TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 5, 2019
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Report on rejection of bids for Contract 19-667-12 (Re-Bid), Native Prairie Landscape Maintenance at Various Service Areas, estimated cost $520,000.00 (As Revised)
Body
Dear Sir:
On December 20, 2018, the Board of Commissioners authorized the Director of Procurement and Materials Management to advertise for bids, Contract 19-667-11, Native Prairie Landscape Maintenance at Various Service Areas.
In response to a public advertisement of June 5, 2019, a bid opening was held on July 9, 2019. All bids were rejected as reported at the Board Meeting of September 5, 2019.
In response to a public re-advertisement of September 11, 2019, a bid opening was held on October 8, 2019. The bid tabulation for this contract is:
GROUP A: STICKNEY SERVICE AREA
NATIVE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS, LLC $175,437.92
SEMPER FI LANDSCAPING, INC. $278,018.24
CARDINAL STATE, LLC *$405,426.67
GROUP B: CALUMET SERVICE AREA
NATIVE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS, LLC $154,885.44
SEMPER FI LANDSCAPING, INC. $203,427.00
GROUP C: NORTHSIDE SERVICE AREA
NATIVE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS, LLC $133,034.24
CARDINAL STATE, LLC *$153,721.78
SEMPER FI LANDSCAPING, INC. $222,743.20
*corrected total
Two hundred thirteen (213) companies were notified of this contract being advertised and twenty-three (23) companies requested specifications.
Native Landscape Contractors, LLC, the low bidder for Groups A, B, and C, failed to complete and submit, with its bid, separate utilization plans for each of the three groups. Per the Instructions to Bidders, page I-3, paragraph 5, it is required that the prospective bidder indicate participation on Group A, and/or Group B, and/or Group C by signing each applicable Utilization Plan contained within the contract document for each of these groups. If the bidder chooses to participate only on Group A, or only on Group B, or only on Group C, the bidder should clearly indicate this by writing “No Bid” on the unused Utilization Plan or Plans. The bidder submitted a single Utilization Plan and Letters of Intent.
The Diversity Administrator reviewed this submittal and has indicated that Native Landscape Contractors, LLC is not in compliance with Section 12(a) of the Revised Appendix D where it states: compliance documents must be submitted as provided in the solicitation. Failure to do so will render the bid non-responsive.
Therefore, the bid is considered non-responsive and rejected in the public’s best interest for failure to comply with the requirements of the contract. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has notified Native Landscape Contractors of this action.
Cardinal State, LLC failed to have an authorized officer sign the proposal page on P-13 in the contract documents. Therefore, the bid is considered non-responsive and rejected in the public’s best interest in accordance with the contract specifications under General Requirements, Specifications and Conditions. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has informed Cardinal State, LLC of this action.
Semper Fi Landscaping, Inc., submitted a total bid for all three groups in an amount of $704,188.44, which is approximately 35.4 percent over the estimated cost of $520,000.00. The estimate for Group A was $200,000.00 and their bid price of $278,018.24 is 39 percent over the estimate. The estimate for Group B was $160,000.00 and their bid price of $203,427.00 is 27.1 percent over the estimate. The estimate for Group C was $160,000.00 and their bid price of $222,743.20 is 39.2 percent over the estimate. Therefore, their bids were considered too high for award and rejected in the public’s best interest. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management has notified Semper Fi Landscaping, Inc., of this action.
The Maintenance and Operations Department will re-advertise this contract.
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management, DAL:SEB:cm