RFP2024-03 Vet Services-FINAL.pdf

COUNTY OF ORANGE, VIRGINIA

RFP#2024-03 On-site VETERINARIAN SERVICES

Issue Date: November 9, 2023

Due Date: December 21, 2023

Time: 2:00 P.M.

RFP #: 2024-03

Issuing Department: Orange County Government Procurement Office 112 W. Main Street, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 111 Orange, VA 22960

Procurement Contact: Amanda Amos, VCA, VCO Contract & Procurement Specialist Phone: 540-661-5378 E-mail: aamos@orangecountyva.gov

The Orange County Board of Supervisors is seeking proposals from qualified veterinarian firms able to provide on-site medical services necessary for the medical care of the animals in the Orange County Animal Shelter (OCAS).

All proposals shall be emailed no later than 2:00PM EST Thursday, December 21,2023 to Amanda Amos at aamos@orangecountyva.gov. Hard copies will not be accepted. Proposals should be in PDF format and shall not exceed 15 megabytes. It is the Offeror’s sole responsibility to ensure all information; including addendums are complete and delivered on time. Orange County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive informalities, and to negotiate with the successful Offeror(s). If the Owner closes its office due to inclement weather, scheduled receipt of proposals will be extended to the next business day, same time.

Late proposals will not be accepted on any condition.

Table of Contents Cover Page 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction & Purpose 3 Instruction to Providers 3 Scope of Work 3-4 Proposal Format 5 Evaluation Criteria 5 Contract Award 6 Appendix A: Terms & Conditions 7-23 Appendix B: Insurance Checklist (Return this page) 24 Appendix C: Non-Collusion Statement (Return this page) 25 Appendix D: Offeror Data Sheet (Return this page) 26 Appendix E: Offeror Statement (Return this page) 27 Appendix F: SCC Vendor Form (Return this page) 28 Appendix G: Offeror Question Form (Return this page) 29 Appendix H: Proprietary Information Form (Return this page) 30 Appendix I: Additional Information Requested (Return this page) 31 Appendix J: Additional Information Requested (Return this page) 32

I. Introduction & Purpose

a. The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from Veterinarian(s) and/or Veterinarian firms able to provide medical services necessary for the medical care of the animals at the Orange County Animal Shelter (OCAS). Orange County reserves the right to contract with the most qualified provider(s). Medical procedures are preferred to be conducted in the OCAS’ mobile veterinary clinic located at 11362 Porter Road Orange, Virginia 22960. However, a provider may submit a proposal that outlines use of their clinic as long as the clinic is within a forty-five (45) minute drive from the OCAS. The OCAS estimates one eight (8) hour day per week will be needed on average by the contractor. Services shall be provided on an as-needed basis, including providing service for the Sheriff’s Office K9s.

b. The OCAS is located at 11362 Porter Road Orange, VA 22960. OCAS is a kennel facility that serves dogs, cats, birds, livestock, and other animals each year. OCAS is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM to the public;

staff are present seven (7) days a week. Additional information about the shelter may be found at orangecountyva.gov.

II. Instructions to Providers

a. All proposals shall be emailed no later than 2:00PM EST Thursday, December 21, 2023 to Amanda Amos at aamos@orangecountyva.gov. Hard copies will not be accepted. Proposals should be in PDF format and shall not exceed 15 megabytes.

Proposals shall be clearly labeled. It is the provider’s sole responsibility to ensure proposals are received by the Contract & Procurement Specialist by the due date and time. Providers are encouraged to confirm receipt of proposal by e-mail or phone. Late proposals will not be accepted on any condition.

b. All Questions shall be submitted on the form listed in Appendix G. This form may be emailed to Amanda Amos, Contract & Procurement Specialist at aamos@orangecountyva.gov.

c. Questions or requests for clarification must be received by 5:00PM on December 12, 2023; in order to ensure that the answers may be provided in a timely manner.

d. Providers are responsible to familiarize themselves with the scope of services, requirements, and terms and conditions of this solicitation. Please contact Amanda Amos with any questions.

III. Scope of Work

a. All services requested in this solicitation shall be performed in accordance with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Directive 79-1.

b. A licensed and certified Veterinarian will be required to provide the services and drugs (or allow OCAS staff to procure drugs under the Veterinarian’s licensure) necessary for the medical care of animals in the care and custody of the OCAS. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office may choose (on an as needed basis) to receive care for K9s under their control. Care may include illness, emergency, and lifesaving cases.

c. The OCAS’s Veterinary Technician will be available to assist with Veterinarian in the below referenced scope of work.

d. The OCAS will provide the following to assist with the above-mentioned tasks:

availability of a licensed Veterinary Technician employed by OCAS; intake, treatment, and surgery space; x-ray machine; blood machine.

d. Consulting Services: The provider(s) should be generally available on as as-needed basis during normal operating hours Monday-Saturday. The majority of consultation services can be conducted via text or email. Note, consultation is not routine, and is used when the OCAS intakes a case that requires notification to the Veterinarian to seek the best treatment options.

f. Pricing:

i. OCAS requests hourly pricing for consultation services and a daily rate for surgeries, vaccinations, exams, etc. to be conducted at the OCAS mobile veterinary clinic. Daily rates shall cover at a minimum six (6) hours of service. All necessary medical supplies will be furnished by OCAS.

ii. If the County elects to exercise the option to renew the contract for an additional one-year period, the contract price(s) for the additional one year shall not exceed the contract price(s) of the original contract increase/decreased by more than the percentage increase/decrease of the “Other Services” Commodities category of the CPI-W section of the Consumer Price Index of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the latest twelve months for which statistics are available or 2.5% whichever is lesser.

iii. If during any subsequent renewal periods, the County elects to exercise the option to renew the contract, the contract price(s) for the subsequent renewal period shall not exceed the contract price(s) of the previous renewal period increased/decreased by more than 2.5%.

I. Proposal Format

a. Technical Proposal: The Offeror is to make a written proposal which presents an understanding of the work to be performed. The Offeror should include the following in their proposal:

1. Addenda & Required Appendices-Return all addenda acknowledgments, if any, signed and completed as required. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to monitor www.eva.virginia.gov and/or www.orangecountyva.gov for the latest addenda information.

2. Introduction- Cover Letter/Executive Summary.

b. Cost Proposal: OCAS would prefer a comprehensive daily fee to provide surgical and evaluation services; and an hourly fee for consultation; however, consideration will be given to other proposed fee calculations. The following information should be submitted as part of the cost proposal:

1. Daily fee for surgical, vaccination, and evaluation purposes and an hourly fee for consulting services.

2. Any alternative fee proposal (if applicable).

II. Evaluation Criteria

a. Orange County reserves the right to contact references provided with the proposal.

b. Orange County reserves the right to score the proposal pricing in the aggregate, by individual service, or any combination, whichever is in the best interest of the County.

c. Selection of the successful provider(s) will be based upon submission of proposals meeting the selection criteria.

Specific experience, technical capabilities, professional competence, and qualifications of the provider and staff.

20%

Clearly demonstrated understanding of the work to be performed.

20%

Availability to the OCAS to provide requested services listed in the Scope of Work.

References 20%

Reasonableness of cost proposal(s) 20%

III. Contract Award

a. The Selection Committee will evaluate the most responsive proposals as deemed by staff. The County shall engage in individual discussions with two (2) or more providers deemed the most qualified, responsible, and suitable on the basis of the evaluations. These Offerors may be requested to attend a meeting, virtual or in person, to explain their qualifications and answer questions.

b. Negotiations shall be conducted with the providers selected. Price shall be considered after the initial evaluation and ranking but need not be the sole determining factor. After negotiations have been conducted with each Offeror(s), the County shall select the provider(s) which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, and shall award the contract(s) to that provider(s). The County may cancel this Request for Proposal or reject proposals at any time prior to an award. The County reserves the right to award more than one contract in order to fulfill its regulatory obligations.

c. Contract Period: The initial term of this contract shall be for a period no less than one (1) year. The County reserves the right to renew the contract for four (4) additional one (1) year periods under the terms and conditions of the original contract. Adjustments to contract prices may be negotiated only during the ninety

(90) day period prior to renewal. The County shall give the provider written notice of renewal ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date of this agreement.

APPENDIX A: General Conditions and Instructions to Bidders/Offerors

Offeror: These general rules and conditions shall apply to all purchases and be a part of each solicitation and every contract awarded by the Orange County Purchasing Agent unless otherwise specified. The Orange County Purchasing Agent is responsible for the purchasing activity of Orange County. The term “Owner” as used herein refers to the contracting entity which is the signatory on the contracts for Orange County, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Bidder/Offeror or their authorized representatives are expected to inform themselves fully as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting bids/proposals: failure to do so will be at the Bidder’s/Offeror’s own risk and except as provided by law, relief cannot be secured on the plea of error. Subject to all Federal, State and local laws, policies, resolutions, regulations, rules, limitations and legislation, bids/proposals on all solicitations issued by the Purchasing Agent will bind Bidders/ Offerors to applicable conditions and requirements herein set forth unless otherwise specified in the solicitation.

1. AUTHORITY: The Orange County purchasing system shall operate under the direction and supervision of the County Administrator, who shall be the Purchasing Agent for the County. In the discharge of these responsibilities, the Purchasing Agent may delegate the administrative purchasing responsibility to a responsible subordinate, upon approval of the Board of Supervisors. Unless specifically delegated by the Purchasing Agent, no other Owner officer or employee is authorized to order supplies or services, enter into purchase negotiations or contracts, or in any way obligate the Owner for indebtedness. Any purchase order or contract made which is contrary to these provisions and authorities shall be of no effect and void and the Owner shall not be bound thereby.

2. COMPETITION INTENDED: It is the Owner’s intent that this solicitation permit competition. It shall be the Bidder’s/Offeror’s responsibility to advise the Purchasing Agent in writing if any language, requirement, specification, etc., or any combination thereof, stifles competition or inadvertently restricts or limits the requirements stated in this solicitation to a single source. The Purchasing Agent must receive such notification not later than five (5) business days prior to the deadline set for acceptance of the bids/proposals.

CONDITIONS OF BIDDING

3. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS - If any Bidder/ Offeror has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective Bidder/ Offeror should contact the Contract and Procurement Specialist whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than seven (7) business days prior to the date set for the opening of bids or receipt of proposals. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the Contract and Procurement Specialist. Notifications regarding specifications may not be considered if received in less than seven (7) business days of the date set for opening of bids/receipt of proposals.

4. Mandatory Use of Owner Form and Terms and Conditions: Failure to submit a bid/proposal on the official Owner form provided for that purpose shall be a cause for rejection of the bid/proposal. Unauthorized modification of or additions to any portion of the Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal may be cause for rejection of the bid/proposal. However, the Owner reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject any bid or proposal which has been modified.

5. LATE BIDS/proposals & MODIFICATION OF BIDS/proposals: Any bid/proposal/modification received at the office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of the bid/proposal/modification is considered a late bid/proposal/modification. The Owner is not responsible for delays in the delivery of the mail by the U.S. Postal Service, private carriers or the inter-office mail system. It is the sole responsibility of the Bidder/Offeror to ensure their bid/proposal reaches Procurement by the designated date and hour.

a. The official time used in the receipt of bids/ proposals is that time on the clock in the Procurement Department.

b. Late bids/proposals/modifications will be returned to the Bidder/Offeror UNOPENED, if solicitation number, acceptance date and Bidder/Offeror’s return address is shown on the container.

c. If the Owner closes its offices due to inclement weather scheduled bid openings or receipt of proposals will be extended to the next business day, same time.

6. IDENTIFICATION OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted in a proposal shall not be subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. However, in order for this information to be protected from disclosure, the Offeror must specifically invoke the protections of Sec. 2.2-4342, Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, or other applicable statute, prior to or upon submission of the trade secrets or proprietary information. The Offeror must clearly identify any part of its proposal considered to be protected as trade secret or as proprietary information and must state the reasons why protection is necessary.

a. Any Offeror shall identify a trade secret or proprietary information by clearly stating “Trade Secret” or “Proprietary Information” adjacent to the particular information, and by clearly identifying the information to be subject to the protection, such as by encircling, highlighting, underlining or other similar means.

The Offeror shall state the reasons why protection is necessary on a separate page of the proposal.

b. Any Offeror shall not identify as a trade secret or proprietary information those sections of the proposal that are material to Orange County’s ultimate award of the contract.

c. The County reserves the right to contact an Offeror and to request that the Offeror explain or clarify why the Offeror identified certain information as a trade secret or as proprietary information.

d. Any Offeror shall not identify as trade secret or proprietary information their complete proposal.

7. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS/PROPOSALS:

a. Bidder/Offeror for a contract other than for public construction may request withdrawal of his or her bid/proposal under the following circumstances:

i. Bids/Proposals may be withdrawn on written request from the Bidder/Offeror received at the address shown in the solicitation prior to the time of acceptance.

b. Requests for withdrawal of bids/proposals after opening of such bids/proposals but prior to award shall be transmitted to the Contract and Procurement Specialist, in writing, accompanied by full documentation supporting the request. If the request is based on a claim of error, documentation must show the basis of the error. Such documentation may take the form of supplier quotations, Offeror work sheets, etc. If bid bonds were tendered with the bid, the Owner may exercise its right of collection.

c. No Bid/Proposal may be withdrawn under this paragraph when the result would be the awarding of the contract on another Bid/Proposal of the same Bidder/Offeror or of another Bidder/Offeror in which the ownership of the withdrawing Bidder/Offeror is more than five percent. In the case of Invitation for Bid’s, if a bid is withdrawn under the authority of this paragraph, the lowest remaining bid shall be deemed to be the low bid. No Bidder/Offeror who, is permitted to withdraw a bid/proposal shall, for compensation, supply any material or labor to or perform any subcontract or other work agreement for the person or firm to whom the contract is awarded or otherwise benefit, directly or indirectly, from the performance of the project for which the withdrawn bid/proposal was submitted.

8. ERRORS IN BIDS/PROPOSALS: When an error is made in extending total prices, the unit bid price will govern. Erasures in bids/proposals must be initialed by the Bidder/Offeror. Carelessness in quoting prices, or in preparation of bid/proposal otherwise, will not relieve the Bidder/Offeror. Bidders/Offerors are cautioned to recheck their bids/proposals for possible error. Errors discovered after public opening cannot be corrected and the bidder will be required to perform if his or her bid is accepted.

9. Identification of BID/Proposal Envelope: The signed bid/proposal and requested copies should be returned in a separate envelope or package, sealed and identified with the following information:

Addressed as indicated on page 1 IFB/RFP Number Title Bid/proposal due date and time

i. If a bid/proposal is not addressed with the information as shown above, the Bidder/Offeror takes the risk that the envelope may be inadvertently opened and the information compromised, which may cause the bid/proposal to be disqualified. Bids/Proposals may be hand delivered to the designated location in the office issuing the solicitation. No other correspondence or other proposals should be placed in the envelope.

10. ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS/PROPOSALS: Unless otherwise specified, all formal bids/proposals submitted shall be valid for a minimum period of one hundred twenty

(120) calendar days following the date established for acceptance. At the end of the one hundred twenty (120) calendar days the bid/proposal may be withdrawn at the written request of the Bidder/Offeror. If the proposal is not withdrawn at that time it remains in effect until an award is made or the solicitation is canceled.

11. CONDITIONAL BIDS: Conditional bids are subject to rejection in whole or in part.

12. BIDDERS PRESENT: At the time fixed for the opening of responses to a bid, bid contents will be made public for the information of bidders and other interested parties who may be present either in person or by representative. All bids will be opened at the time and place specified and read publicly. Bid tabulations are posted on Public Bulletin Board for a minimum of 10 days from award date. At the time fixed for the receipt of responses for Request for Proposals, only the names of the Offerors will be read and made available to the public.

13. RESPONSE TO SOLICITATIONS: In the event a Offeror cannot submit a bid on a solicitation, the Offeror is requested to return the solicitation cover sheet with an explanation as to why the Offeror is unable to bid on these requirements. Because of the large number of firms listed on the Owner’s Bidders List, it may be necessary to delete from this list the names of those persons, firms or corporations who fail to respond after having been invited to bid for three (3) successive solicitations. Such deletion will be made only after formal notification of the intent to remove the firm from the Owner’s Bidder’s List.

14. BIDDER INTERESTED IN MORE THAN ONE BID: If more than one bid is offered by any one party, either directly or by or in the name of his or her clerk, partner, or other persons, all such bids may be rejected. A party who has quoted prices on work, materials, or supplies to a bidder is not thereby disqualified from quoting prices to other bidders or firms submitting a bid directly for the work, materials or supplies.

15. TAX EXEMPTION: The Owner is exempt from the payment of any federal excise or any Virginia sales tax. The price bid must be net, exclusive of taxes. Tax exemption certificates will be furnished if requested by the Bidder/Offeror.

16. DEBARMENT STATUS: By submitting their bids/proposals, Bidders/Offerors certify that they are not currently debarred from submitting bids/proposals on contracts by Orange County, nor are they an agent of any person or entity that is currently debarred from submitting bids or proposals on contracts by Orange County or any agency, public entity/locality or authority of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

17. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: The provisions contained in the Virginia Public Procurement Act as set forth in the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, shall be applicable to all contracts solicited or entered into by the Owner. By submitting their bids/proposals, all 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 subcontractor 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.

18. NO CONTACT POLICY: No Bidder/Offeror shall initiate or otherwise have contact related to the solicitation with any Owner representative or employee, other than Procurement, after the date and time established for receipt of bids/proposals.

Any contact initiated by a Bidder/Offeror with any Owner representative, other than the Procurement Division, concerning this solicitation is prohibited and may cause the disqualification of the Bidder/Offeror from this procurement process.

SPECIFICATIONS

19. BRAND NAME OR EQUAL ITEMS: Unless otherwise provided in the solicitation, the name of a certain brand, make or manufacturer does not restrict bidders to the specific brand, make or manufacturer named; it conveys the general style, type, character, and quality of the article desired, and any article which the Owner in its sole discretion determines to be the equal of that specified, considering quality, workmanship, economy of operation, and suitability for the purpose intended, shall be accepted. The Bidder is responsible to clearly and specifically indicate the product being offered and to provide sufficient descriptive literature, catalog cuts and technical detail to enable the Owner 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 non-responsive. Unless the Bidder clearly indicates in its bid/proposal that the product offered is "equal" product, such bid/proposal will be considered to offer the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

20. FORMAL SPECIFICATIONS: When a solicitation contains a specification which states no substitutes, no deviation therefrom will be permitted and the bidder will be required to furnish articles in conformity with that specification.

21. OMISSIONS & DISCREPANCIES: Any items or parts of any equipment listed in this solicitation which are not fully described or are omitted from such specification, and which are clearly necessary for the completion of such equipment and its appurtenances, shall be considered a part of such equipment although not directly specified or called for in the specifications.

a. The Bidder/Offeror shall abide by and comply with the true intent of the specifications and not take advantage of any unintentional error or omission, but shall fully complete every part as the true intent and meaning of the specifications and drawings. Whenever the mention is made of any articles, material or workmanship to be in accordance with laws, ordinances, building codes, underwriter’s codes, A.S.T.M. regulations or similar expressions, the requirements of these laws, ordinances, etc., shall be construed as to the minimum requirements of these specifications.

22. CONDITION OF ITEMS: Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, all items shall be new, in first class condition.

AWARD

23. AWARD OR REJECTION OF BIDS: The Purchasing Agent shall award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder complying with all provisions of the IFB, provided the bid price is reasonable and it is in the best interest of the Owner to accept it. Awards made in response to a RFP will be made to the highest qualified Offeror whose proposal is determined, in writing, to be the most advantageous to the Owner taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the RFP. The Purchasing Agent reserves the right to award a contract by individual items, in the aggregate, or in combination thereof, or to reject any or all bids/proposals and to waive any informality in bids/proposals received whenever such rejection or waiver is in the best interest of the Owner. Award may be made to as many Bidders/Offerors as deemed necessary to fulfill the anticipated requirements of the Owner. The Purchasing Agent also reserves the right to reject the bid if a bidder is deemed to be a non-responsible bidder.

24. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD: Upon the award or announcement of the decision to award a contract as a result of this solicitation, the Contract and Procurement Specialist will publicly post such notice on the following websites:

www.eva.virginia.gov and www.orangecountyva.gov.

25. QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDERS OR OFFERORS: The Owner may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the Bidder/Offeror to perform the work/furnish the item(s) and the Bidder/Offeror shall furnish to the Owner all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. The Owner 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 Owner further reserves the right to reject any bid or proposal if the evidence submitted by or investigations of, such Bidder/Offeror fails to satisfy the Owner that such Bidder/Offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to complete the work/furnish the item(s) contemplated therein.

26. NEGOTIATION WITH LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER: Unless canceled or rejected, a responsive bid from the lowest responsible bidder shall be accepted as submitted, except that if the bid from the lowest responsible bidder exceeds available funds, the public body may negotiate with the apparent low bidder to obtain a contract price within available funds.

27. TIE BIDS: In the case of a tie bid, the Owner may give preference to goods, services and construction produced in Orange County or provided by persons, firms or corporations having principal places of business in the County. If such choice is not available, preference shall then be given to goods and services produced in the Commonwealth pursuant to the Code of Virginia. If no Owner or Commonwealth choice is available, the tie shall be decided by lot.

CONTRACT PROVISIONS

28. APPLICABLE LAW AND COURTS: Any contract resulting from this solicitation shall be governed in any respects by the laws of Virginia, and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the Circuit Court of Orange County, Virginia. The Contractor shall comply with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

29. VIRGINIA STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION: If required by law, the Contractor shall maintain a valid certificate of authority or registration to transact business in Virginia with the Virginia State Corporation Commission as required by Section 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code of Virginia, during the term of the Contract or any Contract renewal. The Contractor shall not allow its existence to lapse or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth to be revoked or cancelled at any time during the terms of the contract. If the Contractor fails to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section, the contract may become void.

30. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: By submitting their bids, Bidders certify that they do not and will not during the performance of this contract employ illegal alien workers or otherwise violate the provisions of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

31. ANTI TRUST: By entering into a contract, the Contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Owner all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of the action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust law of the United States and Orange County, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Owner under said contract. Consistent and continued tie bidding could cause rejection of bids by the Purchasing Agent and/or investigation for Anti- Trust violations.

32. PAYMENT TERMS: Unless otherwise provided in the solicitation payment will be made thirty (30) days after receipt of a proper invoice, or thirty (30) days after receipt of all goods or acceptance of work, whichever is the latter.

a. Invoices for items/services ordered, delivered/performed and accepted shall be submitted by the Contractor directly to the department responsible for initiating the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the contract number, purchase order number, and any federal employer identification number.

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. The date of payment shall be deemed the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail.

33. PAYMENT TO SUBCONTRACTORS: A contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

a. To pay the subcontractor(s) within seven (7) days of the contractor's receipt of payment from the Owner for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the subcontractor(s) under the contract; or

b. To notify the Owner and the subcontractor(s), in writing, of the contractor's intention to withhold payment and the reason. The contractor is obligated to pay the subcontractor(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 Owner, 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 subcontractor may not be construed to be an obligation of the Owner.

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

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

36. ANTI DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their bids/proposals, Bidders/Offerors certify to the Owner that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and those applicable Sections of the Virginia Public Procurement Act.

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.

37. In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in A and B below shall apply:

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

i. 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.

ii. 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.

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

b. The Contractor will include the provisions of A. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or Offeror.

38. INVOICES: Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the Contractor directly to the department address requesting the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the IFB/RFP number and/or purchase order number and must have the department heads approval.

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

a. The parties may agree to modify the scope of the contract. An 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.

b. The Owner 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. The Contractor shall be compensated for any additional costs incurred as the result of such order and shall give the Owner a credit for any savings. Said compensation shall be determined by one of the following methods.

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

ii. 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 the Owner’s right to audit the Contractor’s records and/or determine the correct number of units independently; or

iii. 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 the Owner with all vouchers and records of expenses incurred and savings realized. The Owner 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 Procurement within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order from Procurement. If the parties fail to agree on an amount of adjustment, the questions of an increase or decrease in the contract price or time for performance shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures for relieving disputes provided by the Disputes clause of this contract. 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 the Owner or with the performance of the contract generally.

c. No modification for a fixed price contract may be increased by more than 25% or $50,000, whichever is greater without the advanced written approval of the Board of Supervisors as applicable.

40. INDEMNIFICATION: Contractor shall indemnify, keep and save harmless the Owner, its agents, officials, employees and volunteers against claims of injuries, death, damage to property, patent claims, suits, liabilities, judgments, cost and expenses which may otherwise accrue against the Owner in consequence of the granting of a contract or which may otherwise result there from, if it shall be determined that the act was caused through negligence or error, or omission of the Contractor or his or her employees, or that of the subcontractor or his or her employees, if any; and the Contractor shall, at his or her own expense, appear, defend and pay all charges of attorneys and all costs and other expenses arising therefrom or incurred in connection therewith; and if any judgment shall be rendered against the Owner in any such action, the Contractor shall, at his or her own expenses, satisfy and discharge the same. Contractor expressly understands and agrees that any performance bond or insurance protection required by this contract, or otherwise provided by the Contractor, shall in no way limit the responsibility to indemnify, keep and save harmless and defend the Owner as herein provided.

41. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: 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 subcontractor or Offeror. 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 in accordance with this chapter, 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.

42. CERTIFICATION REGARDING SEX OFFENSES: As a condition of awarding a contract for the provision of services that require the contractor or his employees to have direct contact with students on school property during regular school hours or during school-sponsored activities, the school board requires the contractor to provide certification that all persons who will provide such services have not been convicted of a felony or any offense involving the sexual molestation or physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child.

43. TERMINATION: Subject to the provisions below, the contract may be terminated by the Owner upon thirty (30) days advance written notice to the other party. Any contract cancellation notice shall not relieve the contractor of the obligation to deliver and/or perform on all outstanding orders issued prior to the effective date of cancellation.

a. Termination for Convenience: In the event that the contract is terminated upon request and for the convenience of the Owner, without the required thirty (30) days advance notice, then the Owner shall be responsible for payment of services up to the termination date.

b. Termination for Cause: Termination by the Owner for cause, default or negligence on the part of the contractor shall be excluded from the foregoing provision; termination costs, if any shall not apply. However, pursuant to paragraph 32 of these General Conditions, the Owner may hold the contractor responsible for any resulting additional purchase and administrative costs. The thirty (30) days advance notice requirement is waived in the event of Termination for Cause.

c. Termination Due to Unavailability of Funds in Succeeding Fiscal Years: When funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation of performance in a subsequent fiscal year, the contract shall be canceled as of the first day of that subsequent fiscal year.

44. VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: All proceedings, records, contracts and other public records relating to procurement transactions shall be open to the inspection of any citizen, or any interested person, firm or corporation, in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act except as provided below:

a. Cost estimates relating to a proposed procurement transaction prepared by or for a public body shall not be open to public inspection.

b. Any competitive sealed bidding bidder, upon request, shall be afforded the opportunity to inspect bid records within a reasonable time after the opening of bids but prior to award, except in the event that the Owner decides not to accept any of the bids and to reopen the contract. Otherwise, bid records shall be open to public inspection only after award of the contract. Any competitive negotiation Offeror, upon request, shall be afforded the opportunity to inspect proposal records within a reasonable time after the evaluation and negotiations of proposals are completed but prior to award except in the event that the Owner decides not to accept any of the proposals and to reopen the contract.

Otherwise, proposal records shall be open to the public inspection only after award of the contract except as provided in paragraph “c” below. Any inspection of procurement transaction records under this section shall be subject to reasonable restrictions to ensure the security and integrity of the records.

c. Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by a Bidder, Offeror or Contractor in connection with a procurement transaction shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; however, the Bidder, Offeror or Contractor must invoke the protections of that section prior to or upon submission of the data or other materials, and must identify the data or other materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary.

d. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the Owner, when procuring by “competitive negotiation” (Request for Proposal), to furnish a statement of reasons why a particular proposal was not deemed to be the most advantageous to the Owner.

45. USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS: Bidders are advised that all resultant contracts will be extended, with the authorization of the Bidder, to Northern Virginia Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments jurisdictions and other jurisdictions and Political Subdivisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia to permit their ordering of supplies and/or services at the prices and terms of the resulting contract. If any other jurisdiction decides to use the final contract, the Contractor must deal directly with that jurisdiction or political subdivision concerning the placement or orders, issuance of the purchase order, contractual disputes, invoicing and payment. Orange Owner acts only as the “Contracting Agent” for these jurisdictions and political subdivisions. Failure to extend a contract to any jurisdiction will have no effect on consideration of your bid/proposal.

a. It is the awarded Offeror’s responsibility to notify the jurisdictions and political subdivision of the availability of the contract.

b. Each participating jurisdiction and political subdivision has the option of executing a separate contract with the awardee. Contracts entered into with them may contain general terms and conditions unique to those jurisdictions and political subdivisions covering minority participation, non-discrimination. If, when preparing such a contract, the general terms and conditions of a jurisdiction are unacceptable to the awardee, the awardee may withdraw its extension of the award to that jurisdiction.

c. Orange Owner shall not be held liable for any costs or damage incurred by another jurisdiction as a result of any award extended to that jurisdiction or political subdivision by the awardee.

46. AUDIT: The Contractor hereby agrees to retain all books, records, and other documents relative to this contract for five years after final payment, or until audited by the Owner, whichever is sooner. The agency, its authorized agents, and/or Owner auditors shall have full access to and the right to examine any of said materials during said period.

47. LABELING OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES: If the items or products requested by this solicitation are “Hazardous Substances” as defined by Article 3.1- 250 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, or Article 1261 of Title 15 of the United States Code, then the Bidder, by submitting his bid, certifies and warrants that the items or products to be delivered under this contract shall be properly labeled as required by the forgoing sections and that by delivering the items or products the Bidder does not violate any of the prohibitions of Article 3.1-252 of the Code of Virginia or Title 15 USC, Article 1263.

48. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS: Material Safety Data Sheets and descriptive literature shall be provided with the bid for each chemical and/or contract offered. Failure on the part of the Bidder to submit such data sheet may be cause for declaring the bid as non-responsive.

49. SUBCONTRACTS: No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the Purchasing Agent. In the event that the Contractor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Contractor shall furnish the Purchasing Agent the names, qualifications and experience of their proposed subcontractors. Notwithstanding any approval by the Owner permitting subcontracting the Contractor shall, however, remain fully liable and responsible for the work to be done by his subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all requirements of the contract.

50. PROTECTION OF PERSON AND PROPERTY: The Contractor expressly undertakes both directly and through its subcontractor(s), to take every precaution at all times for the protection of persons and property which may come on the building site or be affected by the contractor’s operation in connection with the work.

a. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for initiating, maintaining, and supervising all safety precautions and programs in connection with the work.

b. The provisions of all rules and regulations governing safety as adopted by the Safety Codes Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia, issued by the Department of Labor and Industry under Title 40.1 of the Code of Virginia shall apply to all work under this contract.

c. The Contractor shall continuously maintain adequate protection of all his work from damage and shall protect the owner’s property from injury or loss arising in connection with this contract. He shall make good any such damage, injury, or loss, except such as may be directly due to errors in the contract documents or caused by agents or employees of the Owner. He shall adequately protect adjacent property to prevent any damage to it or loss of use and enjoyment by its owners.