Operated Equipment Services

1.10 DECLARATIVE STATEMENT: 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 their bid being
non-responsive and disqualified.
1.11 ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF BIDS: Knox County's Procurement Division will not accept electronically
transmitted bids through the County's On-Line Procurement System. Email and facsimile submissions are strictly
prohibited.
1.12 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 online vendor
registration and maintenance, electronic receipt of purchase orders, online retrieval and submittal of quotes, bids
and proposals for our vendor-clients and online 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 online 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.
1.13 INCURRED COSTS: Knox County will not be responsible for any costs incurred by the bidder in the preparation
of their bid.
1.14 MULTIPLE BIDS: Knox County will consider multiple bids that meet specifications.
1.15 NON-COLLUSION: Vendors, by submitting a signed bid, certify that the accompanying bid 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.
1.16 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 the Knox County Procurement Division via the
method selected by the Vendor during registration. The Purchase Order will detail the quantity, specific item(s)
and the contracted price for each item.
The second method is the use of the Knox County Credit Card (VISA). Orders placed on the credit card will list
the same information as the Purchase Order. Vendors will be given the card information and approval to process
the transaction for the requesting department. Vendors must indicate in their bid response if the Vendor will
accept the Knox County Credit Card (VISA) as 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.
1.17 PROCESSING TIME FOR PAYMENT: Vendors are advised that a minimum of thirty (30) days is required to
process invoices for payment when the invoicing instructions herein are followed.
1.18 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 bidders' ability.
1.19 RECYCLING: Knox County, in its continuing efforts to lessen the amount of landfill waste and to further recycling
efforts, requests that bids being 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.
1.20 RESTRICTIVE OR AMBIGUOUS SPECIFICATIONS: It is the responsibility of the prospective bidder to review
the entire Invitation for Bid (IFB) 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 bid procedures must be received in the Procurement Division no later than 4:30 p.m. local time
on June 9, 2026. These requirements also apply to specifications that are ambiguous.
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1.21 SIGNING OF BIDS: In order to be considered all bids must be signed. Please sign the original in blue ink. By
signing the bid document, the bidder acknowledges and accepts the terms and conditions stated in the document
and will legally bind the vendor to the County's request for goods and/or services.
1.22 TAXES: Knox County purchases are not subject to taxation. Tax exemption certificates will be provided upon
request.
1.23 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.
1.24 TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT: "Nondiscrimination in 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.
1.25 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 unforeseen 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.
1.26 USE OF BID FORMS: Vendors must complete the bid forms contained in the bid package. Failure to complete
the bid forms may result in rejection of their bid.
1.27 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 bidder's list for twenty-four (24) months.
1.28 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 Online 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 electronically less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the bid opening
time.
1.29 WAIVING OF INFORMALITIES: Knox County reserves the right to waive minor informalities or technicalities
when it is in the best interest of Knox County.
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.
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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 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.
2.7 CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK: Any and all successful vendors, vendor employees, and any vendor sub-
contractors and its employees that perform any services at Knox County Schools must submit to a criminal history
records check at vendor's expense. This is conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation prior to permitting the employee to have contact with students or enter school grounds
when students are present. Reference Tennessee Code Annotated Section 49-5-413. Bidders must submit with
their bid the Criminal History Affidavit of Compliance (Attachment C).
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 its
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 Bids, 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.
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.
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2.15 LIMITATIONS 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 certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that to the
best of its knowledge and belief that each bidder 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, which 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, sub-contractor 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 provisions of this Contract and referenced
documents, the following descending order of precedence shall prevail: (1) Contract, (2) Invitation for Bids, (3)
Bid, (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.
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: County may terminate this agreement with or without cause, upon written notice of not less than
thirty (30) calendar days. 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 this solicitation is to convey to prospective bidders the type and quality of Operated
Equipment Services as desired by Knox County to augment the efforts of the Knox County Engineering and
Public Works Department at an economical price. Knox County intends to make a Best Value Award. Best Value
means more than low bid. It includes the initial cost, service quality and other factors detailed herein.
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3.2 ACCEPTANCE: Bidders are advised that the payment of an invoice does not necessarily constitute as an
acceptance of goods and/or services that are provided. Acceptance requires a specific written action by Knox
County so stating.
3.3 ACCOUNT SET-UP: The successful Vendor(s) will be required to set up separate accounts for Knox County
Engineering and Public Works and any other department(s) that may use this Term Contract. The successful
Contractor(s) will be required to invoice, as well as post payment, to the proper agency.
3.4 ADDITIONS / DELETIONS: Knox County reserves the right to add goods and/or services to this term bid or
delete goods and/or services that Knox County deems necessary. If items are to be added, Knox County and the
Contractor(s) will arrive at a mutually agreed upon price. Any additions/deletions must be approved in writing by
Knox County Procurement prior to any changes in service.
3.5 AWARD STATUS: Knox County intends to issue a one (1) year award. Upon the mutual agreement of each
vendor and Knox County, the award may be extended for four (4) additional years, one (1) year at a time. This
may result in a total of five (5) years. Knox County reserves the right to negotiate the terms of any resulting
Contract with the awarded vendor(s) if the need arises. Knox County reserves the right to purchase these
items/services from other sources if the need arises. Knox County reserves the right to revoke the award if a
pattern of unavailability arises with the vendor. Should Knox County desire not to renew, no reason needs to be
given.
3.6 BIDDER OBLIGATION: Each bidder shall become fully acquainted with conditions relating to the scope and
restrictions attending the execution of the work under this IFB. The failure or omission of a bidder to become
acquainted with existing conditions shall no way relieve the bidder of any obligations with respect to this IFB or to
the Contract.
3.7 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.
3.8 CERTIFICATIONS: Contractor's equipment operators shall be certified in the proper operation of the equipment
they will use under this Term Contract. Certifications of technicians shall be included in the bid package.
3.9 CHANGES AFTER AWARD: It is possible after award that Knox County may change its needs or requirements.
Knox County reserves the right to make such changes after consultation with the Contractor(s). Should additional
costs arise, Knox County reserves the right to consider accepting these charges provided the Contractor(s) can
document the increased costs. Knox County also reserves the right to accept proposed service changes from the
Contractor(s) if they will lower the cost to Knox County and/or provide improved service.
3.10 COMMUNICATIONS: The successful execution of this Contract will require extensive communication between all
parties involved. While information may be transmitted via telephone, it should always be followed up an email. It
is essential that the Contractor have an efficient and properly working email. The Contractor will be required to
submit a list of individuals, along with direct phone number, cell phone numbers, and email addresses to the
agency contracts. These individuals must be familiar with the Knox County Contract and have the authority to
make adjustments as requested by Knox County.
3.11 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.
3.12 CONTACT PERSONNEL: It shall be essential to the success of this Contract to develop a good working
relationship with the Contractor(s). It is imperative that the Knox County account be handled efficiently and
professionally. Knox County should be assigned no more than two (2) Contractor contacts to handle billing
inquiries and service related issues. In the event one (1) or both contacts leave the Knox County account, the
Contractor shall formally introduce the new contacts to County personnel. These contacts must be knowledgeable
of the County's account to avoid any interruption of service.
3.13 CONTRACT EXECUTION: The award of this bid may result in a Contract between Knox County and the
successful Contractor(s). The Contract must be voted on by the Knox County Commission and receive a majority
vote.
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The successful Contractor(s) may be required to be present at the full Commission Meeting to answer questions
relating to the service(s) performed. Adequate notification will be given by Knox County Procurement Division if
the Contractor(s) will need to attend this meeting. There shall be no cost to Knox County for attendance at this
meeting. The Knox County Procurement Division will draft the Contract. The Knox County Procurement Division
will not accept any Contractor's Contract. If these types of Master Agreements, Service Agreements, Terms of
Agreements or other submitted Contract agreements are submitted, they will be rejected.
3.14 CONTRACTOR'S DUTIES: All work performed under this contract shall be performed in accordance with all
provisions of these specifications or plans and must be approved in writing by the Owner or his representative.
The Contractor shall be presumed to have made a reasonable inspection of the premises prior to beginning work
and shall be held responsible for all information available through such inspections. The Contractor shall
immediately upon discovery, bring to the attention of the Owner any conflicts that may occur among the various
provisions of the specifications and plans. The Owner shall resolve such conflicts and shall be responsible for any
costs reasonably incurred by the Contractor due to such conflict. Failure of the Contractor to bring conflicts or
exceptions to the attention of the Owner shall allow the Owner to require any changes deemed necessary before
acceptance by the Owner.
3.15 DELIVERY AND DESTINATION: Bidders are to include all delivery and destination charges in their price. There
will be no extra hidden charges. Delivery must be "free on board" to the County department. Contractor must
be able to provide equipment rental services that Knox County desires within a forty-eight (48) hour time period
after request is received from Knox County. Failure to do so may result in the termination of this Contract.
3.16 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: If the Contractor has five (5) or more employees receiving pay, the Contractor shall
have a drug-free workplace program that complies with Title 50, Chapter 9 of the Tennessee Code Annotated,
and must provide the Affidavit (Attachment B) required by Public Acts, 2000, Chapter 918.
3.17 EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE: If equipment is delivered to any site and does not work properly, the Contractor
must pick up the equipment delivered and deliver another piece of equipment that does work properly at no cost
to Knox County. Knox County will not be charged any time (hours) for any faulty equipment.
If equipment breaks down or needs repair on Knox County Property, then the Contractor must provide
maintenance for the equipment at no cost to the County within a four (4) hour period. If this is not feasible, then
then the Contractor must deliver the same type of equipment for the County at no cost to minimize down time.
Bidders are obligated to supply equipment that is of a sufficient quality to be expected to perform under the
demands of the operational requirements of Knox County. Continued premature failure of said equipment shall be
cause for termination of the Contract.
3.18 EVALUATION CRITERIA: This bid will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Price 100 Points
Knox County reserves the right to ascertain whether or not the bid prices submitted are realistic and within the
competitive range for these products and this type of service.
3.19 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 in order to make an award that is in the best interest of Knox County.
3.20 EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS: Bidders taking exception to any part or section of these specifications
shall indicate such exceptions in their bid response. Failure to indicate any exceptions shall be interpreted as the
bidder's intent to fully comply with the specifications as written. Conditional or qualified offers are subject to
rejection in whole or in part.
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3.21 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.
3.22 INSURANCE: The successful Vendor must carry the insurance as indicated on the Insurance Attachment hereto.
As proof the Vendor's willingness to obtain and maintain the insurance, the Vendor must complete, sign and have
its insurance agent sign the attachment and submit it with the bid.
Upon the Notification of Intent to Award, the successful Vendor will be required to submit a Certificate of
Insurance (COI) with the specified coverage and listing Knox County, Tennessee as additional insured;
Endorsement Page(s) shall be included. It shall be the successful Vendor's responsibility to keep a current COI
and Endorsement Page(s) on file with Knox County Procurement as long as the Contract is in effect.
3.23 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 Addendum
to the solicitation by the Knox County Procurement Division.
3.24 INVOICE PROCEDURES: Knox County is requesting invoices to show the following detail to help expedite review
and payment. The Contractor(s) may be required to modify invoicing procedures to show the detail. All potential
Contractor(s) are hereby cautioned that Knox County will only pay from original invoices and not facsimiles or
copies. Invoices which do not adhere to these details may be returned to the Contractor for correction.
3.24.1 The invoice must show the amount due to the Contractor by Knox County.
3.24.2 The invoice must show an itemized detailed material count, including: date(s) of service, type(s) and
size(s) of equipment provided, the associated unit price for the equipment and/or service(s) provided, and
the total price for equipment and/or service(s) provided.
3.24.3 The invoice must show the Knox County contract number.
3.24.4 Invoices are to be original and uniquely pre-numbered.
3.24.5 Submit original invoice and one (1) exact copy.
3.24.6 Invoices that do not show this information are subject to rejection.
Knox County requests that invoices be easy to read and understand. Each participating agency to this contract
may require different invoice information and procedures. This information and procedures shall be provided to
the successful contractor(s) prior to Contract execution. There shall be no additional charges for this information
and procedures to be included.
Invoices shall be sent to the "Bill To" address printed on the Purchase Order. Each department or division of Knox
County is responsible for its own budget. Departments cannot charge or pay bills for another department.
Therefore, it is critical that your business invoices specify the department that desires to purchase from you. Do
not credit payments to any other department's account. Invoices must be submitted in triplicate and must match
the corresponding Purchase Order number.
There shall be no component billing. If a complete invoice, submitted in accordance with the guidelines stipulated
herein, remains unpaid after thirty (30) days, contact the appropriate department listed in the "Bill To" section of
the Purchase Order to determine its status.
3.25 INVOICE REVIEW: Knox County shall review all invoices for adherence to the terms and conditions of the
Contract. Variations from the Contract and Contract pricing are strictly prohibited. Any variations found on the
invoice will result in the rejection of that invoice. Rejected invoices will be returned to the Contractor for
correction. If a discount for prompt payment is offered, the timeline does not commence until Knox County
receives a correct invoice.
3.26 LICENSING REQUIREMENTS: Vendors must be properly licensed, if applicable, by the State of Tennessee
Licensing Board for General Contractors for the type of work requested and submit a copy of the license with their
bid. All licensing must be in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated.
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3.27 NEWS RELEASES BY VENDORS: 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.
3.28 NO CONTACT POLICY: After the date and time that the vendor receives this solicitation, any contact initiated by
any bidder with any Knox County representative, other than the Procurement Division representative listed herein,
concerning this Invitation for Bids, is strictly prohibited. Any such unauthorized contact may cause the
disqualification of the bidder from this procurement transaction.
3.29 OFFER WITHDRAWAL: No bid can be withdrawn after it is filed unless the bidder makes a request in writing to
the Knox County Procurement Division prior to the time set for the opening of bids or unless the County fails to
accept within ninety (90) days after the date fixed for opening the Invitation for Bids.
3.30 OPEN RECORDS ACT: Knox County is subject to the Tennessee Public Records Act 10-7-503 et seq. Proposers
are cautioned that all documents submitted on behalf of this Invitation for Bids shall be open to the public for
viewing and inspection and Knox County will comply with all legitimate requests.
3.31 PERSONAL PROPERTY: The successful Contractor(s) shall be fully responsible for all personal property located
within the area to be serviced. This shall include, but not limited to, mailboxes, driveway culverts, flower gardens,
poles, etc. The successful Contractor(s) shall make immediate notification to the Knox County inspector assigned
to that project. The property owner shall also be notified immediately and a course of corrective action discussed
and agreed upon at the earliest possible time.
3.32 POSSESSION OF WEAPONS: All vendors, 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.
3.33 PRICING: The Contractor(s) warrants that the unit price stated for all items shall remain firm for a period of twelve
(12) months from the first day of the Contract period. If the Contractor's price is increased after the initial year,
Knox County must be given a written notice to consider. Such a request shall include as a minimum, (1) the
cause for the adjustment; (2) the amount of the change requested with documentation to support the requested
adjustment. Price increases will only be considered at the renewal period(s). If the price increase is rejected the
vendor may:
3.33.1 Continue with the existing prices;
3.33.2 Request a lower price increase;
3.33.3 Not accept the renewal offer.
Contractor(s) must submit proof of price increase. If a price increase is approved by Knox County Procurement
and the requesting department the approval notification will be done in writing and the Contractor(s) will be
notified of the new price schedule and the effective date of the increase. This documentation will become part of
the bid file. No approvals will be authorized verbally.
3.34 QUANTITIES: Knox County does not guarantee any quantities to be purchased from this term Contract. Knox
County does not have an exact dollar amount that was procured for these types of goods/services.
3.35 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.
3.36 REMOVAL OF VENDOR'S EMPLOYEES: The successful Vendor(s) agrees to utilize only experienced licensed,
responsible and capable people in the performance of the work. Knox County 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.
3.37 SAFETY: Contractor(s) will ensure that its employees observe and exercise all necessary caution and discretion
so as to avoid injury to person or damage to property of any and all kinds.
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All buildings, appurtenances and furnishings shall be protected by the vendor from damage, which might be done
or caused by works performed under this Contract. Such damages to the foregoing shall be repaired and/or
replaced by approved methods so as to restore the damaged areas to their original condition at the expense of
the vendor.
3.38 SAFETY AND PROTECTION: The Contractor(s) shall exercise good safety precautions while performing the
services required in this solicitation. All work performed under this Contract shall comply with the requirements of
the William-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the revisions thereto. The Contractor(s) shall
be solely and completely responsible for initiating, maintaining and supervising all safety precautions and
programs in connection with the work to be performed. The Contractor(s) 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. All work is to be done
as required as by TOSHA, OSHA, EPA and AHERA.
Knox County 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 department designee.
Contractor(s) shall be required to furnish their employees with the proper personal protective clothing and
equipment. Contractor(s) shall also be required to dispose of this clothing and equipment in compliance with all
regulatory requirements.
3.39 SAFETY EFFORTS: The Contractor must exercise caution at all times for the protection of persons and property.
The safety provisions of applicable laws, buildings, and construction codes must be observed. Machinery,
equipment, and all other hazards must be guarded or eliminated in accordance with the safety provisions of the
Manual of Accident Prevention in Construction to the extent that such provisions are not in contravention of
applicable laws. This manual is published by the Associated General Contractors of America. The vendor shall
also comply with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the revisions thereto.
3.40 SAFETY TRAINING: The Contractor is responsible for training their employees in safety and health regulations
for the job, assuring compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and any other Regulatory Agency. Vendors, by submission of their bid, also affirm that
their employees working under this Contract have been properly trained in the safe operation of any and all
equipment to be used and in the safe application of quoted products and services to be used under this Contract.
This would include any sign, flagman, or road blockage that would be required for safety purposes as per
compliance with the manual on uniform traffic control devices for streets and highways (latest edition).
3.41 SUBMIT QUESTIONS: Prospective bidders may submit questions concerning this solicitation until 4:30 p.m.
local time on June 9, 2026. Submit questions as noted in Section 1.1.
SECTION IV SCOPE OF WORK
4.1 SCOPE OF WORK: The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain pricing for Operated Equipment Services for Knox
County. Commercial equipment is to be provided under any resulting Contract.
4.2 DISPOSAL: All accumulated debris and dirt picked up by the Contractor will be removed from sites to a place as
requested by Knox County. In the event disposal fees are required, Knox County will have the option to utilize
existing Contracts or other means defined by the contractor, whichever is more favorable to the County.
4.3 DUMP TRUCKS: Prior to commencing work, Knox County and the Contractor will discuss and agree upon the
appropriate number of dump trucks to be used for the referenced work. The intent of these conversations is to
ensure the correct personnel and equipment are available to effectively complete the job to be contracted.
4.4 EQUIPMENT: All equipment furnished by the Contractor shall conform to Federal, State, and Local laws,
regulations, and ordinances for noise, water, and air pollution controls and all Occupational Safety, and Health
Administration (OSHA) Regulations.
4.5 EQUIPMENT WITH OPERATOR TIME: Knox County will only pay for time the equipment with operator is being
used. In the event the equipment with operator are idle, Knox County will not be responsible for those billable
hours.
4.6 QUOTES: Vendors shall quote on the said services on a price per hour as per Section V, with exception to portal
fee. Vendor's quote includes all costs associated for services performed with the specified equipment and service.
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