METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY, TX (METRO)

REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSALS (RFTP)

FOR

MULTIPLE TRADES SERVICES (ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, PAINTING, HVAC, GATES & DOORS,

PAVING, LANDSCAPING, FLOORING)

METRO RFTP NO. 2026000020

Proposer’s signature on Request for Technical Proposals (Section II – Forms for Proposing/Award) constitutes acceptance of a contract that may result from this solicitation. Contract award/execution may be made by METRO without discussion.

Please contact the following Contract Administrator with any questions about this RFTP.

Brennan Williams Contract Administrator

Email: BW51@ridemetro.org Office: (713) 739-4952

Local/Federeal Funding SMALL BUSINESS GOAL: N/A%

IMPORTANT – Notice to Proposer

Submit all responses to and questions regarding this solicitation electronically through METRO’s Bonfire at https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement

AND one (1) hardcopy of the proposal to the address below.

There is no cost to Contractors to register to submit bids on METRO’s Bonfire.

Metropolitan Transit Authority Upper Left Corner of Envelope Must Indicate:

Procurement Division Proposer/Contractor Name and Address 1900 Main Street Lower Left Corner of Envelope Must Indicate:

Houston, Texas 77002 Solicitation Number

Due Date Due Time Solicitation Title

The Bonfire submission shall take precedence over any discrepancies between the hard copy and the Bonfire submission. Both the electronic via Bonfire and hardcopy submittal MUST be received by the deadline specified in the solicitation. A submittal MAY be deemed non-responsive if both the electronic and hardcopy are not received by the deadline specified in this solicitation.

mailto:BW51@ridemetro.org https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities#:%7E:text=Open%20external%20link)-,Open%20Procurements,-METRO%20is%20committed

RFTP No. 2026000020 Contract No. __________ ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I - PROPOSING REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS ...................................................................................................... v

10 REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSALS SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ v 11 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS (2a Step 1) and BIDDERS (2b Step 2) .............................................................................. vi 12 SMALL BUSINESS AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAMS .......................................................... xvii 13 STEP 1: TECHNICAL PROPOSAL FORMS SUBMISSION CHECKLIST ................................................................................ xxii 14 STEP 2: PRICING PROPOSAL FORMS SUBMISSION CHECKLIST ...................................................................................... xxii 15 PROPOSER’S QUESTIONNAIRE ........................................................................................................................................... xxiii 16 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PAGE .................................................................................................................... xxviii 17 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL ........................................................................................................................................................ xxix

SECTION II - FORMS FOR BIDDING/AWARD ..................................................................................................................................... xxx 1 PRICING PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PAGE ............................................................................................................................xxx 2 OFFER/ACCEPTANCE/AWARD SIGNATURE PAGE ............................................................................................................ xxxi 3 SOLICITATION/CONTRACT AMOUNT, ITEMS AND PRICES .............................................................................................. xxxii

4 KEY PERSONNEL FORM

SECTION III - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE ARTICLES

1 DEFINITIONS

2 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

3 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

4 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS

5 ADDITIONAL BOND SECURITY

6 SCHEDULES

7 TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION (TEC) ELECTRONIC FILING

8 WORK TO BE PERFORMED

9 WORK AUTHORIZATIONS

SECTION IV - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE ARTICLES

1 INSPECTION OF CONSTRUCTION

SECTION V - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA ARTICLES

1 COMPENSATION

2 INVOICING AND PAYMENT

3 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OF CORRESPONDENCE

4 CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE

5 MINUTES OF MEETINGS

6 NOTICES

SECTION VI - INSURANCE ARTICLES

1 CONTRACTOR'S INSURANCE

2 INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

SECTION VII - SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM ARTICLES FOR CONTRACTS WITH SMALL BUSINESS GOALS

SECTION VIII - SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARTICLES

1 COMMERCIAL WARRANTY

2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE

3 CONTRACTOR'S EMPLOYEES

4 NO DAMAGES FOR DELAYS

5 USE OF LOW SULFUR DIESEL

6 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

SECTION IX - GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARTICLES

1 ACCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

2 ASSIGNMENT

3 CHANGES

4 CLEANING UP

5 COMPOSITION OF CONTRACTOR

6 CONTRACT ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

7 COVENANT AGAINST CONTINGENT FEES

8 DIFFERING SITE CONDITIONS

9 DISPUTES

10 DISSEMINATION OF CONTRACT INFORMATION

11 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR VEVRAA PROTECTED VETERANS3

12 ETHICAL CONDUCT

13 EXTRAS

14 FORCE MAJEURE

15 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

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16 INTERPRETATION, JURISDICTION AND VENUE

17 LAYOUT OF WORK

18 MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP

19 METRO-FURNISHED DOCUMENTS

20 METRO-FURNISHED PROPERTY

21 OPERATIONS AND STORAGE AREAS

22 OTHER CONTRACTS

23 PATENT INDEMNITY

24 PERFORMANCE OF WORK BY THE CONTRACTOR

25 PERMITS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

26 PRICING ADJUSTMENTS

27 PROTECTION OF EXISTING VEGETATION, STRUCTURES, UTILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS

28 SAFETY

29 SEVERABILITY

30 SITE INVESTIGATION AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE WORK

31 SPECIFICATIONS AND DRAWINGS

32 SUBCONTRACTORS

33 SUPERINTENDENCE BY CONTRACTOR

34 SUSPENSION OF WORK

35 TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE OF METRO

36 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

37 TESTING OF MATERIALS

38 USE AND POSSESSION PRIOR TO COMPLETION

39 USE OF METRO'S NAME IN CONTRACTOR ADVERTISING OR PUBLIC RELATIONS

40 USE OF SPECIFICATIONS, DRAWINGS AND NOTES

41 VARIATIONS IN ESTIMATED QUANTITY

42 WAIVERS

43 WARRANTY OF CONSTRUCTION

44 FIREARM ENTITY AND TRADE ASSOCIATION DISCRIMINATION CERTIFICATION AND PROHIBITION

45 ISRAEL BOYCOTT CERTIFICATION AND PROHIBITION

46 ENERGY COMPANY BOYCOTT CERTIFICATION AND PROHIBITION

47 COVID-19 VACCINE PASSPORT PROHIBITION

SECTION X - FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ARTICLES

1 ACCESS TO RECORDS

2 APPENDIX II TO PART 200: Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards

3 CARGO PREFERENCE--USE OF UNITED STATES-FLAG VESSELS

4 CONTRACT WORK HOURS - SAFETY STANDARDS – OVERTIME COMPENSATION

5 CONTRACTOR NON-DISCRIMINATION

6 DAVIS-BACON AND COPELAND ANTI-KICKBACK ACTS

7 DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

8 DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING

9 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

10 INCORPORATION OF FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA) TERMS

11 FEDERAL CHANGES

12 FLY AMERICA

13 FRAUD AND FALSE OR FRAUDULENT STATEMENTS AND RELATED ACTS

14 METRO NON-DISCRIMINATION

15 NO OBLIGATION BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

16 OFFICIALS NOT TO BENEFIT

17 PROJECT SIGNS

18 RECYCLED PRODUCTS

19 RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING

20 SEISMIC SAFETY

21 VALUE ENGINEERING

22 BUY AMERICA

23 ENTIRE AGREEMENT

SECTION XI - EXHIBITS

1 EXHIBIT A: SCOPE OF SERVICES

2 EXHIBIT B: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

3 EXHIBIT C: CONTRACTOR'S RELEASE

4 EXHIBIT D: CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTAL

5 EXHIBIT E: FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION WAGE RATES

6 EXHIBIT F: CERTIFICATION OF RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING

7 EXHIBIT G: DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION FORM

8 EXHIBIT H: CODE OF ETHICS OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY

9 EXHIBIT I: SMALL BUSINESS FORMS

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Form 1: CONTRACTOR UTILIZATION PLAN (CUP) Form 2: BUSINESS ASSURANCE STATEMENT Form 3: SUBCONTRACTOR/SUPPLIER LETTER OF INTENT Form 4: CONTRACTOR UTILIZATION PLAN PLEDGE

10 EXHIBIT J: WORK AUTHORIZATION FORM

11 EXHIBIT K: PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

12 EXHIBIT L: BUY AMERICA CERTIFICATE

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SECTION I - PROPOSING REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

1 REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSALS SUMMARY

RFTP NO. 2026000020 RFTP ISSUE DATE: 8/10/2026

PROJECT NAME: Multiple Trades Services (Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, HVAC, Gates & Doors, Paving, Landscaping, Flooring)

ISSUED BY: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO)

ISSUED BY: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) Website: https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement

All questions and bid responses to this solicitation must be submitted electronically through METRO’s Bonfire at https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement. Registration on METRO’s Bonfire is free. Additionally, submit one (1) Original hardcopy delivered in a sealed envelope to the METRO Procurement Office, 1900 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR: Brennan Williams Contract Administrator Procurement Services

1900 Main Street, 8th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 Email: BW51@ridemetro.org Phone: (713) 739-4952

NOTE TO PROPOSERS: PROPOSERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL INFORMATION IN THIS SOLICITATION, HOWEVER, PLEASE PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO INFORMATION SHADED IN GRAY.

PROPOSAL DUE DATE/TIME/LOCATION: Proposals for work described herein must be submitted through METRO’s Bonfire at https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement and received by 2:00 PM CST on Thursday, September 10th, 2026. Additionally, submit one

(1) Original hardcopy delivered in a sealed envelope bearing the name and address of the Responder and the identification ‘Request for Technical Proposals No. Doc2026000020’ to the METRO Procurement Office, 1900 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002. Digital signatures accepted.

Both the electronic via Bonfire and hardcopy submittal MUST be received by the deadline specified in the solicitation. A submittal MAY be deemed non-responsive if both the electronic and hardcopy are not received by the deadline specified in this solicitation. Proposals received will not be opened publicly. (See additional submission requirements in Section 2 below.)

A PRE-SUBMITTAL BRIEFING will be held at 10:00 a.m. or p.m. CST on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026. (See access information below.)

In-person participation is not offered for this briefing.

The purpose of the briefing is to explain the solicitation requirements and answer any questions prospective bidders may have regarding the solicitation. All questions pertaining to this solicitation shall be presented IN WRITING through Bonfire. All interested firms are strongly encouraged to attend and have a copy of this RFTP readily accessible during the briefing.

MS Teams Link: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Dial-In Telephone No.: +1 281-925-7469 Conference ID: 562 855 066#

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The period of performance under this Contract shall be for a period of Three (3) years with Two (2) One(1) option period(s). (See Contract Article ‘Period of Performance’ in Section III).

PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS: A performance pond shall be required if the Contract amount is over $100,000.00. A payment bond shall be required if the Contract amount is over $25,000.00. Bonds shall be executed for one hundred percent (100%) of the value of the Contract. (See Contract Articles ‘Performance and Payment Bonds’ and ‘Additional Bond Security’ in Section III).

INSURANCE: Each prospective bidder is cautioned to review the Insurance requirements of this solicitation. (See Contract ‘Insurance Articles’ in Section VI.)

https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities#:%7E:text=Open%20external%20link)-,Open%20Procurements,-METRO%20is%20committed mailto:BW51@ridemetro.org https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MjE1NDk5ZjMtN2I4OS00YzRiLTk0NDMtYjM3ZDRiZGNkZmQ1%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2242943d88-6155-47ea-abaa-7f5951e7c4f1%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2294334756-c987-4cf5-8523-59f8e150ab14%22%7d tel:+1%20281-925-7469,,253474237#%20 vi

LICENSING: When a special license or permit is required by federal, state or local law or ordinance, a bidder must be properly licensed prior to bidding and furnish evidence of such with the bid.

OBLIGATION: This Request for Technical Proposals does not obligate the Metropolitan Transit Authority to solicit Step 2 bids, award a contract, or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation or submittal of any bid. METRO reserves the right to postpone or cancel the Request for Technical Proposals or issue subsequent Requests for Technical Proposals.

REGISTRATION ON PROCUREMENT WEBSITE: All proposers MUST register on METRO's procurement website at https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement to ensure that they receive the latest solicitations and updates via their registered e-mail address.

REPRODUCTION: All forms contained in this solicitation may be reproduced if more space is needed due to the number of subcontractors or suppliers to be submitted with the bid or for any other reason.

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION GOAL: METRO has adopted a Small Business Enterprise and a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program to encourage the participation of small business and disadvantaged business enterprises in contracting activities.

There will be no subcontracting goal for work authorizations under $100,000. For work authorizations exceeding $100,000, the scope of work will be reviewed to determine if a small business participation goal will be assigned. If a goal is assigned, it will be established before quotes are solicited from the pre-qualified firms. In this case, the small business participation goal can be satisfied in accordance with part Section I.3 of Section “Small Business and Disadvantage Business Enterprise Programs”. Proposers may obtain a copy of the programs at https://www.ridemetro.org/MetroPDFs/BusinessDev/Policies/Small-Business-Enterprise-Program.pdf ALL PROPOSERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMMIT TO THE WORK AUTHORIZARION SMALL BUSINESS GOAL USING SMALL BUSINESSES AND

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO THE EXTENT INDICATED IN THIS SOLICIATION.

The link to the METRO SBE directory is https://ridemetro.sbdbe.com/ The link to the Texas Unified Certification Program (TUCP) DBE directory is https://txdot.txdotcms.com/.

PROPOSERS WHO FAIL TO COMMIT TO THE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION GOAL ON APPLICABLE WORK AUTHORIZATIONS WILL BE DEEMED NONRESPONSIVE AND NO FURTHER CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THEIR BID.

METRO ENCOURAGES SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION EVEN IF NO SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION GOAL HAS BEEN

ESTABLISHED.

METRO encourages Contractors to use financial institutions owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. A listing of such institutions may be found at https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/minority/mdi.html

Veteran and Disability-Owned Business Enterprise Programs: METRO has also adopted a Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) Program and a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Program and encourages the participation of veteran and disability owned firms. Copies of METRO’s VOBE and DOBE programs can be found at www.ridemetro.org.

THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR NON-PRICED TECHNICAL PROPOSALS FOR STEP ONE OF A TWO-STEP PROCUREMENT PROCESS: Step 1 of this procurement involves the request, submission and evaluation of technical proposals to identify those proposers that meet METRO's requirements to perform the proposed contract, and that those proposers meet the requirements for ‘Responsive’ and ‘Responsible’ as set forth herein. Proposers that meet all Step 1 requirements will be invited to participate in the Step 2 competitive bidding process. See additional information under ‘INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS’ in this Section.

SUBCONTRACT: The term ‘subcontract’ as used herein means any agreement including purchase orders (other than one involving an employer-employee relationship) entered into by a METRO Prime Contractor calling for equipment, supplies or services required for contract performance, including any modifications thereto.

TYPE OF AWARD: METRO anticipates the award of multiple firm fixed hourly rate contracts as a result of step two of this solicitation.

2 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS (2a Step 1) and BIDDERS (2b Step 2)

A. INTRODUCTION

1. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Texas, (METRO) is seeking non-priced technical proposals as the first step of a two-step procurement process to provide services for Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, HVAC, Gates & Doors, Paving, Landscaping, Flooring METRO invites firms to submit a technical proposal in response to this Request for Technical Proposals (RFTP) as generally described in the Scope of Services, Exhibit A of this solicitation.

2. Step 1 of this procurement involves the request, submission and evaluation of technical proposals to identify those proposers meeting METRO's requirements to perform the proposed contract. Those firms qualified to participate in Step 2 will be requested to submit their pricing in accordance with the instructions contained in this solicitation.

https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities https://ridemetro.sbdbe.com/ https://txdot.txdotcms.com/ https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/minority/mdi.html http://www.ridemetro.org/ vii

3. The technical proposal submitted SHALL NOT include prices or pricing information. Pricing will be required in Step

2.

4. This document is comprised of a RFTP and a proposed contract. The proposed contract is made available so proposers who are selected to participate in Step 2 of this Solicitation are made aware of the contemplated terms and conditions of any resulting contract.

B. PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

METRO anticipates carrying out the procurement process in accordance with the schedule set forth in the table below. All times are in the central time zone, times unless otherwise indicated. The schedule is subject to modification at the sole discretion of METRO. Proposers will be notified of any change to the schedule by an amendment to this RFTP.

PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

Procurement Activity Date Time - Central Standard

RFTP issued 8/10/2026 TBD Pre-submittal Meeting 8/18/2026 10:00 AM Deadline for submission of Proposer questions to METRO’s Bonfire

8/21/2026

5:00 PM

Responses to Proposer Q&A published by METRO on its website 8/28/2026 5:00 PM Proposal Due Date 9/10/2026 2:00 PM Contract Execution (estimated) 10/28/2026 TBD Start Date for Work under Contract (estimated) 11/3/2026 TBD

C. APPROVAL OF CONTRACT

If required by the METRO Procurement Manual, award of a Contract evolving from this solicitation shall be contingent upon the prior receipt of written approval from the METRO Board of Directors or the President and CEO Representative(s). No contractual agreement shall be binding on METRO until this approval has been obtained. It shall be the responsibility of firms responding to this solicitation to monitor Board award decisions. All persons and/or entities responding to this Solicitation hereby acknowledge the contract award requirement enumerated in this Paragraph. Anticipated Board Items are posted on METRO’s web site at https://www.ridemetro.org/Pages/BoardMeetingsAndNotices.aspx

Public notice of solicitation results

The anticipated METRO Board meeting month for approval of a contract resulting from this solicitation will be forthcoming. It is the responsibility of the proposer to check METRO’s website for notices on the specific dates for METRO Board meetings. All proposers of this Solicitation and METRO hereby agree that this provision shall serve as the minimum required action by the proposer toward exercising due diligence in obtaining the results of this Solicitation. The requirement of approval by the METRO Board of Directors or the President and CEO Representative(s) for any particular solicitation is dependent upon several factors. However, all proposers shall be required to check the METRO web site regarding whether or not the solicitation associated with their proposal requires approval by the METRO Board of Directors or the President and CEO Representative(s). All persons and/or entities responding to this Solicitation hereby acknowledge the Public Notice of Solicitation Results enumerated in this Paragraph. METRO Board meeting notices are posted on METRO’s web site at: https://www.ridemetro.org/Pages/BoardMeetingsAndNotices.aspx

C. AWARD OF CONTRACT

1. Award of a contract, if awarded, will be made to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest bid price and whose bid conforms to the solicitation documents. The lowest price bidder is not guaranteed that it will receive the METRO contract award.

2. A written Notice of Award will be issued to the successful bidder upon being selected for award of a contract and execution of any resultant contract.

3. The successful bidder must provide a current Workers' Compensation Insurance Certificate prior to being awarded the contract.

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4. METRO reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informalities in bids received and the right to reject all nonconforming, unbalanced, non-responsive or conditional bids. Discrepancies between words and figures will be resolved in favor of words.

5. Unsuccessful proposers can request a debriefing by contacting the Contract Administrator named in this solicitation.

2a STEP 1: PROPOSAL

A. PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL

1. All proposal responses to this solicitation must be submitted electronically through METRO’s Bonfire at:

https://www.ridemetro.org/procurement “Facsimile (fax) or emailed bids are not authorized.

2. If a proposal is from an individual, sole proprietorship, or a proposer operating under a trade name, the proposal shall be signed by that individual.

3. A proposal by a partnership shall be executed in the partnership name and signed by a partner; the official address of the partnership shall be shown below the signature.

4. A proposal by a corporation shall be executed in the corporate name by the president or a vice-president (or other corporate officer accompanied by evidence of authority to sign) and the corporate seal shall be affixed and attested by the corporate secretary or assistant secretary.

5. A proposal submitted by a joint venture shall list the names of all joint venturers and the mailing addresses of each and shall be executed by all joint venturers in the same manner as if they were individually submitting bids. The signature portion of the Proposal form in Section II shall be altered as appropriate for execution by the joint venture and all joint venturers.

6. All names shall be typed or printed below the signature.

7. The proposal shall contain an acknowledgment of receipt of all amendments to the solicitation. Refer to Paragraph C in this

Section, below.

8. Communications regarding this solicitation are to be directed to the address and to the attention of the METRO person shown in this Request for Proposals document.

9. If a proposer considers any of the terms or conditions of the solicitation (including the proposed contract) to be unacceptable, the proposer should identify those which are so, and cite reasons therefore in a supplement to its proposal cover letter. Any such exceptions or revisions, and the reasons therefore, will be considered as factors in evaluation of the proposal.

10. In an effort to promote greater use of recycled and environmentally preferable products and minimize waste, all proposals submitted should comply with the following:

a. All Submittals and copies should be printed on recycled paper with a minimum post-consumer content of thirty percent (30%) or on tree-free paper (i.e., paper made from raw materials other than trees, such as kenaf);

b. Unless absolutely necessary, all Submittals and copies should minimize or eliminate the use of non-recyclable or non-reusable materials, such as plastic report covers, plastic dividers, vinyl sleeves and bindings;

c. To further reduce the use of materials not essential to proposals, METRO encourages Proposers to forgo the use of three-ringed binders or glued materials when assembling the originals and copies of the RFTP and other required information. Instead, METRO prefers and appreciates the use of paper clips, binder clips, staples, rubber bands, and other materials containing recycled content, such as folders, paper clips, discs or thumb drives, envelopes, boxes, etc.

METRO also appreciates receiving proposals assembled in formats that allow for easy removal and recycling of paper and other materials; and

d. Unnecessary samples, attachments or documents not specifically asked for should not be submitted with a proposal.

B. EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS

1. A complete set of proposal documents shall be used in preparing a proposal. METRO assumes no responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of documents.

2. METRO, in making copies of these documents available on the above terms, does so only for the purpose of obtaining proposals on the Work and does not convey a license or grant for any other use.

3. Each proposer should carefully examine these documents and take such other steps as may be reasonably necessary to https://www.ridemetro.org/about/business-to-business/procurement-opportunities#:%7E:text=Open%20external%20link)-,Open%20Procurements,-METRO%20is%20committed ix ascertain the contract performance requirements. Failure to do so will not relieve the proposer from responsibility for estimating properly the difficulty or cost of successfully performing the contract. Extra compensation will not be allowed for conditions which are determinable by examining these documents.

C. EXPLANATIONS/AMENDMENTS ISSUED TO PROPOSERS

1. Any explanation desired by a proposer regarding the meaning or interpretation of the RFTP or its scope of services must be requested in writing and received by METRO at least ten (10) calendar days before the date set to receive proposals.

METRO’s response will be in the form of an amendment and will be furnished to all prospective proposers. METRO may also issue amendments when a solicitation is changed.

2. The proposer must acknowledge receipt of every amendment issued by METRO in the space provided on the Amendment form itself and submit a copy of all amendments with the proposal or send a letter of amendment acknowledgement to be received by METRO before the time set for receipt of proposals. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of the contract will not be binding. METRO will assume no responsibility for any understanding or representations concerning conditions made by any of its officers or agents prior to the execution of the contract, unless included in these documents.

D. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS– Step 1

1. The unpriced technical proposals will be evaluated by an Evaluation Committee comprised of METRO staff members who have expertise and knowledge in the disciplines related to the project and in accordance with this Request for Technical Proposals. The Committee's evaluations will be based on all available information, including proposals, reports, discussions, reference and other appropriate checks, and the personal knowledge of the individual members’ areas of expertise.

Technical proposal requirements set forth herein are designed to provide guidance to the proposer concerning the type of documentation that will be used by the Evaluation Committee. Proposals will be evaluated using the criteria set forth below in paragraph F on a pass or fail basis.

2. The evaluation process may also include the participation of an Oral Presentation Committee; an Executive Selection

Committee, or a Board Selection Committee. The participation of some or all of these committees may occur at the beginning of the evaluation process, foregoing a staff member Evaluation Committee altogether, or to convene after the Evaluation Committee has made an initial shortlist. Members of the METRO Board of Directors or the President and CEO Representative(s) may elect to participate as scoring members or non-scoring observers on any of these committees.

3. Complete, carefully considered responses to the items set forth below will determine the competence and capability of the proposer to perform the services of the proposed contract. These items should not be considered all inclusive, and proposers should include any further information which would clearly indicate their ability to perform any resultant contract.

4. Small Business Participation: The proposer shall demonstrate commitment to meet or exceed the small business participation goal. Where applicable, consideration will be given to a proposer’s performance with respect to Small Business goal achievements on past METRO contracts. Proposals must include all required Small Business forms properly completed and executed. (See Article 4, ‘Proposal Forms Submission Checklist,’ in Section I).

E. PROPOSER QUALIFICATIONS/ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARD

1. Each proposer shall complete, and submit the applicable forms contained in this document. If the proposer is a joint venture, each joint venturer shall prepare and submit separate forms.

2. In order for a proposer to be eligible to be awarded the contract, a proposal must be responsive to the Request for Proposals, show the proposer’s technical competency, and METRO must be able to determine that the proposer is responsible to perform the contract satisfactorily.

3. A responsive proposal complies with all material aspects of the solicitation. Proposals that do not comply with all the terms and conditions of this solicitation will be rejected as nonresponsive and the proposer will not be eligible to participate in Step 2.

4. Responsible proposers as a minimum must:

a. Have financial resources adequate to perform the contract, or ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of the contract;

b. Be able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing business commitments;

c. Have the necessary technical equipment, material and capability, including qualified supervision and skilled workforce, adequate to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain such resources as are required during the course of the contract;

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d. Have a satisfactory record of business integrity and ethics;

e. Have a satisfactory record of current and/or past performance in behalf of METRO and/or other owners, including the areas of scheduling, submittals; record keeping, reporting, qualified supervision, skilled workforce, safety, quality of equipment, materials and workmanship, timely performance, warranties and guarantees;

f. If applicable, have a satisfactory record as a Contractor of achieving small business participation goals in past METRO projects, as well as providing evidence satisfactory to METRO that the proposer will comply with Small Business Program requirements and any small business participation goal contained herein;

g. Certify that it is not on the U.S. General Services Administration's ‘Lists of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-Procurement Programs.’ Signing and submitting the bid is so certifying; and

h. Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

5. A proposer may be requested to submit written evidence verifying that it meets the minimum criteria necessary to be determined a responsible proposer. Refusal to provide requested information will result in the proposer being declared non-responsive, and the proposal will be rejected.

F. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA – Step 1

A Proposer’s proposal will be evaluated in the Step 1 evaluation process on technical criteria on a pass/fail basis.

Proposals should be organized under the following headings and should address each topic to demonstrate the Proposer’s qualifications and ability to perform the Work.

TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following technical and general requirements, as applicable to the specific trade(s) for which a Proposer submits a proposal, will be used in the Step 1 proposal evaluation process. The following information MUST be submitted with each proposal:

CRITERIA EVALUATION

The proposer shall have resources necessary to manage staff and successfully perform the work contemplated under the Trades Contract. The proposer shall indicate the number and qualifications of key personnel, including project manager, licensed trades craftsman, apprentices and equipment operators and trades men, to be specifically assigned to METROs account. Include Resumes of these individuals and an Organization Chart.

Pass/Fail

The proposer shall include a detailed discussion of their organizational structure, how this relates to the proposed handling of METROs Trades contract and why the proposer feels this approach best fits the organization and METROs needs. Provide a brief profile of the proposer, including its principal line of business, the year founded, and the number of employees. Identify any conditions (bankruptcy, pending merger, pending litigation, planned office closures) that may impede the proposer's ability to perform the services.

Proposer shall have a minimum of five (5) years of verifiable experience with Landscaping for large multiply-locations companies this should include but not limit to: trim trees over 20’ and removal, Crown thinning, sprinkler system installation and repairs detention pond maintenance, irrigation systems, lot clean-up, Proposer shall list a minimum of five (5) past projects that illustrate the firm’s understanding of current codes. The proposer shall have experience as prime contractor, within the past five (5) years in requirements type construction contracts. Provide the company name, address, telephone number, contact & title, and project type and dollar value for each reference.

Pass/Fail

Proposer shall have a minimum of five (5) years of verifiable experience with paving operations, or resurfacing, recoating systems, or commercial electrical repair, maintenance, replacement, and new installations, or commercial Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) repairs, maintenance, installation, controls integration, or pedestrian and roll up door repair, maintenance, and installation, or installing carpet, VCT, epoxy flooring, and porcelain tile, or commercial plumbing repairs, maintenance, and installations. Proposer shall list a minimum of five (5) past projects that illustrate the firm’s understanding of current codes. The proposer shall have experience as prime contractor, within the past five (5) years in requirements type construction contracts. Provide the company name, address, telephone number, contact & title, and project type and dollar value for each reference.

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The proposer shall demonstrate expert knowledge and possess current Master level licensing or equivalent in the particular trade (i.e., Master Electrician, Master Plumber, HVAC Contractor A...) to legally perform work in the State of Texas.

Proposer shall have experience in the effective application of a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Program for projects of $50,000 to $250,000 over the previous five (5) years.

Provide the company name, address, telephone number, contact & title, and project type and dollar value for each reference.

Pass/Fail

The proposer shall have the capabilities to effectively utilize subcontractors in a single trade type contracting environment. It is expected that the normal time frame for project identification, scoping, estimating, and start of actual performance will be less than four (4) weeks. Describe the proposer's system for the selection, award and management of subcontractors. The Proposer shall have the capabilities to effectively utilize subcontractors in requirements type contracting environment. Proposers are reminded that a basic objective of the Trades contract is quick response for proposed work, and potentially emergency situations. Describe the Proposer's system for the selection, award, and management of subcontractors.

Pass/Fail

The proposer shall be capable of obtaining insurance of the types and with minimum limits of liability as prescribed in Section VII of the proposed contract. Compliance with this requirement may be in the form of an insurance certificate or a letter from proposer's insurance agent/broker confirming proposers' ability to obtain the specified insurance. Contractor shall provide METRO with a notarized statement from an admitted surety insurer (approved by the State of Texas) and authorized to issue bonds in the State of Texas which states that your current bonding capacity is a minimum of $250,000.00.

Pass/Fail

Proposer shall have the ability to meet Railroad Safety Requirements.

The proposers shall provide a Quality Control and Safety Program. Safety Requirements:

a. Does the proposer (contractors) most current workers compensation experience modification factor (EMF) average less than or equal to 1.0?

b. Does the proposer (contractor) have a written Injury Prevention Program?

c. Does the proposer (contractor) designate a safety coordinator for every project?

d. Does the proposer (contractor) have an OSHA recordable injury and illness incident rates and/or experience modifier rates at or lower than 4.0 per 100 employees for each of their prior three (3) years?

e. Does the proposer (contractor) set Health and Safety standards for their subcontractors?

f. Does the proposer (contractor) have documented evidence of training or relevant experience?

9 Ability of the proposer (contractor) to respond to multiple work requests simultaneously and have the capacity to respond and mobilize to emergency work authorizations on METRO property only in a timely manner.

Pass/Fail

10 Concluding statement as to why your firm is best qualified to meet the needs of METRO and why your firm should be selected. Pass/Fail

Note: Only Contractors deemed technically acceptable will be invited to participate in the Step 2 competitive bidding process.

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2b STEP 2: BIDDING and AWARD

A. GENERAL INFORMATION/OVERVIEW

1. The firms selected to participate in the Step 2 bidding will be issued a formal ‘Invitation for Bid’ (IFB) package comprised of

Instructions to Bidders, bidding forms, and terms and conditions of the proposed contract.

2. An overview of the Step 2 Bidding and Award process is being presented here as general information only and shall be of no consideration for the present Step 1 RFTP. METRO will provide specific instructions, which may be revised from what appears below, for the Step 2 bidding process in the IFB offered to those firms selected to participate in that process.

B. BID EVALUATION PROCESS Step 2

1. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, (METRO) is seeking non-priced technical proposals as the first step of a two-step procurement process to provide one or more services for Multiple Trades Services (Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, HVAC, Gates & Doors, Paving, Landscaping, Flooring). METRO invites firms to submit a technical proposal in response to this Request for Technical Proposals (RFTP) as generally described in the Scope of Services, Exhibit A of this solicitation.

2. Bidders must bid on all items to be considered for award. Bids submitted for quantities less than specified for each item. will be rejected as non-responsive.

3. Bidders must bid on all items and award will be made based on the total aggregate price.

4. Bids containing apparent clerical mistakes such as discrepancy between unit bid price and the price extension or the sum of the extended amounts and the total bid price, or other apparent clerical mistakes, will be resolved by the Contract Administrator in accordance with the ‘Errors in Bids’ procedures contained in METRO's Procurement Manual in Chapter 4.

5. In the event of tie bids, the successful bidder will be determined by drawing of lots at an open meeting with the tie bidders invited to attend.

C. BID SECURITY

1. Each bid shall be accompanied by bid security, drawn payable to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, in the amount required by the Invitation for Bids. The bid security shall be a cashier's check, a certified check or a bid bond issued by a surety licensed to do business in Texas, approved for the full amount of bond coverage required on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Circular 570 and by METRO. Failure to furnish the bid security in the proper form and amount by the time set for opening of bids will result in rejection of the bid.

2. Bid security, other than a bid bond, will be returned to:

a. Unsuccessful bidders as soon as practicable after the opening of bids; and

b. The successful bidder upon execution of such further contractual documents and bonds as may be required by the contract documents.

1) If the successful bidder, upon acceptance of its bid by METRO within the period specified therein for acceptance, fails to execute such further contractual documents and furnish such bonds as may be required by the contract documents within the time specified in the contract, the bidder will forfeit any bid security provided.

D. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS/ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARD

1. In order for a bidder to be eligible to be awarded the contract, the bid must be responsive to the Invitation, show the bidder’s technical competency, and METRO must be able to determine that the bidder is responsible to perform the contract satisfactorily.

2. A responsive bid complies with all material aspects of the solicitation. Bids that do not comply with all the terms and conditions of the solicitation will be rejected as non-responsive.

3. Responsible bidders as a minimum must:

a. Have financial resources adequate to perform the contract, or ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of the contract;

b. Be able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing business commitments;

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c. Have a satisfactory record of current and/or past performance in behalf of METRO and/or other owners, including the areas of scheduling, submittals; record keeping, reporting, qualified supervision, skilled workforce, safety, quality of equipment, materials and workmanship, timely performance, warranties and guarantees;

d. Have the necessary technical equipment, material and capability, including qualified supervision and skilled workforce, adequate to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain such resources as are required during the course of the contract;

e. Have a satisfactory record of business integrity and ethics;

f. If applicable, have a satisfactory record as a Contractor of achieving small business participation goals in past METRO projects, as well as providing evidence satisfactory to METRO that the proposer will comply with Small Business Program requirements and any small business participation goal contained herein;

g. Certify that it is not on the U.S. General Services Administration's ‘Lists of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-procurement Programs.’ Signing and submitting the bid is so certifying; and

h. Be qualified as an established firm regularly engaged in the type of business to provide the items/work required by this solicitation; and

4. A bidder may be requested to submit written evidence verifying that it meets the minimum criteria necessary to be determined a responsible bidder. Refusal to provide requested information will result in the bidder being declared non-responsive, and the bid will be rejected.

5. Bids deviating or taking exception to the solicitation requirements will not be considered.

E. CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION - LOWER

TIER COVERED TRANSACTION

1. The Bidder certifies, by submission of the bid, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency.

2. Where the bidder is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, the Bidder shall attach an explanation to the bid it submits to METRO.

F. CONFLICTS DISCLOSURE

Vendors doing business with METRO or seeking to do business with METRO are required to file a completed questionnaire (FORM CIQ) disclosing the vendor’s affiliations or business relationship with any Board Member, local government officer (or his or her family member). Form CIQ is available on METRO’s web site at https://www.ridemetro.org/Pages/ConflictsDisclosure.aspx.

G. COVENANT AGAINST CONTINGENT FEES

By submitting this proposal, the proposer certifies that it has not employed any company or person (other than a full-time, bona fide employee working solely for the proposer) to solicit or secure this contract, and has not paid or agreed to pay any company or person (other than a full-time, bona fide employee working solely for the proposer) any fee, commission, percentage, or brokerage fee contingent upon or resulting from the award of this contract; and agrees to furnish information relating to the above, as requested by the Contracting Officer.

H. DISCOUNTS

1. No discounts will be considered in the evaluation of bids.

2. Discounts for early payment may be offered in the original bid or on individual invoices submitted under the resulting

Contract, and discounts offered will be taken by METRO if payment is made within the discount period specified.

3. Discounts that are included in bids become a part of the resulting Contract and are binding on the Contractor. Discounts offered only on individual invoices will be binding on the Contractor only for the particular invoice on which the discount is offered.

I. DISQUALIFICATION

METRO reserves the right to disqualify a bid, before or after the bid opening, upon evidence of collusion with intent to defraud or other illegal practices on the part of a bidder.

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J. EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS

1. A complete set of bid documents shall be used in preparing a bid. Bids will be accepted only from those bidders listed on METRO'S official Bidder's List at the designated bid opening time. METRO assumes no responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of documents.

2. METRO, in making copies of these documents available on the above terms, does so only for the purpose of obtaining bids on the work and does not convey a license or grant for any other use.

3. Each bidder should carefully examine these documents and take such other steps as may be reasonably necessary to ascertain the contract performance requirements. Failure to do so will not relieve bidders from responsibility for estimating properly the difficulty or cost of successfully performing the contract. Extra compensation will not be allowed for conditions which are determinable by examining these documents. METRO will assume no responsibility for any understanding or representations concerning conditions made by any of its officers or agents prior to the execution of the contract, unless included in these documents.

K. EXPLANATIONS/AMENDMENTS ISSUED TO BIDDERS

1. Any explanation desired by a proposer regarding the meaning or interpretation of the RFTP or its scope of services must be requested in writing and received by METRO in accordance with the Written Questions deadline stated in Section I of this RFTP. METRO’s response will be in the form of an amendment and will be furnished to all prospective proposers.

METRO may also issue amendments when a solicitation is changed.

2. The proposer must acknowledge receipt of every amendment issued by METRO in the space provided on the

Amendment form itself and submit a copy of all amendments with the proposal or send a letter of amendment acknowledgement to be received by METRO before the time set for receipt of proposals. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of the contract will not be binding. METRO will assume no responsibility for any understanding or representations concerning conditions made by any of its officers or agents prior to the execution of the contract, unless included in these documents.

L. INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION

By submitting this proposal, the proposer certifies that he has not colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed, directly or indirectly, with any proposer, to put in a sham proposal or to refrain from proposing; and further, that he has not in any manner, directly or indirectly sought by agreement, collusion, communication or conference, with any person, to fix the proposal amount herein or any other proposer, or to fix any overhead, profit, or cost element of said proposal amount, or that of any other proposer, or to secure any advantage against METRO or any person interested in the proposed contract.

M. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION

1. By signing and submitting a bid, the Bidder is providing the certification set out in Paragraph E above.

2. The certification in this Instruction to Bidders is a material representation of fact upon which reliance will be placed by

METRO to enter into a resultant contract. If it is later determined that the Bidder/Contractor knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal Government, METRO may pursue available remedies, including suspension and/or debarment.

3. The bidder shall provide immediate written notice to METRO if at any time the bidder learns that its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.

4. The terms ‘covered transaction,’’ debarred,’ ‘suspended,’ ‘ineligible,’ ‘lower tier covered transaction,’ ‘participant,’ ‘person,’

‘primary covered transaction,’ ‘principal,’ ‘bid,’ and ‘voluntarily excluded,’ as used herein, have the meanings set out in the Definition and Coverage sections of rules implementing Executive Order 12549. The bidder may contact the designated METRO Contracts Administrator for assistance in obtaining a copy of this regulation.

5. The bidder agrees by submitting a bid that, should the resulting contract for the proposed covered transactions…