RFP-02-Scope of Services-Electrician Services.pdf

CITY OF FORT WORTH - PURCHASING DIVISION

SCOPE OF SERVICES

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 1 of 19 RFP Title: Electrician Services

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

The City of Fort Worth (“City”) is requesting proposals from qualified companies to provide electrician services for the Property Management Department and t The City reserves the right to award agreements to one or more qualified Vendors. Awarded Vendor(s) shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, transportation, and other resources necessary to perform the requested services. The successful respondent(s), hereafter referred to as “Proposer” or “Vendor,” shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, and transportation necessary to perform the requested services.

2.0 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Vendor personnel will conduct themselves in a professional manner while working in City facilities and will coordinate work activities to minimize disruption to City operations and the public.

2.2 Vendor will during all periods of contract performance, provide competent supervision of its employees to assure complete and satisfactory fulfillment of the work and the terms of this Agreement.

The Vendor or a capable, fully authorized representative must be immediately available during all work activities to receive any and all special instructions from the city designee.

2.3 Vendor will be thoroughly familiar with all prevailing safety measures pertinent to its operations. This will include, but not necessarily be limited to, Environmental Health Agency (EPA) regulations, Fort Worth City Ordinances, and Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) regulations. In addition, the Vendor will be wholly responsible for instructing its employees in these safety measures and seeing that they are fully complied with in every respect.

2.4 Vendor will complete all work in compliance with the City of Fort Worth electrical code.

2.5 A licensed journeyman electrician must be present on the jobsite at all times, as required by the City of Fort Worth electrical code. Vendors

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 2 of 19 must own, maintain, and make available required personal protection equipment for employees and show proof upon request. Vendor will ensure the number of Journeyman electricians to Apprentice electricians does not exceed a ratio of one (1) Journeyman to three (3) Apprentices.

2.6 Vendor will ensure the safety of their employees, City employees, and the public during the performance of all services under this Agreement. The Vendor will ensure that all crew members are fully and properly equipped to perform services promptly and safely.

2.7 Vendor's employees will be required to wear an identification badge at all times while performing work under this Agreement. There may be times when the requesting department will issue City Vendor I.D.

badges for the Vendor's employees. The I.D. badges will be surrendered to the department representative upon the completion of each project.

2.8 Vendor will require all personnel performing work on City property to wear uniforms with the Vendors name clearly displayed on the shirt.

2.9 Vendor will at no time permit placing or use of equipment in such manner as to block traffic lanes or to create safety hazards. Vendor personnel will provide appropriate warning devices when necessary and cooperate in the fullest in allowing through passage of other vehicles and personnel, even to the point of interrupting their own work, if necessary.

2.10 Vendor will be wholly responsible for and will promptly correct or restore all defective work or damages to any job site caused by its activities. Restoration and correction will be to the complete satisfaction of the City. This will apply to any part of a building, the adjacent grounds, or any other tangible damage incurred in the performance of the Agreement. Failure by the Vendor to proceed promptly with corrective actions may be cause for cancellation of this Agreement with amount(s) necessary to correct defective work or

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 3 of 19 damage being withheld from payments due or to become due to the Vendor.

2.11 Vendor will provide written notification of any damage found prior to any work commencing to the City designee.

2.12 Vendor will be responsible for any defects in the project due to faulty materials and workmanship, or both, for a period of one year from date of final acceptance of the project by the City and will be required to replace at Vendor’s own expense any part or project that is defective due to these causes.

2.13 Clean Up – Vendor will always keep the worksite premises free from accumulation of waste materials or rubbish. At the completion of the work, the Vendor will remove all waste and rubbish from and about the work area, as well as tools, equipment and surplus materials, and will leave the area as clean and as free of spots, stains, etc., as before the work was undertaken. Vendor will be responsible for disposing and hauling of all trash, demolition debris, unused material, etc. in accordance with all local, state, and federal guidelines.

2.14 Performance - Failure of the City to insist in any one or more instances upon performance of any of the terms and conditions of this contract will not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment of the future performance of any terms and conditions, but the Vendor's obligation with respect to such performance will continue in full force and effect.

2.15 Vendor will notify the City immediately if there is an accident involving injury to any individual or damage to property on or near a worksite location by phone or radio after ensuring the safety of the affected individual(s).

2.16 Vendor will provide written documentation for damage to property to the Department designee within one (1) calendar day of the incident.

Damage to property will be replaced or repaired to the satisfaction of

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 4 of 19 the City by the Vendor, and at no cost to the City. The City may, however, at its sole discretion, elect to make repairs or replacements of damaged property and deduct the cost from any payments owed to Vendor or to recover costs if no payments are owed.

2.17 Vendor will immediately notify the Department designee whenever work is expected to be hazardous to City employees, the general public, or to City operations.

2.18 Vendor will block off and mark all work areas with appropriate safety signs and safety barricades or bollards to protect the public from injury.

2.19 Vendor will be responsible for the enforcement of all safety requirements for any work performed under the Agreement. If the Vendor fails or refuses to promptly comply with safety requirements, the Department designee may issue an order stopping all or part of the work until satisfactory corrective action has been taken. No part of the time lost due to any such order will be made the subject of a claim for extension of time or for excess costs or damages to Vendor.

2.20 Vendor will coordinate the timing and transportation of equipment or materials to the work area. If transportation through the interior of a facility is required, the Vendor will take every precaution to ensure public safety. Under no circumstances will the Vendor transport equipment or materials through the interior of a facility without prior coordination with the Department designee.

2.21 Vendor will be responsible for familiarizing themselves with the nature and extent of work to be performed by adequately inspecting the location prior to the start of performing the services.

2.22 Vendor will not perform outside of what was requested for a specific service request without first having written approval from the Department designee. The Vendor will not install any additional quantities without the Department designee’s prior written

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 5 of 19 authorization. Invoices will only be for agreed-upon quantities. The City is not responsible for paying any unapproved invoice items.

2.23 Vendor will report to the Department Contract Compliance Manager or designee upon arrival and departure from a location. The Department Contract Compliance Manager or designee who initially requested the service should inspect the job site upon completion of work to review job performance.

2.24 Vendor will, upon completion of service call to a location, describing the services performed and materials installed, repaired, or replaced during the visit and materials picked up at the completion of the job.

The information will be provided to the Department designee within one (1) week of completion of the service request, or at a time mutually agreed to between the Vendor and the department designee.

The Vendor and Department Contract Compliance Manager may mutually agree on the additional content of the report.

2.25 Vendor will guarantee that the manufacture warranty for all products used in the provided service is transferred to the City.

3.0 STANDARD SERVICES

3.1 Vendor will acknowledge receipt of a standard service request

Notification within two (2) business days by responding via phone or email to the Department designee. The Department designee will provide the Vendor with the location, onsite contact, and a general description of the service request. Vendor will, for each project, submit a firm fixed-price quotation to the Department designee within two (2) business days of notification for review by the Department designee, or at a time mutually agreed to between the Vendor and the Department designee. The quote will be evaluated for accuracy, demonstrated understanding of the project scope of work, schedule, and price.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 6 of 19

3.2 Vendor will provide a written firm-fixed-price quote, based on the labor rates listed on the Payment Schedule.

3.2.1 The firm fixed-price quotation will include:

3.2.1.1 Description of the work to be performed.

3.2.1.2 An itemized estimate of all parts and materials, including the manufacturer's list price, the applicable discount percentage and discount amount for each item.

3.2.1.3 Timeline including proposed start and finish dates.

3.3 If alternative products are available to meet the sustainability goals of the City, these will be submitted with the Vendor’s quote as an additional or alternative firm fixed-price quotation.

3.4 The Department designee will review the quotations and, if approved, will issue a Department Purchase Order (PO) to the Vendor. The Vendor will not begin work without a PO from the Department designee.

4.0 EXPEDITED RESPONSE TIMES

4.1 The City may require the Vendor to respond to expedited service requests. Expedited services will be defined as services which are needed immediately due to an unforeseen event or a situation which threatens to interfere with the business operations of the City. The City will have the sole and final authority in determining when services will be designated as Expedited.

4.2 Expedited services will be available 24 hours a day, 365 day a year.

4.3 For each expedited service request, the City will request services (Notification) and the Vendor will respond or acknowledge within 30

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 7 of 19 minutes and be onsite within four (4) hours. Response time will begin from the time the call is made to the time the Vendor’s technician signs in at the facility.

4.4 If providing a verbal cost estimate, the Vendor will provide the Department designee a written summary of services provided within two (2) business days. The summary will include: the location of the services, type and description of services to be performed, and itemized cost of labor and parts (based on prices established in the Agreement), and list of material-handling equipment rentals needed to complete the service (if applicable).

4.4.1 Verbal estimates will not release the Vendor from its

responsibilities as described by the terms of the Agreement.

4.5 If additional services (general or expedited) are required after the expedited service are completed, those services will be provided in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and as outlined in this Scope of Services.

5.0 EXPEDITED RESPONSE TIMES

5.1 The City may require the Vendor to respond to expedited service requests. Expedited services will be defined as services which are needed immediately due to an unforeseen event or a situation which threatens to interfere with the business operations of the City. The City will have the sole and final authority in determining when services will be designated as Expedited.

5.2 Expedited services will be available 24 hours a day, 365 day a year.

5.3 For each expedited service request, the City will request services (Notification) and the Vendor will respond or acknowledge within 30 minutes and be onsite within four (4) hours. Response time will begin from the time the call is made to the time the Vendor’s technician signs in at the facility.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 8 of 19

5.4 If providing a verbal cost estimate, the Vendor will provide the Department designee a written summary of services provided within two (2) business days. The summary will include: the location of the services, type and description of services to be performed, and itemized cost of labor and parts (based on prices established in the Agreement), and list of material-handling equipment rentals needed to complete the service (if applicable).

5.4.1 Verbal estimates will not release the Vendor from its

responsibilities as described by the terms of the Agreement.

5.5 If additional services (general or expedited) are required after the expedited service are completed, those services will be provided in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and as outlined in this Scope of Services.

6.0 ELECTRICAL SERVICES

6.1 Vendor will perform the following electrical related services on an as-needed basis. Types of services may include, but are not limited to, the following:

6.1.1 Disconnects

6.1.2 Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) power

supplies

6.1.3 All types of electrical construction work (new and rehab)

6.1.4 Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) and non-metallic tubing

6.1.5 Conduit installation and repair

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 9 of 19

6.1.6 Minor excavation or digging may be required for buried repairs or installation of new conduit

6.1.7 Wiring and cable installation and repair

6.1.8 Electrical equipment installation and repair

6.1.9 Minor building or equipment modifications necessary to make repairs

6.1.10 Temporary wiring to building and/or building events

6.1.11 Diagnostic testing and repairs, and

6.1.12 Inspections

6.2 Repair parts and materials used to perform services under this Agreement will be factory new, free of defects in materials and workmanship, and meet or exceed the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications as approved by the City’s Department designee.

6.3 Vendor will not charge the City for repair parts and materials other than those used in the performance of services for the City.

6.4 All charges for repair parts and materials will be included in the firm fixed price quotation and will not be billed separately.

6.5 All equipment used in the performance of this contract, will be in good operating condition and will meet or exceed OSHA industry standards.

6.6 Vendor may not store used supplies and equipment on City premises at the end of the workday unless otherwise specified by the Department designee.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 10 of 19

6.7 No gasoline, natural gas, diesel, or propane-powered equipment will be allowed inside a facility without the written permission of the Department Contract designee.

6.8 Any motorized or mechanical equipment such as lifts, booms, or scaffolds will need to have non-marking tires will be cleaned before entry into a City facility. In addition, the City may require a covering be laid on the floor to protect it from the equipment. The Vendor is responsible for any damage resulting from tire burns, battery leaks, oil or hydraulic leaks, scrapes, or scratches caused by its equipment.

6.9 Under no circumstances will the Vendor charge the City if the Vendor elects to purchase tools and equipment used to perform services under this Agreement. This does not include any equipment rentals.

6.10 Vendor will obtain written approval from the Department Contact designee prior to renting any equipment. Under no circumstances will the Vendor rent equipment without such prior approval. All costs of Rental Equipment will be included in the firm, fixed-price quote.

6.11 Planned electrical shutdowns and power interruptions must be coordinated with and approved by the Department designee prior to commencement. Vendor should provide advance notice of the anticipated outage duration, affected areas, and any operational impacts.

6.12 When electrical panels, circuits, feeders, or equipment are added, removed, modified, or reconfigured, the Vendor should update all associated panel schedules, circuit directories, and equipment labels to accurately reflect the completed installation.

7.0 PERMITS

7.1 Vendor will obtain all permits, inspections, licenses, and approval required by local, state, and federal authorities for work performed under this Agreement. Vendor will coordinate all required inspections

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 11 of 19 and provide documentation upon request.

8.0 HOURS OF SERVICE

8.1 Regular hours will be from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.

8.2 After hours will be from 5:01 P.M. to 6:59 A.M., Monday through Friday

8.3 Weekend holiday hours will be 12:01 A.M. to 11:59 P.M., Saturday – Sunday

8.4 Emergency hours will vary

8.5 Holiday hours will be all City observed holidays. City observed holidays:

8.5.1 New Year’s Day

8.5.2 Martin Luther King Jr. Day

8.5.3 Memorial Day

8.5.4 Juneteenth

8.5.5 July 4th

8.5.6 Labor Day

8.5.7 Thanksgiving Thursday and the following Friday

8.5.8 Christmas Day

9.0 COORDINATION

9.1 Vendor will become familiar with all details of the work and verify all dimensions in the field so that outlets and equipment will be properly

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 12 of 19 located and readily accessible.

9.2 Lighting fixtures, lighting control systems, outlets and other equipment and materials will be located to avoid interference with mechanical or structural features; otherwise, lighting fixtures will be symmetrically located according to the room arrangement when uniform illumination is required or asymmetrically located to suit conditions.

9.3 Raceways, junction and outlet boxes, and lighting fixtures will not be supported from sheet metal roof decks.

9.4 If any conflicts occur necessitating departures from the drawings, details of and reasons for departures will be submitted and approved prior to implementing any change.

9.5 Vendor will coordinate the electrical work with Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractors, coordinate electrical drawings, provide all power related to variable frequency drives (VFD), motors, motor control centers, wiring, etc. even if they are not shown on electrical drawings.

9.6 Services may include the installation or repair of UPS (uninterruptible power supplies), surge protectors, electrical safety equipment, motors, gate controllers, solar lighting, solar panels, buried concrete pull boxes, metal (galvanized and aluminum) poles, anchor poles with concrete piers, security lighting, or general electrical items as needed.

10.0 REQUIREMENTS

10.1 Vendor will be able to work in an elevated position – up to 60 feet in the air.

10.2 Vendor will be able to perform work on elevated tanks, meter vaults, and in other hazardous locations.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 13 of 19

10.3 The Contractor shall maintain, throughout the term of the contract, all licenses, registrations, certifications, and permits required by federal, state, and local laws for the performance of electrical services in the State of Texas. At the time of bid submission and throughout the contract term, the Contractor shall:

10.3.1 Hold a current and active Electrical Contractor License issued by the

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).

10.3.2 Maintain a designated Master Electrician of Record as required by TDLR regulations.

10.3.3 Maintain all required general liability insurance and other insurance coverage required by the State of Texas and this solicitation.

10.3.4 Ensure that all personnel performing electrical work are properly licensed by TDLR for the type of work being performed, including but not limited to Master Electricians, Journeyman Electricians, Residential Wiremen, Apprentice Electricians, or other applicable license classifications.

10.3.5 Comply with all requirements of the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305, and all applicable TDLR rules and regulations governing electrical work Mandatory Qualifications (licenses, certifications, years of experience): Minimum three (3) years of experience in commercial electrical repair, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting services.

10.4 Minimum three (3) years of experience in commercial electrical repair, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting services.

11.0 TYPES OF EQUIPMENT TO BE SERVICED

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 14 of 19

11.1 The types of equipment to be serviced includes, but is not limited to, the following brands of switchgear: ITE switchgear, Square D switchgear, Siemens Allis switchgear; and liquid filled compartment type pad mounted transformers, motor control centers, Emerson (EIM) valves, limit torque valves, direct current (DC) drives and controls, alternating current (AC) variable speed drives, ozone equipment, Westinghouse motor starters, street lights, electrical services, chemical feed pumps and motors, office and building lights, park and athletic field lights, solar lighting, solar panels, buried concrete pull boxes, metal (galvanized and aluminum poles), anchor poles with concrete piers, and security lights.

12.0 AS-IN BUILT DRAWINGS

12.1 Following completion of new installations, renovations, remodels, or modifications to existing electrical systems, the Vendor will furnish two

(2) sets of as-built drawings to the Department designee within thirty

(30) days of project acceptance. As-built drawings should accurately reflect field changes made during constructions.

13.0 INVOICING REQUIREMENTS

13.1 Invoicing requirements are provided in RFP-01 Instructions to

Proposers, Section 26.

13.2 No work shall be performed without an authorized Purchase Order (PO).

Invoices submitted for work performed without an authorized PO may be rejected and will not be eligible for payment.

14.0 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

14.1 Insurance requirements are provided in RFP-03-Draft Vendor Service

Agreement, Section 10.

15.0 METHOD OF AWARD - Proposals will be evaluated based on “best value” to the City. Proposals that receive less than 50% of the total available points, excluding price points, will not be considered for award.

16.0 EVALUATION FACTORS

To be considered, the Proposer must submit a complete Proposal by the stated deadline and in accordance with all Proposal requirements. All required

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 15 of 19 documentation must be included for evaluation.

Proposals that meet these requirements will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below.

16.1 Cost – up to 20 points available

16.2 Qualifications and Experience – up to 20 points

16.3 Staff Quantity and Tenure of Staff – up to 20 points

16.4 Method of Approach – up to 20 points

16.5 Small Business Participation – up to 20 points available

Participation will be based on the following tier example: 0% = 0 points, 5% = 3 points, 10% = 7 points, 15% = 10 points, 20% = 13 points, 25% = 17 points, 30% or more = 20 points

17.0 PRICING STRUCTURE

17.1 All pricing shall be submitted through the Bonfire Bid Table (BT-

68IW).

17.2 Pricing information provided outside of the Bonfire Bid Table will not be considered for evaluation and will not be incorporated into any resulting agreement.

17.3 Submitted pricing shall include all labor, materials, equipment, transportation, supervision, overhead, profit, and all other costs necessary to perform the services described herein.

17.4 An entry of "0" for any line item will be interpreted as no additional cost to the City.

18.0 CONTRACT AWARD PROCESS

18.1 The Purchasing Division will facilitate and manage the evaluation process.

18.2 An Evaluation Panel consisting of representatives from various City departments and City consultants may be appointed to review and evaluate RFP responses in accordance with this RFP. City reserves the right at its sole discretion to include additional representatives at any point during the evaluation.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 16 of 19

18.3 The Evaluation Committee will evaluate responses and may select Proposer for onsite interviews, presentations or demonstrations.

18.4 At its sole discretion, the City may request Best and Final Offers (BAFO) from proposers whose proposals are deemed most advantageous. Contract negotiations will be based on the BAFO submissions.

18.5 The City reserves the right to negotiate all elements that comprise the successful Proposer’s response to ensure that the best possible consideration be afforded to all concerned.

18.6 The City reserves the right to shortlist firms based upon scores/ratings received during the evaluation process.

18.7 The City will notify all proposers in writing of the outcome once an award determination has been made.

19.0 PROPOSAL FORMAT AND ATTACHMENTS

To facilitate and expedite the evaluation process, Proposals should adequately address all evaluation factors and include the following list of required items that will be used as part of the evaluation. A Proposal may be deemed to be non-responsive and may be disqualified, at the City’s discretion, if the Proposal fails to comply with the following instructions.

19.1 Proposal Format Requirements

19.1.1 Proposal format shall be in font no smaller than 12 point, 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper size, with one inch margins and single-spaced for the entire submitted proposal.

19.1.2 All proposal sections shall be divided by submission titles.

All pages within these sections shall be uniquely numbered for purposes of easy reference.

19.2 Response Forms

19.2.1 Completed and signed RFP-04-CFW Required Forms.

19.2.2 Completed and signed RFP-05-Small Business Utilization

Form and Small Business Certificate (Note: both the Utilization Form and qualifying Small Business Certificate must be submitted by the proposal deadline to be considered

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 17 of 19 for Small Business Participation.)

19.2.3 Completed and signed RFP-06-Deviations.

19.2.4 Signed addenda (if applicable). If none are issued, please add a page stating, “No Addenda Issued.”

19.2.5 Completed Bid Table (BT-68IW).

19.3 Technical Response

The Technical Response should be organized to generally align with the evaluation criteria and demonstrate the Proposer’s qualifications, operational capabilities, and ability to satisfy the vendor requirements identified in Section 2.0.

The Technical Response should include the following information:

19.3.1 Provide a brief narrative describing your company’s

experience. Include the total years of experience providing these services and experience with governmental, convention center, event venue, multi-story, or other occupied public facilities.

19.3.2 Provide a description of the proposed service team. Include the number of personnel assigned to the Fort Worth area, the size of the dedicated service team, and the total years of relevant experience of the key personnel proposed to perform the services.

19.3.3 Provide a list and copies of all applicable licenses, registrations, certifications, and qualifications required to perform the services described herein.

19.3.4 Describe your company’s emergency response capabilities, including procedures for receiving service calls, dispatching technicians, responding to equipment outages, and providing after-hours service coverage.

19.3.5 Describe your company’s parts inventory and supply chain capabilities. Include the location of warehouse facilities that will support the City, inventory management practices, the availability of OEM replacement parts, procedures for

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 18 of 19 obtaining obsolete or specialty parts, and your company’s ability to provide overnight or expedited delivery of replacement parts when required.

19.3.6 Describe the web-based service management portal or

equivalent electronic system proposed for use under this solicitation, including available reporting features, maintenance history tracking, service request documentation, and City access capabilities.

19.4 Exceptions/Substitutions/Clarifications/Additions

19.4.1 Although the Scope of Services included Project

Requirements of the solicitation represents the City’s anticipated needs, there may be instances in which it is in the City’s best interest to permit exceptions to requirements and accept proposed alternatives.

19.4.2 If no exceptions are taken, the Proposer shall indicate “No Exceptions Taken” on RFP-06-Deviations and submit the completed form.

19.4.3 It is extremely important for the Proposer to make clear where exceptions, clarifications substitutions and/or additions to the Scope of Services, Draft Vendor Service Agreement and General Terms and Conditions are taken and how substitutions shall be provided. The City does not recognize strikeouts, deletions, or changes to Solicitation documents. Therefore, exceptions, conditions, clarifications and/or substitutions to the provisions of the City’s requirements must be clearly identified along with the proposed addition or modification. If the Proposer does not make it clear that an addition, exception or clarification is taken, the City shall assume the Proposer is responding to and shall meet the City’s stated requirements.

19.4.4 Identify each exception, clarification, substitution and/or addition by specifically referencing the page number, section number, subsection number, item number or letter, and, if necessary, paragraph, or line number.

RFP Ref. #: 26-0257 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 19 of 19

19.4.5 Identify each item clearly as an addition, exception, clarification or substitution. It is not necessary to include the entire text of a particular section or subsection. However, for ease of reference, Proposers may use portions of the solicitation’s text, if helpful in explanation.

19.4.6 For substitutions/clarifications, provide an explanation of the difference between what the solicitation requests and what is proposed. The City is open to other means of accomplishing the requested Work. Proposers must explain why they believe their method of accomplishing the Work is equal to or better than that specified by the City.

19.4.7 For any addition(s) proposed or exception(s) taken, provide a rationale in as much detail as possible.

19.4.8 Begin responses to the major sections of the solicitation on a new page.

19.4.9 The City shall consider the number and substance of

alterations to the City’s stated requirements as a factor in determining the most advantageous response.

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM – The City of Fort Worth has established a 30% Small Business (SB) participation goal for this solicitation. This goal reflects the City’s determination that certified Small Business Firms are available to provide the goods and/or services required under this bid. Accordingly, at least 30% of the total awarded contract value must be subcontracted or spent with a certified Small Business Firm. All provisions and requirements outlined in City Ordinance No. 27832-08-2025 apply to this solicitation. Bidders are required to submit the following documentation with their proposal:

a. Small Business Utilization form V1 (RFP-05), detailing how the Small Business goal will be achieved.

b. Current Small Business Certification issued by a certifying entity approved by the City Manager.