SUBMIT TO:

All Bids 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.

The School District of Manatee County

INVITATION TO BID

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

215 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, Florida 34205

DATE ISSUED: February 4, 2026

CONTACT PERSON: Kimberlie Dufon

TELEPHONE #: 941-708-8770 Ext. 41204

EMAIL ADDRESS: dufonk@manateeschools.net

TITLE: Technology Equipment, Software, and Services – Catalog Discount

NUMBER:

26-0107-KD

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE:

March 24, 2026 @ 3:00 PM

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE – N/A SUBMITTALS RECEIVED AFTER

ABOVE DATE AND TIME WILL

NOT BE ACCEPTED

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DEADLINE: February 20, 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 Invitation to Bid (“ITB”). LEGAL

COMPANY NAME:

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

CITY – STATE – ZIP:

TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO:

FEI/EIN Number:

Email Address:

http://www.myvendorlink.com/ mailto:dufonk@manateeschools.net http://www.sunbiz.org/

BID ON TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE, AND SERVICES – CATALOG DISCOUNT, SDMC No.

26-0107-KD

BID SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST

It is the sole responsibility of each Bidder 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 Bid Form Pricing, Delivery and Warranty Submittal 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 MSRP/price list Business Licenses

SECTION 1. SCOPE

The purpose of this solicitation is to establish contractors for the purchase of technology equipment, software, and services, as needed for use at various sites throughout The School District of Manatee County. Contractors are to provide firm, fixed percentage (%) discounts off published catalogs/manufacturer’s published price list(s) on a variety of products. Products will be delivered to various District sites.

A list of specific products/services with quantities will not be provided for this solicitation.

Discount is to be provided by category listed.

The District currently procures computer equipment through existing Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) statewide contracts and reserves the right to continue utilizing these contracts at its sole discretion. The District also reserves the right to procure goods and services through other available contracts or cooperative purchasing agreements, and any award resulting from this solicitation shall be considered non‑exclusive.

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

This is not an all or none bid. The District intends to award this solicitation to all responsive and responsible bidders, as best meets the needs of the District. It is anticipated that the bidder(s) who propose the best pricing may be utilized in a larger capacity, however the District may choose any awarded supplier to provide these services that best meets its needs. This may include but is not limited to pricing, product variety, scheduling, etc.

Contract Value: No guarantee is given or implied as to the total dollar value of this bid. It is not possible to predict the volume of sales any one vendor might receive from this bid. The decision to order from a specific Contractor belongs to District personnel. No guarantee is made or implied as to the actual total dollar amount of purchases that may be purchased as a result of this bid. Due to various circumstances, order volume may increase or decrease throughout the contract period.

NOTE: The Contractor must agree that during a declared disaster situation that any bid items with a markup will be billed at actual cost without any mark-up permitted.

SECTION 2. SPECIAL CONDITIONS

1. Term: The intent of this Contract is to establish a Contract for a period of five (5) year(s) 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 May 1, 2026 through June 30, 2030.

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 one (1) additional three-year period, 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.

(9) Contractor shall maintain at all times during the construction of the project a “Builders Risk” policy equal to the amount of the project, and shall include, as a minimum the following coverages: Fire, Extended Coverage, Vandalism and Malicious Mischief. (All Risk policies are preferred.

**Contractor(s)/Vendor(s) providing Professional Services shall provide evidence of at least $1,000,000.00 of Professional Liability Insurance coverage

SECTION 3. SPECIFICATIONS

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Bids will be considered only from contractors who have knowledge and experience of and are currently engaged in the sale or distribution of technology equipment, software, and services. The bidder must have adequate organization, facilities, inventory, equipment, and personnel to ensure prompt and efficient service to the School District of Manatee County.

Bidders should submit a photocopy of their business license(s) for these products/services with their reply.

Bidder shall have performed services similar in scope to this contract and shall have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in sale and distribution of technology products, software, and services.

The District reserves the right to require bidders to submit further evidence of qualifications or other information the District deems necessary for further clarification of items submitted.

PRICING:

Prices shall be submitted in the form of a firm percentage (%) discount to be deducted from the current catalog price or established manufacturer’s price list. Catalog prices/Manufacturer’s prices may change throughout the year; however, the percentage (%) of discount must remain firm for the entire contract. Contractor may provide volume discount by invoice/order amount in addition to or in lieu of a catalog discount.

All bidders must submit website addresses for on-line pricing and/or catalog(s) with the bid and submit new catalogs as they become available. Contractors must provide a list of retail/catalog prices upon written request from the District throughout the contract period. Pricing may be requested for verification of the percentage discount provided.

If your company has specialized websites or catalogs, you may submit separate bids for each by duplicating the Bidder Acknowledgement sheet and Bid sheet. Additional bids may be submitted in the same response. The Bidder Acknowledgement and Bid sheet must be completed for each additional bid.

Bidder may offer varied discounts on additional items, materials or specialty items, if it chooses to.

Any and all discounts shall be clearly listed and described on the bid sheet or attached with submission.

Unit price shall be easily derived and verifiable from a documented source that is readily accessible such as published catalog, descriptive price list or internet website. In no case shall unit price charged exceed calculated price based on discount bid. The published list prices shall not be custom or solely developed for purposes of the bid and resulting contract, if awarded.

The unit price, as indicated on invoice, shall be determined by applying the proposed percentage (%) discount to the published cost or price list to obtain the net delivered price. Unit price shall be easily derived and verifiable from a documented source that is readily accessible or available such as a published catalog, descriptive price list or website. It is essential that all discounts or price list be presented in a format that allows for clear calculation of total cost to ease in auditing invoices.

Published list prices shall not be custom or solely developed for the purposes of the bid and resulting contract, if awarded. Unless as otherwise permitted and expressly stated herein, discount offered shall be inclusive of all order processing, handling, supervision, delivery, insurance, profit and any other direct and indirect cost associated with the performance of the contract. No other charges or surcharges shall be applicable to this contract and shall not be honored by the District.

CATALOGS/WEBSITE:

Bidder shall indicate on the bid sheet the best method to view its inventory (i.e. website, printed catalog or other). If a catalog is printed, bidder may submit with its bid. If no catalog is available, bidder shall indicate the best website or inventory list that is available. This information will assist the District in price verification and identification of products/services provided.

District may request at any time during the contract, for the vendor to supply a website, inventory list, catalogs, etc., as necessary.

ONLINE ORDERING:

If access to an electronic catalog requires a user ID and password, the bidder will be responsible for setting the District users up to gain access to the catalog. The District representative shall be notified if changes occur to the awarded vendor’s website that will affect use by the School District.

Any On-Line Catalog will be monitored by the District and at its sole discretion reserved the right to terminate the agreement, if in their opinion the on-line catalog reflects unacceptable increases.

QUOTES:

Quotes submitted to SDMC should clearly identify the list price, discount percentage, unit price and the extended price. The District reserves the right to request list pricing to verify the percentage discount if it is not included on the quote provided.

The District reserves the right to obtain quotes from all awarded Contractors of this bid.

FREIGHT TERMS:

The District prefers that discount offered include all delivery charges. However, Bidder may make exception on Form of Proposal should it be standard business practice to list shipping charge as a separate line item on invoice. Any shipping charges billed by Bidder shall be customary and reasonable in accordance with industry standards and confirmed with District site at time of price quotation. All orders shall be shipped F.O.B. Destination (multiple locations), inside delivery, freight prepaid and included, with title to goods transferring to the District at time of receipt and acceptance.

No common carrier charges shall be honored by the School District. All approved vendors will be responsible for supplying all labor, materials and equipment required for the delivery of items as directed, at the delivery locations. A minimum of twenty-four (24) hours’ advance notification of delivery is required from all freight carriers. Complete documentation of all charges must accompany each invoice for payment.

ADDITIONAL CHARGES:

Bidder shall delineate any customary charges not specifically listed on Form of Proposal.

QUANTITY DISCOUNT:

Bidder is encouraged to offer additional quantity discounts for one time delivery of large single orders of single items or any assortment of items. It is anticipated that Department shall periodically solicit quotations for large volume orders based on quantity discount. Bidder may list quantity discount on Form of Proposal or choose to offer discount on a quote basis at time of order.

ADVANTAGE DISCOUNTS:

Bidder shall pass-on to the District all rebates and special promotions offered by manufacturer. The District shall also accept any additional discounts and price incentives offered by Bidder provided that the new pricing is lower than what would otherwise be available through the contract. It is agreed and understood that should Bidder offer more favorable promotional or contract pricing to the general trade or other entity for the same specification with similar quantities and conditions, the price under this contract shall immediately be reduced to the lower price.

MINIMUM ORDERS:

Contractors may set a minimum order or dollar purchase amount to receive any discounts offered.

However, many individual purchases made under this bid may be for extremely low dollar amounts, therefore minimum orders will be allowed. If no set minimum order dollar amount is listed in the appropriate area on the bid sheet, then it will be assumed that all orders will receive discounts under this ITB.

SUBSTITUTES:

Unapproved substitutes shall not be allowed. If items are not available, the Purchasing Agent must be contacted prior to shipment in order to determine if a substitute is acceptable.

NEW ITEMS:

New items appearing in the awarded bidder’s catalog(s) released after the bid opening date are to be covered under the resulting contract as if these items were originally included in the catalog(s) submitted with the bid.

WARRANTY:

Warranty terms and length offered shall be stated in the proposal. If no warranty, then proposal shall state same. The warranty period shall commence upon date of acceptance by SDMC. All warranty documents shall be provided with the order.

REFERENCES:

Bidder must provide a minimum of three (3) references for which they have provided technology equipment, software, and services, within the last 3 years. Reference Form is included in this solicitation. References shall be for work that is similar in nature, scope, and fairly equivalent in size to that of the scope of work listed in this ITB.

Failure to submit references may result in rejection of bidders’ response.

LICENSES:

Bidder shall possess all applicable business licenses required to supply items under this ITB.

Business Tax Receipt: Copy of current business license from bidding vendor to operate and sell the requested products within Manatee County, Florida, must be submitted with ITB. Either a state or county occupational license or business tax receipt will be acceptable. All licenses shall have current name and address of bidder. If bidder has moved since the issuance of the license, it must document as such with a written explanation and submit with bid. Failure to supply a copy of license(s) may be cause for rejection of ITB.

License must be valid/current at the time of submittal and shall be maintained throughout the duration of the contract and submitted to the District as necessary. Furthermore, the Contractor for the duration of the contract shall comply with all Federal, State and Local rules, regulations and licensing requirements necessary to perform the services required under this ITB.

It shall be the responsibility of the contractor to be knowledgeable and familiarize itself with any and all applicable federal, state, county and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations that in any manner affect the services provided under this ITB, which may apply. Lack of knowledge by the proposer(s) will in no way be a cause for relief from responsibility.

Contractor shall perform any and all services in accordance with any and all federal, state, county and city statutes, laws and regulations. Any fines levied due to failure to comply with any requirement shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor. Lack of knowledge by the contractor will in no way be a cause for relief from responsibility.

Bidder may submit any other State Licenses, certificates or other licensure, which will further demonstrate its capabilities.

QUANTITY:

No guarantee is given or implied as to the quantity or dollar value of this bid. The District is not obligated to place any orders with vendors participating in this bid. All schools and departments will be encouraged to refer to catalogs and discounts of participating vendors in their attempt to fill their requirements at the lowest net prices.

AREA REPRESENTATIVE:

Bidder should indicate on the Bid Price Sheet the name, phone number and email address, of the vendor representative(s) who will provide quotes to the schools and departments and will be available for consultations when requested and provide assistance with any order issues. This information will be provided to all District staff to use when requesting quotes and must be kept accurate and updated in order for awarded vendors to continue to have an opportunity to receive request for quotes for athletic equipment, supplies and services.

It is the Bidder’s responsibility to update their sales representative contact information for the duration of this contract by notifying via email the purchasing agent of any changes.

It is the Bidder’s responsibility to ensure the person listed as their sales representative is fully aware of the terms and conditions of this bid and that they provide prices at the lowest prices possible when a request is made.

USE OF OTHER CONTRACTS:

The District currently procures computer equipment through existing Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) statewide contracts and reserves the right to continue utilizing these contracts at its sole discretion. The District also reserves the right to procure goods and services through other available contracts or cooperative purchasing agreements, and any award resulting from this solicitation shall be considered non-exclusive.

SECTION 4. PRICING AND WARRANTY

Company Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ Catalog(s)/Website/Manufacturer_____________________________________________________________________

Item Description

Discount Off List Price

(0% -100%) Exceptions/Exclusions

1 Supplies %

Items considered supplies:

2 Equipment %

Items considered equipment:

3 Software %

Items considered software:

4 Services %

Items considered service:

Website - Can your company create a customized website that integrates with our contract pricing? (Yes or No) ☐Yes or ☐No

Free Shipping – Additional Options Available

Below ☐Yes or ☐No

General Freight Terms (Check () all that apply)

☐ Free, Prepaid & Included in Discount Offered

☐ $_____ minimum order amount to receive free shipping

Free Shipping Applies to:

☐ all products offered

☐ only product category #: ___________

☐ Prepaid & Added to Invoice

☐ Shipping Billed @ ___ % of total order

☐ Bill actual amount Applies to:

☐ all products offered

☐ only product category #: ___________

Exceptions to General Freight Terms:

Additional Charges that may apply:

Quantity Discount offered? ☐ Yes ☐ No

If yes, quantity discount shall be offered on a: ☐ quote basis at time of order or ☐ as follows:

Designated Account Representative (Inside Sales)

Name: ___________________________________________Title: _________________________

Phone #: ______________________ Email: __________________________________________

Designated Account Representative (Outside Sales)

Name: ___________________________________________Title: _________________________

Phone #: ______________________ Email: __________________________________________

Quotation Requests

Requests for price quotations shall be sent to: ☐ Account Rep. (Inside Sales) ☐ Account Rep. (Outside Sales)

☐ Other: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Purchasing Card

Does your company accept Mastercard Purchasing Card as a form of Payment? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Can product orders be placed online and paid with a Pcard? ☐Yes or ☐No Exceptions: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please include as an attachment to Bid response an explanation of your company’s online ordering process and requirements, including any procedures that apply to P-Card purchases.

Product/Pricing Information (Check as applicable)

Product Information shall be provided in the following format:

☐ Electronic Catalog(s) ☐ Descriptive Price List ☐ On-line Catalog Website

Product list prices shall be verified by accessing the following:

☐ Electronic Catalog(s) ☐ Descriptive Price List ☐ On-line Catalog Website

Product Catalog:

Submitted ☐ With Bid Response ☐ Under Separate Mailing ☐ Not Submitted/Not Available

Website address for online catalog: _______________________________________________

Price Adjustments

The District may, in its sole discretion, make an equitable adjustment in the contract terms and/or pricing if pricing or availability of supply are affected by extreme and unforeseen volatility in the marketplace, that is, by circumstances that satisfy all of the following criteria:

a) The volatility is due to causes wholly beyond the vendor’s control

b) The volatility affects the marketplace or industry, not just the particular vendor’s source of supply

c) The effect on pricing or availability of supply is substantial

d) The volatility so affects the vendor that continued performance of the contract would result in substantial loss or financial hardship.

The determination as to whether a situation represents “extreme” volatility of the marketplace and/or whether the effect on pricing or availability is “substantial” shall be solely at the discretion of the District.

NOTE: The Contractor must agree that during a declared disaster situation that any bid items with a markup will be billed at actual cost without any mark-up permitted.

WARRANTY AND SERVICE PROVISION: Bidder must state in spaces provided below complete descriptions of any warranties given by manufacturer and dealer. The Statement shall include availability of service, repair parts, and time normally required to effect repair on equipment contained in the bid. Further, the statement shall also indicate who is to be responsible for any transportation charges that may be accrued in effecting equipment repair within the provisions of applicable warranties.

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY:

DEALER’S WARRANTY:

LOCATION OF REPAIR SERVICES:

AVAILABILITY OF REPAIR PARTS:

ESTIMATED TIME TO EFFECT REPAIR:

RESPONSIBLE FOR WARRANTY SERVICE TRANSPORTATION CHARGE:

SECTION 5. 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 workday.

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 site’s Main Office prior to commencing any work and shall sign out at the site’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.

The Contractor shall have an English speaking Supervisor/Representative on the work site at all times, who shall be thoroughly knowledgeable of all plans, specifications, and other contract documents and has the authority to act in the contractor’s behalf.

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 Contractor shall not proceed with any project until a written purchase order or written approval from a Procurement Buyer 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 weekends.

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.

As the Contractor will be performing work at location that will affect a large number of people communication of the disposition and schedule of work is critical to the Building Department.

LOCATION:

School addresses can be located on the purchasing website:

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

Awarded supplier must be able to provide products and services in accordance with the District’s Design Guidelines. The District’s Design Guidelines may be found at https://www.manateeschools.net/o/sdmc/page/construction-services under the Planning Manual.

https://www.manateeschools.net/page/school-directory https://www.manateeschools.net/o/sdmc/page/construction-services

SECTION 6. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

1. Bid Submittal Instructions: Bidder shall submit Bid Submittal in accordance with the instructions and schedule included in the solicitation containing these specifications and documents. Bid 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. Bid Requirements: The following Appendices, upon which information is required, must be completed and provided with the Bid Submittal:

Invitation to Bid Form (Page 1) Form of Proposal - Pricing, Delivery and Warranty Submittal No Bid Response Submittal Form OR Bidder Acknowledgement (APPENDIX A or B) Bidder’s Experience and Qualifications (APPENDIX C) Bidder’ References Bidder’s Statement of Principal Place of Business (APPENDIX D) Bidder’s Statement of Financial Qualification (APPENDIX E) Drug-free Workplace Certification (APPENDIX F) Federal Debarment and Suspension Certification (APPENDIX G) Scrutinized Company Certification (APPENDIX H) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (APPENDIX I) Employment Eligibility Verification (“E-VERIFY”) (APPENDIX J) Anti-Discrimination Amendment (APPENDIX K) Contractor Affidavit Regarding the Use of Coercion for Labor and Services (APPENDIX L) MSRP/price list Business Licenses

3. “No Bid” Response Submittal Form: If Bidder is not providing a Bid Submittal in response to this Contract, Bidder 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: Bidder shall submit Bid 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 ITB Number, Name, Submission Date, and Bidder Name on Invitation to Bid Cover Sheet.

iv. Complete the Invitation to Bid Cover Sheet on Bidder’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: Bidders may withdraw, alter, and resubmit Bid Submittals through http://www.myvendorlink.com/ mailto:support@evendorlink.com

VendorLink at any time prior to the due date and time of this Contract. Any Bid 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.

6. Signature: All Bid Submittals must be signed by an officer or employee having authority to legally bind Bidder. 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 Bidder’s proposal. Bidders should become familiar with any local conditions which may, in any manner, affect the product or service required. Bidders are required to carefully examine the ITB 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:

Bidders 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 Bidders must have an active status in order to be eligible to do business with the School District of Manatee County. Bidder(s) doing business under a fictitious name must submit the Bid 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 Bidder’s business operations and employees if they are under Contract with the School District of Manatee County.

8.1. The Awarded Bidder 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.

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.

8.2. 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 Bidder(s) shall provide proof of insurance http://www.sunbiz.org/ prior to execution of this Contract. Receipt of proof of insurance shall not be construed as an approval of Awarded Bidder’s insurance or a release or waiver of Awarded Bidder’s obligation to provide insurance required by this Contract. Awarded Bidder 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 Bidder 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 Bidder received from its insurer on above required insurance.

9.4 Awarded Bidder 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 Bidder’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 7. KEY EVENTS & DATES

KEY EVENTS & DATES

February 4, 2026 Bid notice e-mailed to prospective bidders via VendorLink & bidding documents posted on the VendorLink website.

February 20, 2026 Questions/Clarifications due. Questions must be submitted through

VendorLink.

February 27, 2026 Addenda posted to the e-procurement service website (www.myvendorlink.com).

March 24, 2026 Proposals due @ 3:00 p.m. E.T. Bidder shall submit Bid Submittal electronically through VendorLink at www.myvendorlink.com/

*March 26, 2026 If needed, evaluation of proposals to make selection of contractor(s).

Additional information will be posted if an evaluation meeting is needed.

*On or About March 30, 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.

http://www.myvendorlink.com/

SECTION 8. 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 BIDDER’S 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 bid, 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 Invitation for Bid, 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 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 bidder(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 bid 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 http://data.bls.gov/

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 BIDS: Bidders shall submit via Vendorlink any questions regarding this bid. Only questions submitted electronically through Vendorlink will be answered and/or 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 only by written addenda.

ADDENDA TO BIDS: From time to time, addenda’s may be issued to this bid. 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 BID CORRECTIONS: The use of correction fluid or erasures to correct line item bid 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 bids 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…