IFB#54-SS-3260058-Traffic Signal Equipment.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Department of Transportation

Invitation for Bid #: 54-SS-3260058

Traffic Signal Equipment

Date of Issue: 09/30/2026

Bid Opening Date: 10/20/2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this IFB to:

Sidahmed Salih

Procurement Specialist III

Email: ssalih@ncdot.gov

Phone: 919-707-2638

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Invitation for Bid #

54-SS-3260058

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of bids, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your bid.

Failure to do so may subject your bid to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register at https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn.

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

Bid Number: 54-SS-3260055 Vendor: __________________________________________

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Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this IFB to:

Sidahmed Salih ssalih@ncdot.gov

Invitation for Bid #: 54-SS-3260058

Bids will be publicly open: 10/20/2026 at 2:00 PM ET

Using Agency: NC Department of Transportation Commodity No. and Description: 461615 Traffic Signal Equipment Requisition No.: N/A

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Invitation for Bid (IFB), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this bid, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this bid is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this bid, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this IFB, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned Vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the IFB, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign bid prior to submittal may render bid invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late bids shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bid Number: 54-SS-3260058 Vendor: __________________________________________

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VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred and twenty (120) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here:

______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this IFB.

ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS

If your bid is accepted, all provisions of this IFB, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of the Department of Transportation)

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

2.5 BID QUESTIONS

2.6 BID SUBMITTAL

2.7 BID CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE BIDS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.1.1 Import Tariff Temporary Surcharge

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

4.3 PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

4.4 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

4.5 PACKAGING AND SHIPPING

4.6 DELIVERY

4.7 AUTHORIZED RESELLER

4.8 SCHEMATICS AND PARTS LIST

4.9 WARRANTY

4.10 SAMPLES

4.11 DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE

4.12 TRAINING

4.13 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.14 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.15 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

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4.16 SUBCONTRACTORS

4.17 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

4.18 SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 SPECIFICATIONS

5.2 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

5.3 DEVIATIONS

5.4 SUBSTITUTIONS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 INVOICES

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.5 FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE

6.6 PRODUCT RECALL

6.7 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.9 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT: PRICING

ATTACHMENT: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EO50 PRICE-MATCHING

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this Invitation for Bid (IFB) is to obtain pricing from qualified Vendors for the purchase of Traffic Signal Equipment and Accessories for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on an as needed basis. Vendors shall be required to provide delivery and on-site training at various locations within the State.

The Department of Transportation, an agency of North Carolina whose mission and goals are to connect people, products, and places, safely and efficiently with customer focus, accountability and environmental sensitivity while making transportation safer by delivering and maintaining our infrastructure effectively and efficiently, has a need to procure Traffic Signal Equipment and all necessary Accessories throughout the State.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Term Contract (ASTC).

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”). In addition, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend a contract term after the last active term.

Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this IFB and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 INVITATION FOR BID DOCUMENT

This IFB is comprised of the base IFB document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this IFB and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this IFB.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this IFB, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the BID QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an IFB addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s bid or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s bid that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the bid non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s bid shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this IFB Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon during negotiations and

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 6 incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s bid as non-responsive.

2.4 IFB SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this IFB. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue IFB State 09/30/2026 Submit Written Questions Vendor 10/05/2026 Provide Response to Questions State 10/12/2026 Submit Bids Vendor 10/20/2026 Public bid opening for this solicitation will be conducted via conference call. Vendors may use the links below or use the call-in number to join the bid opening 10/20/2026 at 2:00 PM ET.

Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/291239541989475?p=b1ZVKv1rj22tRCvMhd Meeting ID: 291 239 541 989 475 Passcode: RD9dD9wm

Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 984-204-1487,,477291469# United States, Raleigh Find a local number Phone conference ID: 477 291 469# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: ncgov@m.webex.com Video ID: 119 257 266 6 More info For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN Contract Award State TBD Contract Effective Date State TBD

2.5 BID QUESTIONS

Upon review of the IFB documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the IFB in order to submit the best bid possible. To accommodate the Bid Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to ssalih@ncdot.gov by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “IFB#54- SS-3260058: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable IFB section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

IFB Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this IFB. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this IFB, shall be considered authoritative or binding.

Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the IFB and an addendum to this IFB.

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2.6 BID SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this IFB by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each bid when received. Any bid or portion thereof received after the bid deadline will be rejected.

All bid responses shall be submitted electronically via the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). Additional information can be found at the eVP updates for Vendors link: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/news-events/evp-updates-vendors.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the bid, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the bid. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services, or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the bid with its bid submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s bids(s).

Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload bids.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this IFB. It is important that all Vendors responding to this IFB periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this IFB and all Addenda thereto.

2.7 BID CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this IFB that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s bid, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor IFB responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES.

b) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this IFB, if required to be returned.

c) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: PRICING

d) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

e) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

f) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EO50 PRICE-MATCHING, if applicable

2.8 ALTERNATE BIDS

Unless provided otherwise in this IFB, Vendor may submit alternate bids for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate bid must specifically identify the IFB requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate bid. Any alternate bid, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Bid #54-SS-3260058 [for ‘name of Vendor’]”. Each bid must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate bid. Each bid must be complete and independent of other bids offered.

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2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this IFB are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND BID EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest.

All responsive bids will be reviewed, and an award or awards will be based on the responsive bid(s) offering the lowest price that meets the specifications provided herein, to include any required verifications set out here in such as but not limited to past performance, references, and financial documents.

While the intent of this IFB is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor for all items, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for each Lot, to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more Lots, to not award one or more line items, or to cancel this IFB in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

Lots and Individual Items Lot 1 – Items 1–3 Items 4–5 as individual items (1) Lot 2 – Items 6–9 Lot 3 – Items 10–18 Lot 4 – Items 19–21 Lot 5 – Items 22–24 Lot 6 – Items 25–33 Lot 7 – Items 34-36 Items 37–59 as individual items (2) Lot 8 – Items 60–61 Lot 9 – Items 62–65 Lot 10 – Items 66–73 Lot 11 – Items 74–79 Lot 12 – Items 80–88 Lot 13 – Items 89–93 Items 94–95 as individual items (3) Lot 14 – Items 96–97 Lot 15 – Items 98–99 Lot 16 – Items 100–103 Lot 17 – Items 104–110 Items 111–127 as individual items (4) Lot 18 – Items 128–142 Lot 19 – Items 143–144 Lot 20 – Items 145–148 Lot 21 – Items 149–158 Lot 22 – Items 159–161 Item 162 as an individual item (5) Lot 23 – Items 163–165 Lot 24 – Items 166–179 Items 180–222 as individual items (6) To accommodate the replacement of existing proprietary and incompatible system components, secondary awards for line items 59 – 61 may be given.

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If a Vendor selected for award is determined by the State to be a non-resident of North Carolina, all responsive bids will be reviewed to determine if any of them were submitted by a North Carolina resident Vendor who requested an opportunity to match the price of the winning bid, pursuant to Executive Order #50 and G.S. 143-59 (for more information, please refer to ATTACHMENT: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER #50 PRICE MATCHING. If such bid(s) are identified, the State will then determine whether any such bid falls within the price-match range, and, if so, make a Contract award in accordance with the process that implements G.S. 143-59 and Executive Order #50.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this IFB is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICATIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a bid to this IFB, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s bid or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this IFB, or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this IFB regarding requirements of the IFB (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 BID EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct an evaluation of responsive Bids, as follows:

Bids will be received according to the method stated in the Bid Submittal section above.

All bids must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the IFB SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the bids from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. Cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award.

Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the bid. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 10 to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all bids should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Prices bid cannot be altered or modified as part of a clarification.

Bids will generally be evaluated, based on completeness, content, cost and responsibility of the Vendor to supply the requested Goods and Services. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in Section 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the IFB number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other bids lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected bid was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more Vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this IFB, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.5 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This IFB serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and

(2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether bids should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the IFB. Except as specifically stated in the IFB, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a bid in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this IFB. By submitting a bid, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this IFB. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better bid, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Bid Questions Section above.

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4.1 PRICING

Bid price shall constitute the total cost to the State for delivery fully assembled and ready for use, including all applicable charges for shipping, delivery, handling, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT: PRICING and include in Vendor’s response.

4.1.1 Import Tariff Temporary Surcharge

Pricing shall be exclusive of any pending tariffs or temporary tariff surcharge. Vendor may request a temporary tariff surcharge in ATTACHMENT: PRICING as a charge separate from the contract price. Any temporary tariff surcharge(s) associated with purchases shall be provided by way of a percentage tariff surcharge. All tariff surcharges proposed are intended to be temporary and based on current tariff implications specific to related commodities with evidence of submitted documentation of affected goods. Vendor understands that the agency may request additional justification. Any temporary tariff surcharge percentage will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon. The state is not obligated to accept any proposed import tariff surcharge. Proposed tariff surcharges may be used as a factor for evaluation and award.

4.2 ESTIMATED QUANTITIES

The quantities indicated herein are three (3) year estimates only and are provided for informational purposes based on the anticipated usage. No maximum or minimum quantities are guaranteed. It shall be understood and agreed that the State may purchase more or less than the estimated quantities during the contract period. The State reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantities as needed. The State shall not be obligated to purchase more than its normal requirements. The State will be responsible only for items requested and received.

4.3 PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

MAKE AND MODEL

Manufacturer’s name and model/catalog numbers used in this IFB are for the sole purpose of identification and to establish general quality level desired. Such references are not intended to be restrictive and comparable products of other manufacturers will be considered. However, Vendors are cautioned that any deviation from the specifications of the identified item are required to be pointed out in its bid. Vendor shall include with its bid sufficient documentary evidence to demonstrate the qualitative, functional, operational, organizational, and conformational equivalence of the bid item to the identified item.

4.4 TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFICATION

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to any requested location within the State of North Carolina with all transportation costs and fees included in the total bid price, for all orders equal to, or greater, than the five hundred dollar ($500) minimum order, when shipped to a single destination.

Orders less than the ($500) minimum order will be shipped prepaid, with transportation charges added to the invoice as a separate line item.

Transportation charges levied by the Vendor for orders equal to, or greater than the ($500) minimum order, when shipped to a single destination, may be cause for removal of the Vendor from the contract. In instances where the Vendor makes partial shipments of an order to one destination which is equal to, or greater than, the minimum order, all shipments of the order shall be sent FOB DESTINATION with NO additional transportation charges.

When an order is placed using a purchase order, the purchase order number shall be shown on all packages and shipping manifests to ensure proper identification and payment of invoices.

If an order is placed without using a purchase order, such as via phone, the Using Agency’s name shall be shown on all packages.

A complete packing list shall accompany each shipment. Vendors shall not ship any products until they have received an order.

Vendors are required to provide a contact phone number for the using Agency to conduct business with the Vendor. If orders are required to be placed with a Vendor’s authorized dealer, the dealer will be required to provide a contact phone number.

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4.5 PACKAGING AND SHIPPING

Each item is to be completely assembled and individually boxed showing manufacturer’s part number, purchase order number, and NCDOT part number (if shown on purchase order) on the outside of the box. The Using Agency may refuse shipments of items that are not packaged correctly (e.g. Missing labels, damaged boxes, item unassembled…etc.). These inappropriately packaged items may be returned for proper packaging at the Vendor’s expense. A packing slip is to accompany each shipment showing part number as ordered on the purchase order and also showing purchase order number.

4.6 DELIVERY

The Vendor shall deliver Free-On-Board (FOB) Destination to various locations across the State Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM (excluding State Holidays). Delivery addresses shall be specified at the time of order.

For items 1-103, 106-127, 132-220:

Vendor should complete delivery within sixty (60) consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order.

For completion by Vendor: Delivery will be made from __________________________________________ (city, state) within _____ consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Promptness of delivery may be used as a factor in the award criteria.

For items 104, 105, 128-131:

Vendor should complete delivery within ninety (90) consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order.

For completion by Vendor: Delivery will be made from __________________________________________ (city, state) within _____ consecutive calendar days after receipt of purchase order. Promptness of delivery may be used as a factor in the award criteria.

If circumstances beyond the control of the Vendor result in a late delivery, the responsibility and obligation of the Vendor to make the details known immediately to the Contract Administrator.

4.7 AUTHORIZED RESELLER

The Vendor shall be authorized by the manufacturer to distribute or resell the products and/or maintenance offered in this IFB.

The Vendor shall provide upon request a signed statement from the manufacturer confirming within five (5) consecutive calendar days after request from NCDOT Purchasing. Failure to provide this statement shall constitute sufficient grounds for rejection of Vendor’s offer, at the discretion of the State.

Vendor is the: Manufacturer Dealer Reseller Distributor

Authorized: Yes No Attached Manufacturer’s Authority: Yes No

4.8 SCHEMATICS AND PARTS LIST

Vendor shall provide schematics, part lists, and other documentation in PDF format within five (5) consecutive calendar days after a request is made by the State for the evaluation of the Vendor’s submittal. Failure to include such information shall be a sufficient basis for rejection of the bid.

During performance of the contract, Vendor shall provide schematics, parts lists, and other documentation within fourteen

(14) consecutive calendar days after a request is made by the State.

4.9 WARRANTY

Vendor warrants that all equipment furnished under this IFB will be newly manufactured, of good material and workmanship.

The warranty for items will apply from the date equipment is put into operation for a minimum period of two (2) years or the length of the manufacturer’s warranty, whichever is longer. Include unconditional coverage for all parts and labor necessary or incidental to the repair of defective equipment or workmanship and malfunctions that arise during the warranty period. All warranties and guarantees that are customarily issued by the equipment manufacturer which exceeds this requirement shall be acceptable.

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 13

PERFORMANCE OF WARRANTY REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE: Vendor shall provide authorization to the Traffic Electronics Center of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to perform all warranty repairs. The decision to perform warranty work at the Traffic Electronics Center by NCDOT electronics technicians or to have warranty work performed by the vendor shall be at the discretion of the State. Vendor shall provide any training required by the manufacturer to authorize the Traffic Electronics Center to perform warranty work and furnish parts to the Traffic Electronics Center for all warranty repairs at no cost to the State. In addition, the Vendor shall ensure the manufacturer agrees to provide prompt technical support to the NCDOT electronics technicians for a period of one year after the end of the warranty period at no cost to the State. Defective parts replaced under warranty by the Traffic Electronics Center will be returned to the vendor at the vendor’s request. Vendor shall ensure all equipment is repaired and returned to the Traffic Electronics Center within twenty-one (21) calendar days of receipt by the manufacturer.

Vendor shall provide a signed statement from the manufacturer confirming authorization for the Traffic Electronics Center of the North Carolina Department of Transportation to perform all warranty repairs. Vendor must provide the signed statement within five (5) consecutive calendar days after a request is made by the State. Failure to provide such information shall be a sufficient basis for rejection of the bid.

4.10 SAMPLES

Samples are not required prior to bid opening date; however, samples may be required at a later time. If so requested, Vendor agrees to furnish samples of items offered at no expense to the State. Samples must be received within five (5) consecutive calendar days after request is made by the State. Samples are to be properly identified with line-item number, Vendor’s name, and model number. Requests for the return of samples must be made within fourteen (14) calendar days following the date samples are received by the State, otherwise samples will become State property. Samples may be retained for any length of time until contract expiration, and will be returned, if requested, to the respective Vendor(s) at their expense. Failure to comply with this requirement shall be a sufficient basis for rejection of the bid without further consideration.

4.11 DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE

Each bid shall be accompanied by complete descriptive literature, specifications, certifications, and all other pertinent data for all items/models that are not listed on the 2024 ITS and signals Qualified Products List (QPL), which is necessary for thorough evaluation of the item(s) offered and sufficient to determine compliance of the item(s) with the specifications. Failure to include such information shall be a sufficient basis for rejection of the bid.

4.12 TRAINING

Model 352i ATC Base Mount Cabinet Training: Vendor shall provide, at no additional cost to the State, adequate cabinet and components training to the user within 90 days after the receipt of the purchase order for the first two (2) Model 352i ATC Base Mount Cabinets or Model 356i ATC Pole Mount Cabinets. The vendor shall also provide, at no additional cost to the State, subsequent cabinet and components training to the user as needed for the duration of the contract. Instruction shall consist of two (2) separate schools at the same or, at the discretion of the State, different locations. NCDOT shall provide facilities for each school. Each school shall consist of a minimum of one and one-half (1 1/2) working days and accommodate a maximum of twenty-five (25) people.

The Vendor shall provide one (1) 352i ATC Base Mount Cabinet 16 Output Channels and 24 Input Channels with cabinet components, instruction materials, and all teaching aids for each school. The Vendor shall provide training as indicated:

Equipment Training Type Minimum Training Hours

Cabinet Components

8 Hours Cabinet Operation

Cabinet Wiring Diagram

Cabinet Monitor Unit 4 Hours

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 14

Model 352i ATC Module Bench Level Repair Training: The Vendor shall provide, at no additional cost to the State, adequate bench repair training to eight (8) skilled electronics technicians at the Traffic Electronics Center with full working days span (e.g.

8AM-5PM) and should leave behind the training aids materials for ongoing use. The Vendor shall provide the training to the user within 90 days after receipt of purchase order for the first two (2) Model 352i ATC Base Mount Cabinets or Model 356i ATC Pole Mount Cabinets. The vendor shall also provide, at no additional cost to the State, subsequent bench repair training to the user as needed for the duration of the contract. NCDOT shall provide the facilities for the training. Training shall be provided for the following modules:

ATC Modules

Model 2202-HV High Density Switch Pack / Flasher Unit (HDSP/FU)

Model 2212-HV Cabinet Monitor Unit (CMUip)

Model 2218 Serial Interface Unit (SIU)

Model 2220 Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU)

Model 2216-24-HV Cabinet Power Supply (CPS)

Model 21H High-Density Flash Transfer Relay (HDFTR)

The Vendor shall provide all procedures and programming files, firmware images, bootloader images, Linux operating system image, recovery utilities, configuration files, backup & restore procedures, diagnostic procedures, required software tools, and supporting documentation necessary to configure, recover, restore, troubleshoot, and maintain all 352i ATC modules.

Model 2070LX Controller Bench Repair Training: Within two months of request, Vendor shall provide equipment specific bench repair training to eight (8) skilled electronics technicians at the Traffic Electronics Center in the amounts shown below for the specific type of equipment after the Department has purchased the minimum amounts of the particular equipment type indicated below. The training hours indicated below for each equipment type must be fulfilled for each equipment type only one time during the contract. Such training shall be at no charge to the Department including all travel, lodging expenses for instructors, and equipment costs. It is the Vendor’s responsibility to secure instructors and other training resources from the bidder’s suppliers when required. The Department shall make the facilities of the Traffic Electronics Center in Garner, NC available to the vendors.

Equipment Type Minimum Number of

Units Purchased Minimum Training Hours

Required

Model 2070LX Controller

30 Each 16 Hours

As part of the training the Vendor shall provide the following Recovery/Repair Package.

2070-1C

Flash programming procedure and supporting files: This should come with two ways for recovery of system images:

-A script that can be performed via terminal emulator which executes similar steps in a similar order:

1. Unprotect flash

2. Erase all memory except U-Boot

3. Transfer and copy images to appropriate memory address’

4. Erase U-Boot

5. Transfer and copy U-Boot.

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 15

-Flash programming instructions (including required equipment list) and supporting files necessary for reprogramming a blank CPU (blank flash and CPU memory [if used])

MAC programming procedure and supporting files: In case a new image is installed, or components need replacing.

All programming files, firmware images, bootloader images, Linux operating system image, recovery utilities, configuration files, backup & restore procedures, diagnostic procedures, required software tools, and supporting documentation necessary to configure, recover, restore, troubleshoot, and maintain the 2070LX controller and associated modules.

2070-2E/2E+

Programming, recovery, diagnostic, and supporting files necessary for installing, restoring, troubleshooting, and maintaining any firmware or software used by the module.

2070-3B

Programming, recovery, diagnostic, and supporting files necessary for installing, restoring, troubleshooting, and maintaining any firmware or software used by the module.

2070-4A

Programming, recovery, diagnostic, and supporting files necessary for installing, restoring, troubleshooting, and maintaining any firmware or software used by the module.

4.13 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.14 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s bid results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.15 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☒ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

DOA P&C Ver: 09/2026 DOT Ver: 09/2026 16

4.16 SUBCONTRACTORS

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

4.17 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State. Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award.

No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

Vendor registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes☐ No ☐

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

4.18 SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

According to G.S. 143-58.2, it is the policy of this State to encourage and promote the purchase of products with recycled content and to purchase items that are reusable, refillable, repairable, more durable, and less toxic to the extent that the purchase or use is practicable and cost effective.

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

Equipment herein offered shall be in accordance with the NCDOT 2024 Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures (Section 1098), NCDOT 2024 Roadway Standard Drawings (Division 17), and Signals & Intelligent Transportation Systems Project Special Provisions (Version 24.3) with additions and modifications as noted in the attached Traffic Signal Equipment Specifications. The attached Traffic Signal Equipment Specifications will take precedence over the other specifications.

Equipment offered must be produced by a qualified manufacturer, tested and proved in service, all to the satisfaction of the State. It is understood and agreed that any equipment offered meets the full requirements of these specifications. It should be understood that all items listed in this bid invitation may not show the full requirements of the specifications, but in all cases the requirements of the specifications will govern.

NCDOT 2024 Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures (Section 1098):

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Specifications/2024StandardSpecifications/2024%20Standard%20Speci fications%20for%20Roads%20and%20Structures.pdf

NCDOT 2024 Roadway Standard Drawings (Division 17):

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Specifications/2024StandardRdwyDrawings/Division%2017%20Combin ed.pdf

Signals & Intelligent Transportation Systems Project Special Provisions (Version 24.4):

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/ITS%20and%20Signals%20Resources/ITSS%20Project%20…