A. Conditions for Use. The use of competitive sealed proposals is authorized when the use of competitive sealed bidding for materials or services as described in Section 11.12.010 is not advantageous to the county.
B. Request for Proposals. Proposals shall be solicited through a request for proposals.
C. Public Notice. Public notice shall be made in the same manner provided in Section 11.12.010(C).
D. Preproposal Conference. A preproposal conference may be conducted prior to submission of proposals for the purpose of explaining the proposal requirements.
E. Receipt of Proposals. Proposals shall be opened so as to avoid disclosure of the contents of any proposal to competing offerors during the process of negotiation. Late proposals shall be handled in the same manner as provided in Section 11.12.010(E).
F. Evaluation Factors. The request for proposals shall state the relative importance of price and other evaluation factors.
G. Discussion with Responsible Offerors and Revisions to Proposals. As provided in the request for proposals and county procurement policies and procedures, discussions may be conducted with responsible offerors who submit proposals determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and conformance to, the solicitation requirements. Any clarification of a proposal shall be in writing, as required in Subsection H of this section. Follow-up questions for the purpose of clarification of proposals may be requested from any offeror submitting a proposal.
1. Offerors shall be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for discussion and revision of proposals and such revisions may be permitted after submissions and prior to award for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers.
2. Discussion and best and final offer materials shall be maintained in the procurement file as a public record.
3. In conducting discussions, there shall be no disclosure of any information derived from proposals submitted by competing offerors.
H. Best and Final Offers. If the original request for proposals indicates that a request for best and final offers may be issued, and if discussions are conducted, a written request for best and final offers shall be issued. The request shall set forth the date, time and place for the submission of best and final offers. Best and final offers shall be requested only once, unless there is a written determination that it is advantageous to the county to conduct further discussions. The request for best and final offers shall inform offerors that, if they do not submit a notice of withdrawal or a best and final offer, their immediate previous offer will be construed as their best and final offer. Other factors will not be considered. The procurement file shall contain the basis on which an award is made.
I. Proposal Evaluation and Award.
1. Proposals shall be evaluated according to the evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposals. Evaluation of price shall be made without regard to applicable taxes.
2. The procurement director may reject all proposals if rejection is in the public interest. Any such rejection shall be publicly noticed in the same manner as provided in Section 11.12.010(C).
3. The contract shall be awarded to the responsible and responsive offeror whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the county taking into consideration the evaluation criteria set forth in the request for proposals.
4. Multiple contracts may be awarded if determined to be in the best interest of the county.
(Ord. 2017-27 § 3 (part), 2017; Ord. 2011-14 § 3 (part), 2011; Ord. 2005-44 § 3 (part), 2005; Ord. 1997-45 § 1, 1997)