[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Lebanon as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 12-2-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-14]
The Township of Lebanon may require that bidders for certain
projects or a class of projects submit financial and experience information
as part of any submission of qualifications and/or proposals for any
contract for goods and services to be entered into with the Township
and that only bidders submitting such qualifications shall be permitted
to receive contracts. As used herein, "bidder" shall mean any person
or entity who submits, or intends to submit, a response to any request
for proposal, request for qualifications or solicitation or request
to provide goods or services to the Township of Lebanon, with the
exception of potential applicants for regular employment with the
Township of Lebanon.
In determining the contracts on which such qualification shall
be required, the Township Committee shall consider some of the following
standards:
A.
The importance of the contract to the Township of Lebanon;
B.
The harm which could be done to the Township of Lebanon through an
improper or untimely performance;
C.
The number of bidders without adequate qualification who could be
expected to bid;
D.
The existence of objective criteria which could be set out in a prequalification
questionnaire.
In the event that the Township Committee determines that such
qualifications shall be required for any contract, in order to be
determined to be qualified, bidders must complete a set of qualification
materials to be prepared and distributed by the Township of Lebanon.
A standard set of qualification materials is annexed to this article
as a form of qualifications, which may be amended from time to time.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said form is included as an attachment to this chapter..
In addition to any other statutory or common law reason for
rejection of bids, proposals and/or qualifications, qualification
may be denied for the following reasons:
A.
A bidder submits a false statement in the prequalification materials.
B.
A bidder fails to comply with the prequalification rules.
C.
A bidder fails to complete each applicable item of the prequalification
materials.
D.
Lack of competency, experience, facilities and/or personnel are revealed
by the prequalification materials.
E.
Uncompleted work which might hinder and/or prevent the prompt completion
of additional work if awarded.
F.
Failure to pay, or satisfactorily settle, all bills due for labor
and material on former contracts.
G.
Failure to comply with any prequalification regulations of the Township
of Lebanon.
H.
Default under previous contracts.
I.
Unsatisfactory performance record as shown by past work judged from
the standpoint of workmanship and progress.
J.
The submission of misleading information on previous bid proposals.
The Township of Lebanon reserves the right to waive technicalities which do not materially affect the qualifications of any bidder, so long as the technicalities are not a material defect as set forth in § 17-4.
The Township of Lebanon reserves the right to select the bidder
it deems the lowest responsible bidder at the time the contract is
awarded. The Township of Lebanon reserves the right to reject any
and all bids.
This article shall be in full force and effect from and after
its passage, approval and publication as provided by law, subject
to the approval of the Director of Local Governmental Services in
the New Jersey State Department of Community Affairs, as set forth
in N.J.S.A. 40A:11-25 and N.J.S.A. 40A:11-26.
[Adopted 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-03]
It shall be the purpose of this article to foster competition
in the contracting process that is exempt from public bidding and
thereby to avoid the appearance of improper influence in public contracting
through unregulated contributions to public officials who award contracts
by business entities who seek public contracts.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings set forth below:
An individual person; firm; corporation; professional corporation;
partnership; organization; or association. When a business entity
is a natural person, a contribution by that person's spouse or any
child living at home shall be deemed to be a contribution by the business
entity. When a business entity is other than a natural person, a contribution
by all principals, partners, officers, or directors of the entity
or their spouses; any subsidiaries directly or indirectly controlled
by the entity; or any political organization organized under § 527
of the Internal Revenue Code that is directly or indirectly controlled
by the entity shall be deemed to be a contribution by the business
entity.
Includes:
Every candidate for Township of Lebanon elective municipal office;
Every candidate committee established by or for the benefit
of a candidate for Township of Lebanon elective municipal office;
Every joint candidate committee established in whole or in part
by or for the benefit of a candidate for Township of Lebanon elective
municipal office;
Every political party committee of the Township of Lebanon;
The terms in the foregoing subsection have the meaning set forth
in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7.
All contracts for professional services and/or extraordinary
unspecifiable services as such terms are used in the Local Public
Contracts Law at N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5.
Has the meaning set forth in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7. By way of
illustration, and not limitation, this definition includes gifts,
pledges, loans, and in-kind contributions.
A.
To the extent that it is not inconsistent with state or federal law,
the Township of Lebanon and any of its departments, instrumentalities,
Chief Financial Officer, or purchasing agents shall not enter into
any agreement or otherwise procure a contract for professional or
extraordinary services from any business entity if such business entity
has solicited or made any contribution to a candidate or a holder
of public office in the Township of Lebanon having ultimate responsibility
for the award of a contract, within one calendar year immediately
preceding the date of the contract or agreement.
B.
No business entity who submits a proposal for, enters into negotiations
for, or agrees to any contract or agreement with the Township of Lebanon
or any of its departments or instrumentalities for the provision of
professional services or extraordinary unspecified services shall
knowingly solicit or make any contribution to a candidate or a holder
of public office in the Township of Lebanon having ultimate responsibility
for the award of a contract between the time of first communication
between that business entity and the municipality regarding a specific
agreement for professional services or extraordinary unspecified services,
and the later of the termination of negotiations or rejection of any
proposal, or the completion of the performance or specified time period
of that contract or agreement.
C.
For purposes of this section, the office that is considered to have
ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract shall be:
(1)
The Township of Lebanon governing body (including the Mayor), if
the contract requires approval or appropriation from the Mayor or
governing body; or
(2)
The Mayor of the Township of Lebanon if the contract requires approval
of the Mayor, or if a public officer who is responsible for the award
of a contract is appointed by the Mayor.
D.
No person may be awarded a subcontract to perform under a contract subject to this article, if the subcontractor would be disqualified by § 17-10A from receiving the contract at the time that the subcontract is awarded. Nor may any person who would be disqualified by § 17-10A from receiving the contract perform substantially all of the obligations described in a contract for professional or extraordinary services that is subject to this article.
No contribution or solicitation of a contribution made prior
to the effective date of this article shall be deemed to give rise
to a violation of this article.
No contract subject to this article may be renewed, extended,
or materially modified unless the resulting renewal, extension, or
modification would be allowable under the provisions of this article
if it were an initial contract.
A.
Prior to awarding any contract for professional or extraordinary
services to any business entity, the Township of Lebanon or its Chief
Financial Officer, purchasing agents and departments, as the case
may be, shall receive a sworn statement from said business entity
which is the intended recipient of said contract that he/she/it has
not made a contribution in violation of this article. The Township
of Lebanon, its Chief Financial Officer, purchasing agents and departments
shall be responsible for informing the Township Committee that the
aforementioned sworn statement has been received and that the business
entity is not in violation of this article, prior to awarding the
contract or agreement.
B.
A business entity shall have a continuing duty to report to the Township
of Lebanon any contribution that constitutes a violation of this article
made during the negotiation, proposal process or the duration of a
contract. The Township of Lebanon, its purchasing agents and departments
shall be responsible for informing the governing body within 10 business
days after receipt of said report from the business entity, or at
the next Township Committee meeting following receipt of said report
from the business entity, whichever comes first.
C.
The certification required under this subsection shall be made prior
to entry into the contract or agreement with the Township of Lebanon,
or prior to the provision of services or goods, as the case may be,
and shall be in addition to any other certifications that may be required
by any other provision of law.
A business entity that is a party to a contract for professional or extraordinary services may cure a violation of § 17-10 of this article, if, within 30 days after the date on which the applicable ELEC report is published, said business entity notifies the municipality in writing and seeks and receives reimbursement of the contribution from the recipient of such contribution.
The contribution prohibition prior to entering into a contract
contained in this article does not apply to contracts which are awarded
to the lowest responsible bidder after public advertising for bids
and bidding therefor within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4, or are
awarded in the case of emergency under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6. There is
no exemption for contracts awarded pursuant to a "fair and open process"
under N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20 et seq.
A.
It shall be material breach of the terms of a Township of Lebanon
contract for professional or extraordinary services if a business
entity that is a party to such agreement or contract has:
(1)
Made or solicited a contribution in violation of this article;
(2)
Knowingly concealed or misrepresented a contribution given or received;
(3)
Made or solicited contributions through intermediaries for the purpose
of concealing or misrepresenting the source of the contribution;
(4)
Made or solicited any contribution on the condition or with the agreement
that it will be recontributed to a candidate or holder of public office
having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract;
(5)
Engaged or employed a lobbyist or consultant with the intent or understanding
that such lobbyist or consultant would make or solicit any contribution,
which if made or solicited by the business entity itself, would subject
the business entity to the restrictions of this article;
(6)
Funded contributions made by third parties, including consultants,
attorneys, family members, and employees;
(7)
Engaged in any exchange of contributions to circumvent the intent
of this article; or
(8)
Directly or indirectly, through or by any other person or means,
done any act which if done directly would subject the business entity
to the restrictions of this article.
B.
Any business entity that violates this article shall be disqualified
from eligibility for future Township of Lebanon contracts for a period
of four calendar years from the date of violation.
