General_Information_Form_(002).pdf

***THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB); ONLY ELECTRONIC

RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED***

The County of Orange is requesting competitive bids for purchase and delivery of Flight Protective Gear, Flight Suits, Jackets, Helmets, Related Equipment, as more fully detailed in Attachment A, Scope of

Work, in model contract.

I. IMPORTANT DATES:

• Friday, April 19, 2024 – Bid opens.

• Friday, April 26, 2024– Q&A ends.

• Friday, May 3, 2024 – Bid ends.

ALL BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY VIA OPENGOV AND MUST BE

RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE BID CLOSED DATE AND TIME. NO HAND-DELIVERIES WILL

BE ACCEPTED. NO LATE BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED REGARDLESS OF THE REASON.

All changes or modifications to this solicitation will be issued though OpenGov.

Any questions or requests for interpretations or clarifications shall be requested in writing through

OPENGOV on or before Friday, April 26, 2024. If clarification or interpretation of the IFB is considered necessary, a written addendum shall be issued. Oral statement(s) concerning the meaning of the contents of this IFB by any person is unauthorized and invalid. All inquiries concerning this IFB should be directed through the OpenGov System.

County does not guarantee that you will receive addenda (additional information, changes or modifications) to this solicitation via OpenGov prior to the close of this solicitation or at all. It is the bidder’s responsibility to ensure that they have received all addenda prior to the submission of its bid.

Sheriff-Coroner Department/Purchasing Services Bureau regular business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(Pacific Time), Monday through Friday.

County does not require and neither encourages nor discourages the use of lobbyists or other consultants for the purpose of securing business.

II. INSTRUCTIONS – GENERAL

1. Bids must be provided for each item separately; “all or none” bids will not be accepted unless in the best interest of County.

2. Out of state Contractors must include California sales tax permit number.

3. This is a fully electronic Invitation For Bids (IFB); only electronic responses shall be accepted. All bids submitted through OpenGov must be accessible by the County no later than 4:00 PM (Pacific

Time).

4. Contractors shall take all responsibility for any errors or omissions in their bids. Any discrepancies in numbers or calculations shall be interpreted to reflect the lowest price to County. In addition,

5. Contractors are fully responsible for the timely delivery of bids to the County, whether by hand delivery, mail or through OpenGov.

6. County shall not be liable for any expenses incurred by potential Contractors in the preparation or submission of their bids. Pre-contractual expenses are not to be included in your bid. Pre-contractual expenses are defined as including but not limited to, expenses incurred by the bidder in: a) preparing its bid in response to this IFB; b) postage/shipping c) negotiating with County any matter related to the bid; d) any other expenses incurred by the bidder prior to the date of award and execution, if any.

7. County of Orange Local Small Business (OCLSB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise

(DVBE) Preference Policies:

A. County of Orange Local Small Business (OCLSB): Effective January 1, 2020, County of

Orange Board of Supervisors adopted the OCLSB Preference policy. Implementation of the

OCLSB Preference policy supports local businesses, the local economy and the development of the

County’s tax base.

To be certified as a Local Small Business by the County of Orange, a business shall meet (1) and

(2) below:

1) Local Business requirements:

a. maintains their principal center of operations (i.e. headquarters) within Orange County, and;

b. has:

i. a business address located in the County of Orange that is not a post office box, or

ii. a valid business license or certificate of occupancy issued by the County of Orange or by an Orange County city, or other documentation acceptable to the County of Orange.

2) Small Business Requirements:

a. must be certified as a Small Business by the State of California Department of General

Services (DGS); and,

b. DGS Small Business requirements must be valid at the time of bid/proposal submittal.

B. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE): Effective January 1, 2021, County of Orange

Board of Supervisors adopted the DVBE Preference policy. The DVBE Preference policy supports local business opportunity, economy and the development of the County’s tax base, and in addition recognizes the service and sacrifice given by the men and women of our Armed Forces.

To be certified as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise by the County of Orange, a business shall meet (1) below:

(1) Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Requirements:

a. must be certified as a DVBE by the State of California Department of General Services

(DGS); and,

b. DGS DVBE requirements must be valid at the time of bid/proposal submittal.

To participate as an OCLSB and/or DVBE please read and follow the process outlined in EXHIBIT

II - County of Orange Local Small Business (OCLSB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise

(DVBE) Certification Requirements.

III. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Bidders may be required to present satisfactory evidence that they have been regularly engaged in the business of providing goods/services required by this solicitation or are reasonably familiar therewith and that they are fully prepared with the necessary capital, material, and machinery as may be required or specified in this solicitation to complete the work to be contracted to the satisfaction of County.

2. By submitting a bid, the bidder represents that it has thoroughly examined and become familiar with the goods/services required under this Invitation For Bid and that it is capable of providing the goods/services to achieve County’s objectives.

3. Bidders may be required to provide information regarding and/or proof of the number of years they have provided the goods/services requested in this solicitation.

4. Each bidder must submit its bid in strict accordance with all requirements of this Invitation For

Bid.

III. RIGHTS RESERVED TO COUNTY

1. County, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to accept or reject in whole or in part any or all bids received as a result of this solicitation.

2. County may cancel this Invitation for Bids in whole or in part without prior notice. Thereafter, County may issue a solicitation for new bids.

3. County makes no guarantee as to the usage of the services by County. County furthermore makes no representation that any contract will be awarded to any bidder responding to this Invitation For Bid.

4. All bids received will be public record after opening. Proposals/bids are not to be marked as confidential or proprietary. Proposals/bids submitted in response to this IFB are subject to public disclosure. County shall not be liable for disclosure of any information or records related to this procurement. Additionally, all proposals/bids shall become the property of County. County reserves the right to make use of any information or ideas in the proposals/bids submitted.

5. When more than one line item is specified in a solicitation, County reserves the right to determine the lowest responsible bidder on the basis of individual items, groups of items, or all items included in the solicitation, unless otherwise expressly provided for in the solicitation. County may accept any item or group of items included in the bid unless the bidder expressly objects in its response to the solicitation and conditions its response on County purchasing all items for which the bidder provided bids. In the event that the bidder so objects, County may consider the bidder’s objection non-responsive and may render the bidder ineligible for award.

6. County reserves the right to award its total requirements to one bidder or to apportion those requirement among two or more bidders as County may deem to be in the best interests of County.

In addition, negotiations may or may not be conducted with bidder; therefore, the proposal/bid submitted should contain the bidder’s most favorable terms and conditions, since the selection and award may be made without discussion with any bidder.

7. County reserves the right to waive, at its discretion, any irregularity or informality which County deems correctable or otherwise not warranting rejection of the bid.

8. The lowest responsive and responsible bid may be subject to further negotiations in the sole discretion of County; bidders should not assume, however, that there will be opportunity for further negotiation so bidders must present their best and final bid in response to this solicitation.

9. By participating in this solicitation, bidders agree to accept the decision of the County Purchasing

Agent as final.

VI. EXCEPTIONS

Any exceptions to County‘s terms and conditions must be clearly stated in responses to this solicitation under a separate section entitled “Exceptions.” Any exception must include the details of the exception and the reasons for it. County reserves the right to disqualify vendors taking exception to its terms and conditions. Vendors taking exception after notice of award will be disqualified from award of contract.

VII. AWARD

Final award determination will be based primarily on the overall lowest responsive, responsible bid, but is contingent upon Sheriff-Coroner Department/Purchasing Services Bureau approval, which will include a review of bidders’ qualifications and references.