28221QQSpecificationsTermsConditions.pdf

Administrative Services Division Procurement/Salem District Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority Salem District Snow Conference

QQ# 28221

SET-ASIDES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ENHANCEMENT AWARD PRIORITY: This solicitation is set-aside for award priority to DSBSD-certified micro businesses when designated “Micro Business Set-Aside Award Priority” or “Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority” accordingly the solicitation. DSBSD-certified micro business or small businesses that include DSBSD- certified women owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DSBSD small business certification. For purposes of award, bidders shall be deemed micro businesses if and only if they are certified as such by DSBSD on the due date for receipt of bids.

Note: This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1 or against a bidder because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, or veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment. Faith-based organizations may request that the issuing agency not include subparagraph 1.f in General Terms and Condition C. Such a request shall be in writing and explain why an exception should be made in that invitation to bid.

I. PURPOSE: The Virginia Department of Transportation (herein referred to as "VDOT") is soliciting bids from qualified firms to provide suitable facilities and buffet meals for the 2023 Snow Conference, at a location within 15 miles of the Salem District Office located at 731 Harrison Avenue, Salem, VA, on October 17 and 18, 2023.

II. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS INVITATION FOR BID:

Any questions regarding this invitation for bid shall be addressed to Shonda Fowler at Shonda.Fowler@VDOT.virginia.gov.

The issuing office shall determine whether any addendum should be issued as a result of any questions or other matters raised.

III. GENERAL DEFINITIONS:

For the purpose of clarification, each firm submitting a Bid is referred to as a “Bidder” and the Bidder awarded the contract to supply the services is referred to as a “Contractor”. Virginia Department of Transportation is referred to as “Department” or as “VDOT”, and “Representative” refers to the VDOT Contract Administrator who will be administering the contract. This Solicitation states the instructions for submitting bids, the procedure and criteria by which a contract may be awarded, and the contractual terms which will exclusively govern the contract between VDOT and the Contractor.

IV. SPECIFICATIONS / CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS:

Contractor shall provide conference facilities, audio visual, meals and breaks as described herein. The event shall take place on Tuesday, October 17 and Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

Once award is made, VDOT will issue a purchase order which, along with these specifications. terms and conditions, will serve as the contract between the bidder and VDOT. All specifications, terms and conditions are included within this document.

BID PRICE: Bid prices for each line shall include all applicable expenses/charges for that line including set-up fees, gratuities, rental rates, etc. No other charges may be billed.

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUIRED:

a. Date of Conference: The conference shall take place on Tuesday, October 17, and Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

The Contractor shall be an established business with the resources to provide the facility and catering requirements, with the required licenses and permits to operate in Virginia and not serve as a service broker or online catering service.

b. Proposed Menu: Bidder shall include with their bid a proposed menu. If menu is not included with bid submission, VDOT will request the menu and Bidder shall provide within two (2) business days.

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

c. CONFERENCE FACILITY CHARGES: UOM – Each Quantity – 2 (Line 1 on pricing schedule)

This line item should include all charges not related to the meals and breaks including, but not limited to:

1) Parking: Sufficient parking space shall be available to accommodate up to 165 attendees and staff, at no additional charge.

2) Designated Conference Registration site: each day

6 ft. registration table with cloth table cover 4 chairs Waste basket

3) Conference Room to accommodate 165 persons: each day

Room available from 6:30am – 5:00pm Classroom style Head table near podium for Facilitators, 4 chairs Cloth table covers Water and coffee station inside room – to include condiments for the coffee

4) Audio/Visual: each day

Podium w/removable microphone Projector – XGA 2000 Lumens or equivalent Large, approximately 8 foot screen for visual displays Internet Access Wireless Lavalier VHF

d. MORNING BREAK: UOM Each per Day Quantity – 2 (Line 2 on pricing schedule)

9:45am – 10:30am Assorted Danish – 12.5 dozen Assorted Muffins – 12.5 dozen Seasonal Fruit Bowl – to feed 50 Coffee, Decaf, Ice Water, Hot Tea, assorted Juices Bid price shall include all expenses associated with providing this break.

e. HOT BUFFET LUNCH: UOM – EACH person Qty: 330 - Bid Price shall not exceed the Approved Per Diem rate as listed in 2.a below (Line 3 on pricing schedule) Buffet may be set-up in adjoining foyer/hallway with attendees eating in the conference room. Buffet may not be set up in the conference room.

Served at 12:00pm Hot Buffet, 165 people each day Chicken Entrée – One day must be Fried Chicken Additional Hot Entrée – Chef’s Choice 2 vegetables selections including one starch Assorted desserts – Chef’s Choice Warm rolls w/butter Iced Tea, Coffee and Water Price shall include all dinnerware and silverware, napkins, and condiments for tea and coffee.

f. AFTERNOON BREAK: UOM Each per Day Quantity – 2 (Line 4 on pricing schedule)

2:00pm – 3:00pm Assorted Cookies – 25 dozen Coffee, Decaf, Hot Teas Ice Water Assorted Sodas to include Diet and Decaffeinated Bid price shall include all expenses associated with providing this break.

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

2. PRICING SCHEDULE:

Line 1 – Conference Facility Charges - UOM Each Bid Quantity 2 (Days) Line 2 – Morning Break - UOM Each Bid Quantity 2 (Days) Line 3 – Hot Buffet Lunch - UOM Each Bid Quantity 330 (estimated number of attendees) Line 4 – Afternoon Break - UOM Each Bid Quantity 2 (Days)

a. Per Diem Rates: Commonwealth of Virginia per diem rates apply for the Hot Buffet Lunch to be provided for this event. The per Diem rate for lunch for Roanoke County, Roanoke City limits and City of Salem is $15.00, to include all service charges, gratuities, etc. Price bid for Line 3 in pricing schedule (Hot Buffet Lunch) shall not exceed the per Diem rate for each locality.

b. VDOT is exempt from Virginia State Sales Tax. Roanoke County has waived the collection of the local meals tax for Government Agencies. Please contact Roanoke County Commissioner of the Revenue office for additional information, if necessary.

c. Extra Charges Not Allowed - The bid price shall be for complete ready for the VDOT’s use, and shall include all applicable charges including gratuity, setup fees, service charges, etc. No other charges may be billed.

3. CONFIRMED ATTENDANCE:

VDOT estimates, for planning and bidding purposes, 165 people will be in attendance for the conference each day. VDOT will notify Contractor, three (3) business days prior to the event, of the confirmed number of attendees. Billing of the hot buffet lunch shall be based on this number or any documented amount above this confirmed amount. See Special Term and Condition #5 below for additional information.

V. METHOD FOR PAYMENT: Payment will be made (in accordance with the Virginia Prompt Payment Act) within 30 days after receipt of valid invoice and verification of satisfactory goods received and/or completion of work. Invoices shall be submitted to the address listed below for all items completed within the designated billing period.

Payment will be made via check, ACH, or EDI. Payment may also be made via P-Card for invoices within the P-Card limit if the Contractor accepts the State’s Small Purchase Charge Card. For questions about eVA please contact eVA Customer Care center at eVACustomerCare@DGS.Virginia.gov. For questions about electronic payments please contact DOA at (804) 692- 0473 or via email at: edi@doa.virginia.gov.

VI. INVOICING: The Contractor shall submit an invoice within thirty (30) days after completion of the conference. Invoices shall be sent to the address listed below. Invoices shall include the purchase order number, itemized quantities, unit price, and extended costs based on the contract pricing schedule.

Virginia Department of Transportation

Attn: Beth Clark 731 Harrison Avenue

Salem, VA 24153

In lieu of mailing, invoices may be submitted as an attachment via email to beth.clark@vdot.virginia.gov

VII. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

A. VENDORS MANUAL: This solicitation is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual and any changes or revisions thereto, which are hereby incorporated into this contract in their entirety. The process for filing a complaint about this solicitation is in section 7.13 of the Vendors Manual. (Note section 7.13 does not apply to protests of awards or formal contractual claims.) The procedure for filing contractual claims is in section 7.19 of the Vendors Manual. A copy of the manual is normally available for review at the purchasing office and is accessible on the Internet at www.eva.virginia.gov under “I Sell To Virginia”.

B. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS: This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its choice of law provisions, and any litigation with respect

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority thereto shall be brought in the circuit courts of the Commonwealth. The agency and the contractor are encouraged to resolve any issues in controversy arising from the award of the contract or any contractual dispute using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4366). ADR procedures are described in Chapter 9 of the Vendors Manual. The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

C. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their bids, bidders certify to the Commonwealth that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and § 2.2-4311 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA). If the award is made to a faith-based organization, the organization shall not discriminate against any recipient of goods, services, or disbursements made pursuant to the contract on the basis of the recipient's religion, religious belief, refusal to participate in a religious practice, or on the basis of race, age, color, gender sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin and shall be subject to the same rules as other organizations that contract with public bodies to account for the use of the funds provided; however, if the faith-based organization segregates public funds into separate accounts, only the accounts and programs funded with public funds shall be subject to audit by the public body. (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1E).

In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in 1. and 2. below apply:

1. During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:

a. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the contractor. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.

b. The contractor, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor, will state that such contractor is an equal opportunity employer.

c. Notices, advertisements, and solicitations placed in accordance with federal law, rule or regulation shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of meeting the requirements of this section.

d. If the contractor employs more than five employees, the contractor shall (i) provide annual training on the contractor's sexual harassment policy to all supervisors and employees providing services in the Commonwealth, except such supervisors or employees that are required to complete sexual harassment training provided by the Department of Human Resource Management, and (ii) post the contractor's sexual harassment policy in (a) a conspicuous public place in each building located in the Commonwealth that the contractor owns or leases for business purposes and (b) the contractor's employee handbook.

e. The requirements of these provisions 1. and 2. are a material part of the contract. If the Contractor violates one of these provisions, the Commonwealth may terminate the affected part of this contract for breach, or at its option, the whole contract. Violation of one of these provisions may also result in debarment from State contracting regardless of whether the specific contract is terminated.

f. In accordance with Executive Order 61 (2017), a prohibition on discrimination by the contractor, in its employment practices, subcontracting practices, and delivery of goods or services, on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, political affiliation, disability, or veteran status, is hereby incorporated in this contract.

2. The contractor will include the provisions of 1. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

D. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: By submitting their bids, bidders certify that their bids are made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other bidder, supplier, manufacturer or subcontractor in connection with their bid, and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

E. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000:

By entering into a written contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor does not, and shall not during the performance of the contract for goods and services in the Commonwealth, knowingly employ an unauthorized alien as defined in the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

F. DEBARMENT STATUS: By participating in this procurement, the vendor certifies that they are not currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia from submitting a response for the type of goods and/or services covered by this solicitation. Vendor further certifies that they are not debarred from filling any order or accepting any resulting order, or that they are an agent of any person or entity that is currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If a vendor is created or used for the purpose of circumventing a debarment decision against another vendor, the non-debarred vendor will be debarred for the same time period as the debarred vendor.

G. ANTITRUST: By entering into a contract, the contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Commonwealth of Virginia all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia under said contract.

H. MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR IFBs: Failure to submit a bid on the official state form provided for that purpose shall be a cause for rejection of the bid. Modification of or additions to any portion of the Invitation for Bids may be cause for rejection of the bid; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to decide, on a case-by-case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a bid as nonresponsive. As a precondition to its acceptance, the Commonwealth may, in its sole discretion, request that the bidder withdraw or modify nonresponsive portions of a bid which do not affect quality, quantity, price, or delivery. No modification of or addition to the provisions of the contract shall be effective unless reduced to writing and signed by the parties.

I. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS: If any prospective (bidder has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective bidder should contact the buyer whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than five working days before the due date. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the buyer.

J. PAYMENT:

1. To Prime Contractor:

a. Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the contractor directly to the payment address shown on the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the state contract number and/or purchase order number; social security number (for individual contractors) or the federal employer identification number (for proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations).

b. Any payment terms requiring payment in less than 30 days will be regarded as requiring payment 30 days after invoice or delivery, whichever occurs last. This shall not affect offers of discounts for payment in less than 30 days, however.

c. All goods or services provided under this contract or purchase order, that are to be paid for with public funds, shall be billed by the contractor at the contract price, regardless of which public agency is being billed.

d. The following shall be deemed to be the date of payment: the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail, or when offset proceedings have been instituted as authorized under the Virginia Debt Collection Act.

e. Unreasonable Charges. Under certain emergency procurements and for most time and material purchases, final job costs cannot be accurately determined at the time orders are placed. In such cases, contractors should be put on notice that final payment in full is contingent on a determination of reasonableness with respect to all invoiced charges. Charges which appear to be unreasonable will be resolved in accordance with Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4363

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority and -4364. Upon determining that invoiced charges are not reasonable, the Commonwealth shall notify the contractor of defects or improprieties in invoices within fifteen (15) days as required in Code of Virginia, § 2.2- 4351.,. The provisions of this section do not relieve an agency of its prompt payment obligations with respect to those charges which are not in dispute (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4363).

2. To Subcontractors:

a. Within seven (7) days of the contractor’s receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, a contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

(1) To pay the subcontractor(s) for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the subcontractor(s) under the contract; or

(2) To notify the agency and the subcontractor(s), in writing, of the contractor’s intention to withhold payment and the reason.

b. The contractor is obligated to pay the subcontractor(s) interest at the rate of one percent per month (unless otherwise provided under the terms of the contract) on all amounts owed by the contractor that remain unpaid seven (7) days following receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, except for amounts withheld as stated in (2) above. The date of mailing of any payment by U. S. Mail is deemed to be payment to the addressee. These provisions apply to each sub-tier contractor performing under the primary contract. A contractor’s obligation to pay an interest charge to a subcontractor may not be construed to be an obligation of the Commonwealth.

3. Each prime contractor who wins an award in which provision of a SWaM procurement plan is a condition to the award, shall deliver to the contracting agency or institution, on or before request for final payment, evidence and certification of compliance (subject only to insubstantial shortfalls and to shortfalls arising from subcontractor default) with the SWaM procurement plan. Final payment under the contract in question may be withheld until such certification is delivered and, if necessary, confirmed by the agency or institution, or other appropriate penalties may be assessed in lieu of withholding such payment.

4. The Commonwealth of Virginia encourages contractors and subcontractors to accept electronic and credit card payments.

K. PRECEDENCE OF TERMS: The following General Terms and Conditions VENDORS MANUAL, APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING, IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986, DEBARMENT STATUS, ANTITRUST, MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CLARIFICATION OF TERMS, PAYMENT shall apply in all instances. In the event there is a conflict between any of the other General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions in this solicitation, the Special Terms and Conditions shall apply.

L. QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDERS: The Commonwealth may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the bidder to perform the services/furnish the goods and the bidder shall furnish to the Commonwealth all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. The Commonwealth reserves the right to inspect bidder’s physical facilities prior to award to satisfy questions regarding the bidder’s capabilities. The Commonwealth further reserves the right to reject any bid if the evidence submitted by, or investigations of, such bidder fails to satisfy the Commonwealth that such bidder is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to provide the services and/or furnish the goods contemplated therein.

M. TESTING AND INSPECTION: The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct any test/inspection it may deem advisable to assure goods and services conform to the specifications.

N. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT: A contract shall not be assignable by the contractor in whole or in part without the written consent of the Commonwealth.

O. CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT: Changes can be made to the contract in any of the following ways:

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

1. The parties may agree in writing to modify the terms, conditions, or scope of the contract. Any additional goods or services to be provided shall be of a sort that is ancillary to the contract goods or services, or within the same broad product or service categories as were included in the contract award. Any increase or decrease in the price of the contract resulting from such modification shall be agreed to by the parties as a part of their written agreement to modify the scope of the contract.

2. The Purchasing Agency may order changes within the general scope of the contract at any time by written notice to the contractor. Changes within the scope of the contract include, but are not limited to, things such as services to be performed, the method of packing or shipment, and the place of delivery or installation. The contractor shall comply with the notice upon receipt, unless the contractor intends to claim an adjustment to compensation, schedule, or other contractual impact that would be caused by complying with such notice, in which case the contractor shall, in writing, promptly notify the Purchasing Agency of the adjustment to be sought, and before proceeding to comply with the notice, shall await the Purchasing Agency's written decision affirming, modifying, or revoking the prior written notice. If the Purchasing Agency decides to issue a notice that requires an adjustment to compensation, the contractor shall be compensated for any additional costs incurred as the result of such order and shall give the Purchasing Agency a credit for any savings. Said compensation shall be determined by one of the following methods:

a. By mutual agreement between the parties in writing; or

b. By agreeing upon a unit price or using a unit price set forth in the contract, if the work to be done can be expressed in units, and the contractor accounts for the number of units of work performed, subject to the Purchasing Agency’s right to audit the contractor’s records and/or to determine the correct number of units independently; or

c. By ordering the contractor to proceed with the work and keep a record of all costs incurred and savings realized. A markup for overhead and profit may be allowed if provided by the contract. The same markup shall be used for determining a decrease in price as the result of savings realized. The contractor shall present the Purchasing Agency with all vouchers and records of expenses incurred and savings realized. The Purchasing Agency shall have the right to audit the records of the contractor as it deems necessary to determine costs or savings. Any claim for an adjustment in price under this provision must be asserted by written notice to the Purchasing Agency within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order from the Purchasing Agency. If the parties fail to agree on an amount of adjustment, the question of an increase or decrease in the contract price or time for performance shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures for resolving disputes provided by the Disputes Clause of this contract or, if there is none, in accordance with the disputes provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual. Neither the existence of a claim nor a dispute resolution process, litigation or any other provision of this contract shall excuse the contractor from promptly complying with the changes ordered by the Purchasing Agency or with the performance of the contract generally.

P. DEFAULT: In case of failure to deliver goods or services in accordance with the contract terms and conditions, the

Commonwealth, after due oral or written notice, may terminate this contract and procure all goods and/or services contracted for, from other sources and hold the contractor responsible for any resulting additional purchase and administrative costs.

This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies which the Commonwealth may have.

Q. TAXES: Sales to the Commonwealth of Virginia are normally exempt from State sales tax. State sales and use tax certificates of exemption, Form ST-12, will be issued upon request. Deliveries against this contract shall usually be free of Federal excise and transportation taxes. The Commonwealth’s excise tax exemption registration number is 54-73-0076K.

If sales or deliveries against the contract are not exempt, the contractor shall be responsible for the payment of such taxes unless the tax law specifically imposes the tax upon the buying entity and prohibits the contractor from offering a tax-included price.

R. USE OF BRAND NAMES: OMITTED

S. TRANSPORTATION AND PACKAGING: OMITTED

T. INSURANCE: OMITTED

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

U. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD: Upon the award or the announcement of the decision to award a contract as a result of this solicitation, the purchasing agency will publicly post such notice in eVA (www.eva.virginia.gov) for a minimum of 10 days.

V. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000: During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees to (i) provide a drug-free workplace for the contractor's employees; (ii) post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana is prohibited in the contractor's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition; (iii) state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor that the contractor maintains a drug-free workplace; and (iv) include the provisions of the foregoing clauses in every subcontract or purchase order of over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

For the purposes of this section, “drug-free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific contract awarded to a contractor, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of any controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the contract.

W. NONDISCRIMINATION OF CONTRACTORS: A bidder or contractor shall not be discriminated against in the solicitation or award of this contract because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, faith-based organizational status, any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment or because the bidder employs ex-offenders unless the state agency, department or institution has made a written determination that employing ex-offenders on the specific contract is not in its best interest. If the award of this contract is made to a faith-based organization and an individual, who applies for or receives goods, services, or disbursements provided pursuant to this contract objects to the religious character of the faith-based organization from which the individual receives or would receive the goods, services, or disbursements, the public body shall offer the individual, within a reasonable period of time after the date of his objection, access to equivalent goods, services, or disbursements from an alternative provider.

X. eVA BUSINESS-TO-GOVERNMENT VENDOR REGISTRATION, CONTRACTS, AND ORDERS:

The eVA Internet electronic procurement solution, web site portal www.eVA.virginia.gov, streamlines and automate government purchasing activities in the Commonwealth. The eVA portal is the gateway for vendors to conduct business with state agencies and public bodies. All vendors desiring to provide goods and/or services to the Commonwealth shall participate in the eVA Internet e-procurement solution by completing the free eVA Vendor Registration. All bidders must register in eVA and pay the Vendor Transaction Fees specified below; failure to register will result in the bid being rejected.

Vendor transaction fees are determined by the date the original purchase order is issued and the current fees are as follows:

a. For orders issued July 1, 2014, and after, the Vendor Transaction Fee is:

i. DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $500 per order.

ii. Businesses that are not DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order.

b. Refer to Special Term and Condition “eVA Orders and Contracts” to identify the number of purchase orders that will be issued as a result of this solicitation/contract with the eVA transaction fee specified above assessed for each order.

For orders issued prior to July 1, 2014, the vendor transaction fees can be found at www.eVA.virginia.gov.

The specified vendor transaction fee will be invoiced, by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services, typically within 60 days of the order issue date. Any adjustments (increases/decreases) will be handled through purchase order changes.

Y. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: It is understood and agreed between the parties herein that the agency shall be bound hereunder only to the extent that the legislature has appropriated funds that are legally available or may hereafter become legally available for the purpose of this agreement.

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

Z. SET-ASIDES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ENHANCEMENT AWARD PRIORITY: This solicitation is set-aside for award priority to DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses when designated as “Micro Business Set-Aside Award Priority” or “Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority” accordingly in the solicitation.

DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses also includes DSBSD-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DSBSD small business certification. For purposes of award, bidders shall be deemed micro businesses or small businesses if and only if they are certified as such by DSBSD on the due date for receipt of bids.

AA. BID PRICE CURRENCY: Unless stated otherwise in the solicitation, bidders shall state bid prices in US dollars.

BB. AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH: A contractor organized as a stock or nonstock corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership or registered as a registered limited liability partnership shall be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code of Virginia or as otherwise required by law. Any business entity described above that enters into a contract with a public body pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall not allow its existence to lapse or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth, if so required under Title 13.1 or Title 50, to be revoked or cancelled at any time during the term of the contract. A public body may void any contract with a business entity if the business entity fails to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section.

CC. CIVILITY IN STATE WORKPLACES: The contractor shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no individual, while performing work on behalf of the contractor or any subcontractor in connection with this agreement (each, a “Contract Worker”), shall engage in 1) harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying, cyber-bullying, or threatening or violent conduct, or 2) discriminatory behavior on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, political affiliation, veteran status, or disability.

The contractor shall provide each Contract Worker with a copy of this Section and will require Contract Workers to participate in agency training on civility in the State workplace if contractor’s (and any subcontractor’s) regular mandatory training programs do not already encompass equivalent or greater expectations. Upon request, the contractor shall provide documentation that each Contract Worker has received such training.

For purposes of this Section, “State workplace” includes any location, permanent or temporary, where a Commonwealth employee performs any work-related duty or is representing his or her agency, as well as surrounding perimeters, parking lots, outside meeting locations, and means of travel to and from these locations. Communications are deemed to occur in a State workplace if the Contract Worker reasonably should know that the phone number, email, or other method of communication is associated with a State workplace or is associated with a person who is a State employee.

The Commonwealth of Virginia may require, at its sole discretion, the removal and replacement of any Contract Worker who the Commonwealth reasonably believes to have violated this Section.

This Section creates obligations solely on the part of the contractor. Employees or other third parties may benefit incidentally from this Section and from training materials or other communications distributed on this topic, but the Parties to this agreement intend this Section to be enforceable solely by the Commonwealth and not by employees or other third parties.

VIII. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. ADVERTISING: In the event a contract is awarded for supplies, equipment, or services resulting from this invitation for bid, no indication of such sales or services to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) shall be used in the contractor's product literature, press releases or advertising nor shall the contractor state in any of its advertising, press release or product literature that the Commonwealth of Virginia or VDOT has purchased or uses its products or services.

The contractor also shall not include VDOT in any client list in advertising and promotional materials.

2. AWARD: Award of the contract shall be made, by Grand Total to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder that is a DSBSD-certified micro business if such a bid is received, provided that the bid is less than $10,000 and the agency in its sole discretion determines that the bid price is fair and reasonable. Otherwise, award of the contract shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder that is a DSBSD-certified small business if such a bid is received, provided

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority that the bid is not more than $100,000 and the agency in its sole discretion determines that the bid price is fair and reasonable. If, in the agency’s opinion, the criteria in the previous two sentences are not present, then award shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder of any size, provided the agency in its sole discretion determines that the price is fair and reasonable. If applicable, unit prices, extensions and grand total must be shown. In case of arithmetic errors, the unit price will govern. If cash discount for prompt payment is offered, it must be clearly shown in the space provided. Discounts for early prompt payment will not be considered in making awards. The State reserves the right to reject any and all bids in whole or in part, to waive any informality, and to delete items prior to making an award.

3. BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: Any bid in response to this solicitation shall be valid for thirty (30) days. At the end of the thirty (30) days the bid may be withdrawn at the written request of the bidder. If the bid is not withdrawn at that time it remains in effect until an award is made or the solicitation is canceled.

4. BID PRICES: Bid shall be in the form of a firm unit price for each item during the contract period.

5. EMERGENCY EVENT PRICING:

A. Subsection (b) below shall take effect if 1) the Commonwealth or the federal government declares a state of emergency affecting the area where the venue is located within 5 days of the event, or 2) if state or local government offices are closed on an emergency basis in the area in which the venue is located within 5 days of the event:

B. If an event described in subsection (a) occurs, the Commonwealth may cancel any number of hotel reservations, conference reservations, and any amount of food and beverage services for the event or all reservations and all food and beverage services. In that event, the Commonwealth shall pay Contractor 25% of the contract price of those reservations and services as listed below;

i. 25% of the catering revenue based on the difference between the attendees anticipated and the number of attendees fully paid for

ii. 25% of the difference in revenues between the lodgers anticipated and the number of lodgers fully paid for

iii. 25% of the venue rental fees

C. These limits include any applicable taxes and service charges. No other cancelation policy or liability shall be effective if the Commonwealth exercises this option.

6. eVA BUSINESS-TO-GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AND ORDERS: The solicitation will result in one (1) purchase order with the applicable eVA transaction fee assessed for each order.

7. PRIME CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES: The contractor shall be responsible for completely supervising and directing the work under this contract and all subcontractors that he may utilize, using his best skill and attention.

Subcontractors who perform work under this contract shall be responsible to the prime contractor. The contractor agrees that he is as fully responsible for the acts and omissions of his subcontractors and of persons employed by them as he is for the acts and omissions of his own employees.

8. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: All information submitted to VDOT is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) unless a specific exclusion applies. To claim an exclusion under the Virginia Public Procurement Act (2.2-4300 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), for data or materials submitted as part of a procurement transaction or prequalification application that you believe are trade secrets or proprietary information, you must file:

1) a written request, either before or at the time the data or materials are submitted, that:

Invokes the protection of 2.2-4342 of the Code of Virginia Identifies the specific data or other materials you seek to exclude and protect by using some distinct method such as highlighting or underlining. (Only identify the specific words, figures, or paragraphs that are claimed to be trade secrets or proprietary information; the identification of an entire document, line item, or total price is not acceptable and may result in rejection of the claim for protection); and

Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority

States the reasons why protection is necessary, and

2) a redacted copy of your submittal that deletes or blocks all data or material which is identified as a trade secret or proprietary information in the written request.

9. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT: If the Contractor fails to provide quality goods or services in a professional manner and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations or bid provisions, solely as determined by VDOT and, upon receipt of notice from VDOT does not correct the deficiency within a reasonable period of time (not to exceed seven (7) calendar days unless otherwise agreed to by VDOT), VDOT reserves the right to terminate the contract by giving written notice to the Contractor. Upon termination VDOT may procure the services from another contractor in accordance with the Default term within the General Terms and Conditions.

10. UNBALANCED BIDS: If the unit prices in the bid are mathematically and materially unbalanced, the bid may be rejected as non-responsive. A mathematically unbalanced bid is one where some unit prices are nominal prices and others are enhanced prices, or where the individual unit prices are unusually high or low in relationship to VDOT’s estimate and do not evenly carry a proportionate share of the total cost of the goods and/or services plus profits. Where a bid is mathematically unbalanced, VDOT will review the estimated quantities and determine whether the bid is also materially unbalanced, meaning that there is doubt as to whether the bid is substantially likely to result in the lowest ultimate cost to the Department.