STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Appalachian State University

Request for Proposal #: RFP55-072126

Robotics Lease

Date of Issue: July 21, 2026

Proposal Opening Date: August 4, 2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Jeff Talbot

Email: talbotjd@appstate.edu

Phone: (828) 262-8773

RFP Number:55-072126 Vendor: _______________________________

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Request for Proposal #

RFP55-072126

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals in the Interactive Purchasing System (IPS), please provide your company’s Federal Employer Identification Number or alternate identification number (e.g. Social Security Number). Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page is to be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

ID Number:

Federal ID Number or Social Security Number

Vendor Name

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EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein. By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor certifies that this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S.

143-54), that none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and that it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1. False certification is a Class I felony. Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency. As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system. G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public Contract; or awarding or administering public Contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public Contract of any gift from anyone with a Contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for your entire organization and its employees or agents, that you are not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal shall render proposal invalid and it WILL BE REJECTED. Late proposals cannot be accepted.

VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #10):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: EMAIL:

Offer valid for at least 60 days from date of proposal opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days. After this time, any withdrawal of offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If any or all parts of this proposal are accepted by the State of North Carolina, an authorized representative of the Appalachian State University shall affix his/her signature hereto and this document and all provisions of this Request For Proposal along with the Vendor proposal response and the written results of any negotiations shall then constitute the written agreement between the parties. A copy of this acceptance will be forwarded to the successful Vendor(s).

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accept and Contract awarded this day of , 2026, as indicated on the attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________

(Authorized Representative of Appalachian State University)

Appalachian State University

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Jeff Talbot Email: talbotjd@appstate.edu Telephone #: (828) 262-8773

Request for Proposal # RFP55-072126

Proposals will be publicly opened: August 4, 2026 Contract Type: Open Market Commodity No. and Description: Robotics Lease Using Agency: Appalachian State University Boone, NC Requisition No.:

mailto:talbotjd@appstate.edu

Proposal Number: RFP55-072126 Vendor: __________________________________________

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Table of Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

2.4 MANDATORY SITE VISIT AND PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCEError! Bookmark not defined.

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT

4.2 CONTRACT TERM

4.3 PRICING

4.4 INVOICES

4.5 PAYMENT TERMS

4.6 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.7 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.8 REFERENCES

4.9 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.10 PERSONNEL

4.11 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

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5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

5.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

5.7 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

5.8 WARRANTIES

5.9 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

5.10 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD MANAGEMENT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 CONTRACT CHANGES

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING ........................................................................................................ 15-19

ATTACHMENT A-H ............................................................................... 20Error! Bookmark not defined.

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Appalachian State University (ASU) is soliciting cost proposals from qualified vendors for Robotic Leasing as described herein.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

The RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award.

All attachments and addenda released for this RFP in advance of any Contract award are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions, the State’s terms and conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP, and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors also are responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other component within this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with in the instructions in Section 2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS.

If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question and answer period. Other than through this process, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded. Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

If a Vendor desires modification of the terms and conditions of this solicitation, it is urged and cautioned to inquire during the question period, in accordance with the instructions in this RFP, about whether specific language proposed as a modification is acceptable to or will be considered by the State. Identification of objections or exceptions to the State’s terms and conditions in the proposal itself shall not be allowed and shall be disregarded or the proposal rejected.

Contact with anyone working for or with the State regarding this RFP other than the State Contract Specialist named on the face page of this RFP in the manner specified by this RFP shall constitute grounds for rejection of said Vendor’s offer, at the State’s election.

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2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State July 21, 2026 Submit Proposals Vendor August 4, 2026 2:00 PM Contract Award State ASAP Contract Effective Date State Sept 1, 2026

2.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the above due date.

Written questions shall be emailed to talbotjd@appstate.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendor should enter “RFP # RFP55-072126: Questions” as the subject for the email. Questions submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in a format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the Interactive Purchasing System (IPS), http://www.ips.state.nc.us, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum to this RFP.

2.5 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Sealed proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof and the receipt requirements described below, shall be received at the address indicated in the table below, for furnishing and delivering those items or services as described herein.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal via US Postal Service

Office Address of delivery by any other method (special delivery, overnight, or any other carrier)

PROPOSAL NUMBER: RFP55-072126

ASU Facilities Operations ASU Box 32105 Boone, NC 28608

PROPOSAL NUMBER: RFP55-072126

ASU Facilities Operations 265 Dale Street Boone, NC 28608

IMPORTANT NOTE: All proposals shall be delivered to the office address listed above on or before the proposal deadline in order to be considered timely, regardless of the method of delivery. This is an absolute requirement. All risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delay—whether delivered by hand, U.S. Postal Service, courier or other delivery service is entirely on the Vendor. It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor to have the proposal physically in this Office by the specified time and date of opening. The time of delivery will be marked on each proposal when received, and any proposal received after the proposal submission deadline will be rejected. Sealed proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received at the address indicated in the table in this Section, for furnishing and delivering the commodity as described herein.

Note that the U.S. Postal Service generally does not deliver mail to specified street address but to the State’s Mail Service Center. Vendors are cautioned that proposals sent via U.S. Mail, including Express Mail, may not be delivered by the http://www.ips.state.nc.us/

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Mail Service Center to the agency’s purchasing office on the due date in time to meet the proposal deadline. All Vendors are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting a proposal. Proposals via facsimile (FAX) machine, including but not limited to email, in response to this RFP will NOT be accepted.

When submitting proposals:

a) Submit one (1) signed original executed proposal responses, one (1) photocopy.

b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name, (2) the RFP number, and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. If Vendor is submitting more than one (1) proposal, each proposal shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and marked accordingly. For delivery purposes, separate sealed envelopes from a single Vendor may be included in the same outer package.

Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.

2.6 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and those attachments should be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the

Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP (pages 2-21), and signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP (if required to be returned).

d) ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

e) ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB CERTIFICATION

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCES

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Vendor may submit alternate proposals for various methods or levels of service(s) or that propose different options.

Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend:

“Alternate Proposal # RFP55-082421, “Name of Vendor”. Each proposal must be for a specific set of services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various service offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

a) BAFO: Best and Final Offer, submitted by a Vendor to alter its initial offer, made in response to a request by the issuing agency.

b) BUYER: The employee of the State or Other Eligible Entity that places an order with the Vendor.

c) COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Any of the fifty-eight (58) public North Carolina Community Colleges.

d) CONTRACT LEAD: Representative of the Appalachian State University who corresponds with potential Vendors in order to identify and contract with that Vendor providing the greatest benefit to the State and who will administer this contract for the State.

e) E-PROCUREMENT SERVICES: The program, system, and associated services through which the State conducts

Ver: 11/2025 Page 7 of 16 electronic procurement.

f) FOB-DESTINATION: Title changes hand from Vendor to purchaser at the destination point of the shipment; Vendor owns commodity in transit and files any claims, and Vendor pays all freight and any related transportation charges. A solicitation may request Vendors to separately identify freight charges in their proposal, but no amount or charge not included as part of the total proposal price will be paid.

g) LOT: A grouping of similar products within this RFP.

h) ON-TIME DELIVERY: The delivery of all items within a single order to the receiving point designated by the ordering entity within the delivery time required.

i) QUALIFIED PROPOSAL: A responsive proposal submitted by a responsible Vendor.

j) RFP: Request for Proposal

k) STATE: The State of North Carolina, including any of its sub-units recognized under North Carolina law.

l) STATE AGENCY: Any of the more than 400 sub-units within the executive branch of the State, including its departments, boards, commissions, institutions of higher education and other institutions.

m) VENDOR: Supplier, bidder, proposer, company, firm, corporation, partnership, individual or other entity submitting a response to a Request for Proposal.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

All qualified proposals will be evaluated and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the RFP requirements and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

AWARD CRITERIA:

A. Vendor's ability to provide all equipment and expertise to meet all requirements of this RFP.

B. Documentation showing that the bidder has the personnel and experience to perform service in accordance with proposal requirements.

C. Delivery of product.

D. References submitted.

E. Price.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor OR multiple Vendors, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The status of a Vendor’s E-Procurement Services account(s) shall be considered a relevant factor in determining whether to approve the award of a contract under this RFP. Any Vendor with an E-Procurement Services account that is in arrears by 91 days or more at the time of proposal opening may, at the State’s discretion, be disqualified from further evaluation or consideration.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

During the evaluation period—from the date proposals are opened through the date the contract is awarded—each Vendor submitting a proposal (including its representatives, sub-contractors and/or suppliers) is prohibited from having

Ver: 11/2025 Page 8 of 16 any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency, issuing agency, other government agency office, or body (including the purchaser named above, department secretary, agency head, members of the general assembly and/or governor’s office), or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the contents of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform the contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals and/or the award of the contract. A Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from contract award, unless it is determined in the State’s discretion that the communication was harmless, that it was made without intent to influence and that the best interest of the State would not be served by the disqualification. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its sub-contractor and supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement to the date of contract award). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or general inquiries directed to the purchaser regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the contract award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

The State shall review all Vendor responses to this RFP to confirm that they meet the specifications and requirements of the RFP.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received from each responsive Vendor in a sealed envelope or package.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified on the cover sheet of this RFP.

At that date and time, the package containing the proposals from each responding firm will be opened publicly and the name of the Vendor and total cost offered will be announced. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussion with any or all Vendors for the purpose of clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

Proposals will generally be evaluated according to completeness, content, and experience with similar projects, ability of the Vendor and its staff, and cost. Specific evaluation criteria are listed in 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA, below.

Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

The State reserves the right to reject all original offers and request one or more of the Vendors submitting proposals to submit best and final offers (BAFOs), prepared in collaboration with the State after the initial responses to the RFP have been evaluated.

The State reserves the right to reject all original offers and request one or more of the Vendors submitting proposals within a competitive range to submit a best and final offer (BAFO), based on discussions and negotiations with the State, if the initial responses to the RFP have been evaluated and determined to be unsatisfactory.

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Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make Award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to IPS under the RFP number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected proposal was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

All qualified proposals will be evaluated and award made based on considering criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

Total cost to the State Level of quality provided by the Vendor Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property Availability of pertinent skills Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology Relations with citizens and employees Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This Request for Proposal serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the Department; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. As such, all terms in the Request for Proposal shall be enforceable as contract terms in accordance with the General Contract Terms and Conditions. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the Department will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the Department’s needs as described in the Request for Proposal. Except as specifically stated in the Request for Proposal, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the Department exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT

As provided in G.S. 147-86.59, any person identified as engaging in investment activities in Iran, determined by appearing on the Final Divestment List created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58, is ineligible to contract with the State of North Carolina or any political subdivision of the State.

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4.2 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have a term of 3 years beginning on the date of contract award “Effective Date”.

4.3 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to Buyer for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges handling, administrative and other similar fees. Vendor shall not invoice for any amounts not specifically allowed for in this RFP. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Proposal.

4.4 INVOICES

a) The Vendor must submit one monthly invoice within fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each month in which work was performed.

b) Invoices must be submitted to the following address: asu-invoices@appstate.edu (preferred), Or, Controller's Office

Appalachian State University

PO Box 32125

Boone, NC 28608-2125

c) Invoices must be submitted to the Contract Lead in hard copy on the Contractor’s official letterhead stationery and must be identified by a unique invoice number. All invoice backup reports and spreadsheets must be provided in electronic format.

d) Invoices must bear the correct contract number and purchase order number to ensure prompt payment. The Vendor’s failure to include the correct purchase order number may cause delay in payment.

e) Invoices must include an accurate description of the work for which the invoice is being submitted, the invoice date, the period of time covered, the amount of fees due to the Vendor and the original signature of the Vendor’s project manager.

4.5 PAYMENT TERMS

The Vendor will be paid net thirty (30) calendar days after the Vendor’s invoice is approved by the State.

4.6 FINANCIAL STABILITY

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing the ATTACHMENT F: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from Contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification.

4.7 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

Vendors should have extensive experience in Landscape Services in a University/Educational or similar setting. In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State of North Carolina. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

mailto:asu-invoices@appstate.edu

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4.8 REFERENCES

Vendors shall provide at least five (5) references for which your company has provided services of similar size and scope to that proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine the services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained shall be considered in the evaluation of the proposal.

COMPANY NAME CONTACT NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER

4.9 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Vendor and its personnel are required to provide or undergo background checks at Vendor’s expense prior to beginning work with the State. As part of Vendor background, the details below must be provided to the State:

a) Any criminal felony conviction, or conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation or deception, of Vendor, its officers or directors, or any of its employees or other personnel to provide services on this project, of which Vendor has knowledge or a statement that it is aware of none;

b) Any criminal investigation for any offense involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation, falsification or deception pending against Vendor of which it has knowledge or a statement it is aware of none;

c) Any regulatory sanctions levied against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies within the past three years or a statement that there are none. As used herein, the term “regulatory sanctions” includes the revocation or suspension of any license or certification, the levying of any monetary penalties or fines, and the issuance of any written warnings;

d) Any regulatory investigations pending against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies of which Vendor has knowledge or a statement that there are none.

e) Any civil litigation, arbitration, proceeding, or judgments pending against Vendor during the three (3) years preceding submission of its proposal herein or a statement that there are none.

Vendor’s responses to these requests shall be considered to be continuing representations, and Vendor’s failure to notify the State within thirty (30) days of any criminal litigation, investigation or proceeding involving Vendor or its then current officers, directors or persons providing services under this contract during its term shall constitute a material breach of contract. The provisions of this paragraph shall also apply to any subcontractor utilized by Vendor to perform services under this contract.

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Any personnel or agent of the Vendor performing services under any contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

4.10 PERSONNEL

Vendor shall not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of this Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the services of any person providing services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract services provided by such personnel.

4.11 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

a) Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide services under this Contract in a professional manner.

“Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under this Contract. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

b) If any services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this Contract are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the service and deliverables under this Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and Deliverables.

c) Vendor warrants that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue perform its obligations under the contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

Appalachian State University is seeking proposals for Operating Leases for one (1) robotic vacuum and one

(1) robotic scrubber. The Operating Lease shall be for a period of three (3) years.

5.1 Specifications

The autonomous robotic vacuum shall be a CenoBot SP50 or equivalent. The unit must include a charging station CCS-02, freight, and training/deployment for the unit.

The autonomous scrubber shall be a CenoBot L50 or equivalent. The unit must also include a workstation CWS-01, freight, and training/deployment for the unit.

Ver: 11/2025 Page 13 of 16

5.4 TECHNICAL APPROACH

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to accomplishing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included.

5.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

In the event acceptance criteria for any work or deliverables is not described in contract documents or work orders hereunder, the State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation or testing, as applicable of the work or deliverable.

Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any requirements, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in North Carolina.

5.7 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

The parties agree that calculation of actual damages resulting from failure to meet the following performance standards is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to calculate accurately, and the parties also agree that the compensation identified for such failures are a reasonable estimate of damages resulting from a failure to meet the performance standard described. Therefore, the parties agree that the Vendor shall be subject to amounts due as liquidated damages but not as a penalty, for each such failure, as follows:

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, liquidated damages shall not be subject to a limitation on damages or limit of liability for damages that otherwise may be applicable to recoverable damages.

5.8 WARRANTIES

Vendor warrants to the State that all items furnished will be new (unless otherwise specifically requested in this RFP), of good material and workmanship, and Vendor agrees to replace any items which fail to comply with the specifications by reason of defective material or workmanship under normal use, free of State’s negligence or accident for a minimum of 90 days from date of acceptance. Such replacement shall include transportation costs free of any charge to the State.

This statement is not intended to limit any additional coverage, which may normally be associated with a product. Vendor shall assign to the State all third party warranties applicable to such deliverables. Vendor warrants that the State has all rights necessary to utilize all deliverables for their intended purpose free from all third party claims.

5.9 CERTIFICATION AND SAFETY LABELS

PRODUCT SAFETY LISTING: All manufactured items and/or fabricated assemblies subject to operation under pressure, operation by connection to an electric source, or operation involving a connection to a manufactured, natural, or LP gas source shall be constructed and approved in a manner acceptable to the appropriate state inspector which customarily requires the label or re-examination listing or identification marking of the appropriate safety standard organization; such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for pressure vessels; the Underwriters Laboratories and /or National Electrical Manufacturers’ Association for electrically operated assemblies; or the American Gas Association for gas operated assemblies, where such approvals of listings have been established for the type of device offered and furnished. A list of acceptable marks is available on the Division of Purchase and Contract website at:

https://ncdoa.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pandc/Inspection/SafetyLabelsChart-30Apr15.pdf. The CE label is not acceptable. Further, all items furnished shall meet all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and state and federal requirements relating to clean air and water pollution. Having the appropriate certification or safety label affixed to any device delivered pursuant to this solicitation, under the conditions described above, is a material condition of any contract awarded as a result of this solicitation. All costs for product and industry certifications and listings required to supply conforming products to the State as described in this RFP are the sole responsibility of the Vendor. The certification or safety label shall be affixed and be visible on the OUTSIDE of the all products that require a certification or safety label in order to pass the State Quality Acceptance Inspection.

https://ncdoa.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pandc/Inspection/SafetyLabelsChart-30Apr15.pdf

Ver: 11/2025 Page 14 of 16

5.10 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If this Contract is not renewed at the end of this term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide, at the option of the State, up to three (3) months after such end date all such reasonable transition assistance requested by the State, to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to facilitate the orderly transfer of such services to the State or its designees. If the State exercises this option, the Parties agree that such transition assistance shall be deemed to be governed by the terms and conditions of this Contract (notwithstanding this expiration or cancellation), except for those Contract terms or conditions that do not reasonably apply to such transition assistance. The State shall pay Vendor for any resources utilized in performing such transition assistance at the most current rates provided by the Contract for performance of the services or other resources utilized.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Vendor shall designate and make available to the State a project manager. The project manager shall be the State’s point of contact for contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling and service.

6.2 POST AWARD MANAGEMENT REVIEW MEETINGS

The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall meet periodically with the State for Project Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics.

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consisting of various ideas to enhance business efficiencies will be discussed at the periodic Business Review Meetings.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. A claim by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Lead for resolution. A claim by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s). During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within thirty (30) days after delivery of notice, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under this Contract, or at law. This term shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute.

6.4 CONTRACT CHANGES

Contract changes, if any, over the life of the contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by the State and Vendor.

The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank

Attachments to this RFP begin on the next page.

Ver: 11/2025 Page 15 of 16

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM

This Invitation for Bids (RFP) is for the third-party financing of _Robotic Sweeper & scrubber_ for _Appalachian State University_.

The _Appalachian State University_ wishes to finance the equipment for __3__ years _(36)_ months.

This financing is required for:

An operating lease. The equipment will be returned to the owner at the end of the lease period.

NOTE: Payment to the equipment Vendor will become due in full upon acceptance of the equipment by __Appalachian State University_ . Delivery is expected on or about ___8/15/2026__.

Any document preparation or other fees shall be included in the bid.

Monthly payments will begin within thirty (30) days of delivery and acceptance of equipment.

PAYMENTS (TO INCLUDE ALL FEES, ACCRUED INTEREST, ETC.)

WITH $0 BUYOUT (NO PENALTY FOR EARLY PAYMENT)

__36___ Months (___3___Years)

MONTHLY PAYMENT $ ______________ (Combined Payment for both pieces of equipment)

TOTAL PAYOUT $ __________________

Ver: 11/2025 Page 16 of 16

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

RETURN THE REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE

FOLLOW THE LINKS TO ACCESS EACH ATTACHMENT

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

Complete and return the Pricing associated with this IFB, which can be found on the previous page.

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

The Instructions to Vendors, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/north-carolina-instructions-vendors-1-2025/open

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-5-2025/open

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

Complete and return the Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Vendor Information form, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-hub-supplemental-vendor-information-92021-pdf/open

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

Complete and return the Customer Reference Form, which can be found at the following link:

https://ncadmin.nc.gov/media/15503/open

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

Complete and return the Location of Workers Utilized by Vendor, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-worker-location-92021-pdf/open

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Complete, sign, and return the Certification of Financial Condition, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-certification-financial-condition-92021-pdf/open

ATTACHMENT H: VENDOR REQUEST FOR EO50 PRICE-MATCHING

Complete, sign, and return the Vendor Request for EO50 Price-Matching, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-eo-50-vendor-price-matching-opportunity-92021-pdf/open

LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

The Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements and the OMB Standard Form LLL are separate documents that can be found at the following link:

https://www.doa.nc.gov/pc-contracts-grants-loans-cooperative-agreements-certification-72020-pdf/open

*** Failure to Return the Required Attachments May Eliminate Your Response from Further Consideration *** https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/north-carolina-instructions-vendors-1-2025/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/north-carolina-general-terms-and-conditions-5-2025/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-hub-supplemental-vendor-information-92021-pdf/open https://ncadmin.nc.gov/media/15503/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-worker-location-92021-pdf/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-certification-financial-condition-92021-pdf/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/onlineforms/pc-eo-50-vendor-price-matching-opportunity-92021-pdf/open https://www.doa.nc.gov/pc-contracts-grants-loans-cooperative-agreements-certification-72020-pdf/open