RFP Document.pdf

Dated 10/10/2025

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota State University

Purchasing Office 1451 Stadium Road – Box 2201

Morrill Hall Room 304 Brookings, SD 57007

SDSU Metro Center Custodial Services

PROPOSALS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN Friday, September 18, 2026, at 10:00am Central (CDT)

RFP #: SDSU08202026 Buyer: Karen Bravek EMAIL: Karen.Bravek@sdstate.edu

READ CAREFULLY

FIRM NAME: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:

ADDRESS: TYPE OR PRINT NAME:

CITY/STATE: TELEPHONE NO:

ZIP (9 DIGIT): FAX NO:

E-MAIL:

PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTACT NAME: TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO: E-MAIL:

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The purpose of this request for proposal (RFP) is to establish consistent cleaning standards, service frequencies, and custodial expectations for all facilities within the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Metro Center, 2400 S Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105. These standards are intended to support a safe, clean, sanitary, and professional learning and working environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

As a flagship presence for South Dakota State University in Sioux Falls, the SDSU Metro Center serves as a centerpiece facility that reflects the university's commitment to excellence, professionalism, and community engagement. Maintaining a consistently clean and well-presented environment is essential to showcasing the facility and creating a positive experience for students, employees, partners and visitors.

Custodial services are provided in alignment with operational priorities, building usage, occupancy levels, and APPA Custodial Staffing Guidelines. The service frequencies outlined in this document represent baseline expectations and may be adjusted as needed to accommodate seasonal conditions, special events, emergency response requirements, or other facility operational demands.

See attachment for Custodial Baseline Service Guide

1.2 ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP REFERENCE NUMBER

The SDSU Purchasing Office is the issuing office for this document and all subsequent addenda relating to it, on behalf of South Dakota State University, SDSU Metro Center.

The reference number for the transaction is RFP #SDSU08202026. This number must be referred to on all proposals, correspondence, and documentation relating to the RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

RFP Publication August 20, 2026 Site Visit*

Deadline for Vendor Questions Responses to Offeror Questions Issued

August 26, 2026 @ 9:00am CDT (or) August 31, 2026 @ 9:00am CDT September 3, 2026, by 10:00am CDT September 10, 2026, by 5:00pm CDT

Proposal Submission Deadline September 18, 2026, by 10:00am CDT Anticipated Award Decision/Contract Negotiation October 9, 2026

*To schedule a site visit, contact Chris Farrell at Chris.Farrell@sdstate.edu or 605-688- 2100 at least one business day prior to your preferred site visit date. Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged.

1.4 SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL

All proposals must be completed and received in the SDSU Purchasing Office via email to Karen Bravek, SDSU Purchasing Manager at Karen.Bravek@sdstate.edu by the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Proposals received after the deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration. The proposal submission email MUST have a subject line that includes the appropriate RFP Number and Open Date.

Example:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #SDSU08202026 Opening 09-18-2026

This information is the ONLY information that should appear in the Subject Line of your email. Any other information could cause your bid to be rejected.

All proposals must be signed by an officer of the responder, legally authorized to bind the responder to the proposal. Proposals that are not properly signed may be rejected.

No proposal shall be accepted from, or no contract or purchase order shall be awarded to any person, firm or corporation that is in arrears upon any obligations to SDSU/State of South Dakota, or that otherwise may be deemed irresponsible or unreliable by SDSU or the State of South Dakota.

1.5 CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND

VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION – LOWER TIER COVERED TRANSACTIONS

By signing and submitting this proposal, the offeror certifies that neither it nor its principals is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation, by any Federal department or agency, from transactions involving the use of Federal funds. Where the offeror is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, the bidder shall attach an explanation to their offer.

1.6 NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The State of South Dakota requires that all contractors, vendors, and suppliers doing business with any State agency, department, or institution, provide a statement of non-discrimination. By signing and submitting their proposal, the offeror certifies they do not discriminate in their employment practices with regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, ancestry, national origin or disability.

1.7 CERTIFICATION RELATING TO PROHIBITED ENTITY

For contractors, vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors who enter into a contract with the State of South Dakota by submitting a response to this solicitation or agreeing to contract with the State, the bidder or offeror certifies and agrees that the following information is correct:

The bidder or offeror, in preparing its response or offer or in considering proposals submitted from qualified, potential vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, or in the solicitation, selection, or commercial treatment of any vendor, supplier, or subcontractor, is not an entity, regardless of its principal place of business, that is ultimately owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign national, a foreign parent entity, or foreign government from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, or Venezuela, as defined by SDCL 5-18A. It is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for the State to reject the bid or response submitted by the bidder or offeror on this project and terminate any contract awarded based on the bid or response. The successful bidder or offeror further agrees to provide immediate written notice to the contracting executive branch agency if during the term of the contract it no longer complies with this certification and agrees such noncompliance may be grounds for contract termination.

1.8 RESTRICTION OF BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL

For contractors, vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors with five (5) or more employees who enter into a contract with the State of South Dakota that involves the expenditure of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, by submitting a response to this solicitation or agreeing to contract with the State, the bidder or offeror certifies and agrees that the following information is correct:

The bidder or offeror, in preparing its response or offer or in considering proposals submitted from qualified, potential vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, or in the solicitation, selection, or commercial treatment of any vendor, supplier, or subcontractor, has not refused to transact business activities, has not terminated business activities, and has not taken other similar actions intended to limit its commercial relations, related to the subject matter of the bid or offer, with a person or entity on the basis of Israeli national origin, or residence or incorporation in Israel or its territories, with the specific intent to accomplish a boycott or divestment of Israel in a discriminatory manner. It is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for the State to reject the bid or response submitted by the bidder or offeror on this project and terminate any contract awarded based on the bid or response. The successful bidder or offeror further agrees to provide immediate written notice to the contracting executive branch agency if during the term of the contract it no longer complies with this certification and agrees such noncompliance may be grounds for contract termination.

1.9 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the offeror prior to the established due date and time.

No oral, telephonic, telegraphic or facsimile responses or modifications to informal, formal bids, or Request for Proposals will be considered.

1.10 OFFEROR INQUIRIES

Offerors may email inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification of requirements.

No inquiries will be accepted after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Inquiries must be emailed to Karen Bravek at Karen.Bravek@sdstate.edu with the subject line “RFP #08202026 QUESTIONS”.

The State will respond to offeror’s inquiries (if required) via e-mail. In addition, all inquiries and the State’s response will be posted on the state’s e-procurement system.

Offerors may not rely on any other statements, either of a written or oral nature, that alter any specification or other term or condition of this RFP. Offerors will be notified in the same manner as indicated above regarding any modifications to this RFP.

1.11 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

The proposal of the successful offeror(s) becomes public information. Proprietary information can be protected under limited circumstances such as client lists and non-public financial statements. An entire proposal may not be marked as proprietary.

Offerors must clearly identify in the Executive Summary and mark in the body of the proposal any specific proprietary information they are requesting to be protected. The Executive Summary must contain specific justification explaining why the information is to be protected. Proposals may be reviewed and evaluated by any person at the discretion of the State. All materials submitted become the property of the State of South Dakota and may be returned only at the State's option.

1.12 LENGTH OF CONTRACT

The resulting agreement will be for an initial term of one (1) year from the effective date of award, with the option to renew for four (4) additional one-year periods upon mutual agreement of both parties.

1.13 GOVERNING LAW

Venue for any and all legal action regarding or arising out of the transaction covered herein shall be solely in the State of South Dakota. The laws of South Dakota shall govern this transaction.

1.14 DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFERORS (ORAL PRESENTATION/NEGOTIATIONS)

An oral presentation by an offeror to clarify a proposal may be required at the sole discretion of the State. However, the State may award a contract based on the initial proposals received without discussion with the Offeror. If oral presentations are required, they will be scheduled after the submission of proposals. Oral presentations will be made at the offeror’s expense.

This process is a Request for Proposal/Competitive Negotiation process. Each Proposal shall be evaluated, and each respondent shall be available for negotiation meetings at the State’s request. The State reserves the right to negotiate on any and/or all components of every proposal submitted. From the time the proposals are submitted until the formal award of a contract, each proposal is considered a working document and as such, will be kept confidential. The negotiation discussions will also be held as confidential until such time as the award is completed.

2.0 STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any contract or agreement resulting from this RFP will include the State’s standard terms and conditions as listed below, along with any additional terms and conditions as negotiated by the parties:

2.1 The Contractor will perform those services described in the Scope of Work, attached hereto as Section 3 of the RFP and by this reference incorporated herein.

2.2 The services to be provided under the contract shall commence and terminate on mutually agreed upon dates. Terms for early termination shall be included in the agreement as negotiated by the parties.

2.3 The Contractor will use State equipment, supplies or facilities. The Contractor will provide the State with its Employer Identification Number, Federal Tax Identification Number or Social Security Number upon execution of this Agreement.

2.4 Unless otherwise negotiated and agreed upon by the parties, SDSU/The State will make payment in compliance with the Prompt Payment Act, SDCL 5-26 for services provided under the contract. SDSU will not pay Contractor’s expenses as a separate item.

2.5 The Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold the State of South Dakota, its officers, agents and employees, harmless from and against any and all actions, suits, damages, liability or other proceedings that may arise as the result of performing services hereunder. This section does not require the Contractor to be responsible for or defend against claims or damages arising solely from errors or omissions of the State, its officers, agents or employees.

2.6 The Contractor, at all times during the term of this Agreement, shall obtain and maintain in force insurance coverage of the types and with the limits as follows:

A. Commercial General Liability Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain occurrence based commercial general liability insurance or equivalent form with a limit of not less than $1,000,000.00 for each occurrence. If such insurance contains a general aggregate limit, it shall apply separately to this Agreement or be no less than two times the occurrence limit.

B. Professional Liability Insurance or Miscellaneous Professional Liability

Insurance:

The Contractor agrees to procure and maintain professional liability insurance or miscellaneous professional liability insurance with a limit not less than $1,000,000.00.

C. Business Automobile Liability Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain business automobile liability insurance or equivalent form with a limit of not less than $1,000,000.00 for each accident.

Such insurance shall include coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles.

D. Worker’s Compensation Insurance:

The Contractor shall procure and maintain workers’ compensation and employers’ liability insurance as required by South Dakota law.

Before beginning work under this Agreement, Contractor shall furnish the State with properly executed Certificates of Insurance which shall clearly evidence all insurance required in this Agreement. In the event a substantial change in insurance, issuance of a new policy, cancellation or nonrenewal of the policy, the Contractor agrees to provide immediate notice to the State and provide a new certificate of insurance showing continuous coverage in the amounts required.

Contractor shall furnish copies of insurance policies if requested by the State.

2.7 While performing services hereunder, the Contractor is an independent contractor and not an officer, agent, or employee of the State of South Dakota.

2.8 Contractor agrees to report to the State any event encountered in the course of performance of this Agreement which results in injury to the person or property of third parties, or which may otherwise subject Contractor or the State to liability. Contractor shall report any such event to the State immediately upon discovery.

Contractor's obligation under this section shall only be to report the occurrence of any event to the State and to make any other report provided for by their duties or applicable law. Contractor's obligation to report shall not require disclosure of any information subject to privilege or confidentiality under law (e.g., attorney-client communications).

Reporting to the State under this section shall not excuse or satisfy any obligation of Contractor to report any event to law enforcement or other entities under the requirements of any applicable law.

2.9 This Agreement may be terminated by either party hereto upon thirty (30) days written notice. In the event the Contractor breaches any of the terms or conditions hereof, this Agreement may be terminated by the State at any time with or without notice. If termination for such a default is effected by the State, any payments due to Contractor at the time of termination may be adjusted to cover any additional costs to the State because of Contractor's default. Upon termination the State may take over the work and may award another party an agreement to complete the work under this Agreement. If after the State terminates for a default by Contractor it is determined that Contractor was not at fault, then the Contractor shall be paid for eligible services rendered and expenses incurred up to the date of termination.

2.10 This Agreement depends upon the continued availability of appropriated funds and expenditure authority from the Legislature for this purpose. If for any reason the Legislature fails to appropriate funds or grant expenditure authority, or funds become unavailable by operation of law or federal funds reductions, this Agreement will be terminated by the State. Termination for any of these reasons is not a default by the State nor does it give rise to a claim against the State.

2.11 This Agreement may not be assigned without the express prior written consent of the State.

This Agreement may not be amended except in writing, which writing shall be expressly identified as a part hereof and be signed by an authorized representative of each of the parties hereto.

2.12 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the

State of South Dakota. Any lawsuit pertaining to or affecting this Agreement shall be venued in Circuit Court, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Hughes County, South Dakota.

2.13 The Contractor will comply with all federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements applicable to providing services pursuant to this Agreement, and will be solely responsible for obtaining current information on such requirements.

2.14 The Contractor may not use subcontractors to perform the services described herein without the express prior written consent of the State. The Contractor will include provisions in its subcontracts requiring its subcontractors to comply with the applicable provisions of this Agreement, to indemnify the State, and to provide insurance coverage for the benefit of the State in a manner consistent with this Agreement. The Contractor will cause its subcontractors, agents, and employees to comply, with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements and will adopt such review and inspection procedures as are necessary to assure such compliance.

2.15 Contractor hereby acknowledges and agrees that all reports, plans, specifications, technical data, miscellaneous drawings, software system programs and documentation, procedures, or files, operating instructions and procedures, source code(s) and documentation, including those necessary to upgrade and maintain the software program, and all information contained therein provided to the State by the Contractor in connection with its performance of services under this Agreement shall belong to and is the property of the State and will not be used in any way by the Contractor without the written consent of the State. Papers, reports, forms, software programs, source code(s) and other material which are a part of the work under this Agreement will not be copyrighted without written approval of the State.

2.16 The Contractor certifies that neither Contractor nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment or suspension, or declared ineligible from participating in transactions by the federal government or any state or local government department or agency. Contractor further agrees that it will immediately notify the State if during the term of this Agreement Contractor or its principals become subject to debarment, suspension or ineligibility from participating in transactions by the federal government, or by any state or local government department or agency.

2.17 Any notice or other communication required under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address and individuals indicated in the Agreement, or such authorized designees as either party may from time to time designate in writing. Notices or communications to or between the parties shall be deemed to have been delivered when mailed by first class mail, provided that notice of default or termination shall be sent by registered or certified mail, or, if personally delivered, when received by such party.

2.18 In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall hold any provision of this

Agreement unenforceable or invalid, such holding shall not invalidate or render unenforceable any other provision hereof.

2.19 All other prior discussions, communications and representations concerning the subject matter of this Agreement are superseded by the terms of this Agreement, and except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof.

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

SDSU Metro Center Custodial Services

Location: SDSU Metro Center, 2400 S Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls SD 57105 Facility Size: Approximately 44,000 Gross Square Feet

1. Overview

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, management, and personnel necessary to perform custodial services for the SDSU Sioux Falls Metro Center. Services shall be performed in accordance with the requirements outlined in this Scope of Work and maintained at the cleanliness standards established by the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA).

Work quality will be measured against the required cleanliness levels and monitored through inspections conducted by South Dakota State University (SDSU).

2. Staffing Requirements

The Contractor shall provide staffing to maintain the required service levels during the following hours:

One (1) custodial employee on-site Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

One (1) custodial employee on-site Monday through Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The Contractor shall provide sufficient personnel to perform all services required under this contract. SDSU will not reimburse transportation costs.

3. Service Schedule

Routine custodial services shall be provided Monday through Friday and will not be required on:

Saturdays

Sundays

Official State of South Dakota holidays

Federal holidays recognized by the State

University administrative closure days

Unless specifically requested by SDSU, services will not be required during the following holidays and closure periods:

New Year's Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Presidents Day

Easter recess and associated administrative leave days

Memorial Day

Juneteenth

Independence Day (July 4)

Labor Day

Native American Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following Thanksgiving

Christmas Day and associated administrative leave days

4. Required Service Levels

Service requirements are detailed in the following attachment:

SDSU Metro Center Custodial Baseline

5. Emergency Response Services

In the event of a building-related emergency, including but not limited to:

Water leaks

Flooding

Other custodial emergencies requiring immediate response

SDSU may request emergency custodial services outside the normal scope of work and scheduled service hours.

Such services shall be compensated at the Contractor's awarded Hourly Emergency Response Rate, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both parties.

6. Quality Assurance and Inspections

SDSU will monitor service quality through periodic inspections.

Inspection frequency shall be as follows:

Weekly inspections during the first month of the contract

Monthly inspections, thereafter, provided the Contractor consistently maintains required cleanliness standards

SDSU reserves the right to increase inspection frequency if service performance declines or if custodial baseline standards are not consistently achieved.

7. University-Provided Resources

SDSU will provide building access through keys, card access credentials, or both, as determined by the University.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

SDSU will provide basic PPE, including:

Gloves

Safety glasses

Masks

Spill kits

The Contractor shall provide any additional PPE necessary for its employees.

Equipment and Supplies

SDSU will provide all custodial equipment, consumable products, and cleaning supplies necessary to perform services, including but not limited to:

Floor scrubber

Stand-on scrubber

Doodle Scrub

Wet vacuum

Spot extractor

Upright vacuum

Battery backpack vacuum

Hand scrubber

Mop buckets

Restroom cleaning carts

Window cleaning equipment

Cleaning chemicals

Soap

Toilet paper

Other custodial consumables

8. Equipment Responsibility

The Contractor shall be responsible for the repair or replacement of university-owned equipment damaged due to Contractor negligence, misuse, or improper operation.

Routine maintenance, ordinary wear, and normal equipment replacement shall remain the responsibility of SDSU.

Additional Terms and Conditions

1. Employee Qualifications

All employees assigned to this contract shall:

Successfully pass a criminal background check conducted by the Contractor

Not have felony convictions that would prohibit assignment to university facilities under SDSU policy

Be bonded and insured

2. Additional Services

Any services requested by SDSU that are not included in this Scope of Work shall be negotiated separately and agreed upon by both parties.

3. Uniform Requirements

Contractor personnel shall wear uniforms or other identifying attire that clearly identifies them as employees of the contracted vendor.

4. Staffing Continuity

The Contractor shall promptly communicate staffing shortages, vacancies, or other workforce challenges to SDSU Metro Center management.

The Contractor shall:

Provide temporary staffing solutions when shortages occur

Ensure critical services continue without interruption

Implement corrective actions to address long-term staffing issues

Maintain required cleanliness standards regardless of staffing challenges

5. Reporting and Invoicing

The Contractor shall submit a monthly invoice that includes:

Summary of staffing provided

Additional authorized services performed

Emergency response services performed

Significant operational issues affecting contract performance

6. Payment Terms

Payment will be made monthly upon receipt and approval of detailed invoices.

The first payment will be processed after completion of the first month of services.

7. Floor Plans

Building floor plans will be available upon request.

4.0 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND COMPANY QUALIFICATIONS

4.1 The offeror is cautioned that it is the offeror's sole responsibility to submit information related to the evaluation categories and that the State of South Dakota is under no obligation to solicit such information if it is not included with the proposal. The offeror's failure to submit such information may cause an adverse impact on the evaluation of the proposal.

4.2 Offeror's Contacts: Offerors and their agents (including subcontractors, employees, consultants, or anyone else acting on their behalf) must direct all of their questions or comments regarding the RFP, the evaluation, etc. to the buyer of record indicated on the first page of this RFP. Offerors and their agents may not contact any state employee other than the buyer of record regarding any of these matters during the solicitation and evaluation process. Inappropriate contacts are grounds for suspension and/or exclusion from specific procurements. Offerors and their agents who have questions regarding this matter should contact the buyer of record.

4.3 Provide the following information related to at least three previous and current service/contracts, performed by the offeror’s organization, which are similar to the requirements of this RFP.

a. Name, address and telephone number of client/contracting agency and a representative of that agency who may be contacted for verification of all information submitted;

b. Dates of the service/contract; and

c. A brief, written description of the specific prior services performed and requirements thereof.

5.0 PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

5.1 Interested vendors must email their complete document in a Word or PDF format to Karen Bravek, SDSU Purchasing Manager at Karen.Bravek@sdstate.edu, per section 1.4 – Submitting your Proposal. The proposal should be page numbered and should have an index and/or table of contents referencing the appropriate page number.

5.2 All proposals must be organized and tabbed with labels for the following headings:

5.2.1 RFP Form. The State’s Request for Proposal form (1st page of RFP) completed and signed.

5.2.2 Executive Summary. The one-to-two-page executive summary is to briefly describe the offeror's proposal. This summary should highlight the major features of the proposal. It must indicate any requirements that cannot be met by the offeror. The reader should be able to determine the essence of the proposal by reading the executive summary.

Proprietary information requests should be identified in this section.

5.2.3 Detailed Response. This section should constitute the major portion of the proposal and must contain at least the following information:

5.2.3.1 A complete narrative of the offeror's assessment of the work to be performed, the offeror’s ability and approach, and the resources necessary to fulfill the requirements. This should demonstrate the offeror's understanding of the desired overall performance expectations.

5.2.3.2 A specific point-by-point response, in the order listed, to each requirement in the

RFP. The response should identify each requirement being addressed as enumerated in the RFP.

5.2.3.3 A clear description of any options or alternatives proposed.

5.2.4 Cost Proposal. Cost will be evaluated independently from the technical proposal.

Offerors may submit multiple cost proposals. All costs related to the provision of the required services must be included in each cost proposal offered.

See section 7.0 for more information related to the cost proposal.

6.0 PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

6.1 After determining that a proposal satisfies the mandatory requirements stated in the Request for Proposal, the evaluator(s) shall use subjective judgment in conducting a comparative assessment of the proposal by considering each of the following criteria:

6.1.1 Cost

6.1.2 Experience and Reliability

6.1.3 Expertise of Personnel

6.1.4 Method of Performance

6.2 Experience and reliability of the offeror's organization are considered subjectively in the evaluation process. Therefore, the offeror is advised to submit any information which documents successful and reliable experience in past performances, especially those performances related to the requirements of this RFP.

6.3 The qualifications of the personnel proposed by the offeror to perform the requirements of this RFP, whether from the offeror's organization or from a proposed subcontractor, will be subjectively evaluated. Therefore, the offeror should submit detailed information related to the experience and qualifications, including education and training, of proposed personnel.

6.4 The State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive technicalities, and make award(s) as deemed to be in the best interest of the State of South Dakota.

6.5 Award: The requesting agency and the highest ranked offeror shall mutually discuss and refine the scope of services for the project and shall negotiate terms, including compensation and performance schedule.

6.5.1 If the agency and the highest ranked offeror are unable for any reason to negotiate a contract at a compensation level that is reasonable and fair to the agency, the agency shall, either orally or in writing, terminate negotiations with the contractor. The agency may then negotiate with the next highest ranked contractor.

6.5.2 The negotiation process may continue through successive offerors, according to agency ranking, until an agreement is reached, or the agency terminates the contracting process.

7.0 COST PROPOSAL

The Total Annual Cost includes all labor, supervision, employee benefits, overhead, insurance, travel, uniforms, equipment operation, administrative costs, taxes, and all other costs necessary to perform the services described in this RFP.

Description Proposed Cost

Total Annual Cost $________

Monthly Cost (for invoicing purposes) $________

Hourly Rate for Additional Authorized Services $________

Hourly Emergency Response Rate (if different) $________