96-20250304073247 MSDB.pdf

INVITATION FOR BIDS

SECURITY SERVICES

MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND

1403 EASTOVER DRIVE

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39211

Contact: Keshia Magee Sanders BID Submission Due Date: March 21, 2025

By submitting a BID, the Offeror certifies that it is registered to do business in the State of Mississippi as prescribed by the Mississippi Secretary of State or, if not already registered, that it will do so within seven (7) business days of being offered an award. Sole proprietors are not required to register with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

INVITIATION FOR BID

SECURITY SERVICES

You are invited to participate in this Invitation for Bid (IFB). Please submit your bid response, all required forms and the vendor acceptance in conformance with the instructions specified herein. By submitting a bid response, the bidder agrees and promises to provide and deliver to the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind all products and services contained in this IFB for which a contract is awarded by the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. The bidder shall fully perform the contract in accordance with all specifications, terms and conditions, and requirements contained in the IFB.

By submitting a BID, the Offeror certifies that it is registered to do business in the State of Mississippi as prescribed by the Mississippi Secretary of State or, if not already registered, that it will do so within seven (7) business days of being offered an award. Sole proprietors are not required to register with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

Written acceptance of the bidder's bid response by the State, by issuance of a purchase order or contract, constitutes a binding contract made with the bidder by and between the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind through the Superintendent and Business Operations Specialist.

1. District Background The Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (MSDB) are two (2) special purpose schools combined into one school district. Each school serves the unique purpose of providing educational and residential services to qualifying students across the state of Mississippi.

The Mississippi School for the Blind (MSB) was established on March 2, 1848, by the State Legislature (Article 9, Chapter 43 – Laws of Mississippi) and currently operates under Mississippi Code 1972 Annotated, Title 43, Chapter 5. MSB serves students who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.

The Mississippi School for the Deaf (MSD) was established in 1854 and is currently governed under Mississippi Code 1972 Annotated, Title 43, Chapter 5. MSD serves students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind.

The two schools were combined onto one campus in 1999. Over the years, certain services were combined to serve both schools including Facilities and Maintenance, Grounds and Transportation, Custodial Services, Health Services, Food Services, and the Business Office.

In 2018, the two schools were combined into one district and Administration was restructured to serve over both schools.

On June 25, 2020, during the 2020 Regular Legislative Session, Governor Tate Reeves signed into law HB 667 amending MSDB provisions related to personnel, purchasing, and procurement for MSD, MSB, and MSDB. In implementing HB 667, new policies, procedures, and handbooks were developed and approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). MSDB registered with all required agencies and entities authorizing and allowing MSDB to conduct business as a school and as a district in educating students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, and deafblind across the state of Mississippi.

2. Scope of Services The Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (MSDB) is soliciting bids from qualified vendors to provide unarmed security guards qualified to serve as a School Safety Officer (SSO). The School Safety Officer is typically responsible for ensuring the security of the school buildings, grounds, facilities, and the area immediately surrounding the school property. The term of the contract is July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 with the option of two (2) one (1) year renewals that will be determined annually and shall be contingent upon successful completion of the services in the preceding year’s contract and a performance-based evaluation.

At any time MSDB reserves the right to terminate the contractual agreement.

BIDDER REQUIREMENTS

The Vendor shall also provide with respect to all security guard workers provided to

MSDB:

a. Assign a Vendor Account Representative to work directly with the MSDB assigned representative;

b. Designate a contact person available twenty-four (24) hours daily for communication with the MSDB, if required;

c. Fulfill MSDB requests for guard(s) within twenty-four (24) hours of request;

d. Maintain a sufficient pool of qualified guards large enough that if, for any reason, the scheduled guard does not report for duty or must be replaced, the security company can provide a replacement guard within two (2) hours after notification;

e. Replace, at no additional expense to the MSDB, any guard not performing satisfactorily within two (2) hours;

f. Ensure that the guard(s) are always in complete uniform and well-groomed;

g. Provide all materials, flashlights, rain gear, uniforms which are clean, in good repair, easily recognizable and identify the guard as an employee of the Vendor, and any other miscellaneous equipment which may be needed;

h. Provide the required number of qualified, competent, well-trained, drug-free, and appropriately dressed security guards to perform the duties required identified in the Work Schedule specified in Exhibit A;

i. Ensure that the contract security guard reports to work at the time and place specified by the MSDB;

j. Abide by all ordinances and laws pertaining to the MSDB’s operation and secure all required licenses, permits, certifications, trainings, background investigations, fingerprint checks, and drug tests;

k. Ensure that all guards fully comply with the policies and procedures of the MSDB to which they are assigned, the applicable standards, Joint Commission standards, and all applicable regulations as now existing or as may be modified;

l. Ensure that guard(s) do not engage in personal activities (such as, but not limited to texting, personal phone calls, logging-in to personal emails, reading magazines, etc.) while on the job, and that such guards comply with MSDB’s restrictions regarding visitation with friends, family members, or acquaintances while on the job;

m. Ensure that guards do not vacate their post during or at the end of their shift unless relieved by appropriate duty personnel, and arrange for replacement personnel for shift changes, breaks and for unanticipated events (i.e., illness, family emergency, etc.);

n. Ensure that no security guard or supervisor work more than twelve (12) hours including any and all breaks, in a twenty-four (24) hour period; the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, in an emergency situation, can waive this requirement when the circumstances are beyond the control of the Vendor;

o. Abide by all State and/or MSDB policies, procedures, ordinances, and/or laws pertaining to the MSDB’s operation at all times, including but not limited to the items listed below. Deviations from these policies by the Vendor or its personnel will not be tolerated and will be considered grounds for contract termination:

i. All state facilities are non-smoking; the Vendor and its personnel must adhere to this requirement. Nonsmoking facility and tobacco products are prohibited on campus.

ii. It is illegal to have in one’s possession any illegal drug or alcoholic beverage while on state property. Vendor personnel shall not consume any illegal or illegally obtained drug or alcoholic beverage while on duty.

iii. The Vendor’s personnel should refrain from using foul, abusive, or profane language on state property.

iv. The Vendor’s personnel shall not flirt or fraternize with the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind personnel or any visitor at the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

v. Vendor’s personnel shall not solicit or otherwise interfere with the work of the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind employees.

vi. The Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind reserves the right to inspect and search all Vendor personnel and/or vehicles anytime while on facility grounds.

vii. Vendor personnel are required to sign-in and sign-out at state facilities.

Security provisions for all state facilities must be strictly observed.

viii. Vendor personnel may be required to provide photographic identification for inspection upon entering state facilities and/or grounds. Vendor identification badges, personal identification of the individual employee, and/or visitor badges shall be worn and clearly visible while on state property.

ix. Accurately describe the job duties required to its contract worker(s) and/or employee(s); perform all services provided in the contract between the Vendor and the MSDB in accordance with customary and reasonable industry standards as well as in strict conformance to all laws, statutes, and ordinances and the applicable rules, regulations, methods and procedures of all government boards, bureaus, offices, and other agencies. No statement within this contract shall negate compliance with any applicable governing regulation. The absence of detailed specifications or the omission of a detailed description shall be recognized as meaning that only the best commercial practices are to prevail;

p. Provide gas or electric golf cart(s) for security personnel and MSDB will provide the gas and electricity.

Failure to meet the minimum requirements shall result in bid being disqualified.

Bidders responding to this IFB shall be established vendors regularly engaged in similar business with at least five (5) years of experience in the applicable service aligned with the scope of work.

Bidder shall submit a minimum of three (3) references, in the continental U.S., for whom the bidder provided services and/or goods of similar services within the past two (2) years. When checking such references, any negative response may result in disqualification of the bid. (See Vendor References Form below)

References shall include business name, address, telephone number, email, and name of individual customer who is familiar with bidder’s capabilities.

Bidders must, upon request of the State, furnish satisfactory evidence of their ability to furnish products or services in accordance with the terms and conditions of these specifications. This may also include the bidder’s financial statement.

3. Bid Question and Answer Timeline Questions concerning the Bid should be sent to: procurement@msdbk12.org.

First date of advertisement Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Deadline for Bidders to Submit Questions Monday, March 10, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

MSDB Deadline for Response to Bidder Questions Friday, March 14, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

Bid Deadline Friday, March 21, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

Bid Opening Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

Recommendation to State Board of Education Thursday, April 17, 2025 Contract Award to Successful Bidder Friday, April 18, 2025 mailto:procurement@msdbk12.org

4. Bid Submission Deadline Bidders must submit their sealed bid by 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) Friday, March 21, 2025, addressed as follows:

Keshia Magee Sanders, Business Operations Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

(Invitation for Bid – Security Services) 1403 Eastover Drive

Jackson, Mississippi 39211

MSDB reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids or groups thereof and waive any defect or informality in any bid or bidding procedure.

5. Bid Submission Requirements Bidders sealed bid must include:

(1) A Company Overview;

(2) Vendor References Form;

(3) Bid Response Form; and

(4) W-9.

VENDOR REFERENCES FORM

Bidder (company name):____________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person:________________________________________________ Phone:______________________________________________

Email Address:__________________________________ Number of years your company has been in business: _______

NOTE:

Provide a minimum of two (2) references.

REFERENCES:

Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________

Contract Description: _____________________________________________________ Fax:_____________________________________

Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________

Contract Description: _____________________________________________________ Fax:_____________________________________

Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Person: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________

Contract Description: _____________________________________________________ Fax:_____________________________________

BIDDER’S NAME DATE

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

SHIFT

Alpha 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 Bravo 2 2 2 2 2 2 1

Charlie 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 Bus 0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0

Weekend 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

TOTAL SHIFTS

TOTALS 5 Shifts 6.5 Shifts 6.5 Shifts 6.5 Shifts 6.5 Shifts 5.5 Shifts 4 Shifts 34

SHIFTS

Alpha Bravo

Charlie Bus

Weekend 12:00-16:00 (4 hour shift) 10:00-18:00 (8 hour shift)

MSDB - Campus Security Coverage & Shifts

06:00-14:00 (8 hour shift) 14:00-22:00 (8 hour shift) 22:00-06:00 (8 hour shift)

Grand Total of the Bid, i.e., Hourly $__________ and Yearly $__________________

Bid Response Form