FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Request for Proposals (RFP) No: RFP DM 25 26 44

Solicitation Title: “Fresh From Florida” Magazine –

Division of Marketing and Development

Stephanie Bergozza, Procurement Officer

407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800

Bids@FDACS.gov

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Protests must be filed with the Agency Clerk, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The Holland Building, 600 South Calhoun

Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399.

mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov

ADVERTISEMENT NUMBER: RFP DM 25 26 44

SECTION 1 Introduction

1.1 Statement of Purpose

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS or Department) issues this Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified Vendors to publish and distribute the Division of Marketing and Development’s “Fresh From Florida” magazine at no cost to the Department.

These services will support the Department’s efforts to promote the consumption of Florida agricultural products and enhance cooperation among producers, dealers, buyers, and consumers, in accordance with Section 570.07(20)(a)-(b), Florida Statutes (F.S.), as specified herein.

This RFP and all activities leading toward contract issuance are conducted pursuant and subject to Chapter 287, F.S., and Rule Chapter 60A-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The Department intends to award a contract to the Respondent whose Proposal is determined, in writing, to be the most advantageous to the State. Alternatively, the Department reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to make no award.

This solicitation will be administered through the Vendor Information Portal (VIP) located at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/. The Department shall utilize the VIP as the centralized procurement website for electronic posting for agency solicitations, decisions and intended decisions in accordance with Rule 60A-1.021, F.A.C.

1.2 Timeline

All required actions must be completed by the date and time indicated on the Timeline below. The Timeline will be strictly adhered to in all actions relative to this RFP unless modified by the Department by written addendum posted on the Vendor Information Portal (VIP)

EVENT DATE/TIME (ET) LOCATION

Release of RFP January 22, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

Last day for Vendors to Submit Questions. No questions will be accepted after this date.

January 29, 2026

5:00PM

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Email: Bids@FDACS.gov

Anticipated Posting of Written Responses to Vendor Questions

February 3, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids

Sealed Proposals Due February 12, 2026

5:00PM

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Mayo Building - Purchasing Office 407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800 Public Opening

February 13, 2026 9:00AM Teleconference Number: (888) 585-9008

Conference Room Number: 407 639 217

Evaluation Phase (Anticipated)

February 16 – 20, 2026

Notice of Agency Decision / Intent to Award

(Anticipated) March 3, 2026 Vendor Information Portal https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov

1.3 Addenda to the RFP

The Department reserves the right to make changes to this RFP by posting addenda on the VIP.

Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the VIP for any posted addenda.

1.4 Procurement Officer

The Procurement Officer for this RFP is:

Stephanie Bergozza, Procurement Officer Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Email: Bids@FDACS.gov

The Procurement Officer is the sole point of contact for questions and all other matters relating to this solicitation.

**ALL EMAILS TO THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER SHOULD CONTAIN THE SOLICITATION

NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL. **

Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and State holidays, any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the Procurement Officer or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

1.5 Contract Term

The initial term of a Contract awarded pursuant to this RFP will be three (3) years. Upon agreement of the Parties, the Contract may be renewed for an additional three (3) years in accordance with Section 287.057(14), F.S. Notwithstanding the term described herein, the Contract may be terminated in accordance with Article 7 of the Contract.

1.6 General Instructions and Special Instructions

Pursuant to Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C., the General Instructions to Respondents, PUR 1001, are incorporated in this RFP by reference. There is no need to return this document with Proposals.

This RFP document constitutes the Special Instructions to Respondents. In the event of a conflict between the terms in PUR 1001 and this RFP document, the RFP document will take precedence over all terms in the PUR 1001 unless a conflicting term in the PUR 1001 is required by any section of the Florida Statutes, in which case, the term contained in the PUR 1001 shall take precedence. Specific references to MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) usage for this RFP as stated in paragraphs 3 and 5 of the PUR 1001 are not applicable.

1.7 Conflicts and Order(s) of Precedence

All Proposals are subject to the terms of the following provisions of this RFP, which in case of conflict shall have the following order of precedence:

1) Addenda, in reverse order of issuance,

2) RFP, including attachments and appendices,

3) PUR 1001, General Instructions to Respondents; and

4) PUR 1000, General Contract Conditions.

1.8 Mandatory Requirements

The Department has established certain requirements with respect to submissions to be submitted by Respondents. The use of “shall”, “must”, or “will” (except to indicate simple futurity) in this RFP indicates a requirement or conditions from which a material deviation may not be mailto:Bids@FDACS.gov https://dms-media.ccplatform.net/content/download/2934/file/PUR%201001%20General%20Instructions%20to%20Respondents.pdf https://www.dms.myflorida.com/content/download/2934/11780/PUR_1001_General_Instructions_to_Respondents.pdf https://dms-media.ccplatform.net/content/download/2933/file/PUR%201000%20%28General%20Contract%20Conditions%29.pdf waived by the Department. A deviation is material if, in the Department’s sole discretion, the deficient Proposal is not in substantial accord with the RFP requirements, provides an advantage to one Respondent over other Respondents, or has a potentially significant effect on the quantity or quality of service. Material deviations cannot be waived. The words “should” or “may” in this RFP indicate desirable attributes or conditions but are permissive in nature. A deviation from, or omission of, such a desirable feature will not in itself cause rejection of a Proposal.

1.9 No Social, Political, or Ideological Interests Considered

In accordance with Section 287.05701, F.S., the Department will not request documentation of or consider a Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining if the Vendor is a responsible Vendor or give preference to a Vendor based on the Vendor’s social, political, or ideological interest.

SECTION 2 Specifications

2.1 Overview of Services

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit responses from qualified firms to publish and distribute the “Fresh From Florida” magazine for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Marketing and Development (FDACS or Department) at no cost to the Department. The Department seeks to establish a Contract with a Vendor to provide a high-quality print magazine with original photography and newsworthy articles. This consumer-facing magazine must be distributed in print and located on a digital platform. The focus of the magazine is on Florida agriculture featuring profiles of Florida farmers, cooking with Florida commodities, articles about leading industry sectors, and statistical information about the state’s agriculture industry. The result should be a publication that actively raises the level of public awareness of the “Fresh From Florida” brand to increase support of local farms and Florida agriculture.

The Department shall retain complete ownership and copyrights for reproduction purposes of all articles, photography and images produced for this project, including any production material not used in the final product. The Department retains the right of approval for all aspects of the publication, including but not limited to, magazine design, layout, content, acceptable or prohibited advertisements and distribution. The Department will provide leads and information for content.

The Department shall not incur any fees for the production and delivery of the “Fresh From Florida” magazine as detailed in this RFP. All fees necessary to produce and distribute the final approved “Fresh From Florida” magazine will be derived from advertising income earned by the successful vendor.

2.2 Background

Since 1998, the Department has published the “Fresh From Florida” magazine. Print circulation has grown to 20,000 copies of the magazine, targeting individuals and businesses primarily in Florida that impact Florida’s agricultural community. Additionally, the magazine has been distributed to individual subscribers, Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC) members, Florida Agriculture Industry Associations and at trade events seeking to promote Florida agriculture. The digital version of the magazine is also distributed by the department on a quarterly basis to industry members.

Sections 570.07(20)(a) and (b), Florida Statutes, charges the Department with stimulating, encouraging and fostering the consumption of agricultural and agricultural business products and to conduct activities that may foster a better understanding and more efficient cooperation among producers, dealers, buyers and the consuming public in the promotion and marketing of Florida’s agricultural and agricultural business products. The scope of this RFP is part of the Department’s marketing effort to accomplish those goals.

Below is a link to the current magazine publication.: "Fresh From Florida" Magazine”

2.3 Scope of Project

Respondents must currently operate a successful, turnkey publishing program with an in-house staff of fully trained professionals capable of producing a high quality, agriculture-themed magazine. Turnkey services are to include, but not be limited to, the magazine design and layout, compelling content, professional photography, quality printing, print distribution and advertising sales. In addition to a print version, the qualified firm must also produce a digital version.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The proposed magazine, at a minimum, shall have the following capabilities and features:

• Size: approximately 8 inches by 10.5 inches;

• Number of pages: a minimum of 60 pages, including front cover and back cover;

• Quantity: minimum of 18,000;

• Ink for cover: 4/4 with bleeds;

• Paper inside pages: 70# text;

• Paper cover: 100# text;

• Binding: perfect bound.

OPTIONAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The proposed magazine may also include the following features:

• Quantity: increase distribution up to 50,000;

• Bind-in perforated booklet;

• Polybag services.

MINIMUM PROJECT DELIVERABLES

Production and distribution of at least 18,000 “Fresh From Florida” magazines for distribution to an FDACS approved list of recipients and/or subscribers no later than January 15 of each publication year. Direct ship recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Extension offices;

• Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC) members;

• Agriculture related businesses;

• Tradeshows;

• Association subscribers;

• Individual subscribers;

• The Department.

Prior to contract execution, the Department may conduct an onsite demonstration at any vendor facility to ensure the respondent is fully operational and provides turnkey services as described above. The Vendor must address any Department concerns or questions within the timeframe prescribed by the Department. For any concerns or questions that the Department determines to not be answered to the satisfaction of the Department, the Vendor may be found non-responsible.

The Department reserves the right to visit the awarded Vendor’s facility at any time during the term of the agreement upon giving proper notice, to ensure the Vendor’s continued capability to perform the turnkey services as specified herein.

The Department shall be responsible for expenses associated with Department staff travel to the selected facility.

https://www.followfreshfromflorida.com/news

ADVERTISING SPECIFICATIONS

1. Each advertisement for inclusion must meet the approval of the Department.

2. The Department retains the right to review and reject any advertisement placed including the form and content.

3. Terms of agreements between advertisers and Contractor must be made available to the Department. Vendors should provide an example of their advertiser agreement with their RFP response.

4. Contractor will offer a discount of at least 10-percent to FAPC members.

5. Contractor shall establish the schedule of advertising rates. Contractor shall provide a final accounting within 90 days of publication delivery, including a schedule of advertisers, amounts charged and collected. A status report on the progress of sales efforts shall be provided monthly to the Department’s program manager. All income realized as a result of this exclusive authority shall accrue to the Contractor. However, all details of transactions between Contractor and advertisers must be auditable and disclosed to the Department.

6. Magazines distributed to advertisers are excluded from the Department’s distribution list.

Contractor will include cost and quantity of advertiser copies in rate schedule for Department approval.

7. Contractor will assume responsibility for solicitation and production of advertising as well as revenue collection. No solicitation of ads shall be conducted from the Department’s offices.

Uncollectable advertising accounts are the responsibility of the Contractor.

SECTION 3 Solicitation of Proposals

3.1 MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) Registration

Each Vendor desiring to sell commodities or contractual services as defined in Section 287.012, F.S., to the State is prequalified to do so and shall register in the MFMP system, unless exempted under Rule 60A-1.033(3), F.A.C. Information about the registration process is available and registration may be completed on the VIP website. Interested persons lacking internet access may request assistance from the MFMP Customer Service at (866) 352-3776.

Vendors should register for the following United Nations Standard Products and Services (UNSPSC) Class/Group Commodity Code(s) pertaining to this RFP:

• 82121800 – Publishing

3.2 Pre-Response Conference

This RFP will not include a pre-response conference.

3.3 Question-and-Answer Period

Vendors may submit written questions regarding the solicitation to the Procurement Officer by the deadline listed in Section 1.2, Timeline. Oral questions or questions submitted after the deadline may not be acknowledged.

Questions topics may include, but are not limited to, requests for clarification regarding the terms, conditions, or requirements of the RFP or its attachments, or any processes described in those documents. If terms included in the Contract are impractical or, for legal or operational reasons, impossible, Vendors are encouraged to submit questions drawing attention to those issues.

**PLACE THE SOLICITATION NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF ALL EMAILS

CONTAINING QUESTIONS. **

The Department requests that Vendors submit questions in the following format:

Question # Vendor Name RFP Section RFP Page # Question

Questions do not constitute a formal protest of the specification or of the solicitation.

The Department will answer timely submitted questions though an addendum posted on the VIP.

SECTION 4 Proposal Submission

4.1 Proposal Format

To expedite the evaluation process, it is essential that Respondents follow the format and instructions contained herein.

The Department is requesting a combination of physical original and digital copies of Proposals for this RFP. Hard copies and electronic (USB) copies must be divided into volumes containing the information below. The Respondent’s Proposal should clearly identify each Volume and Tab, as listed below, with an index tab or other similar type of identification. All pages should be sequentially numbered. Each Proposal should be prepared simply and economically, providing a concise, straightforward delineation of the Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Respondents are encouraged to focus on completeness and clarity in their Proposals.

Elaborate bindings, colored displays, and promotional material are discouraged.

Proposals should include all requested forms and information listed below. Failure to provide all the requested information may result in disqualification of the Proposal or a zero-point score for the relevant evaluation criteria. See Section 5, Proposal Evaluation, for information regarding how the Department will evaluate Responses.

VOLUME I: GENERAL INFORMATION

General Information (No Points will be awarded for VOLUME I) The Respondent must provide:

1) A completed and signed Attachment A – FDACS Acknowledgment Form. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

2) A completed and signed Attachment B – Conflict of Interest Statement. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

3) A completed, signed, and notarized Attachment C – Non-Coercion for Labor or Services

Affidavit. The signed and notarized original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package unless the Respondent is a governmental entity.

4) The Respondent’s Award Preference Documentation (if any). See Section 5.2, Award Preferences, for more information. Failure to provide the documentation requested below will result in the applicable preference not being applied to the Respondent.

a. Certified Business Enterprise The Respondent must provide a copy of its certification pursuant to Section 287.09451, F.S., to receive this preference.

b. Drug-Free Workplace Program The Respondent should provide a signed Attachment D – Certification of Drug-Free Workplace Program to receive this preference. The signed original of this form should be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

c. Certified Veteran Business Enterprise The Respondent must provide a copy of its certification pursuant to Section 295.187(5), F.S., to receive this preference.

5) A completed and signed Attachment E – FORM PUR 7801. The signed original of this form should be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package. The Respondent must either certify (by checking in the blank next to “Yes”) or mark N/A (by checking in the blank next to “N/A”) for each certification, as applicable.

Note: If the Respondent’s answers indicate the “Common Carrier or Contracted Carrier Attestation Form” is due with its Proposal (because “Yes” is marked for the certification), the Respondent must include the applicable form with its Proposal. The Department reserves the right to, but is not required to, seek clarification from a Respondent to determine whether such form was required if it is not included with the Respondent’s Proposal even though the statement was certified (rather than marked “N/A”); if such form was not required, the Department may waive the Respondent’s failure to submit the form as a minor irregularity. If the form was required, no such waiver will be permitted, and the Respondent will be deemed non-responsive.

6) A completed and signed Attachment F – Foreign Country of Concern Attestation. The signed original of this form must be included in the original hard copy of the Proposal package.

VOLUME II: TECHNICAL RESPONSE (110 Points Maximum)

TAB A - Statement of Qualifications (30 Points Maximum) The Respondent should provide:

a. Overview - An overview description of their firm’s experience with the production of a public-interest magazine with a similar distribution of 18,000 or more. A minimum of three (3) detailed examples of the successful creation and completion of public-interest magazines providing turnkey services as described above in Section B, Scope of Project, must also be provided. This must include three (3) hardcopies of previous work examples.

Overview description shall also include a minimum of three (3) digital examples (an internet hyperlink or PDF) of previous publications.

b. Summary - A summary of qualifications that documents, demonstrates, and represents their organization's ability to manage, implement, and complete the project as described herein. In addition, this information shall be provided for all partners and/or subcontractor(s).

c. Personnel - Provide a complete list of all personnel that describes their roles and responsibilities, including subcontractors that will be assigned to this contract, and describe their backgrounds/experience.

TAB B - Project Management Plan (50 Points Maximum) Provide a comprehensive project management plan that, at a minimum, includes:

a. Project scope of work with submission of proposed topics and print distribution plan.

b. Project schedule, including all timelines beginning with the start date through estimated completion date.

c. Project objectives, assumptions, risks, and constraints.

d. The responded must provide a completed and signed Appendix I – Advertising Rate Sheet which shall include all costs and deliverables, travel or any other incidental costs.

e. Responsibility task matrix for the Vendor and the Department.

TAB C - Past Performance / References (30 Points Maximum)

The Reply must contain names, addresses, phone numbers and email contacts of three (3) separate customers for whom they have provided similar services within the last five (5) years (Attachment G - References). Respondents who do not provide at least 3 references shall be deemed as non-responsive, and their Reply shall be rejected as such. References must be current or former clients of the proposing firm. The Department shall not accept subcontractor/proposed personnel or personal references of a member of the proposing firm as a substitute for references. Past performance with the Department shall constitute a reference and be used by the Department to determine the prospective contractor's ability to perform services similar to those described in this RFP in a satisfactory manner. Confidential clients shall not be included. It is the responsibility of the Respondent to assure that the Department can timely verify all references given.

References must be verifiable within seven (7) business days of initial verification attempt by the Department, exclusive of weekends and holidays. Failure by the Department to verify any reference within said seven (7) business day period shall result in a zero (0) point score for that reference.

The following questions will be asked by the Department of each reference, with a possible maximum total score of 30. Ratings are as follows: Questions that are rated Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor receive the following points: Excellent - 5 points; Good - 3 Points; Fair - 2 Points and Poor - 0 Points.

1) Please confirm that your organization has used this firm to create and complete a high-quality magazine on your behalf.

Yes No

ANY RESPONSE OF “NO” TO QUESTION NUMBER ONE (1) DISQUALIFIES THE REPLY

IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND NO FURTHER CONSIDERATION SHALL BE GIVEN.

2) Would you use the services of this firm again?

Yes (5 points) No (0 points)

3) How many publications has this firm produced for you?

5+ (5 points) 4 – 5 (3 points) 2 – 3 (2 points) Only 1 (0 points)

4) Did the firm complete the contracted project in a timely manner?

Excellent Good Fair Poor

5) How would you rate the quality of the written content provided by this firm?

6) How would you rate the quality of magazine layout, design and photography by this firm?

7) Were issues and problems addressed and/or resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner?

VOLUME III: REDACTED PROPOSAL (if applicable) (No Points will be awarded for VOLUME III)

If a Respondent considers any portion of the documents, data, or record submitted in response to this solicitation to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record, the Respondent must provide Department with a separate “Redacted Copy” of its Proposal at the time of Proposal submission.

Any Proposal content submitted to Department which is asserted to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record shall be clearly marked “exempt,” “confidential,” or “trade secret” (as applicable), with the statutory basis for such claim of exemption specifically identified in writing on each and every such page. Failure to segregate and so clearly identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claimed exemption as applied to the portion of the Proposal or other document in which the content is set forth.

IF A RESPONDENT FAILS TO SUBMIT A REDACTED COPY WITH ITS PROPOSAL AS DESCRIBED

HEREIN, THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED TO PRODUCE THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT(S), DATA,

OR RECORDS SUBMITTED BY THE RESPONDENT IN ANSWER TO A PUBLIC RECORDS

REQUEST. THE STATE OF FLORIDA DOES NOT CONSIDER PRICE TO BE CONFIDENTIAL.

4.2 Contract Terms and Conditions

A draft Contract is provided as Appendix II – Contractual Services Agreement (Draft). By submission of a Proposal, the Respondent agrees to the State of Florida contract conditions set forth therein. In the case of conflict between the PUR 1000 General Contract Conditions and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Contractual Service Agreement, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Contractual Service Agreement shall prevail, unless the conflicting term in the PUR form is required by any section of the Florida Statutes, in which case the term contained in PUR1000 shall take precedence.

This document does not need to be returned with your Proposal. Respondents must not submit additions, objections, or modifications to this draft Contract with their Proposals.

4.3 Respondent-Generated Terms

The Department objects to and shall not consider any different or additional terms or conditions submitted by a Respondent, including any appearing in documents attached as part of a Respondent’s Proposal. In submitting a Proposal, Respondent agrees that any additional or different terms or conditions, whether submitted by Respondent intentionally or inadvertently, shall have no force and effect and shall be grounds for rejecting a Proposal. Respondent’s failure to agree to comply with the Department’s terms and conditions, including those specifying information that must be submitted with a Proposal, shall be grounds for rejecting a Proposal.

The purchase order or contract issued by the Department as a result of this RFP shall incorporate all terms and conditions identified herein. No oral agreements or representations shall be valid or binding upon the Department or the Respondent unless expressly contained herein or by a written addendum to this RFP published on the VIP by the Department.

4.4 Cost of Preparation

Neither the Department nor the State of Florida is liable for any costs incurred by a Vendor in response to this RFP.

4.5 Instructions for Proposal Submission

The following submission instructions apply to all Proposals:

1) Respondents must submit:

Volume I

• 1 hardcopy original

• 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual files)

Volume II, Tabs A, B, and C

• 5 hardcopy originals

• 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual files for Tabs A, B, and C)

Volume III (if applicable) • 1 digital copy on USB drive (individual file for Volume III)

Note: All digital copies may be submitted on the same USB drive.

2) All Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope/package with the relevant RFP number clearly marked on the outside of the envelope/package. Department staff will not be held responsible for the inadvertent opening of a Proposal if it is not properly sealed, addressed, or identified.

3) Proposals must be delivered to the address listed below by the date and time listed in the Timeline.

Attention: Stephanie Bergozza 407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

Proposals may be delivered by United States Postal Service (USPS) mail, courier (FedEx/UPS), or hand delivered; however, Vendors are cautioned shipment via USPS may not be guaranteed to be received by the Department on the scheduled due date / time.

Electronic (email/fax) submission of Proposals will not be accepted for the RFP.

4) It is the Respondent’s responsibility to assure its Proposal is delivered to the proper place and time as stipulated in Section 1.2, Timeline.

5) Proposals received late (after the due date and time listed in Section 1.2, Timeline) will not be accepted, nor considered. A Proposal being postmarked or clocked in by FedEx, UPS or U.S. Postal Service does not constitute the Proposal being received in the Purchasing Office, and such evidence will not be accepted by the Department.

6) A Respondent will not be permitted to modify its Proposal after submission unless the Department, at its sole discretion, has made a request for additional information.

4.6 Public Records

All documents submitted in response to this RFP shall be considered public record pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S.

4.7 Withdrawal of Proposal

A submitted Proposal may be withdrawn by submitting a written request for its withdrawal to the Department. The withdrawal request must be signed by an authorized representative of the vendor and must be received within 72 hours after the submission date indicated in Section 1.2, Timeline. Any submitted Proposals shall remain valid for 90 days from the submission date.

4.8 Disqualification of Respondents

More than one (1) Proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association, under the same or different names, will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that a Respondent is interested in more than one Proposal for the same work will cause the rejection of all Proposals in which such Respondents are believed to be interested.

If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among the Respondents, any or all Proposals will be rejected. No participants in such collusion will be considered in future solicitations for the same work. Falsifications of any entry made on the Respondents’ offer will be deemed a material irregularity and will be grounds for rejection.

4.9 National Defense Authorization Act

By submission of a Proposal, the Respondent hereby represents and warrants that it shall comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.204-25, prohibition on contracting for certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act. Failure to comply or if the Respondent knowingly provides funds to any entity prohibited from receiving a contract or award pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.204-25, shall be cause for unilateral cancellation of the Department’s purchase order or contract. Subcontractors shall be verified through the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Excluded Parties List at https://sam.gov/SAM/.

4.10 Cooperation with Inspector General

By submission of a Proposal, the Respondent understands its duty, pursuant to Section 20.055(5), F.S., to cooperate with the Inspector General in any investigation, audit, inspection, review, or hearing, in the event Respondent is awarded the Contract. The Respondent will comply with this duty and ensure that subcontracts issued under the Contract, if any, impose this requirement, in writing, on its subcontractors.

SECTION 5 Proposal Evaluation

5.1 Public Opening

The Public Opening for this RFP will be conducted at the date, time, and location (available via teleconference) noted in the Timeline. During the Public Opening, Proposals will be physically opened, and the names of Respondents will be announced. Respondents are not required to attend.

5.2 Special Accommodations

Any person with a disability requiring special accommodations at the Public Meeting for Opening of Proposals shall contact the Procurement Officer at least five (5) working days prior to the event. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact this office by using the Florida Relay https://sam.gov/SAM/

Services which can be reached at (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or visit https://www.ftri.org/relay for assistance.

5.3 Proposal Administrative Review

Each Respondent shall submit a Proposal that conforms to all mandatory requirements as outlined in this RFP solicitation. A Proposal that does not conform to the requirements, or contains material deviations from the specifications, will be rejected as non-responsive and not reviewed further. Material requirements of this RFP are those without which adequate analysis and comparison of Proposals is impossible, or those that affect the competitiveness of Proposals.

The Department seeks to maximize competition and reserves the right to seek clarification from Respondents to obtain non-material information to complete a responsiveness review. A Respondent’s failure to provide required information may cause the Respondent to be deemed non-responsive and therefore be disqualified from further consideration.

Non-responsive Proposals may include, but are not limited to, those which:

1) fail to utilize, complete, and/or submit the mandatory prescribed forms.

2) include terms and conditions contrary to the requirements of this solicitation.

3) do not contain authorized signatures.

4) are not in conformance with the requirements and instructions contained herein.

5.4 Evaluation Procedure

Responsive Proposals will be evaluated and scored as provided in the table below.

110 Points Available

Technical Response (Scored by Evaluators)

Statement of Qualifications (Volume II, Tab A) Up to 30 Points Available

Project Management Plan (Volume II, Tab B) Up to 50 Points Available

Past Performance / References (Volume II, Tab C) Up to 30 Points Available

1) Evaluated Response Score

The appointed evaluation committee will utilize the point system set forth in Attachment H - Evaluator Score Sheet, to individually score responsive Proposals. For each responsive Respondent, the Procurement Officer will average the Respondent’s scores from each evaluator to determine the Respondent’s Evaluated Response score.

2) Calculated Reference Score The Procurement Officer shall conduct an individual reference review as set forth in Section

4.1 (Volume II, TAB C). For each reference response, the Procurement Officer will average the reference response score to determine the Respondent’s Calculated Reference Score.

3) Total Points For each Respondent, the Procurement Officer will add the Evaluated Response Score and Calculated Reference Score to determine that Respondent’s Total Points Awarded. The Procurement Officer will rank Respondents’ Proposals based on the Total Points Awarded from the Respondent with the highest Total Points Awarded to the Respondent with the lowest number of Total Points Awarded.

https://www.ftri.org/relay

SECTION 6 Award

6.1 Basis of Award

A Contract may be awarded to the responsible and responsive Respondent(s) that the Department determines will provide the most advantageous offer to the State based on Total Points Awarded. The Department intends to award a Contract under this RFP but reserves the right to make no award.

In the event one or more of the selected Respondents is subsequently unwilling to execute a contract or is found not to be responsible or responsive, the Department, at its sole discretion, may proceed with the next highest-scored Respondent(s).

An award from this advertisement does not constitute an official purchase order or contract, agreement, or commitment on behalf of the State.

6.2 Award Preferences

If the total awarded points for two or more Respondents is equal, the Department shall determine the order of award in accordance with Sections 287.057(12), 287.087, and 295.187(4), F.S.

6.3 Rejection of Proposals

The Department reserves the right to reject any and all Proposals, when such rejection is in the interest of the State of Florida, and to reject the Proposal of any Respondent who the Department determines is not in a position to perform the contract.

Respondents whose Proposals, past performance, or current status do not reflect the capability, integrity, or reliability to fully and in good faith perform the requirements of the Contract may be rejected as not being responsible vendors as defined in Section 287.012, F.S. The Department may request additional information pertaining to the Respondent’s ability and qualifications to accomplish all services described in this RFP as deemed necessary during the RFP or after contract award.

6.4 Protest Procedures

Pursuant to Section 120.57(3), F.S., a Notice of Protest or Formal Written Protest must be filed with the Department’s Agency Clerk. Filings may be made physically at:

The Holland Building 600 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Physical filings received after regular Business Hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., ET) will be deemed filed the next Business Day. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), F.S., or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, F.S.

6.5 Modification after Contract Execution

During the term of the Contract, the Department may unilaterally require changes (altering, adding to, or deducting from the Specifications) provided such changes are within the general scope of this solicitation.

The Respondent may request an equitable adjustment in the price(s) or delivery date(s) if the change affects the cost or time of performance. Such equitable adjustments require the express written approval of the Department’s contract manager or designee and a written contract amendment.

6.6 MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) Transaction Fee

The State of Florida, through the Department of Management Services, has instituted MFMP, a statewide eProcurement system pursuant to Section 287.057(24), F.S. All payments issued by Agencies to registered Vendors for purchases of Commodities or Contractual Services under Chapter 287, F.S., shall be assessed the Transaction Fee of one percent (1%) of the total amount of the payments received from the State or Eligible Users, as prescribed by Rule 60A-1.031, F.A.C., or as may otherwise be established by law.

Vendors shall pay the Transaction Fee and are subject to automatic deduction of the Transaction Fee when automatic deduction becomes available. Vendors shall submit any monthly reports required pursuant to Rule 60A-1.031, F.A.C. All such reports and payments are subject to audit.

The Department will have grounds for declaring the Vendor in default if the Vendor fails to comply with the payment of the Transaction Fee or reporting of payments, which may subject the Vendor to being suspended from business with the State of Florida.

6.7 Vendor Substitute W-9

The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) requires all vendors that conduct business with the state to electronically submit a Substitute W-9 Form to https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com. Forms and answers to frequently asked questions are located on that website once a registration has been completed. DFS may assist vendors with questions and may be contacted at (850) 413-5519, or FLW9@myfloridacfo.com.

The awarded Respondent must have a valid W-9 on file with the DFS prior to issuance of a Contract. This may be completed by the Respondent post-award.

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https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com/ mailto:%20FLW9@myfloridacfo.com

ATTACHMENT A

FDACS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AND CONSUMER SERVICES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Solicitation Number:

RFP DM 25 26 44

Solicitation Title:

“Fresh From Florida” Magazine - Division of Marketing and Development

PROPOSAL DUE:

February 12, 2026, by 5:00PM

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Procurement Office Attention: Stephanie Bergozza 407 S. Calhoun Street, SB-8 Mayo Building Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800

Respondent Name:

**If a fictitious name is used, include registered name (e.g., XYZ, Inc. DBA ABC):

Respondent Mailing Address: Phone Number:

Toll Free Number:

Email Address: Fax Number:

FEID Number: Type of Business Entity (Corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.):

Respondent Contacts: Provide the information requested below for the Respondent’s primary contact and, if available, secondary contact.

These individuals must be available to be contacted by telephone or attend meetings as may be appropriate regarding the solicitation.

PRIMARY CONTACT SECONDARY CONTACT

Contact Name and Title: Contact Name and Title:

Address: Address:

Phone Number: Phone Number:

Fax Number: Fax Number:

Email Address: Email Address:

By signing and submitting this Acknowledgement Form:

1. The Respondent verifies that it has read and complies with all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation and that the product and/or services offered by the Respondent will conform to the specifications of this solicitation without exception.

2. The Respondent certifies that the signature provided by the Respondent below is provided by an authorized representative who can legally bind the Respondent.

Authorized Signature:

Date of Signature:

Name of Authorized Signer:

Title of Authorized Signer:

ATTACHMENT B

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

I, _______________________, as an authorized representative of ______________________________

(Respondent), pursuant to Section 287.057(19), Florida Statutes, certify that no member of the

Respondent’s organization, nor any person having interest in the Respondent’s organization, has done any of the following:

1) Participated in the drafting of this solicitation;

2) Received a contract that was not procured pursuant to Section 287.057(1)-(3), Florida Statutes, to perform a feasibility study concerning the scope of work contained in this solicitation; or

3) Developed a program for future implementation concerning the scope of work contained in this solicitation.

Signature of Authorized Representative Date

Printed Name

Title

Solicitation Number

FDACS-01342 Rev. 10/24

WILTON SIMPSON

COMMISSIONER

I, _____________________________________________, having been duly sworn, hereby affirm:

1. Pursuant to section 787.06(13), F.S. when a contract is executed, renewed, or extended between a nongovernmental entity and a governmental entity, as defined in section 287.138(1), F.S., an officer or a representative of the nongovernmental entity must attest under penalty of perjury that the nongovernmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in section 787.06, F.S.

2. I am an officer or representative of ___________________________________ (nongovernmental entity), a legal entity organized under the laws of the State of ______________________, with its principal place of business located at _____________________________________________________________________.

3. Pursuant to section 787.06(13), F.S., I hereby attest, under penalty of perjury, that the nongovernmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in this section 787.06(2), F.S.

4. I understand that any false statement made in this affidavit may subject me and the nongovernmental entity to legal consequences.

5. I declare that the information provided herein is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Executed this ______ day of _______________, 20_______.

Signature

Printed Name

Title Position

Nongovernmental Entity Name

STATE OF _________________

COUNTY OF________________________

Sworn to or affirmed and signed before me by means of physical presence or online notarization this

________ day of _______________, 20_____ by ___________________________________________ who is personally known to me or who produced _________________________ as identification.

Notary Public

(Notarial Seal) Printed Name

FDACS-01364 07/24

ATTACHMENT C

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

NON-COERCION FOR LABOR OR SERVICES AFFIDAVIT

ATTACHMENT D

Bureau of General Services

CERTIFICATION OF DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE PROGRAM

Pursuant to Section 287.087, Florida Statutes, whenever two or more bids, proposals or replies that are equal with respect to price, quality and service are received by the state or by any political subdivision for the procurement of commodities or contractual services, a bid, proposal or reply received from a business that certifies that it has implemented a drug-free workplace program shall be given preference in the award process.

In order to have a drug-free workplace program, a business shall:

1) Publish a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.

2) Inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

3) Give each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are under bid a copy of the statement specified in subsection (1).

4) In the statement specified in subsection (1), notify the employees that, as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under bid, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any violation of chapter 893 or of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state, for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

5) Impose a sanction on or require the satisfactory participation in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community, by any employee who is so convicted.

6) Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of this section.

As the person authorized to sign the statement, I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.

VENDOR'S SIGNATURE

FDACS-01218 03/23

ATTACHMENT E

FORM PUR 7801

(08/2024, Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C.)

Vendor Certification Form

I hereby certify the following on behalf of the vendor identified below:

Customer

Indicator

(Required, N/A, Determined by Vendor)

Vendor

Indicator

Does the

Vendor

Certify?

Certification

Required ___ YES

Regardless of the dollar value of the goods or services provided, in accordance with the requirements of section 287.135(5), F.S., the vendor is not participating in a boycott of Israel and is not on the State Board of Administration’s “Quarterly List of

Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel,” available at https://www.sbafla.com/governance/global-governance-mandates/

___ N/A

If the goods or services to be provided are $1 million or more, in accordance with the requirements of section 287.135, F.S., the vendor is not on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran

Terrorism Sectors List (collectively, “Scrutinized List of Prohibited Companies”);

does not have business operations in Cuba or Syria; and is not on the State Board of

Administration’s “Scrutinized List of Prohibited Companies” available under the quarterly reports section at https://www.sbafla.com/reporting/

The vendor is not on the Suspended Vendor List; it and its suppliers, subcontractors, or consultants to be utilized under the contract are not on the Convicted Vendor, Discriminatory Vendor, or Antitrust Violator Vendor Lists; and there is no pending or threatened action, proceeding, or investigation, or any other legal or financial condition, that would in any way prohibit, restrain, or diminish the vendor’s ability to satisfy the contract obligations.

The vendor is hereby informed of the provisions of sections 287.133(2)(a), 287.134(2)(a), and 287.137(2)(a), F.S., that identify the impacts to the vendor's ability or its affiliates’ ability to respond to the competitive solicitations of a public entity; to be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with a public entity; or to transact business with a public entity if it, or its affiliates, are placed on the Convicted Vendor, Discriminatory Vendor, or

Antitrust Violator Vendor Lists of the Department of Management Services. The vendor is hereby further informed of the provisions of section 287.1351, F.S., that identify the impacts to the vendor’s ability to enter into or renew a contract with an agency, as defined in section 287.012, F.S., if it is placed on the Suspended Vendor

List of the Department of Management Services.

If the contract grants the vendor access to an individual’s personal identifying information, the vendor is not prohibited from entering into the contract pursuant to section 287.138, F.S., and has completed the Form PUR 1355, “Foreign…