IDNR Nursery Labor IFB R10495 Amendment 1.pdf

Date: October 22, 2018

Subject: State Nursery Labor, BidBuy Reference# 18-422DNR-RESCO-B-3461

Transmitted herewith, please find Amendment #1 for the above referenced project.

This amendment is issued to modify the following:

• The Agency Reference number throughout the document has been changed from 18-

422DNR-ILSTM-B-3461 to 18-422DNR-RESCO-B-3461. The Reference number was correct in BidBuy, but there was an error in the initial published solicitation document.

• Add/Modify language in Section 1.4 VENDOR / STAFF SPECIFICATIONS to:

1.4.7.5 Vendor shall provide all personal protective equipment for employees. Vendor shall provide a vehicle(s) for Vendor crew use at the site for the purpose of transportation within the nursery.

• Add/Modify language in Section 1.4. VENDOR/STAFF SPECIFICATIONS to:

1.4.8 Vendor shall provide a minimum of three (3) total references from established firms or government agencies for whom Vendor has performed nursery services, other than the procuring agency, that can attest ot Vendor’s experience and ability to perform the contract that is the subject of this solicitation. References shall be provided in a separate attachment in the following format and shall include:

a. Firm/Government Agency/University (name)

b. Contact Person (name, address, phone, and email address)

c. Date of Supplies/Services Provided

d. Type of Supplies/Service Provided

References may be submitted at the time of bid but are required prior to contract award.

If you have any questions or comments regarding these changes, please contact Nicole Bergee at nicole.bergee@illinois.gov for assistance.

Thank you.

STATE OF ILLINOIS

INVITATION FOR BID

Department of Natural Resources

State Nursery Labor

18-422DNR-RESCO-B-3461

In compliance with the State and Federal Constitutions, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the U.S. Civil Rights Act, and Section 504 of the

Federal Rehabilitation Act, the State of Illinois does not discriminate in employment, contracts, or any other activity.

The State of Illinois encourages prospective vendors to consider hiring qualified veterans and Illinois residents discharged from any Illinois adult correctional center, in appropriate circumstances.

State of Illinois IFB

Title Page

V.18.3

The Department of Natural Resources (“Agency” or “State”) requests Bids from responsible vendors to meet its needs. A brief description is set forth below for Bidder’s convenience, with detailed requirements in subsequent sections of this solicitation. If interested and able to meet these requirements, the State appreciates and welcomes a Bid.

Brief Description:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking a Vendor to provide labor services to weed seed beds; harvest seed; and harvest, grade, sort, count, and package seedlings at the Mason State Nursery in

Topeka, Illinois.

The resulting contract with the awarded Bidder shall have an initial term that shall commence January 1, 2019 or upon the last dated signature of the Parties, whichever is later, and shall terminate 24 months from contract execution. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the initial term, any renewal terms, and any extensions exceed ten (10) years. Subject to the maximum total term limitation.

The Department of Natural Resources has the option to renew for the following terms: Total of three (3) years.

The resulting contract has an estimated value that exceeds $50,000.

Please read the entire solicitation package and submit a Bid for evaluation in accordance with the instructions. All forms and signature areas contained in the solicitation package should be completed in full and submitted along with the price proposal which will constitute the Bid. If submitting your Bid in paper format and by mail, do not submit the instructions pages with bids. Bidders should keep the instructions and a copy of their bids for future reference.

Forms A and Forms B may be downloaded from the Illinois Procurement Bulletin (IPB) or from links provided in the Outline section of this document. These sections are a material part of this solicitation and should be returned when applicable with a Bidder’s Bid.

Bids that do not adhere to Form and Content of Bid requirements may not be considered.

OUTLINE

State of Illinois IFB

OUTLINE

V.18.3

SECTION 1.

Part

Instructions and General Information ............................................................................................... A.

Process Changes Resulting from BidBuy ....................................................................................... A.1

Conflict Between Information on Paper and BidBuy .................................................................... A.2

How to Enter Information ............................................................................................................. A.3

Published Procurement Information ............................................................................................ A.4

Solicitation Contact ....................................................................................................................... A.5

Bidder Questions and Agency Response ...................................................................................... A.6

Required Meetings ........................................................................................................................ A.7

Bid Due Date, Time and Address for Submission of Bids .............................................................. A.8

Organization Required .................................................................................................................. A.9

Submission of Bids ...................................................................................................................... A.10

Security ....................................................................................................................................... A.11

Small Business Set-Aside ............................................................................................................. A.12

Minority Contractor Initiative ..................................................................................................... A.13

Federal Funds .............................................................................................................................. A.14

Employment Tax Credit .............................................................................................................. A.15

Governing Law and Forum ......................................................................................................... A.16

Public Records and Requests for Confidential Treatment ......................................................... A.17

Reservations ................................................................................................................................ A.18

Award .......................................................................................................................................... A.19

Invoicing Address ........................................................................................................................ A.20

Protest Review Office ................................................................................................................. A.21

Evaluation Process ...................................................................................................................... A.22

Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Participation and Utilization Plan ............... A.23

Veteran Small Business Participation and Utilization Plan ......................................................... A.24

BidBuy Terminology and Guidance ............................................................................................. A.25

OUTLINE

V.18.3

SECTION 2.

Offer to the State of Illinois .............................................................................................................. B.

SECTION 3.

Exceptions to Solicitation and Contract Terms and Conditions ...................................................... C.

CONTRACT

Description of Supplies and Services .................................................................................................. 1.

Goal ............................................................................................................................................... 1.1

Supplies and/or Services Required ............................................................................................... 1.2

Milestones and Deliverables ......................................................................................................... 1.3

Vendor/Staff Specifications .......................................................................................................... 1.4

Special Terms and Conditions…………..………………………………………………………………………………………1.5

Transportation and Delivery ......................................................................................................... 1.6

Subcontracting .............................................................................................................................. 1.7

Successor Vendor .......................................................................................................................... 1.8

Where Services Are to Be Performed ........................................................................................... 1.9

Pricing .............................................................................................................................................. 2.

Format of Pricing ........................................................................................................................... 2.1

Type of Pricing............................................................................................................................... 2.2

Expenses Allowed ......................................................................................................................... 2.3

Vendor’s Pricing ............................................................................................................................ 2.4

Renewal Compensation ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2.5

Maximum Amount ........................................................................................................................ 2.6

Term and Termination ...................................................................................................................... 3.

Term of this Contract .................................................................................................................... 3.1

Renewal ........................................................................................................................................ 3.2

Termination for Cause .................................................................................................................. 3.3

Termination for Convenience ....................................................................................................... 3.4

Availability of Appropriation ......................................................................................................... 3.5

Standard Business Terms and Conditions ........................................................................................... 4.

Payment Terms and Conditions .................................................................................................... 4.1

OUTLINE

V.18.3

Assignment ................................................................................................................................... 4.2

Subcontracting .............................................................................................................................. 4.3

Audit/Retention of Records .......................................................................................................... 4.4

Time is of the Essence ................................................................................................................... 4.5

No Waiver of Rights ...................................................................................................................... 4.6

Force Majeure ............................................................................................................................... 4.7

Confidential Information .............................................................................................................. 4.8

Use and Ownership ....................................................................................................................... 4.9

Indemnification and Liability ...................................................................................................... 4.10

Insurance ..................................................................................................................................... 4.11

Independent Contractor ............................................................................................................. 4.12

Solicitation and Employment ...................................................................................................... 4.13

Compliance with the Law ............................................................................................................ 4.14

Background Check ....................................................................................................................... 4.15

Applicable Law ............................................................................................................................ 4.16

Anti-Trust Assignment ................................................................................................................ 4.17

Contractual Authority ................................................................................................................. 4.18

Expatriated Entities ..................................................................................................................... 4.19

Notices ........................................................................................................................................ 4.20

Modifications and Survival .......................................................................................................... 4.21

Performance Record/Suspension ............................................................................................... 4.22

Freedom of Information Act ....................................................................................................... 4.23

Schedule of Work ........................................................................................................................ 4.24

Warranties for Supplies and Services ......................................................................................... 4.25

Reporting Status and Monitoring Specifications ........................................................................ 4.26

Employment Tax Credit............................................................................................................... 4.27

State Supplemental Provisions .......................................................................................................... 5.

The following sections of the solicitation may be opened by clicking on the link provided or downloaded from the Illinois Procurement Bulletin.

FORMS A

Complete this section if you are not using an Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) Registration # https://www.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Documents/Forms%20A%20Section%20V.15.2.doc

OUTLINE

V.18.3

Business and Directory Information ................................................................................................... 1.

Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number .......................................................... 2.

Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois ............................................................. 3.

Standard Certifications ...................................................................................................................... 4.

State Board of Elections .................................................................................................................... 5.

Disclosure of Business Operations in Iran ........................................................................................... 6.

Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest .................................................................................... 7.

Taxpayer Identification Number ........................................................................................................ 8.

FORMS B

Complete this section only if you are using a valid IPG Registration #

To ensure that you are registered in the IPG, search for your business name in the IPG Registered

Vendor Directory. If your company does not appear in the search results, then you are not registered in the IPG.

https://www.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Documents/Forms%20B%20Section%20V.15.2.doc

Illinois Procurement Gateway Registration # and expiration date ....................................................... 1.

Certification Timely to this Solicitation or Contract ............................................................................ 2.

Disclosures of Lobbyists and Contracts ........................................................................................... 3-4.

INSTRUCTIONS AND GENERAL INFORMATION

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

SECTION 1. INSTRUCTIONS AND GENERAL INFORMATION

A.1 PROCESS CHANGES RESULTING FROM BIDBUY: BidBuy is the new electronic procurement system being used by agencies under the jurisdiction of the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services.

With the implementation of BidBuy, some procurement processes have changed. In some instances, BidBuy entirely replaces the State’s previous procurement processes. In others, the past instruction or process remains unchanged or is augmented by BidBuy.

Use of BidBuy to submit a bid is completely voluntary. The State continues to accept bids submitted entirely on paper. If a Bidder chooses to enter information via BidBuy, special attention must be paid to the instructions that follow this symbol “ ”. These instructions are specific to BidBuy and augment the preceding information. They indicate that the BidBuy instruction or process may be different than when submitting information in paper format. Bidders shall read the entire contents of this document and direct any questions to the Solicitation Contact found in A.5.

All vendors awarded by the State must be registered in BidBuy. All vendors are encouraged to self-register at https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso/. If assistance with registration is required, please contact the BidBuy Help Desk by emailing il.bidbuy@illinois.gov or calling (866) 455-2897.

A.2 CONFLICT BETWEEN INFORMATION ON PAPER AND BIDBUY: If the State provides information on paper that is different or in conflict with the information the State provides in BidBuy, then the information on paper is presumed to represent the State’s intent. If the Bidder provides information on paper that is different or in conflict with the information the Bidder provides in BidBuy, then the information on paper shall represent the Bidder’s intended submission.

A.3 HOW TO ENTER INFORMATION: Type information in the text fields provided. Text fields are indicated by the instruction “Click here to enter text.” in red font. If the information requested does not apply to the Bidder’s situation, then enter “N/A” into the text field. Please enter the requested information or

N/A into every red text field. Please note that the CONTRACT section of this solicitation may be used as the contract between the State of Illinois and the awarded vendor. If used, then the Financial

Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest, Disclosure of Business Operations in Iran, and Standard

Certifications provided in Forms A or the Illinois Procurement Gateway, and certifications and disclosures provided in Forms B (if applicable) will become a material part of the contract.

If the State allows electronic quotes, then the Bidder may submit some information via BidBuy by following the prompts and instructions contained within BidBuy.

A.4 PUBLISHED PROCUREMENT INFORMATION: The State publishes procurement information, including updates on the General Services Illinois Procurement Bulletin (www.purchase.state.il.us), referred to as the “Bulletin”. Procurement information may not be available in any other form or location. Bidder is

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 responsible for monitoring the Bulletin. The State will not be held responsible if Bidder fails to receive the optional e-mail notices.

The Chief Procurement Office for General Services publishes procurement information, including solicitations, awards, and amendments, to the Illinois Procurement Bulletin (IPB) sites at either www.purchase.state.il.us or https://bidbuy.illinois.gov, but not to both sites. Bidders are encouraged to register and monitor both sites. The State anticipates that it will cease use of www.purchase.state.il.us for the publication of solicitations, awards, and general notices by January

2019.

A.5 SOLICITATION CONTACT: The individual listed below shall be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Bidders may only communicate with the Solicitation

Contact. The State/Agency shall not be held responsible for information provided by or to any other person.

Solicitation Contact: Nicole Bergee Phone: 217-557-6794

Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Fax: 217-785-8565

Street Address: One Natural Resources Way TDD: 217-782-9175

City, State Zip: Springfield, IL 62702

Email: nicole.bergee@illinois.gov

Suspected errors should be immediately reported to the Solicitation Contact identified above. Do not discuss, directly or indirectly, the solicitation or any Bid with any State officer or employee other than the Solicitation Contact.

Each solicitation published in BidBuy contains the Solicitation Contact’s name and phone number appearing as the “Info Contact.”

A.6 BIDDER QUESTIONS AND AGENCY RESPONSE: All questions, other than questions raised at the

Bidder Conference/Site Visit, pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the

Solicitation Contact no later than Friday, October 19, 2018. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as an Addendum to the original solicitation on the Bulletin; only these posted answers to questions shall be binding on the State. Bidders are responsible for monitoring the Bulletin.

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

If allowed by the State, Bidders may submit questions to the State via BidBuy in the Q&A tab.

All questions, other than questions raised at the Bidder Conference/Site Visit, pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing no later than the date in the paragraph above.

A.7 REQUIRED MEETINGS

Bidder Conference/Site Visit: Yes No

Mandatory Attendance: Yes No

If attendance is mandatory, Bidder (current vendor included) will be disqualified and considered non-responsive if Bidder does not attend, is not on time, leaves early or fails to sign the attendance sheet.

Bidder must allow adequate time to accommodate security screenings at the site.

Date: Monday, October 15, 2018

Time: 10:30 a.m. CST

Location: Mason State Nursery

17855 North County Road 2400 East

Topeka, IL 61567

Phone: 309-535-2185

For directions please call the Nursery.

A.8 BID DUE DATE, TIME, AND ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION OF BIDS: Bids will be opened at the

Submit/Deliver Bids To address below at the Bid Due Date & Time specified. Late bids shall be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered. 44Ill. Adm. Code 1.2005(b).

A.8.1. Bid Due Date & Time

Date: Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Time: 2:00 P.M. CST

Each solicitation published in BidBuy contains the Bid Due Date and Time appearing as the “Bid Opening Date”.

If checked, see the published Bid Solicitation in BidBuy.

A.8.2. Bid Firm Time: Vendor’s Bid must remain firm for 90 days from opening.

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

A.8.3. Submit/Deliver Paper Bids To: Label (outside of envelopes/containers):

Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources “Sealed Bid – Do Not Open”

Attn: Nicole Bergee Project Title & Reference #:

DNR State Nursery Labor

Reference# 18-422DNR-RESCO-B-3461

Address: One Natural Resources Way Due Date & Time: Tuesday, October 30, 2018

2:00 P.M. CST

City, State Zip: Springfield, IL 62702 Vendor Name

Vendor City, State and Zip

A.9 ORGANIZATION REQUIRED: Paper Bids may be submitted in as few as three and as many as five packets. Please follow these instructions carefully.

A.9.1. Packet 1 shall contain the Contract section and if applicable a Redacted copy (Section 1, Part A.15).

A.9.2. Packet 2 shall contain the Offer (Section 2, Part B).

If applicable, the packet shall also contain Exceptions to Solicitation Contract Terms and

Conditions (Section 3, Part C.1) and References (Section 3, Part C.2).

A.9.2.1. Exceptions must be provided on the Exceptions to Solicitation Contract Terms and

Conditions form or must be in a substantially similar format. Agency discourages taking exceptions. State law shall not be circumvented by the exception process.

Exceptions may result in rejection of the Bid.

A.9.2.2. Additional Bidder Provisions may be stated on the Exceptions to Solicitation

Contract Terms and Conditions form, but should not include exceptions to Agency specifications, terms and conditions, or any other part of this solicitation. This is supplemental information that supports a Bidder’s position or, for example, a

Bidder’s licensing agreement.

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

A.9.3. Packet 3 shall contain either Forms A or Forms B. Forms A contains eight forms and shall be returned by Bidders that are not registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG).

Forms B contains three forms and is only returned by Bidders that have a valid IPG registration number with expiration date and elect to not use the forms found in Forms

A.

A.9.4. Packet 4 should contain a response to the Minorities, Females, and Persons with

Disabilities participation requirements. Packet 4 is only returned if a Business Enterprise

Program goal is stated in instruction A.24.

A.9.5. Packet 5 should contain a response to the Veteran Small Business (VSB) participation requirements. Packet 5 is only returned if a VSB goal is stated in instruction A.25.

Separately seal and label each packet.

If the State allows electronic quotes, the Bidder may submit via BidBuy the following forms and others by uploading them in the Attachment tab.

• Offer to the State

• Contract

• Redacted copy of Bid (if applicable)

• Exceptions to Solicitation Contract Terms and Conditions (if applicable)

• References (if applicable)

• Standard Certifications

• Forms A (if applicable)

• Forms B (if applicable)

• Letter of Intent (if applicable)

• BEP Utilization Plan (if applicable)

• Veteran Small Business Utilization Plan (if applicable)

• Bid bond (if applicable)

If the Bidder submits its Bid entirely via BidBuy, then the Bidder must complete, sign, and upload all required documents, such as the Offer to the State of Illinois, Contract, , and either Forms A or Forms B.

A.10 SUBMISSION OF BIDS: To aid in the organization of the Bid, submit it in separately sealed packets as indicated below and clearly labeled with the Invitation for Bid title, the IPB reference number, the packet number, the Bidder’s name and the wording: “Sealed Bid – Do Not Open.” The separately sealed packets may be submitted together in one mailing/shipping box. You may put the entire Bid on one CD or USB flash drive.

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

Subject Matter # of Originals # of Hard Copies # of CDs or USB flash drives

Contract and if applicable a Redacted copy –

PACKET 1 One (1) None None

SECTION 2 Part B (OFFER) and applicable forms in SECTION 3 Part C – PACKET 2 One (1) None None

FORMS A or FORMS B– PACKET 3 One (1) None None

A.11 SECURITY: Bid Bond $ none / Performance Bond $ none

A.12 SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE: Yes No. If “Yes” is marked, Bidder must be qualified by the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Bids are due in order for the Bid to be evaluated.

For complete requirements and to qualify Bidder’s business in the Small Business Set-Aside

Program, visit (https://ipg.vendorreg.com/FrontEnd/VendorSearchRegistry.asp?TN=ipg&XID=7599).

A.13 MINORITY CONTRACTOR INITIATIVE: The State requires a fee of $15 to cover expenses related to the administration of the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative. Any Bidder awarded a contract of $1,000 or more under Section 20-10, 20-15, 20-25 or 20-30 of the Illinois Procurement

Code (30 ILCS 500) is required to pay a fee of $15. The Comptroller shall deduct the fee from the first check issued to the Vendor under the contract and deposit the fee in the Comptroller’s

Administrative Fund. 15 ILCS 405/23.9.

A.14 FEDERAL FUNDS: The resulting contract may be partially or totally funded with Federal funds.

Upon notice of intent to award, the percentage of the goods and/or services involved which are

Federally funded and the dollar amount of such Federal funds will be disclosed.

A.15 EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT: Bidders who hire qualified veterans and certain ex-offenders may be eligible for tax credits. 30 ILCS 500/45-67 and 45-70. Please contact the Illinois Department of

Revenue (217-524-4772) for information about tax credits.

A.16 GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM: Illinois law and rule govern this solicitation. Bidder must bring any action relating to this solicitation in the appropriate court in Illinois. This document contains statutory references designated with “ILCS.” Bidder may view the full text at

(http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp). The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) and the

Standard Procurement Rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1 are applicable to this solicitation and may be

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 respectively viewed at (http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=532&ChapterID=7) and

(http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html).

A.17 PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT: Bids become the property of the State. All Bids will be open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act

(FOIA) (5 ILCS 140) and other applicable laws and rules, unless Bidder requests in its Bid that the

State treat certain information as confidential. A request for confidential treatment will not supersede the State’s legal obligations under FOIA. The State will not honor requests to keep entire Bids confidential. Bidders must show the specific grounds in FOIA or other law or rule that support confidential treatment. Regardless, the State will disclose the successful Bidder’s name, the substance of the Bid, and the price.

If Bidder requests confidential treatment, Bidder must submit additional copy/copies (see

Instructions for Submitting Bids in Section A.10) of the bid with proposed confidential information redacted. This redacted copy must tell the general nature of the material removed and shall retain as much of the Bid as possible. In a separate attachment, Bidder shall supply a listing of the provisions identified by section number for which it seeks confidential treatment and identify the statutory basis or bases under Illinois law, including a detailed justification for exempting the information from public disclosure. Bidder must label the attachment as “Redacted” and return it in Packet 1.

Bidder will hold harmless and indemnify the State for all costs or damages associated with the

State defending Bidder’s request for confidential treatment. Bidder agrees that the State may copy the Bid to facilitate evaluation, or to respond to requests for public records. Bidder warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party.

If the State allows electronic quotes, then when submitting a redacted copy of the Bid via

BidBuy, the Bidder shall include “Redacted” in the file name. When attaching the unredacted version, the Bidder shall include “Unredacted” in the file name and check the Confidential box on the Attachments tab which ensures that BidBuy does not display the unredacted document to the public.

A.18 RESERVATIONS: Bidder must read and understand the solicitation and tailor the Bid and all activities to ensure compliance. The State reserves the right to amend the solicitation, reject any or all bids, award by item, group of items, or grand total, and waive minor defects. The State may request a clarification, inspect Bidder’s premises, interview staff, request a presentation, or otherwise verify the contents of the Bid, including information about subcontractors and suppliers. The State will make all decisions on compliance, evaluation, and terms and conditions, and shall make decisions in the best interests of the State and in accordance with the Illinois

Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/), associated administrative rules and other applicable State and

Federal statutes and regulations. This competitive process may require that the Bidder provide

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 additional information or otherwise cooperate with the State. If a Bidder does not comply with requests for information or cooperate, the State may reject the Bid as Non-Responsive to the solicitation. Submitting a Bid does not entitle the Bidder to an award or a contract. Posting a vendor’s name in a Bulletin notice does not entitle the vendor to a contract. The State is not responsible for and will not pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of any

Bid. Awarded vendor(s) shall not commence, and will not be paid for any billable work undertaken prior to the date all parties execute the contract, unless approved in writing in advance by the

State Purchasing Officer or the Chief Procurement Officer (or designee).

A.19 AWARD: The State is not obligated to award a contract pursuant to this solicitation. If the State issues an award, the award will be made to the Responsive and Responsible Bidder who submits the lowest price. The State will post a notice to the Bulletin identifying the apparent low cost Bidder. The State may accept or reject a Bidder’s Bid as submitted, or may require contract negotiations. If negotiations do not result in an acceptable agreement, the State may reject the Bidder’s Bid and begin negotiations with another Bidder. Awards are not final until all protests are resolved.

A.20 INVOICING ADDRESS: The awarded Vendor shall invoice at the completion of the contract unless invoicing is tied in the contract to milestones, deliverables, or other invoicing requirements agreed to in the contract. Send invoices to:

Agency Name: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Agency Department: Mason State Nursery Attn: Dave Horvath

Street Address: 17855 North County Road 2400 East

City, State, Zip Code: Topeka, IL 61567

Email: Dave.Horvath@Illinois.gov

Vendor shall not bill for any taxes unless accompanied by proof the State is subject to the tax. If necessary, Vendor may request the applicable Agency’s Illinois tax exemption number and Federal tax exemption information.

Each Bid Solicitation in BidBuy contains the Invoicing Address appearing as the “Bill-to

Address”.

If checked, see the published Bid Solicitation in BidBuy.

A.21 PROTEST REVIEW OFFICE: Bidders may submit a written protest to the Protest Review Office following the requirements of the Standard Procurement Rules. 44 ILL. ADM. CODE 1.5550. For protests related to specifications, the Protest Review Office must physically receive the protest no later than fourteen

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

(14) days after the solicitation or related addendum was posted to the Bulletin. For protests related to rejection of individual bids or awards, the protest must be received by close of business no later than fourteen (14) days after the protesting party knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the protest. The Protest Review Office information is as follows:

Chief Procurement Office Email: eec.legalstaff@illinois.gov

Attn: Protest Review Office

401 S. Spring Street Facsimile: (217) 558-1399

Suite 515 Stratton Office Building Illinois Relay: (800) 526-0844

Springfield, IL 62706

A.22 EVALUATION PROCESS: The State evaluates three categories of information: Responsibility, Responsiveness, and Price. The State will consider the information provided and the quality of that information when evaluating the Bidder’s Bid. If the State finds a failure or deficiency, the State may reject the Bid or reflect the failure or deficiency in the evaluation.

A.22.1. RESPONSIVENESS: A responsive bidder is one who submits a bid that conforms in all material respects to the Invitation for Bid, and includes all required forms. Required forms may include, but may not be limited to:

A.22.1.1. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Bid includes any subcontractors, then Bidder shall provide the names and addresses of subcontractors in the CONTRACT, Part 1.6.

A.22.1.2. References: If references are required, then Bidder shall complete and return the References form in Section 3, Part C.2.

A.22.1.3. If completing Forms B, then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

• Valid Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

• Disclosure of lobbyists for Bidder and parent entity(ies)

• Disclosure of pending and current contracts

• Certifications timely to this solicitation

A.22.1.4. If completing Forms A, required forms may include, but may not be limited to:

• Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois: A person

(other than an individual acting as a sole proprietor) must be a duly constituted legal entity prior to submitting a bid and authorized to transact business or conduct affairs in Illinois prior to execution of the

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 contract. For more information, see Authorized to Transact Business or

Conduct Affairs in Illinois in Forms A, Part 3.

• State Board of Elections Registration: Vendor or Bidder may be prohibited from making political contributions and be required to register with the State Board of Elections. For more information, see State Board of Elections in Forms A, Part 5.

• Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number: Bidder may complete and return the IDHR Public Contract Number form in

Forms A, Part 2, or in the Illinois Procurement Gateway.

• Standard Certifications: Bidder shall complete and return the Standard

Certifications form in Forms A, Part 4, or in the Illinois Procurement

Gateway.

• Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest: Bidder shall complete and return the Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest form in Forms A, Part 7, or in the Illinois Procurement Gateway.

• Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran: Bidder shall complete and return the Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran form in Forms A, Part 6, or in the Illinois Procurement Gateway.

• Business and Directory Information: Bidder shall complete and return the

Business and Directory Information form in Forms A, Part 1, or in the

Illinois Procurement Gateway.

• Taxpayer Identification Number: Bidder shall complete and return the

Taxpayer Identification form in Forms A, Part 8, or in the Illinois

Procurement Gateway.

A.22.1.5. The State will determine whether the Bid meets the stated requirements.

Minor differences or deviations that have negligible impact on the price or suitability of the supply or service to meet the State’s needs may be accepted or corrections allowed. If no Bidder meets a particular requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

A.22.1.6. When the specification calls for “Brand Name or Equal,” the brand name product is acceptable. Other products will be considered with proof the other product meets stated specifications and is equivalent to the brand product in terms of quality, performance and desired characteristics.

A.22.1.7. The State will determine whether Bids complied with the instructions for submitting Bids. Except for late submissions, and other requirements that by

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 law must be part of the submission, the State may require that a Bidder correct deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.22.2. RESPONSIBILITY: A responsible Bidder is one who has the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements and who has the integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance. The State determines whether the Bidder is a

“Responsible” bidder; a bidder with whom the State can or should do business. For example, the State may consider the following:

A.22.2.1. A “prohibited bidder” includes any person assisting an employee of the State of Illinois by reviewing, drafting, directing, or preparing any invitation for bids, a request for proposal, or request for information, or providing similar assistance unless such assistance was part of a publicly issued opportunity to review drafts of all or part of these documents. For purposes of this section, an employee of the State of Illinois means one who, by the nature of his or her duties, has the authority to participate personally and substantially in the decision to award a State contract. No person or business shall submit specifications to a State agency unless requested to do so by an employee of the State. No person or business that contracts with a State agency to write specifications for a particular procurement need shall submit a bid or proposal or receive a contract for that procurement need.

Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a vendor from bidding or offering to supply developing technology, goods or services after providing the State with a demonstration of the developing technology, goods, or services;

provided the subject of the demonstration to the State represents industry trends and innovation and is not specifically designed to meet the State's needs. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a person or business from submitting a bid or offer or entering into a contract if the person or business:

(i) initiates a communication with an employee to provide general information about products, services, or industry best practices and, if applicable, that communication is documented in accordance with Section

50-39 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/) or (ii) responds to a communication initiated by an employee of the State for the purposes of providing information to evaluate new products, trends, services, or technologies (30 ILCS 500/50-10.5).

A.22.2.2. Other factors that the State may evaluate to determine Responsibility include, but are not limited to: political contributions, certifications, conflict of interest, financial disclosures, taxpayer identification number, past performance in business or industry, references (including those found outside the Offer,) compliance with applicable laws, financial responsibility, insurability, effective equal opportunity compliance, payment of prevailing wages if required by law, capacity to produce or sources of supply, and the ability to provide required maintenance service or other matters relating to

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3 the Bidder’s ability to deliver in the quality and quantity within the time and price as specified in this solicitation.

A.22.2.3. Awarded Bidders must at all times have financial resources sufficient, in the opinion of the State, to ensure performance of the contract and must provide proof upon request. The State may require a performance bond if, in the opinion of the State, it ensures performance of the contract. The State may terminate the contract, consistent with the termination for cause provision of the contract, if the vendor lacks the financial resources to perform under the contract.

A.22.2.4. The State may require that a Bidder correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.22.3. PRICE: The State identifies the lowest priced Bidder that meets Responsibility and

Responsiveness requirements. The State ranks Bids in order of price when appropriate.

A.23 BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN: This solicitation may contain a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the State’s procurement and contracting processes. If the solicitation is for non-construction supplies or services and contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan shall render the Bid non-responsive. 30 ILCS 575/4(f). All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Agency Business Enterprise

Program (BEP) Liaison prior to submission of proposals.

Does this solicitation contain a BEP goal? Yes No

Businesses included in Utilization Plans as meeting BEP requirements as prime vendors or subcontractors must be certified by CMS as BEP vendors prior to the Bid closing date. Go to

(http://www.illinois.gov/cms/business/sell2/bep/Pages/default.aspx) for complete requirements for

BEP certification. Go to https://cms.diversitycompliance.com/ to search for certified BEP vendors.

Each Bid Solicitation in BidBuy indicates if there is a Minorities, Women, and Persons with

Disabilities Utilization goal.

A.24 VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN: This solicitation may contain a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by military veterans in the State’s procurement and contracting processes. If the solicitation contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan as instructed later in this solicitation may render the Bid non-responsive. All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Agency Veteran Small Business Liaison prior to submission of proposals.

Does this solicitation contain a Veteran Small Business goal? Yes No

Section 1. Part A. Instructions and General Information

V.18.3

Businesses included in Utilization Plans as meeting Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Service

Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) requirements as prime vendors or subcontractors must be certified by CMS as VOSB or SDVOSB vendors prior to Bid opening date. Go to

(http://www.illinois.gov/cms/business/sell2/Pages/VeteranownedBusinesses.aspx) for complete requirements for VOSB or SDVOSB certification. Go to https://cms.diversitycompliance.com/ to search for certified VOSB and SDVOSB vendors.

Each Bid Solicitation in BidBuy indicates if there is a Veteran Small Business Utilization goal.

A.25 BIDBUY TERMINOLOGY AND GUIDANCE: BidBuy is an online e-procurement system. There is some difference between the procurement terminology used in this solicitation and the terms used in BidBuy. Please learn more about BidBuy by accessing the online resources found here:

https://www.illinois.gov/cpo/PathwayToProcurement/Pages/BidBuy.aspx.

-END OF INSTRUCTIONS

OFFER TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Section 2. Part B. Offer to the State of Illinois

V.18.3

SECTION 2. OFFER TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Project Title / Reference #: DNR State Nursery Labor, Reference# 18-422DNR-RESCO-B-3461

The undersigned authorized representative of the identified Bidder hereby submits this Offer to the State of

Illinois to perform in full compliance with the subject solicitation. By completing and signing this form, Bidder makes an Offer to the State of Illinois that the State may accept.

Bidder should use this Form as a final checklist to ensure that all required documents are completed and included with the Bid. Bidder must mark each blank below as appropriate; mark N/A when a section is not applicable to this solicitation. Bidder understands that failure to meet all requirements is cause for disqualification.

B.1 SOLICITATION AND CONTRACT REVIEW

Bidder has reviewed the Solicitation and Contract, including all referenced documents and instructions, filled in all relevant blanks, and provided any requested information.

Yes No

B.2 ADDENDA

Bidder has taken into account any and all addendums to the solicitation in making this Bid.

Yes No N/A

B.3 BIDDER CONFERENCE

If attendance was mandatory, Bidder attended the Bidder Conference.

Yes No

B.4 BID SUBMISSION

If submitting a paper Bid, Bidder has packaged the Bid in a properly labeled container, addressed to the correct location, included the correct number of copies, and allowed enough time for delivery by the due date and time.

Yes No

Section 2. Part B. Offer to the State of Illinois

V.18.3

Bidder has enclosed references and all pertinent contact information for the references.

Yes No

B.5 FORMS A or FORMS B: Bidder is properly submitting either Forms A or Forms B, but not both.

Yes No

B.6 BOND

If applicable, Bidder has submitted its Bid Bond or Performance Bond.

N/A

B.7 SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

Bidder is a qualified small business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Bids are due.

N/A

B.8 PACKET 1 – CONTRACT

Yes No

B.8.1 Redacted Copy of Bid, if requesting confidential treatment Yes No N/A

B.9 PACKET 2 – OFFER

Yes No

B.9.1 Offer Yes No

B.9.2 Exceptions to Solicitation Contract Terms and Conditions Yes No N/A

B.9.3 References Yes No N/A

B.10 PACKET 3 – FORMS A

Yes No

Section 2. Part B. Offer to the State of Illinois

V.18.3

B.10.1 Business and Directory Information Yes No

B.10.2 Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number Yes No

B.10.3 Standard Certifications Yes No

B.10.4 Disclosure of Business Operations in Iran Yes No

B.10.5 Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest Yes No

B.10.6 Taxpayer Identification Number Yes No

B.11 PACKET 3 – FORMS B

Yes No

B.11.1 Illinois Procurement Gateway Registration # with expiration date Yes No

B.11.2 Certifications Timely to this Solicitation Yes No

B.11.3 Disclosure of Lobbyists and Contracts Yes No

B.12 PACKET 4 – BEP UTILIZATION PLAN

B.12.1 Does…