K6448 RFQQ.docx

WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (WSDA)

COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND QUOTATIONS NO. K6448

WASHINGTON STATE JAPANESE BEETLE ERADICATION 2026

INTRODUCTION

The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) Pest Program is issuing this Competitive Solicitation pursuant to RCW 17.24 and RCW 39.26. Pursuant to this Competitive Solicitation, WSDA intends to conduct a competitive procurement to award one or more agency contracts for WSDA to purchase services for the treatment of Japanese beetle (JB), Popillia japonica, in specified areas located throughout the state. Treatment will include application of prescribed control methods on private and public properties. Treatment of turf, foliar material or both may be conducted, depending on the control measures needed and available funding. Note that all contract awards are subject to the availability of funding as appropriated by the Washington State Legislature.

Japanese beetle (JB), Popillia japonica, Newman, is an invasive scarab beetle native to Japan which was first introduced to the United States in 1918. Japanese beetle is a destructive pest which feeds on over 300 species of plants, many of which are important commodity crops to the state of the Washington, such as hops, grapes and corn. The adults aggregate in large numbers consuming the leaves and buds of host plants. The larvae cause extensive damage by feeding on the roots of turfgrass and other ornamentals. A female Japanese beetle lives between 6-8 weeks and can lay 40-60 eggs in that period.

STATEMENT OF WORK

In 2020, WSDA staff detected three Japanese beetles (JB), Popillia japonica Newman, in the towns of Grandview and Sunnyside within Yakima County. In response to these detections, a 49 square mile delimitation grid with varying densities of traps was deployed in 2021 to assess the extent of the JB population in these areas. 2021 survey efforts resulted in the detection of over 24,000 adult JB within the town of Grandview and surrounding areas of Yakima and Benton counties.

Between 2022 and 2025, WSDA executed largescale insecticide applications to affected public and private properties in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties. During that period beetle populations fluctuated, with a sharp increase of beetles detected in 2025. New beetle populations have been found in King, Franklin, and Benton Counties, expanding the project area for 2026.

WSDA is soliciting bids from individuals and organizations interested in participating in a project in 2026 to apply Acelepryn® insecticide over designated public and private properties in Grandview, Sunnyside, Mabton, Wapato, Pasco, SeaTac and surrounding areas of Yakima, Benton, Franklin, and King counties. This specification is part of a comprehensive plan to eradicate the current infestation of Japanese beetle.

There are approximately 15,000 properties comprising approximately 25,000 treatable acres within the treatment areas. 850 acres in the SeaTac area, 2500 acres in Pasco and surrounding areas, 1700 acres in the Wapato area and 20,000 acres in Grandview and the surrounding area. Treatable area is defined as any environment determined to be suitable habitat for any life stage of Japanese beetle. The exact size and number of properties to be treated is pending the approval of the environmental review process. Maps and specifications of the treatment areas can be found at the end of this section, Exhibit B.

Applications using the liquid insecticide Acelepryn® (EPA Reg. No. 100-1489) will begin in mid-March 2026 and last up to 16 weeks. Secondary products may be considered for use if environmental conditions restrict use of the preferred product(s) or the label does not allow for its use in certain conditions. All properties assigned to the contractor(s) within the treatment areas will receive turfgrass treatment. Select properties within high JB detection areas may receive foliar treatment as allowed by total product active ingredient (a.i.) amount per area and available funding.

Application of the treatment product will be confined to the designated properties. No treatment product will be applied directly to, allowed to drift onto, or runoff into surface water or adjacent properties not listed for treatment. Due to special circumstances, treatments of some properties may be restricted to certain times to mitigate public concerns or avoid unsafe situations. School or other sensitive area schedules may play a role in determining treatment times, which are determined by WSDA. Also, applicators will need to be cognizant of certified organic locations and addresses of people on WSDA Pesticide Sensitive Registry (RCW 17.21.430).

Individuals and organizations may bid on a portion of the treatable acreage or total treatable acreage. WSDA may award multiple contracts for different portions of the treatment plan to meet project deadlines and goals.

Per the instructions of WSDA, provide prescribed insecticide treatments for Japanese beetle to approximately 11,500 properties (public, commercial and residential) within Grandview, Sunnyside, Wapato, Mabton, Pasco and surrounding areas of Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties within Washington state.

Per the instructions of WSDA, provide prescribed insecticide treatments for Japanese beetle to approximately 1,500 properties (public, commercial and residential) within SeaTac, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, Kent, Renton, Tukwila and surrounding areas of King County within Washington state.

APPLICATION.

Refer to the Use Restrictions section of the pesticide label for setback distances from a water body. If the pesticide label does not provide these suggestions, refer to WSDA for setback distances from water body.

Any applications must comply with the WSDA Aquatic & Invasive Species Control General Permit. The application of pesticides or other products under this permit must not cause or contribute to a violation of the Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of the State of Washington (chapter 173-201A WAC), Ground Water Quality Standards (chapter 173-200 WAC), Sediment Management Standards (chapter 173-204 WAC), and human health based criteria in the National Toxics Rule (40 CFR 131.36). Ecology prohibits discharges that do not comply with these standards.

MIXING AND LOADING SITES

Contractor will mix and load all treatment materials only where accidental spills will not enter surface water or wetlands. Mixing and Loading will be in compliance with Mix/Load Containment Area rules (WAC 16-229-400-480) and conditions set forth in the WSDA Aquatic and Invasive Species Control General Permit. Any spills outside a containment area must be reported to the WA State Department of Ecology’s Central Regional Office, 509-575-2490.

The Contractor must adhere to use restrictions in the Environmental Hazards section of the label. The product must not be mixed or loaded:

· on permeable, well drained soils (e.g., gravel, sand, sandy loam, loamy sand),

· within 50 feet of intermittent streams and rivers, or natural or impounded lakes and reservoirs, and

· within 50 feet of all wells, including abandoned wells, drainage wells, and sink holes.

Mixing, loading, rinsing, or cleaning of this product into or from pesticide handling or application equipment or containers within 50 feet of any well is prohibited, unless conducted on an impervious pad constructed to withstand the weight of the heaviest load that may be positioned on or moved across the pad.

MAINTENANCE

The Contractor must maintain a readily available on-site inventory of commonly needed spare parts and spare equipment including, but not limited to, extra spreaders, hose, pump seals to maintain the spray system, and its pumping system, the support trucks, and the storage tanks and to provide for immediate replacement of critically needed parts and equipment. Scheduled maintenance must be conducted only at times that will not interfere with the treatment operations. Non-scheduled maintenance may be conducted but is not to interfere with treatment operations for longer than a period of one hour. Only emergency repairs are permitted during scheduled treatment hours. Care must be taken to prevent leakage of treatment material at all times and a proper spill containment plan must be included in the Contractor’s Safety Plan.

SECURITY

The Contractor must provide the following:

· Chain-of-custody documentation (and/or shipping manifest) from the point of manufacture to delivery to the Contractor for the insecticide used.

· All insecticide holding containers, spreaders, pumps, hoses, and similar equipment must be flushed prior to the start of operations and must have all possible points of entry sealed and secured when not in use. Storage of rinsate must be compliant with Secondary Containment Rules, WAC 16-229.

· Access to the insecticide loading and storage areas must be restricted to only authorized personnel of the Contractor and WSDA.

· Adequate storage requirements for unattended pesticides and their containers pursuant to WAC 16-228-1220.

SPILL CLEANUP EXPENSES

The Contractor is solely responsible for all cleanup activities and costs resulting from any contamination caused by the accidental or intentional spilling, leakage, or dumping of insecticide, fuel, oil, or any other contaminant from Contractor supplied equipment.

The Contractor must have a written spill response plan and the spill response plan will be made available to WSDA upon request. The Contractor should also have the means to contain, cleanup, and remove contaminated material and soil as well as decontaminate and, if necessary, remediate the site.

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

The primary product approved for use under this program is

· Acelepryn® (Syngenta EPA Reg. No. 100-1489) -liquid formulation for adult and larvae control

The Contractor must adhere to application rate requirements for the treated area as specified on the pesticide label.

· Acelepryn® 8-16 fl. oz. per acre Label allows for up 20 fl oz. per acre

· Application rate of 12 fl. oz. per acre for this project

Secondary products may be considered for use if environmental conditions restrict use of the preferred product(s) or the label does not allow for its use in certain conditions.

The secondary products for this program are:

· grubGONE!®G (Phyllom BioProducts, EPA Reg. No 88347-2) - granular formulation for grub control

· beetleGONE!®tlc Water Dispersible Formulation (Phyllom BioProducts, EPA Reg. No. 88347-3) - foliar application for beetle control

· Acelepryn®G (Syngenta EPA Reg. No. 100-1500)- granular formulation for grub control

The contractor must keep an available copy of the product labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on site (at a central office location, Applicator vehicles, etc.) throughout the course of the program to be made readily available, if necessary.

The Contractor is responsible for purchasing, storage, transportation, security, and loading of the insecticide(s) used for this program. The Contractor must assure that adequate supplies of insecticide are in or near the treatment area throughout each treatment day.

The apparatus(es) must display appropriate signage on powered equipment when making landscape or right-of-way applications (RCW 17.21.400 and WAC 16-228-1550).

The Contractor is required to notify pesticide-sensitive individuals when a landscape or right-of-way application is made to an adjoining property. The requirements for notifying pesticide-sensitive individuals are contained in RCW 17.21.430.

Contractors making landscape applications to the properties listed below are required to post the applications with a marker. Requirements for landscape postings are listed in RCW 17.21.410 and for schools in RCW 17.21.415 and WAC 16-228-1322.

· Residential property

· Commercial property (apartments, malls, etc.)

· Golf courses

· Parks, cemeteries, rest stops, etc.

· Schools

· Nursery schools

· Licensed day cares

The Contractor is responsible for the proper disposal of all empty insecticide containers according to label requirements and state laws and rules. Any container that is not properly rinsed is deemed to contain pesticides and must be stored along with other containers containing pesticides. It is encouraged that the Contractor either collaborate with a local pesticide dealership or contact Agri-Plas, Inc. (503-390-2391directly, recycle@agriplasinc.com) for the proper recycling of empty pesticide containers.

If rinsate or pesticide has become waste, the Contractor needs to contact WSDA Waste Pesticide Program (360-902-2056, wastepesticide@agr.wa.gov).

DATA SUBMISSION

The Contractor must record all pesticide applications onto a WSDA adopted or WSDA approved recordkeeping form. RCW 17.21.100 and WAC 16-228-1320 specify the requirements for application records. The Contractor must keep all application records for seven years from the date of application. The application records must be made available to WSDA and entities listed in RCW 17.21.100(4), upon request.

The Contractor must report daily completed and incomplete properties by email to the WSDA Contract Manager by noon of the following business day.

The Contractor may be subject to an “Applicator” inspection conducted by WSDA Pesticide Compliance staff. Also, throughout this program, during an application pesticide applicators can expect to have random “Use Inspections” performed by WSDA Pesticide Compliance staff. These inspections are conducted under the authority of Washington State and with oversight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

See WSDA website for information on Pesticide Laws and Rules, Pesticide Application Recordkeeping, Pesticide Sensitive Person Notification, etc: https://agr.wa.gov/services/inspections-and-investigations/investigations/pesticide-complianceContractor Personnel

PROJECT SUPERVISOR

The Contractor must designate one of its personnel to serve as the on-site project supervisor and to represent the company in all project work matters that require prompt attention. This person must be familiar with all equipment being used (as necessary), as well as rules and regulations of WSDA. They must also be appropriately licensed as a pesticide applicator by the Washington Pesticide Control Act (RCW 15.58), Washington Pesticide Application Act (RCW 17.21).

GROUND-SUPPORT PERSONNEL

The Contractor must supply enough properly trained and qualified ground-support personnel to drive all necessary support vehicles, perform mixing/loading and insecticide use, as well as operate and maintain the treatment equipment. All ground-support personnel must be familiar with the treatment equipment in use and knowledgeable in calibration and configuration of project equipment. All applicable ground-support personnel involved with an application must record weather conditions (temperature and wind) to properly complete daily pesticide application records. All personnel provided by the Contractor must be experienced and fully trained in their duties. All ground personnel involved with the handling of insecticides must be supervised, certified, or registered as required by WSDA.

All ground-support personnel must be equipped and trained to take proper action in an emergency. These individuals must observe all safety precautions in handling insecticides. The Contractor is required to replace any ground-support person who, in the opinion of WSDA, does not demonstrate the knowledge and capability to perform their duties.

PESTICIDE APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION

Each applicator must hold the appropriate license type and must be certified in the appropriate category by WSDA for the type of applications being done.

WSDA’S RIGHT TO REJECT

WSDA reserves the right to permanently reject any applicator who, in WSDA’S opinion, violates these Contract Specifications, is unsafe, has violated product label instructions or state regulations, or otherwise performs unsatisfactorily.

DISPERSAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Liquid Formula Applications For liquid treatments, WSDA requires properly calibrated boom sprayers, hand-wand or hand-gun sprayers.

Granular Applications For any granular treatments, WSDA requires drop-type, rotary-type or hand-held application equipment. The application equipment must be properly calibrated according to the manufacturer’s directions to ensure uniform coverage over the area treated. During application, check equipment periodically to confirm that it is working properly and that the granules are being uniformly distributed.

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Tanks and Dump System Leak-proof, corrosion-resistant hoppers and tanks must be used. Exposed valve control must be protected to prevent unintentional opening in any manner. The size of the hoppers and tanks must not impair loading or displacing the center of gravity beyond acceptable limits. Tanks and supporting equipment must be securely mounted or anchored to prevent damage, loss during use or transport, or theft.

Pumping System (liquid formula application) The pumping system must be securely attached and capable of maintaining the pressure required to insure the even distribution of insecticide. All plumbing and pumps must be large enough to handle the required flow. All parts, including pump seals, must be chemically and abrasively resistant to the spray material being used.

Shutoff To avoid contamination of areas not scheduled for treatment, the entire application system must be leak-proof and have a positive shutoff mechanism capable of eliminating spilling or dripping from the hoppers or nozzles when shut off.

System Cleaning The application system (e.g., filters/screens, lines, nozzles, tanks, pumps, etc.) must be flushed or cleaned daily to prevent drying of material from becoming a problem. The Contractor must check for leaks and clogs, verify pump pressure, and monitor flow rate daily.

Calibration The Contractor's equipment must arrive on site properly calibrated for the insecticide in use and rate of application specified. If the calibration is incorrect, the Contractor must correct it immediately without causing any delay in the start of applications. All application equipment must be properly cleaned and serviced and be in good working condition when reporting on site for calibration verification.

NOTIFICATIONS

Contractor will provide staff and equipment necessary to meet the requirements for pre-treatment notifications set by WSDA. Notifications are required to be sent out by phone, email and text, in both English and Spanish. Residents will be notified prior to scheduled treatment. Information regarding preferred contact methods will be collected by WSDA upon receiving treatment consent from the resident. This information will be included in the data shared with the Contractor for treatment scheduling. Scripts for treatment notification will be provided by WSDA in English and Spanish. Recordings must be approved by the Contract Manager before being used.

When sending out mass notifications, it is possible to encounter situations which prevent the notification from reaching the resident. These situations include:

· Invalid or disconnected phone numbers

· Invalid emails

· Voicemail boxes that have not been set up

· Voicemail boxes that are full

The Contractor must have a way to verify if phone calls are answered or if texts are received. If the Contractor encounters the above situations, they may use a secondary contact method if it is provided by the resident. This ensures the notification can still go out and minimizes the amount of “bouncebacks” and reschedules, which slows down project progress.

INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMERS

This project will require daily interaction with residents and collaboration with WSDA eradication staff. Protocols regarding interactions with customers and WSDA staff will be finalized upon contract negotiation. Please provide a sample of protocol used to train current Contractor staff on how to interact with customers. Effective communication between Contractor staff, WSDA staff and the public will be key to the success of this project.

RESCHEDULING

Rescheduling due to locked gates, pets present, or requests from the residents are common occurrences. In this situation, the Contractor will leave a note on the front door indicating the reason that the treatment was not completed and why a reschedule is needed. An area wide cancellation of services or rescheduling may also occur due to inclement weather. This determination will be made by the Contract Manager. Specific protocols for rescheduling will be discussed during the contract negotiation period.

SCHEDULING

Contractor will work with WSDA to establish monthly and weekly treatment schedules. Proposed treatment area and plan will be submitted to the WSDA Contract Manager prior to treatment. This reporting may be adjusted if needed to meet project goals. Development of weekly/daily schedules will occur during contract negotiation.

Before treatments begin, WSDA will provide a full list of treatable properties approximately two weeks before the first day of treatment. WSDA will continue sending weekly reports with newly added properties for the contractor to schedule treatments.

WSDA reserves the right to alter schedules for special projects where additional time is needed to complete project work or if property schedules do not allow for treatment during normal operating hours.

No treatments will occur on holidays.

PROJECT DETAIL AREAS AND MAPS (maps will be posted in WEBS)

Map of Grandview treatment area

Map of Wapato treatment area

Map of Pasco treatment area

Map of SeaTac treatment area

This Competitive Solicitation is divided into six (6) sections:

· Section 1 provides a summary table of relevant deadlines for responding to the Competitive Solicitation and identifies contact information for WSDA’s Procurement Coordinator.

· Section 2 provides important information about the procurement that is designed to help interested bidders evaluate the potential opportunity, including the purpose of the procurement, the form of the resulting Contract, and potential contract sales.

· Section 3 identifies how WSDA will evaluate the bids.

· Section 4 identifies how to prepare and submit a bid for this Competitive Solicitation, including detailed instructions regarding what to submit and how to submit your bid.

· Section 5 details the applicable requirements to file a complaint, request a debrief conference, or file a protest regarding this Competitive Solicitation.

· Section 6 provides information pertaining to doing business with the State of Washington, including WSDA’s efforts to enable Washington’s small and diverse businesses to compete for and participate in state procurements for goods/services.

In addition, this Competitive Solicitation includes the following Exhibits:

· Exhibit A – Required Bidder Information: These exhibits identify information that bidders must provide to WSDA to constitute a responsive bid. See Section 4, below.

· Exhibit A-1 – Bidder’s Certification

· Exhibit A-2 – Bidder’s Profile

· Exhibit B – Performance Requirements/Evaluation Criteria: This exhibit outlines the required specifications/qualifications (Statement of Work) for the service that is the subject of this Competitive Solicitation.

· Exhibit C – Bid Price: This exhibit provides the pricing information that bidders will complete as part of their bid and the price evaluation tool that the Procurement Coordinator will use to evaluate and compare bids.

· Exhibit D – Contract: This exhibit is a draft of the Contract that any successful bidder will execute with WSDA.

· Exhibit E – Subcontractor Inclusion Plan

Section 1 – Deadlines, Questions, Procurement Coordinator, and Modification

This section identifies important deadlines for this Competitive Solicitation, where to direct questions regarding the Competitive Solicitation, and the process for potential amendments or modifications to the Competitive Solicitation.

1.1. COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION DEADLINES. The following table identifies important dates for this Competitive Solicitation:

COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION DEADLINES

1.2. COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION QUESTIONS. Questions or concerns regarding this Competitive Solicitation must be directed to the following Procurement Coordinator:

Procurement Coordinator

Questions raised during the preproposal conference and Q&A period will be answered and responses posted to Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS).

1.3. COMPLAINTS, DEBRIEFS, & PROTESTS. The Competitive Solicitation (and award of any Contract) is subject to complaints, debriefs, and protests as explained in Section 5, which may impact the dates set forth above.

1.4. COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION – AMENDMENT & MODIFICATION. WSDA reserves the right to amend and modify this Competitive Solicitation. Only bidders who have properly registered and downloaded the original Competitive Solicitation directly via the Washington Electronic Business Solution WEBS will receive notifications of amendments and other correspondence pertinent to this Competitive Solicitation. Visit WEBS to register.

Section 2 – Information About the Procurement

This section describes the purpose of the Competitive Solicitation and provides information about this procurement, including the potential scope of the opportunity.

2.1. PURPOSE OF THE PROCUREMENT – AWARD A CONTRACT. The purpose of this Competitive Solicitation is to receive competitive bids to evaluate and, as appropriate, award a Contract(s) for WSDA to procure services for the treatment of Japanese beetle (JB), Popillia japonica, in specified areas located throughout the state as set forth in this RFQQ. Pursuant to Washington’s Procurement Code for Goods and Services, RCW chap. 39.26, state agency purchases of goods and services must be based on a competitive solicitation process in which the Contract is awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

Small/Veteran-Owned Business Set Asides - Pursuant to this Competitive Solicitation, WSDA will set aside contract awards to one or more small or veteran-owned businesses. Each contract would be $150,000 or less. If WSDA gets responses from responsible and responsive small or veteran-owned licensed pesticide applicators, our intention is to award set aside contracts to those businesses. WSDA intends to award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bid from a small business (as defined in RCW 39.26.010(22)(a) or veteran-owned business, unless none of these businesses are responsible and responsive to this solicitation

2.2. CONTRACT. The form of the Contract that will be awarded as a result of this Competitive Solicitation is attached as Exhibit D – Contract.

2.3. CONTRACT TERM. As set forth in the attached Contract for this Competitive Solicitation, the anticipated contract term is March 2, 2026 – September 30, 2026. Bidders are to specify prices for the contract term. The Contract is subject to earlier termination.

2.4. ESTIMATED CONTRACT VALUE. Although WSDA does not represent or guarantee any minimum purchase from the Contract, WSDA anticipates a $5,925,150 budget for the term of this contract to be used on professional service fees and expenses (March 2, 2026 through September 30, 2026). Note that the final budget is subject to legislative appropriation.

2.5. WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCES. WSDA will apply the following Washington State procurement priorities and preferences to this Competitive Solicitation which, as set forth in Section 3.5, will impact the evaluation of bids for this Competitive Solicitation:

· Executive Order 18-03: 25 points

· Washington Small Business: 50 points

· Certified Veteran-Owned Business: 25 points

· $150,000 contracts to lowest bid, responsive, responsible, licensed pesticide applicator small or veteran-owned businesses.

Section 3 – Bid Evaluation

This section identifies how WSDA will evaluate bids for this Competitive Solicitation.

3.1. OVERVIEW. WSDA & Procurement Coordinator will evaluate bids for this Competitive Solicitation as described below.

· Bidder responsiveness, performance requirements, price factors, and responsibility, will be evaluated based on the process described herein.

· Any bidder whose bid is determined to be non-responsive will be rejected and will be notified of the reasons for this rejection.

· WSDA reserves the right to: (1) Request clarification regarding any bid; (2) Waive any informality; (3) Reject any or all bids, or portions thereof; (4) Accept any portion of the bid unless the bidder stipulates all or nothing in their bid; (5) Cancel the Competitive Solicitation and, if desired, re-solicit bids; and/or (6) Negotiate with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s) to determine if such bid can be improved.

· WSDA will use the following process and evaluation criteria to determine eligibility for an award of the Contract:

Bid Responsiveness

Licensed WA State Pesticide Applicator Pass/Fail

Bid Evaluation

Exhibit B – Performance Requirements

Exhibit C – Bid Price 100 max

State Procurement Priorities

TOP-SCORED BIDDER(S)

Responsible Bidder

Contract Negotiations

3.2. BID RESPONSIVENESS/RESPONSIBILITY (STEP 1). Procurement coordinator will review bids – on a pass/fail basis – to determine whether the bid is ‘responsive’ to this Competitive Solicitation and the bidder holds a Washington State pesticide applicator license. This means that procurement coordinator will review each bid to determine whether the bid is complete – i.e., does the bid include each of the required bid submittals, are the submittals complete, signed, legible. Procurement coordinator reserves the right – in its sole discretion – to determine whether a bid is responsive – i.e., to determine a bidder’s compliance with the requirements specified in this Competitive Solicitation and to waive informalities in a bid. An informality is an immaterial variation from the exact requirements of the Competitive Solicitation, having no effect or merely a minor or negligible effect on quality, quantity, or delivery of the goods or the quality, capability, or performance of the services being procured, and the correction or waiver of which would not affect the relative standing of, or be otherwise prejudicial, to bidders.

3.3. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS EVALUATION (STEP 2). WSDA will evaluate each bid to ensure that each bidder’s goods(s) and/or service(s) meet the specifications and/or performance requirements set forth in Exhibit B – Performance Requirements. WSDA reserves the right to request additional information or perform tests and measurements before selecting the Apparent Successful Bidder. A bidder’s failure to provide requested information to WSDA within ten (10) business days may result in disqualification. There is a maximum of 400 points for this section. See Exhibit B for evaluation criteria, and the breakdown of assigned points.

3.4. BID PRICING EVALUATION (STEP 3). Procurement coordinator will evaluate bid pricing by reviewing and comparing the submitted bid prices provided in Exhibit C - Bid Price.

3.5. WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCES (STEP 4). WSDA will apply the following Washington State procurement priorities and preferences, as set forth below, to this Competitive Solicitation

· PROCUREMENT PREFERENCE FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03 (Firms without Mandatory Individual Arbitration for Employees). Pursuant to RCW 39.26.160(3) (best value criteria) and consistent with Executive Order 18-03 – Supporting Workers’ Rights to Effectively Address Workplace Violations (dated June 12, 2018), WSDA will evaluate bids for best value and will provide a bid preference in the amount of 25 points to any bidder who certifies, pursuant to Exhibit A-1 – Bidder’s Certification, that their firm does NOT require its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waivers.

· WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESSES. In furtherance of Washington’s business inclusion goals WSDA will evaluate bids for best value and will provide a bid preference in the amount of 50 points to any bidder who certifies, pursuant to Exhibit A-1 – Bidder’s Certification, that Bidder qualifies as a ‘Washington Small Business’ as set forth in Exhibit A-1 – Bidder’s Certification.

· CERTIFIED VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES. In furtherance of Washington’s business inclusion goals, WSDA will evaluate bids for best value and will provide a bid preference in the amount of 25 points to any bidder who certifies, pursuant to Exhibit A-1 – Bidder’s Certification, that Bidder qualifies as a Washington Department of Veterans’ Affairs Certified Veteran-Owned Business.

3.6. BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY ANALYSIS (STEP 5). For responsive bids, WSDA must determine whether the bidder is a ‘responsible bidder.’ Accordingly, WSDA will make reasonable inquiry to determine bidder responsibility on a pass/fail basis. In determining bidder responsibility, WSDA will consider the following statutory elements:

· Bidder’s ability, capacity, and skill to perform the contract or provide the service required;

· Bidder’s character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency;

· Bidder’s ability to perform the contract within the time specified;

· Bidder’s performance quality pertaining to previous contracts or services;

· Bidder’s compliance with laws relating to the contract or services;

· Whether, within the three-year period immediately preceding the date of the Competitive Solicitation, bidder has been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of chapter 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 RCW; and

· Such other information as may be secured having a bearing on the decision to award the Contract.

See RCW 39.26.160(2)(a)-(g). In addition, WSDA may consider the following:

· Financial Information: WSDA may request financial statements, credit ratings, references, record of past performance, clarification of bidder’s bid, on-site inspection of bidder's or subcontractor's facilities, or other information as necessary to determine bidder’s capacity to perform and the enforceability of bidder’s contractual commitments. Failure to respond to these requests may result in a bid being rejected as non-responsive.

· References: WSDA reserves the right to use references to confirm satisfactory customer service, performance, satisfaction with service/product, knowledge of products/service/industry and timeliness. Any negative or unsatisfactory reference can be reason for rejecting a bidder as non-responsible.

3.7. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS (STEP 6). WSDA may negotiate with the highest scored responsive, responsible bidder to finalize the Contract and to determine if the bid may be improved. If, after a reasonable period of time, WSDA, in its sole judgement, cannot reach agreement on acceptable Contract terms with such bidder, WSDA may suspend negotiations and undertake negotiations with the next highest scored responsive, responsible bidder as determined by the evaluations.

3.8. ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER. WSDA will determine the Apparent Successful Bidder (“ASB”). The ASB will be the responsive and responsible bidder(s) that best meet(s) the Competitive Solicitation requirements and presents the best total value, including price, as calculated consistent with the instructions set forth in Exhibit C – Bid Price, and other factors as set forth in this Competitive Solicitation including any applicable state procurement priority or preference.

· Designation as an ASB does not imply that WSDA will issue an award for a Contract. Rather, this designation allows WSDA to perform further analysis and ask for additional documentation. The bidder must not construe ASB designation as an award, impending award, attempt to negotiate, etc. If a bidder acts or fails to act as a result of such notification or designation, it does so at its own risk and expense.

· Upon ASB announcement, bidders may request a debrief conference as specified in Section 5.

3.9. AWARD OF CONTRACT. Subject to protests, if any, WSDA and the ASB will enter into a Contract as set forth in Exhibit D – Contract. An award is made and a contract formed by signature of WSDA and the awarded bidder on the Contract. Following the Contract award, all bidders registered in WEBS will receive a Notice of Award delivered to the bidder’s email address provided in the bidder’s profile in WEBS.

3.10. BID INFORMATION AVAILABILITY. Upon WSDA’s announcement of ASB, all bid submissions and all bid evaluations are subject to public disclosure pursuant to Washington’s Public Records Act. See RCW 39.26.030(2).

Section 4 – How to Prepare and Submit a Bid for this Competitive Solicitation

This section identifies how to prepare and submit your bid for this Competitive Solicitation. In addition, bidders will need to review and follow the Competitive Solicitation requirements including those set forth in the exhibits, which identifies the information that bidders must provide to the Procurement Coordinator to constitute a responsive bid. By responding to this Competitive Solicitation and submitting a bid, bidders acknowledge having read and understood the entire Competitive Solicitation and accept all information contained within this Competitive Solicitation.

4.1. BIDDER COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THIS COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION. During the Competitive Solicitation process, all bidder communications regarding this Competitive Solicitation must be directed to the Procurement Coordinator specified in Section 1.2 of this Competitive Solicitation. Bidders should rely only on this Competitive Solicitation and written amendments to this Competitive Solicitation issued by the Procurement Coordinator. In no event will oral communications regarding this Competitive Solicitation be binding.

· Bidders are encouraged to make any inquiry regarding the Competitive Solicitation as early in the process as possible to allow WSDA to consider and, if warranted, respond to the inquiry. If a bidder does not notify the Procurement Coordinator of an issue, exception, addition, or omission, such matter may be considered to be waived by the bidder for protest purposes.

· If bidder inquiries result in changes to the Competitive Solicitation, written amendments will be issued and posted on WEBS.

· Unauthorized bidder contact regarding this Competitive Solicitation with other state employees involved with the Competitive Solicitation may result in bidder disqualification.

4.2. PRICING. Bid prices must include all cost components needed for the goods and/or services as described in this Competitive Solicitation. See Exhibit C – Bid Price. A bidder’s failure to identify all costs in a manner consistent with the instructions in this Competitive Solicitation is sufficient grounds for disqualification.

· Inclusive Pricing: Bidders must identify and include all cost elements in their pricing. In the event that bidder is awarded a Contract, the total price for the goods and/or services shall be bidder’s price as submitted. Except as provided in the Contract, there shall be no additional costs of any kind.

4.3. BID SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST – REQUIRED BID SUBMITTALS. This section identifies the bid submittals that must be provided to the Procurement Coordinator to constitute a responsive bid. The submittals must be delivered as set forth below. Bids that do not include the submittals identified below may be rejected as nonresponsive. In addition, a bidder’s failure to complete any submittal as instructed may result in the bid being rejected. Bidders may not provide unsolicited materials. For any supplemental materials expressly required by the Procurement Coordinator in writing, bidders must identify such supplemental materials with the bidder’s name.

· EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION

This document is the Bidder’s Certification. Complete the certification, along with any exceptions or required explanations, and submit it with the bid to the Procurement Coordinator. Note: The Certification must be complete. Where there are choices, bidder must check a box. The certification must be signed and submitted by a duly authorized representative for the bidder.

· EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE

This document is required bidder information for contract administration purposes. Complete as instructed and submit it with the bid to the Procurement Coordinator.

· EXHIBIT B – PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Bidder will need to confirm that bidder’s goods and/or services and/or bidder’s performance meets or exceeds the detailed specifications/qualifications set forth in Exhibit B – Performance Requirements and submit it with the bid to the Procurement Coordinator.

· EXHIBIT C – BID PRICE

Bidder will need to complete the price worksheet tools as instructed in Exhibit C – Bid Price and submit it with the bid to the Procurement Coordinator.

· EXHIBIT E – SUBCONTRACTOR INCLUSION PLAN (IF APPLICABLE)

4.4. BID FORMAT. Bids must be complete, legible, signed, and follow all instructions stated in the Competitive Solicitation (including the exhibits). Unless otherwise specified in writing by documents included with an electronic bid must be prepared in MS Word, MS Excel, or Adobe PDF. Where required to do so, bidders may sign using either a physical or electronic signature.

4.5. SUBMITTING BIDS. Bidder’s electronic bid must be emailed to the Procurement Coordinator at the following email address by 5pm on January 30, 2026: Laura.Holmes@agr.wa.gov. Note: This email only can accept emails (including attachments) that total less than 30MB in size. Bidders are cautioned to keep email sizes to less than 25MB to ease delivery. Zipped files cannot be accepted.

Section 5 – Complaint, Debrief, & Protest Requirements

This section details the applicable requirements for complaints, debriefs, and protests.

5.1. COMPLAINTS. This Competitive Solicitation offers a complaint period for bidders wishing to voice objections to this Competitive Solicitation. The complaint period ends five (5) business days before the bid due date. The complaint period is an opportunity to voice objections, raise concerns, or suggest changes that were not addressed during the Question & Answer Period. Failure by the bidder to raise a complaint at this stage may waive its right for later consideration. WSDA will consider all complaints but is not required to modify or cancel the Competitive Solicitation. If bidder complaints result in changes to the Competitive Solicitation, written amendments to the Competitive Solicitation will be issued and posted on WEBS.

a. CRITERIA FOR COMPLAINT. A complaint may be based only on one or more of the following grounds: (a) The Competitive Solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition; (b) The Competitive Solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed; or (c) The Competitive Solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.

b. INITIATING A COMPLAINT. A complaint must: (a) Be submitted to and received by the Procurement Coordinator no less than five (5) business days prior to the deadline for bid submittal; and (b) Be in writing (see Form and Substance, and Other below). A complaint should clearly articulate the basis of the complaint and include a proposed remedy.

c. RESPONSE. When a complaint is received, the Procurement Coordinator (or designee) will consider all the facts available and respond in writing prior to the deadline for bid submittals, unless more time is needed. WSDA is required to promptly post the response to a complaint on WEBS.

d. RESPONSE IS FINAL. The Procurement Coordinator’s response to the complaint is final and not subject to administrative appeal. Issues raised in a complaint may not be raised again during the protest period. Furthermore, any issue, exception, addition, or omission not brought to the attention of the Procurement Coordinator prior to bid submittal may be deemed waived for protest purposes.

5.2. DEBRIEF CONFERENCES. A Debrief Conference is an opportunity for a bidder and WSDA, through its Procurement Coordinator, to meet and discuss the bidder’s bid (and, as further explained below, is a necessary prerequisite to filing a protest). Following the bid evaluation, WSDA will issue an ASB announcement. That the ASB announcement may be made by any means, but WSDA likely will use email to the bidder’s email address provided in the Bidder’s Profile. Bidders will have three (3) business days to request a Debrief Conference, if desired. If a Debrief Conference is timely requested, WSDA will offer the requesting bidder one meeting opportunity and notify the bidder of the Debrief Conference place, date, and time. Please note, because the debrief process must occur before making an award, WSDA likely will schedule the Debrief Conference shortly after the ASB announcement and the bidder’s request for a Debrief Conference. WSDA will not allow the debrief process to delay the Contract award. Accordingly, bidders should plan for contingencies and alternate representatives. Bidders who wish to protest must first participate in a Debrief Conference. Bidders who are unwilling or unable to attend the Debrief Conference will lose the opportunity to protest. A debrief is a required prerequisite for a bidder wishing to file a protest.

a. TIMING. A Debrief Conference may be requested by a bidder following the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) announcement.

b. PURPOSE OF DEBRIEF CONFERENCE. Any bidder who has submitted a timely bid response may request a Debrief Conference (see also Section 5.4 below). A Debrief Conference provides an opportunity for the bidder to meet with WSDA to discuss bidder’s bid and evaluation. It does not provide an opportunity to discuss other bids and evaluations.

c. REQUESTING A DEBRIEF CONFERENCE. The request for a Debrief Conference must be made in writing via email to the Procurement Coordinator and received within three (3) business days after the ASB announcement. Debrief conferences may be conducted either in person at the procurement coordinator’s office in Olympia, Washington, or virtually (e.g., by telephone or web-based virtual meeting such as Zoom, Skype, MS Teams), as determined by WSDA, and may be limited by WSDA to a specified period of time. A bidder’s failure to request a Debrief Conference within the specified time and attend the Debrief Conference constitutes a waiver of the right to submit a protest. Any issue, exception, addition, or omission not brought to the attention of the procurement coordinator before or during the Debrief Conference may be deemed waived for protest purposes.

5.3. PROTESTS. Following a Debrief Conference, a bidder may protest the award of a Contract.

a. CRITERIA FOR A PROTEST. A protest may be based only on one or more of the following: (a) Bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator; (b) Error in computing evaluation scores; or (c) Non-compliance with any procedures described in the Competitive Solicitation.

b. INITIATING A PROTEST. Any bidder may protest an award to the ASB. A protest must: (a) Be submitted to and received by the Protest Officer specified below, within five (5) business days after the protesting bidder’s Debriefing Conference (see also Section 5.4 below); (b) Be in writing; (c) Include a specific and complete statement of facts forming the basis of the protest; and (d) Include a description of the relief or corrective action requested.

c. PROTEST RESPONSE. After reviewing the protest and available facts, WSDA’s Protest Officer will issue a written response within ten (10) business days from receipt of the protest, unless additional time is needed.

d. DECISION IS FINAL. The protest decision is final and not subject to administrative appeal. If the protesting bidder does not accept WSDA’s protest response, the bidder may seek relief in Thurston County Superior Court.

5.4. COMMUNICATION DURING COMPLAINTS, DEBRIEFS, AND PROTESTS. With the exception of protests, all communications about this Competitive Solicitation, including complaints and debriefs, must be addressed to the Procurement Coordinator unless otherwise directed. Protests must be addressed to the Protest Officer.

a. FORM, SUBSTANCE, & OTHER. All complaints, debrief conference requests, and protests must:

i. Be in writing;

ii. Be signed by the complaining, requesting, or protesting bidder or an authorized agent;

iii. Be delivered within the time frame(s) outlined herein;

iv. Identify the Competitive solicitation number;

v. Conspicuously state “Complaint,” “Debrief,” or “Protest” in any subject line of any correspondence or email; and

vi. Be sent to the address identified below.

b. COMPLAINTS & PROTESTS. All complaints and protests must (a) State all facts and arguments on which the complaining or protesting bidder is relying as the basis for its action; and (b) Include any relevant documentation or other supporting evidence.

5.5. HOW TO CONTACT WSDA.

a. TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT. Send an email message to the Procurement Coordinator listed in this Competitive Solicitation (see Section 1.2, above).