The lowest responsible bidder will be considered for approval at the Dubuque County Conservation Board Meeting on October 19, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. at the Swiss Valley Nature Center, 13606 Swiss Valley Rd, Peosta, IA 52068. 2. A certified check or a cashier's check made payable to either Dubuque County or the Contractor, drawn upon a solvent bank, or a bid bond or proposal guarantee in an amount set forth in the proposal form, shall be filed with each proposal. A cashier's check, made payable to the Contractor, shall contain an unqualified endorsement to Dubuque County, signed by the Contractor or an authorized agent of the Contractor. If a contractor is awarded the contract, the Contractor shall file with Dubuque County an additional bond in the amount of not less than 100 percent of the contract sum securing the performance of the contract within 15 days of approval or awarding of the contract. Failure to execute that contract, file the second bond, or a certificate of insurance within 15 days of the date of the approval for the awarding of the contract as herein provided, will be just and sufficient cause for the denial of the award and forfeiture of the proposal guarantee. 3. All proposals must be filed on the forms furnished by Dubuque County, sealed and plainly marked. Proposals containing any reservations not provided for in the forms furnished may be rejected, and the Conservation Board reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any or all proposals. Proposal forms may be seen and secured at the office of the Conservation Director. 4. In keeping with the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, no employee shall be favored or discriminated against in the hiring and placement process because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or other non-merit factors, unless bona fide occupational requirements necessitate selective hiring. 5. Consideration will be given to a locally owned business if costs and other considerations are relatively equal. 6. By virtue of statutory authority, a preference will be given to products and provisions grown and coal produced within the State of Iowa, and also, a resident bidder shall be allowed a preference as against a nonresident bidder from a state or foreign country, which gives or requires a preference to bidders from that state or foreign country both, on projects in which there are no Federal Funds involved. 7. It is the policy of Dubuque County that Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises shall be given maximum practicable opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts financed in whole or in part with county funds, notwithstanding Chapters 23A.3 and Chapter 73 of the Code of Iowa. 8. Dubuque County requires that potential vendors employing personnel required to hold Commercial Drivers Licenses must comply with the provisions of the Commercial Driver's License Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 382, and comply with procedures for the administration of the Department of Transportation substance abuse prevention program.