DI Good Faith Efforts Guidelines Updated_

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3 of the efforts made by a contractor to meet the contract goal. GOOD FAITH EFFORTS MATERIALS TO BE INCLUDED WITH BID If a contractor’s bid does not meet the goal set for the contract, the contractor must submit evidence of good faith efforts with its bid so the City can determine whether the contractor is a responsive bidder. If the contractor’s bid meets the MBE/WBE goal, evidence of good faith effort is not required, but it would be prudent to include some evidence in case an error was made. The information required of a contractor who has not achieved the contract goal to show good faith efforts can be found in the South Bend Inclusion Program Plan at Section 8.B.3.d. as follows: (b) Where the bidder cannot achieve the contract goal, the bidder must provide proof of having made good faith efforts to meet the goal. In making this determination of whether to issue a goal waiver, the City will consider, at a minimum, the bidder’s efforts to: (1) Solicit through all reasonable and available means (e.g., attendance at pre-bid meetings, advertising and written notices) the interest of all MWBEs in the scopes of work of the contract. The contractor shall provide interested MWBEs with timely, adequate information about the plans, specifications, and requirements of the contract to allow such firms to respond to the solicitation. The bidder must follow up initial solicitations with interested MWBEs. (2) Select portions of the work to be performed by MWBEs in order to increase the likelihood that the contract goal will be achieved. This includes, where appropriate, breaking out contract work items into economically feasible units to facilitate participation, even when the bidder would otherwise prefer to perform these work items with its own forces. It is the bidder’s responsibility to make a portion of the work available to MWBEs and to select those portions of the work or material needs consistent with the availability of such firms to facilitate their participation. (3) Negotiate in good faith with interested MWBEs. Evidence of such negotiation includes the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of firms that were contacted; a description of the information provided regarding the plans and specifications for the work selected for subcontracting; and why agreements could not be reached. The bidder may not reject MWBEs as being unqualified without sound reasons based on a thorough investigation of their capabilities. That there may be some additional costs involved in finding and using MWBEs is not in itself sufficient reason for a bidder’s failure to meet the contract goal, as long as such costs are reasonable. The ability or desire of a bidder to perform the work of a Contract with its own organization does not relieve it of the responsibility to make good faith efforts on all scopes of work within which subcontracting opportunities are available. (4) Make efforts to assist interested MWBEs in obtaining bonding, lines of credit, or insurance as required by the City or the bidder, where appropriate.