66-26008 SB Chilled Water System Maintenance.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Request for Proposals # 66-26008 SB

Chilled Water System Maintenance

Date of Issue: Thursday, August 7, 2025

Proposal Due Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Scott Brechtel

Director of Materials Management

Email: sjbrecht@charlotte.edu

Request for Proposals #

66-26008 SB

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Scott Brechtel sjbrecht@charlotte.edu

Request for Proposal #66-26008 SB

Proposals will be received until:

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 @ 2:00 PM ET

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED.

Late proposals CANNOT and will NOT be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX:

CITY, STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

NAME OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: TITLE:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: EMAIL:

Proposal Number: 66-26008 SB Vendor: __________________________________________

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VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 2025, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of UNC Charlotte)

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

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5.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES

5.3 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS

5.4 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.5 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.7 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.9 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

APPENDIX 1: EQUIPMENT LIST

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte was established in 1965 by the North Carolina General Assembly which transformed Charlotte College, with beginnings in 1946, into a campus of The University of North Carolina. It is organized into the following eight colleges: College of Arts & Architecture; College of Science; College of Humanities & Earth and Social Science; College of Business; College of Education; College of Engineering; College of Health and Human Services; and the College of Computing and Informatics. It offers a broad array of degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels and also in graduate certificate programs.

Enrollment is approximately 31,000 with 19 percent of the students pursuing graduate degrees. The University is expected to experience continued growth in the foreseeable future.

The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the routine maintenance and emergency response for five

(5) Regional Utility Plants (RUP) and five (5) mini-RUPs and their chilled water, condenser water and colocated primary and secondary loop components.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of two (2) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”) or October 1, 2025, whichever is later.

At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to three (3) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT

ATTENTION: NC E-Procurement does NOT apply to this solicitation and the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions does NOT apply.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum.

The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

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Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise.

This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State Thursday, August 7, 2025 Hold Pre-Proposal Meeting/Site Visit State Thursday, August 14, 2025 @ 10:30 AM ET Submit Written Questions Vendor Friday, August 15, 2025 by 2:00 PM ET Provide Response to Questions State Tuesday, August 19, 2025 Submit Proposals Vendor Tuesday, August 26, 2025 @ 2:00 PM ET Contract Award State TBD

2.5 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

Urged and Cautioned Pre-Proposal Conference

Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025 Time: 10:30 AM Eastern Time Location: 9643 Poplar Lane

Conference Room Number 123A Charlotte, NC 28223

Contact #: 704-687-7329

Instructions: Vendor representatives are URGED and CAUTIONED to visit the site and apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this RFP. A non-mandatory site visit is scheduled for this RFP. A campus map is available at https://facilities.charlotte.edu/our-services/maps/printable-campus-maps and Vendors are strongly encouraged to arrive early because parking on campus is difficult to obtain. Submission of a proposal shall constitute sufficient evidence of this compliance and no allowance will be made for unreported conditions which a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the performance of the work called for in this RFP.

Vendor is cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP and any resulting contract.

https://facilities.charlotte.edu/our-services/maps/printable-campus-maps https://facilities.charlotte.edu/our-services/maps/printable-campus-maps

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2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to sjbrecht@charlotte.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP #66-26008 SB Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay, or technical issue. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received via the eVP as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The date and time of receipt will be electronically time stamped by the system when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received or attempted to be submitted after the proposal submission deadline will be rejected.

All proposal responses shall be submitted electronically via the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). Additional information can be found at the eVP updates for Vendors link: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/news-events/evp-updates-vendors.

Attempts to submit a proposal via mail, courier, facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone or email in response to this RFP shall NOT be accepted.

This will be a One-Step proposal process:

Vendor’s proposal may contain both the Technical and Financial Proposal (ATTACHMENT A) submitted for evaluation in a single file.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the University may release an unredacted version if an open records request is received.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

mailto:sjbrecht@charlotte.edu https://evp.nc.gov/

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Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments; and (iv) contact information for Vendor’s representative responsible for this RFP.

b) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, and any pages requiring vendor input.

c) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

d) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all requirements of this RFP.

e) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #66-26008 SB for ‘name of Vendor’”.

Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and

Ver: 03/2025 9 awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more portions, to not award one or more portions or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph of the Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be accessed via the eVP and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be noted. Since negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S.

143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be noted at the time of opening. Interested parties are cautioned that proposals and their components are subject to further

Ver: 03/2025 10 evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s final position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the eVP website under the RFP number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected proposal was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

Vendor Background/References 25%

• Evidence of company stability and ability to fulfill contract obligations

• Experience level with Trane and York water cooled chiller maintenance

• Experience level with cooling tower, pump and motor maintenance

• Certifications and qualifications of the proposed maintenance team

• Responses received from references

Technical & Functional Approach 50%

• Proposed preventative maintenance program and the level of detail

• Proposed schedule for preventative maintenance and the frequency of services

• Details of planned use of vibration analysis, motor current analysis and thermographic analysis

• Method of failure detection and diagnosis including methods of root cause analysis and corrective action

• Vendor’s approach to managing system maintenance versus system repairs

Financial Proposal 25%

• Cost of services as compared to other proposals

The State will determine low cost by normalizing the scores as follows:

The proposal with the lowest cost will receive a score of XX. All other competing proposals will be assigned a portion of the maximum score using the formula:

Financial Proposal Points Available

(XX)

x the cost of the lowest cost proposal the cost of the cost proposal being evaluated

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3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Create, label as ATTACHMENT A: FINANCIAL PROPOSAL, and include in Vendor’s proposal.

Financial proposal must include the monthly and annual cost for all standard maintenance services along with regular time, overtime, and/or on call labor rates along with any specialty service rates, as applicable. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract. Vendors may offer a discount for repair parts for repairs beyond the scope of the scheduled maintenance contract and include the discount offered as part of their proposal.

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4.2 INVOICES

Invoices must include a service report for each asset receiving service to include the work order number, work steps completed or adjustments made, labor hours, and parts used. The standard format for invoicing shall be single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the University with an invoice for each building for each service visit with itemized cost by major asset and/or any individual emergency repair projects. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow University to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the contract.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience on similar projects with public and/or private sector clients that are comparable in size and complexity to the University. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. References MUST be from customers similar in size and complexity to the University. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory.

The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

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4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner.

“Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecom-munications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☐ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

The intent of this solicitation is to establish a contract for the routine maintenance and emergency response for five

(5) Regional Utility Plants (RUP) and five (5) mini-RUPs and their chilled water, condenser water and colocated primary and secondary loop components. Equipment includes water cooled chillers, cooling towers, condenser water and chilled water pumps, motors, drives, regulating valves and actuators. Appendix 1 at the end of this RFP document contains the complete listing of all university equipment that will be included as part of the resulting contract.

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5.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES

The specific maintenance services that the University is seeking are listed below. Services offered by the Vendor must meet or exceed the listed Specifications to be considered for award.

5.1.1 The RUP maintenance services needed include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Standard and OEM monthly, quarterly and annual preventative maintenance for each component type.

• Emergency response during standard working hours of 7:00am through 3:30pm, Monday through Friday.

• After hours emergency response within two (2) hours of receiving the service call; after hours calls will be billed separately from standard service contract billing.

• Restore systems commissioned settings where drift has occurred. Recommend system settings adjustments for improved performance in high load, intermittent load, and low load conditions. Provide new recommended settings in writing to the University representative.

• Use vibration analysis, electric current motor analysis, and thermal analysis to detect and diagnose equipment failure modes where appropriate.

• Inform the University representative of any required water chemistry changes needed to optimize system performance.

• Laser align motors and pumps when required.

• Provide recommended updates to drawings and other University provided information that is discovered to be incorrect.

5.1.2 Estimate and provide temporary service solutions such as the setup and operation of temporary equipment during equipment downtime in situations where adequate cooling and dehumidification is not achievable. These services will be billed separately from standard service contract billing.

5.1.3 Provide estimates for repairs and replacements beyond the scope of routine maintenance and emergency response including any startup, commissioning, and BAS integration services needed.

• Provide information on fault diagnosis including failure modes, failed components, and root cause for all recommended repair work.

• Restore the full function and commissioned settings of any component or system.

• Rebuild pumps, motors, valves and actuators as needed and coordinate startup vibration analysis with the

University representative for baseline information.

5.3 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS

Vendor shall meet all the below minimum requirements to be considered for contract award.

• Standard workmanship warranty shall be included as part of all worked performed under the contract.

• Vendor shall maintain a work team specific to the University and any alternate personnel must be preapproved by the University.

• An emergency response telephone number shall be provided for after hours needs.

• All scheduled maintenance parts and materials are to be included in the cost of the agreement.

• Vendor shall provide all necessary vehicles, tools and equipment for maintenance and repairs.

University hoists and gantries that are present on site will be provided for the vendor’s use.

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• Vendor will use the University’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), currently Archibus, to receive and manage work. Awarded vendor will be provided with system access and training by the University

• Each work order outside of routine maintenance will be estimated in advance to include all labor and materials.

• Vendor must possess a valid contractor’s license.

• All work must be performed in compliance with North Carolina codes and regulations.

• All work must be completed in accordance with industry standards, including cleanup of the area and

HVAC equipment after performance.

• Maintenance technicians must have ten (10) years verifiable experience with Trane and York water cooled chiller equipment and five (5) years of general cooling tower, pump and motor maintenance experience.

• Assigned maintenance supervisor must have ten (10) years verifiable experience with Trane and York water cooled chiller maintenance, and five (5) years of supervisory experience.

• All proposed new additions to the maintenance team must be preapproved by the University representative after review of the new technician’s credentials.

University shall provide the following to the awarded Vendor:

• Water chemistry data to enable the vendor to optimize system performance.

• Access to BAS and alarms for troubleshooting and response.

• Access to the Archibus work management system to access preventative maintenance schedule, vendor scheduling, work order status updates, equipment data updates, etc.

• System drawings and manuals where available.

5.4 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

Vendor’s proposal must address, at minimum, the following points:

• Detailed plan for meeting all requirements in 5.3, including the mobilization procedures and timeline to implement the maintenance program.

• Description of the Vendor’s maintenance program capabilities, including experience with the types of systems listed within this RFP.

• Preventative maintenance plan including sample standard tasks to be completed for each type of equipment at each frequency, including monthly, quarterly, semiannually, annually, and beyond annual, as appropriate.

• Description and historical example of BAS integration of replaced motors, drives, actuators, etc.

• Evidence in the form of a CV, resume, or detailed explanation of credentials for primary and backup maintenance personnel.

• Description of the vendor's failure detection and diagnosis process and methods for all asset types listed in this

RFP.

• Detailed plan that describes when and how the vendor will use vibration analysis, motor current analysis, and thermal analysis to detect and diagnose failure modes.

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5.5 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

Any manufactured items and/or fabricated assemblies provided hereunder that are subject to operation under pressure, operation by connection to an electric source, or operation involving a connection to a manufactured, natural, or LP gas source shall be constructed and approved in a manner acceptable to the appropriate inspector which customarily requires the label or re-examination listing or identification marking of the appropriate safety standard organization acceptable to govern inspection where the item is to be located, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for pressure vessels; the Underwriters Laboratories and /or National Electrical Manufacturers’ Association for electrically operated assemblies; or the American Gas Association for gas operated assemblies, where such approvals of listings have been established for the type of device offered and furnished. Further, all items furnished shall meet all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and state and federal requirements relating to clean air and water pollution.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation.

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

Contract Manager Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contact for customer service for all customer service-related issues.

Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

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6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall be required to meet periodically with the State for Project Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.4 MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS

The Vendor shall be required to provide Management Reports to the designated Contract Lead on a monthly basis.

This report shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the maintenance program and any anticipated issued that have been discovered. These reports shall be well organized and easy to read. The Vendor shall submit these reports electronically using the format required by the University. The Vendor shall submit the reports in a timely manner and on a regular schedule as agreed by the parties.

Within thirty (30) days of the award of the Contract the Vendor shall submit a final work plan and a sample report, both to the designated Contract Lead for approval.

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Administrator.

The State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, as adopted in North Carolina.

6.7 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If a Contract results from this solicitation, and the Contract is not renewed at the end of the last active term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide transition assistance to the State, at the option of the State, for up to three (3) months to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to facilitate the orderly transfer of such Services to the State or its designees. If the State exercises this option, the Parties agree that such transition assistance shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Contract (notwithstanding this expiration or cancellation), except for those Contract terms or conditions that do not reasonably apply to such transition assistance. The State shall agree to pay Vendor for any resources utilized in performing such transition assistance at the most current rates provided by the Contract for performance of the Services or other resources utilized.

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6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

During the performance of the Contract, the parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s).

During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law.