CITY OF FORT WORTH - PURCHASING DIVISION

SCOPE OF SERVICES

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 1 of 18 RFP Title: Small Diameter Sewer Cleaning

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

The City of Fort Worth (“City”) is requesting proposals from qualified companies to provide small diameter sewer cleaning and repairs as described herein on an as-needed basis for the Water Department.

The City reserves the right to award agreements to one or more qualified Vendors. Awarded Vendor(s) shall provide all labor, supervision, materials, equipment, cleaning, traffic control, flow control, bypass pumping, installation, testing, reporting, and all incidentals necessary to complete sewer cleaning and trenchless point repairs within the City’s wastewater collection system on an as-needed basis. Subcontracting of the services described herein is not permitted. Following the award, additional services of the same general category that could have been encompassed in the award of this Agreement, and that are not already on the Agreement, may be added.

The successful respondent(s), hereafter referred to as the "Proposer" or "Vendor," shall perform the requested services in accordance with the requirements and specifications of this solicitation.

2.0 SEWER MAIN CLEANING

2.1 The Vendor has the entire responsibility to prevent sewer overflows and building backups during cleaning operations. Any overflow that does occur shall be reported to the City of Fort Worth, Field Operations division immediately. In addition, the Vendor shall contact the City of Fort Worth Emergency Hotline (817-392-4477) and proceed with clean up according to the instructions of the City and the Department of Environmental Compliance. Vendor shall clean and restore the overflow site and compensate property owners for all damages. If a backup occurs after hours and the Customer Service Call Center receives a call, Field Operations will dispatch a crew to mediate the sewer blockage. If the property owner files a claim for clean-up resulting from the backup, the Vendor will be responsible for this expense.

2.2 It is the Vendor’s responsibility to capture, remove, and properly dispose of all materials dislodged or generated during the cleaning operations. During sewer cleaning operations, all sludge, dirt, sand, rocks, grease, and any other solid or semi-solid material shall be

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 2 of 18 captured and removed from the downstream manhole of the section being cleaned. Passing material into the downstream sewers is specifically prohibited.

2.3 Although it is not expected that a sewer will be left 100% clean, cleaning should result in a substantial improvement of hydraulic conditions where further cleaning would not measurably improve the capacity of the sewer. The Vendor will report to the City of Fort Worth the extent of cleaning performed and the quantity and type of debris removed from each reach of sewer inspected. The sewer cleaning report will be submitted each week.

2.4 The Vendor shall use appropriate step clean methods, which may result in light or regular cleaning based on the sewer size, age, material, and condition. The Vendor shall take necessary steps to prevent damage to the sewer in the cleaning process.

2.5 The City shall determine whether the Vendor shall remove certain obstructions to complete cleaning of the line. Heavily scaled pipe, including all iron pipes, shall be technically cleaned followed by hydro flushing, similar to the cleaning of other pipes.

2.6 Decanted waste water shall be routed or downstream of site back into the manhole or downstream of site. Solids disposal will be at Cold Springs Processing (1300 Cold Springs Rd, Fort Worth, Texas 76102) under the Water Department, Field Operations Division account at no charge to the vendor. Manifest must be sent to project manager weekly.

3.0 ACCEPTANCE OF CLEANING

3.1 Acceptance of sewer line cleaning shall be based on inspection at manholes. The City will do random spot checks using Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) equipment. A line will be considered clean if the depth of debris remaining after cleaning is less than or equal to the following:

Pipe Size Maximum Debris % Remaining Less than 12 inches Negligible <5 13 inches through 24 inches 1.5 inches >5

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 3 of 18

4.0 MANHOLE CLEANING

4.1 Cleaning of debris from manholes shall be considered incidental to sewer main cleaning. All debris shall be removed from the manhole walls and floor.

4.2 Debris shall be removed either manually or by a vacuum-cleaning unit.

Debris cleaned from sanitary sewer mains shall be hauled by the Vendor to the disposal site indicated by the City of Fort Worth. For the purposes of this Contract, the Vendor shall be deemed to have removed debris when such debris has been loaded in the vehicle or other equipment used by the Vendor to transport debris from the City’s property. When the Vendor has removed any debris, the debris shall become the sole property of the Vendor until it is deposited at the sites identified. Junction chambers shall be cleaned to the same standard as manholes.

5.0 ORDER OF CLEANING

5.1 The pattern of cleaning within a collection system maintenance area shall be to clean from the furthest upstream manhole, proceeding downstream to the trunk lines. Cleaning of trunk lines should only be performed after all upstream sewers have been cleaned. City approval is required for any exception to this procedure in advance.

5.2 Liquid shall be decanted back into the manhole at the site or downstream of siphons. Solids disposal will be at Cold Springs Processing (1300 Cold Springs Rd, Fort Worth, Texas 76102) under the Water Department, Field Operations Division account at no charge to the vendor. Manifest must be sent to project manager weekly.

6.0 EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

6.1 High-velocity jet cleaning equipment: Cleaning shall be performed using high pressure sanitary sewer cleaning units designed to deliver 50-65 gallons per minute of clean water at a pump pressure of between 1800 and 2500 pounds per square inch (psi), through a nozzle assembly designed for such application with orifices drilled at angles ranging from 10 to 60 degrees from the pressure hose axis, as appropriate for application and pipe size. The nozzle assembly shall include a nozzle extension to center nozzle in pipe and prevent nozzle from entering

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 4 of 18 lateral lines. Equipment shall also include a high-velocity gun for washing and scouring manhole walls and floor. The gun shall be capable of producing flows from a fine spray to a solid stream. The equipment shall carry its own water tank, auxiliary engines, pumps, and hydraulically driven hose reel.

6.2 For cleaning small diameter sewer, the Vendor may use a combination hydraulic high volume water and solids separation system. Water volume of up to 250-gpm at or above 2,000-psi will move solids to the downstream manhole in high flow conditions. The separation system will dewater solids to 95% (passing a paint filter test) and transfer them to a dump truck, if needed, for transport to a water reclamation facility, approved landfill, or other location specified by the County or designee. Wash water shall be filtered to a point where it can be used in the pump for continuous cleaning. No bypassing of sewer flows will be necessary. The unit shall be capable of 24-hour operation and the unit shall not leave the manhole until a section is fully cleaned.

7.0 MOVE IN AND ASSOCIATED DEPLOYMENT COST

7.1 The “Move-In” or “Mobilization” fee shall be defined as the cost incurred by the Vendor to perform preparatory operations necessary for work to begin.

7.2 Move-In/Mobilization shall include all activities and associated costs for transportation of personnel, equipment, tools, materials, operating supplies, and incidentals to the work location.

7.3 The Standard Move-In/Mobilization fee shall apply to service calls described in Section 8.1.

7.4 The Emergency Move-In fee shall apply to emergency service calls described in Section 8.2, as determined by the City.

7.5 No additional mobilization fee shall be paid for returning to correct rejected work, defective installation, and/or insufficient cleaning.

8.0 SERVICE RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

8.1 The Vendor shall respond to a service call and deploy to the designated location within a three (3) hour window of receiving a work order. A work order may contain one or more deployment

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 5 of 18 locations. Only one “Move-In” fee shall be paid to the Vendor per work order issued, regardless of the number of deployment locations included.

8.2 The City shall determine when an emergency situation exists. When emergency work is required, the Vendor shall mobilize to the designated location within twenty-four (24) hours after being given notification from the City. After the emergency work has been completed, there will be no additional “Move-In” fees paid to remobilize back to the previous project location.

9.0 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS

9.1 The Vendor shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing sewer cleaning, CCTV inspection, and trenchless point repair services of similar size and scope.

9.2 The Vendor shall follow standard contractor meter procedures with the Water Department to obtain and use hydrants. Only City of Fort Worth hydrants may be accessed. A deposit will be required, but the Vendor will not have a water usage bill. A log of use must be kept and reported to the contract manager.

9.3 Geographic Information System (GIS) files will be supplied by the City to the Vendor to allow the Vendor to create their own maps.

9.4 All cost of permits for vehicles and transportation will be the responsibility of the Vendor.

9.5 The Vendor shall track daily job progress using a daily work log. This daily log will track all quantities of work performed to include but not limited to the following:

9.5.1 Date/Time

9.5.2 Weather

9.5.3 Job Progress

9.5.4 Labor

9.5.5 Materials

9.5.6 Change Order Progress

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9.6 Daily work logs will be used to justify quantity of work performed on a specific work order package.

9.7 The Vendor shall perform services on an as-needed basis Monday- Friday from 8am to 5pm.

9.8 The Vendor shall provide emergency services on an as-needed basis Monday- Friday from 8am to 5pm as well as weekends and holidays.

9.9 The Vendor shall have two (2) personnel per truck to perform services.

9.10 Supervision - The Vendor shall, during all periods of contract performance, provide competent supervision of his employees to assure complete and satisfactory fulfillment of the work and the terms of the resulting Contract. The Vendor or a capable, fully authorized representative must be immediately available during all work activities to receive any and all special instructions from the Purchasing Manager or designee.

9.11 The Vendor will be required to provide competent personnel capable and qualified to complete the work required. If at any point the qualification of the personnel working on the project comes into question, proper documentation of that person’s abilities or skill sets may be required, or the Vendor will remove them from the project and replace them with another individual that is qualified to complete the task.

9.12 Vendor is responsible for all traffic control related to sewer cleaning and trenchless point repairs.

9.12.1 All traffic control must be compliant with state and local laws.

9.12.2 Vendor shall be responsible for the traffic control plan if one is required.

9.12.3 Minor traffic control consisting of cones, signs, and basic work zone protection shall be included in the unit price.

9.12.4 Any traffic control beyond basic traffic control, including but not limited to lane closures, engineered traffic control plans, message boards, flaggers, permits, detours, or extended traffic

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 7 of 18 control setups, shall be approved by the City prior to the work being performed. The City may assist with traffic control needs beyond basic traffic control when available and when approved in advance by the City.

9.12.5 The Vendor shall maintain safe access for residents, businesses, pedestrians, emergency vehicles, and City personnel at all times.

10.0 TRENCHLESS POINT REPAIRS (TPRs)

10.1 Work may include, but is not limited to, cured-in-place pipe spot repairs, sectional repairs, internal sleeves, joint repairs, service connection sealing, abandonment or sealing of inactive service connections, and other approved trenchless repair methods.

10.2 Repairs shall generally be performed through existing manhole or street access points unless otherwise directed by the City.

10.3 Standard point repairs shall be based on a four-foot repair length unless otherwise specified by the City.

10.4 The City may request repairs in sanitary sewer mains including, but not limited to, 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch, 18-inch, 21-inch, and 24-inch pipe diameters. Repairs in other pipe sizes may be requested and shall be quoted or bid as separate line items when needed.

10.5 The Vendor shall verify existing field conditions prior to beginning work and shall immediately notify the City of any condition that may prevent successful installation.

10.6 Repair Method

10.6.1 The repair system shall be designed for use in sanitary sewer gravity mains.

10.6.2 The repair shall provide a watertight, corrosion-resistant, and structurally sound repair at the designated defect location.

10.6.3 The repair shall be compatible with normal wastewater

conditions, including exposure to sewer gases, hydrogen sulfide, grease, grit, debris, and routine sewer cleaning

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 8 of 18 operations.

10.6.4 The repair shall be installed in accordance with the

manufacturer’s written instructions and all applicable American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO), and industry standards.

10.6.5 The Vendor shall not install any repair system that has not been reviewed and approved by the City.

10.7 Vendor Requirements for TPRs

10.7.1 The Vendor shall have demonstrated experience performing trenchless wastewater point repair work of similar size, scope, and complexity.

10.7.2 The Vendor shall provide qualified personnel trained in the installation of the proposed repair system.

10.7.3 The Vendor shall provide manufacturer documentation, product information, installation procedures, and material specifications upon request.

10.7.4 The Vendor shall provide competent supervision during all periods of contract performance. The Vendor or a fully authorized representative shall be immediately available during all work activities to receive instructions from the City.

10.7.5 If the City questions the qualification of any personnel assigned to the work, the Vendor shall provide documentation of that person’s training, certification, or experience. If the City determines the person is not qualified, the Vendor shall remove and replace that person with qualified personnel at no additional cost to the City.

10.8 Pre-Installation Cleaning and Preparation

10.8.1 The Vendor shall perform light cleaning and mainline

preparation as necessary to complete the repair.

10.8.2 Light cleaning shall include normal cleaning passes needed to

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 9 of 18 prepare the repair location for installation.

10.8.3 Heavy cleaning, root cutting, removal of major obstructions, removal of protruding taps, heavy grease removal, descaling, or any other non-routine preparation beyond the normal work included in the unit price shall not be performed without prior City approval.

10.8.4 The Vendor shall immediately notify the City if additional cleaning or preparation is required before the repair can be installed.

10.9 CCTV Inspection

10.9.1 The Vendor shall perform light cleaning and mainline

preparation as necessary to complete the repair.

10.9.2 Light cleaning shall include normal cleaning passes needed to prepare the repair location for installation.

10.9.3 Heavy cleaning, root cutting, removal of major obstructions, removal of protruding taps, heavy grease removal, descaling, or any other non-routine preparation beyond the normal work included in the unit price shall not be performed without prior City approval.

10.9.4 The Vendor shall immediately notify the City if additional cleaning or preparation is required before the repair can be installed.

10.10 Flow Control and Bypass Pumping

10.10.1 The Vendor shall be responsible for controlling wastewater flows as necessary to complete the work.

10.10.2 Minor flow control or bypass pumping using a 3” trash pump or similar equipment shall be included in the unit price when required for standard installations.

10.10.3 Any repair requiring bypass pumping larger than a three-inch pump, extended bypass operation, complex bypass setup, or special flow control shall be reviewed and approved by the City prior to the work being performed.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 10 of 18

10.10.4 The Vendor shall maintain wastewater service during the work unless otherwise approved by the City.

10.10.5 The Vendor shall not allow wastewater to discharge onto public or private property, into drainage structures, streets, waterways, or any unauthorized locations.

10.10.6 Any sanitary sewer overflow, building backup, or

unauthorized discharge caused by the Vendor’s operations shall be reported to the City immediately. The Vendor shall be responsible for cleanup, restoration, reporting support, and any damages resulting from the Vendor’s actions or failure to maintain proper flow control.

10.11 Remote Access and Surcharge Conditions

10.11.1 The Standard pricing shall be based on repairs performed from normal street access or approved manhole access.

10.11.2 A remote installation shall be defined as any repair requiring installation from a location more than 500 feet from the centerline of an approved access point, unless otherwise defined by the City.

10.11.3 Repairs performed from locations with surcharged flow, limited access, excessive distance from the access point, or other abnormal conditions may require separate City approval prior to work.

10.11.4 Any surcharge, remote access, or special condition pricing shall be approved by the City prior to the work being performed.

10.12 Acceptance of Work

10.12.1 Acceptance shall be based on review of post-repair CCTV inspection, field conditions, documentation, and compliance with these specifications.

10.12.2 A completed repair may be rejected by the City for any of the following reasons but not limited to:

10.12.2.1 Repair is installed at the wrong location.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 11 of 18

10.12.2.2 Repair does not fully cover the assigned defect.

10.12.2.3 Repair is not properly bonded, seated, cured, expanded, or secured.

10.12.2.4 Repair contains excessive wrinkles, fins, bulges, lifts, gaps, sharp edges, or other defects.

10.12.2.5 Repair restricts flow or creates a maintenance

concern.

10.12.2.6 Repair blocks or partially blocks an active service connection.

10.12.2.7 Repair allows continued infiltration at the assigned defect.

10.12.2.8 Repair does not meet manufacturers, ASTM, NASSCO, or City requirements.

10.12.2.9 Required documentation or CCTV footage is

incomplete or unacceptable.

10.12.3 Rejected work shall be corrected by the Vendor at no

additional cost to the City.

10.12.4 Payment shall not be made for rejected work until the repair has been corrected and accepted by the City.

10.13 Documentation

10.13.1 The Vendor shall provide a completed repair report for each repair location.

10.13.2 The repair report shall include, at minimum:

10.13.2.1 Date and time of work.

10.13.2.2 Work order number.

10.13.2.3 Street location.

10.13.2.4 Upstream and downstream manhole GIS numbers.

10.13.2.5 Pipe size and material.

10.13.2.6 Repair method used.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 12 of 18

10.13.2.7 Repair length.

10.13.2.8 Defect repaired.

10.13.2.9 Materials used.

10.13.2.10 Cleaning performed.

10.13.2.11 If Bypass pumping was needed.

10.13.2.12 Pre-repair and post-repair CCTV file names.

10.13.2.13 Any issues encountered during installation.

10.14 Crew Hourly Labor Rate

10.14.1 A crew hourly labor rate is included as a separate bid item for work directed by the City that is outside the standard trenchless point repair unit price.

10.14.2 Crew hourly labor shall only be used when approved by the City in advance.

10.14.3 Crew hourly labor may include non-standard work such as additional investigation, extended standby time, unusual access conditions, additional cleaning, special setup, or other work directed by the City.

10.14.4 The Vendor shall provide documentation supporting all crew hourly labor charges.

10.15 Warranty and Expected Service Life

10.15.1 The Vendor shall warrant all trenchless point repair work against defects in materials, workmanship, installation, curing, sealing, bonding, and performance for a minimum period of two years from the date of final acceptance by the City.

10.15.2 The warranty shall cover failures including, but not limited to, separation from the host pipe, delamination, collapse, deformation, uncured or improperly cured material, leakage through the repaired defect, blocked or partially blocked service connections, excessive wrinkles, fins, bulges, lifts, gaps, sharp edges, or any other condition caused by defective

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 13 of 18 materials or improper installation.

10.15.3 The Vendor shall repair or replace any defective trenchless point repair identified during the warranty period at no additional cost to the City. Warranty repairs shall include all labor, materials, equipment, cleaning, CCTV inspection, bypass pumping, traffic control, testing, reporting, and any other work necessary to correct the defect.

10.15.4 The trenchless point repair system shall be designed and installed to provide a minimum expected service life of fifty years when properly designed, installed, cured, and accepted in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements, applicable ASTM standards, and these specifications.

10.15.5 The expected service life shall not relieve the Vendor from the warranty requirements stated in this section. The warranty period shall begin on the date the City accepts the completed repair.

10.15.6 The City may require post-repair CCTV inspection or

additional verification during the warranty period if a repaired location shows signs of failure, continued infiltration, hydraulic restriction, or other performance concerns. Any post-repair CCTV inspection, verification, or corrective action required due to a warranty-related concern shall be completed by the Vendor at no additional cost to the City.

10.15.7 Any warranty work shall be completed within a timeframe approved by the City. If the defect creates an immediate operational concern, the Vendor shall respond as directed by the City.

11.0 INVOICE AND PAYMENTS

11.1 Invoicing requirements are provided in RFP-01 Instructions to

Proposers, Section 26.

11.2 No work shall be performed without an authorized Purchase Order

(PO). Invoices submitted for work performed without an authorized PO may be rejected and will not be eligible for payment.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 14 of 18

11.3 Payment shall be based on accepted quantities approved by the City.

11.4 No payment shall be made for work that is incomplete, rejected, unsupported by documentation, installed at the wrong location, or not performed in accordance with these specifications.

11.5 Unit pricing shall include all labor, equipment, materials, light cleaning, mainline preparation, minor traffic control, standard flow control, cleanup, documentation, and all other incidental work required to complete the cleaning and/or repairs.

11.6 The Vendor shall submit invoices in the format requested by the City and shall include all supporting documentation required by the City.

11.7 All invoices for work performed under this agreement must be submitted to the City no later than September 1 of each fiscal year.

The Vendor shall be responsible for submitting complete and accurate invoices with all required supporting documentation by this deadline.

The City is not responsible for delayed payment of invoices submitted after September 1.

11.8 All pricing shall be submitted through the Bonfire Bid Table (BT-

03UV).

11.9 Pricing information provided outside of the Bonfire Bid Table will not be considered for evaluation and will not be incorporated into any resulting agreement.

11.10 An entry of "0" for any line item will be interpreted as no additional cost to the City.

11.11 Vendors are not required to bid on every category; however, pricing must be provided for every line item within each category bid.

11.12 Quantities are estimates only and are not a guarantee of work.

12.0 MEHOD OF AWARD - Proposals will be evaluated based on “best value” to the City. Proposals that receive less than 50% of the total available points, excluding price points, will not be considered for award.

13.0 EVALUATION FACTORS

To be considered, the Proposer must submit a complete Proposal by the stated deadline and in accordance with all Proposal requirements. All required

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 15 of 18 documentation must be included for evaluation.

Proposals that meet these requirements will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below.

13.1 Small Business Participation – up to 25 points available.

Participation will be based on the following tier: 0% = 0 points, 1% to 10% = 10 points, 11% to 20% = 15 points, 21% to 29% = 20 points, 30% or more (goal met) = 25 points

13.2 Experience & Qualifications – up to15 points available.

13.3 Personnel & Equipment – up to 25 points available.

13.4 Operational Capacity – up to 20 points available.

13.5 Cost – up to 15 points available.

14.0 CONTRACT AWARD PROCESS

14.1 The Purchasing Division will facilitate and manage the evaluation process.

14.2 An Evaluation Panel consisting of representatives from various City departments and City consultants may be appointed to review and evaluate RFP responses in accordance with this RFP. City reserves the right at its sole discretion to include additional representatives at any point during the evaluation.

14.3 The Evaluation Committee will evaluate responses and may select Proposer for onsite interviews, presentations or demonstrations.

14.4 At its sole discretion, the City may request Best and Final Offers (BAFO) from proposers whose proposals are deemed most advantageous. Contract negotiations will be based on the BAFO submissions.

14.5 The City reserves the right to negotiate all elements that comprise the successful Proposer’s response to ensure that the best possible consideration be afforded to all concerned.

14.6 The City reserves the right to shortlist firms based upon scores/ratings received during the evaluation process.

14.7 The City will notify all proposers in writing of the outcome once an

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 16 of 18 award determination has been made.

15.0 PROPOSAL FORMAT AND ATTACHMENTS

To facilitate and expedite the evaluation process, Proposals should adequately address all evaluation factors and include the following list of required items that will be used as part of the evaluation. A Proposal may be deemed to be non-responsive and may be disqualified, at the City’s discretion, if the Proposal fails to comply with the following instructions.

15.1 Proposal Format Requirements

15.1.1 Proposal format shall be in font no smaller than 12 point, 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper size, with one inch margins and single-spaced for the entire submitted proposal.

15.1.2 All proposal sections shall be divided by submission titles.

All pages within these sections shall be uniquely numbered for purposes of easy reference.

15.2 Response Forms

15.2.1 Completed and signed RFP-04-CFW Required Forms.

15.2.2 Completed and signed RFP-05-Small Business Utilization

Form and Small Business Certificate (Note: both the Utilization Form and qualifying Small Business Certificate must be submitted by the proposal deadline to be considered for Small Business Participation.)

15.2.3 Completed and signed RFP-06-Deviations.

15.2.4 Signed addenda (if applicable). If none are issued, please add a page stating, “No Addenda Issued.”

15.2.5 Completed Bid Table (BT-03UV).

15.3 Technical Response

The Technical Response should include the following information:

15.3.1 Describe your experience performing municipal sewer

cleaning and trenchless point repairs of similar size and complexity.

15.3.2 Describe the personnel, equipment, and resources available https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/econdev/sbdp/sbe

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 17 of 18 for this contract, including jet trucks, CCTV equipment, bypass equipment, supervisors, and crews.

15.3.3 Describe your ability to meet the City's response

requirements, perform multiple work orders simultaneously, and maintain sufficient staffing and equipment throughout the contract term.

15.4 Exceptions/Substitutions/Clarifications/Additions

15.4.1 Although the Scope of Work included Project Requirements of the solicitation represents the City’s anticipated needs, there may be instances in which it is in the City’s best interest to permit exceptions to requirements and accept proposed alternatives.

15.4.2 If no exceptions are taken, the Proposer shall indicate “No Exceptions Taken” on RFP-06-Deviations and submit the completed form.

15.4.3 It is extremely important for the Proposer to make clear where exceptions, clarifications substitutions and/or additions to the Scope of Services, Draft Vendor Service Agreement and General Terms and Conditions are taken and how substitutions shall be provided. The City does not recognize strikeouts, deletions, or changes to Solicitation documents. Therefore, exceptions, conditions, clarifications and/or substitutions to the provisions of the City’s requirements must be clearly identified along with the proposed addition or modification. If the Proposer does not make it clear that an addition, exception or clarification is taken, the City shall assume the Proposer is responding to and shall meet the City’s stated requirements.

15.4.4 Identify each exception, clarification, substitution and/or addition by specifically referencing the page number, section number, subsection number, item number or letter, and, if necessary, paragraph, or line number.

15.4.5 Identify each item clearly as an addition, exception, clarification or substitution. It is not necessary to include the

RFP Ref. #: 26-0244 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 18 of 18 entire text of a particular section or subsection. However, for ease of reference, Proposers may use portions of the solicitation’s text, if helpful in explanation.

15.4.6 For substitutions/clarifications, provide an explanation of the difference between what the solicitation requests and what is proposed. The City is open to other means of accomplishing the requested Work. Proposers must explain why they believe their method of accomplishing the Work is equal to or better than that specified by the City.

15.4.7 For any addition(s) proposed or exception(s) taken, provide a rationale in as much detail as possible.

15.4.8 Begin responses to the major sections of the solicitation on a new page.

15.4.9 The City shall consider the number and substance of

alterations to the City’s stated requirements as a factor in determining the most advantageous response.

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM – The City of Fort Worth has established a 30% Small Business (SB) participation goal for this solicitation. This goal reflects the City’s determination that certified Small Business Firms are available to provide the goods and/or services required under this bid. Accordingly, at least 30% of the total awarded contract value must be subcontracted or spent with a certified Small Business Firm. All provisions and requirements outlined in City Ordinance No. 27832-08-2025 apply to this solicitation. Bidders are required to submit the following documentation with their proposal:

a. Small Business Utilization Form (RFP-05), detailing how the Small Business goal will be achieved.

b. Current Small Business Certification issued by a certifying entity approved by the City Manager.