245001 RFP.pdf

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

WILLOW LAKE WATER POLLUTION

CONTROL FACILITY (WPCF)

Bioassay Testing Services

RFP NUMBER: 245001

CLOSING DATE: March 8, 2024 AT 4:00 PM (LOCAL TIME)

Page 1 Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER: 245001

Public Works Department, Willow Lake Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF)

INTRODUCTION

The City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “City”, is seeking proposals from qualified professional testing laboratories to perform bioassay testing for WPCF.

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), March 8, 2024.

Completed proposals must arrive electronically via Equity Hub’s Bid Locker at https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker. The City will not accept proposals submitted in any other manner.

NO LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Your proposal must be uploaded prior to the Closing Date and Time. The City strongly recommends that you give yourself sufficient time and at least ONE (1) day before the closing date and time to begin the uploading process and to finalize your submission. The City accepts no responsibility for non-receipt and/or delays in receipt caused by transmission and reception problems, equipment failure, or any other similar cause. Each Proposal is instantly sealed and will only be visible to the City after the closing date and time. Uploading large documents may take significant time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your internet connection speed. You will receive an email confirmation receipt once you finalize your submission.

Supported web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Vivaldi.

Need Help?

Please contact Equity Hub at help@equityhub.us or (267) 225-1407 for technical questions related to your submission.

The Vendor Guide for Bid Locker can be found at Vendor Guide for Bid Locker.

Prospective proposers may obtain these solicitation documents by registering on the OregonBuys website and downloading them. Proposers shall consult the OregonBuys system regularly until closing date and time to avoid missing any notices. To register on OregonBuys go to https://oregonbuys.gov. The City shall advertise all Addenda on OregonBuys. Prospective proposers are solely responsible for checking OregonBuys to determine whether or not any

Addenda have been issued. RFP documents will not be mailed to prospective proposers.

Any objections to or comments upon the RFP specifications must be submitted in writing to the office of the Contracts and Procurement Manager, by email sself@cityofsalem.net.

They must be received no later than February 23, 2024 at 5:00 PM (local time).

https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker mailto:help@equityhub.us https://bidlocker.us/files/Bid%20Locker%20Vendor%20Guide%20-%20Nov%202020.pdf https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/ https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 2 Request for Proposal

Proposals received will be held confidential until a recommendation for award has been approved by the Department Director. Thereafter, all Proposals will be available for public inspection by submitting a Public Records Request through the City Recorders Office

(https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/public-records-request.aspx).

The City will be the sole judge in determining award of Agreement and reserves the right to reject all Proposals.

Human Rights: It is the express policy of the City that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status or domestic partnership, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income as provided by Salem Revised Code Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other federal nondiscrimination laws. The City’s complete Title

VI Plan may be viewed at https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/equity-and-accessibility.aspx.

Proposer agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of federal, state, and local civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules, and regulations if awarded an agreement by the City.

Solicitations for Subcontracts, Including Procurements of Materials and Equipment: In all solicitations, either by competitive bidding or negotiation made by the successful proposer for work to be performed under a subcontract, including procurements of materials or leases of equipment, each potential subcontractor or supplier shall be notified by the successful proposer of the successful proposer’s obligations under this Agreement and the Salem Revised Code Chapter

97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal nondiscrimination laws.

The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

Questions regarding the City’s RFP process may be addressed to Shawna Self, CPPB, Contracts and Procurement Manager, who may be reached at (503) 588-6445 or by email at sself@cityofsalem.net during City business hours.

The City operates and maintains Americans with Disabilities Act compliant facilities.

Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Shawna Self, CPPB, Manager

Contracts and Procurement

FIRST DATE OF SOLICITATION: February 8, 2024

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER: 245001

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CLOSING: March 8, 2024 at 4:00 PM (Local Time) https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/public-records-request.aspx https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/equity-and-accessibility.aspx

Page 3 Request for Proposal

RFP # 245001

Public Works Department

The City of Salem (“City”) is a municipal corporation serving a community with a population of approximately 177,600. It is the capital of the State of Oregon and the county seat of Marion

County. The City has a Council-Manager form of government with an elected mayor and council.

The City has approximately 1,300 employees and nine operating departments (listed below).

City Manager Legal

Community Services Community Planning and Development

Enterprise Services Police

Fire Public Works

Finance

SECTION 1: BACKGROUND

The City is requesting proposals from qualified professional testing laboratories to perform bioassay testing for the Willow Lake Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF). The testing laboratory must be capable of providing all of the tests outlined within this RFP.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF REQUESTED SERVICES

1. Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing for Freshwater

a. The permittee shall conduct whole effluent toxicity (WET) tests as specified here:

i. Twice per winter acute tests for River Road WWTF effluent – Outfall 002A.

b. Acute Toxicity Testing – Organisms and Protocols

i. The permittee shall conduct 48-hour static renewal tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia (water flea) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow).

ii. All test methods and procedures must be in accordance with Methods for

Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to

Freshwater and Marine Organisms, Fifth Edition, EPA -821-R-02-012, October 2002. Any deviation of the bioassay procedures outlined in this method must be submitted in writing to Department of Environmental

Quality (DEQ) for review and approval prior to use.

iii. Treatments to the final effluent samples (for example, dechlorination), except those included as part of the methodology, may not be performed by the laboratory unless approved by DEQ prior to analysis.

c. Quality Assurance and Reporting

i. Quality assurance criteria, statistical analyses, and data reporting for the

WET tests must be in accordance with the EPA documents states in this condition.

Page 4 Request for Proposal

ii. A bioassay laboratory report for each test must be prepared according to the

EPA method documents referenced in this schedule. The report must include all QA/QC documentation, statistical analysis for each test performed, standard reference toxicant test (SRT) conducted on each species required for the toxicity tests, and completed Chain of Custody forms for the samples including time of sample collection and receipt. Reports must be submitted to DEQ within 45 days of test completion.

iii. The report must include all endpoints measured in the test: NOEC, LOEC, and IC25.

iv. The permittee must make available to DEQ upon request the written standard operating procedures they, or the laboratory performing the WET tests, use for all toxicity tests required by DEQ.

BIOASSAY TESTING PROCEDURES

1. Laboratory

Any laboratory which conducts these tests for the City shall have adequate facilities and personnel to comply with the procedures listed in this RFP, and shall have demonstrated successful performance in the DMR-QA Performance Evaluation

Study toxicity samples for acute methods using Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas.

2. Sampling Procedures

During the course of the testing period, the City personnel shall collect the needed grab samples and deliver them to the bioassay laboratory either in person or by a commercial carrier such as UPS or FedEx. The bioassay laboratory shall store the samples in the dark at 4o C until testing begins.

3. Testing Method

Acute test method shall be performed according to the method specified in the

City’s NPDES Permit.

4. Test Species

Test species are Ceriodaphnia dubia (water fleas) and Pimephales promelas

(fathead minnows).

Ceriodaphnia dubia shall be less than 24 hours old at test initiation for the acute test and less than 24 hours old at test initiation for the chronic test. Pimephales promelas shall be less than 14 days old at test initation for the acute test, and shall be less than 24 hours old at test initiation for the chronic test.

5. Dilution Water

The dilution water shall be reconstituted moderately hard water as specified in the

EPA acute method.

Page 5 Request for Proposal

REQUIRED ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM

1. The City is required in Schedule B, 1c, of its NPDES Permit to perform bioassay testing. The required elements of this program are as follows:

a. Testing will take place twice per winter on Outfall 002A

i. Testing at the River Road WWTF Outfall #002A will include:

48 hour acute Bioassay with two species:

Ceriodaphnia dubia

Pimephales promelas

b. All testing to be conducted on initial grab samples of final effluent.

c. A minimum of three replicates shall be used in all tests.

Page 6 Request for Proposal

SECTION 3: PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Organization of the Proposal

Proposers must organize and present their proposal materials in the same order as presented below, and include page numbers. Proposals received without following this format, or received after the deadline and stated place of delivery, may be rejected as non-responsive.

A. Cover Letter

A cover letter indicating the Proposer’s understanding of the services to be performed and the approach to providing the scope of services to be performed and the approach to providing the scope of services to meet the needs of the City.

Signatory of this letter shall be authorized to contractually bind the Proposer to a contract with the City. Include your company name, contact name, address, phone number, and email address.

B. Certifications

Copies of the professional certifications to perform the testing outlined in Section

2: Scope of Requested Services.

C. References

Provide at least three (3) references of former clients with summaries and samples of previous work that demonstrates the Proposer’s ability to conduct bioassay testing. List of references shall include: business name, contact person and telephone number.

D. Fee Proposal

A “per test” fee schedule of all classifications of tests assigned to this contract. The proposal shall include all costs necessary to perform the required testing listed in the scope of requested services and work required elsewhere in the RFP.

Cost Proposal for services to be rendered.

E. Laboratory

Include information regarding the size of the test facility lab; equipment available for testing and a listing of the personnel with their qualifications that will be performing the testing.

F. Organization

Proposer shall have the necessary experience, organization, technical and managerial staff, and the equipment/facilities available to carry out this work.

Proposal shall indicate the degree of support necessary from City staff. Backup plan in case test animals are not viable. Proposer shall have an adequate past record of performance verifiable through references.

G. Ability to perform the services

Describe your ability to perform the services with the proposed time frame(s).

Page 7 Request for Proposal

H. Understanding and Approach

Proposal shall demonstrate their understanding of the assignment and approach to services to be rendered within the proposed time frame.

SECTION 4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 Evaluation Criteria

Although cost of services is important, the City will not necessarily select the lowest cost proposal for the award. The City reserves the right to award a contract based on initial proposal submittals or, at the sole discretion of the City, to conduct interviews with any or all of the proposers. Any interviews shall be held for the purpose of clarity of proposals and will not be scored. However, the Proposal Selection Committee members may use the interview process as an opportunity to adjust their original proposal scores to reflect any additional understanding of proposals that they derived from the interviews. In addition to submitted proposal information, the City reserves the right to use any information that it is aware of, independent of the submitted proposals, in determining consideration of contract award.

The City will not pay for any costs incurred by proposer in responding to this RFP to include costs to the proposer to conduct interviews and presentations.

The evaluation criteria to be used for this RFP are summarized below:

Evaluation Item Maximum Points

Cover Letter Pass/ Fail

Certifications Pass/ Fail

References 10

Fee Proposal 30

Laboratory 10

Organization 10

Ability to perform the Services 20

Understanding and Approach 20

Total Maximum Points Possible 100

4.2 Selection Process

A RFP Selection Committee will be appointed by the City to evaluate and rank all qualifying proposals received by the closing date. In addition to submitted proposal information, the City reserves the right to use any information that it is aware of, independent of the submitted proposals, in determining consideration of contract award. If

Page 8 Request for Proposal no acceptable arrangements can be made, negotiations with the next highest ranked proposer will occur.

The successful proposer will be required to complete an Agreement in the form of a

Personal Services Agreement (sample included in Appendix A), which will incorporate this RFP and proposer’s response as a part of the Agreement.

Page 9 Request for Proposal

SECTION 5: INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

This section contains administrative and procedural information and instructions for preparation and submittal of the proposal. Note: This RFP process offers several opportunities for prospective proposers to submit formal protests. Filing a protest with the

City requires submitting $500.00 with the formal written protest. Prospective proposers and proposers wishing to submit objections to or comments on RFP specifications of a non-protest nature, must submit them in writing to the office of the Contracts &

Procurement, by email sself@cityofsalem.net. They must be received no later than

February 23, 2024, at 5:00 PM (local time). There is no fee for filing objections to or comments on RFP specifications of this non-protest nature.

5.1 Anticipated Schedule (subject to change)

February 8, 2024 ............................................................................ Begin RFP Solicitation

February 23, 2024 at 5:00 PM (local time) .......................... Questions/Clarifications Due

March 8, 2024 at 4:00 PM (local time) ................................................. RFP Closing Date

April 2024 .............................................................. Notice of Intent to Award Agreement

May 2024 ................................................................ Agreement Award (Anticipated Date)

July 1, 2024 ............................................................................................ Notice to Proceed

5.2 Qualification Requirements

Each proposer shall respond to the proposal requirements as presented in Section 3, Proposal Submittal Requirements, of this RFP. Proposals received without the required information may be rejected as being non-responsive.

The City shall have the right to disqualify any proposal as a result of the information gathered in its research.

5.3 Pre-Proposal Interpretation of RFP and Requested Changes

Technical questions relating to the requirement and scope of services of this RFP and/or the RFP process should be directed in writing to the Contracts and Procurement Manager, Contracts and Procurement, by email: sself@cityofsalem.net.

Any clarification or interpretation of the proposal documents will be made only by written notification. The City is not responsible for any explanation, clarification, or interpretation given in any manner except by written notification.

Any person who contemplates submitting a proposal in response to this RFP and who wishes to have the City consider a change in any part of this RFP shall submit to the

Contracts and Procurement Manager of the City of Salem a written request for a change or substitution no later than 5:00 PM (local time), February 23, 2024. The request shall include the proposed change and the reason for the change. Protest against award based on the scope of services or other content of this RFP will not be considered after this time.

Changes to this RFP document shall only be by written addenda.

Page 10 Request for Proposal

A copy of any written clarification, interpretation and addendum will be posted on

OregonBuys.

5.4 Protest of Solicitation Document and the Procurement Process

A prospective proposer may protest the procurement process or the solicitation document for an Agreement. A prospective proposer must deliver a written protest to the Contracts and Procurement Manager (email: sself@cityofsalem.net) no later than 5:00 PM (local time), February 23, 2024. The prospective proposers shall indicate the reasons for the disagreement through a written protest and shall include a statement of the desired changes to the procurement process or the solicitation document that the prospective proposer believes will remedy the conditions upon which the prospective proposer based its protest.

The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.5 Execution of the Proposal

The proposal shall be executed in the name of the proposer followed by the signature of the officer authorized to sign for the printed or typewritten designation of the office held.

If the proposal is made by a partnership, it shall be executed in the name of the partnership followed by the signature of an authorized partner.

If the proposal is made by a Limited Liability Company (LLC), it shall be executed in the name of the LLC followed by the signature of the authorized member(s) or manager(s) authorized to sign for the LLC and the printed or typewritten designation of the office held in the LLC.

If the proposal is made by a corporation, it shall be executed in the name of the corporation followed by the signature of the officer authorized to sign for the corporation and the printed or typewritten designation of the office they hold in the corporation.

If the proposal is made by a joint venture, it shall be executed by each participant of the joint venture.

5.6 Submission of Proposal

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), March 8, 2024.

Completed proposals must arrive electronically via Equity Hub’s Bid Locker at https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker. The City will not accept proposals submitted in any other manner.

NO LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Your proposal must be uploaded prior to the Closing Date and Time. The City strongly recommends that you give yourself sufficient time and at least ONE (1) day before the https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker

Page 11 Request for Proposal closing date and time to begin the uploading process and to finalize your submission. The

City accepts no responsibility for non-receipt and/or delays in receipt caused by transmission and reception problems, equipment failure, or any other similar cause. Each

Proposal is instantly sealed and will only be visible to the City after the closing date and time. Uploading large documents may take significant time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your internet connection speed. You will receive an email confirmation receipt once you finalize your submission.

Supported web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Vivaldi.

Need Help?

Please contact Equity Hub at help@equityhub.us or 267-225-1407 for technical questions related to your submission.

The Vendor Guide for Bid Locker can be found at Vendor Guide for Bid Locker.

5.7 Response Date

Delivery in the manner stated herein and completeness of submittals as required by this

RFP shall be solely the responsibility of the proposer(s). Submission of proposals or additional information offered after the closing date and time shall not be accepted or considered.

5.8 Withdrawal of Proposal

Proposer(s) may withdraw their proposal, by written notice submitted on the proposer's letterhead, signed by the proposer's authorized representative, delivered to the Contracts and Procurement Office by email at contracts@cityofsalem.net. To be effective, the withdrawal must be received prior to closing date and time. The proposer shall mark a written request to withdraw its proposal as follows: “Proposal Withdrawal - RFP #245001.”

5.9 Notice to Proceed

The successful proposer(s) may be given ten (10) calendar days to execute the Agreement and return it to the City. Contractual work may not begin until the notice to proceed has been issued. The notice to proceed will be issued after execution of the Agreements by the

City. The notice to proceed will authorize commencement of the work based on the

Agreement.

5.10 Rights of City to Award or Reject Proposals

This RFP does not commit the City to award or enter into an Agreement. Under no circumstances will the City pay the costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this

RFP. The City reserves the right to:

• Accept or reject any or all proposals or any portion thereof received as a result of this

RFP.

• Negotiate with any proposer(s).

mailto:help@equityhub.us https://bidlocker.us/files/Bid%20Locker%20Vendor%20Guide%20-%20Nov%202020.pdf

Page 12 Request for Proposal

• Accept a proposal and subsequent offers for Agreement from other than the lowest cost proposed.

• Waive any immaterial defects and irregularities in proposals and to waive or modify any irregularities in proposals received, after prior notification to the proposer(s).

• In determining the most responsive proposer, take into consideration any or all information supplied by the proposer in the proposal and the City’s investigation into the experience of the proposer. In addition, the City may accept or reject proposals based on minor variations from the stated scope of services and when such action is deemed to be in the City’s best interest.

• Negotiate a final scope and price with the selected proposer that may differ in some respects from this RFP.

• To seek clarifications of each proposal.

• If proposer chooses to participate in negotiations, they may be asked to submit additional information, or other revisions to their proposal as may be required.

• Consider proposal modifications received at any time before the award is made, if such action is in the best interest of the City.

• To negotiate a final Agreement that is in the best interest of the City.

5.11 Contract Administrator

The Contract Administrator is Paul Mitchell, PW-WPCF. All questions relating to the RFP process should be directed in writing to Shawna Self, CPPB, Contracts and Procurement

Manager, by email to: sself@cityofsalem.net.

5.12 Economy of Proposal Preparation

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, by providing a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s capabilities related to specified elements units or services. Proposals should not include any information not specifically identified or specified as a required response.

5.13 Addenda

In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum will be posted on OregonBuys. Prospective proposers are solely responsible for checking

OregonBuys to determine whether or not any addenda have been issued. The City is not responsible for any explanation, clarification, interpretation, or approval made or given in any manner except by addenda. Addenda, if necessary, will be issued not later than five (5)

City business days prior to the RFP closing date. Addenda shall be signed by the same individual that signs the proposal and SHALL BE SUBMITTED with the proposal.

Proposals received without properly signed addenda may be considered non-responsive.

5.14 Protests of Addenda

A prospective proposer may submit a written protest to an addendum within forty-eight

(48) hours by the close of the City’s next business day after issuance of the addendum. The mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 13 Request for Proposal written protest shall (1) Sufficiently identify the addendum being protested; (2) Identify the specific grounds that demonstrate how the addenda is contrary to law, unnecessarily restrictive, legally flawed or improperly specifies a brand name; (3) Include evidence or supporting documentation that supports the grounds on which the protest is based; (4)

Identify the relief sought; and (5) Include a statement of the desired changes to the addendum that the prospective proposer believes will remedy the conditions upon which the prospective proposer based its protest. The City will not consider a protest to matters not added or modified by the protested addendum. Delivered to the Contracts and

Procurement Division, via email to contracts@cityofsalem.net.

The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.15 Acceptance of Proposal Content

The contents of the proposal of the successful proposer will become contractual obligations if acceptance action ensues. Failure of the successful proposer to accept these obligations in an Agreement may result in cancellation of the award.

5.16 Public Records and Confidentiality of Proposal

This RFP and one copy of each original response received, together with copies of all documents pertaining to the selection of the successful proposer and execution of a copy of the executed agreement, shall be kept for the City by the Contracts and Procurement

Office for a period of five (5) years and made a part of a file or record which shall be open to public inspection.

Public Records. By submitting a proposal, the proposer acknowledges that information submitted in response to this RFP is open to public inspection under the Oregon Public

Records Law, ORS 192.311 through 192.513. The proposer is responsible for becoming familiar with and understanding the provisions of the Public Records Law.

Note: Under no circumstances will any proposal information be disclosed by the

Contracts and Procurement Office prior to receiving a written recommendation to award from the Department Director.

5.17 Human Rights

It is the express policy of the City that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status or domestic partnership, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income as provided by the Salem Revised Code

Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal non-discrimination laws. The City’s complete Title VI Plan may be viewed at www.cityofsalem.net.

Successful proposer agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of federal, state, and local civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules and regulations if awarded an

Agreement by the City.

mailto:contracts@cityofsalem.net http://www.cityofsalem.net/

Page 14 Request for Proposal

Solicitations for Subcontracts, Including Procurements of Materials and Equipment:

In all solicitations either by competitive bidding or negotiation made by the successful proposer for work to be performed under a subcontract, including procurements of materials or leases of equipment, each potential subcontractor or supplier shall be notified by the successful proposer of the successful proposer's obligations under this Agreement and the Salem Revised Code Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal non-discrimination laws. (See Appendix B.)

5.18 Discrimination in Subcontracting Prohibited

Proposer agrees not to discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprise, a minority-owned business, a woman-owned business, a business that a service-disabled veteran owns, or an emerging small business certified under ORS 200.055 in awarding subcontracts as required by ORS 279A.110.

5.19 Notice of Intent to Award

All responsive and evaluated proposers to this RFP will be notified of the City’s intent to award an Agreement not less than seven (7) days prior to award. The City will issue a notice of intent to award based on the results of its evaluation process. The notice of intent to award will be posted on OregonBuys only.

5.20 Protest of Intent to Award

A proposer may protest the award of the Agreement or the intent to award such Agreement, whichever occurs first, if the proposer claims to have been adversely affected or aggrieved by the selection of a proposer. A proposer submitting a protest must claim that the protesting proposer is the highest ranked proposer because the proposals of all higher ranked proposers failed to meet the requirements of this RFP or because the highest ranked proposers otherwise are not qualified to perform the services described in this RFP. The proposer must deliver the written protest to the Contracts and Procurement Division to contracts@cityofsalem.net, within seven (7) days after issuance of the notice of intent to award the Agreement or if no notice of intent to award is issued, within forty-eight (48) hours after award. A proposer’s written protest shall specify the grounds for protest to be considered by the City pursuant to ORS 279B.410(2). The City Manager shall not consider a proposer’s award protest submitted after the above timeline. The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.21 Incurred Costs

Neither the City, nor its officers, agents, or employees are liable for any cost incurred by proposer(s) prior to issuance of an agreement, or purchase order. All prospective proposer(s) who respond to this RFP do so solely at the proposer's cost and expense.

Page 15 Request for Proposal

5.22 No Warranty

All facts and opinion stated within this RFP and all supporting documents and data are based upon information available from a variety of sources. No representation or warranty is made with respect thereto.

5.23 Statement of Time

A period of time, unless stated as a number of City business days, shall include Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

The word “day” as used in this RFP document, and any resulting Agreement awarded as a result of this process, shall constitute a calendar day of twenty-four (24) hours measured from midnight to the next midnight.

When a time period is identified by days, it is computed by excluding the first day and including the last day. When the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or City’s holiday, that time period shall extend to the next City business day.

5.24 Right to Audit

The successful proposer shall maintain financial records and other records as may be prescribed by the City or by applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. The successful proposer(s) shall retain these records for a period of five (5) years after final payment, or until they are audited by the City, whichever event occurs first. These records shall be made available during the term of the Agreement and the subsequent five-year period for examination, transcription, and audit by the City, its designees, or other authorized bodies.

5.25 Accept or Reject Proposals

The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals in response to this RFP without cause or to delay or cancel this RFP process without liability to the City if the City determines it is in the public interest to do so.

5.26 Additional Information

The City reserves the right to request additional information following their initial review of the proposal documents that the City deems reasonably necessary to evaluate, rank, and select the most qualified proposer(s). The City staff may conduct a review and verification of confidential information with staff and consultants.

5.27 Right to Modify Process

The City reserves the right to modify the selection process or other aspects of this RFP process at its sole discretion. The Contracts and Procurement Office will take reasonable steps to ensure that any modification or clarification to this RFP are posted on OregonBuys.

5.28 Debarment of Proposer

The Contracts and Procurement Manager may debar prospective proposers from consideration for Agreements for a period of not more than three (3) years if:

Page 16 Request for Proposal

1. The prospective proposer has been convicted of a criminal offense as an incident in obtaining or attempting to obtain a public or private contract subcontract or in the performance of such contract or subcontract;

2. The prospective proposer has been convicted under state or federal statutes of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification, or destruction of records, receiving stolen property, or any other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that currently, seriously, and directly affects the prospective proposer’s responsibility as a contractor;

3. The prospective proposer has been convicted under state or federal antitrust statutes;

4. The prospective proposer has committed a violation of a contract provision that is regarded by the Contracts & Procurement Manager or the Construction Contractors

Board to be so serious as to justify debarment. A violation may include but is not limited to a failure to perform the terms of a contract or an unsatisfactory performance in accordance with the terms of the contract. A failure to perform or an unsatisfactory performance caused by acts beyond the control of the contractor may not be considered to be a basis for debarment; or

5. The prospective proposer does not carry any insurance as required by applicable law.

The Contracts and Procurement Manager shall give written notice of the reasons for the debarment and the proposed length of debarment to the person for whom debarment is being considered. The proposer shall be given not less than fourteen (14) days to respond to the

Contracts and Procurement Manager in writing. The Contracts and Procurement Manager shall issue a written decision that states the reason for the action taken and that informs the proposer of the proposer’s appeal rights.

5.29 Proposals submitted by City Employees Prohibited

The City will not purchase any goods or services from City employees unless City Council expressly authorizes the purchase, or the purchase is necessary during a state of emergency and the City Manager approves the purchase.

Page 17 Request for Proposal

SECTION 6: AGREEMENT TERMS AND REQUIREMENTS

6.1 Forfeiture of the Agreement

This Agreement may be canceled at the election of the City at any time for any willful failure or refusal by the successful proposer to perform according to the terms of an

Agreement as herein provided.

6.2 Non-Assignment

If an Agreement is awarded, it shall not be assigned, nor duties be delegated, in part or in total without consent of the City. Reasonable requests for assignment of the Agreements may be granted based on the sole determination of the City.

6.3 Liability Insurance

Successful proposer shall obtain and maintain during the term of this Agreement, a policy or policies of liability insurance including commercial general liability insurance with a combined single limit, or the equivalent, of not less than $2,000,000 (two million dollars) for each occurrence for Bodily Injury and Property Damage.

The insurance required shall include the following coverages:

• Comprehensive General or Commercial General Liability, including personal injury, contractual liability, and products/completed operations coverage;

• Automobile Liability.

Each policy of such insurance shall be on an "occurrence" and not a "claims made" form, and shall:

• Name as additional insured "the City of Salem, Oregon, its officers, agents and employees";

• Apply to each named and additional named insured as though a separate policy had been issued to each, provided that the policy limits shall not be increased thereby;

• Apply as primary coverage for each additional named insured except to the extent that two or more such policies are intended to "layer" coverage and, taken together, they provide total coverage from the first dollar of liability;

• Successful proposer shall immediately notify the City of any change in insurance coverage;

• Successful proposer shall supply an endorsement naming the City, its officers, employees and agents as additional insureds within sixty (60) days of the Effective

Date of the Agreement; and

• Be evidenced by a certificate or certificates of such insurance approved by the City.

6.4 Workers’ Compensation Law

All subject employers working under an awarded Agreement are either employers that will comply with ORS 656.017 or employers that are exempt under ORS 656.126. Proof of compliance will be required prior to Agreement execution. (See Appendix A)

Page 18 Request for Proposal

6.5 Laws of the State of Oregon

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, proposer(s) agree that, any terms and conditions stated within any agreement that is awarded as a result of this solicitation shall also include the following laws of the State of Oregon are hereby incorporated by reference into the Agreement: ORS 279B.220, 279B.230, and 279B.235.

Any Agreements awarded and/or purchase order issued as a result of this RFP shall be governed by the laws of the State of Oregon without regard to conflict of laws principles.

Exclusive venue for litigation of any action arising under the Agreement shall be in the

Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Marion County unless exclusive jurisdiction is in federal court, in which case exclusive venue shall be in the federal district court for the district of Oregon. Each party expressly waives any and all rights to maintain an action under this Agreement in any other venue, and expressly consents that, upon motion of the other party, any case may be dismissed or its venue transferred, as appropriate, so as to effectuate this choice of venue.

6.6 Successful Proposer’s Compliance with Tax Laws

Successful proposer represents and warrants to the City that:

1. Successful proposer shall, throughout the term of this Agreement, including any extensions hereof, comply with:

A. All tax laws of the State of Oregon, including but not limited to ORS 305.620 and

ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318;

B. Any tax provisions imposed by a political subdivision of the State of Oregon applicable to successful proposer; and

C. Any rules, regulations, charter provisions, or ordinances that implement or enforce any of the foregoing tax laws or provisions.

2. If applicable, the successful proposer, for a period of no fewer than six (6) calendar years preceding the Effective Date of this Agreement, has faithfully complied with:

A. All tax laws of the State of Oregon, including but not limited to ORS 305.620 and

ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318;

B. Any tax provisions imposed by a political subdivision of the State of Oregon applicable to successful proposer; and

C. Any rules, regulations, charter provisions, or ordinances that implement or enforce any of the foregoing tax laws or provisions.

Successful proposer’s failure to comply with the tax laws of the State of Oregon and all applicable tax laws of any political subdivision of the State of Oregon shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement. Further, any violation of successful proposer’s warranty, as set forth in this Article, shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement.

Any material breach of this Agreement shall entitle the City to terminate this Agreement and to seek damages and any other relief available under this Agreement, at law, or in equity.

Page 19 Request for Proposal

Any Work delivered to the City under this Agreement shall be provided to the City free and clear of any and all restrictions on or conditions of its use, transfer, modification, or assignment, and shall be free and clear of any and all liens, claims, mortgages, security interests, liabilities, charges, and encumbrances of any kind.

6.7 Agreement Term

The Agreement shall commence on July 1, 2024 and continue until June 30, 2025, and upon renewal (see renewal clause) shall continue for each additional consecutive fiscal year until canceled or expiration of the Agreement term.

6.8 Renewal

If the City determines that it is in the City’s best interest, the City may elect to extend the

Agreement for four (4) additional one (1) year periods at the end of each fiscal year, July

1 through June 30, subject to the following conditions:

a. Approval by City and budget approval.

b. Service has been determined, by the Contract Administrator, to be satisfactory.

c. Price remains firm for the additional year; adjusted only for any escalation/ de-escalation allowed under the terms of the Agreement.

d. Agreement to extend the Agreements, in writing, by the successful proposer after a minimum sixty (60) calendar days’ notice by City prior to the expiration of the

6.9 Termination for Lack of Appropriations

The City may terminate all or portions of the Agreement for lack of funds, if the successful proposer is notified by certified mail thirty (30) calendar days in advance.

6.10 Cooperative Purchasing

Pursuant to ORS 279A.205 thru 279A.215, other public agencies, Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem, Housing Authority of the City of Salem, and members of the Oregon

Cooperative Purchasing Program (ORCPP) may use the service agreement resulting from this RFP unless proposer expressly notes in their proposal that the prices quoted are available to the City only. The condition of such use by other agencies is that any such agency must make and pursue contact, purchase order, delivery arrangements, and all contractual remedies directly with the successful proposer; the City accepts no responsibility for performance by either the successful proposer or such other agency using this agreement. With such condition, the City consents to such use by any other public agency.

6.11 Escalation/ De-Escalation Agreement

Prices shall remain firm throughout the initial Agreement term except in the case of price decreases. Price decreases will be allowed the first of the month following receipt of communication, or the effective date, whichever is later.

Page 20 Request for Proposal

Price increases will be considered at the time of Agreement renewal. Successful proposer(s) must submit a written request with documentation justifying any price increase at least ninety (90) days prior to Agreement renewal to the Contracts and Procurement

Division. Proposed price increases shall not exceed the Consumer Price Index for All

Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US City Average, not seasonally adjusted, all items, published by the U.S. Department of Labor or this region.

The City shall have the option of accepting the price increase or allowing the Agreements to expire (non-renewal) and rebidding the contract. The City reserves the right to audit the records of the successful proposer when requesting price increases to the extent that such records relate to cost or pricing data.

6.12 Type of Agreement

This is a non-exclusive one-year annual Agreement; with renewal provisions (see

Subsection 6.8) and escalation/de-escalation agreement (see Subsection 6.11).

6.13 Form of Procurement Agreement

Any Personal Services Agreement that is awarded as a result of this RFP will incorporate the RFP document, the successful proposer’s written proposal, any required certificates, and all other documents incorporated by reference therein.

It is the City’s intent to award Agreements in substantially the form of the Agreement attached as Appendix A. Proposer may submit an alternative Agreement for City’s review.

The City, at its sole determination, may approve the proposer’s offered Agreement as is, require modifications, or reject the proposer’s Agreement and require that the City’s

Agreement be executed for the purpose of this RFP.

A proposer may not condition its Proposal on execution of any Agreement it submits. Any such condition shall result in rejection of their Proposal.

Any additional Agreements shall contain the following provisions:

1. The following laws of the State of Oregon are hereby incorporated by reference into the agreement: ORS 279B.220, 279B.230, and 279B.235.

2. The Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Oregon without regard to conflict of laws principles. Exclusive venue for litigation of any action arising under the Agreement shall be in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Marion County unless exclusive jurisdiction is in federal court, in which case exclusive venue shall be in the federal district court for the district of Oregon. Each party expressly waives any and all rights to maintain an action under this Agreement in any other venue, and expressly consents that, upon motion of the other party, any case may be dismissed or its venue transferred, as appropriate, so as to effectuate this choice of venue.

Page 21 Request for Proposal

3. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status or domestic partnership, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or source of income as provided by Salem Revised Code Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil

Rights Act of 1964 and other federal non-discrimination laws. Proposer agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of federal, state, and local civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules and regulations. Further, proposer agrees not to discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprise, a minority-owned business, a woman-owned business, a business that a service-disabled veteran owns or an emerging small business certified under ORS 200.055 in awarding subcontracts as

4. Successful proposer shall obtain and maintain during the term of this Agreement, a policy or policies of liability insurance including commercial general liability insurance with a combined single limit, or the equivalent, of not less than $2,000,000 (two million dollars) for each occurrence for Bodily Injury and Property Damage.

The insurance required in this Article shall include the following coverages:

• Comprehensive General or Commercial General Liability, including personal injury, contractual liability, and products/completed operations coverage;

• Automobile Liability.

Each policy of such insurance shall be on an "occurrence" and not a "claims made" form, and shall:

• Name as additional insured "the City of Salem, Oregon, its officers, agents and employees" with respect to claims arising out of successful proposer’s Work under this Agreement;

• Apply to each named and additional named insured as though a separate policy had been issued to each, provided that the policy limits shall not be increased thereby;

• Apply as primary coverage for each additional named insured except to the extent that two or more such policies are intended to "layer" coverage and, taken together, they provide total coverage from the first dollar of liability;

• Proposer shall immediately notify the City of any change in insurance coverage;

• Proposer shall supply an endorsement naming the City, its officers, employees and agents as additional insureds within sixty (60) days of the Effective Date of the

Agreement; and

• Be evidenced by a certificate or certificates of such insurance approved by the City.

All subject employers working under this Agreement are either employers that will comply with ORS 656.017 or employers that are exempt under ORS 656.126.

6.14 PAY EQUITY COMPLIANCE

As required by ORS 279B.235, successful proposer shall comply with ORS 652.220 and shall not discriminate against any of successful proposer’s employees in the payment of wages or other compensation for work of comparable character, the performance of which requires

Page 22 Request for Proposal comparable skills, or pay any employee at a rate less than another for comparable work, based on an employee’s membership in a protected class.

Commencing on January 1, 2019, successful proposer must comply with ORS 652.220 as amended and shall not unlawfully discriminate against any of successful proposer’s employees in the payment of…