DMVCC Unsealed Invitation for Bids.docx

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES

DAVIS AND MCDANIEL VETERANS CARE CENTER

4550 Shenandoah Avenue, N.W., Roanoke, VA24017

UNSEALED INVITATION FOR BIDS #

TITLE: Fresh Produce

NIGP Commodity Code: 39028

ISSUE DATE: January 16, 2024

UNSEALED BIDS DUE BY: February 9, 2024, 2:00 p.m. EST

Procurement Officer: Cheri Lankford, Finance Director E-Mail Address: cheri.lankford@dvs.virginia.gov

Table of Contents

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Unsealed Invitation for Bids is to solicit unsealed bids to establish a term contract for the delivery of fresh produce for the residents at the Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center (“DMVCC”) for a one (1) year contract with four (4) optional one (1) year renewals.

BACKGROUND

The Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center is a two hundred twenty six (226) bed facility located adjacent to the Salem VA Medical Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center was formally known as the Virginia Veterans Care Center and was renamed on December 12, 2023.

STATEMENT OF NEEDS

The successful bidder shall furnish and provide inside delivery of fresh produce for the Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center in accordance with the specifications, terms and conditions stated in this solicitation.

SPECIFICATIONS:

1. All Produce shall be fresh and in first-class, premium condition. A contractor's delivery of substandard produce will be deemed a breach contract.

2. All products furnished shall comply with the latest standards and regulations established by Federal Laws and by Federal agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior.

3. All bad or damaged products shall be either replaced or credit issued as per the request of the Dietary Director or their designee, within 24 hours of notification.

4. All products shall be fresh and in good condition upon delivery, free of insects or foreign material.

5. All produce shall be free from all defects such as over-ripe, decay or bruises.

6. All fresh cut produce items shall be processed in a plant with an approved HACCP program.

7. Records shall be available as to the tracing of raw materials back to the farm and harvester.

8. Supplier shall provide assistance in planning for, sourcing and marketing local produce.

9. DMVCC prefers produce when it is in season, sourced from local resources (stated as county, state in that order)

10. In the event of pricing increases due to extreme weather and other "Acts of God", Vendor will contact the Dietary Director or their designee to give alternatives to product ordered or discuss pricing.

DELIVERY:

1. DMVCC requires delivery of orders to each cafeteria on average of 2-3 times per week basis with a minimum of at least twice a week unless otherwise agreed upon.

2. Deliveries should be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. unless another time is approved by the Dietary Director or their designee at least (24) hours in advance of normal delivery time.

3. Orders will be placed on demand as product is needed. Vendor must deliver within three (3) days of order.

4. Packing slips must be included with each delivery.

5. Produce provided to DMVCC should be as far out from the manufacture expiration date as possible.

6. Award of a contract may be contingent upon delivery requirements.

PACKING AND STORAGE:

1. Products shall be supplied in packaging that is free of tears and must have a date stamp on each package.

2. All products to be delivered in clean packaging.

NUTRITION REPORTING AND GUIDELINES:

1. All products specified herein shall be processed, packaged and delivered in accordance with regulations of the Virginia Health Department, U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and requirements of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated there under.

2. All products must have nutritional information available.

3. Items not requiring local USDA Inspection must be packed in standard packaging. The Vendor’s name and the weight of the package must be clearly marked on each package.

4. It is the intent of these specifications to provide a guide to prospective contractors as to the type of item and approximate size to be furnished.

5. Ingredient listing and nutritional analysis must be supplied for all foods by vendors if requested.

6. Under no circumstances shall a product be substituted by the contractor with a different or house brand without prior approval from the Dietary Director or their designee.

7. In case of manufacturer problems with producing approved products, the broker and the contractor must notify us in writing of the problem and when it shall be corrected.

8. Product substitution must be approved by the Dietary Director or designated staff member before delivery is complete.

PRODUCT ADDITIONS:

1. DMVCC may, at any time during the contract term(s), request to add or remove products to the contract list.

2. Price quotes will be requested in advance.

INVOICES AND ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES:

1. Invoices for items delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the supplier and signed by the Dietary Director or their designee; two (2) copies of the invoice are to be left with the signor.

2. All invoices must be priced per contract, extended, and exempt from Federal Excise and State Sales Tax.

3. Payment will be made within thirty (30) days of accurate invoice received.

4. If supplier fails to prepare invoices and statements as requested, or if invoices are consistently calculated incorrectly, we reserve the right to return all such invoices and statements to the supplier, and payment shall be withheld until corrections are received.

5. DMVCC shall approve the procedure for handling invoice corrections, errors, and credits.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions are MANDATORY and shall be included verbatim in any Contract awarded.

A. VENDORS MANUAL: This solicitation is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual and any changes or revisions thereto, which are hereby incorporated into this contract in their entirety. The procedure for filing contractual claims is in section 7.19 of the Vendors Manual. A copy of the manual is normally available for review at the purchasing office and is accessible on the Internet at www.eva.virginia.gov under “Vendors Manual” on the vendors tab.

B. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS: This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its choice of law provisions, and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the circuit courts of the Commonwealth. The agency and the contractor are encouraged to resolve any issues in controversy arising from the award of the contract or any contractual dispute using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4366). ADR procedures are described in Chapter 9 of the Vendors Manual. The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

C. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their (bids/proposals), (bidders/offerors) certify to the Commonwealth that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and § 2.2-4311 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA). If the award is made to a faith-based organization, the organization shall not discriminate against any recipient of goods, services, or disbursements made pursuant to the contract on the basis of the recipient's religion, religious belief, refusal to participate in a religious practice, or on the basis of race, age, color, gender or national origin and shall be subject to the same rules as other organizations that contract with public bodies to account for the use of the funds provided; however, if the faith-based organization segregates public funds into separate accounts, only the accounts and programs funded with public funds shall be subject to audit by the public body. (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1E).

In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in 1. and 2. below apply:

1. During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:

a. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the contractor. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.

b. The contractor, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor, will state that such contractor is an equal opportunity employer.

c. Notices, advertisements and solicitations placed in accordance with federal law, rule or regulation shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of meeting the requirements of this section.

d. The requirements of these provisions 1. and 2. are a material part of the contract. If the Contractor violates one of these provisions, the Commonwealth may terminate the affected part of this contract for breach, or at its option, the whole contract. Violation of one of these provisions may also result in debarment from State contracting regardless of whether the specific contract is terminated.

e. In accordance with Executive Order 61 (2017), a prohibition on discrimination by the contractor, in its employment practices, subcontracting practices, and delivery of goods or services, on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, political affiliation, disability, or veteran status, is hereby incorporated in this contract.

2. The contractor will include the provisions of 1. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

D. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: By submitting their proposals, offerors certify that their proposals are made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other offeror, supplier, manufacturer or subcontractor in connection with their proposal, and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

E. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000:

By entering into a written contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor does not, and shall not during the performance of the contract for goods and services in the Commonwealth, knowingly employ an unauthorized alien as defined in the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

F. DEBARMENT STATUS: By participating in this procurement, the vendor certifies that they are not currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia from submitting a response for the type of goods and/or services covered by this solicitation. Vendor further certifies that they are not debarred from filling any order or accepting any resulting order, or that they are an agent of any person or entity that is currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If a vendor is created or used for the purpose of circumventing a debarment decision against another vendor, the non- debarred vendor will be debarred for the same time period as the debarred vendor.

G. ANTITRUST: By entering into a contract, the contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Commonwealth of Virginia all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia under said contract.

H. MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RFPs: Failure to submit a proposal on the official state form provided for that purpose may be a cause for rejection of the proposal. Modification of or additions to the General Terms and Conditions of the solicitation may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal.

I. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS: If any prospective offeror has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective offeror should contact the buyer whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than ten (10) working days before the due date. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the buyer.

J. PAYMENT:

1. To Prime Contractor:

a. Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the contractor directly to the payment address shown on the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the state contract number and/or purchase order number; social security number (for individual contractors) or the federal employer identification number (for proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations).

b. Any payment terms requiring payment in less than 30 days will be regarded as requiring payment 30 days after invoice or delivery, whichever occurs last. This shall not affect offers of discounts for payment in less than 30 days, however.

c. All goods or services provided under this contract or purchase order, that are to be paid for with public funds, shall be billed by the contractor at the contract price, regardless of which public agency is being billed.

d. The following shall be deemed to be the date of payment: the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail, or when offset proceedings have been instituted as authorized under the Virginia Debt Collection Act.

e. Unreasonable Charges. Under certain emergency procurements and for most time and material purchases, final job costs cannot be accurately determined at the time orders are placed. In such cases, contractors should be put on notice that final payment in full is contingent on a determination of reasonableness with respect to all invoiced charges. Charges which appear to be unreasonable will be resolved in accordance with Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4363 and -4364. Upon determining that invoiced charges are not reasonable, the Commonwealth shall notify the contractor of defects or improprieties in invoices within fifteen (15) days as required in Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4351.,. The provisions of this section do not relieve an agency of its prompt payment obligations with respect to those charges which are not in dispute (Code of Virginia, § 2.2- 4363).

2. To Subcontractors:

a. Within seven (7) days of the contractor’s receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, a contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

1) To pay the subcontractor(s) for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the subcontractor(s) under the contract; or

2) To notify the agency and the subcontractor(s), in writing, of the contractor’s intention to withhold payment and the reason.

b. The contractor is obligated to pay the subcontractor(s) interest at the rate of one percent per month (unless otherwise provided under the terms of the contract) on all amounts owed by the contractor that remain unpaid seven (7) days following receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, except for amounts withheld as stated in (2) above. The date of mailing of any payment by U. S. Mail is deemed to be payment to the addressee. These provisions apply to each sub-tier contractor performing under the primary contract. A contractor’s obligation to pay an interest charge to a subcontractor may not be construed to be an obligation of the Commonwealth.

3. Each prime contractor who wins an award in which provision of a SWaM procurement plan is a condition to the award, shall deliver to the contracting agency or institution, on or before request for final payment, evidence and certification of compliance (subject only to insubstantial shortfalls and to shortfalls arising from subcontractor default) with the SWaM procurement plan. Final payment under the contract in question may be withheld until such certification is delivered and, if necessary, confirmed by the agency or institution, or other appropriate penalties may be assessed in lieu of withholding such payment.

4. The Commonwealth of Virginia encourages contractors and subcontractors to accept electronic and credit card payments.

K. PRECEDENCE OF TERMS: The following General Terms and Conditions VENDORS MANUAL, APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING, IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986, DEBARMENT STATUS, ANTITRUST, MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CLARIFICATION OF TERMS, PAYMENT shall apply in all instances. In the event there is a conflict between any of the other General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions in this solicitation, the Special Terms and Conditions shall apply.

L. QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFERORS: The Commonwealth may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the offeror to perform the services/furnish the goods and the offeror shall furnish to the Commonwealth all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. The Commonwealth reserves the right to inspect offeror’s physical facilities prior to award to satisfy questions regarding the offeror’s capabilities. The Commonwealth further reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigations of, such offeror fails to satisfy the Commonwealth that such offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to provide the services and/or furnish the goods contemplated therein.

M. TESTING AND INSPECTION: The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct any test/inspection it may deem advisable to assure goods and services conform to the specifications.

N. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT: A contract shall not be assignable by the contractor in whole or in part without the written consent of the Commonwealth.

O. CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT: Changes can be made to the contract in any of the following ways:

1. The parties may agree in writing to modify the terms, conditions, or scope of the contract. Any additional goods or services to be provided shall be of a sort that is ancillary to the contract goods or services, or within the same broad product or service categories as were included in the contract award. Any increase or decrease in the price of the contract resulting from such modification shall be agreed to by the parties as a part of their written agreement to modify the scope of the contract.

2. The Purchasing Agency may order changes within the general scope of the contract at any time by written notice to the contractor. Changes within the scope of the contract include, but are not limited to, things such as services to be performed, the method of packing or shipment, and the place of delivery or installation. The contractor shall comply with the notice upon receipt, unless the contractor intends to claim an adjustment to compensation, schedule, or other contractual impact that would be caused by complying with such notice, in which case the contractor shall, in writing, promptly notify the Purchasing Agency of the adjustment to be sought, and before proceeding to comply with the notice, shall await the Purchasing Agency's written decision affirming, modifying, or revoking the prior written notice. If the Purchasing Agency decides to issue a notice that requires an adjustment to compensation, the contractor shall be compensated for any additional costs incurred as the result of such order and shall give the Purchasing Agency a credit for any savings. Said compensation shall be determined by one of the following methods:

a. By mutual agreement between the parties in writing; or

b. By agreeing upon a unit price or using a unit price set forth in the contract, if the work to be done can be expressed in units, and the contractor accounts for the number of units of work performed, subject to the Purchasing Agency’s right to audit the contractor’s records and/or to determine the correct number of units independently; or

c. By ordering the contractor to proceed with the work and keep a record of all costs incurred and savings realized. A markup for overhead and profit may be allowed if provided by the contract. The same markup shall be used for determining a decrease in price as the result of savings realized. The contractor shall present the Purchasing Agency with all vouchers and records of expenses incurred and savings realized. The Purchasing Agency shall have the right to audit the records of the contractor as it deems necessary to determine costs or savings. Any claim for an adjustment in price under this provision must be asserted by written notice to the Purchasing Agency within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order from the Purchasing Agency. If the parties fail to agree on an amount of adjustment, the question of an increase or decrease in the contract price or time for performance shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures for resolving disputes provided by the Disputes Clause of this contract or, if there is none, in accordance with the disputes provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual. Neither the existence of a claim nor a dispute resolution process, litigation or any other provision of this contract shall excuse the contractor from promptly complying with the changes ordered by the Purchasing Agency or with the performance of the contract generally.

P. DEFAULT: In case of failure to deliver goods or services in accordance with the contract terms and conditions, the Commonwealth, after due oral or written notice, may terminate this contract and procure all goods and/or services contracted for, from other sources and hold the contractor responsible for any resulting additional purchase and administrative costs. This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies which the Commonwealth may have.

Q. USE OF BRAND NAMES: Unless otherwise provided in this solicitation, the name of a certain brand, make or manufacturer does not restrict (bidders/offerors) to the specific brand, make or manufacturer named, but conveys the general style, type, character, and quality of the article desired. Any article which the public body, in its sole discretion, determines to be the equivalent of that specified, considering quality, workmanship, economy of operation, and suitability for the purpose intended, shall be accepted. The (bidder/offeror) is responsible to clearly and specifically identify the product being offered and to provide sufficient descriptive literature, catalog cuts and technical detail to enable the Commonwealth to determine if the product offered meets the requirements of the solicitation. This is required even if offering the exact brand, make or manufacturer specified. Normally in competitive sealed bidding only the information furnished with the bid will be considered in the evaluation. Failure to furnish adequate data for evaluation purposes may result in declaring a bid nonresponsive. Unless the (bidder/offeror) clearly indicates in its (bid/proposal) that the product offered is an equivalent product, such (bid/proposal) will be considered to offer the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

R. TRANSPORTATION AND PACKAGING: By submitting their (bids/proposals), all (bidders/offerors) certify and warrant that the price offered for FOB destination includes only the actual freight rate costs at the lowest and best rate and is based upon the actual weight of the goods to be shipped. Except as otherwise specified herein, standard commercial packaging, packing and shipping containers shall be used. All shipping containers shall be legibly marked or labeled on the outside with purchase order number, commodity description, and quantity.

S. INSURANCE: By signing and submitting a bid or proposal under this solicitation, the bidder or offeror certifies that if awarded the contract, it will have the following insurance coverage at the time the contract is awarded. For construction contracts, if any subcontractors are involved, the subcontractor will have workers’ compensation insurance in accordance with §§ 2.2-4332 and 65.2-800 et seq. of the Code of Virginia. The bidder or offeror further certifies that the contractor and any subcontractors will maintain these insurance coverage during the entire term of the contract and that all insurance coverage will be provided by insurance companies authorized to sell insurance in Virginia by the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

MINIMUM INSURANCE COVERAGES AND LIMITS:

1. Workers’ Compensation - Statutory requirements and benefits. Coverage is compulsory for employers of three or more employees, to include the employer. Contractors who fail to notify the Commonwealth of increases in the number of employees that change their workers’ compensation requirements under the Code of Virginia during the course of the contract shall be in noncompliance with the contract.

2. Employer’s Liability - $100,000.

3. Commercial General Liability - $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate. Commercial General Liability is to include bodily injury and property damage, personal injury and advertising injury, products and completed operations coverage. The Commonwealth of Virginia must be named as an additional insured and so endorsed on the policy.

4. Automobile Liability - $1,000,000 per occurrence. (If an auto is used in performance of the contract.)

T. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD: Upon the award or the announcement of the decision to award a contract as a result of this solicitation, the purchasing agency will publicly post such notice on the DGS/DPS eVA VBO (www.eva.virginia.gov) for a minimum of 10 days.

U. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000:

During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees to (i) provide a drug-free workplace for the contractor's employees; (ii) post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana is prohibited in the contractor's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition; (iii) state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor that the contractor maintains a drug-free workplace; and (iv) include the provisions of the foregoing clauses in every subcontract or purchase order of over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

For the purposes of this section, “drug-free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific contract awarded to a contractor, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of any controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the contract.

V. NONDISCRIMINATION OF CONTRACTORS: A offeror, or contractor shall not be discriminated against in the solicitation or award of this contract because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, faith-based organizational status, any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment or because the offeror employs ex-offenders unless the state agency, department or institution has made a written determination that employing ex-offenders on the specific contract is not in its best interest. If the award of this contract is made to a faith-based organization and an individual, who applies for or receives goods, services, or disbursements provided pursuant to this contract objects to the religious character of the faith-based organization from which the individual receives or would receive the goods, services, or disbursements, the public body shall offer the individual, within a reasonable period of time after the date of his objection, access to equivalent goods, services, or disbursements from an alternative provider.

W. eVA BUSINESS-TO-GOVERNMENT VENDOR REGISTRATION, CONTRACTS, AND ORDERS: The eVA Internet electronic procurement solution, web site portal www.eVA.virginia.gov, streamlines and automates government purchasing activities in the Commonwealth. The eVA portal is the gateway for vendors to conduct business with state agencies and public bodies. All vendors desiring to provide goods and/or services to the Commonwealth shall participate in the eVA Internet e-procurement solution by completing the free eVA Vendor Registration. All offerors must register in eVA and pay the Vendor Transaction Fees specified below; failure to register will result in the proposal being rejected.

Vendor transaction fees are determined by the date the original purchase order is issued and the current fees are as follows:

a. For orders issued July 1, 2014, and after, the Vendor Transaction Fee is:

(i) DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $500 per order.

(ii) Businesses that are not DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order.

b. Refer to Special Term and Condition “eVA Orders and Contracts” to identify the number of purchase orders that will be issued as a result of this solicitation/contract with the eVA transaction fee specified above assessed for each order.

For orders issued prior to July 1, 2014, the vendor transaction fees can be found at www.eVA.virginia.gov.

The specified vendor transaction fee will be invoiced, by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services, typically within 60 days of the order issue date. Any adjustments (increases/decreases) will be handled through purchase order changes.

X. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: It is understood and agreed between the parties herein that the agency shall be bound hereunder only to the extent that the legislature has appropriated funds that are legally available or may hereafter become legally available for the purpose of this agreement.

Y. SET-ASIDES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ENHANCEMENT AWARD PRIORITY:

This solicitation is set-aside for award priority to DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses when designated as “Micro Business Set-Aside Award Priority” or “Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority” accordingly in the solicitation. DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses also includes DSBSD-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DSBSD small business certification. For purposes of award, offeror’s shall be deemed micro businesses or small businesses if and only if they are certified as such by DSBSD on the due date for receipt of proposals.

Z. BID PRICE CURRENCY: Unless stated otherwise in the solicitation, offerors shall state prices in US dollars.

AA. AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH: A contractor organized as a stock or nonstock corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership or registered as a registered limited liability partnership shall be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code of Virginia or as otherwise required by law. Any business entity described above that enters into a contract with a public body pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall not allow its existence to lapse or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth, if so required under Title 13.1 or Title 50, to be revoked or cancelled at any time during the term of the contract. A public body may void any contract with a business entity if the business entity fails to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section.

AB. CIVILITY IN STATE WORKPLACES: The contractor shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no individual, while performing work on behalf of the contractor or any subcontractor in connection with this agreement (each, a “Contract Worker”), shall engage in 1) harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying, cyber-bullying, or threatening or violent conduct, or 2) discriminatory behavior on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, political affiliation, veteran status, or disability.

The contractor shall provide each Contract Worker with a copy of this Section and will require Contract Workers to participate in agency training on civility in the State workplace if contractor’s (and any subcontractor’s) regular mandatory training programs do not already encompass equivalent or greater expectations. Upon request, the contractor shall provide documentation that each Contract Worker has received such training.

For purposes of this Section, “State workplace” includes any location, permanent or temporary, where a Commonwealth employee performs any work-related duty or is representing his or her agency, as well as surrounding perimeters, parking lots, outside meeting locations, and means of travel to and from these locations. Communications are deemed to occur in a State workplace if the Contract Worker reasonably should know that the phone number, email, or other method of communication is associated with a State workplace or is associated with a person who is a State employee.

The Commonwealth of Virginia may require, at its sole discretion, the removal and replacement of any Contract Worker who the Commonwealth reasonably believes to have violated this Section.

This Section creates obligations solely on the part of the contractor. Employees or other third parties may benefit incidentally from this Section and from training materials or other communications distributed on this topic, but the Parties to this agreement intend this Section to be enforceable solely by the Commonwealth and not by employees or other third parties.

SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

The following terms and conditions are desirable. The Contractor may propose alternative language, but the basic form of the Agreement shall be retained. Contractors are requested to limit their proposed changes, if any, to those of a substantive nature. The Commonwealth reserves the right to seek more specific or additional provisions during negotiations, as needed, e.g. service level requirements, response times, periods of performance, etc.

AUDIT: The contractor shall retain all books, records, and other documents relative to this contract for five (5) years after final payment, or until audited by the Commonwealth of Virginia, whichever is sooner. The agency, its authorized agents, and/or state auditors shall have full access to and the right to examine any of said materials during said period.

AWARD: The Commonwealth will make the award(s) on basis to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder that is a DSBSD-certified micro business if such a bid is received, provided that the bid is up to and including $10,000 and the agency in its sole discretion determines that the bid price is fair and reasonable. Otherwise, award of the contract shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder that is a DSBSDcertified small business if such a bid is received, provided that the bid is not more than $100,000 and the agency in its sole discretion determines that the bid price is fair and reasonable. If, in the agency’s opinion, the criteria in the previous two sentences are not present, then award shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder of any size, provided the agency in its sole discretion determines that the price is fair and reasonable. If applicable, unit prices, extensions and grand total must be shown. In case of arithmetic errors, the unit price will govern. If cash discount for prompt payment is offered, it must be clearly shown in the space provided. Discounts for early prompt payment will not be considered in making awards. The State reserves the right to reject any and all bids in whole or in part, to waive any informality, and to delete items prior to making an award.

CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT: The purchasing agency reserves the right to cancel and terminate any resulting contract, in part or in whole, without penalty, upon 90 days written notice to the contractor. In the event the initial contract period is for more than 12 months, the resulting contract may be terminated by either party, without penalty, after the initial 12 months of the contract period upon 90 days written notice to the other party. Any contract cancellation notice shall not relieve the contractor of the obligation to deliver and/or perform on all outstanding orders issued prior to the effective date of cancellation.

eVA ORDERS AND CONTRACTS: It is anticipated that the contract will result in multiple single purchase orders or one blanket purchase order with estimated yearly spend with the applicable eVA transaction fee assessed for each order. Vendors desiring to provide services to the Commonwealth shall participate in the eVA Internet e-procurement solution.

RENEWAL OF CONTRACT: This contract may be renewed by the Commonwealth for four (4) successive one year periods under the terms and conditions of the original contract except as stated in 1. and 2. below. Price increases may be negotiated only at the time of renewal. Written notice of the Commonwealth’s intention to renew shall be given approximately 90 days prior to the expiration date of each contract period.

1. If the Commonwealth elects to exercise the option to renew the contract for an additional one-year period, the contract price(s) for the additional one year shall not exceed the contract price(s) of the original contract increased/decreased by more than the percentage increase/decrease of the “Other Services” category of the CPI-W section of the Consumer Price Index of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the latest twelve months for which statistics are available.

If during any subsequent renewal periods, the Commonwealth elects to exercise the option to renew the contract, the contract price(s) for the subsequent renewal period shall not exceed the contract price(s) of the previous renewal period increased/decreased by more than the percentage increase/decrease of the “Other Services” category of the CPI-W section of the Consumer Price Index of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the latest twelve months for which statistics are available.

ADVERTISING: In the event a contract is awarded for supplies, equipment, or services resulting from this proposal, no indication of such sales or services to the Commonwealth will be used in product literature or advertising. The contractor shall not state in any of its advertising or product literature that the Commonwealth has purchased or uses any of its products or services, and the contractor shall not include the Commonwealth in any client list in advertising and promotional materials.

BEST AND FINAL OFFER (BAFO): At the conclusion of negotiations, the offeror(s) may be asked to submit in writing, a Best And Final Offer (BAFO). After the BAFO is submitted, no further negotiations shall be conducted with the offeror(s). The offeror’s proposal will be rescored to combine and include the information contained in the BAFO. The decision to award will be based on the final evaluation including the BAFO.

BID ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: Any bid in response to this solicitation shall be valid for 90 days. At the end of the days the bid may be withdrawn at the written request of the bidder. If the bid is not withdrawn at that time it remains in effect until an award is made or the solicitation is canceled.

BID PRICES: Bid shall be in the form of a firm unit price for each item during the contract period.

BREACH: The Contractor shall be deemed in breach of this agreement if the Contractor: fails to provide any service by the specified delivery date; repeatedly fails to respond to requests for required service within the time set forth in this Agreement; fails to comply with any other term of this Agreement and fails to cure such noncompliance within ten (10) days (or such greater period as is acceptable to the Commonwealth) following Contractor’s receipt of a Show Cause Notice identifying such noncompliance; or fails to provide a written response to the Commonwealth Show Cause Notice within ten (10) days after receiving same.

The Contractor shall not be in breach of this Agreement if the default was due to causes beyond the reasonable control of, and occurred without any fault or negligence on the part of, both the Contractor and its subcontractors. Such causes may include, but are not restricted to, acts of God or of a public enemy, acts of the Commonwealth in its sovereign or Contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, freight embargoes, and unusually severe weather.

CONTRACTUAL DISPUTES: In accordance with Section §2.2-4363 of the Code of Virginia, Contractual claims, whether from money or other relief, shall be submitted in writing to the purchasing agency no later than 60 days after final payment; however, written notice of the Contractor’s intention to file such claim must be given to such agency at the time of the occurrence or beginning of the work upon which the claim is based. Pendency of claims shall not delay payment of amounts agreed due in the final payment. The purchasing agency shall render a final decision in writing within thirty (30) days after its receipt of the Contractor’s written claim.

The Contractor may not invoke any available administrative procedure under Section §2.2-4365 of the Code of Virginia nor institute legal action prior to receipt of the purchasing agency’s decision on the claim, unless that agency fails to render its decision within thirty (30) days. The decision of the purchasing agency shall be final and conclusive unless the Contractor, within six (6) months of the date of the final decision on the claim, invokes appropriate action under Section §2.2-4364, Code of Virginia, or the administrative procedure authorized by Section §2.2-4365, Code of Virginia.

The Department of Veterans Services, its officers, agents and employees, including without limitation, the Contracting Officers, are executing this Agreement and any Orders issued hereunder, solely in its or their statutory and regulatory capacities as agent of the Commonwealth agency purchasing and receiving the goods or services in question and need not be joined as a party to any dispute that may arise thereunder.

In the event of any breach by the Commonwealth, Contractor’s remedies shall be limited to claims for damages and Prompt Payment Act interest and, if available and warranted, equitable relief, all such claims to be processed pursuant to this Section. In no event shall Contractor’s remedies include the right to terminate any license or support services hereunder.

PROMPT PAYMENT DISCOUNTS: Agency will pay within ____ days after acceptance. A prompt payment discount offered for prompt payment of ( ) calendar days or longer will be calculated in determining net low bid.

EXTRA CHARGES NOT ALLOWED: No additional charges will be allowed under the Contract. Any changes to the scope of services that impact prices must be approved in advance with a written contract modification signed by both parties.

INTERPRETATION OF AGREEMENT: Headings are for reference purposes only and shall not be considered in construing this Agreement. If any term or condition of this Agreement is found to be illegal or unenforceable, it shall be severed, and the validity of the remaining terms and conditions shall not be affected. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as an express or implied waiver of the Commonwealth's sovereign or Eleventh Amendment immunity, or as a pledge of its full faith and credit.

LOBBYING AND INTEGRITY: Offerors are cautioned that communications with individuals other than the Contracting Officer may result in incorrect and/or insufficient information being provided. In addition, the Offeror shall not, in connection with this or any other agreement with the State, directly or indirectly:

1. Offer, confer, or agree to confer any pecuniary benefit on anyone as consideration for any State officer or employee’s decision, opinion, recommendation, vote, other exercise of discretion, or violation of a known legal duty, or

2. Offer, give or agree to give anyone any gratuity for the benefit of or at the direction or request of any state officer or employee.

Upon request of the Department of Veterans Services, the Offeror shall provide any type of information the Agency deems relevant to the Offeror’s integrity or responsibility to provide the services or goods, described herein.

NEGOTIATION WITH THE LOWEST BIDDER: Unless all bids are cancelled or rejected, the Commonwealth reserves the right granted by § 2.2-4318 of the Code of Virginia to negotiate with the lowest responsive, responsible bidder to obtain a contract price within the funds available to the agency whenever such low bid exceeds the agency’s available funds. For the purpose of determining when such negotiations may take place, the term “available funds” shall mean those funds which were budgeted by the agency for this contract prior to the issuance of the written Invitation for Bids. Negotiations with the low bidder may include both modifications of the bid price and the Scope of Work/Specifications to be performed. The agency shall initiate such negotiations by written notice to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder that its bid exceeds the available funds and that the agency wishes to negotiate a lower contract price. The times, places, and manner of negotiating shall be agreed to by the agency and the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

ORDERING OPTION: The Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center, may during the first sixty (60) days after this contract is awarded, with the concurrence of the contractor, place additional orders under the contract at the original unit price through the issuance of separate purchase orders. The aggregate of such additional orders shall not exceed 100% of the quantity originally stated in the contract.

PRODUCT INFORMATION: The bidder/offeror shall clearly and specifically identify the product being offered and enclose complete and detailed descriptive literature, catalog cuts and specifications with the bid/proposal to enable the Commonwealth to determine if the product offered meets the requirements of the solicitation. Failure to do so may cause the bid/proposal to be considered nonresponsive.

QUANTITIES: Quantities set forth in this solicitation are estimates only, and the contractor shall supply at bid prices actual quantities as ordered, regardless of whether such total quantities are more or less than those shown.

REFERENCES: Bidders shall provide a list of at least 3 references where similar goods and/or services have been provided. Each reference shall include the name of the organization, the complete mailing address, the name of the contact person and telephone number.

ORGANIZATION ADDRESS CONTACT PERSON TELEPHONE

1. _________________________ ________________________ ____________________ _____________

2. _________________________ ________________________ ____________________ _____________

3. _________________________ ________________________ ____________________ _____________

SUBCONTRACTS: No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the purchasing agency. In the event that the contractor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the contractor shall furnish the purchasing agency the names, qualifications and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The contractor shall, however, remain fully liable and responsible for the work to be done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all requirements of the contract.

CONTINUITY OF SERVICES:

a.) The Contractor recognizes that the services under this contract are vital to the Agency and must be continued without interruption and that, upon contract expiration, a successor, either the Agency or another contractor, may continue them. The Contractor agrees:

(i) To exercise its best efforts and cooperation to effect an orderly and efficient transition to a successor;

(ii) To make all Agency owned facilities, equipment, and data available to any successor at an appropriate time prior to the expiration of the contract to facilitate transition to successor; and

(iii) That the Agency Contracting Officer shall have final authority to resolve disputes related to the transition of the contract from the Contractor to its successor.

b) The Contractor shall, upon written notice from the Contract Officer, furnish phase-in/phase-out services for up to ninety (90) days after this contract expires and shall negotiate in good faith a plan with the successor to execute…