5.34.610 Offer Evaluation and Award; Determination of Responsibility.

City Code Section

(Amended by Ordinances 181547, 183445185898187373 and 189878, effective March 4, 2020.)

  1. A.  General. If Awarded, the City shall Award the Contract to the Responsible Bidder submitting the lowest, Responsive Bid or the Responsible Proposer or Proposers submitting the best, Responsive Proposal or Proposals, provided that such Person is not listed by the Construction Contractors Board as disqualified to hold a Public Improvement Contract. See ORS 279C.375(2)(a), or is ineligible for Award as a Nonresident (as defined in ORS 279A.120), education service district. The City may Award by item, groups of items or the entire Offer provided such Award is consistent with the Solicitation Document and in the public interest.
  2. B.  Determination of Responsibility. Offerors are required to demonstrate their ability to perform satisfactorily under a Contract. Before Awarding a Contract, the City must have information that indicates that the Offeror meets the standards of responsibility set forth in ORS 279.375C(3)(b). To be a Responsible Offeror, the City must determine that the Offeror:
    1. 1.  Has available the appropriate financial, material, equipment, facility and personnel resources and expertise, or ability to obtain the resources and expertise, necessary to demonstrate the capability of the Offeror to meet all contractual responsibilities;
    2. 2.  Has a satisfactory record of Contract performance. The City should carefully scrutinize an Offeror's record of Contract performance if the Offeror is or recently has been materially deficient in Contract performance. In reviewing the Offeror's performance, the City should determine whether the Offeror's deficient performance was expressly excused under the terms of Contract, or whether the Offeror took appropriate corrective action. The City may review the Offeror's performance on both private and Public Contracts in determining the Offeror's record of Contract performance. The City shall make its basis for determining an Offeror not Responsible under this paragraph part of the Solicitation file;
    3. 3.  Has a satisfactory record of integrity. An Offeror may lack integrity if The City determines the Offeror demonstrates a lack of business ethics such as violation of state environmental laws or false certifications made to the City. The City may find an Offeror not Responsible based on the lack of integrity of any Person having influence or control over the Offeror (such as a key employee of the Offeror that has the authority to significantly influence the Offeror's performance of the Contract or a parent company, predecessor or successor Person). The standards for Conduct Disqualification under Section 5.34.540 may be used to determine an Offeror's integrity. The City shall make its basis for determining that an Offeror is not Responsible under this paragraph part of the Solicitation file;
    4. 4.  Is in compliance with all of the City’s contracting requirements, including having a current City business tax registration account and EEO/EB certification.  Procurement Services may determine that such a Person is not legally qualified if:
      1. a.  The Person does not have a business tax registration account with the City; or
      2. b.  The Person failed to make payments required by Title 7 of the City Code and has failed to make appropriate payment arrangements with the Revenue Division of the Bureau of Revenue and Financial Services within seven (7) Days of the receipt of a Bid or Proposal, unless the City waives that requirement and decides to pursue collection through retention of Contract funds, or through other means.
    5. 5.  Has supplied all necessary information in connection with the inquiry concerning responsibility.  If the Offeror fails to promptly supply information requested by the City concerning responsibility, the City shall base the determination of responsibility upon any available information, or may find the Offeror not Responsible.
  3. C.  Documenting City Determinations: The City shall document its compliance with ORS 279C.375(3) and the above sections of this rule on a Responsibility Determination Form substantially as set forth in ORS 279.375(3)(c) and file that form the with Construction Contractors Board within 30 days after Contract Award.
  4. D.  City Evaluation.  The City shall evaluate an Offer only as set forth in the Solicitation Document and in accordance with applicable law.  The City shall not evaluate an Offer using any other requirement or criterion.
  5. E.  Offeror Submissions.
    1. 1.  The City may require an Offeror to submit Product Samples, Descriptive Literature, technical data, or other material and may also require any of the following prior to Award:
      1. a.  Demonstration, inspection or testing of a product prior to Award for characteristics such as compatibility, quality or workmanship;
      2. b.  Examination of such elements as appearance or finish; or
      3. c.  Other examinations to determine whether the product conforms to Specifications.
    2. 2.  The City shall evaluate product acceptability only in accordance with the criteria disclosed in the Solicitation Document to determine that a product is acceptable. The City shall reject an Offer providing any product that does not meet the Solicitation Document requirements. The City's rejection of an Offer because it offers nonconforming Work or materials is not Disqualification and is not appealable under ORS 279C.445 or these rules.
  6. F.  Evaluation of Bids. The City shall use only objective criteria to evaluate Bids as set forth in the ITB. The City shall evaluate Bids to determine the Responsible Offeror offering the lowest Responsive Bid.
  7. G.   Clarifications. In evaluating Bids, The City may seek information from a Bidder only to clarify the Bidder's Bid. Such clarification shall not vary, contradict or supplement the Bid. A Bidder must submit Written and Signed clarifications and such clarifications shall become part of the Bidder's Bid.
  8. H.  Evaluation of Proposals. See Section 5.34.850 regarding rules applicable to Requests for Proposals.
  9. I.  The City may award a public improvement Contract or may award multiple public improvement Price Agreements when specified in the Invitation to Bid or the Request for Proposals.