1-RFP266331 - Drinking Water Services.pdf

Pinal County Office of Budget and Finance Purchasing Division

31 N Pinal Street, Building A Florence, Arizona 85132

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #266331

COVER SHEET

Release Date

May 14, 2026

Solicitation Number

RFP266331

Solicitation Title

Services to be performed for

DRINKING WATER SERVICES

Pinal County – Countywide

Responses will be received until 2:00 P.M., MST, Thursday, June 11, 2026 Electronically through the Bonfire Purchasing System

For additional information please contact Eric Zander, CSCP, Procurement Officer Email: eric.zander@pinal.gov 520-866-6644

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.

PRINT OR TYPE YOUR INFORMATION

Company Name: _______________________________________ Fax: __________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________ City/State/Zip: __________________________________________

Contact Person: ________________________________________ Title: __________________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________________

Authorized Representative’s Signature: __________________________________________________ Date: _____________________

Printed Name: _________________________________________ Title: _________________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________________ mailto:eric.zander@pinal.gov

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 15

Fee Schedule Page 21

Vendor Information Page 22

Proprietary / Confidentiality Statement Page 27

No Bid Statement Page 28

Submission Form Page 29

Exhibit 1 – Exceptions Form Page 30

Exhibit 2 – Lobbying Certification Page 31

Exhibit 3 – Non-Collusion Affidavit Page 32

Exhibit 4 – Minimum Insurance Requirements Certification Page 33

Insurance Requirements Page 35

Reference and Instructions Regarding Attachment A, Agreement Page 37

Substitute W9 Form Page 38

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 3 of 39

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 Drinking Water 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 July 1, 2026 and shall remain in effect through June 30, 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 then 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.

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 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.

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 4 of 39

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 14, 2026 Release Request for Proposal May 22, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m. Deadline for Submitting Questions

June 11, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m. Response Submission Deadline June 2026 Issue Notice of Intent to Award July 1, 2026 (estimated) Contract Award

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 Eric Zander, 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.

REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 5 of 39

SPECIFICATIONS

1. SPECIFICATIONS

Pinal County is soliciting responses from qualified Vendors to furnish drinking water that can be delivered to multiple Countywide locations.

It is expected that the business and their team members will have significant experience with reliable water delivery services with well-established routes. The successful Vendor shall be considered and shall remain an independent contractor throughout the term of any contract awarded pursuant to this Solicitation.

The successful Vendor shall be solely responsible for scheduling and coordinating work of the sub-contractors, suppliers, and other individuals or entities performing or furnishing any of the work under direct or indirect contract with the successful Vendor.

Although this Solicitation specifies exact locations and estimated monthly usage for these services, it is understood and agreed that the County may, during the term of the contract, request additional services at existing locations or the addition of new delivery locations from the successful Vendor. This option, if exercised, is the prerogative of the County and shall be honored by the Vendor throughout the contract period. No guarantees are made that additional services will be requested.

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

• Exhibit 1 – Exception Form

• Exhibit 2 – Lobbying Certification

• Exhibit 3 – Non-Collusion Affidavit

• Exhibit 4 – Minimum Insurance Requirements

• Exhibit 5 - Service Locations

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall adhere to the following minimum specifications, performance requirements and all terms and conditions within this solicitation.

SERVICE DELIVERY METHODS: The range of services, depending upon the needs of the County, may include but are not limited to the following:

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 6 of 39

• Consistent and reliable scheduled delivery (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) of 3- and 5-gallon bottled water, dispenser rentals (hot/cold), and associated supplies, i.e. disposable cups and wall-mounted cup dispensers.

• Tankless purified water/reverse osmosis system options (with and without ice making capability) for certain specified county locations, including regularly scheduled service and maintenance.

• Available 16.9oz/500mL bottled water deliveries, delivered on an as needed basis.

• Installation and maintenance of 3- and 5-gallon capacity hot/cold water dispensers. Sanitization of dispensers on a quarterly basis and replacement of defective units within a 48-hour window.

REQUIREMENTS

• Water Quality: Water must meet all federal, state, and local health regulations and be sodium-free (if specified).

• Delivery Logistics: Regular delivery schedule as specified by the location (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) must be met, as well as timely responsiveness to ad-hoc, "one-time" orders.

• Site Management: Management of water bottle storage, including racks or shelving.

• Response Times: 48-hour turnaround for emergency deliveries or equipment repairs.

• Pricing Structure: All-inclusive pricing that includes delivery, fuel surcharges, and installation, with a preference for no minimum orders. Monthly billing is preferred.

• Safety & Sanitation: Evidence of sanitization procedures to ensure water quality.

• Staffing: Trained personnel for delivery and equipment maintenance, complete route coverage shall be maintained in the event of the primary route driver’s absence.

• Customer Service: Missed deliveries or issues with route delivery will be remedied within 24 hours, Telephone Customer Service shall be available during standard business hours 7AM – 6PM.

United States based telephone customer service preferred. Online Customer Service portal access is required to obtain current invoices and delivery details.

4. 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 allowable under this evaluation is 100 points.

• Firm Experience and Qualifications o Evidence of performance and financial stability o Ability to provide service during conventional business hours o Locally based service technicians and delivery drivers o Evidence of having the proper equipment and organization for installation and delivery

• Technical Approach and Understanding of Project o Mandatory requirements met o Ability to service accounts at the addresses listed on a consistent and reliable basis o Ability to integrate with current County systems as required

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 7 of 39 o Any additional services or optional route delivery days/times which may differentiate your service from competitors

• Key Personnel and Staffing Plan o Approach to project and outline of the work schedule o Roles of the various Vendor staff o Vendor staff and route driver’s qualifications o Ongoing training offered by the vendor for route drivers and customer service staff.

• Cost Proposal o Cost for monthly cooler rental, 5 Gallon water container with exchange, 3 Gallon water container with exchange, case of 24 500mL water bottles, and monthly rental cost for a tankless reverse osmosis cooler option including rental fee, set-up, and service

• References o Provide 3-5 letters of reference of previous clients. Preferably 2 government references, other than Pinal County and 1 non-government reference

5. 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 seventy-five (75) 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 75-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 fulfill 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 RFP266331 will take place VIA GOOGLE MEET on June 11, 2026 @ 2:00PM MST utilizing the call-in information below:

266331RFP - Solicitation Opening Thursday, June 11 · 2:00 – 2:15pm Time zone: America/Phoenix

Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/agz-fbik-fwb Or dial: 3657-664-(US) +1 984 PIN: 777 694 464#

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 8 of 39

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/agz-fbik-fwb?pin=2171193766837

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. Submission Form I. Pricing Form J. Completed W-9 K. Exhibit 5 – Service Locations

PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 9 of 39

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 allowable under this evaluation is 100 points.:

• Firm Experience and Qualifications

• Technical Approach and Understanding of Project

• Key Personnel and Staffing Plan

• Cost Proposal

• References

A more detailed description of these criteria can be found on Pages 6-7 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. 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.

3. 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.

A debriefing may be scheduled by contacting the Procurement Officer listed on the Cover Sheet of this Solicitation once the Final Notice of Award has been posted.

4. 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.

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 10 of 39

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 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.

8. 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.

9. 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 intended to agree and be mutually explanatory and shall be accepted and used as a whole and not separately. Should any item be omitted from either the drawings or Specifications as specified, it shall be implied that such omissions are contained in both the drawings and the Specifications as necessary for the proper construction of the work herein specified. Should any error or disagreement between the Specifications and drawings exist or appear to exist, the Vendor shall not avail itself of such manifestly unintentional error or omission but must have same explained or adjusted by the County's project manager before proceeding with the work in question.

10. 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.

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 11 of 39

11. 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.

12. ADDITIONAL SERVICES MAY BE PURCHASED DURING CONTRACT PERIOD: Although this Solicitation specifies an exact number of locations where services are to be performed for the County, it is understood and agreed that the County may, during the term of the awarded contract, request additional services for the same or other locations from the successful Vendor. This option, if exercised, is the prerogative of the County and shall be honored by the Vendor as a condition of contract award.

13. 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.

14. 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).

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

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 12 of 39 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.

15. 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.

16. 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).

17. 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, 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.

18. 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.

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 13 of 39

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.

19. BUDGET: The budget for this project is between $100,000 and $300,000. This budget is only an estimate and will be used by the Consultant as a guideline only.

20. LOGOS: The County logo is trademarked and property solely of Pinal County. Vendors do not have permission to use the County’s logo on any documentation or presentation materials and to do so would be a violation of the County’s trademark. Pinal County prefers Vendor does not utilize its trademark so as to not influence an evaluator’s evaluation.

REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 14 of 39

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. APPLICABILITY. These General Terms and Conditions apply, but are not limited, to all bids, proposals, qualifications and quotations (hereinafter referred to as “Offers” and/or “Responses”) made to Pinal County (hereinafter referred to as "County") by all prospective suppliers (herein after referred to as "Vendors") in response, but not limited to, Invitation to Bid, Invitation for Bid, Request for Proposals, Statement for Qualifications, and Request for Quotations (hereinafter referred to as “Solicitations”).

2. CONTENTS OF OFFER

2.1 General Conditions. Vendors are required to submit their Offers in accordance with the following expressed conditions:

2.1.1 Vendors shall make all investigations necessary to thoroughly inform themselves regarding the plant and facilities affected by the delivery of materials and equipment as required by the conditions of the Solicitation. No plea of ignorance by the Vendor of conditions that exist or that may hereafter exist as a result of failure to fulfill the requirements of the contract documents will be accepted as the basis for varying the requirements or the compensation to the Vendor.

2.1.2 Vendors are advised that all County contracts are subject to all legal requirements contained in the Pinal County Procurement Code, Purchasing policies, and state and federal statutes. When conflicts between the Solicitation and these requirements occur, the highest authority shall prevail.

2.1.3 Vendors are required to state exactly what they intend to furnish to the County via this

Solicitation and must indicate any variances to the terms, conditions, and specifications of this Solicitation, no matter how slight. If variations are not stated in the Vendor’s Offer, it shall be construed that the Vendor’s Offer fully complies with all conditions identified in this Solicitation.

2.1.4 Pinal County intends and expects that the contracting processes of the County and its

Vendors provide equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identification, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accordingly, the Vendor shall not discriminate on any of the foregoing grounds in the performance of the contract.

2.1.5 All Offers and other materials submitted in response to this Solicitation shall become the property of the County and are a matter of public record. Vendors must identify, in writing, all copyrighted material, trade secrets and/or other proprietary information that it claims are exempt from disclosure under Arizona Public Records Law.

Any Vendor claiming an exemption must identify the specific provision of the Arizona Public Records Law(s) that provides an exemption from disclosure for each item that the Vendor claims is not subject to disclosure and must submit an additional original copy of the Response with each exempt item clearly redacted. Any Vendor claiming an exemption must also state in its Response that the Vendor agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 15 of 39 harmless the County and its officers and employees from any action brought against the County for its refusal to disclose any purportedly exempt material, trade secrets, and/or other proprietary information to any party making a request therefore.

Any Vendor who fails to include an exemption statement along with the additional redacted copy of the Response shall be deemed to have waived any right to an exemption from disclosure as provided by the Arizona Public Records Laws.

2.2 Clarification and Modifications in Terms and Conditions

2.2.1 Where there appear to be variances or conflicts between the General Terms and

Conditions, the Special Terms and Conditions, and/or the specifications outlined in this Solicitation, the specifications shall prevail first and the Special Terms and Conditions shall prevail second.

2.2.2 If any Vendor contemplating the submission of an Offer under this Solicitation is in doubt as to the true meaning of the specifications, the Vendor must submit a written request for clarification to the County's Purchasing Manager or their designee as outlined on the Cover Sheet. The Vendor submitting the request shall be responsible for ensuring that the request is received by the County’s Procurement Officer through the Bonfire Purchasing System by the date and time listed in the Schedule of Activities for submitting question(s) or as stated in the Special Terms and Conditions.

Any official interpretation of this Solicitation shall be made by the County's Purchasing Manager or their designee. The County shall not be responsible for interpretations offered by other employees of the County.

The County shall issue a written addendum if substantial changes which impact the technical submission of Offers are required. Addenda will be posted on the Bonfire Purchasing System web site (https://www.pinalcountyaz.bonfirehub.com). Vendors are responsible for either revisiting this website prior to the due date or contacting the Purchasing Manager or their designee named on the Cover Sheet of this Solicitation to ensure that they have any addenda which may have been issued after the initial download.

The Vendor shall certify its acknowledgment of the addendum by signing the addendum and returning it with its Offer. In the event of conflict with the original contract documents, addenda shall govern all other contract documents to the extent specified. Subsequent addenda shall govern over prior addenda only to the extent specified.

2.3 Prices Contained in Offer-Discounts, Taxes, Collusion

2.3.1 Vendors may offer a cash discount for prompt payment. Discounts may be considered in determining the lowest net cost for the evaluation of Offers; however, discounts for periods of less than twenty (20) days will not be considered in making the award. If the Vendor does not enter a percentage discount, it is hereby understood and agreed that the payment terms shall be net thirty (30) days effective on the date that the County receives an accurate invoice or accepts the products, whichever is the later date. Payment is deemed to have been made on the date of the mailing of the check.

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

https://www.pinalcountyaz.bonfirehub.com/

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 16 of 39

2.3.3 The Vendor, by affixing its signature to this Solicitation, certifies that its Offer is made without previous understanding, agreement, or connection either with any persons, firms or corporations making an Offer for the same items, services, or with the County. The Vendor also certifies that its Offer is in all respects fair, without outside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action. To ensure integrity of the County's public procurement process, all Vendors are hereby placed on notice that any and all Vendors who falsify the certifications required in conjunction with this section will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

3. PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF OFFER

3.1 Preparation

3.1.1 Pinal County shall not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any Vendor in preparing and submitting its Offer.

3.1.2 The Offer must be typed or legibly printed in ink. The use of erasable ink is not permitted.

All corrections made by the Vendor must be initialed in blue ink by the authorized agent of the Vendor.

3.1.3 Offers must contain, in blue ink, a physical signature of an authorized agent of the Vendor or a verifiable electronic time and date stamped signature in the space provided on the Solicitation Cover Sheet. Typed names as signatures are not allowed. The original Cover Sheet of this Solicitation must be included in all Offers. If the Vendor’s authorized agent fails to appropriately sign and return the original Cover Sheet of the Solicitation, its Offer shall be invalid and shall not be considered.

3.1.4 Prices shall be provided by the Vendor on the Solicitation’s Pricing Form when required in conjunction with the prescribed method of award and shall be for the unit of measure requested. Prices that are not in accordance with the measurements and descriptions requested shall be considered non-responsive and shall not be considered. Where there is a discrepancy between the unit price and the extension of prices, the unit price shall prevail.

3.1.5 Alternate Offers will not be considered unless expressly permitted in the Specification’s

Special Terms and Conditions.

3.1.6 The accuracy of the Offer is the sole responsibility of the Vendor. No changes in the Offer shall be allowed after the date and time that the Offers are due.

3.2 Submission

3.2.1 The Offer shall be submitted via the Bonfire Purchasing System with the Vendor’s name, the solicitation number, and the solicitation title. When required in conjunction with the prescribed method of award, the County's Pricing Form must be used when the Vendor is submitting its Offer. The Vendor shall not alter this form (e.g., add or modify categories for posting prices offered) unless expressly permitted in an addendum duly issued by the County. No other form shall be accepted.

3.2.2 Offers submitted via mail or email will not be accepted unless expressly permitted in the solicitation.

3.2.3 Vendors which qualify their Offers by requiring alternate contractual terms and conditions as a stipulation for contract award must include such alternate terms and conditions in their Offers. The County reserves the right to declare Vendors’ Offers as non-responsive if any

Request for Proposal #266331 Page 17 of 39 of these alternate terms and conditions are in conflict with the County's terms and conditions, or if they are not in the best interests of the County.

3.3 Late Offers. Offers received after the date and time set for the opening will not be authorized to enter the electronic lockbox and will be deemed as non-responsive.

4. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF OFFERS

4.1. Modifications to Offers. Offers may only be modified in the form of a written notice on company letterhead and must be received prior to the time and date set for the Offers to be opened. Each modification submitted to the County’s Purchasing Division must have the Vendor’s name and return address and the applicable Solicitation number and title clearly marked on the face of the envelope. If more than one modification is submitted, the modification bearing the latest date of receipt by the County’s Purchasing Division will be considered the valid modification.

4.2. Withdrawal of Offers

4.2.1 Offers may be withdrawn prior to the time and date set for the opening. Such requests must be made in writing on company letterhead.

4.2.2 In accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code, Offers may not be withdrawn after the time and date set for the opening for a period of ninety (90) calendar days after opening.

If an Offer is withdrawn by the Vendor during this ninety (90) -day period, the County may, at its option, suspend the Vendor from the bid list and may not accept any Offer from the Vendor for a six-month period following the withdrawal.

5. REJECTION OF OFFERS

5.1. Rejection of Offers. The County may, at its sole and absolute discretion:

5.1.1 Reject any and all, or parts of any or all, Offers submitted by prospective Vendors;

5.1.2 Re-advertise this Solicitation;

5.1.3 Postpone or cancel the process;

5.1.4 Waive any irregularities in the Offers received in conjunction with this Solicitation; and/or

5.1.5 Determine the criteria and process whereby Offers are evaluated and awarded. No damages shall be recoverable by any challenger as a result of these determinations or decisions by the County.

5.2 Rejection of a Particular Offer. The County may reject an offer under any of the following conditions:

5.2.1 The Vendor misstates or conceals any material fact in its…