The University of Louisville requests Bidders to make a concerted effort to include Minority-Owned and Woman-Owned Business Enterprises as subcontractors or suppliers on its projects. The University Form of Proposal includes forms for Bidders to record those MBE and/or WBE businesses who are solicited and selected for this project. The University has established a Preferable Goal for construction/renovation project participation at 20% Minority Owned and 5% Woman-Owned Businesses. Alternatively, firms may also achieve this goal with a combined Minority and Women participation level of 25% for the project. University Response - August 18th, 2023 Questions Due - August 15th, 2023, by 2:00PM, EST. The purpose of this meeting is to answer questions pertaining to this solicitation. This meeting is to assure that each potential Bidder has a complete understanding of the scope of work involved. A site walk-through will be conducted after the meeting. Bids shall be accompanied by a bid guarantee of not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the base bid executed by a Surety Company authorized to do business in the State of Kentucky and countersigned by a licensed Kentucky Resident Agent representing the Surety Company. (Certified Check Acceptable) It is agreed that in the event that this bid is accepted by the owner and the Contractor shall fail to execute a contract within ten (10) consecutive calendar days from the date of notifications of the Award of Contract, the Owner shall determine that the contractor has abandoned the contract and thereupon, the Bid shall become null and void, and the bid guarantee, check of bid bond which accompanied it shall be forfeited and become the property of the Owner as liquidated damages for such failure and no protest pursuant to such action will be allowed. The awarded Contractor shall furnish a performance and payment bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price as security for the faithful performance of this contract and for the payment of all persons performing labor, including payment of all unemployed contributions which become due and payable under the Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Law furnishings materials in connection with this contract. DAMAGE TO PROPERTY The Contractor will be responsible to repair to the satisfaction of the University any damage to grounds, buildings, vehicles, or other property belonging to the University or any of its employees or students, or property belonging to any member of the public present on campus for any legitimate purpose, where such damage is the direct or indirect result of any actions of the contractor employees. INSURANCE Insurance Requirements for Standard Contracts Before the bidder becomes entitled to any rights under this procurement and prior to taking any action under any resulting award/contract, vendor shall have a Certificate of Insurance indicating the organization's in-force insurance for the following policies and limits. Vendor agrees to provide proof of such insurance upon request. For violation of this provision, the University shall reserve the right to reject the bid. Questions Due - August 15th, 2023, by 2:00PM, EST. Vendors requesting clarifications to this Invitation to Bid may submit in writing questions for official response by the University. Questions should be sent via email to Evan Riddell at evan.riddell@louisville.edu no later than 2:00 PM, EST on June 28 th , 2023.