1729520273_Deere+Master+Agreement_Signed.pdf

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA – NASPO VALUE POINT MASTER AGREEMENT

Ground Maintenance Equipment Master Agreement # RFP61514

THIS MASTER AGREEMENT entered into this 25th day of September 2024, by Deere & Company, hereinafter called “Contractor” and Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of General Services, Division of Purchase and Supply called the “Purchasing Agency”

WITNESSETH that the Contractor and the Purchasing Agency, in consideration of the mutual covenants, promises and agreements herein contained, agree as follows:

GENERAL PURPOSE: The Contractor shall provide Ground Maintenance Equipment to the Purchasing Agency as set forth in this Master Agreement for the following Categories:

Category1- Commercial Mowers Category 2- Tractors Category 3- Utility Vehicles Category 4- Golf Equipment Category 5- Turf Equipment

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The initial term of this Master Agreement shall be for two years and is effective November 1, 2024 through October 31, 2026, with three additional one-year renewal options.

THIS MASTER AGREEMENT hereby consists of the following:

(1) This signed document

(2) Attachment A: NASPO ValuePoint Master Terms and Conditions

(3) Attachment B: Scope of Work

(4) Attachment C: Commonwealth of Virginia General Terms and Conditions; and

(5) The following documents incorporated by reference:

a. Request for Proposal #RFP61514, including all exhibits and addendums, and

b. The Contractor’s Proposal, including all clarifications and negotiations, to Request for

Proposal #RFP61514

In the event of any conflict, Attachment A (NASPO ValuePoint Master Terms and Conditions) will take precedence over all other documents.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Master Agreement to be duly executed intending to be bound thereby.

CONTRACTOR: PURCHASING AGENCY:

By: __________________________________ By: ____________________________________

Title: __________________________________ Title:____________________________________

Date:__________________________________ Date: ___________________________________

Contract Administrator

10/4/2024

Statewide Sourcing & Contracting Officer

10/15/2024

Attachment A: NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement Terms and Conditions

1. Master Agreement Order of Precedence

a. Any Order placed under this Master Agreement shall consist of the following documents:

(1) A Participating Entity’s Participating Addendum (“PA”).

(2) NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement, including all additions thereto.

(4) Statement of Work;

(5) Schedules and Attachments expressly incorporated into this contract;

(6) The Solicitation or, if separately executed after award, the Lead State’s bilateral agreement that integrates applicable provisions.

(7) Contractor’s response to the Solicitation, as revised (if permitted) and accepted by the Lead State.

b. These documents shall be read to be consistent and complementary. Any conflict among these documents shall be resolved by giving priority to these documents in the order listed above. Contractor terms and conditions that apply to this Master Agreement are only those that are expressly accepted by the Lead State and must be in writing and attached to this Master Agreement as an Exhibit or Attachment. No terms on either party’s Purchase Orders, Invoices, Ordering Documents, Website, Browse-Wrap, Shrink-Wrap, Click-Wrap, Clickthrough, or other Non-Negotiated Terms and Conditions provided with any contract activities will constitute a part or amendment of this Agreement or is binding for any purpose. All such other Terms and Conditions have no force and effect and are deemed rejected, even if access to or use of the contract activities requires affirmative acceptance of such Terms and Conditions

2. Definitions

Acceptance is defined by the applicable commercial code, except Acceptance shall not occur before the completion of delivery in accordance with the Order, installation if required, and a reasonable time for inspection of the Product.

Contractor means the person or entity delivering Products or performing services under the terms and conditions set forth in this Master Agreement.

Embedded Software means one or more software applications which permanently reside on a computing device.

Intellectual Property means any and all patents, copyrights, service marks, trademarks, trade secrets, trade names, patentable inventions, or other similar proprietary rights, in tangible or intangible form, and all rights, title, and interest therein.

Lead State means the State centrally administering any resulting Master Agreement(s).

Master Agreement means the underlying agreement executed by and between the Lead State, acting on behalf of the NASPO ValuePoint program, and the Contractor, as now or hereafter amended.

NASPO ValuePoint is a division of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (“NASPO”), a 501(c)(3) limited liability company. NASPO ValuePoint facilitates administration of the NASPO cooperative group contracting consortium of state chief procurement officials for the benefit of state departments, institutions, agencies, and political subdivisions and other eligible entities (i.e., colleges, school districts, counties, cities, some nonprofit organizations, etc.) for all states, the District of Columbia, and territories of the United States. NASPO ValuePoint is identified in the Master Agreement as the recipient of reports and may perform contract administration functions relating to collecting and receiving reports, as well as other contract administration functions as assigned by the Lead State

Order or Purchase Order means any purchase order, sales order, contract or other document used by a Purchasing Entity to order the Products.

Participating Addendum means a bilateral agreement executed by a Contractor and a Participating Entity incorporating this Master Agreement and any other additional Participating Entity specific language or other requirements, e.g. ordering procedures specific to the Participating Entity, other terms and conditions.

Participating Entity means a state, or other legal entity, properly authorized to enter into a Participating Addendum.

Participating State means a state, the District of Columbia, or one of the territories of the United States that is listed in the Request for Proposal as intending to participate. Upon execution of the Participating Addendum, a Participating State becomes a Participating Entity; however, a Participating State listed in the Request for Proposal is not required to participate through execution of a Participating Addendum.

Product means any equipment, software (including embedded software), documentation, service or other deliverable supplied or created by the Contractor pursuant to this Master Agreement. The term Products, supplies and services, and products and services are used interchangeably in these terms and conditions.

Purchasing Entity means a state (as well as the District of Columbia and U.S territories), city, county, district, other political subdivision of a State, and a nonprofit organization under the laws of some states if authorized by a Participating Addendum, that issues a Purchase Order against the Master Agreement and becomes financially committed to the purchase.

NASPO ValuePoint Program Provisions

3. Term of the Master Agreement

a. The initial term of this Master Agreement is for 2 years. This Master Agreement may be extended beyond the original contract period for 3 additional years, with three separate 1 year extensions, at the Lead State’s discretion and by mutual agreement and upon review of requirements of Participating Entities, current market conditions, and Contractor performance.

b. The Master Agreement may be extended for a reasonable period of time, not to exceed six months, if in the judgment of the Lead State a follow-on, competitive procurement will be unavoidably delayed (despite good faith efforts) beyond the planned date of execution of the follow-on master agreement. This subsection shall not be deemed to limit the authority of a Lead State under its state law otherwise to negotiate contract extensions.

4. Amendments

The terms of this Master Agreement shall not be waived, altered, modified, supplemented or amended in any manner whatsoever without prior written agreement of the Lead State and Contractor.

5. Participants and Scope

a. Contractor may not deliver Products under this Master Agreement until a Participating Addendum acceptable to the Participating Entity and Contractor is executed. The NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement Terms and Conditions are applicable to any Order by a Participating Entity (and other Purchasing Entities covered by their Participating Addendum), except to the extent altered, modified, supplemented or amended by a Participating Addendum. By way of illustration and not limitation, this authority may apply to unique delivery and invoicing requirements, confidentiality requirements, defaults on Orders, governing law and venue relating to Orders by a Participating Entity, indemnification, and insurance requirements. Statutory or constitutional requirements relating to availability of funds may require specific language in some Participating Addenda in order to comply with applicable law. The expectation is that these alterations, modifications, supplements, or amendments will be addressed in the Participating Addendum or, with the consent of the Purchasing Entity and Contractor, may be included in the ordering document (e.g. purchase order or contract) used by the Purchasing Entity to place the Order.

b. Use of specific NASPO ValuePoint cooperative Master Agreements by state agencies, political subdivisions and other Participating Entities (including cooperatives) authorized by individual state’s statutes to use state contracts are subject to the approval of the respective State Chief Procurement Official. Issues of interpretation and eligibility for participation are solely within the authority of the respective State Chief Procurement Official.

c. Obligations under this Master Agreement are limited to those Participating Entities who have signed a Participating Addendum and Purchasing Entities within the scope of those Participating Addenda. States or other entities permitted to participate may use an informal competitive process to determine which Master Agreements to participate in through execution of a Participating Addendum. Financial obligations of Participating Entities who are states are limited to the orders placed by the departments or other state agencies and institutions having available funds. Participating Entities who are states incur no financial obligations on behalf of other Purchasing Entities. Contractor shall email a fully executed PDF copy of each Participating Addendum to PA@naspovaluepoint.org to support documentation of participation and posting in appropriate data bases.

d. NASPO ValuePoint is not a party to the Master Agreement. It is a nonprofit cooperative purchasing organization assisting states in administering the NASPO cooperative purchasing program for state government departments, institutions, agencies and political subdivisions (e.g., colleges, school districts, counties, cities, etc.) for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of the United States.

e. Participating Addenda shall not be construed to amend the following provisions in this Master Agreement between the Lead State and Contractor that prescribe NASPO ValuePoint Program requirements: Term of the Master Agreement; Amendments; Participants and Scope;

Administrative Fee; NASPO ValuePoint Summary and Detailed Usage Reports; NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Program Marketing and Performance Review; NASPO ValuePoint eMarketCenter; Right to Publish; Price and Rate Guarantee Period;

and Individual Customers. Any such language shall be void and of no effect.

f. Participating Entities who are not states may under some circumstances sign their own Participating Addendum, subject to the consent to participation by the Chief Procurement Official of the state where the Participating Entity is located.

Coordinate requests for such participation through NASPO ValuePoint. Any permission to participate through execution of a Participating Addendum is not a determination that procurement authority exists in the Participating Entity; they must ensure that they have the requisite procurement authority to execute a Participating Addendum.

g. Resale. “Resale” means any payment in exchange for transfer of tangible goods, software, or assignment of the right to services. Subject to any specific conditions included in the solicitation or Contractor’s proposal as accepted by the Lead State, or as explicitly permitted in a Participating Addendum, Purchasing Entities may not resell Products (the definition of which includes services that are deliverables). Absent any such condition or explicit permission, this limitation does not prohibit: payments by employees of a Purchasing Entity for Products; sales of Products to the general public as surplus property; and fees associated with inventory transactions with other governmental or nonprofit entities and consistent with a Purchasing Entity’s laws and regulations. Any sale or transfer permitted by this subsection must be consistent with license rights granted for use of intellectual property.

6. Administrative Fees

a. The Contractor shall pay to NASPO ValuePoint, or its assignee, a NASPO ValuePoint Administrative Fee of one-quarter of one percent (0.25% or 0.0025) no later than sixty (60) days following the end of each calendar quarter. The NASPO ValuePoint Administrative Fee shall be submitted quarterly and is based on all sales of products and services under the Master Agreement (less any charges for taxes or shipping). The NASPO ValuePoint Administrative Fee is not negotiable. This fee is to be included as part of the pricing submitted with proposal.

b. Additionally, some states may require an additional fee be paid directly to the state only on purchases made by Purchasing Entities within that state. For all such requests, the fee level, payment method and schedule for such reports and payments will be incorporated into the Participating Addendum that is made a part of the Master Agreement. The Contractor may adjust the Master Agreement pricing accordingly for purchases made by Purchasing Entities within the jurisdiction of the state. All such agreements shall not affect the NASPO ValuePoint Administrative Fee percentage or the prices paid by the Purchasing Entities outside the jurisdiction of the state requesting the additional fee. The NASPO ValuePoint Administrative Fee in subsection 6a shall be based on the gross amount of all sales (less any charges for taxes or shipping) at the adjusted prices (if any) in Participating Addenda.

7. NASPO ValuePoint Summary and Detailed Usage Reports

In addition to other reports that may be required by this solicitation, the Contractor shall provide the following NASPO ValuePoint reports.

a. Summary Sales Data. The Contractor shall submit quarterly sales reports directly to NASPO ValuePoint using the NASPO ValuePoint Quarterly Sales/Administrative Fee

Reporting Tool found at http://calculator.naspovaluepoint.org. Any/all sales made under this Master Agreement shall be reported as cumulative totals by state. Even if Contractor experiences zero sales during a calendar quarter, a report is still required. Reports shall be due no later than thirty (30) days following the end of the calendar quarter (as specified in the reporting tool).

b. Detailed Sales Data. Contractor shall also report detailed sales data by: (1) state; (2) entity/customer type, e.g. local government, higher education, K12, non-profit; (3) Purchasing Entity name; (4) Purchasing Entity bill-to and ship-to locations; (4) Purchasing Entity and Contractor Purchase Order identifier/number(s); (5) Purchase Order Type (e.g. sales order, credit, return, upgrade, determined by industry practices); (6) Purchase Order date; (7) Ship Date; (8) and line item description, including (if applicable) pricing for each: chassis, body/equipment item, and installation by product number if used. The report shall be submitted in any form required by the solicitation. Reports are due on a quarterly basis and must be received by the Lead State and NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Team no later than thirty (30) days after the end of the reporting period. Reports shall be delivered to the Lead State and to the NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Team electronically through a designated portal, email, CD-ROM, flash drive or other method as determined by the Lead State and NASPO ValuePoint. Detailed sales data reports shall include sales information for all sales under Participating Addenda executed under this Master Agreement. The format for the detailed sales data report is Microsoft Excel or equivalent.

c. Reportable sales for the summary sales data report and detailed sales data report includes sales to employees for personal use where authorized by the solicitation and the Participating Addendum. Report data for employees should be limited to ONLY the state and entity they are participating under the authority of (state and agency, city, county, school district, etc.) and the amount of sales. No personal identification numbers, e.g. names, addresses, social security numbers or any other numerical identifier, may be submitted with any report.

d. Contractor shall provide the NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Coordinator with an executive summary each quarter that includes, at a minimum, a list of states with an active Participating Addendum, states that Contractor is in negotiations with and any Participating

Addendum roll out or implementation activities and issues. NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Coordinator and Contractor will determine the format and content of the executive summary. The executive summary is due thirty (30) days after the conclusion of each calendar quarter.

e. Timely submission of these reports is a material requirement of the Master Agreement. The recipient of the reports shall have exclusive ownership of the media containing the reports. The Lead State and NASPO ValuePoint shall have a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty free, transferable right to display, modify, copy, and otherwise use reports, data and information provided under this section.

8. NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Program Marketing, Training, and Performance Review

a. Contractor agrees to work cooperatively with NASPO ValuePoint personnel. Contractor agrees to present plans to NASPO ValuePoint for the education of Contractor’s contract administrator(s) and sales/marketing workforce regarding the Master Agreement contract, including the competitive nature of NASPO ValuePoint procurements, the Master agreement and participating addendum process, and the manner in which qualifying entities can participate in the Master Agreement.

b. Contractor agrees, as Participating Addendums become executed, if requested by ValuePoint personnel to provide plans to launch the program within the participating state. Plans will include time frames to launch the agreement and confirmation that the Contractor’s website has been updated to properly reflect the contract offer as available in the participating state.

c. Contractor agrees, absent anything to the contrary outlined in a Participating Addendum, to consider customer proposed terms and conditions, as deemed important to the customer, for possible inclusion into the customer agreement.

Contractor will ensure that their sales force is aware of this contracting option.

d. Contractor agrees to participate in an annual contract performance review at a location selected by the Lead State and NASPO ValuePoint, which may include a discussion of marketing action plans, target strategies, marketing materials, as well as Contractor reporting and timeliness of payment of administration fees.

http://calculator.naspovaluepoint.org/ http://calculator.naspovaluepoint.org/

e. Contractor acknowledges that the NASPO ValuePoint logos may not be used by Contractor in sales and marketing until a logo use agreement is executed with NASPO ValuePoint.

f. The Lead State expects to evaluate the utilization of the Master Agreement at the annual performance review. Lead State may, in its discretion, cancel the Master Agreement pursuant to section 28, or not exercise an option to renew, when Contractor utilization does not warrant further administration of the Master Agreement. The Lead State may exercise its right to not renew the Master Agreement if vendor fails to record or report revenue for three consecutive quarters, upon 60-calendar day written notice to the Contractor. Cancellation based on nonuse or under-utilization will not occur sooner than two years after award (or execution if later) of the Master Agreement. This subsection does not limit the discretionary right of either the Lead State or Contractor to cancel the Master Agreement pursuant to section 28 or to terminate for default pursuant to section 30.

g. Contractor agrees, within 30 days of their effective date, to notify the Lead State and NASPO ValuePoint of any contractual most-favored-customer provisions in third-part contracts or agreements that may affect the promotion of this Master Agreements or whose terms provide for adjustments to future rates or pricing based on rates, pricing in, or Orders from this master agreement. Upon request of the Lead State or NASPO ValuePoint, Contractor shall provide a copy of any such provisions.

9. Right to Publish

Throughout the duration of this Master Agreement, Contractor must secure from the Lead State prior approval for the release of information that pertains to the potential work or activities covered by the Master Agreement. This limitation does not preclude publication about the award of the Master Agreement or marketing activities consistent with any proposed and accepted marketing plan. The Contractor shall not make any representations of NASPO ValuePoint’s opinion or position as to the quality or effectiveness of the services that are the subject of this Master Agreement without prior written consent. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in termination of the Master Agreement for cause.

10. Price and Rate Guarantee Period

Price and rate guarantee period information is outlined in Sections B4.11, B4.12, & B4.13 (Attachment B).

11. Individual Customers

Except to the extent modified by a Participating Addendum, each Purchasing Entity shall follow the terms and conditions of the Master Agreement and applicable Participating Addendum and will have the same rights and responsibilities for their purchases as the Lead State has in the Master Agreement, including but not limited to, any indemnity or right to recover any costs as such right is defined in the Master Agreement and applicable Participating Addendum for their purchases. Each Purchasing Entity will be responsible for its own charges, fees, and liabilities. The Contractor will apply the charges and invoice each Purchasing Entity individually.

Administration of Orders

12. Ordering

a. Master Agreement order and purchase order numbers shall be clearly shown on all acknowledgments, shipping labels, packing slips, invoices, and on all correspondence.

b. Purchasing Entities may define entity or project-specific requirements and informally compete the requirement among companies having a Master Agreement on an “as needed” basis. This procedure may also be used when requirements are aggregated or other firm commitments may be made to achieve reductions in pricing. This procedure may be modified in Participating Addenda and adapted to the Purchasing Entity’s rules and policies. The Purchasing Entity may in its sole discretion determine which Master Agreement Contractors should be solicited for a quote. The Purchasing Entity may select the quote that it considers most advantageous, cost and other factors considered.

c. Each Purchasing Entity will identify and utilize its own appropriate purchasing procedure and documentation. Contractor is expected to become familiar with the Purchasing Entities’ rules, policies, and procedures regarding the ordering of supplies and/or services contemplated by this Master Agreement.

d. Contractor shall not begin work without a valid Purchase Order or other appropriate commitment document under the law of the Purchasing Entity.

e. Orders may be placed consistent with the terms of this Master Agreement during the term of the Master Agreement.

f. All Orders pursuant to this Master Agreement, at a minimum, shall include:

(1) The services or supplies being delivered;

(2) The place and requested time of delivery;

(3) A billing address;

(4) The name, phone number, and address of the Purchasing Entity representative;

(5) The price per hour or other pricing elements consistent with this Master Agreement and the contractor’s proposal;

(6) A ceiling amount of the order for services being ordered; and

(7) The Master Agreement identifier.

g. All communications concerning administration of Orders placed shall be furnished solely to the authorized purchasing agent within the Purchasing Entity’s purchasing office, or to such other individual identified in writing in the Order.

h. Orders must be placed pursuant to this Master Agreement prior to the termination date thereof, but may have a delivery date or performance period up to 120 days past the thencurrent termination date of this Master Agreement. Contractor is reminded that financial obligations of Purchasing Entities payable after the current applicable fiscal year are contingent upon agency funds for that purpose being appropriated, budgeted, and otherwise made available.

i. Notwithstanding the expiration, cancellation or termination of this Master Agreement, Contractor agrees to perform in accordance with the terms of any Orders then outstanding at the time of such expiration or termination. Contractor shall not honor any Orders placed after the expiration, cancellation or termination of this Master Agreement, or otherwise inconsistent with its terms. Orders from any separate indefinite quantity, task orders, or other form of indefinite delivery order arrangement priced against this Master Agreement may not be placed after the expiration or termination of this Master Agreement, notwithstanding the term of any such indefinite delivery order agreement.

13. Shipping and Delivery

a. The prices are the delivered price to any Purchasing Entity. All deliveries shall be F.O.B. destination, freight pre-paid, with all transportation and handling charges paid by the Contractor. Responsibility and liability for loss or damage shall remain the Contractor’s until final inspection and acceptance when responsibility shall pass to the Purchasing Entity except as to latent defects, fraud and Contractor’s warranty obligations. The minimum shipment amount, if any, will be found in the special terms and conditions. Any order for less than the specified amount is to be shipped with the freight prepaid and added as a separate item on the invoice. Any portion of an Order to be shipped without transportation charges that is back ordered shall be shipped without charge.

b. All deliveries will be “Inside Deliveries” as designated by a representative of the Purchasing Entity placing the Order.

Inside Delivery refers to a delivery to other than a loading dock, front lobby, or reception area. Specific delivery instructions will be noted on the order form or Purchase Order. Any damage to the building interior, scratched walls, damage to the freight elevator, etc., will be the responsibility of the Contractor. If damage does occur, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to immediately notify the Purchasing Entity placing the Order.

c. All products must be delivered in the manufacturer’s standard package. Costs shall include all packing and/or crating charges. Cases shall be of durable construction, good condition, properly labeled and suitable in every respect for storage and handling of contents. Each shipping carton shall be marked with the commodity, brand, quantity, item code number and the Purchasing Entity’s Purchase Order number.

14. Laws and Regulations

Any and all Products offered and furnished shall comply fully with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.

15. Inspection and Acceptance

a. Where the Master Agreement or an Order does not otherwise specify a process for inspection and Acceptance, this section governs. This section is not intended to limit rights and remedies under the applicable commercial code.

b. All Products are subject to inspection at reasonable times and places before Acceptance. Contractor shall provide right of access to the Lead State, or to any other authorized agent or official of the Lead State or other Participating or Purchasing Entity, at reasonable times, in order to monitor and evaluate performance, compliance, and/or quality assurance requirements under this Master Agreement. Products that do not meet specifications may be rejected. Failure to reject upon receipt, however, does not relieve the contractor of liability for material (nonconformity that substantial impairs value) latent or hidden defects subsequently revealed when goods are put to use. Acceptance of such goods may be revoked in accordance with the provisions of the applicable commercial code, and the Contractor is liable for any resulting expense incurred by the Purchasing Entity related to the preparation and shipping of Product rejected and returned, or for which Acceptance is revoked.

c. If any services do not conform to contract requirements, the Purchasing Entity may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in Order amount. When defects cannot be corrected by re-performance, the Purchasing Entity may require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements; and reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of services performed.

d. The warranty period shall begin upon Acceptance.

e. Acceptance Testing may be explicitly set out in a Master Agreement to ensure conformance to an explicit standard of performance. Acceptance Testing means the process set forth in the Master Agreement for ascertaining that the Product meets the standard of performance prior to Acceptance by the Purchasing Entity. If Acceptance Testing is prescribed, this subsection applies to applicable Products purchased under this Master Agreement, including any additional, replacement, or substitute Product(s) and any Product(s) which are modified by or with the written approval of Contractor after Acceptance by the Purchasing Entity. The Acceptance Testing period shall be thirty (30) calendar days or other time period identified in this Master Agreement or the Participating Addendum, starting from the day after the Product is delivered or, if installed, the day after the Product is installed and Contractor certifies that the Product is ready for Acceptance Testing. If the Product does not meet the standard of performance during the initial period of Acceptance Testing, Purchasing Entity may, at its discretion, continue Acceptance Testing on a day-to-day basis until the standard of performance is met. Upon rejection, the Contractor will have fifteen (15) calendar days to cure the standard of performance issue(s). If after the cure period, the Product still has not met the standard of performance, the Purchasing Entity may, at its option: (a) declare Contractor to be in breach and terminate the Order; (b) demand replacement Product from Contractor at no additional cost to Purchasing Entity; or, (c) continue the cure period for an additional time period agreed upon by the Purchasing Entity and the Contractor. Contractor shall pay all costs related to the preparation and shipping of Product returned pursuant to the section. No Product shall be deemed Accepted and no charges shall be paid until the standard of performance is met.

The warranty period shall begin upon Acceptance.

16. Payment

Payment after Acceptance is normally made within 30 days following the date the entire order is delivered or the date a correct invoice is received, whichever is later. After 45 days the Contractor may assess overdue account charges up to a maximum rate of one percent per month on the outstanding balance, unless a different late payment amount is specified in a Participating Addendum, Order, or otherwise prescribed by applicable law. Payments will be remitted by mail. Payments may be made via a State or political subdivision “Purchasing Card” with no additional charge.

17. Warranty

Warranty provisions govern where specified elsewhere in the documents that constitute the Master Agreement; otherwise this section governs. The Contractor warrants for a period of one year from the date of Acceptance that: (a) the Product performs according to all specific claims that the Contractor made in its response to the solicitation, (b) the Product is suitable for the ordinary purposes for which such Product is used, (c) the Product is suitable for any special purposes identified in the solicitation or for which the Purchasing Entity has relied on the Contractor’s skill or judgment, (d) the Product is designed and manufactured in a commercially reasonable manner, and (e) the Product is free of defects. Upon breach of the warranty, the Contractor will repair or replace (at no charge to the Purchasing Entity) the Product whose nonconformance is discovered and made known to the Contractor. If the repaired and/or replaced Product proves to be inadequate, or fails of its essential purpose, the Contractor will refund the full amount of any payments that have been made. The rights and remedies of the parties under this warranty are in addition to any other rights and remedies of the parties provided by law or equity, including, without limitation, actual damages, and, as applicable and awarded under the law, to a prevailing party, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

18. Title of Product

Upon Acceptance by the Purchasing Entity, Contractor shall convey to Purchasing Entity title to the Product free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, or other security interests. Transfer of title to the Product shall include an irrevocable and perpetual license to use any Embedded Software in the Product. If Purchasing Entity subsequently transfers title of the Product to another entity, Purchasing Entity shall have the right to transfer the license to use the Embedded Software with the transfer of Product title. A subsequent transfer of this software of 20 license shall be at no additional cost or charge to either Purchasing Entity or Purchasing Entity’s transferee.

General Provisions

19. Insurance

a. Unless otherwise agreed in a Participating Addendum, Contractor shall, during the term of this Master Agreement, maintain in full force and effect, the insurance described in this section. Contractor shall acquire such insurance from an insurance carrier or carriers licensed to conduct business in each Participating Entity’s state and having a rating of A-, Class VII or better, in the most recently published edition of A.M. Best’s Insurance Reports. Failure to buy and maintain the required insurance may result in this Master Agreement’s termination or, at a Participating Entity’s option, result in termination of its Participating Addendum.

b. Coverage shall be written on an occurrence basis. The minimum acceptable limits shall be as indicated below:

(1) Commercial General Liability covering premises operations, independent contractors, products and completed operations, blanket contractual liability, personal injury (including death), advertising liability, and property damage, with a limit of not less than $1 million per occurrence/$2 million general aggregate;

(2) Contractor must comply with any applicable State Workers Compensation or Employers Liability Insurance requirements.

c. Contractor shall pay premiums on all insurance policies. Contractor shall provide notice to a Participating Entity who is a state within five (5) business days after Contractor is first aware of expiration, cancellation or nonrenewal of such policy or is first aware that cancellation is threatened or expiration, nonrenewal or expiration otherwise may occur.

d. Prior to commencement of performance, Contractor shall provide to the Lead State a written endorsement to the Contractor’s general liability insurance policy or other documentary evidence acceptable to the Lead State that (1) names the Participating States identified in the Request for Proposal as additional insureds, (2) provides that written notice of cancellation shall be delivered in accordance with the policy provisions, and (3) provides that the Contractor’s liability insurance policy shall be primary, with any liability insurance of any Participating State as secondary and noncontributory. Unless otherwise agreed in any Participating Addendum, other state Participating Entities’ rights and Contractor’s obligations are the same as those specified in the first sentence of this subsection except the endorsement is provided to the applicable state.

e. Contractor shall furnish to the Lead State copies of certificates of all required insurance in a form sufficient to show required coverage within thirty (30) calendar days of the execution of this Master Agreement and prior to performing any work.

Copies of renewal certificates of all required insurance shall be furnished within thirty (30) days after any renewal date to the applicable state Participating Entity. Failure to provide evidence of coverage may, at the sole option of the Lead State, or any Participating Entity, result in this Master Agreement’s termination or the termination of any Participating Addendum.

f. Coverage and limits shall not limit Contractor’s liability and obligations under this Master Agreement, any Participating Addendum, or any Purchase Order

20. Records Administration and Audit

a. The Contractor shall maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence pertaining to this Master Agreement and Orders placed by Purchasing Entities under it to the extent and in such detail as shall adequately reflect performance and administration of payments and fees. Contractor shall permit the Lead State, a Participating Entity, a Purchasing Entity, the federal government (including its grant awarding entities and the U.S. Comptroller General), and any other duly authorized agent of a governmental agency, to audit, inspect, examine, copy and/or transcribe Contractor's books, documents, papers and records directly pertinent to this Master Agreement or orders placed by a Purchasing Entity under it for the purpose of making audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcriptions. This right shall survive for a period of five (5) years following termination of this Agreement or final payment for any order placed by a Purchasing Entity against this Agreement, whichever is later, or such longer period as is required by the Purchasing Entity’s state statutes, to assure compliance with the terms hereof or to evaluate performance hereunder.

b. Without limiting any other remedy available to any governmental entity, the Contractor shall reimburse the applicable Lead State, Participating Entity, or Purchasing Entity for any overpayments inconsistent with the terms of the Master Agreement or Orders or underpayment of fees found as a result of the examination of the Contractor’s records.

c. The rights and obligations herein exist in addition to any quality assurance obligation in the Master Agreement requiring the Contractor to self-audit contract obligations and that permits the Lead State to review compliance with those obligations.

21. Confidentiality, Non-Disclosure, and Injunctive Relief

a. Confidentiality. Contractor acknowledges that it and its employees or agents may, in the course of providing a Product under this Master Agreement, be exposed to or acquire information that is confidential to Purchasing Entity or Purchasing Entity’s clients. Any and all information of any form that is marked as confidential or would by its nature be deemed confidential obtained by Contractor or its employees or agents in the performance of this Master Agreement, including, but not necessarily limited to (1) any Purchasing Entity’s records,

(2) personnel records, and (3) information concerning individuals, is confidential information of Purchasing Entity (“Confidential Information”). Any reports or other documents or items (including software) that result from the use of the Confidential Information by Contractor shall be treated in the same manner as the Confidential Information.

Confidential Information does not include information that (1) is or becomes (other than by disclosure by Contractor) publicly known; (2) is furnished by Purchasing Entity to others without restrictions similar to those imposed by this Master Agreement;

(3) is rightfully in Contractor’s possession without the obligation of nondisclosure prior to the time of its disclosure under this Master Agreement; (4) is obtained from a source other than Purchasing Entity without the obligation of confidentiality, (5) is disclosed with the written consent of Purchasing Entity or; (6) is independently developed by employees, agents or subcontractors of Contractor who can be shown to have had no access to the Confidential Information.

b. Non-Disclosure. Contractor shall hold Confidential Information in confidence, using at least the industry standard of confidentiality, and shall not copy, reproduce, sell, assign, license, market, transfer or otherwise dispose of, give, or disclose Confidential Information to third parties or use Confidential Information for any purposes whatsoever other than what is necessary to the performance of Orders placed under this Master Agreement. Contractor shall advise each of its employees and agents of their obligations to keep Confidential Information confidential. Contractor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist Purchasing Entity in identifying and preventing any unauthorized use or disclosure of any Confidential Information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Contractor shall advise Purchasing Entity, applicable Participating Entity, and the Lead State immediately if Contractor learns or has reason to believe that any person who has had access to Confidential Information has violated or intends to violate the terms of this Master Agreement, and Contractor shall at its expense cooperate with Purchasing Entity in seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in the name of Purchasing Entity or Contractor against any such person. Except as directed by Purchasing Entity, Contractor will not at any time during or after the term of this Master Agreement disclose, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information to any person, except in accordance with this Master Agreement, and that upon termination of this Master Agreement or at Purchasing Entity’s request, Contractor shall turn over to Purchasing Entity all documents, papers, and other matter in Contractor's possession that embody Confidential Information.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Contractor may keep one copy of such Confidential Information necessary for quality assurance, audits and evidence of the performance of this Master Agreement.

c. Injunctive Relief. Contractor acknowledges that breach of this section, including disclosure of any Confidential Information, will cause irreparable injury to Purchasing Entity that is inadequately compensable in damages. Accordingly, Purchasing Entity may seek and obtain injunctive relief against the breach or threatened breach of the foregoing undertakings, in addition to any other legal remedies that may be available. Contractor acknowledges and agrees that the covenants contained herein are necessary for the protection of the legitimate business interests of Purchasing Entity and are reasonable in scope and content.

d. Purchasing Entity Law. These provisions shall be applicable only to extent they are not in conflict with the applicable public disclosure laws of any Purchasing Entity.

e. The rights granted Purchasing Entities and Contractor obligations under this section shall also extend to the cooperative’s Confidential Information, defined to include Participating Addenda, as well as Orders or transaction data relating to Orders under this Master Agreement that identify the entity/customer, Order dates, line item descriptions and volumes, and prices/rates. This provision does not apply to disclosure to the Lead State, a Participating State, or any governmental entity exercising an audit, inspection, or examination pursuant to section 23. To the extent permitted by law, Contractor shall notify the Lead State of the identify of any entity seeking access to the Confidential Information described in this subsection.

22. Public Information

This Master Agreement and all related documents are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Purchasing Entity’s public information laws.

23. Assignment/Subcontracts

a. Contractor shall not assign, sell, transfer, subcontract or sublet rights, or delegate responsibilities under this Master Agreement, in whole or in part, without the prior written approval of the Lead State.

b. The Lead State reserves the right to assign any rights or duties, including written assignment of contract administration duties to NASPO Cooperative Purchasing Organization LLC, doing business as NASPO ValuePoint and other third parties.

24. Changes in Contractor Representation

The Contractor must notify the Lead State of changes in the Contractor’s key administrative personnel managing the Master Agreement in writing within 10 calendar days of the change. The Lead State reserves the right to approve changes in key personnel, as identified in the Contractor’s proposal. The Contractor agrees to propose replacement key personnel having substantially equal or better education, training, and experience as was possessed by the key person proposed and evaluated in the Contractor’s proposal.

25. Independent Contractor

The Contractor shall be an independent contractor. Contractor shall have no authorization, express or implied, to bind the Lead State, Participating States, other Participating Entities, or Purchasing Entities to any agreements, settlements, liability or understanding whatsoever, and agrees not to hold itself out as agent except as expressly set forth herein or as expressly agreed in any Participating Addendum.

26. Cancellation

Unless otherwise stated, this Master Agreement may be canceled by either party upon 60 days written notice prior to the effective date of the cancellation. Further, any Participating Entity may cancel its participation upon 30 days written notice, unless otherwise limited or stated in the Participating Addendum. Cancellation may be in whole or in part. Any cancellation under this provision shall not affect the rights and obligations attending orders outstanding at the time of cancellation, including any right of a Purchasing Entity to indemnification by the Contractor, rights of payment for Products delivered and accepted, rights attending any warranty or default in performance in association with any Order, and requirements for records administration and audit. Cancellation of the Master Agreement due to Contractor default may be immediate.

27. Force Majeure

Neither party to this Master Agreement shall be held responsible for delay or default caused by fire, riot, unusually severe weather, other acts of God, or war which are beyond that party’s reasonable control. The Lead State may terminate this Master Agreement after determining such delay or default will reasonably prevent successful performance of the Master Agreement.

28. Defaults and Remedies

a. The occurrence of any of the following events shall be an event of default under this Master Agreement:

(1) Nonperformance of contractual requirements; or

(2) A material breach of any term or condition of this Master Agreement; or

(3) Any certification, representation or warranty by Contractor in response to the solicitation or in this Master Agreement that proves to be untrue or materially misleading; or

(4) Institution of proceedings under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar law, by or against Contractor, or the appointment of a receiver or similar officer for Contractor or any of its property, which is not vacated or fully stayed within thirty (30) calendar days after the institution or occurrence thereof; or

(5) Any default specified in another section of this Master Agreement.

b. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the Lead State shall issue a written notice of default, identifying the nature of the default, and providing a period of 15 calendar days in which Contractor shall have an opportunity to cure the default. The Lead State shall not be required to provide advance written notice or a cure period and may immediately terminate this Master Agreement in whole or in part if the Lead State, in its sole discretion, determines that it is reasonably necessary to preserve public safety or prevent immediate public crisis. Time allowed for cure shall not diminish or eliminate Contractor’s liability for damages, including liquidated damages to the extent provided for under this Master Agreement.

c. If Contractor is afforded an opportunity to cure and fails to cure the default within the period specified in the written notice of default, Contractor shall be in breach of its obligations under this Master Agreement and the Lead State shall have the right to exercise any or all of the following remedies:

(1) Exercise any remedy provided by law; and

(2) Terminate this Master Agreement and any related Contracts or portions thereof; and

(3) Impose liquidated damages as provided in this Master…