PA038_26 INV_Final.pdf

September 9, 2026

INFORMAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

PA038-26

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is soliciting competitive sealed proposals from qualified service providers for the Provision of 1099 Processing Services on an Annual Contract with four (4) options to renew for the Department of Financial Services.

Proposals must be returned in a sealed container marked on the outside with the Request for Proposal number and Company Name. Proposals will be received until 2:50 P.M. local time on October 2, 2026 at the Gwinnett County Financial Services - Purchasing Division – 2nd Floor, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046. Any proposal received after this date and time will not be accepted.

The proposal opening will be virtual ONLY. To access the proposal opening virtually, visit this link. A list of firms submitting proposals will be available the following business day on our website www.GwinnettCounty.com. Questions regarding proposals should be directed to Blake Christopher, Purchasing Associate II at Blake.Christopher@GwinnettCounty.com or by calling 770-822-8820, no later than 10:00 A.M. local time on September 18, 2026.

Successful service provider will be required to meet insurance requirements. The Insurance Company must be authorized to do business in Georgia by the Georgia Insurance Department and must have an A.M. Best rating of A-7 or higher.

Proposals are legal and binding upon the vendor when submitted. One (1) unbound 8 ½” x 11” single sided marked “original”, four (4) exact copies minus the fee proposal, one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive (labeled Technical), one (1) copy of the fee proposal should be submitted. Fee Schedule should be submitted in a separate sealed envelope.

Gwinnett County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to its programs or activities. Any requests for reasonable accommodations required by individuals to fully participate in any open meeting, program or activity of Gwinnett County Government should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center, 770-822-8165.

The written proposal documents supersede any verbal or written prior communications between the parties.

Selection criteria are outlined in the request for proposal documents. Gwinnett County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals to waive technicalities and to make an award deemed in its best interest.

Award notification will be posted after award on the County website, www.gwinnettcounty.com and companies submitting a proposal will be notified via email.

We look forward to your proposal and appreciate your interest in Gwinnett County.

Blake Christopher Purchasing Associate II

The following pages should be returned with your quote: Fee Schedule, Pages 8-9

References, Page 10 Contractor Affidavit, Page 15 Code of Ethics, Page 16 https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/289518672862304?p=pFebsF1LEgi937Co6X http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/

PA038-26 Page 2

I. Introduction Gwinnett County is soliciting quotes from qualified service providers for the provision of comprehensive 1099 services, including processing of 1099 data provided through the County’s Oracle system of record, form generation, printing, mailing, electronic deliver, corrections and reprints and support for applicable federal and state reporting and compliance requirements.

II. Scope of Work The selected service provider must be able to meet the following requirements:

A. General Requirements

• The service provider must have a proven track record delivering 1099 services (100,000+ annually).

• Service provider must begin implementation work immediately upon contract execution. The solution must be fully implemented and functional no later than December 1, 2026.

B. Service Requirements

Service Description

Print & Mail Recipient Copies Must meet IRS deadline

E-Filing with IRS (IRIS) Must meet IRS e-file deadline

Tax Identification Number (TIN) Matching

Pre-filing TIN matching with IRS database

B Notice Handling First and second B Notice tracking, TIN solicitations

Recipient Reissues Reprint or resend upon request

Online Access for Recipients Secure portal for self-serve form download

Electronic Consent Tracking Compliance with IRS e-delivery rules

Correction Handling Submit corrections to IRS and re-send to recipients

Security and Protection of Taxpayer Information

Meet or exceed standards in IRS Pub. 1075

C. 1099 Processing and Form Generation

• Receive and process 1099 data files through an Oracle-standard file supplied by Gwinnett County.

• The Supplier must be capable of processing Oracle-standard 1099 information without requiring the County to develop or maintain a Supplier-specific file format, custom extract, or proprietary data transformation.

• Process the applicable Oracle-generated 1099 data and generate accurate, IRS-compliant 1099 forms, including, but not limited to, 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC.

• The Supplier shall be responsible for identifying and communicating any required data elements, file specifications, or technical requirements that are not included in the standard Oracle 1099 output.

• Support corrections, reprints, voids, and replacement forms, of the following 1099- NEC, 1099-MISC, and 1099-S.

D. Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and TINs Masking/Truncation

• All SSNs/TINs must be truncated on printed and electronic forms to display only the last four digits, replacing the remaining digits with masking characters (e.g., X or *).

per IRS and Gwinnett County privacy standards.

o SSN: XXX-XX-1234, ***-**-1234 o TIN: XX-XXX1234, **-***1234

PA038-26 Page 3

E. Printing and Mailing

• High volume printing of 1099s on IRS-approved forms.

• Folding, stuffing, and mailing via USPS First Class or approved similar delivery.

• Returned mail handling and reporting.

• Gwinnett County will issue payment for satisfactory services performed once per month per the contracted rate schedule. As an option, estimated postage (only) may be paid in advance for a mutually agreed upon period of time (i.e. 2 weeks, 4 weeks, etc.). Advance payments will be issued to cover estimated postage charges prior to each time period.

F. Electronic Delivery

• Provide a secure online portal for recipients to access their 1099s electronically.

o Must support multi-factor authentication, email notifications, and download tracking.

o Portal must remain available for at least 3 years from issuance of 1099.

G. IRS Filing

• E-file of 1099s directly to the IRS.

• Provide confirmation of successful filings.

H. B Notice and TIN Matching Support

• Support for handling backup withholding notices (B Notices) if required.

• Ability to assist with TIN matching processes as needed.

I. Reporting & Support

• Administrative portal or dashboard for County staff to:

o Track form status o Run reports o Request reprints or resend notifications

• Support must be available during normal business hours (8:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M. local time)

J. Security & Compliance

• Must meet or exceed standards in IRS Pub. 1075 and industry best practices.

• Solution must support data encryption at rest and in transit.

• Must meet all applicable Security Requirements for Purchase Standards enclosed.

• Maintain insurance per the attached Gwinnett County requirements.

K. Implementation Timeline

• Implementation must start immediately upon contract execution.

• All systems and integrations must begin work upon contract execution with final testing and validation completed by December 1, 2026.

III. Proposal Submission Instructions

Service providers are asked to read the request for proposal carefully to ensure that the specific requirements of this request are addressed and all requested information is submitted. Proposing service providers will be evaluated and scored based on the information provided in the proposals as it relates to this request. The service provider’s proposal should be organized in the order and format described below.

PA038-26 Page 4

Service providers are encouraged to submit clear and concise responses, and excessive length or extraneous information is discouraged. In an effort to ensure the ability to evaluate and choose a successful service provider for this project, respondents are encouraged to be responsive to the specific range of issues requested in this solicitation. Submission of excessive “boiler plate” information, including sales brochures, is discouraged. Service providers should not submit website links in lieu of written responses. Website links and any information contained within may not be reviewed or considered by the County.

A. Vendor Experience

Provide a narrative description of the service provider’s history, purpose, range of services, resources, and past and current business activities. In the latter area, describe in detail the service provider’s experience in processing 1099s and providing audit support. Describe any special capabilities of the service provider, such as resources, programs or practices that set it apart from other service providers.

B. IRS Compliance & Reporting Accuracy

• Describe how the service provider adheres to IRS deadlines, formatting, publications, and compliance (1179, 1220, 1281).

• Describe how the service provider properly handles the corrections and validation process.

• How does the service provider ensure compliance with current IRS e-filing requirements for 1099 forms?

• Describe the service provider’s process for validating file formats and rejecting incorrect submissions.

C. Data Security & Certifications

• Describe the service providers controls for protecting sensitive data such as

SSNs and TINs during transmission, processing, and storage.

• Explain the service providers approach to truncating SSNs and TINs on printed

1099 forms to meet confidentiality and privacy standards.

• How does the service provider handle and secure physical copies of sensitive documents?

• What encryption standards does the service provider use for data in transit and at rest?

• Is the service provider SOC 2 Type II certified or compliant with similar security standards? Please explain and provide supporting documentation.

D. Service Capabilities (End-to-End)

• Backup withholding support

• Describe the service provider’s end-to-end process for printing and mailing 1099 forms.

• How does the service provider ensure accurate matching of payee data for both printing and electronic filing?

• What is the service provider’s typical turnaround time from file receipt to mailing and e-filing?

PA038-26 Page 5

• Can the service provider support multiple 1099 form variants (1099-MISC, 1099-

NEC, 1099-Setc.)?

• What file formats and data transmission methods does the service provider support for receiving 1099 data files?

• Does the service provide an API or web portal for submitting data and tracking job status?

• How does the service provider handle errors or rejections in the e-filing process?

What is the correction workflow?

• Describe the service provider’s disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

• What types of reports does the service provider produce post-printing and e-filing

(e.g., mailing confirmations, IRS acknowledgments)?

• Describe the service providers end-to-end process for managing IRS B Notices on behalf of clients.

• Do the service provider handle both First and Second B Notices? If so, how does the service provider differentiate the handling of each?

• Does the service provider perform TIN matching (against IRS records) before

1099 forms are filed?

• If yes, please describe the TIN matching process and how it reduces B Notice volume.

• How and when does the service provider notify clients upon receiving a B Notice from the IRS?

• Does the service provider assist with generating B Notice letters to payees, and are they compliant with IRS publication 1281?

• Does the service provider facilitate the collection of corrected TINs/W-9s from payees?

• Can the service provider track and report which payees have responded and which have not?

• How does the service provider support backup withholding requirements if a payee does not respond to a B Notice?

• Can the service provider’s system flag payees for withholding and generate the necessary documentation?

• How long does the service provider retain records related to B Notices and responses?

• Can the service provider produce reports or audit trails showing actions taken for each B Notice?

E. Customer Support & Responsiveness

• Does the service provider have an accessible and knowledgeable support team?

Please explain.

• What is the average response time?

• How does the service provider communicate with the County and with clients?

• How does the service provider handle customer support and issue escalation?

PA038-26 Page 6

• Has the service provider assisted clients during an IRS audit related to B Notice follow-up? If so, describe the support provided.

F. References

Provide a minimum of three (3) references from recent engagements of similar size and work. The reference form attached to the proposal document specifies what details to include.

G. Cost

Please complete the attached Fee Schedule and submit in a separate sealed envelope with “PA038-26 fee proposal" and the service provider’s name written on the outside. This can be submitted in the same container but should not be included in the technical proposal documents. Please note that ALL costs associated with these services MUST be included in the hourly rates including but not limited to travel, supplies, etc. The County will not pay any fees outside of what is listed on the Fee Schedule.

IV. Review and Rating of Evaluation Criteria

Gwinnett’s evaluation committee will review the proposals. Proposals will be evaluated based on their relative responsiveness to the criteria described above and with those criteria’s values weighted as shown below:

Basis of Short-Listing / Selection

Phase I – Initially, proposals will be evaluated based on relative responsiveness to the criteria described above and will be scored based on the point values as shown. Please note that references, and subsequent reference checks, are a required component of Phase I scoring.

Phase II – Service providers may be short-listed for further consideration. The Proposal Fee Schedules of the short-listed service providers from Phase I will be opened, reviewed, and scored with the lowest cost receiving the most points and the other service providers receiving proportional points based on the differences in proposal costs.

Phase III – At the County’s discretion, or as deemed in the County’s best interest, service providers

Phase 1 Criteria Points Allowed

A Vendor Experience 5

B IRS Compliance & Reporting Accuracy 15

C Data Security & Certifications 15

D Service Capabilities (End-to-End) 35

E Customer Support & Responsiveness 15

F References 5

Subtotal 90

Phase II

G Fee Proposal 10

Subtotal 100

Phase III

H Optional Interview 10

TOTAL 110

PA038-26 Page 7 may be short-listed a second time for an interview. At this time, the County may request further information, explanations, clarifications, presentations, interviews, or meetings with some or all of the remaining service providers.

If interviews are necessary for selection, details on the scoring criteria for interviews will be provided along with notification of the scheduled interview.

All presentations/interviews will be the sole responsibility of the service provider and at no cost to the County.

If an agreement with the highest ranked service provider cannot be reached, the County may then negotiate with the second-ranked service provider and so on until a satisfactory agreement has been reached.

PA038-26 Page 8 FAILURE TO RETURN THIS PAGE AS PART OF YOUR QUOTE PACKAGE MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF QUOTE.

FEE SCHEDULE

Gwinnett County requires pricing to remain firm for the duration of the initial term of the contract.

Failure to hold firm pricing for the initial term of the contract will be sufficient cause for Gwinnett County to declare quote non-responsive. Contract to begin upon award.

Unless otherwise noted, quoted prices will remain firm for four (4) additional 12-month periods.

If a percentage increase/decrease is a part of the renewal options, please note this in the space provided together with an explanation.

Renewal Option 1: % Increase % Decrease Explanation Renewal Option 2: % Increase % Decrease Explanation Renewal Option 3: % Increase % Decrease Explanation

Renewal Option 4: % Increase % Decrease Explanation

Service Provider Name _________________________________________________________________________

ITEM

APPROX

ANNUAL

QTY

DESCRIPTION UNIT PRICE TOTAL PRICE

1. 3,000 each 1099 Form Processing, including print, mail, and e-file $ $

2. 30 each B Notice Handling, including all solicitations and tracking $ $

3. 30 each Correction Handling, including re-filing with the IRS and resending to the recipient

4. 12 months Portal access for Recipients on a monthly basis $ $

5. 1 each Annual Support and Maintenance $ $

TOTAL $

PA038-26 Page 9

FEE SCHEDULE CONTINUED

The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the following addenda, listed by number and date appearing on each:

Addendum No. Date Addendum No. Date

Certification Of Non-Collusion in Proposal Preparation (Signature) (Date)

In compliance with the attached specifications, the undersigned acknowledges all requirements outlined in the "Instructions to Vendors" and all documents referred to therein. offers and agrees, if this proposal is accepted by the Board of Commissioners within one hundred twenty (120) days of the date of proposal opening, to furnish any or all of the items upon which prices are quoted, at the price set opposite each item, delivered to the designated point(s) within the time specified in the fee schedule.

Legal Business Name

Address

Does your company currently have a location within Gwinnett County? Yes No

Representative Signature

Print Authorized Representative's Name

Telephone Number Fax Number

E-Mail Address

Contact Person (if someone other than the authorized representative listed above)

Telephone Number Fax Number

E-Mail Address

PA038-26 Page 10

REFERENCES

Gwinnett County requests a minimum of three (3) references where work of a similar size and scope has been completed.

Note: References should be customized for each project, rather than submitting the same set of references for every project bid. The references listed should be of similar size and scope of the project being bid on.

Do not submit a project list in lieu of this form.

1. Company Name

Brief Description of Project

Completion Date

Contract Amount $ Start Dates

Contact Person Telephone

2. Company Name

Contract Amount $ Start Date

3. Company Name

Contract Amount $ Start Date

Service Provider Name

GWINNETT COUNTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES │ RISK MANAGEMENT

VENDOR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Insurance:

Contractor shall provide evidence of insurance for at least the coverage and amounts set forth below. All insurance shall be maintained in the form and with a company (or companies) satisfactory to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. The Contractor and their Subcontractor’s/vendor’s Certificates of Insurance shall require that the County be notified in writing thirty (30) days prior to cancellation, modification, or non-renewal of any insurance policy listed on the certificate(s). Upon request, the County will be provided certified copies of all required insurance policies.

A. Minimum Coverage

Commercial General Liability (Occurrence Form):

General Aggregate (other than Prod/Comp Ops Liability) $2,000,000 Products/Completed Operations Aggregate $2,000,000 Personal & Advertising Injury Liability $1,000,000 Each Occurrence $1,000,000

• Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners to be named as Additional Insured

• Additional Insured Endorsement CG 20 10 (edition dates of 07/04, 04/13, 12/19 or a substitute endorsement providing equivalent coverage) and CG 2037 (edition dates of 07/04, 04/13, 12/19 or a substitute endorsement providing equivalent coverage) must be provided with your Certificate of Insurance.

• Primary and Non-Contributory Endorsement to be specified in writing

• Contractual Liability

• Broad Form Property Damage

• Severability of Interest

• Underground, explosion, and collapse coverage

• Personal Injury (deleting both contractual and employee exclusions)

• Incidental Medical Malpractice

• Hostile Fire Pollution Wording

• Include Waiver of Subrogation in favor of Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners

• If project or operations are within 50 ft of a railroad, Contractor is required to name the specific Railroad as an Additional Insured and provide a copy of the Additional Insured Endorsement CG2417 or its equivalent.

• In the event the General Liability insurance required by this Contract is written on a claims-made basis, Contractor warrants that any retroactive date under the policy shall precede the effective date of this Contract; and that either continuous coverage will be maintained, or an extended discovery period will be exercised for a period of five (5) years or applicable statute of limitation period following completion of the work.

Automobile Liability to include:

Combined Single Limit – Each Accident $1,000,000

• Comprehensive form providing coverage for bodily injury, death of any person, and property damage arising out of the ownership, maintenance, and use of all owned, non-owned, leased, hired, borrowed vehicles, and any other statutorily required automobile coverage.

PA038-26 Page 12

• Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners to be named as Additional Insured

• Additional Insured Endorsements must be provided with the Certificate of Insurance

• Coverage to include loading and unloading

• Contractual Liability Worker’s Compensation & Employer’s Liability Coverage to include:

Workers Compensation Georgia State Statutory Limits Employers Liability

Bodily Injury by Accident – Each Accident $ 500,000 Bodily Injury by Disease – Policy Limit $ 500,000 Bodily Injury by Disease – Each Employee $ 500,000

• Waiver of Subrogation in favor of Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Umbrella/Excess Liability Insurance with policy limits as determined by Contract Sums (higher limits may be required depending on the extent of contract):

Contract Sums:

Contracts up to $999,999

Each Occurrence and Aggregate Limit $1,000,000

Contracts from $1,000,000 to $1,999,999 Each Occurrence and Aggregate Limit

$3,000,000

Contracts from $2,000,000 to $4,999,999 Each Occurrence and Aggregate Limit

$5,000,000

Contracts Over $5,000,000 Each Occurrence and Aggregate Limit

$10,000,000

• Concurrency of Effective Dates with Primary

• Blanket Contractual Liability

• Drop Down Feature

• Umbrella Policy must be as broad as the primary policy.

• Coverage excess over General Liability, Business Auto Liability, and Employers Liability

• In the event the Umbrella/Excess Liability insurance required by this Contract is written on a claims-made basis, Contractor warrants that any retroactive date under the policy shall precede the effective date of this Contract; and that either continuous coverage will be maintained or an extended discovery period will be exercised for a period of five (5) years or applicable statute of limitation period following completion of the work.

• Evidence of coverage in the form of a Certificate of Insurance shall be provided to the County prior to start of work.

• Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners shall be Additional Insureds.

• Contractor shall be liable for money, securities, or other property of the County.

• Such coverage shall include an owner coverage endorsement for County and County shall be included as a loss payee.

• Additional Insured Endorsements must be provided with the Certificate of Insurance.

Cyber Liability Insurance: Applies if scope of work includes the storage or transfer of any County data or sensitive data (including but not limited to personally identifiable, health, or payment card data) or the related hosting of database(s) or internet site(s):

Limit of Insurance per Claim $1,000,000 Aggregate Limit $1,000,000

PA038-26 Page 13

The Contractor shall maintain insurance coverage for network security and privacy risks, including, but not limited to, insurance for data breach or introduction of virus or malicious codes, consumer notification, whether or not required by law, forensic investigation, public relations and crisis management and credit or identity monitoring or similar remediation services, unauthorized access, failure of security information theft, damage to destruction of or alteration of electronic information, breach of privacy perils, wrongful disclosure and release of private information, collection, or other negligence in the handling of confidential information, and including coverage for related regulatory fines, defenses, and penalties allowed by law.

Property Insurance:

The Contractor is fully and solely responsible for any physical loss or damage to all tools, equipment, construction office trailers and their contents, vehicles or any other personal property utilized in the performance of the Contractor’s work. Contractor agrees to waive its rights of recovery and cause its insurers, if any, to waive their rights of subrogation against Owner and Company for any such damage or loss, however caused.

Riggers Liability Insurance:

If any work to be performed involves the rigging, lifting. lowering or moving of property or equipment, then those parties performing such work shall carry Rigger’s Liability Insurance in an amount adequate to insure against the physical loss or damage to the property or equipment in its care

Aviation Insurance: Applies if scope of work requires the use of aircraft, including helicopters, unmanned aircraft systems (e.g., drones) and/or fixed-wing aircraft:

Maintain (or require aircraft owner or operator to maintain), and Contractor shall furnish proof of, Aircraft Liability insurance with minimum limits of $10,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage of all aircraft.

Unmanned aircraft systems, minimum limits of $2,000,000 for bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury (including invasion of privacy) for unmanned aircraft systems, and guest voluntary settlement bodily injury coverage (for any aircraft except unmanned aircraft systems)

• Such policy shall include contractual liability covering all owned and non-owned aircraft

• If the party providing the Aircraft Liability insurance is not Contractor, then Contractor shall require such party to (a) waive any subrogation rights of recovery they and/or their insurance carriers may have against County and any other indemnified parties and (b) name County and such other parties as Additional Insureds

• The Contractor shall (or shall require aircraft owner or operator) to hire, employ, and utilize pilots certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate any such aircraft.

B. Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners (and any applicable Authority) must be specified in writing as an Additional Insured on General Liability, Auto Liability and Umbrella Liability policies.

C. Gwinnett County should be provided with a minimum of 30 days advance written notice of cancellation, material change, or non-renewal of policies required by the contract.

D. Certificate Holder should read:

Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners 75 Langley Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30046-6935

E. Insurance Company, except Worker' Compensation carrier, must have an A.M. Best Rating of A-7 or higher.

Certain Workers' Comp funds may be accepted subject to the approval of the Gwinnett County Insurance Unit.

European markets including those based in London and domestic surplus lines markets that operate on a non-admitted basis are exempt from this requirement provided that the Contractor’s broker/agent can provide financial data to establish that a market is equal to or exceeds the financial strengths associated with the A.M.

Best’s rating of A-7 or better.

PA038-26 Page 14

F. Insurance companies providing coverage should be licensed, and authorized to do business by the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner of Georgia ("Insurance Commissioner"), with the exception of non- admitted carriers, in which case the broker placing coverage should be licensed by the Insurance Commissioner. All agents placing coverage should be licensed by the Insurance Commissioner, either as a resident or non- resident.

G. Certificates of Insurance, and any subsequent renewals, must reference each corresponding bid/contract by project name and project/bid number, if applicable.

H. The Contractor shall agree to provide complete certified copies of current insurance policy(ies) or a certified letter from the insurance company(ies) if requested by the County to verify compliance with these insurance requirements.

I. All insurance coverage required to be provided by the Contractor shall state that it is primary over any insurance program carried by the County.

J. Contractor shall incorporate a copy of the insurance requirements as herein provided in each and every subcontract with each and every subcontractor in any tier and shall require each and every subcontractor of any tier to comply with all such requirements. The Contractor agrees that if for any reason a subcontractor fails to procure and maintain insurance as required, all such required Insurance shall be procured and maintained by Contractor at Contractor's expense.

K. No Contractor or Subcontractor shall commence any work of any kind under this Contract until all insurance requirements contained in this Contract have been complied with and until evidence of such compliance satisfactory to Gwinnett County as to form and content has been filed with Gwinnett County. The ACORD Certificate of Insurance or a preapproved substitute is the required form in all cases where reference is made to a Certificate of Insurance or an approved substitute.

L. The Contractor and its insurer(s) shall agree to waive all rights of subrogation against the County, the Board of Commissioners, its officers, officials, employees, and volunteers from losses arising from work performed by the Contractor for the County.

M. Special Form Contractors’ Equipment and Contents Insurance covering owned, used, and leased equipment, tools, supplies, and contents is required to perform the services called for in the Contract. The coverage must be on a replacement cost basis. The County will be included as a Loss Payee in this coverage for County owned equipment, tools, supplies, and contents.

N. The Contractor shall make available to the County, through its records or the records of its insurer, information regarding any claim related to a County project. Any loss run information relating to a County project will be made available to the County upon its request.

O. Compliance by the Contractor and Subcontractors with the foregoing insurance requirements shall not relieve the Contractor and Subcontractors of liability under the Contract and any applicable law.

P. The Contractor and all Subcontractors are to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Public Law 91-956, and any other laws that may apply to this Contract.

Q. The Contractor shall at a minimum apply risk management practices accepted by the Contractors’ industry.

R. The Contractor shall advise the County if required limits of insurance become eroded or impaired.

Surety Bond (if required)

All of the surety requirements will stay the same except the Surety Company must have the same rating as set forth in item E above.

PA038-26 Provision of 1099 Processing Services on an Annual Contract Page 15

CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT AND AGREEMENT

(THIS FORM SHOULD BE FULLY COMPLETED AND RETURNED WITH YOUR SUBMITTAL)

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned contractor verifies its compliance with The Illegal Immigration

Reform Enhancements for 2013, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm, or corporation which is contracting with the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has registered with and is participating in a federal work authorization program* [any of the electronic verification of work authorization programs operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security or any equivalent federal work authorization program operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security] to verify information of newly hired employees, pursuant to the Immigration Reform and Control Act, in accordance with the applicability provisions and deadlines established therein.

The undersigned further agrees that, should it employ or contract with any subcontractor(s) in connection with the physical performance of services or the performance of labor pursuant to this contract with the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, contractor will secure from such subcontractor(s) similar verification of compliance with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act on the Subcontractor Affidavit provided in Rule 300-10-01-.08 or a substantially similar form. Contractor further agrees to maintain records of such compliance and provide a copy of each such verification to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners at the time the subcontractor(s) is retained to perform such service.

E-Verify * User Identification Number Date Registered

Legal Company Name

Street Address

City/State/Zip Code

BY: Authorized Officer or Agent Date (Contractor Signature)

Title of Authorized Officer or Agent of Contractor

Printed Name of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN

BEFORE ME ON THIS THE

_______ DAY OF ______________________, 20_______

Notary Public My Commission Expires: ___________________________

* As of the effective date of O.C.G.A. 13-10-91, the applicable federal work authorization program is “E-Verify” operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Social Security Administration (SSA).

For Gwinnett County Use Only:

Document ID #

Issue Date:

Initials:

CODE OF ETHICS AFFIDAVIT

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM COMPLETED WITH YOUR SUBMITTAL. SUBMITTED FORMS ARE REQUIRED

PRIOR TO EVALUATION.

In accordance with Section 54-33 of the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances the undersigned bidder/proposer makes the following full and complete disclosure under oath, to the best of their knowledge, of the name(s) of all elected officials whom it employs or who have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in or with the vendor, its affiliates or its subcontractors:

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Company Submitting Bid/Proposal

2. Please select one of the following:

No information to disclose (complete only section 4 below)

Disclosed information below (complete section 3 & section 4 below)

3. If additional space is required, please attach list:

Gwinnett County Elected Official Name Gwinnett County Elected Official Name

Gwinnett County Elected Official Name Gwinnett County Elected Official Name

4. BY:

Authorized Officer or Agent Signature

Printed Name of Authorized Officer or Agent

Title of Authorized Officer or Agent of Contractor

Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of , 20

Notary Public

(seal)

Note: See Gwinnett County Code of Ethics Ordinance EO2011, Sec. 54-33. The ordinance will be available to view in its’ entirety at GwinnettCounty.com

PA038-26 Provision of 1099 Processing Services on an Annual Contract Page 16

FAILURE TO RETURN THIS PAGE MAY RESULT IN REMOVAL OF YOUR COMPANY FROM

COMMODITY LISTING.

PA038-26

Buyer Initials: BC

IF YOU DESIRE TO SUBMIT A "NO BID" IN RESPONSE TO THIS PACKAGE, PLEASE INDICATE BY CHECKING

ONE OR MORE OF THE REASONS LISTED BELOW AND EXPLAIN.

Do not offer this product or service; remove us from your bidder's list for this item only.

Specifications too "tight"; geared toward one brand or manufacturer only.

Specifications are unclear.

Unable to meet specifications

Unable to meet bond requirements

Unable to meet insurance requirements

Our schedule would not permit us to perform.

Insufficient time to respond.

Other

COMPANY NAME

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

SIGNATURE

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS 1 | 11

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES │ PURCHASING

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS,

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

***ATTENTION***

FAILURE TO RETURN THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MAY RESULT IN SUBMITTAL BEING DEEMED

NON-RESPONSIVE AND AUTOMATIC REJECTION. THE COUNTY SHALL BE THE SOLE DETERMINANT

OF TECHNICALITY VERSUS NON-RESPONSIVE SUBMITTAL:

1. FAILURE TO USE COUNTY FEE SCHEDULE.

2. FAILURE TO RETURN OR ACKNOWLEDGE APPLICABLE COMPLIANCE/SPECIFICATION

SHEETS.

3. FAILURE TO RETURN OR ACKNOWLEDGE APPLICABLE ADDENDA.

4. FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR ALTERNATES OR EQUIVALENTS.

5. FAILURE TO PROVIDE BID BOND, WHEN REQUIRED, WILL RESULT IN SUBMITTAL BEING

DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND AUTOMATIC REJECTION. BID BONDS ARE NOT REQUIRED ON

ALL SOLICITATIONS. BOND REQUIREMENTS ARE CLEARLY STATED ON THE INVITATION

PAGE. IF CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED, CONTACT THE PURCHASING ASSOCIATE LISTED IN THE

INVITATION. IF BONDS ARE REQUIRED, FORMS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THIS SOLICITATION

DOCUMENT.

6. FAILURE TO PROVIDE CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT AND AGREEMENT, WHEN REQUIRED, MAY

RESULT IN SUBMITTAL BEING DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND REJECTED. THE

CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT AND AGREEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED ON ALL SOLICITATIONS. IF

CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED, CONTACT THE PURCHASING ASSOCIATE LISTED IN THE

INVITATION.

7. FAILURE TO PROVIDE AN ETHICS AFFIDAVIT WHEN REQUIRED MAY RESULT IN SUBMITTAL

BEING DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND REJECTED. THE ETHICS AFFIDAVIT IS REQUIRED ON

ALL FORMAL SOLICITATIONS OVER $100,000.00. IF CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED, CONTACT

THE PURCHASING ASSOCIATE LISTED IN THE INVITATION.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS 2 | 11

I. PREPARATION OF SUBMITTAL

A. Each vendor shall examine the drawings, specifications, schedule, and all instructions. Failure to do so will be at the vendor’s risk, as the vendor will be held accountable for their submittal.

B. Each vendor shall furnish all information required by the solicitation form or document. Each vendor shall sign the submittal and print or type his or her name on the fee schedule. The person signing the submittal should initial erasures or other changes. An authorized agent of the vendor must sign the submittal.

C. Fee schedule pricing should only have two decimal places unless otherwise stated. In the event of a calculation error in total price, the unit pricing prevails.

D. Except for solicitations for the sale of real property, individuals, firms, and businesses seeking an award of a Gwinnett County contract may not initiate or continue any verbal or written communications regarding a solicitation with any County officer, elected official, employee, or other County representative other than the Purchasing Associate named in the solicitation between the date of the issuance of the solicitation and the date of the final award. The Purchasing Director will review violations. If determined that such communication has compromised the competitive process, the offer submitted by the individual, firm, or business may be disqualified from consideration for award. Solicitations for the sale of real property may allow for verbal or written communications with the appropriate Gwinnett County representative.

E. Sample contracts (if pertinent) are attached. These do NOT have to be filled out with the submittal but are contained for informational purposes only. If awarded, the successful vendor(s) will be required to execute these documents prior to County execution.

F. Effective July 1, 2013 and in accordance with the Georgia Illegal Immigration Reform Enhancements for 2013, an original signed, notarized, and fully completed Contractor Affidavit and Agreement should be included with vendor’s submittal, if the solicitation is for the physical performance of services for all labor or service contract(s) that exceed $2,499.99 (except for services performed by an individual who is licensed pursuant to Title 26, Title 43, or the State Bar of Georgia). Failure to provide the Contractor Affidavit and Agreement with your submittal may result in being deemed non-responsive and automatic rejection.

II. DELIVERY

A. Each vendor should state time of proposed delivery of goods or services.

B. Words such as “immediate”, “as soon as possible,” etc. should not be used. The known earliest date or the minimum number of calendar days required after receipt of order (delivery A.R.O.)

should be stated. If calendar days are used, include Saturday, Sunday, and holidays in the number.

III. EXPLANATION TO VENDORS

Any explanation desired by a vendor regarding the meaning or interpretation of the solicitation, drawings, specifications, etc. must be requested by the question cutoff deadline stated in the solicitation for a reply to reach all vendors before the deadline of the solicitation. Any information given to a prospective vendor concerning a solicitation will be furnished to all prospective vendors as an addendum to the solicitation if such information is necessary or if the lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed vendors. The written solicitation documents supersede any verbal or written communications between the parties. Receipt of addenda should be acknowledged in the

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS 3 | 11

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS,

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

submittal. It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure they have all applicable addenda prior to their submittal. This may be accomplished by contacting the assigned Purchasing Associate prior to the submittal or visiting GwinnettCounty.com.

IV. SUBMISSION OF FORMAL OFFERS/SUBMITTALS

A. Formal bid and proposal submittals shall be enclosed in a sealed package or envelope, addressed to the Gwinnett County Purchasing Division with the name of the vendor, the date and hour of opening, and the solicitation number on the face of the package or envelope. Facsimile or emailed submittals will not be considered. Any addenda should be enclosed in the sealed envelopes as well.

B. ADD/DEDUCT: Add or deduct amounts indicated on the outside of the envelope are allowed and will be applied to the lump sum amount. Amount shall be clearly stated and should be initialed by an authorized representative.

C. Samples of items, when required, must be submitted within the time specified and, unless otherwise specified by the County, at no expense to the County. Unless otherwise specified, samples will be returned at the vendor’s request and expense, if items are not destroyed by testing.

D. Items offered must meet required specifications and must be of a quality that will adequately serve the use and purpose for which intended.

E. Full identification of each item submitted, including brand name, model, catalog number, etc.

must be furnished to identify exactly what the vendor is offering. Manufacturer’s literature may be furnished, but vendor should not submit excessive marketing material.

F. The vendor must certify that items to be furnished are new and that the quality has not deteriorated to impair its usefulness.

G. Unsigned submittals will not be considered except in cases where it is enclosed with other documents that have been signed. The County will determine acceptability in these cases.

H. Gwinnett County is exempt from federal excise tax and Georgia sales tax regarding goods and services purchased directly by Gwinnett County. Vendors are responsible for federal excise tax and sales tax, including taxes for materials incorporated in county construction projects. Vendors should contact the State of Georgia Sales Tax Division for additional information. Agreements were there is a cost-plus mark-up, mark-up will not be paid on taxes.

I. Information submitted by a vendor in the solicitation process shall be subject to disclosure after the public opening in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act.

V. WITHDRAWAL DUE TO ERRORS

Vendors must give Gwinnett County Purchasing Division written notice within two (2) business days of completion of the opening stating that they wish to withdraw their submittal without penalty for an obvious clerical or calculation error. Submittal may be withdrawn from consideration if the price was substantially lower then the other submittals due solely to a mistake therein, provided pricing was submitted in good faith, and the mistake was a clerical mistake as opposed to a judgment mistake and was due to an unintentional arithmetic error on an unintentional omission of a quantity of work, labor, or material made directly in the compilation of the submittal. The unintentional arithmetic error or omission can be clearly proven through inspection of the original work papers, documents, and

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS 4 | 11

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS,

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

materials used in preparing the submittal sought to be withdrawn. The vendor’s original work papers shall be the sole acceptable evidence of error and mistake if a vendor elects to withdraw their submittal. If a quote or bid submittal is withdrawn under the authority of this provision, the lowest remaining responsive offer shall be deemed to be low bid. No vendor who is permitted to withdraw their submittal shall, for compensation, supply any material or labor or perform any subcontract or other work agreement for the person or firm to whom the contract is awarded or otherwise benefit, directly or indirectly, from the performance of the project for which the withdrawn bid or proposal was submitted.

Vendors who fail to request withdrawal by the required forty-eight (48) hours may automatically forfeit bid bond if a bond was required. Bid may not be withdrawn otherwise.

Withdrawal is not automatically granted and will be allowed solely at Gwinnett County’s discretion.

VI. TESTING AND INSPECTION

Since tests may require several days for completion, the County reserves the right to use a portion of any supplies before the results of the tests are determined. Cost of inspections and tests of any item that fails to meet the specifications, shall be borne by the vendor.

VII. F.O.B. POINT

Unless otherwise stated in the request for invitation and any resulting contract, or unless qualified by the vendor, items shall be shipped F.O.B. Destination, Freight Prepaid, and Allowed. The seller shall retain title for the risk of transportation, including the filing for loss or damages. The invoice covering the items is not payable until items are delivered and contract of carriage has been completed. Unless the F.O.B. clause states otherwise, the seller assumes transportation and related charges either by payment or allowance.

VIII. PATENT INDEMNITY

The vendor guarantees to hold the County, its agents, officers, or employees harmless from liability of any nature or kind for use of any copyrighted or uncopyrighted composition, secret process, patented, or unpatented invention, articles, or appliances furnished or used in the performance of the contract, for which the vendor is not the patentee, assignee, or licensee.

IX. BID BONDS AND PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE BONDS (IF REQUIRED, FORMS WILL BE PROVIDED

IN THIS DOCUMENT)

A five percent (5%) bid bond, a one hundred percent (100%) performance bond, and a one hundred percent (100%) payment bond must be furnished to Gwinnett County for any solicitation as required in the solicitation package or document. Failure to submit a bid bond with the proper rating will result in submittal being deemed non-responsive. Bonding company must be authorized to do business in Georgia by the Georgia Insurance Commission, listed in the Department of the Treasury’s publication of companies holding certificates of authority as acceptable surety on Federal bonds and as acceptable reinsuring companies, and have an A.M. Best rating as stated in the insurance requirement of the solicitation. The bid bond, payment bond, and performance bond must have the proper A.M. Best rating as stated in the solicitation document.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDORS 5 | 11

X. DISCOUNTS

A. Time payment discounts may be considered in arriving at net prices and in award of solicitations.

Offers of discounts for payment within ten (10) days following the end of the month are preferred.

B. In connection with any discount offered, time will be computed from the date of delivery and acceptance at destination, or from the date correct invoice or voucher is received, whichever is the later date. Payment is deemed to be made for the purpose of earning the discount on the date of the County check.

XI. AWARD

A. Award will be made to either the highest scoring firm (for proposals) or the lowest responsive and responsible vendor (for quotes/bids). The quality of the articles to be supplied, their conformity with the specifications, their suitability to the requirements of the County, and the delivery terms will be taken into consideration in making the award. The County may make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability to the vendor to perform, and the vendor shall furnish to the County all such information and data for this purpose as the County may request. The County reserves the right to reject any submittal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of such vendor fails to satisfy the County that such vendor is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract.

B. The County reserves the right to reject or accept any or all offers and to waive technicalities, informalities, and minor irregularities in the submittals received.

C. The County reserves the right to make an award as deemed in its best interest, which may include awarding to a single vendor or multiple vendors; or to award the whole solicitation agreement, only part of the agreement, or none of the agreement, based on its sole discretion of its best interest.

D. In the event of proposal scores rounded to the nearest whole number result in a tie score, the award will be based on lowest cost.

E. If proposal negotiations with the highest ranked firm are unsuccessful, the County may then negotiate with the second ranked firm and so on until a satisfactory agreement has been reached.

XII. DELIVERY FAILURES

Failure of a vendor to deliver within the time specified or within reasonable time as interpreted by the Purchasing…