EC-07-2025 14_Animal Control-Shelter Contractual Services_07.24.25.pdf

version 14 – services 3.5.25

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Animal Control/Shelter Contractual Services

RFP # EC-07-2025 #14

ESTIMATED TIMELINE –

RFP Released July 24, 2025 Deadline to Submit Written Questions August 7, 2025 @ 3:00 PM EST Response to Questions August 12, 2025 @ 3:00 PM EST Proposal Due Date & Public Bid Opening – BOC Conf. Room August 26, 2025 @ 3:00 PM EST Award Date Pending BOC Approval September 8, 2025 (tentative)

*BOC = Board of Commissioners

MANDATORY SITE VISIT – Sheriff’s Office staff will conduct on-site visits of all applicants to inspect facilities for suitability.

RFP PROCUREMENT CONTACT – Undersheriff Rich Bankey, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office.

rbankey@emmetcounty.org

Emmet County is soliciting proposals from prospective vendors to provide the County with Contractual stray animal services.

A copy of this RFP and any subsequent addenda or communications may be obtained from the County’s RFP page www.emmetcounty.org/rfp as well as on the BidNet Direct website at https://www.bidnetdirect.com.

Emmet County Administration Office • 200 Division Street, Suite G70 • Petoskey, Michigan 49770 www.emmetcounty.org

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RFP# EC-07-2025 #14

A. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide contractual Animal Control Shelter for stray and injured animals. The selected contractor will be responsible for ensuring the humane and ethical treatment of animals, managing stray populations, training resources for Animal Control, and facilitating community education on responsible pet ownership. The vendor shall structure their pricing to reflect both standard service levels and contingencies beyond the baseline.

B. SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of this request for proposal is to invite prospective vendors to submit a proposal to supply Emmet County with proposals from qualified and properly licensed animal protection facilities to provide animal sheltering services in accordance with Emmet County Animal Control Ordinance 79-15. The scope of work outlined below defines the required services and expectations under the resulting agreement, which will begin on January 1, 2026.

The Vendor shall provide the following related to this particular RFP:

A. The selected vendor must be a licensed and registered animal protection facility authorized to operate under applicable laws and regulations. The vendor must demonstrate the capability to provide animal sheltering services for up to thirty (30) contract animals per day. In extremely rare cases the vendor may need to make arrangements to intake more than 30 animals in one day, animals above 30 in the same day will be charged at the overage lodging per diem rate.

B. The vendor shall accept, impound, and either release or humanely euthanize animals covered under Ordinance 79-15. Animals may be delivered to the shelter by private citizens, the County Animal Control Officer, or other law enforcement personnel. The vendor shall ensure that law enforcement personnel, including the Emmet County Animal Control Officer and other authorized officers, have secure access to the shelter for the purpose of dropping off animals 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including holidays and outside of regular business hours.

The vendor must maintain a secure intake area or system that allows safe and humane transfer and containment of animals when shelter staff are not present. The County must be provided with all necessary keys, codes, or access procedures to facilitate this requirement.

C. Contract animals to be covered include dogs, cats, monkeys, rabbits, birds, sheep, and goats.

D. Each contract animal shall be provided lodging for up to seven (7) days.

Veterinary services must be supported by itemized invoices from licensed veterinary providers.

Reimbursements will be made for actual costs only. No administrative fees, markups, or handling charges are permitted.

E. The vendor must be capable of providing veterinary care. Veterinary services will be paid by the County, but prior written approval must be obtained from the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office before incurring such expenses.

F. The vendor shall provide euthanasia services per animal rate. Services must include: Humanely performing euthanasia, wrapping remains in appropriate body bags, proper preparation, packaging, and disposal of remains. Disposal must occur within Emmet or Charlevoix County. Travel outside of these counties for disposal requires prior written approval from the County Animal Control Officer.

G. Mileage for approved travel will be reimbursed at the IRS standard rate.

H. If the vendor elects to pursue an alternative to euthanasia—such as extended care, transfer to a rescue organization, or adoption efforts beyond the required lodging period—all associated costs shall be the responsibility of the vendor.

I. The vendor shall at its own expense or the expense of the animals owner, provide cremation and or burial services to all euthanized contract animals.

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J. When appropriate and allowed by ordinance, the vendor may: Release animals to their owners, or place animals for adoption. The vendor must collect all applicable fees (including boarding, redemption, or licensing) on behalf of the County before releasing or adopting out animals. All collected fees must be remitted to the County in accordance with reporting requirements.

K. The vendor shall propose a fixed annual fee covering the following: Acceptance and impoundment of contract animals, lodging for up to 1,500 animal care days per year, collection and remittance of fees, and ongoing facility operation and maintenance.

L. A per diem rate must be provided for any animal care days exceeding 1,500 per calendar year.

Note: An animal care day is defined as any calendar day, or portion thereof, during which an animal remains in the vendor’s care.

M. Payments will be made in twelve (12) equal monthly installments. The vendor shall invoice the County by the second (2nd) day of each month for services rendered in the prior month.

N. The vendor shall maintain accurate records of: The number and type of animals received, their origin, and their final disposition (e.g., returned, adopted, euthanized). Monthly reports shall be submitted to Emmet County. Additional operational data may be requested by the County at any time.

O. All fees collected on behalf of the County must be accounted for and submitted monthly to the Emmet County Treasurer, along with detailed financial reports.

P. The vendor shall work in cooperation with the Emmet County Animal Control Officer to support and participate in public education and outreach efforts related to animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, and compliance with local animal control laws. This shall include hosting or co-hosting a minimum of two

(2) public dog license events per year, and may also involve participation in community events, school presentations, or public information campaigns designed to promote awareness of animal-related issues and County requirements.

Q. The vendor shall remain informed on applicable Michigan Compiled Laws and standards regarding the ethical and legal treatment of animals. The vendor may submit recommendations for updates to the Emmet County Animal Control Ordinance through the Emmet County Sheriff's Office. All such recommendations should be relevant, well-founded, and limited to substantive changes that reflect legal developments or recognized best practices.

R. Pricing proposal by contract year, all pricing must be firm for each respective year. (FY2026, FY2027, and FY2028 Annual Fixed Fee; includes up to 1,500 animal care days, required services, facility access, reporting, and operations. Overage Lodging Rate; per diem rate for each animal care day exceeding 1,500 annually;

Euthanasia Rate, per animal to include humane euthanasia, preparations, bagging, and in-county disposal)

*Vendors must complete Attachment 1.

Contract Term: The term of the contract shall be for a period of three (3) years from the date of award, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year periods, which may be exercised at the discretion of Emmet County.

C. SUBMITTALS

The Vendor shall also provide the following as requested for all County RFPs:

A. If applicable, provide continual or annual costs such as warranties or service contracts.

B. Description of its invoicing process. Invoices should itemize the date of service, reason for the service, the amount, and the vendor Tax ID number.

C. An opportunity for Emmet County to complete a final inspection before acceptance of the work/ product.

The Vendor will arrange for the return of all damaged or miss-shipped items. There will be no restocking fee for the return of items damaged or shipped by the vendor in error. All items returned will be credited to invoice within 14 days of receipt.

D. Available financing options and terms.

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E. If applicable, no less than three (3) days of training to ensure adequate education of all personnel at the expense of the company providing the equipment to Emmet County.

In responding to this RFP, the vendor accepts full responsibility to understand the RFP in its entirety, and in detail, including making any inquiries to Emmet County as necessary to gain such understanding. The County reserves the right to disqualify any vendor who demonstrates less than such understanding. Further, Emmet County reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, whether the vendor has demonstrated such understanding. That right extends to cancellation of award, if award has been made. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault, cost, or liability whatsoever to Emmet County.

All information provided by Emmet County in this RFP is offered in good faith. Individual items are subject to change at any time. Emmet County makes no certification that any item is without error. Emmet County is not responsible or liable for any use of the information or for any claims asserted there from.

The County intends to select a vendor in September 2025 but it is not obligated to do so.

D. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Submittals will be evaluated and ranked to determine the best value to the County based on the following criteria:

A. Experience/Qualifications B. Proper staffing and shelter requirements C. Cost D. References E. Insurance, and Licensing

The purpose of this competitive RFP is to promote a fair, most efficient means to obtain the best value to Emmet County, i.e., the proposal offering the best value, which shall be assessed in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP. Proposals will be reviewed by an internal committee where quotes will be evaluated and ranked on a consensus basis. Proposing bidders may be asked to participate in an interview to further discuss qualifications and to answer questions from the committee.

Emmet County reserves the right in its sole discretion to accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, without incurring any cost of liability whatsoever, and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in bids received. The County shall retain the RFP, and all related terms and conditions, exhibits and other attachments, in original form in any archival copy. Any modification of these, in the vendor’s submission, is grounds for immediate disqualification. If the selected vendor and Emmet County are not able to finalize contract terms for the intended goods or services requested in this RFP, the County reserves the right to select another vendor to provide the goods or services.

E. REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Full name and address of the business with a short description of the business.

Include a description of the following:

A. Business organization B. Year established C. Federal ID number D. Michigan tax ID number, if applicable.

E. The business’ legal formation (e.g. corporation, sole proprietor, etc.)

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F. State of incorporation, if applicable.

G. List the business’ officers (up to three).

H. List the location and address of the business’ office in Michigan that will provide the services requested.

I. Provide a list of business’ primary services. Provide a list of similar projects completed by the firm.

F. REFERENCES

RFP reviewers may solicit references from some or all client contacts provided. Please include at least three (3) references.

G. COMPENSATION / FEES

Identify all costs including expenses to be charged for performing the services necessary to accomplish the objectives of the contract. The respondent is to submit a fully detailed budget including staff costs and any expenses necessary to accomplish the tasks and to produce the deliverables under the contract. The County is tax exempt for state and local taxes, personal property tax, and real property taxes. Prices shall not include taxes, unless the County is not tax-exempt for a specific service or deliverable. Exemption certificates for sales tax will be furnished upon request.

Costs for subcontractors are to be broken out separately.

H. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Disclose any conflicts or perceived conflicts of interest. Vendor shall to the extent practicable, disclose to the County the identity of vendor employees and relatives of vendor employees who are employed by the County as well as the identity of County employees who are employed by vendor.

Identify what procedures your firm utilizes to identify and resolve conflicts of interest.

I. COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

A. Comprehensive General Liability and Property Damage coverage. (see below requirements) B. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) coverage.

C. Worker’s Compensation coverage. (see below requirements) D. Automobile Liability (see below requirements) E. Any and all relevant license/registration numbers.

J. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND BOND (as applicable)

The successful bidder shall have no right to or expectation of coverage under any insurance policies of the County.

Further, the successful bidder must meet the following minimum insurance requirements and provide proof of coverage on a Certificate of Liability Insurance form submitted with proposal:

1. If selected, a Certificate of insurance naming Emmet County as a certificate holder must be provided prior to the County’s execution of a contract and must bear evidence of all required terms and coverage and provide 30 days’ notice of cancellation or material changes to the coverage.

2. Certificate of insurance must name as an additional insured Emmet County, its agents, officers, officials, employees as additional insureds, as their interest may appear.

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3. The Contractor shall be responsible for insuring all its tools, equipment and materials, which it may leave at the Project's work site. The County shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to the Contractor's tools, equipment and materials.

4. General Liability Coverage:

a. $500,000 Each Occurrence

b. $500,000 Property Damage

c. $5,000 Medical Expense

d. $500,000 Personal & Advertising Injury

e. $1,000,000 General Aggregate

f. $1,000,000 Products & Completed Operations

5. Automobile Liability:

a. $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit; or

b. $1,000,000 Bodily Injury

c. $500,000 Property Damage

6. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Insurance:

[For contracts for professional services, e.g. Architect, Engineer, Doctors, Dentists, etc.]

a. $1,000,000 Each Occurrence

b. If on a claim-made basis, the Contractor shall purchase extended reporting period “tail” coverage for a minimum of three (3) years after termination of Agreement.

7. Workman’s Compensation insurance as required State statutory limits. If any proprietor, partner, executive, officer, member, or employee is excluded from worker’s compensation or if the Workers Compensation policy is for certificate purpose only, it must be stated on the certificate.

8. Cancellation Notice:

Workers' Compensation Insurance, General Liability Insurance and Automobile Liability Insurance, as described above, shall include an endorsement stating the following: "It is understood and agreed that Thirty (30) days Advance Written Notice of Cancelation, Non-Renewal, Reduction, and/or Material Change shall be sent to the office of the Emmet County Administrator.

If any of the above coverages expire during the term of the contract, the Contractor shall deliver renewal certificates and/or policies to the Emmet County Administrator at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration date.

All insurance carriers must be licensed to do business in the State of Michigan and shall have and maintain a minimum A.M. Best’s rating of A-, unless otherwise approved by the County. The insurance company(s) issuing the policy(s) shall have no recourse against the County for subrogation, premiums, deductibles, or assessments of any form.

The County reserves the right to require a performance or payment bond for certain services.

K. LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

The selected vendor shall be liable for any injury or damage occurring on account of the performance of its work.

The selected vendor shall be required to indemnify, defend, and hold the County harmless for all claims, incurred by or asserted against the County, its elected and appointed officials, employees, agents and volunteers, by and person or entity, which are alleged to have been caused from the acts or omissions of vendor or vendor’s

7 | P a g e employees. The County’s right to indemnification is in excess and above any insurance required by the contract.

The vendor shall have no right against the County for indemnification, contribution or subrogation.

L. BACKROUND CHECKS

Vendors that are selected to provide services that require access to law enforcement, Court facilities, Pellston Airport, and to other County locations after normal business hours, must undergo a background check by the Emmet County Sheriff’s Department. The County reserves the right to require background checks of vendor employees for other sensitive services.

M. NON-DISCRIMINATION

Vendor, and its subcontractors, shall not discriminate against an employee or an applicant for employment, in hiring, any terms and conditions of employment or matters of employment for any reason that is unrelated to the person’s ability to perform the duties of a particular job or position, in accordance with applicable federal and state law.

N. DEBARMENT AND GRANT REQUIREMENTS

If a bidder is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or otherwise excluded from doing business with any government agency, which prohibits the bidder from participating in any procurement, the bidder must provide County with that information as part of their response. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification of the response from consideration or termination of a purchase order or contract, if awarded.

To the extent that an awarded contract is funded in whole or in part by any federal or state grant, vendor will be required to comply with all applicable requirements in the grant.

O. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT:

When the vendor has not performed or has unsatisfactorily performed the contract or in the event, any of the provisions of the purchase order are violated, the County may serve written notice of its intention to terminate the contract and/or purchase order for default. Upon termination for default, payment will be withheld at the discretion of Emmet County. Failure on the part of a vendor to fulfill the contractual obligations shall be considered just cause for termination of the contract. The vendor will be paid for work satisfactorily performed prior to termination less any excess costs incurred by the County in procuring and completing the work. The County reserves the right to require termination of the contract for its convenience in the contract terms finalized with the selected vendor. If funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation of performance, the County may terminate the agreement. Vendor shall be paid for work satisfactorily performed prior to termination.

P. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF COUNTY FOR DEFAULT:

If any item furnished by the vendor fails to conform to specifications, or to the sample submitted by the vendor, the County may reject it. Upon rejection, the vendor must promptly reclaim and remove such item without expense to the County, and shall immediately replace all such rejected items with others conforming to such specification and samples. If the vendor fails to do so, the County has the right to purchase in the open market a corresponding quantity of any such items and to deduct from any monies due the vendor the difference between the prices named in the purchase order and the actual cost to the County. If the vendor fails to make prompt delivery of any item, the County has the right to purchase such item in the open market and to deduct from any monies due the vendor the difference

8 | P a g e between the prices named in the purchase order and the actual replacement cost to the County. The rights and remedies of the County identified above are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under the purchase order.

Q. INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIRMS:

For your bid to qualify, you must submit three (3) hard copies in your SEALED BID no later than 3:00 PM EST on August 26, 2025 to:

EMMET COUNTY FINANCE DEPARTMENT

ATTN: Priscilla Meyer, Administration Office

200 DIVISION STREET, SUITE G70

PETOSKEY, MI 49770

1. Response to this RFP MUST be clearly marked RFP# EC-07-2025 #14 -- Animal Control/Shelter Contractual Services.

2. Questions shall be submitted in writing to Undersheriff Rich Bankey at rbankey@emmetcounty.org no later than 3:00 PM EST on August 7, 2025.

3. This RFP, any addendums, and any potential questions and answers will be posted on the Emmet County website at https://www.emmetcounty.org/open-bids-rfps/.

4. The County reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any and all proposals, or parts of any proposal, for any reason whatsoever and waive technicalities.

5. The County will only accept proposals that are responsive to the RFP and are prepared and submitted in compliance with the requirements set forth in this RFP.

6. Emmet County will not award any proposal to an individual or business having any outstanding amounts due from a prior Contract or business relationship with the County or who owes any amount(s) for delinquent Federal, State or Local taxes, fees and licenses.

No late submissions will be accepted.

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IRAN LINKED BUSINESS CLAUSE

The Respondent who is selected as Consultant shall certify to the County that neither it nor any of its successors, parent companies, subsidiaries, or companies under common ownership or control of the Consultant, are an “Iran Linked Business” engaged in investment activities of $20,000,000.00 or more with the energy sector of Iran, within the meaning of Michigan Public Act 517 of 2012. It is expressly understood and agreed that the Consultant shall not become an “Iran linked business” during the term of this Agreement.

NOTE: IF A PERSON OR ENTITY FALSELY CERTIFIES THAT IT IS NOT AN IRAN LINKED BUSINESS AS DEFINED BY PUBLIC ACT 517 OF 2012, IT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CIVIL PENALTIES OF NOT MORE THAN $250,000.00 OR TWO TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT FOR WHICH THE FALSE CERTIFICATION WAS MADE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER, PLUS COSTS OF INVESTIGATION AND REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES INCURRED, AS MORE FULLY SET FORTH IN

SECTION 5 OF ACT NO. 517, PUBLIC ACTS OF 2012.

CERTIFICATION

I hereby state that I have read, have become thoroughly familiar with, understand, and accept the terms and scope of work contained in the RFP. I hereby state that all of the information I have provided is true, accurate and complete.

I hereby state that I have authority to submit this RFP, which will become the basis for a binding contract if accepted by the Emmet County. I hereby state that this quote will remain valid for sixty (60) days from this certification date.

Signature: _____________________________________________________________________________

Print Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

Title: _______________________________________________ Date: _____________________________

Company Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name: _________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________ Email: __________________________________

MINORITY VENDOR CERTIFICATIONS

Please check all that apply:

The vendor represents that it IS IS NOT a woman or women-owned business.

The vendor represents that it IS IS NOT a minority-owned business.

The vendor represents that it IS IS NOT a disadvantaged business enterprise.

The contractor represents and warrants that the company meets the above and can provide supportive documentation upon request. Any lines left unchecked will be considered as if the “IS NOT” box has been checked.

Authorized Agent Signature Date

Authorized Agent Printed Name

How did you learn of this RFP? BidNet County Website

(circle all that apply) County Employee Other ________________

Attachment 1

Pricing Proposal by Contract Year

All pricing must be firm for each respective contract year.

Service Description 2026 ($) 2027 ($) 2028 ($)

Annual Fixed Fee

(Includes up to 1,500 animal care days, required services, facility access, reporting, and operations)

Overage Lodging Rate

(Per diem rate for each animal care day exceeding 1,500 annually) ____________ ____________ ____________

Euthanasia Rate

(Per animal: includes humane euthanasia, prep, bagging, and in-county disposal) ____________ ____________ ____________