ADVERT_23-0083_RFP.pdf

23-0083-RFP-FORMAL

Facilities Landscape and Irrigation Services Page 1 of 34

PINELLAS COUNTY RFP – FORMAL/INFORMAL Revised 08/2022

PINELLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

400 S. FT. HARRISON AVENUE

ANNEX BUILDING – 6TH FLOOR

CLEARWATER, FL 33756

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP – FORMAL/INFORMAL

SUBMITTALS ARE OPENED PUBLICLY AND

ARE ACCEPTED VIA OPENGOV

THE MISSION OF PINELLAS COUNTY

Pinellas County Government is committed to progressive public policy, superior public service, courteous public contact, judicious exercise of authority and sound management of public resources to meet the needs and concerns of our citizens today and tomorrow.

ISSUE DATE: Tuesday, November 30, 2022

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 23-0083-RFP-Formal

SOLICITATION TITLE: Facilities Landscape and Irrigation Services

DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN QUESTIONS: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 by 3:00 PM Eastern Time

SUBMIT QUESTIONS: ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN OPENGOV WITHIN THE Q&A - SECTION.

ALL SUBMITTALS ARE DUE BY: Thursday, January 12, 2023 by 3:00 PM Eastern Time

NON-MANDATORY SITE VISIT INFORMATION: Please see attached Site Visit Schedule Vendor shall provide attestation that they have visited all sites and/or proposal price is reflective of the size and scope of services to be performed by the vendor. The attestation must be submitted with proposal.

SOLICITATION CONTACT INFORMATION:

NAME: Kim Meador

EMAIL: klmeador@pinellas.gov

SUBMITTALS MAY NOT BE WITHDRAWN FOR 120 DAYS AFTER OPENING DATE.

The Purchasing and Risk Management Division for the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has transitioned to OpenGov Procurement for contractor/vendor registration, and for posting, submitting and receiving bids, quotes and proposals for active solicitations. Contractors/Vendors must register with OpenGov Procurement (https://procurement.opengov.com/signup) to bid on active County solicitations.

Should you need technical assistance with OpenGov, the following options are available for assistance:

Phone: (855) 680-4747, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday - Friday

Email: procurement-support@opengov.com

Chat is available in the OpenGov application

Web: https://help.procurement.opengov.com mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com https://help.procurement.opengov.com/

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PINELLAS COUNTY RFP – FORMAL/INFORMAL Revised 08/2022

Please Note:

From time to time, addenda may be issued to this solicitation. Any such addenda will be posted on the same Web site, www.pinellascounty.org/purchase/Current_Bids1.htm , from which you obtained this solicitation.

Before submitting, you should check our Web site to download any addenda that may have been issued. Please remember to sign and return Addenda Acknowledgement Form with completed bid package if applicable.

AUTHORIZED BY:

Merry Celeste, CPPB

Division Director of Purchasing and Risk Management http://www.pinellascounty.org/purchase/Current_Bids1.htm

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CONTRACTOR MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING

CONTRACTORS ARE CAUTIONED THAT THE POLICY OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, PINELLAS COUNTY, IS TO ACCEPT THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE SUBMITTAL RECEIVED MEETING SPECIFICATIONS. NO CHANGES REQUESTED BY A CONTRACTOR DUE TO AN ERROR IN PRICING WILL BE CONSIDERED AFTER THE SOLICITATION OPENING DATE AS ADVERTISED. BY SIGNING THIS SUBMITTAL FORM, CONTRACTORS ARE ATTESTING TO THEIR AWARENESS OF THIS POLICY AND ARE AGREEING TO ALL OTHER SOLICITATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING ANY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED

HEREIN.

CONTRACTOR NAME: ______________________________________________ (As shown on W-9)

DBA: ______________________________________________ (If applicable)

MAILING ADDRESS: ______________________________________________ (As shown on W-9)

CITY / STATE / ZIP: ______________________________________________ (As shown on W-9)

CONTRACTOR EMAIL: ______________________________________________ (Primary Company Email Address)

REMIT TO NAME: ______________________________________________ (As Shown on contractors Invoice)

FEIN#: ______________________________________________ (As shown on W-9)

PAYMENT TERMS: ____% ___DAYS, NET 45 (PER F.S. 218.73)

DEPOSIT, IF REQUIRED, IS ATTACHED IN THE AMOUNT OF $ _____________

Proper Corporate Identity is needed when you submit your quote, especially how your firm is registered with the Florida Division of Corporations. Please visit dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/ for this information. It is essential to return a copy of your W-9 with your quote. Thank you.

CONTRACTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTACT NAME: _______________________

PHONE NUMBER: _______________________

FAX NUMBER: _______________________

EMAIL ADDRESS: _______________________

I HEREBY AGREE TO ABIDE BY ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS RFP EXCEPT AS NOTED BY EXCEPTION, INCLUDING ALL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS & CERTIFY I AM AUTHORIZED TO SIGN THIS RFP FOR THE

PROPOSER.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: _______________________

PRINT NAME: _______________________

TITLE: _______________________

SEE SECTION F FOR PRICING SUMMARY

THIS FORM MUST BE RETURNED WITH YOUR RESPONSE

https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A - GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. CONTRACTOR SUBMISSION

2. WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR INTERPRETATIONS/CLARIFICATIONS

3. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS/SERVICES/SUPPLIES

4. ALTERNATES

5. RIGHTS OF PINELLAS COUNTY IN REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

7. COSTS INCURRED BY PROPOSERS

8. ORAL PRESENTATION

9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

10. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

11. LATE PROPOSAL OR MODIFICATIONS

12. PROPOSALS FROM RELATED PARTIES / MULTIPLE PROPOSALS RECEIVED FROM ONE VENDOR

13. JOINT VENTURES

14. PROVISION FOR OTHER AGENCIES

15. COLLUSION

16. STATEMENT RELATIVE TO PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES

17. COUNTY INDEMNIFICATION

18. VARIANCE FROM STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS

19. ADA REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC NOTICES

20. PROCUREMENT POLICY FOR RECYCLED MATERIALS

21. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

22. AGREEMENT

23. INTEGRITY OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) DOCUMENTS

24. PUBLIC RECORDS/TRADE SECRETS

25. LOBBYING

26. PROTEST PROCEDURE

27. PUBLIC RECORDS – CONTRACTOR’S DUTY

28. E-VERIFY

29. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND

CONTROL ACT OF 1986

30. TRUTH IN NEGOTIATIONS:

SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

1. INTENT

2. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

3. PRICING/PERIOD OF CONTRACT

4. TERM EXTENSION(S) OF CONTRACT

5. FEES AND EXPENSES

6. NON-MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE: All questions pertaining to the bid or technical specifications will be reviewed at this time. Bid suggestions or modifications may be discussed with County representatives at this meeting and may be considered by representatives as possible addenda to the Invitation to Bid

7. MANDATORY SITE VISIT: Due to the scope of this Project, bids received from Bidders who did not attend the "Mandatory" site visit will be judged non-responsive and will not be considered for award

8. PRE-COMMENCEMENT MEETING:

9. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / GIFT & GRATUITY POLICY

10. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL COPIES

11. BREACH OF CONTRACT

SECTION C – INSURANCE AND INDEMNIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY

2. INDEMNIFICATION

3. INSURANCE:

SECTION D – CONTRACTOR REFERENCES

SECTION E – SCOPE OF WORK

SECTION F – PROPOSAL SUMMARY

ELECTRONIC PAYMENT (EPAYABLES)

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W-9 REQUEST FOR TAXPAYER ID NUMBER AND CERTIFICATION

SECTION G - ADDENDUM

SECTION H – STATEMENT OF NO BID

APPENDIX 1 – E-VERIFY AFFIDAVIT

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SECTION A - GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. CONTRACTOR SUBMISSION

a. Submittals shall be uploaded utilizing OpenGov procurement website (https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/pinellasfl). Failure to comply could result in the submittal being rejected.

b. Submittals must be on the forms furnished. Submittals sent via email will not be considered.

2. WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR INTERPRETATIONS/CLARIFICATIONS

No oral interpretations will be made to any firms as to the meaning of specifications or any other contractor documents. All questions pertaining to the terms and conditions or scope of work of this solicitation must be sent in writing (electronically) to the Purchasing and Risk Management Division and received by the date specified in solicitation. Responses to questions may be handled as an addendum if the response would provide clarification to requirements of the solicitation. All such addenda shall become part of the agreement documents. The County will not be responsible for any other explanation or interpretation of the proposed solicitation made or given prior to the award of the agreement. The Purchasing and Risk Management Division will be unable to respond to questions received after the specified time frame.

3. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS/SERVICES/SUPPLIES

a. Any manufacturer's names, trade names, brand name, or catalog numbers used in specifications are for the purpose of describing and establishing general quality levels. Such references are not intended to be restrictive.

Submittals will be considered for all brands which meet the quality of the specifications listed for any items.

b. Contractors are required to state exactly what they intend to furnish otherwise they shall be required to furnish the items as specified.

c. Contractor submission shall include all data necessary to evaluate and determine the quality of the item(s) they intend to furnish.

4. ALTERNATES

Unless otherwise provided in the solicitation, alternatives may be included in the plans, specifications, and/or solicitation. When the County includes alternates in the solicitation, the contractor shall indicate on the submittal the cost of said alternate and sum to be deducted or added to the base pricing. Such alternates may or may not be accepted by the County. If approved, it is at the County’s discretion to accept said alternate(s) in any sequence or combination therein. If the contractor is proposing an alternate that is not provided in the solicitation, alternate(s) must be submitted within the OpenGov Q & A section prior to the question deadline, and receive approval prior to the solicitation opening date in order to be considered for award.

5. RIGHTS OF PINELLAS COUNTY IN REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS

In addition to all other rights of the County under Florida law, the County specifically reserves the following:

a. Pinellas County reserves the right to rank contractors and negotiate with the highest-ranking contractor.

Negotiation with an individual vendor does not require negotiation with others.

b. Pinellas County reserves the right to select the contractor that it believes will serve the best interest of Pinellas County.

c. Pinellas County reserves the right to reject any or all submittals. The respective constitutional officer, county administrator on behalf of the board of county commissioners or within their delegated financial approval authority, or director of purchasing, within their delegated financial approval authority shall have the authority when the public interest will be served thereby to reject all submittals or parts of submittals at any stage of the procurement process through the award of the agreement.

d. Pinellas County reserves the right to cancel the entire submittal.

e. Pinellas County reserves the right to remedy or waive technical or immaterial errors in the solicitation or submittals received.

f. Pinellas County reserves the right to request any necessary clarifications or revisions data without changing the terms of the solicitation.

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/pinellasfl

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g. Pinellas County reserves the right to require the contractor to perform the services required on the basis of the original submittal without negotiation.

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation criteria define the factors that will be used by the Evaluation Committee to evaluate and score responsive, responsible and qualified submittals. Contractor shall include sufficient information to allow the Evaluation Committee to thoroughly evaluate and score their submittal. Each submission shall be evaluated and ranked by an Evaluation Committee. The contract will be awarded to the most qualified contractor, per the evaluation criteria listed in the Scope of Work of the solicitation.

7. COSTS INCURRED BY PROPOSERS

All expenses involved with the preparations and submissions to the County and any oral presentations, or any work performed in connection therewith, shall be borne solely by the contractor(s). No payment will be made for any responses received, or for any other effort required of, or made by, the contractor(s) prior to contract commencement unless otherwise specified in the Scope of Work in this solicitation.

8. ORAL PRESENTATION

An oral presentation may be requested of any contractor, at the Evaluation Committee's discretion. If an oral presentation is requested the written evaluation process shall be utilized to short list proposals. If required as part of the evaluation process, the oral presentation shall be scored as specified in the Scope of Work of the RFP. The most qualified contractor as determined by evaluation process shall proceed with the contracting process.

9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

a. The contractor represents that it presently has no interest and shall acquire no interest, either direct or indirect, which would conflict in any manner with the performance or services required hereunder. The contractor further represents that no person having any such interest shall be employed during the agreement term and any extensions. In addition, the contractor shall not offer gifts or gratuities to County employees as County employees are not permitted to accept gifts or gratuities. By signing this document, the contractor acknowledges that no gifts or gratuities have been offered to County employees or anyone else involved in this competitive solicitation process.

b. The contractor shall promptly notify the County’s representative, in writing, by certified mail, of all potential conflicts of interest for any prospective business association, interest, or other circumstance, which may influence or appear to influence the contractor’s judgment or quality of services being provided hereunder. Such written notification shall identify the prospective business association, interest or circumstance, the nature of work that the contractor may undertake and request an opinion of the County as to whether the association, interest or circumstance would, in the opinion of the County, constitute a conflict of interest if entered into by the contractor.

The County agrees to notify the contractor of its opinion, by certified mail, within thirty days of receipt of notification by the contractor.

c. It is essential to government procurement that the process be open, equitable and ethical. To this end, if potential unethical practices including but not limited to collusion, receipt or solicitation of gifts and conflicts of interest (direct/indirect) etc. are observed or perceived, please report such activity to:

Pinellas County Clerk of Circuit Court – Division of Inspector General

Phone – (727) 45FRAUD (453-7283)

Fax – 727-464-8386

10. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

The submittal may be withdrawn prior to the bid opening date, however, a submittal may not be withdrawn for a period of time as specified in this solicitation document.

11. LATE PROPOSAL OR MODIFICATIONS

a. Submittals and modifications received after the time set for the submission will not be considered. This upholds the integrity of the process.

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b. Modifications in writing received prior to the time set for the submittal will be accepted.

12. PROPOSALS FROM RELATED PARTIES / MULTIPLE PROPOSALS RECEIVED FROM ONE VENDOR

Where two (2) or more related parties each submit a proposal or multiple proposals are received from one (1) vendor, for any contract, such proposals shall be judged non-responsive. Related parties mean proposers or the principles thereof, which have a direct or indirect ownership interest in another proposer for the same contract or in which a parent company or the principles thereof of one (1) proposer have a direct or indirect ownership interest in another bidder or proposer for the same contract.

13. JOINT VENTURES

All contractors intending to submit as a joint venture are required to have filed proper documents with the Florida Department of State, the Division of Professions, Construction Industry Licensing Board and any other state or local licensing Agency prior to submitting (see Section 489.119 Florida Statutes).

Joint ventures must provide an affidavit attesting to the formulation of a joint venture and provide either proof of incorporation as a joint venture or a copy of the formal joint venture agreement between all joint venture parties, indicating their respective roles, responsibilities and levels of participation for the project.

14. PROVISION FOR OTHER AGENCIES

Unless otherwise stipulated by the contractor(s), the contractor(s) agree to make available to all Government agencies, departments, and municipalities the prices submitted in accordance with said terms and conditions therein, should any said governmental entity desire to buy under this solicitation. Eligible users shall mean all State of Florida Agencies, the legislative and judicial branches, political subdivisions (counties, local district school boards, community colleges, municipalities, or other public agencies or authorities), which may desire to purchase under the terms and conditions of the agreement.

15. COLLUSION

The contractor, by affixing his signature to this proposal, agrees to the following: "Contractor certifies that its submittal is made without previous understanding, agreement, or connection with any person, firm or corporation making a submittal for the same item(s) and is in all respects fair, without outside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action."

16. STATEMENT RELATIVE TO PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES

Contractor is directed to the Florida Public Entity Crime Act, Fla. Stat. 287.133, and Fla. Stat. 287.135 regarding Scrutinized Companies, and contractor agrees that its submittal and, if awarded, its performance of the agreement will comply with all applicable laws including those referenced herein. contractor represents and certifies that contractor is and will at all times remain eligible to submit for and perform the services subject to the requirements of these, and other applicable, laws. contractor agrees that any agreement awarded to contractor will be subject to termination by the County if contractor fails to comply or to maintain such compliance.

17. COUNTY INDEMNIFICATION

Contractor agrees to indemnify, pay the cost of defense, including attorney’s fees, and hold harmless the County, its officers, employees and agents from all damages, suits, actions or claims, including reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by the County, of any character brought on account of any injuries or damages received or sustained by any person, persons, or property, or in any way relating to or arising from the Agreement; or on account of any act or omission, neglect or misconduct of Contractor; or by, or on account of, any claim or amounts recovered under the Workers’ Compensation Law; or of any other laws, regulations, ordinance, order or decree; or arising from or by reason of any actual or claimed trademark, patent or copyright infringement or litigation based thereon; or for any violation of requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as may be amended, and all rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto (collectively the “ADA”) except when such injury, damage, or violation was caused by the sole negligence of the County.

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18. VARIANCE FROM STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS

All standard terms and conditions stated in this section apply to this Agreement except as specifically stated in the subsequent sections of the document, which take precedence over this section, and should be fully understood by contractors prior to submitting on this requirement.

19. ADA REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC NOTICES

Persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation to participate in this proceeding/event, should call 727- 464-4062 (voice/tdd) fax 727-464-4157, not later than seven days prior to the proceeding.

20. PROCUREMENT POLICY FOR RECYCLED MATERIALS

a. Pinellas County wishes to encourage its contractors to use recycled products in fulfilling contractual obligations to the County and that such a policy will serve as a model for other public entities and private sector companies.

b. When awarding a purchase or recommending a purchase for products, materials, or services, the Director of Purchasing and Risk Management may allow a preference to a responsive contractor who certifies that their product or material contains the greatest percentage of postconsumer material. If solicitation includes paper products, contractor must certify that their materials and/or products contain at least the content recommended by the EPA guidelines.

c. On all quotes over fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) and informal quotes under fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or as required by law, the Director of Purchasing and Risk Management shall require vendors to specify which products have recycled materials, what percentage or amount is postconsumer material, and to provide certification of the percentages of recycled materials used in the manufacture of goods and commodities procured by the County.

d. Price preference is not the preferred practice the County wishes to employ in meeting the goals of this resolution.

If a price preference is deemed to serve the best interest of the County and further supports the purchase of recycled materials, the Director of Purchasing will make a recommendation that a price preference be allowed up to an amount not to exceed 10% above the lowest complying submittal received.

Definitions for Recycled Materials:

Recovered Materials: Materials that have recycling potential, can be recycled, and have been diverted or removed from the solid waste stream for sale, use or reuse, by separation, collection, or processing.

Recycled Materials: Materials that contain recovered materials. This term may include internally generated scrap that is commonly used in industrial or manufacturing processes, waste or scrap purchased from another manufacturer and used in the same or a closely related product.

Postconsumer Materials: Materials which have been used by a business or a consumer and have served their intended end use, and have been separated or diverted from the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling, such as; newspaper, aluminum, glass containers, plastic containers, office paper, corrugated boxes, pallets or other items which can be used in the remanufacturing process.

21. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The County reserves the right to request additional goods or services relating to this agreement from the contractor.

When approved by the County as an amendment to this agreement and authorized in writing, the contractor shall provide such additional requirements as may become necessary.

22. AGREEMENT

In addition to being subject to all terms and conditions in this solicitation, all responses are subject to the terms and conditions in the agreement attached to the solicitation. Additional or modified terms and conditions in the agreement may be necessary depending on the responses to the solicitation, including any exceptions stated by the contractor as required by Section A, PREPARATION OF SUBMITTAL of this solicitation. However, the County may reject any exception proposed by the contractor and shall not be bound by any additional or modified terms and conditions that are in conflict with the terms and conditions in the agreement, or are not acceptable to, or have been declared to be non-negotiable by the County, as determined in its sole discretion.

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23. INTEGRITY OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) DOCUMENTS

Contractors shall use the original solicitation form(s) provided by the Purchasing & Risk Management Division and enter information only in the spaces where a response is requested. contractors may use an attachment as an addendum to the solicitation form(s) if sufficient space is not available on the original form for the contractor to enter a complete response. Any modifications or alterations to the original solicitation documents by the contractor, whether intentional or otherwise, will constitute grounds for rejection of a solicitation. Any such modifications or alterations a contractor wishes to propose must be clearly stated in the contractor’s submittal response and presented in the form of an addendum to the original solicitation documents.

24. PUBLIC RECORDS/TRADE SECRETS

Pinellas County Government is subject to the Florida Public Records law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes), and all documents, materials, and data submitted to any solicitation as part of the response are governed by the disclosure, exemption and confidentiality provisions relating to public records in Florida Statutes. Except for materials that are “trade secrets” or “confidential” as defined by applicable Florida law, ownership of all documents, materials, and data submitted in response to the solicitation shall belong exclusively to the County.

To the extent that contractor desires to maintain the confidentiality of materials that constitute trade secrets pursuant to Florida law, trade secret material submitted must be identified by some distinct method that the materials that constitute a trade secret, and contractor shall provide an additional copy of the contractors submittal that redacts all designated trade secrets. By submitting materials that are designated as trade secrets and signature of the contractor signature page, contractor acknowledges and agrees:

i. That after notice from the County that a public records request has been made for the materials designated as a trade secret, the contractor shall be solely responsible for defending its determination that submitted material is a trade secret that is not subject to disclosure at its sole cost, which action shall be taken immediately, but no later than ten (10) calendar days from the date of notification or contractor will be deemed to have waived the trade secret designation of the materials;

ii. That to the extent that the contractor with trade secret materials is evaluated, the County and it officials, employees, agents, and representatives in any way involved in processing, evaluating, negotiating agreement terms, approving any agreement based on the contractor, or engaging in any other activity relating to the competitive selection process are hereby granted full rights to access, view, consider, and discuss the materials designated as trade secrets through the final agreement award;

iii. To indemnify and hold the County, and its officials, employees, agents and representatives harmless from any actions, damages (including attorney’s fees and costs), or claims arising from or related to the designation of trade secrets by the contractor, including actions or claims arising from the County’s non-disclosure of the trade secret materials.

iv. That information and data it manages as part of the services may be public record in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes and Pinellas County public record policies. contractor agrees prior to providing goods/services it will implement policies and procedures to maintain, produce, secure and retain public records in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and County policies, which are subject to approval by the County, including but limited to the Section 119.0701, Florida Statutes.

Notwithstanding any other provision in the solicitation, the classification as trade secret of the entire submission document, line item and/or total contractor prices, the work, services, project, goods, and/or products to be provided by contractor, or any information, data, or materials that may be part of or incorporated into an agreement between the County and the contractor is not acceptable to the County and will result in a determination that the contractor submittal is nonresponsive; the classification as trade secret of any other portion of a submittal document may result in a determination that the submittal is nonresponsive.

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25. LOBBYING

"Lobbying shall be prohibited on all county competitive selection processes and purchasing contract awards pursuant to this division, including, but not limited to, requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids or the award of purchasing contracts of any type. The purpose of this prohibition is to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from undue influences prior to the contract award, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. However, nothing herein shall prohibit a prospective bidder/proposer/protestor from contacting the purchasing department or the county attorney's office to address situations such as clarification and/or pose questions related to the procurement process.

Lobbying of evaluation committee members, county government employees, elected/appointed officials, or advisory board members regarding requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids, or purchasing contracts, by the bidder/proposer, any member of the bidder's/proposer's staff, any agent or representative of the bidder/proposer, or any person employed by any legal entity affiliated with or representing a bidder/proposer/protestor, is strictly prohibited from the date of the advertisement, or on a date otherwise established by the board, until either an award is final, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. Any lobbying activities in violation of this section by or on behalf of a bidder/proposer shall result in the disqualification or rejection of the proposal, quotation, statement of qualification, bid or contract.

For purposes of this provision, "lobbying" shall mean influencing or attempting to influence action or non-action, and/or attempting to obtain the goodwill of persons specified herein relating to the selection, ranking, or contract award in connection with any request for proposal, request for quotation, request for qualification, bid or purchasing contract through direct or indirect oral or written communication. The final award of a purchasing contract shall be the effective date of the purchasing contract.

Any evaluation committee member, county government employee, elected/appointed official, or advisory board member who has been lobbied shall immediately report the lobbying activity to the director."

(Ord. No. 02-35, 5-7-02; Ord. No. 04-64, § 12, 9-21-04; Ord. No. 04-87, § 1, 12-7-04; Ord. No. 10-09, § 6, 2-16-10;

Ord. No. 11-23, § 2, 7-26-11; Ord. No. 14-11, § 5, 2-11-14; Ord. No. 18-34, 10-23-18).

26. PROTEST PROCEDURE

As per Section 2-162 of County Code

a. Right to Protest. "A vendor who is aggrieved by the contents of the bid or proposal package, or a vendor who is aggrieved in connection with the recommended award on a bid or proposal solicitation, may file a written protest to the director, as provided herein. This right to protest is strictly limited to those procurements of goods and/or services solicited through invitations to bid or requests for proposals, including solicitations pursuant to F.S. § 287.055, the "Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act." No other actions or recommendations in connection with a solicitation can be protested, including: (i) requests for quotations, negotiations, qualifications or letters of interest; (ii) rejection of some, all or parts of bids or proposals; (iii) disqualification of bidders or proposers as non-responsive or non-responsible; or (iv) recommended awards less than the mandatory bid or proposal amount.

Protests failing to comply with the provisions of this section shall not be reviewed."

b. "Posting. The purchasing department shall post the recommended award on or through the departmental website."

c. Requirements to protest.

1. "If the protest relates to the content of the bid or proposal package, a formal written protest must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on the fifth full business day after issuance of the bid or proposal package."

2. "If the protest relates to the recommended award of a bid or proposal, a formal written protest must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on the fifth full business day after posting of the award recommendation."

3. "The formal written protest shall identify the protesting party and the solicitation involved; include a statement of the grounds on which the protest is based; refer to the statutes, laws, ordinances or other legal authorities which the protesting party deems applicable to such grounds; and specifically request the relief to which the protesting party deems itself entitled by application of such authorities to such grounds."

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4. "A formal written protest is considered filed with the county when the purchasing department receives it.

Accordingly, a protest is not timely filed unless it is received within the time specified above by the purchasing department. Failure to file a formal written protest within the time period specified shall constitute a waiver of the right to protest and result in relinquishment of all rights to protest by the bidder or proposer."

d. "Sole remedy. These procedures shall be the sole remedy for challenging the content of the bid or proposal package or the recommended award."

e. "Lobbying. Protestors and anyone acting on their behalf, are prohibited from attempts to influence, persuade, or promote a bid or proposal protest through any other channels or means, and contacting any county official, employee, advisory board member, or representative to discuss any matter relating in any way to the solicitation being protested, other than the purchasing department's or county attorney's office to address situations such as clarification and/or pose questions related to the procurement process. The prohibitions provided for herein shall begin with the filing of the protest and end upon the final disposition of the protest; provided, however, at all times protestors shall be subject to the procurement lobbying prohibitions in section 2-189 of this Code. Failure to adhere to the prohibitions herein shall result in the rejection of the protest without further consideration."

f. "Time limits. The time limits in which protests must be filed as specified herein may be altered by specific provisions in the bid or proposal."

g. "Authority to resolve. The director shall resolve the protest in accordance with the documentation and applicable legal authorities and shall issue a written decision to the protestor no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on the tenth full business day after the filing thereof."

h. "Review of director's decision."

1. "The protesting party may request a review of the director's decision to the county administrator by delivering written request for review of the decision to the director by 5:00 p.m. EST on the fifth full business day after the date of the written decision. The written notice shall include any materials, statements, and arguments which the bidder or proposer deems relevant to the issues raised in the request to review the decision of the director."

2. "The county administrator shall issue a decision in writing stating the reason for the action with a copy furnished to the protesting party no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on the seventh full business day after receipt of the request for review. The decision shall be final and conclusive as to the county unless a party commences action in a court of competent jurisdiction."

i. "Stay of procurement during protests. There shall be no stay of procurement during pro tests."

(Ord. No. 94-51, § 5, 6-7-94; Ord. No. 04-87, § 1, 12-7-04; Ord. No. 14-11, § 2, 2-11-14; Ord. No. 18-34, 10-23-18)

27. PUBLIC RECORDS – CONTRACTOR’S DUTY

If the contractor has questions regarding the application of Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, to the contractor’s duty to provide public records relating to this agreement, the contractor shall contact:

Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners

Purchasing and Risk Management Division

400 S. Ft. Harrison Ave, 6th Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756

Public Records Liaison

Phone: 727-464-3237

Facilities Landscape and Irrigation Services Page 13 of 34

Email: mcchartier@pinellas.gov

28. E-VERIFY

The contractor and subcontractor must register with and use the E-verify system in accordance with Florida Statute

448.095. A contractor and subcontractor may not enter into a contract with the County unless each party registers with and uses the E-verify system.

If a contractor enters a contract with a subcontractor, the subcontractor must provide the contractor with an affidavit stating that the Subcontractor does not employ, contract with, or subcontract with unauthorized aliens. The contractor must maintain a copy of the affidavit for the duration of the contract.

If the County, Contractor, or Subcontractor has a good faith belief that a person or entity with which it is contracting has knowingly violated Florida Statute 448.09(1) shall immediately terminate the contract with the person or entity.

If the County has a good faith belief that a Subcontractor knowingly violated this provision, but the Contractor otherwise complied with this provision, the County will notify the Contractor and order that the Contractor immediately terminate the contract with the Subcontractor.

A contract terminated under the provisions of this section is not a breach of contract and may not considered such.

Any contract termination under the provisions of this section may be challenged to Section 448.095(2)(d), Florida Statute. Contractor acknowledges upon termination of this agreement by the County for violation of this section by Contractor, Contractor may not be awarded a public contract for at least one (1) year. Contractor acknowledges that Contractor is liable for any additional costs incurred by the County as a result of termination of any contract for a violation of this section.

Contractor or Subcontractor shall insert in any subcontracts the clauses set forth in this section, requiring the subcontracts to include these clauses in any lower tier subcontracts. Contractor shall be responsible for compliance by any Subcontractor or Lower Tier Subcontractor with the clause set for in this section.

29. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND

CONTROL ACT OF 1986

Contractor acknowledges that it is functioning as an independent contractor in performing under the terms of this agreement, and it is not acting as an employee of Pinellas County. The contractor acknowledges that it is responsible for complying with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, located at 8 U.S.C. Section 1324, et seq., and regulations relating thereto. Failure to comply with the above provisions of the agreement shall be considered a material breach and shall be ground for immediate termination of the agreement.

30. TRUTH IN NEGOTIATIONS:

The contractor certifies to truth-in-negotiation and that wage rates and other factual unit costs supporting the compensation are accurate, complete and current at the time of contracting. Further, the original agreement amount and any additions thereto shall be adjusted to exclude any significant sums where the County determines the agreement price was increased due to inaccurate, incomplete or non-current wage rates and other factual unit costs.

Such adjustments must be made within one (1) year following the end of the agreement.

mailto:mcchartier@pinellas.gov

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SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

PINELLAS COUNTY RFP – FORMAL/INFORMAL Revised 08/2022

SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

1. INTENT

In accordance with attached specifications, it is the intent of Pinellas County to establish a contract to provide Professional Landscape and Irrigation Services for locations identified in the attached zones one through three maps and per the pricing summary sheet, as and when required. The County reserves the right to remove or add sites and/or services during the contract period. The future successful Contractor(s) shall provide landscape maintenance services, install landscape plants/materials as may be requested, and furnish all equipment, labor, supervision, , insurance, , signage, personal protective equipment (PPE) for each worker, and other equipment and incidentals necessary to complete various landscaping tasks assigned during the period and renewal options as specified.

2. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Each proposal shall, at a minimum, address and/or include the following information and documentation in sufficient detail for the County to evaluate the Contractor's qualifications, as well as the methods, manner, proposed completion schedule, if applicable, and the cost to complete the Section E Scope of Work:

2.1

2.2

2.3

A separate statement describing the Contractor's qualifications and experience in providing the same or similar services as outlined in this RFP. This description should include the names of the person(s) who will provide the services, including any subcontractors, their qualifications, and their years of experience performing this type of work/service. Also include the reference information requested in Section D.

A separate written narrative describing the methods and/or manner in which the Contractor proposes to satisfy the requirements of the Scope of Work set out in Section E.

A separate proposed Statement of Work (Contractor's Statement of Work) that enumerates and defines the work/services that the Contractor will provide to the County to complete the Scope of Work in this RFP, including each task deliverable, and/or goods or products comprising the services Contractor will provide, as well as a proposed completion schedule for each task or deliverable, if applicable. The Contractor's Statement of Work shall be in a form that can be incorporated into the Services Agreement as an Exhibit at the County's option.

Tab 1: Qualifications of Company

Provide a description of your Company, experience, and plan to provide services as described and requested herein. The description should include details such as abilities, capacity, skill, strengths, number of years, etc.

Contractors are requested to provide a narrative demonstrating extensive knowledge in services for large organizations or property management firms that require services for multiple locations. Further, the experience should clearly demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in providing expert lawn care.

Contractors shall provide documentation of three to five years of experience in lawn care services in high-profile areas. Equipment lists identifying resources to be used at each location.

TAB 2: Company’s Relevant Experience & Reference

Provide details of a minimum of three (3) projects/clients similar in scope and size to that being requested through this solicitation that your Company has completed recently or actively manages.

Details for each project/client example provided should include:

1. Project Name

2. Project Address

3. Customer Name

4. Customer Contact Information

5. Point of contact Name, Phone, and Email

6. Brief description of work provided.

23-0082-RFP-FORMAL

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SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

7. Initial costs of work

8. Final costs of work

Provide a statement of understanding that your Company recognizes the County reserves the right to evaluate the proposing Company on their past performance and prior dealings with Pinellas County (i.e., failure to meet specifications, poor workmanship, late delivery, etc.) as part of their experience criteria.

TAB 3: Plan of Approach

Provide a detailed Plan of Approach that explains how your Company intends to comply with and meet the anticipated deliverables as detailed within this solicitation.

Within the Plan of Approach, the Contractor shall provide a summary of their understanding of the scope of services and their intended approach to performing the services and resulting work product.

Contractors are requested to provide the rationale behind their approach, any concerns in completing the services, and methods of resolving such concerns. The proposal shall provide for the following specific categories:

(1) turf maintenance

(2) plant beds, ornamental trees and hedges

(3) weeding

(4) tree/shrub/palm pruning

(5) mulching

(6) irrigation maintenance and repair

(7) fertilizer (8) pest control?

TAB 4: Personnel

Provide a detailed description of the Company’s specific project management/contract service team that will be assigned to each location. Identify the roles and responsibilities of the teams and the length of time to complete the services at each location. Define Project Approach and include details that demonstrate the individual’s knowledge and understanding of the services to be performed at location as well as previous experience in similar or related work.

The Contractor must identify a staff member that will serve as the Project Director for each location that will be responsible to act on behalf of the Contractor with respect to directing, coordinating, and administering all aspects of the services to be provided and performed.

Provide a statement acknowledging your Company’s understanding that the project management team assigned to the Pinellas County location, as described above, shall not be substituted without the express permission of Pinellas County.

Provide resumes or landscaping certifications for each location management/contract service team to be assigned to the Pinellas County contract. *Resumes are not included within page restrictions but should be limited to one (1) page per person.

TAB 5: Pricing and Scoring:

Complete the Price Proposal Form provided herein. Pricing shall represent Contractor’s all-inclusive cost based upon the scope of services herein. A total cost should be provided in a cost not to exceed format. All overhead costs associated with travel, mileage, etc. shall be included in the not to exceed fee.

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SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

3. PRICING/PERIOD OF CONTRACT

Duration of the contract shall be for a period of thirty-six (36) months with unit prices adjustable at twenty-four (24) months after the date of award for a one time adjustment, in an amount not to exceed the average of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 10%, whichever is less, for all Urban Consumers, Series Id: CUUR0000SA0, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Area: U.S. city average, Item: All items, Base Period: 1982-84=100 for the twelve months prior.

It is the vendor’s responsibility to request any pricing adjustment under this provision. For any adjustment to commence annually, the vendor’s request for adjustment shall be submitted between 90-120 days prior to contract anniversary date, utilizing the available index at the time of request. The vendor adjustment request shall not be in excess of the relevant pricing index change. If no adjustment request is received from the vendor, the County will assume the vendor has agreed to continue without a pricing adjustment. Any adjustment request received outside of the 90-120 day period above shall not be considered.

4. TERM EXTENSION(S) OF CONTRACT

The contract may be extended subject to written notice of agreement from the County and the successful bidder(s) for an additional two (2) twenty-four (24) month periods beyond the primary contract period. Term extensions will allow for price adjustments (Decrease/Increase) in an amount not to exceed the average of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 10%, whichever is less, for all Urban Consumers, Series Id: CUUR0000SA0, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Area: U.S. city average, Item: All items, Base Period: 1982-84=100 for the twelve months prior to extension. The extension shall be exercised only if all terms and conditions remain the same and the County Administrator or Director of Purchasing grants approval.

It is the vendor’s responsibility to request any pricing adjustment under this provision. For any adjustment to commence on the first day of any exercised extension period, the vendor’s request for adjustment should be submitted at time of the extension request from the County, utilizing the available index at the time of request. The vendor adjustment request should not be in excess of the relevant pricing index change. If no adjustment request is received from the vendor, the County will assume the vendor has agreed that the extension term may be exercised without pricing adjustment. Any adjustment request received after the commencement of a new extension period may not be considered.

5. FEES AND EXPENSES

The agreed to compensation will include all standard day-to-day administrative, overhead and internal expenses including, but not limited to:

Costs of bonds and insurance premiums as required by this RFP

Tools

Chemicals Equipment and usage

Office supplies Telephone charges

Safety equipment Hauling Fees

Consumables Electronic data transmission fees

Other consulting services Standard copier usage

Regular and certified postage Travel, per diem and lodging charges, unless otherwise agreed to by the county in the services agreement

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SECTION B – SPECIAL CONDITIONS

PINELLAS COUNTY RFP – FORMAL/INFORMAL Revised 08/2022

Travel and lodging expenses will be included in the lump sum proposal and will be paid in accordance with Florida Statute 112.061, and/or County Travel Policy, as approved by the County.

6. NON-MANDATORY…