Okaloosa County BOCC — May 4, 2013 — Purchasing Manual-6 (post 3-19-13 meeting) — reading text

from an independent contractor including, but not limited to, the following professional fields: 1. Appraisal Services - Real and Personal Property Appraisers. 2. Professional Architecture, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, or Registered Surveying and Mapping Services (as per 287.055 F.S.). NOTE: For the Okaloosa County Airports, requirements of 49 CRF Part 18.36 of the Federal Aviation Administration's Rules and Regulations must be met. 3. Audit and Accounting Services - Auditors and Accountants. 4. Consultants - Planning, Management, or Scientific Advisors. 5. Financial Services - Rating/Underwriting, Financial Advisor, and Investment Services. 6. Construction Managers. 7. Advertising Agencies. The process for retaining Legal Services, such as county attorney, bond counsel, conflict counsel and any other attorney, shall be as directed by the Board. Professional Services obtained by or paid for by the County for the benefit of indigent clients shall be considered grants and not professional services. 25  The Purchasing Director, or designee, may approve less than $25,000.00 and the County Administrator, or designee, in excess of $25,000.00 and equal to or less than $50,000.00. Any services exceeding $50,000.00 shall require Board approval. Grant requirements (if any) must be reviewed and will override purchasing manual if required. BOARD AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURE STEP 1: The requesting department shall prepare an initial Executive Summary which: A. Explains the requested service, the scope of work and the anticipated length of the contract. B. Justifies the need for the requested service. C. Seeks Board approval to issue "Requests for Proposals" and to establish a selection committee to review the proposals, prioritize the contending firms and negotiate an agreement with the selected firm. At its discretion, the Board may appoint themselves as the selection committee to review the proposals and prioritize the contending firms. STEP 2: Development and issuance of the "Request for Proposal" (RFP) document shall be coordinated between the requesting department and the Purchasing Department. The RFP shall include: A. A proposed scope of services sufficiently detailed so as to ensure that all firms have the same understanding of the request. In the event that the scope of services cannot be sufficiently specified, then the RFP shall include, at the very least, a description of the problem or issue to be addressed and the desired solution. B. A request for all firms to submit documentation of respective qualifications and expertise as related to the services referenced in the proposal. C. Specific instructions on how, when and where the proposals shall be submitted. The submittal date will be at least 21 days after the notice of request has been published. D. A requirement that the proposal be submitted as a sealed package. STEP 3: Review of all proposals received shall proceed as follows: A. The selection committee (established in Step 1C) shall review all written documents submitted. All selection committee meetings shall be properly noticed, open to the public and minutes of the meeting shall be recorded. B. The committee's ranking of prospective firms shall be based on the firm's capabilities, ability, adequacy of personnel, past record, recent experience, current workload and location of the firm or individual pursuant to the Selection Committee Member Instruction Sheet. Each committee member shall complete and execute a ranking sheet. C. The committee may request oral presentations from the vendors. D. The committee shall prepare a recommended priority list and the Purchasing Department shall notify all prospective firms of the committee’s recommendation in writing. E. Unless a formal written protest is filed, the recommended priority list established by the committee shall be presented to the Board for approval prior to the commencement of negotiations. STEP 4: The Board shall consider the recommendation of the selection committee and 26  may schedule presentations from vendors on the recommended priority list. Based upon the review and presentations, if any, the Board shall rank the top three (3) vendors. STEP 5: Negotiations between the selection committee and the priority vendor (the top- ranked vendor) shall proceed as follows: A. Negotiations shall be held with the top-ranked vendor. B. If no tentative agreement can be reached, then negotiations will commence with the second vendor on the priority list. C. If no tentative agreement can be reached, then negotiations shall commence with the third vendor. D. If no tentative agreement can be reached with the third vendor, then the committee shall return to the Board and seek direction from the Board. STEP 6: The selection committee shall prepare an Executive Summary of the tentative agreement, which shall contain the terms, conditions and costs associated with the contract. The Executive Summary shall be presented to the Board. STEP 7: Upon approval of the agreement by the Board, a formal written agreement must be executed prior to commencement of the work associated with the contract. M. BID/PROSPOSAL PROTESTS 1. Any bid/proposal award recommendation may be challenged on the grounds of material irregularities in the procurement procedure, or material irregularities in the evaluation of the bid/proposal. Such notice of intent to challenge shall be made in writing and delivered to the County Administrator within 72 hours after posting of the intended recommendation of award. A formal written challenge shall be filed with the County Administrator within 5 business days after the date on which the notice of intent to challenge has been submitted. Failure to file a timely notice of intent to challenge or failure to file a timely formal written challenge shall constitute a waiver of challenge proceedings. Challengers who do not submit a legitimate bid/proposal do not have standing to file a protest. Furthermore, challengers who would not be awarded the subject contract even if the protest were successful lack standing. 2. The notice of intent to challenge shall contain at a minimum; the name of the challenger, the challenger’s address, fax number and phone number, the name of the challenger’s representative to whom notices may be sent, the name and bid/proposal number of the solicitation, and a brief factual summary of the basis of the intended challenge. 3. The formal written challenge shall: identify the challenger and the solicitation involved, include a clear statement of the grounds on which the challenge is based, refer to the statutes, laws, ordinances, or other legal authorities which the challenger deems applicable to such grounds, and specifically request the relief to which the challenger deems itself entitled by application of such authorities to such grounds. The challenger shall mail a copy of the notice of intent to challenge and formal written challenge to the apparent best bidder/proposer. The County Administrator shall, within ten (10) business days of receipt of the formal written challenge, cause the challenge to be reviewed and provide a written recommendation as to the challenge. In the event the challenge is not resolved, the Board shall, within a reasonable time, be presented with the written challenge and the County 27  Administrator’s analysis and recommendation to the challenge prior to award of the contract. The procurement, which is the subject of the protest, shall not proceed until a final decision has been made, unless the Board makes a determination that the contract must proceed without delay to protect substantial interest of the County. 4. The Board shall consider the challenge and the County Administrator’s analysis and recommendation and issue a written determination as to the challenge. 5. Nothing herein relinquishes the County’s right to waive irregularities and formalities in accordance with its procurement package and instructions. Further, nothing herein shall create any rights in the unsuccessful challenger. All decisions of the Board shall be final. NI. OKALOOSA COUNTY PURCHASING CARD POLICY AND PROCEDURES Introduction The Okaloosa County Purchasing Card Program is designed to improve efficiency in processing low dollar purchases from vendors accepting the Purchasing Card. This program will allow cardholders to purchase approved commodities and services directly from our vendors. The Purchasing Department and the t Finance Department will monitor the performance of the program. All questions, requests, or concerns related to this program shall be directed to: Procurement Related Purchasing Director, 689-5960 Accounting Related Finance Department, Clerk of Court A. Assignment and Control of the Purchasing Card 1. Requests For and Issuance of Purchasing Cards (a) Purchasing Cards will be issued to employees who purchase goods and services in single transaction amounts of $999.99 or less. Exception: Upon approval from the Purchasing Director, certain Purchasing Staff, Department Supervisors and Supply Coordinators that who have received special training, may have the authority to make single transactions of $2,500 or less. (b) The Purchasing Card will contain the employee’s name, the County name, the County tax- exempt number and the individual account number. (c) Requests for new cardholders or for changes to current cardholders must be submitted by Department Directors, using the Purchasing Card Maintenance form. Such requests shall be submitted to the Purchasing Card Administrator. (d) New cardholders will be required to personally take receipt of Purchasing Cards by signing a certification and receipt form. New cardholders will be given a copy of the Purchasing Card policies and procedures and a 28  verbal review of the program. The Purchasing Department shall semi- annually review the list of current cardholders to ensure certification forms have been received and are on file with the Purchasing Department. A report of such semi-annual