10-RFQ-25-011 - Exotic Animal Veterinarian Consultant Specifications.pdf

COUNTY OF BERGEN, NJ

All responses to be submitted online at bergenbids.com

The County of Bergen will consider Qualification Statements only from firms or organizations that have demonstrated the capability and willingness to provide high quality services in the manner described in this Request for Qualifications.

BC-RFQ-25-011

Request for Proposals of Qualifications for Exotic Animal Veterinarian Consultant for the Bergen County Zoological Park and the James McFaul Environmental Center

POSTED ON: August 18, 2025

QUESTIONS DUE DATE: September 2, 2025

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: September 17, 2025 12:00 PM EST

GLOSSARY

The following definitions shall apply to and be used in this Request for Qualifications:

“County”- refers to the County of Bergen.

“Qualification Statement” – refers to the complete responses to this RFQ submitted by the Respondents.

“Qualified Respondent” – refers to those Respondent(s) who (in the sole judgement of the County) have satisfied the qualification criteria set forth in this RFQ.

“RFQ” – refers to this Request for Qualifications, including any amendments thereof or supplements thereto.

“Respondent” or “Respondents” – refers to the interested firm(s) that submit a Qualification Statement(s).

Section 1

1.1. Procurement Process and Schedule.

The County of Bergen has structured a procurement process that seeks to obtain the desired results described above, while establishing a competitive process to assure that each firm is provided an equal opportunity to submit a Qualification Statement. Responses to the RFQ will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in later section(s) of this RFQ, which will be applied in the same manner to each Qualification Statement received. The selection of Qualified Respondents is not subject to the provisions of the Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11- 1 et seq). The selection is, however, subject to the New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play Law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.4 et seq).

Qualification Statements will be reviewed and evaluated by the County of Bergen with assistance from its financial and legal advisors under no circumstances will a party reviewing or evaluating a qualification statement do so if their involvement would present conflict of interest as that term defined New Jersey’s Local Government Ethics law N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq. The Qualification Statements will be reviewed to determine if the Respondent has met the minimum professional, administrative and financial criteria described in this RFQ. Based upon the totality of the information contained in the Qualification Statement, including information about the reputation and experience of each Respondent, the County of Bergen will (in its sole judgement) determine which Respondents are qualified (to perform the contemplated services). Each Respondent that meets the requirement of the RFQ (in the sole judgement of the County) will be designated as a Qualified Respondent and may be given the opportunity to submit a detailed Proposal in response to subsequent RFQ’s issued by the County of Bergen.

The RFQ process commences with the issuances of this RFQ. The steps involved in the process and the anticipated completion dates are set forth in Table 1, Procurement Schedule. The County of Bergen reserves the right to, among other things, amend, modify, alter or cancel the Procurement Schedule upon notice to all potential Respondents.

All communications concerning this RFQ or the RFQ process shall be directed, in writing, to the County’s Designated Contact Person as set forth herein.

Subsequent to issuance of this RFQ, the County of Bergen may modify, supplement, amend or cancel the provisions of this RFQ in order to respond to inquiries received from prospective Respondents or as otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate by, and in the sole judgment of, the County.

TABLE 1

ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY DATE

1. Issuance of Request for Qualifications and or Quotes August 18, 2025

2. Question Received due date September 2, 2025

3. Receipt of Qualification Statements/Quotes September 17, 2025

2.1. Conditions Applicable to RFQ.

Upon submission of a Qualification Statement in response to this RFQ, the Respondent acknowledges and consents to the following conditions relative to the submission and review and consideration of its Qualification Statement:

• This document is an RFQ and does not constitute a Request for Proposals

(“RFP”).

• This RFQ does not commit the County of Bergen to issue an RFP or to award a contract for the services contemplated by this RFQ.

• The County of Bergen reserves the right (in its sole judgement) to reject for any reason any and all responses and components thereof and to eliminate any and all Respondents responding to this RFQ from further consideration for the services contemplated by this RFQ.

• The County of Bergen reserves the right (in its sole judgement) to seek additional information, waive requirements or reject any Respondent that submits incomplete responses to this RFQ.

• The County of Bergen reserves the right (in its sole judgement) to determine those Respondents that are qualified to perform the services contemplated by this RFQ.

• The County of Bergen reserves the right, without prior notice, to supplement, amend, otherwise modify this RFQ, or otherwise request additional information.

• All Qualification Statements shall become the property of the County of Bergen and will not be returned.

• All Qualification Statements will be made available to the public at the appropriate time, as determined by the County of Bergen (in the exercise of its sole discretion and in accordance with law

• Responses to this RFQ are the property of the County of Bergen and will be

“public records.” Responses that are labeled “confidential”, or that contain information identified as “confidential”, will not be acceptable for consideration by the County of Bergen.

• The County of Bergen may request Respondents to send representatives to the

County of Bergen for interviews.

• All Qualification Statements not received on or before the time set herein for receipt may be rejected.

• Neither the County of Bergen, nor their respective staffs, consultants or advisors shall be liable for any claims or damages resulting from the solicitation or preparation of the Qualifications Statement, nor will there be any reimbursement to Respondents for the cost of preparing and submitting a Qualifications Statement or for participating in this procurement process.

2.2. Rights of the County of Bergen

The County of Bergen reserves, holds and may exercise, at its sole discretion, the following rights and options regarding this RFQ and the procurement process in accordance with the provisions of applicable law:

• To determine that any Qualification Statement received complies or fails to comply with the terms of this RFQ.

• To supplement, amend or otherwise modify the RFQ through issuance of addenda to all prospective Respondents who have received a copy of this RFQ.

• To waive any technical non-conformance with the terms of this RFQ.

• To change or alter the schedule for any events called for in this RFQ upon the issuance of notice to all prospective Respondents who have received a copy of this RFQ.

• To conduct investigations of any or all of the Respondents, as the County of

Bergen deems necessary or convenient, to clarify the information provided as part of the Qualifications Statement and to request additional information to support the information included in any Qualification Statement.

• To suspend or terminate the procurement process described in the RFQ at any time (in its sole discretion.) If terminated, the County of Bergen may determine to commence a new procurement process or exercise any other rights provided under applicable law without any obligation to the Respondents.

• Pursuant to P.L. 2012 c.25 State and local public contracts are not permitted with persons or entitles engaging in certain investment activities in energy or finance sectors of Iran.

• Pursuant to P.L. 2022 c.3 State and local public contracts are not permitted to award, renewal or amend local public contracts for goods or services with persons or entities engaging in prohibited activities in Russia or Belarus.

The County of Bergen shall be under no obligation to complete all or any portion of the procurement process described in this RFQ.

2.3. Addenda or Amendments to RFQ.

During the period proved for the preparation of Qualification Statement, the County of

Bergen may issue addenda, amendments or answers to written inquiries. Those addenda will be noticed by the County of Bergen and will constitute a part of the RFQ. All responses to the RFQ shall be prepared with full consideration of the addenda issued prior to the designated submission date.

2.4. Cost of Preparation.

Each Qualification Statement and all information required to be submitted pursuant to the

RFQ shall be prepared at the sole cost and expense of the respondent. There shall be no claims whatsoever against the County of Bergen, its staff or consultants for reimbursement for the payment of costs or expenses incurred in the preparation of the Qualification Statement or other information required by the RFQ.

2.5. Format.

Responses should cover all information requested in this RFQ. Responses which in the judgement of the County of Bergen fail to meet the requirement of the RFQ or which are in any way conditional, incomplete, obscure, contain additions or deletions from requested information, or contain errors may be rejected.

Section 2

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

BC-RFQ-25-011

Request for Proposals of Qualifications for Exotic Animal Veterinarian Consultant for the Bergen County Zoological Park and the James McFaul Environmental Center.

INTRODUCTION/ QUALIFICATIONS

The veterinarian is responsible for the overall health management of the animal collections at the Bergen County Zoological Park and James McFaul Environmental Center. As such, he/she needs to be familiar with the medical requirements of a wide variety of wildlife species, both native and exotic. To insure that the attending veterinarian has the appropriate body of knowledge to effectively perform the necessary duties, it is required that he/ she have a minimum of five (5) years of experience as the primary veterinarian at an AZA accredited zoological park or aquarium, and that said experience to have taken place within the last ten (10) years.

ROUTINE PROPHYLAXIS

All animals shall receive routine prophylactic examinations to maintain proper health standards throughout the collection.

• Parasitic Control: Routine fecal examinations shall be conducted quarterly on all animals in the collection. Treatment for internal parasites will be determined by the outcome of the examination, or by the recommendation of the veterinarian. Routine wormings will be performed on the domestic hoofed stock twice a year, regardless of results.

• Disease Control: Vaccinations for infectious diseases will take place on an annual basis, or as recommended by veterinarian.

• Nutrition: The veterinarian shall assist the zoo staff in developing and maintaining diets which meet the nutritional, physiological and psychological needs of the animal collection. Additionally, the veterinarian shall make alterations to diets, as needed, in response to the outcome of physical examinations to insure nutritional health.

QUARANTINE

All newly acquired specimens shall be quarantined for a period of not less than thirty (30) days.

During this period, fecal exams, blood analysis and tests for infectious diseases shall be performed. No animal will be released from quarantine until such time as the veterinarian has determined that the specimen is free of any infectious or contagious condition that could potentially jeopardize the heath of the animal collection, Bergen County staff or visiting public.

TREATMENTS

In the event of illness or injury, the veterinarian shall be contacted so he/she may direct the course of treatment. Under the directions of the veterinarian, qualified zoo staff members may administer first aid and/or treatments until the veterinarian’s arrival. With the exception of life-threatening situations, no treatments are to be administered without the approval of the veterinarian.

Any specimen suspected of having contacted an infectious disease shall be isolated from the rest of the collection for treatment whenever possible. As in quarantine situations, the specimen shall remain isolated until its health status has been determined to be normal through accepted testing.

In the event of an injury, the nature of the injury, treatment required, social behavior and practicality of isolation shall all be considered in determining whether to remove the specimen from the collection for treatment.

If, upon the recommendation of the veterinarian, it is determined that the equipment and/or expertise required for treatment are unavailable at the zoo or Environmental Center, a specimen may be transported to Oradell Animal Hospital or other such facility where necessary treatment is available.

EUTHANASIA

In the event a specimen has become mortally injured, terminally ill, or for some reason its presence has become detrimental to the animal collection, then the veterinarian may recommend euthanasia as a viable solution. In all cases, the use of euthanasia shall be restricted to the guidelines established by the AVMA Euthanasia Policy.

NECROPSY

All specimens, regardless of circumstances, shall receive a post mortem exam to determine the cause of death, as well as the specimen’s condition at the time of death. As required, tissue samples shall be sent to a qualified laboratory for histopathology. All animal remains will be incinerated, preserved for scientific study or utilized as educational artifacts for the zoo or other approved facility.

HEALTH CARE FACILITY

A suitable health care facility shall be maintained on the zoo grounds for the veterinarian’s use.

The zoo’s animal health staff shall maintain the facility, as well as its inventory of supplies as required by the veterinarian. Additionally, the health care facility shall be equipped so to address all anticipated health issues of the collections.

RECORDS

Complete and thorough records for the zoo’s animal health program will be kept and maintained by the zoo’s animal health staff. Among these will be treatment records, necropsy reports, quarantine records, hospitalization records, drug use logs, vaccination history, lab results, histopathology reports, radiographs, as well as any other information the zoo staff and the veterinarian believe are pertinent to the health management of the animal collection. All medical records shall be maintained in a fireproof file cabinet in the animal care facility.

VETERINARIAN RESPONSIBILITIES

The veterinarian will be responsible for the overall health management of the animal collection as outlined above. He/she will work with the zoo’s animal health staff who will act as a liaison for the rest of the zoo staff. The veterinarian shall establish the animal health program to monitor and maintain the collection in good health, as well as to address health issues and concerns as they arise. In addition, the veterinarian shall assist the zoo staff with on-going educational opportunities by providing in-house training in the areas of zoonotic diseases, handling and use of controlled drugs, animal nutrition, emergency escape response, as well as updates on health concerns among the collection. The veterinarian is expected to serve on the various zoo committees to provide their expertise in the areas of animal welfare, exhibit design, pest control, nutrition and AZA Accreditation.

The veterinarian shall visit the zoo at least once a week for routine examinations of the collection and to review on-going cases. He/she must also be available at all other times in the event of an emergency. Daily, the veterinarian will consult with the animal health staff of the zoo to be kept aware of the current health status of the collection.

Upon request, the veterinarian shall visit the James McFaul Environmental Center when necessary.

PLEASE INCLUDE A COPY OF ALL STATE OF NJ ISSUED CURRENT MEDICAL

LICENSES WITH SUBMISSION.

Accepted by:

Name

Signature

Date

Section 3

SUBMISSION REQUIRMENTS

3.1. General Requirements.

The Qualification Statement submitted by the Respondent must meet or exceed the professional, administrative, and financial qualifications set forth in Section 2 and shall also incorporate the information requested below.

In addition to the information required as described below, a Respondent may submit supplemental information that it feels may be useful in evaluating its Qualification Statement.

Respondents are encouraged to be clear, factual, and concise in their presentation of information.