This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Bangor, Maine. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

A.Purpose and Background The Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management (Department) is seeking Lawn Care Services as defined in this Request for Proposal (RFP) document. This document provides instructions for submitting proposals, the procedure, and criteria by which the awarded Bidder will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State of Maine (State) and the awarded Bidder. The Department does not have the manpower or equipment to maintain the lawns and grounds at the Regional Training Institute (RTI), 289 Hildreth Street, North, Bangor, ME, and Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC), 300 Hildreth Street, Bangor, ME. Through this RFP, the Department seeks to select a qualified Bidder to maintain the lawns and grounds at these facilities. B.General Provisions 1.From the time the RFP is issued until award notification is made, all contact with the State regarding the RFP must be made through the RFP Coordinator. No other person/State employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding the RFP. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the State's discretion. 2.Issuance of the RFP does not commit the Department to issue an award or to pay expenses incurred by a Bidder in the preparation of a response to the RFP. This includes attendance at personal interviews or other meetings and software or system demonstrations, where applicable. 3.All proposals must adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in the RFP and all written supplements and amendments (such as the Summary of Questions and Answers), issued by the Department. Proposals are to follow the format and respond to all questions and instructions specified below in the "Proposal Submission Requirements" section of the RFP. 4.Bidders will take careful note that in evaluating a proposal submitted in response to the RFP, the Department will consider materials provided in the proposal, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal Departmental information of previous contract history with the Bidder (if any). The Department also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information in evaluating a Bidder's experience and capabilities. 5.The proposal must be signed by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder and must contain a statement that the proposal and the pricing contained therein will remain valid and binding for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening. 6.The RFP and the awarded Bidder's proposal, including all appendices or attachments, will be the basis for the final contract, as determined by the Department. 7.Following announcement of an award decision, all submissions in response to this RFP will be public records, available for public inspection pursuant to the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) (1 M.R.S. 401 et seq.). 8.The Department, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to recognize and waive minor informalities and irregularities found in proposals received in response to the RFP. 9.All applicable laws, whether or not herein contained, are included by this reference. It is the Bidder's responsibility to determine the applicability and requirements of any such laws and to abide by them. C.Contract Term The Department is seeking a cost-efficient proposal to provide services, as defined in the RFP, for the anticipated contract period defined in the table below. Please note, the dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with the RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract. Contract Renewal: Following the initial term of the contract, the Department may opt to renew the contract for two (2) renewal periods, as shown in the table below, and subject to continued availability of funding and satisfactory performance.