City of New Smyrna Beach

210 Sams Avenue New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 https://www.cityofnsb.com/

RFP 14-26-LS

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND DECORATION DISPLAY

RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2026 DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: May 13, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: June 1, 2026, 5:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnsb https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnsb?status=all

City of New Smyrna Beach

RFP 14-26-LS

Holiday Lights and Decoration Display

I. Public Notice II. Introduction

III. Definitions IV. Description of Services V. General Information

VI. Submittal Requirements VII. Evaluation Criteria

VIII. Insurance Requirements IX. Required Responses

Attachments:

A - Public Records B - Display layout C - Required Documentation and City Forms D - Draft Agreement

2 | P a g e

I. Public Notice

14-26-LS

Holiday Lights and Decoration Display

The City of New Smyrna Beach, Florida (the “City”) is accepting proposals from qualified and experienced Contractors to provide a spectacular holiday light and decoration display as listed in the City's specifications.

Solicitation documents can be obtained through the City's eProcurement Portal found at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnsb.

End of Advertisement

Publish: Daytona News Journal, Monday, April 13, 2026 City website: www.cityofnsb.com OpenGov: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnsb

II. Introduction

Thank you for your interest in doing business with the City of New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

If you are interested in preparing a response to this solicitation, please read the solicitation package in its entirety prior to submitting a response.

Under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, all responses to this solicitation shall be considered public record, subject to distribution pursuant to the request for records by any interested party.

For purposes of this solicitation the terms "Consultant" “Proposer,” “Respondent” and/or “Vendor,” are used interchangeably, and are in reference to the person or entity submitting the response to this solicitation.

II.A Summary

The City of New Smyrna Beach, Florida (the “City”) is accepting proposals from qualified and experienced Contractors to provide a spectacular holiday light and decoration display as listed in the City's specifications. Awarded Contractor must be licensed to do business in the State of Florida in accordance with all specifications, terms, and conditions contained herein.

If an award is made it shall be made to the best overall proposer(s) whose proposal is most advantageous to the City, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in this document. The City shall not use any other factors or criteria in the evaluation of the proposals received. The successful proposer will hereinafter be referred to as the "Contractor".

3 | P a g e

II.B Background

The City serves an area of 41.6 square miles in size and serves a population of approximately 32,852. It is located off of Florida’s East Coast, in the County of Volusia, just north of Cape Canaveral with easy access to both Interstate 95 and Interstate 4. The City’s fiscal year begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th.

The City was created in 1887 by adoption of its first charter, which was replaced through Chapter 224.08, Special Acts of Florida, 1943, and subsequently amended, with the most recent update taking effect January 1, 2021.

The legislative branch of the City is composed of an elected five-member City Commission consisting of the Mayor and four Commissioners. The City Commission is governed by the City Charter and by state and local laws and regulations. The City Commission is responsible for the establishment and adoption of policy. The execution of such policy is the responsibility of the Commission-appointed City Manager.

More detailed information on the government and can be found in City of New Smyrna’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). This report may be viewed on https://www.cityofnsb.com/105/Financial-Reports.

The City of New Smyrna is exempt from any and all state, local and federal taxes.

II.C Contact Information

Janet Vivian Purchasing Agent Email: jvivian@cityofnsb.com Phone: (386) 410-2600 Ext: 2654 Department:

Purchasing

II.D Timeline

Times listed are Eastern Standard Times (EST) and are tentative, they may be subject to change.

Issue RFP Notice April 13, 2026

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory) April 21, 2026, 10:00am New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex 1800 Turnbull Bay Road, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168 https://www.cityofnsb.com/105/Financial-Report mailto:jvivian@cityofnsb.com tel:(386)410-2600;ext=2654

4 | P a g e

Additional Site Visit (Non-Mandatory) May 6, 2026, 11:00am New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex 1800 Turnbull Bay Road, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168

Deadline for Written Questions May 13, 2026, 5:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline June 1, 2026, 5:00pm

Opening of Submittals (Non-Mandatory) June 2, 2026, 11:00am Microsoft Teams Meeting, Call in (audio only) 786-636-1338 Phone Conference ID: 906 858 443#

Evaluation Meeting (Non-Mandatory) June 11, 2026, 11:00am Microsoft Teams Meeting:

join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271408435 551995?p=NzNqarbJsLaczwW4jF

Meeting ID: 271 408 435 551 995 Passcode: GR3rb2Fy or Call in (audio only): 786-636-1338 Phone Conference ID: 762 857 924#

Recommendation of award to City Commission

July 14, 2026

III. Definitions

III.A General Definitions

The terms used in this specification are defined as follows:

Agreement: An understanding, usually in writing, between two or more competent parties, under which one party agrees to certain performance as defined in the agreement and the second party agrees to compensation for the performance rendered in accordance with the conditions of the agreement. Agreements and contracts are sometimes used synonymously.

Competitive Sealed Bids: The receipt of one or more sealed bids or proposals submitted by responsive and qualified bidders or offerors.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271408435551995?p=NzNqarbJsLaczwW4jF https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271408435551995?p=NzNqarbJsLaczwW4jF

5 | P a g e

Contract: The agreement executed by the Owner and the Contractor covering the work to be performed and including all Contract Documents.

Contractor: A person or firm who contracts to sell commodities or contractual services to the City.

Debarment: 1. Prohibits a seller or contractor from bidding on future requirements for cause for a certain period of time. 2. A sanction brought against a seller whereby they may not engage in future procurement actions. 3. To exclude or shut out of future solicitations and contracting opportunities.

Evaluation Committee: A committee established to conduct an evaluation of proposals, interviews, and negotiations during the solicitation process for a specific product or service.

Usually composed of representatives from the functional area identified in the solicitation. May also be described as a Review Committee.

Firm: A partnership or business unit of two or more persons not recognized as a corporation.

Informality or Waiver: The act of disregarding minor informalities, errors, or technical nonconformance in the bid or proposal that will not adversely affect the competition or prejudice one bidder in favor of another.

Owner: City of New Smyrna Beach

Protest: A written objection by an interested party to a solicitation or award of a contract with the intention of receiving a remedial result.

Request for Proposals/Qualifications: A written request for proposals or qualifications from interested vendors and service providers that may or may not ask for pricing information. Also known as an RFP or RFQ.

Specifications: A clear, complete, and accurate statement of the technical requirements descriptive of an item and if applicable, the procedure to be followed to determine if the requirements have been met.

Subcontractor: Any person, firm or corporation other than the Contractor supplying material or labor for work at the site of the project. Such person or firm has contractual relations with the Contractor, but not with the Owner.

Sunbiz: Sunbiz.org is a web site for companies to register to transact business in the State of Florida. It is run by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.

Sunshine Law: A law that requires public disclosure of a government act. Laws that require state and local agencies to conduct their business in the sunshine. In 1992, Florida voters reaffirmed the right to open government by approving an amendment adoption Article 1, [section] 24(6) of the Florida Constitution, which "grant[ed] constitutional status to the public's right of access to all levels of government." Many other states have also adopted similar laws. Public officials have a duty to conduct meetings in the sunshine. They also have a duty to protect the trade secrets of the suppliers with whom they do business.

Surety: Any person, firm or corporation that has executed as Surety.

6 | P a g e

Vendor: A person or entity that provides goods and/or services, usually for low-cost, low-risk, and short-term engagements.

"Consultant" “Proposer,” “Respondent” and/or “Vendor,” are used interchangeably, and are in reference to the person or entity submitting the response to this solicitation.

IV. Description of Services

IV.A General Description of Services

The City of New Smyrna Beach is accepting proposals from an experienced and qualified Contractor to transform an area of the City of New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex into a winter wonderland featuring a spectacular walk-through light display with holiday favorite music and decorations. There shall not be any skyward facing spotlights and/or laser lights/shows.

The Sports Complex is located at 1800 Turnbull Bay Road, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168. A map of the area for the display is provided in the Attachment Section of this document.

This event will be enjoyed by the community annually from December 18 through December 21.

The display shall include high-quality lights, lit decorations and music on timers to remain operational during the times and dates mutually agreed upon by the City and the awarded Contractor. The annual budget for this event is $30,000.

Display shall include, but not limited to:

• Exterior Christmas lights

• Tree lights/solar lighting optional

• Large light displays

• Tunnels/Arches

• Wreaths

Other Services shall include:

o Installation: Display shall be configured and tested to ensure the lights and decorations are working properly and in good working condition. Any connections and/or wires shall be sealed and tight from both rainwater and lawn irrigation systems. Contractor is expected to provide excellent quality materials to meet safe electrical standards.

o Safety: Contractor shall ensure that all safety measures are taken for all lights to avoid short outs and gaps in lighting because of faulty strands. Contractor shall supply all lifts and other materials necessary to safely and successfully install, maintain and remove lights and decorations.

o Inspection and Maintenance: Adjustments to the display shall be provided to ensure the various components continue to work accordingly and to accommodate changes

7 | P a g e in weather conditions. Scheduled inspections will be required to check for any signs of damage, or malfunctioning parts. Including lights, timers, calibration, software updates, electronic components, and moving/interactive parts. Support technicians must be experienced and qualified to troubleshoot technical issues and make necessary repairs on any damaged or malfunctioning parts identified during inspections.

o Emergency Response: Support technicians must be available to respond within hours to any unexpected issues or emergencies that may arise with the display. This includes having a dedicated support team on call for clients to report problems and receive assistance promptly and in no case will ever be more than 24 hours.

o Removal: Contractor is responsible for the removal of all decorations and lighting within seven (7) days of the end of display period. The City will work with the Contractor on the specific dates each year.

IV.B Minimum Qualifications

The successful Contractor must:

• Be experienced in providing, installing and maintaining holiday lighting and decorations.

• Experienced with similar projects for municipal governments.

• Be currently certified, licensed and authorized to work in the State of Florida.

• Qualified staff capable of performing the required services.

• Insured and meeting insurance requirements applicable to perform the services.

Proposers that do not meet the minimum requirements as determined by the City, at its sole discretion, will be deemed non-responsive and not considered for award. All decisions made by the City are final.

Licenses and Certificates: Respondents are required to possess the correct professional license, and any other authorizations necessary to carry out and perform the work in accordance with the specifications pursuant to all applicable Federal, State and Local Law, Statute, Ordinances, and rules and regulations of any kind.

If required and/or requested, copies of the required licenses must be submitted with the solicitation response indicating that the entity proposing, as well as the team assigned to the City account, are properly licensed to perform the activities or work included in the contract documents.

8 | P a g e

V. General Information

V.A Ambiguity, Conflict, or Other Errors in the Solicitation

If a respondent discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the solicitation, the respondent shall immediately notify the Purchasing Department, noted herein, of such error in writing and request modification or clarification of the document. The City shall make modifications by issuing an addendum through the City's e-Procurement portal. No interpretation shall be considered binding unless provided in writing by the City of New Smyrna Beach.

The respondent is responsible for clarifying any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the solicitation prior to submitting the proposal or it shall be waived.

V.B Americans with Disabilities Act

Persons with disabilities needing special accommodation at public meetings should contact the Purchasing Department at 386-410-2654, no later than seven (7) days prior to the appropriate date on which the accommodation is requested.

V.C Award of Contract and Agreement

It is the City’s intent to enter into one agreement with one company for an initial term of three

(3) years with one (1) optional two (2) year renewal, upon approval of the City Commission. Prices shall not increase during the initial term of the contract. However, requests for a price increase can be submitted to the City ninety (90) days prior to a renewal. Price increase requests shall be accompanied by applicable supporting documentation.

A contract resulting from this solicitation shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in a standard City agreement. The City reserves the right to include in any contract document such terms and conditions as it deems necessary for the proper protection of the rights of the City.

The City shall not be obligated to sign any contracts, maintenance and/or service agreements or other documents supplied by the Contractor.

Contract Negotiations: After the ranking is completed, the City will attempt to negotiate an agreement with the top ranked firm or individual which is determined to be in the best interest of the City. The agreement will cover all aspects of the scope of services as described herein. If no agreement is reached with the top ranked firm or individual, negotiations will be terminated and initiated with the next-ranked firm or individual, and so on, until an agreement is reached.

The selected Consultant shall be required to sign a standard City contract within fourteen (14) days of Notice of Selection for Award.

Assignment: The awarded Contractor shall not assign, transfer, convey, sublet or otherwise dispose of this contract, or of any or all of its rights, or interest therein, or his or its power to execute such contract to any person, company or corporation without prior written consent of the City.

9 | P a g e

V.D City's Rights

The City of New Smyrna Beach reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the respondent of the conditions contained in this solicitation, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the City of New Smyrna Beach and the awarded firm or consultant.

The City has the sole discretion and reserves the right to cancel or withdraw this solicitation at any time for any reason, to reject any/all proposals, to waive any/all informalities and/or irregularities, or to re-advertise with either the identical or revised specifications, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the City to do so.

The City also reserves the right to award a contract based on experience and qualifications or to award only a portion of the services specified, if deemed to be in the City’s best interest.

V.E Cone of Silence/Lobbying

Lobbying is defined as any action taken by an individual, firm, association, joint venture, partnership, syndicate, corporation, and/or all other groups who seek to influence the governmental decision of a City Commission Member, the City Manager, any requesting or evaluating Department/Division/Office personnel and/or any member of the Evaluation Committee concerning an active solicitation during the black-out period.

A lobbying black-out period commences upon the issuance of this solicitation document.

If a recommendation to award is presented to City Commission for approval or for a request to provide authorization to negotiate a Contract(s) and the City Commission refers the item back to the City Manager, Procurement Department and/or the requesting Department further review or otherwise does not take action on the item, the Cone of Silence/Lobbying Black-out Period will be reinstated until such time as the City Commission meets to consider the item for action.

Bidders, respondents, potential vendors, service providers, lobbyists, consultants, or vendor representatives shall not contact any City Commission member, the City Manager and/or any member of the evaluation committee concerning an active solicitation during the Cone of Silence/Lobbying Black-out Period.

V.F Conflict of Interest

Submitted proposals shall include a completed Conflict-of-Interest Affidavit provide as an attachment in Section 9 of this solicitation. Disclosure of any potential or actual conflict of interest is subject to City staff review and does not in and of itself disqualify a firm from consideration.

These disclosures are intended to identify and or preclude conflict of interest situations during contract selection and execution.

10 | P a g e

V.G Evaluation of Submittals

An evaluation committee consisting of City staff shall review and score each proposal based on the criteria set forth in the section of this document titled Evaluation Criteria.

Presentations or demonstrations may be scheduled for the top-ranked respondents. If an award of contract is recommended it will be based on the combined scores from the proposal review and presentations, if applicable. The consensus of the committee will be the deciding factor on how to move forward.

A submission of a proposal to the City offers no rights upon the respondent nor obligates the City in any manner. Acceptance of a proposal does not guarantee issuance of any other governmental approvals.

If made, the recommendation of award will be made to the best overall respondent whose proposal is most advantageous to the City, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in this solicitation. The City will not use any other factors or criteria in the evaluation process.

The consensus of the committee will be the deciding factor on how to move forward.

V.H E-Verify

The E-Verify System means an internet-based system operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees.

Pursuant to Florida Statute 448.095, any new contract or renewal with a public agency requires the vendor and any subcontractor thereof to register with and use the E-Verify system to verify the work authorization status of all new employees working in the state of Florida or the United States. If the contractor or vendor enters into a contract with a subcontractor, the subcontractor must provide an affidavit to the contractor or vendor that states that the subcontractor does not employ any unauthorized alien in Florida or the United States. The contractor shall provide and maintain proof of compliance with this statute upon request.

Information on registration for and use of the E-Verify System can be obtained via the internet at the Department of Homeland Security Web site: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

Every Vendor shall, upon request, provide evidence of compliance with this provision to the Owner. Failure to comply with this provision is a material breach of an Agreement, and the Owner may choose to terminate the Agreement at its sole discretion. The Vendor may be liable for all costs associated with the Owner securing the same services, inclusive, but not limited to, higher costs for the same services and rebidding costs (if necessary).

V.I Federal and State Tax

The City of New Smyrna Beach is exempt from Federal and State Sales and Use Taxes for tangible personal property. Consultants doing business with the City shall not be exempted from paying

11 | P a g e sales tax to their suppliers for materials to fulfill contractual obligations with the City nor shall any Consultant be authorized to use the City’s Tax Exemption Number in securing such materials.

V.J Florida Public Records Act

All material submitted regarding this solicitation becomes the property of the City. Solicitation documents may be reviewed by any person ten (10) days after the public opening. The Respondent should take special note of this as it relates to any proprietary information that might be included in its offer. Any resulting contract may be reviewed by any person after the contract has been executed by the City.

The City has the right to use any or all information/material submitted in response to this solicitation and/or any resulting contract from same. Disqualification of a Professional Consultant does not eliminate this right. This section is further subject to F.S. 119.01 et. seq.

IF THE CONTRACTOR HAS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF CHAPTER

119, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO THE CONTRACTOR’S DUTY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC

RECORDS RELATING TO THIS CONTRACT, CONTACT THE CITY'S CUSTODIAN OF

PUBLIC RECORDS, CITY CLERK, AT 386/410-2630, CLERK@CITYOFNSB.COM, CITY

OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH, 210 SAMS AVENUE, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL 32168.

The contractor is required to comply with public records laws, specifically to:

1. Keep and maintain public records required by the public agency to perform the service.

2. Upon request from the public agency’s custodian of public records, provide the public agency 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 this chapter 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 contract term and following completion of the contract if the contractor does not transfer the records to the public agency.

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

12 | P a g e

V.K Foreign Corporation

In accordance with Section 607.150 of the Florida Statutes, and provided an exemption is not available, a foreign corporation may not transact business in Florida until it obtains a certificate of authority from the Florida Department of State.

Foreign corporations may submit bids or proposals prior to obtaining a certificate of authority from the Florida Department of State. A foreign corporation must be in compliance with F.S.

607.150, prior to entering into a Contract with the City.

V.L Governing Law/Jurisdiction

The interpretation, effect, and validity of any contract(s) resulting from this solicitation shall be governed by the laws and regulations of the State of Florida. In the event that a suit is brought for the enforcement of any term of the contract(s), venue of any court action shall be in Volusia County, Florida.

V.M Human Trafficking

Compliance with Florida Statures, 787.06.

A contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to the terms, conditions, provisions and requirements of Section 787.06 of the Florida Statutes and Contractor hereby represents, warrants, and certifies that Contractor does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in Section 787.06, Florida Statutes and that Contractor has provided a complete Human Trafficking Affidavit provided in the Attachment Section of this document.

V.N Immigration Reform and Control Act

Proposer acknowledges, and without exception or stipulation, any firm(s) receiving an award shall be fully responsible for complying with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 as located at 8 U.S.C. 1324, et seq. and regulations relating thereto, as either may be amended. Failure by the awarded firm(s) to comply with the laws referenced herein shall constitute a breach of the award agreement and the City shall have the discretion to unilaterally terminate said agreement immediately.

V.O Inquiries

All questions related to this RFP shall be submitted in writing via the OpenGov Question/Answer Tab via the City's e-Procurement portal, on or before 5:00 pm on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Please include the section title for each question, if applicable, in order to ensure that questions asked are responded to correctly.

When asking questions, please be sure to enter each question separately.

Proposers must clearly understand that the only official answer or position of the City shall be the one stated in writing by the City. All questions submitted and answers provided shall be

13 | P a g e electronically distributed to proposers following this solicitation on the City's e-Procurement Portal.

V.P Joint Ventures

Responders that are intending to submit a bid response as a joint venture are required to have filed proper documents with the Division of Corporations, and/or any other State or local licensing agency prior to submitting a bid response. Please refer to Section 489.119 Florida Statutes.

Joint venture firms must provide an affidavit attesting to the formulation of a joint venture and provide either proof of incorporation as a joint venture or a copy of the formal Joint Venture Agreement between all joint venture parties, indicating their respective roles, responsibilities, and levels of participation for the project.

V.Q Judgements/Legal Findings

By submitting a proposal for consideration, the proposer affirms that they currently have no judgements or other legal findings nor have any pending judgements or other legal findings against the company or any of its executives, with any federal, state or local governmental entities that in any way could impact or have the potential to impact their ability to complete any contract awarded them as a result of this bid. Failure to disclose any such judgments and/or findings will result in the termination of any contracts and other penalties as deemed legal and appropriate by the City.

V.R Legal Requirements

Federal, State, County and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations that in any manner affect the item(s) covered herein apply. Lack of knowledge by the respondent will in no way be cause for relief from responsibility.

V.S Liability

The City of New Smyrna Beach assumes no responsibility for the cost of preparing a response to this solicitation. The awarded consultant shall hold and save the City of New Smyrna Beach, its officers, agents and employees harmless from liability of any kind in the performance of or fulfilling the requirements of a contract which may result from award of this solicitation.

Neither party shall be held responsible for failure to complete contract due to causes beyond its control, including, but not limited to, work stoppage, fires, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, Acts of Nature and similar occurrences making performance impossible or illegal.

The Consultant shall hold and save the City of New Smyrna Beach, its officers, agents, and employees harmless against claims by third parties resulting from the Consultant's breach of contract or negligence, including all attorney’s fees and costs, and shall pay any and all damages, 14 | P a g e fees, and costs assessed on behalf of the City. The City expressly reserves all rights, privileges, and benefits of sovereign immunity.

V.T Method of Source Selection

The City of New Smyrna Beach is using the competitive sealed proposal methodology of source selection for this procurement, as authorized by the City Purchasing Policy.

V.U On-line Provider Disclaimer

It is recommended that respondents register and maintain their registration with OpenGov at www.OpenGov.com. This is a third-party provider that provides a platform to communicate solicitation information to the Public. OpenGov does not represent the City nor does communications through this provider constitute communications to the City. The City of New Smyrna Beach is not responsible for errors and omissions occurring in the transmission or downloading of any documents from the online website. In the event of any discrepancy between information on this website and the hard copy specifications, the terms of the hard copy specification will control.

V.V Opening of Proposals

Sealed proposals will remain sealed until the time of opening listed in Section II of this document. Through Microsoft Teams, the received proposals will be publicly opened, and the proposers' names read aloud at that time. It is important to note that this is public meeting and the meeting will be recorded.

Proposers may contact the City's Purchasing Coordinator to obtain information to view the live bid opening. No discussion of the Proposals will occur at this time.

V.W Payment

Florida Statute 218.70, et seq, known as the "Florida Prompt Payment Act" sets forth "the policy of this state that payment for all purchases by local governmental entities is made in a timely manner". This is also the policy of the City of New Smyrna Beach. The City expects prompt and accurate service from our consultants/vendors, and it shall pay their invoices promptly and accurately.

V.X Pre-Proposal Meeting

A pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for 10:00 am on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The meeting will take place at the New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex, located at 1800 Turnbull Bay Road, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168

15 | P a g e

V.Y Principals/Collusion

By submission of this proposal, the undersigned, as proposer, does declare that the only person or persons interested in this solicitation as principal or principals is/are named therein and that no person other than therein mentioned has any interest in this solicitation or in the contract to be entered into; that this proposal is made without connection with any person, company or parties submitting a proposal, and that it is in all respects fair and in good faith without collusion or fraud.

V.Z Prohibition of Gifts to City Employees

No organization or individual shall offer or give, either directly or indirectly, any favor, gift, loan, fee, service or other item of value to any City employee, as set forth in Chapter 112, Part III, Florida Statutes, the current City Ethics Ordinance, and City Administrative Policy. Violation of this provision may result in one or more of the following consequences:

A. Prohibition by the individual, firm, and/or any employee of the firm from contact with City staff for a specified period of time;

B. Prohibition by the individual and/or firm from doing business with the City for a specified period of time, including but not limited to: submitting bids, RFP, and/or quotes and;

C. Immediate termination of any contract held by the individual and/or firm for cause.

V.AA Proposal, Presentation, and Protest Costs

The City shall not be liable in any way for any costs incurred by any proposer in the preparation of its bid in response to this RFP, nor for the presentation of its bid and/or participation in any discussions, negotiations, or, if applicable, any protest procedures.

V.BB Proposal Due Date

Submittals shall be received prior to 5:00 pm on Monday, June 1, 2026. Submittals shall be submitted through the City’s e-Procurement Portal.

Submittals received after the designated time will not be permitted or accepted. There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City of New Smyrna Beach to reimburse responding firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

V.CC Protest Procedures

1) Respondents who do not agree with the City's recommendation for award shall be afforded the opportunity to protest the recommendation by submitting written notice to the Purchasing Division. Proposals not meeting the minimum published requirements, including specifications, scope of service, or required documents, are not subject to protest.

2) Such notice shall be given within three (3) business days after the City posts its notice of intent to award.

16 | P a g e

3) A formal written protest shall be made to the Purchasing Division within five (5) working days after filing the notice of protest, which shall state the grounds for the protest and the action requested.

4) The formal written protest shall include with it a bid protest bond in the amount of one percent (1%) of the estimated contract amount, as provided in Florida Statutes § 287.042(2)(c) and Rule 28-110.005 of the Florida Administrative Code. The notice of protest must be either hand-delivered and date and time stamped by the Finance Department, or sent via Certified U.S.

mail, return receipt requested. Failure to file a protest within the timeframe specified herein shall constitute a full waiver of all rights to protest the City’s decision regarding award of the bid.

For full bid protest guidance, consult Section 9.1, Notice of Protest, of the City of New Smyrna Beach’s purchasing policy.

V.DD Public Entity Crimes

Pursuant to Section 287.133(12)(a) of the Florida Statutes, “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 on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or CONTRACTOR 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, for CATEGORY TWO ($25,000) for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

V.EE Relation of City

It is the intent of the parties hereto that the consultant shall be legally considered an independent consultant, and that neither the consultant nor their employees shall, under any circumstances, be considered employees or agents of the City, and that the City shall be at no time legally responsible for any negligence on the part of said consultant, their employees or agents, resulting in either bodily or personal injury or property damage to any individual, firm, or corporation.

V.FF Requesting the Solicitation Document

The City of New Smyrna Beach Purchasing Department is the official source to obtain information relating to the City solicitations.

All documents regarding this solicitation are posted utilizing an online bid management system, OpenGov. There is no charge to register with OpenGov and/or to participate in the solicitation process.

17 | P a g e

V.GG Requests for Clarification

The City may, as it deems necessary, conduct discussions with responsible respondents for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to solicitation requirements.

Requests by the Purchasing Manager to a proposer(s) for clarification of a submittal(s) shall be in writing. Proposer’s failure to respond to request for clarification may deem proposer to be non-responsive and may be just cause to reject its proposal.

V.HH Single Proposal

Each Proposer must submit, with their bid, the required forms included in this solicitation. Only one proposal from a legal entity as a primary shall be considered. A legal entity that submits a proposal as a primary or as part of a partnership or joint venture submitting as primary may not then act as a sub-consultant to any other firm submitting under the same solicitation.

All submittals in violation of this requirement shall be deemed non-responsive and rejected from further consideration.

V.II State Registration Requirements

Any corporation submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation shall either be registered or have applied for registration with the Florida Department of State in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 607, Florida Statutes. A copy of the registration/application may be required prior to award of a contract.

Any partnership submitting a response to this Solicitation shall have complied with the applicable provisions of Chapter 620, Florida Statutes. For additional information on these requirements, please contact the Florida Secretary of State’s Office, Division of Corporations at (800) 755-5111 or visit the following website: (http://www.dos.state.fl.us).

V.JJ Termination

Termination for Convenience: The City reserves the right to terminate the Agreement in whole or part at any time without penalty or cause, which termination date shall not be less than thirty

(30) days after the date of such written notice. Upon receipt of the written notice, the Contractor shall immediately stop all work as directed in the notice, notify all subcontractors of the effective date of the termination and minimize all further costs to the City. In the event of termination under this provision, all goods, materials, documents, data and reports prepared by the Contractor under the Agreement shall become the property of and delivered to the City. The Contractor shall be entitled to receive just and equitable compensation for work in progress, work completed, and materials accepted before the effective date of termination. Such compensation shall be the Contractor’s sole remedy against the City in the event of termination under this provision.

18 | P a g e

Termination for Cause or Default: The City reserves the right to terminate the Agreement in whole or in part due to the failure of the Contractor to comply with any term or condition of the Agreement, including failure to acquire and maintain all required insurance policies, bonds, licenses and permits, or to make satisfactory progress in performing the Agreement. The City shall provide written notice of the termination and the reasons for it to the Contractor. Upon termination under this provision, all goods, materials, documents, data and reports prepared by the Contractor under the Agreement shall become the property of and be delivered to the City on demand. The City may, upon termination of the Agreement, procure, on terms and in the manner that it deems appropriate, materials, or services to replace those under the Agreement.

The Contractor shall be liable to the City for any excess costs incurred by the City in re-procuring the materials or services.

Contractor’s Right to Terminate: If the work should be stopped for a period of three (3) months, under any order of any court or public authority, other than by the Owner, through no act of fault of the Contractor or of anyone employed by the Contractor, then the Contractor may, upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Owner, terminate the Contract and recover from the Owner payment for all work executed and any expense sustained plus a reasonable profit thereon.

Force Majeure: No Party shall be liable or responsible to the other party, nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Agreement, for any failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any term of this Agreement, except for any obligations to make payments to the other party hereunder, when and to the extent such failure or delay is caused by or results from acts beyond the impacted party’s control, including but not limited to, the following force majeure events:

a) Acts of God

b) A natural disaster (fires, explosions, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, storms, infestations, epidemic or pandemic)

c) War, invasion, hostilities (regardless if war is declared or not), terrorist threats or acts, riots or other civil unrest

d) Government order or law

e) Actions, embargoes or blockades in effect on or after the date of this Agreement

f) Action by any governmental authority

g) National or regional emergency

h) Strikes, labor stoppages or slowdowns or other industrial disturbance, and

i) Shortage of adequate power or transportation facilities

The Impacted Party shall give notice within two (2) days of the Force Majeure Event to the other party, stating the period of time the occurrence is expected to continue. The impacted party shall use diligent efforts to end the failure or delay and ensure the effects of such Force Majeure Event are minimized. The Impacted Party shall resume the performance of its obligations as soon as reasonably practicable after the removal of the cause. In the event that the Impacted Party’s failure or delay remains uncured for a period of sixty (60) days following Notice given by it, then either party may thereafter terminate this Agreement upon Notice.

19 | P a g e

V.KK Title VI

No person shall on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, family or religious status, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 and other nondiscrimination authorities, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination or retaliation under any program or activity of the City of New Smyrna Beach.

V.LL Validity of Submittal

Submittals cannot be withdrawn after they are filed unless the respondent makes their request in writing to the City prior to the time set for the closing of RFP.

All submittals shall be valid for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the submission date to accommodate evaluation and selection process.

VI. Submittal Requirements

Submittals shall be in strict compliance with the requirements listed herein. Failure to comply with all provisions of this solicitation may result in disqualification.

VI.A Evaluation Committee and Evaluation Factors

A committee of city employees shall evaluate and rank each submittal based on information provided.

Evaluation factors are based on the abilities of the proposer to efficiently perform the Scope of Services as generally outlined in this solicitation. The city shall seek to identify the submittal(s) which shall best meet the needs of the city as determined from the responses received.

A selected group of proposers may be required to make an oral presentation to the committee.

Such presentation shall provide an opportunity for the proposers to clarify the information provided in their submittal. Oral presentations, if any, shall be considered in conjunction with the submitted data by the committee. The committee shall present its recommendation to the City Commission, which has the authority to make the final determination and award contracts.

The evaluation criteria may be modified for the oral presentation portion of the evaluation.

Submissions shall be evaluated on a total score basis, with a maximum score of one hundred

(100) points per committee member. The following criteria shall be used in the evaluation process to determine the successful respondent(s):

Evaluation Criteria Maximum Possible Points Introduction and Letter of Interest 5 Project Approach and Safety Measures 20 Experience and Qualifications 25 Fee Proposal 20

20 | P a g e

References 5 Financial Stability 25 Total Possible Points 100

VI.B Response Format

Submittals shall be deemed an offer to provide services to the City. In submitting, the Proposer understands and agrees to abide by all specifications, provisions, terms and conditions of same, and all ordinances and policies of the City. The Proposer agrees that if the contract is awarded to him/her, he/she shall perform the work in accordance with the provisions, terms and conditions of the contract.

Proposals shall be clear and concise. In order to maintain comparability and to facilitate the review process, proposals shall be organized in the manner specified below:

• Cover page with company logo

• Table of contents

• Tab 1: Introduction and Letter of Interest

• Tab 2: Project Approach and Safety Measures

• Tab 3: Experience and Qualifications

• Tab 4: Fee Proposal

• Tab 5: References and Financial Stability Statement

• Tab 6: City Required Forms

Any portions of the proposal that do not comply with these guidelines or contain variances may be considered non-responsive. Confidential, proprietary information or trade secrets should be marked "Confidential" and uploaded in the Attachment Section of this document.

VI.C Tab 1: Introduction and Letter of Interest

Provide an introduction and letter of interest that highlight each of the key areas of the proposal and that summarizes the Respondent’s experience and qualifications.

Letter of Interest shall be signed by a corporate officer or principal, or a representative authorized to obligate the company and/or joint venture contractually. The summary shall include the business address, telephone number, and e-mail. The respondent or authorized representative is attesting that the information provided is current and factual.

Shall also include:

• A brief profile of the firm which should include their legal name (former name, if applicable); history; business structure; designation of the legal entity by which business operates (sole proprietor, partnership, corporate, LLC, etc.); type of ownership (small business, small disadvantaged business or women-owned business); length of company's existence; locations of their parent company, branch or subsidiary and proposed project

21 | P a g e team; total number of personnel including personnel by discipline; and average annual revenue for the past five (5) years.

• Number of years in business, including operation under other firm names, providing services similar to those described herein.

• Number of years in business in the State of Florida.

VI.D Tab 2: Project Approach and Safety Measures

Provided detailed information for your typical project approach from designing the display through to removing. Include the following:

A. Approach to be taken with working with the City of New Smyrna Beach.

B. List any innovative approaches or techniques your company has implemented to ensure project schedule adherence.

C. Discuss your company's cost estimating procedure and how you integrate new ideas or methodologies to assist your client in achieving a cost-effective project.

D. Competitive advantage: A summary of key elements that differentiate your proposed approach, company, customers, etc., from your competition.

E. Specify amperage and electrical requirements.

F. State the safety measures that will be taken for all lights to avoid short outs and gaps in lighting because of faulty strands.

VI.E Tab 3: Experience and Qualifications

Provide detailed information related to experience and qualifications:

• State the size of the organization including breakdown of the number of employees by job classification.

• Number of years in business, including operation under other company names, providing services similar to those described herein.

• Number of years in business in the State of Florida.

• Provide list of individuals that will have direct role in the performance and supervision of contract.

Examples of Light Displays:

• Provide any additional information and suggestions for designs and features which will enhance the decorative plan.

• Provide photographs of at least three (3) similar outdoor, large-scale lighting and decoration projects which your company has previously created for a municipality, illustrating your experience with planning and producing large scale illumination and decorations and your production style.

22 | P a g e

VI.F Tab 4: Fee Proposal

Provide a detailed fee proposal to include lighting, decorations, installation and removal.

Compensation to the Contractor for the services shall be as set forth on City issued purchase order.