biddoc.pdf

Version 2/2026

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS)

RFP# 2027000030

This solicitation contains instructions governing the proposal to be submitted and the material to be included therein, mandatory requirements, which must be met to be eligible for consideration; and other requirements to be met by each proposal.

I. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A. Background The Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) monitors and reports on the quality of state waters to prevent water pollution, protect, restore and enhance the quality of surface and groundwater while ensuring that all drinking water systems provide safe drinking water. We inspect water systems, issue permits, ensure compliance, and take action against entities who violate state and federal regulations. We work in partnership with utilities, counties, and other agencies to oversee, improve, and maintain quality drinking, surface, and ground water.

This project will benefit the people of Colorado as the reporting of capital needs allows the EPA to evaluate needs for improvement of wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source facilities which assists the EPA in reporting needs to congress that may be used to determine allocation of funding and resources.

B. Purpose The purpose of this RFP is to solicit responses from qualified Offerors to survey the capital needs of wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source facilities in Colorado.

This generally includes but is not limited to collecting information regarding type, size, and cost of capital projects and reporting collected information to the EPA by entering data into the EPA portal for the Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS).

II. SOLICITATION SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

A. This Schedule of Activities is for information and planning purposes only.

Schedules for Activities listed as “Estimated” may be subject to change depending on the needs of the State. All times are considered in Mountain Time (MT), as adjusted for daylight savings.

Solicitation Activity Time Date

Solicitation Published on Colorado VSS System www.colorado.gov/vss and www.bidnetdirect.com//cdphe

8/26/2026

Written Inquiry deadline. Submit all inquiries by e-mail to Allan Smith at allan.smith@state.co.us

2:00

PM MDT

9/9/2026

Answers to written inquiries published on VSS www.colorado.gov/vss and www.bidnetdirect.com//cdphe

2:00

PM MDT

9/14/2026 http://www.colorado.gov/vss http://www.bidnetdirect.com/cdphe

Bid submission deadline 2:00

PM MDT 9/28/2026

Evaluation Period Week of 10/5/2026

Estimated Contract Effective Date 11/1/2026

III. PROPOSAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A. Invitation To Submit Proposals:

Please be advised that the Colorado Vendor Self Service (VSS) and BidNet Direct (BidNet) websites are the official sites for all Solicitation information, including Addenda and Modifications.

Though not a requirement, Respondents are encouraged to become a member of VSS and BidNet Direct prior to the submission deadline. Solicitations for most Colorado State Agencies (Agencies), including CDPHE, are posted on VSS. The VSS Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., local time, phone, 303-866- 6464 or email, VSSHelp@state.co.us.

Solicitation details posted on VSS by Agencies for goods, services, and construction are public and do not require registration to view. Should a company opt to register with VSS, it may elect to receive automatic notification in categories of interest.

Additionally, there is no cost to register on VSS. However, according to Procurement Rule 24-102-202.5-04, Respondents need not be registered with VSS in order to be deemed responsive to this RFP, however, an Offeror must have a current registration on VSS in order to be awarded under this solicitation.

In an effort to expand the potential pool of Respondents to this RFP thus providing the best value for the State, CDPHE is also posting this RFP on BidNet Direct at the link available in the Schedule of Activities or Exhibit A Submission Instructions.

Respondents do not need to register on BidNet or pay funds to access the solicitation.

An Offeror must have a current registration on VSS in order to be awarded under this solicitation; however, vendors do not need to be registered to view the solicitation documents. There is no cost to register on Colorado VSS. To become a registered supplier on VSS, please visit colorado.gov/vss.

B. Sole Point Of Contact

The Procurement Contact for this solicitation is:

Allan Smith Purchasing Unit Supervisor

Email: allan.smith@state.co.us mailto:VSSHelp@state.co.us

The individual listed above is the sole point of contact for this solicitation. Initiating contact with anyone other than this individual may result in Offeror disqualification.

C. Submission Instructions:

For this solicitation, vendors shall submit responses via BidNet.

Refer to Exhibit A Submission Instructions.

D. Inquiries:

1. Offerors may submit written inquiries via email concerning this solicitation to obtain clarifications. The State may not accept inquiries after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Send all inquiries to the Procurement Contact identified in Section III. B. above. Inquiries must be clearly marked with the RFP number and title. Where appropriate, inquiries should include references to any relevant Section/paragraph of the solicitation.

2. Responses to Offerors inquiries will be published collectively, as a modification on Colorado VSS and BidNet. Offerors shall not rely on any verbal statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation. Such changes are valid only if provided in writing by the Procurement Contact.

IV. PROJECT BUDGET, TIMELINE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

A. Budget The CDPHE budget for this project is approximately $350,000. The total budget for the five-year period is not expected to exceed this amount unless additional funding becomes available. At the sole discretion of the State, CDPHE may modify the budget, depending upon funding availability and proposer performance.

B. Project Timeline The anticipated start date for the executed contract is 11/1/2026 with the initial contract period of 11/1/2026 to 03/30/2028 At the sole discretion of the State, and depending upon funding and Offeror performance, CDPHE may renew the agreement for up to four (4) additional one (1) year periods, not to exceed five

(5) year’s total. At the sole discretion of the State, the CDPHE may modify the dates of the contract.

C. Description of Services The successful Offeror shall:

1. Review EPA CWNS manuals and guidance and attend EPA CWNS training sessions.

2. Conduct outreach to wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source facilities in

Colorado.

3. Survey the capital improvement needs of all entities.

4. Collect required information and documentation for the survey.

5. Enter the project data of all entities into the EPA CWNS data entry portal.

6. Respond to information requests and audits by EPA on reported data.

(See Exhibit C, Draft Scope of Work for more detail on each activity)

D. Draft Scope of Work Exhibit C

This draft Scope of Work describes the deliverables sought through this RFP and the scope of what the awarded Offeror will be expected to offer through the contract resulting from this RFP. The Scope of Work is intended to provide interested Offeror’s with sufficient basic information to submit a proposal. It is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential data.

V. REQUIREMENTS

A. Accessibility Requirements

All work performed as a result of this solicitation must comply with all applicable provisions of §§24-85-101, et seq., C.R.S., and the Accessibility Standards for Individuals with a Disability, as established by the Office Of Information Technology pursuant to Section §24-85-103 (2.5), C.R.S. and 3) all State of Colorado technology standards related to technology accessibility and with Level AA of the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), incorporated in the State of Colorado technology standards.

B. Insurance Requirements

The awarded Offeror will be required to submit a certificate(s) of insurance evidencing insurance coverage for, at minimum, the types and amounts of insurance as required by the Insurance provision in the Contract or Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, included in this solicitation as an attachment, prior to execution of the Contract or Purchase Order.

C. Offeror Requirements

1. Offeror shall have adequate personnel with the necessary credentials and training to successfully complete the activities in the Draft Statement of work (Exhibit C) and the requirements of this RFP.

a. Personnel assigned to this project shall:

i. Be a Professional Engineer registered in the State of

Colorado with active license (minimum of one personnel assigned to project meeting this requirement)

ii. Have a minimum of three (3) years of prior experience with planning or design of municipal wastewater projects.

2. Offeror shall have a minimum of ten (10) years of prior experience with planning or design of municipal wastewater projects.

3. (Preferred Qualification) Offeror will have a minimum of two (2) years’ experience working on EPA clean watershed needs survey or drinking water needs survey.

4. (Preferred Qualification) Offeror will have a minimum of three (3) successful projects within the past five (5) years for state government or the EPA.

5. (Preferred Qualification) Offeror will possess a minimum of five (5) years’ experience performing:

a. Capital improvement planning for at least one of the following:

i. Utilities

ii. Municipalities

iii. Districts

VI. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Responses shall be submitted as specified in this section. Any confidential or proprietary information included in the Offerors proposal shall conform to the requirements listed in Administrative Section IX. B. 7. NOTE: Proposals that fail to follow ALL of the requirements may not be considered.

A. Submission Instructions Unnecessarily elaborate proposals are not desired.

1. Only proposals submitted electronically will be accepted. Refer to Exhibit A for Submission Instructions.

EMAILED PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

2. Proposals must be received on or before the due date and time as indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Late proposals will not be accepted.

3. All materials submitted shall become the property of CDPHE and will not be returned unless the solicitation is cancelled prior to the submittal due date, in which case proposals will be returned unopened or opened only for identification purposes.

4. RFP Signature Page/Confirmation of Offer Form (Attachment 1)

A completed and signed form must be submitted with the response. MUST be completed and signed in ink or via digital signature by a person who is legally authorized to bind the Offeror to the proposal.

5. Requested Proposal Format

Proposals should cover the following areas, with an emphasis on how these areas relate to the evaluation criteria listed in this Request for Proposals.

a. Executive Summary (2 pages max) Offer shall submit an organizational overview that includes years in business, areas of expertise, (specifically Offerors experience with the requirements listed above) number of years in business, and a brief overview of staff, including the total number of employees.

b. Experience and Qualifications (20 pages max)

i. Offer shall submit confirmation that a Professional Engineer, registered and licensed in Colorado will be leading the project and include a copy of the State of Colorado Professional Engineering License for the professional engineer.

ii. Offeror shall detail experience with planning or design of municipal wastewater projects.

iii. Offeror shall submit resumes for staff who will be assigned to the project.

iv. Offeror will detail experience working on EPA clean watershed needs survey or drinking water survey (if applicable).

v. Offeror shall submit three (3) examples of successful completion of contracts for state government or the EPA (if applicable).

vi. Offeror shall describe experience performing capital improvement planning for at least one of the following (if applicable):

a) Utilities

b) Municipalities

c. Cost Proposal (Attachment 2) The Offeror shall include all costs necessary to successfully complete the project. Use actual costs for each area, not estimates. Offeror shall complete Attachment 2 to detail proposed costs and submit this form with the proposal. This RFP will result in a “fixed-price” contract.

d. References Provide three (3) references including current contact information and position in company, where the Offerors experience can be confirmed.

References, if contacted, will be used to verify projects, and may or may not be contacted.

VI. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

A. Evaluation Process

A comprehensive, thorough, complete and impartial evaluation of each proposal received will be conducted in accordance with §24-103-203(7), C.R.S, which states, “The award shall be made to the responsible Offeror whose proposal is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the state, taking into consideration the price and evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposal.”

B. Evaluation Committee

1. The objective of the Evaluation Committee is to conduct reviews of the proposals that have been submitted, to hold frank and detailed discussions among themselves, and to recommend an Offeror for award.

2. While a numerical evaluation method may be used as an aid to evaluation, the selection ultimately is a business judgment that will reflect an integrated assessment of the relative merits of proposals, using the factors identified below. The State reserves the right to reject any (or all) proposals that pose, in the judgment of the State, unacceptable risks of unsuccessful or untimely performance, unacceptable State resources requirements, or costs exceeding the budget constraints. The State may use all information available regarding past performance as defined in C.R.S. §24-102-205 et.seq.

C. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

1. Proposals will be evaluated by the Evaluation Committee using the evaluation criteria listed below. The evaluators will consider whether the Scope of Work requirements in the solicitation have been addressed, and they will review the capabilities of the Offeror, as well as the quality of the approach proposed, the price, and any other aspect determined relevant to the evaluation criteria.

The evaluation criteria in no particular order are:

a. Attachment 1 Vendor Information-Confirmation of Offer Form:

Attachment 1 is required but will not be rated.

b. Executive Summary:

The executive summary will be evaluated on how well the summary indicates the stability and strength, and overall experience of the staff and of the company.

c. Experience and Qualifications:

The experience and qualifications will be evaluated based on the breadth and depth of similar experience.

d. Cost:

The cost will be evaluated based on whether the budget template costs are reasonable considering the scope of work activities.

e. References:

References, if contacted, will be used to verify projects, and may or may not be contacted.

Balance of this page is intentionally blank

D. Demonstrations and Discussions At the conclusion of the evaluation of responses, the evaluation committee may, if it deems necessary, request clarifications, conduct discussions or oral presentations, or request best and final offers. Per R-24-103-203-03, discussions may be held with responsible Offerors whose proposals are determined to be reasonably susceptible to be selected for award to:

a. Promote understanding of the state’s requirements and the Offerors proposals; and

b. Facilitate a contract that will be most advantageous to the state taking into consideration price and the other evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposals.

c. The Evaluation Committee may adjust its scoring based on the results of such activities. However, proposals may be reviewed and determinations made without such activities. Offerors should be aware that the opportunity for further explanation might not exist;

therefore, Offerors should ensure that their submission is complete, and are encouraged to submit their best possible proposal, including pricing.

E. Single Proposal:

If only one bid or proposal is received in response to a solicitation, an award may be made to the single bidder or Offeror if the procurement official finds that the price submitted is fair and reasonable and that other prospective bidders or Offerors had reasonable opportunity to respond. Reference Procurement Rule R- 24-103-201-02(d).

F. Award

a. A Notice of Intent to Award will be published on Colorado VSS.

b. The award determination is ultimately a business decision that will reflect an integrated assessment of the relative merits of the proposals received, using the factors set forth in this solicitation. The State intends to award Contract(s) to the Offeror(s) whose proposal(s), conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the State, price and other factors considered.

c. The State reserves the right to award multiple offerors if is determined to be in the best interest of the State.

Failure to provide any information requested in the RFP may result in the disqualification of the submittal. This responsibility is that of the Offeror.

VIII. ATTACHMENTS, EXHIBITS

A. Attachments

1. Attachment 1: Vendor Information-Confirmation of Offer Form.

2. Attachment 2 Budget Template

B. Exhibits

1. Exhibit A Submission Instructions

2. Exhibit B State of Colorado Contract Template

3. Exhibit C Draft Statement of Work

4. 2027 CWNS State Coordinator Manual (Draft)

5. 2026 WPCRF IUP Eligibility List

6. Non-IUP Facilities List (Draft)

IX. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

A. General Information

1. Cooperative Purchasing In accordance with §24-110-201, C.R.S., and all applicable regulations, the award(s) under this solicitation will be for one or more cooperative purchasing agreements available for use by the contracting state agency, other state agencies, state institutions of higher education, political subdivisions (e.g., cities, counties, schools) and eligible non-profit entities (certified pursuant to §24-110-207.5 C.R.S.) under the terms, conditions and rates set forth in the Contract. Each agency or entity ordering goods or services under the Contract will be responsible for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with its orders.

2. Colorado Vendor Self Service

a. This solicitation is being published on Colorado Vendor Self Service

(Colorado VSS), so that Offerors who have an interest may submit a proposal in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

b. Vendors can self-register for this system free of charge or may click on “Public Access” on the website to view solicitation documents and modifications without registering. Vendors are encouraged but not required to register prior to or at the time they submit their response. The State also recommends that interested vendors check Colorado VSS on a regular basis throughout this solicitation process.

3. Offeror inquiries

a. Offerors may submit written inquiries via email concerning this solicitation to obtain clarifications. The State may not accept inquiries after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Send all inquiries to the Procurement Contact identified in the Schedule of Activities within the main body of this RFP. Inquiries must be clearly marked with the RFP number and title. Where appropriate, inquiries should include references to any relevant Section/paragraph of the solicitation.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gu_GkxlS5uhnZGodQM-iFTDpXmOLZR-9/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=108143798948877195409&rtpof=true&sd=true https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ct-WGr84rNjqYKaxw9u6yIbp76Bye3oM/view?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17OvHLYMAq2oIjCsmz6ZaUA5YETuADDwl/edit?gid=1471907928#gid=1471907928 http://www.colorado.gov/vss

b. Responses to Offeror’s inquiries will be published collectively, as a modification on Colorado VSS. Offerors shall not rely on any verbal statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation. Such changes are valid only if provided in writing by the Procurement Contact.

4. Modifications and/or Supplemental Information to the Solicitation

a. Any modifications, amendments or supplemental information to the solicitation will be published on Colorado VSS. A modification notice will be published on Colorado VSS in the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this solicitation.

b. It is the Offeror’s sole responsibility to check Colorado VSS on a regular basis, prior to the proposal submission deadline, as this is the primary means for communicating any clarifications or changes to solicitation content, timeline and/or requirements.

5. Pricing

a. Proposed pricing must remain firm during the initial term of the Contract.

b. Pricing must include any fees associated with the delivery of the goods or services, including, but not limited to, shipping and installation.

6. Documents After Award Prior to Contract execution, the awarded Offeror must provide the State with Proof of Good Standing with the Colorado Secretary of State and an insurance certificate documenting coverage according to the Model Contract found as an attachment to this solicitation. Offerors do not need to submit these documents unless they are awarded this solicitation.

7. Incurring Costs Offerors are solely responsible for all costs incurred as a result of responding to this solicitation, which may include, but is not limited to, meetings, presentations, or negotiations.

8. Confidentiality of Solicitation Process

a. Following the proposal submission deadline, individuals/entities may request from the Procurement Contact a list of the names of the responding Offerors. All other information related to the solicitation process will remain confidential until award.

b. Following the Notice of Intent to Award, all Offeror proposals will be open to public inspection with the exception of information determined by the State to be a trade secret or confidential or proprietary. Reference §24-72-

200.1 et seq., C.R.S., as amended, Colorado Open Records Act.

9. Solicitation cancellation and/or Rejection of Offeror Proposals

a. In accordance with §24-103-301, C.R.S., and the related Procurement

Rules, the State may cancel this solicitation, or any and all proposals may be rejected in whole or in part, without penalty, at any time before a Contract is executed, when it is in the best interest of the State. The reason and documentation supporting the decision to cancel the solicitation or reject proposal(s) shall remain confidential for the lesser of six months or until a Contract(s) is awarded by the State. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-101-401-05.

b. If the solicitation is cancelled after proposals are received, the proposals that have been opened shall be retained in the procurement record, or if unopened, they will be disposed of, or returned to the Offerors upon request, at the Offerors’ expense.

10. News Releases and Announcements Offerors shall not issue any news releases, communications or announcements of any kind pertaining to this solicitation, without prior written approval by the State.

11. Protested Solicitations and Award An aggrieved party may file a protest concerning a material issue(s), at any phase of solicitation, including but not limited to, specifications, award or a disclosure of information marked confidential in the proposal. The protest shall be submitted to the CDPHE Official within ten (10) business days after such aggrieved person knows, or should have known, of the facts giving rise thereto.

Reference §24-109-102, C.R.S., as amended, and Procurement Rule R-24-109- 102-01, et seq. Protests should be submitted in writing via email to Chelsea Gilbertson at chelsea.gilbertson@state.co.us.

A. OFFEROR PROPOSAL INFORMATION

1. Proposal Submission Deadline See the Schedule of Activities within the main body of this RFP.

2. General Information for the Proposal Response

a. Offerors are encouraged to review the solicitation and any related appendices and attachments in their entirety to assure understanding of and compliance with the requirements that may be included in these documents.

b. A proposal should be thorough, but not exhaustive, and it should address the requirements set forth in this solicitation and should provide sufficient details to allow the Evaluation Committee to determine whether the proposal demonstrates an understanding of the State’s requirements and contracting terms and conditions; the ability to meet the State’s needs, including the experience and resources necessary to carry out the work;

and costs that are reasonable and consistent with the industry.

c. The Offeror’s proposal and all attachments shall Comply with the standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, (29 USC § 794). The Offeror may not have an opportunity to re-draft their proposal and attachments to make them accessible to persons with vision impairments after the proposal submission deadline and in the event that the Department has evaluator(s) serving on an Evaluation Committee requiring accessibility, the Department may disqualify an Offeror’s proposal from evaluation.

mailto:chelsea.gilbertson@state.co.us

3. Timeliness of Proposal Submission

a. Proposals received after the submission deadline shall not be opened and shall be rejected as a late proposal, unless otherwise permitted by the Procurement Official in accordance with Procurement Rule R-24-103-201- 10.

b. Responsibility for ensuring that an Offeror’s proposal is received on time rests with the Offeror. Reasonably foreseeable problems inherent in the delivery of proposal are not extraordinary circumstances permitting acceptance of late proposals.

4. Legally Binding Offer

a. An Offeror’s proposal submitted in response to this solicitation shall constitute a binding offer. The signature of the Offeror shall indicate acknowledgment of this condition. Signature shall be that of a person legally authorized to execute contractual obligations. The proposal, including pricing, shall allow for a minimum of 180 calendar days for acceptance by the State, unless otherwise specified in this solicitation.

Reference Procurement Rule R- 24-103-201-11(d).

5. Offeror Proposal Content

a. The contents of the proposal of the awarded Offeror will become contractual obligations under the awarded Contract. Failure of the awarded Offeror to accept these obligations may result in cancellation of the award to that Offeror.

6. Certification of independent price determination By its signature on the cover page, the Offeror certifies that the prices and other terms in the proposal have been arrived at independently without any consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge of the contents of the proposal by any other competing Offerors. For purposes of this paragraph, "consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge" does not include knowledge of prices or terms gained through availability of established price lists or catalogues made available to the public by the competing Offerors. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Offeror to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for restricting competition.

Reference §6-4-101, C.R.S., et seq., (Colorado Antitrust Act of 1992) as amended.

7. Proposal Response Material Ownership All material submitted in response to this solicitation becomes the property of the State.

8. Submission of Confidential or Proprietary Information

a. The State of Colorado is subject to the requirements of §24-72-200.1, C.R.S., et seq., Colorado Open Records Act.

b. An Offeror may submit, as a part of its proposal, a written request for classification of certain portions of the proposal as a trade secret or other confidential or proprietary information. Material for which the Offeror is requesting confidentiality shall be readily identifiable and separated from other portions of the proposal to facilitate public inspection of the non-confidential portion of the proposal. Commingling of confidential and non-confidential information is not acceptable. Neither price information nor any information that will be included in a resulting Contract will be considered confidential.

c. The Offeror must include the rationale for any request to classify portions as a trade secret or confidential or proprietary, including references to the authority that allows for such treatment.

d. In no event shall an entire proposal be classified as confidential. The Procurement Official or his or her designee shall determine if the information identified in the Offeror’s request is exempt from disclosure in accordance with §24-72-204, C.R.S., and shall inform the Offeror in writing of his or her determination. If the Offeror does not agree with the determination, the Offeror may protest the determination in accordance with article 109 of the Colorado Procurement Code and the terms of this solicitation. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-101-401-03.

e. Any additional Offeror information, which may be part of the evaluation/negotiation process and for which an Offeror claims confidentiality, is subject to the same requirements and processes identified above.

9. Modifications or Withdrawal of Proposals

An Offeror may modify or withdraw its proposal by written notice to the Procurement Contact prior to the established proposal submission deadline.

Withdrawal of an Offeror’s proposal following the proposal submission deadline and prior to award, may be allowed, in the State’s discretion. Withdrawal of an Offeror’s proposal after award is not allowed. Reference Procurement Rules R- 24-103-201-08 and R-24-103-201-09.

10. Mistakes and Minor Informalities in Offeror Proposals

In certain circumstances, an Offeror may correct a mistake(s) in its proposal and/or the State may waive minor informalities. Reference Procurement Rule R- 24-103-201-08.

11. Modifications to State Contract

a. A draft Contract is included in Appendix B to this solicitation.

b. Offerors are instructed to review the attached draft Contract and submit any proposed modifications or redlines with their proposal. The decision to reject, accept, or further negotiate any requested changes will be at State’s discretion. If an Offeror normally seeks counsel on Contract terms, they are advised to do so before submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation.

c. In the event an Offerors requested modifications violate State law, regulation, or policy, or would otherwise not be justifiable as being in the best interest of the State, the State may make a determination that an Offeror’s proposal is no longer responsive and therefore ineligible for award.

12. Conflicts of Interest and Ethics

a. By submission of a response proposal, the Offeror agrees that at the time of contracting the Offeror has no interest, direct or indirect, that would conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of the required services. The Offeror should guarantee that in the performance of the contract they shall not employ any person having any such known interest

b. The Offeror must disclose in its proposal any potential or actual conflict of interest in connection with a response to this solicitation. A conflict of interest may include, but is not limited to, access to any non-public information by the Offeror regarding the solicitation or its subject matter.

c. The Offeror acknowledges that even the appearance of a conflict of interest may be harmful to the State’s interests. The Offeror shall disclose in its proposal whether there currently is, or potentially could be, the appearance of a conflict of interest regarding this solicitation, its staff, any proposed subcontractors or partners, or any related business with the State.

d. Requirements set forth in this Section are continuing requirements throughout the solicitation process and, for the awarded Offeror, the Contract term, including any extensions. Reference §24-18-201, C.R.S., et seq. (Proscribed Acts Related to Contracts and Claims); §24-50-507, C.R.S.(Conflict of Interest); §18-8-301, C.R.S., et seq. (Bribery and Corrupt Influence); §18-8-401, C.R.S., et seq. (Abuse of Public Office); §6-4-101, C.R.S., et seq., (Colorado Antitrust Act of 1992); §24-109-105, C.R.S .(Debarment and Suspension); and Procurement Rule R-24-101-107-01 (Ethics).

13. Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB).

SDVOSB Offerors must submit documentation of certification issued through the U.S. Small Business Administration in their proposal. §24-103-905 C.R.S. sets a SDVOSB goal of at least 3% of all contracts by dollar value be awarded to SDVOSBs who must be incorporated or organized in Colorado, or they must maintain a place of business or have an office in Colorado and must be officially registered and verified as a SDVOSB by the United States Small Business Administration.

14. Performance Outside of Colorado or the United States

Awarded Offeror, per Section 24-102-206, C.R.S., prior to contracting shall disclose in a written statement whether it anticipates performing or subcontracting any services under the contract, where such subcontracted services will be performed under the contract, including any subcontracts, and whether any subcontracted services under the contract or any subcontracts are anticipated to be performed outside the United States or the state. If the prospective vendor anticipates services under the contract or any subcontracts will be performed outside the United States or the state, the vendor shall provide in its written statement a provision setting forth why it is necessary or advantageous to go outside the United States or the state to perform the contract or any subcontracts.

15. Vendor Assistance

Any vendors needing support responding to solicitations may contact the Colorado Supplier Diversity Navigator in the Statewide Equity Office's Supplier Diversity program. Services provided include assistance with responding to solicitations, interpretation of solicitation documents, technical assistance referrals, availability of resources, construction assistance, and free business directory listings and verifications through the Colorado Supplier Diversity Directory. The office can be reached during normal business hours by calling 303- 866-5765 or emailing DPA_SupplierDiversityHelp@state.co.us.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsd_1_0101019eace79d00-2D4af0d49a-2D4626-2D484d-2D9907-2D96dab9984eb5-2D000000_TPmaw68c0Gs920XhJfpNH24LrARJYij4JwTrK66bPaE-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=8VI41raPy0xH3T65o3M2tLJYkuNb78-NaPp_iyUalGA&m=_NzyzpaGHa46_ara8cVR-PNlQQVP0KWAfFvC7cOJuhXY57jMCHcSp-xvB5vtB4vh&s=y4XRwofpmd0pgXfa3FwLIeEqxlzuGV6f-jE-BUoNtiU&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsd_1_0101019eace79d00-2D4af0d49a-2D4626-2D484d-2D9907-2D96dab9984eb5-2D000000_TPmaw68c0Gs920XhJfpNH24LrARJYij4JwTrK66bPaE-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=8VI41raPy0xH3T65o3M2tLJYkuNb78-NaPp_iyUalGA&m=_NzyzpaGHa46_ara8cVR-PNlQQVP0KWAfFvC7cOJuhXY57jMCHcSp-xvB5vtB4vh&s=y4XRwofpmd0pgXfa3FwLIeEqxlzuGV6f-jE-BUoNtiU&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsupplier-2Ddiversity-252Fcolorado-2Dsupplier-2Ddiversity-2Ddirectory_1_0101019eace79d00-2D4af0d49a-2D4626-2D484d-2D9907-2D96dab9984eb5-2D000000_GXM-2D2b-5FdwIXXLz8jT58WCXq39VMNxo4ahKtFxQW5ZyM-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=8VI41raPy0xH3T65o3M2tLJYkuNb78-NaPp_iyUalGA&m=_NzyzpaGHa46_ara8cVR-PNlQQVP0KWAfFvC7cOJuhXY57jMCHcSp-xvB5vtB4vh&s=BdrQEPGJFgfifFuBDVzlEDTVbXkkjJyWu-lqbDefZTA&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__links-2D2.govdelivery.com_CL0_https-3A-252F-252Fdhr.colorado.gov-252Fsupplier-2Ddiversity-252Fcolorado-2Dsupplier-2Ddiversity-2Ddirectory_1_0101019eace79d00-2D4af0d49a-2D4626-2D484d-2D9907-2D96dab9984eb5-2D000000_GXM-2D2b-5FdwIXXLz8jT58WCXq39VMNxo4ahKtFxQW5ZyM-3D452&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=8VI41raPy0xH3T65o3M2tLJYkuNb78-NaPp_iyUalGA&m=_NzyzpaGHa46_ara8cVR-PNlQQVP0KWAfFvC7cOJuhXY57jMCHcSp-xvB5vtB4vh&s=BdrQEPGJFgfifFuBDVzlEDTVbXkkjJyWu-lqbDefZTA&e= mailto:DPA_SupplierDiversityHelp@state.co.us

D. Draft Scope of Work Exhibit C