Purchasing Terms & Conditions

1. Award of Contract

  • This contract will be awarded to that responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to this solicitation, will be most advantageous to the City, price and other factors considered. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and waive informalities and minor irregularities in bids received. Other factors include, as an example but not limited to, delivery time, conformance to specifications, incidental costs such as demurrage and deposits, etc.

    Notification of award will be in writing by the Purchasing Agent. Upon notification, the Contractor shall submit to the Purchasing Division all required insurance certificates (if required) and such other documentation as may be requested or required hereunder. Upon their receipt and subsequent approval by the City, the Purchasing Agent will forward to the Contractor a written NOTICE TO PROCEED. Work shall NOT be started until such NOTICE TO PROCEED is received by the Contractor.
  • Unilateral changes in bid prices by the bidder shall not be allowed. However, the City, at its sole option, reserves the right to negotiate with bidders in the event of, but not limited to:
  1. No bids received;
  2. A single bid being received; or
  3. Prices quoted or bid are over budget and/or unreasonable.

2. Complete Contract

This bid document together with its addenda, amendments, attachments and modifications, when executed, becomes the complete contract between the parties hereto, and no verbal or oral promises or representations made in conjunction with the negotiation of this contract shall be binding on either party.

3. Sub-Contractors- Non-Assignment

Bidders shall state in writing any and all sub-contractors to be associated with this bid, including the type of work to be performed. The Contractor shall cooperate with the City of Kalamazoo in meeting its commitments and goals with regard to maximum utilization of minority and women-owned business enterprises.

The Contractor hereby agrees and understands that the contract resulting from this solicitation shall not be transferred, assigned or sublet without prior written consent of the City of Kalamazoo.

4. Taxes

The City of Kalamazoo is exempt from all federal excise tax and state sales and use taxes.

5. Invoicing

All original invoice(s) will be sent to the Financial Services Division, 241 W. South Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or via email at apinvoice@kalamazoocity.org. The Finance Division processes payments after receipt of an original invoice from the Contractor and approval by the department.

The City of Kalamazoo’s policy is to pay invoice(s) within 30 days from the receipt of the original invoice, if the services or supplies are satisfactory and the proper paperwork and procedures have been followed. In order to guarantee payment to the vendor on a timely basis, the vendor needs to receive a purchase order number before supplying the City of Kalamazoo with goods or services. All original, and copies of original invoice(s), will clearly state which purchase order they are being billed against.

The City of Kalamazoo is a government municipality and therefore is tax exempt from all sales tax.

The vendor is responsible for supplying the Finance Division with a copy of their W9 if they are providing a service to the City of Kalamazoo.

6. Payments

Unless otherwise specified by the City in this contract, the Contractor will be paid in not more than thirty (30) days after receipt of a properly executed invoice, the sum stipulated herein for supplies delivered and accepted, or service rendered and accepted. Payments are processed by the Management Services Financial Services Division after receipt of an original invoice from the Contractor and approval by the department.

7. Changes and/or Contract Modifications

The City reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities, service or requirements, or make any changes necessary at any time during the term of this contract, or any negotiated extension thereof. Price adjustments due to any of the foregoing changes shall be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the City.

Changes of any nature after contract award which reflect an increase or decrease in requirements or costs shall not be permitted without prior approval by the Purchasing Agent. City Commission approval may also be required.

ANY CHANGES PERFORMED IN ADVANCE OF PURCHASING AGENT APPROVAL, MAY BE SUBJECT TO DENIAL AND NON-PAYMENT.

8. Laws, Ordinances, and Regulations

The Contractor shall keep himself/herself fully informed of all local, state and federal laws, ordinances and regulations in any manner affecting those engaged or employed in the work and the equipment used. Contractor and/or employees shall, at all times, serve and comply with such laws, ordinances and regulations.

Any permits, licenses, certificates or fees required for the performance of the work shall be obtained and paid for by the Contractor.

This contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Michigan.

9. Right to Audit

The City or its designee shall be entitled to audit all of the Contractor's records, and shall be allowed to interview any of the Contractor's employees, throughout the term of this contract and for a period of three years after final payment or longer if required by law to the extent necessary to adequately permit evaluation and verification of:

  • Contractor compliance with contract requirements
  • Compliance with provisions for pricing change orders, invoices or claims submitted by the Contractor or any of his payees.

10. Hold Harmless

If the negligent acts or omissions of the Contractor/Vendor or its employees, agents or officers, cause injury to person or property, the Contractor/Vendor shall indemnify and save harmless the City of Kalamazoo, its agents, officials, and employees against all claims, judgments, losses, damages, demands, and payments of any kind to persons or property to the extent occasioned from any claim or demand arising therefrom.

11. Default

The City may at any time, by written notice to the Contractor, terminate this contract and the Contractor's right to proceed with the work, for just cause, which shall include, but is not limited to the following:

  • Failure to provide insurance and bonds (when called for), in the exact amounts and within the time specified or any extension thereof.
  • Failure to make delivery of the supplies, or to perform the services within the time specified herein, or any extension thereof.
  • The unauthorized substitution of articles for those bid and specified.
  • Failure to make progress if such failure endangers performance of the contract in accordance with its terms. Failure to perform in compliance with any provision of the contract.
  • Standard of Performance - Contractor guarantees the performance of the commodities, goods or services rendered herein in accordance with the accepted standards of the industry or industries concerned herein, except that if this specification calls for higher standards, then such higher standards shall be provided.

    Upon notice by the City of Contractor's failure to comply with such standards or to otherwise be in default of this contract in any manner following the Notice to Proceed, Contractor shall immediately remedy said defective performance in a manner acceptable to the City. Should Contractor fail to immediately correct said defective performance, said failure shall be considered a breach of this contract and grounds for termination of the same by the City.

    In the event of any breach of this contract by Contractor, Contractor shall pay any cost to the City caused by said breach including but not limited to the replacement cost of such goods or services with another Contractor.

    The City reserves the right to withhold any or all payments until any defects in performance have been satisfactorily corrected.

    In the event the Contractor is in breach of this contract in any manner, and such breach has not been satisfactorily corrected, the City may bar the Contractor from being awarded any future City contracts.
  • All remedies available to the City herein are cumulative and the election of one remedy by the City shall not be a waiver of any other remedy available to the City either listed in this contract or available by operation of law.

12. Independent Contractor

At all times, the Contractor, any of his/her employees, or his/her sub-contractors and their subsequent employees shall be considered independent contractors and not as City employees. The Contractor shall exercise all supervisory control and general control over all workers' duties, payment of wages to Contractor's employees and the right to hire, fire and discipline their employees and workers. As an independent contractor, payment under this contract shall not be subject to any withholding for tax, social security or other purposes, nor shall the Contractor or his/her employees be entitled to sick leave, pension benefit, vacation, medical benefits, life insurance or workers' unemployment compensation or the like.

13. Meetings

The Contractor and/or Project Supervisor shall be available to meet with the Department Head or Project Manager at a mutually agreeable time to discuss problems, issues or concerns relative to the contract. Either party may call a meeting at any time. When such a request for a meeting is made, the meeting date shall, in no case exceed five (5) working days after the request; and, if in the sole opinion of the Department Head, the severity of the circumstance warrants, no more than one (1) working day.

14. Inspection of Work Site

Before submitting bids or quotes for work, the Contractor shall be responsible for examining the work site and satisfying himself/herself as to the existing conditions under which he/she will be obligated to operate, or that in any way affects the work under this contract. No allowance shall be made subsequently, in behalf of the Contractor, for any negligence on his/her part.

15. Contract Period, Extensions, Cancelation

  • The contract shall be in effect for the term stated in the specifications.
  • The City may opt to extend this contract upon mutual agreement of both parties. The number of extensions shall be limited to that stated in the specifications.
  • The City may, from time to time, find it necessary to continue this contract on a month-to-month basis only, not to exceed a six (6) month period. Such month-to-month extended periods shall be by mutual agreement of both parties, with all provisions of the original contract or any extension thereof remaining in full force and effect.
  • All contracts, extensions and cost increases are subject to availability of funds and the approval of the City Commission (if required).
  • The City reserves the right to cancel the contract due to non-appropriation of funds by the City with thirty (30) days written notice.
  • Either party may terminate the contract (or any extension thereof) without cause at the end of any twelve (12) month term by giving written notice of such intent at least 60 days prior to the end of said twelve (12) month term.
  • All notices are in effect commencing with the date of mailing. Written notices may be delivered in person or sent by First Class mail; faxed or emailed to the last known address.
  • If cancellation is for default of contract due to non-performance, the contract may be canceled at any time (see Item 11, DEFAULT)