Terms, Conditions, & Rules
Once you become and IndyGo vendor, you will be required to adhere to the following standard terms and conditions.
Solicitation Time
There is usually a 30-day period between the time solicitations are issued and bids/proposals are due back to IndyGo. This might vary, depending on the complexity of the specific solicitation.
Bid/Proposal Deadlines Must be Met
Under no circumstances will any response be accepted later than the time or date established, or at any other location than that specified. IndyGo does not allow for exceptions. This restriction stands even if a private delivery service or the United States Postal Service fails to deliver documents as requested by the bidder.
Addenda
When official changes are made to a solicitation, vendors are required to acknowledge their receipt of any addendum. Failure to do so could result in retraction of the solicitation or rejection of the submitted bid.
Pre-Bid/Proposal Conferences
In most cases, conferences are held by IndyGo to provide an opportunity for vendors to ask questions about a given solicitation. These conferences are also excellent networking opportunities for prime vendors and subcontractors.
Prompt Payment Discounts
IndyGo makes every effort to take advantage of prompt payment discounts offered by vendors; however, depending on the complexity of each procured project and the ability to realistically exercise the discount(s) offered, they might or might not be considered in evaluating any given bid/proposal.
Do Not Provide Extraneous Information
Do not include promotional or other extraneous materials along with a bid/proposal unless IndyGo specifically asks for them. Extraneous items could inadvertently affect the solicitation and cause bid offers to be rejected. Always call the solicitation’s assigned IndyGo Contract Specialist in advance if you wish to include unrequested materials in your bid/proposal.
Exceptions Not Allowed
Vendors who take exception to a solicitation’s terms and conditions or predicate their offer/bid price on vendor-proposed conditions run the risk of having their offers rejected.
Restricted Communications
Unless otherwise authorized in IndyGo’s solicitation packages, vendors should restrict their communications with IndyGo to only those persons specified in the solicitation package, and that person is usually the assigned IndyGo Contract Specialist. Communicating with unauthorized personnel such as technical representatives or board members could cause your bid/proposal to be rejected.
Public Bid Openings
Bids are publicly opened 15 minutes after the submission deadline. Vendors are welcomed to attend. Proposals, however, are not opened in a public setting.
Pre-Award Surveys
IndyGo frequently requires a survey of a vendor in contention prior to awarding a contract. These surveys vary in complexity, depending on the item being purchased, IndyGo’s prior experience with the vendor in contention, etc.
Award Announcements
IndyGo routinely emails unsuccessful vendors and provides the name of the successful vendor. Additional information, such as the successful vendor’s bid/proposal price, can usually be obtained from the assigned IndyGo Contract Specialist by written request.
Proprietary/Confidential Data
IndyGo encourages vendors to mark any section of their offer that contains proprietary and/or confidential data. If the data is deemed “non-releasable” by criteria in federal, state or local law/regulation, IndyGo will not share it with anyone not employed by IndyGo.
Debriefings
IndyGo welcomes discussions with unsuccessful vendors about how they can improve their bids/proposals for future procurements, but only upon the vendor’s request. Please note that debriefings do not include comparisons among vendors, except in the most generic of categories.
Sunshine Laws
IndyGo is legally subject to the Indiana Open Records Act. This means IndyGo will share information with vendors or the public if three conditions are met: IndyGo possesses such information, requests for information are received in writing, and the information has not been determined to be proprietary and/or confidential. For RFPs, all proposal information is proprietary and confidential until the contract is awarded.
To submit a public record request contact the IPTC Legal Department with the appropriate request. Please follow the sample records request letter to comply with Indiana Code 5-14-1.5.
Email Public Affairs and legal: Publicrecordsrequest@indygo.net
Mail:
ATTN Public Affairs and Legal
1501 W Washington St
Indianapolis, IN 46222
Protests
If any interested party deems themselves to be aggrieved or adversely affected in connection with any matter related to either a solicitation, the award of any contract, or any dispute under any resulting contract, it may file a protest with IndyGo. IndyGo follows internal procedures that are consistent with applicable federal and state regulations governing such actions. These procedures will be provided upon request.
Construction Procurements
There are some unique issues associated with construction solicitations:
- Because of the expense involved in reproducing engineering drawings, most construction solicitations require a pre-paid, non-refundable fee. This fee is most often advertised well in advance of issuing the solicitation.
- Estimates are provided so that bidders understand the magnitude of a given project.
- Bid, payment and performance bonds are required on most IndyGo construction projects.
- Some construction projects include liquidated damages in the event contractors, through their own negligence, fail to meet construction schedules.
Common Vendor Errors
Forgetting to sign the bid/proposal, taking exceptions to the solicitation, not acknowledging receipt of an addendum, including promotional/extraneous information that serves to alter the solicitation requirements, not returning all required forms, not sourcing DBEs early on in the process, and the late delivery of bids/proposals.
Contract Performance
Post-Award Orientation
Depending on the complexity of the work, IndyGo might opt to hold a post-award meeting with the successful vendor for the purpose of reviewing the contract requirements.
Authorized Personnel
Contractors may not accept directions to start or stop work, or to change work, or to otherwise deviate from the Contract Terms and Conditions, from any person at IndyGo who is not specifically designated a “contracting authority,” such as the IndyGo Contract Specialist assigned to that given contract. Upon award of the contract, contractors will receive written correspondence naming these individuals.
Assignment
Contractors are not permitted to assign in whole or in part any part of their IndyGo contract or any monies due them without the prior, written consent of IndyGo.
On-Time Delivery and Performance
Like any buyer of goods and services, IndyGo expects on-time delivery and performance from all vendors for all contracts.
Invoicing and Payment Terms
Only properly prepared invoices are accepted for payment. Invoicing instructions are contained in each contract. Payment terms are generally net 30 days unless other arrangements are contractually established.