohibited by 50 U.S.C. §4842 or a regulation issued pursuant to 50 U.S.C. §4842.

4. USE OF FORCED LABOR OF ETHNIC UYGHURS PROHIBITED: Pursuant to A.R.S. §35-394, the use of forced labor, any goods produced by forced labor or contractors or subcontractors that utilize the forced labor of Ethnic Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China is prohibited. Written certification that the contractor complies with this provision shall be submitted to the County. If written certification has been submitted, and

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 11 of 43 the contractor later determines that it is not in compliance with this provision, it shall notify the County within five (5) business days. If the County does not receive notification that within one hundred and eighty (180) days of finding the violation that the company has remedied the violation of this section, the contract will terminate.

If the contract naturally or otherwise terminates before the end of the one hundred and eighty (180) day remedy period, the contract shall terminate on the contract termination date.

5. E-VERIFY REQUIREMENTS: As required by A.R.S. § 41-4401, Contractor and each subcontractor warrants compliance with A.R.S. § 23-214(A) and all federal immigration laws and any regulations relating to the immigration status of their employees. Contractor and each subcontractor acknowledge that under A.R.S. § 41- 4401, the County retains the legal right to inspect the papers of any Contractor or subcontractor employee who works under the contract to ensure that Contractor or subcontractor is in compliance with the foregoing warranty and understands that a breach of the foregoing warranty under shall be deemed a material breach of the contract that is subject to penalties up to and including termination of the contract.

6. LOBBYING PROHIBITED: Vendors are prohibited from directly or indirectly communicating with members of the Board of Supervisors regarding their qualifications or any other matter related to the eventual award of a contract for the goods and/or services requested in this Solicitation. Vendors are prohibited from contacting County employees or evaluation committee members regarding their qualifications or the award of a contract unless in response to an inquiry from an employee or committee member as part of the formal evaluation process outlined in the Solicitation. Any violation of these provisions will result in the Vendor’s immediate disqualification from the selection process.

Contractor warrants that it will not engage in lobbying activities as defined in 40 CFR part 34 and A.R.S. § 41- 1231, et seq., using monies awarded under the contract. Upon award of the Contract, Contractor shall disclose all lobbying activities to the County to the extent these activities present an actual or a potential conflict of interest or where such activities would create an appearance of impropriety. Contractor shall implement and maintain adequate controls to assure that monies awarded under the contract are not used for lobbying.

Subcontractors shall be subject to these same provisions. Contractor shall include “anti-lobbying” provisions in all subcontracts. This paragraph does not apply to the extent that the services are defined in the contract as being lobbying for the County’s benefit or on the County’s behalf.

7. GRATUITIES AND KICKBACKS: It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any person to offer, give, or agree to give any employee or former employee (within six months of termination from County employment), or for any employee or former employee (within six months of termination from County employment) to solicit, demand, accept, or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity or an offer of employment in connection with any decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a program requirement or a purchase request, influencing the content of any specification or procurement standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing, or in any other advisory capacity in any proceeding of application, request for ruling, determination, claim or controversy, or other particular matter, pertaining to any program requirement or a contract or subcontract, or to any solicitation or proposal therefore.

It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any payment, gratuity, or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf of a subcontractor under a contract to the prime vendor or higher tier subcontractor or any person associated therewith, as an inducement for the award of a subcontract or order. In the event that any gratuities or kickbacks are offered or tendered to any Pinal County employee, the proposal shall be disqualified and shall not be reinstated.

8. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: Pinal County intends and expects that the contracting processes of the County and its Providers provide equal opportunity without regard to gender, race, creed, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, national origin, or disability and that its Providers make available equal opportunities to the extent third parties are engaged to provide goods and services to the County as subcontractors, vendors, or otherwise.

Accordingly, the Provider shall not discriminate on any of the foregoing grounds in the performance of the contract and shall make available equal opportunities to the extent third parties are engaged to provide goods and services in connection with performance of the contract (joint ventures are encouraged).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 12 of 43

Pinal County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this solicitation, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit in response to this solicitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for award. The Provider shall disseminate information regarding all subcontracting opportunities under this contract in a manner reasonably calculated to reach all qualified potential subcontractors who may be interested. The Provider shall maintain records demonstrating its compliance with this article and shall make such records available to the County upon the County’s request.

9. ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE: All non-confidential documents that may be subject to public requests under Title 39 of the Arizona Public Records Law et seq., as amended must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Contractors must ensure that their software, products, services, and documents are accessible. Additionally, Contractors should include any Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), or other Accessibility Statements relevant to their offerings. Contractors have the option to provide a recording demonstrating conformance, test results, or an agreement to remediate their technology to meet accessibility standards.

10. INDEMNIFICATION: Indemnification – General. The Consultant shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, defend, indemnify and hold harmless the County, Board of Supervisors, officials, officers, directors, and employees, from and against all liability, claims, demands, suits, actions or proceedings of any kind that are not the result of or directly related to the performance of professional services, including, without limitation, claims arising from bodily injury, personal injury, sickness, disease, death, property loss or damage, which arise out of or are in any manner connected with this Agreement, including workers' compensation claims, in any way resulting from or arising from the services rendered by the Consultant, its employees, agents or subconsultants, or others for whom the Consultant is legally liable, under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Consultant need not indemnify or save harmless the County Board of County Supervisors, its officers, agents and employees, from damages resulting from the negligence of the County Board of Supervisors, officials, officers, directors, agents, and their insurers, and employees. The County cannot and by this Agreement does not agree to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate, or assume the defense of the Consultant or any other person or entity whatsoever, for any purpose whatsoever.

Indemnification for Professional Services. The Consultant shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the County, Board of Supervisors, and any of its officials, officers, directors, agents, and their insurers, and employees, from and against damages, liability, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, but only to the extent caused by or arising out of the negligent acts, errors or omissions of the Consultant, its employees, agents or subconsultants, or others for whom the Consultant is legally liable, in the performance of professional services under this Agreement. The Consultant is not obligated to indemnify or hold harmless the County for grossly negligent acts of the County, Board of Supervisors, or any of its officials, officers, directors, agents, and employees.

Indemnification – Costs. The Consultant shall, to the extent provided by law, investigate, handle, respond to, and provide defense for and defend against, any such liability, claims or demands at the sole expense of the Consultant or, at the option of the County, agrees to pay the County or reimburse the County for the defense costs incurred by the County in connection with any such liability, claims or demands. The Consultant shall, to the extent provided by law, bear all other costs and expenses related thereto, including court costs and attorney fees, whether or not any such liability, claims or demands alleged are groundless, false, or fraudulent. If it is determined by the final judgment of a court of any competent jurisdiction that such injury, loss or damage was caused in whole or in part by the act, omission or other fault of the County, Board of Supervisors, officials, officers, directors, agents and employees, the County shall reimburse the Consultant for the portion of the judgment attributable to such act, omission or other fault of the County, Board of Supervisors, officials, officers, directors, agents and employees.

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11. INSURANCE: The Vendor shall procure and maintain insurance coverage in the types and amounts required by the County throughout the term of the contract. Proof of insurance shall be provided in the vendor’s proposal and upon request by the County.

12. ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: The Vendor shall take all reasonable safety precautions necessary to protect riders, County employees, vehicles, and County property during the performance of services under the awarded contract. The Vendor and any subcontractors shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, transportation safety requirements, and vehicle operation standards related to vanpool operations and management services. The Vendor shall be solely responsible for any fines, penalties, damages, or costs resulting from failure to comply with applicable safety requirements, laws, or regulations. All vehicles provided under this contract shall be maintained in safe operating condition and comply with all applicable registration, inspection, and emissions requirements.

13. CURRENT PERMITS AND LICENSES REQUIRED: Vendor shall obtain and maintain all permits, licenses, registrations, inspection certificates, insurance requirements, and approvals necessary to provide vanpool operations and management services under this Solicitation. Vendor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, vehicle registration requirements, emissions requirements, and transportation safety standards related to the operation of Vanpool vehicles and services. Any damages, penalties, fines, or costs resulting from the Vendor’s failure to obtain or maintain the required permits, licenses, registrations, inspection certificates, or approvals shall be the sole responsibility of the Vendor. Vendor shall provide copies of applicable permits, licenses, vehicle registrations, inspection certificates, and related documentation upon request by the County.

14. GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS: All services, vehicles, equipment, and operations provided under this contract shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, transportation safety standards, vehicle registration requirements, emissions requirements, and industry standards applicable to vanpool operations and management services.

15. EMERGENCY SERVICE: The Vendor shall provide emergency roadside assistance and support services for participating vanpool vehicles on a twenty-four (24) hour per day, seven (7) day per week basis. The Vendor shall describe its emergency response procedures, escalation process, and estimated response times for vehicle breakdowns, rider emergencies, and critical service-related issues. It is the expectation of Pinal County that the vendor shall respond to calls of emergency within a one (1) to two (2) hour window of service request.

16. ELIGIBILITY OF VENDORS: Responses will only be considered from Vendors regularly engaged in providing vanpool operations, commuter transportation services, or similar services described in this Solicitation. Vendors must demonstrate that they possess the experience, financial capacity, staffing, equipment, and organizational resources necessary to satisfactorily perform the required services. The County reserves the right to require Vendors to provide documentation or additional information regarding their qualifications, experience, financial stability, technical capabilities, references, and past performance prior to award of the contract.

17. QUALIFICATIONS OF VENDOR: The County reserves the right to investigate and evaluate the qualifications, experience, financial stability, references, and overall ability of the Vendor to perform the services required under this Solicitation. The Vendor shall provide any additional information reasonably requested by the County during the evaluation process.

18. CONTRACT SUPPORT: The Vendor shall demonstrate the capability to provide ongoing operational, customer, and platform support for the services required under this Solicitation, including support related to rider management, billing, reporting, fuel card administration, and the web-based platform and/or mobile application.

19. DEFICIENCIES IN WORK TO BE CORRECTED BY VENDOR: The Vendor shall promptly correct any deficiencies, nonconforming services, or performance issues identified by the County during the term of the contract. The Vendor shall be responsible for all costs associated with correcting deficiencies resulting from the Vendor’s failure to perform services in accordance with the requirements of the contract. If the Vendor fails to

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 14 of 43 correct identified deficiencies within a reasonable timeframe specified by the County, the County reserves the right to pursue available remedies under the contract, including obtaining the required services from another source and recovering any additional costs incurred.

20. ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING: Pricing submitted by the Vendor shall be all-inclusive and shall include all labor, supervision, vehicles, fuel card administration, reporting, platform access, customer support, administrative costs, overhead, travel, equipment, insurance, profit, and all other costs necessary to provide the services required under this Solicitation.

Pinal County employees participating in the vanpool program shall continue to be responsible for payment of their applicable rider costs and expenses associated with participation in the program. The Vendor shall apply County subsidy amounts in accordance with County program requirements and shall administer rider cost allocations in a fair, reasonable, and transparent manner. The Vendor shall not impose unreasonable, undisclosed, or unnecessary fees on participating riders. All rider charges, fees, and cost allocations shall be clearly identified and made available to the County upon request.

21. MOST FAVORED CUSTOMER PRICING: The Vendor warrants that the pricing, terms, and conditions offered to the County under this contract are equal to or more favorable than those offered to other similarly situated governmental or public-sector customers for comparable services.

22. METHOD OF PAYMENT – MONTHLY INVOICES: The successful Vendor shall submit monthly invoices for services provided under the contract. Invoices shall include the applicable Purchase Order number, billing period, participating vanpool information, and any other detailed supporting documentation required by the County.

23. TERM OF CONTRACT – MULTI-YEAR: The initial term of the contract shall be for one (1) year. The County may, at its sole discretion, renew the contract for up to four (4) additional one-year terms under and subject to annual appropriation and satisfactory Vendor performance.

24. BUDGET: Pinal County currently provides an annual subsidy budget of approximately $72,799 for the employee vanpool subsidy program. This amount represents the County’s available subsidy funding for the program and shall not be exceeded unless otherwise approved in writing by the County. Vendors shall structure pricing and rider cost allocations accordingly.

25. RESERVED RIGHTS: The County reserves the right to waive informalities and minor irregularities, reject any or all Responses, request clarifications, negotiate with Vendors, and award a contract in the best interest of the County.

26. VARIATIONS MAY BE ALLOWED IF INDICATED: Under A.R.S. §41-2585(B) and for purposes of Response evaluation, Vendors must indicate any variances to the Specifications, terms, and conditions, and attached Sample Agreement no matter how slight. If variations are not stated in the Vendor's Response, it shall be construed that the Response fully complies with the Specifications, terms, and conditions, and attached Sample Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, it is hereby agreed and understood that the County reserves the right to reject these variations if they individually, or as a whole, do not meet the standards established in the Specifications.

27. CONFIDENTIALITY: Responses to this Solicitation are considered to be confidential documents while they are under consideration and, as such, are not subject to official bid openings. The only information released at the public opening of Request for Proposals, Statement of Qualifications or Request for Quotes that are not cost driven, will be the names of the Respondents. Only after staff has made an official recommendation of award and a contract is fully executed will Responses to this Solicitation be available as public record.

In consideration of Invitation for Bids or for Request for Quotes that are cost driven, the only information that will be released is the names of the Respondents, the total cost of the bids, and the apparent responsible, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 15 of 43 responsive vendor. Only after County staff makes an official recommendation of award and a contract is fully executed will Responses to this Bid be available as public record.

Responses submitted to the County for consideration shall be subject to the Arizona Public Records Law, after award is made. Any confidential information in the Vendor’s Response shall be identified by the Vendor as such. Should the County receive a request for the release of any information in the Vendor’s Response identified as confidential in accordance with Arizona public records law, the County will notify the Vendor of the request and will exercise best efforts in assisting the Vendor in taking all legally available steps to resist or narrow such request. If, in the opinion of County’s legal counsel, the County is nonetheless compelled to disclose any portion of such information to anyone or else stand liable for contempt or suffer censure or penalty, the County may disclose such information without liability.

28. SUB-CONTRACTORS OF WORK SHALL BE IDENTIFIED: As part of its Response, the Vendor shall identify any subcontractors proposed to perform services under the contract resulting from this Solicitation. The Vendor shall also identify the subcontractor’s experience, qualifications, and the portion of work to be performed. The County reserves the right to consider the qualifications, experience, and responsibility of any proposed subcontractor when evaluating Responses and determining award in the best interest of the County

29. VENDOR REPRESENTATIVE REQUIREMENT: The successful Vendor shall assign a designated account representative who shall serve as the primary point of contact for contract administration, customer support, and operational coordination throughout the term of the contract. The Vendor shall also provide backup contact information for continuity of support.

30. PURCHASE BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES: Each governmental unit which avails itself of this

Solicitation will establish its own contract, place its own orders, issue its own purchase orders, be invoiced there from, make its own payments, and issue its own exemption certifications as required by the Vendor. It is understood and agreed that Pinal County is not a legally binding party to any contractual agreement made between any other governmental unit and the Vendor as a result of this Solicitation.

31. COOPERATIVE PURCHASE BY OTHER ARIZONA GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES: This term shall address those contracts which are under cooperative purchasing agreements with other Arizona government agencies in order to conserve resources, reduce overhead and purchase costs and improve delivery time, i.e.- SAVE, Mojave, etc. The contract resulting from this Solicitation may be extended for use by other municipalities, school districts and government agencies in the State of Arizona with the approval of the Contractor. Orders placed by other agencies and payment thereof will be the sole responsibility of that agency. The County shall not be responsible for any disputes arising out of transactions made by others. Contractor shall sell to cooperative entity at the same price and on the same lead times and other terms and conditions on which it sells to the County, with the sole exception of any legitimately additional costs for extraordinary shipping or delivery requirements if the cooperative entity is having materials delivered or installed or services performed at locations not contemplated in the contracted pricing (e.g. delivery at a location outside Arizona).

32. PROOF OF REGISTRATION WITH THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION: Successful vendors that are corporations or limited liability companies are required to furnish a Certificate of Good Standing from the Arizona Corporate Corporation Commission, as proof that they are properly registered to do business in the State of Arizona, prior to finalization of award.

33. POST INTENT TO AWARD MEETING: The Vendor may be required to attend a post intent to award meeting with the County to discuss the terms and conditions of the contract. This meeting will be coordinated by the Purchasing Division once a Notice of Intent to Award has been issued.

34. DEBRIEFING: Offeror(s) not selected for award may request a debriefing on the selection process as well as discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of their firm’s proposal upon the Final Notice of Award being posted on the Bonfire Purchasing website.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #265831 Page 16 of 43

35. CONSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT NOT ALLOWED: Responses will only be considered from firms which are directly engaged in the business of performing the services described in this Solicitation. Accordingly, no part of this contract can be consigned to another vendor.

36. LOCAL OFFICE SHALL BE REQUIRED: Due to the service level required in conjunction with this Solicitation, the Vendor shall maintain an office within 150 miles of Pinal County, Arizona.

37. CONFLICTS WITHIN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS: In the event that conflicts exist within the Contract Documents, the following policies shall govern: A. Addenda shall supersede all other Contract Documents to the extent specified. Subsequent addenda shall supersede prior addenda only to the extent specified. B.

Drawings and Specifications are…