260106RFP_Energy_Consulting.pdf

SUBMIT TO:

All Proposals must be submitted via

VendorLink-- www.myvendorlink.com--at the specified date and time below.

It is the Vendor’s responsibility to ensure the submittal is uploaded to VendorLink according to bid specifications. We are not responsible for delivery systems.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

215 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, Florida 34205

DATE ISSUED: January 30, 2026

CONTACT PERSON: Tyler Goffi

Telephone #: 941.708.8770 ext 41158

Email address: goffit@manateeschools.net

TITLE: Energy Consulting

NUMBER:

26-0106-TG

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE:

March 25, 2026

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE : Not Applicable LOCATION: Not applicable

SUBMITTALS RECEIVED AFTER

ABOVE DATE AND TIME WILL

NOT BE ACCEPTED

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DEADLINE: February 18, 2026 This Bid Submittal and subsequent award by The School District of Manatee County shall constitute a binding and enforceable contract. All Specifications, Terms and Conditions, Addenda, and correspondence of this Contract shall be incorporated into the final award and become an integral part of the Contract. Unless otherwise stipulated in this Contract, no other contract documents shall be issued.

LEGAL NAME, (herein referred to as “Bidder”)

As described in the Section Titled “Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations Registration Requirements” within this Request for Proposal (“RFP”):

Florida Division of Corporation Document Number (www.sunbiz.org):

CONTRACTOR E-VERIFY NUMBER:

MAILING ADDRESS: I hereby certify that I have read and understand the requirements of this Solicitation and that, I, as the Bidder, will comply with all requirements of this offer and any contract(s) and/or other transactions required by this award.

Authorized Signature Typed Name Title Date Email Address

CITY – STATE – ZIP:

TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO:

FEI/EIN Number:

The School District of Manatee County http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.sunbiz.org/

Request for Proposal on Energy Consulting, SDMC No. 26-0106-TG

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST

It is the sole responsibility of each Proposer to check VendorLink up to the bid opening date and time, for all addenda issued and for any information regarding this solicitation.

The following documents must be submitted electronically:

Invitation to Proposal Form Pricing, Delivery and Warranty Submittal References No Bid Response Submittal Form OR Bidder Acknowledgement Bidder’s Experience and Qualifications Bidder’s Statement of Principal Place of Business Bidder’s Statement of Financial Qualification Drug-free Workplace Certification Debarment and Suspension Certification Scrutinized Company Certification Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment Anti-Discrimination Amendment Employment Eligibility Verification (“E-VERIFY”) Contractor Affidavit Regarding the Use of Coercion for Labor and Services Bidder’s Business Certifications

SECTION 1. SCOPE

The purpose of this solicitation is to establish a supplier to provide Energy Consulting Services for schools and departments on an as needed basis throughout the School District of Manatee County.

Specifications and the quality standards of service set forth in this bid.

Contract Value: No guarantee is given or implied as to the total dollar value of this bid.

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The District operates 61 facilities (including schools, administrative buildings, maintenance and repair shops). The District has approximately 8.5 million square feet (with 509,000 sq ft under construction or awaiting starting construction) throughout Manatee County.

SECTION 3. SPECIAL CONDITIONS

1. Term: The intent of this Contract is to establish a Contract for a period of one (1) year from the date of award, during which time the successful Bidder(s) shall guarantee fixed Pricing on items awarded, as specified in this Solicitation. Contract period commences on April 29, 2026 through April 30, 2027.

2. Contract Renewals: The School District of Manatee County reserves the right to renew any or all prices, terms, conditions, and specifications of this Contract, for up to three (3) additional one-year period(s), upon mutual agreement by both the School District of Manatee County and the Awarded Bidder. Renewals must be evidenced, in writing, with the Signature of the Awarded Bidder’s authorized representative and the School District of Manatee County.

3. Contract Extension: In addition to any renewal options contained herein, the School District of Manatee County has the right to extend the Contract for the period of time necessary for the School District of Manatee County to release, award, and implement a replacement ITB for the commodities and/or contractual services provided through this Contract. Such extension shall be based upon the same prices, terms, and conditions as the existing ITB.

4. Additional Vendors: The School District of Manatee County reserves the right to increase the pool of companies to provide the services included in the ITB, if deemed necessary by the School District of Manatee County, subject to approval, additional providers will be added to the pool of awarded companies. Regardless as to the year a company is added to the pool of awarded companies, all awards will be terminated at the end of this ITB.

5. E-Verify: The School District of Manatee County and all parties the district contracts with must provide contractors E-Verify number in accordance with Florida Statute 448.95.

6. Insurance: Indemnification shall be in accordance with section 725.06, 725.08 Florida Statute “as applicable”. The successful proposer shall furnish the School District of Manatee County with proof of:

(1) Statutory Limits of Worker’s Compensation in compliance with Chapter 440, Florida

Statute, if required.

(2) Comprehensive General Liability Insurance in an amount equal to or greater than

$1,000,000.00 per occurrence.

If policy is on a “CLAIMS MADE” basis, contractor’s insurance carrier will identify policy as such and indicate in writing the number of claims paid by this policy and reserves outstanding. Policy aggregates must equal at least two (2) times the occurrence limit.

(3) a. Automobile Liability Insurance in an amount equal to or greater than $1,000,000.00 per person.

b. Automobile Liability Insurance equal to or greater than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence for property damage or $1,000,000.00 combined single limit.

(4) Contractual Liability Insurance in an amount equal to or greater than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. Policy must include endorsement for indemnification in the event third party damages are sought against the School District.

(5) Completed Operations Endorsement equal to or greater than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence.

(6) Independent Contractors Endorsement in an amount equal to or greater than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence.

(7) Additional Insured Endorsement: The School District of Manatee County shall be named as an additional insured on all policies that are required by these specifications.

(8) Cancellation Notice: All policies in effect shall contain cancellation endorsements providing thirty (30) days written notice of such cancellation, non-renewal and/or reduction in coverage limits prior to the effective date of such cancellation, non-renewal and/or reduction.

SECTION 4. SPECIFICATIONS

The District operates 61 facilities (including schools, administrative buildings, maintenance and repair shops). The District has approximately 8.5 million square feet (with 509,000 sq ft under construction or awaiting starting construction) throughout Manatee County. We are committed to sustainability and are looking to partner with an experienced Energy Savings Consultant to analyze our energy usage, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a strategic plan for achieving energy efficiency goals.

The selected Energy Savings Consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:

• Conduct an in-depth energy audit of our facilities to assess current energy consumption patterns, identify inefficiencies and quantify potential energy-saving opportunities.

• Analyze historical energy data and utility bills to establish baseline energy usage and cost benchmarks.

• Propose a range of energy-saving measures, technologies, and best practices tailored to our organization's specific needs and goals.

• Estimate the potential energy and cost savings associated with each recommended measure, considering upfront investment and payback periods.

• Prioritize energy-saving opportunities based on factors such as financial viability, environmental impact, and ease of implementation.

• Develop a comprehensive energy efficiency plan outlining the recommended measures, implementation timelines, resource requirements, and anticipated outcomes.

• Assist in the procurement process for energy-efficient equipment, technologies, and services, if necessary.

• Provide guidance and support for the implementation of energy-saving measures, including monitoring and verification of results. Deliver regular progress reports and communicate effectively with the Company’s project team.

SECTION 5. PROPOSER INSTRUCTIONS

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

In response to this Solicitation, the Respondent should submit one (1) original electronic Format on Vendorlink @ myvendorlink.com. Respondents should carefully follow the format and instructions outlined herein. All documents and information must be fully completed and signed as required.

Digital signature or a scanned copy of a wet signature is acceptable. Please do not password-protect electronic documents.

The Proposal shall be written in enough detail to permit SDMC to conduct a meaningful evaluation of the proposed services. However, overly elaborate responses are not requested or desired.

REQUIRED INFORMATION

The below sections are Mandatory. SDMC may reject as non-responsive at its sole discretion any proposal or any part thereof, which is incomplete, inadequate in its response, or departs in any substantive way from the required format. Proposal responses shall be organized in the following manner:

a. Executive Summary Present in brief, concise terms, a summary level description of the contents of the proposal and your company, its capabilities, number of years of experience. Give the names of the person(s) who will be authorized to make representations for the respondent, their title(s), address, and telephone and fax number.

b. Qualifications

Summarize the qualifications of the Proposer.

Note: Servicing of this contract shall not be sub-contracted to another firm or individual.

c. License(s) (if applicable)

Include copies of all license(s) in which the Proposer has been issued.

d. References

Include a minimum of 3 reference letters pertaining to services of this request for proposal

e. Price Proposal

f. Required Forms

• Invitation to Proposal Form

• Pricing, Delivery and Warranty Submittal

• References

• No Bid Response Submittal Form OR Bidder Acknowledgement

• Bidder’s Experience and Qualifications

• Bidder’s Statement of Principal Place of Business

• Bidder’s Statement of Financial Qualification

• Drug-free Workplace Certification

• Debarment and Suspension Certification

• Scrutinized Company Certification

• Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment

• Anti-Discrimination Amendment

• Employment Eligibility Verification (“E-VERIFY”)

• Contractor Affidavit Regarding the Use of Coercion for Labor and Services

SECTION 6. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

The evaluation shall be conducted in a multi-tiered approach.

EVALUATION STEPS

STEP 1: Responsiveness, Responsibility, Minimum Qualifications

SDMC Purchasing shall first review submittals for initial decisions on responsiveness and responsibility, then whether vendor meets minimum qualifications. Those found responsive, responsible and who meet the minimum qualifications listed shall move forward to committee Evaluation.

STEP 2: Proposal Evaluation

The Committee will evaluate proposals that successfully pass through Step 1. The committee will evaluate vendors based on the Approach/Methodology, Proposed Time, Case Studies, Timeline and Cost Structure. Proposals will be evaluated and ranked.

Scoring

ITEM EVALUATION CRITERIA

MAXIMUM

ALLOWABLE

POINTS

1. Approach/Methodology 25

2. Proposed Team 20

3. Case Studies 15

4. Timeline 15

5. Cost Structure 25

TOTAL POINTS 100

EVALUATION FACTOR 1: APPROACH/METHODOLOGY (25 points)

Describe your approach to conducting energy audits, analyzing data, and developing tailored energy-saving solutions.

EVALUATION FACTOR 2: PROPOSED TEAM (20 points)

Introduce key team members who will be involved in this project, including their qualifications and roles.

References will be evaluated under this category.

a. State whether the proposer is local, regional or national.

b. Give the location of the office from which the work is to be done.

c. Describe the range of services offered.

d. Describe the experience of the proposer for providing similar services to school districts and agencies within the State of Florida.

e References from at least three (3) other agencies, preferably school districts for which similar services are currently being performed or services which have been performed in the past three (3) years. Provide this information on Attachment C.

f. Identify the specific individuals who would serve the District on a day-to-day basis as the primary points of contact and be responsible for the service of the proposer. The individuals identified shall be available within 24 hours’ notice by telephone to accomplish the following:

1 Attend meetings.

2. Respond to telephone calls.

3. Respond to specific inquiries.

EVALUATION FACTOR 3: CASE STUDIES (15 points)

Present examples of similar projects you have undertaken, highlighting the achieved energy savings and successful outcomes.

EVALUATION FACTOR 4: TIMELINE (15 points) Provide a detailed project timeline, including key milestones and deliverables.

EVALUATION FACTOR 5: COST STRUCTURE (25 points)

Present a clear breakdown of your fees, including any associated expenses.

The failure of any firm to provide detailed information regarding proposal elements described in this RFP may result in the reduction of points in the evaluation process.

STEP 3: NEGOTIATIONS

The committee will select one and negotiate a contract using one of the methods outlined in f.s. 218.391(4), if needed.

If SDMC and the Respondent(s) cannot reach agreement on a contract, SDMC reserves the right to terminate negotiations and may begin negotiations with the next highest-ranked Respondent(s). This process may continue until a contract acceptable to SDMC has been executed. No Respondent shall have any rights against SDMC arising from such negotiations or termination thereof.

STEP 4: CONTRACT AWARD

Any contract resulting from this Solicitation will be submitted to the School Board of Manatee County for approval. The intent to award will be posted at www.myvendorlink.com. The contract award, if any, shall be made to the Respondent whose Proposal shall be deemed by the committee to be in the best interest of SDMC.

Notwithstanding the rights of protest listed herein.

http://www.myvendorlink.com./

SECTION 7: CONTRACTOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES

The Contractor shall be responsible for the protection of all buildings, structures, and utilities that are underground, above ground, or on the surface from their operations that may be hazardous and/or damaging to said facilities.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the protection of all personnel against hazards and/or injuries due to their construction operation at the work site.

Contractor shall be responsible for correction and/or replacement according to local codes and School District’s satisfaction of all water lines, sanitary lines, electrical lines, curbs, sidewalks, streets, parking lots, grassed areas, etc., broken or damaged as the result of Contractor’s operations.

Contractor shall be responsible to safeguard all of their tools, equipment, signs, barricades, etc. while operating on any School District properties. The School District of Manatee County assumes no responsibility for any act of theft or vandalism which may occur while Contractor’s equipment is located on any School District site.

Contractor shall not inhibit access to school sites during pursuit of any work specified herein.

Contractor shall leave all work sites in a neat and orderly fashion at the end of each work day.

The Contractor shall be responsible to ensure frequent pick-up of all rubbish, refuse, scrap materials, and debris as a result of their operations so that work sites present a neat and orderly appearance at all times. All rubbish, scrap, etc. shall be transported from the premises. Rubbish shall NOT be deposited as fill on the work site. At completion of work, the Contractor shall remove all work materials, tools, construction equipment, machinery and surplus materials from the work site and shall leave project in ready to use condition.

Contractor or a representative, daily while working on School Sites shall sign in at the school’s Main Office prior to commencing any work and shall sign out at the school’s Main Office prior to leaving campus unless prior written exception has been obtained.

Contractor shall remedy any and all damages to property by acts of omission, or vandalism which occur as a result of their work.

Contractor shall provide due care at all times while performing any task at any School District controlled location to cordon off, barricade, and/or post signs to maintain a safe distance to avoid creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians, property and vehicles.

The Contractor shall at all times enforce strict discipline and good order among their employees and shall not employ any unfit person or anyone not skilled in the task assigned to them.

The Contractor shall supervise and direct the work, using their best skill and attention. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for all construction means, methods, techniques, work sequences and procedures for coordinating all portions of the work under this contract.

The Contractor shall be responsible to the School District of Manatee County for the acts and omissions of their employees, subcontractors and their owners and employees and any other persons performing any of the work under a contract with the Contractor.

The Contractor shall take field measurements and verify field conditions and shall carefully compare such field measurements and conditions and any other information known to the Contractor as may be provided by the owner before commencing activities. Errors, inconsistencies or omissions discovered shall be reported to the School District Project Manager at once.

The Contractor shall not be held liable neither for delays caused by the district nor those caused by the scheduling of inspections.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the appearance of all working personnel assigned to the project at all times and their compliance with School District Policies and Rules stated in the Instructions to Bidders.

The Contractor shall be responsible for off-loading, unpacking/uncrating all materials and equipment at the job site and install railings in accordance with specifications herein and all attachments.

Contractor shall ensure all work is installed straight, level, plumb and in a workmanlike manner.

The Contractor’s invoice must be itemized indicating cost or list price and percentage mark up or discount as specified herein, labor, freight, etc. to provide a complete accounting of items purchased and services performed. Failure to do so may result in delayed payments. The invoice shall be submitted within ten (10) working days upon completion of the job.

The Contractor shall not proceed with any project until a written purchase order has been received from the School District of Manatee County.

The Contractor shall obtain prior approval on all costs before any additional work is performed beyond the scope of the original project.

The Contractor shall provide a construction work schedule and submit it to the School District Project Manager. The schedule shall include estimated commencement and completion dates as requested.

The Contractor shall provide an emergency after-hour telephone number and contact person for emergencies which occur after hours and on week-ends.

Should any employee in the performance of this contract encounter materials that they suspect are embedded with asbestos they should stop all work at the site and not disturb the area of suspicion, call their appropriate Supervisor and advise them of the discovery. The Supervisor shall contact the School District Project Manager immediately for review and analysis of the suspected materials.

The Contractor shall promptly correct all work rejected by the owner as defective or as failing to conform to the contract documents whether observed before or after substantial completion and whether or not fabricated, installed or completed. The Contractor shall bear all costs of correcting such rejected work.

LOCATION:

School addresses can be located on the district website:

https://www.manateeschools.net/page/school-directory

SECTION 8. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSER’S

1. Proposer’s Submittal Instructions: Proposer shall submit proposal Submittal in accordance with the instructions and schedule included in the solicitation containing these specifications and documents. Proposals Submittals not conforming to the instructions provided herein may be subject to disqualification at the sole option of the School District of Manatee County.

2. Proposal Requirements: The following Appendices, upon which information is required, must be completed and provided with the Bid Submittal:

i) Request for Proposal Form

ii) No Bid Response Submittal Form OR Bidder Acknowledgement

iii) Proposer’s Experience and Qualifications

iv) Proposer’s Statement of Principal Place of Business

v) Proposer’s Statement of Financial Qualification

vi) Drug-free Workplace Certification

vii) Debarment and Suspension Certification

viii) Scrutinized Company Certification

ix) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment

x) Anti-Discrimination Amendment

xi) Employment Eligibility Verification (“E-VERIFY”)

xii) Contractor Affidavit Regarding the Use of Coercion for Labor and Services

xiii) Bidder’s Business Certifications

3. “No Bid” Response Submittal Form: If Proposer is not providing a Proposal Submittal in response to this Contract, Proposer shall complete and submit the “No Bid” Response Submittal Form electronically prior to the due date established in this Contract via www.myvendorlink.com.

4. Electronic Submission: Proposer shall submit Proposal Submittal electronically through VendorLink at www.myvendorlink.com. Contact VendorLink technical support at support@evendorlink.com, if technical difficulties arise during proposal submission.

i. Upload files only in Excel (.xls or .xlsx), Adobe Portable Document (.pdf), or .ZIP file formats.

ii. Enable printing on files submitted.

iii. Clearly identify the RFP Number, Name, Submission Date, and Bidder Name on Invitation to Bid Cover Sheet.

iv. Complete the Request for Proposal Cover Sheet on Proposer’s using the following information:

a. Business Name;

b. Complete Business Address;

c. Name(s) and contact information of key personnel.

v. Separate and identify each part of the submission.

5. Withdrawal: Proposer may withdraw, alter, and resubmit Proposal Submittals through

VendorLink at any time prior to the due date and time of this Contract. Any Proposal Submittals not withdrawn will constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of 90 days, to provide The School District of Manatee County with the services specified in the proposal. The School District of Manatee County may request clarifications and additional information after proposal submission.

https://www.manateeschools.net/page/school-directory

6. Signature: All Proposals Submittals must be signed by an officer or employee having authority to legally bind Proposer. Any corrections of unit prices must be initialed. Corrections made using correction fluid (white out) are not permissible and may result in the rejection of a Proposer’s proposal. Proposer’s should become familiar with any local conditions which may, in any manner, affect the product or service required. Proposer’s are required to carefully examine the RFP terms and to become thoroughly familiar with any and all conditions and requirements that may in any manner affect the work to be performed under this Contract. No additional allowance will be made due to lack of knowledge of these conditions.

7. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations Registration Requirements: Proposer’s that are required to be registered with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations or who are incorporated within the State of Florida must furnish their Florida document number, and written documentation of “active” status. All registered Proposer’s must have an active status in order to be eligible to do business with the School District of Manatee County. Proposer’s doing business under a fictitious name must submit the Proposal Submittal using the company’s complete registered legal name, i.e. ABC, Inc. d/b/a XYZ Company. To register with the State of Florida, visit: www.Sunbiz.org.

8. Fingerprinting, Badges, and the Jessica Lunsford Act: The Jessica Lunsford Act was enacted on September 1, 2005 in response to the tragic abduction and death of Jessica Lunsford. This law affects a Proposer’s business operations and employees if they are under Contract with the School District of Manatee County.

8.1. The Awarded Proposer and any of its employees performing services hereunder shall comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act, effective September 1, 2005. “Non-instructional school district employees or contractual personnel who are permitted access on school grounds when students are present, who have direct contact with students or who have access to, or control of school funds must meet level 2 screening requirements as described in s.1012.32. Contractual personnel shall include any vendor, individual, or entity under Contract with a school or the school board.” See Section 1012.465, F.S.

8.2. Florida statute requires all vendors, contractors and subcontractors of the School District of Manatee County to undergo a FDLE/FBI Level II background screening and be fingerprinted if any one of the following conditions apply:

1.2.1. Vendor employees will be on school grounds when students are present;

1.2.2. Vendor employees will have direct contact with students; or

1.2.3. Vendor employees will have access to or control of school funds.

8.3. Vendors meeting the above conditions shall carry the School District of Manatee County badge or the State-Wide ID Badge.

9. Insurance Capacity Verification: Awarded Proposer’s shall provide proof of insurance prior to execution of this Contract. Receipt of proof of insurance shall not be construed as an approval of Awarded Proposer’s insurance or a release or waiver of Awarded Proposer’s obligation to provide insurance required by this Contract. Awarded Proposer agrees to the following as it relates to all above required insurance:

9.1 All insurance shall be written with an insurance company licensed to issue insurance in the State of Florida and shall maintain an A.M. Best financial strength rating of A (VI).

9.2 All insurance shall be primary and not contributory to any other insurance carried by the School District of Manatee County. This shall also apply to any self-insurance maintained by the School District of Manatee County.

9.3 Awarded Proposer shall notify the School District of Manatee County’s Risk Management Department within thirty (30) days of any material changes or notice of cancellation Awarded Proposer received from its insurer on above required insurance.

9.4 Awarded Proposer shall provide evidence of all insurance in the form of a Certificate of Insurance and specify any deductible or retention applicable to above required insurance.

9.5 To the extent permitted by law, Awarded Proposer’s insurance shall contain a waive rights to recover from the School District of Manatee County or its insurance.

9.6 Any required insurance that Awarded Bidder self-insures or carries retentions in excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) shall be pre-approved by the School District of Manatee County’s Risk Management Department and referenced in an addendum to this Contract.

SECTION 9. KEY EVENTS & DATES

KEY EVENTS & DATES

January 30, 2026 Request for Proposal notice e-mailed to prospective Proposer’s via VendorLink & bidding documents posted on the VendorLink website.

February 18, 2026 Questions/Clarifications due. Questions shall be submitted electronically through VendorLink at www.myvendorlink.com.

Only questions submitted electronically will be included in an addendum.

February 27, 2026 Addenda posted to the e-procurement service website

(www.myvendorlink.com).

March 25, 2026 Proposals due @ 3 p.m. E.T. Bidder shall submit Bid Submittal electronically through VendorLink at www.myvendorlink.com/

*April 2, 2026 Evaluation of proposals and make selection of contractor(s).

Evaluation meeting will be in person at 215 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, FL 34205 Room 406 Scheduled for April 2, 2026 at time 10:00 a.m.

*April 6, 2026 Notice of Intent to Award posted on the e-procurement service website (www.myvendorlink.com).

*April 28, 2026 School Board Award of Bid

*If the time allotted to evaluate bids and make the selection of contractors as stated above proves to be insufficient, the evaluation meeting(s), posting of the Notice of Intent to Award and the Board approval date could slip two weeks or more. Continue to monitor our website or contact the Purchasing Department for more specific information as to when meeting(s) and notice(s) will be posted.

SECTION 11. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

ASSIGNMENT:

Neither party may assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other party (not to be unreasonably withheld.) If this matter pertains to a school that becomes a Charter School, this contract may be cancelled by the School District upon thirty days written notice and the School Board will be released of any and all obligations under this contract.

GENERAL PROPOSERS INFORMATION:

Interested vendors are advised that the School District of Manatee County (District) will not consider bids which contain an escalation clause for the initial contract period. It is understood that normal bid processing time will be 30 - 60 days after opening date of bid and that prices reflected by this bid will be firm through bid processing time and the delivery of items awarded.

No price escalations (increases) will be permitted during the initial term of this contract. Price de-escalation (decrease) is permissible at any time during the contract term. The District reserves the right to require a decrease based on industry pricing indicators (PPI and CPI) Contractors may request a price increase at renewal, if any.

Price increase requests must be based on the Producer Price Index (PPI) Table Containing PPI-U All Items Indexes and Annual Percent Changes, http://data.bls.gov index for related commodity, final demand, seasonally adjusted, and may not exceed 4 percent.

The price increase request must be submitted 30 days before the expiration of the Contract, to the Contract Administrator, in writing and substantiated by a copy of the appropriate (meaning specific to that Contractor’s commodity code) PPI index.

PURCHASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

This proposal, and the corresponding contract of award agreement and purchase orders will constitute the complete agreement. The School District of Manatee County will not accept proposed terms and conditions that are different than those contained in this Request for Proposal, including pre-printed text contained on catalogs, price lists, other descriptive information submitted or any other materials.

By virtue of submitting a bid, vendor agrees to not submit to any School District of Manatee County employee, for signature, any document that contains terms and conditions that are different than those contained herein and that in the event any document containing any term or condition that differs from those contained herein is executed, said document shall not be binding on the School District of Manatee County.

MINOR IRREGULARITIES/RIGHT TO

REJECT: The District reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, or separable portions thereof, and to waive any minor irregularity, technicality, or omission if the District determines that doing so shall serve the Districts’ best interests. The District may reject any response not submitted in the manner specified by the solicitation documents.

CLARIFICATIONS OR REVISIONS: The District reserves the right to seek clarifications or request any information deemed necessary for proper evaluation of submissions from all respondents deemed eligible for Contract award. Failure to provide requested information may result in rejection of the response.

EX PARTE COMMUNICATION: To assure proper and fair evaluation of submissions, after submissions are received the District prohibits ex parte communication initiated by http://data.bls.gov/ the submitter to Board members and discourages ex parte communication initiated by the submitter to any District official or employee evaluating or considering the submissions prior to the time a decision has been made. Communication between a submitter and the District will be initiated by the appropriate District official, employee or designated consultant in order to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the submission. Ex parte communication may be grounds for disqualifying the offending submitter from consideration or award of the contract then in evaluation or any future contract.

PURCHASES BY OTHER PUBLIC

AGENCIES: With the consent and agreement of the successful proposer’s, purchases may be made under this bid by other governmental agencies within the State of Florida. Such purchases shall be governed by the same terms and conditions as stated herein.

CANCELLATION: Notwithstanding any other provision of this invitation, any agreement resulting from this invitation may be unilaterally canceled by the School District of Manatee County via either of these two methods at the District’s sole discretion:

1. In the event any of the provisions of the awarded proposal are violated by the vendor, the School District of Manatee County may give written notice to the vendor stating the violations or deficiencies and demanding their cure. If those violations or deficiencies are not cured to the School District’s reasonable satisfaction within five (5) days of the vendor’s receipt of the notice, the agreement may immediately thereafter be canceled by written notification to the vendor;

or

2. The School District of Manatee County may terminate any agreement resulting from this invitation at any time, with or without cause, upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other party.

AUTHORITY: The School Board of Manatee County, Florida is the sole legal entity having authority to award a bid or bind the School District in regard to any agreement resulting from this invitation. The Superintendent of Schools acts as the Chief Executive Officer of the Manatee County School District and shall have, and is hereby delegated by the School Board, authority to issue any notice, effect any cancelation, perform any inspection, or take any other action to ensure compliance with the terms of this invitation or any agreement resulting there from on the School Board’s behalf without further action by the School Board.

CLARIFICATION OF RFP: Proposers should submit via Vendorlink any questions electrically regarding this bid. Only questions submitted electrically will be included in an addendum. See “Key Events & Date” section for deadline date. Questions received after the date posted in the “Key Events & Date” section will not be acknowledged. Changes to the bid which have a material effect shall be communicated to bidders

ADDENDA TO RFP: From time to time, addenda’s may be issued to this proposal.

Any such addenda will be posted on (www.myvendorlink.com). Such notices will contain clarifications to details of the solicitation and/or responses to questions submitted during the preview period. Each respondent is responsible for monitoring these sites for information concerning this solicitation.

EVALUATION COMMITTEE MEETING:

Evaluation meetings will be open to the public pursuant to Florida State Statute

286.011 and noticed on the District Web Site

(www.manateeschools.net) and on the School District bulletin board located in the lobby at the School Support Center, 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, Florida, 34205. Any portion of a public meeting at which a negotiation with a vendor is conducted pursuant to a competitive solicitation, at which a vendor makes an oral presentation as part of the a competitive solicitation, or at which a vendor answers questions as part of a competitive solicitation is exempt from Florida Statute 286.011. See Key Events and Dates page contained herein.

LINE ITEM PROPOSAL CORRECTIONS: The use of correction fluid or erasures to correct line item proposal prices and/or quantities are not acceptable. Corrections must be by line outs of the incorrect figures, writing in of correct figures and initialing of the corrections by the originator. Correction fluid or erasure corrected proposals will be considered nonresponsive for the corrected items only.

BUDGETARY LIMITATIONS: The School District of Manatee County reserves the right to reject any item or items and/or increase or decrease quantities as required due to budgetary limitations.

NON-FUNDING CLAUSE: In the event sufficient budgeted funds are not available for a new fiscal period, the Purchasing Department shall notify the vendor of such an occurrence and the contract shall terminate on the last day of the current fiscal period without penalty or expense to the District.

AWARDS: The School District of Manatee County reserves the right to make award(s) on an individual, multiple, lump sum or low total basis.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, when the District receives the responses. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth below. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. All information in a Vendor’s response (including, without limitation, technical and price information) will be a matter of public record, subject to the provisions of Florida’s Public Records Act, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, regardless of copyright status. Submission of a response to this solicitation shall constitute a waiver of any copyright protection which might otherwise apply to the District’s production, disclosure, inspection and copying of such response and contract, or any part thereof, except those parts asserted to be exempt under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. The response, upon submission shall be the property of the District (except those parts asserted to be exempt in the manner set forth below), and the District, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to use, reproduce, and disseminate the response. The District reserves the right to use any and all information contained in a response received to this solicitation. Any content submitted to the District which is asserted to be exempt under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, shall be set forth on a page or pages separate from the rest of the response, and clearly marked “exempt,” “confidential,” or “trade secret” (as applicable), with the statutory basis for such claim of exemption, confidentiality, or trade secret specifically identified in writing on each and every such page. Failure to segregate and so identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claimed exemption, confidentiality, or trade secret as applied to the portion of the response or other document in which the content is set forth.

IF THE CONTRACTOR HAS

QUESTIONS REGARDING THE

http://www.manateeschools.net/

APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER

119, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO

THE CONTRACTOR'S DUTY TO

PROVIDE PUBLIC RECORDS

RELATING TO THIS CONTRACT,

CONTACT THE CUSTODIAN OF

PUBLIC RECORDS:

Public Record Custodian, Communications/Public Records Associate, 215 Manatee Avenue W.

(941) 708-8770 Bradenton, Florida, 34205 publicrecords@manateeschools.ne t

NOTIFICATION OF AWARD: After award by the School Board of Manatee County, proposers are invited to visit our website www.myvendorlink.com.

PURCHASING CARDS: The School District of Manatee County may choose to use a “P-Card” for ordering of goods and materials or payment of invoices under this bid. The proposer, by submitting a proposal, agrees to accept this manner of payment and may not add additional handling charges or service fees to purchases made with the District’s Purchasing Card(s). Refusal to accept this condition may cause the bid to be declared nonresponsive, or result in revocation of the contract, if already awarded. A secured customized website for the School District of Manatee County will be setup with password capabilities which reflect pricing awarded on this bid at the discretion of the School District. No third party payment, i.e. Pay pal will be considered.

VISITOR IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM: A

Visitor Identification System has been implemented by the School District of Manatee County. A driver’s license or government issued photo id will be required for scanning into the system and a visitor’s pass will be issued to individuals visiting district sites.

COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Vendors/Proposers acknowledge and understand that the projects contemplated by this contract are being constructed on public property owned by the School District of Manatee County, which property may at various times during construction be occupied by students, teachers, parents and school administrators. Accordingly, in order to secure the property, protect students and staff, and otherwise comply with applicable law, the vendor/bidder agrees to all provisions and instructions contained in this RFP document and agrees that the failure of vendor/bidder to comply with any of these provisions and instructions may result in the termination of this contract by the School District of Manatee County.

CONTACT WITH STUDENTS: To extent not otherwise indicated, no employees or independent contractors, material men, supplier or anyone involved in any manner with projects resulting from this RFP shall have direct or indirect contact with students at project sites. A violation of this provision shall result in immediate termination of the offender and issuance of a trespass notice from the School District. Vendor/Proposers shall be responsible for insuring compliance by all employees, independent contractors and sub-contractors or other persons involved in any manner with projects resulting from this bid.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT: Vendors awarded a contract will be held to the same standards of conduct as employees of the School District of Manatee County while conducting business with the District. These standards, as defined in School Board Policies, will apply not only to employees of the vendor, but also to the employees of its sub-contractors.

mailto:publicrecords@manateeschools.net mailto:publicrecords@manateeschools.net

PREVIOUS PERFORMANCE: Documented poor performance of contractors on previous contracts with the School District of Manatee County or other governmental entity will be considered during evaluation and may be sufficient cause not to award.

VARIANCE TO BID DOCUMENTS: For the purpose of RFP evaluation, proposers must clearly stipulate any or all variances to the bid documents or specifications, no matter how slight. If variations are not stated in the vendor’s bid proposal, it shall be construed that the RFP proposal submitted fully complies in every respect with our bid documents.

PROPOSER’S ERRORS: Where unit price and total price cannot be reconciled, the quoted unit price shall govern. Where numerical price and written price cannot be reconciled, the written price shall govern. No submissions or amendments made after bid or proposal opening shall be considered.

RFP TABULATIONS: After approval by the School Board of Manatee County, proposal tabulations will be available for review on the e-procurement service website (www.myvendorlink.com).

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD RFP: Once proposals are evaluated and a recommendation for award is received by the Purchasing Department, a Notice of Intent to Award will be posted on the e-procurement service website (www.myvendorlink.com).

The recommendation for award is not official until this notice is posted.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND

KICKBACKS: Any proposer giving or offering to any employee and/or official of the School District of Manatee County, either directly or indirectly, any rebate, percentage of contract, money or other things of value as an inducement or intended inducement, in the procurement of this or any other RFP/bid, shall be deemed in violation of this agreement, in addition to being in violation of any other municipal, county, state and federal laws and/or ordinances.

IDENTIFICATION: The contractor and sub-contractors shall be required to see that their personnel maintain visible personal identification on each employee. Vendor’s employees must be appropriately attired (including shirt). Employees shall be required to dress neatly without vulgar or otherwise offensive apparel, commensurate with the location and types of tasks being performed.

SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY: In accordance School Board of Manatee County Policy and Procedures, no contract for providing supplies, equipment or services shall be affected with any individual or business entity in which any member of the School Board of Manatee County or the Superintendent has any financial interest. No contract for goods or services may be made with any business entity in which the Superintendent, Board Member or their spouse or child has an employment relationship or a material interest. No School Board employee may directly or indirectly purchase or recommend for purchase of goods or services from any business organization in which his/her spouse or child has a material interest as defined in Florida Statutes 112.

USE OF OTHER CONTRACTS: The School Board of Manatee County reserves the right to utilize any other School District of Manatee County contract, any State of Florida contract, any contract awarded by any other city or county governmental agencies, other school board, other community college/state university system cooperative bid agreement, or to directly negotiate/purchase per School Board policy and/or State Board Rule 6A-1.012, as currently enacted or as amended from time to time, in lieu of any offer received or award made as a result of this bid if it is in its best interest to do so. The District hereby notifies interested parties that the purchasing agreements and state term contracts, available under s. 287.056, of the Department of Management Services have been reviewed for the subject of this solicitation.

NON-EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT: This RFP does NOT establish an exclusive arrangement between the district and vendor. The district reserves, but is not limited to, the following rights:

The unrestricted right to use others to perform work, provide services or deliver the same or similar products as described herein when it is to the economic benefit of the district.

The unrestricted right to separately bid any work, products or services as described herein when it is to the economic benefit of the District.

DISPUTE: Bid tabulations with recommendations will be posted on the e-procurement service website (www.myvendorlink.com). A bidder who wishes to file a protest pertaining to a bid must file such notice in accordance with procedures prescribed by Florida Statute 120.57(3), Florida Administrative Code 28- 110 and School District Policy 7.15. The notice must be filed with the Purchasing Director.

Any person who is adversely affected by the District’s decision or intended decision shall file with the Purchasing Director, a notice of protest in writing within seventy-two (72) hours after the posting of the bid tabulation or Notice of Intent to Award and shall file a formal written protest within ten (10) calendar days after filing the notice of protest. With respect to a protest of the specifications contained in an Invitation for Bid or Request for Proposal, the notice of protest shall be filed in writing within seventy-two (72) hours after the receipt of notice of the project plan and specification or intended project plan and specifications in an Invitation for Bid or Request for Proposal, and the formal written protest shall be filed within 10 days after the date the notice of protest is filed. Failure to file a notice of protest or failure to file a formal written protest shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under this chapter. The formal written protest shall state with particularity the facts and law upon which the protest is based. Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall be excluded in the computation of the seventy-two (72) hour time periods provided in this paragraph.

Any person who files an action protesting a decision or intended decision pertaining to a bid pursuant to Florida Statute 120.57(3)(b), shall post at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond payable to the School District of Manatee County in an amount equal to one percent (1%) of the total estimated contract value, but not less than $500 nor more than $5,000, which bond shall be conditioned upon the payment of all costs which may be adjudged against the protester in the administrative hearing in which the action is brought and in any subsequent appellate court proceeding.