25-002 Turf Maintenance RFP.doc

SAP

Fort Mill School District

Request for Proposal

Solicitation Number:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

#25-002 July 24, 2025 Kelly Keniston

(803) 548-8202 kenistonk@fortmillschools.org

DESCRIPTION: Athletic Field Maintenance – Multi-year

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

MAILING ADDRESS:

FORT MILL SCHOOL DISTRICT

2233 DEERFIELD DRIVE

FORT MILL, SC 29715

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:

FORT MILL SCHOOL DISTRICT

2233 DEERFIELD DRIVE

FORT MILL, SC 29715

SUBMIT OFFER BY: Friday, August 1, 2025 10:00 am

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 10:00am

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: ONE (1) original, FOUR (4) additional copies and ONE (1) electronic copy on USB drive.

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By submitting a bid or proposal, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" and "Electronic Signature" provisions.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NO.

(See "Taxpayer Identification Number" provision)

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

DATE SIGNED

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

Minority Participation:

Are you a SC Certified Minority Vendor (Yes (No If yes, SC Certification # ___________________

Are you a Non SC Certified Minority Vendor (Yes (No

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause)

_________________________________________________ Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile

_________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause)

____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses)

____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

KEY DATES FOR RFP

(Subject to Change) Issue RFP

July 24, 2025 Deadline for Questions

July 29, 2025 at 10:00 am

Questions Response Posted

July 30, 2025 at 10:00 am

Proposal Due

August 1, 2025 at 10:00 am

Intent to Award Posted

August 1, 2025 at 5:00 pm

Solicitation Outline I.

Scope of Solicitation

II.

Instructions to Offerors

A.

General Instructions

B.

Special Instructions

III.

Scope of Work / Specifications

IV.

Information for Offerors to Submit

V.

Qualifications

VI.

Award Criteria

VII.

Terms and Conditions

A.

General

B.

Special

VIII.

Bidding Schedule / Cost Proposal

IX.

Attachments to Solicitation A. Appendix A B. Questionnaire C. Listing of Subcontractors

D. Drug-free Workplace Certification E. Offeror’s Checklist

I. SCOPE OF SOLICITATION – Request for Proposal Fort Mill School District is soliciting sealed proposal for an Annual Athletic Field Turf Maintenance Program for its High School, Middle School and Elementary School Athletic Fields.

All bids must be received by 10:00 am on Friday, August 1, 2025. Proposals received after that time will not be considered.

Emailed or FAX copies of the Bid documents will not be accepted.

A signature of a person authorized to contract for the company is required. The signature must be in either black or blue ink.

Please insert the exact company name and the signature of responsible person to contact on your Bid documents.

Each company is to provide one (1) original copy of the Bid documents. And four (4) copies including 1 digital copy. (See section V. for list of items) If your Bid documents are forwarded by U.S. Mail please allow adequate time to ensure delivery. Bid documents received after the time shown will not be considered. Mark your envelope/box with your company name and Request for Bids Solicitation No. 25-002 – Athletic Field Maintenance.

At any time throughout the solicitation process, Submitters shall not contact any member of the Board of Education or the Selection Committee regarding this RFP. Failure to comply will result in immediate rejection of your submittal.

MAXIMUM CONTRACT PERIOD -– ESTIMATED (JAN 2006): Start date: August 11, 2025 End date: June 30, 2026 with the option to renew for up to four (4) additional years. Dates provided are estimates only. The District will review the performance and terms of the contract prior to renewing. Any resulting contract will begin on the date specified in the notice of award. See clause entitled “Term of Contract - Effective Date/Initial Contract Period”.

II. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS - A. General Instructions

DEFINITIONS, CAPITALIZATION, AND HEADINGS (MODIFIED - DEC 2015)

CLAUSE HEADINGS USED IN THIS SOLICITATION ARE FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY AND SHALL NOT BE USED TO CONSTRUE MEANING OR INTENT. EVEN IF NOT CAPITALIZED, THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL PARTS OF THE SOLICITATION, UNLESS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED OTHERWISE.

AMENDMENT means a document issued to supplement the original solicitation document.

BOARD means Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees.

BUSINESS means any corporation, partnership, individual, sole proprietorship, joint stock company, joint venture, or any other legal entity.

BUYER means the Procurement Specialist or his/her designee.

CHANGE ORDER means any written alteration in specifications, delivery point, rate of delivery, period of performance, price, quantity, or other provisions of any contract accomplished by mutual agreement of the parties to the contract.

CONTRACT See clause entitled Contract Documents & Order of Precedence.

CONTRACT MODIFICATION means a written order signed by the Procurement Specialist, directing the contractor to make changes which the clause of the contract titled “Changes,” if included herein, authorizes the Procurement Specialist to order without the consent of the contractor.

CONTRACTOR means the Offeror receiving an award as a result of this solicitation.

COVER PAGE means the top page of the original solicitation on which the solicitation is identified by number. Offerors are cautioned that Amendments may modify information provided on the Cover Page.

DISTRICT means Fort Mill School District (FMSD) OFFER means the bid or proposal submitted in response this solicitation. The terms Bid and Proposal are used interchangeably with the term Offer.

OFFEROR means the single legal entity submitting the offer. The term Bidder is used interchangeably with the term Offeror. See bidding provisions entitled Signing Your Offer and Bid/Proposal As Offer To Contract.

PAGE TWO means the second page of the original solicitation, which is labeled Page Two.

PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST means the person, or his successor, identified as such on the Cover Page, an amendment, or an award notice.

YOU and YOUR means Offeror.

SOLICITATION means this document, including all its parts, attachments, and any Amendments.

SUBCONTRACTOR means any person you contract with to perform or provide any part of the work.

US or WE means the District.

WORK means all labor, materials, equipment, services, or property of any type, provided or to be provided by the Contractor to fulfill the Contractor's obligations under the Contract.

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (MODIFIED - JAN 2004): (a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should check for the issuance of Amendments (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two or (2) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

AUTHORIZED AGENT (MODIFIED – FEB 2015): All authority regarding the conduct of this procurement is vested solely with the responsible Procurement Specialist. Unless specifically delegated in writing, the Procurement Specialist is the only District official authorized to bind the District with regard to this procurement or the resulting contract.

AWARD NOTIFICATION (FEB 2015): Notice regarding any award, cancellation of award, or extension of award will be posted at the location and on the date specified on the Cover Page or, if applicable, any notice of extension of award. Should the contract resulting from this Solicitation have a total or potential value of one hundred thousand dollars or more, such notice will be sent to all Offerors responding to the Solicitation and any award will not be effective until the eighth day after such notice is given.

BID/PROPOSAL AS OFFER TO CONTRACT (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): By submitting Your Proposal, you are offering to enter into a contract with the District. Without further action by either party, a binding contract shall result upon final award. Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with the District. An Offer may be submitted by only one legal entity; "joint bids" are not allowed.

BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): In order to withdraw Your Offer after the minimum period specified on the Cover Page, You must notify the Procurement Specialist in writing.

BID IN ENGLISH and DOLLARS (JAN 2004): Offers submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in the English language and in US dollars, unless otherwise permitted by the Solicitation.

AUTHORITY AS PROCUREMENT AGENT (MODIFIED – DEC 2015): The Procurement Specialist is an employee of the District acting on behalf of the District pursuant to Fort Mill School District Procurement Code. Any contracts awarded as a result of this procurement are between the Contractor and the District. The Board of Trustees is not a party to such contracts, unless and to the extent that the Board is a using District department, and bears no liability for any party’s losses arising out of or relating in any way to the contract.

CERTIFICATE OF INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION (MAY 2008): GIVING FALSE, MISLEADING, OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION ON THIS CERTIFICATION MAY RENDER YOU SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION UNDER SECTION 16-9-10 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS AND OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS.

(a) By submitting an offer, the offeror certifies that –

(1) The prices in this offer have been arrived at independently, without, for the purpose of restricting competition, any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor relating to –

(i) Those prices;

(ii) The intention to submit an offer; or

(iii) The methods or factors used to calculate the prices offered.

(2) The prices in this offer have not been and will not be knowingly disclosed by the offeror, directly or indirectly, to any other offeror or competitor before bid opening (in the case of a sealed bid solicitation) or contract award (in the case of a negotiated solicitation) unless otherwise required by law; and

(3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the offeror to induce any other concern to submit or not to submit an offer for the purpose of restricting competition.

(b) Each signature on the offer is considered to be a certification by the signatory that the signatory-

(1) Is the person in the offeror’s organization responsible for determining the prices being offered in this bid or proposal, and that the signatory has not participated and will not participate in any action contrary to paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of the certification; or

(2) (i) Has been authorized, in writing, to act as agent for the offeror’s principals in certifying that Those principals have not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this certification [As used in this subdivision (b)(2)(i), the term “principals” means the person(s) in the offeror’s organization responsible for determining the prices offered in this bid or proposal];

(ii) As an authorized agent, does certify that the principals referenced in subdivision (b)(2)(i) of the certification have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to paragraphs(a)(1) through (a)(3) of this certification; and

(iii)As an agent, has not personally participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this certification

(c) If the offeror deletes or modifies paragraph (a)(2) of this certification, the offeror must furnish with its offer a signed statement setting forth in detail the circumstances of the disclosure.

CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (JAN 2004):

(a) (1) By submitting an Offer, Offeror certifies, to the best of its knowledge and belief, that-

(i) Offeror and/or any of its Principals-

(A) Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any state or federal agency;

(B) Have not, within a three-year period preceding this offer, been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for: commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, state, or local) contract or subcontract; violation of Federal or state antitrust statutes relating to the submission of offers; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, or receiving stolen property; and

(C) Are not presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity with, commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (a)(1)(i)(B) of this provision.

(ii) Offeror has not, within a three-year period preceding this offer, had one or more contracts terminated for default by any public (Federal, state, or local) entity.

(2) “Principals,” for the purposes of this certification, means officers; directors; owners; partners; and, persons having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity (e.g., general manager; plant manager; head of a subsidiary, division, or business segment, and similar positions).

(b) Offeror shall provide immediate written notice to the Procurement Officer if, at any time prior to contract award, Offeror learns that its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.

(c) If Offeror is unable to certify the representations stated in paragraphs (a)(1), Offeror must submit a written explanation regarding its inability to make the certification. The certification will be considered in connection with a review of the Offeror’s responsibility. Failure of the Offeror to furnish additional information as requested by the Procurement Officer may render the Offeror non-responsive.

(d) Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order to render, in good faith, the certification required by paragraph (a) of this provision. The knowledge and information of an Offeror is not required to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business dealings.

(e) The certification in paragraph (a) of this provision is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when making award. If it is later determined that the Offeror knowingly or in bad faith rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the District, the Procurement Officer may terminate the contract resulting from this solicitation for default.

CODE OF LAWS AVAILABLE (JAN 2006): The South Carolina Code of Laws, including the Consolidated Procurement Code, is available at:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/statmast.php The South Carolina Regulations are available at:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/statmast.php

DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OR UNFAIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (FEB 2015): You warrant and represent that your offer identifies and explains any unfair competitive advantage you may have in competing for the proposed contract and any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise from your participation in this competition or your receipt of an award. The two underlying principles are (a) preventing the existence of conflicting roles that might bias a contractor’s judgment, and (b) preventing an unfair competitive advantage. If you have an unfair competitive advantage or a conflict of interest, the District may withhold award. Before withholding award on these grounds, an offeror will be notified of the concerns and provided a reasonable opportunity to respond. Efforts to avoid or mitigate such concerns, including restrictions on future activities, may be considered. Without limiting the foregoing, you represent that your offer identifies any services that relate to either this solicitation or the work that has already been performed by you, a proposed subcontractor, or an affiliated business of either.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFER (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): Any offer received after the Procurement Specialist or his/her designee has declared that the time set for opening has arrived, shall be rejected unless the offer has been delivered to the designated purchasing office or the District’s mail room which services the purchasing office prior to the bid opening DRUG FREE WORKPLACE CERTIFICATION (JAN 2004): By submitting an Offer, Contractor certifies that, if awarded a contract, Contractor will comply with all applicable provisions of The Drug-free Workplace Act, Title 44, Chapter 107 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended.

DUTY TO INQUIRE (MODIFIED – FEB 2015): Offeror, by submitting an Offer, represents that it has read and understands the Solicitation and that its Offer is made in compliance with the Solicitation. Offerors are expected to examine the Solicitation thoroughly and should request an explanation of any ambiguities, discrepancies, errors, omissions, or conflicting statements in the Solicitation. Failure to do so will be at the Offeror's risk. All ambiguities, discrepancies, errors, omissions, or conflicting statements in the solicitation shall be interpreted to require the better quality or greater quantity of work and/or materials, unless otherwise directed by amendment. Offeror assumes responsibility for any patent ambiguity in the Solicitation that Offeror does not bring to the District's attention. See clause entitled “Questions from Offerors.”

DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OR UNFAIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (FEB 2015)

You warrant and represent that your offer identifies and explains any unfair competitive advantage you may have in competing for the proposed contract and any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise from your participation in this competition or your receipt of an award. The two underlying principles are (a) preventing the existence of conflicting roles that might bias a contractor’s judgment, and (b) preventing an unfair competitive advantage. If you have an unfair competitive advantage or a conflict of interest, the state may withhold award. Before withholding award on these grounds, an offeror will be notified of the concerns and provided a reasonable opportunity to respond. Efforts to avoid or mitigate such concerns, including restrictions on future activities, may be considered. Without limiting the foregoing, you represent that your offer identifies any services that relate to either this solicitation or the work and that has already been performed by you, a proposed subcontractor, or an affiliated business of either.

ETHICS CERTIFICATE (MAY 2008): By submitting an Offer, the offeror certifies that the offeror has and will comply with, and has not, and will not, induce a person to violate Title 8, Chapter 13 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, as amended (ethics act). The following statute requires special attention: Section 8-13-700, regarding use of official position for financial gain; Section 8-13-705, regarding gifts to influence action of public officials; Section 8-13-720, regarding offering money for advice or assistance of public official; Sections 8-13-755 and 8-13-760, regarding restrictions on employment by former public official; Section 8-13-755, prohibiting public official with economic interest from acting on contracts; Section 8-13-790, regarding recovery of kickbacks; Section 8-13-1150, regarding statements to be filed by consultants; and Section 8-13-1342, regarding restrictions on contributions by contractor to candidate who participated in awarding of contract. The District may rescind any contract and recover all amounts expended as a result of any action taken in violation of this provision. If contractor participates, directly or indirectly, in the evaluation or award of public contracts, including without limitation, change orders or task orders regarding a public contract, contractor shall, if required by law to file such a statement, provide the statement required by Section 8-13-1150 to the procurement officer at the same time the law requires the statement to be filed.

OMIT TAXES FROM PRICE (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): Do not include any sales or use taxes in your price that the District may be required to pay.

OPEN TRADE REPRESENTATION (JUN 2015): By submitting an Offer, Offeror represents that Offeror is not currently engaged in the boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with whom South Carolina can enjoy open trade, as defined in SC Code Section 11-35-5300.

PROTESTS (MAY 2019): If you are aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of the contract, you may be entitled to protest, but only as provided in Section 11-35-4210. To protest a solicitation, you must submit a protest within fifteen days of the date the applicable solicitation document is issued. To protest an award, you must (i) submit notice of your intent to protest within seven business days of the date the award notice is posted, and (ii) submit your actual protest within fifteen days of the date the award notice is posted. Days are calculated as provided in Section 11-35-310(13). Both protests and notices of intent to protest must be in writing and must be received by the appropriate Chief Procurement Officer within the time provided. See clause entitled "Protest- CPO". The grounds of the protest and the relief requested must be set forth with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided.

PROTEST – ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT ADDRESS (MODIFIED - JUN 2006): Any protest must be addressed to the Associate Superintendent, Fort Mill School District, and submitted in writing

(a) by email to lordol@fortmillschools.org ,

(b) by post or delivery to Leanne Lordo, Associate Superintendent, 2233 Deerfield Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29715.

PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS AND DONATIONS (MODIFIED - FEB 2015): Violation of these restrictions may result in disqualification of your offer, suspension or debarment, and may constitute a violation of law.

(a) During the period between publication of the solicitation and final award, you must not communicate, directly or indirectly, with the District or its employees, agents or officials regarding any aspect of this procurement activity, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Procurement Specialist. All communications must be solely with the Procurement Specialist. [R. 19-445.2010]

(b) You are advised to familiarize yourself with Regulation 19-445.2165, which restricts donations to a governmental entity with whom you have or seek to have a contract. You represent that your offer discloses any gifts made, directly or through an intermediary, by you or your named subcontractors to or for the benefit of the District during the period beginning eighteen months prior to the Opening Date.

PUBLIC OPENING (JAN 2004): Offers will be publicly opened at the date/time and at the location identified on the Cover Page, or last Amendment, whichever is applicable.

QUESTIONS FROM OFFERORS (MODIFIED – FEB 2015): (a) Any prospective offeror desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, drawings, specifications, etc., must request it in writing. Questions regarding the original solicitation or any amendment must be received by the Procurement Specialist no later than five (5) days prior to opening unless an earlier date is stated on the Cover Page. Label any communication regarding your questions with the name of the Procurement Specialist, and the solicitation's title and number. Oral explanations or instructions will not be binding. Any information given a prospective offeror concerning a solicitation will be furnished promptly to all other prospective offerors as an Amendment to the solicitation, if that information is necessary for submitting offers or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to other prospective offerors. See clause entitled “Duty to Inquire.” We will not identify you in our answer to your question. (b) The District seeks to permit maximum practicable competition. Offerors are urged to advise the Procurement Specialist -- as soon as possible -- regarding any aspect of this procurement, including any aspect of the Solicitation that unnecessarily or inappropriately limits full and open competition.

All questions shall be in writing and submitted to Laurie Martinez via Email. Please send questions to:

Kelly Keniston kenistonk@fortmillschools.org REJECTION/CANCELLATION (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): The District may cancel this solicitation in whole or in part. The District may reject any or all proposals in whole or in part. (Article 5-1710 of Fort Mill School District Procurement Code) RESPONSIVENESS/IMPROPER OFFERS (MODIFIED – JUN 2015): (a) Bid as Specified. Offers for supplies or services other than those specified will not be considered unless authorized by the Solicitation.

(b) Multiple Offers. Offerors may submit more than one Offer, provided that each Offer has significant differences other than price. Each separate Offer must satisfy all Solicitation requirements. If this solicitation is an Invitation for Bids, each separate offer must be submitted as a separate document. If this solicitation is a Request for Proposals, multiple offers may be submitted as one document, provided that you clearly differentiate between each offer and you submit a separate cost proposal for each offer, if applicable.

(c) Responsiveness. Any Offer which fails to conform to the material requirements of the Solicitation may be rejected as nonresponsive. Offers which impose conditions that modify material requirements of the Solicitation may be rejected. If a fixed price is required, an Offer will be rejected if the total possible cost to the District cannot be determined. Offerors will not be given an opportunity to correct any material nonconformity. Any deficiency resulting from a minor informality may be cured or waived at the sole discretion of the Procurement Specialist.

(d) Price Reasonableness: Any offer may be rejected if the Procurement Specialist determines in writing that it is unreasonable as to price.

(e) Unbalanced Bidding. The District may reject an Offer as nonresponsive if the prices bid are materially unbalanced between line items or subline items. A bid is materially unbalanced when it is based on prices significantly less than cost for some work and prices which are significantly overstated in relation to cost for other work, and if there is a reasonable doubt that the bid will result in the lowest overall cost to the District even though it may be the low evaluated bid, or if it is so unbalanced as to be tantamount to allowing an advance payment.

(f) Do not submit bid samples or descriptive literature unless expressly requested. Unsolicited bid samples or descriptive literature will not be examined or tested, will not be used to determine responsiveness, and will not be deemed to vary any of the provisions of the solicitation. S.C. Code Ann. Reg. 19-445.2077(D). [02-2A105-2]

SIGNING YOUR OFFER (JAN 2004): Every Offer must be signed by an individual with actual authority to bind the Offeror. (a) If the Offeror is an individual, the Offer must be signed by that individual. If the Offeror is an individual doing business as a firm, the Offer must be submitted in the firm name, signed by the individual, and state that the individual is doing business as a firm. (b) If the Offeror is a partnership, the Offer must be submitted in the partnership name, followed by the words by its Partner, and signed by a general partner. (c) If the Offeror is a corporation, the Offer must be submitted in the corporate name, followed by the signature and title of the person authorized to sign. (d) An Offer may be submitted by a joint venturer involving any combination of individuals, partnerships, or corporations. If the Offeror is a joint venture, the Offer must be submitted in the name of the Joint Venture and signed by every participant in the joint venture in the manner prescribed in paragraphs (a) through (c) above for each type of participant. (e) If an Offer is signed by an agent, other than as stated in subparagraphs (a) through (d) above, the Offer must state that is has been signed by an Agent. Upon request, Offeror must provide proof of the agent's authorization to bind the principal.

DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSINGS (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal District processes so that offers cannot be received at the District office designated for receipt of bids by the exact time specified in the solicitation, the time specified for receipt of offers will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal District processes resume. In lieu of an automatic extension, an Amendment may be issued to reschedule bid opening. If District offices are closed at the time a pre-bid or pre-proposal conference is scheduled, an Amendment will be issued to reschedule the conference.

DISCLOSURE OF YOUR BID / PROPOSAL & SUBMITTING CONFIDENTIAL DATA (FEB 2021):

(a) According to Section 11-35-410, any person submitting a document in response or with regard to any solicitation or other request must "comply with instructions provided in the solicitation for marking information exempt from public disclosure. Information not marked as required by the applicable instructions may be disclosed to the public." IF YOU IDENTIFY YOUR ENTIRE RESPONSE AS EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, OR IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT A REDACTED COPY AS REQUIRED, THE STATE MAY, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, DETERMINE YOUR BID OR PROPOSAL NONRESPONSIVE AND INELIGIBLE FOR AWARD.

(b) By submitting a response to this solicitation or request, Offeror agrees to the public disclosure of every page, or portion thereof, of every document regarding this solicitation or request that was submitted at any time prior to entering into a contract (including, but not limited to, documents contained in a response, documents submitted to clarify a response, and documents submitted during negotiations), unless the page, or portion thereof, was redacted and conspicuously marked "Trade Secret" or "Confidential" or "Protected", (2) agrees that any information not redacted and marked, as required by these bidding instructions, as a "Trade Secret" is not a trade secret as defined by the Trade Secrets Act, and (3) agrees that, notwithstanding any claims or markings otherwise, any prices, commissions, discounts, or other financial figures used to determine the award, as well as the final contract amount, are subject to public disclosure.

(c) If your offer includes any information that you claim is exempt from public disclosure, you must submit one complete copy of your offer from which you have removed or concealed such information (the redacted copy). Except for the information removed or concealed, the redacted copy must be identical to your original offer.

(d) Do not mark your entire response (bid, proposal, quote, etc.) as confidential, trade secret, or protected. If only portions of a page are subject to some protection, do not redact the entire page. The redacted copy must reflect the same pagination as the original and show the empty space from which information was redacted. The Procurement Officer must be able to view, search, copy and print the redacted copy without a password. If your response, or any part thereof, is improperly marked as confidential or trade secret or protected, the State may, in its sole discretion, determine it nonresponsive.

(e) On the redacted copy, you must identify the basis of your claim by marking each redaction as follows: You must separately mark with the word "CONFIDENTIAL" every page, or portion thereof, that you redacted and claim as exempt from public disclosure because it is either (1) a trade secret as defined in Section 30-4-40(a)(1) of the Freedom of Information Act, or (2) privileged and confidential, as that phrase is used in Section 11-35-410. You must separately mark with the words "TRADE SECRET" every page, or portion thereof, that you redacted and claim as exempt from public disclosure as a trade secret pursuant to Section 39-8-20 of the Trade Secrets Act. You must separately mark with the word "PROTECTED" every page, or portion thereof, that you redacted and claim as exempt from public disclosure pursuant to Section 11-35- 1810. All markings must be conspicuous; use color, bold, underlining, or some other method in order to conspicuously distinguish the mark from the other text.

(f) In determining whether to release documents, the State will detrimentally rely on your redaction and marking of documents, as required by these bidding instructions, as being either "Confidential" or "Trade Secret" or "Protected". By submitting a response, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the State of South Carolina, its agencies, officers and employees, from every claim, demand, loss, expense, cost, damage or injury, including attorney's fees, arising out of or resulting from withholding information by the State of South Carolina or any of its agencies, that you have redacted or marked as "Confidential" or "Trade Secret" or "Protected". (All references to S.C. Code of Laws.)

SUBMITTING A PAPER OFFER OR MODIFICATION (MAR 2015): Unless specifically instructed otherwise in the solicitation, you should submit your offer or modification in accordance with the clause titled “ON-LINE BIDDING INSTRUCTIONS.” Paper offers are discouraged. If you must submit a paper offer or modification the following instructions apply. (a) All prices and notations should be printed in ink or typewritten. Errors should be crossed out, corrections entered and initialed by the person signing the bid. Do not modify the solicitation document itself (including bid schedule). (b) (1) All copies of the offer or modification, and any other documents required to be submitted with the offer shall be enclosed in a sealed, opaque envelope or package. (2) Submit your offer or modification to the address on the Cover Page. (3) The envelope or package must show the time and date specified for opening, the solicitation number, and the name and address of the bidder. If the offer or modification is sent by mail or special delivery service (UPS, Federal Express, etc.), the outermost envelope or wrapper must be labeled “OFFER ENCLOSED” on the face thereof. (c) If you are responding to more than one solicitation, submit each offer in a separate envelope or package. (d) Submit the number of copies indicated on the Cover Page. (e) Facsimile or e-mail offers, modifications, or withdrawals, will not be considered unless authorized by the Solicitation.

TAX CREDIT FOR SUBCONTRACTING WITH DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESSES (JAN 2008): Pursuant to Section 12-6-3350, a taxpayer having a contract with this State who subcontracts with a socially and economically disadvantaged small business is eligible for an income tax credit equal to four percent of the payments to that sub-Contractor for work pursuant to the contract. The sub-Contractor must be certified as a socially and economically disadvantaged small business as defined in Section 11-35-5010 and regulations pursuant to it. The credit is limited to a maximum of fifty thousand dollars annually. A taxpayer is eligible to claim the credit for ten consecutive taxable years beginning with the taxable year in which the first payment is made to the sub-Contractor that qualifies for the credit. After the above ten consecutive taxable years, the taxpayer is no longer eligible for the credit. A taxpayer claiming the credit shall maintain evidence of work performed for the contract by the sub-Contractor. The credit may be claimed on Form TC-2, "Minority Business Credit." A copy of the sub-Contractor's certificate from the Governor's Office of Small and Minority Business (OSMBA) is to be attached to the Contractor's income tax return. Questions regarding the tax credit and how to file are to be referred to: SC Department of Revenue, Research and Review, Phone: (803) 898-5786, Fax: (803) 898-5888. Questions regarding sub-Contractor certification are to be referred to: Governor's Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance, Phone: (803) 734-0657, Fax: (803) 734-2498.

VENDOR REGISTRATION (MODIFIED – JAN 2006): We encourage you to register with Fort Mill School District when you retrieve our Bid Documents. Our registration system is powered by BidNet Direct. To register, visit our website at http://www.fortmillschools.org/ , select “Departments,” select “Procurement,” and select “Vendor Registration.” There is no cost for you to register with Fort Mill Schools. Please note that if you would like to receive notifications of solicitations, awards, or amendments for our solicitations, you will need to register your business with BidNet Direct. If you do not register, it will be your responsibility to check our website for updates, amendments, and awards of our solicitations.

WITHDRAWAL OR CORRECTION OF OFFER (MODIFIED – JAN 2004): Offers may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time before the exact time set for opening. If the Solicitation authorizes facsimile offers, offers may be withdrawn via facsimile received at any time before the exact time set for opening. A bid may be withdrawn in person by a bidder or its authorized representative if, before the exact time set for opening, the identity of the person requesting withdrawal is established and the person signs a receipt for the bid. The withdrawal and correction of Offers is governed by Article 5-1520 of Fort Mill School District Procurement Code.

II. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS -- B. Special Instructions CLARIFICATION (MODIFIED – NOV 2007): Pursuant to Article 5-1520.8, the Procurement Specialist may elect to communicate with you after opening for the purpose of clarifying either your offer or the requirements of the solicitation. Such communications may be conducted only with offerors who have submitted an offer which obviously conforms in all material aspects to the solicitation. Clarification of an offer must be documented in writing and included with the offer. Clarifications may not be used to revise an offer or the solicitation.

DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE – LABELLING (JAN 2006): Include offeror’s name on the cover of any specifications or descriptive literature submitted with your offer.

DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE – REQUIRED (JAN 2006): Your offer must include manufacturer’s latest literature showing complete product specifications.

OPENING PROPOSALS -- INFORMATION NOT DIVULGED (FEB 2015)

In competitive sealed proposals, neither the number or identity of offerors nor prices will be divulged at opening.

III. SCOPE OF WORK / SPECIFICATIONS

MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

1. Bidder must have a South Carolina Pesticides Applicator License which must remain current throughout the contract term. You must also have the ability to obtain a South Carolina Business License, if awarded a contract.

2. Equipment, practices and materials must comply with OSHA safety standards. All chemicals must comply with DHEC and EPA guidelines for herbicide application. Copies of chemical and material safety data sheets to be provided to the District and kept in company vehicles on-site.

3. Bidder must have been in the Athletic Field Turf Management Business for a minimum of (10) years.

4. Bidder must have its home / main office within 1 hour driving distance from Fort Mill. Please include map of your location.

5. Bidder must include a minimum of ten (10) references for like services in the past five (5) years and five (5) references must be from school districts of with similar scope. The District has the option to visit these sites to determine the condition of the fields.

6. Bidder must have a response time of 48 hours or less for all service requests and work orders.

7. Bidder must be able to demonstrate to the District’s satisfaction that you have the ability to provide all equipment, staff and trained key personnel to fulfill your obligations to the District. The District may visit bidder’s facility to verify proper equipment prior to award.

8. Bidder must price all alternate services and products outlined on the Bid Schedule in order to be eligible for award.

9. Awarded bidder must schedule treatments with the Director of Maintenance, or designee and will not perform any work on fields where students are present.

10. The awarded bidder must have the equipment, labor and knowledge to perform the following work: Aeration, aerification, verticutting, sweeping, heavy top dressing and laser leveling field, slit drainage installing Turface Soil Conditioner, sprigging, site and soil preparation for renovation and field establishment, sod installation, and disease & insect pest controls and overseeding. As mentioned, all equipment may be reviewed prior to award.

11. Any added fields during the term of the contract will be added to this contract at current pricing.

12. There is access to water for all applications at each facility.

13. Bidder must provide a list of company-owned equipment, all equipment may be reviewed prior to award.

14. The District will NOT permit subcontracting.

Annual Turf Management Program – Baseball & Softball Fields (With Overseeding)

Winter (Complete by January 25th)

· Apply a nitrogen-based fertilizer to over-seeded fields to promote green color and overall turf health. Monitor fields and apply supplemental feedings (up to 8) as needed to achieve desired conditions.

· Edge all lips and baselines on baseball and softball fields.

Early Spring (Complete by March 15th)

· Apply a blanket pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide treatment to all turf areas to eliminate winter weeds and prevent spring weeds, including crabgrass.

· Conduct soil analysis to determine pH levels and develop an appropriate fertility program based on the results.

Late Spring (Complete by May 15th)

· Apply a second blanket pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide treatment for continued control of broadleaf weeds and crabgrass.

· Apply season-long fire ant control using Top Choice® across all turf areas.

· Perform aeration in two directions

Early Summer (Complete by June 15th)

· Aerate all turf areas and apply topdressing using USGA-spec sand in conjunction with aeration to improve soil profile, turf density, and vigor.

· Combinate (clean/define) field edges on baseball and softball fields as needed.

· Apply selective herbicide to remove ryegrass and control sedges and other weeds.

Summer (Complete by July 15th)

· Perform deep-tine aeration with core removal on baseball and softball fields to improve soil drainage and relieve compaction.

· Edge all lips and baselines on baseball and softball fields.

· Spot-treat weeds as needed.

· Assess and add Clay top dressing.

Late Summer (Complete by September 1st)

· Apply a second season-long fire ant control treatment using Top Choice®.

· Apply post-emergent herbicide for control of late-season weeds.

Early Fall (Complete by Early October)

· Overseed all fields using premium perennial ryegrass, applied in two directions for optimal coverage. Overseeding should be completed prior to the second week of October.

· Verti-cut fields and sweep clean. Apply a light topdressing of sand (USGA Grade) prior to overseeding.

· Apply seed using a First Products Seeder (Seed-a-Vator) or an approved equivalent for maximum seed-to-soil contact and optimal germination.

· Assess and add Clay top dressing.

NOTE: Liquidated Damages will be charged at $100 per day per item for any deadline missed, continuing until completion.

Specification for Preparation of Baseball and Softball Infield Skin Areas shall be as follows:

Each infield will have this full skin program completed every other year.

Full Program:

1. Contractor shall make ground preparation of the infield skin area by reverse tilling to a depth of 3" and adding 25 tons of screened sand/clay mix along with two (2) tons of calcined clay soil conditioner and incorporate the two together. Some fields may require more or less of screened sand/clay mix and calcined clay soil conditioner. Contractor shall meet with the District Representative on a per field basis to determine exact amounts when required. The sand/clay mixture shall consist of a 60/40 mixture of screened sand/clay. Contractor must provide the District with information on where they will bring the 60/40 mixture of screened sand/clay. Bullpen areas to be prepared for season using necessary materials during process.

2. Sand must meet USGA specifications.

3. Where skin and grass areas meet, the contractor shall properly edge these areas and uniformly shape them. Areas that have lips, bumps, or humps shall be removed.

4. Contractor shall check all bases for proper location and distance and shall make alignments according to the South Carolina High School League requirements. Contractor shall also check the height of the pitcher's mound. The pitcher's mound and home plate area will be included in the preparation work with Professional Mound Repair Clay installed. The mound height shall meet the proper High School Regulation.

5. In the event a field requires more material to prepare properly as determined by District Representative and Contractor, alternate costs per ton of material will be used to determine mutually agreed upon additional cost.

Alternate Program:

Each infield will have this alternate program done in the off year of the full skin program.

Skin areas will be prepared for play by edging, blending conditioner into existing soil, and properly preparing bullpens, pitching mounds, and home plate areas. No infield sand/clay mix will be added. Infield skin areas will be fine graded.

IV. INFORMATION FOR OFFERORS TO SUBMIT

INFORMATION FOR OFFERORS TO SUBMIT - EVALUATION

In addition to information requested elsewhere in this solicitation, Offerors should submit the following information, in the following sequence, for purposes of evaluation:

Proposal Format and Content: The offeror shall prepare a response to all of the following requests for information. Each section should begin on a separate sheet.

Tab 1: Signatory/Information Sheets: Page 1 (Cover Page) of this solicitation shall begin the proposal. Cover Page and Page Two should be returned with Offeror’s response.

Tab 2: Understanding & Ability to Meet all Service Requirements The degree to which the offeror has responded to the purpose and scope of work. The products or services to be provided, flexibility of offeror to meet district needs and timeline and conformance in all material respects to this RFP. Please acknowledge receipt of any/all amendments on page 2.

a. Must submit cover letter and introduction of the company.

b. Statement of contractor’s acceptance of requirements and policies stated within this RFP.

c. Statement of any exceptions proposed to the requirements of the RFP. If no exceptions taken to RFP, provide a statement certifying “No Exceptions Taken”.

d. Whether the company is an individual, partnership, corporation, or joint venture.

e. How long in business (Submit date organized).

f. Number of employees currently on payroll.

g. Must submit a summary of understanding of the requirements, management practices, and capabilities of training contractor’s employees.

h. Include a listing of the materials and equipment you will use as well as a sample implementation…