HIGHLANDS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (HCBCC) PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 HIGHLANDS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (HCBCC) PURCHASING DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) The Board of County Commissioners (BCC), Highlands County, Sebring, Florida, will receive sealed proposals in the County Purchasing Department for the following services: RFP No TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILLING AUDIT SERVICES The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for telecommunications billing and line audit services for the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners and the five (5) County Constitutional Officers. Determination of each Respondent s qualifications will be based on the Respondent s proposal, which is to be completed and submitted in accordance with the RFP specifications. The contract, if awarded, shall incorporate the RFP specifications and all or part of the Respondent s proposal. Terms, conditions, and specifications may be obtained by downloading this RFP from our website: or by contacting: Olimpia Lonsdale, Highlands County Purchasing Department, 4320 George Blvd., Sebring, Florida , phone: , fax: , or olonsdal@hcbcc.org A NON-MANDATORY Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Wednesday; September 17, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Purchasing Conference Room, 4320 George Blvd., Sebring, FL Proposal envelopes must be sealed and marked with the proposal number, proposal title, and the Respondent s name so as to identify the enclosed proposals. Proposals must be delivered to the Highlands County Purchasing Department, 4320 George Blvd., Sebring, FL , so as to reach said office no later than 2:00 P.M., Thursday; October 2 nd, 2014, at which time they will be opened. Proposals received later than the date and time as specified will be rejected. Late proposals will not be accepted under any circumstances The Board will not be responsible for the late deliveries of proposals that are incorrectly addressed, delivered in person, by mail or any other type of delivery service. Highlands County Local Preference Policy will apply to the award of this RFP. The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals or any parts thereof. The award, if an award is made, will be made to the most responsive and responsible Respondent whose proposal and qualifications indicate that the award will be in the best interest of Highlands County. The Board reserves the right to waive irregularities in the proposal. The Board of County Commissioners of Highlands County, Florida, does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual's disability status. This non-discrimination policy involves every aspect of the Board's functions, including one's access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section Florida Statutes should contact Mrs. Melissa Bruns, ADA Coordinator at: (voice), or via Florida Relay Service: 711, or by mbruns@hcbcc.org. Requests for CART or interpreter services should be made at least 24 hours in advance to permit coordination of the service. Board of County Commissioners Purchasing Department, Highlands County, Florida Website:

2 SECTION I. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS A. All proposals, when opened, shall become the property of the County. B. Pursuant to Section , Florida Statutes, 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, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a bid, proposal, 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, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity; 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 any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section , Florida Statutes, for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list. C. Proposals are due and must be received in accordance with the instructions given in the announcement page of this RFP. D. The County shall have no liability and will not reimburse Respondents for any costs or expenses associated with the preparation and submittal of any proposals. E. Respondents, their agents and associates shall NOT solicit any County Official. Respondents and their agents and associates shall NOT contact any County Official other than the individual listed in Section XII of this RFP for additional information and clarification. F. Due care and diligence has been exercised in the preparation of this RFP, and all information contained herein is believed to be substantially correct. However, the responsibility for determining the full extent of the service required rests solely with those making a proposal. Neither the County nor its representatives shall be responsible for any error or omission in the proposals submitted, nor for the failure on the part of the Respondents to determine the full extent of the exposures. G. All timely proposals meeting the specifications set forth in this RFP will be considered. Each Respondent shall clearly indicate any deviations from these specifications in its proposal. The terms and conditions contained herein are those desired by the County and preference will be given to those proposals in full or substantially full compliance with them. H. Each Respondent is responsible for full and complete compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations including those of the Federal Government, the State of Florida, and the County of Highlands. Failure or inability on the part of the Respondent to have complete knowledge and intent to comply with those laws, rules, and regulations shall not relieve any Respondent from its obligation to honor its proposal and to perform completely in accordance with its proposal. I. The County reserves the right, in its discretion, to waive minor informalities or irregularities in any proposals, to reject any and all proposals in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to accept the proposal, if any, which in its judgment will be in its best interest. J. Award will be made to the Respondent whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the County, taking into consideration those proposals in compliance with the requirements as set forth in this RFP. The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals for any reason or make no award whatsoever or request clarification of information from the Respondents. K. Any interpretation, clarification, correction or change to this RFP will be made by written addendum issued by the Highlands County Purchasing Department. Any oral or other type of communication concerning this RFP shall not be binding. Page 2 of 20

3 L. Proposals must be signed by a representative of Respondent who is legally authorized to commit the Respondent to the delivery of the goods and/or performance of the service(s) contemplated by this RFP. M. Unless otherwise stated in the specifications, the following Insurance Requirements will be included in all contracts entered into and must be satisfied before delivery of goods and services: 1. Workers Compensation - Contractor shall have and maintain workers compensation insurance for all employees for statutory limits in compliance with Florida law and federal law. This insurance policy must include Employer s Liability with a limit of $500,000 each accident, $500,000 each employee, and $1,000,000 policy limit for disease. 2. Commercial General Liability - Occurrence Form Required: Contractor shall have and maintain commercial general liability (CGL) insurance with a limit of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence. If such CGL insurance contains a general aggregate limit, it shall apply separately to each location/project in the amount of $1,000,000. Products and completed operations aggregate shall be $1,000,000. CGL insurance shall be written on an occurrence form and shall include bodily injury and property damage liability for premises, operations, independent contractors, products and completed operations, contractual liability, broad form property damage and property damage resulting from explosion, collapse or underground (x, c, u) exposures, personal injury and advertising injury. Fire damage liability shall be included at $100, Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance - Contractor shall have and maintain commercial automobile liability insurance with a limit of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage liability. That insurance shall cover liability arising out of any auto (including owned, hired, and non-owned autos). The policy shall be endorsed to provide contractual liability coverage. 4. Notice Requirements - Contractor shall deliver written notice to the County by overnight delivery return receipt requested, addressed to the County Purchasing Director, 4320 George Blvd., Sebring, FL , hand delivery or confirmed facsimile thirty (30) days prior to giving or within three (3) days after receiving notice of cancellation, modification, non-renewal or any other lapse in coverage of any required insurance policies. 5. Special Requirements / Evidence of Insurance: a. A copy of the Respondent s current certificate of insurance MUST be provided with the proposal submitted in response to this RFP. A formal certificate shall be provided upon execution of a contract and prior to performance of the work called for in this RFP. The Certificate(s) shall be signed by a person authorized by the insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. All Certificates of Insurance must be on file with and approved by the County before commencement of any work activities. The formal insurance certificate shall name Highlands County, a political subdivision of the State of Florida and its Elected Officials, Agents, Employees, and Volunteers as Additional Insureds on all policies except Workers Compensation. b. In the event the insurance coverage expires prior to the completion of the project, a renewal certificate shall be issued and delivered to the County 30-days prior to that expiration date. c. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to insure that all subcontractors comply with all insurance requirements. d. The successful Respondent shall procure and maintain, during the life of the contract, the insurance coverage listed in this RFP. The policies of insurance shall be primary and written on forms acceptable to the County and placed with insurance carriers authorized by the Insurance Department in the State of Florida that meet a minimum financial A.M. Best & Company rating of no less than A Excellent: FSC VII. e. The successful Respondent shall hold Highlands County, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, and its Elected Officials, Agents, Employees, and Volunteers harmless on Page 3 of 20

4 account of claims for damages to persons and property arising out of the operations to complete the work called for in this RFP. The County reserves the right to require the successful Respondent to provide and pay for any other insurance coverage the County deems necessary, depending upon the possible exposure to liability. f. All policies must include Waiver of Subrogation. Any liability aggregate limits shall apply Per Jobsite/Per Job Aggregate. All liability insurance shall be Primary and Non- Contributory. Certificates of Insurance shall confirm in writing that these provisions apply. N. If the goods or services being proposed are for an annual or a semi-annual contract period then Interlocal Agreements between Highlands County Board of County Commissioners, other State or County agencies, the Cities of Sebring and Avon Park, the Town of Lake Placid, and the Highlands County School Board, allow those entities to purchase goods and services through the County s proposals so long as such purchases will not interfere with the timely delivery of goods and services to the County in strict conformity with all specifications of its proposals. Each governmental entity will issue its own purchase orders for all purchases made and will be responsible for all payments thereof. Highlands County reserves the right to direct the successful Respondent to prioritize its delivery of goods and services to the County ahead of delivery to other governmental entities purchasing under the County s proposals. O. All pages included in or attached by reference to this RFP shall be called and constitute the RFP as stated on the front page of this RFP. Vendors who will not be submitting a proposal are requested to notify us and indicate why they are not submitting a proposal. Vendors who fail to respond to two or more consecutive announcements may be removed from the County s Vendor bidding list. P. If submitting a proposal for more than one RFP, each proposal must be in a separate envelope and correctly marked. Only one proposal per RFP shall be accepted from any person, entity or organization. Modifications will not be accepted or acknowledged. Q. Each proposal must contain proof of enrollment in E-Verify. Minority Owned and Women owned businesses must submit a copy of the certificate to receive credit. R. Board policy prohibits any County employee and members of their family from receiving any gift, benefit, and/or profit resulting from any contract or purchase. Board policy also prohibits acceptance of gifts of any kind other than advertising novelties valued less than $10.00 S. Late proposals will not be accepted under any circumstances. If a proposal is received after the scheduled time of the proposal Opening Meeting, the sender will be contacted for disposition. The Purchasing Department, at the Respondent s expense, can return the unopened proposal envelope, or, at the Respondent s written request, can destroy it. T. Electronically submitted proposals and faxed proposals will not be accepted. Any blank spaces on the required proposal form or the absence of required submittals or signatures may cause the proposal to be declared non-responsive. U. The County is not responsible for correcting any errors or typos made on the proposal. Incorrect calculations may cause the proposal to be declared non-responsive. V. The successful Respondent shall comply with the Florida Sales and Use Tax Law as it may apply to the contract, if any, entered into pursuant to this RFP. The amount(s) stated in the proposal shall include any and all Florida Sales and Use Tax payment obligations required by Florida Law of the successful Respondent and its subcontractors or material suppliers. W. Any person who is adversely affected by the County s decision or intended decision has 72 hours to file a written notice of protest. The formal protest shall be filed within 10 days of the notice of protest filed. Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays shall be excluded from the computation of the 72-hour time period. The protest will be reviewed and investigated by the Purchasing Department. Failure to file the written notice Page 4 of 20

5 of protest or the formal protest within either of those time periods shall constitute a waiver of the right to protest. X. If any Respondent violates or is a party to a violation of the code of ethics of Highlands County or the State of Florida, with respect to this RFP, that Respondent may be disqualified from performing the work described in this RFP or from furnishing the goods or services for which this RFP is issued and shall be further disqualified from bidding on any future ITBs, RFPs, and other solicitations for work, goods or services for the County. - END OF PAGE Page 5 of 20

6 SECTION II. LOCAL PREFERENCE BOARD ADOPTED PURCHASING MANUAL 08/13/2002 APPROVED 09/23/2008 SECTION 2 POLICIES ADDITION OF SUBSECTION 110 LOCAL PREFERENCE 110 Local Preference Allowance of a Local Preference Intent and Purpose The intent and purpose of the Highlands County Local Preference in Purchasing is to establish a written policy that allows the authorized purchasing authority of the County to give a preference to local businesses Acknowledgements Any type of procurement done by the County staff to which the provisions of this subsection are being applied will contain a statement that a local preference will be used in the evaluation and award of that purchase Preference in Bidding In purchasing, or contracting for procurement of, tangible personal property, materials, contractual services, and construction of improvements to real property or existing structures, the authorized purchasing authority of the County will give a preference to local businesses in making such purchases or awarding such contracts, in an amount of five (5) percent of the total purchase price under $250,000.00; four (4) percent from $250, to less than $1,000,000.00; three (3) percent from $1,000, to less than $2,000,000.00; and two (2) percent for purchases $2,000, and over with a maximum cost differential that shall not exceed $80, For purposes of this subsection total purchase price shall include the base bid and all alternatives or options to the base bid which are being awarded by the authorized purchasing authority of the County Preference in (RFP) Requests for Proposals In purchasing, or contracting for procurement of, tangible personal property, materials, contractual services, and construction of improvements to real property or existing structures for which a request for proposals is developed with evaluation criteria, a local preference of not more than five (5) percent of the total score will be assigned for a local preference. Based upon analysis of the market place for each project, staff shall make a determination for inclusion of a local preference in the criteria for consideration for each request for proposal Notice All procurement documents including but not limited to bid documents and request for proposal documents shall include a notice to Respondents of the County s Local Preference Policy Local Business Definition For purposes of this subsection, "local business" shall mean a business which: (1) Has had a fixed office or distribution point located in and having a street address within Highlands County for at least twelve (12) months immediately prior to the issuance of the request for quotations, competitive bids or request for proposals by the County; and (2) Holds any business license required by the County, and/or, if applicable, the Municipalities; and (3) Employs at least one full-time employee, or two part-time employees whose primary residence is in Highlands County, or, if the business has no employees, the business shall be at least fifty (50) percent owned by one or more persons whose primary residence is in Highlands County Certification Any Respondent claiming to be a local business as defined by Section above shall deliver a written certification to the County Purchasing Department. The certification shall certify that the business is a local business as that term is defined in Section above, shall provide all necessary information establishing that fact, and shall be signed under penalties of perjury. It is also the responsibility of any Respondent claiming to be a local business, as defined by Section above, to include a copy of its certification in its bid or proposal. The Purchasing Department shall be required to verify the accuracy of any such certifications when determining whether a Respondent meets the definition of a "local business." Page 6 of 20

7 SECTION II. LOCAL PREFERENCE CONT D Exceptions to Local Preference Policy (a) The procurement preference set forth in this policy shall not apply to any of the following purchases or contracts: A. Goods or services provided under a cooperative purchasing agreement or interlocal agreement; B. Contracts for professional services procurement of which is subject to the (CCNA) Consultants Competitive Negotiation Act or subject to any competitive consultant selection policy or procedure adopted by or utilized by the Board of County Commissioners; C. Purchases or contracts which are funded, in whole or part, by a governmental entity and the laws, regulations, or policies governing such funding prohibit application of that preference; D. Purchases made or contracts let under emergency or noncompetitive situations or for litigation related legal services. (b) Application of local preference to a particular purchase, contract, or category of contracts for which the Board of County Commissioners is the awarding authority may be waived upon written justification and recommendation by the County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator or General Services Purchasing Director. (c) The local preference established in this policy does not prohibit or lessen the right of the Board of County Commissioners and General Services Purchasing staff to compare quality or fitness for use of supplies, materials, equipment, and services proposed for purchase and to compare qualifications, character, responsibility, and fitness of all persons and entities submitting quotations, bids or proposals. (d) The local preference established in this policy does not prohibit the Board of County Commissioners from giving any other preference permitted by law, in addition to the local preference authorized in this policy Application and Enforcement of Preference Policy (a) The local preference established in this policy shall apply to new quotations, contracts and procurements solicited after the effective date of the policy. (b) This policy shall be implemented in a fashion consistent with otherwise applicable County purchasing policies and procedures Promulgation of Rules (a) The County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator, or General Services Purchasing Director are hereby authorized to adopt administrative rules supplemental to the provisions of this policy as deemed necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of this policy. (b) The provisions of this policy and the rules adopted by the County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator, or General Services Purchasing Director shall be provided to potential bidders, vendors, Respondents, and contractors to the widest extent practicable. If applicable to your organization, please complete the Affidavit of Eligibility (next page) and submit it with your proposal. We must receive this document with your proposal packet to be eligible. - END OF PAGE Page 7 of 20

8 HIGHLANDS COUNTY LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE AFFIDAVIT OF ELIGIBILITY THIS FORM MUST BE SIGNED AND SWORN TO IN THE PRESENCE OF A NOTARY PUBLIC OR OTHER OFFICIAL AUTHORIZED TO ADMINISTER OATHS. 1. This sworn statement is submitted to HIGHLANDS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS by for [Print individual's name and title] [Print name of Company/Individual submitting sworn statement] Whose business address is (If applicable) its Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) is (If the entity has no FEIN, include the Social Security Number of the individual signing this Sworn statement):. 2. LOCAL PREFERENCE ELIGIBILITY A. Respondent has had a fixed office or distribution point located in and having a street address within Highlands County for at least twelve (12) months immediately prior to the issuance of the request for quotation, competitive bids or request for proposals by the County. YES NO B. Respondent holds business license required by the County, and/or if applicable, the Municipalities: YES NO C. Respondent employs at least one full-time employee, or two part-time employees whose primary residence is in Highlands County, or, if the business has no employees, the business shall be at least fifty (50) percent owned by one or more persons whose primary residence is in Highlands County. YES NO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUBMISSION OF THIS FORM TO THE PUBLIC ENTITY IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH 1 (ONE) ABOVE IS FOR THAT PUBLIC ENTITY ONLY AND, THAT THIS FORM SHALL BE CONSIDERED PUBLIC RECORD. [Signature and Date] STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF HIGHLANDS Subscribed and sworn before me, the undersigned notary public on this day of, 20. NOTARY PUBLIC SEAL Commission Expiration Date Page 8 of 20

9 SECTION III. THE COUNTY S RESERVATIONS OF RIGHTS This RFP constitutes only an invitation to submit a proposal to the Board. The Board reserves, holds, and may, in its own discretion, exercise any or all of the following rights with respect to this RFP. The right to: 1. Supplement, amend or otherwise modify this RFP, and to cancel this RFP with or without the substitution of another RFP or Invitation to Bid (ITB); 2. Issue additional subsequent ITBs or RFPs; 3. Determine, in its sole discretion, whether any aspect of the submitted proposals is satisfactory to meet the criteria established in this RFP, the right to seek clarification and/or additional information from any submitting Respondent; 4. Modify the scope of work for this project; and 5. Reject all proposals if the County believes that collusion exists among Respondents. SECTION IV. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. ADDENDA: In this RFP, the Board has attempted to address most situations that may occur. However, should situations arise that are not addressed, they will be dealt with on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the Board. If deemed necessary, the Purchasing Department will supplement this RFP document with Addenda. These Addenda will be posted on the County s website, It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to check the website for Addenda. If a mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held, as a courtesy, an will be sent to the addresses listed on the sign-in sheet. Respondents must acknowledge receipt of Addenda by completing the respective section on the bid/proposal submittal form. 2. AFFIRMATION: By submitting a proposal, the Respondent affirms that: (i) the proposal is genuine and not made in the interest of or on behalf of any undisclosed person, entity or organization and is not submitted in conformity with any agreement or rules of any person, entity or organization; (ii) the Respondent has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other person, entity or organization to submit a false or sham proposal; (iii) the Respondent has not solicited or induced any person, entity or organization to refrain from submitting a proposal; and (iv) the Respondent has not sought by collusion to obtain for himself/herself/itself any advantage over any other person, entity or organization or the County. 3. COUNTY EMPLOYEES/ CONFLICT OF INTEREST: All Respondents must disclose the name of any officer, director or agent who is also an employee of the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners. All Respondents must disclose the name of any County employee who owns, directly or indirectly, any interest in the Respondent's business or any of its branches. 4. JOINT PROPOSALS: In the event multiple Respondents submit a joint proposal in response to this RFP, a single Respondent shall be identified as Primary Respondent. The Primary Page 9 of 20

10 Respondent must include the name, address, and contact information of all parties making the joint proposal. The Primary Respondent shall provide all bonding insurance requirements, execute any contract, sign the proposal and have overall and complete accountability to resolve any dispute arising within the contract. Only a single contract with one Respondent will be acceptable. Invoices will only be accepted from and paid to the Primary Respondent. The Primary Respondent shall remain responsible for performing services associated with the proposal submitted in response to this RFP. SECTION V. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR RFP OVERVIEW: The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for telecommunications billing and line audit services for the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners and the five (5) County Constitutional Officers. There are approximately 1,131 internal VOIP phones. 2. LOCAL PREFERENCE will be applied to this Proposal. 3. PROPOSAL DUE DATE: As described on the Announcement sheet. (First page on this document.) 4. INSURANCE: As described in the General Terms and Conditions, Paragraph M. 5. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: Date, time and location as described on the Announcement Sheet. (First page of this document) Proposals will only be accepted from Respondents listed on the Pre-Proposal Meeting s sign-in sheet if the meeting is mandatory. 6. CONTRACT TERM: The initial contract term shall commence upon the date the contract is signed by the County. In the event services are scheduled to end because of the expiration of that contract, the Contract may require the Contractor to continue providing the service on a temporary basis upon the request of the County. 7. BUDGET / PRICING: Savings % 8. EXEMPTIONS / ITEMS NOT IDENTIFIED IN SCOPE OF WORK: Any modification or addition to these specifications by a Respondent shall be an exception in its proposal and must be discussed in detail by the Respondent in its proposal. 9. TIMELINE: It is the intent of the County to have a preliminary report within 14 days after contract signing and the final required analysis and reports completed no later than 90 days after contract signing. 10. REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF RFP SPECIFICATIONS: Requests for changes to specifications must be addressed in writing to the contact person designated in Section XII of this RFP. 11. RESPONDENT S PERSONNEL: a. The successful Respondent shall take all reasonable precautions for, and will be responsible for initiating, maintaining, and supervising all programs relating to the safety of all persons and property affected by, or involved in, the performance of its operations under Page 10 of 20

11 this RFP. The successful Respondent shall take all reasonable precautions to prevent damage, injury or loss to: (a) all persons who may be affected by the performance of its operations, including employees (b) all materials and equipment: and (c) all property at or surrounding the work site. In an emergency affecting the safety of persons or property, the successful Respondent shall act, with reasonable care and discretion to prevent any threatened damage injury or loss. b. The successful Respondent shall maintain an adequate staff of qualified personnel throughout the project. c. The successful Respondent shall remove all its personnel from County property who are deemed careless, incompetent, insubordinate or reasonably objectionable or whose continued employment on the job is deemed to be contrary to the interests of Highlands County. Any employee of the successful Respondent charged with, or being prosecuted for, a felony during the course of their employment will be considered reasonably objectionable and their continued work in County owned buildings will be terminated, until the case is closed and the County authorizes, by written instrument, work in County owned buildings. d. Employees of the successful Respondent shall be prohibited from using or possessing a gun, knife or other weapon or using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on County property. e. The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners has adopted a policy to encourage smoke and tobacco free buildings and requests that the successful Respondent and its employees, agents, representatives, and subcontractors honor that policy. f. Employees of the successful Respondent shall not be assisted nor accompanied by any individual who is not an employee of the successful Respondent while performing duties related to this RFP. This includes children and/or other relatives. The successful Respondent s owners, supervisors, and other employees inside facilities being cleaned must be on the successful Respondent s employee list approved by the County for that specific facility. Employees of the Respondent that violate this paragraph will be deemed objectionable to the County and will no longer be allowed to work in County facilities. g. The successful Respondent will be held accountable for damages, theft or any other breach of security caused by its employees and shall be held directly responsible for errors and omissions of its employees and other persons performing work under this RFP. The successful Respondent shall be responsible for repair of any damage to County property and restoration of any facility damage. h. The successful Respondent shall prohibit its employees from unauthorized reading and disclosing of materials and documents available in County facilities and from unauthorized use of County and personal property, such as radios, televisions, typewriters, copy machines, computers, terminals, fax machines, calculators, and etc., which may be in any of the County's facilities. 12. FALIURE TO PERFORM: The successful Respondent shall be prepared to start work within fourteen (14) days after receipt of the fully executed Contract. Failure to complete the work as scheduled may result in Page 11 of 20

12 written notice to the successful Respondent terminating its right to proceed as to the whole or any part of the project. 13. PUBLISHING OR RELEASING INFORMATION: Respondents shall not publish or release any information related to the requested services without the prior written permission from the County. All reports and other documents resulting from the contract, if any, entered into pursuant to this RFP will remain the sole property of the County. SECTION VI. PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS FOR RFP GENERAL: The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners, for itself and the five (5) County Constitutional Officers, (hereinafter, the County ) is soliciting the services of a qualified Respondent with a proven track record in auditing, negotiating, and recovering overpayments related to the billing of telephone and data communication services. The County intends to enter in a contract with a Respondent that has extensive knowledge of and experience in the telecommunications industry, including proven experience dealing with a wide variety of telecommunications carriers in the United States. The County is issuing this RFP to provide vendors with the information, guidelines, and instructions needed to prepare and submit a proposal. The selection of the successful Respondent will be based on the proposal that is, in the sole opinion of the County, determined to be in the best interests of the County. Among the factors the County will consider when evaluating the proposals are the qualifications and relevant experience of the Respondents, key personnel (based on verifiable references), the proposed work plan, schedule, and support requirements, and the fee structure. The successful Respondent shall be required to review and audit invoices and negotiate, on the County s behalf, for recovery of any amounts determined to be owed to the County. 2. CURRENT BILLING OVERVIEW: a. The County owns a Cisco Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone system, obtaining local and long distance voice communication service by way of five (5) Primary Rate Interface (PRI) connections. The carrier for these PRI connections is CenturyLInk. b. Long distance is provided by Century Link which is approximately $ a month. 3. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED: The successful Respondent will perform an inventory analysis and billing audit of all telecommunication related invoices including, but not limited to, voice, data, local telecommunication equipment and wireless invoices. The billing audit will include, but will not be limited to: Analysis of telecommunication contracts. Analysis of telecommunication bills, both current and past bills (up to one year) so that corrections can be made retroactively if necessary. Analysis of network topology. Identification of billing discrepancies between the bills and contracts. Identification of billing discrepancies related to service levels. Validation of inactive phone numbers. Drafting and monitoring of billing disputes. Page 12 of 20

13 Once the County has reviewed and agreed with the successful Respondent s findings, the successful Respondent will assist in obtaining any refunds owed and be prepared to act on the County s behalf when presenting the findings to the County s telecommunications vendors. In addition to recovering refunds, the successful Respondent will identify possible cost saving recommendations that will result in a reduction of ongoing expenses. The County will determine whether these recommendations are in the County s best interests and may choose not to implement any or all of the recommendations. 4. PERSONNEL / STAFFING: The County expects the successful Respondent to set up a team whose manager will be the single point of contact for the County. The manager will coordinate and supervise all County telecommunications billing audit activities. All team members should have significant experience in the telecommunications industry and with telecommunications billing audits. In order to maintain quality and continuity, the successful Respondent must make every effort to keep staff turnover on the County s engagement to a minimum. If such changes are unavoidable, the County must receive adequate notice of impeding changes. Respondents should identify the key personnel (team) to be assigned to the County for completion of this engagement. At a minimum, Respondents should identify the individuals on the team and their title, role on the team, qualifications, experience in the telecommunications industry, and experience in providing similar telecommunications billing audit services. 5. TIMELINE AND COUNTY RESOURCES: Respondents should provide a detailed timeline of their process and clearly identify, for each step of the process, how much support they will require from the County. The timeline should identify the functions/positions that the successful Respondent will need to work with, details of the tasks to be performed, and the estimated time County staff will be required to commit to this project. 6. MONITORING REQUIREMENTS: The County expects the successful Respondent to report on all phases of the review and audit process. Where available, reports are desired by the County identifying progress, cost savings, and refund status. Respondents should provide examples of reports available to the County. 7. DELIVERABLES: Two (2) complete sets of reports with supporting data shall be furnished to the Project Manager. File format shall be electronic PDF files. 8. FEE STRUCTURE: The County desires to establish transparent financial terms. The County requires all proposals to be based on the percentage of verifiable refunds and savings recovered by the County as a direct result of the billing audits. Respondents should present their fee structure in a clear and concise manner. Alternative proposals may be presented for the County s consideration in addition to, but not in lieu of, the aforementioned requirements. a. Respondents should provide a detailed definition of all types of claims that they will process against telecommunications carriers, along with their respective fee structure for each claim type. b. In no event will the identification of billing errors determine payment. No payments shall be made by the County until refunds have been received or savings have been realized. Fees will only be payable after credit claims have been processed by respective carriers and upon actual recovery of those credits by the County. The County will remit the proposed contractual percentage of any verified refund within 45 days after receiving a refund from any of the County s telecommunications providers. Page 13 of 20

14 c. For recommendations and/or negotiations that result in future savings for the County, the County will pay the successful Respondent the proposed contractual percentage within 45 days after receiving the invoice that includes the verifiable savings. d. The fees described in 8.b and 8.c of this Section will be the total compensation for services under this RFP. No additional fees (e.g. travel, research fees) will be paid to the successful Respondent as part of this service. e. Respondents should provide an average time to complete the analysis of invoices, time to place a claim with a carrier, and average time to get the claim processed. It is understood that processing claims through some carriers may be longer than others. So, for comparison purposes, Respondents are invited to provide the County with the average time that they would take to process similar claims through two (2) selected carriers of Respondent s choosing. SECTION VII. PROPOSAL FORMAT CRITERIA The following criteria are shown and shall include all Respondent & sub-contractor information and must be submitted in a tabbed format. For a proposal to be eligible, the format must be strictly followed. During this RFP process, any intentional omissions, alterations or false representations will be grounds for rejection of any proposal. MBE/WBE/DBE businesses are encouraged to participate. The County strictly enforces open and fair competition in its RFPs. A public entity crimes statement may be requested of any successful Respondent. To facilitate effective evaluation by the County, proposals shall be a maximum of fifty (50) pages. Late proposals will be returned unopened or will be destroyed, if requested by the Respondent in writing. Evaluation and selection will occur in accordance with the tentative schedule provided in Section XII or at a time and place to be determined. Proposals must answer each heading and any sub-heading and be constructed in the following tabbed format: TAB A Introduction 1. Executive Overview / Transmittal Letter (optional) ---(10 POINTS) Please explain Respondent s status: fully independent, a branch office, subsidiary, member of affiliate network, etc. If Respondent is a subsidiary, list the parent company and Respondent s relationship to it. Please identify persons authorized to represent and commit the Respondent, including address and telephone number. 2. Proposal Submittal Form (Page 20 of this RFP) - This page does not count toward the 50 page allowance. 3. Proof of enrollment with E-Verify - Accepted proof is any document from the Department of Homeland Security, showing the Respondent s member ID number. This document does not count toward the 50 page allowance. 4. Proof of Insurance - This page does not count toward the 50 page allowance. Page 14 of 20

15 5. Local Preference Affidavit, if applicable (Page 8 of this RFP) This page does not count toward the 50 page allowance. 6. Index - This page does not count toward the 50 page allowance. TAB B Evaluation Criteria 1. Project Understanding and Approach ---(MAXIMUM 30 POINTS) a) Describe the Respondent s understanding of the project scope. b) Describe, in detail, the Respondent s approach to the proposed voice and data telecommunications audits. c) If any tools or equipment are to be installed on County premises or attached to the County network, give the specifications and requirements of each. d) List any limitations or portions of the County s voice and data networks that will be out of the scope of the services to be provided. e) Provide sample reports that will be provided to the County. 2. Relevant Respondent Experience & Capabilities ---(MAXIMUM 30 POINTS) a) Description and history of Respondent. If applicable, indicate any company name changes within the past seven (7) years and the date of the change. b) Indicate the number of years that the Respondent has been providing the services requested. c) Describe in detail the Respondent s experience in providing similar services to governmental and private entities within the last three (3) years. Include years of experience with the entity, size of each entity, monies recovered, cost reductions as a result of billing audits, etc. d) Indicate how may claims the Respondent processed, with how many carriers, the total amount of funds recovered and future saving recognized over the past 18 months. 3. Experience and Ability of Staff ---(MAXIMUM 30 POINTS) a) Identify the key personnel (team) to be assigned to the County for completion of this engagement. At a minimum, identify the individuals on the team, their titles and role on the team, qualifications, experience in the telecommunications industry, and experience in providing similar telecommunications billing audit services. 4. Current and Projected workload/schedule ---(MAXIMUM 10 POINTS) a) Provide a detailed, proposed timeline for completing the audit process. Identify for each step of the process, how much support will be required from the County. b) Identify the functions with which the Respondent will need to work, details of the tasks to be performed, and how much support will be required from County staff in each of these functions. c) Current workload versus capacity of Respondent. 5. Reference Letters ---(MAXIMUM 20 POINTS) a) Provide not less than three (3) reference letters from clients for which the Respondent has performed similar work. Page 15 of 20

16 For each reference: b) Overview and brief description of the service provided, type of business (e.g. government), contact name, phone number, address and address if not listed on the reference letter. c) Volume of the bills that were analyzed. d) Describe the results achieved. e) The names of the company or companies with which Respondent negotiated to obtain the above refunds or savings. (e.g. Siemens, CenturyLink, SUNCOM, etc.) 6. Classification ---(MAXIMUM 10 POINTS) Certified Minority / Women owned business certification may be by State, Federal, County or Local Government. The Federal definition of MBE / WBE must be met. Consideration of Minority, Women or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in compliance with 24-CFR. In order to receive points for this classification, a copy of their classifications certificate must be included in the proposal. 7. Location / Accessibility ---(MAXIMUM 20 POINTS) a) Location of the office assigned to perform the job. b) Explain how the County can access Respondent s contact, and the estimated response time. 8. Contracts with Government Agencies ---(MAXIMUM 20 POINTS) Single line information per contract. 9. Fee Schedule ---(MAXIMUM 60 POINTS) Respondent should include detailed supplemental information regarding the proposal as outlined above that will enable the County to evaluate the proposal. The Respondent should include any information not covered above that may further indicate the auditor s suitability for performing the requested service. However, for ease in initially evaluating the proposals, the following questions must be answered completely: 1. One-time contingency payment as a percent of verifiable refunds obtained: % 2. Ongoing payment for any verifiable and executed savings the County will obtain after completion of audit: % 3. Ongoing payment for a specified time frame year. 10. Proposal format ---(MAXIMUM 10 POINTS) Up to 15 points will be given for following the proposal format criteria described in Section VII. TAB C Other information at the Respondent s discretion ---(NO POINTS) Promotional material, sample contract may be submitted along with the proposal; however, these materials will not be considered a substitute for the proposal. Promotional material counts toward the 50 page allowance. Presentations: ---(MAXIMUM 25 POINTS) After preliminary ranking based on the above criteria, presentations may or may not be requested by the Evaluation Committee. The Committee may invite all or only the preliminarily top ranked Respondents. A two (2) week notice will be given to the Respondents invited to give presentations. Page 16 of 20

17 SECTION VIII. SAMPLE EVALUATION SCORE SHEET CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION Maximum Points WT Sub-Total Tab A; 1) Introduction 1 /10 Tab B; 1) Project Understanding & Approach 3 /30 2) Relevant Respondent Experience 3 /30 3) Experince and Ability of Staff 3 /30 4) Current and Projected Workload / Schedule 2 /20 5) Reference Letters 2 /20 6) Certified Minority / Women Owned Business Certification May be by State, Federal, County or Local Government. The Federal definition of MBE / WBE must be met. Consideration of minority, women or disadvantaged business enterprises in compliance with 24-cfr. In order to receive points for this classification, a copy of their classifications certificate must be included in the proposal. NO (0) or YES (10) 7) Location/ Accessibility 2 /20 8) Contracts with Government Agencies 2 /20 9) Fee Schedule 6 /60 10) RFP Format 1 /10 SUBTOTAL /260 PRESENTATION / INTERVIEW (If Requested By the Evaluation Committee) /25 TOTAL /285 Respondent s Name: Evaluator s Name: Evaluator s Signature: Date: Page 17 of 20

18 RATING Excellent 10 Very Good 9 Good 8 DESCRIPTION Exceeds the requirements of the criterion in superlative beneficial ways/very desirable. Exceeds the requirements of the criterion in ways that are beneficial to the County s needs. Exceeds the requirements of the criterion but in a manner which is not particularly beneficial to the County s needs. 7 Fully meets all requirements of the criterion. 6 5 Poor 4 Very Poor 2 Adequately meets most of the requirements of the criterion. May be lacking in some areas that are not critical. Addresses most, but not all, of the requirements of the criterion to the minimum acceptable level. May be lacking in some areas that are not critical. Barely meets most of the requirements of the criterion to the minimum acceptable level. May be lacking in some areas that are not critical. 3 Poor to Very Poor. Minimally addresses some, but not all, of the requirements of the criterion. Lacking in critical areas. 1 Very Poor to Unsatisfactory. Unsatisfactory 0 Does not satisfy the requirements of the criterion in any Manner. SECTION IX. SELECTION PROCESS Proposals shall be reviewed by the Evaluation Committee and ranked based upon the RFP Evaluation Criteria. Each Evaluation Committee member shall perform their own independent ranking. Negotiations for a contract shall follow based on the collective rankings of the Evaluation Committee members. The selection process shall be open to the public and records shall be maintained in accordance with Florida records retention requirements. Committee Members shall NOT be solicited. Questions, comments, and requests for information shall be in writing and shall be directed only to the contact person named in Section XII. Notice of the rankings shall be made by to all Respondents. SECTION X. NEGOTIATION PROCESS Negotiation of a contract for services with the top ranked Respondent may follow the selection process. The County may require the Respondent to submit technical or other additional information related to its proposal as part of the negotiations. All contracts must be reviewed and approved by the County Administrator and the County Attorney prior to submittal to the Board of County Commissioners for Page 18 of 20