ITB 26-106 Mowing for the Fire Training Center, Fire Stations, and Well Sites

Citrus County, Florida (“County”) invites interested parties to submit a Bid to provide routine finish mowing, edging, trimming, and clean-up for the Fire Training Center, fire stations and well sites.

Project Details

• Reference ID: ITB 26-106
• Department: Purchasing
• Department Head: Linda Morse (Purchasing & Contracts Manager)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-04-20T20:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-04-08T14:00:00.000Z — Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25365796467985?p=4MDGNgfkC9btvoXpYq Meeting ID: 253 657 964 679 85 Passcode: tF6NA3Ra

Meetings & Milestones

Addenda

• Addendum #1 (released 2026-04-02T18:04:57.146Z) —

  Please see attached Addendum No. 1.

Evaluation Criteria

• Scope of Services —

  MOWING

   

  Prior to each cut, branches, moss, debris, and litter are to be picked up and placed into the dumpster at each location. All areas of the property shall be completely mowed upon each visit or as verified in the schedule, including rights-of-way, drainage ditches, and retention ponds. Mower blade height shall be adjusted to a height of 3 to 3 ¹/2" to prevent scalping. The use of gang mower or bush hog type of equipment will not be allowed.

   

  Each mowing shall be performed in accordance with the following frequencies. No sites can take more than two (2) days to complete.

   

  MOWING FREQUENCY

  Month		Number of Cuts
  October		2 cuts
  November		1 cut
  December		1 cut
  January		1 cut
  February		1 cut
  March		2 cuts
  April		2 cuts
  May		2 cuts
  June		3 cuts
  July		4 cuts
  August		4 cuts
  September		3 cuts

   

  TOTAL CUTS: 26 times PER YEAR (excluding well sites which are to be mowed once a month unless instructed otherwise)

   

  1.    EDGING

  All sidewalks, planting beds, paved walking trails, driveways, athletic courts, apparatus aprons, parking areas, etc.

  2.    TRIMMING

  All buildings, gazebos, poles, trees, fences and anywhere else a mower cannot reach will be trimmed with a commercial grade line trimmer. Trimming will be performed at the time of each and every cut.

  3.    CLEAN UP

  At the end of each mowing service, all walks, drives, apparatus aprons and open space areas will be free of loose materials, trash, or debris. All areas will be cleaned during services by either mulching or bagging clippings, tree limbs, palm fronds etc. are to be picked up and placed into the dumpster at each site.

   

  Citrus County Fire Rescue Locations

  See MAPS for the size of each location

  Fire Training Center 1300 S. Lecanto Hwy Lecanto, Florida	Fire Station #18 5000 W. Oak Park Dr. Homosassa, Florida
  Fire Station #3 8408 W. Homosassa Trail Homosassa, Florida	Fire Station #20 4785 N. Elkcam Blvd. Beverly Hills, Florida
  Fire Station #5 3673 E Orange Dr. Hernando, Florida	Fire Station #23 285 S. Kensington Ave. Lecanto, Florida
  Fire Station #7 800 N. Rock Crusher Rd Crystal River, Florida	Fire Station #24 7880 E. Spanish Trail Floral City, Florida
  Fire Station #8 4333 Little Al Pt Inverness, Florida	Well Site 1 – Approximate location 5425 S. Ashley Terrace Inverness, Florida
  Fire Station #9 10165 N. Citrus Ave. Crystal River, Florida	Well Site 2 – Approximate location 12228 S. Florida Avenue Floral City, Florida
  Fire Station #14 9515 N. Citrus Springs Blvd. Citrus Springs, Florida	Well Site 3 – Approximate location 4308 E. Scott Lane & C-39 Citrus Springs, Florida

• Signing of the Agreement —

  When County gives a Notice of Intent to Award to the Successful Bidder, it will be accompanied by an unsigned Agreement.  Within ten (10) calendar days thereafter the Successful Bidder shall execute and deliver to the County the Agreement, along with a certificate of insurance that shows policies, limits, and other conditions in compliance with that outlined in the Invitation to Bid.  Upon award and execution of the Agreement by the County, one certified copy of the Agreement shall be delivered to the Successful Bidder.

• Solicitation Overview —

  Citrus County, Florida (“County”) invites interested parties to submit a Bid to provide routine finish mowing, edging, trimming, and clean-up for the Fire Training Center, fire stations and well sites.

   

• General Instructions —

  Bidders are encouraged to carefully review all the materials contained herein and prepare your Bid accordingly.  The detailed requirements set forth below will be used to evaluate the Bids and failure of Bidder to provide the information requested for a specific requirement may render their Bid as non-responsive and result in being rejected. Failure of Bidder to comply with all terms of this Invitation to Bid may result in disqualification of Bidder and rejection of Bidder’s submittal by County.

  Bidders shall carefully study and compare the information and documents presented in this Invitation to Bid to ensure there are no conflicts, shall examine the site and local conditions, if applicable, and shall at once report to the Contact Person any errors, inconsistencies or ambiguities discovered.

  County shall not be liable for any costs incurred by a Bidder in preparing or producing its Bid or for any service provided before execution of an Agreement.

  All terms and conditions outlined in this Invitation to Bid, and any associated Addenda, shall become a part of the Agreement entered into between the County and the Successful Bidder.

• Responsiveness of the Bid and Disqualification —

  A responsive Bid is one that complies with and conforms to the requirements of this Invitation to Bid.  A Bid requiring changes to any portion of this Invitation to Bid may be considered non-responsive.  A Bid that fails to comply with the criteria outlined in this Invitation for Bid may be deemed non-responsive.

  A Bid may be rejected if found to be conditional, irregular, incomplete or not in conformance with the requirements and instructions contained herein, such as, but not limited to: (1) failure to strictly comply with and satisfactorily address the prerequisite criteria, (2) failure to provide the required forms or other documentation, (3) incomplete, indefinite or ambiguous language, and (4) improper and/or undated signatures.

  Other conditions which shall cause rejection of the Bid, include, but are not limited to: (1) an individual firm, partnership, corporation or combination thereof, under the same or different names submitting (as the Bidder) more than one Bid, (2) evidence of collusion among Bidders, (3) obvious lack of experience or expertise to perform the Services, (4) failure to perform or meet financial obligations for previous contracts with the County, (5) falsification of any form required by the County, or (6) not having valid and appropriate local, state or federal certifications and/or licenses necessary to perform the Services.

  County may conduct such investigations as County deems necessary to assist in the evaluation of any Bid and to establish the responsibility, qualifications and financial ability of the Bidder and their proposed Subcontractors.  County reserves the right to seek clarifications or request any information deemed necessary for proper evaluation of Bids from all Bidders.

• COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY —

  Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent must obtain a general liability policy with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $2,000,000 general aggregate.

• List of Bidders —

  A list of Bidders, along with their total base bid pricing, will be posted on OpenGov and Demand Star® within ten (10) days after the Public Opening date.  The list of Bidders can also be obtained by contacting the Contact Person.  County will not provide a list of Bidders by telephone.

• Minimum Requirements for Submitting a Bid —

  Bidder shall meet all of the following requirements to be determined a responsive and responsible Bidder at the time of Bid Submittal:
  1.    A minimum of two (2) years of Commercial Mowing Experience
  2.    Active Registration to conduct Business in the State of Florida https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/  
  3.    Complete and submit all forms required in the VENDOR/CONTRACTOR RESPONSES section.

• AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY —

  Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent must obtain coverage for all vehicles for Bodily Injury and Property Damage of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit each accident. In the event the Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent does not own vehicles, the Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent  shall maintain coverage for Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability, which may be satisfied by way of endorsement to the Commercial General Liability policy or separate Business Auto Liability policy. 

• WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYER'S LIABILITY —
  1. Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent must obtain Workers Compensation insurance with limits in compliance with applicable state and federal laws; if any operations are to be undertaken on or about navigable waters, coverage must be included for the US Longshoremen & Harbor Workers Act.  Employer's Liability limits for not less than $100,000 each accident $500,000 disease policy limit and $100,000 disease each employee must be included.
  2. For any officer of Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent that has exempt status as an individual, County requires proof of workers’ compensation insurance coverage for that Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent/employer/owner’s employees.  If Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent/employer/owner or individual has applied for a workers’ compensation exemption, County does not recognize this exemption to extend to the employees of Successful Bidder/Successful Respondent/employer/owner.
  3. The purpose of this section is to ensure that all Successful Bidders/Successful Respondents , subcontractors, sole proprietors, or business entities of any kind who contract with County for provision of goods or services, provide workers’ compensation coverage for all employees, and principles of sub-consultants, subcontractors, sole proprietors, or other business entities.  All provisions of this Section shall be construed in accord with this intent.
• Vendor System-OpenGov Registration —

  County has partnered with OpenGov Procurement, a web-based eProcurement service. Current bid solicitations and associated addenda, notices of recommended bid award, and current bid awards will be posted at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/citrusfl.

  Bid Notifications will be sent electronically via e-mail from OpenGov to registered Bidders. It is the sole responsibility of interested parties to monitor OpenGov for solicitation opportunities and updates.

  Visit https://procurement.opengov.com/signup to register. OpenGov is an online Bidder registration system that provides a free, at no cost to Bidder, secure, user-friendly Internet portal and one-stop service center to register with County. This system also allows you to receive automatic email notifications regarding County’s upcoming competitive solicitations as opportunities become available. Registration assistance is available by e-mail procurement-support@opengov.com.

  All Citrus County Vendors/Contractors/Consultants will need to register with OpenGov in order to be able to submit Bids/Proposals/Qualifications etc., to County.

  OpenGov Procurement has no affiliation with the County other than as a service that facilitates communication between the County and its Bidder. OpenGov Procurement is an independent entity and is not an agent or representative of the County.

• Cooperative Purchasing —

  County encourages and agrees to the successful bidder extending the pricing, terms and conditions of this solicitation or resultant contract to other governmental entities at the discretion of the successful bidder. If applicable, pursuant to Contractor's own governing laws, and subject to agreement of Contractor, other government entities may be permitted to make purchases at the terms and conditions contained herein.  Non-County purchases are independent of the Agreement between County and Contractor, and County shall not be a party to any transaction between Contractor and any other government entity.  Another government entity may attach additional contractual and technical terms and conditions to this Agreement.  These "special conditions" shall take precedence over the terms and conditions in this Agreement unless the conflicting term in this Agreement is statutorily required, in which case the term contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.

  Bidders shall acknowledge if they will allow other government entities to “Piggy-Back” the Bid and Agreement.

• Contact Person —

  All inquiries pertaining to this Invitation to Bid are to be directed to all:

   

  Department of Management & Budget, Purchasing

  3600 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 266

  Lecanto, Florida, 34461

  Phone: 352-527-5457

  Fax: 352-527-5424

   

  Linda Morse, Purchasing & Contracts Manager, linda.morse@citrusbocc.gov

  Kathy Milianta, Purchasing & Contracts Specialist, Kathy.Milianta@citrusbocc.gov

  Leigha Utter, Purchasing & Contracts Specialist, leigha.utter@citrusbocc.gov

  Saleem Mahmood, Purchasing Assistant, saleem.mahmood@citrusbocc.gov

   

  CAUTION

  PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS: In accordance with Section 287.057 (25) of the Florida Statutes, Bidders to this solicitation, or persons acting on their behalf, may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, any employee or officer of the County concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the Contact Person noted above.  Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response to this solicitation.

• POLLUTION LIABILITY —
  1. Pollution Liability must be afforded for Bodily Injury and Property Damage of not less than $1,000,000 each claim.
  2. When this contract includes the pick-up, transportation and /or disposal of hazardous wastes as governed under title 40 or 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the transporter's Automobile Insurance shall be endorsed to include the ICC Form MSC90 (Motor Carrier Act of 1980) and the ISO Form CA 9948 (Pollution Liability-Broadened Coverage for Covered Autos-Business Auto and Truckers Coverage Forms).
• Examination of Bid Documents and Project Site —

  It is the responsibility of the Bidder to (1) examine the Bid Documents thoroughly, (2) visit the project site to become familiar with local conditions that may affect cost, progress, or performance of the Services, (3) consider Federal, State and Local Laws and Regulations that may affect cost, progress, or performance of the Services, (4) study and carefully correlate Bidder's observations with the Bid Documents, and (5) notify the Contact Person of all conflicts, errors or discrepancies in the Bid Documents prior to submitting a formal Bid.

  If reports of explorations and tests of subsurface conditions at the project site are conveyed to Bidder by County, Bidder may rely upon the accuracy of the technical data contained in such reports but not upon non-technical data, interpretations or opinions contained therein or for the completeness thereof for the purposes of bidding or performance of the Services.

  The lands upon which the Services is to be performed, rights-of-way and easements for access thereto and other lands designated for use by Bidder in performing the Services are identified in the Bid Documents.  All additional lands and access thereto required for temporary construction facilities or storage of materials and equipment are to be provided by Bidder.  Easement for permanent structures or permanent changes in existing structures is to be obtained and paid for by County unless otherwise provided in the Bid Documents.

  Before submitting a Bid, it shall be the Bidder's responsibility to request from County or to obtain on their own any additional information and/or data which the Bidder deems necessary for preparing their Bid so as to be informed of anything that may affect the cost, progress, or performance of the Services in accordance with the time, price and other terms and conditions noted in the Bid Documents.

  The submission of a Bid will constitute an incontrovertible representation by Bidder that Bidder has complied with all of the requirements of this Article, that without exception their Bid is premised upon performing the Services required by the Bid Documents and such means, methods, techniques, sequences or procedures of construction as may be indicated in or required by the Bid Documents, and that the Bid Documents are sufficient in scope and detail to indicate and convey understanding of all terms and conditions for performance of Services.

• Questions/Additional Terms and Conditions/Variances/Exceptions —

  Bidders may submit questions about the meaning or intent of the Invitation to Bid or Agreement to the website link (https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/citrusfl/projects/246346) in written format only and shall submit such on or before the deadline for questions listed in the Event Timeline.   Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary in response to such questions will be issued by a written Addendum.  Only questions answered by formal written Addendum will be binding.  Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect.  Questions submitted shall not constitute formal protest of the specifications or of this Invitation to Bid.

  A written addendum, if applicable, will be issued online to OpenGov (https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/citrusfl) and/or DemandStar® websites in response to questions received as of the specified deadline in the Event Timeline.

  Issues regarding any and all discrepancies, errors, or ambiguities in the Request for Qualification documents, including those noted in the Agreement shall be submitted in writing to https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/citrusfl on or before deadline for questions which is listed in the Event Timeline.

• CYBER LIABILITY —

  If any operations to be undertaken by Successful Bidder include interfacing with County information technology (IT), operation technology (OT), computer hardware or software, or accessing, processing, or storing personally identifiable information (PII), payment card industry data security standard (PCI), personal health information (PHI), confidential or protected data, Contractor must obtain Claims-Made coverage in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per claim for actual or alleged breaches of data and loss of data. The Claims-Made policy form shall provide continuous coverage that remains in place for three (3) years after contract completion.

• Event Timeline —

  Bidders should review and become familiar with the Event Timeline.  The dates and times of each activity within the Timeline may be subject to change.  It is the responsibility of Bidder to check for any changes.  All changes to the Timeline will be made through an addendum to this Invitation to Bid.

  Any person requiring reasonable accommodation at this meeting because of a disability or physical impairment should contact Citrus County, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, FL 34461, Carlton Hall, ADA Coordinator (352) 527-5477, at least two days before the meeting.

  If you are hearing or speech impaired, dial 7-1-1 or (800) 955-8771 (TTY) or (800) 955-8770 (v), via Florida Relay Service.

  If you need a Spanish Translator, dial 7-1-1 or (800) 955-8771 (TTY) or (800) 955-8773 (v), via Florida Relay Service.  For all other languages, please contact Human Resources at (352) 527-5370.

  Si usted necesita un Traductor en Español, marque 7-1-1 o (800) 955-8771 (TTY) o (800) 955-8773 (v), a través del Servicio de Retransmisión de Florida.

  **All public Meetings are subject to change or can be canceled.

  Issue Invitation to Bid:	March 28, 2026
  Pre-Bid Conference (Non-Mandatory):	April 8, 2026, 10:00am Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25365796467985?p=4MDGNgfkC9btvoXpYq Meeting ID: 253 657 964 679 85 Passcode: tF6NA3Ra
  Deadline for Questions:	April 20, 2026, 4:00pm
  Bid submittal Due Date and Time:	April 28, 2026, 2:00pm
  Public Opening Date and Time via Microsoft Teams (Non-Mandatory):	April 28, 2026, 2:15pm Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/298049399746?p=6h8RJ8PvMMx1omJZzx Meeting ID: 298 049 399 746 Passcode: gG63m9aW
  Board Approval of Selection and Award (subject to change):	June 22, 2026

• Modification / Withdrawal of Bid —

  Bidders have the right to modify or withdraw their Bid without cause or liability whatsoever at any time prior to the Bid submittal due date and time.  Such requests must be made to County in writing.

  Modified or withdrawn Bids may be resubmitted, in accordance with the instructions in this Invitation to Bid up to the Bid submittal due date and time.  If applicable, any changes in pricing shall be so worded as not to reveal the pricing that was noted in the original Bid.

• Public Opening —

  Electronic Bid Submittals shall be opened on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 2:00 pm  via online “Microsoft Teams”.

  Microsoft Teams Need help?

  Join the meeting now

  Meeting ID: 298 049 399 746

  Passcode: gG63m9aW

  ---

   

• BUILDER'S RISK —

  Coverage for property loss exposure associated with construction/renovation/additions to buildings or structures, including materials or fixtures to be incorporated. Must be “All Risk” form with limits of no less than the project’s completed value, have no coinsurance penalties, eliminate the “occupancy clause”, cover Firm (together with its contractors, subcontractors of every tier, and suppliers), and name City as a Loss Payee.

• Tie Bids —

  Should there result in a tie Bid between two or more Bidders, County shall initiate the following actions:

  • Award to the Bidder whose business is physically located in Citrus County, or
  • Divide the award equally between the tied Bidder, or 
  • Draw lots or flip a coin, or
  • Reject all bids or proposals and re-solicit the service 
• Submission of Bids —

  Electronic Bid submittal for this Invitation to Bid is to be submitted on or before Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 2:00 pm.  It is the sole responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their Bid is submitted through OpenGov Procurement no later than the time and date specified in the Solicitation or subsequent addenda.  BIDDERS MUST COMPLETE THE INFORMATION REQUESTED IN THE VENDOR/CONTRACTOR RESPONSES SECTION.

  Bids shall be submitted through the online solicitation management portal, https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/citrusfl. You may enter information and/or upload completed forms/documents using the OpenGov portal. Bidders must have registered and received an established account in advance of uploading submissions. When submitting an offer electronically through the solicitation posting portal, please allow sufficient time to complete the online forms and upload documents. The solicitation offer will end at the closing time listed in the Event Timeline included in this Solicitation. If you are in the middle of uploading your documents at the closing time, the system will stop the process and your offer will not be received by the system. It is recommended that the submission process be completed the day prior to the due date, with the knowledge that any changes/updates will be accepted up to the due date and time. If technical difficulties arise during submission of the Solicitation submittal, it is the submitting Bidder’s responsibility to contact OpenGov Procurement technical support. For support, click on the “Help” link on the Solicitation Posting portal; or email procurement-support@opengov.com.

  NOTE: In the event, there is a verified technical issue with the Platform (and not user/Bidder issues) that prevents all Bidders from submitting a Bid within the two (2) hours immediately before the due time, the County may issue an addendum to extend the solicitation due date and time. However, the technical issue must be a result of the Platform provider (OpenGov Procurement) and affect all participating Bidders. The County shall verify the technical issue or unavailability of the Platform with OpenGov Procurement, and the system provider. Technical issues localized to a single Bidder will not be considered cause for an extension. County shall not be responsible for delays caused in any occurrence.

• Split Bids —

  When in the best interest of the County, an award of a Bid may be made on the basis of each item, or group of items, to the lowest, most responsive and responsible Bidders who's Bid meets the requirements of this Invitation to Bid.  County reserves the option to award to one or more qualified Bidders.

• Timeliness of Bid Submittal —

  County assumes no responsibility for a Bid received after the due date and time.  There will be no exceptions to this policy. It is the responsibility of Bidder to make sure their Bid is uploaded by the due date and time listed in the Event Timeline to the OpenGov portal.

• Bid Submittal Format —

  Acknowledgement of review and receipt of all of the documents listed below must be confirmed by an officer of the company who has the authority to bind the bidder. Failure to acknowledge and/or provide these documents may result in rejection of Bidder's response by County. Acknowledgement of these requirements shall be made within the VENDOR/CONTRACTOR RESPONSES section.

  • Certificate(s) of Insurance
  • Bid Form (Electronic Bid Form Required)
  • List of Subcontractors
  • List of Bidders Equipment
  • Bidder's Qualification Statement
  • Human Trafficking Affidavit
  • Copies of Licenses and Certifications
    • Proof of license/certification to do business in the State of Florida (i.e., Sunbiz registration/Florida Department of State.
    • Copies of any licenses and certification as applicable to this Invitation to Bid.
• Less Than Two Bids Received —

  If less than two Bids are received, County may negotiate the best terms and conditions with that Bidder or reject the Bid and re-solicit the service.

• Next Low Bidder —

  In the event of default by the Awarded Bidder, County reserves the right to utilize the next lowest Bidder as the new Awarded Bidder.  In the event of this occurrence, the next lowest Bidder, if it wishes to accept the award, shall be required to provide the bid items at the prices as contained in its bid for the commodity noted in this Invitation to Bid.

• Bid Form —

  Bidders MUST utilize the Bid Form located with this Invitation to Bid for submitting pricing information.  No substitutes will be permitted.  All pages of the Bid Form must be submitted and completed in full. 

  All blanks on the Bid Form must be completed.  If anything is not applicable, Bidder shall indicate such with "N/A".  If there is no charge for any specific item noted on the Bid Form, Bidders shall indicate such by entering "no charge".

  See the VENDOR/CONTRACTOR RESPONSES section to download, complete, and upload your Bid Form.

• Bid Form —

  Bidders MUST utilize the Bid Form included in BID FORM section this Invitation to Bid for submitting pricing information.  No substitutes will be permitted.  All pages of the Bid Form must be submitted and completed in full. 

  All blanks on the Bid Form must be completed.

• Local Preference / Contractors —

  Section 2-211, Citrus County Code, provides that preference shall be given to "local business" for certain purchases of commodities and services.  "Local business" means a Bidder that has paid its local business tax to the County at least six (6) months prior to the date of Bid; does business in Citrus County by providing goods, services, or construction; and maintains a physical business address located within the jurisdictional limits of Citrus County in an area zoned for the conduct of such business from which the Bidder operates or performs business on a day-to-day basis. Post office boxes do not establish such physical address.

  a. In bidding for, or letting contracts for procurement of supplies, materials, equipment and services, as described in the purchasing policies of the County, County may give a preference to local businesses in making purchases or awarding contracts in an amount not to exceed five percent (5%) of the local businesses total bid price if the cost differential does not exceed $10,000 for procurement activities.

  b. The total bid price shall include not only the base bid price but also all alterations to that base bid price resulting from alternates which were both part of the bid and actually purchased or awarded by County.

• Local Preference / Workforce Labor —

  County believes that the hiring of workforce labor by contractors who County awards contracts to should, to the maximum extent, be citizens within its boundaries that are unemployed or seeking work for the first time.  To that extent, County has agreed to notify CareerSource CLM of all awards involving construction and other types of services.  CareerSource CLM is a local business-led organization that plans and coordinates quality employment and training services for businesses and individual career seekers in Citrus County.  Successful Respondent will be contacted by CareerSource CLM, to discuss hiring through its staff and services.  Successful Respondent’s participation with CareerSource CLM is not required as a condition of award, but rather an opportunity for greater support for the community of Citrus County.

• Certificate of Insurance —

  Bidders are to submit a copy of their certificate(s) of insurance evidencing policies and limits of insurance that they currently have in force. 

  Once ALL paperwork is completed and received by the County, an email will be sent to Bidder asking Bidder to register online with myCOI.  It is critical that Bidder provide the County with an accurate email address.  The cost to register is $19.95 per year and a credit/debit card will be needed.  Part of the registration process includes providing contact information for Bidder’s insurance agent(s). This information must be available at the time of registration.  Once Bidder has registered and entered the email address for its insurance agent(s), an email will be sent to the insurance agent(s) requesting them to upload Bidder’s Certificate of Insurance (COI) directly into the myCOI website.  Certificates of Insurance cannot be mailed, emailed or faxed to County.  Bidder will not be allowed to begin work and no payments will be made until registration is completed and a compliant COI is received from Bidder’s insurance agent(s). This is a yearly requirement for the duration of the Agreement.

• FIDELITY/DISHONESTY/LIABILITY COVERAGE —

  Is to be purchased or extended to cover Common Fidelity/Crime insurance claims allege employee dishonesty, embezzlement, forgery, robbery, safe burglary, computer fraud, wire transfer fraud, counterfeiting and other criminal acts of the Other Party’s employees resulting in loss to the City. The liability limits shall not be less than $1,000,000 (one million dollars).

• OTHER INSURANCE PROVISIONS —
  1. The Successful Bidder shall provide a Certificate of Insurance to the County with a thirty (30) day notice of cancellation, ten (10) day notice if cancellation is for nonpayment of premium.  The certificate shall indicate if coverage is provided under a "claims-made" or "occurrence" form. If any coverage is provided under a claims-made form, the certificate will show a retroactive date, which should be the same date of the contract (original if contract is renewed) or prior.

   

  2. All required insurance policies must be maintained until the contract services has been accepted by the County.  In addition, a minimum 30-day notification clause is required if any changes in policy language occur, or in the event the policy is canceled.

   

  3. Citrus County, Florida, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, its officials, employees, and volunteers are to be covered as an Additional Insured on all policies except Worker’s Compensation. The coverage shall contain no special limitation on the scope of protection afforded to the County, its officials, employees, or volunteers.

   

  4. The Successful Bidder's insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respects the County, its officials, employees, and volunteers.  Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the County, its officials, employees, or volunteers shall be excess of Successful Bidder's insurance and shall be non-contributory.

   

  5. For all policies of insurance: The Successful Bidder, and its insurance carrier, waive all subrogation rights against the County for all losses or damages that occur during the contract and for any events occurring during the contract period, whether the suit is brought during the contract period or not. The County requires General Liability policies to be endorsed with CG 24 04 Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery Against Others to Us or similar endorsement, and a WC 00 0313 Waiver of our Right to Recover from Others for Workers Compensation coverage.

   

  6. The Certificate Holder should read as follows:  Citrus County, Florida, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, FL 34461.

   

  7. It is the Successful Bidder's responsibility to ensure that all subcontractors comply with these insurance requirements.  Successful Bidders shall include all subcontractors as insured under its policies or shall furnish separate certificates and endorsements for each subcontractor. All coverages for subcontractors shall be subject to all of the requirements stated herein. 

   

  8. All required insurance policies must be written with a carrier having a minimum A.M. Best rating of A-.

   

  9. All Certificates must show that the Successful Bidder’s policies have been endorsed per the requirements. 

   

  10. Once ALL paperwork is completed and received by the County, an email will be sent to Successful Bidder requesting online registration with myCOI. It is critical that the County is provided with an accurate email address. The cost to register is $19.95 per year and a credit/debit card will be needed.  Part of the registration process includes providing contact information for Successful Bidder’s insurance agent(s), which will be needed at the time of registration. Once registered, an email will be sent to the insurance agent(s) requesting them to upload a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) directly into the myCOI website. Certificates of Insurance cannot be mailed, emailed, or faxed to the County. Bidder will not be allowed to begin services and no payments will be made until registration is completed and a compliant Certificate of Insurance is received from Successful Bidder’s agent(s). This is a yearly requirement for the duration of the Agreement.
• Bidder's Qualification Statement —

  Bidders are required to submit with their Bid an executed Bidder's Qualification Statement.

  To demonstrate that the Bidder is qualified to perform the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid, Bidders must include any and all documents and other information to substantiate the qualifications noted, such as: licenses, references for similar services, present commitments and other such data as required in the Bid Documents.

  Bids must contain evidence of Bidder's qualification to do business in the State of Florida or covenant to obtain such qualification prior to award of the contract.  Bidders must comply with Chapter 607, Florida Statutes, to transact business in the State of Florida.  If the Successful Bidder is not in compliance with such, they shall have fourteen (14) calendar days from receipt of a Notice of Intent to Award to obtain the required certificate of authority from the State of Florida and produce a copy of such to the Contact Person.

  Bidders shall have all licenses, certifications and/or permits required by Federal, State, and Local Statutes, Regulations, and/or Ordinances for performing the Services specified in the Bid Documents at the time of Bid submittal.  Additionally, Bidders must comply with regulations, policies and codes of Citrus County, Florida for conducting business in Citrus County.

  By submitting a Bid in response to this Invitation to Bid, Bidder represents and warrants that they have the necessary licenses and/or certifications required to perform the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid, or will obtain such prior to award of Contract.

• Licenses and Certifications —

  Bidders are required to submit with their Bid copies of their licenses and certifications as applicable to this Invitation to Bid. 

• Rights of the County —

  County reserves the right to debar or suspend, for no longer than three (3) years, a Bidder from any solicitation process should it be discovered that (1) Bidder was in violation of any of the issues listed in the VENDOR/CONTRACTOR RESPONSES (2) Bidder has shown a recent record of failure to perform or of unsatisfactory performance under any existing or past contracts County, provided such failure was not caused by acts beyond the control of Bidder, or (3) County became aware of anything concerning the Bidder that was found to be so serious and compelling as to affect responsibility of Bidder, including debarment or suspension by another governmental entity.  County will not exercise this right until after written notice has been given to Bidder and reasonable opportunity has been given for Bidder to be heard.  The decision of debarment or suspension shall be final and conclusive.

• List of Subcontractors —

  If Bidders will be utilizing subcontractors in the performance of the Services, Bidders are required to submit with their Bid a list of such proposed subcontractors. 

  All subcontractors proposed by Bidder for the performance of the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid are subject to the approval of County.  County reserves the right to reject any and all proposed subcontractors listed by the Bidder and bears no responsibility or liability to the Bidder or its proposed subcontractors for any commitments made between them regarding the performance of the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid.

  Bidders shall furnish the names and responsibilities of those subcontractors they propose to use on the "Subcontractors List" included with this Invitation to Bid.  No changes to this list shall be made after the deadline for submitting the Bid without prior written approval by County.  If the County has reasonable objection to any proposed subcontractor, County reserves the right, before giving Notice of Intent to Award, to request the apparent Successful Bidder to submit an acceptable substitute without an increase in Successful Bidder's Bid Price.  If the apparent Successful Bidder declines to make any such substitution County may make the award to the next lowest Bidder that proposes to use subcontractors, who are acceptable to County. Declining to make the requested substitutions will not constitute grounds for sacrificing the Bid security.

  No more than fifty percent (50%) of the Services provided by the Successful Bidder can be performed by subcontractors.

  County reserves the right to request from the apparent Successful Bidder, all pertinent data, including but not limited to, the following information about the proposed subcontractors: name as registered with the State of Florida, Federal Employer Identification Number, address and phone number, State registration or license number, and such other information as deemed relevant by County for evaluating the qualifications and experience of the proposed subcontractors.  If requested by County, Bidder shall also provide an experience statement with pertinent information regarding similar Services and other evidence of qualification for each proposed subcontractor. All proposed subcontractors shall be properly certified, registered or licensed by the appropriate governmental authority (as applicable) for the Services to be performed, prior to the submittal of the Bid.  Proposed subcontractors shall have successfully completed services comparable to that which is noted within the Bid Documents and be qualified both technically and financially to perform the Services for which they are listed.

• Bid Evaluation and Award —

  County reserves the right to (1) cancel this Invitation to Bid, (2) reject any or all Bids, (3) waive any or all irregularities in the Bids, (4) modify the scope of the Services, (5) waive any minor departure from the specifications, or (6) disregard all nonconforming, non-responsive, unbalanced or conditional Bids, as long as such does not give Bidder an advantage or benefit not enjoyed by the other Bidders or does not adversely impact the interests of County.  County reserves the right to re-advertise the Invitation to Bid, when it is in the best interest of County.  County also reserves the right to reject the Bid of any Bidder if County believes that it would not be in its best interest to make an award to that Bidder, whether because the Bid is non-responsive, the Bidder is unqualified or of doubtful financial ability or Bidder fails to meet any other pertinent standard or criteria established by County.

  In evaluating Bids, the County shall consider (1) the qualifications of Bidders, (2) whether or not the Bids comply with the prescribed requirements, (3) such alternates, unit prices and other data, as may be requested in the Invitation to Bid, (4) the qualifications and experience of the Bidder's proposed Subcontractors and major equipment/material suppliers, (5) any additional terms and conditions, exceptions or variances stipulated by Bidder, and (6) operating costs, maintenance requirements, performance data, warranties and guarantees.

  County may conduct such investigations as County deems necessary to assist in the evaluation of any Bid and to establish the responsibility, qualifications and financial ability of Bidders and their proposed subcontractors and major equipment/material suppliers to County's satisfaction.  County reserves the right to seek clarification or request any information deemed necessary for proper evaluation of Bids from all Bidders deemed eligible for contract award.  Failure to provide the requested information may result in rejection of the Bid.

  If award of the Bid is to be made, it shall be made to the lowest most responsive and responsible Bidder whose evaluation by County indicates that the award will be in the best interest of County or the Project. County shall give Successful Bidder a Notice of Intent to Award by way of facsimile or e-mail, however, no contract shall be formed between Successful Bidder and County until County signs the Agreement.

  County reserves the right to award one or more qualified Bidders if it serves as County’s best interest. County shall issue a written Notice of Intent to Award, if any, to the Successful Bidder(s), however, no contract shall be formed between the Successful Bidder(s) and County until approved at a Citrus County Board of County Commissioners Meeting.

• Manufacturer's Name and Approved Equivalents —

  Unless the Bid Documents state otherwise, Bidder's price is to be based on the materials or equipment as described in the specifications without consideration of possible "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "or equal" items.

  Whenever it is indicated in the specifications that a "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "equal" material or equipment may be furnished, Bidder may submit such "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "or equal" item as an Alternate to that specified, which the Bidder must clearly state in their Bid.  In doing so, the Bidder must also submit with their Bid a side-by-side comparison of such "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "equal" material or equipment to the material or equipment specified.  County will evaluate such "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "or equal" material or equipment and make a determination as to whether it is in fact a "substitute", "or-equivalent", or "equal" material or equipment.  Any decision made by County, whether adverse or not, shall be final and conclusive.

• Bid Pricing —

  The Bid Pricing shall be firm until award has been made.  Bid Pricing shall include such amounts for all labor, materials, supplies, equipment, subcontractors, insurance, bonds, overhead, profit and any other costs to perform the Services as noted in this Invitation to Bid.  The Bid Pricing shall include all applicable sales and use taxes. Discrepancies in the multiplication of units and unit prices will be resolved in favor of the “verified prices”.

• Commencement and Completion of Services —

  The term of the Agreement is for a period of two (2) years with an option to renew for three (3) additional (1) year renewal periods. The renewal option will be conditioned upon satisfactory performance by Contactor and will be subject to availability of funds. The renewal option can only be exercised through mutual agreement between County and Contractor.  The date that Contractor shall commence the provision of Services shall be the date on which a Purchase Order and/or a Notice to Proceed is received by Contractor. The County reserves the right to automatically extend any agreement for a maximum period not to exceed one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in order to provide County departments with continual service and supplies while a new agreement is being solicited, evaluated, and/or awarded.

  The Successful Bidder may request an increase in fees for each year after the initial two (2) year period.  The request to increase the fees must be made in writing to County supported by a detailed justification that warrants the requested increase.  The request must be submitted at least ninety (90) calendar days prior to each Agreement renewal date in order for a request to be considered by County.  Such an increase may be no greater than the annual consumer price index (CPI) or five percent (5%), whichever is less.

• Acceptance of Bid Content —

  The submission of a Bid in response to this Invitation to Bid shall be considered as a representation that (1) Bidder has carefully investigated all conditions that affect, or may at some future date, affect the provision of the Services covered by this Invitation to Bid and (2) Bidder is fully knowledgeable and possesses the skills to perform the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid.

  The contents of the Bid submitted by Bidder, including any special terms and conditions, variances, and exceptions that may be agreed to by County, shall become the basis for contractual obligations if award is made to Bidder.

• Budget —

  County has appropriated approximately $30,020 for the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid. County reserves the right to adjust this amount based on availability of funding.

• Conflict of Interest —

  Bidders shall disclose in their Bid the name of any officer, director, employee or other agent who is also an employee of the County.  Bidders shall also disclose the name of any County employee who owns, directly or indirectly, an interest of five percent (5%) or more in the Bidder's company or its affiliates.

  Any Bidder or their proposed subcontractors who are currently involved in a contract with the County that may have a potential or actual conflict of interest regarding this solicitation shall be required to submit such information with their Bid, which shall include sufficient details regarding the actual or potential conflict of interest to allow the County to evaluate the Bid, including but not limited to existing contracts that the Bidder has with the County that may conflict with the Services being performed pursuant to this Invitation to Bid.  Failure to do so may result in an adverse determination by the County.  The County also reserves the right to request additional information regarding such conflict of interest.

  The County will determine whether Bidder or their proposed subcontractor has a conflict of interest that will interfere with Bidder’s ability to perform the Services outlined in this Invitation to Bid and notify Bidder of the determination.

  Should there be a potentially irresolvable conflict; County will make a determination regarding such conflict. Any Bidder or their proposed subcontractors or major equipment/material suppliers found to have a conflict of interest which the County determines, in its sole discretion, will interfere with the Bidder’s ability to perform the Services outlined in this Invitation to Bid will be informed of the determination. Any Bid submitted in contravention of the determination may be deemed non-responsive. County also reserves the right to cancel any Award with any Bidder who fails to disclose any conflict of interest during the procurement process.

  The Bidder, its employees, and proposed subcontractors, are prohibited from entering into any contract with the County or any other governmental entity during the term of any Contract covered under this Invitation to Bid that would create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with the Services noted in the Invitation to Bid.

• Documentation Becomes the Property of the County —

  All documentation produced as part of this Invitation to Bid, inclusive of documentation submitted in response to this Invitation to Bid shall become the exclusive property of County.  Documentation may not be removed by the Bidder or their agent and will not be returned to the Bidder. 

• Review of Bidder’s Facilities and Bid —

  Prior to issuance of a Notice of Award, County reserves the right to perform or have performed an on-site review of the Bidder’s facilities, their qualifications, as well as documentation provided by the Bidder.  This review will serve to verify data and representations submitted by Bidder and may be used to determine whether Bidder has an adequate, qualified, and experienced staff that can provide the necessary resources and perform the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid.  Should the County determine that (1) the Bid or subsequent documentation submitted by Bidder has material misrepresentations, or (2) the size or nature of Bidder’s resources, or the number of experienced personnel (including technical staff) are not adequate to ensure satisfactory performance, or (3) County ascertains any other basis for concern as to the Bidder’s ability to perform the Services, County has the right to reject the Bidder’s Bid.

• Financial Strength —

  Prior to award of a contract, County reserves the right to request financial information from the Successful Bidder to assist the County in further review of that Bidder’s qualifications and capabilities and to verify whether the Bidder has adequate financial capacity to meet the requirements of the Invitation to Bid.  Financial information provided shall be for the current and previous two years, to include, but not be limited to a financial statement prepared by a Certified Public Accountant (i.e., balance sheet and income and cash flow statements) or a Supplier Qualifier Report prepared by Dun & Bradstreet.

• Clarifications —

  Before contract award, County reserves the right to seek clarification from Bidders to properly evaluate their Bid. 

• Drug-Free Workplace —

  The County has a “zero tolerance” policy concerning the use of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.  The Successful Bidder will be required to comply with such policy and ensure that its employees and the employees of its subcontractors follow and comply with such policy.

• Public Records Act —

  Bidders should make themselves familiar with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes concerning availability of public records. Section 119.071, Florida Statutes, provides that sealed bids, proposals, or replies received by a Florida public agency shall remain exempt from disclosure until an intended decision is announced or until 30 days from the opening, whichever is earlier. This means that Bidders will not be able to procure a copy of their competitor’s Bids until an intended decision is reached or 30 days has elapsed since the time of the Bid opening. Bid Documents may be viewed during normal business hours (which is Monday through Friday; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 283, Lecanto, Florida.  To request copies, visit our public records request portal:

  Public Records Rehttps://www.citrusbocc.com/departments/commissioners/public_records_request.phpquest

  Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record and under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, all Bids are to be made available by County for viewing by the general public.  If a Bidder believes that their Bid contains information that should not be a public record, the Bidder shall clearly segregate and mark that information as “Confidential” and describe in writing the grounds for claiming exemption from the public records law, including the specific statutory citation for such exemption.  Any documents given to the Successful Bidder as part of performing the Services covered under this Invitation to Bid shall not be sold or distributed to third parties without the written consent of County. 

  Successful Bidder will be required to retain a copy of these documents for a minimum of three (3) years from completion of the Agreement.  All documents, papers, letters, e-mails or other material made or received by the Successful Bidder in conjunction with the Services, unless exempt from Section 24(a) of Article I, Florida Constitution and Section 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, shall be made available for public access.  Should the Successful Bidder refuse to allow such access, County has the unilateral right to cancel the Award.

  Bidders should consult an attorney as to their duties under the records and information laws (Section 257.36, Florida Statutes) and public records laws (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) of the State of Florida.  Significant judicial sanctions can be imposed for violation of these Statutes.

• Protests —

  Any Bid award recommendation may be challenged on the grounds of material irregularities in the procurement procedure or in the evaluation of the Bid.  Any person who submits a Bid, but is not recommended for award of the contract, may protest such decision in strict compliance with this section.   Failure to Comply with the Solicitation Protest Procedures within the time frames prescribed herein shall constitute a waiver of such protest and any resulting claims.

  1. Notice of Intent to File a Protest. Any person who wishes to file a protest hereunder must file a Notice of Intent to File a Protest (“Notice”), in writing, with Department of Management & Budget (“DMB”) within 72 hours of the public opening for Invitations to Bids. Such Notice is considered filed when it is received by DMB.  A copy of the Notice must also be provided to the apparent best Bidder. The Notice shall include the name and address of the protester, County Bid number and title, the grounds upon which it is based, and must clearly indicate it is a Notice of Intent to File a Protest.
  2. Formal Protest. Within five (5) business days after the filing of the written Notice of Intent to File a Protest, a formal Bid protest must be filed with DMB. The formal protest is considered filed when it is received by DMB.   A copy of the formal protest must also be provided to the apparent best Bidder. The formal protest shall include the following:
     1. County Bid number and title.
     2. Name and address of the protester.
     3. Concise statement of the facts alleged and of the rules, regulations, ordinances, statutory or constitutional provision, or other legal authorities entitling the protester to the relief requested.
     4. Specifically request the relief to which the protester deems themselves entitled.
     5. Any other relevant information that the protester deems to be material to the protest.
  3. Protest Bond.   Each formal protest must be accompanied by a protest bond in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to Citrus County, Florida in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the protester’s Bid submitted to the County.  If the protester prevails, the bond shall be returned to the protester.  However, if after completion of the Solicitation Protest Procedures the County denies the protest, the bond shall be forfeited to County.
  4. Stay of Procurement.   Once a formal protest is timely filed, DMB shall stay the award of the contract the County Administrator determines that delaying the award of the contract will adversely impact substantial interests of the county.
  5. Review of Protest by DMB.  Within ten (10) business days of the filing of the formal protest, the DMB Director shall issue a written determination, including the rationale for reaching such a determination.   The written determination shall also inform the protester of his/her right to appeal the DMB Director’s decision to the County Administrator.
  6. Appeal of DMB Determination.   The protester may appeal the DMB Director’s determination, in writing, to the County Administrator no later than five (5) business days after receipt of the DMB Director’s determination.
  7. Final Determination of County Administrator.  Within seven (7) business days of the filing of the appeal, the County Administrator, upon consulting with the County Attorney, shall issue a final determination.  The decision of the County Administrator will be final.
• Solicitations or Awards in Violation of Law —

  If, prior to Award, it is determined that this Invitation to Bid or proposed Award is in violation of law, then this Invitation to Bid or Award shall be cancelled or revised to comply with the law.

  If, after Award, it is determined that this Invitation to Bid or the Award is in violation of law, then the Award may be ratified and affirmed by the Board of County Commissioners, provided it is determined that doing so is in the best interest of County, or the Award may be terminated.

• Lobbying —

  Bidders shall not lobby any County or State Agency on any aspect of this Invitation to Bid during the procurement process (i.e., from the time the Invitation to Bid is advertised to execution of an Agreement).  Violation of this restriction can cause for disqualification from the procurement process.

• E-Verification System —

  Bidder and its subcontractors shall utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system, https://www.e-verify.gov/, in accordance with Section 448.095, Florida Statutes, to verify the employment eligibility of: (1) all persons employed by Bidder  during the contract term to perform any duties within Florida, and; (2) all persons, including subcontractors, assigned by Bidder to perform services pursuant to this Contract.  Bidders meeting the terms and conditions of the E-Verify System are deemed to be in compliance with this provision. Bidder and its subcontractors shall provide County with affidavits stating that they do not employ, contract with, or subcontract with an unauthorized alien.  County is obligated to terminate this Agreement upon a good faith belief that Bidder or its subcontractors has knowingly violated Section 448.095, Florida Statutes.

• Immigration and Nationality Act —

  Bidder shall comply with all immigration laws as outlined in 8 USC § 1324a – Unlawful employment of aliens. County will not intentionally award contracts to any Bidder who knowingly employs unauthorized alien workers.  Any violation of the employment provisions outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act throughout the term of any Agreement with County may constitute grounds for immediate termination of said Agreement.

• Equal Employment Opportunity —

  Bidder shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, age, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information in accordance with the Provisions of: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.); Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 (§ 760.10 et seq.); Title 41 CFR Part 60; Title 49 CFR 23 and 49 CFR 26 for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises; Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. § 6101, et seq.), Title 49 CFR 21; Title 49 CFR 27; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102, et. seq.), Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 201, et. seq.), and any other Federal and State discrimination statute.  Bidder shall furnish pertinent information regarding its employment policies and practices as well as those of their proposed subcontractors as the Secretary of Labor or County may require.  The above shall be required of any subcontractor hired by Vendor.  All Equal Employment Opportunity requirements shall be included in all non-exempt subcontracts entered into by Bidder.  Subcontracts entered into by Bidder shall also include all other applicable labor provisions.  No subcontract shall be awarded to any non-complying subcontractor.  Additionally, Bidder shall insert in its subcontracts a clause requiring subcontractors to include these provisions in any lower tier subcontracts that may in turn be made.  Bidder shall comply with all state laws and local ordinances, except when preferential consideration of local in-state subcontractors is NOT allowed for grant funded projects.

• Indemnification —

  Bidder shall indemnify, save and hold harmless the County and all its officers, agents or employees from and against any and all causes of action, demands, claims, losses, liabilities and expenditures of any nature whatsoever, including defense costs and fees, caused by the intentional or negligent act of, or omission of, Bidder, its subcontractors, agents or employees or accruing, resulting from, or related to the subject matter of this Agreement including, without limitation, any and all claims, losses, liabilities, expenditures, demands or causes of action of any nature whatsoever resulting from injuries or damages sustained by any person or property.  Neither Bidder nor any of its agents will be liable under this section for damages arising out of injury or damage to persons or property directly caused or resulting from the sole negligence of County or any of its officers, agents, or employees.  In the event any lawsuit or other proceeding is brought against County by reason of any such claim, cause of action or demand, Bidder shall, upon written notice from County, resist and defend such lawsuit or proceeding by counsel satisfactory to County or, at County's option, pay for an attorney selected by County to defend County.  This indemnification includes attorney’s fees and all costs of litigation including appellate attorney’s fees and costs as well as any judgments. The parties agree that this clause shall not waive the benefits or provisions of Section 768.28, Florida Statutes, or any similar provision of law. The provisions and obligations of this section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement. To the extent considered necessary by the County, any sums due Bidder under this Agreement may be retained by County until all of the County's claims for indemnification pursuant to this Agreement have been settled or otherwise resolved; and any amount withheld shall not be subject to payment of interest by County.

• Indemnification —

  for construction with engineer

• Indemnification —

  construction w/o engineer

• Human Trafficking —

  Nongovernmental Entities shall comply with the requirements set forth in Florida Statute Section 787.06 .

• Sovereign Immunity —

  Nothing contained within the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to waive any protections afforded under Section 768.28, Florida Statutes, or any similar provisions of law.

Submission Requirements

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (required) —

  Bidder Acknowledges review all of the submitted forms and that they are true and correct to my knowledge. 

• Name, Title, and email address of the Person authorized to bind company to this agreement? (required)
• Point of Contact for Bidder (required) —

  Please provide:

  Company name & address

  Point of Contact Name & title

  Phone Number

  Email Address

   

• Certificates of Insurance (required) —

  Bidder has reviewed and comprehends the "Minimum Insurance Requirements", Section 4, as well as the costs associated with the requirements.

• Evidence of Liability Insurance is required (required) —

  Bidders are to submit a copy of their certificate(s) of insurance evidencing policies and limits of insurance that they currently have in force. 

• Will subcontractors be utilized in the performance of the Work for this project? (required)
• List of Subcontractors (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Bidder's Qualification Statement (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Bidder has an Active Registration in Sunbiz to conduct business in the State of Florida? (required)
• Active Sunbiz Registration (required) —

  Please upload a copy of your active Sunbiz registration with the State of Florida

• Active Sunbiz Registration (required) —

  Please provide a written statement of understanding pertaining to County's requirement for an active Sunbiz registration for all Agreement Awardees. Furthermore, state  bidder's willingness to register if a Notice of Intent is issued.

• Conflicts of Interest (required) —

  Bidder covenants that it presently has no interest and shall not acquire any interest which would conflict in any manner of degree with the performance of the Services covered under this Agreement. Furthermore, Bidder warrants that it has not employed or retained any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for Bidder to solicit or secure this Agreement and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any person, company, corporation, individual, or firm, other than a bona fide employee working solely for Bidder any fee, commission, percentage, gift or other consideration contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this Agreement. Bidder, and its subcontractors at any tier, certify that they have not entered into any contract, subcontract, or arrangement in connection with the Project covered under this Agreement, or of any property included or planned to be included in the Project, in which any member, officer, of employee of Bidder or its subcontractors, during its tenure, or for two years thereafter, has any interest, direct or indirect. Bidder, and its subcontractors at any tier, shall insert the following provision into each of their contracts and subcontracts: "No member, officer, or employee of the subcontractor, during their tenure or for two years thereafter, shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in this contract or the proceeds thereof." 

   

  Do you have any Conflicts of Interest to report?

• Stated Conflicts of Interest (required) —

  Please upload a document listing all your Conflicts of Interest.

• Certifications (required) —

  Bidder certifies that they comply (or will comply) with the statements concerning, but not limited to: Compliance with Laws, Conflict of Interest, Convictions, Debarment, Discriminatory Vendor, Drug Free Workplace, Equal Employment Opportunity, E-Verification System, Gopher Tortoise Relocation, Immigration and Nationality Act, Lobbying, Non- Collusion, Prohibited Interests, Public Entity Crime and Scrutinized Companies.

• Compliance with Laws (required) —

  Bidder shall comply with all laws, rules, codes, ordinances, and licensing requirements that are applicable to the conduct of its business, including those of Local, State and Federal agencies having jurisdiction and authority. These laws shall include, but not be limited to, Chapter 287, Florida Statutes, the Uniform Commercial Code, the Immigration and Nationalization Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Act, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Code of Federal Regulations and all prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, creed, age, national origin, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status. Violation of such laws shall be grounds for termination of the Agreement.

• Convictions (required) —

  Bidder has fully informed Owner of all convictions of the firm, its affiliate's (as defined in section 287.133(1) (a), Florida Statutes), and all directors, officers, and employees of the firm and its affiliate's for violation of state or federal antitrust laws with respect to a public contract for violation of any state or federal law involving fraud, bribery, collusion, conspiracy or material misrepresentation with respect to a public contract. This includes disclosure of the names of current employees who were convicted of contract crimes while in the employ of another company.

• Debarment (required) —

  Bidder certifies to the best of their knowledge and belief, that they and their principals 1) are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Municipal, County, State or Federal department or agency, 2) have not, within a three-year period preceding execution of this Agreement, been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records; making false statements; or receiving stolen property, 3) are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated above, 4) have not within a three-year period preceding execution of this Agreement had one or more public transactions (Federal, State or local) terminated for cause or default, and 5) will advise County immediately if their status changes and will provide an explanation for the change in status. 

• Drug-Free Workplace Certification (required) —

  In accordance with Florida Statute 287.087 (current version), Bidder hereby certifies that he/she does the following:

  1. Publishes a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.
  2. Informs employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business' policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.
  3. Gives each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are under bid a copy of the statement specified in the first paragraph.
  4. Notifies the employees that, as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under bid, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any violation of chapter 893, Florida Statutes, or of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state, for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.
  5. Imposes a sanction on, or require the satisfactory participation in, a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community, by any employee who is so convicted.
  6. Makes a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of the foregoing provisions.

  By clicking confirm below, Bidder certifies that the information as provided in this Drug-Free Workplace Certification, is truthful and correct at the time of submission.

• Discriminatory Vendor (required) —

  Bidder certifies that they are not subject to Section 287.134 (2)(a) which specifies that an entity or affiliate who has been placed on the discriminatory vendor list may not submit a Bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a Bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with public entity.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (required) —

  Bidder shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, age, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information in accordance with the Provisions of: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.); Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 (§ 760.10 et seq.); Title 41 CFR Part 60; Title 49 CFR 23 and 49 CFR 26 for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises; Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. § 6101, et seq.), Title 49 CFR 21; Title 49 CFR 27; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102, et. seq.), Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 201, et. seq.), and any other Federal and State discrimination statute.  Bidder shall furnish pertinent information regarding its employment policies and practices as well as those of their proposed subcontractors as the Secretary of Labor or County may require.  The above shall be required of any subcontractor hired by Bidder.  All Equal Employment Opportunity requirements shall be included in all non-exempt subcontracts entered into by Bidder.  Subcontracts entered into by Bidder shall also include all other applicable labor provisions.  No subcontract shall be awarded to any non-complying subcontractor.  Additionally, Bidder shall insert in its subcontracts a clause requiring subcontractors to include these provisions in any lower tier subcontracts that may in turn be made.  Bidder shall comply with all state laws and local ordinances, except when preferential consideration of local in-state subcontractors is NOT allowed for grant funded projects.

• E-Verification System (required) —

  Bidder and its subcontractors shall utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify https://www.uscis.gov/  accordance with Section 448.095, Florida Statutes, to verify the employment eligibility of: (1) all persons employed by Bidder during the contract term to perform any duties within Florida, and; (2) all persons, including subcontractors, assigned by Coordinating Contractor to perform work pursuant to this Contract. Bidder meeting the terms and conditions of the E-Verify System are deemed to be in compliance with this provision. Bidder and its subcontractors shall provide County with affidavits stating that they do not employ, contract with, or subcontract with an unauthorized alien. County is obligated to terminate this Agreement upon a good faith belief that Bidder or its subcontractors has knowingly violated Section 448.095, Florida Statutes. E-Verification Identification

• E-Verification Identification Number (required) —

  Provide your E-Verification Identification Number

• Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) Employer Identification Number (EIN) (required) —

  Please provided FEIN/EIN Number.

• Immigration and Nationality Act (required) —

  Bidder shall comply with all immigration laws as outlined in 8 USC § 1324a- Unlawful employment of aliens.  County will not intentionally award County contracts to any Bidder who knowingly employs unauthorized Alien workers. Any violation of the employment provisions outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act throughout the term of any Agreement with County may result in immediate termination of the Agreement. County will consider the employment of unauthorized aliens a violation of Section 274A (e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Such violation will be cause for unilateral cancellation of the Agreement, by County, if Consultant knowingly employs unauthorized aliens.

• Lobbying (required) —

  Bidder shall not, in connection with the Agreement, directly or indirectly

  1. offer, confer, or agree to confer any pecuniary benefit on anyone as consideration for any County officer or employee’s decision, opinion, recommendation, vote, other exercise of discretion, or violation of a known legal duty, or
  2. offer, give, or agree to give to anyone any gratuity for the benefit of, or at the direction or request of, any County officer or employee. For purposes of clause (2), “gratuity” means any payment of more than nominal monetary value in the form of cash, travel, entertainment, gifts, meals, lodging, loans, subscriptions, advances, deposits of money, Services, employment, or contracts of any kind.
• Non-Collusion (required) —

  Bidder agrees that neither it, nor any of its officers, partners, agents or employees have entered into any agreement, participated in any collusion, or otherwise taken any action which is in restraint of a free competitive solicitation in connection with this Agreement, and that Bidder intends to do the work with its own bona fide employees or subcontractors and has not provided a Bid for the benefit of another Consultant. Furthermore, Bidder certifies that its affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, and employees are not currently under investigation by any governmental authority and have not in the last ten (10) years been convicted or found liable for any act prohibited by law in any jurisdiction, involving conspiracy or collusion with respect to submitting a Bid on any public contract.

• Prohibited Interests (required) —

  Bidder, and its subcontractors/subconsultants at any tier, certify that they have not entered into any contract, subcontract, or arrangement in connection with the project covered under this Invitation to Bid, or of any property included or planned to be included in the project, in which any member, officer, of employee of the Bidder or its subcontractors/subconsultants, during its tenure, or for two years thereafter, has any interest, direct or indirect.

• Public Entity Crime (required) —

  Pursuant to 287.133, Florida Statute, A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a Bid, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a Bid, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work; may not submit Bids, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity; may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, sub-consultant, or consultant under a contract with any public entity; and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017, Florida Statutes for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.

• Prohibition Against Contracting with Scrutinized Companies (required) —

  Pursuant to Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, as modified from time to time, subject to limited exceptions, Bidder/Respondent acknowledges that it may not bid on, submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a contract with County for provision of goods or services, if it is on a Scrutinized Companies List or engaged in business in Syria or Cuba.  

  Bidder/Respondent certifies that it is NOT:

  1. on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List,
  2. on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List,
  3. on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sector List,
  4. on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List,
  5. engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria

  If Bidder/Respondent is found to have submitted a false certification, is placed on a Scrutinized Companies List or engages in business in Syria or Cuba, County may terminate the awarded contract or any renewal hereof.

  Bidder/Respondent certifies compliance with Section 287.135, Florida Statutes

• Human Trafficking Confirmation (required) —

  Bidder confirms compliance with Section 787.06, Florida Statutes, entitled "Human Trafficking".

• Human Trafficking Affidavit (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Claiming Local Preference? (required)
• Section 2-211, Citrus County Code, provides that preference shall be given to "local business". (required) —

  Please upload evidence of paid local business tax at least six months prior to date of Bid.

• I have reviewed section 2.3 Mandatory Requirements for Submitting a Bid. Bidder possesses adequate equipment required to perform the Scope of Services. (required) —

  Please enter Yes or No.

• Equipment Requirements (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Does Bid/Response contain "Confidential" information? (required) —

  Please select Yes or No.

• If answer is Yes: (required) —

  Under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, all Bids/Responses are to be made available by County for viewing by the general public. If a Bidder/Respondent believes that their Bid/Response contains information that should not be a public record, the Bidder shall clearly segregate and mark that information as “Confidential” and provide a description in writing for:

  1) the grounds for claiming exemption from the public records law, and

  2) the specific statutory citation for such exemption. 

• Type of Invitation to Bid (required)
• Amount to be paid to County for any delays (Liquidated Damages) (required) —

  Enter answer in this format: one hundred dollars ($100.00) 

• Pricing (required) —
  • Choose Option 1 when you have set line items, for example: 
    • This is a quote for goods or commodities.
    • This is a public works bid, with a pricing table that can be uploaded into OpenGov Procurement from an Excel spreadsheet.
    • Seeking services for hourly rate schedules.
  • Choose Option 2 when you need vendors to provide you with the line items.
• Technical Specifications (required) —

  Do you Technical Specifications that need to be attached to this solicitation?

• Pre-Bid Conference (required) —

  Select from one below

• Public Opening Microsoft Teams Meeting ID: (required)
• Public Opening Microsoft Teams Passcode: (required)
• Public Opening Microsoft Teams Dial-in by phone: (required)
• Approximate budget amount for this project. (required) —

  Enter answer in this format: $165,000

  (Include dollar sign)

• Will there be a Pre-Bid Conference? (required)
• How will the Pre-Bid meeting be held? (required)
• Insurance Requirments (required) —

  Pick which insurance are required for this procurement.  Select all that are applicable. 

• Does Vendor agree to allow other entities to piggyback this agreement? (required)

Questions & Answers