RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project_Final.pdf

City of Alachua

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project

RFP No: 2026-02

Donna Smith, Purchasing Manager

15100 NW 142nd Terrace

Alachua, Florida 32615

(386) 418-6100

Do_smith@cityofalachua.org

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed and otherwise strictly in accordance with Section 19 of the City of Alachua Purchasing and Sales Policy and Regulations shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under the City of Alachua Purchasing and Sales Policy and Regulations.

All protest must be timely filed with the City Manager. Protests may be filed by courier, hand delivery or regular mail at: City of Alachua, Attention: City Manager, 15100 NW 142nd Terrace, Alachua, Florida

32615. Protests may also be filed by email at citymanager@cityofalachua.org. It is the filing party's responsibility to meet all filing deadlines. The Purchasing Manager must be copied on such filings, Do_smith@cityofalachua.org.

City of Alachua Finance &

Administrative Services, Purchasing

Department

15100 NW 142nd Terrace

Alachua, Florida 32615

Rodolfo Valladares, City Manager

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project mailto:protests@cityofalachua.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

Project Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………4

Scope of Services…………………………………………………………………………………………...4

Instructions to Proposers……………………………………………………………………………………4

Inquires/Interpretation of Specifications……………………………………………………………………5

Timeline of Events………………………………………………………………………………………….5

Part II………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

The Request for Proposals………………………………………………………………………………….6

Bid Validity……….………………………………………………………………………………………...6

Knowledge of Conditions…………………………………………………………………………………..7

Applicable Laws and Courts………………………………………………………………………………..7

Contract Approval and Content…………………………………………………………………………….7

Code of Ethics and City of Alachua Manual……………………………………………………………….8

Conflict of Interest………………………………………………………………………………………….8

No Collusion Clause………………………………………………………………………………………..8

Non-Warranty of Specifications……………………………………………………………………………8

Right to Audit……………………………………………………………………………………………….9

Informalities and Irregularities……………………………………………………………………………...9

Indemnification……………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Certificates and Licenses………………………………………………………………………………….10

Default Provision………………………………………………………………………………………….10

Debarment…………………………………………………………………………………………………10

Public Entity Crimes………………………………………………………………………………………10

Public Records…………………………………………………………………………………………….11

Addition/Deletion………………………………………………………………………………………….11

Expenses Incurred in Preparing Proposal…………………………………………………………………11

Limitations………………………………………………………………………………………………...12

Prohibition of Lobbying…………………………………………………………………………………..12

Drug-Free Workplace……………………………………………………………………………………..12

Criteria for Selection………………………………………………………………………………………12

Selection Criteria and Scoring…………………………………………………………………………….12

Mandatory Minimum Requirements Before Scoring……………………………………………………..13

Evaluation Team Ranking Guide…………………………………………………………………………14

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project

Scoring Method……………………………………………………………………………………………14

Evaluation Steps…………………………………………………………………………………………...14

Tie-Breaking Guidance……………………………………………………………………………………15

Evaluator Notes……………………………………………………………………………………………15

Optional Interview/Presentation Scoring………………………………………………………………….15

Evaluator Score Sheet……………………………………………………………………………………..15

Contract……………………………………………………………………………………………………16

Contract Term……………………………………………………………………………………………..16

Award……………………………………………………………………………………………………...16

Part III……………………………………………………………………………………………………16

General Requirements……………………………………………………………………………………..16

Specific Requirements and Order…………………………………………………………………………16

Part IV…………………………………………………………………………………………………….18

Contract……………………………………………………………………………………………………18

Exhibit A: Project Specifications and Scope of Work…………………………………………………….30

Exhibit B: Pricing Sheet for Proposers…………………………………………………………………

Exhibit C: Purchase Order………………………………………………………………………………...38

Exhibit D: Change Order………………………………………………………………………………….39

Exhibit E: Insurance Requirements……………………………………………………………………….41

Exhibit F: Human Trafficking Affidavit………………………………………………………………….44

Exhibit G: Florida Statutes on Public Entity Crimes Form ………………………………………………45

Exhibit H: Conflict, Non-Conflict of Interest Statement/Litigation Statement…………………………...48

Exhibit I: Proposer Warranty……………………………………………………………………………...49

Exhibit J: Drug-Free Workplace Form……………………………………………………………………50

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02

PART I:

A. PROJECT SUMMARY:

1. The City of Alachua is issuing this RFP to establish a Contract for the Downtown Pole

Wrap and Lighting Project. The City of Alachua intends to make a single award; however, the City of Alachua reserves the right to award to one (1) or multiple Respondents or to make no award, as determined to be in the best interest of the City of Alachua. The City of Alachua is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to furnish, install, test, program, warrant and support permanent pole wrap lighting on up to 122 existing decorative light poles in Downtown Alachua, Florida. The purpose of the project is to evaluate permanent pole warp lighting alternatives that can reduce or eliminate annual installation, removal, storage, testing, repair and replacement costs associated with seasonal garland and light installation, while improving downtown appearance, reliability, public-event flexibility and long-term maintenance efficiency. The City of Alachua is requesting for four (4) possible implementation alternatives so that the City Manager, and The Purchasing and

Evaluation Committee can compare cost, functionality, warranty, durability, appearance, service capability and long-term value before making an award recommendation.

B. SCOPE OF SERVICES:

1. Established and described in the Contract that is here included in Part IV, Exhibit A.

C. INSTRUCTION TO PROPOSERS:

1. Qualified firms and/or individual(s) are invited to submit a proposal to furnish downtown pole wrapping and lighting services to the City of Alachua by replying to the enclosed specification. Each proposal must complete and submit all items set forth in this specification.

2. All qualified All proposers must submit one (1) original, one copy for each designated committee member and one (1) digital copy of the full proposal all in a sealed envelope to the City of Alachua, Finance & Administrative Services Department: City of Alachua, Receptionist Desk, 15100 NW 142nd Terrace, Alachua, Florida 32615.

3. Proposals must be received by the date and time specified herein, Late proposals will not be accepted or considered, regardless of reason.

4. Proposals must be sealed and marked RFP 2026-01, due date and name of firm to identify the enclosed submission. When more than one (1) package is submitted, the first must also be marked “1 of 2,” and additional packages must be similarly marked with sequencing numbers.

5. All labeling, identification and delivery of proposals is the responsibility of the Proposer.

The City of Alachua, specifically the Finance & Administrative Services Department, will not be responsible for any mislabeled or misdirected submissions, nor those that are mishandled or not timely delivered by any person, courier or the United States Postal

Service.

D. INQUIRIES/INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFICATIONS:

1. During the proposal period, questions of interpretation and clarification shall only be submitted in writing by email to: Donna Smith, Purchasing Manager, do_smith@cityofalachua.org.

2. After issuance of any Request for Proposals, prospective Proposers must not contact, communicate with or discuss any matter relating in any way with the Request for Proposals with any Elected Officials or any City of Alachua employee, with the exception of by email to the Purchasing Manager as detailed in this section. Failure to abide by this provision may serve as grounds for disqualifying the offending Proposer from consideration for award of the proposals and any future proposal.

3. All questions or inquiries timely submitted will be responded to by the City of Alachua, incorporated in an addendum or amendment and the response posted on the City of

Alachua website. All posted addenda must be considered by each Proposer to this solicitation.

4. No instruction, interpretations of drawings or specifications will be made other than indicated above.

5. It is the responsibility of the prospective Proposer to monitor the City of Alachua website prior to submitting a proposal to ensure awareness of all addenda or amendment issued relative to this solicitation.

6. No part of any Proposer’s proposal may be submitted via fax or e-mail.

E. TIMELINE OF EVENTS:

1. The table below contains the Timeline of Events for this solicitation. The dates and times within the Timeline of Events are subject to change. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to check for any changes on the City of Alachua website. The City of Alachua reserves the right to alter scheduled dates as it deems appropriate.

Timeline of Events

Event

Time

(Eastern Time) Date

Request for Proposals Issued/Advertised 8:00 AM 8/10/2026

Last Day of Inquiries 3:00 PM 9/2/2026

Request for Proposals Submission

Deadline

4:00 PM 9/9/2026

Request for Proposals Opening at

City of Alachua, James A. Lewis Commission Chambers

15100 NW 142nd Terrace

Alachua, Florida 32615

4:15 PM 9/9/2026

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project mailto:do_smith@cityofalachua.org

Timeline of Events

Event Time

(Eastern Time) Date

Request for Proposals Presented to the

Alachua City Commission

TBD TBD

Award Posting

PART II:

A. THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

1. This Request for Proposals (RFP) provides interested vendors with sufficient information to enable them to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the City of Alachua.

2. The RFP contains instructions governing the proposals to be provided, requirements that must be met for eligible consideration, general evaluation criteria and other requirements to be met by each proposal.

3. Proposer, Vendor, Consultant, Contractor, Responder or other like descriptive term shall have the same meaning for purposed of this RFP and in any contract executed in accordance herewith.

4. The City of Alachua reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, or to negotiate separately with competing contractors, and to waive any informalities, defects or irregularities in any proposal.

5. The City of Alachua reserves the right to accept the proposal of a qualified proposers other than that of the lowest proposer.

6. Proposals should provide a straight forward and concise description of the proposer’s ability to meet the requirements of the RFP.

7. Proposals may be for one (1) or more projects. Award and funding for services is subject to availability of funds.

B. BID VALIDITY:

1. All proposals must remain a valid offer for at least ninety (90) days from the date of receipt.

The contents of the proposal may be altered in style or language during the negotiation period. of the successful proposer may become contractual obligations, at the discretion of the City of Alachua, if a contract is awarded.

2. If a satisfactory contract is not reached with the highest ranked proposer, negotiations will be formally terminated and contract negotiations will then be initiated with the second highest ranked proposer.

3. The successful proposer’s proposal will become an integral part of the contract but may be modified at the discretion of the City of Alachua.

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02

4. The selected proposer is responsible for all services offered in the proposal whether provided directly or through another party. Further, the City of Alachua will consider the selected proposer to be the sole point of contact with regard to all contract matters.

5. News releases pertaining to this project must not be made without prior City of Alachua approval.

C. KNOWLEDGE OF CONDITIONS:

1. At the time of the opening of the proposals, each proposer will be responsible for being thoroughly familiar with the specifications and the requirements of this RFP.

2. The proposer shall become familiar with the nature and location of the work, general and local conditions, and shall gain full knowledge of working conditions and other information in the area that will be bearing on the performance of this work. Any failure by the proposer to be acquainted with all available information shall not relieve proposer from responsibility for performing all work properly. No additional compensation shall be allowed for conditions increasing proposer costs that were not known or appreciated by that proposer when submitting the proposal. The City of Alachua may consider non-responsive any proposal not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions hereof. Proposers shall understand that the City of Alachua will not be responsible for any errors or omissions by the proposer in this proposal.

3. All materials submitted become property of the City of Alachua and may be returned only at City of Alachua option. The City of Alachua has the right to use any or all ideas presented in any reply to the RFP. Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect these rights.

D. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS:

1. This RFP and any resulting agreement must be governed in all respects by the laws of the

State of Florida and any litigation with respect thereto must be brought only in the courts of Alachua County, State of Florida or in the event of federal jurisdiction, in the United

States District Court of the Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Division.

2. Proposers must comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations in all matters arising from this RFP.

E. CONTRACT APPROVAL AND CONTENT:

1. Approval:

a. All contracts are subject to final approval of the City of Alachua City Commission.

Persons or proposers that incur expenses in anticipation of a contract prior to City

Commission approval do so at their own risk.

2. Content:

a. All proposers must be completely familiar with the contents and provisions of the offered Contract, Part IV.

F. CODE OF ETHICS AND CITY OF ALACHUA MANUAL:

1. If any proposer violated or is a party to a violation of the Code of Ethics of the City of

Alachua or other provisions of the City of Alachua Purchasing and Sales Policy and

Regulations (https://www.cityofalachua.com/DocumentCenter/View/1313/Purchasing-and-Sales-Policy-and-Regulations-PSPR?bidId=), with respect to this RFP, such proposer may be disqualified from performing the work described in this RFP or from furnishing the good or services for which the proposal is submitted and may be further disqualified from any future RFP, RFP or RFB.

G. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

1. The award of a contract is subject to the provision of Chapter 112, Florida Statutes.

2. All proposals must disclose the name of any officer, director or agent who has perceived or actual conflict and/or who is an employee of the City of Alachua. Further, all proposals must disclose the name of any City of Alachua employee who owns, directly or indirectly, an interest in the proposing firm or any of its branches or related business entities or persons.

H. NO COLLUSION CLAUSE:

1. Proposer must certify they have not divulged, discussed or compared their competitive proposal with another proposer and has not colluded with any other proposer or party to this competitive proposal whatsoever. The proposer certified, and in the case f a joint competitive proposal, each party thereto certified as to its own organization, that in connection with the competitive proposal:

a. Any price and/or cost data submitted have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices and/or cost data, with any other proposer or with any competitor;

b. Any prices and/or cost data quoted from this competitive proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the competitive proposer and will not knowingly be disclosed by the proposer, directly or indirectly to any other proposer or to any competitor prior to the scheduled award of the contract;

c. No attempt has been made or will be made by the proposer to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a competitive proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

2. Any person, person or entity interested in a competitive proposal submitted must be named therein and that no person other than therein mentioned shall have any interest in the competitive proposal or in the contract to be entered.

I. NON-WARRANTY OF SPECIFICATIONS:

1. Neither the City of Alachua nor its representative shall be responsible for any errors or omissions in the RFP, nor for the failure on the part of the proposer to determine the full extent of its exposure to loss of any kind. The responsibility for determining the full extent

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project https://www.cityofalachua.com/DocumentCenter/View/1313/Purchasing-and-Sales-Policy-and-Regulations-PSPR?bidId https://www.cityofalachua.com/DocumentCenter/View/1313/Purchasing-and-Sales-Policy-and-Regulations-PSPR?bidId of exposures to risk and verification of all information rests solely with the proposer. Due diligence has been exercised in the preparation of the RFP and all information contained herein is believed to be correct. Any additional questions for clarification must be submitted as set forth in Paragraph D of Part I.

J. RIGHT TO AUDIT:

1. During the term of the contract, proposer shall maintain all books of account, reports and records in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices and standards for records directly related to this contract. The form of all records and reports shall be subject to the approval of he City of Alachua auditor. The proposer agrees to make available to the City of Alachua during normal business hours all books of account, reports and records relating to this contract for the duration of the contract and retain them for a minimum period of six (6) years beyond the last day of the contract term.

K. INFORMALITIES AND IRREGULARITIES:

1. The City of Alachua has the right to waive minor defects or variation of a proposal from the exact requirements of the specifications if they do not affect the price, quality, quantity, delivery or performance time of services being procured. If sufficient information is submitted for the City of Alachua to properly evaluate the proposal, the City of Alachua has the right to require such additional information as it may deem necessary after the time set for receipt of proposals, provided the information requested does not change the price, quality, quantity, delivery or performance time of the services being procured.

2. The City of Alachua reserves the right to reject and or all proposals, in whole or in part; to award by any item, group(s) of items, total proposal and to accept the proposal most advantageous and in the best interest of the City of Alachua. The City of Alachua also reserves the right to request best and final offers from qualified proposers.

3. Proposals not meeting stated minimum terms may be rejected as non-responsive. The City of Alachua reserves the right to reject any or all proposals without cause.

4. The City of Alachua reserves the right to reject the proposal of any proposer in arrears or in default upon any debt to the City of Alachua or State of Florida or contract with the City of Alachua or who has failed to perform faithfully any previous contract with the City of

Alachua or with other governmental agency.

L. INDEMNIFICATION:

1. To the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, the selected proposer will covenant and agree that is shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City of Alachua and all of the

City of Alachua officers, agents and employees from and against any and all liabilities, claims, demands, suits, damages, losses and expenses, including attorney fees, arising out of or resulting from the performance of the work, provided, that any such liability, claim, damage, loss or expense that: a) is attributable to bodily injury, sickness, disease or death or to injury to or destruction of tangible property (other than the work itself), including the loss of use resulting there-from; and b) is caused in whole or in part by any negligent act or omission of the proposer, any subcontractor of proposer, anyone directly or indirectly

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 employed by any of them or anyone whose acts of them may be liable, regardless of whether or not it is caused in whole or in part by the City of Alachua.

M. CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES:

1. The successful p roposer must possess all valid licenses and certificates required for performance of the work required in this RFP, any licenses and permits necessary to conduct business in the City of Alachua and shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and codes as required by the State of Florida or by the City of Alachua. A copy of all required licenses, certificates and receipts must be included with the proposal submitted.

N. DEFAULT PROVISION:

1. In the event of default by the proposer, the City of Alachua reserves the right to procure the item(s)/services proposed from other sources and hold the proposer responsible for excess cost incurred as a result.

O. DEBARMENT:

1. By submitting a proposal, the proposer certifies that it is not currently debarred from submitting proposals for contracts issued by any political subdivision, agency or municipality of the State of Florida and that it is not an agent of a person or entity that is currently debarred from submitting proposals for contracts issued by any subdivision, agency or municipality of the State of Florida.

P. PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES:

1. Any person or entity submitting a proposal in response to this RFP must submit a certificate certifying awareness of and compliance with all requirements under Section

287.133, Florida Statutes, Public Entity Crimes, Part IV, Exhibit G.

2. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work; may not submit bids, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity; may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity; and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, Florida Statutes, for CATEGORY TWO for a period of thirty-six

(36) months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.

Q. PUBLIC RECORDS:

1. Proposer shall allow public access to all documents, papers, letters or other material subject to the provisions of Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, made or received by proposer in conjunction with this contract. Specifically, proposer must:

a. Keep and maintain public records that ordinarily and necessarily would be required by the City of Alachua in order for the City of Alachua to perform the services being performed by proposer.

b. Provide the public with access to public records on the same terms and conditions that the City of Alachua would provide the records and at a cost that does not exceed the cost provided in Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, or as otherwise provided by law.

c. Ensure that public records that are exempt or confidential from public records disclosure requirements are not disclosed except as authorized by law.

d. Meet all requirements for retaining public records or transfer, at no cost to the City of Alachua, all public records in possession of proposer upon termination of the contract. All records stored electronically must be provided to the City of Alachua in a format that is compatible with the information technology systems of the City of

Alachua.

2. Proposer must promptly provide the City of Alachua with a copy of any request to inspect or copy public records in possession of proposer and shall promptly provide the City of

Alachua a copy of proposer response to each such request. Failure to grant such public access will be grounds for immediate termination of this contract by the City of Alachua.

3. This provision will apply to all services provided unless proposer can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that it is not or was not acting on behalf of the City of

Alachua under Florida law. Proposer will be held liable for plaintiff attorney fees and costs if a suit is properly filed and the court finds that proposer unlawfully refused to comply with a public records request within a reasonable time.

4. Proposer shall contact Deputy City Clerk LeAnne Williams, Custodian of City Public Records, at (386) 418-6104 or le_williams@cityofalachua.com, concerning any questions the proposer may have regarding the duty of proposer to provide Public Records.

5. All proposals received from proposers in response to this RFP become the property of the City of Alachua and will not be returned to the proposers. In the event of contract award, all documentation produced as part of the contract becomes the exclusive property of the City of Alachua.

R. ADDITION/DELETION:

1. The City of Alachua reserves the right to add or delete any item from this RFP or resulting contract when deemed to be in the best interest of the City of Alachua.

S. EXPENSES INCURRED IN PREPARING PROPOSAL:

1. The City of Alachua accepts no responsibility for any expense incurred by the proposer in the preparation and presentation of a proposal. Such expenses shall be borne exclusively

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 Downtown Pole Wrap Lighting Project mailto:le_williams@cityofalachua.com by the proposer.

T. LIMITATIONS:

1. The City of Alachua reserves the right to revise, amend or withdraw this RFP at any time to protects its interest. Proposers will not be compensated by the City of Alachua for costs incurred in preparation of responses to this RFP.

U. PROHIBITION OF LOBBYING:

1. During the RFP process, this, the period between the time the RFP is advertises and the time the local governing authority awards the contract, no proposer, no lobbyist, principal, or other person may lobby, on behalf of a competing party in a particular procurement matter, any member of the City of Alachua City Commission, or any City of Alachua employee other than by email to the Purchasing Manager as set forth in Paragraph D of

Part I.

2. Further, each proposer must certify in the Letter of Transmittal or in the proposal that “No lobbying of any Selection Committee members or City of Alachua City Commissioners or employees has taken place and professional silence concerning the RFP has been maintained during the RFP process.”

V. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE:

1. The selected proposal must provide the Drug-Free Workplace Certification Form, in accordance with Section 287.087, Florida Statutes, prior to contract award.

W. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:

1. All proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a Qualification and Selection Committee

(QCS). The committee will be chaired by the herein named and identified City Purchasing

Manager. The committee will consist of either two (2) or four (4) additional members as well as two (2) alternates for both configurations. All committee members and alternates shall be appointed at the discretion of the City Manager or designee. This committee will rank the proposals based upon the criteria below and recommend the highest ranked proposal that most closely meets the requirements of the RFP. If a contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked proposer, negotiations will be terminated and the City of Alachua will initiate negotiations with the second highest ranked proposer and so on until a satisfactory negotiated contract is obtained.

X. SELECTION CRITERIA AND SCORING:

1. The City of Alachua anticipates evaluating responsive and responsible proposals using the criteria below. The City of Alachua may adjust weighting before final release consistent with procurement requirements. The criteria are intended to compare proposals for all-white lighting, all programmable RGBW lighting, mixed lighting, and phased installation alternatives on a consistent 100-point scale.

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02

Criterion Points Considerations Price and Total Cost of Ownership 25 Lowest responsible price by implementation category; clarity of itemized costs; all-white, RGBW, hybrid, and phased pricing; installation, electrical, controls, warranty, maintenance, service, and estimated operating costs;

cost savings compared with continued seasonal garland use.

Warranty Period and Warranty Strength 20 Length and scope of warranty for lighting, wiring, power supplies, controllers, labor, and installation. Award up to 1 point per year of all-inclusive warranty, capped at 20 points. Partial, limited, or component-only warranties may receive reduced points even if the stated term is longer.

Commercial Grade Product, Durability, and Low Maintenance 15 Outdoor-rated product quality; suitability for Florida heat, humidity, UV exposure, rain, wind, and public right-of-way conditions; expected useful life; IP/weather rating; material quality; UV resistance; corrosion resistance; availability of replacement parts; minimal annual maintenance requirements.

Theft Resistance, Tamper Resistance, and Pole Compatibility 15 Quality of theft-resistant and tamper-resistant mounting method; black wiring and visual compatibility with black decorative poles; compatibility with 12-foot pole height and 9-foot receptacle locations; secure connectors, covers, fasteners, channels, bands, and power supplies; avoidance of temporary-looking or easily removable components.

Programmability, Controls, and

Operational Capability 10 For RGBW options: color quality, true white-light capability, scenes, zones, scheduling, brightness control, holiday/event programming, user permissions, and ease of City staff operation. For all-white options:

scheduling, timer/astronomic-clock capability, and dimming or operating controls.

Florida Experience, References, and

Service Support 10 At least two Florida references for similar municipal, commercial, downtown, main street, public-space, or permanent exterior lighting work completed within the last five years; availability of service/technical support; ability to respond to repair issues within 48 business hours when feasible; regional service capacity.

Implementation Plan and Contract

Readiness 5 Clear project schedule, staffing plan, permitting/electrical coordination, traffic/pedestrian/business-access plan, insurance readiness, required City support, training, documentation, and overall ability to meet City requirements.

Mandatory Minimum Requirements Before Scoring

Before scoring, the City of Alachua may determine whether a proposal is responsive and whether the proposer is responsible. A proposer is not required to submit pricing for all four (4) implementation alternatives in order to be considered responsive. However, for each implementation alternative submitted, the proposal should meet the applicable mandatory minimum requirements for that alternative. For example, a proposer submitting only an all-white lighting option must meet the mandatory minimum requirements for the all-white option, but is not required to provide RGBW or phased pricing. A proposal may be deemed non-responsive or may receive reduced scoring if, for the option(s) proposed, it fails to provide a commercial-grade outdoor solution, does not address theft-resistant installation, does not provide complete pricing for the submitted option(s), does not identify warranty terms, or does not confirm compatibility with the City of Alachua’s black decorative poles and existing receptacle conditions.

Minimum Requirement Expected Response Outdoor commercial-grade product Lighting proposed for year-round public outdoor use, not temporary consumer holiday light strings.

Black visible wiring/components Visible wiring, connectors, mounting channels, clips, bands, and accessories should be black unless approved by the City.

Theft/tamper-resistant installation Proposal must describe how lights, wiring, connectors, power supplies, and controls will be secured.

Pricing for submitted option(s) Proposal must provide complete pricing for each implementation alternative submitted. Proposers may submit one, multiple, or all four alternatives; failure to submit all four alternatives alone should not make a proposal non-responsive.

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02

Warranty disclosure Proposal must identify warranty duration, covered components, exclusions, labor coverage, and service process.

Florida service capability Proposal should identify local or regional service support and repair response capabilities.

Evaluation Team Ranking Guide

The following ranking guide is intended to help the evaluation team score proposals consistently.

The City of Alachua may revise the guide before issuance or before evaluation, provided the final process is consistent with applicable procurement requirements and the published RFP.

Scoring Method

Each evaluator should independently score every responsive proposal using the 100-point scale above. Scores should be based on the implementation alternative(s) actually submitted by the proposer, and a proposer should not be penalized solely for not submitting every requested alternative unless the final RFP states that a specific alternative is mandatory. Evaluators should base scores only on the written proposal, any permitted clarifications, interviews or presentations if conducted, reference checks, and other information allowed under the RFP and City of Alachua procurement procedures.

Recommended Rating Scale

Rating Suggested Point Range General Meaning Excellent 90-100% of available points Proposal is highly responsive, detailed, feasible, and offers clear strengths with minimal weaknesses.

Good 75-89% of available points Proposal is responsive and feasible, with solid strengths and only moderate weaknesses or uncertainties.

Adequate 60-74% of available points Proposal meets minimum expectations but has notable gaps, limited detail, or implementation concerns.

Weak 40-59% of available points Proposal only partially addresses the criterion or presents significant concerns.

Unacceptable / Not Demonstrated 0-39% of available points Proposal fails to address the criterion, is not feasible as proposed, or lacks required information.

Evaluation Steps

1. Confirm responsiveness and minimum qualifications before scoring. Proposals that do not meet mandatory requirements for the implementation alternative(s) submitted may be deemed non-responsive and may not be scored. Proposers are not required to submit all four implementation alternatives unless the final RFP expressly makes all alternatives mandatory.

2. Each evaluator completes an individual score sheet and records brief notes supporting each score.

3. The City of Alachua may compile individual scores into an average score for each proposal, or may use a consensus meeting to develop final scores, as determined by the City of Alachua.

4. Proposals should be ranked from highest to lowest total score. If interviews or presentations are conducted, the City of Alachua may either use them for clarification or assign interview scores if the final RFP provides for that process.

5. The evaluation team may recommend award to the highest-ranked responsive and responsible proposer, may recommend negotiations, may recommend shortlisting or interviews if allowed, or may recommend rejection of all proposals if doing so is in the City of Alachua’s best interest.

Tie-Breaking Guidance

If two (2) or more proposals receive the same total score, the City of Alachua may use the following tie-breakers, in order, unless revised by the Purchasing Department or legal review: (1) higher score for Price and Total Cost of Ownership; (2) higher score for Warranty Period and

Warranty Strength; (3) higher score for Commercial Grade Product, Durability, and Low

Maintenance; (4) higher score for Theft Resistance, Tamper Resistance, and Pole Compatibility;

(5) higher score for Florida Experience, References, and Service Support; and (6) consensus determination of best overall public benefit consistent with applicable City procurement requirements.

Evaluator Notes

Evaluation notes should be factual, professional, and tied to the stated criteria. Evaluators should avoid unsupported personal preferences and should disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest before reviewing proposals. Evaluation records may be subject to Florida public records requirements.

Optional Interview / Presentation Scoring

If the City of Alachua elects to conduct interviews, demonstrations, or presentations, the RFP should state whether interviews are for clarification only or whether interview scoring will be added to or incorporated into the final score. If interview scoring is used, the City of Alachua should publish the interview criteria and weighting before interviews are conducted.

Evaluator Score Sheet

Evaluator: ____________________________________ Proposer:______________________________

Date: _______________

Criterion Max Points Score Awarded Evaluator Notes Price and Total Cost of

Ownership

Warranty Period and Warranty

Strength

Commercial Grade Product, Durability, and Low

Maintenance

Theft Resistance, Tamper

Resistance, and Pole

Compatibility

Programmability, Controls, and

Operational Capability

Florida Experience, References, and Service Support

Implementation Plan and

Contract Readiness

Total 100

Recommended ranking: 1st ________ 2nd ________ 3rd ________

Other notes:

Conflict of interest disclosure:

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02

Y. CONTRACT:

1. The contract referred to herein in here included, incorporated and designated as Roman

Numeral IV for RFP organization purposes. The designation will, of course, not be included in the executed contract.

Z. CONTRACT TERM:

1. The contract term is outlined in Part IV (contract), Paragraph 4.

AA. AWARD:

1. The City of Alachua reserves the right to award a contract(s) to the proposer(s) that submits the proposal(s) that is in the best interest of the City of Alachua and meets the City of

Alachua’s requirements of this RFP.

2. All requirements and conditions set forth in the RFP and the selected submitted proposal shall be incorporated into a contract awarded by the City of Alachua unless otherwise specified in the contract.

3. The City of Alachua may recommend award of a contract to the highest ranked proposer on the basis of the initial proposals received, without discussion and/or oral presentation(s). Therefore, each proposal submission must contain the proposer’s best terms from a technical operations and monetary standpoint.

PART III:

A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. The proposal must include a Disclosure Statement of any potential conflicts of interest that the proposer may have due to other clients, contracts, or interest associated with this Request for Proposal.

2. Proposers are advised that all information disclosed as part of this RFP process is considered part of the public domain by the laws of the State of Florida and is subject to inspection by the public ten (10) days after opening of the RFP or until a short list is recommended, whichever comes first, pursuant to the terms of Chapters 119 and 287 of the Florida Statutes unless an exception applies. All submitted responses to this solicitation become the property of the City of Alachua. Unless information submitted is proprietary, copy written, trademarked, or patented, the City of Alachua City

Commission reserves the right to utilize any or all information, ideas, conceptions or portions of any RFP, in its best interest.

3. All proposers must submit one (1) original, one copy for each designated committee member and one (1) digital copy of the full response as indicated in Part I, Paragraph C(2).

B. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND ORDER:

1. Proposals must contain complete, detailed responses to requests for information contained in this solicitation and any subsequent addenda issued regarding this RFP.

Proposals must conform to the following structure, and must incorporate information regarding subcontractors, if any, where applicable:

a. Cover Letter: The title page should be addressed to Donna Smith, Purchasing

Manager, and include the title and number of the RFP, the name and address of the proposing firm, the name, title, telephone, fax number and email address of the contact person as well as the date of the proposal.

b. Table of Contents.

c. Letter of Transmittal: A signed letter of transmittal briefly stating the proposer’s understanding of the work to be done, the commitment to perform the work within the time period specified herein, a statement why the firm believes itself to be best qualified to perform these services to the City of

Alachua, and a statement that the proposal is a firm offer and is irrevocable for ninety (90) days. The signor must have the authority to negotiate and bind a contract.

d. Firm Profile: Outline firm profile and its organizational history in a narrative; include an organizational chart. This section should be limited to two (2) pages.

e. Staff Administration Experience: The total number of years of experience staff has with administering similar projects (you must include evidence of experience).

f. Fee Proposal: Provide a detailed fee schedule for services and an explanation or a basis for the fees proposed. (Please note requirements from Florida Statutes 112.061, Florida Statutes).

g. Certification: Document your firm’s status as Certified Minority/Women

Owned Business, if any. Certification may be state, federal, city or local government. The federal definition of MBE/WBE must be met. Provide a copy of a current certification.

h. License to Practice in Florida: Must be licensed and permitted to practice in the State of Florida. Include a copy of all licenses, certificates and W-9

Form.

i. Insurance Requirements: The firm shall provide the City of Alachua with

Certificates of Insurance meeting the required insurance provisions. See

Part IV, Exhibit E.

j. Completed Forms: Proposer Warranty (Part IV, Exhibit I), Human

Trafficking Affidavit (Part IV, Exhibit F), Conflict, Non-Conflict of Interest

Statement / Litigation Statement (Part IV, Exhibit H); Drug-Free Workplace

Certification (Part IV, Exhibit J) and Florida Statutes on Public Entity Crimes

(Part IV, Exhibit G).

PART IV:

CONTRACT

THIS CONTRACT made effective the day of _______________, 2026, by and between CITY OF ALACHUA, hereinafter referred to as COA and

_______________________________________________, hereinafter referred to as

CONTRACTOR.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, COA has prepared Project Specifications and Scope of Work (Exhibit A) for

RFP 2026-02 and CONTRACTOR has submitted to COA a Pricing Sheet for Proposers (Exhibit

B) in response to RFP 2026-02 in accordance with the terms of this Contract and the Contract

Documents; and

WHEREAS, COA has determined and declared CONTRACTOR has submitted the lowest responsive and responsible proposal and Pricing Sheet for Proposers for the work specified herein and hereby awards to CONTRACTOR this contract for the sum or sums named in

CONTRACTOR proposal and Pricing Sheet for Proposers as set forth in Exhibit B; and

1. PARTIES

A. The City of Alachua may be interchangeably referred to herein as COA, CITY, PURCHASER, OWNER, or like term.

B. The terms CONTRACTOR or Vendor refer to the same party, i.e., the party responding to

COA above-numbered RFB and awarded this CONTRACT. The terms may be used interchangeably throughout this Contract Agreement and Contract Documents.

2. CONTRACTOR OBLIGATION

A. CONTRACTOR shall furnish the labor, fuel, equipment, materials, supplies and services as specified and required herein.

3. COA PAYMENT

A. COA shall pay, upon completion of all work and acceptance by COA, the sum or sums set forth in the Contract plus or minus the sum of any fully executed Change Order (Exhibit

D).

4. TERM

A. This agreement shall run and be effective on October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.

B. This Contract will automatically renew on October 1, 2027 for two (2) successive two-year terms, October 1 to September 30 of the following calendar years, unless automatic renewal is canceled by either party by the delivery of written notice to the other on or before June

1 of any contract year.

5. CHANGE ORDER

A. The Scope of Work, Price or Contract Times, including to add or subtract task, cannot be changed except by an agreed to Change Order (Exhibit D) executed by COA and

CONTRACTOR.

6. SAFETY

A. CONTRACTOR shall have in place, implemented and enforced a Safety Plan consistent with the standard in the industry and to include all safety and vehicular regulations including safety lighting as defined by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and

Florida Division of Motor Vehicles.

7. CONTACTOR TO EXERCISE CARE AND REPORT HAZZARDS.

A. CONTRACTOR shall perform all work with the care expected and required on public grounds and places.

B. CONTRACTOR shall, within a reasonable time as the situation or event demands and requires, report to by written notice as set forth in Paragraph 33 herein, any hazard observed on City public grounds or facilities. Any condition presenting an immediate hazard or threat of bodily injury or damage to property is to also be reported expeditiously to the

Alachua Police Department.

8. TIME OF ESSENECE

A. COA and CONTRACTOR agree time is of the essence in the completion of each Task and the deadline for completion is binding unless CONTRACTOR obtains a Change Order extending the date. CONTRACTOR expressly agrees that, in undertaking to complete the work/services within the time specified, CONTRACTOR made allowances for all hindrances and delays which might usually be expected to occur in performing the work.

No claims shall be made by CONTRACTOR or his sub-contractors for such hindrances and delays. If CONTRACTOR or his sub-contractors experience hindrances or delays that, in opinion of CONTRACTOR, are not usually to be expected in the performance of the work, and which affect the performance of the work, CONTRACTOR may request a

Change Order for an extension of time or other appropriate accommodation. Such hindrances and delays may include, but not be limited to, acts or failure to act by COA or other CONTRACTOR employed by COA, fires, floods, labor disputes, epidemics, abnormal weather conditions or acts of God.

9. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

A. The parties agree COA will suffer damages in the event work is not completed and accepted by a required completion date. Therefore, it is agreed, since the amount of damage from delay is not able to be specifically determined at this point, that a reasonable approximation of damage is $100.00 per day past the scheduled completion date of any and all Task. The

City of Alachua RFP 2026-02 parties agree the $100.00 amount is not a penalty but is a reasonable approximation of actual damage that will be suffered by COA.

10. PUBLIC PROJECT

A. It is recognized and agreed that the Project that is the subject of this Contract is publicly funded as a part of the annual budget of COA and it is the responsibility of CONTRACTOR to inspect any work site, call for or seek permission from COA to conduct any tests

CONTRACTOR deems necessary or appropriate, and be familiar with all conditions or other factors that may affect the cost(s) or contract time(s) as set forth in any and all Work.

The Price is agreed and understood to be as set forth in the CONTRACT and completion time is of the essence. Any Change Order approved by COA shall be considered accordingly.

11. INDEMNIFICATION BY CONTRACTOR

A. CONTRACTOR hereby agrees to indemnify and save harmless COA for any loss caused directly or indirectly by CONTRACTOR, its subcontractor, agent, employee acting on its behalf or in its stead or caused by any product, service or work supplied pursuant to this contract.

12. WARRANTIES

A. CONTRACTOR warrants all work, products and services provided directly or indirectly, by CONTRACTOR a subcontractor, agent, employee acting on its behalf or in its stead and that any product, service or work supplied under the contract will be fit for all purposes intended and consistent with all commercial standards.

B. CONTRACTOR warrants to COA that all work shall be free from defects in material or workmanship and that the services provided under the contract shall conform to all requirements of the contract and expectations of the COA. All parts, supplies materials and equipment furnished by CONTRACTOR are guaranteed to be new, unused or of a kind quality, appearance, meet all safety and environmental standards in the industry and conform in all respects to the requirements of this contract. After receipt of written notice thereof, CONTRACTOR shall promptly correct any defective work which may develop during the warranty period (one (1) year following the date of final acceptance), and any damage to other work caused by such defects or the repairing of the same, all at

CONTRACTOR’s expense. CONTRACTOR hereby assigns to COA any and all rights under any warranties CONTRACTOR may have received or be entitled to from vendors of the materials and/or equipment incorporated into the work. The warranties set forth shall apply to all replacement materials, supplies, equipment and services associated therewith to the same extent as it applies to original work provided and shall extend for a period of one (1) year beyond the date the replacement work is complete.

C. CONTRACTOR agrees that materials furnished pursuant to the contract documents will come with a separate, all-encompassing and comprehensive warranty which will be furnished to COA at the time…