Manufacturing & Processing of Agriculture Commodity Study-Draft10-RFP-1400943483-SMD-.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Request for Proposal #: 10-RFP-1400943483-SMD

Manufacturing & Processing of Agriculture Commodity Study

Date of Issue: January 31, 2025

Proposal Opening Date: February 19,2025

At 02:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Sally Duncan

Procurement Specialist III

Email: sally.duncan@ncagr.gov

Phone: 919-707-3128 mailto:sally.duncan@ncagr.gov

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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Request for Proposal #

10-RFP-1400943483-SMD

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

Proposal Number: 10-RFP-1400943483-SMD Vendor: __________________________________________

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Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to the procurement lead through the Message Board in the Sourcing Tool. See section _2.4_ for details:

Request for Proposal #: 10-RFP-1400943483-SMD

Proposals will be publicly opened: February 19,2025 At 02:00 PM ET

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Using Agency: NC Department of Agriculture &

Consumer Services (NCDA&CS)

Commodity No. and Description: 811419 - Manufacturing technology research and development services

Requisition No.: RQ166143

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.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Division of Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_N2Q4YmZiODUtOTQyOS00NTFhLWI5NTctMDRjMGM1ZDU0MjY0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2240d548f4-1cea-4463-97c7-951910942d9f%22%7d tel:+19842041487,,674114022 https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/c102d528-0544-4660-b869-294e85047e28?id=674114022 https://www.webex.com/msteams?confid=1158067828&tenantkey=ncgov&domain=m.webex.com https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=40d548f4-1cea-4463-97c7-951910942d9f&tenantId=7a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19&threadId=19_meeting_N2Q4YmZiODUtOTQyOS00NTFhLWI5NTctMDRjMGM1ZDU0MjY0@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/usp/pstnconferencing

Ver: 11/2023 2

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the 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 bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS

AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool.

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 one-hundred twenty (120) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this 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 NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services)

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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 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

2.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.5 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.6 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.7 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 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

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.11 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

5.2 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

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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 PERODIC MONTHLY STATUS REPORT

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.6 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.7 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.8 CONTRACT CHANGES

6.9 ATTACHMENTS

7.0 ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) seeks confidential proposals to identify and assess opportunities to increase value-added processing of agriculture commodities produced in the state and address categorical or geographical gaps in agricultural manufacturing and processing. This identification and assessment shall inform the North Carolina Agricultural Manufacturing and Processing Initiative (“NCAMPI”). The identification and analysis shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Analysis of categories of agriculture products that lack access to North Carolina processing and other value-added facilities

• Analysis of fit for value-added facilities across various North Carolina regions

• Evaluation of gaps in food processing and value-added processes

• Recommendations for the efficient and effective deployment of resources to maximize return to NC farmers and growers

The final product would be a report detailing the methodology, the analysis, the results, and recommendations described above, at both the state and (to the extent possible) at the regional level. NCDA&CS also seeks proposals that identify and analyze the factors above but are targeted at a specific agriculture commodities commodity or commodities. Final products for these proposals would be a report as described above. The General Assembly specifically authorized such a single-commodity analysis for the dairy industry that has been separately bid and awarded.

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

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of one (1) year, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”) with the allowance of an extension period of up to ninety (90) days, if needed, for an overrun to wrap up details of the report at no additional cost. The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within Sixty (60) business days of the Effective Date.

Proposals 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 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.

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

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

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The State may exercise in 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 negotiations 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.

2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

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

Event Responsibility Date and Time

Issue RFP State January 31, 2025

Submit Written Questions Vendor February 13,2025 At 02:00 PM ET

Provide Response to Questions State February 17,2025 At 02:00 PM ET

Submit Proposals Vendor February 19,2025 At 02:00 PM ET

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Contract Award State TBD

2.4 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.

Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section of this RFP.

Vendors will enter “10-RFP-1400943483-SMD – Questions” as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received.

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-

211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the Sourcing Tool in the form of an addendum and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_N2Q4YmZiODUtOTQyOS00NTFhLWI5NTctMDRjMGM1ZDU0MjY0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2240d548f4-1cea-4463-97c7-951910942d9f%22%7d tel:+19842041487,,674114022 https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/c102d528-0544-4660-b869-294e85047e28?id=674114022 https://www.webex.com/msteams?confid=1158067828&tenantkey=ncgov&domain=m.webex.com https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=40d548f4-1cea-4463-97c7-951910942d9f&tenantId=7a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19&threadId=19_meeting_N2Q4YmZiODUtOTQyOS00NTFhLWI5NTctMDRjMGM1ZDU0MjY0@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/usp/pstnconferencing

Ver: 11/2023 7 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.

2.5 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. Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.

Vendor’s proposals for this procurement must be submitted through the Sourcing Tool. For training on how to use the Sourcing

Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-

211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.

Tips for Using the Sourcing Tool

1. Vendors should review available training and confirm that they are able to access the Sourcing Event, enter responses, and upload files well in advance of the date and time response are due to allow sufficient time to seek assistance from the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk.

2. Vendors may submit their responses early to make sure there are no issues, and then submit a revised response any time prior to the response due date and time. The State will only review the most recent response.

3. Vendors should respond to all relevant sections of the Sourcing Event. Certain questions or items are required in order to submit a response and are denoted with an asterisk. The Sourcing Tool will not allow a response to be submitted unless all required items are completed. The Sourcing Tool will provide error messages to help identify any required information that is missing when response is submitted.

4. Simply saving your response in the Sourcing Tool is not the same as submitting your response to the State. Vendors should make sure they complete the submission process and receive a message that their response was successfully submitted.

5. Only Proposals submitted through the Content Section of the Ariba Sourcing Event will be considered. Proposals submitted through the Message Board will not be accepted or considered for award.

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 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.

2.6 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall provide responses to all questions and complete all attachments for this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and upload them to the Sourcing Event in the Sourcing Tool. Vendor may not be able to submit its response in the

Sourcing Tool unless all required items are addressed. Vendors shall provide authorized signatures where requested. Failure to https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

Ver: 11/2023 8 provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the

State’s sole discretion.

Vendor shall include the following items and attachments in the Sourcing Tool as a PDF:

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) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

f) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

g) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

h) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

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

j) Completed and signed version of CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and

OMB STANDARD FORM LLL

2.7 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. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, Vendor shall follow the specific instructions for uploading Alternate Proposals in the Sourcing Tool.

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

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

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All 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, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line-items, to not award one or more line-items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

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

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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 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.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State 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 the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the 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 are 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.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of

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"Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement.

A ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement using evaluation criteria listed in order of importance in the Evaluation Criteria section below to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor(s) providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with, or traded-off against, other non-price factors.

EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in descending order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

1. Vendor Project Organization (Section 5.3)

2. Vendor Technical Approach (Section 5.4)

3. Vendor Experience (Section 4.5) & References (Section 4.6)

4. Pricing (Section 4.1) & Cost Proposal (Section7.0 Attachment A)

5.

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

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

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

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

e) Availability of pertinent skills

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

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

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 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 State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the 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 the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 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 the State 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.

Ver: 11/2023 11

4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State 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: PRICING FORM and upload in the Sourcing Tool. 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. 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.

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 G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The

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

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those

Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executives, managerial, legal, professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

Qualifications

Successful respondents shall demonstrate expertise in value-added product analysis and an understanding of agriculture.

Expertise should also include a strong record of in-depth technical proficiency and competence and excellent interpretation of complex data into everyday language. Respondents may provide non-confidential examples of such products, with preference for previous agriculture-related clients. Familiarity with North Carolina agriculture and economic development is preferred.

Contents of Response

Respondents should include the following:

Ver: 11/2023 12

• List of staff and consultants directly involved in the analysis, including relevant professional background and experience and the detailed tasks they would perform.

• Similarly, lists of all firms involved in the analysis (if more than one).

• List of information that the Department would be expected to provide in order for the analysis to be completed and proposed format for submission.

• Estimated and detailed timeframe to conduct the analysis and write a final report.

• Comprehensive budget proposal with detail and proposed payment schedule.

• Contents of the final report.

• Proposed analytical approach to estimate opportunities and gaps.

• Value added services.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall upload to the Sourcing Tool at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State shall 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 shall 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 State.

4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that 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 the State. 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. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

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 the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in

Ver: 11/2023 13 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:

☐ Small Purchases

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

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

4.11 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

Federal law prohibits recipients of federal funds, whether through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, from using those funds to influence or attempt to influence (lobby) a federal official in connection with obtaining, extending, or modifying any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement. Further, federal law requires that applicants for federal funds certify:

• that they abide by the above restriction;

• that they disclose any permissible (non-federal) paid lobbying on the Federal Awards being applied for; and

• that such certification requirements will also be included in any subawards meeting the applicable thresholds.

Vendors must complete and submit the CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and the OMB STANDARD FORM LLL when responding to this solicitation.

5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

The General Assembly finds that the lack of capacity for value-added processing of agricultural commodities near the farms where agriculture commodities are produced in North Carolina creates competitive disadvantages to North Carolina farmers by imposing increased transportation costs to remote commodity processing facilities and presenting economic barriers to farmers who wish to participate in the market for higher profit margin processed food products.

The purpose of this study is to identify and assess opportunities to increase local value-added processing of agricultural commodities produced in NC and address categorical (commodity) or geographical gaps in agricultural manufacturing and processing.

1. Identify opportunities for and barriers to the following:

a. Agriculture processing development in North Carolina.

b. Agriculture production growth in North Carolina, as it relates to processing capacity.

c. Assess North Carolina’s business climate, considering both regulatory and commercial perspectives.

2. Identify specific location attributes needed for:

a. Potential expansion of value-added processing and manufacturing infrastructure in existing Agriculture production areas.

b. Siting new agriculture production facilities.

c. Potential expansion for existing agriculture processing operations.

d. Siting new agriculture processing operations.

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3. Identify readiness within the State for agriculture manufacturing and processing expansion to:

a. Assess the stability of agriculture supply in North Carolina and the surrounding region.

b. Map the proximity and access to markets in the State and region.

c. Assess the status of the State’s labor availability and skill level with regards to agriculture production and processing.

d. Provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) Analysis for agricultural, environmental, transportation and general business policy in North Carolina.

e. Assess whether the State is supportive of agriculture expansion – both manufacturing and processing this is duplicative.

f. Outline the site needs for production in terms of expansion of existing agriculture operations and siting new ones.

g. Identify specific areas within the State where those needs could be met.

4. Identify any opportunities for new and alternative marketing approaches and efforts to create a North Carolina identity or brand for companies and/or products that customers value and for which they will pay.

5. Identify opportunities that NCDA&CS can work with existing agriculture manufacturing and processing to capture some value in other North Carolina products.

The final report shall include, at minimum, suggested geographic and commodity processing and manufacturing targets. Specific site requirements and characteristics shall be detailed for both new or expanding NC agriculture manufacturing and processing industries. State level policy suggestions should also be included.

5.2 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

TASKS

1. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current, emerging, and forecasted agriculture manufacturing and processing that identifies areas in Scope of Work.

2. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of resources and capabilities of the State infrastructure.

3. Propose State level policy governance structure.

4. Vendor is to provide a Quarterly Status Reports on the project – every three (3) months to Gregory Hoggard, Markets

Acting Assistant Director, to be received live or via a virtual meeting.

5. The Quarterly Report Schedule will be determined at the kickoff meeting.

DELIVERABLES

The awarded vendor shall deliver and present to NCDA&CS on the final due date of the project. One (1) year, after on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”).

1. A report(s) which addresses each area of the Scope of Work to include:

2. Suggested solutions to the issues studied.

3. How stakeholders in the State’s manufacturing and processing industry can affect change within the system.

4. Specific site requirements and characteristics should be detailed for manufacturing and processing.

5. Proposed State level policy governance structure.

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. Vendor shall include the project

Ver: 11/2023 15 timeline, from award through delivery of the final report(s). Responses for Project Organization and Technical Approach should not exceed ten (10) pages, exclusive of examples of previous work, which should be attached separately.

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 deliverables and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included. Responses for Project Organization and Technical Approach should not exceed ten (10) pages, exclusive of examples of previous work, which should be attached separately.

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.

NCDA&CS Contract Administrator and Contract Manager:

NCDA & CS Contact Information

Name: Gregory Hoggard, Acting Assistant Director

Department: Agribusiness, Market News/Cooperative Grading

Phone #: 919-707-3119

Email: Gregory.Hoggard@ncagr.gov

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State’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:

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

Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

mailto:Gregory.Hoggard@ncagr.gov

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Mobile Phone #:

Email:

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall be required to meet periodically every three (3) months with the State 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

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

6.4 PERODIC MONTHLY STATUS REPORT

The Vendor shall be required to provide A Quarterly Status Report. Management Reports to the designated Contract Lead on a three (3) months basis. This report shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the work accomplished during the reporting period update project status, and projected timelines for completion. Prepare detailed report successes or difficulties that may impact the vital purpose of which manufacturing and processing was created. Describe in detail any significant deviation from previously agreed work plans and schedules for the study. These reports shall be well organized and easy to read.

The Vendor shall submit these reports electronically using the format required by the Purchasing Agency. The Vendor shall submit the reports in a timely manner and on a regular schedule as agreed by the parties.

Within thirty (30) business days of the award of the Contract the Vendor shall submit a final work plan and a sample report, bot to the designated Contract Lead for approval.

6.5 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 Contract Administrator.

6.6 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 the State, at the option of the State, for up to three

(3) months to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to…