RFP #97-2025297 - FOTCC - Janitorial Services 6.19.2025.pdf

Proposal Number: 97-2025297 Vendor:

Ver: 11/2023

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Forsyth Technical Community College

Request for Proposal #: 97-2025297

JANITORIAL SERVICES

Date of Issue: June 23, 2025

Proposal Opening Date: July 24, 2025

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Matt Shiver

Executive Director, Purchasing & Auxiliary Services

Email: mshiver@forsythtech.edu

Phone: 336-734-7212 mailto:mshiver@forsythtech.edu

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Request for Proposal #

97-2025297

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic

Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Sealed, mailed responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

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Division of Forsyth Tech Community College

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Matt Shiver mshiver@forsythtech.edu 336-734-7490

Request for Proposal #: 97-2025297

Proposals will be publicly opened: July 24, 2025, 2:00 PM EST

Using Agency: Forsyth Tech Community College

(FTCC)

Commodity No. and Description: 761100, Cleaning & Janitorial Services

Requisition No.:

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

▪ this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),

▪ none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter

78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and

▪ it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

▪ it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

mailto:mshiver@forsythtech.edu

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VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred and twenty (120) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: , or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this day of , 20 , as indicated on

The attached certification, by .

(Authorized Representative of Forsyth Tech Community College)

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CONTENTS

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 MANDATORY SITE VISIT

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

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5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

5.2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.3 TECHNICAL APPROACH

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 PERIODIC MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.6 FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE

6.7 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.9 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT B: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT C: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT D: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT E: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT F: PRICING

ATTACHMENT G: SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Forsyth Technical Community College is seeking qualified vendors for regularly scheduled Janitorial services per the specifications outlined in this RFP. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Contract for regularly scheduled Janitorial Services encompassing seven

(7) campuses, fifteen (15) buildings and an estimated 760,843 square feet. We are a North Carolina State Community College serving Winston Salem and the surrounding area. The current contract for Janitorial Services, which is held by Red Coats Inc.

will expire on 06/30/2025.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective

Date”) or August 11, 2025, whichever is later. The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within forty-five (45) business days of the Effective Date. Failure of the Service Provider to meet the agreed-upon service level standards or timelines will constitute cause for termination of the contract by Forsyth Tech

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP

Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 8 inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time

Issue RFP State As submitted to eVP

Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting/Site Visit State July 1, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Submit Written Questions Vendor July 14, 2025

Provide Response to Questions State July 17, 2025

Submit Proposals Vendor July 24, 2025, 2:00 PM EST

Contract Award State August 11, 2025

2.5 MANDATORY SITE VISIT

Date: July 1, 2025

Time: 09:00 AM Eastern Time

Location: Main Campus, 2100 Silas Creek Parkway

Facilities Building, 2nd Floor

Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Contact #: 336-734-7317 (Scott Booth)

Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-proposal site visit.

Attendees must arrive promptly. All attendees must sign in upon arrival and clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN OR PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISIT, NOR

SHALL THEIR PROPOSAL BE CONSIDERED. Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances allow.

**Bring a copy of the RFP with you to follow along. The Site Visit will take all day with a break for lunch. Lunch will NOT be provided. We recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes.

FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT SHALL RESULT IN VENDOR’S PROPOSAL BEING DEEMED NON-

RESPONSIVE AND NOT CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

The purpose of this visit is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this RFP. Vendors must stay for the duration of the site visit. No allowances will be made for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this RFP.

Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP.

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit

Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

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Written questions shall be emailed to mshiver@forsythtech.edu and copy dbooth@forsythtech.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP #97-2025297: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

Sealed proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof and the receipt requirements described below, shall be received at the address indicated in the table below, for furnishing and delivering those items or services as described herein.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal via US Postal Service

Office Address of delivery by any other method (special delivery, overnight, or any other carrier).

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 97-2025297

Forsyth Technical Community College

Attn: Jack Fenstermaker

2100 Silas Creek Parkway

Winston- Salem, NC 27103

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 97-2025297

Forsyth Technical Community College

Attn: Jack Fenstermaker

Allman Center, Room 245

2100 Silas Creek Parkway

Winston- Salem, NC 27103

CAUTION: For proposals submitted via U.S. mail, please note that the U.S. Postal Service generally does not deliver mail to a specified street address but to the Using Agency’s Mail Service Center. Vendors are cautioned that proposals sent via U.S.

Mail, including Express Mail, may not be delivered by the Mail Service Center to the agency’s purchasing office on the due date in time to meet the proposal deadline. All Vendors are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting a proposal by U.S. Postal Service, courier, or other delivery service. Attempts to submit a proposal via facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone, or email in response to this RFP shall NOT be accepted.

a) Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response to the address identified in the table above.

b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number; and

(3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. If Vendor is submitting more than one

(1) proposal, each proposal shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and marked accordingly. For delivery purposes, separate sealed envelopes from a single Vendor may be included in the same outer package. Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.

mailto:mshiver@forsythtech.edu mailto:dbooth@forsythtech.edu https://evp.nc.gov/

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If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above.

However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

b) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

c) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP.

d) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

e) Completed version of ATTACHMENT B: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT C: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: PRICING

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: SCOPE OF WORK

k) A Vendor’s proposal cannot exceed 20 pages. For this subsection, all FTCC-issued documents are not considered a part of the Vendor’s max page count.

2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Alternate proposals will not be accepted.

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2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to

Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency;

other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of

Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The College will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE

Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

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At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the RFP number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected proposal was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The College reserves the right to negotiate with one or more vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

Total Maximum Points 100:

1. Project Organization (Section 5.2): 20 Maximum Points)

2. Technical Approach (Section 5.3): (25 Maximum Points)

3. Cost Proposal: (20 Maximum Points)

4. Experience (Section 4.5): (15 Maximum Points)

5. References (Section 4.6): (20 Maximum Points)

Process for evaluating price.

The lowest price receives the maximum points and each other proposal receives a percentage of the maximum, based on a comparison of that proposal price with the lowest price.

Example: The State will determine low cost by normalizing the scores as follows:

The proposal with the lowest cost will receive a score of 20. All other competing proposals will be assigned a portion of the maximum score using the formula:

20 x the cost of the lowest cost proposal the cost of the cost proposal being evaluated

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3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State;

and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which

Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees.

Complete ATTACHMENT F: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT F, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract. FTCC reserves the right to add other facilities/buildings to this contract for Custodial Services. Rates charged shall be the rate that was established in the contract that resulted from RFP# 97-2025297 .

4.2 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the

Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s PO Number, an accurate description of the work for which the invoice is being submitted, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

The Vendor will be paid net thirty (30) calendar days after the Vendor’s invoice is approved by the State.

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INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT F: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The

State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable.

From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract

Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT C: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor must demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor must provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State shall contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained shall be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

*Largest Square Footage Presently Cleaning:

1. Agency or Firm Name:

Business Address:

Contact Person:

Telephone:

Square Footage Cleaned:

2. Agency or Firm Name:

Business Address:

Contact Person:

Telephone:

Square Footage Cleaned:

3. Agency or Firm Name:

Business Address:

Ver: 11/2023 15

Contact Person:

Telephone:

Square Footage Cleaned:

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of the Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP must undergo a background check at the Vendor's expense.

4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The

State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☐ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☒ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

Ver: 11/2023 16

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

The awarded vendor shall provide a complete, effective, and efficient janitorial service including all reasonable and necessary labor, supervision, materials, equipment, and supplies required to keep the contracted areas properly cleaned and sufficiently supplied. The specific Scope of Work and any specifications that the Purchasing Agency is seeking are listed in ATTACHMENT

G: SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK. Items offered by the Vendor must meet or exceed the listed Specifications to be considered for award.

If any types of normal janitorial duties have been inadvertently omitted, the contract is to be interpreted to include same.

5.2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

5.3 TECHNICAL APPROACH

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to accomplishing the tasks outlined in ATTACHMENT G: SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes.

FTCC Contract Manager: Scott Booth and Jayson Beers

FTCC Contract Administrator: Matt Shiver

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a contract manager. The contract manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service.

Contract Manager Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

Ver: 11/2023 17

The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a point of contact for customer service. The customer service point of contact shall be the State’s point of contact for customer service-related issues.

Customer Service Point of Contact

Name:

Office Phone #:

Mobile Phone #:

Email:

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall be required to meet periodically (weekly/monthly) with the State for Project

Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses.

6.4 PERIODIC MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS

The Vendor shall be required to provide Inspection Management Reports to the designated Contract Lead on a monthly basis.

This report shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the work accomplished during the reporting period; work to be accomplished during the subsequent reporting period; problems, real or anticipated, and notification of any significant deviation from previously agreed upon work plans and schedules. These reports shall be well organized and easy to read.

The Vendor shall submit these reports electronically using the format required by the Purchasing Agency. The Vendor shall submit the reports in a timely manner and on a regular schedule as agreed by the parties.

Within thirty (30) business days of the award of the Contract the Vendor shall submit a final work plan and a sample report, both to the designated Contract Lead for approval.

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements as detailed in ATTACHMENT G: SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. FTCC shall be the sole judge of the quality and required frequency of the services provided. FTCC will determine when “as needed and/or as requested” services will be performed. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Administrator.

The State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial

Code, as adopted in North Carolina.

Ver: 11/2023 18

6.6 FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE

Any Contract may include terms ensuring a vendor’s performance such as: (1) liquidated damages; (2) a percentage of the

Contract value held as a retainage; (3) withholding final payment contingent on acceptance of the final deliverable; and (4) any other provision that assures performance of the Vendor. The parties agree that the Vendor shall be subject to the following faithful performance requirements:

• Upon award, the awarded Vendor shall provide a performance bond. The value of the performance bond shall be the total dollar amount equal to three (3) months of the contract price and shall remain in force during the duration of the contract, including extension(s). The performance bond shall be delivered to the purchasing office no later than fifteen (15) days after written notification of award.

• The vendor agrees with the performance bond requirement as stated above:

☐ Yes ☐ No

6.7 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If a Contract results from this solicitation, and the Contract is not renewed at the end of the last active term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide transition assistance to the State, at the option of the State, for up to six (6) months to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to facilitate the orderly transfer of such Services to the State or its designees. If the State exercises this option, the Parties agree that such transition assistance shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the Contract

(notwithstanding this expiration or cancellation), except for those Contract terms or conditions that do not reasonably apply to such transition assistance. The State shall agree to pay Vendor for any resources utilized in performing such transition assistance at the most current rates provided by the Contract for performance of the Services or other resources utilized.

6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

During the performance of the Contract, the parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s).

During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute.

6.9 CONTRACT CHANGES

Contract changes, if any, over the life of the Contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by the State and Vendor. Amendments to the contract can only be through the contract administrator.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Ver: 11/2023 19

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

RETURN THE REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE

FOLLOW THE LINKS TO ACCESS EACH ATTACHMENT

*** Failure to Return the Required Attachments May Eliminate

Your Response from Further Consideration ***

ATTACHMENT A: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

The Instructions to Vendors, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/north-carolina-instructions-vendors-1-2025/open

ATTACHMENT B: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-5-2025/open

ATTACHMENT C: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

Complete and return the Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Vendor Information form, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/divisions/purchase-contract/vendor-forms

ATTACHMENT D: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

Complete and return the Location of Workers Utilized by Vendor, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/divisions/purchase-contract/vendor-forms

ATTACHMENT E: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Complete, sign, and return the Certification of Financial Condition, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/north-carolina-instructions-vendors-1-2025/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-5-2025/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/divisions/purchase-contract/vendor-forms

Ver: 11/2023 20

ATTACHMENT F: PRICING

Complete and return the Pricing associated with this RFP, which can be found in the table below:

CONTRACT COST PROPOSAL: UNIT COSTS ARE TO INCLUDE ALL COSTS FOR LABOR, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, INSURANCE, OVERHEAD AND PROFIT FOR THREE (3) YEARS.

This contract will be governed by the cost per month specified. The contractor will be paid for actual services provided at the unit prices specified minus any deductions for complaints.

Main Campus (Ardmore Hall, Technology Building, Snyder Hall, Hauser Hall, Greene Hall, Strickland Center, Allman Center)

I. General Cleaning (includes daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly & semi-annually services):

The General Cleaning Costs are not to include costs for Major Maintenance Services.

A. Ardmore Hall:

Labor Costs Annual Costs (based on five (5) days a week)

$ x 12 months = $

Equipment, Supplies, Materials, etc., Costs (based on five (5) days a week)

$ x 12 months = $

B. Technology Building:

Labor Costs Annual Costs (based on five (5) days a week)

$ x 12 months = $

C. Snyder Hall:

$ x 12 months = $

D. Hauser Hall:

$ x 12 months = $

Ver: 11/2023 21

E. Greene Hall:

$ x 12 months = $

F. Strickland Center:

$ x 12 months = $

G. Allman Center:

$ x 12 months = $

H. Carolina Building:

$ x 12 months = $

I. Forsyth Building:

$ x 12 months = $

TOTAL MAIN CAMPUS SECTION I: $

Total Section I should include all annual labor, equipment, supplies, materials, etc. costs.

Ver: 11/2023 22

II. Major Maintenance Services:

For the purpose of evaluation, an assumption that this will be completed two (2) each. No guarantee of quantity – as scheduled with the Contract Manager and approved by the Contract Administrator, if applicable.

A. Ardmore Hall:

Carpet Service (shampoo/steam/dry clean) $ x 2 = $

Floor Service (strip, wax, buff) $ x 2 = $

Turbo Wash restroom floors $ x 2 = $

B. Technology Building:

Floor Service (strip, wax, buff) $ x 2 = $

C. Snyder Hall:

D. Hauser Hall:

E. Greene Hall:

Turbo Wash restroom floors $ x 2 = $

F. Strickland Center:

Carpet Service (shampoo/steam/dry clean)

$ x 2 = $

G. Allman Center:

Ver: 11/2023 23

H. Carolina Building:

Floor Service (strip, wax, buff) $ x 2 = $

I. Forsyth Building:

TOTAL MAIN CAMPUS SECTION II: $

III. TOTAL MAIN CAMPUS ANNUAL CALCULATED BID PRICE: $

(Sum total of Main Campus Sections I, II)

*****The above cost shall include ALL costs for labor, equipment, materials, supplies, insurance, overhead and profit to provide the following services:

Offsites: (West Campus, Swisher Center, Woodruff Center, Northwest Center, Transportation Center and Aviation Center)

I. General Cleaning:

A. West Campus:

Labor…