Bidding and Contracting "Best Practices"

April 4, 1998

David A. Feldheim, Esq.

I. General Concerns Pertaining to All Procurement Activities

A. Politicized or Level Playing Field?

B. Mandatory Competitive Bidding?

II. Competitive Request for Proposals (RFP's)

A. Counsel Participation in Preparation of RFP

B. Clarity- Instructions and Description of Bid Process

C. Description of Scope of Services and Goods

D. Bid Bond

E. Criteria for Bid Award

1.  Sealed?

2.  Objective or Subjective?

F. Pre-bid Meetings

G. RFP Addenda

H. Special Circumstances

I.     Bid Form

J. Diversity Initiatives

K.    Non-Collusive Certificate

L. Form of Agreement; Exceptions

M. Experience and References

N. Financial Strength

III. Important Contract Provisions

A. General

1.    Detailed description of services or goods

2.    Term; duration; termination

3.    Financial terms

4.    Sub-contracting; assignability

5.    Insurance- certificate of insurance

6.    Performance Bond

7.    Compliance with laws

8.    Boilerplate 

B. Fuel and Food Services

1.    Franchise or co-op?

2.    Minimum capital outlays

3.    Maintenance and repair

4.    Housekeeping

5.    Utilities

6.    Pricing of products

7.    Staffing; personnel

8.    Customer complaints

9.    Ownership of equipment; risk of loss

10.    Inter-vendor relationships

a. Sharing

b. Competition

c. Dispute Resolution

C.    Fuel Marketing

1.    Environmental Baseline & Remediation

2.    UST Compliance

3.    Spill Response

4.    Disposal

5.    Staffing

6.    Supply

7.    Allocation

8.    Road Service

9.    Credit Card

10.    Rent