RFP VIRTUAL POST TOURS Complete.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

#V211-24-046

VIRTUAL TOUR PROVIDER

18 January 2024

Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP# V211-24-046

Issue Date:

Title:

Due Date:

Commodity Codes:

Issuing Agency:

Period of Contract:

18 January 2024

VIRTUAL POST TOUR

20 February 2024 at 2:00 PM EST

91522 COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATED SERVICES

96153 MARKETING SERVICES

Virginia Military Institute Procurement Services 330 Parade Avenue, Smith Hall #314 Lexington, VA 24450

Date of Award through 30 June 2029 (Annually Renewable Thereafter for five (5) successive one (1) year renewals.)

Responses are to be submitted electronically through www.eva.virginia.gov. One redacted copy of the proposal including all attachments in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act is to be delivered to VMI electronically at procurement@vmi.edu.

PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING - There will be no pre-proposal conference held for this solicitation. Questions are to be submitted using the Understanding of Requirements form and emailed to procurement@vmi.edu (Appendix A)

In Compliance With This Request For Proposal And To All The Conditions Imposed Therein And Hereby Incorporated By Reference, The Undersigned Offers And Agrees To Furnish The Goods/Services In Accordance With The Attached Signed Response Or As Mutually Agreed Upon By Subsequent Negotiation.

Name and Address of Firm:

___________________________________________ Date: ______________________________________________

___________________________________________ By: ______________________________________________ (Signature In Ink)

___________________________________________ Name: _____________________________________________ (Please Print)

_________________________Zip Code: __________ Title: _____________________________________________

EVA Vendor ID or DUNS number ________________ Phone: (_____)_______________________________________

E-mail: _____________________________________ Fax: (_____)_________________________________________

Minority Vendor: _____ Woman owned: _____ Small Business _____ SWaM Certification Number: __________

Note: This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1 or against a bidder or offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment.

http://www.eva.virginia.gov/ mailto:procurement@vmi.edu mailto:procurement@vmi.edu

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

I. PURPOSE 4

II. CONTRACT PERIOD 4

III. BACKGROUND 4

IV. VASCUPP EXPANDED COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE 4

V. STATEMENT OF NEEDS 5

VI. RESPONSE PREPARATION & SUBMISSION 5

VII. SELECTION CRITERIA AND AWARD 7

VIII. METHOD OF PAYMENT 8

IX. ADDENDUM 8

X. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION 8

XI. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 9

XII. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 17

XIII. PRICE SCHEDULE 21

ATTACHMENTS:

A: UNDERSTANDING OF REQUIREMENTS

B: CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

C: OFFEROR DATA SHEET

D: REFERENCES

E. SMALL BUSINESS/SWaM CERTIFICATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN

I. PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit sealed proposals from qualified providers to establish a cooperative contract for Virtual Tour Software, Hosting, and Google tie-in to be used by Communications and Marketing in coordination with Admissions and Financial Aid to serve as an additional recruitment tool for interested students, particularly those with PELL Grants, providing as a way to ‘visit’ post regardless of financial or geographic limitations.

II. CONTRACT PERIOD:

The initial term of this contract is from date of award through 30 June 2029 with five successive one-year renewals.

This solicitation is issued in accordance with the provisions of:

A. Procurement Manual for Institutions of Higher Education and their Vendors

B. Governing Rules for Restructured Public Institutions of Higher Education

III. BACKGROUND:

Founded in 1839 as the nation's first state military college, the Virginia Military Institute is organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is governed by a Board of Visitors appointed by the Governor. In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Virginia, the nearly 1700 cadets constitute a military corp.

Support for recruitment for new members of the Corps continues to be a top priority for the Communications and Marketing team, along with all of VMI, in support of Admissions and Financial Aid. Open House events continue to be marketed as the best way to truly get to see and understand what makes VMI ‘No Ordinary College’ but VMI’s location and travel expenses can create a barrier to those interested in the Institute. Many colleges, including VMI’s direct competitors, have implemented virtual tours for years to provide this important inside look to a wider network of high school students, transfer students, parents, and families. A virtual tour would allow for mapping of 50 ‘stops’ at VMI covering the unique three-legged stool of academics, military life, and athletics that sets VMI apart. Stops will be populated with vendor generated as well as internally generated content, with Google integration to increase search engine optimization (SEO) to increase the overall reach of the VMI brand and mission.

The full-scale tour would also be able to be updated and curated with targeted smaller tours, supporting specific recruitment goals for ROTC, academic majors, and athletics, as determined by Admissions and their work across the Institute. Additionally, the software will allow for more marketing of VMI as the historic landmark it is to both the Commonwealth and the nation, focusing on traditions key to alumni interest and support. Current technology at VMI does not support a robust, interactive tour with SEO targeting.

IV. VASCUPP EXPANDED COOPERATIVE LANGUAGE:

CONTRACT PARTICIPATION: Under the authority of the Code of Virginia 2.2-4304. Cooperative Procurement, it is the intent of this solicitation and resulting contract(s) to allow for cooperative procurement. Accordingly, any public body, public or private health or educational institutions or lead-issuing institution’s affiliated corporations may access any resulting contract if authorized by the successful offeror(s).

https://vascupp.org/sites/vascupp/files/2020-09/hem.pdf https://vascupp.org/sites/vascupp/files/2020-05/vascapp-governing-rules.pdf

Participation in this cooperative procurement is strictly voluntary. If authorized by the successful offeror(s), the resultant contract(s) will be extended to the public bodies indicated above to purchase at contract prices in accordance with contract terms. The successful offeror(s) shall notify the lead-issuing institution in writing of any such institutions accessing the contract. No modification of this contract or execution of a separate contract is required to participate. The successful offeror(s) will provide semi-annual usage reports for all entities accessing the Contract. Participating entities shall place their own orders directly with the successful offeror(s) and shall fully and independently administer their use of the contract(s) to include contractual disputes, invoicing, and payments without direct administration from the lead-issuing institution. The lead-issuing institution shall not be held liable for any costs or damages incurred by any other participating public body as a result of any authorization by the successful offeror(s) to extend the contract. It is understood and agreed that the lead-issuing institution is not responsible for the acts or omissions of any entity and will not be considered in default of the contract no matter the circumstances.

Use of this contract(s) does not preclude any participating entity from using other contracts or competitive processes as the need may be.

V. STATEMENT OF NEEDS:

Successful offeror/s will provide VMI with a virtual tour with, at a minimum, the following attributes:

• Content Management: an easy-to-use system for updates and upgrades over the life of the contract by Digital Communications staff members;

• Image Capture: vendor-captured, hi-resolution images to tie into not only the tour but Google Maps/Virtual Tour integration;

• Multi-year Content Capture: contract will cover support of image updates and recapture to show the Institute in multiple seasons;

• Customer-generated Content Upload: the system will allow for Digital Communications staff to add text, audio, photos, and video as necessary;

• Content Ownership: all vendor-provided visuals and content will be owned by VMI for use both in and outside of the virtual tour software without copyright or further agreement needed, including after the end of any tour software contract;

• Quick, Robust Support: The Digital Communications team will be able to reach out for quick, robust support throughout the contract for assistance with content management, tour creation, etc.;

• Embedding and Social Media Connection: the tour will be able to not only ‘stand-alone’ but be embedded in various locations across VMI.edu and have the ability for social media promotion and sharing;

• Google Integration: the tour must be able to connect to Google API for maps and virtual tour to increase SEO and reach.

VI. RESPONSE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION:

A. General Requirements

1. RFP Response: To be considered for selection, Offerors must submit a complete response to this RFP.

Response must be submitted electronically through www.eva.virginia.gov

No other distribution of the Responses shall be made by the Offeror.

http://www.eva.virginia.gov/

2. Response Preparation

a. Responses shall be signed by an authorized representative of the Offeror. All information requested should be submitted. Failure to submit all information requested may result in the Institute requiring prompt submission of missing information and/or giving a lowered evaluation of the response. Responses which are incomplete or lack key information may be rejected by the Institute at its discretion. Mandatory requirements are those required by law or regulation or are such that they cannot be waived and are not subject to negotiation.

b. Responses should be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content.

c. Responses should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in the RFP.

All pages of the Response should be numbered. Each paragraph in the Response should reference the paragraph number of the corresponding section of the RFP. It is also helpful to cite the paragraph number, sub-letter, and repeat the text of the requirement as it appears in the RFP. If a response covers more than one page, the paragraph number and sub-letter should be repeated at the top of the next page. The response should contain a table of contents which cross references the RFP requirements. Information which the offeror desires to present that does not fall within any of the requirements of the RFP should be inserted at an appropriate place or be attached at the end of the response and designated as additional material. Responses that are not organized in this manner risk elimination from consideration if the evaluators are unable to find where the RFP requirements are specifically addressed.

d. Should the proposal contain proprietary information, provide one (1) redacted hard copy of the proposal and all attachments with proprietary portions removed or blacked out. This copy should be clearly marked “Redacted Copy” on the front cover. The classification of an entire proposal document, line-item prices, and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable. VMI shall not be responsible for the Offeror’s failure to exclude proprietary information from this redacted copy. See section e. below for additional information. An electronic copy is required; printed material is optional.

e. Ownership of all data, material and documentation originated and prepared for the Institute pursuant to the RFP shall belong exclusively to the Institute and be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by an Offeror shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. However, to prevent disclosure the Offeror must invoke the protections of Section 2.2-4342F of the Code of Virginia, in writing, either before or at the time the data or other materials is submitted. The written request must specifically identify the data or other materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary. The proprietary or trade secret material submitted must be identified by some distinct method such as highlighting or underlining and must indicate only the specific words, figures, or paragraphs that constitute trade secret or proprietary information. The classification of an entire Response document, line-item prices and/or total Response prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable and may result in rejection of the Response.

B. Specific Requirements

Responses should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the Institute may rigorously evaluate Offerors’ capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to submit the following information as a complete Response:

1. Submit the RFP cover sheet and all addenda acknowledgements, if any, completed and signed as required.

2. Plan and methodology for providing the goods/services as described in Section V. Statement of Needs of this Request for Proposal.

3. A written narrative statement to include, but not be limited to, the expertise, qualifications, and experience of the firm and resumes of specific personnel to be assigned to perform the work.

4. Offeror Data Sheet, included as Attachment C to this RFP.

5. Small Business Subcontracting Plan, included as Attachment E to this RFP. Offeror shall provide a Small Business Subcontracting plan which summarizes the planned utilization of Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD)-certified small businesses which include businesses owned by women and minorities, when they have received Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) small business certification, under the contract to be awarded as a result of this solicitation. This is a requirement for all prime contracts more than $100,000 unless no subcontracting opportunities exist.

6. Identify the number and dollar value of sales your company had during the last twelve months with each VASCUPP Member Institution. A list of VASCUPP Members can be found at:

www.VASCUPP.org.

7. Proposed Cost. See Section X. Pricing Schedule of this Request for Proposal.

VII. SELECTION CRITERIA AND AWARD:

A. Selection Criteria

Responses will be evaluated by Virginia Military Institute using the following:

No. Criteria Maximum Point Value 1 Offeror’s Plan for Providing Services 20 2 Qualifications, including Technical, and Experience of Offeror/Personnel 15 3 Integration with Google Maps and Virtual Tours to increase SEO and reach of tour

4 Implementation and continuing support/training 15 5 Small, Women-Owned, and Minority-Owned Participation Plan 20 6 Pricing 10 Total Points 100 http://www.vascupp.org/

B. Award

Selection shall be made of two or more offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals based on the evaluation factors included in the Request for Proposals, including price. Negotiations shall be conducted with the offerors so selected. Price shall be considered but need not be the sole determining factor. After negotiations have been conducted with each offeror so selected, VMI shall select the offeror which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, and shall award the contract to that offeror. The Commonwealth reserves the right to make multiple awards as a result of this solicitation. The Commonwealth may cancel this Request for Proposals or reject proposals at any time prior to an award and is not required to furnish a statement of the reasons why a particular proposal was not deemed to be the most advantageous (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4359D). Should the Commonwealth determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one offeror is fully qualified, or that one offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that offeror. The award document will be a contract incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the successful offerors’ proposal as negotiated.

VIII. METHOD OF PAYMENT

Virginia Military Institute will authorize payment to the successful offeror after receiving satisfactory service and receipt of the successful offeror’s correct invoice for services rendered.

Invoice documents shall include the contract number and purchase order number. Invoices must correspond with contract prices. Unless specified otherwise in a purchase order change form or a contract modification agreement, invoices shall be sent electronically to the following address: payables@vmi.edu

IX. ADDENDUM:

Any ADDENDUM issued for this solicitation may be accessed at http://www.eva.virginia.gov under the VBO.

X. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION:

Mary Kate du Laney, Assistant Director of Digital Communication at the Virginia Military Institute shall be identified as the Contract Administrator and shall use all powers under the contract to enforce its faithful performance.

The Contract Administrator shall determine the amount, quantity, acceptability, fitness of all aspects of the services and shall decide all other questions in connection with the services. The Contract Administrator shall not have authority to approve changes in the services which alter the concept, or which call for an extension of time for this contract. Any modifications made must be authorized by Procurement Services at Virginia Military Institute through a written amendment to the contract.

mailto:payables@vmi.edu

XI. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. PURCHASING MANUAL: This solicitation is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Purchasing Manual for Institutions of Higher Education and Their Vendors and any revisions thereto, which are hereby incorporated into this contract in their entirety. A copy of the manual is available for review at the purchasing office.

The manual may be accessed electronically at https://vascupp.org/sites/vascupp/files/2020-09/hem.pdf.

B. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS: This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the courts of the Commonwealth. VMI and the Contractor are encouraged to resolve any issues in controversy arising from the award of the contract or any contractual dispute using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures (Code of Virginia,§ 2.2-4366). ADR procedures are described in Chapter 9 of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendor’s Manual. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

C. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their proposals, offerors certify to the Commonwealth that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and § 2.2-4311 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA). If the award is made to a faith-based organization, the organization shall not discriminate against any recipient of goods, services, or disbursements made pursuant to the contract on the basis of the recipient’s religion, religious belief, refusal to participate in a religious practice, or on the basis of race, age, color, gender or national origin and shall be subject to the same rules as other organizations that contract with public bodies to account for the use of the funds provided; however, if the faith-based organization segregates public funds into separate accounts, only the accounts and programs funded with public funds shall be subject to audit by the public body. (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1E).

In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in 1. and 2. below apply:

1. During the performance of this contract, the Contractor agrees as follows:

a. The Contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the Contractor. The Contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.

b. The Contractor, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the Contractor, will state that such Contractor is an equal opportunity employer.

c. Notices, advertisements and solicitations placed in accordance with federal law, rule or regulation shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of meeting these requirements.

d. If the Contractor employs more than five employees, the Contractor shall (i) provide annual training on the Contractor's sexual harassment policy to all supervisors and employees providing services in the Commonwealth, except such supervisors or employees that are required to complete sexual harassment training provided by the Department of Human Resource Management, and (ii) post the Contractor's sexual harassment policy in (a) a conspicuous public place in each building located in the Commonwealth that the Contractor owns or leases for business purposes and (b) the Contractor's employee handbook.

e. The requirements of these provisions 1. and 2. are a material part of the contract. If the Contractor violates one of these provisions, the Commonwealth may terminate the affected part of this contract for breach, or at its option, the whole contract. Violation of one of these provisions may also result in debarment from State contracting regardless of whether the specific contract is terminated.

f. In accordance with Executive Order 61 (2017), a prohibition on discrimination by the Contractor, in its employment practices, subcontracting practices, and delivery of goods or services, on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, political affiliation, disability, or veteran status, is hereby incorporated in this contract.

2. The Contractor will include the provisions of 1. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each sub-contractor or vendor.

D. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: By submitting their (bids/proposals), (bidders/offerors) certify that their (bids/proposals) are made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other (bidder/offeror), supplier, manufacturer or sub-contractor in connection with their (bid/proposal), and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

E. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000:

By entering into a written contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor does not, and shall not during the performance of the contract for goods and services in the Commonwealth, knowingly employ an unauthorized alien as defined in the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

F. DEBARMENT STATUS: By participating in this procurement, the vendor certifies that they are not currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia from submitting a response for the type of goods and/or services covered by this solicitation. Vendor further certifies that they are not debarred from filling any order or accepting any resulting order, or that they are an agent of any person or entity that is currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If a vendor is created or used for the purpose of circumventing a debarment decision against another vendor, the non-debarred vendor will be debarred for the same time period as the debarred vendor.

G. ANTITRUST: By entering into a contract, the Contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Commonwealth of Virginia all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia under said contract.

H. MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR IFBs AND RFPs

Failure to submit a proposal on the official state form provided for that purpose may be a cause for rejection of the proposal. Modification of or additions to the General Terms and Conditions of the solicitation may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal.

I. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS: If any prospective (bidder/offeror) has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective (bidder/offeror) should contact the buyer whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than five working days before the due date. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the buyer.

J. PAYMENT:

1. To Prime Contractor:

a. Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the Contractor directly to the payment address shown on the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the state contract number and/or purchase order number; social security number (for individual Contractors) or the federal employer identification number (for proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations).

b. Any payment terms requiring payment in less than 30 days will be regarded as requiring payment 30 days after invoice or delivery, whichever occurs last. This shall not affect offers of discounts for payment in less than 30 days, however.

c. All goods or services provided under this contract or purchase order, that are to be paid for with public funds, shall be billed by the Contractor at the contract price, regardless of which public agency is being billed.

d. The following shall be deemed to be the date of payment: the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail, or when offset proceedings have been instituted as authorized under the Virginia Debt Collection Act.

e. Unreasonable Charges. Under certain emergency procurements and for most time and material purchases, final job costs cannot be accurately determined at the time orders are placed. In such cases, Contractors should be put on notice that final payment in full is contingent on a determination of reasonableness with respect to all invoiced charges. Charges which appear to be unreasonable will be resolved in accordance with Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4363 and -4364. Upon determining that invoiced charges are not reasonable, the Commonwealth shall notify the Contractor of defects or improprieties in invoices within fifteen (15) days as required in Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4351.,. The provisions of this section do not relieve an agency of its prompt payment obligations with respect to those charges which are not in dispute (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4363).

2. To Sub-contractors:

a. Within seven (7) days of the Contractor’s receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, a Contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

(1) To pay the sub-contractor(s) for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the sub-contractor(s) under the contract; or

(2) To notify VMI and the sub-contractor(s), in writing, of the Contractor’s intention to withhold payment and the reason.

b. The Contractor is obligated to pay the sub-contractor(s) interest at the rate of one percent per month (unless otherwise provided under the terms of the contract) on all amounts owed by the Contractor that remain unpaid seven (7) days following receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, except for amounts withheld as stated in (2) above. The date of mailing of any payment by U. S. Mail is deemed to be payment to the addressee. These provisions apply to each sub-tier Contractor performing under the primary contract. A Contractor’s obligation to pay an interest charge to a sub-contractor may not be construed to be an obligation of the Commonwealth.

3. Each prime Contractor who wins an award in which provision of a SWaM procurement plan is a condition to the award, shall deliver to the contracting agency or institution, on or before request for final payment, evidence and certification of compliance (subject only to insubstantial shortfalls and to shortfalls arising from sub-contractor default) with the SWaM procurement plan. Final payment under the contract in question may be withheld until such certification is delivered and, if necessary, confirmed by the agency or institution, or other appropriate penalties may be assessed in lieu of withholding such payment.

4. The Commonwealth of Virginia encourages Contractors and sub-contractors to accept electronic and credit card payments.

K. PRECEDENCE OF TERMS: The following General Terms and Conditions COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA PURCHASING MANUAL for INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION and THEIR VENDORS, APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING, IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986, DEBARMENT STATUS, ANTITRUST, MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CLARIFICATION OF TERMS, PAYMENT shall apply in all instances. In the event there is a conflict between any of the other General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions in this solicitation, the Special Terms and Conditions shall apply.

L. QUALIFICATIONS OF (BIDDERS/OFFERORS): The Commonwealth may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the (bidder/offeror) to perform the services/furnish the goods and the (bidder/offeror) shall furnish to the Commonwealth all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. The Commonwealth reserves the right to inspect (bidder’s/offeror’s) physical facilities prior to award to satisfy questions regarding the (bidder’s/offeror’s) capabilities. The Commonwealth further reserves the right to reject any (bid/proposal) if the evidence submitted by, or investigations of, such (bidder/offeror) fails to satisfy the Commonwealth that such (bidder/offeror) is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to provide the services and/or furnish the goods contemplated therein.

M. TESTING AND INSPECTION: The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct any test/inspection it may deem advisable to assure goods and services conform to the specifications.

N. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT: A contract shall not be assignable by the Contractor in whole or in part without the written consent of the Commonwealth.

O. CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT: Changes can be made to the contract in any of the following ways:

1. The parties may agree in writing to modify the terms, conditions, or scope of the contract. Any increase or decrease in the price of the contract resulting from such modification shall be agreed to by the parties as a part of their written agreement to modify the scope of the contract.

2. VMI may order changes within the general scope of the contract at any time by written notice to the Contractor. Changes within the scope of the contract include, but are not limited to, things such as services to be performed, the method of packing or shipment, and the place of delivery or installation.

The Contractor shall comply with the notice upon receipt, unless the Contractor intends to claim an adjustment to compensation, schedule, or other contractual impact that would be caused by complying with such notice, in which case the Contractor shall, in writing, promptly notify VMI of the adjustment to be sought, and before proceeding to comply with the notice, shall await VMI’s written decision affirming, modifying, or revoking the prior written notice. If VMI decides to issue a notice that requires an adjustment to compensation, the Contractor shall be compensated for any additional costs incurred as the result of such order and shall give the Purchasing Agency a credit for any savings. Said compensation shall be determined by one of the following methods:

a. By mutual agreement between the parties in writing; or

b. By agreeing upon a unit price or using a unit price set forth in the contract, if the work to be done can be expressed in units, and the Contractor accounts for the number of units of work performed, subject to VMI’s right to audit the Contractor’s records and/or to determine the correct number of units independently; or

c. By ordering the Contractor to proceed with the work and keep a record of all costs incurred and savings realized. A markup for overhead and profit may be allowed if provided by the contract. The same markup shall be used for determining a decrease in price as the result of savings realized. The Contractor shall present VMI with all vouchers and records of expenses incurred and savings realized. VMI shall have the right to audit the records of the Contractor as it deems necessary to determine costs or savings. Any claim for an adjustment in price under this provision must be asserted by written notice to VMI within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order from VMI. If the parties fail to agree on an amount of adjustment, the question of an increase or decrease in the contract price or time for performance shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures for resolving disputes provided by the Disputes Clause of this contract or, if there is none, in accordance with the disputes provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual. Neither the existence of a claim nor a dispute resolution process, litigation or any other provision of this contract shall excuse the Contractor from promptly complying with the changes ordered by VMI or with the performance of the contract generally.

P. ADDITIONAL GOODS AND SERVICES: VMI may acquire other goods or services that the supplier provides than those specifically solicited. VMI reserves the right, subject to mutual agreement, for the Contractor to provide additional goods and/or services under the same pricing, terms, and conditions and to make modifications or enhancements to the existing goods and services. Such additional goods and services may include other products, components, accessories, subsystems, or related services that are newly introduced during the term of this Agreement. Such additional goods and services will be provided to VMI at favored nations pricing, terms, and conditions.

Q. DEFAULT: In case of failure to deliver goods or services in accordance with the contract terms and conditions, the Commonwealth, after due oral or written notice, may procure them from other sources and hold the Contractor responsible for any resulting additional purchase and administrative costs. This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies which the Commonwealth may have.

R. TAXES: Sales to the Commonwealth of Virginia are normally exempt from State sales tax. State sales and use tax certificates of exemption, Form ST-12, will be issued upon request. Deliveries against this contract shall usually be free of Federal excise and transportation taxes. The Commonwealth’s excise tax exemption registration number is 54-73-0076K.

If sales or deliveries against the contract are not exempt, the Contractor shall be responsible for the payment of such taxes unless the tax law specifically imposes the tax upon the buying entity and prohibits the Contractor from offering a tax-included price.

S. USE OF BRAND NAMES: Unless otherwise provided in this solicitation, the name of a certain brand, make or manufacturer does not restrict (bidders/offerors) to the specific brand, make or manufacturer named, but conveys the general style, type, character, and quality of the article desired. Any article which the public body, in its sole discretion, determines to be the equivalent of that specified, considering quality, workmanship, economy of operation, and suitability for the purpose intended, shall be accepted. The (bidder/offeror) is responsible to clearly and specifically identify the product being offered and to provide sufficient descriptive literature, catalog cuts and technical detail to enable the Commonwealth to determine if the product offered meets the requirements of the solicitation. This is required even if offering the exact brand, make or manufacturer specified. Normally in competitive sealed bidding only the information furnished with the bid will be considered in the evaluation. Failure to furnish adequate data for evaluation purposes may result in declaring a bid nonresponsive. Unless the (bidder/offeror) clearly indicates in its (bid/proposal) that the product offered is an equivalent product, such (bid/proposal) will be considered to offer the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

T. TRANSPORTATION AND PACKAGING: By submitting their (bids/proposals), all (bidders/offerors) certify and warrant that the price offered for FOB destination includes only the actual freight rate costs at the lowest and best rate and is based upon the actual weight of the goods to be shipped. Except as otherwise specified herein, standard commercial packaging, packing and shipping containers shall be used. All shipping containers shall be legibly marked or labeled on the outside with purchase order number, commodity description, and quantity.

U. INSURANCE: By signing and submitting a bid or proposal under this solicitation, the bidder or offeror certifies that if awarded the contract, it will have the following insurance coverage at the time the contract is awarded.

For construction contracts, if any sub-contractors are involved, the sub-contractor will have workers’ compensation insurance in accordance with §§ 2.2-4332 and 65.2-800 et seq. of the Code of Virginia. The bidder or offeror further certifies that the Contractor and any sub-contractors will maintain these insurance coverage during the entire term of the contract and that all insurance coverage will be provided by insurance companies authorized to sell insurance in Virginia by the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

MINIMUM INSURANCE COVERAGES AND LIMITS:

1. Workers’ Compensation - Statutory requirements and benefits. Coverage is compulsory for employers of three or more employees, to include the employer. Contractors who fail to notify the Commonwealth of increases in the number of employees that change their workers’ compensation requirements under the Code of Virginia during the course of the contract shall be in noncompliance with the contract.

2. Employer’s Liability - $100,000.

3. Commercial General Liability - $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate. Commercial General Liability is to include bodily injury and property damage, personal injury and advertising injury, products and completed operations coverage. The Commonwealth of Virginia shall be added as an additional insured to the policy by an endorsement.

4. Automobile Liability - $1,000,000 combined single limit. (Required only if a motor vehicle not owned by the Commonwealth is to be used in the contract. Contractor must assure that the required coverage is maintained by the Contractor (or third party owner of such motor vehicle.)

Profession/Service Limits

Accounting $1,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 aggregate Architecture $2,000,000 per occurrence, $6,000,000 aggregate Asbestos Design, Inspection or Abatement Contractors $1,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 aggregate Health Care Practitioner (to include Dentists, Licensed Dental

Hygienists, Optometrists, Registered or Licensed Practical Nurses, Pharmacists, Physicians, Podiatrists, Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, Professional Counselors, Hospitals, or Health Maintenance Organizations.) Code of Virginia § 8.01-581.15 https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter21.1/section8.01-581.15/

Insurance/Risk Management $1,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 aggregate Landscape/Architecture $1,000,000 per occurrence, $1,000,000 aggregate Legal $1,000,000 per occurrence, $5,000,000 aggregate

Professional Engineer $2,000,000 per occurrence, $6,000,000 aggregate Surveying $1,000,000 per occurrence, $1,000,000 aggregate

V. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD: Upon the award or the announcement of the decision to award a contract as a result of this solicitation, VMI will publicly post such notice on the DGS/DPS eVA VBO (www.eva.virginia.gov) for a minimum of 10 days.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter21.1/section8.01-581.15/ https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter21.1/section8.01-581.15/ http://www.eva.state.va.us/ http://www.eva.state.va.us/

W. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Applicable for all contracts over $10,000:

During the performance of this contract, the Contractor agrees to (i) provide a drug-free workplace for the Contractor's employees; (ii) post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana is prohibited in the Contractor's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition; (iii) state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the Contractor that the Contractor maintains a drug-free workplace; and (iv) include the provisions of the foregoing clauses in every subcontract or purchase order of over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each sub-contractor or vendor.

For the purposes of this section, “drug-free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific contract awarded to a Contractor, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of any controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the contract.

X. NONDISCRIMINATION OF CONTRACTORS: A bidder, offeror, or Contractor shall not be discriminated against in the solicitation or award of this contract because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, faith-based organizational status, any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment or because the bidder or offeror employs ex-offenders unless the state agency, department or institution has made a written determination that employing ex-offenders on the specific contract is not in its best interest. If the award of this contract is made to a faith-based organization and an individual, who applies for or receives goods, services, or disbursements provided pursuant to this contract objects to the religious character of the faith-based organization from which the individual receives or would receive the goods, services, or disbursements, the public body shall offer the individual, within a reasonable period of time after the date of his objection, access to equivalent goods, services, or disbursements from an alternative provider.

Y. eVA BUSINESS-TO-GOVERNMENT VENDOR REGISTRATION, CONTRACTS, AND ORDERS: The eVA Internet electronic procurement solution, web site portal www.eVA.virginia.gov, streamlines and automates government purchasing activities in the Commonwealth. The eVA portal is the gateway for vendors to conduct business with state agencies and public bodies. All vendors desiring to provide goods and/or services to the Commonwealth shall participate in the eVA Internet e-procurement solution by completing the free eVA Vendor Registration. All bidders or offerors must register in eVA and pay the Vendor Transaction Fees specified below; failure to register will result in the bid/proposal being rejected.

Vendor transaction fees are determined by the date the original purchase order is issued and the current fees are as follows:

a. For orders issued July 1, 2014, and after, the Vendor Transaction Fee is:

(i) DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $500 per order.

(ii) Businesses that are not DSBSD-certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order.

b. Refer to Special Term and Condition “eVA Orders and Contracts” to identify the number of purchase orders that will be issued as a result of this solicitation/contract with the eVA transaction fee specified above assessed for each order.

For orders issued prior to July 1, 2014, the vendor transaction fees can be found at www.eVA.virginia.gov.

The specified vendor transaction fee will be invoiced, by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services, typically within 60 days of the order issue date. Any adjustments (increases/decreases) will be handled through purchase order changes.

http://www.eva.virginia.gov/ http://www.eva.virginia.gov/

Z. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: It is understood and agreed between the parties herein that VMI shall be bound hereunder only to the extent that the legislature has appropriated funds that are legally available or may hereafter become legally available for the purpose of this agreement.

AA. SET-ASIDES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ENHANCEMENT AWARD PRIORITY: This solicitation is set-aside for award priority to DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses when designated as “Micro Business Set-Aside Award Priority” or “Small Business Set-Aside Award Priority” accordingly in the solicitation. DSBSD-certified micro businesses or small businesses also includes DSBSD-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DSBSD small business certification. For purposes of award, bidders/offerors shall be deemed micro businesses or small businesses if and only if they are certified as such by DSBSD on the due date for receipt of bids/proposals.

AA. BID PRICE CURRENCY: Unless stated otherwise in the solicitation, bidders/offerors shall state bid/offer prices in US dollars.

BB. AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH: A Contractor organized as a stock or nonstock corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership or registered as a registered limited liability partnership shall be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code of Virginia or as otherwise required by law. Any business entity described above that enters into a contract with a public body pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall not allow its existence to lapse or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth, if so required under Title 13.1 or Title 50, to be revoked or cancelled at any time during the term of the contract. A public body may void any contract with a business entity if the business entity fails to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section.

CC. CIVILITY IN STATE WORKPLACES: The Contractor shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no individual, while performing work on behalf of the Contractor or any sub-contractor in connection with this agreement (each, a “Contract Worker”), shall engage in 1) harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying, cyber-bullying, or threatening or violent conduct, or 2) discriminatory behavior on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, political affiliation, veteran status, or disability.

The Contractor shall provide each Contract Worker with a copy of this Section and will require Contract Workers to participate in VMI training on civility in the State workplace if Contractor’s (and any sub-contractor’s) regular mandatory training programs do not already encompass equivalent or greater expectations. Upon request, the Contractor shall provide documentation that each Contract Worker has received such training.

For purposes of this Section, “State workplace” includes any location, permanent or temporary, where a Commonwealth employee performs any work-related duty or is representing VMI, as well as surrounding perimeters, parking lots, outside meeting locations, and means of travel to and from these locations.

Communications are deemed to occur in a State workplace if the Contract Worker reasonably should know that the phone number, email, or other method of communication is associated with a State workplace or is associated with a person who is a State employee.

The Commonwealth of Virginia may require, at its sole discretion, the removal and replacement of any Contract Worker who the Commonwealth reasonably believes to have violated this Section.

This Section creates obligations solely on the part of the Contractor. Employees or other third parties may benefit incidentally from this Section and from training materials or other communications distributed on this topic , but the Parties to this agreement…