PUBLIC NOTICE
 
The Lafayette Airport Commission (LAC) is seeking sealed written proposals from experienced and professional landscape and fountain/irrigation firms to provide landscape, fountain, and irrigation maintenance services at the Lafayette Regional Airport. The term of the contract shall extend thirty (30) months from July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026; with possible two (2) renewal option periods of one (1) year each.
 
Sealed proposals must be received no later than Friday, May 24, 2024 at 09:30 a.m. C.S.T. by the Lafayette Airport Commission (LAC) by one of the following methods: U.S. Mail, Hand Delivery to 200 Terminal Drive – Suite 200, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508-2159, or online at https://www.centralauctionhouse.com.
 
Proposals will be received in accordance with instructions to proposers and the proposal form at the set time. Proposals received after the specified closing time will be returned to sender unopened.
 
The Request for Proposal (RFP), which includes the draft contract and scope of services may be obtained at the administrative offices of the LAC, 200 Terminal Drive - Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70508, (337) 703-4800, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Each interested party requesting a printed RFP will be required to submit, to the LAC, a $50.00 non-refundable deposit to cover the cost of reproduction. The RFP in PDF format may be obtained, at no cost, by sending an email request to Rene Cotton at [email protected] and Jennifer Comeaux at [email protected]. The RFP is also available online at https://www.centralauctionhouse.com. Use only original Proposal forms which are part of the RFP. The LAC does not assume any responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of the RFP.
 
Questions regarding this solicitation shall be placed in writing and directed to:
 
Rene’ Cotton, Property Administrator and
Jennifer Comeaux, Assistant Properties & Accounting 
 200 Terminal Drive – Suite 200
Lafayette, LA 70508-2159
Ph: 337-703-4800
E: [email protected] and [email protected]
 
A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in the Lafayette Airport Commission Administrative Conference Room, 200 Terminal Drive – Ste. 200, Lafayette, LA 70508. All prospective bidders are encouraged to attend. Any questions regarding the Proposal Document, are requested to be submitted, in writing, prior to the pre-proposal meeting to [email protected] and [email protected] no later than Friday, May 17, 2024 at 09:30 a.m. No additional site visits with LAC personnel will be conducted. Any potential sub-contractors are encouraged to attend the pre-proposal meeting.
 
The LAC reserves the right to hold all Proposals for up to sixty (60) days from the date of receipt without action, to waive any irregularities in any proposal and/or any informalities in this RFP, to cancel this RFP, to reject any or all proposals, to re-advertise for proposals, and/or to accept the proposal which, in the judgement of the LAC, even though it does not offer the lowest direct expenditure, is nevertheless deemed the most advantageous for the public and the LAC, i.e., the most responsible proposal.
 
Each proposal must be accompanied by a Proposal Security (Certified Check/Cashier's Check/Proposal Bond/Letter Of Credit ) for an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the total Proposal and all Alternates.  MONEY ORDERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.  If Proposal Bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list of approved bonding companies which is published annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled insurance company with at least an A- rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide or by an insurance company in good standing licensed to write proposal bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana residents.  No Proposal Bond indicating an obligation less than five percent (5%) by any method is acceptable.
 
The Executive Director will return or release all unsuccessful Proposers' Proposal within ten (10) days after the LAC has executed a Contract with the successful Proposer. Upon submittal of satisfactory evidence of insurance, Performance Bond, if applicable, and recordation of the executed Contract the Proposal Security submitted by the successful Proposer, will be returned to that Proposer.
 
The successful Proposer will be required to enter into an Agreement with the LAC and to submit evidence, satisfactory to the LAC, of insurance in accordance with "Appendix #3 – Insurance Requirements", and a One Hundred Percent (100%) Performance Bond on or before the effective date of the Agreement. If the successful Proposer refuses or neglects to execute the Agreement and provide the evidence of insurance documents and Performance Bond within the time specified in the notice of the award, the Proposal Security submitted with the Proposal shall be forfeited by the Proposer and retained by the LAC as liquidated damages. No plea, by the successful Proposer, of error or mistake in his Proposal shall be available to the Proposer as a basis for the recovery of its Proposal Security.
 
The Lafayette Airport Commission, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 USC §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award
 
It is the policy of the Lafayette Airport Commission to create a level playing field on which Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) can compete fairly for opportunities.  Accordingly, the Lafayette Airport Commission has established a Small Business Enterprise Participation Goal of 13.04% for this solicitation.
 
In compliance with the Lafayette Airport Commission’s commitment to inclusion of small businesses and to be eligible for award of a contract, the Bidder MUST either:
1.   Meet the SBE goal as advertised with meaningful small (or disadvantaged) business participation through subcontracts, joint ventures, or suppliers; OR
2.   Demonstrate Good Faith Efforts to meet the SBE goal.
 
An SBE must meet the following criteria:
The firm MUST be at least 51% owned and controlled by an economically disadvantaged individual. Economically disadvantaged is defined as a person whose personal net worth is less than $1.32 million.  
The economically disadvantaged owner MUST be a U.S. citizen or lawfully permanent resident of the U.S.   
The firm MUST meet the Small Business Administration’s size standard and MUST NOT exceed $23.98 million gross receipts. 
LAC will accept certified Small Entrepreneurs certified through the Louisiana Division of Administration (LDOA)  - Louisiana Hudson Initiative Small Entrepreneurship Program. Small entrepreneurs certified through the LDOA Hudson Initiative can found at https://smallbiz.louisianaeconomicdevelopment.com/Search/default.aspx .
 
LAC will also accept businesses certified as SBE by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) Small Business Element (SBE) Program and/or firms that are DBE certified through Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LA UCP).  SBE and DBE firms certified by the LADOTD can be found at http://www.laucp.org/UCP/UCPSearch.aspx.
 
Lafayette Airport Commission
 
/s/ Steven L Picou, A.A.E. Executive Director Lafayette Regional Airport
 
To Be Advertised:
 
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Wednesday, May 8, 2024