Fire Alarm Services

The Procurement Division of Knox County, Tennessee will receive sealed bids for the provision of Fire Alarm Services as
specified herein. Bids must be received by 2:00 p.m. on April 22, 2026 local time. Late bids will be neither considered nor
returned.
Please Deliver Bids to:
Bid Number 3724
Knox County Procurement Division
Suite 100, 1000 North Central Street
Knoxville, Tennessee 37917
The Bid Envelope must show the Company Name, Bid Number, Bid Name and Bid Opening Date.
SECTION I GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Knox County wants requests for additional information routed to Donnie Fawver,
CPPB, at 865.215.5756. Questions may be emailed to donnie.fawver@knoxcounty.org. If you have not heard from
the Buyer in a reasonable amount of time, please call for further assistance. Information about the Knox County
Procurement Division may be obtained on the Internet at www.knoxcounty.org/procurement.
1.2 ACCEPTANCE: Vendors shall hold their price firm and subject to acceptance by Knox County for a period of sixty
(60) business days from the date of the bid opening, unless otherwise indicated in their bid.
1.3 ALTERNATIVE BIDS: Knox County will not accept alternate bids (those not equal to specifications) unless
authorized by the Invitation for Bid.
1.4 AUDIT HOTLINE: Knox County has established an Audit Hotline to report potential fraud and waste. To report
potential fraud, waste or abuse, file a report online by accessing https://www.knoxcounty.org/audit/hotline.php.
Vendors are hereby cautioned that this Audit Hotline does not replace the Award Protest Procedures found
in Section VI, Item M of the Knox County Procurement Regulations.
1.5 AWARD: Award will be made to the most responsive, responsible bidder(s) meeting specifications, who presents
the product or service that is in the best interest of Knox County. Knox County reserves the right to award this bid
on an item by item basis, "all or none' basis, or by a multiple award, whichever is in the best interest of the County.
Knox County reserves the right to not make an award.
1.6 BID DELIVERY: Knox County requires bidders, when hand delivering bids, to time and date stamp the envelope
before depositing it in the bid box. Knox County will not be responsible for any lost or misdirected mail sent by
common carrier. Knox County will not be responsible for bids delivered to addresses or Suites other than the
address and suite listed at the top of this solicitation. The time clock in the Procurement Division shall serve as the
official record of time. Knox County shall not be responsible for technical difficulties experienced by vendors trying
to submit their bid electronically less than twenty-four (24) hour prior to the bid opening time.
Solicitations must be in a sealed envelope/box prior to entering the Procurement Division office.
Procurement Division personnel are not allowed to see the submittal nor assist in placing documents in an
envelope/box. Additionally, the Procurement Division is not responsible for providing materials (e.g.
envelopes, boxes, tape) for submittals.
1.7 BID EXPENSES: Expenses for developing the bids are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be
chargeable in any manner to Knox County.
1.8 BIDS REQUESTED ON BRANDS OR EQUAL: Unit price bids are requested on products that equal or exceed the
quality and performance of the brands and model numbers listed. References to brand names, trade names, model
numbers or other descriptions peculiar to specific brand products are made to establish a required level of quality
and functional capabilities and are not intended to exclude other products of that level. Comparable products of
other manufacturers will be considered if proof of comparability is contained in their bid.
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Or Equal does not mean the manufacturing process, but rather that the item will perform in the manner needed by
the County. It shall be the responsibility of the bidders, including bidders whose product is referenced, to furnish
with their bid such specifications, catalog pages, brochures or other data as will provide an adequate basis for
determining the quality and functional capabilities of the product offered. Failure to provide this data may be
considered valid justification for rejection of their bid.
1.9 BUSINESS OUTREACH PROGRAM: The purpose of this program is to increase the opportunity for companies
doing business with Knox County by encouraging participation through site visits, providing education and support
regarding policies and procedures, and actively recruiting all interested suppliers.
1.10 CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Vendors must have read and complied with the "Non-Conflict of Interest" statement
provided in the vendor registration process prior to the opening of this solicitation.
1.11 DECLARATIVE STATEMENTS: Any statement or words (e.g.: must, shall, will) are declarative statements and the
vendor must comply with the condition. Failure to comply with any such condition may result in the bid being non-
responsive and disqualified.
1.12 DUPLICATE COPIES: Knox County requires that bids being submitted by hand be one (1) marked original and
one (1) exact copy.
1.13 ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF BIDS: Knox County's Procurement Division will not accept electronically
transmitted bids through the County's On-Line Purchasing System. Facsimile and email submission are strictly
prohibited. Due to the nature of information requested, all bids must be submitted in hard copy format. Knox County
shall not be responsible for technical difficulties experienced by vendors trying to submit their bid electronically less
than twenty-four (24) hour prior to the bid opening time
1.14 HOW TO DO BUSINESS: Knox County utilizes a web-based Procurement software system, "KnoxBuys". The
system provides our clients (vendors, county departments and the citizens of Knox County) with a more enhanced
and end-user friendly means of accessing our services. The system allows for on-line vendor registration and
maintenance, electronic receipt of purchase orders, on-line retrieval and submittal of quotes, bids and proposals for
our vendor-clients and on-line requisitioning and receiving for our county departments. In order for the County to
maximize its investment and minimize the cost associated with office operations we need your help. When doing
business with Knox County we are urging you to please go to our website at www.knoxcounty.org/procurement,
register as a vendor in our on-line Procurement system, "KnoxBuys", if you have not done so and whenever possible
to conduct your business with the County through this site. If you have any questions please contact the
Procurement Division Representative listed in Section 1.1 of this document.
1.15 MULTIPLE BIDS: Knox County will consider multiple bids that meet specifications.
1.16 NON-COLLUSION: Vendors, by submitting a signed bid or proposal, certify that the accompanying bid or proposal
is not the result of, or affected by, any unlawful act of collusion with any other person or company engaged in the
same line of business or commerce, or any other fraudulent act punishable under Tennessee or United States law.
1.17 PAYMENT METHOD: Knox County utilizes two (2) methods of placing orders for products. The first is the use of
Purchase Orders. These Purchase Orders will be issued from Knox County Procurement Division via the method
selected by the vendor during registration. The Purchase Order will detail the quantity, specific items(s) and the
contracted price for each item.
The second method is the use of the Knox County Credit Card (VISA). Orders placed with the credit card will list
the same information as the Purchase Order. Vendors will be given the card information and approval to process
the transactions by the requesting department. Vendors must indicate in their bid response if the vendor will accept
the Knox County Credit Card (VISA) as a form of payment. Bidders are prohibited to charge Knox County any type
of merchant fee from their financial institution to accept this type of payment.
1.18 POSSESSION OF WEAPONS: All vendors and their employees and their agents are prohibited from possessing
any weapons on Knox County property without prior written consent from the County. In the case of a vendor
whose Contract requires possession of firearms or other weapons to successfully complete their Contract, vendor
must provide personnel who are bonded to bear said weaponry.
1.19 PROCESSING TIME FOR PAYMENT: Vendors are advised that a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days is required
to process invoices for payment.
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1.20 PROOF OF FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS CAPABILITY: Bidders must, upon request, furnish satisfactory
evidence of their ability to furnish products or services in accordance with the terms and conditions of these
specifications. Knox County will make the final determination as to the bidder's ability.
1.21 RECYCLING: Knox County, in its continuing efforts to lessen the amount of landfill waste and to further recycling
efforts, requests that bids submitted on paper shall:
* Be submitted on recycled paper;
* Not include pages of unnecessary advertising;
* Be made on both sides of each sheet of paper.
1.22 RESTRICTIVE OR AMBIGUOUS SPECIFICATIONS: It is the responsibility of the prospective bidder to review the
entire Invitation for Bid packet and to notify the Procurement Division if the specifications are formulated in a manner
that would unnecessarily restrict competition. Any such protest or question regarding the specifications or bidding
procedures must be received in the Procurement Division by April 10, 2026 by 4:30 p.m. local time. These
requirements also apply to specifications that are ambiguous.
1.23 SIGNING OF BIDS: When submitting your bid, in order to be considered all bids must be signed. Please sign the
original in blue ink. When submitting electronically, the submission of the bid constitutes the acceptance of all terms
and conditions and will legally bind the Vendor to the County's request for goods and/or services and the Vendors
subsequent response.
1.24 TAXES: Knox County purchases are not subject to taxation. Tax exemption certificates will be provided upon
request.
1.25 TERM BID AGREEMENTS: If this bid results in a term bid Contract with the vendor, Knox County must receive all
general price decreases that other similar customers receive.
1.26 TITLE VI OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATIONAL AMENDMENT OF 1972:
"Nondiscrimination on Federally Assisted Programs" - "No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race,
color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." 42 U.S.C. section 2000d. It is the policy of
Knox County Government that all its services and activities be administered in conformance with the requirements
of Title VI and Title IX.
1.27 USE OF BID FORMS: Vendors must complete the bid forms contained in the bid package. Failure to complete the
bid forms may result in bid rejection.
1.28 UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES: During periods of closure due to unforeseen circumstances in Knox County
or closures at the direction of the Knox County Mayor, the Procurement Division will enact the following procedures
in regards to solicitations and closures:
* If the Mayor closes the Administrative offices prior to the time set for solicitation opening of any business day, all
solicitations due that same day will be moved to the next operational business day.
* Other unforseen circumstances shall be at the sole discretion of the Procurement Director.
* Knox County shall not be liable for any commercial carrier's decision regarding deliveries during any unforeseen
circumstances.
1.29 VENDOR DEFAULT: Knox County reserves the right, in case of vendor default, to procure the articles or services
from other sources and hold the defaulting vendor responsible for any excess costs occasioned thereby. Should
vendor default be due to a failure to perform or because of a request for a price increase, Knox County reserves
the right to remove the vendor from the County's bidders' list for twenty-four (24) months.
1.30 VENDOR REGISTRATION: Prior to the opening of this bid, ALL BIDDERS must be registered with the
Procurement Division. A vendor application may be submitted online at www.knoxcounty.org/Procurement. Select
the Vendor Registration link and complete the forms. Vendors must be registered with the Procurement Division
prior to submitting their bid. Knox County shall not be responsible for technical difficulties experienced by vendors
trying to register or submit their bid less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the bid opening time.
1.31 WAIVING OF INFORMALITIES: Knox County reserves the right to waive minor informalities or technicalities when
it is in the best interest of Knox County.
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SECTION II OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES
These terms and conditions shall be part of the Contract. Knox County reserves the right to negotiate other terms
and conditions it deems appropriate and necessary under the circumstances to protect the public's trust.
2.1 ALTERATIONS OR AMENDMENTS: No alterations, amendments, changes, modifications or additions to this
Contract shall be binding on Knox County without the prior written approval of the County.
2.2 APPROPRIATION: In the event no funds are appropriated by Knox County for the goods or services in any fiscal
year or insufficient funds exist to purchase the goods or services, then the Contract shall expire upon the
expenditure of previously appropriated funds or the end of the current fiscal year, whichever occurs first, with no
further obligations owed to or by either party.
2.3 ASSIGNMENT: Contractor shall not assign or sub-contract this agreement, its obligations or rights hereunder to
any party, company, partnership, incorporation or person without the prior written specific consent of Knox County.
2.4 BOOKS AND RECORDS: Contractor shall maintain all books, documents, accounting records and other evidence
pertaining to the goods and services provided under this Contract and make such materials available at its offices
at all reasonable times during the Contract period and for five (5) years from the date of the final payment under
this agreement for inspection by Knox County or by any other governmental entity or agency participating in the
funding of this agreement, or any authorized agents thereof; copies of said records to be furnished if requested.
Such records shall include those books, documents and accounting records that represent the Contractor's costs
of manufacturing, acquiring or delivering the products and services governed by this agreement.
2.5 CHILD LABOR: Contractor agrees that no products or services will be provided or performed under this Contract
which have been manufactured or assembled by child labor.
2.6 COMPLIANCE WITH ALL LAWS: Contractor is assumed to be familiar with and agrees to observe and comply
with all federal, state, and local laws, statutes, ordinances, and regulations in any manner affecting the provision of
goods and/or services, and all instructions and prohibitive orders issued regarding this work and shall obtain all
necessary permits. All Contractors must be properly licensed by the State of Tennessee and all other authorities
having jurisdiction. COPIES OF ALL SUCH LICENSES AND/OR PERMITS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE
BID. FAILURE TO SUBMIT COPIES OF SUCH MAY LEAD TO BID REJECTION.
2.7 CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK: Any and all contractors, sub-contractors, successful vendors, vendor employees
and school employees agree to comply with Tennessee Code Annotated Section 49-5-413. Tennessee Code
Annotated Section 49-5-413 requires that all parties providing services at Knox County Schools must submit to a
criminal history records check at their expense. The criminal history check is to be conducted by the Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation prior to permitting the party to have contact with
students or enter school grounds when students are present.
2.8 DEFAULT: If Contractor fails to perform or comply with any provision of this Contract or the terms or conditions of
any documents referenced and made a part hereof, Knox County may terminate this Contract, in whole or in part,
and may consider such failure or noncompliance a breach of Contract. Knox County expressly retains all rights and
remedies provided by law in case of such breach, and no action by Knox County shall constitute a waiver of any
such rights or remedies. In the event of termination for default, Knox County reserves the right to purchase its
requirements elsewhere, with or without competitive bidding.
2.9 GOVERNING LAW; VENUE: This agreement shall be exclusively construed, governed, and controlled by the Laws
of the State of Tennessee without regard to principles of law, including conflicts of law, of any other jurisdiction,
territory, country, and/or province. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this agreement shall exclusively be
brought in the Chancery Court or the Circuit Court of Knox County, Tennessee. Each party consents to personal
jurisdiction thereto and waives any defenses based on personal jurisdiction, venue and inconvenient forum.
2.10 INCORPORATION: All specifications, drawings, technical information, Invitation for Bid, Bid, Award and similar
items referred to or attached or which are the basis for this Contract are deemed incorporated by reference as if set
out fully herein.
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2.11 INDEMNIFICATION/HOLD HARMLESS: Contractor shall indemnify, defend, save and hold harmless Knox County,
its officers, agents and employees from all suits, claims, actions or damages of any nature brought because of,
arising out of, or due to breach of the agreement by Contractor, its subcontractors, suppliers, agents, or employees
or due to any negligent act or occurrence or any omission or commission of Contractor, its subcontractors, suppliers,
agents or employees.
2.12 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR: Contractor shall acknowledge that it and its employees serve as independent
Contractors and that Knox County shall not be responsible for any payment, insurance or incurred liability.
2.13 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE: Warranty periods shall not commence until Knox County inspects and formally
accepts the goods and/or services. The terms, conditions and timing of acceptance shall be determined by Knox
County. Knox County reserves the right to reject any or all items or services not in conformance with applicable
specifications, and Contractor assumes the costs associated with such nonconformance. Acceptance of goods or
services does not constitute a waiver of latent or hidden defects or defects not readily detectable by a reasonable
person under the circumstances.
2.14 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT: By submission of this bid, each bidder and each person signing on behalf of any bidder
certifies, and in the case of a joint bid each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury,
that to the best of its knowledge and belief that each bidder is not on the list created pursuant to Tennessee Code
Annotated 12-12-106.
2.15 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: In no event shall Knox County be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential,
special or exemplary damages or lost profits, even if Knox County has been advised of the possibility of such
damages.
2.16 NO BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL: Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated Title 12, Chapter 4, Part 1, by submission of
a response to this solicitation, each bidder and each person signing on behalf of any bidder certifies, and in the
case of a joint response each party thereto as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that to the best of
its knowledge and belief that each person is not currently engaged in, and will not for the duration of the contract
engage in, a boycott of Israel.
2.17 NON-DISCRIMINATION AND NON-CONFLICT STATEMENT: Contractor agrees that no person on the grounds
of handicap, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any individual trait or characteristic found to be an
illegal consideration, shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to
discrimination in the performance of this agreement, or in the employment practices of Vendor. Contractor shall
upon request show proof of such non-discrimination, and shall post in conspicuous places available to all employees
and applicants notices of non-discrimination.
Contractor covenants that it complies with the Fair Wage and Hour Laws, the National Labor Relations Act, and
other federal and state employment laws as applicable. Contractor covenants that it does not engage in any illegal
employment practices.
Contractor covenants that it has no public or private interest, and shall not acquire directly or indirectly any interest,
that would conflict in any manner with the provision of its goods or performance of its services. Contractor warrants
that no part of the total Contract amount provided herein shall be paid directly or indirectly to any officer or employee
of Knox County as wages, compensation, or gifts in exchange for acting as officer, agent, employee, subcontractor
or consultant to Contractor in connection with any goods provided or work contemplated or performed relative to
the agreement.
2.18 ORDER OF PRECEDENCE: In the event of inconsistent or conflicting provision of this Contract and referenced
documents, the following descending order of precedence shall prevail: (1) Contract, (2) Invitation for Bid, (3) Bid
Response, (4) Award, (5) Special Terms and Conditions, (6) General Terms and Conditions, (7) Specifications, (8)
Drawings.
2.19 REMEDIES: Knox County shall have all rights and remedies afforded under the U.C.C. and Tennessee law in
Contract and in tort, including but not limited to rejection of goods, rescission, right of set-off, refund, incidental,
consequential and compensatory damages and reasonable attorney's fees.
2.20 RIGHT TO INSPECT: Knox County reserves the right to make periodic inspections of the manner and means the
service is performed or the goods are supplied.
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2.21 SEVERABILITY: If any provision of this Contract is declared illegal, void or unenforceable, the remaining
provisions shall not be affected but shall remain in force and in effect.
2.22 TAX COMPLIANCE: Pursuant to Resolution R-07-1-903 passed by the Commission of Knox County, Tennessee,
Contractor hereby acknowledges, by submission of its bid and signature that it is current in its respective Federal,
State, County, and City taxes of whatever kind or nature and is not delinquent in any way. Delinquent status must
be disclosed or risk debarment by the Knox County Procurement Division.
2.23 TERMINATION: Knox County may terminate this agreement with or without cause at any time upon thirty (30) days
written notice. In the event of termination by either party, fees due for services satisfactorily performed or goods
accepted prior to the termination date shall be paid.
2.24 WARRANTY: Contractor warrants to Knox County that all items delivered and all services rendered shall conform
to the specifications, drawings, bid and/or other descriptions furnished and/or incorporated by reference, and will
be fit for the particular purpose purchased, of merchantable quality, good workmanship, and free from defects.
Contractor extends to Knox County all warranties allowed under the U.C.C. Contractor shall provide copies of
warranties to the County. Return of merchandise not meeting warranties shall be at Contractor's expense.
SECTION III SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
3.1 INTENT: The intent of these specifications is to set forth and convey to prospective bidders the general type,
character and quality of Fire Alarm Services desired by Knox County Schools Maintenance and Operations
(KCSMO).
* KCSMO may have one or more responsive and responsible vendors under contract to provide full service
monitoring, repair and/or installation of fire alarm systems for the KCSMO.
* Vendor will also be required to have a ready source of parts whenever the KCSMO chooses to perform their
own repair or installation work involving the fire alarms.
Award will be based on Best Value. Best value means more than low cost. It includes initial cost, service quality
and other factors detailed herein.
3.2 ACCEPTANCE: Vendors are advised that the payment of an invoice does not necessarily constitute an acceptance
of goods or services that are provided. Acceptance requires a specific written action by Knox County so stating.
3.3 ADDITIONS/DELETIONS: Knox County reserves the right to add items to this term Contract or delete items that
have become obsolete. The successful vendor(s) shall notify the Knox County Procurement Division of any items
that have been discontinued and recommend an appropriate substitution. Knox County will be the sole judge if the
substitution is appropriate.
3.4 AWARD STATUS: Knox County intends to issue a three-year (3) award. Upon the mutual agreement of each
vendor and Knox County, the award may be extended for six (6) additional years, three (3) years at a time. This
may result in a total of nine (9) years. Knox County and the Knox County Schools reserve the right to purchase
these services from other sources if the need arises. Knox County and Knox County Schools reserve the right to
revoke the award if these services are not satisfactory or a pattern of unavailability arises.
3.5 BID EVALUATION: In evaluating the bids, Knox County reserves the right to use any or all of the ideas from the
bids submitted without limitation and to accept any part or all of the successful bid in selecting an operation which
is judged to be in the best interest of the Knox County. All material submitted becomes the property of Knox County.
3.6 CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE: Bidders are required to list all business capabilities including equipment,
assets and personnel utilized to provide Fire Alarm Services. The list shall include, but not be limited to, a description
of unique equipment, number of employees available to perform Fire Alarm Services, and number of years in
business. Certifications and resumes for personnel shall be included in the bid package.
3.7 CHANGES AFTER AWARD: It is possible that after award, Knox County might change its needs or requirements.
Knox County reserves the right to make such changes after consultation with the vendor. Should additional costs
arise, Knox County reserves the right to consider accepting these charges provided the vendor can document the
increased costs. Knox County also reserves the right to accept proposed service changes from the vendor if they
will lower the cost to Knox County and/or provide improved service.
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3.8 COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: Vendor agrees and covenants that the company, its
agents and employees will comply with all City, County, State and Federal codes, laws, rules and regulations
applicable to the business to be conducted under this Contract. If the Vendor performs any work knowing it to be
contrary to such laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, the Vendor shall bear all costs arising from them.
3.9 CONTACT PERSONNEL: It shall be essential to the success of this term contract to develop a good working
relationship with the successful bidder(s). It is imperative that the Knox County account be handled efficiently and
professionally. Knox County should be assigned no more than two vendor contacts to handle billing inquiries and
service-related issues. In the event one or both contacts leave the Knox County account, the successful bidder shall
formally introduce the new contacts to Knox County personnel. These contacts must be knowledgeable of Knox
County to avoid any interruption of service.
3.10 DELIVERY TIME: Bidders must state the number of business days for delivery after receipt of a signed purchase
order/notice to proceed. Bidders shall state accurate lead times as Knox County reserves the right to cancel orders
with no obligation when delivery time is exceeded. Vendor must state the number of business days, not a range of
days. For example, an unacceptable answer is "30-60 business days." Vendors must be specific and state either
"30 business days" or "60 business days." If vendor states a range of days, Knox County will base their answer on
the maximum number of days provided.
3.11 DESTINATION AND DELIVERY: Bidders are to include all destination and delivery charges in their price. There
will be no extra hidden charges.
3.12 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: If Contractor has five (5) or more employees receiving pay: Contractor shall have
a drug-free workplace program that complies with Title 50, Chapter 9 of the Code of Tennessee, shall obtain a
certificate of compliance with the applicable portions of the Drug-Free Workplace Act from the Department of Labor
and Workforce, and shall Provide the Affidavit required by Public Acts, 2000, Chapter 918. Contractor shall ensure
that it is in compliance with Public Acts, 2000, Chapter No. 918.
3.13 EVALUATION CRITERIA:
Schedule One: Installation and Repair Services
3.13.1 PRICING 70 POINTS
3.13.2 BUSINESS CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES 30 POINTS
Schedule Two: Monitoring Services
3.13.3 PRICING 50 POINTS
3.13.4 MONITORING EXPERIENCE 30 POINTS
3.13.5 BUSINESS CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES 20 POINTS
3.14 EVALUATION REVIEW: Knox County reserves the right to use all pertinent information that might affect the
County's judgment as to the appropriateness of an award to the best evaluated bidder. This information may be
appended to the bid evaluation process results. Information on a service provider from reliable sources, and not
within the service provider's bid, may also be noted and made part of the evaluation file. Knox County shall have
sole responsibility for determining a reliable source. Knox County reserves the right to conduct written and/or oral
discussions/interviews after the bid opening. The purpose of such discussions/interviews is to provide clarification
and/or additional information to make an award that is in the best interest of Knox County.
3.15 GRATUITIES AND KICKBACKS: It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any person or company to offer,
give, or agree to give any employee or former employee, or for any employee or former employee to solicit, demand,
accept, or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity or an offer of employment in connection with any decision,
approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a program requirement or a purchase request,
influencing the content of any specification or procurement standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing or
in any other advisory capacity in any proceeding or application, request for ruling, determination, claim, or
controversy or other particular matter, pertaining to any program requirement of a contract or subcontract or to any
solicitation or proposal therefore.
It shall be a breach of ethical standards for any payment, gratuity or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf
of a subcontractor under a contract to the prime contractor or higher tier subcontractor or a person associated
therewith, as an inducement for the award of a subcontract or order. Breach of the provisions of this paragraph is,
in addition to a breach of this Contract, a breach of ethical standards which may result in civil or criminal sanction
and/or debarment or suspension from being a contractor or subcontractor under Knox County contracts.
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3.16 INSURANCE CHECKLIST: Vendors and their insurance agents must sign the attached insurance requirement form
and submit it with their bid. This serves as proof that the vendor can and will obtain and maintain the insurance
required for this project. Upon notification of Intent to Award, the successful vendor shall be required to
submit a Certificate of Insurance showing the specified coverage and listing Knox County Government as
additional insured.
The successful vendor must maintain the required insurance coverage, including endorsement pages, with no lapse
in coverage. If found to have a lapse in insurance coverage the vendor will be immediately terminated and disbarred
from doing business with Knox County and Knox County Schools.
3.17 INTERPRETATION: No oral interpretation will be made to any bidder regarding the meaning of specifications. All
questions are to be submitted in writing or electronically (email) and will be answered in the form of an amendment
to the solicitation by the Knox County Procurement Division.
3.18 INVOICING REQUIREMENTS: KCSMO prefers to use E-Commerce cards as payment for these services. As
several different departments may use this Contract, please adhere to the following guidelines for KCSMO. Follow
the guidelines of other departments when they purchase from you. Do not put KCSMO charges on any other
department and do not put the charges of other departments on KCSMO.
3.18.1 MAIL ALL INVOICES FOR KCSMO TO:
Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations
Julie Todd, Purchasing Supervisor
900 East Fifth Avenue
Knoxville, Tennessee 37917
3.18.2 TRACKING NUMBER: All invoices must have a Knox County Purchase Order number on them or they will
be returned. Knox County Schools uses Purchase Order numbers for tracking. You will only have one
number per invoice. If paid by credit card no tracking number will be required.
3.18.3 INVOICE DETAIL: At a minimum, these items must be shown on the invoice:
a. The grand total amount
b. An itemized list detailing the description, quantity and cost of each item or service provided (not if
the job was a "Not to Exceed" project.)
c. The location delivered to (Such as XYZ School or Maintenance 5th Avenue)
d. The date the work/materials were delivered
e. A statement that the price invoiced is per the bid/quote
f. The Purchase Order Number
3.18.4 SUBMIT ONE ORIGINAL INVOICE AND ONE COPY OF IT.
3.18.5 INVOICES ARE TO BE ORIGINAL, WITH A UNIQUE REFERENCE NUMBER. PREFERABLY
INVOICES WILL BE WHITE.
3.18.6 REVIEW OF INVOICES: Invoices will be reviewed for adherence to bid terms and/or the quotation.
3.18.7 VARIATION: Variation from the terms of our bids or quotations is strictly prohibited. It will help speed your
payment if your invoice notes the bid number or name. It will be even more helpful if your invoice clearly
states that the charges are in accordance with the bid or quotation terms. While failure to follow these
guidelines may slow down the payment process, following these steps will help you receive payment faster.
3.18.8 UNPAID INVOICES: If invoices are unpaid after thirty (30) calendar days, for KCSMO please contact at
865.594.3635 to ascertain the status.
3.19 NEW MATERIAL: Unless specified otherwise in the bid package, Contractor(s) must provide new supplies. New,
as used in this clause, means previously unused materials. Material includes but is not limited to, raw material,
parts, items, components, and end products. Bidder submission of other than new materials may be cause for the
rejection of the bid. Refurbished or remanufactured materials will not be accepted.
3.20 NEWS RELEASES BY CONTRACTORS: As a matter of policy, Knox County does not endorse the services of a
Contractor. A Contractor will not make news releases concerning any resultant contract from this solicitation without
the prior written approval of Knox County.
3.21 NO CONTACT POLICY: After the date and time the bidder receives this solicitation, any contact initiated by any
bidder with any Knox County representative, other than the Procurement Division representative listed herein,
concerning this bid is strictly prohibited. Any such unauthorized contact may cause the disqualification of the bidder
from this procurement transaction.
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3.22 OPEN BIDDING INTENDED: It is the intent and purpose of Knox County that this Invitation for Bid promotes
competition. It shall be the bidder's responsibility to advise the Procurement Division, if any language, requirements,
et cetera or any combination thereof, inadvertently restricts or limits this Invitation for Bid. These requirements also
apply to specifications that are ambiguous. Such notification must be submitted in writing and must be received by
the Procurement Division no later than April 10, 2026 by 4:30 p.m. local time.
3.23 PRICING: Vendors are to quote a firm fixed price for the services noted herein. The price may not change during
the term of the contract. However the vendor may request a price increase at each renewal period. A request for a
price increase must be accompanied by proof of increased price to the vendor. Knox County reserves the right to
accept or reject the requested price increase. If the price increase is rejected the vendor may:
* Continue with existing prices;
* Not accept the renewal offer;
* Request a lower price increase.
If a price increase is approved by Knox County and Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations (KCSMO),
the approval notification will be done in writing and the vendor will be notified of the new price schedule. This
documentation will become part of the bid file. No approvals will be authorized verbally.
3.24 QUANTITIES: Knox County does not guarantee any quantities of items or services to be purchased. Knox County
will purchase these items or services on an as-needed basis.
3.25 REGULAR SERVICE HOURS: Regular services and scheduled repairs must be performed during regular KCS
business hours (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday excluding those holidays recognized by KCS. A
KCS calendar shall be provided to the successful contractor(s). Work outside of those hours must be approved, in
advance, by the KCSMO Department. Regular services and scheduled repairs for County departments must be
performed during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding those holidays recognized
by either Knox County or KCS).
3.26 REJECTION OF BIDS: Knox County reserves the right to reject any and all bids received as a result of this request
and to waive any informality, technical defect or clerical error in any bid, as the interests of the County may require.
Non-acceptance of any bid will be devoid of any criticism of the bid and of any implication that the bid is deficient in
any manner. Non-acceptance of any bid shall be construed as meaning simply that the County does not deem the
bid to be acceptable or that another bid was deemed to be more advantageous to Knox County for the particular
services proposed.
3.27 REMOVAL OF VENDOR'S EMPLOYEES: The successful vendor(s) agrees to utilize only experienced responsible
and capable people in the performance of the work. The KCSMO may require that the successful vendor(s) remove
from the job covered by this contract, employees who endanger persons or property or whose continued
employment under this contract is inconsistent with the interest of Knox County or KCSMO.
3.28 SAFETY AND PROTECTION: The Contractor shall be solely and completely responsible for initiating, maintaining
and supervising all safety precautions and programs in connection with the work. The Contractor shall take all
necessary precautions for the safety of, and shall provide the necessary protection to prevent injury to, all
employees on the work site and other persons including but not limited to, the general public who may be affected
thereby.
The Contractor shall be responsible for providing and for the placement of barricades, tarps, plastic, flag tape and
other safety/traffic control equipment required to protect the public, surrounding areas, equipment and vehicles.
The flow of vehicular traffic shall not be impeded at any time during the project. The safety of the public is of prime
concern to KCSMO and all costs associated are the responsibility of the Contractor.
KCSMO does not assume any responsibility for the protection of or for loss of materials, from the time that the
Contract operations have commenced until the final acceptance of the work by the project manager. The Contractor
is responsible for training their employees in Safety and Health Regulations for the job, assuring compliance with
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Regulations and any other Regulatory Agency.
3.29 SUBMIT QUESTIONS: Prospective bidders may submit questions concerning this solicitation by April 10, 2026 by
4:30 p.m. local time. Submit questions as noted in Section 1.1.
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3.30 SCHEDULING OF WORK: Contractor(s) shall cooperate with School officials in performing work so that
interference with the normal program will be held to a minimum.
3.31 SIGN-IN: Contractors must sign the Contractor Check-In Log at each school site where work is to be performed.
Look for the white notebook (in the office area) entitled "Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations
Department & Contractor Sign In Book." Failure to sign-in will negate KCSMO's responsibility to pay the resulting
invoice. Additionally, certain schools may require the Contractor to sign-in on the school's own log.
3.32 SUB-CONTRACTING: Any sub-contracting must be approved in writing, in advance, by Knox County and KCSMO.
Knox County and KCSMO may terminate the contract if sub-contracting is done without approval.
3.33 USE OF TRASH CONTAINERS: Vendors are advised that Knox County School policy does not allow vendors to
utilize on-site trash bins paid for by the Knox County Schools. Vendors are responsible for removing and disposing
of all debris associated with the work to be performed under this Contract.
3.34 VALUE ADDED RELATIONSHIP: Knox County intends for this bid to result in a relationship with a vendor. Knox
County desires a long-term relationship with a vendor in which common goals are shared. Among those goals are:
* Fair and equitable treatment of vendor and owner.
* Vendor expertise in methods of cost reduction. Vendors are encouraged to suggest ways in which costs
can be reduced by product substitution or process modification.
* Vendor involvement in the school system or a specific school on a non-business basis.
SECTION IV SCOPE OF WORK
4.1 BILLABLE PARTS PRICING: All parts sold to the Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations Department
MUST be itemized and priced by a discount factor against a current established catalog price.
4.2 COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: Vendor agrees and covenants that the company, its
agents and employees will comply with all County, State and Federal laws, rules and regulations applicable to the
business to be conducted under this contract.
4.2.1 Vendor shall secure all necessary permits for the proper execution and completion of work. The Vendor
shall give all notices in compliance with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations bearing on the conduct
of the work. All work shall conform to all applicable Federal, State and Local regulations governing the
same. Nothing in these plans and specifications is to be construed not to conform to codes and regulations.
If the Vendor performs any work knowing it to be contrary to such laws, ordinances, rules and regulations,
the Vendor shall bear all costs arising from them.
4.3 CONTRACT RENEGOTIATION: During the period of this Contract or any applicable option period, Knox County
School Maintenance reserves the right to renegotiate any aspect of the agreement, including terms, price and
quality. Further, the Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations Department encourages the vendor to submit
value change proposals in order that the Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations Department may avail
itself of technological advances or cost economies in the subject of the Contract, as they may occur during the
Contract or Contract option periods.
4.4 EXCLUSIONS: The following items are excluded from this Contract:
4.4.1 Individual jobs that Knox County School Maintenance chooses to bid individually.
4.4.2 Those jobs that Knox County School Maintenance decides to perform in-house.
4.5 EXECUTION OF WORK: The Contract Administrator for the Knox County Schools Maintenance & Operations
Department will:
4.5.1 Authorize the vendor to work.
4.5.2 Approve a record of time and materials used for the job as maintained by the vendor and state on
the work ticket that has been inspected and accepted, the work performed and the date.
4.6 FIRE ALARM SERVICE/INSTALLATION: Provide full maintenance and/or installation services for fire alarm systems
with the Contractor providing all labor, supervision, parts, tools, equipment, transportation, and all effort necessary to
perform said services in accordance with all National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards.
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