REVISED T3135 Bid Solicitation 11.17.23~2.docx

Bid Solicitation #

23DPP00916

Revised Bid Solicitation # 23DPP00916 T3135 Water Quality Analysis; DEP

Due Date For Electronic Questions Refer to Bid Solicitation Section 2.1 for more information.

Optional Pre-Quote Submission Conference Refer to Bid Solicitation Section 2.5 for more information.

Mandatory/Optional Site Visit Refer to Bid Solicitation Section 2.4 for more information.

N/A

N/A

Quote Opening Date Refer to Bid Solicitation Section 3 for more information.

Dates are subject to change. All times contained in the Bid Solicitation refer to Eastern Time.

All changes will be reflected in Bid Amendments to the Bid Solicitation posted on www.njstart.gov.

SET-ASIDES

Small Business Set-Aside For Goods and Services:

☒ I ☒ II ☒ III

For Construction:

☐ IV ☐ V ☐ VI

☐ Not Applicable ☐ Entire Contract ☐ Partial Contract ☒ Subcontracting Only ☐ Preference

☐ Entire Contract ☐ Partial Contract ☒ Subcontracting Only ☐ Preference

Bid Solicitation Issued By:

State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury Division of Purchase and Property Trenton, New Jersey 086250230 On Behalf of:

State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Date: 11/17/2023 DATE \@ "M/d/yyyy" 10/20/2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ATTACHMENT 1 – State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions (6/21/2023) ATTACHMENT 2 – Standard Procurement Forms Packet ii

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF THE BID SOLICITATION

This Bid Solicitation is issued by the Department of Treasury, Division of Purchase and Property (Division), Procurement Bureau, on behalf of Department of Environmental Protections (DEP), Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control (DWMSPC). Quotes submitted in response to this Bid Solicitation shall be through the State of New Jersey’s eProcurement system, NJSTART . Bidders are advised to thoroughly read all sections of this Bid Solicitation and follow all instructions.

Bidders are strongly encouraged to visit the NJSTART Vendor Support Page, which contains Quick Reference Guides (QRGs), supporting videos, a glossary of NJSTART terms, and helpdesk contact information. Bidders should utilize the QRGs before attempting to submit a Quote through NJSTART. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to ensure that the Quote and attachments have been properly submitted. Inquiries concerning the use of NJSTART may be directed to njstart@treas.nj.gov. The Division will not respond to substantive questions related to the Bid Solicitation or any other Contract via this email address.

PURPOSE AND INTENT

The purpose of this Bid Solicitation is to solicit Quotes for water quality data assessment and laboratory analysis, modeling, and other technical services related to Watershed Resource Restoration and Surface Water Quality Standards (SWQS) / Ground Water Quality (GWQS) Standards development. The need is for the DWMSPC to establish a Contract that provides flexibility to select from a pool of Contractors that have the subject matter expertise needed to complete various types of projects. Contract services specific to hydrologic, hydrodynamic and water quality modeling, watershed-based plans, water quality protection and restoration plans/Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) development, SWQS development, water quality data assessment, trend analysis, laboratory analysis services, stressor identification, programming to develop specialized water analysis tools, application development and other technical skillsets will enable the DWMSPC in its endeavor to protect, maintain and restore New Jersey’s surface and ground waters.

It is the intent of the State of New Jersey (State) to award Contracts to those responsible Bidders whose Quotes, conforming to this Bid Solicitation are most advantageous to the State, price and other factors considered. The State may award any or all price lines. The State, however, reserves the right to separately procure individual requirements that are the subject of the Contract during the Contract term, when deemed by the Director of the Division (Director) to be in the State’s best interest.

The State intends to award multiple Contracts, for each of the following six (6) Project Groups, in accordance with Bid Solicitation Section 8.0 – Quote Evaluation and Award.

Project Group 1: Develop pollutant fate, transport and exposure models for surface water pollutants including hydrodynamic, water quality and watershed models;

Project Group 2: Review and develop SWQS, in accordance with the guidelines found in Bid Solicitation Section 2.6 - Pre-Quote Document Review;

Project Group 3: Develop TMDL and/or Watershed Protection Plans (WPP)/ Watershed Restoration Plans (WRP);

Project Group 4: Develop lake and/or bay management plans;

Project Group 5: Technical services: design data assessment applications and tools; and Project Group 6: Develop monitoring plans, sampling and lab analysis.

The State intends to establish a pool of pre-qualified Contractors for each of the six (6) Project Groups, who will then, through a Mini-Bid process, have the opportunity to bid on Projects as applicable.

A Bidder is not required to submit a Quote for each Project Group in order to be considered for award. A Bidder may submit a Quote for one (1) or more Project Groups. A Bidder must submit pricing for all price lines within a Project Group in order to be considered eligible for award of that respective Project Group. Refer to Bid Solicitation Section 3.26 – State-Supplied Price Sheet Instructions for additional information.

The Bidders awarded a Contract as a result of this Bid Solicitation will not be able to bid on future Bid Solicitations resulting from work the Contractor performed under these Contract Projects.

The State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTCs) included with this Bid Solicitation will apply to all Contracts made with the State. These terms are in addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Bid Solicitation and should be read in conjunction with them unless the Bid Solicitation specifically indicates otherwise.

BACKGROUND

This is a new procurement. Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control (DWMSPC) develops surface and ground water related rules, and provides water quality related information to assess and manage the surface and ground water resources of the State. The information collected and assessed by DWMSPC is critical to knowing whether New Jersey’s waters are safe to swim in, aquatic life is healthy, fish and shellfish are safe to eat, and contributes information on whether water sources are safe to use for drinking water. DWMSPC is comprised of the following four (4) Bureaus:

1. Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring (BFBM);

2. Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring (BMWM);

3. Bureau of Environmental Analysis, Restoration and Standards (BEARS); and

4. Bureau of Pesticide Control (BPC).

Links containing information about the DWMSPC and the above mentioned Bureaus can be found in Bid Solicitation Section 2.6 - Pre-Quote Document Review.

Program Descriptions

The BFBM and BMWM are responsible for multi-year monitoring programs as mandated by the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP). The physical, chemical, and biological data collected by these bureaus are used to manage the surface water resources of the State. These waters support our State’s ecology, economy, and quality of life for residents. Information pertaining to these programs can be found in Bid Solicitation Section 2.6 - Pre-Quote Document Review.

BEARS acquires the data generated by BFBM, BMWM, in addition to various publicly available New Jersey datasets, that meet strict quality control protocols to assess whether New Jersey’s waters are attaining the designated uses of the waterbodies. Results of this assessment are published in the biennial New Jersey Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report which includes the 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Waters. Information pertaining to this report can be found in Bid Solicitation Section 2.6 - Pre-Quote Document Review. In addition, BEARS is responsible for developing surface and Ground Water Quality Standards (GWQS), TMDL, watershed-based restoration/protection plans, conducting and coordinating environmental stewardship, and other activities designed to protect, maintain and enhance water quality for all waters of the State. These responsibilities are completed in accordance with the federal CWA, New Jersey Water Pollution Control Act, and New Jersey Water Quality Management Planning Act. Information pertaining to this data can be found in Bid Solicitation Section 2.6 - Pre-Quote Document Review.

BPC is responsible for enforcing the state code and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) with regards to the use, sale, distribution, and manufacture of pesticides in the state of New Jersey. The Bureau is also responsible for enforcing United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS) which ensures the safety of the 40,000 agricultural workers on New Jersey farms and nurseries.

CONTRACT AMOUNT

The estimated amount of the Contract, if stated, shall not be construed as either the maximum or minimum amount which the State shall be obliged to order.

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF CONTRACTUAL TERMS

The Contract awarded, and the entire agreement between the parties, as a result of this Bid Solicitation shall consist of: (1) the final Bid Solicitation, (2) the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions, (3) the Quote, and if applicable (4) any Bidder responses to clarifications; (5) a Bidder’s Best and Final Offer, (6) other negotiated document, and/or (7) third party document. In the event of a conflict in the terms and conditions among the documents comprising this Contract, the order of precedence, for purposes of interpretation thereof, are listed from highest ranking to lowest ranking as noted above.

Any other terms or conditions, not included with the Bidder’s Quote and accepted by the State, shall not be incorporated into the Contract awarded. Any references to external documentation, including those documents referenced by a URL, including without limitation, technical reference manuals, technical support policies, copyright notices, additional license terms, etc., are subject to the terms and conditions of the Bid Solicitation and the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between the terms of a document incorporated by reference, the terms and conditions of the Bid Solicitation and the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions shall prevail.

INTRASTATE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

Not applicable to this procurement.

PRE-QUOTE SUBMISSION INFORMATION

The Bidder assumes sole responsibility for the complete effort required in submitting a Quote and for reviewing the Quote submission requirements and the Scope of Work requirements.

ELECTRONIC QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

The Division will electronically accept questions and inquiries from all potential Bidders via the “Q&A” Tab of the Bid Solicitation in NJSTART. Questions should be directly tied to a Bid Solicitation Section, the Price Sheet, Form or Attachment; and should reference the specific Bid Solicitation Section or document to which it relates.

The cut-off date for electronic questions and inquiries relating to this Bid Solicitation is indicated on the Bid Solicitation cover page. In the event that questions are posed by Bidders, answers to such questions will be issued by Bid Amendment.

A Bidder shall not contact the Using Agency and/or the Procurement Specialist directly, in person, by telephone or by e-mail, concerning this Bid Solicitation, prior to Contract award.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE STATE OF NJ STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS (SSTC)

Questions regarding the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions and exceptions to mandatory requirements MUST be posed during the Electronic Question and Answer period and shall contain the Bidder’s suggested changes and the reason(s) for the suggested change(s).

BID AMENDMENTS

In the event that it becomes necessary to clarify or revise this Bid Solicitation, such clarification or revision will be by Bid Amendment. Any Bid Amendment will become part of this Bid Solicitation and part of any Contract awarded. Bid Amendments will be posted as a file attachment on the “Summary” page of the Bid Solicitation in NJSTART after the cut-off date.

There are no designated dates for release of Bid Amendments. Those Bidders who are on the bid holder list either through commodity code registration in NJSTART or by acknowledging the bid in NJSTART should receive notification of any Bid Amendment(s). If a Bidder is not on the bid holder list, Bid Amendments are still viewable on the “Summary” page of the Bid Solicitation in NJSTART.

It is the sole responsibility of the Bidder to be knowledgeable of all Bid Amendments related to this procurement. An interested Bidder should check the NJSTART “Open Bids” Tab on a daily basis to ensure review of the most updated information.

MANDATORY/OPTIONAL SITE VISIT

Not applicable to this procurement.

OPTIONAL PRE-QUOTE CONFERENCE

The date and time of the Optional Pre-Quote Conference is indicated on the Bid Solicitation cover sheet. Attendees may attend the Optional Pre-Quote Conference with the following call-in details:

Phone Number: 1-856-338-7074 Access Code: 34860466# https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzVkNjQyMjUtMTAyNy00ZGE2LWE4OTYtZmJhYmUxN2ZjZDQy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225076c3d1-3802-4b9f-b36a-e0a41bd642a7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22cf3d7981-6d5b-4349-a53f-038d8abfdc33%22%7d

The Optional Pre-Quote Conference may be recorded.

The purpose of the Optional Pre-Quote Conference is to address procedural questions regarding the Bid Solicitation and Bidder Quote Submission Requirements only. No substantive questions regarding the Bid Solicitation Scope of Work will be accepted or answered during the pre-Quote conference. All questions are to be submitted during the Electronic Question and Answer Period.

PRE-QUOTE DOCUMENT REVIEW

Depending on the Project Group(s) that the Bidder chooses to submit a Quote(s) for, the following are publicly available documents and websites that a Bidder may review for information that may be helpful in submitting an accurate and comprehensive Quote. In addition to the list below, Contractors may be expected to review additional documents relevant to a Project Group as they become available in the future.

Project Group 1 A, B, G, I, M, N, Q, S

Project Group 2 A, B, C, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, R

Project Group 3 A, B, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, R

Project Group 4 A, B, C, D, F, H, J, L, O, P

Project Group 5 A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, L, M, N, P

Project Group 6 A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, J, S

A. Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/

B. Bureau of Environmental Analysis, Restoration and Standards https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/index.html)

C. Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring (BFBM) https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bfbm/index.html

D. Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring (BMWM) https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bmw/index.html

E. Bureau of Pesticide Control (BPC) https://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpo.htm

F. Surface Water Quality Standards (SWQS) https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/swqs.htm

G. Ground Water Quality Standards (GWQS) https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/gwqs.htm

H. New Jersey Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/generalinfo.htm

I. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/tmdls.html

J. Water Quality Restoration Grants for Nonpoint Source Pollution https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/npsrestgrants.html

K. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Water Quality Standards Handbook – Chapter 3 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-10/documents/handbook-chapter3.pdf

L. New Jersey Integrated Water Quality Assessment Methods https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/docs/2016_final_methods_document.pdf

M. USEPA Establishing Site Specific Aquatic Life Criteria Equal to Natural Background Memo https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/naturalbackground-memo.pdf

N. USEPA Revised Deletion Process for Site-Specific Recalculation Procedure for Aquatic Life Criteria https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-08/documents/revised_deletion_process_for_the_site-specific_recalculation_procedure_for_aquatic_life_criteria.pdf

O. DEP New Jersey Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/docs/NJFinalNPSProgramPlan2020-2025.pdf

P. Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters USEPA March 2008 https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/2008_04_18_nps_watershed_handbook_handbook-2.pdf

Q. USEPA Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g5m-final.pdf

R. USEPA TMDL Guidance Memos:

1. USEPA. 2002. USEPA Review of 2002 Section 303(d) Lists and Guidelines for Reviewing TMDLs under Existing Regulations issues in 1992. Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Memorandum from: C.H. Sutfin, dated May 20, 2002

2. USEPA. 2002. Establishing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Wasteload Allocations (WLAs) for Storm Water Sources and NPDES Permit Requirements Based on Those WLAs. Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Memorandum from: R.H. Wayland, III, dated November 22, 2002 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-07/documents/final-wwtmdl.pdf

3. USEPA. 2014. Revisions to the November 22, 2002 Memorandum "Establishing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Wasteload Allocations (WLAs) for Storm Water Sources and NPDES Permit Requirements Based on Those WLAs." Office of Wastewater Management and Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Memorandum from Andrew D. Sawyers and Benita Best-Wong, dated November 26, 2014 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/epa_sw_tmdl_memo.pdf https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/establishingtmdlwla_revision.pdf

4. USEPA. 2006. Establishing TMDL "Daily" Loads in Light of the Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. USEPA, et al., No.05-5015, (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits. Office of Water Memorandum from: B. H. Grumbles, dated November 15, 2006

USEPA Total Maximum Daily Load for Temperature in the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/tmdl-temperature-columbia-and-lower-snake-rivers

Kleinfelder Raritan River Basin Nutrient TMDL Study Watershed Model and TMDL Calculations https://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/docs/raritan_tmdl_phase2_report_v1.pdf

USEPA’s Modeling Products to Assess Exposures https://www.epa.gov/ceam/modeling-products-assess-exposures https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g5m-final.pdf

S. https://www.epa.gov/quality/quality-assurance-project-plan-development-tool

QUOTE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

QUOTE SUBMISSION

In order to be considered for award, the Quote must be received electronically by the Division’s Proposal Review Unit, through NJSTART, by the required date and time.

The date and time of the Quote opening are indicated on the Bid Solicitation cover sheet and on the “Summary” Tab of the Bid Solicitation webpage within NJSTART. If the Quote opening deadline has been revised, the new Quote opening deadline will be shown on the posted Bid Amendment and on the “Summary” Tab of the Bid Solicitation webpage within NJSTART. Quotes not received prior to the Quote opening deadline shall be rejected.

Quotes will be publicly opened and announced by telephone conference on the date and time of the quote opening.

(Dial-in phone number: 888-204-5984 / Access code: 2602305)

When submitting a Quote through NJSTART, do not use any symbols (i.e., #, @, $, &, *) in the filename as this may prevent the Quote from being properly uploaded. Uploaded files must be compatible with Microsoft Office and/or Adobe software applications. DO NOT UPLOAD files with extensions such as .zip, .numbers, or .pages.

When uploading the documents to NJSTART, the Bidder should select the “Confidential” option in NJSTART for attachments on the “Attachments” Tab to request that the documents not be displayed publicly through NJSTART. Marking an attachment as "Confidential" in NJSTART shall not constitute the Bidder's designation of the attachment as exempt from public disclosure under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., or the common law right to know.

BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY

The Bidder assumes sole responsibility for the complete effort required in submitting a Quote in response to this Bid Solicitation. No special consideration will be given after Quotes are opened because of a Bidder’s failure to be knowledgeable as to all of the requirements of this Bid Solicitation. The State assumes no responsibility and bears no liability for costs incurred by a Bidder in the preparation and submittal of a Quote in response to this Bid Solicitation or any pre-contract award costs incurred.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUOTE INFORMATION

On the date and time Quotes are due under the Bid Solicitation, all information concerning the Quotes submitted may be publicly announced and shall be available for inspection and copying except otherwise noted:

A. Information appropriately designated as proprietary and/or confidential in a Bidder’s Quote shall not be available for inspection and copying; and B. Where negotiation is contemplated, only the names and addresses of the Bidders submitting Quotes will be announced, and the contents of the Quotes shall not be available for inspection and copying until the Notice of Intent to Award is issued by the Director.

QUOTE ERRORS

In accordance with N.J.A.C. 17:12-2.11 “Proposal errors,” a Bidder may withdraw its Quote as described below.

QUOTE WITHDRAWAL PRIOR TO QUOTE OPENING

A Bidder may withdraw its Quote submission in NJSTART prior to the Quote opening; however, Bidders should note that while withdrawn NJSTART Quotes remain viewable by the Bidder on its Vendor Profile Homepage, they are removed from the Division’s view and cannot be considered for Contract award. The Bidder may submit a revised Quote as long as the Quote is received prior to the announced date and time for Quote submission. Bidders may refer to the QRG “Submit a Quote” for additional instructions.

QUOTE WITHDRAWAL AFTER QUOTE OPENING, BUT PRIOR TO CONTRACT AWARD

If, after the Quote opening, but before Contract award, a Bidder discovers an error in its Quote, the Bidder may make a written request to the Procurement Bureau to withdraw its Quote, or a portion thereof, from consideration for award. If the Bidder’s request to withdraw is made in good faith, and the State will not be significantly prejudiced by granting the withdrawal of the Quote beyond the loss of the benefit of the bargain to the State of the withdrawing Bidder’s offer, the request shall be granted. Evidence of the Bidder’s good faith in making this request can be demonstrated by one (1) or more of the following factors: A mistake is so significant that to enforce the Contract resulting from the Quote would be unconscionable; that the mistake relates to a material feature or term of the Contract; and that the mistake occurred notwithstanding the Bidder’s exercise of reasonable care. After Quote opening, while pursuant to the provisions of this section a Bidder may request to withdraw its Quote and the Director may in his/her discretion allow said Bidder to withdraw it, the Division also may take notice of repeated or unusual requests to withdraw by a Bidder and take those prior requests to withdraw into consideration when evaluating the Bidder’s future Quotes.

The Quote withdrawal request must include the Bid Solicitation Number, Bid Solicitation Title, and the Quote submission date and should be sent to Procurement.Bureau@treas.nj.gov.

If, during a Quote evaluation process, an obvious pricing error made by a potential Contract awardee is found, the Director or his/her designee shall issue written notice to the Bidder. The Bidder will have up to five (5) business days after receipt of the notice to confirm its pricing. If the Bidder fails to respond, its Quote shall be considered withdrawn, and no further consideration shall be given to it.

JOINT VENTURE

If a Joint Venture is submitting a Quote, the agreement between the parties relating to such Joint Venture should be submitted with the Joint Venture’s Quote. Authorized signatories from each party comprising the Joint Venture must sign the Offer and Acceptance Page. Each party to the Joint Venture must individually complete and comply with all the forms and certification requirements in Bid Solicitation Section 3 – Quote Submission Requirements.

SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE CONTRACTS

Not applicable to this procurement.

DISABLED VETERANS’ BUSINESS SET-ASIDE CONTRACT

Not applicable to this procurement.

BID SECURITY

Not applicable to this procurement.

BIDDER ADDITIONAL TERMS SUBMITTED WITH THE QUOTE

A Bidder may submit additional terms as part of its Quote. Additional terms are Bidder-proposed terms or conditions that do not conflict with the scope of work required in this Bid Solicitation, the terms and conditions of this Bid Solicitation, or the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions. Bidder proposed terms or conditions that conflict with those contained in the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions will render a Quote non-responsive. It is incumbent upon the Bidder to identify and remove its conflicting proposed terms and conditions prior to Quote submission.

Quotes including Bidder proposed additional terms may be accepted, rejected, or negotiated, in whole or in part, at the State’s sole discretion.

If Bidder intends to propose terms and conditions that conflict with the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions, those Bidder proposed terms and conditions shall only be considered if submitted and agreed to pursuant to the electronic question and answer procedure. Bidders shall not submit exceptions or modifications as part of the Quote or on the “Terms and Conditions” Tab through NJSTART.

QUOTE CONTENT

The Quote should be submitted with the attachments organized in following manner:

· Forms

· Technical Quote

· Revised State-Supplied Price Sheet

A Bidder should not password protect any submitted documents. Use of URLs in a Quote should be kept to a minimum and shall not be used to satisfy any material term of a Bid Solicitation. If a preprinted or other document included as part of the Quote contains a URL, a printed copy of the information should be provided and will be considered as part of the Quote.

FORMS, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED WITH QUOTE

A Bidder is required to complete and submit the following forms. As an alternative to uploading certain forms with the submitted Quote, a Bidder may complete several certifications electronically in NJSTART on the “Terms and Categories” Tab within the Vendor Profile. Those forms that may be completed on the NJSTART “Terms and Categories” Tab are noted below. Additionally, a Bidder may attach completed forms to the Vendor Profile. Refer to QRGs “Vendor Forms” and “Attaching Files” for additional instructions. VENDOR QUICK REFERENCE GUIDES

OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE PAGE

The Bidder should complete and submit the Offer and Acceptance Page with the Quote. The Offer and Acceptance Page must be signed by an authorized representative of the Bidder. If a Bidder does not submit the form with the Quote, the Bidder must comply within seven (7) business days of the State’s request or the State may deem the Quote non-responsive.

OWNERSHIP DISCLOSURE FORM

Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2, in the event the Bidder is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, the Bidder must disclose all 10% or greater owners by (a) completing and submitting the Ownership Disclosure Form with the Quote; (b) if the Bidder has submitted a signed and accurate Ownership Disclosure Form dated and received no more than six (6) months prior to the Quote submission deadline for this procurement, the Division may rely upon that form; however, if there has been a change in ownership within the last six (6) months, a new Ownership Disclosure Form must be completed, signed and submitted with the Quote; or, (c) a Bidder with any direct or indirect parent entity which is publicly traded may submit the name and address of each publicly traded entity and the name and address of each person that holds a 10 percent or greater beneficial interest in the publicly traded entity as of the last annual filing with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission or the foreign equivalent, and, if there is any person that holds a 10 percent or greater beneficial interest, also shall submit links to the websites containing the last annual filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission or the foreign equivalent and the relevant page numbers of the filings that contain the information on each person that holds a 10 percent or greater beneficial interest. N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2.

NOTE: In lieu of completing and submitting the paper-based form, the Bidder has the option to complete this form online in NJSTART on the “Terms and Categories” Tab.

A Bidder’s failure to submit the information required by N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 will result in the rejection of the Quote as non-responsive and preclude the award of a Contract to said Bidder.

DISCLOSURE OF INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES IN IRAN FORM

The Bidder should submit Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran form to certify that, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:32-58, neither the Bidder, nor one (1) of its parents, subsidiaries, and/or affiliates (as defined in N.J.S.A. 52:32-56(e)(3)), is listed on the Department of the Treasury’s List of Persons or Entities Engaging in Prohibited Investment Activities in Iran and that neither the Bidder, nor one (1) of its parents, subsidiaries, and/or affiliates, is involved in any of the investment activities set forth in N.J.S.A. 52:32-56(f). If the Bidder is unable to so certify, the Bidder shall provide a detailed and precise description of such activities as directed on the form. If a Bidder does not submit the form with the Quote, the Bidder must comply within seven (7) business days of the State’s request or the State may deem the Quote non-responsive.

NOTE: In lieu of completing and submitting the paper-based form, the Bidder has the option to complete this certification online in NJSTART on the “Terms and Categories” Tab.

DISCLOSURE OF INVESTIGATIONS AND OTHER ACTIONS INVOLVING BIDDER FORM

The Bidder should submit the Disclosure of Investigations and Other Actions Involving Bidder Form, with its Quote, to provide a detailed description of any investigation, litigation, including administrative complaints or other administrative proceedings, involving any public sector clients during the past five (5) years, including the nature and status of the investigation, and, for any litigation, the caption of the action, a brief description of the action, the date of inception, current status, and, if applicable, disposition. If a Bidder does not submit the form with the Quote, the Bidder must comply within seven (7) business days of the State’s request or the State may deem the Quote non-responsive.

NOTE: In lieu of completing and submitting the paper-based form, the Bidder has the option to complete this certification online in NJSTART on the “Terms and Categories” Tab.

MACBRIDE PRINCIPLES FORM

The Bidder should submit the MacBride Principles Form. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:34-12.2, a Bidder is required to certify that it either has no ongoing business activities in Northern Ireland and does not maintain a physical presence therein or that it will take lawful steps in good faith to conduct any business operations it has in Northern Ireland in accordance with the MacBride principles of nondiscrimination in employment as set forth in N.J.S.A. 52:18A-89.5 and in conformance with the United Kingdom’s Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act of 1989, and permit independent monitoring of their compliance with those principles. If a Bidder does not submit the form with the Quote, the Bidder must comply within seven (7) business days of the State’s request or the State may deem the Quote non-responsive.

NOTE: In lieu of completing and submitting the paper-based form, the Bidder has the option to complete this certification online in NJSTART on the “Terms and Categories” Tab.

SERVICE PERFORMANCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES

The Bidder should submit a completed Source Disclosure Form. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:34-13.2, all Contracts primarily for services shall be performed within the United States. If a Bidder does not submit the form with the Quote, the Bidder must comply within seven (7) business days of the State’s request or the State may deem the Quote non-responsive.

CONFIDENTIALITY/COMMITMENT TO DEFEND

Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., or the common law right to know, Quotes can be released to the public in accordance with N.J.A.C. 17:12-1.2(b) and (c).

The Bidder should submit a completed and signed Confidentiality/Commitment to Defend Form with the Quote. In the event that the Bidder does not submit the Confidentiality form with the Quote, the State reserves the right to request that the Bidder submit the form after Quote submission.

After the opening of sealed Quotes, all information submitted by a Bidder in response to a Bid Solicitation is considered public information notwithstanding any disclaimers to the contrary submitted by a Bidder. Proprietary, financial, security and confidential information may be exempt from public disclosure by OPRA and/or the common law when the Bidder has a good faith, legal/factual basis for such assertion.

When the Bid Solicitation contains a negotiation component, the Quote will not be subject to public disclosure until a notice of intent to award a Contract is announced.

As part of its Quote, a Bidder may request that portions of the Quote be exempt from public disclosure under OPRA and/or the common law. The Bidder must provide a detailed statement clearly identifying those sections of the Quote that it claims are exempt from production, and the legal and factual basis that supports said exemption(s) as a matter of law. The State will not honor any attempts by a Bidder to designate its price sheet, price list/catalog, and/or the entire Quote as proprietary and/or confidential, and/or to claim copyright protection for its entire Quote. If the State does not agree with a Bidder’s designation of proprietary and/or confidential information, the State will use commercially reasonable efforts to advise the Bidder. Copyright law does not prohibit access to a record which is otherwise available under OPRA.

The State reserves the right to make the determination as to what to disclose in response to an OPRA request. Any information that the State determines to be exempt from disclosure under OPRA will be redacted.

In the event of any challenge to the Bidder’s assertion of confidentiality that is contrary to the State’s determination of confidentiality, the Bidder shall be solely responsible for defending its designation, but in doing so, all costs and expenses associated therewith shall be the responsibility of the Bidder. The State assumes no such responsibility or liability.

In order not to delay consideration of the Quote or the State’s response to a request for documents, the State requires that Bidder respond to any request regarding confidentiality markings within the timeframe designated in the State’s correspondence regarding confidentiality. If no response is received by the designated date and time, the State will be permitted to release a copy of the Quote with the State making the determination regarding what may be proprietary or confidential.

SUBCONTRACTOR UTILIZATION PLAN

Bidders intending to use Subcontractor(s) shall list all subcontractors on the Subcontractor Utilization Plan form or may list the Subcontractor(s) on the “Subcontractor” Tab in NJSTART.

For a Quote that does NOT include the use of any Subcontractors, the Bidder is automatically certifying that, if selected for an award, the Bidder will be performing all work required by the Contract.

If it becomes necessary for the Contractor to substitute a Subcontractor, add a Subcontractor, or substitute its own personnel for a Subcontractor, the Contractor will identify the proposed new Subcontractor or personnel member(s) and the work to be performed. The Contractor shall forward a written request to substitute or add a Subcontractor or to substitute its own personnel for a Subcontractor to the State Contract Manager for consideration. The Contractor must provide a completed Subcontractor Utilization Plan, a detailed justification documenting the necessity for the substitution or addition, and resumes of its proposed replacement personnel or of the proposed Subcontractor’s management, supervisory, and other key personnel that demonstrate knowledge, ability and experience relevant to that part of the work which the Subcontractor is to undertake. The qualifications and experience of the replacement(s) must equal or exceed those of similar personnel proposed by the Contractor in its Quote. The State Contract Manager will forward the request to the Director for approval.

NOTE: No substituted or additional Subcontractors are authorized to begin work until the Contractor has received written approval from the Director.

SMALL BUSINESS AND/OR DISABLED VETERANS’ BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING SET-ASIDE CONTRACT This is a Contract with set-aside subcontracting for New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Business.

If the Bidder intends to subcontract, it must submit a Subcontractor Utilization Plan and shall take the following actions to make a good faith effort to solicit and hire eligible New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Businesses:

A. The Bidder shall attempt to locate qualified potential New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Business subcontractors;

B. The Bidder shall request a listing of New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Businesses from the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Small Business Registration and M/WBE Certification Services Unit if none are known to the Bidder;

C. The Bidder shall keep a record of its efforts, including the names of businesses contacted and the means and results of such contacts;

D. The Bidder shall provide all potential subcontractors with detailed information regarding the specifications; and E. The Bidder shall attempt, wherever possible, to negotiate prices with potential subcontractors submitting higher than acceptable price quotes.

A Bidder’s failure to satisfy New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Business set-aside subcontracting or to provide sufficient documentation of its good faith efforts within seven (7) business days upon of a request may preclude award of a Contract to the Bidder.

Each Bidder awarded a Contract which contains the set-aside subcontracting requirement shall fully cooperate in any studies or surveys which may be conducted by the State to determine the extent of the Bidder’s compliance with N.J.A.C. 17:13-1.1 et seq., and this Bid Solicitation.

Reserved

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

The intended Contractor and its named Subcontractor(s) must submit a copy of a New Jersey Certificate of Employee Information Report, or a copy of Federal Letter of Approval verifying it is operating under a federally approved or sanctioned Affirmative Action program. If the Contractor and/or its named Subcontractor(s) are not in possession of either a New Jersey Certificate of Employee Information Report or a Federal Letter of Approval, it/they must complete and submit the Affirmative Action Employee Information Report (AA-302). Information, instruction and the application are available at https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/contract_compliance/index.shtml.

RESERVEd

STATE OF NEW JERSEY SECURITY DUE DILIGENCE THIRD-PARTY INFORMATION SECURITY QUESTIONNAIRE Not applicable to this procurement.

BUSINESS REGISTRATION

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:32-44(b), a Bidder and its named Subcontractors must have a valid Business Registration Certificate (“BRC”) issued by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services prior to the award of a Contract. A Bidder should verify its Business Registration Certification Active status on the “Maintain Terms and Categories” Tab within its profile in NJSTART. In the event of an issue with a Bidder’s Business Registration Certification Active status, NJSTART provides a link to take corrective action.

3.13.14 Certification of Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus Pursuant to P.L.2022, c3 The Bidder should submit the Certification of Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus Pursuant to P.L.2022, c.3 (Attachment 2). Pursuant to P.L.2022, c.3, a person or entity seeking to enter into or renew a contract for the provision of goods or services shall certify that it is not Engaging in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus as defined by P.L.2022, c.3, sec. 1(c). If the Contractor is unable to so certify, the Contractor shall provide a detailed and precise description of such activities.

TECHNICAL QUOTE

The Bidder shall describe its approach and plans for accomplishing the work outlined in the Scope of Work. The Bidder must set forth its understanding of the requirements of this Bid Solicitation and its approach to successfully complete the Contract. The Bidder should include the level of detail it determines necessary to assist the Evaluation Committee in its review of the Bidder’s Quote.

MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

The Bidder shall set forth its overall technical approach and plans to meet the requirements of the Bid Solicitation in a narrative format. This narrative should demonstrate to the Evaluation Committee that the Bidder understands the objectives that the Contract is intended to meet, the nature of the required work, and the level of effort necessary to successfully complete the Contract. The narrative should demonstrate that the Bidder’s approach and plans to undertake and complete the Contract are appropriate to the tasks and subtasks involved.

Mere reiterations of Bid Solicitation tasks and subtasks are strongly discouraged, as they do not provide insight into the Bidder’s approach to complete the Contract. The Bidder’s response to this section should demonstrate to the Evaluation Committee that the Bidder’s detailed plans and approach proposed to complete the Scope of Work are realistic, attainable and appropriate, and that the Bidder’s Quote will lead to successful Contract completion.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

The Bidder should describe its specific plans to manage, control and supervise the Contract to ensure satisfactory Contract completion according to the required schedule. The plan should include the Bidder’s approach to communicate with the State Contract Manager including, but not limited to, status meetings, status reports, etc.

CONTRACT SCHEDULE

Not applicable to this procurement.

MOBILIZATION PLAN

Not applicable to this procurement.

CERTIFICATIONS/ADDITIONAL PLAN(S)

A Bidder responding to this Bid Solicitation as it relates to laboratory services should submit a list of all available analyses for which the laboratory is both certified and uncertified. The list should include, but not be limited to:

A. Laboratory Name;

B. Laboratory Certification Number;

C. Laboratory Phone Number;

D. Laboratory Contact Name;

E. Laboratory State;

F. Laboratory Address;

G. Analytical Method;

H. Analytical Name;

I. ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ indication as to whether the laboratory is certified for the analytic; and J. Environmental medium available for analysis (Air, Biological, Sediment, Soil, Tissue, and Water) and the analytes that apply.

In addition, for Project Group 6: Develop Monitoring Plans, Sampling, and Lab Analysis: the Bidder should provide an up to date list of current field or water quality parameter collection certifications and/or training its organization possesses.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE

The Bidder should include information relating to its organization, personnel, and experience, including, but not limited to, references, together with contact names and telephone numbers, evidencing the Bidder’s qualifications, and capabilities to perform the services required by this Bid Solicitation. The Bidder should include the level of detail it determines necessary to assist the Evaluation Committee in its review of Bidder’s Quote.

LOCATION

The Bidder should include the address of where responsibility for managing the Contract will take place.