CN-550000-BEH55.pdf

375-040-19

PROCUREMENT

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STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

STANDARD WRITTEN AGREEMENT

Agreement No.

Financial Project I.D. 237984-3-62-05

F.E.I.D. No.: F59-3335186009

Appropriation Bill Number(s)/Line Item Number(s) for 1st year of contract, pursuant to s. 216.313, F.S.:

(required for contracts in excess of $5 million)

Procurement No.: DOT-RFP-24-5001-PCC

DMS Catalog Class No.: 80171907, 92101503

BY THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into on by and between the

STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, hereinafter called the "Department" and Quest

Corporation of America, Inc. , of 17220 Camelot Court, Land O'Lakes, Florida 34638 duly authorized to conduct business in the State of Florida, hereinafter called “Vendor,” hereby agree as follows:

1. SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE

A. In connection with Public Communications Consulting Services on Various Construction Projects in B. District Five , the Department does hereby retain the Vendor to furnish certain services, information, and items as described in Exhibit "A," attached hereto and made a part hereof.

C. Before making any additions or deletions to the work described in this Agreement, and before undertaking any changes or revisions to such work, the parties shall negotiate any necessary cost changes and shall enter into an Amendment covering such work and compensation. Reference herein to this Agreement shall include any amendment(s).

D. All tracings, plans, specifications, maps, computer files, and reports prepared or obtained under this Agreement, as well as all data collected, together with summaries and charts derived therefrom, shall be the exclusive property of the Department without restriction or limitation on their use and shall be made available, upon request, to the Department at any time during the performance of such services and/or upon completion or termination of this Agreement. Upon delivery to the Department of said document(s), the Department shall become the custodian thereof in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. The Vendor shall not copyright any material and products or patent any invention developed under this Agreement. The Department shall have the right to visit the site for inspection of the work and the products of the Vendor at any time.

E. All final plans, documents, reports, studies, and other data prepared by the Vendor shall bear the professional's seal/signature, in accordance with the applicable Florida Statutes, Administrative Rules promulgated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and guidelines published by the Department, in effect at the time of execution of this Agreement. In the event that changes in the statutes or rules create a conflict with the requirements of published guidelines, requirements of the statutes and rules shall take precedence.

F. The Vendor agrees to provide project schedule progress reports in a format acceptable to the Department and at intervals established by the Department. The Department shall be entitled at all times to be advised, at its request, as to the status of work being done by the Vendor and of the details thereof. Coordination shall be maintained by the Vendor with representatives of the Department, or of other agencies interested in the project on behalf of the Department. Either party to this Agreement may request and be granted a conference.

G. All services shall be performed by the Vendor to the satisfaction of the Director who shall decide all questions, difficulties, and disputes of any nature whatsoever that may arise under or by reason of this Agreement, the prosecution and fulfillment of the services hereunder and the character, quality, amount of value thereof; and the decision upon all claims, questions, and disputes shall be final and binding upon the parties hereto. Adjustments of compensation and contract time because of any major changes in the work that may become necessary or desirable as the work progresses shall be subject to mutual agreement of the parties, and amendment(s) shall be entered into by the parties in accordance herewith.

BEH55

Docusign Envelope ID: 99520791-41A6-4B7D-9208-3688F4AC299E

07/22/2024 | 11:34 AM EDT

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Reference herein to the Director shall mean the Director of Transportation Operations

2. TERM

A. Initial Term. This Agreement shall begin on 7/25/2024 and shall remain in full force and effect through completion of all services required or three years, whichever occurs first. Subsequent to the execution of this Agreement by both parties, the services to be rendered by the Vendor shall commence and be completed in accordance with the option selected below. (Select box and indicate date(s) as appropriate):

Services shall commence on 7/25/2024 and shall be completed by three years from that date, or date of termination, whichever occurs first.

Services shall commence upon written notice from the Department's Contract Manager and shall be completed by or date of termination, whichever occurs first.

Other: See Exhibit "A"

B. RENEWALS (Select appropriate box):

This Agreement may not be renewed.

This Agreement may be renewed for a period that may not exceed three (3) years or the term of the original contract, whichever is longer. Renewals are contingent upon satisfactory performance evaluations by the Department and subject to the availability of funds. Costs for renewal may not be charged. Any renewal or extension must be in writing and is subject to the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and any written amendments signed by the parties.

C. EXTENSIONS. In the event that circumstances arise which make performance by the Vendor impracticable or impossible within the time allowed or which prevent a new contract from being executed, the Department, in its discretion, may grant an extension of this Agreement. Extension of this Agreement must be in writing for a period not to exceed six (6) months and is subject to the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and any written amendments signed by the parties; provided the Department may, in its discretion, grant a proportional increase in the total dollar amount based on the method and rate established herein. There may be only one extension of this Agreement unless the failure to meet the criteria set forth in this Agreement for completion of this Agreement is due to events beyond the control of the Vendor.

It shall be the responsibility of the Vendor to ensure at all times that sufficient time remains in the Project Schedule within which to complete services on the project. In the event there have been delays which would affect the project completion date, the Vendor shall submit a written request to the Department which identifies the reason(s) for the delay and the amount of time related to each reason. The Department shall review the request and make a determination as to granting all or part of the requested extension.

3. COMPENSATION AND PAYMENT

A. Payment shall be made only after receipt and approval of goods and services unless advance payments are authorized by the Chief Financial Officer of the State of Florida under Chapters 215 and 216, Florida Statutes. If the Department determines that the performance of the Vendor is unsatisfactory, the Department shall notify the Vendor of the deficiency to be corrected, which correction shall be made within a time-frame to be specified by the Department. The Vendor shall, within five days after notice from the Department, provide the Department with a corrective action plan describing how the Vendor will address all issues of contract non-performance, unacceptable performance, failure to meet the minimum performance levels, deliverable deficiencies, or contract non-compliance. If the corrective action plan is unacceptable to the Department, the Vendor shall be assessed a non-performance retainage equivalent to 10% of the total invoice amount. The retainage shall be applied to the invoice for the then-current billing period. The retainage shall be withheld until the vendor resolves the deficiency. If the deficiency is subsequently resolved, the Vendor will bill the Department for the retained amount during the next billing period. If the Vendor is unable to resolve the deficiency, the

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funds retained will be forfeited at the end of the agreement period.

B. If this Agreement involves units of deliverables, then such units must be received and accepted in writing by the Contract Manager prior to payments.

C. Bills for fees or other compensation for services or expenses shall be submitted in detail sufficient for a proper preaudit and postaudit thereof.

D. The bills for any travel expenses, when authorized by terms of this Agreement and by the Department's Project Manager, shall be submitted on the Department’s Travel Form No. 300-000-06 and will be paid in accordance with Section 112.061, F.S and the most current version of the Disbursement Handbook for Employees and Managers.

E. Vendors providing goods and services to the Department should be aware of the following time frames.

Upon receipt, the Department has five (5) working days to inspect and approve the goods and services, unless otherwise specified herein. The Department has twenty (20) days to deliver a request for payment (voucher) to the Department of Financial Services. The twenty (20) days are measured from the latter of the date the invoice is received or the goods or services are received, inspected and approved.

F. If a payment is not available within forty (40) days, a separate interest penalty as established pursuant to Section 215.422, Florida Statutes, shall be due and payable, in addition to the invoice amount, to the Vendor. Interest penalties of less than one (1) dollar shall not be enforced unless the Vendor requests payment. Invoices which have to be returned to a Vendor because of Vendor preparation errors shall result in a delay in the payment. The invoice payment requirements do not start until a properly completed invoice is provided to the Department.

G. The State of Florida, through the Department of Management Services, has instituted MyFloridaMarketPlace, a statewide eProcurement system. Pursuant to Section 287.057(22), Florida Statutes, all payments shall be assessed a transaction fee of one percent (1%), which the Vendor shall pay to the State. For payments within the State accounting system (FLAIR or its successor), the transaction fee shall, when possible, be automatically deducted from payments to the Vendor. If automatic deduction is not possible, the Vendor shall pay the transaction fee pursuant to Rule 60A-1.031 (2), Florida Administrative Code. By submission of these reports and corresponding payments, Vendor certifies their correctness. All such reports and payments shall be subject to audit by the State or its designee. The Vendor shall receive a credit for any transaction fee paid by the Vendor for the purchase of any item(s) if such item(s) are returned to the Vendor through no fault, act, or omission of the Vendor.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction fee is non-refundable when an item is rejected or returned, or declined, due to the Vendor's failure to perform or comply with specifications or requirements of the Agreement. Failure to comply with these requirements shall constitute grounds for declaring the Vendor in default and recovering reprocurement costs from the Vendor in addition to all outstanding fees.

VENDORS DELINQUENT IN PAYING TRANSACTION FEES MAY BE EXCLUDED FROM

CONDUCTING FUTURE BUSINESS WITH THE STATE.

H. A vendor ombudsman has been established within the Department of Financial Services. The duties of this individual include acting as an advocate for vendors who may be experiencing problems in obtaining timely payment(s) from a state agency. The Vendor Ombudsman may be contacted at (850) 413-5516.

I. Records of costs incurred under terms of this Agreement shall be maintained and made available upon request to the Department at all times during the period of this Agreement and for three (3) years after final payment for the work pursuant to this Agreement is made. Copies of these documents and records shall be furnished to the Department upon request. Records of costs incurred shall include the Vendor's general accounting records and the project records, together with supporting documents and records of the Vendor and all subcontractors performing work on the project, and all other records of the Vendor and subcontractors considered necessary by the Department for a proper audit of project costs.

J. The Department, during any fiscal year, shall not expend money, incur any liability, or enter into any contract which, by its terms, involves the expenditure of money in excess of the amounts budgeted as available for expenditure during such fiscal year. Any contract, verbal or written, made in violation of this subsection is null and void, and no money may be paid on such contract. The Department shall require a statement from the comptroller of the Department that funds are available prior to entering into any

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such contract or other binding commitment of funds. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the making of contracts for periods exceeding one (1) year, but any contract so made shall be executory only for the value of the services to be rendered or agreed to be paid for in succeeding fiscal years. Accordingly, the Department's performance and obligation to pay under this Agreement is contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature.

K. For any contract for services with a non-profit organization as defined in s. 215.97(2)(m), Florida Statutes, the Vendor shall provide documentation to indicate the amount of state funds:

(1) Allocated to be used during the full term of this Agreement for remuneration to any member of the board of directors or an officer of the Vendor.

(2) Allocated under each payment by the Department to be used for remuneration of any member of the board of directors or an officer of the Vendor. The documentation must indicate the amounts and recipients of the remuneration.

Such information will be posted by the Department to the Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System maintained pursuant to s. 215.985, Florida Statutes, and must additionally be posted to the Vendor’s website, if the Vendor is a non-profit organization and maintains a website. The Vendor shall utilize FDOT Form No. 350-090-19, Compensation to Non-Profits Using State Funds, for purposes of documenting the compensation. The subject Form is required for every contract for services executed, amended, or extended on or after July 2023, with non-profit organizations.

4. INDEMNITY AND PAYMENT FOR CLAIMS

A. INDEMNITY: To the extent permitted by Florida Law, the Vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Department, its officers and employees from liabilities, damages, losses, and costs, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney's fees, to the extent caused by negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongful misconduct of the Vendor and persons employed or utilized by the Vendor in the performance of this Agreement.

It is specifically agreed between the parties executing this Agreement that it is not intended by any of the provisions of any part of the Agreement to create in the public or any member thereof, a third party beneficiary hereunder, or to authorize anyone not a party to this Agreement to maintain a suit for personal injuries or property damage pursuant to the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

PAYMENT FOR CLAIMS: The Vendor guaranties the payment of all just claims for materials, supplies, tools, or labor and other just claims against the Vendor or any subcontractor, in connection with the Agreement. The Department's final acceptance and payment does not release the Vendor's bond until all such claims are paid or released.

B. LIABILITY INSURANCE. (Select and complete as appropriate):

No general liability insurance is required.

The Vendor shall carry and keep in force during the term of this Agreement, a general liability insurance policy or policies with a company or companies authorized to do business in Florida, affording public liability insurance with a combined bodily injury limits of at least $200,000.00 per person and $300,000.00 each occurrence, and property damage insurance of at least $300,000.00 each occurrence, for the services to be rendered in accordance with this Agreement

The Vendor shall have and maintain during the term of this Agreement, a professional liability insurance policy or policies or an irrevocable letter of credit established pursuant to Chapter 675 and Section 337.106, Florida Statutes, with a company or companies authorized to do business in the State of Florida, affording liability coverage for the professional services to be rendered in accordance with this Agreement in the amount of $ .

C. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The Vendor shall also carry and keep in force Workers' Compensation insurance as required for the State of Florida under the Workers' Compensation Law.

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D. PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BOND. (Select as appropriate):

No Bond is required.

Prior to commencement of any services pursuant to this Agreement and at all times during the term hereof, including renewals and extensions, the Vendor will supply to the Department and keep in force a bond provided by a surety authorized to do business in the State of Florida, payable to the Department and conditioned for the prompt, faithful, and efficient performance of this Agreement according to the terms and conditions hereof and within the time periods specified herein, and for the prompt payment of all persons furnishing labor, materials, equipment, and supplies therefor.

E. CERTIFICATION.

With respect to any general liability insurance policy required pursuant to this Agreement, all such policies shall be issued by companies licensed to do business in the State of Florida. The Vendor shall provide to the Department certificates showing the required coverage to be in effect with endorsements showing the Department to be an additional insured prior to commencing any work under this Contract.

Policies that include Self Insured Retention (SIR) will not be accepted. The certificates and policies shall provide that in the event of any material change in or cancellation of the policies reflecting the required coverage, thirty days advance notice shall be given to the Department or as provided in accordance with Florida law.

5. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

A. The Vendor shall comply with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Specifically, the Vendor shall:

(1) Keep and maintain public records required by the Department to perform the service.

(2) Upon request from the Department's custodian of public records, provide the Department with a copy of the requested records or allow the records to be inspected or copied within a reasonable time at a cost that does not exceed the cost provided in Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, or as otherwise provided by law.

(3) Ensure that public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements are not disclosed except as authorized by law for the duration of the Agreement term and following completion of the Agreement if the Vendor does not transfer the records to the Department.

(4) Upon completion of the Agreement, transfer, at no cost, to the Department, all public records in possession of the Vendor or keep and maintain public records required by the Department to perform the service. If the Vendor transfers all public records to the Department upon completion of the Agreement, the Vendor shall destroy any duplicate public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements. If the Vendor keeps and maintains public records upon completion of the Agreement, the Vendor shall meet all applicable requirements for retaining public records. All records stored electronically must be provided to the Department, upon request from the Department's custodian of public records, in a format that is compatible with the information technology systems of the Department.

Failure by the Vendor to comply with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, shall be grounds for immediate unilateral cancellation of this Agreement by the Department.

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IF THE VENDOR HAS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE APPLICATION

OF CHAPTER 119, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO THE VENDOR'S DUTY

TO PROVIDE PUBLIC RECORDS RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT,

CONTACT THE CUSTODIAN OF PUBLIC RECORDS AT:

District 5

386-943-5000 D5prcustodian@dot.state.fl.us Florida Department of Transportation District 5 - Office of General Counsel 719 South Woodland Boulevard Deland, FL 32720

B. The Vendor agrees that it shall make no statements, press releases or publicity releases concerning this Agreement or its subject matter or otherwise discuss or permit to be disclosed or discussed any of the data or other information obtained or furnished in compliance with this Agreement, or any particulars thereof, during the period of the Agreement, without first notifying the Department's Contract Manager and securing prior written consent. The Vendor also agrees that it shall not publish, copyright, or patent any of the data developed under this Agreement, it being understood that such data or information are works made for hire and the property of the Department.

C. The Vendor shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances applicable to the work or payment for work thereof, and will not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability in the performance of work under this Agreement.

D. If the Vendor is licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to perform the services herein contracted, then Section 337.162, Florida Statutes, applies as follows:

(1) If the Department has knowledge or reason to believe that any person has violated the provisions of state professional licensing laws or rules, it shall submit a complaint regarding the violations to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The complaint shall be confidential.

(2) Any person who is employed by the Department and who is licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and who, through the course of the person's employment, has knowledge to believe that any person has violated the provisions of state professional licensing laws or rules shall submit a complaint regarding the violations to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Failure to submit a complaint about the violations may be grounds for disciplinary action pursuant to Chapter 455, Florida Statutes, and the state licensing law applicable to that licensee. The complaint shall be confidential.

(3) Any complaints submitted to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation are confidential and exempt from Section 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, pursuant to Chapter 455, Florida Statutes, and applicable state law.

E. The Vendor covenants and agrees that it and its employees and agents shall be bound by the standards of conduct provided in applicable law and applicable rules of the Board of Business and Professional Regulation as they relate to work performed under this Agreement. The Vendor further covenants and agrees that when a former state employee is employed by the Vendor, the Vendor shall require that strict adherence by the former state employee to Sections 112.313 and 112.3185, Florida Statutes, is a condition of employment for said former state employee. These statutes will by reference be made a part of this Agreement as though set forth in full. The Vendor agrees to incorporate the provisions of this paragraph in any subcontract into which it might enter with reference to the work performed pursuant to this Agreement.

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F. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, Florida Statutes, for CATEGORY TWO for a period of thirty-six (36) months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.

G. An entity or affiliate who has been placed on the discriminatory vendor list may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with a public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity.

H. The Department shall consider the employment by any vendor of unauthorized aliens a violation of Section 274A(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If the Vendor knowingly employs unauthorized aliens, such violation shall be cause for unilateral cancellation of this agreement.

I. The Vendor agrees to comply with the Title VI Nondiscrimination Contract Provisions, Appendices A and E, available at http://www.dot.state.fl.us/procurement/index.shtm, incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Agreement.

J. Pursuant to Section 216.347, Florida Statutes, the vendor may not expend any State funds for the purpose of lobbying the Legislature, the judicial branch, or a state agency.

K. Any intellectual property developed as a result of this Agreement will belong to and be the sole property of the State. This provision will survive the termination or expiration of the Agreement.

L. The Vendor agrees to comply with s.20.055(5), Florida Statutes, and to incorporate in all subcontracts the obligation to comply with s.20.055(5), Florida Statutes.

6. TERMINATION AND DEFAULT

A. This Agreement may be canceled by the Department in whole or in part at any time the interest of the Department requires such termination. The Department reserves the right to terminate or cancel this Agreement in the event an assignment be made for the benefit of creditors.

B. If the Department determines that the performance of the Vendor is not satisfactory, the Department shall have the option of (a) immediately terminating the Agreement, or (b) notifying the Vendor of the deficiency with a requirement that the deficiency be corrected within a specified time, otherwise the Agreement will be terminated at the end of such time, or (c) taking whatever action is deemed appropriate by the Department.

C. If the Department requires termination of the Agreement for reasons other than unsatisfactory performance of the Vendor, the Department shall notify the Vendor of such termination, with instructions as to the effective date of termination or specify the stage of work at which the Agreement is to be terminated.

D. If the Agreement is terminated before performance is completed, the Vendor shall be paid only for that work satisfactorily performed for which costs can be substantiated. Such payment, however, may not exceed an amount which is the same percentage of the agreement price as the amount of work satisfactorily completed is a percentage of the total work called for by this Agreement. All work in progress shall become the property of the Department and shall be turned over promptly by the Vendor.

E. A Vendor is ineligible to enter into a contract with the Department for goods or services of any amount if, at the time of entering into such contract, the Vendor is on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List, created pursuant to Section 215.4725, Florida Statutes, or is engaged in a boycott of Israel.

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/procurement/index.shtm

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Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, also prohibits companies from entering into a contract for goods or services of $1 million or more that are on either the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector Lists which were created pursuant to s. 215.473, Florida Statutes. If the Department determines the Vendor submitted a false certification under Section 287.135 of the Florida Statutes, the Department shall either terminate the Contract after it has given the Vendor notice and an opportunity to demonstrate the Department’s determination of false certification was in error pursuant to Section 287.135 of the Florida Statutes, or maintain the Contract if the conditions of Section 287.135 of the Florida Statutes are met.

7. ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTS

A. The Vendor shall maintain an adequate and competent staff so as to enable the Vendor to timely perform under this Agreement and may associate with it such subcontractors, for the purpose of its services hereunder, without additional cost to the Department, other than those costs within the limits and terms of this Agreement. The Vendor is fully responsible for satisfactory completion of all subcontracted work. The Vendor, however, shall not sublet, assign, or transfer any work under this Agreement to other than subcontractors specified in the proposal, bid, and/or Agreement without the written consent of the Department.

B. Select the appropriate box:

The following provision is not applicable to this Agreement:

The following provision is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement:

It is expressly understood and agreed that any articles that are the subject of, or required to carry out this Agreement shall be purchased from a nonprofit agency for the blind or for the severely handicapped that is qualified pursuant to Chapter 413, Florida Statutes, in the same manner and under the same procedures set forth in Section 413.036(1) and (2), Florida Statutes; and for purposes of this Agreement the person, firm, or other business entity (Vendor) carrying out the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be substituted for the state agency (Department) insofar as dealings with such qualified nonprofit agency are concerned. RESPECT of Florida provides governmental agencies within the State of Florida with quality products and services produced by persons with disabilities. Available pricing, products, and delivery schedules may be obtained by contacting:

RESPECT

2475 Apalachee Pkwy Tallahassee, Florida 32301-4946 Phone: (850)487-1471

The following provision is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement:

It is expressly understood and agreed that any articles which are the subject of, or required to carry out this Agreement shall be purchased from the corporation identified under Chapter 946, Florida Statutes, in the same manner and under the procedures set forth in Sections 946.515(2) and (4), Florida Statutes; and for purposes of this Agreement the person, firm, or other business entity (Vendor) carrying out the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be substituted for this agency (Department) insofar as dealings with such corporation are concerned. The "corporation identified" is Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises, Inc. (PRIDE).

Available pricing, products, and delivery schedules may be obtained by contacting:

PRIDE Enterprises 12425 - 28th Street, North St. Petersburg, FL 33716-1826 (800)643-8459

This Agreement involves the expenditure of federal funds and Section 946.515, Florida Statutes, as noted above, does not apply. However, Appendix I is applicable to all parties and is hereof made a part of this Agreement.

8. MISCELLANEOUS

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A. The Vendor and its employees, agents, representatives, or subcontractors are not employees of the Department and are not entitled to the benefits of State of Florida employees. Except to the extent expressly authorized herein, Vendor and its employees, agents, representatives, or subcontractors are not agents of the Department or the State for any purpose or authority such as to bind or represent the interests thereof, and shall not represent that it is an agent or that it is acting on the behalf of the Department or the State. The Department shall not be bound by any unauthorized acts or conduct of the Vendor or its employees, agents, representatives, or subcontractors. Vendor agrees to include this provision in all its subcontracts under this Agreement.

B. All words used herein in the singular form shall extend to and include the plural. All words used in the plural form shall extend to and include the singular. All words used in any gender shall extend to and include all genders.

C. This Agreement embodies the whole agreement of the parties. There are no promises, terms, conditions, or obligations other than those contained herein, and this Agreement shall supersede all previous communications, representations, or agreements, either verbal or written, between the parties hereto. The State of Florida terms and conditions, whether general or specific, shall take precedence over and supersede any inconsistent or conflicting provision in any attached terms and conditions of the Vendor.

D. It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that if any part, term or provision of this Agreement is by the courts held to be illegal or in conflict with any law of the State of Florida, the validity of the remaining portions or provisions shall not be affected, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement did not contain the particular part, term, or provision held to be invalid.

E. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida.

F. In any legal action related to this Agreement, instituted by either party, the Vendor hereby waives any and all privileges and rights it may have under Chapter 47 and Section 337.19, Florida Statutes, relating to venue, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, and any and all such privileges and rights it may have under any other statute, rule, or case law, including, but not limited to those grounded on convenience. Any such legal action may be brought in the appropriate Court in the county chosen by the Department and in the event that any such legal action is filed by the Vendor, the Vendor hereby consents to the transfer of venue to the county chosen by the Department upon the Department filing a motion requesting the same.

G. If this Agreement involves the purchase or maintenance of information technology as defined in Section 282.0041, Florida Statutes, the selected provisions of the attached Appendix II are made a part of this Agreement.

H. If this Agreement is the result of a formal solicitation (Invitation to Bid, Request for Proposal or Invitation to Negotiate), the Department of Management Services Forms PUR1000 and PUR1001, included in the solicitation, are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Agreement.

I. The Department may grant the Vendor’s employees or subconsultants access to the Department’s secure networks as part of the project. In the event such employees’ or subconsultants’ participation in the project is terminated or will be terminated, the Vendor shall notify the Department’s project manager no later than the employees’ or subconsultants’ separation date from participation in the project or immediately upon the Vendor acquiring knowledge of such termination of employees’ or subconsultants’ participation in the project, whichever occurs later.

J. Vendor/Contractor:

1. shall utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the Vendor/Contractor during the term of the contract; and

2. shall expressly require any subcontractors performing work or providing services pursuant to the state contract to likewise utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to

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verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the subcontractor during the contract term; and

3. shall adhere to requirements in section 448.095, Florida Statutes.

K. Time is of the essence as to each and every obligation under this Agreement.

L. The following attachments are incorporated and made a part of this agreement:

Exhibit "A" Scope of Services Exhibit "B" Method of Compensation Exhibit "C" Bid Price Proposal PUR 1000 and 1001

M. Other Provisions:

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement by their duly authorized officers on the day, month and year set forth above.

Quest Corporation of America, Inc.

STATE OF FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Name of Vendor

BY: BY:

Authorized Signature Authorized Signature

Cynthia Palmer Charles M. Heffinger, Jr., P.E.

(Print/Type) (Print/Type)

Title: Chief Operating and Financial Officer Title: Director of Transportation Operations

FOR DEPARTMENT USE ONLY

APPROVED: LEGAL REVIEW

Procurement Office

State of Florida Department of Transportation

EXHIBIT "A" SCOPE OF SERVICES

DOT-RFP-24-5001-PCC

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES ON

VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN DISTRICT FIVE

State of Florida Department of Transportation

719 South Woodland Boulevard DeLand, Fl. 32720-6834

Contract: BEH55

DOT-RFP-24-5001-PCC Exhibit A Scope of Services Page 2 of 15

PURPOSE

The Florida Department of Transportation, hereafter referred to as the Department, requires sealed written Proposals from qualified Proposers to provide Districtwide Public Communications Consulting Services on Various Construction Projects in District Five (Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia Counties).

This Scope of Services describes and defines activities which may be required by the for a range of services to include, but not limited to: communication planning and implementation, public relations and community involvement, coordination of special events including but not limited to groundbreaking/ribbon cutting ceremonies and news conferences, customer service, meeting and project documentation, general translation and interpreting services, project website development and maintenance, preparation of related media communications and collateral materials, media interviews, preparation of audio/visual presentations, project planning coordination and implementation, and other services that may be related including supporting outreach efforts during all phases of a project as needed.

The Department shall request consultant services on an as-needed basis. There is no guarantee that any or all services described in this Agreement will be assigned during the term of this Agreement. Further, the Consultant is providing these services on a nonexclusive basis. The Department, at its option, may elect to have any of these services set forth herein performed by other consultants or Department staff.

This is an indefinite quantity contract where the Consultant agrees to furnish services during a prescribed period.

The specific period completes such a contract, unless services are terminated.

This Contract shall begin on the date the Notice to Proceed is given and shall continue for a period of three (3) years. This Agreement may be renewed, not to exceed three (3) one-year renewals. If a renewal is desired, it must be executed by the Department and the Consultant prior to the expiration of this Agreement.

DEFINITIONS

Contract/Agreement All documents, exhibits and attachments specifying services to be performed/provided by the CONSULTANT, billing rates for these services and how the CONSULTANT shall be compensated for these services, executed by both the CONSULTANT and the DEPARTMENT.

Consultant The CONSULTANT retained by the Department to perform the Contractual Services described in this

CONTRACT/AGREEMENT.

Department The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

Project Manager The Department’s staff member(s), manager(s) or consultant(s) with overall responsibility and authority to oversee the contractual services begin performed/provided by the CONSULTANT for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as described in this CONTRACT/AGREEMENT.

Notice To Proceed A letter issued by the Project Manager authorizing the start of the CONTRACT/AGREEMENT. There shall be one (1) Notice to Proceed issued for the initial CONTRACT/AGREEMENT. For any additional work that shall be added to this CONTRACT/AGREEMENT by Amendment an additional Notice to Proceed shall be issued.

Task Work Order (TWO) A letter or work order issued by the DEPARTMENT and/or the Department’s Project Manager (or his/her designee) authorizing the CONSULTANT to commence work on a specific task in accordance with the contractual services being performed/provided by the CONSULTANT as described in this

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CONTRACT/AGREEMENT. Completion due dates and fees are specified in the Letter of Authorization or Task Work Order.

Letter of Authorization (LOA) A letter issued by the Project Manager (or his/her designee) that funds have been approved and encumbered on the contract, followed by the issuance of a letter of authorization/work authorization for the assignment of work on a specific task.

Department Observed Holidays The holidays listed below are observed by the DEPARTMENT. If any of these holidays fall on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed. If any fall on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. Holidays include:

New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and the following day, Christmas Day

Any CONSULTANT time worked during these holidays or other office closures must be approved by the Department’s Project Manager in advance.

Department Business Hours Typically, 8:00am through 5:00pm, Monday through Friday in which the DEPARTMENT conducts routine business. CONSULTANT staff assigned to work from the District Five Construction Operations Office’s must work between these hours. Alternate schedules must be approved by the Department’s Project Manager in advance. There may be occasions when work related meetings and events occur after routine business hours, at which time offsetting work hours may be required.

Department Procedures Standard day-to-day process which relates to the type of services being requested in this

CONTRACT/AGREEMENT.

PREREQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS

The DEPARTMENT requires that the CONSULTANT meet certain prerequisite qualifications. The CONSULTANT must:

Be a public communications firm with an office located in District Five.

The CONSULANT must identify one PROJECT MANAGER with a minimum of 20% availability.

The CONSULTANT PROJECT MANAGER must have a minimum of two years’ experience managing outreach efforts of other staff members handling transportation outreach efforts and overseeing all aspects of contract management including budget, staffing, and tasks.

The CONSULTANT must identify at least one SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST with 40% or more availability.

The SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST must have a minimum of four (4) years of experience leading communication efforts on major transportation-related projects and experience in presentations to groups of stakeholders and internal customers, media and elected official interaction and communications, planning and coordinating public meetings and special events. Must have strong organizational, record keeping and communication skills both oral and in writing.

The CONSULTANT must identify five COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALISTS with 100% availability to work from each Operations Office throughout District Five. The CONSULTANT can propose additional COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALISTS to work as needed.

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The CONSULTANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST must have a minimum of two (2) years of experience working in a lead role on communications/marketing projects, developing and implementing communication plans and presenting to groups of all sizes. Must have strong organizational, record keeping and communication skills both oral and in writing.

The CONSULTANT SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALISTS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST should be familiar with the diverse communities District Five.

The CONSULTANT must identify the following: Minimum of one ASSISTANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST (must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience working on communications/marketing projects, developing, and implementing communication plans and presenting to groups of all sizes. Must have strong organizational, record keeping and communication skills both oral and in writing.); AUDIO VISUAL TECHNICIAN/VIDEOGRAPHER (must have a minimum of two years’ experience editing and producing finished audio and video products for use on-air and/or on the web); GRAPHIC DESIGNER (must have a minimum of two years’ experience in graphic designing); WEBMASTER (must have a minimum of three years’ experience in the management and development of web and SharePoint sites).

The CONSULTANT PROJECT MANAGER, SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALISTS, and COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST must have experience in crisis management and crisis communications, event planning, and developing and managing communication strategies.

The CONSULTANT UNMANNED AUTOMOMOUS SYSTEM (SUR UAS) OPERATOR (must be a HS Graduate/Equivalent with 1+ years survey experience, and 1+ years UAS experience). If system is airborne, A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot Certificate is also required.

The CONSULTANT’S Subcontractor(s) / Subconsultant(s) must possess the necessary licenses required by law to perform the work.

POSITION CLASSIFICATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS

Project Manager: Primary point of contact with the Department’s Project Manager (or his/her designee) on overall activities of the contract; ensures contract compliance; coordinates monthly meeting with the Department’s Project Manager and provides status of staff’s collaterals and project activities; manages budget;

executes special projects and performs QA/QC on all collateral materials; responsible for entire staff assigned to this CONTRACT/AGREEMENT to include staff supervision and work production; works with Department’s Project Manager on streamlining processes and developing cost effective methods of doing business and coordinates website development and maintenance. The Project Manager will develop, direct, and coordinate all public outreach activities as directed by the Department’s Project Manager and District Public Information office; and executes other duties relevant to the position. (see Table-1)

Senior Community Outreach Specialist: Serves as the source for major project related information; writes Community Awareness Plans for projects in the construction phase; identifies potential impacts to the public as a result of construction; prepares and disseminates collateral materials to the public using plain language;

develops strategic alliances and corporate partnerships; works closely with the project team and District Public Information Office to respond to media inquiries in writing or by interview; writes press releases and news stories;

prepares talking points as needed and presents project information for meetings; creates and tracks project issues; coordinates resolution of issues with internal and external partners; maintains database of stakeholders;

updates website as needed; distributes weekly project e-blast updates to stakeholders; develops project updates and notification for social media posting; coordinates and facilitates project presentations, public meetings and special events; attends project progress meetings; facilitates transition from design to construction; provide bi-weekly updates to the Department’s Project Manager; coordinates and staffs formal and informal public meetings; organizes comments, writes and tracks responses received at meetings; and executes other duties relevant to the position. (see Table-1)

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Community Outreach Specialist: Serves as the source for project related information; writes Community Awareness Plans for projects in the construction phase; identifies potential impacts to the public as a result of construction; prepares and disseminates collateral materials to the public using plain language; develops strategic alliances and corporate partnerships; works closely with the project team and District Public Information Office to respond to media inquiries in writing or by interview; writes press releases and news stories; prepares and presents project information for meetings; creates and tracks project issues; coordinates resolution of issues with internal and external partners; maintains database of stakeholders; updates website as needed; distributes weekly project eblast updates to stakeholders; develops project updates and notification for social media posting;

coordinates and facilitates project presentations, public meetings and special events; attends project progress meetings; facilitates transition from design to construction; provides bi-weekly updates to the Department’s Project Manager; coordinates and staffs formal and informal public meetings; organizes comments, writes and tracks responses received at meetings; and executes other duties relevant to the position. (see Table-1)

Assistant Community Outreach Specialist: Performs customer satisfaction surveys; performs website updates and audits; assists with door-to-door dissemination of project-specific information;…