262894RM_Project_Documents.pdf

INVITATION FOR BIDS (“IFB”) - PART I

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 1 of 5

IFB #: 262894RM

IFB TITLE: LABORATORY TESTING SERVICES CATEGORIES I, II

1.0 PURPOSE

Sarasota County (“County”), a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will receive bids on the date indicated in OpenGov Procurement (“OpenGov”), the County’s electronic procurement portal, for the purpose of selecting one or more supplier(s) to provide laboratory testing for water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste systems for the County. The scope of services includes, but is not limited to, laboratory testing; drinking water permit compliance; microbiology testing; inorganics testing; nutrients testing; metals testing; and solid waste permit compliance, as stated herein.

Bidders are required to comply with Part II, Scope of Services.

OpenGov is located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov

2.0 BIDDER

2.1 For the purpose of this IFB, the term “Bidder” (also identified as “Offeror”) is defined as the legal entity submitting a bid and/or identified on the electronic bid submittal.

2.2 Bidders intending to submit a bid as a joint venture with another company must provide documentation attesting to the formation of that joint venture with their bid submittal. For purposes of this solicitation, all vendors who make up the joint venture will be considered together as the Bidder.

2.2.1. Bidders proposing to engage in construction contracting as a joint venture or partnership must apply for registration with the State of Florida, Department of Business and Professional Regulation and any other state or local licensing agencies, as required by Florida State Statute 489.119, prior to the date bids are due.

3.0 QUALIFICATIONS

3.1 Category 1

3.1.1. Required Experience for Category 1:

a. Bidder shall provide two (2) verifiable commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental references that demonstrate the bidder has performed a minimum of 700 of the types of tests described in the Category 1 Pricing Table and submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) within the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this bid opening.

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

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 2 of 5

b. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met for Category 1.

3.1.2. Required Certifications for Category 1

a. Bidder (or its subcontractors) must be certified through the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Environmental Laboratory Certification Program (ELCP) Certification for the testing of each Analyte item listed on the Category 1 Pricing Table. Proof of certification is demonstrated through copies of the FDOH certificates with the Laboratory Scope of Accreditation.

i. All intended subcontractors must be identified and include the subcontractor’s Certifications for each analyte testing intended to be subcontracted.

b. Failure to submit proof of required certifications at the time of bid submittal may result in bidder being declared non-responsive.

3.2 Category 2

3.2.1. Required Experience for Category 2

a. Bidder must provide two (2) verifiable commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental references that demonstrate the bidder has performed a minimum of 6,000 of the types of tests described in the Category 2 Pricing Table within the twelve

(12) months preceding the date of this bid opening.

b. Bidder must demonstrate the ability to submit tests in the Florida DEP ADaPT electronic format by providing a sample of a recent ADaPT electronic submittal.

c. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met for Category 2.

3.2.2. Required Certifications for Category 2

a. Bidder (or its subcontractors) must be certified through the FDOH ELCP Certification for the testing of each Analyte item listed on the Category 2 Pricing Table. Proof of certification is demonstrated through copies of the FDOH certificates with the Laboratory Scope of Accreditation.

i. All intended subcontractors must be identified and include the subcontractor’s Certifications for each analyte testing intended to be subcontracted.

b. Failure to submit proof of required certifications at the time of bid submittal may result in bidder being declared non-responsive.

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 3 of 5

3.3 Responsibility

Bidder shall be required to meet all requirements of Part II, Section V prior to award and throughout the term of any resulting Contract. Following verification of Qualifications, the County may require the apparent low responsive and responsible Bidder(s) to provide evidence demonstrating it satisfies all requirements of Part II, Section V. Failure of the Bidder to provide requested evidence that demonstrates the Bidder’s ability to perform the Scope of Services to the County’s satisfaction, within three (3) days of request by the County, may result in a determination by the County that the Bidder is non-responsible.

4.0 PRE-BID MEETINGS

There will be a mandatory site visit for this solicitation. It will take place at the time, date, and location specified in the Solicitation Timeline posted in OpenGov.

5.0 SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to the Submittal Instructions section in OpenGov for instructions on how to submit a bid. Bidders are advised to review the General Terms and Conditions of Solicitations which are available in OpenGov.

6.0 SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS

6.1 Vendor Questionnaire

All bidders must complete the required forms and information included in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov. Completed forms and other requested documents must be uploaded with bidder’s response in OpenGov. Bidders who fail to complete and upload required forms and documents or fail to provide responses to questions in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

6.2 Pricing

All bidders must complete the Pricing Table provided in OpenGov.

Bidders who fail to fully complete the pricing table in OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

7.0 AWARD

It is the intent of the County to award a contract to the responsive and responsible bidder(s) submitting the lowest price per category. Unless otherwise noted, bidders must submit a price for every line item in a category to be considered for award of that category. The County reserves the right to make multiple awards per category.

7.1 In the event of a tie, the IFB tie-breaking procedures identified in the Sarasota County Procurement Manual will apply.

7.1.1. To be considered, tied bidders will be required to provide documentation certifying they have implemented a drug-free workplace program meeting the requirements stipulated in Section 287.087, Florida Statutes. Documentation must be

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 4 of 5 provided within the time specified by the County at the time of request.

7.2 Multiple Awards

7.2.1. After identifying the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in accordance with the Bid Award criteria as listed above, offers will be made to the next responsive and responsible bidder(s) in the order of their submitted Total Bid Price from lowest to highest for each category until the desired number of contracts (Maximum of 2 per category) is reached.

7.3 Preferences

Bidders wishing to be considered for Local Business Preference or American Business Preference must complete and submit a Local & American Business Certification Form with their submittal. The Local & American Business Certification Form can be found in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov.

In awarding this bid, preference shall be given to local businesses and American businesses in accordance with Section 2-215 of the Sarasota County Procurement Code.

Local and American business preferences do not apply in the award of this bid due to grant funding requirements

7.4 Contract

A draft of the contract that the successful bidder(s) will be expected to sign (a Term Contract) is posted on the Procurement website shown below. The County may, at its sole discretion, select a different contract type or make revisions to the one referenced above following the recommended award of this solicitation.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

8.0 PRICING

8.1 As applicable, all trip charges, mileage, vehicle charges, travel time and labor are to be included in the Analyte Test Fee. Special sampling requested by the County will be charged at the hourly sampling rate, which does not include courier services, if applicable.

8.2 As applicable, estimated usage for each item is listed in the bid. This is an estimated figure only and no guarantee is made or implied as to the actual quantities that will be acquired under resulting contracts.

Quantities listed herein are subject to increase or decrease during the term of the contract. In either occurrence, the Offeror will perform the work at the unit price as bid. The County, at its discretion, may authorize an initial contract for a greater not-to-exceed amount than that submitted by the Bidder.

9.0 COUNTY WORKPLACE COMPLIANCE

9.1 Smoking – Smoking is not permitted inside any County facility. Smoking https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 5 of 5 is restricted to designated smoking areas outside a facility.

9.2 Parking – The Bidder’s representatives shall abide by all parking restrictions. The Bidder’s vehicles are subject to the same restrictions, limitations, fines and tickets as posted for any other vehicle. Where time limit restrictions exceed the required time to provide services, arrangements shall be made in advance.

9.3 Alcohol/Drugs – Service personnel under the influence of alcohol and/or non-prescription drugs are not permitted to work in County facilities.

Any person known or thought to be under these influences will be escorted off County property.

9.4 Security - The Bidder must adhere to all Sarasota County security procedures. The Bidder’s work force shall be made up of persons legally authorized to perform work in the United States. The Bidder shall, at the County’s request, submit the following information for each of their employees: name, date of birth, social security number and green card (if applicable).

9.5 Identification - The Bidder shall require all employees to visibly wear identification while on County property. Said identification shall contain a color photograph of the employee, the name of the employee and the name of the company. The Bidder shall require all employees to wear a company uniform, which shall include the name of the employee and the company. Persons not conforming to this requirement may be denied access to the building. Denial of access does not alleviate the Bidder’s responsibilities herein.

(End of Part I)

PART II

SCOPE OF SERVICES

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I. OVERVIEW

A. The County requires laboratory testing services for water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste systems for various county departments.

County departments that will utilize the contract include, but shall not be limited to, Planning and Development Services - Environmental Protection, Stormwater, Solid Waste, and Public Utilities - Water/Wastewater. Sample testing requirements are:

1. For each Category, as applicable, Contractor shall have the capability to conduct the appropriate tests specified in the following chapters of the Florida Administrative Codes (F.A.C.):

Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62-600, 62-610, 62- 620, 62-640 and 62-777.

2. For each Category as applicable, Contractor shall have the capability to perform procedures following the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulations on Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 136, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste following EPA SW- 846 Methods, and EPA Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria (Subtitle D) EPA 40 CFR Parts 257, 258 and 261.24.

3. Contractor shall comply with the reporting requirements contained in Chapter 62-160.340, F.A.C. Contractor shall report all results using the chemical names as specified in the Florida regulations. Contractor shall maintain reporting formats in order to comply with all current regulatory requirements. Contractor shall be required to meet all regulatory requirements as updated from time to time for the duration of the contract.

B. Contractor shall identify a single point of contact as its Project Manager (PM) for all work performed under the resulting contract. Any changes to the PM shall be communicated to the County Administrative Agent at the earliest opportunity.

II. CATEGORY 1 SPECIFIC SCOPE

A. CATEGORY 1 SERVICES:

Wastewater Permit compliance (daily/weekly, monitoring wells, biosolids), Drinking Water Permit compliance, Water Use Permit compliance, and basic water quality.

1. Group II Regulated (EPA’s) Contaminants in drinking water

2. Microbiology in non-potable water, drinking water, and solids

3. Primary and secondary inorganic contaminants in drinking water

4. Other Regulated Contaminants in drinking water

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5. Metals in non-potable and drinking water and solids

6. General Chemistry in non-potable, drinking water and solids

7. Volatile organics in non-potable and drinking water

B. WORK PRODUCT

1. Sample pick-up locations are listed in Attachment A - Pick-up Locations. Sample pickup will be carried out on a routine basis:

Monday to Sunday at water reclamation facilities, and Monday to Friday at potable water facilities. The Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex listed in Attachment A is a potential pick-up site to be chosen based on the County’s specific needs. The County reserves the right to add or remove locations at its discretion and will provide the Contractor with an updated list as changes occur.

2. Sample pick-up locations will be mutually agreed upon between the County and the Contractor. Intensive field sampling schedules often result in microbiological samples being transferred to the courier five (5) hours after initial sample collection. Contractor shall ensure that holding times for sample analysis are met as required by Department of Enviromental Protection (DEP) and National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) standards.

3. The following Method Detection Limits (MDLs) shall be achieved:

a) Certain parameters require dilutions to cover appropriate range. These parameters include, but are not limited to, bacteria and Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD). The minimum recommended number of dilutions is three (3). As a result of varying sample matrices and laboratory MDLs, it is unfeasible to outline all applicable ranges. Contractor is advised to discuss any sample from an unknown source with a County QA Officer. The County will not pay for any result reported as "greater than (>)" the laboratory MDL. Values reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL (as reported in the Quality Assurance (QA) Plan for the appropriate matrix) will be acceptable.

However, the County will not pay for any result reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL where the MDL is artificially raised due to a dilution factor, except in cases of matrix interference.

b) MDLs reported shall be adequate to determine compliance with surface water, groundwater and biosolids standards as listed in Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62- 600, 62-610, 62-620, 62-640, 62-777, F.A.C., and EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule. Contractor shall determine MDLs, on at least an annual basis, for all methods utilized in this Scope of Services. The MDL shall be calculated in

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Page 1 of 15 accordance with the most current version of Chapter 62- 160, F.A.C. and 40 CFR 136, Appendix B.

4. As a result of permit conditions, the timely performance and completion of the required services is vitally important to the County. The following timetable for receipt of Contractor reports (starting from the time of receipt of samples) shall be met:

a) A maximum of seven (7) calendar days for hard copy reports requiring microbiological results only.

b) A maximum of fourteen (14) calendar days for biosolids reports.

c) A maximum of nine (9) calendar days on all other samples submitted under Category 1 (for example, daily/weekly reports for the water reclamation facilities listed in Attachment A).

5. Contractor shall furnish the County with a certified report for work completed, quality-control data, copies of the invoices, and regulatory reporting forms, if applicable. An electronic copy may be requested by the County for the microbiological results to be provided within 48 hours of sampling.

6. Hard copy reports shall be distributed as follows:

a) For routine weekly reports of the water reclamation facilities, one (1) complete original shall be sent to the originating facility and one (1) complete original shall be sent to the County Quality Assurance (QA) Officer.

b) One (1) original of all other reports shall be sent to the County QA Officer.

7. Contractor shall maintain the ability to submit results to the County in the FDEP Automated Data Processing Tool (ADaPT) electronic format (both Electronic Data Deliverable [EDD] and Long Range Depended [LRD]) with the error log and other associated files. Refer to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website for additional information.

8. Contractor shall maintain a tracking method (Dashboard), provided by the County QA Officer, for each water reclamation facility, that contains the major analytic permit requirements and their graphic representation on a weekly basis.

9. Contractor shall be responsible for updating and modifying the formulas in the (Dashboard) program as necessary.

C. QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Contractor shall run quality-control samples in accordance with Chapter 62-160, F.A.C., Quality Control Requirements, and

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Florida Department of Health (FDOH) per National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) compliant certification.

2. The following QA data shall be included with all analytical laboratory reports and shall be included in the lump sum price quoted for each test. This data shall include, as applicable:

a) Blank Summary (to include method blanks);

b) Duplicate Summary;

c) Matrix Spike Summary;

d) Calibration Data Summary (to include continuing calibration verification); and

e) MDLs as regularly attained in the laboratory.

3. Quality Control (QC) limits shall be reported by the Contractor. If any QC limits were exceeded, a flag or footnote shall be placed to indicate the affected samples.

4. All Chain of Custody forms shall be initialed or signed by the Contractor and shall be provided for all sampling sets. These forms are to be completed by the County employee performing the sampling. Upon arrival of the collected samples at the Contractor’s laboratory, the receiving agent will sign the Chain of Custody form. Signed original Chain of Custody forms shall be returned to the County with the associated reports.

5. Contractor shall review all reports for accuracy and abnormal test results prior to transmitting the reports to the County.

6. Contractor shall immediately notify the County QA Officer via telephone or email in the event that any accuracy problems, reporting problems, or abnormal test results become apparent to the Contractor. Contractor shall immediately notify the submitting facility and the County QA Officer of any primary MCL exceedance.

7. Contractor shall be responsible for providing the County with written explanations for any and all QA irregularities regarding FDEP, FDOH, Florida Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Certification Program (ELCP) and County specifications and a copy of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

D. COURIER SERVICE

1. Contractor shall provide a daily courier service seven (7) days a week, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time, for the purpose of transporting samples collected from the various County facilities (refer to Attachment A) participating in Category 1. The courier shall also serve on an on-call basis seven

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(7) days per week, twenty-four (24) hours per day, for any additional pick-ups that may be required (scheduled or unscheduled). All courier costs must be reflected in the analytical testing unit price (scheduled or unscheduled). The courier service shall be responsible for the proper treatment of the samples and shall ensure that the arrival of samples to the Contractor meets the applicable holding times. A mutual time schedule will be negotiated to meet the needs of all parties. Contractor courier shall be responsible for recording temperature data obtained from the required coolers on the original Chain of Custody form, see Attachment C - Chain of Custody form attached hereto and incorporated herein. The required coolers will be designated by the County QA office.

2. As a result of abnormal /unscheduled events, Contractor or subcontractor shall accept samples seven (7) days a week, twenty-four (24) hours per day. Verbal response by the Contractor to a call shall be within one (1) hour. Any sample collected by County personnel after regular Contractor business hours (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday) will be dropped off at any location listed in Attachment A.

Separate line items are provided on the Price Table for after-hours analyses.

E. SAMPLE CONTAINERS

1. Contractor shall provide the County with sample containers composed of virgin material, certified or cleaned by the specifications outlined in the most current version of Florida Department of Environment Protection – Standard Operating Procedures (FDEP-SOP). Containers shall contain the proper amount and type of preservative for the parameters to be analyzed, according to 40 CFR Part 136. To ensure that samples collected by the County are correctly preserved, Contractor shall provide the County with extra preservatives to be used, if necessary. For bacteria testing, sterilized plastic cups (with tail) shall be furnished by the Contractor.

2. Coolers shall be in good condition and in sufficient quantities for services requested herein. Coolers shall be dedicated solely for shipping to and from the County. These coolers shall be used for no purpose other than to transport County samples and shall be properly maintained in good working order.

3. Contractor shall provide the County with sufficient sample containers and coolers for the County to conduct non-scheduled sampling. The County will provide the Contractor with a list of the number and types of sample containers and coolers required.

F. PACKING / BOTTLE KIT SHIPPING

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1. Contractor shall prepare and mark all containers based on the Sampling Report submitted by the County. Only waterproof labels and markers shall be used on the bottles.

2. The coolers are required to be delivered to the County during normal working hours, defined as Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding County observed holidays only.

3. All coolers must include a sufficient number of blank Chain of

Custody forms and a packing list indicating which bottles were included.

4. All bottles shall be labeled with the site name, field ID code provided by County, and client name.

5. Samples received by Contractor shall have the Chain of Custody forms indicating the parameters to be analyzed.

6. Contractor shall supply bottles as sampling kits in separate clear plastic bags.

7. All coolers with bottles containing acid shall be packed upright in clear plastic bags with a strip of pH paper and packing material around each bottle to ensure they remain upright, closed tight, and leak-proof. All glass containers shall be wrapped in bubble wrap packing.

8. Contractor shall pay all costs associated with shipping coolers, ice packs, and sample containers to the County.

III. CATEGORY 2 SPECIFIC SCOPE

A. CATEGORY 2 SERVICES:

Solid Waste Permit compliance, Drinking Water Permit compliance and miscellaneous inorganic, soil/sediment, and organic parameters.

1. Group I Unregulated contaminants in drinking water

2. Group II Unregulated contaminants in drinking water

3. Synthetic Organic contaminants in drinking water

4. Microbiology in non-potable and drinking water

5. Primary and secondary inorganic contaminants in drinking water

6. Other Regulated contaminants in drinking water and non-potable water

7. Metals in non-potable water, drinking water and solids

8. General Chemistry in non-potable water, drinking water and solids

9. Volatile organics in non-potable and drinking water

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10. Extractable organics in non-potable and drinking water

11. Pesticides-Herbicides-Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in non-potable water and drinking water

12. Radiochemistry in non-potable and drinking water

B. WORK PRODUCT

1. Sample pick-up locations will be mutually agreed upon between the County and the Contractor. Intensive field sampling schedules often result in microbiological samples being transferred to the courier five (5) hours after initial sample collection. The Contractor must ensure that holding times for sample analysis are met as required by DEP and NELAC standards.

2. The following MDLs shall be achieved:

a) Certain parameters require dilutions to cover appropriate range. These parameters include, but are not limited to, bacteria and CBOD. The minimum recommended number of dilutions is three (3). As a result of varying sample matrices and laboratory MDLs, applicable ranges cannot be outlined here. Contractor is advised to discuss any sample from an unknown source with a County QA Officer. The County will not pay for any result reported as "greater than (>)" the laboratory MDL. Values reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL (as reported in the QA Plan for the appropriate matrix) will be acceptable. However, the County will not pay for any result reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL where the MDL is artificially raised due to a dilution factor, except in cases of matrix interference.

b) MDLs reported shall be adequate to determine compliance with drinking water, surface-water and ground-water standards as listed in Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62-600, 62-610, 62-620, 62-640, 62-777, F.A.C., EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule, EPA 40 CFR Part 258 Appendix I and II and Part 261.24. Contractor shall determine MDLs, on at least an annual basis, for all methods utilized in this Scope of Services. The MDL shall be determined according to the procedures outlined in the most current version of 40 CFR 136, Appendix B. If Contractor can't meet all the MDLs in Chapters 62-302, 62-777, F.A.C. or those dictated in 40 CFR Part 258 Appendix I and II, Contractor shall meet alternative practical quantitation limits (PQLs) per method in accordance with FDEP's most current "Guidance for the Selection of Analytical Methods and for the Evaluation of Practical Quantitation Limits". A letter may be submitted from the FDEP that accepts the Contractor results with their

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C. REPORTING

1. As a result of permit conditions, the timely performance and completion of the required services is vitally important to the County. The following timetable for receipt of laboratory reports (starting from the time of receipt of samples) shall be met.

a) Maximum of thirty (30) calendar days for complete electronic reports including QC summary report and hard copy of the invoice and original Chain of Custody form for samples submitted under Category 2. Electronic data package must be complete. Partial reports are not considered a complete electronic report. The original Chain of Custody can be requested at the discretion of the County.

b) Within ten (10) days of the submittal of the complete electronic report for the Solid Waste facilities data will be submitted in the FDEP ADaPT electronic format (both EDD and LRD) with the error log and other associated files.

2. For solid waste permit reports, Contractor shall report all results using the chemical names as given in the Florida regulations and list results on all reports and forms by method and alphabetical order. For solid waste permit reports, all concentration results shall be reported in µg/L (micrograms per liter), unless specified otherwise in the Sampling Report or as requested by the County.

Metals samples will be analyzed for total metals unless otherwise noted and therefore shall not be filtered.

3. Additional regulatory reporting forms shall be completed for Category 2 by the Contractor as follows:

a) FDOH Public Drinking Water Analysis Report format and;

b) FDOH Public Drinking Water Copper and Lead Reporting format;

c) Electronic format required for Solid Waste Reporting.

D. QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Contractor shall run quality-control samples in accordance with Chapter 62-160 F.A.C. and FDOH NELAP-compliant certification.

2. The following QA data shall be included with all analytical laboratory reports and shall be included in the lump sum price quoted for each test. This data shall include, as applicable:

a) Case Narrative;

b) Surrogate Summary;

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c) Blank Summary (to include calibration and continuing calibration blanks);

d) Duplicate Summary;

e) Matrix Spike Summary;

f) Calibration Data Summary (to include continuing calibration verification);

g) MDLs as regularly attained in the laboratory.

3. QC limits shall also be reported by the Contractor. If any QC limits were exceeded, a flag or footnote shall be placed to indicate the affected samples.

4. Contractor shall submit for County review all proposed QA/QC procedures and control limits, including actions to be taken in the event a QA/QC control limit is not met. Contractor shall follow, at a minimum, the methods and QA/QC procedures identified in the most recent revisions to Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods (SW-846) and Chapter 62-160, F.A.C.

5. All Chain of Custody forms will be initialed or signed by the Contractor and shall be provided for all sampling sets. These forms are to be completed by the County employee performing the sampling. Upon arrival of the collected samples at Contractor’s laboratory, the receiving individual will sign the Chain of Custody form. Signed original Chain of Custody forms shall be returned with the final report.

6. Contractor shall review all reports for accuracy and abnormal test results prior to transmitting the reports to the County.

7. Contractor shall immediately notify a County QA officer via telephone or email in the event that any Contractor holding times, accuracy problems, reporting problems, or if abnormal test results become apparent to the Contractor. Contractor shall immediately notify the submitting facility and the County QA officer of any primary Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL, as set forth in all previously cited Rules) exceedances.

8. Contractor shall be responsible for providing the County with written explanations for any and all QA irregularities regarding FDEP, FDOH, ELCP and County specifications and a copy of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

9. Contractor shall provide on a semi-annual basis updated MDL values and changes in precision and accuracy target limits for all analytes.

E. COURIER SERVICE

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Under Category 2, courier service may be requested by the County and supplied by the Contractor on an as-needed basis. The County will request such service with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice. Sample pickup locations are listed in Attachment A. All courier costs must be reflected in the analytical testing unit price. The courier service shall be responsible for the proper treatment of the samples and shall ensure that the arrival of said samples to the Contractor meets the EPA holding times. A mutual time schedule will be negotiated to meet the needs of all parties.

F. SAMPLE CONTAINERS

Contractor shall provide the County with sample containers composed of virgin material, certified or cleaned by the specifications outlined in the most current FDEP-SOP. Containers shall contain the proper amount and type of preservative for the parameters to be analyzed, according to 40 CFR Part 136 and Solid Waste SW-846, as appropriate. To ensure that samples collected by the County are correctly preserved, Contractor shall provide the County with extra preservatives to be used if necessary. For bacteria testing, sterilized plastic containers (with tail and shrink wrap) shall be furnished.

1. Coolers shall be in good condition and in sufficient quantities.

These coolers shall be used for no other purpose than transport of samples and shall be kept in good repair.

2. Contractor shall provide the County with sufficient sample containers and coolers for the County to conduct non-scheduled sampling. The County will provide Contractor with a list of the number and types of sample containers and coolers required.

G. PACKING / BOTTLE KIT SHIPPING

1. Contractor shall prepare and mark all containers based on Sampling Report submitted by the County. Only waterproof labels and markers shall be used on the bottles.

2. The coolers are required to be delivered to the County during normal working hours, Monday through Friday defined as 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time excluding County observed holidays.

3. All coolers must include a sufficient number of blank Chain of Custody forms and a packing list indicating which bottles were included.

4. All bottles shall be labeled with the site name, field ID code supplied by County and client name.

5. Samples received by Contractor shall have the Chain of Custody forms indicating the parameters to be analyzed.

6. All coolers with bottles containing acid shall be packed upright in clear plastic bags with a strip of pH paper and packing material

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Page 9 of 15 around each bottle to ensure they remain upright, closed tight, and leak-proof. All glass containers shall be wrapped in "bubble wrap" packing.

7. Contractor shall supply bottles as sampling kits in separate clear plastic bags.

8. It shall be the responsibility of Contractor’s courier, agent, or subcontractor, to package and ship the necessary samples to the Contractor’s laboratory. The County shall not be responsible for coordinating the transportation of samples via United Parcel Service (UPS) or a similar carrier. Contractor shall guarantee that the samples being shipped will arrive within a maximum of twenty-four (24) hour period and within sample holding times as outlined in 40 CFR Part 136 Table II. All costs associated with freight shall be included in the price per test. Contractor shall pay all costs associated with shipping coolers, ice packs, and sample containers to the County.

IV. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Every Contractor crew must have at least one employee that can effectively communicate in English with County staff or with the general public.

B. Contractor is responsible for any damage to County or personal property due to negligence on the part of the Contractor or their employees.

Restoration shall be made to County’s satisfaction.

C. Contractor is required to participate in performance and project report meetings as deemed necessary by County.

D. Contractor shall be responsible for all shipping of samples to and from the County Quality Assurance (QA) Office, located at 1255 T. Mabry Carlton Parkway, Venice, FL 34292, or a point so designated by the County.

E. Contractor shall be familiar with drinking water, wastewater, surface water, ground water and solid waste permit requirements and Florida State standards and is required to determine compliance with permits or other regulatory limits.

F. All certifications are required per Chapter 64E-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) to test the analytes listed on the Price Tables. All certifications must be active throughout the term of the contract.

V. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

A. Contractor shall submit tests, in the appropriate format, through the Florida DEP ADaPT electronic format or an Electronic Data Deliverable

(EDD).

B. Contractor shall provide the following within three (3) business days of County request:

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1. The past two (2) years Proficiency Tests (PT) required by NELAC (4 PTs) for each analyte.

2. The most recent two (2) NELAC audits (4 years), including the statement of deficiency form and the laboratory’s plan of correction.

3. Contractor’s QA manual or its equivalent to demonstrate the capability of field sampling in adherence to the latest FDEP field SOP’s.

VI. COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. The County shall provide the Contractor (in advance when practicable) with sampling schedules, locations, requested analyses, and field IDs/site names, for bottle kit preparation, courier routing, and reporting.

B. The County shall provide the Contractor’s courier/lab representatives with reasonable access to County facilities and designated pick-up/drop-off points, including gate access procedures, badging/escort requirements (if any), and site-specific hours/constraints.

C. Unless otherwise specified, the County shall collect samples using trained personnel and standard field practices, including Contractor-provided containers, preservatives, and field documentation consistent with applicable permits and County procedures.

D. The County shall maintain samples in appropriate conditions prior to transfer to the Contractor and shall make samples available for courier pickup or authorized drop-off within applicable holding times.

E. The County shall review analytical reports and data deliverables for completeness and usability, and shall promptly notify the Contractor of suspected discrepancies, missing information, or formatting issues so corrective actions can be made

VII. ASSIGNMENT OF WORK

A. Service requests will be made to the Primary Contractor. If the Primary Contractor declines the work, or is unable to perform the requested testing itself or with its subcontractor, or in the occurrence of questionable or invalid data, the service request may be issued to the Secondary Contractor.

B. If Contractor declines or is unable to provide work on four (4) service requests in a twelve (12) month period, the Term Contract may be terminated at the sole discretion of the County.

C. Service requests will be dispatched by the County by means of a telephone call or email, and a PO number will be issued. This PO number must be referenced on all correspondence, including invoicing.

VIII. INVOICING

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A. Contractor’s invoices shall contain the Purchase Order (PO) number.

B. Contractor shall provide supporting documentation for each invoice submitted to the County. This documentation will be provided to the QA Office in the form of a report(s) as described in the applicable testing Work Product. It does not need to be attached to the invoice.

C. Invoices shall list all tests performed and billed at the prices indicated in the Fee Schedule or per quotation of as-needed testing.

D. Invoices shall contain the location from which the samples were obtained, sample date range, and applicable identifying report number.

E. If Contractor chooses to submit its invoicing electronically to the Clerk of the Court, the total cost of the invoice (even if multiple pages) must be indicated on page one of the invoice.

F. Contractor shall list separately on each invoice, any reports that fail to be submitted on time in accordance with scope section XIII. The applicable deduction (50% or 100%) must be reflected and applied to the line total.

IX. SUBCONTRACTING

A. All employees of Contractor shall be considered to be, all times, the sole employees of the Contractor, under the Contractor’s sole direction.

B. Any use of a Subcontractor must be approved in writing by the County.

C. There will be no reimbursement for the cost of the Subcontractor for Fee Schedule testing. The County will pay the Contractor for the services of the subcontractor based on the price on the Fee Schedule.

Subcontracted testing may not account for more than ten percent (10%) of the total cost for each category.

D. All subcontractors shall be required to meet the conditions and requirements of the term contract including all the documentation required.

Analysis of parameters with short holding times represents a critical element of County Regulatory Compliance. If the Contractor’s laboratory is physically located outside the tri-county area (Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte Counties) which may preclude timely analyses of parameters with sensitive holding times (48 hours or less), Contractor may designate a subcontracted laboratory to analyze samples with sensitive holding times, as long as the subcontractor does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total cost in each category and meets all of the conditions of the term contract.

Contractor shall provide direction to the subcontractor as to the number and types of tests to be performed.

E. Contractor shall incorporate subcontracted analyses into the final report per NELAP requirements, including any required electronic reporting.

X. CHAIN OF CUSTODY

County shall direct the Contractor as to what tests to perform by issuing a

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Chain of Custody form. The Chain of Custody will specify the sampling points, analyte list(s), and information regarding delivery of sampling supplies.

XI. BLIND SAMPLES

To monitor Contractor performance, blind samples (with test results already known by the County) will be sent periodically to the Contractor by the County.

The results shall be evaluated by a County QA Officer.

XII. TIMELINESS

Contractor shall perform all required tests in accordance with United States Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 CFR Part 136, Table II. The County will not reimburse the Contractor for any test(s) conducted after the established holding time unless the County QA officer instructs the Contractor to do otherwise. Contractor must communicate with the County QA officer when samples are delivered after holding times to determine if analysis should proceed. Failure to meet holding times will result in resampling at the Contractor’s expense in accordance with this scope. Contractor must notify the County immediately if it is impossible for an analysis to be performed (loss of certification, broken bottles, malfunctioning equipment etc.).

XIII. DELAY FEES

A. Time is of the essence in the performance of the Scope of Services.

Therefore, the amounts set forth below will serve as fees for delay:

1. For reports submitted up to seven (7) calendar days beyond the applicable timetable established for each Category regulations, a fifty (50%) percent reduction of the report invoice amount will be assessed by the County’s QA office.

2. For reports submitted after seven calendar days beyond the applicable timetable established for each Category regulations, one hundred (100%) percent reduction of report invoice amount will be assessed the County’s QA office.

XIV. QUESTIONABLE/ INVALID DATA

A. Re-analysis of suspect data samples (possible invalid data or inconsistent with the historical database) shall be provided by the Contractor at the request of the County. Cost for re-analysis of questionable data shall be borne by the County unless the original result is invalidated due to Contractor error, in which case the cost of re-analysis shall be borne by the Contractor.

B. Re-analysis results require a three (3) calendar day turnaround;

corrected reports to be submitted within two (2) business days of re-analysis. In the event of two (2) failed occurrences the County reserves the right to outsource retesting to another Vendor.

XV. PROFESSIONAL QUALITY AND RETESTING

Contractor shall be responsible for the professional quality, technical accuracy, Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Page 13 of 15 and coordination of all data and reports produced. Contractor shall, without additional compensation, correct or revise any errors or deficiencies in its reports, data, or other documents. The County reserves the right to reject reports and invoices that fail to abide by the conditions in the Scope of Services for each Category and in turn shall reject payment requests or invoices for any rejected tests until accurate and approved reports are submitted according to the specifications and to the County's satisfaction. The County may request verification or a retest of up to two percent (2%) of reported analytes at no additional charge at the discretion of the County.

XVI. RESAMPLING RESPONSIBILITY

A. Contractor shall be responsible for any re-sampling caused by their negligence (including, but not limited to, out of hold time, damaged samples). Re-sampling will be performed according to the most current

(FDEP-SOP.

B. In the event that County staff must resample as a result of Contractor negligence, Contractor may be responsible for costs incurred by the County in collecting additional samples. These costs include human resources, transportation and any supplies associated with sampling the parameter(s) in question. Any other costs incurred by the County as a consequence of improper/incorrect analysis of samples shall be Contractor’s responsibility and liability.

XVII. SAMPLE RETENTION

All samples received by the Contractor from the County shall be retained after the date of the final report submittal to the County to ensure that re-analysis is possible if requested by the County. Samples shall be retained for a minimum of ninety (90) days for metals samples and forty-five (45) days for all other samples.

XVIII. CERTIFICATION RENEWALS

Contractor shall furnish the County with FDOH renewal certificates and subsequent results of final On-Site Laboratory Assessment Reports for the duration of the contract. In the event the Contractor’s certification is suspended for any parameter or group of parameters, the County shall be notified verbally within 24 hours and in writing within seven (7) days including a copy of the Corrective Action Plan submitted to NELAP.

XIX. INSPECTIONS

The County reserves the right to perform scheduled and unscheduled inspections of the Contractor’s laboratory during Normal Business Hours. Normal Business hours are defined as Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

(End of Part II)

PART III – INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

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CONTRACTOR’S INSURANCE

Contractor shall, on a primary basis and at its sole expense, maintain in full force and effect, at all times during the life of this Contract, insurance coverage (including endorsements) and limits as described herein. These requirements, as well as the County’s review or acceptance of insurance maintained by Contractor, are not intended to and shall not in any manner limit or qualify the liabilities or obligations assumed by Contractor under this Contract.

Insurance requirements itemized in this Contract and required of the Contractor shall extend to all subcontractors to cover their operations performed under this Contract.

The Contractor shall be responsible for any modifications, deviations, or omissions in these insurance requirements as they apply to subcontractors.

Insurance carriers providing coverage required herein must be licensed to conduct business in the State of Florida and must possess a current A.M. Best’s Financial Strength Rating of A- Class VII or better.

Each insurance policy required by this Contract shall apply separately to each insured against whom claim is made and suit is brought, except with respect to limits of the insurer’s liability.

The Contractor shall be solely responsible for payment of all premiums for insurance contributing to the satisfaction of this Contract and shall be solely responsible for the payment of all deductibles and retentions to which such policies are subject.

Contractor shall furnish Certificates of Insurance to the County Administrative Agent evidencing the types and amounts of coverage, including endorsements, required by this Contract prior to commencement of work and prior to expiration of the insurance contract, when applicable. Such Certificate(s) of Insurance shall, to the extent allowable by the insurer, include a minimum thirty (30) day notice of cancellation (10 days for non-payment of premium) or non-renewal of coverage. Notwithstanding these notification requirements, the Contractor will be required to provide County with 5-day prior written notice of any policy cancellation or non-renewal.

The County reserves the right to review, modify, reject, or accept any required policies of insurance, including limits, coverage, or endorsements, herein from time to time throughout the term of this Contract. County reserves the right, but not the obligation, to review and reject any insurer providing coverage due to its poor financial condition or failure to operate legally.

A. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Contractor agrees to maintain Workers’ Compensation insurance in accordance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 440.

Employers Liability to be included with a minimum limit of $500,000.00 per accident/per disease/per employee. If work is to be performed over or adjacent to navigable water and involves maritime exposure, applicable LHWCA, Jones Act, or other maritime law coverage shall be included.

PART III – INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Insurance Template 1 Revised 05/13/16 Page 2 of 2

In the event the Contractor has “leased” employees, the Contractor or the employee leasing company must provide evidence of a Workers’ Compensation policy for all personnel on the worksite.

Contractors who are…