Biosolids_Processing_and_Removal_Services_(Addendum_#3_Revision).pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

2065-RFP

BIOSOLIDS PROCESSING AND REMOVAL SERVICES

City of Rock Hill

757 S. Anderson Road, Building 103

Rock Hill, SC 29730

RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2025

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: May 6, 2025

RESPONSE DEADLINE: May 14, 2025, 10:00 am

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofrockhill

City of Rock Hill

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

2065-RFP

Biosolids Processing and Removal Services

I. Introduction II. Request for Proposals

III. Scope of Work IV. Terms & Conditions V. Local Purchasing

VI. Evaluation VII. Pricing Proposal

VIII. Vendor Questionnaire

Attachments:

A - SAMPLE Agreement for Goods & Services

Request for Proposals (RFP) #2065-RFP Title: Biosolids Processing and Removal Services

1. Introduction

1.1. Summary

The City of Rock Hill, South Carolina ("City") is seeking proposals from qualified companies to provide the City with operation of the two City-owned belt filter presses for biosolids dewatering and transportation for disposal. Proposers must be willing to provide service for all events listed within this solicitation.

1.2. Contact Information

Sarah Kesler

Procurement Analyst

Email: sarah.kesler@cityofrockhill.com

Phone: (803) 329-7070

Department:

Water & Sewer Utilities

1.3. Timeline

Solicitation Release Date April 14, 2025

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Mandatory) April 28, 2025, 10:00am

Manchester Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Conference Room, 310 Red River Road, Rock Hill, South Carolina 29730

Question Submission Deadline May 6, 2025, 4:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline May 14, 2025, 10:00am

The City of Rock Hill's eProcurement Portal only.

NOTE: The proposal opening is virtual. No in-person meeting will be held.

mailto:sarah.kesler@cityofrockhill.com tel:(803)329-7070

2. Request for Proposals

PROJECT: Biosolids Processing and Removal Services

RFP Number: 2065-RFP

Proposal DUE DATE: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 before 10:00 am

2.1. General Information

Electronic submissions will be received by the Procurement Division of the City of Rock Hill, South

Carolina via the City's eProcurement Portal up to but not later than the published date and time. The eProcurement Portal clock is the official timekeeper for the determination of all deadline dates and times. Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The City strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.

2.2. Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting

A mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, April 28, 2025 in the following location:

Manchester Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Conference Room, 310 Red River Road, Rock

Hill, South Carolina 29730

Upon arrival, you will be directed to an appropriate parking location.

Inspection, questions, and work review will take place at this time with the option to view the site after the meeting. Only those companies with representatives in attendance will be permitted to submit a proposal. Companies must be present during the entire meeting to submit.

Please RSVP if a representative from your company will be attending the mandatory pre-proposal meeting.

2.3. Purpose

The City of Rock Hill, South Carolina is seeking proposals from qualified companies to provide the City with Biosolids Processing and Removal Services.

The initial term of the resulting agreement is twelve (12) months. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2025 with four (4) 12-month options, if options are exercised. The Water & Sewer Utilities Department is responsible for this project.

2.4. Competition Intended

The process of responding to this Request for Proposals (RFP) should involve interested companies reviewing and analyzing the information provided herein and responding to all items where a response is requested.

2.5. Definitions

Proposer/Company/Vendor: This term is used to encompass the party seeking to have an agreement with the City of Rock Hill.

City: This term is defined as the City of Rock Hill, South Carolina. All communications relating to the bid process or the resulting purchase should be directed to the City’s Procurement Office or its designated contact.

Purchase: This term means the agreement to be executed by the City and the successful company.

2.6. Discrepancies and Questions

Companies shall have no contact related to this project with the City of Rock Hill elected or appointed officials or employees during the solicitation process, other than the contact person specified within this solicitation. Any such contact will subject the Company to immediate disqualification for consideration for this project.

Should the Company have questions, find discrepancies in the plans and/or specifications, or be in doubt as to the meaning or intent of any part thereof, the Company shall request clarification from the City via the eProcurement Portal, not later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

All questions will be answered and any changes will be communicated through an addendum posted on the City’s eProcurement Portal. As a registered Company, you will also receive addenda notifications in your email by clicking “Follow” on this project. It is the Company's responsibility to check the website for this information before submitting. Failure to request such clarification is a waiver of any claim by the

Company for additional expenses because its interpretation was different from the City’s.

2.7. Proposer's Minimum Qualification

A qualified company is defined for this purpose as one that meets, or by the date of proposal acceptance can meet, all requirements for licensing, insurance, and service contained within this RFP.

2.8. Proposal Preparation

All proposal responses shall be:

1. Prepared and submitted electronically via the City's eProcurement Portal by an authorized company representative.

2. Each proposal constitutes an offer and may not be withdrawn except as provided herein. Prices are to remain firm for the period stated in the Request for Proposals.

3. Each proposal shall include the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of at least three (3) current customers for whom they have provided similar products or services. These references may be contacted, and if so, their responses may constitute a significant part of the proposal evaluation process.

4. The City of Rock Hill assumes no responsibility for costs incurred in responding to this RFP.

2.9. Proposal Submission

Proposals must be received before 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 to be considered.

The City assumes no responsibility for late proposals. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the date set for the opening thereof unless approved in writing by the

Procurement Manager. All proposals must be approved by the Rock Hill City Manager and the department(s) in charge of the project. Failing an agreement, the City may reject all proposals and resubmit for new proposals or make any other decisions it deems to be in its own best interest.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofrockhill

The e-Procurement Portal uses an 'electronic lock box' system to receive and protect all Company responses. Only the Company can see that they have submitted a response and the information contained in that response. The Company may withdraw their submission and resubmit anytime until the due date and time. Once the submission phase has ended, the City can view the submissions and begin the evaluation of all received.

2.10. Availability of the e-Procurement Portal

All responses to the Solicitation must be submitted electronically through the e-Procurement Portal.

Should there be any technical issues with the Portal (not user/Supplier issues) that prevent any Supplier from submitting a response within the two (2) hours immediately before the due time, the Solicitation due date and time shall be extended for a period of 24 hours. The technical issue must be by the Portal provider (OpenGov) and affects all participating Suppliers. The City shall verify the technical issue or unavailability of the Portal with OpenGov, the system provider. Technical issues localized to a single supplier will not be considered cause for an extension.

The e-Procurement Portal will not allow submissions after the established due date and time have passed.

2.11. Errors in Proposal

Proposers or their authorized representatives are expected to fully inform themselves as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting proposals. Failure to do so will be at the company's own risk. In case of an error in the extension of prices in the proposal, the unit price shall govern. If an error is made before submitting the proposal, the company may withdraw its proposal electronically through the City's eProcurement Portal and may re-submit prior to the stated proposal submission deadline. The City reserves the right to waive any informalities, technical defects, and minor irregularities in proposals received.

2.12. Award Criteria

The award shall be made to a company that submits the highest-scoring proposal, taking into consideration product or service quality, past performance, and compliance with the stated terms, conditions, and specifications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City of Rock Hill reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to accept any proposal submitted, waive any informality, and negotiate with the low Proposer(s) on any changes that the City of Rock Hill considers necessary or desirable for its own interests. The City alone shall make such determination.

Should the City identify the lowest bid as an Abnormally Low Bid (ALB) in accordance with the City's own internal guidance, the City may request the Vendor to provide information or an explanation in support of what appears to be an ALB. Should the City believe the Vendor cannot fulfill the requirements of an

Awarded Contract for the amount of the offer the City may disqualify the submission.

In addition, the City of Rock Hill's Procurement Policies and Procedures Manual, as amended or supplemented from time to time is hereby incorporated by this reference and shall apply to this Request for Proposals. The City reserves all alternatives, terms, and conditions as set forth therein.

2.13. Compliance with Laws

The successful Proposer shall obtain and maintain all licenses, permits, liability insurance, and worker's compensation insurance, and comply with all other standards or regulations required by federal, state, county, or City statutes, ordinances, and rules during the performance of any purchase between the company and the City. Any such requirement specifically outlined in any purchasing document between the company and the City shall be supplementary to this section and not in substitution thereof.

2.14. Suspension and Debarment

The Proposer certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state, or local agency. Where the Proposer is unable to certify any of the statements in this certification, such Offeror shall attach an explanation to this proposal.

2.15. Subcontractors

The awarded Company agrees that it shall not delegate, subcontract, or assign all or any portion of the project to any third party without the express written consent of the City.

2.16. Brand Name

The use of a brand name is for the sole purpose of describing the standard of quality, performance, and a characteristic desired and is not intended to limit or restrict competition.

2.17. Retainage

The City reserves the right to hold up to 10% of the invoice amount in retainage to ensure that the project, materials, and services are delivered to the City’s satisfaction. All retainages will be paid when all issues, in the sole opinion of the City, have been resolved, and retainage may be held until the project completion.

2.18. Local Providers

Proposers should keep in mind the City’s goal of supporting local businesses and supply houses for materials and labor whenever practicable, so long as pricing and other contract conditions are not adversely affected.

2.19. Proposal Format

Please follow the sections below when building your proposal. Limit to 15-20 pages in length, which does not include the cover page.

1. Qualifications & Experience of the Company:

Brief history and organization of the company, the legal entity that will enter into the contract, the location of the office where the work will be performed, and the name and title of the person that is authorized to enter into a master contract agreement (must be an officer, partner, or member of the company). List any sub-consultants that will support your company, if any. Provide a narrative of your company's prior experience and qualifications as it pertains to the Scope of Work and provide a list of projects with similar scopes.

2. Project Management, Approach to the Project, & Quality Control:

Demonstrate project management, approach to the project, and quality control methods that will be employed by your company. This section shall also include an organizational chart for each team member (including sub-consultant supervisors) and list their roles with responsibilities.

3. Capacity and Response Capability:

Provide a statement of your company's current workload and capacity to meet the project schedules.

4. References:

Provide the name, address, and telephone number of at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your company of similar nature as contained in the Scope of Work. By submission of the references, you are authorizing the City of Rock Hill to contact these references.

5. Legal, Safety, Insurance, and Financial:

The company's submittal shall provide documentation of any history of litigation associated with project performance or professional liability during the past ten years. A short statement of any safety problems that the company may have encountered in projects designed or inspected. Provide a statement or other information to describe the company's general financial standing and current insurance coverage.

6. Other Supporting Data:

Include any other information you feel to be relevant to the selection of your company.

3. Scope of Work

3.1. Description of Need

The City of Rock Hill (City) owns and operates the Manchester Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

(MCWWTP) located at 310 Red River Road, Rock Hill, SC. The MCWWTP is authorized to discharge treated wastewater into the Catawba River in compliance with all terms outlined in NPDES Permit No.

SC0020443. As part of the routine operation of the MCWWTP, biosolids are generated and must be disposed of in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Dewatering is performed using two (2) 2002 2.0 Meter BDP model 3DP belt filter presses. Current biosolids disposal is permitted through incineration via contract with the Water and Sewer Authority of

Cabarrus County (WSACC) (Monday – Friday, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm) and through landfilling at one of two

Republic Landfill sites (Concord, NC and Union County, SC). The City also has disposal options at the

Anson Landfill located in Polkton, NC. In FY21, approximately 11,200 tons of biosolids were sent to

WSACC, and approximately 6,200 tons were sent to Anson. McGill picks up approximately 2-4 trucks/week.

MCWWTP is currently under construction and will be for the term of this contract. Some activities will impact the dewatering building and the processes housed within it. Advanced notice for coordination of such activities will be provided to the selected contractor in order to continue dewatering operations.

The City currently contracts services for the operation of the two City-owned belt filter presses for biosolids dewatering and disposal at the WSACC, Republic, Anson County, and McGill landfills. The contractor is responsible for the transportation of materials to all landfills except McGill. The City of

Rock Hill will determine when or if an additional belt filter press is needed for processing biosolids. It is also at the City's discretion to determine if longer hours and/or additional loads are needed.

3.2. Services Required

A. Services to be provided by the contractor include furnishing all labor, chemicals, and materials necessary to dewater and stabilize the biosolids in addition to furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, and other necessary items to load, remove, transport, fill, and dispose of off-site the entire output of biosolids generated at the MCWWTP. The City will contract directly with

WSACC, McGill, Anson, and Republic for their disposal fees.

B. The contractor shall provide complete dewatering services at the MCWWTP. Biosolids will be dewatered by the contractor using the existing belt filter presses. Services shall include proper operation of equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and/or approved standard operating procedures, labor, and polymer. The City will maintain equipment and repair/replace broken equipment/parts (i.e. pumps, motors, belts, chemical feed, etc.) that have been properly operated.

o SDS sheets are available on the City website.

o Existing polymer tank volume is 7,500 gallons.

C. The contractor shall operate the biosolids dewatering equipment, including labor, polymer addition, and maintenance, in a manner that produces dewatered cake as follows:

o For biosolids incinerated at WSACC, total solids concentrations must be > 25% and volatile solids concentrations must be > 76%.

o For landfilled biosolids, dewatered cake monthly average total solids shall be >20%.

D. The contractor shall be responsible for the daily maintenance/housekeeping of the operational areas in the Dewatering Building and Biosolids loading and storage areas, including keeping the area free from accumulated debris and trash related to the Work, including hosing down floors each day and keeping the work area neat and free from biosolids accumulation. However, the

City shall be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the Dewatering Building restrooms.

E. The contractor shall provide and stage a truck under the silo or conveyor used to move the dewatered cake to the sludge storage pad. The press operator shall position the truck and move it as necessary.

F. The contractor is responsible for daily maintenance, such as the proper startup/shutdown of each piece of equipment independently where the contractor shall supply a startup and shutdown SOP for said equipment pending approval by the City, cleaning of the presses, sludge loading & unloading areas, and paved areas affected by spillage from loading/unloading or deposited by truck tires. The contractor shall not routinely use the eStop to shutdown equipment. The contractor also is responsible for cleaning the lab area and removal of the trash.

The City will provide janitorial services in the restroom only. The contractor shall order polymer as needed. Reporting of any maintenance/repair required to the City to keep equipment in good working order. The City will be responsible for any necessary repairs.

G. The contractor shall at all times provide suitable equipment for the removal of dewatered biosolids from the MCWWTP and property on a timely basis. Such removal equipment includes sufficient containers and/or vehicles so as not to interfere with removal operations. Containers shall be of sufficient size, type, and number to efficiently and safely remove the City’s dewatered biosolids and transport them to the designated disposal site based on biosolids characteristics outlined above. The construction and use of the contractor’s containers shall enable complete compliance with the requirements of all regulatory agencies. Such construction shall enable lawful transport of the City’s biosolids loads within applicable weight restrictions and will prevent loss of vapors, odors, and liquid from all loads. Each transport vehicle shall be equipped with a cover system.

H. The contractor shall at all times provide qualified equipment operators for the dewatering and removal of dewatered biosolids from the MCWWTP and property on a timely basis. The contractor shall employ personnel who are careful and competent. The contractor is responsible for ensuring staff are adequately trained regarding confined spaces and general safety practices.

The City may demand the removal of any employee of the contractor or subcontractor who, in the judgment of the City, is deemed incompetent or negligent in the proper performance of his duty, misconducts himself, or neglects or refuses to comply with the instruction given by the

City or its agent.

I. Biosolids must be removed by the contractor five (5) days per week (Monday – Friday 6:00 am –

6:00 pm, with the exception of pre-approved arrangements for holidays, overtime, etc.). The

City assumes operators will typically work 40 hours per week within this timeframe. Flexible work schedules will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

J. The MCWWTP operates 365 days a year however, the City observes the following holidays: New

Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr Birthday, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor

Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Operation adjustments may be requested at these times, and staff will work with the contractor regarding contractor holidays not observed by the City.

K. The contractor shall be responsible for all loading of dewatered biosolids.

L. A short-term, on-site storage facility is available and shall be maintained by the contractor.

Material shall not be stored onsite for more than 36 hours. Biosolids from the MCWWTP will be hauled offsite such that undue, excess accumulation will not occur in the covered storage shed.

The contractor shall be responsible for maintaining the collection of drainage and runoff from the storage facility and routing it back to the headworks of the MCWWTP.

M. The contractor shall utilize existing truck scales (to be calibrated and maintained by the City) to monitor the amount of biosolids transported for disposal. Payments will be calculated based on the dry weight of biosolids transported per mile for disposal via incineration or through landfilling, as documented on manifests and scale tickets. The City shall not be responsible for any overweight/overfilled containers/vehicles.

N. The contractor shall prepare all federal/state regulatory reports for review and submission by the City. Report preparation shall comply with all regulatory deadlines and should include sample collection and analysis where appropriate. All draft reports will be submitted by the service provider to the City of Rock Hill prior to submission to regulatory authorities.

O. The contractor shall prepare and maintain a current spill response plan. The plan shall include personnel, procedures, and equipment that shall be employed in the event of a spill or emergency situation. The plan shall also include the contractor's 24-hour emergency contact information.

P. Administrative services include annual 503 reporting, annual TCLP analysis, and bi-monthly land application reporting. The contractor must prepare the annual NetBio report for the City of Rock

Hill to review prior to the City submitting to the EPA via the CDX portal.

3.3. Additional Information

A. Term of the contract: One (1) year initial term, with four (4) one-year renewals should they be exercised for a maximum of five (5) years. The contract will take effect on July 1, 2025.

B. The City is to be invoiced on a monthly basis, with invoices dated by the 30th day of the next calendar month. Invoices shall include each bid item with supporting documents including, but not limited to, processed weight, load tickets, mileage documentation, and other documentation as approved by the City (invoices, timesheets, etc.).

3.4. Safety Measures

A. The contractor shall employ only such workers as are skilled in the tasks to which they are assigned. The City reserves the right to require the contractor to remove and/or not to assign any employee the City deems incompetent, careless, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable to working on City projects.

B. All personnel shall be equipped with required Personal Protective Equipment required by safety standards provided by the contractor. Personnel shall have all tools as required to perform the duties of each held position.

C. All work should be conducted according to OSHA standards and regulations.

D. The contractor must keep copies of the safety data sheets (SDS) on-site for any chemical materials used.

E. The contractor will be responsible for repairing all property damage caused by their work. If the contractor fails to take corrective actions, the City reserves the right to withhold payment until damages are corrected, or to correct damage and invoice the contractor for the cost incurred.

3.5. Required Proposal Information

Unit Price Items (to be filled out in Section 7 and in the proposal)

1. Labor for dewatering biosolids (up to 40 hours/week) and operational maintenance - $ per hour

2. Additional Labor for dewatering biosolids (over 40 hours/week or after set hours of operation stated herein) - $ per hour

3. Polymer - $ per gallon

4. Biosolids Transportation - $ per dry ton per mile

5. Administration fee (i.e. report and plan preparation, testing/analysis, etc.) - $ per month

3.6. Schedule of Unit Prices

Unit Price No. 1: Labor for dewatering biosolids

1. Description: The number of hours up to 40 hours per calendar week for the purpose of utilizing the specified equipment to dewater and stabilize biosolids in addition to filling or loading for disposal off-site the biosolids generated at MCWWTP. Shall include all wages, withholdings, taxes, insurance, fringe benefits, or other costs associated with employment.

Additionally: The number of hours for the purpose of maintaining the dewatering facilities and equipment as specified herein shall include all tools, wages, withholdings, taxes, insurance, fringe benefits, or other cost associated with operational maintenance. The City will provide all parts and materials (with the exception of the polymer) required to maintain the dewatering facility.

2. Unit of Measurement: Shall be in hours ($/hr.) as measured during normal business hours up to

40 hours per calendar week.

Unit Price No. 2: Additional Labor for dewatering biosolids

1. Description: The number of hours in excess of 40 hours per calendar week or outside of standard business hours for the purpose of utilizing the indicated equipment to dewater and stabilized biosolids in addition to filling or loading for disposal off-site the biosolids generated at

MCWWTP shall include all wages, withholdings, taxes, insurance, fringe benefits, or other costs associated with employment.

2. Unit of Measurement: Shall be in hours ($/hr.) as measured during the course of the project in excess of the 40 hours per week or outside of normal business hours.

Unit Price No. 3: Polymer

1. Description: The quantity of polymer used in the dewatering process. The type and supplier shall be specified herein. The contractor shall provide any analytical/interpretive results from polymer trial testing and analysis. The contractor shall also inform the City of Rock Hill of the polymer supplier and shall include all costs related to handling, delivery, transportation, and other costs related to proving polymer to the MCWWTP.

The contractor is responsible for notifying the City of Rock Hill regarding the monthly cost of polymer used along with the total volume and/or lbs. of neat product used. The contractor will notify the City of Rock Hill about the dilution factor being used with respect to the polymer selected. The aforementioned information can be provided in the monthly invoice.

2. Unit of Measurement: Shall be per gallon ($/gal.) specific to the cost of "neat" polymer.

Unit Price No. 4: Biosolids Transportation

1. Description: The transportation of dewatered biosolids from the MCWWTP to one of the offsite disposal locations. Transportation includes all fuel, wear-and-tear, wages, withholdings, taxes, insurance, fringe benefits, and other cost related to the transportation and delivery of dewatered biosolids.

2. Unit of Measurement: The measurement shall be per dry ton per mile ($/dry ton/mile). This shall be the cost to transport one dry ton of biosolids for one mile. The dry ton measurement shall be determined by multiplying the percent solids x the difference of the loaded truck and tare weight (Dry Ton = % solids [loaded truck-unloaded truck]). The miles shall be a one-way shortest truck route from the MCWWTP to the selected disposal facility.

Unit Price No. 5: Administration Fee

1. Description: The administration fee is the cost associated with preparing and issuing the specified reports and analysis.

2. Unit of Measurement: The measurement shall be per month ($/month) and will include all equipment, office supplies, postage, wages, withholdings, taxes, insurance, fringe benefits, or other costs associated with preparing and submitting the specified reports.

4. Terms & Conditions

4.1. Insurance

The Company agrees that the Company shall keep and maintain general automobile liability insurance for $1,000,000 per occurrence for each vehicle and $1,000,000 in aggregate for all vehicles that the

Company brings onto City property or use in any manner in the provision of services, including transportation to and from the site(s) where the services are rendered. The Company further agrees that the Company shall maintain general liability insurance for at least $2,000,000 per incident/occurrence and $2,000,000 in aggregate for all incidents/occurrence during the policy period.

The Company agrees that the Company shall maintain Workers' Compensation Insurance on all of the

Company’s employees. In no event shall the Company serve as a self-insurer for the purpose of Workers'

Compensation Insurance.

The Company also agrees that the Company shall provide, in a form acceptable to the City, certificates of Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance, and General Liability Insurance.

Coverages must be maintained throughout the life of the contract, including any applicable warranty period.

4.2. Illegal Immigration Reform Act Compliance

The Proposer certifies that it will comply with South Carolina Code of Laws Sections 8-14-10 through 8-4-

90 (as amended) titled, "Unauthorized Aliens and Public Employment," and agrees to provide to the City any documentation required to establish, as applicable, (i) the inapplicability of such laws to the

Proposer, its subcontractor(s) and its sub-subcontractor(s); and (ii) the compliance with these laws by the Proposer, its subcontractors, and its sub-subcontractors.

4.3. Indemnification

The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the City from and against all liability, loss, damages, or injury, and all costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees and costs of any suit related thereto), suffered or incurred by the City, to the extent arising from the Company’s or its subcontractors' (i) negligent performance of the Work under the Final Contract; (ii) intentional misconduct, negligent acts, or omissions during the performance of the Work; and (iii) breach of any term, covenant, representation, or warranty of the Final Contract.

4.4. Freedom of Information Act

All proposals will be public information, per FOIA guidelines.

4.5. Iran Divestment Act

By signing its proposal, the Proposer certifies that it:

(i) is not identified on the list of persons determined by the Executive Director of the State Fiscal

Accountability Authority to engage in investment activities in the country of Iran as described in South

Carolina Code of Laws Section 11-57-310 (as amended), or any other list of prohibited investments created by the State legislature;

(ii) will not take any action causing it to appear on any such list during the term of the Final Contract;

and

(iii) will not utilize any subcontractor that is identified on any such list to provide goods or services thereunder.

4.6. Agreement

The selected company will be required to use the City of Rock Hill’s standard agreement. See attached sample agreement.

4.7. Non-Appropriation of Funds

This Agreement shall be subject to the availability and appropriation of funds by Management and City

Council. Management and City Council appropriate funding on an annual basis during each fiscal year. If

Management or City Council does not appropriate the funding under this agreement, the City will not be obligated to pay amounts due beyond the fiscal year for which funds were appropriated. No act or omission by the City, which is attributable to non-appropriation of funds, shall constitute a breach of or default under this Agreement.

4.8. Statement on Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE)

(i) The City recognizes that business firms owned and operated by minority persons and women have been historically restricted from full participation in our free enterprise system to a degree disproportionate to other businesses.

(ii) The City believes that it should work to ameliorate past discrimination by facilitating the participation of underrepresented groups in the City’s economic community and that such participation is in its best interests and the best interests of its citizens.

(iii) The City will work to ensure that such underrepresented groups, and the businesses they own and lead, are afforded the maximum practicable opportunity—in balance with financially safe and sound business practices–to compete for and perform contracts when the City is procuring construction services, supplies, equipment contracts, lease agreements, or consultant and other services, within the laws of the State of South Carolina.

(iv) The City endeavors to develop, establish, implement, and administer its policies, programs, and procedures to promote balanced economic growth throughout its community.

Accordingly, the City shall not discriminate and shall prohibit discrimination in its selection and retention of contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, against any person or business on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, status as a parent, age, disability, genetic information, or military status. The City recognizes that disparate treatment on any such basis in the pursuit of economic opportunities is intolerable discrimination.

4.9. City Business License

The winning Proposer, prior to execution of the Final Contract, must possess or obtain a City of Rock Hill

Business License. Such license must be maintained throughout the duration of the Work. If the Proposer is not currently doing other business inside the City limits, the fee for such license is based on the amount of the Final Contract. If the winning Proposer is currently doing other business within the City limits and does not possess a business license, then the fee for the license is based on the total gross receipts from customers within the City limits. Contact the City Business License Office at 803-329-5590 to determine the exact amount of the fee or ask other pertinent questions regarding doing business in the City of Rock Hill.

4.10. Excluded Companies

Proposals from companies may be excluded for any of the following reasons:

(i) Reason to believe collusion exists among the companies

(ii) The Company is involved in any litigation against the City

(iii) The Company is in arrears on any existing contract or has defaulted on a previous contract with the

City

(iv) Lack of financial stability

(v) Failure to perform under previous or present contracts with the City

(vi) Is currently debarred by the State of South Carolina Procurement Services

Excluded vendors/contractors can resubmit complete company information with references for City review after a minimum of one (1) year from the last excluded Bid. The City will contact the submitting vendor/contractor with its decision within thirty (30) days of company information submittal. The City reserves the right to include or exclude said vendor/contractor based on findings.

4.11. Customer Service

Please remember, although you are a contracted City service, you each represent the City of Rock Hill during all work performed, face-to-face as well as telephone conversations. These guidelines are to give all contract employees a solid feeling of what the City of Rock Hill expects from any contracted service.

Overview:

• Be friendly, courteous, and helpful

• Company uniforms must be worn at all times

• Employees must look and act professionally at all times

Company's Employees:

Before the company's employees can enter the project site, it shall investigate and determine that its employees working on the project site are not listed on the sexual offender registry. The contractor shall require all subcontractors to make a similar investigation. One such investigation within six (6) months of commencement of the project work, by the employer, fulfills the City’s requirement for the project.

The Rock Hill Police Department along with the City of Rock Hill also reserves the right to cancel any contracts, agreements, purchasing or distribution, etc., if they feel the project, purchasing, vehicle(s), and or property(s) may be in jeopardy due to the company's employee(s) having a criminal history which may lead to ethical issues while dealing with City workings or investigative activities.

5. Local Purchasing

The City of Rock Hill intends to promote the use of local businesses and hire citizens living within the local Rock Hill/York County area when possible.

(i) Local vendors, services, contractors, companies, and businesses (Rock Hill/York County) with a valid

City of Rock Hill business license may have the opportunity to receive a 3% or a 5% adjustment factor during the consideration of bids. A local vendor, service, contractor, company, or business is defined as a business offering the services and or products being requested. The business must have been established for not less than one year within York County limits and hold a valid City of Rock Hill

Business License for the entire year before the solicitation date. City Council shall be entitled to make the final decision as to whether such business is local and may at its discretion consider factors such as the length of time before issuance of the local business license, the actual physical presence within the corporate limits or within York County, property taxes attributable to such entity received by the City of

Rock Hill, local employment, and any other reasonable factors to ensure that this policy is not being circumvented.

(ii) Businesses located within the Rock Hill municipal limits may be considered for a 5% adjustment factor.

Businesses located in York County outside the Rock Hill municipal limits may be considered for a 3% adjustment factor.

(iii) The maximum value of the percentage adjustment factor will be capped at $25,000.

(iv) If a local business is within the percentage guideline not exceeding $25,000 of the lowest proposal received, the local business may be considered for the award if it is willing to provide goods or services at the price of the lowest proposal received.

(v) If the conditions above are met, and the local business is not willing to provide goods or services at the price of the lowest proposal received, the consideration of the award will revert to the lowest proposal received or the next lowest local business within the percentage (maximum $25,000) adjustment factor threshold.

(vi) The contractor and/or business must reasonably attempt to hire local Rock Hill/York County residents.

(vii) Selected businesses must make a reasonable effort to purchase/lease all material, equipment, and supplies associated with the awarded proposal from a local business with a valid City of Rock Hill

Business License.

(viii) Businesses receiving the award must supply the City with a list of their employees working on the project which includes the city in which they reside along with a list of all equipment, material, suppliers, and subcontractors and their addresses (This list will be used in the evaluation process).

(ix) Special consideration may be given to companies that have products produced and/or manufactured in the United States.

(x) Local Purchasing provisions of this section will be in effect and apply to bidding until June 30, 2024 and expire unless re-authorized by the City Council.

(xi) Local Purchasing adjustment factors cannot apply:

(a) to Federally Funded Projects

(b) to State-Funded Projects where the State restricts the use of local preferences under such circumstances; or

(c) to projects funded by Bond proceeds where the Bond covenants restrict the manner of procurement.

(xii) Utilization of the Local Purchasing program requires a minimum of three bids. If three or more bids are not received, the Local Purchasing program cannot be utilized.

6. Evaluation

1. All responses are subject to a determination of "responsive" and "responsible" prior to award. The

City is the sole judge as to the Proposer's "responsiveness" and "responsibility." The City reserves the right to request additional information.

2. The City will review all proposals and reserves the right to request necessary modifications, waive minor technicalities, reject all proposals, reject any proposal that does not meet the mandatory requirement(s), or cancel this RFP, according to the City's best interests.

3. The City's evaluation team may elect to interview one or more proposing companies before making an award. The City shall not reimburse the company for the costs associated with the interview process.

The City of Rock Hill assumes no responsibility for costs incurred in responding to this RFP.

4. The City's evaluation team may elect to first rank proposals with a simple numeric score and then detail score only the top tier of proposals.

5. The City will evaluate responses on a weighted evaluation system.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Qualifications Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

2. Experience Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

3. Approach to Scope of Work Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

4. Capacity Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

5. Price

Cost shall be based on the scope of work and evaluated according to the Pricing Table in Section 7 of this solicitation. The lowest price shall receive the maximum points, with subsequent respondents receiving points proportional to the lowest cost. The points shall be rounded to the nearest tenth (0.1) of a point, according to the following equation:

𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝐴𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑑 = For each of the 5 line items in

Section 7, multiply 4* the ratio of 𝐿𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝐵𝑖𝑑 / 𝐵𝑖𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑, allowing a maximum of 20 points available for each bidder.

Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

7. Pricing Proposal

PRICING TABLE

* For Unit 5: Cost to haul one dry ton of biosolids one mile. This cost is for the transportation from the wastewater treatment plant to a landfill or the incinerator only, not the round trip. In order to calculate this cost, proposers should take their transportation cost, divide it by the average truck load of biosolids, then divide that by the miles to be traveled.

Line Item Description Unit of Measure Unit Cost

1 Labor for dewatering biosolids (up to 40 hours/week), including operational maintenance $ Per Hour

2 Additional Labor for dewatering biosolids (over 40 hours/week or after set hours of operation stated herein)

$ Per Hour

3 Polymer $ Per Pound

4 Biosolids Transportation* $ Per Dry Ton per mile

5 Administration Fee (i.e. report and plan preparation, testing/analyis, etc.

$ Per Month

8. Vendor Questionnaire

8.1. Company Information*

Please provide the following information as it should appear in a potential agreement with your company:

• Company (legal entity that will enter into the contract)

• Name and Title (person authorized to enter into contract)

• Address (location of the office where or from which the work will be performed)

• Telephone Number

• Email Address

*Response required

8.2. Company Confirmation*

The Company affirms that we have read and understand the enclosed RFP requirements and specifications and do submit this proposal for: Biosolids Processing and Removal Services.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

8.3. Submission of Proposal *

Upload the complete proposal here.

*Response required

8.4. Upload any additional documents

Include any additional information requested in the solicitation.

8.5. References*

Provide the name, address, email, and telephone number of at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your company of similar nature as contained in the Scope of Work. By submission of the references, you are authorizing the City of Rock Hill to contact these references.

*Response required

8.6. Suspension and Debarment Certification*

The Company certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state, or local agency. Where the submitting entity is unable to certify any of the statements in this certification, such company shall attach an explanation to the submission.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

8.7. Illegal Immigration Reform Act Compliance *

The Company certifies that it will comply with the requirements of Chapter 14, Title 8 of the South

Carolina Code of Laws titled Unauthorized Aliens and Public Employment and agrees to provide to the

City of Rock Hill any documentation required to establish either; (a) the applicability of such law to the

Company, subcontractor, and sub-subcontractor; or (b) the compliance with this law by the Company and any subcontractors or sub-subcontractors.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

8.8. Iran Divestment Act *

The Company certifies that it:

1) is not identified on the list of persons determined by the Executive Director of the State Fiscal

Accountability Authority to engage in investment activities in the country of Iran as described in South

Carolina Code of Laws Section 11-57-310 (as amended), or any other list of prohibited investments created by the State legislature;

2) will not take any action causing it to appear on any such list during the term of the Final Contract; and

3) will not utilize any subcontractor that is identified on any such list to provide goods or services thereunder.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

8.9. Customer Service *

The Company representative has read and agrees to the standards set forth in the City's Customer

Service agreement.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required