RFP_REC250674_Holiday_Decor_and_Lighting_Services_for_Downtown_Ocala_-__Holiday_Decor_and_Lighting_Services.pdf

110 SE Watula Avenue, Third Floor

Ocala, Florida 34471 Main Number: (352) 629-8402 www.bidocala.com

The City of Ocala is accepting sealed electronic submissions for:

HOLIDAY DÉCOR AND LIGHTING SERVICES FOR DOWNTOWN

OCALA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”) #:REC/250674

Official copies of all solicitation documents may be obtained via electronic download from the City of Ocala’s e-procurement portal located at: https://www.bidocala.com

** Copies of documents obtained from any other source are not considered official copies. **

Deadline for Questions: 7/9/2025 at 5:00 p.m. (EST)

All questions or inquiries regarding this solicitation must be submitted via e-mail to the Buyer Contact identified below or via the e-procurement portal no later than the Deadline for Questions noted above. Any questions received after the deadline will not be considered.

Where to Submit Proposals: City of Ocala’s E-Procurement Portal:

https://www.bidocala.com

Submission Deadline: 7/14/2025 at 2:00 p.m. (EST)

Sealed electronic submissions shall be accepted up to the Submission Deadline.

Submissions received after the deadline and/or transmitted to the City of Ocala outside of the e-procurement portal shall be rejected. The e-procurement portal’s timestamp shall be conclusive as to the timeliness of filing.

Vendor Registration: Bidders must be a registered vendor within the ProRFx e-procurement portal in order to submit a response to this Solicitation. There is no charge to register, simply follow the registration path for “New Vendor Registration” at https://www.bidocala.com.

Buyer Contact/ Direct All Inquiries To:

ASHLEY PRESLEY, BUYER

E-Mail: apresley@ocalafl.gov Phone: (352) 629-8364

Notice to Proposers: The point of contact for all questions and issues relating to this Solicitation shall be the Buyer Contact identified above.

To ensure that your submission is deemed responsive, you are urged to request clarification or guidance regarding any issues involving this solicitation prior to submitting your response.

THE CITY OF OCALA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL SUBMISSIONS

http://www.bidocala.com/ https://www.bidocala.com/ https://www.bidocala.com/ https://www.bidocala.com/ mailto:apresley@ocalafl.gov

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

The City of Ocala seeks competitive proposals from interested companies to provide holiday lighting and decor services supporting the Recreation and Parks department for the City’s annual holiday lighting program.

EXHIBITS: The following Exhibits are incorporated into and made a part of this Solicitation as if fully set forth herein.

(a) EXHIBIT A: Price Proposal Form

(b) EXHIBIT B: Photos of Previous Year Holiday Event

(c) EXHIBIT C: Technical Specifications

1.1. LOCAL VENDORS. The City of Ocala encourages active participation by local vendors. In accordance with Section 22-2 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, this Solicitation DOES NOT QUALIFY for Local Vendor Preference.

1.2. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS.

(a) Proposers are responsible for verifying all listing information prior to submitting a response to the

Solicitation.

(b) Proposers must communicate any questions regarding this Solicitation by the deadline set forth above.

(c) Any and all questions must be submitted to the Procurement Department electronically via www.bidocala.com. Responses will be made electronically and posted online. It is the responsibility of the proposers to check for updates.

(d) If necessary, any addenda shall be posted to the www.bidocala.com website.

(e) It is our standard policy that no addendum will be issued less than three (3) calendar days prior to the deadline established for receipt of proposals, except for an addendum withdrawing the solicitation or one which includes postponement of the date for receipt of proposals.

(f) No verbal or written information obtained by means other than those set forth in this Solicitation, or by addendum thereto, shall be binding upon the City.

1.3. AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION.

(a) Should it become necessary for the City to revise or amend any part of a solicitation, Procurement and Contracting Department staff shall furnish the revision or amendment via written addendum, comment, and/or question and answer posted in the City’s e-procurement system under the appropriate solicitation.

(b) Addenda, comments, questions, and answers should be reviewed by interested parties. Lack of review will not excuse Proposers from adherence to any requirements set forth therein.

(c) If there is a discrepancy with the scope of work that City determines, in its sole discretion, to be unfair to the Proposers, City may postpone the bid opening at any time in order to make corrections. City further reserves the right to extend the bid opening at any time during the bid process.

1.4. ADA NEEDS/ACCOMMODATIONS: If reasonable accommodations are needed in order for an interested Proposer to participate in this solicitation, please contact the Buyer Contact identified above at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance so that arrangements can be made.

MINORITY/DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION. The City of Ocala encourages the active participation of minority businesses, women’s businesses, and labor surplus area firms whenever possible as either prime contractors or subcontractors. If subcontracts are to be let through a prime subcontractor, the prime contractor is required to take the following affirmative steps:

(a) placing qualified small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises on solicitation lists;

(b) assuring that small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources;

(c) when economically feasible, dividing total requirements into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises;

(d) establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises; and

(e) using the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce.

1.5. CERTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: By responding to this solicitation, Proposer certifies that he/she has carefully read the solicitation documents, including any addenda, exhibits, attachments, and/or appendices in their entirety and agrees that to the best of his/her knowledge no pages or parts of the documents appear to have been omitted and that he/she fully understands, accepts, and agrees to fully comply with the requirements and conditions set forth therein.

1.6. COST INCURRED IN RESPONDING. All costs directly or indirectly related to proposal preparation, representation or clarification shall be the sole responsibility of and be borne by the Proposer.

1.7. INDULGENCE. Indulgence by the City on any non-compliance by the Proposer does not constitute a waiver of any rights under this request.

1.8. FEDERAL DEBARMENT. By submitting a proposal, the Proposer certifies that no principal (which includes officers, directors, or executives) is presently suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency.

1.9. PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work; may not submit bids, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity; may not be awarded or perform work as a consultant, supplier, sub-consultant, or consultant under a contract with any public entity; and may not transact business any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017 for CATEGORY TWO($35,000) for a period of 36 months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.

1.10. E-VERIFY. The Proposer shall utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the Proposer during the term of the contract and shall expressly require any sub-consultants performing work or providing services pursuant to the state contract to likewise utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the sub-consultant during the contract term.

1.11. MATERIALS. All materials submitted in response to this solicitation shall become the property of the City.

1.12. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. The Proposer will indemnify and hold harmless, the City from liability of any nature or kind, including costs and expenses for or on account of any copyrighted, service marked, trademarked, patented or un-patented invention, process, article or work manufactured or used in the performance of the contract, including its use by the City. If the Proposer uses any design, device, materials or works covered by letters, service mark, trademark, patent, copyright, or any other intellectual property right, it is mutually agreed and understood without exception that the proposal prices will include all royalties of costs arising from the use of such design, device, or materials in any way involved in the work. This article will survive the termination of any contract with the City.

1.13. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

(a) The award hereunder is subject to the provisions of Chapter 112, Florida Statutes, as amended, governing conflict of interest.

(b) All Proposers are required to disclose the name(s) of any employee(s), officer(s), director(s), shareholder(s), or other agent(s) of their firm that are also employee(s) or public official(s) of the City of Ocala concurrently with the submission of their Proposal.

(c) All Proposers are required to disclose the name(s) of any City of Ocala employee(s) or public official(s) who either directly or indirectly owns or holds a five percent (5%) or more interest in Proposer’s firm, corporation, or other business entity.

(d) City of Ocala employees appointed persons, and elected officials (herein referred to as

"employees") may engage in outside activities and hold financial interests subject to state and federal laws and regulations and the City of Ocala Employee Handbook, as applicable.

(e) Every employee who is an officer, director, agent, employee, or owner of a substantial interest in any business entity which does or anticipates doing business with the City must complete and submit an “Officer and Employee Disclosure Statement” with every submission. This statement is available at http://www.bidocala.com/wp-content/uploads/Officer-and-Employee-Disclosure- Statement-and-Intro.pdf. Failure to disclose known conflicts of interest shall result in Proposal rejection and/or contract termination, if awarded.

1.14. ANTI-LOBBYING/COMMUNICATION WITH CITY STAFF AND OFFICIALS.

(a) Lobbying is defined as any action taken by an individual, firm, association, joint venture, partnership, syndicate, corporation, or any other group who seeks to influence the decision of a City Council member of City personnel after the advertisement of a solicitation and prior to the vote of City Council on the award of a contract.

(b) To ensure fair consideration for all Proposers, the City strictly prohibits Proposer communication relative to this solicitation with any employee, department, City official, or City Council member, regardless of whether written, verbal, or through a third party, except for those inquiries made directly to the Procurement and Contracting Department through the assigned Buyer Contact, the City’s Procurement Manager, or the City’s Procurement and Contracting Officer (“Assigned Procurement Personnel”).

(c) Proposers (including their agents or other third parties on their behalf) are prohibited from initiating any communication with any employee, department, City official or City Council member that will evaluate or consider the Proposal prior to and up to the time that award is made at a scheduled City Council meeting.

(d) Proposers (including their agents or other third parties on their behalf) are prohibited from discussing this Solicitation, or their submittals thereto, with competing firms under this Solicitation.

All oral and written inquiries must be directed through Assigned Procurement Personnel.

(e) Proposers (or any third-party on their behalf) who lobby or initiate otherwise prohibited communications shall be disqualified from consideration for award; AND may be subject to a three (3) year debarment from doing business with the City of Ocala.

1.15. PUBLIC RECORDS. All written competitive submissions received by the city pursuant to this RFP including all replies, oral presentations, other submissions, correspondence, meetings and records made thereof, and any other records concerning this solicitation shall be handled in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, and Article 1, Section 24, of the Florida Constitution.

(a) Sealed proposal responses or replies received by the City in response to its solicitations are exempt from public disclosure until such time as the City provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty (30) days after the opening of the proposals, whichever is earlier. If the City rejects http://www.bidocala.com/wp-content/uploads/Officer-and-Employee-Disclosure-Statement-and-Intro.pdf http://www.bidocala.com/wp-content/uploads/Officer-and-Employee-Disclosure-Statement-and-Intro.pdf all proposals or replies pursuant to this solicitation and provides notice of its intent to reissue the solicitation, then the rejected proposals or replies remain exempt from public disclosure until such time that the City provides notice of an intended decision concerning the reissued solicitation or until the City withdraws the reissued solicitation. A proposal or reply shall not be exempt from public disclosure longer than twelve (12) months after the City's initial notice rejecting all proposals or replies.

(b) Upon award recommendation or ten (10) days after opening, bids become “public records” and shall be subject to public disclosure consistent with Chapter 119 (Public Records) and Section

815.045 (Trade Secret Information), Florida Statutes. Should bidders/proposers consider any information related to their proposal or the services to be provided to City to be proprietary, a trade secret, or otherwise constitute confidential material under Florida or federal law, bidder/proposer shall designate such portion of the material as such by clearly marking it as CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, or TRADE SECRET and submit both a non-redacted and redacted copy of their submission. The redacted copy shall only exclude or obliterate the exact portions claimed to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secret. Additionally, bidder/proposer shall state the basis for of the exemption that it contends is applicable to the record, to include the statutory citation to an exemption created or afforded by statute.

(c) THE CITY WILL MAKE NO EFFORT TO VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT THE REDACTED

MATERIAL IS EXEMPT FROM CHAPTER 119, FLORIDA STATUTES. THAT DETERMINATION

IS TOTALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BIDDER/PROPOSER AND THE

BIDDER/PROPOSER SHALL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFENDING ITS

DETERMINATION THAT THE REDACTED PORTIONS OF ITS RESPONSE ARE

CONFIDENTIAL, TRADE SECRET, OR NOT OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE.

PROPOSER SHALL PROTECT, DEFEND, AND INDEMNIFY THE CITY FOR ANY AND ALL

CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO PROPOSER’S DETERMINATION THAT THE

REDACTED PORTIONS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE. IF THE PROPOSER FAILS

TO SUBMIT A REDACTED COPY OF ITS SUBMISSION, ANY CLAIM OF CONFIDENTIALITY

IS WAIVED, AND THE CITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED AND REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THE

ENTIRE DOCUMENT OR RECORD IN ITS ANSWER TO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR

SAID RECORDS.

1.16. ANTI-COLLUSION STATEMENT. By responding to this Solicitation, Vendor certifies that the following statements are true:

(a) All information contained herein is part of the public domain as defined in the Public Records Act, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

(b) Proposer’s submission is made without prior understanding agreement, or connection with any person, firm, or corporation submitting a bid for the same work, labor, or service to be done or supplies, materials, or equipment to be furnished and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. Proposer understands that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and may result in fines, prison sentences and civil penalties.

(c) Proposer’s submission has been arrived at independently and without consultation, communication, or agreement, or for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Proposer or competitor.

(d) Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been (or will be) quoted by Proposer in this submission have not been knowingly disclosed by Proposer and will not be knowingly disclosed by Proposer, either directly or indirectly, to any other bidder or competitor prior to the Solicitation opening date.

END OF SECTION

SECTION 2

SCOPE OF SERVICES, MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, AND RFP TIMELINE

2.1. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City of Ocala requires the services of an experienced vendor to provide holiday lighting and decor services supporting the Recreation and Parks department for the City’s annual holiday lighting program.

Vendor will provide lease and installation services for holiday decorations. Vendor will provide all labor, materials, supervision, tools, equipment, and vehicles necessary to perform the work as outlined within this Scope of Work.

Contract Term: The resulting contract will be for an initial term of three (3) years. Initial installation begins with the 2025 holiday season.

Renewal Option: One (3) optional, one-year renewal term.

Annual Display Period:

START: two (2) weeks prior to Thanksgiving Day holiday END: the Friday before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday

Annual Installation and Maintenance:

a. Decorations shall be completely installed and fully functional no later than two (2) weeks prior to the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

b. Tree installation shall not be completed any sooner than November 6th of each year. All other installation shall begin in October of each year and carry over to November.

c. Provide one crew to be present during a scheduled Light Up Ocala pre-lighting with the City to make any necessary repairs.

d. This event will take place the week before the Thanksgiving holiday, normally on a Wednesday and will be scheduled annually with the City Project Manager.

e. This a nighttime event and Vendor will need to be on-site in downtown Ocala from approximately 3:00 AM to 7:00 AM or until all lighting has been verified to be fully functional and repaired if needed.

f. Fully test and maintain the displays during the entire time they are operational.

g. Check and re-lamp all broken and/or discolored lights on all displays each year to ensure 100% uniformity & illumination.

h. Wire brush, re-tape and re-paint/touch up displays every year to cover any abrasions that may occur during installation, transit, and storage.

i. Maintain the installed holiday decorations during the display period and prior to installation in any successive year.

Annual Removal and Storage:

j. Completely remove the entire display no later than the Friday before the Martin Luther King Jr.

holiday each year.

k. Store the holiday decorations until they are to be displayed again the following year.

Repairs:

Vendor must respond to a request for repairs within 24 hours of notification:

l. Corrective Repairs: Provide for no additional charge to City, follow-up, or call-back work to correct improper repairs or installation of substandard materials furnished by the Vendor, or faulty workmanship by the Vendor (this does not include vandalism, pilferage, and force majeure).

m. Additional Repairs: Provide an itemized quote to the City for repairs due to vandalism, pilferage, and force majeure.

n. Completion of Repairs: Complete repairs within 72 hours of City’s request.

Quantities:

o. Quantities provided are representative of a typical annual program; but may vary year to year to meet City’s needs.

p. The City reserves the right to delete certain displays from the contract as necessary.

q. By September 1st of each year, Contractor shall meet with the City to firm up the plan for the current year program.

Installation Schedule:

a. Contractor must follow the installation, testing, and removal schedule as shown below:

Locations and Details- Areas Needing Decoration ITEM DESCRIPTION Quantity

Small Palm Trees - Tight spiral wrap trunks (4"-6" spacing) and bottom frond spine with LED mini lights (warm white lights on trunk and alternating green and red lights on fronds) Two (2) palms on SE 1st Avenue in front on hotel entrance

Medium Palm Trees - Tight spiral wrap trunks (4"-6" spacing) and bottom frond spine with LED mini lights (warm white lights on trunk and alternating green and red lights on fronds) Four (2) palms located on NE 1st Avenue between SR40 and NE 1st Street (two [2] on the east side of road and two [2] on the west side of road) Five (5) on the west side of Magnolia across from the square Three (3) palms located on N Magnolia between SR40 and NE 1st Street Seven (7) palms located in North Parking Lot outer perimeter located on NE 1st Street Three (3) palms located in center of the North Parking lot located on NE 1st Street Four (4) palms located in Tuscawilla park behind the American Legion building along waters edge Six (6) palms located S Curve Median located at SE 10th Street and SE 1st Avenue Eleven (11) North Magnolia Median Split

Large Palm Trees - Tight spiral wrap trunks (4"-6" spacing) and bottom frond spine with LED mini lights (warm white lights on trunk and alternating green and red lights on fronds) Three (3) palms in MCA Courtyard on SW Broadway Four (4) palms located in Tuscawilla Park at Palm Point (including entire palm that hangs over the pond

Pole Trim - Unlighted Natural Opaque Garland 25'- 6" natural opaque (non-branch) garland pole trim to be spiral wrapped on lamp post with two (2) 24" red glitter bows affixed to the top of the pole just below light.

Pole Trim - White Lighted Natural Opaque Garland 25'- 6" lighted natural opaque (non-branch) garland pole trim to be spiral wrapped on lamp post with two (2) 24" red glitter bows affixed to the top of the pole just below light.

Pole Trim and Wreaths - Citizens Circle 5' split lamppost wreath decorated with metallic ornaments and warm white mini lights and two

(2) 24" red glitter bows to be installed on small lamp poles. 25' natural branch garland with warm white mini lights to be spiral wrapped on lamp post. Wreaths mount up and over light pole.

Palm Frond Lighting - Fronds Only - Bottom frond spine with LED mini lights (alternating green and red lights on fronds) *Year-round lit palms by City to have seasonal colors on fronds for holidays only by Vendor.

Panel Tree Panel tree to be located on the downtown square or other area designated by the City: New (unused) 50’ animated panel tree including 3D star topper, complete with ornamentation

Gazebo Fully decorated with the following products: Eight (8) 11' sections of 14-4-2 branch garland with random c7 warm white LED lights to be swag on bottom rails with one (1) peak in the middle of each railing (Eight [8] sections total, each to have end to end plugs for easy connection of the front two [2] railings that will be removed during special events). Sixty-five (65) Polycarbonate icicle with internal warm white animated LED snowfall lighting (Size 5", 7", 12" and 18" tubes to be randomly hung under eve of gazebo). 110+ feet of c7 warm white LED lights to be affixed to the eight (8) peaks around the gazebo. Clear acrylic clips will be attached to the peaks for a straight and uniform perimeter lighting effect.

10 Holly Bush - Citizens Circle Light four (4) holly bushes with approximately three (3) sets each of warm white led mini lights 4

11 Magnolias - Citizens Circle Light magnolia tree with approximately twenty (20) sets of warm white led mini lights 2

12 Small Oaks - NE 1st Ave. - Five small oaks with warm white trunk lighting. Wide Angle mini lights, LED, 70 light, 6"Spacing - Warm White. 44 sets of lights per tree. 5

Decorative Garland - 179 S Magnolia Avenue Decorate horizontal decorative sign holder with branch garland, complete with ornamentation and 2-24" Red Glitter Bows mounted at the end (one on each side).

Ice Drop - Citizens Circle Mix of 12", 20", 32" & 40" LED ice drop tubes installed in the six (6) oak trees in the Citizens Circle area. Trees will average 70 tubes per tree.

Ice Drop - E Fort King Street Mix of 12", 20", 32" & 40" LED ice drop tubes installed in the six (6) oak trees along E Fort King Street between Sanchez and Osceola (both north and south side of the street) Trees will average 70 tubes per tree.

Ice Drop Tuscawilla Park Oak Grove Trees Mix of 12", 20", 32" & 40" LED ice drop tubes installed in the three (3) oak trees in the area of the outdoor stage. Trees will average eight-five (85) tubes per tree.

Tuscawilla Group Pavilion Perimeter -Tuscawilla Park Group Pavilion: (perimeter lighting) Outline lower perimeter canopy of train station with c7 warm white led lights 12" on center.

Lights will be evenly outlined as illustrated pictures. Lighting approx 230'+

18 Bow Installation-5th Street bow lease and installation. Install, remove and store 24" red vinly bows on select poles on 5th street (Two bows per pole, 57 poles total) 114

Train Station Perimeter - Train station canopy (perimeter lighting). Outline lower perimeter canopy of train station with c9 warm white led lights 12" on center. Lights will be evenly outlined as illustrated pictures. Lighting approx. 400'+.

20 4 Ball Stack 42" Multicolor - 4 ornament oversize ball stack - 42" ornaments fiberglass - install at Downtown Square 2

21 Snowflake Arch - 31 1/2 x 1

2.2. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

(a) COMMERCIAL AUTO LIABILITY. Awarded vendor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement commercial auto liability insurance with a minimum combined single limit of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage arising out of vendor’s operations and covering all owned, hired, scheduled, and non-owned automobiles utilized in said operations.

(b) COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY. Awarded vendor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement commercial liability insurance with minimum coverage limits not less than:

(1) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate (or project aggregate, if a construction project) for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury; and

(2) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate (or project aggregate, if a construction project) for products and completed operations.

(3) Policy must include coverage for contractual liability and independent contractors.

(c) WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYER’S LIABILITY. Awarded vendor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement adequate workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance covering all of its employees in at least such amounts as required by Chapter 440, Florida Statutes, and all other state and federal workers’ compensation laws. Vendor shall ensure any and all subcontractors have the required coverage for all of their employees as required by applicable law. Vendor shall waive, and shall ensure that its insurance carrier waives, all subrogation rights against the City of Ocala and its officers, employees, and volunteers for all losses or damages.

(d) CITY AS ADDITIONAL INSURED AND ENDORSEMENTS. The City of Ocala shall be named as an Additional Insured and Certificate Holder on all liability policies identified in this section with the exception of Workers’ Compensation and Professional Liability policies. Awarded vendor’s Worker’s Compensation policy shall be endorsed with WC 00 03 13 Waiver of our Right to Recover from Others or its equivalent. Vendor’s Commercial General Liability policy shall be endorsed with a CG 20 26 04 13 Additional Insured – Designated Person or Organization Endorsement or similar endorsement providing equal or broader Additional Insured Coverage with respect to liabilities arising out of activities performed by or on behalf of vendor.

(e) FAILURE TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED COVERAGE. In the event that the awarded vendor fails to obtain or maintain in full force and effect any required insurance coverage, the City may procure same from insurance carriers as the City may deem proper, irrespective that a lesser premium for such insurance coverage may be available, and Vendor shall pay, upon demand by City, any and all premiums, costs, charges and expenses incurred or expended by City in obtaining such insurance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event City is forced to procure the required insurance coverage due to awarded vendor’s failure to comply with these Insurance Requirements, City shall in no manner be liable to awarded vendor for any insufficiency or failure of coverage with regard to same or any loss to Vendor occasioned thereby. Additionally, the procurement of such insurance coverage shall not relieve awarded vendor of its obligation to maintain said coverage in the types and amounts specified herein and awarded vendor shall nevertheless hold City harmless from any loss or damage incurred or suffered by City from awarded vendor’s failure to maintain said coverage.

(f) OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INSURANCE PROVISIONS.

(1) These insurance requirements shall not relieve or limit the liability of awarded vendor. City does not in any way represent that these types or amounts of insurance are sufficient or adequate to protect awarded vendor’s interests or liabilities but are merely minimums. No insurance is provided by the City under any contract to cover awarded vendor.

(2) No work shall be commenced under any contract until the required Certificate(s) of Insurance have been provided. Work shall not continue after expiration (or cancellation) of the Certificates of Insurance and shall not resume until new Certificate(s) of Insurance have been provided. Insurance written on a “Claims Made” form is not acceptable without consultation with City of Ocala Risk Management.

(3) Awarded vendor shall arrange for its liability insurance to include, or be endorsed to include, a severability of interests/cross-liability provision so that the “City of Ocala” (where named as an additional insured) will be treated as if a separate policy were in existence, but without increasing the policy limits.

2.4 RFP TIMELINE. The City will attempt to follow the following schedule in the selection of the successful Proposer. The timeframes set forth below are subject to change at any time in the City’s sole discretion.

Milestone Date*

All written questions and inquiries are due by 5:00 PM EST July 9, 2025

Proposals due by or before 2:00 PM EST July 14, 2025

Administrative Review of Proposals July 14-17

Evaluation Committee Meeting

TBD

Shortlisted Firms- Interviews/Presentations TBD, if necessary

City Council Approval Date TBD *The City reserves the right to make changes or alterations to the Time Schedule at any time as the City, in its sole discretion, deems to be in the best interest of the public. Any extension, change, or update to this schedule prior to project award shall be updated within the listing at www.bidocala.com. Proposers are responsible for verifying all listing information prior to submitting a response to this solicitation.

SECTION 3

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS, PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS, AND

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposers shall follow the submittal requirements set forth herein. Responses that do not adhere to the following format or which fail to include the requested information/documents may be considered non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. The City reserves the right to seek additional/supplemental information as needed.

4.1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INFORMATION AND DEADLINE. All Proposals must be electronically submitted via before 2:00 p.m. (EST) on the listing end date/bid close date identified at www.bidocala.com. Proposals received after this time and date will not be considered. Proposals may not be submitted by any other means. The City will not accept Proposals sent by U.S. Mail, couriers, fax, or e-mail.

(a) Sealed electronic Proposals will be received and opened by the City’s Procurement and Contracting

Department electronically via the City’s e-procurement portal. All submitted responses shall be time and date stamped at the time the documents are uploaded and received.

(b) Any Proposals received after the advertised deadline for submissions will not be considered. It is the sole responsibility of each Proposer to ensure Proposal is submitted via the e-procurement portal on or before the advertised deadline.

(c) The ProRFx timestamp shall be conclusive proof of the timeliness of submission.

(d) By submitting a response, the Proposer certifies that neither Proposer nor any principal of Proposer is presently disbarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or otherwise excluded from doing business with any government agency (local, state, or federal).

(e) No Proposer shall be permitted to submit multiple solicitation responses. Only one (1) submission per firm, corporation, or individual bidder shall be accepted (as corroborated by maintaining distinct financial books, corporate tax filings, and EINs).

(f) Pricing must be entered on the Price Proposal form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(g) Proposals failing to provide sufficient information and assurances of performance so as to permit the

City to accurately assess each category of the required services will be deemed non-responsive and will not be given further consideration.

(h) Proposers shall examine the solicitation and contract documents and before submitting a bid, shall make a written request to City for an interpretation or correction of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error therein which could have been discovered by a Proposer. At the Proposal opening each Proposer shall be presumed to have read and be familiar with the contract documents.

4.2. COVER PAGE, PAGE SIZE, AND FORMAT.

(a) Proposals shall contain 8 ½” x 11” pages only with a minimum font size of 11 points. Proposals shall be no more than forty (40) pages, excluding the cover page, transmittal letter, and any required attachments, forms, licenses, certifications, sample reports, or resumes.

(b) The cover page shall include the title of this Solicitation along with the Proposer’s firm name, address, contact person, telephone number, and e-mail address.

4.3. ORGANIZATION OF PROPOSAL. Proposers shall organize submittals in the following format with tabs separating each section. At a minimum, the proposal shall include the following sections:

(a) TRANSMITTAL LETTER. A transmittal letter must accompany the submittal and must be signed by an individual legally empowered to represent and bind the proposing firm. The transmittal letter must, at minimum, include the following information:

(1) Corporate name (if applicable), address and telephone number of principal office, number of years in business and staff size.

(2) Identify the individual that will be primarily responsible for overseeing the completion of this project on behalf of the firm and the names of the persons who will be authorized to make representations for the firm, their titles, addresses, and phone numbers.

(3) Include an affirmative statement that the firm has received, read and understands all procedures and criteria associated with the submittal requirements, and understands that all terms and conditions contained herein may be incorporated into a resulting contract.

(4) A short narrative describing the firm’s understanding of the scope of work and a brief statement of why the firm believes itself to be the best qualified to perform the engagement.

(b) QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

(1) Provide qualifications, resumes, and experience of the team for this project based on the elements of this solicitation.

(2) Emphasize the specific qualifications and experience as it relates to the Scope of Work for the key team members including references and contract/project descriptions.

(3) Identify and provide in-depth information for the proposed project manager’s qualifications, track record and relevant experience.

(d) STAFFING PLAN:

(1) Discuss staffing plan, workload, both current and anticipated, for all key team members, and their capacity to perform the requested services according to the proposed schedule.

(2) Specify the names of the persons who will be authorized to give and support information, both in writing and oral presentation, for your company.

(3) Provide their titles, addresses and telephone numbers.

(e) REFERENCES: Submit a minimum of three (3) references from recent work performed similar to what is being proposed.

(f) APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY: Convey a clear understanding of the nature of the work outlined in Exhibit A - Scope of Work and your methodology to accomplish it. Proposer shall provide a unique design proposal fort the holiday décor and lighting proposed for Downtown Ocala area. As part of the design proposal the following should be provided:

1. A written narrative and description of the design plan.

2. A list of all proposed products for the plan.

3. Conceptual renderings, mockups, elevations, or other imagery to best depict the major décor and lighting displays being proposed.

4. An overall site map or schematic showing the general placement of lights and displays throughout the area.

5. A description regarding how the design incorporates the existing power supplies and voltages for each location.

(g) PROJECT SCHEDULE: Include your proposed project schedule, identifying any critical paths, to accomplish the Scope of Work. Discuss the Team’s approach for completing the services required for this project within budget and schedule.

(h) QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL (QA/QC) PROGRAM: Discuss your quality assurance and quality control procedures for providing holiday lighting services.

(i) PRICE PROPOSAL: Submit a completed Exhibit B – Price Proposal. VALUE ADD ITEMS:

Vendors may attach a price list/menu of additional add-on items with their proposal.

(j) ADDITIONAL RELEVANT INFORMATION: Include any other information your firm believes to be relevant.

4.5. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA. The City desires to maximize the purchasing value of public funds. It is the intention of the City to award the contract to the most qualified, responsive, responsible firm, which may not necessarily be the lowest-price proposer. Best value evaluation determines the value of products and/or services acquired resulting in the best combinations of quality, service, time, safety, security, and cost considerations over the useful life of the product or service. The emphasis shall be qualifications and value over price.

(a) SELECTION COMMITTEE. The Selection Committee for this Solicitation will be comprised of a minimum of three (3) members, from various and appropriate City departments.

(b) ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF PROPOSALS. Procurement and Contracting staff shall first review all Proposals in detail to make a determination as to the responsiveness of each Proposer:

(1) A proposal will be deemed responsive where it complies with the requirements as set forth in this solicitation, including the submission of all required documentation in the format outlined by this Solicitation.

(2) If a proposal is found to be inadequate with regard to any of the requirements set forth in this solicitation, the City’s Procurement and Contracting Officer, in his/her sole discretion, shall make a determination as to whether or not the deficiency can fairly be corrected or if the Proposal should be rejected and found to be non-responsive.

(3) If a proposer fails to meet and provide documentation in support of each of the Minimum Qualifications requirements set forth in this Solicitation, the Proposer’s proposal will be rejected and removed from consideration.

(4) Only responsive proposals from responsible Proposers shall be submitted to the Auditor Selection Committee

(c) SELECTION COMMITTEE REVIEW AND EVALUATION CRITERIA. Responsive and timely received proposals from responsible firms will be evaluated by the Selection Committee on a fair and consistent basis according to the evaluation criteria set forth below. If oral interviews and presentations are determined to be necessary, final scoring will be conducted after the interviews.

(1) The Selection Committee shall review each proposal individually and score each proposal based on the evaluation criteria stated herein.

(2) During the formal Selection Committee meeting, Committee members will discuss the proposals and compile individual rankings for each proposal based on the evaluation criteria stated herein to determine a shortlist consisting of not less than three (3) of the highest-ranking firms. If fewer than three firms respond to the RFP or are otherwise found to be qualified, the Selection Committee members shall shortlist such firms as it deems to be most highly qualified. The Selection Committee meeting shall be formally noticed by e-notification and posting on the City of Ocala website.

(3) The Selection Committee may schedule oral presentations from the top-ranked firms, and may, at their discretion, obtain guidance from third-party subject matter experts. Dates will be set for conducting interviews or presentations with shortlisted firms, and notification will be sent by e-mail and/or telephone of their assigned date and time, by Procurement staff.

(4) Final recommendation will be decided based on a review of scores and a consensus of the Selection Committee.

(5) The City reserves the right to withdraw this Solicitation and reject any or all proposers at any time and for any reason, and to issue such clarifications, modifications, and/or amendments as it may deem appropriate.

(6) Evaluation Criteria.

SELECTION COMMITTEE EVALUATION CRITERIA SCORING

(100 POINTS)

Qualifications and Experience of Firm, Staffing Plan; References Proposal contains documentation in support of qualification and education requirements. Proposal clearly sets forth the technical experience of the firm and qualifications of assigned staff with performing quality fire assessment maintenance services. Firm size and structure is appropriate and adequate.

Firm meets independence and licensure requirements. References.

Approach and Methodology; Project Schedule, QA/QC Program Proposal sets forth an adequate plan for the engagement. Proposal clearly states an understanding of the work to be performed, including making all required statements and affirmations. Proposed procedures are appropriate and adequate. Proposal supports that firm is able to meet timeframes and delivery dates.

Price Proposal.

Proposer has fully completed the Price Proposal exhibit and provided a schedule of professional fees and prices for additional services. Although cost is a significant factor, it will not be the dominant factor. Cost will be given more importance when all other evaluation criteria are relatively equal.

Total Maximum Points 100

(d) NEGOTIATION AND INTENT TO AWARD. After the shortlisted firms have been ranked based upon evaluation criteria, the City will issue its Intent to Award and engage in negotiations for the development of a professional services contract starting with the highest-ranked Proposer after the conclusion of the protest period. In the event that City is unable to negotiate a contract with the highest-ranked Proposer, such negotiations will be terminated, and negotiations will commence with the next highest-ranked Proposer, and so forth, until a contract is negotiated or the City rejects all Proposals and terminates the solicitation.

(1) Negotiation meetings will be conducted in Ocala, Florida and the City will distribute instructions and/or agendas in advance of each negotiation session. Representatives for the Proposer should plan to be available, without interruptions, for the entirety of the scheduled negotiation meeting.

(2) Negotiations will not be open to the public, but will be recorded pursuant to Section 286.0113, Florida Statutes. The recorded sessions and any records presented at the meeting will remain exempt from Florida Public Records until such times as the City provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty (30) days after the final reply, whichever occurs first. Provided, however, if the information provided at the meeting is deemed to be material to the Solicitation, then an addendum will be issued to all responders.

(3) After the successful negotiation of a professional services contract, the City will present the resulting contract to City Council for approval. City Council may approve the recommended award and negotiated contract or reject the award and contract. The decision of City Council shall be final.

4.6. CONTRACT AWARD.

(a) City anticipates award to the firm who submits a Proposal judged by the Auditor Selection

Committee to be the most advantageous to the City.

(b) Proposer understands that by submitting a response to a solicitation does not constitute an agreement or a contract with the City.

(c) In the event of a default by the awarded vendor, City reserves the right to utilize the next highest ranked Proposer meeting specifications as the new awarded Vendor. In the event of this occurrence, the next highest ranked Proposer meeting specifications shall be required to provide the goods or services at the prices as contained on their Proposal or bid for this specification.

(d) The contract that the City expects to award as a result of this Solicitation will be based upon the Solicitation documents, Vendor’s final response to the Solicitation as accepted by the City, and the City of Ocala’s General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions attached to the advertised Solicitation.

4.7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

(a) Offer and Binding Authority. Each Proposal timely received by City at the time advertised for the bid opening shall constitute an offer by the Proposer to sell the goods and/or perform the services in strict accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the solicitation, all for the bid amount. The individual submitting the Proposal must, and shall be deemed to, have binding authority to submit contracts on behalf of the responding firm.

(b) Determination of Responsiveness and Responsibility. After Proposal opening, but before any award is made, the City shall evaluate (as applicable) the solicitation process, the bid total, any supplements to the Proposal submittal forms, Proposer experience, any proposed subcontractors and/or equipment manufacturers, Proposer’s past performance and references, and any other data deemed by the City to be relative to making a determination of Proposer’s responsibility and qualifications to perform satisfactorily under the resulting contract.

(c) Mistakes. Proposers are expected to examine the specifications, delivery schedule, bid prices, extensions, and all instruction pertaining to the solicitation. Failure to do so shall be at Proposer’s risk and expense. All extensions of the unit prices shown, and the subsequent addition of extended amounts, shall be verified by City. In the event of a discrepancy between the sum of the extended amounts and the bid total, the unit price shall govern (if applicable). The City reserves the right to add to or delete any item from a bid or resulting award when deemed to be in the best interest of the City.

(d) Subcontractors and Equipment Manufacturers. Proposer may be required to submit, in writing, the names and addresses (and other material information) for any proposed subcontractors or equipment manufacturers identified in the Proposal. City reserves the right to disapprove any proposed subcontractor or equipment manufacturers whose technical or financial ability, resources, or experience are deemed (in the City’s sole discretion) to be inadequate.

(e) Samples. Samples of items when required, must be furnished free of expense to City and upon request, be returned to the bidder at the bidder’s expense. Samples of selected items may be retained for comparison purposes.

(f) Right to Cancellation, Rejection, Disqualification, and Waiver. City reserves the right to reject any bid where the prices appear to be unbalanced, and to reject any or all bids, or parts thereof, if it determines, in its sole discretion, that such rejection is in the best interest of the City. City reserves the right to cancel the bid in its entirety or waive any minor irregularity or technicality in bids received.

(g) Sole Proposer. Where only a single responsible and responsive Proposal is received, City may, in its sole discretion, elect to conduct a price or cost analysis of the Proposal. Such Proposer shall cooperate with the City’s analysis and provide such supplemental information as may be required.

The determination whether to enter into an agreement with a sole Proposer shall be solely within the City’s discretion and shall not be conditioned upon the City’s performance of a price or cost analysis.

(h) Shortlisting and Oral Presentations. In general, City wishes to avoid the expense (to the City and to proposing firms) of unnecessary presentations. Therefore, City will make every reasonable effort to rank/select firms based on written submittals alone.