Amendment 2.pdf

State of South Carolina

Invitation For Bid

EXEMPT

AMENDMENT 2

Questions and Answers

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400026137 12/12/2023 Laura Bagwell 803-737-1013 bagwelllb@scdot.org SCDOT Procurement Office PO Box 191 Columbia SC 29202-0191

DESCRIPTION: *Traditional Mowing-Calhoun, Holly Hill, Orangeburg

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: SC Department of Transportation

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 12/13/2023 01/11/2024 @ 2:30 P.M. (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 11/9/2023 @ 2:30 P.M. EXPIRED (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: One

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Bid Conference Call EXPIRED

DATE & TIME: 11/8/2023 @ 10:00 A.M.

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions)

LOCATION: This Pre-bid conference will take place at our HQ location (955 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201) and via teleconference.

Dial-in: 1-800-753-1965 Access code: 7236783.

Please register with the Procurement Officer by 5:00 PM, November 7, 2023.

AWARD &

AMENDMENTS

Award will be posted on 01/18/2024 02/14/2024. The award, this solicitation, any amendments, and any related notices will be posted at the following web address: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the

Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See

"Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer)

Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

http://www.procurement.sc.gov/ http://www.procurement.sc.gov/ http://www.procurement.sc.gov/

SAP

SAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer)

HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause)

_________________________________________________ Area Code -

Number - Extension Facsimile

_________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.)

(See "Payment" clause)

____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent)

(See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses)

____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

Amendment No. Amendment Issue

Date Amendment No. Amendment Issue

Date Amendment No. Amendment Issue

Date Amendment No. Amendment Issue

Date

DISCOUNT FOR

PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt

Payment" clause)

10 Calendar Days (%) 20 Calendar Days (%) 30 Calendar Days (%) _____Calendar Days (%)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009): On June 16, 2009, the South Carolina General Assembly rewrote the law governing preferences available to in-state vendors, vendors using in-state subcontractors, and vendors selling in-state or US end products. This law appears in Section 11-35-1524 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. A summary of the new preferences is available at www.procurement.sc.gov/preferences. ALL THE PREFERENCES MUST BE

CLAIMED AND ARE APPLIED BY LINE ITEM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AWARD IS MADE BY ITEM OR

LOT. VENDORS ARE CAUTIONED TO CAREFULLY REVIEW THE STATUTE BEFORE CLAIMING ANY

PREFERENCES. THE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY HAVE CHANGED. IF YOU REQUEST A

PREFERENCE, YOU ARE CERTIFYING THAT YOUR OFFER QUALIFIES FOR THE PREFERENCE

YOU'VE CLAIMED. IMPROPERLY REQUESTING A PREFERENCE CAN HAVE SERIOUS

CONSEQUENCES. [11-35-1524(E)(4)&(6)] ***PREFERENCES DO NOT APPLY***

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE: Please provide the address and phone number for your in-state office in the space provided below. An in-state office is necessary to claim either the Resident Vendor

Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(i)&(ii)) or the Resident Contractor Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(iii)). Accordingly, you must provide this information to qualify for the preference. An in-state office is not required, but can be beneficial, if you are claiming the Resident Subcontractor Preference (11-35-1524(D)). ***PREFERENCES DO NOT APPLY***

____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

PAGE TWO (SEP 2009) End of PAGE TWO http://www.procurement.sc.gov/preferences

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION

(a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov (b)

Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on

Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

QUESTIONS FROM OFFERORS - AMENDMENT

THE SOLICITATION IS AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN. INFORMATION OR CHANGES

RESULTING FROM QUESTIONS WILL BE SHOWN IN A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT.

ALL QUESTIONS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN REPRINTED BELOW. THE “STATE’S RESPONSE”

SHOULD BE READ WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONS ARE

INCLUDED SOLELY TO PROVIDE A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR THAT

SUBMITTED THE QUESTION. QUESTIONS DO NOT FORM A PART OF THE CONTRACT; THE

“STATE’S RESPONSE” DOES. ANY RESTATEMENT OF PART OR ALL OF AN EXISTING

PROVISION OF THE SOLICITATION IN AN ANSWER DOES NOT MODIFY THE ORIGINAL

PROVISION EXCEPT AS FOLLOWS: UNDERLINED TEXT IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL

PROVISON. STRICKEN TEXT IS DELETED.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE BELOW. THE SCDOT’S ANSWER APPEARS IN RED.

1. If you are the lowest bidder but do not have the numbers of tractors requested, are you still able to accept the contract?

An equipment list shall be provided with the bid. If you are the low bidder, but short the number of tractors required, you should indicate if you will be making up the shortfall through lease arrangements, through subcontracting, or via another arrangement. Proof of lease arrangement, subcontracting, or other arrangement may be required before an award may be finalized. If SCDOT is unable to verify that a contractor will have the required equipment the bid may be rejected.

2. Why is there is certain number of tractors allotted for each county when they don’t cut secondaries each cycle?

The minimum equipment requirement is based on a concurrent Primary and Secondary system cycle to ensure that the cycle time can be reached.

3. In the counties that are starting typical I (5ft beyond the ditch) this coming season are they going to have the ditches cleaned to be mow-able? Also, are they going to specify that you may not be able to cut the ditches with a tractor and bushhog?

Locations indicated for typical 1 mowing should have only mowable vegetation present in these areas. No, bidders are encouraged to review the road lists and perform site visits to be better acquainted with the scope of work.

4. If you accept Orangeburg where you have to have 18 tractors and if you accept Aiken who requires 8 tractors does that mean you need a total of 26 tractors?

Yes. Please also see the answer to Question #1 above for additional information.

5. Will all the inspectors in the counties be on the same page of agreement of inspection?

Prior to the 2024 mowing season, statewide training will be held for contract inspectors.

6. How was it determined which counties should be grouped together and which counties were not?

Each district was given discretion on grouping counties together, with input from the Director of

Maintenance Office. The goal was to diversity our contract offerings and improve uniformity in key regions/corridors.

7. Do you all know which counties that have not been publish will be stand alone and which counties will be grouped together?

The remaining two solicitations are from District 1 and will grouped as follows: Lexington and Richland will be grouped into one solicitation. Kershaw (rail only), Lee (rail only), and Sumter will be grouped into one solicitation.

8. If you bid on a county and then unable to accept are you able to turn the county down?

The submission of a bid with the required signed cover page is an offer to enter into agreement with the state. If a contractor withdraws after the award is made it may result in a default situation with associated penalties as set forth in the solicitation.