professional-services-combined-rfp-solicitation-documents.docx

proposal instructions Department of Department of Natural Resources Drone Herbicide Spraying Request for Proposal No. 240000001323 Solicitation Manager Name: Kip Conley Direct Phone:517-388-5956 Email: conleyk1@michigan.gov

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) for:

Drone Herbicide Spraying

RFP Timeline

*A bidder’s proposal received at 3:00:01 p.m. Eastern is late and subject to disqualification.

This RFP is subject to change. Check www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS for current information.

1. PROPOSAL PREPARATION. The State recommends reading all RFP materials prior to preparing a proposal, particularly these Proposal Instructions and the Vendor Questions Worksheet. Bidders must follow these Proposal Instructions and provide a complete response to the items indicated in the RFP Structure and Documentation table below. References and links to websites or external sources may not be used in lieu of providing the information requested in the RFP within the proposal. Include the bidder’s company name in the header of all documents submitted with your proposal. Note that all documents and information submitted as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received by the State may be posted on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

RFP Structure and Documentation

2. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE STATE. The sole point of contact for the State concerning this RFP is listed on the Cover Page. Contacting any other State personnel, agent, consultant, or representative about this RFP may result in bidder disqualification.

3. MODIFICATIONS. The State may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified.

4. QUESTIONS. Bidder questions about this RFP must be emailed to the Solicitation Manager no later than the time and date specified on the Cover Page. In the interest of transparency, only written questions are accepted. Answers to questions will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. Submit questions using the format below; a Microsoft Excel format or similar is suggested.

5. DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL.

Electronic – The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include but are not limited to Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Attachment file size is limited to 6 MB per document. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the proposal deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the proposal deadline identified in the solicitation Closing On/Closing Date fields (Summary view/Detail view), even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 284-0540 or (888) 734-9749. The Solicitation Manager will not provide assistance related to the submittal of the proposal and all attachments on the day of the proposal deadline. Responsibility for a complete submission lies with the bidder. Note that all documents and information submitted in any manner as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received may be posted by the State on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

6. EVALUATION PROCESS. The State will evaluate each proposal on a PASS/FAIL basis based on the following criteria:

Total

The State may utilize all bidder information to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. If applicable, the State’s evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veterans/service-disabled veteran owned business(QDV/SDVOB) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the SDVOB preference is available at: Michigan.gov/SDVOB The State strongly encourages strict adherence to the Contract Terms. The State reserves the right to deem a bid non-responsive for failure to accept the Contract Terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the Contract Terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the Contract Terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions, may be considered non-responsive. Failure to respond timely to requests for proposed changes to Contract Terms during ongoing negotiations may be cause for disqualification.

The State may but is not required to conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder’s facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

7. NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY. The State reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if the State determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

8. CLARIFICATION REQUEST. The State reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if the State determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

9. RESERVATIONS. The State reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, your preparation and submission of a proposal, and the State’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of your proposal does not commit the State to award a contract to you or anyone, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) the State received complete proposals, but the proposals did not meet mandatory minimum requirements or technical criteria; or (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (i) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS ; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to the RFP.

f. Consider prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to: considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transition and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional-use contracts, or award by Contract Activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in the Evaluation Process section of this document if the State receives only one proposal.

10. AWARD RECOMMENDATION. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who receives a PASS for each criterion and has the lowest price. The State will post an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS or in the manner that the solicitation was originally published.

11. DEBRIEF MEETING AND BID PROTEST. The State will post an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

If you wish to initiate a protest of the award, you must submit your written protest to conleyk1@michigan.gov no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 2 business days after posting the Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis. The State reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change.

Additional information about the protest process is available at DTMB - Programs and Policies (michigan.gov) under the “Bidder Protests” link.

12. STATE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD. Contracts equal to $250,000 or greater than require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

13. GENERAL CONDITIONS. The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Contract Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of [180] calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. The bidder understands that their proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS are the State’s property.

14. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. As a public record, all portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231, et seq. However, the State may exempt some information from disclosure as permitted by law. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902,” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. In addition, “financial or proprietary information” submitted with a bidder’s proposal is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. A bidder’s failure to comply with this Section is grounds for rejecting a bidder’s proposal as non-responsive. As a part of its proposal, each bidder must follow the procedure below.

SUBMIT A COMPLETED “CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM” (CT FORM) WITH YOUR BID. Completion and submission of the CT Form is required regardless of whether the bidder seeks confidential treatment of information. Failure to submit a completed CT Form may be cause for disqualification from the solicitation process. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form instructions, the proposal may be publicly disclosed in its entirety without redaction after an award recommendation.

Complete and sign Section 1 of the CT Form if the bidder does NOT request confidential treatment of information contained in its proposal; or

i. Complete and sign Section 2 of the CT Form if the bidder requests confidential treatment of certain information. Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy.”

Failure to complete and sign a CT Form may result in disqualification of the bidder. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow the CT Form instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation

b. FOIA REQUESTS. If a FOIA request is made for a bidder’s proposal, the Public Copy may be distributed to the public along with the bidder’s CT Form. The CT Form is a public document and serves as an explanation for the redactions to the Public Copy. Do not put any trade secret, financial, or proprietary information in the CT Form. Do not redact the CT Form itself.

c. NO ADVICE. The State will not advise a bidder as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under FOIA or other laws, as to the interpretation of such laws, or as to the definition of trade secret or financial or proprietary information. Nothing contained in this provision will modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the State by FOIA or other applicable law.

d. FAILURE TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. Failure to request material be treated as confidential as specified herein relieves the State, its agencies, and personnel from any responsibility for maintaining material in confidence.

e. Bids containing a request to maintain an entire proposal as confidential may be rejected as non-responsive. Bidders may not request confidential treatment with respect to resumes, pricing, and marketing materials. The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions. If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

f. Bidder forever releases the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees from all claims, rights, actions, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses and fees, which arise out of or relate to the disclosure of all or a portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP. Bidder must defend, indemnify and hold the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees harmless, without limitation, from and against all actions, claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, attorney fees, and expenses (including those required to establish the right to indemnification), arising out of or relating to any FOIA request, including potential litigation and appeals, related to the portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP that bidder has identified as a trade secret, or financial or proprietary information. The State will notify bidder in writing if indemnification is sought. The State is entitled to: (i) regular updates on proceeding status; (ii) participate in the defense of the proceeding; (iii) employ its own counsel; and to (iv) retain control of the defense, or any portion thereof, if the State deems necessary. Bidder will not, without the State’s written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise, or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, action, or proceeding. If a State employee, official, or law is involved or challenged, the State may control the defense of that portion of the claim. Any litigation activity on behalf of the State, or any of its subdivisions under this Section, must be coordinated with the Department of Attorney General. An attorney designated to represent the State may not do so until approved by the Michigan Attorney General and appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

confidential treatment form INSTRUCTIONS. Bidder must complete either Section 1 or Section 2 of this CT Form and sign where indicated. Do not complete both sections. This CT Form must be signed by the individual who signed the bidder’s proposal. A completed CT Form must be submitted with your proposal, regardless of whether your proposal contains confidential information.

Failure to submit a completed CT Form with your bid is grounds for rejecting the proposal as non-responsive. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form Instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation. See the Confidential Treatment Form and The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) sections of the Proposal Instructions for additional information Section 1. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS NOT REQUESTED This section must be completed, signed, and submitted with the proposal if the bidder does not request confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 2. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS REQUESTED.

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is not requested.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company

Section 2. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS REQUESTED This section must be completed, signed, and submitted with the proposal if bidder requests confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. Submission of a completed CT Form is required to request confidential treatment. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 1. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS NOT REQUESTED.

Provide the information in the table below. Bidder may add rows or additional pages using the same format shown in the table. Bidder must specifically identify the information to be protected as confidential and state the reasons why protection is necessary.

The CT Form will not be considered fully complete unless, for each confidentiality request, the bidder: (1) identifies the Proposal Page #, Section #, and Paragraph #, (2) identifies whether the material is a Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), or Proprietary Information (PI), and (3) explains the specific legal grounds that support treatment of the material as TS, FI, or PI. Bidders must provide a complete justification as to how the material falls within the scope of an applicable FOIA exemption or relevant case law. Bidders must not simply cite to an applicable exemption or case name. Bidders must also provide the contact information for the person at their organization authorized to respond to inquiries by the State concerning the material.

Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy”.

(1) Proposal Page #, Section #, Paragraph # (2) Material is Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), Proprietary Information (PI) (3) Applicable FOIA Exemption with Written Justification (4) Bidder Contact Information

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is requested and has attached to this form a redacted “Public Copy” of the bidder’s proposal.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company vendor questions worksheet Provide a detailed response to each question. “You” and “company” refers to the bidder.

1. Contact Information

Bidder’s sole contact person during the RFP process. Include name, title, address, email, and phone number.

Person authorized to receive and sign a resulting contract. Include name, title, address, email, phone number and vendor customer code in SIGMA VSS.

2. Company Background Information

Legal business name and address. Include business entity designation, e.g., sole proprietor, Inc., LLC, or LLP.

What state was the company formed in?

Phone number.

Website address.

Number of years in business.

Number of employees.

Legal business name and address of parent company, if any.

Has there been a recent change in organizational structure (e.g., management team) or control (e.g., merger or acquisition) of your company? If the answer is yes: (a) explain why the change occurred and (b) how this change has affected your company.

Discuss your company’s history. Has growth been organic, through mergers and acquisitions, or both?

Has bidder ever been debarred, suspended, or disqualified from bidding or contracting with any entity, including the State of Michigan? If yes, provide the date, the entity, and details about the situation.

Has your company been a party to litigation against the State of Michigan? If the answer is yes, then state the date of initial filing, case name and court number, and jurisdiction.

Within the last 5 years, has your company or any of its related business entities defaulted on a contract or had a contract terminated for cause? If yes, provide the date, contracting entity, type of contract, and details about the termination or default.

State your gross annual sales for each of the last 5 years.

If receiving a contract under this RFP will increase your gross revenue by more than 25% from last year’s sales, explain how the company will scale-up to manage this increase.

Describe partnerships and strategic relationships you think will bring significant value to the State.

State the physical address of the place of business that would have primary responsibility for this account if bidder is awarded a contract under this RFP.

To demonstrate qualification as a qualified disabled veteran, you must provide:

(a) Proof of service and conditions of discharge (DD214 or equivalent);

(b) Proof of service-connected disability (DD214 if the disability was documented at discharge or Veterans Administration Rating Decision Letter or equivalent if the disability was documented after discharge); and

(c) Legal documents setting forth the ownership of the business entity.

In lieu of the documentation identified above, you may provide proof of certification by the National Veterans Business Development Council.

Enter the names of documents submitted with your proposal to demonstrate status as a qualified disabled veteran.

4. Participation in RFP Development or Evaluation

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

If you enter “YES,” you are not eligible for contract award. An awarded vendor may not partner or subcontract with anyone to provide goods and services required under a resulting contract if that subcontractor or partner assisted in the development of this solicitation.

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

5. State of Michigan Experience and Prior Experience

Does your company have experience working with the State of Michigan? If so, please provide a list (including the contract number) of the contracts you hold or have held with the State for the last 10 years.

Describe at least [3]relevant experiences from the last [5] years supporting your ability to successfully manage a contract of similar size and scope for the work described in this RFP.

Experience 1

Company name.

Contact name.

Contact role at time of project.

Contact phone.

Contact email.

City.

State.

Zip.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

2. What role did your company play?

3. How is this project experience relevant to the subject of this RFP?

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 2

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 3

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

6. Standard Contract Terms

Bidder must affirm agreement with the attached Contract Terms. If not in agreement, written exceptions in accordance with the Evaluation Process section of the Proposal Instructions must be provided with Bidder’s proposal.

7. Michigan Economic Impact

Number of employees currently employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Number of additional employees to be employed at locations within the State of Michigan if awarded this Contract (if any).

Minimum wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Average wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Percentage of employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan that are covered by employer-provided health insurance.

8. Labor, Antidiscrimination and Environmental Laws Compliance

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal labor, antidiscrimination and employment laws and regulations received within the past five years.

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal environmental laws and regulations received within the past five years.

9. Supplier Diversity

10. Other

11. Response to State Requests

Contractor must enter company name here.

Schedule A – statement of work contract activities Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 240000001323 Drone Herbicide Spraying This schedule identifies the anticipated requirements of any Contract resulting from this RFP. The term “Contractor” in this document refers to a bidder responding to this RFP, as well as the Contractor who is awarded the contract. The term “bidder” is used to identify where specific responses to the RFP are required.

The Contractor must respond to each requirement or question and explain how it will fulfill each requirement. Attach any supplemental information and appropriately reference within your response.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CONTRACTORS/BIDDERS: There are specific requirements for which acceptance must be simply acknowledged through a checkbox(es), and others that require further explanation. Click one checkbox and complete the entries as identified.

BACKGROUND

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Resources Division is interested in drone spraying of herbicides for forestry site preparation and seedling release. This is the first of three other RFPs that will go out for other parts of the State Forest. This outreach is specific to Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

SCOPE

The Contractor will provide safe and effective use of herbicide by use of an aerial drone. The locations are specifically identified in this bid package. The chemicals will be provided by the Contractor and paid by the DNR on a per acre basis once applied. A list of chemical mixes is included and will be quoted on annual basis.

1. Requirements

1.1. General Requirements

a. Provide proof of a license granted by MDARD (Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) to apply pesticides with aerial drones with this bid package. In order to have been granted this license businesses must;

· meet all the business license (completed application, fee, insurance, qualified experience, and applicator certification) requirements.

· be in compliance with all FAA aerial requirements (Part 107, 137, exemptions, medicals).

· have a minimum of 5 hours of flight training with an experienced UAV pilot (can be the manufacturer or sales rep).

· have a safety and security and plan for in and around the UAV.

· have a pre-flight checklist from takeoff to landing.

· complete routine skills and recurrent training.

b. Before being issued a Contract – the bidder must become certified by the DNR’s chief pilot and must maintain the certification for the duration of the Contract. This certification ends on September 30 of each year. It is reviewed and updated annually

c. The bidder and all operators must possess a valid Michigan Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s Certificate for the duration of the Contract period and will provide the certification number in this bid package.

d. The contractor is responsible for blocking roads and trails in accordance with the Pesticide Application Plan (PAP) during spray operations. Physical barriers can be used at low use roads and trails, but heavily traveled and/or high-risk routes must have personnel present. Access control will be specified on each PAP. Failure to do so will be considered nonconformance with the PAP.

e. The contractor must use required PPE as specified by chemical labels. The contractor must carry appropriate spill kits as well as following best practices for chemical container disposal.

f. The Contractor is responsible for dating warning signs in locations specified by the PAP. These signs will be posted by the DNR. Failure to do so will be considered nonconformance with the PAP.

g. Spray must conform to area specified in PAP and match Shapefile and maps supplied. Failure to do so will result in corrective actions. In cases of skips or missed areas totaling more than 10% of the treatment area or up to 5 acres whichever is less, the contractor will need to treat these areas at their own cost within a reasonable time approved by the DNR. In the case of drift or spray outside of the specified spay area, the contractor must report any occurrence to the DNR and affected landowners before leaving the site with verbal or written notification. The landowner notification must include the contractor's information for site remediation as well DNR local contact information (phone number, email, office address) so the landowner can inquire on information concerning the application. Spray outside boundaries, as determined by the contract administrator, will be reported to MDARD or other regulatory bodies as necessary by the contractor. The Contractor will be responsible for any damages including to crops or timber, as well as any costs associated with restoration to damaged areas. In addition, the contractor will pay a fixed damages of $500.00 per acre for areas sprayed outside designated boundaries of a treatment. The minimum charge will be $250.00 or ½ acre regardless of size of overspray equal to or under 1/2 acre. These payments reimburse the State for costs associated with investigation. Any instance of spraying outside supplied boundary will require a meeting with local/district and statewide contact administrator. A second instance of spraying outside of supplied boundary will be considered breach of contract.

h. Contractor must comply with Go/No Go check list below. PAPs may have additions to Go/No Go check list as sites necessitate. Failure to do so will be considered nonconformance with the PAP.

i. Go / No Go Criteria: Sustained winds are to be within 3-7 mph, with gusts up to 10 mph no more than 5% of the time when not within 100 feet of stand edge or buffers. Do not spray during temperature inversions. No rain in the previous 4 hours or expected within 4 hours of application. Vegetation must not have moisture on it at time of application (unless specifically approved by DNR-FRD project manager). Avoid application if ground is saturated or steady winds over 7 mph are observed onsite.

j. Nonconformance to PAP will require consult with local contact on the first instance found. On the second instance meeting with local/distract and statewide contact. A third instance of nonconformance to PAP will be considered breach of contract.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s) including providing certifications listed above and accept responsibility for keeping these certifications current:

1.2. Equipment

The contractor will provide the following: Batteries, GPS, Safety PPE, and be responsible for furnishing all maintenance and cleaning supplies.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s) and provide detail regarding the equipment which will be used to fulfill the services of this contract:

1.3. Application and Spraying

a. Application is to be made per the rates and locations specified in the Pesticide Application Plan.

b. Spraying will be performed with wind conditions as outlined in the Go/No Go Criteria in the PAP.

c. Contractor is responsible for rinsing and safe disposal of used herbicide containers per the label and legal requirements.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must provide method used to ensure area is completely covered without excessive overlap, how wind conditions will be evaluated, and shall explain drift control measures that will be used:

1.4. Quality Assurance Program

Vendor will provide any quality assurance program.

List all exception(s):

Bidder explain their quality assurance program(s):

2. Service Requirements

2.1. Timeframes

All Contract Activities must be delivered by September 30, 2024. The receipt of order date is pursuant to the Notices section of the Standard Contract Terms.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

3. Acceptance

3.1. Final Acceptance

Upon completion of the work performed, the Project Manager will evaluate and discuss any discrepancies between the contractual work requested and actual work performed by the Contractor. The Project Manager will review all final reports and will deem the work as completed and acceptable if work is found to be in compliance with Contract standards.

List all exception(s):

4. Staffing

4.1. Contractor Representative

The Contractor must appoint a Project Manager specifically assigned to State of Michigan accounts, who will respond to State inquiries regarding the Contract Activities, answer questions related to ordering and delivery, etc. (the “Contractor Representative”). The Project Manager must be specifically assigned to the State account, be knowledgeable on the contractual requirements, and respond to State inquires within 24 hours.

The Contractor must notify the Contract Administrator at least 14 calendar days before removing or assigning a new Contractor Representative.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must identify its Project Manager and contact information:

4.2. Customer Service Number

The Contractor must specify its customer service number for the State to contact the Contractor Representative. The Contractor Representative must be available for calls during the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must identify its Customer Service Number:

4.3. Work Hours

The Contractor must provide Contract Activities during the State’s normal working hours Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and possible night and weekend hours depending on the requirements of the project.

List all exception(s):

4.4. Organizational Chart

The Contractor must provide an overall organizational chart that details staff members, by name and title, and subcontractors.

Bidder must provide detailed information as required above – either in this response box or identified here as an attachment to this RFP labelled as Org Chart.

4.5. Disclosure of Subcontractors

If the Contractor intends to utilize subcontractors, the Contractor must disclose the following:

· The legal business name; address; telephone number; a description of subcontractor’s organization and the services it will provide; and information concerning subcontractor’s ability to provide the Contract Activities.

· The relationship of the subcontractor to the Contractor.

· Whether the Contractor has a previous working experience with the subcontractor. If yes, provide the details of that previous relationship.

· A complete description of the Contract Activities that will be performed or provided by the subcontractor.

Bidder must provide detailed information as requested in the above requirement(s).

The legal business name, address, telephone number of the subcontractor(s).

A description of subcontractor’s organization and the services it will provide and information concerning subcontractor’s ability to provide the Contract Activities.

The relationship of the subcontractor to the Bidder.

If yes, provide the details of that previous relationship.

A complete description of the Contract Activities that will be performed or provided by the subcontractor.

Of the total bid, the price of the subcontractor’s work.

Bidder must provide information based on the work performed by all subcontractors

Total percentage of work that will be performed by subcontractors:

Total percentage of subcontracted work that will be performed by GDBE subcontractors:

4.6. Security

The Contractor must explain any additional security measures in place to ensure the security of State facilities. The State may require the Contractor’s personnel to wear State issued identification badges.

The Contractor’s staff may be required to make deliveries to or enter State facilities. The Contractor must: (a) explain how it intends to ensure the security of State facilities, (b) whether it uses uniforms and ID badges, etc., (c) identify the company that will perform background checks, and (d) the scope of the background checks.

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Bidder must explain any additional security measures in place to ensure the security of the State and its facilities:

5. Project Management

5.1. Project Plan

The Contractor will carry out this project under the direction and control of the Program Manager. The plan must include: (a) the Contractor's organizational chart with names and title of personnel assigned to the project, which must align with the staffing stated in accepted proposals; and (b) the project breakdown showing sub-projects, tasks, timeline, and resources required.

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Bidder must submit its project plan as described above:

5.2. Meetings

The Contractor must attend the following meetings:

Kick-off meeting with the program manager The State may request other meetings, as it deems appropriate.

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5.3. Reporting

The Contractor must submit, to the Program Manager, the following written reports:

a. The Contractor must maintain a schedule of treatments and provide updates to that schedule on weekly basis.

b. Completed linear spraying shapefiles and chemical use reporting is also required on a weekly basis.

c. A brief written report and annual consolidated chemical use volumes will be reported at the end of the season.

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Bidder must explain its reporting capabilities and any reporting that is included in its proposal:

6. Pricing

6.1. Price Term

Pricing is firm for the entire length of the Contract.

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6.2. Price Changes

Adjustments will be based on changes in actual Contractor costs. Any request must be supported by written evidence documenting the change in costs. The State may consider sources, such as the Consumer Price Index; Producer Price Index; other pricing indices as needed; economic and industry data; manufacturer or supplier letters noting the increase in pricing; and any other data the State deems relevant.

Following the presentation of supporting documentation, both parties will have 30 days to review the information and prepare a written response. If the review reveals no need for modifications, pricing will remain unchanged unless mutually agreed to by the parties. If the review reveals that changes are needed, both parties will negotiate such changes, for no longer than 30 days, unless extended by mutual agreement.

The Contractor remains responsible for Contract Activities at the current price for all orders received before the mutual execution of a Change Notice indicating the start date of the new Pricing Period.

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7. Ordering

7.1. Authorizing Document

The appropriate authorizing document for the Contract will be a Purchase Order.

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8. Invoice and Payment

8.1. Invoice Requirements

All invoices submitted to the State must include: (a) date; (b) purchase order; (c) quantity; (d) description of the Contract Activities; (e) unit price; (f) shipping cost (if any); (g) vendor-generated invoice number; and (h) total price. Overtime, holiday pay, and travel expenses will not be paid.

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8.2. Payment Methods

The State will make payment for Contract Activities EFT

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8.3. Procedure

Invoices will be sent to the Program Manager or designee to review and approve.

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9. Additional Requirements

9.1. Environmental and Energy Efficiency Product Standards

The Contractor must identify any energy efficient, bio-based, or otherwise environmentally friendly products used in the products. Contractor must include any relevant third-party certification, including the verification of a United States Department of Agriculture certified bio-based product label.