26-41_Henry_County_Freight_Cluster_Plan_FTA.pdf

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 1 of 39

*The posting of additional addenda may be required and it is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that they review the

County’s website for any additional addenda, and that they submit acknowledgement of all applicable addenda (on the included form) with their solicitation. Proposers should not expect to be individually notified by Henry County.

Henry County

Purchasing Department 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253

Phone: 770-288-6027 Fax: 770-288-6047

Website: henrycounty-ga.com/purchasing

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Sealed Envelope shall be marked with the following information:

RFP # 26-41

Henry County Freight Cluster Plan

Due Date and Time: July 30, 2026, 3:00 PM

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR

RFP # 26-41

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference and site visit

None

Deadline for requests for clarifications and questions. Any possible exceptions to the bid specifications and/or terms and conditions should be addressed during this phase. These requests will be answered in an addendum and must be submitted through the County’s eProcurement Portal at:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga

3:00 PM

July 16, 2026

*Deadline for first addendum, if required, posted on Henry County’s eProcurement

Portal at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga

3:00 PM

July 23, 2026

Sealed proposals will be accepted until the due date and time. Any late submittals received will not be considered. Submittals may be delivered by mail, common carrier, or in person to Henry County Purchasing Department, 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. Electronic bids are to be submitted through the County’s eProcurement Portal at (https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga)

3:00 PM

July 30, 2026

THIS FORM MUST BE SIGNED AND SUBMITTED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARD

COMPANY NAME: DATE:

MAILING ADDRESS: PHONE:

CITY: FAX:

STATE: ZIP: SSN OR FEDERAL TAX ID:

EMAIL: TITLE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

PRINTED NAME: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 2 of 39

RFP # 26-41

Henry County Freight Cluster Plan

Due Date and Time: July 30, 2026, 3:00 PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

SECTION I – GENERAL OVERVIEW

A - PURPOSE 3

B - GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS 3 - 12

C - INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 13

D - PROCUREMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION PROGRAM AND CONTRACT

COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

SECTION II – SPECIFICATIONS

A - SCOPE 15-24

SECTION III – PROPOSALS FORMAT

A – TECHNICAL PROPOSALS FORMAT 25

B – COST PROPOSAL FORMAT 26

SECTION IV - EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA 25

SECTION V - FORMS

CERTIFICATION FORM 27

STANDARD CONTRACT 28

BID AUTHORIZATION AFFIDAVIT 29

NON-CONFLICT OF INTEREST 30

REFERENCES 31

GA SECURITY & IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE AFFIDAVIT 32

SUPPLIER INCLUSION PROGRAM 33

LIST OF SUBCONTRACTORS 34

COVENANT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION FORM 35

COST PROPOSAL 36

PROJECT SCHEDULE 37

CHECKLIST FOR RFP DOCUMENTS 38

SECTION VI – REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LABEL 39

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 3 of 39

SECTION I - GENERAL OVERVIEW

A. BACKGROUND

Henry County is seeking qualified consulting firms to develop a Freight Cluster Plan that will evaluate existing and future freight transportation needs within the study area. The Freight Cluster Plan Program provides local governments and Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) funds for local planning with a focus on freight movement. The purpose of freight cluster plans is to address transportation planning, traffic operations, and related planning needs, and to identify recommended projects and policy changes to address those needs. Recommended projects should aim to be competitive for local, state, and federal funding with adequate information and cost estimates to complete potential grant applications and be prepared for advancement to Scoping and/or PE phases. These plans, while focused on local issues and needs, also serve as the groundwork for regional planning efforts led by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, and services required to fulfill the terms and conditions of this RFP. Contractors must currently be registered and active with SAM.gov.

B. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

1. Proposals Submission

a. These instructions will bind proposers to terms and conditions herein set forth, except as specifically stated otherwise in special contract terms with any individual proposals. These instructions are to be considered an integral part of the proposals.

b. Proposals may be submitted by mail, common carrier or delivered in person. Fax proposals are not acceptable. It shall be the duty of each proposer to ensure that their proposals is delivered within the time and at the place prescribed in this document. Proposals received prior to the time fixed in this proposal document will be securely kept unopened. A date/time stamp will be affixed to the envelope/package immediately upon its arrival to the Purchasing Department. Any proposals received at the office designated in this document after the exact time and date specified, will not be considered. If a late submittals is received via carrier, it will be marked “late proposal” and will not be opened. If a late submittal is hand delivered, it will be returned unopened to the presenter.

c. At the date and time specified for the opening of the proposals, the proposals shall be publicly opened and read aloud for the information of proposers and others present.

d. The proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope/parcel on or before the date and time stated in this document and is to be mailed or delivered to:

Henry County Purchasing Department

140 Henry Parkway

McDonough, Georgia 30253

RFP # 26-41

Freight Cluster Plan

e. The Submittal Checklist must be reviewed and the Proposer is to comply with the order of the submittal of documents. This document along with the cover page (page 1) is to be included with the proposal.

f. The following items are to be included if proposals are submitted by mail, common carrier or delivered in person:

• One (1) unbound clearly marked “Original,” of the proposal documents

• Six (6) bound complete copies (not to exceed a 1/2” capacity ring binder) identical to the original proposal documents, and

• One (1) digital copy in PDF format on a USB flash drive identical to the original proposal documents. The USB flash drive should be labeled with the RFP number and proposer’s name.

• If required – One (1) original “Cost Proposal.” The Cost Proposal is to be submitted in a separate sealed envelope and marked “Cost Proposal.”

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 4 of 39

g. All proposals must be manually signed and filled out legibly (typewritten or printed in ink) with all changes or corrections initialed by the person signing the qualification.

h. If descriptive literature is attached to the proposals, your firm’s name must be on all sheets submitted.

i. All proposals submitted shall be deemed to have been made with full knowledge of all terms, conditions, and requirements contained in this request. The failure or omission of any firm to examine any form, instrument or document shall in no way relieve any firm from obligations in respect to the submittal or the compliance of the terms, conditions and requirements of the submittals.

j. Individual consultants shall provide their Social Security number and proprietorships, partnerships and corporations shall provide their Federal Employer Identification number on page one of this document and a completed W9 form is to be submitted with the qualification documents.

k. The authorized representative whose signature will appear on the documents submitted certifies that the firm has carefully examined the instructions of this request for proposals and the terms and specifications applicable to and made a part of this submittal.

l. Any documentation submitted with or in support of a firm’s proposals shall become subject to public inspection under the Georgia Open Records Act. Labeling such information “Confidential”, “Proprietary”, or in any other manner shall not protect this material from public inspection upon request. All records become subject to public inspection only after award of the contract or purchase order.

2. Preparation of Proposals

a. Negligence on the part of the proposer in preparing the proposal confers no right for withdrawal or modification in any way after the deadline for the proposal opening.

b. Unit price must be shown on the Proposal Cost Submittal Form in this document. All proposals should be tabulated, totaled and checked for accuracy. The unit price will prevail in case of errors.

c. All product, equipment, article or material must be new and unused or current production. No reconditioned or used item(s) will be accepted except as specifically requested herein. Units that are classified as prototype or discontinued models are not acceptable.

d. Samples of items, when required, must be submitted within the time specified and unless otherwise specified by the County, at no expense to the County. Unless otherwise specified, samples will be returned at the proposer’s request and expense if items are not destroyed by testing.

e. Full identification of each item proposal upon, including brand name, model, catalog number, etc., must be furnished to identify exactly what the proposer is offering. Whenever an article or material is defined by describing a proprietary product or by using the name of a manufacturer, the term

“or equal” if not inserted shall be implied. The specified article or material shall be understood as indicating the type, function, minimum standard of design, efficiency and quality desired and shall not be construed as to exclude other manufactured products of comparable quality, design and efficiency. In the event that any equivalent version is proposed, prospective proposers are herewith advised that precise, adequate, and documented evidence of equivalency in performance, stability, and operational efficiency should be submitted with the proposal for further consideration. Final determination of equivalency will be determined by Henry County.

3. Clarification and Communication to County Concerning Proposal

a. From time to time, the Purchasing Department may have to release written changes to a solicitation. These formal written changes are called addendum or if multiple, Addenda. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that they have all applicable addenda prior to the proposal submission. Therefore, we encourage all Bidders to frequently review the

County’s eProcurement portal at (https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga).

All addenda forms must be signed and submitted with the proposal. Failure to respond and acknowledge any addenda, even after the proposal opening, shall result in a non-responsive proposal.

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 5 of 39

b. The successful firm’s proposal and all addenda will become a part of the agreement resulting from this document.

c. Proposers seeking an award of a Henry County contract shall not initiate or continue any verbal or written communication regarding a solicitation with any County officer, elected official, employee or other County representative without permission of the Purchasing Department between the date of the issuance of the solicitation and the date of the final contract award by the

Board of Commissioners. Violations will be reviewed by the Purchasing Director. If determined that such communication has compromised the competitive process, the offer submitted by the individual, firm or business shall be disqualified from consideration for award. EXCEPTION to the above would be emailing request for clarification and/or questions to the County’s eProcurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga. (These requests will be answered in an addendum. Please see schedule of events.)

4. Pre-Proposal Conference The Pre-Proposal Conference or any other information session (if indicated in the schedule of events) will be held at the offices referred to in the “Schedule of Events” of this RFP. Unless indicated otherwise, attendance is not mandatory; although suppliers are strongly encouraged to attend. However, in the event the conference has been identified as mandatory, then a representative of the supplier must attend the conference in its entirety to be considered eligible for contract award.

5. Rejection and Withdrawal of Proposals

a. Withdrawal of Proposal due to errors, the supplier has up to forty-eight (48) hours to notify the

Purchasing Department of an obvious clerical error made in calculation of proposal in order to withdraw a proposal after proposal opening. Withdrawal of proposal for this reason must be done in writing within the forty-eight hour period.

b. The County will make a recommendation of the proposal to the Board of Commissioners within

60 days from the date of the opening, unless the successful Bidder agrees in writing to a longer period for the award.

c. The County may reject all or part of the proposal within 60 days of proposal opening.

6. Proposal and Contract Documents

a. A proposal executed by an attorney or agent on behalf of the proposer shall be accompanied by an authenticated copy of the Power of Attorney or other evidence of authority to act on behalf of the proposer.

Corporation: If the Proposer is a corporation, the proposal must be submitted in the name of the

Corporation, not simply the corporation’s trade name. In addition, the proposal must be signed by an officer of the corporation.

Partnership: If the Proposer is a partnership, all partners must sign the proposal. If all the partners do not sign the proposal, then the names of all those except limited partners must be furnished on the proposal and evidence of the authority of the signer(s) to execute the proposal on behalf of the partnership.

Limited Liability Company (LLC): If the Proposer is a limited liability company, the authorized agent having authority to bind the limited liability company must sign the bid documents.

Sole Proprietorship or Individual: If the Proposer is a sole proprietor or individual, a signature is required on all bid documents by that individual.

b. The contract documents consist of this Agreement, Specifications and Addenda issued prior to execution of this Agreement, other documents listed in this Agreement and Modifications issued after execution of this Agreement. These form the Contract and are as fully a part of the Contract as if attached to this Agreement or repeated herein. The Contract represents the entire and integrated Agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes prior negotiations, representation or agreements, either written or oral.

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 6 of 39

c. Contract Term – The time period of the agreement, if any is formed from this RFP, will be determined after the review and evaluation of the Time Line Schedules submitted by the successful Consultant.

7. Exceptions and Omissions Any exceptions to the specifications and/or terms and conditions must be addressed during the question/clarification and addendum phases.

8. Alterations of Solicitation and Associated Documents Alterations of County documents are strictly prohibited and will result in automatic disqualification of the proposer’s solicitation response.

9. Cost Incurred by Vendors All expenses involved with the preparation and submission of the RFP to the Henry County Board of

Commissioners, or any work performed in connection therewith is the responsibility of the vendor(s).

10. Codes, Permits, Fees, Licenses and Law

a. All permits, fees, arrangements for inspections, licenses, and costs incurred for the same shall be the sole responsibility of the successful Proposer. All materials, labor and construction must comply with all applicable rules and regulations of local, state and/or national codes, laws and ordinances of all authorities having jurisdiction over the project, shall apply to the contract throughout and will be deemed to be included in the contract the same as though herein written out in full.

b. Effective July 1, 2008: All General Contractors must have a current valid license from the

State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, unless specifically exempted from holding such license pursuant to Georgia law, O.C.G.A. Section 43-41-17.

c. State Law regarding Worker Verification requires that all who enter into a contract for the physical performance of services with the County must satisfy O.C.G.A. §13-10-91 and Rule 300-10-1-.02, in all manner, and such are conditions of the contract. By submitting a proposal to the County contractor agrees that in the event the contractor employs or contracts with any subcontractor(s) in connection with the covered contract, the contractor will secure from the subcontractor(s) such subcontractor(s) indication of the employee-number category applicable to the subcontractor, as well as attestation(s) from such subcontractor(s) that they are in compliance. Such attestation(s) shall be maintained and may be inspected by the County at any time. An affidavit of such compliance included with the proposal, must be signed by the contractor, and will become part of the contract.

11. Safety All vendors and subcontractors performing services are required and shall comply with all Occupational

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), State and County Safety and Occupational Health Standards and any other applicable rules and regulations. Also, all contractors and subcontractors shall be held responsible for the safety of their employees and any unsafe acts or conditions that may cause injury or damage to any persons or property within and around the work site area under this Contract.

12. Design, Standards and Practices Design, strength, quality of materials and workmanship must conform to the industry acceptable standards of engineering practices and/or professional services.

13. Statement of Warranty A Statement of Warranty should include all applicable manufacturers’ warranty and the Contractor’s

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 7 of 39 warranty in regards to equipment, materials and workmanship. This statement shall include the terms, conditions and the period of warranty coverage. Any exclusion(s) must be clearly stated.

14. Non-collusion By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the proposer represents that in the preparation and submission of this proposal, said Proposer did not either directly or indirectly, enter into any combination or arrangement with any person, Proposer, Corporation or enter into any agreement, participate in any collusion, or otherwise take any action in the restraint of free, competitive bidding in violation of the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. Section I or Section 59.1-9.1 through 59.1-9.17 or Sections

59.1 – 68.6 through 59.68.8). Collusion and fraud in proposal preparation shall be reported to the State of Georgia Attorney General and the United States Justice Department.

15. Nondiscrimination Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during the performance of this Agreement

Contractor, for itself, its heirs, personal representatives, successors in interest and assigns, as part of the consideration of this Agreement does hereby covenant and agree, as a covenant running with the land, that:

a. No person on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex or national origin shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination;

b. In the production of the vehicle(s), and the furnishing of services therein or thereon, no person on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex or national origin shall be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, such activities, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination.

16. Drug Free Workplace Certification By signing the Supply Service Contract form, the Contractor certifies that the provisions of Code

Sections 50-24-1 through 50-24-6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the “Drug-free

Workplace Act”, have been complied with in full. The undersigned further certifies that:

a. A drug-free workplace will be provided for the Contractor’s employees during performance of the contract; and

b. Each Contractor who hires a subcontractor to work in a drug-free work place shall secure from that subcontractor the following written certification:

“As part of the subcontracting agreement with (Contractor’s name), (Subcontractor’s name) certifies to the Contractor that a drug-free workplace will be provided for the subcontractor’s employees during the performance of this Contract pursuant to Paragraph (7) of Sub-section (b) of

Code Section 50-24-3”.

c. The Contractor further certifies that he will not engage in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the Contract.

d. Contractor may be suspended, terminated, or debarred if it is determined that:

(1) The Contractor has made false certification hereinabove; or

(2) The Contractor has violated such certification by failure to carry out the requirements of the Official Code of Georgia Section 50-24-3.

17. Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act Pursuant to the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act of 2006, the successful Contractor understands and agrees that compliance with the requirements of O.C.G.A.13-10-91 and Georgia

Department of Labor Rule 300-10-02 are conditions of this proposal and contract document. The

Contractor further agrees that such compliance shall be attested by the Contractor and any of his

Subcontractors by execution of the appropriate Affidavit and Agreement which will be included and become a part of the Agreement between Henry County and the successful Contractor.

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 8 of 39

18. Delivery and F.O.B. Destination

a. All prices shall include shipping and delivery cost to our destination; F.O.B., Henry County, Georgia, unless otherwise requested. The proposer shall handle all material procurement, storage and delivery to project site. Unless otherwise specified in this specification, proposer shall supply all materials required. The County will grant no allowance for boxing, crating or delivery unless specifically provided for in this proposal. The proposer shall retain title for the risk of transportation, including the filing for loss or damages.

b. The County desires delivery of the product(s) or service(s) as specified at the earliest possible time after the date of award. Unreasonable delivery may be cause for disqualifying a proposal. Each firm shall state a definite delivery time and avoid using general terms such as "ASAP" or approximately so many days.

19. Discounts Cash discounts for early payment (i.e. 2%-10) or Net 30 terms should be shown separately, even if terms are Net.

20. County’s Tax Exemption Henry County is exempt from Federal Excise Tax or Georgia Sales Tax with regard to goods and services purchased directly by Henry County. Exemption certificates furnished upon request.

21. Award of Contract

a. Henry County desires to complete the award process in a timely manner. Henry County reserves the right to reject or accept any or all proposals, whole or any parts hereof, by item or group of items, by section or geographic area, or make multiple awards and be the final approval of proposal(s) selection which would be the most advantageous to the County with price and other factors considered. Henry County may elect to waive any technicalities. The proposal will be awarded to highest scored proposer(s), if awarded. The proposal specifications and results will be available on the County’s eProcurement Portal at:

(https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga).

b. Henry County reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by or investigation of, the proposer fails to satisfy the County that the proposer is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Contract. If the successful proposer defaults on their proposal, an award may be made to the next low responsive and responsible proposer.

Responsibility - The determination of the proposer’s responsibility will be made by the County based on whether the proposer meets the following minimum standard requirements:

• Maintains a physical location presence and permanent place of business.

• Has the appropriate and adequate technical experience required.

• Has adequate personnel and equipment to perform the work expeditiously

• Able to comply with the required or proposed delivery and installation schedule.

• Has a satisfactory record of performance.

• The ability of proposer to provide future maintenance and service for the use of the contract under consideration.

• Has adequate financial means to meet obligations incidental to the work.

• Such other factors as appear to be pertinent to either the proposal or the contract.

Responsiveness - The determination of the proposer’s responsiveness will be made by the County based on a consideration of whether the proposer has submitted complete proposal documents meeting proposal requirements without irregularities, excisions, special conditions, or alternatives proposals for any item unless specifically requested in the proposal solicitation.

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 9 of 39

c. Henry County is subject to making records available for disclosure after the Board of

Commissioners approval of the recommendation. The award shall be made by the Board of

Commissioners of Henry County unless the lowest, qualified bid is less than the Board of

Commissioners’ approval limit. No claim shall be made by the selected Consultant for loss of profit if the contract is not awarded or awarded for less work than is indicated and for less than the amount of the proposal. The total of the awarded contract shall not exceed the available funds allocated for the proposal project.

22. Concerned Funding Agencies This partially or fully federal-aid project is open to all qualified bidders without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap. Any State or local laws, regulations, or policies that would otherwise bar or restrict a qualified bidder from participating in this project are not applicable to this Federal-aid project. This project may be subject to all federal statues, regulations, state, and local, executive orders including but not limited to , Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title 49CFR 2

CFR 200 (Uniform Grant Guidance), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Build America, Buy America Act, and funding agency specific guidance. All bids submitted shall include a statement that by signing and submitting this proposal, the bidder certifies that no principal (which includes officers, directors, or executives) is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency. Contractors must currently be registered and active with SAM.gov.

23. County Direction of Project Site and Monitoring of Work

a. The Contractor may have a Project Coordinator, but the project site shall remain under the control of Henry County. The Contractor shall provide and make available an appointee to Henry County for project coordination and supervision of Proposer installation personnel. Coordination consist of meeting with the Henry County representatives to review the project; on site walk throughout of installation area(s) before the installation begins; review installation procedures; review installation progress and to handle any problems during installation until project completion.

b. The successful Proposer will promptly correct all work rejected by the County as faulty, defective, or failing to conform to the Minimum Specifications and/or to consensus standards adopted by both government and industry governing the repairs, whether observed before or after substantial completion of the work, and whether or not fabricated, installed, or completed. The successful

Proposer will bear all costs of correcting such rejected work.

c. The Contractor shall insure all trash generated by work performed shall be removed from the site and properly disposed as each work operation is completed in a given area. Additionally, the

Contractor shall ensure all disturbances to the area where the Contractor performed work are restored to the same condition prior to start of the project. If an inspection reveals that the

Contractor fails to clean up after work has been performed. The County will notify the Contractor of the discrepancy and the Contractor will have twenty-four (24) hours to make the correction.

Should the Contractor still fails to clean the area, the County reserves the right to make other arrangements to have the area cleaned and the County shall deduct the cost from the Contractor’s invoice.

d. No one except authorized employees of the Contractor is allowed on the premises of Henry County facilities. Contractor employees are not to be accompanied in their work area by acquaintances, family members, assistants, or any other person unless said person is an authorized employee of the Contractor.

e. All information disclosed by Henry County to the successful Contractor for the purpose of the work to be done or information that comes to the attention of the successful Contractor during the course of performing such work is to be kept strictly confidential.

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24. Indemnification

a. The vendor that is selected as the contractor shall, at its own expense, protect, defend (but only to the extent not prohibited by O.C.G.A. §13-8-2(c)), indemnify, save and hold harmless Henry

County and its elected and appointed officers, employees, servants and agents from all claims, damages, lawsuits, costs and expenses including, but not limited to, all costs from administrative proceedings, court costs and attorney fees that Henry County and its elected and appointed officers, employees, servants and agents may incur as a result of the negligence, recklessness, or intentionally wrongful conduct of the Contractor or other persons employed or utilized by the

Contractor in the performance of the contract.

b. The contractor’s indemnification responsibility under this section shall include the sum of damages, costs and expenses which are in excess of the sum of damages, costs and expenses which are paid out in behalf of or reimbursed to the County, its officers, employees, servants and agents by the insurance coverage obtained and/or maintained by the contractor, but only to the extent and for such claims as are permitted under O.C.G.A. §13-8-2(c).

25. Controlling Law, Venue Any dispute arising as a result of this proposal and/or an Agreement which was created from the terms, conditions and specifications of this document or their interpretation, litigation shall only be entered into and shall be performed in Henry County, Georgia. This Agreement shall be governed by the applicable laws of the County of Henry and the State of Georgia. Any dispute arising out of the agreement, this proposal solicitation, its interpretations, or its performance shall be litigated only in the County of Henry

Judicial Courts.

26. Contractor as Independent Contractor In conducting its business hereunder, Contractor acts as an independent contractor and not as an employee or agent of County. The selection, retention, assignment, direction and payment of Contractor’s employees shall be the sole responsibility of Contractor.

27. Assignment The Agreement, in whole or any part hereof, created by the award to the successful contractor shall not be sold, not be assigned or transferred by Contractor by process or operation of law or in any other manner whatsoever, including intra-corporate transfers or reorganizations between or among a subsidiary of

Contractor, or with a business entity which is merged or consolidated with Contractor or which purchases a majority or controlling interest in the ownership or assets of Contractor without the prior written consent of Henry County.

28. Owner and Ownership of Documents The Henry County Board of Commissioners, 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, Georgia 30253 is the owner of the proposed work. Reports and all relevant data such as maps, diagrams, plans, designs, electronic data, statistics, specifications, and other supporting records or drawings compiled or prepared in the course of performance of the services required by this contract shall be the absolute property of the County and shall not be used by the Contractor for purposes unrelated to this contract without the prior written approval of the County. Such original documents shall be turned over to the County upon completion of the project except that Contractor shall have the right to retain copies of the same.

29. Performance of Contract

a. Henry County reserves the right to enforce the Contractor’s performance of this Agreement in any manner prescribed by law or deemed to be in the best interest of the County in the event of breach or default or resulting contract award. It will be understood that time is of the essence in the Bidder’s performance.

b. The successful Contractor shall execute the entire work described in the Contract Documents, RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 11 of 39 except to the extent specifically indicated in the Contract documents to be the responsibility of others.

c. The Contractor accepts the relationship of trust and confidence established by the award of this bid solicitation. The Contractor covenants with the County to utilize the Contractor’s best skill, efforts and judgment in furthering the interest of the County; to furnish efficient business administration and supervision; to make best efforts to furnish at all times an adequate supply of workers and materials; and to perform the work in the best way and most expeditious and economical manner consistent with the interest of the County,

d. All purchases for goods or services are subject to the availability of funds for this particular purpose.

30. Default and Termination

a. Termination by Contractor

The agreement resulting from this bid shall be subject to termination by Contractor in the event of any one or more of the following events: The default by County in the performance of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of this Agreement, and the failure of County to remedy, or undertake to remedy such default, for a period of thirty (30) days after receipt of notice from

Contractor to remedy the same.

b. Termination by County

The agreement resulting from this bid shall be subject to termination by the County at any time in the opinion of the County; the contractor fails to carry out the contract provisions of any one or more of the following events:

(1) The default by Contractor in the performance of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of the Agreement, and the failure of Contractor to remedy, or undertake to remedy with sufficient forces and to the County’s reasonable satisfaction, the County shall provide the vendor with notice of any conditions which violate or endanger the performance of the

Agreement. If after such notice the Contractor fails to remedy such conditions within thirty

(30) days to the satisfaction of the County, the County may exercise their option in writing to terminate the Agreement without further notice to the Contractor and order the

Contractor to stop work immediately and vacate the premises, to cancel ordered products and/or services with no expense to the County.

(2) Contractor files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, including a reorganization plan, makes a general or other assignment for the benefit of creditors, is adjudicated as bankrupt or if a receiver is appointed for the benefit of creditors, is adjudicated as bankrupt or if a receiver is appointed for the property or affairs of Contractor and such receivership is not vacated within thirty (30) days after the appointment of such receiver.

(3) Contractors’ failure to conduct services according to the approved bid specifications.

(4) Contractors’ failure to keep, perform, or observe any other term or condition of this

Agreement.

(5) Contractor’s performance of the contract is unreasonably delayed.

(6) Should the successful Bidder fail to provide the commodities or services when ordered, and in accordance with the General Terms and Conditions, specifications and any other requirements contained herein are not met, the County reserves the right to purchase commodities or services covered by this contract elsewhere if available from an alternate source.

(7) The Contractor agrees by its bid submission that the County’s decision is final and valid.

c. Termination for Convenience

This Agreement may be terminated by Henry County for its own convenience by providing vendor (30) thirty days’ written notice. All fees and costs incurred by vendor up until the date of termination shall be paid to vendor.

d. Force Majeure

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 12 of 39

Neither party shall be held to be in breach of the Agreement resulting from this bid, because of any failure to perform any of its obligations hereunder if said failure is due to any act of God, fire, flood, accident, strike, riot, insurrection, war, or any other cause over which that party has no control. Such party shall give notice and full particulars of such Force Majeure in writing to the other party within a reasonable time after occurrence of the event and the obligation of the party giving such notice shall endeavor to remove or overcome such inability with all reasonable dispatch.

e. Waiver

The waiver of any breach, violation or default in or with respect to the performance or observance of the covenants and conditions contained herein shall not be taken to constitute a waiver any subsequent breach, violation or default in or with respect to the same or any other covenant or condition hereof.

31. Invoices Invoices and/or statements should not be faxed but originals must be mailed directly to:

Henry County Board of Commissioners

Finance Department

140 Henry Parkway

McDonough, GA 30253

The following information must appear on all invoices submitted:

• Name and address of successful Bidder;

• Detailed breakdown of all charges for the services or products delivered stating any applicable period of time;

• Henry County’s Purchase Order Number and Bid Package number;

• Invoices shall be based upon actual services rendered, actual work performance and/or products delivered.

32. Payment Payment shall be tendered to the successful Bidder upon acceptance and approval by the County for satisfactory compliance with the general terms, conditions and specifications of the bid; by completed services; verification of delivery of products; assurance that the product/service performs as specified and warranted; and receipt of a valid invoice.

33. Required Documents If submitting an electronic bid through the County’s eProcurement Portal at

(https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/henryga), the required documents and/or forms mentioned in this solicitation must be uploaded to our eProcurement Portal once they are executed.

C. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

General insurance requirements shall be applicable to the Contractor and any authorized subcontractor.

Insurance requirements shall be based on conditions in place as of the date of the Contract's execution.

Insurance companies must be licensed by the Georgia Department of Insurance and the Georgia Secretary of State to do business in the State of Georgia. The County reserves the right to require adjustments in the level of coverage or waive any or all requirements based on information pertinent to this Contract.

The following requirements shall also be applicable to the Contractor:

a. Evidence of insurance must be provided to the Purchasing Department, 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, Ga. 30253, within five days of execution of this contract and prior to commencing operations under this Contract;

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 13 of 39

The certificate holder is to be issued to:

Henry County Board of Commissioners

Henry County, Georgia but delivered to:

Henry County Purchasing Department

140 Henry Parkway

McDonough, Georgia 30253

The Bid Package number and project name should be referenced in the description of operations. The certificates may be faxed to the Purchasing Department at 770-288-6027.

b. The insurance policy required herein shall include a Project-specific endorsement incorporating the indemnification obligations assumed by the Contractor under the terms of this Agreement.

c. Any change in coverage or insurance carrier must be reported to the County’s Purchasing Office in writing within five business days of the change.

d. Failure of any Contractor to procure and maintain the required insurance shall not relieve the

Contractor of any liability under the Contract, nor shall these requirements be construed to conflict with the obligation of the Contractor concerning indemnification;

e. Any and all insurance required by this Contract shall be maintained during the entire term of this

Contract;

f. The County shall, without exception, be given no less than thirty (30) days notice prior to cancellation for any and all reasons other than non-payment of premium; and

g. The County shall, without exception, be given immediate notification in the event of cancellation for reasons of non-payment of premium.

h. The Contractor shall procure and maintain insurance coverage in the following particulars:

Workers Compensation Insurance

In the amounts of the statutory limits established by the General Assembly of the State of Georgia (A self-insurer must submit a certificate from the Georgia Board of Workers compensation stating that the

Contractor qualifies to pay its own workers compensation claims.) In addition, the Contractor shall require that all subcontractors occupying the premises or performing the work under the contract to obtain an insurance certificate showing proof of Worker Compensation Coverage with the following minimum coverage:

Georgia Statutory including Employers Liability

Bodily injury by Accident – each employee $100,000

Bodily injury by Disease - each Employee $100,000

Bodily injury by Disease – policy limit $500,000

Commercial General Liability

Each Occurrence Limit $1,000,000

Personal and Advertising Injury Limit $1,000,000

General Aggregate Limit $2,000,000

Products/Completed Operations Aggregate Limit $2,000,000

Automobile Liability

Combined Single Limit $1,000,000

Professional Liability Limit $1,000,000

Umbrella Liability $2,000,000

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 14 of 39

D. PROCUREMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION PROGRAM AND

CONTRACT COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Henry County has implemented a Procurement Non-discrimination benchmark to promote full and open competition in all government procurement and purchasing. Henry County has set an aspirational goal on a contract by contracts basis (subject to a contract by contract review under § Sec. 2-2-33 of the Henry

County GA Code of Ordinance).

This project has a (0) percent subcontracting benchmark, which means the Bidder must utilize, or make a good faith effort to utilize, certified M/WBE’s. The County will use the information contained on the forms to determine the responsiveness and, for recordkeeping purposes, track the utilization of M/WBE’s.

Henry County encourages firms to utilize small, minority, or woman-owned businesses whenever possible.

Sub-contractor participation is required to be submitted as part of the proposal submission by each

Bidder. Award of the contract is conditioned upon satisfaction of the M/WBE and non-discrimination requirements. If the M/WBE participation does not meet the goals, the Bidder will be required to submit evidence demonstrating that “good faith efforts” were made to meet the goal.

M/WBE’s must perform a commercially useful function, which means performance or provision of real and actual services under a contract or subcontract with Henry County. Factors such as the nature and amount of work subcontracted; whether the M/WBE’s has the skill and expertise to perform the work for which it has been certified; whether the W/WBE’s actually performs, manages or supervises the work;

and whether the W/MBE’s intends to purchase commodities and/or services from a non-W/MBE and simply resell them will be considered in determining if the W/MBE is performing a commercially useful function.

This package contains the following forms that are required to submit along with their bid: DO

NOT OMIT OR LEAVE BLANK

1. List of Sub-contractors

2. Covenant of Non-Discrimination Form

3. Good Faith Efforts - Submitted evidence demonstrating that good faith efforts were made to meet the goal.

Monthly Utilization Reports are submitted on a monthly basis after the project has begun. ALL Monthly payment reports are to be submitted via email submission at purchasing@henrycountyga.gov.

Primes are required to report payments as well as NON-ACTIVITY on a MONTHLY basis. Proof of sub payments documentation MUST also be submitted via email to Procurement Agent assigned to contract at the time of payment reports. Tracking will take place on ALL subs, not just the certified firms, Letter of intent must be provided for EACH intended subcontractor on the project regardless of certification status.

By signing the bid, the Bidder is certifying that it has complied with the requirements of this

Program.

Henry County also has a compelling interest in providing equal business opportunities for all persons wishing to do business with it. Therefore, the County will also monitor and track minority and women-owned business (M/WBE) availability and participation through Benchmarks.

mailto:purchasing@henrycountyga.gov

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SECTION II - SPECIFICATIONS

A. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING

I. General: The work to be accomplished is in support of the following Atlanta Regional Commission

(ARC) Cost Center:

606EFS- Regional Freight Planning Studies

Any contract award for this study is contingent upon ARC and Henry County receiving adequate funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

II. Area Covered: The study area is located within Henry County. The study area encompasses Central

Henry County from downtown McDonough to Locust Grove along I-75. The study area includes key freight corridors within McDonough and the county, such as State Routes 20, 81, and 155, McDonough

Parkway, and Industrial Boulevard. Coordination with all local jurisdictions within the study area and adjacent jurisdictions within an area of three to five miles outside the study area is also required to promote coordinated long-range transportation planning efforts across jurisdictional boundaries.

III. Goal: The Freight Cluster Plan Program provides local governments and Community Improvement

Districts (CIDs) funds for local planning with a focus on freight movement. The purpose of freight cluster plans is to address transportation planning, traffic operations, and related planning needs, and to identify recommended projects and policy changes to address those needs. Recommended projects should aim to be competitive for local, state, and federal funding with adequate information and cost estimates to complete potential grant applications and be prepared for advancement to Scoping and/or PE phases. These plans, while focused on local issues and needs, also serve as the groundwork for regional planning efforts led by

RFP #26-41, Henry County Freight Cluster Plan Page 16 of 39 the Atlanta Regional Commission.

IV. Background: The 2024 Atlanta Regional Freight Mobility Plan identified the need to conduct local, small area freight planning in the Atlanta Region to address transportation issues related to this key part of the region’s economy. Based on this need, ARC sought applications from project sponsors for grants to conduct these plans in 2025.

The Freight Cluster Plan Program assists project sponsors by clearly defining goals, needs, and priorities for the study area. Local transportation plans are a key mechanism in which governments define programs and projects they are prepared to support and assist with funding. It is a critical program objective that these identified priorities will form the basis for future funding requests during ARC Transportation

Improvement Program (TIP) and Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) update cycles, as well as future funding requests via GDOT, FHWA, and other sources.

Transportation plans resulting from the Freight Cluster Plan Program shall be informed by existing county and city comprehensive plans, thereby strengthening the connection between land use and transportation planning. Freight Cluster Plan recommendations will clearly reference alignment with these aforementioned efforts. Federal funding, with a minimum 20% local match, provides the resources to implement the program.

The studies will focus on facilitating efficient movement of freight, improving access to jobs, reducing traffic congestion, changes in the freight industry, and improving safety, mobility, and access for all roadway users. Further, the plan will specifically evaluate ways to improve truck circulation, enhance freight access, mitigate congestion, and preserve infrastructure while preparing for future industrial expansion both within Locust Grove and McDonough city limits and the county. The studies will help the

Subgrantee prioritize the study area’s needs and priorities, with a focus on project implementation. This program is intended to complement the CTP program, which typically does not have the budget to conduct detailed analysis of industrial areas or to develop local projects focused on the efficient movement of freight.

B. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Consultant shall submit comprehensive progress…