STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Rockingham Community College

Request for Proposal # 120-092926

Lawn & Grounds Maintenance

Date of Issue: September 29, 2026

Proposal Opening Date: October 16, 2026

At 10:00 A.M. ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Edgar “E.C.” Stophel

Email: stophele@rockinghamcc.edu

Phone: (336) 342-4261 Ext. 2166

Ver: 11/2023

Request for Proposal # 120-092926

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

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

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

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

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Proposal Number: 120-092926 Vendor: __________________________________________

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Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Edgar “E.C.” Stophel stophele@rockinghamcc.edu

Request for Proposal #: 120-092926 Proposals will be publicly opened: October 16, 2026

Using Agency:

Rockingham Community College

Commodity No. and Description: 701117 – Lawn care services

Requisition No.: TBD

EXECUTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE

NUMBER:

TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

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

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF

VENDOR:

FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least ninety (90) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

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

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

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Rockingham Community College)

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 MANDATORY SITE VISIT

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.5 LICENSE AND PERMITS

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.7.1 VENDOR BACKGOUND CHECK AGREEMENT

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.11 WORKERS COMPENSATION AND INSURANCE

4.12 DAMAGE TO VENDOR’S PROPERTY

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5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

5.2 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

5.3 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.5 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.6 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.7 CONTRACT CHANGES

ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT E: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT F: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT G: CAMPUS MAP

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Rockingham Community College is seeking competitive sealed proposals from qualified vendors to provide professional lawn, landscaping and grounds maintenance consisting of, but not limited to, labor, supervision, equipment and supplies as specified herein for Rockingham Community College’s main campus and the Emergency Services Training Center.

Rockingham Community College’s locations include:

1. Main Campus (approx. 263 acres) – 215 Wrenn Memorial Road, Wentworth, NC 27375

2. Emergency Services Training Center (approx. 9 acres) – 222 NC Highway 65, Wentworth, NC 27375

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda ed hereto.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Contract.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”) or [11/01/2026], whichever is later. The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within thirty (30) business days of the Effective Date.

At the end of the Contracts initial term, RCC shall have the option, in its sole discretions, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to two (2) additional one-year terms. RCC will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option no later than thirty (30) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, RCC reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.

Proposal shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

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

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: This NOT an E-Procurement solicitation. The paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT subsections

(d) and (e) of the North Carolina General Contract Terms and Conditions, do not apply to this solicitation.

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

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

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

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, RCC rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise.

This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

RCC may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

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

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP RCC September 29, 2026 Mandatory Site Visit RCC October 6, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M.

Submit Written Questions Vendor October 9, 2026 @ 12:00 P.M.

Provide Response to Questions RCC October 13, 2026 @ 5:00 P.M.

Submit Proposals Vendor October 16, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M.

Contract Award State TBD

2.5 MANDATORY SITE VISIT

Date: October 6, 2026 Time: 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time Location: Administration Building

215 Wrenn Memorial Road Wentworth, NC 27375

Contact Name: Edgar “E.C.” Stophel Contact #: (336) 342-4261 Ext. 2166

BRING A COPY OF THIS RFP DOCUMENT TO THE SITE VISIT

Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-proposal site visit.

Attendees must arrive promptly. All attendees must sign in upon arrival and clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN OR PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISIT, NOR SHALL THEIR PROPOSAL BE CONSIDERED. Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances allow.

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FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT SHALL RESULT IN VENDOR’S PROPOSAL BEING DEEMED NON-

RESPONSIVE AND NOT CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

The purpose of this visit is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this RFP. Vendors must stay for the duration of the site visit. No allowances will be made for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this RFP.

Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP.

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

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

Written questions shall be emailed to stophele@rockinghamcc.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 120-092926: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

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

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

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

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

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet mailto:stophele@rockinghamcc.edu https://evp.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 8 the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

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

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

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

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

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

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

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and

(iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

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

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP.

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

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

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

j) ATTACHMENT G: CAMPUS MAP

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #120-092926 Vendor Name.” Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

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2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

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

3 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria RCC shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria;

however, all award decisions shall be in RCC’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, RCC reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more-locations, to not award one or more-locations or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to RCC to do so.

RCC reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

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

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

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

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3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

RCC will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

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

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

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

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

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to

RCC:

TECHINCAL: (80 Maximum Points)

Vendor Experience Section 4.4 20 points

References Section 4.6 20 points

Project Organization Section 5.3 20 points

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Technical Approach Section 5.4 20 points

COST: (20 Maximum Points)

Price 20 points

RCC will determine low cost by normalizing the scores as follows:

The proposal with the lowest cost will receive a score of 20. All other competing proposals will be assigned a portion of the maximum score using the formula:

20 X the cost of the lowest cost proposal the cost of the cost proposal being evaluated

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

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

a) Total cost to RCC

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of RCC’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

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

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

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the RCC; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, RCC will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy RCC’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in RCC exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for

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RCC to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to RCC for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees.

Complete ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

4.2 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency by emailing purchasing@rockinghamcc.edu. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

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

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

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to RCC. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project.

Vendor shall be a current and valid NC Registered Landscape Contractor and hold a current and valid NC Pesticide Applicator License. Proof of licensing is required. Information shall include the following:

• Proof of business with same name for a minimum of five (5) years

• Current number of Rockingham County clients; list larger businesses

• Staff/Employee retention

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• Provide Equipment Inventory List

• Provide number of annual staff and number of seasonal staff

• Worker Comp Rating

• Safety Training Program/Manuals

• Safety Data Sheet Program

4.5 LICENSE AND PERMITS

Vendor is required to possess all necessary licenses and permits for the craft, skill, trade, business and/or services required in the IFB. Evidence of such licenses and/or permits must be provided for the acceptance of the bid.

NC Landscape Contractor’s License Number: _

From: Date:

Contractor’s N.C. Pesticides License Number: _

From: Date:

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT B: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. RCC may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the RCC.

Vendor and its personnel are required to provide or undergo background checks at Vendor’s expense prior to beginning work with RCC. As part of Vendor background, the following details must be provided to RCC:

a) Any criminal felony conviction, or conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation or deception, by Vendor, its officers or directors, or any of its employees or other personnel to provide Services on this project, of which Vendor has knowledge, or provide a statement that Vendor is aware of none;

b) Any criminal investigation for any offense involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation, falsification or deception pending against Vendor of which it has knowledge, or provide a statement Vendor is aware of none;

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c) Any regulatory sanctions levied against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies within the past three years or a statement that there are none. As used herein, the term “regulatory sanctions” includes the revocation or suspension of any license or certification, the levying of any monetary penalties or fines, and the issuance of any written warnings;

d) Any regulatory investigations pending against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies of which Vendor has knowledge or a statement that there are none.

e) Any civil litigation, arbitration, proceeding, or judgments pending against Vendor during the three (3) years preceding submission of its proposal herein or a statement that there are none.

Vendor’s response to these requests shall be considered a continuing representation, and Vendor’s failure to notify RCC within thirty (30) days of any criminal litigation, investigation or proceeding involving Vendor or its then current officers, directors or persons providing Services under this Contract during its term shall constitute a material breach of contract. The provisions of this paragraph shall also apply to any subcontractor utilized by Vendor to perform Services under this Contract.

4.7.1 VENDOR BACKGOUND CHECK AGREEMENT

Vendor agrees to conduct a criminal background check per the specifications above in this section on all employees proposed to work under this Contract, at its expense, and provide the required documentation to RCC in order to perform Services under this Contract:

Yes NO

4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants those qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner.

“Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by RCC. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. RCC will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. RCC may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract.

Upon such termination, RCC may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

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4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

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

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

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

☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

B. The Certificate of Insurance should list the certificate holder as follows:

215 Wrenn Memorial Road

Wentworth, NC 27375

4.11 WORKERS COMPENSATION AND INSURANCE

The Vendor shall maintain during the life of this contract, worker’s Compensation Insurance for all employees working at the project site under this contract, or as otherwise required by North Carolina General Statutes.

4.12 DAMAGE TO VENDOR’S PROPERTY

Should fire, theft, vandalism or other casualty, damage or destroy the equipment or property belonging to the Vendor while on RCC property, RCC shall be under no obligation to replace or in any way compensate the contractor for said property.

The successful vendor agrees to indemnify or hold harmless RCC from and against any liability, loss, cost, damage suit, claim, or expense arising occurrence on the part of the successful vendor to include its officers, servants, agents or employees arising from its activities, operations, and performance of services while on RCC property and further agrees to release and discharge RCC and its Agents from all claims or liabilities arising from or caused by the successful bidder in fulfilling its obligations under this Agreement.

It is understood and agreed by the parties that RCC will assume no liability for damages, injury, or other loss to the successful bidder, its employees or property, tools or equipment, or to other persons or properties located on RCC facilities resulting from the successful bidder’s activities and operations while performing those service enumerated herein.

The successful bidder shall assume full and complete liability for any and all damages to building improvements, fences, or other RCC or private properties caused by or resulting from its activities, operations, and that of its employees, agents and officers.

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5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

The description of services that the College is seeking are listed below. Services offered by the Vendor must meet or exceed the listed Specifications to be considered for award.

Rockingham Community College’s locations include:

1. Main Campus (approx. 263 acres) – 215 Wrenn Memorial Drive, Wentworth, NC 27375

2. Emergency Services Training Center (approx. 9 acres) – 222 NC Highway 65, Wentworth, NC 27375

5.2 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

a) Services shall be performed weekly between the hours of 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Rockingham Community College reserves the right to alter the schedule of services with written notice to the Vendor. This proposal should be based on a service period of 9 months, excluding winter months (traditionally December, January and February).

b) Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance Services shall be provided by the vendor each week, weather permitting. If unable to perform services, the Vendor will notify Rockingham Community College’s Director of Facilities.

c) Vendor to provide all labor, materials/supplies, plants and equipment necessary to provide grounds and landscape services and care to all property owned, or used by Rockingham Community College. Vendor must have all equipment and manpower to meet the tasks stated in this bid. No subcontracting will be allowed. These services are to include, but not be limited to, the following:

Grounds Maintenance

a) Prior to mowing, all trash, sticks, and all other debris shall be removed from lawns, plant beds, sidewalks, and all paved areas, including parking lots. This service to be performed each time mowed during regular & extra requested times.

b) There shall be no obscuring debris, including dirt or sand, on the surface areas of sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. This includes trash, cigarette butts, fowl droppings, dead animals, limbs and other debris.

Remove grass and weeds from cracks in the pavement, concrete, sidewalks, and around the parking lot.

c) All curbs, walkways, and flower beds shall be edged with an edger each mowing cycle during the growing season. There is to be a distinct separation between the grass area and its adjoining structure (i.e.: building, pavement, asphalt, fences, etc.). Trimmings to be cleaned up immediately.

d) All parking lots shall be cleaned each week (Blower). This may have to be accomplished after business hours so that parked cars do not impede the work. Parking lots should be sprayed as needed to ensure weed control.

e) All trees shall maintain 15 feet clearance from ground level to ensure clear site of view.

f) Leaf/Removal: Leaves and pine straw are to be removed in unwanted areas on a weekly basis. After mowing, if there are leaves and pine straw visibly present, extra effort must be taken to have them removed.

g) A detailed report must be provided each month on the work that has been completed/accomplished to the Director of Facilities.

Lawn Maintenance

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Mowing shall be completed in a neat, uniformly cut manner. Gapped or rolled down, uncut streaks of grass will not be considered acceptable. Mowing while the grass is wet is not permitted. DO NOT hit trees, light poles, sign posts, HVAC Units, buildings, etc. with mowers. All lawns shall be mowed at approximate heights of three (3) inches during the cooler months and four (4) inches during the hottest months. The vendor shall be held responsible for scalping or lawn damage due to malfunctioning or reckless use of the equipment.

All mowing equipment shall have deflector shields or bag attachments in place at all times.

Excess clippings shall be removed from turf areas, sidewalks, drives, etc., and blown or washed off building sides, glass surfaces, structures, or other fixed objects after each mowing.

All mowing and trimming operations shall be conducted so that clippings are not thrown onto any mulched area around trees or plant beds. The contractor shall promptly remove all clippings thrown into any mulch that result from mowing/trimming operations.

Disease and Insect Control

The preventative program provides two (2) insect/ disease sprays and two (2) herbicide treatments for weed control annually.

All of the areas maintained under this contract shall be treated annually (and spot-treated as needed) to prevent fire ants.

A list of any herbicide, pesticide, or like product used on any of our campus sites shall be provided to the Director of Facilities.

Herbicide Use

Lawn areas shall receive pre-emergent in the spring, and post-emergent controls shall be applied as required (at least once per year) for weeds that break the pre-emergent barrier.

Paved/concrete areas shall be sprayed in joints/cracks to free them from unwanted vegetative growth.

The Contractor will be liable for damage to plants or grass areas that result from the application of herbicides.

Contractor must follow all safety rules and regulations concerning any use of herbicides pertaining to work under this contract.

Spraying Pesticides/Fungicides

If the Contractor finds an insect or disease problem, the Contractor will meet with the Director of Facilities to determine corrective measures, including the application of pesticides or fungicides.

Damages

Any damage(s) occurred on campus shall be repaired at the expense of the vendor to current standards.

ALTERNATE PROPOSAL

Mulch/ Shrub/Flower Beds

All plant beds and designated natural areas shall be replenished annually during the month of March and September with like materials such as mulch.

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Shrub and flower beds shall be kept free of weeds at all times. Hand weeding and herbicide applications may be used to control weeds.

Vines growing through shrubbery and on buildings shall be removed.

All trees, shrubs, and groundcover in plant beds will be pruned as necessary or as requested by administration for shaping, removing dead, diseased, or damaged wood, water sprouts or suckering, or other corrective pruning that may present a safety hazard to equipment or staff. Trimmings to be cleaned up immediately.

Shrubbery shall be kept neatly trimmed and balanced. Shrubbery shall be trimmed twice a year at a minimum (March & September) or as requested to maintain its natural shape. Shrubbery next to a building is not to grow above the windowsills (normally three (3) to four (4) feet above the ground). Windowsills above or below this level are not to be used as gauges. Areas around, including but not limited to, buildings, trees, shrubs, signs, utility poles, HVAC units, and selected non-mowing areas, shall be trimmed.

Beds shall be monitored for the infestation of insects or the appearance of diseases. Notify the Director of Facilities immediately upon discovery.

5.3 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to accomplishing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes.

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to RCC a contract manager. The contract manager shall be RCC’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

Contract Manager Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

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The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to RCC for customer service. The customer service point of contact shall be RCC’s point of contact for customer service-related issues

Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of RCC, shall be required to meet periodically monthly with RCC for Project Review meetings.

The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Rockingham Community College encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Director of Facilities.

6.5 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If a Contract results from this solicitation, and the Contract is not renewed at the end of the last active term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide transition assistance to RCC, at the option of RCC, for…