NOTICE TO BIDDERS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Undersigned, on behalf of the Essex County Board of Supervisors, will accept sealed bids at the Office of the Purchasing Agent until 2:00 P.M. on November 18, 2020 for Food Commodities & Dairy for the period of: December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021. DUE TO THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, bids may be live-streamed. There WILL NOT be a public opening The bids shall be opened publicly on November 18, 2020 at 2:00 P.M. at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, 7551 Court Street, Elizabethtown, New York 12932. PLEASE NOTE ESSEX COUNTY HAS PARTNERED WITH THE EMPIRE STATE PURCHASING GROUP. WE URGE VENDORS TO SUBMIT RESPONSES ELECTRONICALLY ON BIDNETDIRECT. PLEASE GO TO: www.bidnetdirect.com/essexcounty. Please contact the Purchasing Office at (518) 873-3330 for additional information concerning the bidding. Specifications and standard proposals for the proposed work may be obtained at the above address, or on the County’s website at: https://www.co.essex.ny.us/bidders/publicbids.aspx All bids submitted in response to this notice shall be marked "SEALED BID - FOOD COMMODITIES & DAIRY” clearly on the outside of the envelope. Essex County affirmatively states that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to these instructions, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability, sexual preference or Vietnam Era veteran status, disadvantaged and minority or women-owned business enterprises will be afforded equal opportunity to submit bids in response hereto. Dated: October 26, 2020 Linda M. Wolf, CPA Purchasing Agent Essex County Government Center Elizabethtown, New York 12932 INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS PLEASE NOTE ESSEX COUNTY HAS PARTNERED WITH THE EMPIRE STATE PURCHASING GROUP. WE URGE VENDORS TO SUBMIT RESPONSES ELECTRONICALLY. PLEASE GO TO: www.bidnetdirect.com/essexcounty. All bids shall be submitted on the bid sheets included in the package, and no other forms shall be accepted. An electronic copy must be submitted with an original hard copy of the bid. No e-mails will be accepted. Proposals must be provided in a sealed bid. Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] to have the proposal file e-mailed to you. Bids can be submitted one of two ways, either: 1) Electronically through BidNetDirect; or 2) Hard Copies sent or hand delivered to the Purchasing Office. Essex County reserves the right to reject any and all bids not considered to be in the best interest of Essex County, and to waive any technical or formal defect in the bids which is considered by Essex County to be merely irregular, immaterial, or unsubstantial. In addition to bid sheets, the bidder shall submit executed non-collusion bid certificates signed by the bidder or one of its officers as required by the General Municipal Law Sec. 103d. The bidder shall also submit an executed certificate of compliance with the Iran Divestment Act signed by the bidder or one of its officers as required by the General Municipal Law Sec. 103g. BRAND NAMES: The use of any brand name used in description of items is for the purpose of identifying the minimum requirements of the end user only. It is not intended to limit or restrict competition. Proposals for other brand names of equal caliber and the same features specified must send the manufacturer’s specification sheets for the items they are proposing to show the equivalency of items. Alternate items must be equal in quality, effectiveness, and function. Failure to include manufacturer’s descriptive literature when proposing an alternate may result in the rejection of your proposal. Essex County reserves the right to determine if the items proposed are equal to the items specified. A Contract awarded pursuant to this notice shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 103-1, 103-b, 103-d and 103-g of the General Municipal Law. Questions will be received until six (6) days before the opening date. Please address all questions, in writing, to: [email protected] or [email protected]. Addenda will be posted on the Essex County Website and BidNetDirect, interested vendors are urged to check before submitting their bid. Each bidder will need to complete, sign, have notarized and return the following documents with their Bid: 1) Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire 2) Certification of Compliance With Iran Divestment Act 3) Non-Collusive Bidding Certification INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS 1. By these specifications, it is the intent of Essex County, through its Purchasing Department, to secure bids for Food Commodities, for the following period: December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021. Sealed bids will be received until 2:00 P.M November 18, 2020, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. 2. Bids must be addressed to Linda M. Wolf, Purchasing Agent, Essex County Government Center, 7551 Court St, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 and must be in a sealed envelope plainly marked "SEALED BID - FOOD COMMODITIES & DAIRY". 3. All bids must remain in effect for the following period: Tuesday, December 1, 2020 through Sunday, February 28, 2021. 4. Prices should include delivery to each of the following sites: 1) Nutrition Center, 74 Fairground Way, Westport, NY; and, 2) Essex County Public Safety Building, 702 Stowersville Road, Lewis NY. 5. Bids will be awarded on a per item basis, unless indicated otherwise. 6. The quantities actually listed are estimated only. However, each contract shall be for the quantities actually ordered during the contract period. The contractor must furnish all quantities actually ordered. 7. If quantities and/or size differ from that of specifications, bidder MUST provide case size and container size. 8. Products must meet all state and local sanitary and health standards. 9. Order will be placed on MONDAY or TUESDAY, AM of each week. Deliveries must be made during the same week the items were ordered and NO DELIVERY WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 3:00 P.M. 10. Bidder must hold prices of items not awarded to him for one month in case of a change on awards. 11. Purchases by Essex County are not subject to any sales or federal excise taxes. 12. Failure to comply with any of the above terms or any evidence of poor quality or service will be considered cause for discontinuing business with the successful bidder. 13. Essex County, through its Purchasing Department, reserves the right to accept any alternate proposal not significantly altering the bid specifications. 14. Essex County, through its Purchasing Department, reserves the right to reject parts of any or all bids. 15. All questions regarding these specifications should be directed to: Donna J. Thompson, Assistant Purchasing Agent or Linda M. Wolf, CPA, Purchasing Agent, Tel: (518) 873-3330 16. Payment will be made after receipt of products and within 30 days of receipt of invoice for same. If there is a discrepancy on the invoice amount with the awarded amount, payment will be delayed. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS BID FOR MILK FOR DECEMBER 1, 2020 – FEBRUARY 28, 2021 – DELIVERY TWICE A WEEK Estimated quantities of the following milk items are included: 1. Homogenized whole fluid milk, white 2. Homogenized skim milk containing no less than ½% milk fat 3. Homogenized 1% reduced fat fluid milk 4. Homogenized 2% reduced fat fluid milk 5. Homogenized fat free milk 6. Homogenized fat free milk, chocolate flavor 7. Lactate fat free milk 8. Silk soy milk 9. Half & Half Conditions and services requested: A. Various size containers, as listed, delivered throughout the year. B. The county reserves the right to cancel or adjust any order due to an emergency. C. Milk temperature at time of delivery must be between 32 and 45 degrees F D. It is understood that the quantities listed are estimated only and that all quantities, whether increased or decreased, are to be furnished at the contract price. The undersigned hereby proposes and agrees to furnish and deliver to the designated locations as stated, various milk products at the price quoted. Please bid a price on the following assumptions: 1. Payment within 20 days after receipt of bill 2. Delivery to walk-in cooler or similar place only 3. Bidders must agree to pick up and credit all unused milk upon request. 4. Delivery schedules may be changed by mutual agreement between the County and vendor. During the scheduled delivery times the vendor agrees to remove all damaged containers that are visible and issue credit. Case quantities are not to exceed 50 – ½ pints and all empty cases and racks must be removed from the County on the next delivery day. All milk cases delivered will be subject to a per case surcharge. All milk cases made available to a delivery person at any time shall be credited against such surcharge account. The surcharge accounts balance, debit or credit, will be issued in conjunction with each monthly billing for milk and milk products. Should a delivery person fail to remove from the premises any or all cases made available by the county, no later than the next delivery, such cases will be credited as returned and become financial and physical responsibility of the milk dealer. All milk shall be pasteurized and shall meet the requirements of 1 New York Commission of Rules and regulations Part 2 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law. It is further stipulated that the County will reserve the right to refuse any milk delivered which does not meet completely all of the above specifications and to cancel immediately upon the first delivery by the contractor of any milk which