OAR 137-047-0640: Rejection of an Offer

(1) Rejection of an Offer. (a) A Contracting Agency may reject any Offer as set forth in ORS 279B.100. (b) The Contracting Agency shall reject an Offer upon the Contracting Agency’s finding that the Offer: (A) Is contingent on the Contracting Agency’s acceptance of terms and conditions (including Specifications) that differ from the Solicitation Document; (B) Takes exception to terms and conditions (including Specifications) set forth in the Solicitation Document; (C) Attempts to prevent public disclosure of matters in contravention of the terms and conditions of the Solicitation Document or in contravention of applicable law; (D) Offers Goods or Services that fail to meet the Specifications of the Solicitation Document; (E) Is late; (F) Is not in substantial compliance with the Solicitation Document; or (G) Is not in substantial compliance with all prescribed public Procurement procedures. (c) The Contracting Agency shall reject an Offer upon the Contracting Agency’s finding that the Offeror: (A) Has not been prequalified under ORS 279B.120 and the Contracting Agency required mandatory prequalification; (B) Has been Debarred as set forth in ORS 279B.130 or has been disqualified under OAR 137-046-0210(3) (Disqualification); (C) Has not met the requirements of ORS 279A.105, if required by the Solicitation Document; (D) Has not submitted properly executed Bid or Proposal security as required by the Solicitation Document; (E) Has failed to provide the certification of non-discrimination required under ORS 279A.110(4); or (F) Is non-Responsible. Offerors are required to demonstrate their ability to perform satisfactorily under a Contract. Before Awarding a Contract, the Contracting Agency must have information that indicates that the Offeror meets the applicable standards of Responsibility. To be a Responsible Offeror, the Contracting Agency must determine, under ORS 279B.110, that the Offeror: (i) Has available the appropriate financial, material, equipment, facility and personnel resources and expertise, or ability to obtain the resources and expertise, necessary to meet all contractual responsibilities; (ii) Has completed previous contracts of a similar nature with a satisfactory record of performance. A satisfactory record of performance means that to the extent the costs associated with and time available to perform a previous contract were within the Offeror’s control, the Offeror stayed within the time and budget allotted for the Procurement and otherwise performed the contract in a satisfactory manner. A Contracting Agency should carefully scrutinize an Offeror’s record of contract performance if the Offeror is or recently has been materially deficient in contract performance. In reviewing the Offeror’s performance, the Contracting Agency should determine whether the Offeror’s deficient performance was expressly excused under the terms of the contract, or whether the Offeror took appropriate corrective action. The Contracting Agency may review the Offeror’s performance on both private and public contracts in determining the Offeror’s record of contract performance. The Contracting Agency shall make its basis for determining an Offeror non-Responsible under this subparagraph part of the Procurement file as required by ORS 279B.110(2)(b); (iii) Has a satisfactory record of integrity. An Offeror may lack integrity if a Contracting Agency determines the Offeror demonstrates a lack of business ethics such as violation of state environmental laws or false certifications made to a Contracting Agency. A Contracting Agency may find an Offeror non-Responsible based on the lack of integrity of any Person having influence or control over the Offeror (such as a key employee of the Offeror that has the authority to significantly influence the Offeror’s performance of the Contract or a parent company, predecessor or successor Person). The standards for Debarment under ORS 279B.130 may be used to determine an Offeror’s integrity. A Contracting Agency may find an Offeror non-responsible based on previous convictions of offenses related to obtaining or attempting to obtain a contract or subcontract or in connection with the Offeror’s performance of a contract or subcontract. The Contracting Agency shall make its basis for determining that an Offeror is non-Responsible under this subparagraph part of the Procurement file as required by 279B.110(2)(c); (iv) Is legally qualified to contract with the Contracting Agency; (v) Has attested in Writing that the Offeror complied with the tax laws of this state and of political subdivisions of this state; (vi) In State Contracting Agency procurements, possesses an unexpired certificate, issued by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services under 2015 Oregon Laws, chapter 454, section 2, if the Offeror employs 50 or more full-time workers at the time of the Closing and the estimated Contract Price exceeds $500,000; and (vii) Has supplied all necessary information in connection with the inquiry concerning Responsibility. If the Offeror fails to promptly supply information requested by the Contracting Agency concerning Responsibility, the Contracting Agency shall base the determination of Responsibility on any available information, or may find the Offeror non-Responsible. (2) For the purposes of subparagraph (1)(c)(F)(v) of this rule: (a) The period for which the Offeror must attest that it complied with the applicable tax laws must extend no fewer than six years into the past from the date of the Closing. (b) Tax laws include, but are not limited to, ORS 305.620, ORS chapters 316, 317 and 318, any tax provisions imposed by a political subdivision that apply to the Offeror or to the performance of the Contract, and any rules and regulations that implement or enforce those tax laws. (c) A Contracting Agency may exercise discretion in determining whether a particular form of attesting to compliance with the tax laws is “credible and convenient” under ORS 279B.110(2)(e), taking into consideration the circumstances in which the attestation is made and the consequences of making a false attestation. Therefore, a Contracting Agency may accept forms of attestation that range from a notarized statement to a less formal document that records the Offeror’s attestation. However, State Contracting Agencies may not accept the certificate of compliance with tax laws required by ORS 305.385 unless that certificate embraces, in addition to the tax laws described in ORS 305.380, the tax laws of political subdivisions. (3) Form of Business Entity. For purposes of this rule, the Contracting Agency may investigate any Person submitting an Offer. The investigation may include that Person’s officers, directors, owners, affiliates, or any other Person acquiring ownership of the Person to determine application of this rule or to apply the Debarment provisions of ORS 279B.130.