Kettering Road Improvements.pdf

KETTERING ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

26-RFQ01371

County of Hernando

15470 Flight Path Drive

Brooksville, FL 34604

County of Hernando

Kettering Road Improvements

I. SOLICITATION

II. Introduction

III. AWARD

IV. DEFINITIONS

V. SOLICITATION INSTRUCTIONS

VI. EVALUATION PHASES

VII. SCOPE AND SPECIFICATIONS

VIII. VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE (RFQ)

Attachments:

B - Kettering Project Location Map

C - Professional_Services_Agreement_Over_ABR_No_Task_Order_MAT061826 undefined #26-RFQ01371 Title: Kettering Road Improvements

1. SOLICITATION

ISSUED BY:

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

HERNANDO COUNTY, FLORIDA

Jerry Campbell, Chairman

Ryan Amsler, Vice Chairman

Steve Champion, Second Vice Chairman

Brian Hawkins

John Allocco

SUBMIT BID OFFER TO:

HERNANDO COUNTY

PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT

via Hernando County's eProcurement Portal

Carla Rossiter-Smith

Director of Procurement Services and Strategic Initiatives (Chief Procurement Officer)

SEALED OFFERS, FOR FURNISHING THE SERVICES, SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT DESCRIBED HEREIN WILL BE

RECEIVED BY THE OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT, VIA THE COUNTY'S eProcurement Portal UNTIL 10:00 a.m., LOCAL TIME ON Monday, August 10, 2026. NO BID OFFERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE ABOVE

STIPULATED DATE AND TIME. THIS IS AN ADVERTISED SOLICITATION AND THE RESPONDING BIDDERS

WILL BE PUBLICLY READ AT 15470 FLIGHT PATH DRIVE BROOKSVILLE, FL 34604 IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE

CONFERENCE ROOM AT 10:00 a.m. ON Monday, August 10, 2026. PURSUANT TO FS 119.071 SEALED

BIDS, PROPOSALS, OR REPLIES RECEIVED BY AN AGENCY PURSUANT TO A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

ARE EXEMPT FROM INSPECTION UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE AGENCY PROVIDES NOTICE OF AN INTENDED

DECISION OR UNTIL THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER OPENING THE BIDS, PROPOSALS, OR FINAL REPLIES, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER.

Procurement Contact Information:

Felicia Holmes, Procurement Manager

(352) 754-4020 fholmes@co.hernando.fl.us https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/hernandocounty mailto:fholmes@co.hernando.fl.us

2. Introduction

2.1. Request for Qualifications for Kettering Road Improvements

Hernando County Board of County Commissioners is requesting proposals from qualified, experienced firms to provide right-of-way acquisition, roadway design, new utility design, electric distribution relocation and post-design services for the preparation of construction documents consisting of plans, specifications and bid forms for roadway improvements to a 3.05-mile section of Kettering Road and associated improvements from SR-50 to Power Line Road.

Proposals for the above will be received and accepted up to 10:00 a.m. (local time), Monday, August 10, 2026, via Hernando County's eProcurement Portal. Only electronic submittals through the eProcurement Portal shall be accepted by the County.

The Board of County Commissioners of Hernando County, Florida reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received in accordance with this solicitation and the Hernando County Procurement Ordinance.

Interested firms may obtain the solicitation documents and plans and drawings and all other pertinent information by visiting the County's eProcurement Portal. For additional project information, please visit the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners Procurement Department at www.hernandocounty.us, or by submitting a question via the Q&A Tab in the County's eProcurement

Portal.

Ex Parte Communication: Please note that to ensure proper and fair evaluation of all proposals, the

County prohibits unsolicited ex parte communication initiated by any respondent or potential respondent to County officials or employees regarding this solicitation prior to the time a notice of award has been made. Any communication between a respondent and the County will be initiated by the appropriate county official or employee in order to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the respondent's proposal. Unsolicited ex parte communication may be grounds for disqualifying the respondent or potential respondent from consideration in this solicitation or any future solicitation.

This constitutes formal notice that respondents and potential respondents are prohibited from lobbying, either individually or collectively, any County Commissioner, candidate for the Board of County

Commissioners, County employee, or member of the Professional Services Review Committee, concerning this project. Further, this is formal notice that respondents and potential respondents are prohibited from contacting County personnel for such purposes as holding meetings of introduction, meals, or meetings relating to the selection process outside of those specifically scheduled by the

County. Any such lobbying activities or communication may cause immediate disqualification from consideration in this solicitation.

The Procurement Department will post addenda on the County’s eProcurement Portal to all questions in accordance with the solicitation instructions. It is the responsibility of respondents and potential respondents to visit the eProcurement Portal to ensure that they are aware of all addenda issued related to this solicitation.

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/hernandocounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/hernandocounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/hernandocounty

Pursuant to Florida Statutes 119.071 sealed bids, proposals, or replies received by an agency pursuant to a competitive solicitation are exempt from inspection until such time as the agency provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies whichever is earlier.

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

To ensure that your proposal is responsive, you are urged to request clarification or guidance on any issues involving this solicitation before submission of your proposal. Your point-of-contact for this solicitation is Felicia Holmes Procurement Manager, Procurement Department, via the County’s eProcurement Portal.

3. AWARD

UPON AWARD, PLEASE SUBMIT INVOICES TO:

Hernando County

Public Works

1525 E. Jefferson St.

Brooksville, Florida 34601

4. DEFINITIONS

4.1. DEFINITIONS

A. "Addenda" means a written or graphic instrument issued by the County prior to the execution of the Agreement which modify or interpret the Request for Qualifications by additions, deletions, clarifications, corrections or other type of modifications. Addenda will become part of the Contract Documents when the Agreement is executed.

B. "Agreement" means a legal document, executed by the County and the Successful Respondent, which supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral.

The Agreement, as amended from time to time, forms the contract between County and the

Successful Respondent setting forth the roles, responsibilities and obligations of the parties including, but not limited to, the performance of the services and the basis of payment.

C. "Board" means the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners.

D. "Contract Documents" means this all documents in this solicitation, including addenda to such, the Agreement, including amendments, addenda and exhibits thereto, the Successful

Respondent's proposal, scope of services, certificates of insurance, notice of intent to award, notice of award, the Successful Respondent's Representation and Certification Form, the

Successful Respondent's Hold Harmless Agreement, and any other documents mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to the Successful Respondent prior to or after the submittal of their proposal, and prior to or after award.

E. "Contractor" means the Successful Respondent, in the context of the Request for Qualifications.

In the context of the Contract Documents, Contractor means any company, firm, partnership, corporation, association, joint venture, or other legal entity permitted by law to perform the

Services in the State of Florida. Such legal entity shall be the entity that enters into a written

Agreement with the County to perform the Services for the Project described in the Contract

Documents. The Contractor will have sole responsibility for the performance of the Services covered under an Agreement that is awarded in conjunction with this Request for Qualifications.

F. "County" means Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, its officers, employees, agents and volunteers.

G. "Fla. Stat." or "F.S." means the Florida Statutes in effect at the time the Agreement is fully executed, unless otherwise indicated.

H. "Minor Irregularity" means a variation from the solicitation instructions that does not affect the price or give the respondent an advantage or benefit not enjoyed by the other respondents or does not adversely impact the interests of the County.

I. "Notice of Award" means a written notice issued by the County notifying the Successful

Respondent that they have been awarded the project. The notice is also posted online via the

County's eProcurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/hernandocounty notifying all respondents of the award.

J. "Notice of Intent to Award" means a written notice issued by the County and posted online via the County's eProcurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/hernandocounty notifying all respondents that the County intends to award the project contingent upon the

Successful Respondent executing the Agreement and submitting any outstanding documents.

K. "Notice to Proceed" means a written notice issued by the County to the Successful Respondent fixing the date on which the Successful Respondent shall start the performance of the services and the length of time for the completion of the services, in accordance with the contract documents.

L. "Owner" means Hernando County Board of County Commissioners.

M. "Pre-Proposal Meeting" means a meeting at which all respondents gather to obtain additional information as to the scope of services required under this solicitation.

N. "Proposal" means a response to this solicitation submitted timely through the County's eProcurement Portal by a respondent. Also referred to as "offer" or "bid".

O. "Procurement Selection Committee (PSC)" is interchangeable with "Evaluation Team" and means County employees selected to evaluate and score the proposals and oral presentations

(if applicable) and recommend to the Board the Successful Respondent for an award.

P. "Public Opening" means the opening of the proposals and the announcing of the respondents who submitted proposals in response to this solicitation in the presence of the public.

Q. "Recommendation of Award" means a written notification sent by the PSC to the soliciting department of the County advising it of the PSC's evaluation of the proposals and oral presentations and its recommended Successful Respondent.

R. "Respondent" means a person or entity that submits a proposal to the County in response to this solicitation.

S. "Responsible Respondent" means a respondent who shows that they have the capability in all respects to perform fully the services outlined in this solicitation, and the integrity and reliability that assure good faith performance.

T. "Responsive Proposal" means a timely-submitted proposal that conforms in all material respects to this solicitation.

U. "Services" means all supervision, labor, materials, equipment, supplies, sub-contractors required, and all incidental expenses therefor, to execute and complete the requirements of this solicitation, including those prescribed or implied.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/hernandocounty https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/hernandocounty

V. "Sub-Contractor" means a person or entity having a direct contract with the Successful

Respondent or with any other sub-contractor of the Successful Respondent who will provide products or services required under the contract documents under the sole control and direction of the Successful Respondent.

W. "Successful Respondent" means the respondent who the County awards the Agreement to based on the County's evaluation of the respondent's qualifications and pricing as hereinafter provided. Also referred to as "Consultant" in the Scope of Work section and as "Professional" in the Agreement.

X. "Timeline" means the list of critical dates and actions involved in this solicitation.

Y. "You" and "Your" refers to the person or entity reviewing this solicitation, any potential respondent, any respondent and the Successful Respondent, and its representatives, officers, assigns, and employees.

5. SOLICITATION INSTRUCTIONS

5.1. IN GENERAL:

A. It is the intent and purpose of the County that this request for qualifications promotes competitive proposals. It is your responsibility to advise the Procurement Department if any language or requirement or any combination thereof inadvertently restricts or limits the potential qualifying respondents to this solicitation to a single source. Your notification must be in writing and you must submit your notification to the Procurement Department not later than ten days prior to the proposal submission deadline via the eProcurement Portal.

B. All timely-submitted proposals will opened at the Public Opening; only the respondents' names will be read aloud.

C. The County is not responsible for expenses you incur in submitting your proposal or any other expenses you incur prior to award of this solicitation.

D. The County officially distributes documents related to this solicitation through the eProcurement Portal. Such documents may be downloaded at NO COST using this eProcurement Portal. Copies of solicitation documents obtained from other sources are not considered official and must not be relied upon. The County is not responsible for solicitation documents obtained from sources other than the County's eProcurement Portal. Only respondents who properly register and follow the project directly from the County's eProcurement Portal will receive addenda and other important information if issued.

E. Any proposal may be withdrawn via the eProcurement Portal before the proposal submission deadline. If you do not withdraw your proposal before the proposal submission deadline, your proposal shall constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of 180 days, to provide to the County the services set forth in this solicitation, or until the Agreement resulting from this solicitation has been fully executed.

F. Your costs of preparing a proposal to this solicitation are solely yours; the County assumes no responsibility for any such costs. You are responsible for any costs you incur associated with any administrative or judicial proceedings resulting from this solicitation process or protest.

G. Pursuant to section 287.05701, Fla. Stat., the County will not request documentation of or consider your social, political, or ideological interests when determining if you are responsible and may not give preference to any respondent based on their social, political, or ideological interests.

5.2. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS SOLICITATION:

A. You shall not direct any queries or statements concerning your proposal to the PSC or any

County official or employee during the selection process, from the time of the posting of this solicitation until the execution of the Agreement. Your violation of this provision will result in your disqualification from this solicitation.

B. All questions or concerns regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via the

County's eProcurement Portal no later than the question submission deadline. If your question or concern requires a response, the Procurement Department will issue an addendum to this solicitation. You will be able to access all addenda to this solicitation on the eProcurement portal. No oral interpretation of this solicitation will be binding on the County. The County will be bound only by written information and statements pertaining to this solicitation that are authorized by the Chief Procurement Officer.

C. This provision exists solely for the convenience and administrative efficiency of the County.

Neither you nor any third party gains any rights by virtue of this provision or its application, nor shall you nor any third party have any standing to sue or a cause of action arising therefrom.

D. If you are contemplating submitting a proposal and are in doubt as to the meaning of the terms, conditions, specifications of any of the solicitation instructions or documents, you may submit a request for clarification via the County's eProcurement Portal by no later than the question submission deadline. Any interpretation by the County will be only by an addendum to this solicitation posted to the eProcurement Portal. The County is not bound by any interpretation that does not comport with this provision.

E. You must acknowledge receipt of all addenda via the County's eProcurement Portal.

5.3. REQUIREMENTS AND RULES FOR PROPOSALS:

A. Your proposal must name all of its principles, whether you are submitting your proposal as an individual, a business entity, a joint venture or other business organization. Your proposal must declare that it is made without collusion with any other person or entity submitting a proposal.

B. Sub-contractors: If you are to utilize sub-contractors, you must include their names and references in your proposal. The County reserves the right to approve all of your sub-contractors; provided, however, the Successful Respondent alone will have sole responsibility for performance of the Agreement. Sub-contractors may be added to the Agreement only with

PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION from the County.

C. You must identify any work that will be performed outside the United States of America, the company that will perform the work, the country in which the work will be done, and the entity responsible for quality control for the work identified.

D. Miscellaneous Requirements:

1. You must possess all the appropriate licenses and certifications required by various governmental agencies having jurisdiction over such services. You will be required to provide a copy of all required licenses and certifications prior to award of the Agreement, including certification that you are a Florida certified professional engineer.

2. The County reserves the right to obtain all documentation it deems appropriate to verify you are meeting all regulations and specification requirements.

3. You shall be responsible for any damage to facilities, equipment or property, caused by your or your sub-contractor's or employees' purposeful actions, incompetence or negligence. You shall reimburse the owner of the damaged facility, equipment or property for any such cost to repair damage, beyond reasonable wear.

4. You and your employees and your sub-contractors must meet the requirements of the

County's drug policy.

5.4. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS:

The evaluation of proposals and selection of the Successful Respondent will be conducted in accordance with section 287.055, Fla. Stat., as follows:

A. Public Opening: Timely-submitted proposals will be received and publicly opened immediately following the proposal submission deadline. Only the names of the respondents for those proposals will be announced at this time.

B. Compliance: The County will conduct a preliminary evaluation to determine whether each opened proposal is complete and complies with all instructions and submission requirements in this solicitation. Any proposals that are incomplete or that do not comply with the instructions or submission requirements may be rejected and excluded from further consideration.

C. The PSC will review all proposals advanced to it by the County and establish a short list in order of preference of no fewer than three respondents it deems to be the most qualified to provide the services requested based on the Evaluation Criteria and the Evaluation Process.

D. The County may award one or multiple agreements through this solicitation, depending on the qualifications of the respondents and the needs of the County.

E. The PSC will evaluate each proposal and assign a consensus score for each evaluation criteria based upon consensus scoring as described in item F below.

F. The scores for all evaluation criteria for each respondent will be summed. For example, if a respondent was given a perfect score, that respondent would receive a total score of 100. After all scores are totaled, with the maximum score being 100, each PSC member will rank scores from best to worst, with a score of 1 being best, and 2 being next best, etc. Then the rankings of each PSC member will be averaged. The firm with the lowest average will be the best ranked firm. Then the next lowest average will be the next best ranked firm, etc.

G. In accordance with section 287.055(4)(b), Fla. Stat., the location of the respondent’s office may be considered during the evaluation process when state or local funds are exclusively used.

Local businesses shall be assigned five (5) percent of the total points of the total evaluation points.

H. Based on the overall total evaluation consensus score, the respondents will then be ranked highest (favorable) to lowest (unfavorable).

I. The PSC or the Board may request oral presentations from the respondents when establishing the short list. If three proposals are received, all respondents will be included in the short list.

J. Short listed respondents will be asked to discuss their qualifications, approach to the project, and ability to furnish the required services.

K. Short listed respondents may be elevated to the oral presentation evaluation phase. If the

County requests oral presentations, it will issue a Request for Clarification (RFC) letter to the short-listed respondents seeking any necessary clarification of their respective proposals and providing presentation requirements.

L. The oral presentation score for each short-listed respondent will be part of the second round of scoring which starts the scoring anew. Respondents will once again be ranked highest

(favorable) to lowest (unfavorable).

M. Based on the total evaluation oral presentation score, the respondents will then be ranked highest (favorable) to lowest (unfavorable).

N. Then each PSC member will rank oral presentation scores from best to worst, with a score of 1 being best, and 2 being next best, etc. Then the rankings of all PSC members will be averaged. The firm with the lowest average will be the best ranked firm. Then the next lowest average will be the next best ranked firm, etc.

O. Once the ranked short list of respondents has been prepared by the PSC, either the Board or the

PSC shall attempt to negotiate an agreement with the highest-ranking respondent at compensation that is fair, competitive and reasonable.

P. If the PSC or the Board is unable to negotiate a satisfactory agreement with the highest-ranking respondent, negotiations with that respondent will be terminated and the PSC or the Board will attempt to negotiate an agreement with the second most qualified respondent. If these negotiations are not successful, negotiations will be terminated with the second most qualified respondent and attempted with the third most qualified respondent. If the Board or the PSC is not successful in negotiating a satisfactory agreement with any of the short-listed respondents, the Board or the PSC will select additional respondents in order of their qualifications and continue negotiations until an agreement is reached or if no agreement can be reached the

Board, PSC, or Chief Procurement Officer may reject all proposals and may re-advertise for new proposals. The Agreement resulting from this selection process is subject to final approval by the Board unless such approval is waived by the Board.

Q. The County is the sole judge of the proposals, and whether the resulting agreement serves the

County's best interests. An award may be made to the most responsive and responsible respondent whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the County. The

County’s decision is final, and the County reserves the right to:

1. Reject any or all proposals or parts thereof

2. Issue subsequent solicitations for the services requested herein

3. Cancel this solicitation

4. Remedy technical errors in this solicitation

5. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the respondents

6. Award an agreement to one or more respondents or none at all

7. Accept other than the lowest price

8. Waive informalities and irregularities in proposals

R. The County reserves the right to consider historic information and fact, whether gained from a respondent’s proposal, question and answer conferences, references, and other sources in the evaluation process.

S. The County reserves the right to conduct investigations it deems necessary to assist in the evaluation of any proposal and to determine the responsibility, qualifications and financial ability of any respondent, sub-contractor, supplier and other persons and organizations to perform and furnish the work in accordance with this solicitation.

T. It is solely your responsibility to submit information related to the evaluation categories. The

County is under no obligation to solicit such information if you fail to include it in your proposal.

Failure to provide requested information may result in the rejection of your proposal or a deduction in evaluation points at the sole discretion of the PSC.

5.5. DEBRIEFING RESPONDENTS:

Not earlier than thirty calendar days after the award of the Agreement, a respondent may submit a written request to the applicable contract administrator for a debriefing on the evaluation of their proposal. The contract administrator will schedule a meeting with the requesting respondent for the debriefing. However, at the respondent's request, the debriefing may be conducted via telephone conference or the respondent may request a copy of the digital recording of the selection on CD for a

$15.00 fee. The debriefing shall include at a minimum the following information:

A. Key requirements of the solicitation.

B. The overall ranking of all proposals.

C. The significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the requesting respondent's proposal.

D. If requested, an explanation of the score received for each evaluation criteria will be provided, including costs, if applicable.

E. If applicable, a summary of the rationale for award.

F. Responses to any relevant questions of the respondent.

5.6. TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

A. The County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, with or without cause, to waive technicalities, or to accept the proposal which, in its sole judgment, best serves the interest of the County, or to award an agreement to the next second highest-ranked respondent if highest-ranked respondent does not execute an agreement within thirty days after approval of the selection by the Board or other authority.

B. The County reserves the right, and the Chief Procurement Officer has absolute and sole discretion, to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to approval of the award by the Board when such approval is required. The decision to cancel this solicitation cannot be the basis for a protest under Chapter 2, Article 5 of the Hernando County Code of Ordinances.

C. The County reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request additional information of one or more applicants.

D. The Contract that the County intends to use for award is attached for reference.

E. Information regarding PSC scheduling and Board approvals are available by calling the

Procurement Department at (352) 754-4020.

F. You may not submit a proposal to this solicitation if you have been placed on the Convicted

Vendor List pursuant to section 287.133, Fla. Stat. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the Convicted Vendor List may not submit a proposal on a solicitation to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a proposal on a solicitation from a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit a proposal on the lease of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in category two of section 287.017, Fla. Stat., for a period of thirty-six months from the date of being placed on the Convicted Vendor List.

G. The County’s performance and obligation to pay under the Agreement is contingent upon the

Board's annual appropriation for its purpose.

H. In your proposal, you must list all proposed sub-contractors you propose to utilize, including names, addresses, phone numbers, type of work to be performed (discipline, trade or commodity) and proposed percentage of work.

5.7. INDEMNITY, SAFETY AND INSURANCE PROVISIONS:

A. INDEMNITY, SAFETY AND INSURANCE PROVISIONS:

1. Indemnity: By submitting a proposal, you covenant and agree, to the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, to indemnify and hold harmless the County and all of the County's officers, agents, and employees from any claim, loss, damage, cost, charge, attorney’s fees and costs, or any other expense arising out of any act, action, neglect, or omission by you, your assignees, employees or your sub-contractors, during the performance of the

Agreement, whether directly or indirectly, and whether to any person or property to which the County or said parties may be subject, except that neither you, nor your assignees, employees or sub-contractors, will be liable under this section for damages arising out of injury or damage to persons or property directly caused or resulting solely from the negligence of the County or any of its officers, agents, or employees.

2. Protection of Person and Property:

a. You and your assignees, employees and sub-contractors shall take all reasonable precautions for, and will be responsible for initiating, maintaining and supervising all programs relating to the safety of all persons and property affected by, or involved in, your performance of operations under the Agreement.

b. You and your assignees, employees and sub-contractors shall take all reasonable precautions to prevent damage, injury or loss to: (a) all persons who may be affected by your performance of your operations under the Agreement; (b) all materials and equipment; and (c) all property at or surrounding the work site. In an emergency affecting the safety of persons, materials or property, you shall act with reasonable care and discretion to prevent any threatened damage, injury or loss to persons, materials and property.

B. MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: You shall procure, pay for and maintain at least the following insurance coverage and limits, and provide to the County evidence of said insurance in the form of certificates of insurance executed by the insurers listing coverage and limits, expiration dates and terms of policies and all endorsements whether or not required by the

County, and listing all carriers issuing said policies. You shall ensure that all said insurance remains in effect throughout the term of the Agreement.

1. Workers' Compensation: As required by law:

a. State......................................................................................Statutory

b. APPLICABLE FEDERAL.......................................................Statutory

c. EMPLOYER'S LIABILITY.......................................................Minimum:

i. $100,000.00 each accident

ii. $100,000.00 by employee

iii. $500,000.00 policy limit

d. Exemption per Florida Statute 440: If you have less than three employees and claim you are exempt under Chapter 440, Fla. Stat., you must provide an exemption certificate from the State of Florida. Otherwise, you shall purchase Workers’ Compensation

Insurance and provide a copy of Workers Compensation Insurance.

https://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/Employer/Exemptions/

2. General Liability: Comprehensive General Liability including, but not limited to, Independent

Contractor, Contractual Premises/Operations, and Personal Injury covering the liability assumed under indemnification provisions of the Agreement, with limits of liability for personal injury and/or bodily injury, including death.

a. Coverage as follows:

i. EACH OCCURRENCE.................................................$1,000,000.00

ii. GENERAL AGGREGATE ......................................$2,000,000.00

iii. PERSONAL/ADVERTISING INJURY...........................$1,000,000.00

iv. PRODUCTS-COMPLETED OPERATIONS AGGREGATE..$2,000,000.00 Per Project

Aggregate (if applicable)

b. ALSO, include in General Liability coverage for the following areas based on limits of policy, with:

i. FIRE DAMAGE (Any one (1) fire........................................$50,000.00

ii. MEDICAL EXPENSE (Any one (1) person)......................... $5,000.00

3. Additional Insured: You shall endorse the County as an additional insured on the

Comprehensive General Liability. The Additional Insured shall read “Hernando County Board of County Commissioners.” You shall provide to the County proof of this endorsement.

4. Waiver of Subrogation: By entering into the Agreement, you agree to a Waiver of

Subrogation for each required policy herein. When required by the insurer, or should a policy condition not permit you to enter into a pre-loss agreement to waive subrogation without an endorsement, then you shall notify the insurer and request the policy be endorsed with a Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery Against Others or its equivalent.

This Waiver of Subrogation requirement shall not apply to any policy that includes a condition specifically prohibiting such an endorsement, or voids coverage should you enter into a pre-loss agreement to waive subrogation.

5. AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY: Comprehensive automobile and truck liability covering any auto, all owned autos, scheduled autos, hired autos, and non-owned autos. Coverage shall be on an

"occurrence" basis. Such insurance to include coverage for loading and unloading hazards.

Coverage as follows:

a. COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT (CSL).......................................... $1,000,000.00

b. BODILY INJURY (Per Person)................................................ $1,000,000.00

c. BODILY INJURY (Per Accident).............................................. $1,000,000.00

d. PROPERTY DAMAGE.............................................................$1,000,000.00

6. PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY (if applicable it will be noted below separately):

7. BUILDERS RISK INSURANCE (if applicable it will be noted below separately):

8. CRIME PREVENTION – BOND (if applicable it will be noted below separately):

9. EXCESS/UMBRELLA LIABILITY (if applicable it will be noted below separately):

10. POLLUTION LIABILITY (if applicable it will be noted below separately):

11. SUBCONTRACTORS (if applicable): All sub-contractors you hire are required to provide to the

County certificates of insurance with the same limits the County requires of you. All such sub-contractors are required to name the County as additional insured and provide a Waiver of Subrogation for their general liability policy.

12. RIGHT TO REVISE OR REJECT: The County reserves the right, but has no obligation, to revise any insurance requirement, not limited to limits, coverages and endorsements, or to reject any insurance policies which fail to meet the criteria stated herein. Additionally, the County reserves the right, but has no obligation, to review and reject any insurer providing coverage due of its poor financial condition or failure to operating legally.

C. EACH INSURANCE POLICY SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BY ENDORSEMENT TO

THE POLICY:

1. The certificate of insurance shall provide a minimum thirty-day endeavor to notify, when available by your insurer. If you receive a non-renewal or cancellation notice from an insurance carrier affording coverage required herein, or receive notice that coverage no longer complies with the insurance requirements herein, you shall notify the County by email within five business days with a copy of the non-renewal or cancellation notice, or written specifics as to which coverage is no longer in compliance. The certificate holder shall read: Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, Attention: Human

Resources/Risk Department, 15470 Flight Path Drive, Brooksville, Florida 34604

2. Companies issuing the insurance policy or policies shall have no recourse against the County for payment of premiums or assessments for any deductibles.

3. The term "County" or "Hernando County" shall include all authorities, boards, bureaus, commissions, divisions, departments, and offices of the County and individual members, employees and agents thereof in their official capacities and/or while acting on behalf of the

County.

4. The policy clause "Other Insurance" shall not apply to any insurance coverage currently held by the County, to any such future coverage, or to County's self-insured retentions of whatever nature.

D. You shall provide to the County a current certificate of insurance for all required insurances prior to commencing performance under the Agreement.

E. At the County's request, you shall provide to the County proof that you meet the preceding insurance requirements prior to award of the Agreement.

F. The County's failure to demand certificates of insurance or other evidence of full compliance with these insurance requirements, or the County's failure to identify a deficiency in any proof you provide shall not be construed as a waiver of your obligation to maintain such insurance.

5.8. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS (continued)

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY (if applicable): including Errors and Omissions with minimum limits of

$3,000,000.00 per occurrence, if occurrence form is available; or claims made form with tail coverage extending three years beyond completion and acceptance of the project with proof of tail coverage to be submitted with the invoice for final payment. In lieu of tail coverage, you may submit annually to the

County a current certificate of insurance proving claims-made insurance remains in force throughout the same three year period.

Notwithstanding the requirements for Professional Liability Insurance listed above, you shall provide evidence of coverage at a minimum of $1,000,000.00.

5.9. MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS:

You shall keep adequate records and supporting documents applicable to this contract. You shall retain said records and documentation for a minimum of five years from the date of final payment under the

Agreement. The County and its authorized agents has the right to audit, inspect and copy your records and documentation as often as it deems necessary during the term of the Agreement plus five years after final payment under the Agreement; provided however, such audits shall be conducted only during normal business hours. During the period of time defined by the preceding sentence, the County also has the right to obtain a copy of and otherwise inspect any audit made at your direction that concerns the aforesaid records and documentation. Pursuant to section 119.0701, Fla. Stat., you shall comply with

Florida's public records laws and shall:

A. Keep and maintain records required by the County to perform the service.

B. Upon request from the County’s custodian of public records, provide the County with a copy of the requested records or allow the records to be inspected or copied within a reasonable time at a cost that does not exceed the cost provided in Chapter 119, Fla. Stat., or as otherwise provided by law.

C. Ensure that public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements are not disclosed except as authorized by law for the term of the

Agreement and, if you do not transfer the public records to the County, following completion of the Agreement.

D. Upon completion of the Agreement, transfer, at no cost, to the County all public records in your possession or keep and maintain public records required by the County to perform the

Agreement. If you transfer all public records to the County upon completion of the Contract, you shall destroy any duplicate public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements. If you keep and maintain public records upon completion of the Agreement, you shall meet all applicable requirements for retaining public records. Upon the request of the County's public records custodian, you must provide to the

County all records stored electronically in a format that is compatible with the County's information technology systems.

E. Your failure to comply with this section shall be deemed a breach of the Agreement and enforceable as set forth in section 119.0701, Fla. Stat.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF CHAPTER 119, FLORIDA STATUTES, REGARDING YOUR DUTY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC RECORDS RELATING TO THE AGREEMENT, CONTACT THE

CUSTODIAN OF PUBLIC RECORDS AT 352-754-4020, PURCHASING@HERNANDOCOUNTY.US, OR 15470

FLIGHT PATH DRIVE, BROOKSVILLE, FL 34604.

5.10. PROTESTS AND LOBBYING

To protest the solicitation's specifications or award or intent to award, you must file with the County a notice of protest and a formal written protest in strict compliance with the Hernando County

Procurement Manual, Section 22, which can be found at https://www.hernandocounty.us/media/vwnjxtgp/procurement-manual_v-july-2025.pdf. Your failure to timely file either or both the notice of protest and the formal written protest constitutes a waiver of protest proceedings. Additionally, your failure to post the protest bond or other security in strict accordance with the Hernando County Procurement Manual, Section 22, shall constitute a waiver of protest proceedings.

5.11. CONE OF SILENCE

A. You are hereby notified that a lobbying cone of silence period shall commence upon issuance of this solicitation until the Board selects the Successful Respondent. If the Board is not involved in selecting the Successful Respondent, the cone of silence period commences upon issuance of this Solicitation and concludes upon award of the Agreement. During the cone of silence period, you shall not, either directly or indirectly, seek information or clarification or contact in any way any County official or employee or member of the PSC concerning this solicitation with the mailto:PURCHASING@HERNANDOCOUNTY.US https://www.hernandocounty.us/media/vwnjxtgp/procurement-manual_v-july-2025.pdf https://www.hernandocounty.us/media/vwnjxtgp/procurement-manual_v-july-2025.pdf exception of the Chief Procurement Officer, County Attorney, or an individual specifically designated in this solicitation for dissemination of such information. A copy of any written communication concerning this solicitation shall be filed with the Procurement Department and shall be made available to the public upon request. Your violation of the cone of silence renders an award to you voidable at the discretion of the Chief Procurement Officer with approval from the Board and may subject you to debarment. Nothing herein prevents you from taking part in a public meeting concerning this solicitation.

B. You shall not lobby, either individually or collectively, the members of the Board nor candidates therefor, nor any County official or employee, nor any member of the PSC, before or during the cone of silence concerning this solicitation. You shall not contact County personnel for such purposes as holding meetings of introduction, meals, or meetings relating to the selection process outside of those specifically scheduled by the County. Any such lobbying activities may cause your immediate disqualification from this solicitation.

5.12. E-VERIFY

A. You are advised that the County has entered into an agreement with U.S. Immigration and

Customs Enforcement (ICE) wherein the County will, in part, seek to promote the principles of ethical business conduct, prevent the knowing hiring of unauthorized workers through self-governance, and encourage voluntary reporting of the discovery of unauthorized workers to ICE

(the IMAGE Agreement). Accordingly, by submitting your proposal, you represent and warrant:

(a) that you are in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the laws related to the requirement of an employer to verify an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States, (b) that all of your employees are legally eligible to work in the

United States, and (c) that you have actively and affirmatively verified such eligibility utilizing the

Federal Government’s Employment Verification Eligibility Form (I-9 Form).

B. A mere allegation that you intend to use or currently use of unauthorized workers may not be a basis to delay the County’s award of an agreement unless such an allegation has been determined to be factual by ICE pursuant to an investigation conducted by ICE prior to the date an agreement is scheduled to be awarded by the County.

C. Legitimate claims of your use of unauthorized workers must be reported to both of the following agencies:

1. The County’s Procurement Department at (352) 754-4020: and

2. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE

D. In the event it is discovered that your employees are not legally eligible to work in the United

States, the County may, in its sole discretion, demand that you cure this deficiency within a specified time frame; if you fail to do so, the County may immediately terminate the Agreement without any cost or penalty to the County, and may also debar you from bidding on all County solicitations for a period up to twenty-four months, and may also take any and all legal action the County deems appropriate.

E. You shall incorporate the following IMAGE Best Practices into your business and, when practicable, incorporate verification requirements into your contracts with sub-contractors:

1. Use the Department of Homeland Security employment eligibility verification program (E-

Verify) to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires.

2. Use the Social Security Number Verification Service and make good faith effort to correct and verify the names and Social Security numbers of the current workforce.

3. Establish a written hiring and employment eligibility verification policy.

4. Establish an internal compliance and training program related to the hiring and employment verification process, to include, but not limited to, completion of Form I-9, how to detect fraudulent use of documents in the verification process, and how to use E-Verify and the

Social Security Number Verification Service.

5. Require the Form I-9 and E-Verify process to be conducted only by individuals who received appropriate training and include secondary review as of each employee’s verification to minimize the potential for a single individual to subvert the process.

6. Arrange for annual Form I-9 audits by an external auditing firm or a trained employee not otherwise involved in the Form I-9 process.

7. Establish a procedure to report to ICE credible information of suspected criminal misconduct in the employment eligibility verification process

8. Establish a program to assess sub-contractors’ compliance with employment eligibility verification requirements. Encourage sub-consultants to incorporate the IMAGE Best

Practices contained in this section and, when practicable, incorporate the verification requirements in sub-contractor contracts.

9. Establish a protocol for responding to letters received from Federal and State government agencies indicating that there is a discrepancy between the agency’s information and the information provided by the employer or employee; for example, “no match” letters received from the Social Security Administration.

10. Establish a tip line mechanism (inbox, e-mail, etc.) for employees to report activity relating to the employment of unauthorized workers, and a protocol for responding to employee tips.

11. Establish and maintain appropriate policies, practices, and safeguards against use of the verification process for unlawful discrimination, and to ensure that U.S. Citizens and authorized workers do not face discrimination with respect to hiring, firing, recruitment or referral for a fee because of citizenship status or national origin.

12. Maintain copies of any documents accepted as proof of identify and/or employment authorization for all new hires.

5.13. AWARD OF AGREEMENT

The County will award the Agreement at the earliest possible Board meeting subsequent to the evaluation process. It is incumbent on respondents to contact the Procurement Department to determine the Successful Respondent(s). This solicitation is issued in accordance with and shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 2, Article V, of the Hernando County Code of Ordinances and the

Hernando County Procurement Manual.

5.14. SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT:

When the County gives a Notice of Intent to Award to the Successful Respondent, it will be accompanied by an unsigned agreement. Within ten calendar days thereafter the Successful Respondent shall execute and deliver to the County the Agreement, along with a certificate of insurance that shows policies, limits and other conditions in compliance with that outlined in this solicitation.

5.15. RESPONSIVENESS OF THE PROPOSAL; DISQUALIFICATION:

A. A responsive proposal is one that complies with and conforms to the requirements of this solicitation. A proposal that requires changes to any portion of this solicitation may be considered non-responsive. A proposal that fails to comply with the criteria outlined in this solicitation may be deemed non-responsive.

B. Your proposal may be rejected if the County finds it to be conditional, irregular, incomplete or not in conformance with the requirements and instructions of this solicitation, such as, but not limited to: (1) failure to strictly comply with and satisfactorily address the prerequisite criteria,

(2) failure to provide the required forms or other documentation, (3) incomplete, indefinite or ambiguous language, (4) failure to submit the information needed to evaluate the your proposal based on the Evaluation…