ANTI-LOBBYING/COMMUNICATION WITH CITY STAFF AND OFFICIALS:

To ensure fair consideration for all proposers/bidders, the City strictly prohibits any communication, whether or not written, verbal, or through a third party, relative to this solicitation with any department, City official, City Council member, or employee during the submission process, except inquiries directly made to the Procurement and Contracting Department, Contracting Officer, or as provided in the protest policy located at: Protest Policy

Additionally, the City prohibits communications initiated by a proposer/bidder, agent, or third party of proposer/bidder to any City official(s), City Council member(s), or employee(s) evaluating or considering the proposals/bids prior to, and up to the time an award decision is made at a scheduled City Council meeting. 

*** Any prohibited communications initiated by a proposer/bidder, or a third party on behalf of proposer/bidder, will be grounds for disqualifying the offending proposer/bidder from consideration for award of the solicitation >AND< will face a three (3) year debarment from doing any business with the City of Ocala. ***

FLORIDA STATUTE 448.095: E-VERIFY.  Pursuant to section 448.095, Vendor shall register with and use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (“DHS”) E-Verify System verify the work authorization status of all newly hired employees.  Vendor shall obtain affidavits from any and all subcontractors in accordance with paragraph 2(b) of section 448.095, Florida Statutes, and maintain copies of such affidavits for the duration of this Agreement.  By entering into any subsequently awarded contract, Vendor certifies and ensures that it utilizes and will continue to utilize the DHS E-Verify System for the duration of the contract and any subsequent renewals of same. Vendor understands that failure to comply with the requirements of this section shall result in the termination of the contract and Vendor may lose the ability to be awarded a public contract for a minimum of one (1) year after the date on which the contract was terminated.  Vendor shall provide a copy of its DHS Memorandum of Understanding upon City’s request.  Please visit www.e-verify.gov for more information regarding the E-Verify System.

Awarded Vendors shall comply with all applicable provisions of Section 787.06, Florida Statutes. Specifically, all non-governmental Vendors shall provide the City of Ocala with an affidavit signed by an officer or a representative under penalty of perjury attesting that the non-governmental entity does not use coercion for labor or services as defined in Section 786.06(2), Florida Statutes.  ).

If not previously provided, the affidavit may be downloaded from https://www.ocalafl.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/29503 and must be notarized.

The City of Ocala, as a recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds, has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 C.F.R. Part 26.

This means the City's goal is to spend at least 2.55% of expenditure of FTA funds and 15.31% of FAA-funds with certified DBE's as prime firms, or as subcontractors/sub-consultants. Race-neutrality means the City hopes the overall goal can be achieved through the normal competitive procurement process without using DBE required goals. Although not a requirement, the City believes this DBE percentage can realistically be achieved on projects through use of DBE prime and DBE subcontractors performing services anticipated on projects. Prime contractors or consultants may be requested to submit a DBE Utilization form indicating their firm's proposed use of DBE subcontractors. 

Prime construction contractors for FDOT-funded projects are required to visit https://www.fdot.gov/equalopportunity/eoc.shtm to register and submit their DBE commitments online.