RFP_-_Welding AIDT FINAL.pdf

Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) is requesting proposals from qualified entities to provide a comprehensive Welding and Safety Training Program for high school juniors and seniors participating in workforce development and affiliated school programs in North Alabama.

The program will provide hands-on welding and safety instruction, competency evaluation, and opportunities to earn applicable industry-recognized certifications. Firms interested must submit a plan and proposal in accordance with this Request for Proposal.

1. INFORMATION CONCERNING AIDT

The mission of AIDT is to provide quality workforce development for Alabamas’s new and expanding busineses, and to expand the opportunities of its citizens through the jobs these businesses create. As a division of the Alabama Department of Commerce, AIDT provides a full range of customized technical training programs that are offered at no cost to employers and to the trainees.

The ultimate goals are:

• to raise the per capita income in Alabama;

• to improve the quality of life for our citizens;

• to reduce unemployment; and

• to promote economic growth across Alabama.

2. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected supplier shall coordinate with AIDT program managers and other designated representatives to implement welding and safety courses and evaluate trainees or students enrolled in AIDT workforce development programs or affiliated school programs. The selected supplier shall provide the following services:

A. Target Audience and Service Area. The selected supplier shall provide training primarily to high school juniors and seniors. Because the program requires on-site, hands-on instruction at the selected supplier’s facility, the selected supplier must be located within reasonable proximity to the intended trainees in North Alabama, including students from the following school systems:

1. Morgan, Lawrence, and Limestone County Schools; and

2. Decatur, Madison, and Huntsville City Schools.

B. Welding and Safety Training. The selected supplier shall provide on-site, hands-on welding and safety training at its facility. Proposed training shall combine interactive instruction with applied learning exercises, be scalable for multiple participants, and include certification testing or other knowledge-validation assessments, where applicable. Courses may include, but are not limited to:

1. NCCER Core Curriculum;

2. relevant welding and safety courses, including OSHA 10 training; and

3. customized instruction appropriate for participants with varying skill levels.

The selected supplier must be proficient in delivering the courses described above and other training related to welding and safety. The selected supplier shall maintain all required instructor and evaluator certifications and shall provide all materials, equipment, supplies, and other resources necessary to deliver the program.

C. Program Administration and Continuity. The selected supplier shall coordinate program implementation, instruction, trainee evaluations, and required documentation with AIDT program managers. The selected supplier shall also maintain reasonable emergency and backup procedures to address disruptions at its facility or training location that may affect the program or participating trainees.

3. PROPOSAL CONTENT

Each proposal must contain specific responses to each of the following requests. Suppliers are encouraged to respond fully to each inquiry, but to be as concise as possible. Respond to all questions and provide all information in the order requested. Suppliers must be registered in

Alabama Buys before being awarded the contract. Suppliers should submit a response to each item on a separate page, with the item reproduced at the top of the first page of the response.

A. Cover Letter. Submit a cover letter summarizing your proposal. The cover letter should specify that you are legally authorized to commit the firm to all terms and conditions contained in the proposal. Please limit the cover letter to no more than two pages.

B. General Information. Provide general information about the supplier including correct address, telephone, email address and webpage (if applicable) and a primary point of contact for program manager(s).

C. Executive Summary. Describe the supplier’s qualifications and experience, including:

1. Years of experience delivering welding and safety training to entry-level students/trainees and/or up-skilling for additional certifications (minimum of three years experience required);

2. Training environments;

3. Types of learners previously trained (e.g., high school students, postsecondary students, incumbent workers, apprentices, or entry-level employees);

4. Experience assessing learner competency and skills progression;

5. Curriculum or course development experience;

6. Training program description, including: course outlines and learning objectives;

instructional methods; delivery format; estimated course length and policies for missed sessions and make-up training; and industry-recognized certifications trainees will be eligible to earn; and

7. Safety training and enforcement methods.

D. Certifications, Licenses, and Credentials. Identify the proposed instructors to be assigned to the program and provide documentation of applicable qualifications, which may include, but are not limited to:

1. NCCER Instructor Certification;

2. Affiliation with an NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor, if applicable;

3. Applicable American Welding Society (AWS) certifications or instructor credentials;

4. OSHA Authorized Trainer credentials; and

5. Occupational health and safety credentials.

Provide the technical welding and instructional experience of proposed instructors in the following welding processes:

1. MIG/Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW);

2. TIG/Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW);

3. Stick/Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW); and

4. Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW).

E. Costs. Set forth pricing to be inclusive of all enrolled and eligible students/trainees, include all costs associated with implementation, platform access, hosting, and standard support.

Amounts shall remain firm for the duration of the contract unless otherwise indicated. Any optional or value-added services shall be clearly identified, itemized, and priced separately.

Cost proposal should include:

1. Pricing for training programs per academic year;

2. Price per course;

3. Price per participant (if applicable); and

4. Any licensing fees, materials fees, and/or fees for certifications.

To be considered, proposal responses to the RFP must include a brief transmittal letter along with fully completed copies of the following exhibits:

A. Exhibit A: Proposal;

B. Exhibit B: Vendor Disclosure Statement [see attached];

C. Exhibit C: Beason-Hammon Immigration Status Affidavit and Certificate of Compliance

(must be submitted prior to award of contract) [see attached];

D. Exhibit D: Proof of the supplier’s enrollment in E-Verify;

E. Exhibit E: W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (Rev. March

2024); and

F. Other required documentation, as requested by AIDT during the course of the solicitation process.

4. COMPLIANCE WITH ALABAMA LAW

All duties outlined in this proposal will be set forth in an agreement to be entered into between the selected supplier and AIDT.

It is AIDT's intent to award a single contract to one supplier. However, AIDT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive minor irregularities, negotiate with the highest-ranked supplier, and take any other action determined to be in AIDT's best interest, as permitted by applicable law.

Issuance of this Request for Proposal does not constitute a commitment by AIDT to award a contract. This Request for Proposal, the successful proposal, and any written amendments or clarifications may be incorporated into the final contract.

At the time a proposal is submitted, the supplier or individual under whom business is conducted must hold all applicable licenses and comply with Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations, to include applicable business licenses. The intended awardee must be completely registered in

Alabama Buys to be awarded a contract or Purchase Order.

Notice is hereby given that there are certain terms standard to commercial contracts in private sector use which the State is prevented by law or policy from accepting, including indemnification and holding harmless a party to a contract or third parties, consent to choice of law and venue other than the State of Alabama, methods of dispute resolution other than negotiation and mediation, waivers of subrogation and other rights against third parties, agreement to pay attorney’s fees and expenses of litigation, and some provisions limiting damages payable by a vendor, including those limiting damages to the cost of goods or services. Other general terms and conditions that shall be included in the contract include but are not limited to:

1.) Term. The agreement will last for a period of one (1) year, commencing on the effective date of the contract execution and continuing through the end of the defined academic year

(2026-2027).

2.) Termination. AIDT reserves the right to terminate the agreement with thirty (30) days’ notice if the terms of the proposal and/or contract are violated. Termination of the contract by the supplier without cause can only occur with at least one hundred and sixty (160) days’ notice prior to the termination of the contract.

3.) Boycott. In compliance with Alabama Act 2016-312, the supplier certifies that it is not currently engaged in, and will not engage in the boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with which the State can enjoy open trade.

4.) Economic Boycott. Pursuant to Alabama Act No. 2023-409, the supplier certifies that it is not currently engaged in, and will not, during the term of the contract, engage in economic boycotts as the term “economic boycott” is defined in Section 1 of the Act.

5.) Non-appropriation and Proration. When funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation of performance in a subsequent fiscal period, the contract shall be cancelled, and, to the extent permissible by law, the supplier shall be reimbursed for the reasonable value of any non-recurring costs incurred but not amortized in the price of the supplies or services delivered under the contract. To the extent permissible by law, this cost of cancellation may be paid from any appropriations available for that purpose.

In the event that proration of appropriated funds from which the State is to pay the supplier is declared by the Governor pursuant to Section 41-4-90 of the Code of Alabama, the contractor shall have the option, in addition to the other remedies of the contract, of renegotiating the contract to extend or change payment terms or amounts, or terminating the contract. In all circumstances, it is agreed that the terms and commitments of this contract shall not constitute a debt of the State of Alabama in violation of Section 213 of the Constitution of Alabama, as amended.

6.) Immigration. Pursuant to Code of Alabama § 31-13-9(k), for the duration of the Agreement, the supplier affirms that it will not violate federal or state immigration law or knowingly employ, hire for employment, or continue to employ an unauthorized alien within the State of Alabama. Furthermore, if the supplier is found to be in violation of this provision, it shall be deemed in breach of the agreement and the supplier shall be responsible for all damages resulting therefrom. Along with its Proposal, The supplier must provide documentation evidencing its participation in the E-Verify program.

7.) Governing Law. The Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the

State of Alabama, without regard to conflicts of law provisions. Without waiving sovereign immunity, the parties agree that any dispute between the parties for which judicial resolution in the State or Federal court system is appropriate shall be resolved in the courts of the State of Alabama or Federal courts located within the State of Alabama. Should that effort fail, and the dispute involves the payment of money, The supplier’s sole remedy is the filing of a claim with the Board of Adjustment of the State of Alabama. For any and all other disputes arising under the terms of any contract, that are not resolved by negotiation, shall be resolved by an appropriate form of non-binding alternative dispute resolution including, but not limited to, mediation. Such dispute resolution shall occur in

Montgomery, Alabama, utilizing where appropriate, mediators selected from the roster of mediators maintained by the Center For Dispute Resolution of the Alabama State Bar.

8.) Assignment. Any contract that results from this solicitation shall not be assignable by the supplier without written consent of the State of Alabama. Any assignment or other transfer in violation of this provision will be null and void.

9.) Merit System Exclusion. It is understood and agreed that the supplier is an independent contractor and as such all services rendered by supplier and its agents and employees thereof shall be as an independent supplier and not as an employee, Merit or otherwise, of the State of Alabama, and supplier or its agents and employees thereof shall not be entitled to receive Merit System benefits.

By providing a Proposal pursuant to this RFP, the supplier acknowledges and agrees to the following:

1. The supplier certifies that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any governmental department or agency. If the supplier cannot certify this statement, the supplier must attach a written explanation for review by the Chief

Procurement Officer.

2. All proposals received and subsequent communications, contracts, reports, and other records developed during the course of the relationship, except as may specifically be exempted, will be subject to the Alabama Open Records Act, Section 36-12-40, Code of

Alabama (1975), and may be subject to public disclosure upon request. The Open Records

Act is remedial and should therefore be liberally construed in favor of the public. The

Alabama Trade Secrets Act is codified in Sections 8-27-1 through 8-27-6, Code of Alabama

(1975). Suppliers are cautioned to be familiar with these statutes. The burden is on the one asserting the trade secret to show that the information sought to be protected meets the definition of a “trade secret” as defined in the Act. Any RFP proposal submitted that contains confidential, trade secrets or proprietary commercial information must be conspicuously marked on the outside as containing confidential information, and each page upon which confidential information appears must be conspicuously marked as such.

Identification of the entire bid proposal as confidential is not acceptable unless the supplier enumerates the specific grounds or applicable laws that support treatment of the entire material as protected from disclosure according to the foregoing statutes or other applicable

Alabama law. The owner of the confidential information shall indemnify and hold the State of Alabama, AIDT and their respective staffs harmless from all costs or expenses, including but not limited to attorney fees and expenses related to litigation, concerning disclosure of said information and documents.

By submitting a response, the supplier hereby affirms the following: I acknowledge receipt of the solicitation and all amendments. I have read the RFP and agree to furnish each item or service offered at the price quoted. I will comply with all terms and conditions contained within this RFP.

I have not been in any agreement of collusion among bidders in restraint of freedom of competition by agreement to bid at a fixed price or to refrain from bidding. I acknowledge and agree that the

State may declare the contract void if this certification is false.

5. EVALUATION PROCESS

A review committee will examine each proposal submitted. AIDT may elect to conduct interviews with finalists.

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their responsiveness to the items contained in the

“Content” section of this Request for Proposals. It is expected that the review committee will rate responses according to the following weights:

Criterion Weight

Experience, Organizational Capability, Instructor Qualifications 40%

Quality and Relevance of Proposed Training Programs 30%

Cost 20%

Understanding of and responsiveness to RFP 10%

Any Proposal that does not satisfy requirements of the RFP may be deemed non-responsive and may be disregarded without evaluation. Clarification or supplemental information may be required from any supplier. AIDT reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and cancel this Request if, in the exercise its sole discretion, it deems such action to be in its best interest.

7. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

All proposals must be received by AIDT by 5:00 p.m. CDT on August 31, 2026, the RFP response close date. It is solely the responsibility of each supplier to ensure timely submission of the proposal in Alabama Buys. AIDT and the State of Alabama are not responsible for any costs incurred by the supplier for their proposal submission.

Suppliers are required to submit one complete electronic proposal, including all attachments, and directly into Alabama Buys. Printed copies or physical deliveries will not be accepted.

Proposals will be considered unacceptable if:

1. Missing information

2. Faxed

3. Improperly labeled or addressed

4. Received after the deadline of submission

8. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Any questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted by email to aprice@aidt.edu no later than

5:00 pm CDT August 17, 2026. All questions and answers will be attached to the RFP and uploaded as an amendment as soon as possible.

mailto:aprice@aidt.edu