Erie Ovr Enhanced Driving Anc Svcs

STATEMENT OF WORK

OVR ENHANCED DRIVING AND ANCILLARY SERVICES

6100065978

A. CONTRACT OVERVIEW. The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), on behalf of Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (BVRS) and the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) is issuing this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to procure professional, on-demand Enhanced Driving and Ancillary Services. DLI is seeking qualified transportation providers with the relevant experience, background, licensure, certifications, and ability to provide the required business transportation services. DLI requirements must be met and in compliance with all local, state, and Federal laws and regulations.

Employee(s)/passenger(s) may be blind, visually impaired, or have other disabilities which preclude their ability to drive themselves while traveling on Commonwealth business. Bidders are sought for these services that originate from the Erie BBVS and BVRS District office staff who serve areas within Erie County and surrounding county areas.

The designated Johnstown District office personnel will coordinate driver services weekly (or as needed) for those OVR staff with approval to utilize driver services and supports.

Generally, services will be expected to originate from the Erie BVRS/BBVS OVR District office of the employee to a location for the performance of Commonwealth business. Exception would be when the OVR employee’s residence is closer to the assigned work destination than at the home/headquarters office. Bidders will be asked to drop off the employee at a location and return at the scheduled pick-up time to provide transportation services (see wait time requirements).

Ambulatory transports would include transporting personnel with disabilities who are physically unable to safely operate a motor vehicle, may have the capacity to walk, and do not require the transport of a wheelchair or a motorized scooter.

Non-Ambulatory or wheelchair transports would include transporting personnel with disabilities who are physically unable to safely operate a motor vehicle and require the assistance of a lift or other mechanical mechanism to ensure safe transport of the person and their wheelchair or motorized scooter. Transport vehicle(s) must be equipped with a wheelchair ramp and/or lift and tie-downs when required by the individual.

B. METHOD OF AWARD (MULTIPLE AWARD). This procurement is being reserved for those self-certified as DGS Small Businesses. Bidders must attach their Small Business Certificate to their procurement to be deemed eligible.

Bidders who are interested in participating in this program may find more information about the Small Business Contracting program and how to self-certify at www.dgs.pa.gov/bdisbo.

Bidders awarded a contract under this solicitation shall maintain their DGS Self Certified Small Business Certificate during the initial term of the contract and any renewal(s). Failure to maintain Small Business Certification may result in termination. The Commonwealth reserves the right to request DGS Small Business Certificates to verify renewal.

The Awarded Bidder(s) shall provide all facilities, labor, materials, services, skills, supervision, and necessary equipment to manage and conduct provision of services under this contract this Contract. These services will be provided as an independent bidder, not as an employee of the Commonwealth. The Awarded Bidder(s) shall render services in accordance with the policies, procedures, and standards of the Commonwealth.

An award will be issued to all responsive and responsible bidders that meet all the eligibility requirements set forth in this IFB. There is no guarantee that the award of a Contract will result in the assignment of work. No work may be performed without the issuance of a purchase order.

Interested bidders who are insured by the OVR employee will submit their bid as required by this solicitation. Bidders awarded a contract as a result of this solicitation are Contractors of the Commonwealth, not of the individual employee. Bidders may be requested to drive other employees.

C. BID SUBMISSION. Bidders must submit all required documentation for each Non-Ambulatory and/or Ambulatory transport services. Bids must be electronically received through the PA Bidder Portal, www.pabidderportal.state.pa.us.

D. PRICING. The Price Rate Sheet, Attachment A, defines an hourly urban rate for each type of active transport. Reimbursement of both Active Driving and Wait time will be in accordance with either Non-Ambulatory or Ambulatory transport. (Example – Ambulatory Driving Rate and Wait Time(s) associated will equal $45.00/hour.)

Bidders are guaranteed reimbursement of a minimum of two (2) hours per day for services provided - one (1) hour for the initial transport pick up and one hour at the end of the day to the employee’s destination. The guaranteed minimum only applies to local trips where there is no wait time or overnight travel. *If only one-way (1) transport service is needed on a given day (the initial pick-up transport or an end of the day final transport), then the bidder is guaranteed a minimum of one hour reimbursement for that day.   

If driving services exceed two (2) hours in one day’s assignments, then the bidder shall be reimbursed for actual service hours.

Bidders shall specify areas where services can be provided. Outlined pricing per the Price Rate Sheet will be held for the initial terms and any renewals of this contract and will not be negotiable.

Hourly charges shall begin at the location where and when the passenger is picked up, whether from the assigned headquarters or home, whichever is closest, and ends when the passenger is dropped off at the approved work destination.

Travel must be the most direct and cost-effective route for each assignment. DLI may audit miles submitted, or request route information, to ensure the bidder is meeting this requirement. If the driver leaves the drop off location, time spent leaving or returning to the passenger drop off location is not eligible for hourly reimbursement. Lunch break is not paid. Meals are only reimbursable for overnight assignment in accordance with the Commonwealth’s travel policy.

Bidders shall be paid the established rate during wait periods, if OVR staff requests the driver wait at the drop off location for the duration of the scheduled appointment in accordance with OVR written procedures. Wait time payment requests must be reviewed and approved by the staff member’s supervisor prior to transport. If the driver leaves the drop off location for more than 30 minutes, OVR may not make a payment for wait time and the driver should not anticipate reimbursement for the time or travel between transports that are not part of the prior approved Commonwealth business trip.

OVR shall provide mileage reimbursement at the established GSA rate. These rates often fluctuate, and purchase orders will indicate a maximum rate. OVR may not reimburse any driver above the established rate for the date the transport occurred.

E. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. Bidders interested in submitting a bid to become a contractor must meet all the eligibility requirements as set forth below. Eligibility requirements are applicable unless otherwise indicated. Failure to meet all the following eligibility requirements may result in bid rejection.

Prior to an award of services, Bidders must provide a copy of each type of documentation for their business, all applicable personnel and transport vehicles:

1. Current, DGS Small Business Certification - Verification (pa.gov).

2. Current, state-issued driver’s license.

3. Current, state-issued registration and inspection for each transport vehicle.

4. Current vehicle(s) insurance certificate(s), which covers all transport staff and transport vehicles used for non-emergency transport services. Pennsylvania state minimum coverage is required and must include passenger insurance. A copy of the certificate should include the following information:

a. Carrier (name and address)

b. Type of Insurance

c. Amount of Coverage: The minimum amount of coverage to be carried is $100,000 per person and $300,000 aggregated and $50,000 property damage. Such policies shall be occurrence rather than claims-made policies and shall not contain any endorsements or any other form designated to limit and restrict any action by the Commonwealth, as an additional insured, against the insurance coverage in regard to work performed for the Commonwealth.

d. Period covered by insurance, and

e. Emergency Roadside Assistance coverage for all transport vehicles such as AAA or equivalent.

5. Cellular phone contact information for all transport staff (Attachment D).

6. Provide three (3) years driving history issued by the state of residence for all transport staff (PennDOT - Request for Driver Information (state.pa.us)). Fees for obtaining driver’s history is the responsibility of the bidder. Transport driving staff assigned shall be a minimum of 21 years of age with a valid driver’s license.

7. Transport staff will be deemed ineligible if any of the following violations are indicated on their three (3) year driving record:

a. Driving under the influence (DUI),

b. Driving while intoxicated (DWI),

c. More than one (1) “at fault” accident(s),

d. A license suspension or revocation,

e. More than two (2) moving violations, and

f. More than one (1) excessive speed violation.

8. Provide a typewritten document outlining all personnel providing services and where each driver will be physically located during the term of the contract. Bidders must indicate the location of the business office. Driving assignments will be determined by the referring District Office.

9. Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS may be an independent system, cellular telephone application or vehicle installed product. The GPS will be used for mapping and direction purposes only.

10. Vehicles used for Ambulatory transportation services:

a. Shall have less than 250,000 miles.

b. Shall have four (4) doors.

c. Shall have a minimum of four (4) seat belts, including that for the driver.

d. May not be a stretch limousine or non-Express Drive rental vehicle.

e. May not be titled as salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt or any other equivalent classification.

f. Shall have a valid Pennsylvania Department of transportation vehicle inspection(s) windshield sticker.

F. ANCILLARY SERVICES/ ADDITIONAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENT. Under this agreement and at the request of OVR personnel, Bidders shall provide assistive, ancillary services. These services may involve entering the residence of the BBVS or BVRS customer or a public location.

OVR personnel may require assistance with scribe work, reading, sighted guide, safety surveys, placing tactile (bump) dots on appliances as direction by the staff, assisting with documents requiring signature, and any other tasks that need completed visually.

The bidder must provide evidence of additional insurance certificate(s), such as liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, or other insurance, which covers the transport staff in the provision of support services outside of operation of the transport vehicle. Such insurance is intended to protect the transport staff, provider, OVR, OVR employee and OVR customer(s) against loss or risk associated the performance of these additional support services by the transport staff in connection with the provision of services under the purchase order.

Public liability and property damage insurance is essential to protect the Commonwealth, the Bidder, and any and all subcontractors from claim for damages for personal injury (including bodily injury), sickness or disease, accidental death and damage to property, including loss of use resulting from any property damage, which may arise from the activities performed under this contract or the failure to perform under this contract whether such performance or nonperformance be by the bidder, by any subcontractor, or by anyone directly or indirectly employed by either. The limits of such insurance shall be in an amount not less than $500,000 each person and $2,000,000 each occurrence, personal injury and property damage combined. Such policies shall be occurrence rather than claims-made policies and shall name the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an additional insured. The insurance shall not contain any endorsements, or any other form designated to limit or restrict any action by the Commonwealth, as an additional insured, against the insurance coverage in regard to work performed for the Commonwealth.

Prior to commencement of the work under the contract and during the term of the contract, the Bidder shall provide the Department with current certificates of insurance. These certificates shall contain a provision that the coverages afforded under the policies will not be cancelled or changed until at least thirty (30) days' written notice has been given to the Department. The copy of the certificate(s) should include the following information:

1. Carrier (name and address),

2. Type of Insurance,

3. Amount of Coverage, and

4. Period covered by insurance.

G. BADGING/BACKGROUND CHECKS. Awarded Bidder(s), at their expense, must arrange for annual Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA) background checks for all transport staff. Background checks are only to be conducted via the Request for Criminal History Record Check form and procedure found at:

http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/lib/psp/sp4-164.pdf.

Background checks for all transport driving staff must be conducted prior to initial transport of any passenger under the contract. In addition, drivers assigned to transport OVR employees must obtain a Commonwealth Contractor photo identification badge (badge) to wear when on assignments. Drivers who previously acquired a CHRIA check may use it if it is no more than six months old, to obtain a bidder badge. Work shall not be assigned work to drivers who have not acquired their badge. All drivers must comply with requirements of Capitol Police Security Administration Photo Identification and Access Badges, Policy and Procedures for Contracted Personnel, Attachment C.

OVR shall assist bidders with scheduling appointments at the closest Capitol Police Security Administration Office. The Capitol Police Security Administration Offices are in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Reading, Philadelphia, and Scranton. The Commonwealth shall reimburse the bidder for expenses to acquire and maintain badging. The bidder may invoice time and travel expenses incurred to acquire the badge, i.e., mileage and parking. Payments to acquire the badge will only be accepted via check or money order. To receive reimbursement for the badge and associated costs, the bidder must provide a copy of the money order receipt or cancelled check to the OVR District Office. Replacement badges are non-reimbursable and shall be at the expense of the Bidder. A copy of the current CHRIA check must accompany payment to receive the Bidder badge.

Badges do not give the driver access to Commonwealth owned or leased offices. This badge identifies the driver as a contractor of the Commonwealth and is valid for one year. Wearing this badge off duty is strictly prohibited and may result in corrective action up to contract cancellation. Upon termination of the awarded contract, contractors are required to return all badges to the Commonwealth. OVR shall hold the final payment of the contract until that contactor returns all badges.

Drivers transporting staff who accept assignments that result entering a public school or performing ancillary services with school-aged minors must obtain a PA Child Abuse History Certification. Child Abuse History Certification forms and procedures are found at PA Child Abuse History Certification.

H. TASKS. Transport personnel shall:

1. Abide by all local, state, and Federal traffic rules, statues, and laws.

2. Maintain clean, reliable transport vehicle(s), suitable for business travel. If applicable, and if personal protective equipment (PPE) is opted, transport drivers are responsible for supplying their own items.

3. Perform a pre-trip inspection of the transport vehicle(s). Inspection will include checking all lights, turn signals, fluid levels, and tire pressure.

4. Ensure that the transport vehicle doors remain locked when the vehicle is in motion.

5. Ensure that all transport vehicles are equipped with operational seatbelts and always worn by all passengers when the vehicle is in motion.

6. Demonstrate the ability to use or follow mapping directions, including GPS technology.

7. Adhere to the following as required by the Commonwealth Management Directives 505.7 and 505.25-

https://www.oa.pa.gov/Policies/md/Documents/505_7.pdf Amended.

a. 13.33 Nepotism. An employee or official must not exercise direct and immediate supervisory authority over a family member.

b. Chapter 17 – Smoking in Commonwealth Buildings and Facilities

c. Chapter 19 – Commonwealth Substance Abuse Policy

d. Chapter 21 – Workplace Violence

https://www.oa.pa.gov/Policies/md/Documents/505_25.pdf

8. Be attentive while driving and not participate in activities that distracts them from driving.

9. Transport any passenger experiencing a medical emergency while being transported to the nearest hospital, or medical facility, and/or contact 911, as required. The driver must notify the OVR District Office with whom they serve within thirty (30) minutes of transportation of the employee to the hospital or medical facility or departure of the emergency vehicle transporting the employee. If the driver cannot communicate within the required time, the driver will notify the OVR District Office as soon as conditions permit. The driver may not disclose information concerning any specific medical condition of the employee.

10. Assist all passengers in entering or exiting the transport vehicle, as necessary.

11. Provide support to passengers at the location of work, as needed, by assisting with set up of work materials, reading written documents during a meeting, and assisting with the movement of work materials to and from the vehicle.

12. Notify the Commonwealth of any criminal prosecutions commenced against itself or its personnel within one (1) business day of becoming aware of the charges.

13. Provide evidence of a valid driver’s license to DLI issuing office for all transport staff hired after the contract is awarded, prior to the driver’s first assignment. OVR may not permit a driver to provide services until the documentation is supplied and reviewed.

I. STAFF REQUIREMENTS. Upon award of the contract, the Bidder shall:

1. Complete an OVR-142, Contractor Confidentiality form (Attachment B) for our transport staff.

2. Ensure that transport staff carry their state issued driver’s license at all times.

3. Ensure that transport staff lift and carry up to fifty pounds,

4. Ensure that transport staff possess the ability to read, speak, comprehend, and communicate in English fluently,

5. Transport passengers with physical disabilities in a vehicle adapted for those needs per the Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations, http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_regulations.html

6. Ensure that transport personnel have been trained to use non-Ambulatory vehicle/equipment when required to assist disabled passenger/claimant(s),

7. Allow service animals in the vehicle, as required.

8. Demonstrate compliance with current CDC recommended protocols for communicable diseases, as needed, and provide for their own personal protective equipment (PPE) for their use, if required.

J. PICK-UP AND TRANSPORTATION/COVERAGE AREA. The Commonwealth’s transportation requirements may include intrastate and interstate travel. Requested travel will originate from the alternate headquarters, District office or driver location but may extend to surrounding counties and regions, depending on OVR’s operational needs.

K. WAIT TIMES. All wait times must be pre-approved by the OVR District Administrator or management designee prior to transport assignment. The OVR personnel staff transported may not approve wait periods.

1. For singular or when multiple transportation assignments are required, OVR shall reimburse the Bidder at the applicable Active Driving rate up to 90 minutes. If any appointment is anticipated to exceed 90 minutes, the OVR personnel staff will request approval from his or her supervisor to pay for a longer wait period. To be reimbursed for wait periods, the transport personnel must remain on site. OVR may not reimburse transport personnel for wait time if the driver leaves the work site for more than 30 minutes. The Commonwealth reserves the right to review and/or reject any wait time reimbursement requests.

2. For assignments scheduled for one (1) location for an entire business day and within 25 miles of the driver’s primary residence or assigned headquarter’ s location, the driver shall leave and return no less 30 minutes prior to the staff’s last appointment for pick up and to return the employee to the OVR DO or the employee's residence whichever is logistically cost effective. OVR may not compensate the driver for any time away from the assignment site.

L. SAFETY. All drivers are expected to always utilize safety standards. If the contractor personnel or OVR staff feels that the assignment is unsafe, they have the option to determine whether the employee will proceed to the next assignment, return to headquarters, or call 911.

If the employee feels unsafe and the contractor personnel is not on site, the employee should proceed to an administration or security office to be safe. The employee will use his or her cell phone or local land line and call to notify his or her supervisor and the contractor personnel of the safety concern and request services. OVR shall reimburse the contractor for transportation costs and driving rate to return to the worksite.

M. PURCHASE ORDERS. Contract award is not a guarantee of work assignments. The Commonwealth will issue blanket purchase orders to the vendor. The contractor may not perform any work without the issuance of a purchase order. All quantities identified on the purchase order are estimated and may be increased or decreased.

N. HOURS OF OPERATION. Contractors must provide services between the hours of 7 am EST to 6 pm ET, Monday through Friday. However, business needs may warrant extended hours beyond 6 pm ET. Overnight stays may be required, per District Office approval.

If a transport results in the need for an overnight stay to accommodate the OVR staff member's service provision, OVR shall reimburse costs differently depending on whether the driver secures a separate room.

1. Driver secures a separate room.

DLI shall reimburse the driver for transportation to the lodging facility, mileage, and lodging expenses, consistent with the Commonwealth’s travel policies. OVR shall pay drivers for 1.5 hours after check-in to the overnight accommodations. OVR may not pay drivers for waiting periods for overnight stays after the initial 1.5 hours. Billable service resumes when the driver begins transporting the passenger the next day to the passenger’s destination. OVR may require drivers to wait for the employee during his or her driving assignment; wait times will be approved prior to travel.

2. Driver lodges with the employee

If the driver stays in the same lodging quarters i.e., hotel room as the OVR employee, mileage will be reimbursed as a travel expense to the OVR employee through the Bureau of Comptroller Payroll Operations (BCPO) Travel Division.  Lodging expenses including transportation time to the lodging facility and meals are non-reimbursable to the driver.  Billable services resumes when the driver begins transporting the OVR employee from the lodging facility to his or her work destination.

O. TRANSPORT DUTIES.

The assigned transportation staff shall arrive at the pick- up location no later than (15) minutes before the scheduled time. OVR may require the driver to arrive earlier within major metropolitan locations (i.e., Philadelphia and Pittsburgh).

The assigned transportation staff shall transport and wait for the passenger in accordance with the terms of this IFB. The assigned transportation staff shall only pick-up, drop off, and return the passenger to the pre-designated location(s) as directed by the District Office. Except for emergencies, the driver may not make any additional stops without the prior approval of the OVR District Office.

Services are to be provided with no charges to the passenger. The solicitation or acceptance of tips or any other type of gratuity is strictly prohibited.

In the event of an accident during an assignment, the driver must notify the referring OVR District Office within one (1) hour from the time of the accident.

OVR may request the driver provide service to more than one passenger commuting to the same destination. In this event, the contractor will only be paid a rate based on the trip distance, not the number of individuals included.

P. CANCELLATION, LATE ARRIVAL OR NO SHOW.

In the event of a cancellation originating from OVR, and if notice is provided to the transport staff less than three (3) hours prior to pick up time, OVR shall compensate the contractor for one (1) hour of pay.

Should the driver not provide timely transport to the scheduled appointment, and the appointment is cancelled, it may result in an entry into the Contractor Responsibility Program (CRP). Instances of repetitive cancelled appointments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and if there are multiple unjustified cancellations, OVR may reduce, the Awarded Bidder’s hourly rate for that trip by 50%. Repeated offenses greater than five (5) per year could result in a Contractor Responsibility Program (CRP) performance entry.

In the event of a cancellation originating from the contractor, notice of a need to cancel the transport must be provided no less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to pick up time and no compensation will be provided to the contractor. Should emergency situations arise requiring cancellation less than twenty-four hours prior to the scheduled pick-up, the contractor shall notify the OVR District Office staff and immediately. Repeat offenses may result in a Contractor Responsibility Program (CRP) performance entry.

Q. PERSONNEL. Awarded Bidder(s) are required to be professional in all aspects of the performance of the contract. All personnel must be fully qualified for the performance of the task to which they are assigned. In the event of recurring and/or un-resolved personnel performance issue(s), the Commonwealth may request that such personnel be replaced.

Notice of personnel changes (additions, deletions and/or changes in local, state, or federal licenses/certifications, insurances) shall be communicated to the L&I Contracting Officer within two (2) business days. In the case of deletions, the normal workload must be handled on a timely basis until replacements are hired and/or assigned to the project.

R. SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS. The Commonwealth has developed a set of minimum Service Level Agreements (SLA), defined in the table below, which the Awarded Bidder(s) shall meet, or exceed. The SLA’s may be reviewed by the DLI Contracting Officer to identify any issues requiring immediate attention.

Performance Metric	Performance Target	Description	Calculation	Frequency of Review	Liquidated Damages
Timeliness	95%	Late Trips	Number of late trips/total number of trips	Monthly	5% of each late trip
Appearance for assignment	95%	Driver No-Show	Number of Contractor no-shows/ total number of trips	Monthly	5% of total monthly invoice

The Awarded Bidder(s) will be allowed a thirty (30) day grace period during the implementation phase of the contract to “ramp up” services, without scoring on the performance metrics contained in the table set forth above. The tracking of the above performance metrics shall be completed by the passenger and provided to the District Office designee for unsatisfactory performance in any given month. District Offices shall then send these metrics to the DLI Contracting Officer to ensure SLAs are met.

If the Awarded Bidder(s) does not meet the agreed Performance Targets, the following actions will be taken: (1) a discussion shall take place between the Awarded Bidders’ representatives and DLI Contracting Officer; (2) the Awarded Bidder(s) shall develop a corrective action plan to improve their performance; (3) the Awarded Bidder shall submit the corrective action plan to OVR within five (5) business days of the request to correct the issues within thirty (30) days of the date the corrective action plan is approved. If the corrective actions are not completed, the L&I Contracting Officer will notify the Awarded Bidder(s). Failure to attain these standards may be cause for cancellation of the contract.

S. REIMBURSEMENTS. Mileage, Subsistence and Lodging shall be reimbursed at the current rate as per Management Directive 230.10. Commonwealth Travel Procedures Manual, Parking and tolls will be reimbursed at actual cost(s) based on the submission of appropriate receipt(s). http://www.oa.pa.gov/Policies/md/Documents/230_10.pdf.

OVR may not reimburse the Awarded Bidder for any driving services requested by the staff that are of personal nature such as medical appointments, transporting family members or any other non-work-related engagement.

The OVR employee may request the driver to provide personal driving services. If the driver agrees, the employee will reimburse the driver a mutually agreeable cost. The driver reserves the right to refuse personal driving services requested by the OVR employee.

OVR shall reimburse transportation expenses to drive the employee’s primary worksite. Work shall begin when the employee is enroute to the assigned work area or first appointment.

OVR may not reimburse for services (including travel) for Bidders providing services to those OVR personnel related (i.e., spouse, family member or other individual) that reside in the same (employee’s primary residence) when transporting the employee to their assigned headquarters. Reimbursable work begins when the employee and driver are enroute to the first appointment or daily assigned work area such a school, public library, PA CareerLink ®, or other public location.

The vendor may bill in quarterly increments.

T. BILLING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The Awarded Bidder(s) shall submit itemized invoices via the Expense Log (Attachment D) bi-weekly to a predetermined OVR resource account for services provided to passengers. The expense log shall list invoice date, PO number, bidder name and number, passenger’s name, and the date(s) of service. The Expense Log must include a breakdown of charges, a detailed report of the services provided and include any necessary receipts, for which reimbursement is being requested. See section on Reimbursements for further details. Awarded Bidder(s) may be required to produce records that disclose the extent and nature of the services provided.

Upon request, the bidder shall produce monthly reports, to support performance as related to the SLA’s outlined in Section M.

The bidder may find Payment status at https://www.bpp.ob.pa.gov, PA Office of Budget Business Partner Portal.

The Bidder may address invoice concerns with Rebecca Gardner/Contract Monitor via email regardner@pa.gov.

U. APPLICABLE LAW. The Awarded Bidder(s) must demonstrate knowledge and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. In any event where the Awarded Bidder(s) creates a scenario where the Commonwealth is found to be out of compliance with federal, state, and local standards, laws and regulations, the Awarded Bidder(s) will be liable and responsible for any damages (administrative, operational, monetary) suffered by using agency. All non-compliance issues and service deficiencies must be addressed, in writing, to the DLI Contracting Officer, to include a proposed solution, within forty-eight (48) hours of bidder’s receipt of notification and the approved resolution must be in place within five (5) business days thereafter.

V. ENDORSEMENTS. Awarded Bidder(s) may not advertise or publicize in any way a written or verbal endorsement that their equipment and/or services are being used by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without the written approval of the Commonwealth.

W. SUBCONTRACTING. The DLI reserves the right to reject or approve any subcontractor. Subcontracting with non-profit subcontractors is allowable with DLI approval.

X. COMMONWEALTH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE. Commonwealth recognized or observed holidays include the following:

1. New Year's Day

2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

3. Presidents' Day

4. Memorial Day

5. Juneteenth

6. Independence Day

7. Labor Day

8. Columbus Day

9. Veterans Day

10. Thanksgiving Day

11. Day After Thanksgiving

12. Christmas Day

Y. OPTION TO ADD/REMOVE CONTRACTORS. The addition and/or deletion of any Contractor(s) during the term of this Contract will be at the sole discretion of DLI. DLI reserves the right to issue a supplementary bid on a quarterly basis, or as required, to add bidders during the term of the contract.