TOWN OF GROTON

INVITATION TO BID

26-14 SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE

April 2026

BIDDER INFORMATION

BID NUMBER: 26-14

BID OPENING: 2:30 P.M. May 1, 2026

LOCATION: Purchasing Office, Groton Town Hall

ADDRESS: 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340

Sealed bids will be received by Karl Klein, Purchasing Agent of the Town of Groton, until 2:30 P.M. on May 1, 2026 for bid 26-14 Sodium Hypochlorite for the Town of Groton in accordance with the specifications and information.

Bids received after 2:30 P.M. on May 1, 2026 will not be accepted.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 1. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Item to be bid B. Tax Information

ITEM 2. BID SUBMISSION

A. Date and Time B. Submission Procedures

ITEM 3. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS

A. Time Period B. Procedure

ITEM 4. BID BONDS, CERTIFIED CHECKS OR CASHIER'S

CHECKS

ITEM 5. PERFORMANCE BOND

ITEM 6. VENDOR QUALIFICATION

ITEM 7. DELIVERY

A. Requirements B. "Agreed-Upon Delivery Date" C. Location D. Penalty Clause

ITEM 8. ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF BIDS

ITEM 9. PAYMENT TERMS

A. Timeframe B. Acceptance C. Prepayment Option

ITEM 10. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

A. Manufacturer's Literature B. "Or Equal" Bids

ITEM 11. MULTIPLE BIDS

ITEM 12. EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS

ITEM 13. TESTS

ITEM 14. INQUIRIES

ITEM 15. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

ITEM 16. GUARANTEE

A. Compliance with specifications B. Defective equipment C. Guarantee and Warranty information

ITEM 17. BASIS FOR SELECTION OF VENDOR

ITEM 17.1 LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE

ITEM 18. QUANTITY

ITEM 19. TIE BIDS

ITEM 20. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

ITEM 21. BID ALTERATIONS/SIDETRACK AGREEMENTS

ITEM 22. ALTERNATIVE/RECYCLED PRODUCTS

ITEM 23. OTHER

A. GSA, Federal and State Contract Pricing B. Affirmative Action/Equal Employment C. Equipment in transit D. Insurance Requirements E. Hazard Communication Information F. Lock-Out Tag-Out Information G. Bidders List

It is the intent of this “Invitation to Bid" to establish a vendor to supply the Town of Groton with Sodium Hypochlorite. The prospective bidder must complete the bid form and company information sheet, but need not return the entire Invitation to Bid. The bidder is not to include any taxes from which the Town is exempted by law. The Town will complete any tax exemption forms that the successful vendor may require if such forms are within the Town's legal parameters.

2. BID SUBMISSION

The proposal shall be submitted to the Office of the Purchasing Agent no later than 2:30 P.M. on May 1, 2026 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids received after that date and time will not be considered by the Town of Groton. Bids must be submitted on the blank forms furnished, and should be in a sealed envelope, addressed to the Office of the Purchasing Agent, marked public bid “26-14 Sodium Hypochlorite”.

PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION AND PRICING AS REQUESTED IN THE BID

SPECIFICATIONS. The Town of Groton Purchasing Division shall receipt stamp each bid received. The date of the stamp shall prevail over any postmark date. The Town of Groton assumes no liability for any postal service delays.

3. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS

No bidder may withdraw their bid for a period of 90 days after the actual date of the bid opening, during which time prices will be firm. Bids may be withdrawn by written authorization only and only if withdrawal request is received one (1) day or more prior to the bid opening. The proposed prices in this bid shall hold through each delivery date indicated.

Costs for the preparation of this proposal are to be borne entirely by the bidders. They shall not in any way be charged to the Town of Groton. All submissions become the property of the Town of Groton to use as required to meet the objectives of this bid.

4. BID BONDS, CERTIFIED CHECKS OR CASHIER'S CHECKS (SEE BID FORM)

When required each bid shall be accompanied by a bid bond signed by a surety company authorized to do business in Connecticut or by a cashier's check or certified check made payable to the Town of Groton. The amount of the bid deposit will be 0% of the total base bid unless otherwise specified.

Bond amount required: 0%

5. PERFORMANCE BOND

If required by the bid specifications, the successful bidder may be required to provide a performance bond. The performance bond shall be made out in favor of the Town of Groton. The performance bond shall be required as security by the successful bidder for faithful performance of his contract. This performance bond shall be required within ten (10) days of the award notification. The performance bond must be written by a surety company licensed to conduct business in the State of Connecticut. The successful bidder, upon failure or refusal to furnish within ten (10) days the required performance bond, shall forfeit their bid deposit to the Town of Groton as liquidated damages.

Bond Amount Required: 0%

6. VENDOR QUALIFICATION

Each vendor shall present evidence that they are normally engaged in the purveying of the type of materials/equipment or workmanship proposed. The vendor shall make themselves thoroughly familiar with the contents of the notice before submitting his/her proposal. The vendor automatically acknowledges and accepts all of the provisions, conditions, and specifications of this notice. No proposal shall be considered from vendors who are unable to show that they are normally engaged in the purveying of the type of materials/equipment or workmanship proposed. For any type of service, construction or commodity, the vendor certifies that his product or service meets all local, State and Federal regulations applicable to his/her product or service. The vendor is responsible for complying with all ordinances, laws and regulations affecting their particular product or service and holds the Town of Groton harmless for any claims for damages whether bodily, personal or property due to the avoidance of any requirement of any governing body. All, bidders, in order for their proposals to be considered, must not be delinquent on any property tax or fees issued by the Town. Bidders shall certify that neither they nor any business or corporation fully or partially owned by the bidder is not delinquent on Town property taxes or fees.

7. DELIVERY

All prices quoted shall include any and all shipping, handling, insurance, training, consulting, out of pocket expense, and delivery charges necessary to deliver any materials and equipment ordered to:

TOWN OF GROTON

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL

170 GARY COURT

GROTON, CT 06340

USE BID FORM FOR DELIVERY INFORMATION.

ALL SAFETY DATA SHEETS ARE REQUIRED TO BE DELIVERED WITH THE

PRODUCT. ONE COPY MUST ALSO BE SENT TO THE RISK MANAGER'S OFFICE, 45

FORT HILL RD., GROTON, CT. 06340.

8. ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION

The Town reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids and to waive any minor deviations from our bid requirements if it is in the best interest of the Town to do so.

9. PAYMENT TERMS

The Town agrees to pay for the material/equipment within thirty (30) days after acceptance.

Acceptance means 100% delivery of satisfactory merchandise to comply with our specifications. If a vendor wishes to offer a prepayment discount he/she must provide a separate sheet with his/her bid showing the terms of the discount and the advantage to the Town of Groton in accepting this prepayment discount. Prepayment in no way forfeits any right of the Town to complete satisfaction with the purchase nor does it relieve the vendor of any responsibility to perform as required in the bid document.

10. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The vendor must submit with their proposals the detailed specifications, descriptive literature and all necessary details on the material/equipment they propose to furnish in order that the Town may have full information available when analyzing the bids. In cases where an item is identified by a manufacturer's name, trade name, catalog number or reference it is understood that the bidder proposes to furnish the item so identified and does not propose to furnish an "equal" unless the proposed "equal" is identified. The reference to the manufacturer's name, trade name or catalog number is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and is used to indicate to the prospective bidder articles that will be satisfactory.

Bids on other makes will be considered provided the bidder clearly states the item being proposed is an exception but an equal on the bid form. The Purchasing Agent reserves the right to approve as an equal or to reject as not being equal any article that the bidder proposes to furnish which contains major or minor variations from the specification requirements.

11. MULTIPLE BIDS

No bidder will be allowed to offer more than one bid price on each item even though alternate models or styles may meet the specifications. Alternates will be considered only if requested by the Town of Groton.

12. EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS

If the material/equipment offered differs from the provisions contained in this specification, such differences must be explained in detail on the sheets attached to this bid and if such deviations do not depart from the intent of this notice and are in the best interest of the Town, the bid will receive careful consideration. The absence of written deviations will hold the bidder strictly accountable to the Town of Groton to the specifications as written.

13. TESTS

Before approval, the Town Manager or his agent, shall have the right to inspect and test the materials and equipment furnished in accordance with this notice. When samples are required from bidders receiving the award, the samples may be retained by the Town of Groton until the delivery of the bid items. Bidders whose samples are retained may pick them up after the delivery of the bid items has been accepted by the Town. Bidders shall be responsible for delivery and removal of samples. Cost of delivery and removal of samples is to be the responsibility of the bidder. All samples are to be marked "Samples" and delivered to the purchasing office. The package must indicate the name of the bidder, item enclosed and the bid number. Failure to properly identify the samples relieves the Town from any responsibility for their safe return and may disqualify the bidder from bidding.

14. INQUIRIES

Any inquiries for this bid shall be directed via email to Karl Klein, Purchasing Agent, at kklein@groton-ct.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. eight (8) days prior to bid opening date.

Pricing shall not be discussed with any individual in the Town other than the Purchasing Agent. Once a bid date has been established only questions relevant to the technical aspects of the bid or how to properly complete the bid form may be addressed. Any vendor contacting any individual other than those named in this section may have their bid rejected by the Purchasing Agent. If addendum’s clarifying the bid or providing additional information to bidders is necessary the Purchasing Agent of the Town can, at his/her option, extend the date of the bid opening. It is assumed that each vendor submitting a bid will have made himself/herself familiar with the requirements of the specifications and requested an on site review if necessary so that his/her bid is all inclusive as per the intent of the specifications.

15. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

All materials/equipment shall be furnished complete and ready for use as indicated in specifications. Any materials/equipment not specifically mentioned herein, but which is necessary for the successful installation and/or operation of the systems shall be specified and quoted by the bidder.

16. GUARANTEE

The bidder guarantees that all articles offered for sale fully comply with the specifications.

All expenses covering return of and replacement of defective or improper merchandise will be assumed by the vendor. In no instance shall the vendor refer the Town to any distributor or manufacturer for settlement of any claim arising from defective or improper merchandise.

If the vendor shall fail to replace or repair any defective or improper merchandise within 30 days from date of notice, the Town may make the necessary corrective arrangements and deduct the cost from money due the vendor or bill the vendor. The vendor agrees to reimburse the Town in such instances. Samples of any warranties or guarantees which will apply to the goods being offered for sale shall be included as part of this bid.

mailto:kklein@groton-ct.gov

17. BASIS FOR SELECTION OF VENDOR

The Purchasing Office reserves the right to reject the bid of a bidder who has previously failed to perform properly or complete on time bids of a similar nature or a bid of a bidder who upon investigation by the Town has shown that he/she is not in a position to perform the contract. The Town's review procedure in evaluating the bids received will include, but not be limited to, performance review, warranties, maintenance contract content, costs and availability, installation costs, reputation of manufacturer, qualification and experience of personnel, understanding of assignment and work plan, and previous experience. A demonstration of your product may also be required by the Town. All of this will be used in order to determine the LOWEST responsive bidder for the project or purchase. References are required for this project. Please attach a list of references with names and phone numbers to the bid form.

17.1 LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE

See Appendix A for Local Vendor Preference and Appendix B for Local Vendor Affidavit Form.

18. QUANTITY/CONTRACT LENGTH

The Town of Groton reserves the right to purchase more or less than the quantity of items specified or may withdraw any or all requested items. Vendors are advised that the contract may be awarded in whole or in part. The Town of Groton is not bound to accept a proposal in its entirety. The Town of Groton may cancel this contract at any time if in the opinion of the Town the firm is not performing as stated in the specifications.

19. TIE BIDS

If two (2) or more bidders submit identical bids and are equally qualified, the decision of the Town to make award to one or more of such bidders shall be final. The Town, after determining that each bidder would provide equal benefit to the Town, shall set a separate date for a public drawing to determine the bidder that will be awarded the contract. The bidders involved will be notified in writing of when this drawing will be and will be notified in writing of the chosen vendor.

20. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

A bid or contract shall be considered executory only to the extent of appropriation available to each agency for the purchase of such articles. The Town's extended obligation on these contracts that anticipate extended funding through successive fiscal periods shall be contingent upon actual appropriations for the following fiscal years. Any bid or contract let for more than one fiscal period is also contingent upon performance of the vendor meeting the specifications. If, in the determination of the Town of Groton, a vendor is not meeting the requirement of the specifications the Town may terminate the bid or contract with 30 days written notice to the vendor. This can occur at any time during the contract period.

21. BID ALTERATIONS/SIDETRACK AGREEMENTS

No alterations or sidetrack agreements changing the specifications shall be valid unless made in writing to the Town and signed by the Purchasing Agent and department head.

This agreement must be sent to the Purchasing Agent of the Town of Groton for consideration and review.

22. ALTERNATIVE/RECYCLED PRODUCTS

Wherever possible, the Town of Groton would like to receive quotes from vendors on products that are environmentally safe, in that they do not contain toxic chemicals as identified under Subpart z. of the OSHA "Right to Know" standard, or products that contain recycled material and post consumer material, or re-refined motor oils, etc. We would like to purchase products that do not require special disposal requirements or respirator requirements where possible and are not harmful to others, including animals. If these products could be supplied as an alternative to what is being requested please provide a special sheet attached to the bid form showing the price of the item, the item being substituted and the new or alternative product. Please also supply the manufacturer's literature describing the product and its uses. IF POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT INFLUENCING

THE COST IN ANY WAY THE TOWN OF GROTON WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE ALL

PROPOSALS ON PAPER AND IN BINDERS MEETING OR EXCEEDING THE EPA

GUIDELINES FOR PAPER. THIS SHOULD BE SO NOTED ON YOUR PROPOSAL IF

YOU COMPLY.

PLEASE PROVIDE A SEPARATE SECTION ATTACHED TO THE BID FORM IF YOU

WOULD SUGGEST USING REMANUFACTURED OR RECYCLED PRODUCTS FOR

THIS PROJECT. ANY SUBSTITUTION OF A PRODUCT OF THIS TYPE MUST MEET

PROVEN CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS AS RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE AND

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

23. OTHER

The Town of Groton is eligible in most cases to receive GSA pricing and Federal and State contract pricing options. Each bidder should check with the applicable State or Federal Agency to determine if the government pricing for such commodities has been extended to political subdivisions.

The Town of Groton is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Town of Groton and any vendor awarded this project shall comply with the regulations of the United Sates Department of Transportation (Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 21), issued in implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Statute 252, 42 United States code 2000d to 2000d-4. Further, the Town of Groton and any vendor awarded this contract warrants that in the performance of this project, it will not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or physical disability, including, but not limited to blindness, unless it is shown to be that such disability prevents performance of the work involved, in any manner prohibited by the laws of the United States, or the State of Connecticut, and further agrees to provide the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities with such information requested by the Commission concerning the employment practices and procedures of the Town of Groton and any vendor awarded this contract as related to the provisions of this section. (Section 4-114a of the General Statutes of Connecticut as revised.)

The Town of Groton shall follow the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation minority business affirmative action program as approved by the United States Department of Transportation.

The Town of Groton accepts no liability for the product until it is completely received and installed on the Town of Groton's premises. All vendors are responsible for the equipment while in transit to the Town of Groton.

The Town of Groton has extensive insurance requirements that must be met for certain services. If insurance is required it will be so stated in the Invitation to Bid and all vendors are expected to meet those requirements in full by providing a certificate of insurance at least ten (10) days prior to the start of any contract or service by the vendor awarded the bid.

Any vendor unable to provide the required insurance shall forfeit his right to the bid award and the Town will reject his bid. The vendor is required to maintain insurance for delivery and handling until the units are signed for by the Town of Groton representative. THE TOWN

OF GROTON DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EQUIPMENT

UNTIL IT IS ON SITE AND IN THE CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF THE TOWN.

THE VENDOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCT LIABILITY COVERAGE.

THE VENDOR MUST HAVE EVIDENCE OF WORKER'S COMPENSATION COVERAGE

IF HIS EMPLOYEES ARE DELIVERING THE ITEMS. IF THE VENDOR CONTRACTS

WITH A DELIVERY FIRM; THAT FIRM IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VENDOR

DURING ALL DELIVERY TO THE TOWN OF GROTON FACILITY AND UNTIL THE

DELIVERY VEHICLE AND INDIVIDUALS LEAVE THE TOWN OF GROTON PREMISES.

Insurance Requirements

Insurance shall be written with carriers approved in the State of Connecticut and with a minimum AM Best

Rating of "A-" V I I I . In addition, al l carriers are subject to approval by the Town of Groton and no coverage shall contain special limitations on the scope of protection afforded to the Town, its officers, officials, employees or volunteers. The Town of Groton shall be named as the certificate holder. The Town of Groton shall be named as an Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis to all policies except Workers' Compensation and Professional Liability. A waiver of subrogation shall apply on all lines.

General Liability Each Occurrence

General Aggregate

Products/Completed operations Aggregate

- Policy must contain no exclusion for Explosion.

Collapse and Underground Hazard (XC & U)

- Contractor must notify the Town whenever claims

Reduce the General Aggregate below $1,000,000

- The Town should be notified if the Aggregate l imits

Include defense costs

(Minimum Limits)

$1,000,000

$3,000,000

$3,000,000

Auto Liability Combined Single Limit

Each Accident $1,000,000

Pollution Liability

(If required)

Each Claim or Each Occurrence

Aggregate

-Policy must contain no exclusion for Asbestos

$1,000,000

Professional Liability

(If required)

Each Claim

Aggregate

Umbrella (Excess

Liability)

Each Occurrence

Aggregate

Workers' Compensation and

Employers' Liability

WC Statutory Limits EL

Each Accident EL Disease

Each Employee EL Disease

Policy Limit

$500,000

$500,000

$500,000

For Contractors:

(Should a Contractor be involved in operations requiring coverage under special State or Federal Acts. such as Maritime or Railroad, the Contractor must provide evidence of this coverage. Should a Contractor be exempt from the Workers' Compensation Laws of the State of Connecticut, or any other State or Federal requirements, evidence of such exemption must be provided and a "Hold-Harmless" agreement provided in language satisfactory to the Town, holding it harmless in the event of any claim for injury or damages.

Contractors based out-of-state must provide evidence that their Workers' Compensation policy will cover injuries/illnesses sustained while working in the State of Connecticut. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that al l of its subcontractors carry Workers' Compensation Insurance, as described above.

If any policy is written on a "Claims Made" basis, the policy must be continually renewed for a minimum of three (3) years from the completion date of this contract. If the policy is replaced and/or the retroactive date is changed, then the expiring policy must be endorsed to extend the reporting period for claims for the policy in effect during the contract for three (3) years from the completion date. Original, completed

Certificates of Insurance must be presented to the Town of Groton Public Works prior to purchase order/contract issuance. Contractor agrees to provide replacement/renewal certificates at least 60 days prior to the expiration of any policy. Should any of the above described policies be cancelled before the expiration date, written notice must be made to the Town thirty (30) days prior to cancellation).

Certificates of Insurance should be sent to the Town of Groton Human Resources Department for review except ones that go thru Purchasing.

ATTACHMENT FOR CONTRACTORS

"OSHA LOCK OUT TAG OUT STANDARD REQUIREMENTS"

HAZARD COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS

HAZARDOUS COMMUNICATION: The Town of Groton requires that any vendor or contractor using hazardous materials or any material that would fall under the OSHA "Right to Know" standard provide a list to the Town of Groton of those materials that will be used while on Town property as well as the safety data sheets for those products.

Conversely, the Town of Groton shall inform the Contractor of where the "Employee Right to Know" station is in the area where they are working so that the Contractor's employees can be aware of any substances that they may encounter while working within the Town of Groton workplace.

LOCK-OUT TAG-OUT STANDARD: The Town of Groton requires that any contractor that maintains or is hired to work on any Town equipment abide by the OSHA "Lock Out Tag Out" standard. The Contractor must provide his worker's with locks, hasps and keys approved by OSHA for the proper locking and tagging out of equipment from its power source according to the OSHA standard. The Town of Groton is not responsible for providing the Contractor with the locks and hasps. The Contractor is responsible for complying with this standard and assuring that all of his employees comply with it while working on Town of Groton equipment. The Town requires that any Contractor's equipment brought onto Town property by the Contractor be properly locked or tagged out from its power source in accordance with the OSHA standard.

The Town of Groton does maintain a bidder's list of qualified vendors. The Town may, at its option, mail specifications to these bidders as a courtesy. The Town is under no obligation to notify vendors of bid opening dates. The Town of Groton posts its Invitations to Bid and Requests for Proposals on its website as well as the State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services’ web portal.

The Town of Groton does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities as provided in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Town expects that the vendors and/or contractors that it does business with will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act to the extent required by law. If awarded a contract with the Town, the successful vendor/contractor will be required to sign a statement agreeing to comply with the provisions of the ADA.

I AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) TO

THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY LAW.

VENDOR/CONTRACTOR

The following information is requested by the Town of Groton. You are not required to answer these questions.

Has your business been in existence for one (1) full year?

Is your company based in Connecticut?

Have the gross receipts for your company been less than $3,000,000 for the most recently completed fiscal year?

Is 51% or more of the stock in the company owned by a person or persons who are minorities as defined in sec 32-9n of the Connecticut General Statutes?

Do minorities/women play an active role in the day-to-day affairs of the business?

COMPANY________________________________________________________

REPRESENTATIVE_________________________________________________

PHONE___________________________________________________________

ADDRESS________________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS___________________________________________________

Specification 26-14 Sodium Hypochlorite

The Town of Groton Connecticut, Public Works Department, Water

Pollution Control Division will accept sealed bids for supplying approximately

20,000 to 30,000 gallons of 15% Sodium Hypochlorite solution, to be delivered as needed upon 24-hour notice, in bulk shipments of approximately

2,000 to 3,000 gallons. Delivery will be between 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Bid price shall be submitted at cost per gallon and billed per gallon and include delivery to the Town of Groton, Water Pollution Control Facility, 170

Gary Court, Groton, CT, without any price adjustment through June 30, 2027.

BID FORM

26-14 Sodium Hypochlorite Submit bid form in Duplicate

Date:_______________________

PROVIDE A DELIVERED PRICE, FOB GROTON, CT

Per specifications

Sodium Hypochlorite (15% Bleach)

Estimated annual quantity 20,000 to 30,000 gallons

Price per gallon $____________/gallon

Receipt of Addendum(s)______________

The Town of Groton is Tax Exempt

ESTIMATELY DELIVERY ARO:______________________________

LIST EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS ON PAGE TO FOLLOW

VENDOR NAME:_____________________________________________________________

VENDOR ADDRESS:__________________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS:____________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE

NUMBER:_____________________________________________________________

EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS:

BY:______________________________________________

Print & Sign Name/Title

VENDOR_________________________________________

APPENDIX A

LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE

1. Definition. The term "local vendor" refers to a company, firm, LLC, partnership, or similar with its principal place of business located within the Town of Groton. A business shall not be considered a local business unless satisfactory evidence has been submitted with each bid or proposal that clearly establishes that it has a bona fide principal place of business, including branches or satellite offices, in the Town of Groton. Such documentation shall include evidence of ownership such as real estate and personal property bills, a lease agreement for the real estate from which the principal place of business operates, copies of deeds, or copies of paid real estate and personal property bills.

2. Application. Local vendor preference would apply to all public bid solicitations that fall under the criteria cited in section 3.5d of the Purchasing Manual. Businesses seeking local vendor status must complete a vendor registration form as defined in item 1. Definition. as part of submitting a bid packet. Businesses that are on the State of Connecticut or Federal disbarment list will not be eligible to bid. Public Works shall use the same criteria and process as those required by the Purchasing Manual.

3. Implementation. In any solicitation (bids or requests for proposals), where a qualified responsive local vendor as defined in item 1. Definition. above submits a price which is not more than 5% higher than the lowest bid or proposal, the Town has the right to award the contract to the local vendor provided that the local vendor agrees to match the lowest price and the local vendor has provided documentation which verifies their status as a local vendor as per item 1. Definition. above. Furthermore, the local vendor shall not be delinquent in any taxes and or fees owed to the Town. Failure to be current in any taxes and or fees owed the Town will result in the disqualification of the local vendor's bid or proposal, unless the taxes are under appeal.

In the instance of two or more local bidders being with the 5% described above, the lowest responsible bidder will be given the first opportunity to match the low bid. In the case of two

(2) or more bidders submitting identical bids and are equally qualified, the decision of the

Town to make award to one or more of such bidders shall be final. The Town, after determining that each bidder would provide equal benefit to the Town, shall set a separate date for a public drawing to determine the bidder that will be awarded the contract. The bidders involved will be notified in writing when this drawing will take place and will be notified in writing of the chosen vendor.

For bids solicited by Public Works, falling under equivalent criteria, the 5% local bid preference will be used considering the overall total of the bid amount after accounting for any chosen additions or deductions. For bids involving unit prices, the qualified responsive local vendor must also submit updated individual unit prices showing updated unit prices allowing for the aggregate amount to be met.

4. Notification. In the event a local vendor as defined in item 1. Definition. above meets the criteria for submitting a successful bid or proposal as delineated in item 3. Implementation.

above and provides the required documentation, a letter signed by the Purchasing Agent or designated Public Works representative will be mailed to the local vendor. The letter will notify the local vendor that they have met all of the criteria of this provision and will formally request that they respond in writing to the Town within five (5) business days that they are willing to match the lowest respondent's price. Once the local vendor has responded to this notification in the affirmative, and assuming all other conditions have been met and internal process to review bids satisfactorily completed, the award will be made to the local vendor. Public Works may extend these timelines with approval of the Town Manager as the complexity of the project may require.

5. Exemptions. Procurements made under the following are exempt from this requirement:

• State of Connecticut Contract

• Cooperative Purchasing Agreement

• Projects utilizing Federal or State Grants

• Other grants that have stipulations requiring award to actual low qualified bidder

• Professional Services

APPENDIX B

LOCAL VENDOR REGISTRATION APPLICATION

AFFIDAVIT OF LOCAL VENDOR

TOWN OF GROTON LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE

APPLIES ONLY TO BUSINESSES LOCATED IN GROTON, CT

I _________________________________________________________________ (Vendor name) being duly sworn, make affidavit and say that I own and operate

______________________________________________ (business name), which is the bona fide principal place of business for ______________________________________ (business name).

Description of product or services provided by your business:_______________________________

Evidence of ownership and principal place of business is attached to this affidavit and will include:

(Check the one which applies)

_____ 1. Copy of canceled check for payment of personal property taxes on the business to be utilized performance of the

BID.

______ 2. Copy of long term lease of the real estate from which the principal place of business is operated.

Vendor name:

________________________________________Telephone:_________________________

Address:

_____________________________________________Fax:______________________________

City: _______________________________________State: ______________Zip: ___________

E-mail: _____________________________________________

State of Connecticut: Groton, CT.

County of New London

Personally appeared, _________________________________________________ (vendor name) owner of

________________________________ (business name), signer and sealer of the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the truth of the foregoing, before me on the______day of ______in the year_______.

Vendor Signature Notary Public

Date:_____________________________ My Commission Expires:______________

Seal:

Vendor is to mail or present in person to:

Karl Klein

Purchasing Agent

Town of Groton

45 Fort Hill Rd.

Groton, Connecticut 06340

Facsimiles will not be accepted