1-4477 Personal Property Audits-FINAL.pdf

CITY OF NORWALK

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

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SEALED RFPS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE OFFICE OF THE PURCHASING AGENT, 125 EAST AVENUE NORWALK, CT 06851

BY THE DATE AND TIME OF RFP OPENING

PROJECT NUMBER: 4477

REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: Tax Assessor

DATE OF RFP ISSUANCE: 11/13/2025

TITLE OF RFP:

Personal Property Audits

RFI/QUESTION DEADLINE: 2:00PM 11/20/2025

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 2:00PM 12/02/2025

HARD COPY SUBMISSION DEADLINE: N/A

MANDATORY WALKTHROUGH:

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF WALKTHROUGH

YES ( ) NO (X )

N/A

TIME/DATE OF RFP OPENING: 2:00 PM 12/02/2025

RFP DEPOSIT REQUIRED:

IF YES, AMOUNT REQUIRED

YES ( ) NO (X )

SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS ONLY:

PERFORMANCE & PAYMENT BOND REQUIRED:

IF YES, AMOUNT REQUIRED

YES ( ) NO (X )

SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS ONLY:

MAINTENANCE BOND REQUIRED:

YES ( ) NO ( X)

ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, SPECIFICATIONS AND BID FORMS ARE ATTACHED HERETO.

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR A BID TO BE COMPLIANT

1. BIDDER’S INFORMATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

2. RFP FORMS, INCLUDING PRICING SHEETS AND ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORMS

3. EXCEPTIONS (IF ANY)

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NOTICE TO BIDDERS

1. ALL RFPS WILL BE OPENED PROMPTLY AT THE ADVERTISED TIME OF OPENING. THERE WILL BE NO DELAYS OR POSTPONEMENTS WHICH ARE NOT PUBLICLY ADVERTISED. ANY RFP RECEIVED AFTER THE ADVERTISED TIME

OF OPENING WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

2. OBLIGATION OF BIDDERS:

a. AT THE TIME OF OPENING RFPS, EACH BIDDER SHALL BE PRESUMED TO HAVE INSPECTED THE SITES

AND TO HAVE MADE THEMSELVES THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANS AND CONTRACT

DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ALL ADDENDA. THE FAILURE OR OMISSION OF ANY BIDDER TO RECEIVE OR

EXAMINE ANY FORM, INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT SHALL IN NO WAY RELIEVE ANY BIDDER FROM

ANY OBLIGATION IN RESPECT TO THEIR RFP.

b. EACH BIDDER MUST FULLY INFORM THEMSELVES OF THE CONDITONS RELATING TO THE WORK WHICH WILL BE PERFORMED. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL NOT RELIEVE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER OF

THEIR OBLIGATION TO FURNISH ALL LABOR AND MATERIALS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE

PROVISIONS OF THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND TO COMPLETE THE CONTEMPLATED WORK. IN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE CONTRACTOR MUST, IN CARRYING OUT THEIR WORK, EMPLOY SUCH MEANS AND METHODS AS WILL NOT CAUSE ANY INTERRUPTIONS OR INTERFERENCE WITH THE WORK OF ANY

OTHER CONTRACTOR.

3. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE (IF APPLICABLE):

a. IF THE PROJECT IS NOT COMPLETED BY THE DATE SPECIFIED AS THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE IN THE CONTRACT ENTERED INTO BY THE CITY AND THE CONTRACTOR, THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE

SUBJECT TO CONSEQUENTIAL AND/OR LIQUIDATED DAMAGES.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

1. INTRODUCTION

The City of Norwalk is requesting proposals from qualified Audit firms who are familiar with Corporate Accounting Systems to undertake a comprehensive audit project concerning tangible personal property located within the city and valued as of October 1st each year under state statute by the Assessor. The requirements of this project are outlined in greater detail under Section 2 Scope of Work/Project Specifications.

2. RFP DOCUMENTS

All RFP documents for this invitation are available over the internet at http://www.norwalkct.gov. Adobe Acrobat reader is required to view this document. If you do not have this software you may download it for free from Adobe.

3. ADDENDA

All addenda, if issued will be available over the internet at http://www.norwalkct.gov. We strongly suggest that you check for any addenda a minimum of forty-eight hours in advance of the RFP deadline. It is the responsibility of the bidder to check for issuance of any addenda.

4. BIDDER’S LIST

Bidder’s list for this solicitation will not be published.

5. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS RFP

All questions concerning this solicitation must be directed, via e-mail, to Sharon Conners, Purchasing Agent at sconners@norwalkct.gov. Please include the Project Number and Project Title in the subject line. The deadline for the submission of questions is 2:00 pm, November 20, 2025.

6. SUBMISSION OF RFP

The City of Norwalk requires electronic sealed submission for this project in the City of Norwalk’s BONFIRE portal (https://norwalkct.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities)

All sealed electronic submissions must be submitted in Bonfire no later than December 2, 2025, at 2:00PM.

7. SUMMARIES

A list of the proposing firms will be available any time after 5:00 pm on the day of the RFP opening at Purchasing-Bid Postings. RFP results will not be provided over the phone.

Page 3 of 58, 4477 Personal Property Audits-FINAL http://www.norwalkct.gov/ http://www.norwalkct.gov/ mailto:sconners@norwalkct.gov https://norwalkct.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://www.norwalkct.gov/Bids.aspx?CatID=showStatus&txtSort=Date&showAllBids=on&Status=open

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SPECIAL NOTES:

1. Public Opening: Per the City of Norwalk Purchasing Guidelines, Bids shall be opened publicly by the Purchasing

Agent or his designee, in the presence of one or more witnesses at the time and place designated in the Invitation for Bids. Receipt of Proposals: Proposals shall be opened so as to avoid disclosure of contents to competing proposers during the process of negotiation. A Register of Proposals shall be prepared in accordance with these Procurement Guidelines and shall be open for public inspection after contract award. If you wish to hear the bid/RFP opening, please join us through a teleconference.

Access Number: (866) 640-4044 or (678) 302-3554

Participant Code: 968 704

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SECTION 1 – RESPONSE FORMS

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PROPOSER’S INFORMATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM

Proposer’s Name

Street Address

City State Zip

Business Telephone:

Email Address:

Printed Name and Title of Individual Submitting Proposal

The undersigned acknowledges that the terms, conditions and specifications of this RFP are understood and unconditionally accepted.

Signature Date

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Exceptions: Note any vendor(s) responding to this proposal shall indicate any/all exceptions (if any) taken to language in this proposal. BIDDERS MAY NOT TAKE EXCEPTION TO SUBSTANTIVE TERMS OF STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS PROVIDED IN THE RFP/RFQ/ITB. Exceptions must be declared below in order to be considered by the City:

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1.1 PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORM

Vendor Name -

Address -

Phone -

Fax -

Email -

Manager -

Fed ID#

The undersigned hereby declares that they have carefully examined the plans, specifications and project sites and has satisfied themselves as to all the quantities and conditions and understands that in signing this proposal they waives all right to plead any misunderstanding regarding the same.

The undersigned further understands and agrees that they will furnish and provide all the necessary material, machinery, implements, tools, labor, services, and other items of whatever nature, and to do and perform all the work necessary under the aforesaid conditions, to carry out the contract and to accept in full compensation therefore the amount of the contract as agreed to by the Contractor and the City.

It is further understood and agreed that all information included in, attached to, or required by the Request for Proposal shall be public record upon delivery to the City.

A. PROPOSED FEES

PILOT PROGRAM-FIFTY (50) AUDITS

GRAND LIST OCTOBER 1, 2025

PROPOSED LUMP SUM – Fiscal Year 2026 (07/01/2025- 06/30/2026)

Proposed Lump Sum in Words

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OPTIONAL YEARS

FORTY (40) AUDITS PER FISCAL YEAR

PROPOSED LUMP SUM – Fiscal Year 2027 (07/01/2026- 06/30/2027)

PROPOSED LUMP SUM – Fiscal Year 2028 (07/01/2027- 06/30/2028) $

PROPOSED LUMP SUM – Fiscal Year 2029 (07/01/2028- 06/30/2029) $

PROPOSED LUMP SUM – Fiscal Year 2030 (07/01/2029- 06/30/2030) $

Proposed Lump Sum in Words for the Four (4) Optional Years outlined above

SERVICE/DISCIPLINE/JOB CLASSIFICATION HOURLY /PER DIEM RATE

B. CERTIFICATION

Submitted By: Signature:

Authorized Agent of Company (Name & Title):

Date:

C. The above signatory acknowledges receipt of the following addenda issued during the bidding period and understands that they are a part of the bidding documents (if applicable):

Addendum # Dated Addendum # Dated

Addendum #

Dated Addendum #

Dated

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1.2 STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

Please answer the following questions regarding your company's past performance. Failure to reply to this instruction may be regarded as justification for rejecting a bid.

1. Number of years in business:

2. Number of personnel employed: Part Time Full Time

3. List six contracts of this type/size your firm has completed within the last four years:

Project Date Contact Person Phone No.

4. SUBCONTRACTORS: If subcontractors are to be used, please list firm name, address, name of principal, and phone number below or on a separate sheet. Also indicate portion or section of work subcontractor will be performing.

COMPANY NAME ADDRESS PRINCIPAL PHONE PORTION/SECTION

OF WORK

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5. ORGANIZATIONAL

STRUCTURE OF

BIDDER (check which applies) general partnership limited partnership limited liability corporation limited liability partnership corporation doing business under a trade name individual doing business under a trade name other (specify)

6. STATUS OF THE

BUSINESS AND ITS

CURRENT STANDING

WITH THE SECRETARY

OF STATE'S OFFICE; e.g., are all required filings current and in good standing or has the entity been withdrawn or canceled

Connecticut corporations - Will the Secretary of State be able to issue a Certificate of Good Standing within 30 days of the bid opening?

Yes No

Out-of -State corporations - Do you have a valid license to do business in the State of Connecticut? (Evidence in the form of a Certificate of Authority from the Connecticut Secretary of State will be required within 30 days of the bid opening.)

Yes No

7. CT eLICENSE (https://www.elicense.ct.gov ) / Business Registration (https://business.ct.gov/?language=en_US) :

8. Is your local organization an affiliate of a parent company? If so, Indicate the principal place of business of your company and the name of the agent for service if different from what has been indicated on the response form:

Business Name

Address

City. State & Zip

Name of Agent

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NOTE: In the case of a Limited Liability Corporation or a Limited Liability Partnership a certified copy of the Articles of Organization certified as valid and in effect as of the date of the bid opening will be required within 30 days of the bid opening. A listing of the corporate officers, in the case of a corporation; the general or managing partners, in the case of a partnership; or the managers and members in the case of either a limited liability partnership or company will be required within 30 days of the bid opening.

9. Your company may be asked to submit the following information relative to your company's financial statements prior to receiving an award. This information will not be part of the public bidding record and will remain confidential.

All information should be supported with appropriate audited financials

a. Book Value (Total Assets (-) Total Liabilities)

b. Working Capital (Current Assets (-) Current Liabilities

c. Current Ratio (Current Assets/Current Liabilities)

d. Debt to Equity Ratio (Long Term Debt/Shareholder's Equity)

e. Return on Assets (Net Income/Total Assets)

f. Return on Equity (Net Income/Shareholder's Equity)

g. Return on Invested Capital (Net Income/Long Term Debt = Shareholders' Equity)

All responses to this questionnaire are understood to be proprietary to the vendor, and will be considered confidential.

Additional information may be requested subsequent to your responding to this bid request.

1.3 CITY OF NORWALK VENDOR RECORDS

If you have not done business with the City of Norwalk as a vendor, your business information needs updating or your City of Norwalk vendor record has not been updated over three (3) years. Please complete and include the latest version of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) W-9 Form with your submission. Here is the URL to the IRS website:

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9

1.4 INSURANCE

Insurance Agency Name: Tel:

Agency Address: Email:

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1.5 CITY OF NORWALK VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE – IT INFORMATION SECURITY

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City of Norwalk Vendor Questionnaire

IT Information Security

Rev 8.4.22

1. Third-Party Contact Information (please provide the POC for follow-up questions to this questionnaire):

Vendor Name, Address, Point-of-Contact Name, Phone Number and Email

2. Description of Services/Products: Please provide a detailed description of services/products your organization aims to provide to the City?

3. System and Equipment Access: Will your organization use your own systems and equipment to perform the services, or will your organization need access to the City’s systems, equipment and network? (Yes or

No, If Yes, please explain)

YES ☐ NO ☐

4. Description of Data: Are you using data from the City in order provide the services/product to the City

(Yes or No, if Yes proceed to 3.1)

a. What data is needed to provide the services/products to the City?

Example: Name, Social Security Number, Trade Information, Source Code, Payroll or Accounts Payable data, student or patient data, Law Enforcement data, any Personally Identifiable Information (PII), etc.

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If your answers to Questions 3 and 4 are BOTH “NO”, thank you for completing the IT

Information Security Questionnaire.

If one or both questions are “YES”, please complete the remaining questions.

5. Office Locations: How many office locations does your organization have? Please include the locations of your organization.

6. Data Center Locations: How many data centers does your organization utilize to provide services/products to the City? Please include the locations of the data centers utilized by your organization.

7. Business Entity: What is your business entity type?

*Example: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, C Corporation, S Corporation, Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

8. How many employees and contingent workers do you have in your organization?

1-10 ☐ 10-50 ☐ 50-100 ☐ 100-500 ☐ 500-1000 ☐ 1000 or more ☐

9. Physical Access: Does your organization need to be onsite or offsite to provide services/products to the City?

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10. Access to Data: How is your organization accessing City data?

*Example: Is the data supposed to be sent to your organization via email or will the data need to be uploaded to an application?

*Note: For third-parties that are providing an application to perform the services, please specify whether the application will be an internally hosted solution, cloud-based solution (i.e. SaaS, IaaS, PaaS), or a traditional web-based application (i.e. eBay, WebEx, online banking application)

11. Data Storage: Does your organization outsource data storage or does your organization utilize its own databases to store data? Does your organization store data outside of the United States?

YES ☐ NO ☐

12. Segregation of Data: Does your organization’s database structure allow segregation of sensitive client data?

YES ☐ NO ☐

13. Independent Attestations: Does your organization have independent attestations such as (i.e. ISO 27001, SSAE-18 SOC-1, SOC-2, PCI- DSS, ISO 9001)?

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14. Information Security

a. Does your organization have written information security policies and procedures (WISP)?

b. How often are the information security policies and procedures reviewed and updated?

c. Who in the organization is responsible for reviewing and updating the information security policies and procedures?

d. Does your organization have privacy policies and procedures?

e. How often are the privacy policies and procedures updated?

f. Who in the organization is responsible for reviewing and updating the privacy policies and

g. What methods of encryption are utilized for data at rest and in transit?

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h. Are the encryption methods utilized FIPS 140-2 approved?

i. Does your organization utilize firewalls to filter incoming data and information from the internet into your company network?

j. Does your organization perform penetration testing at least once per year to determine if unauthorized access to the computer network and malicious activity is possible externally?

k. Does your organization perform vulnerability testing at least once per year in order to identify vulnerabilities within the internal network?

l. Does your organization perform background checks on employees and contingent workers prior to onboarding them? Describe the nature of these background checks (i.e., criminal, credit, international, etc.).

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m. Does your organization utilize multi-factor authentication?

n. Does your organization utilize scan cards or biometric scans to grant employees and contingent workers access to the building and data centers where data is stored?

o. If offering a technology product, does the organization utilize software development life cycle (SDLC) or

Agile to build and maintain technological product?

p. Does the technological product undergo information security testing and quality assurance testing prior to deployment?

q. Does the Vendor provide annual Cybersecurity Awareness training to their employee?

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r. Does the Vendor provide annual phishing simulations for their employee?

s. Have users been educated on how to report suspected security violations or vulnerabilities?

t. Does the Vendor have an employee identified as the Chief Information Security Officer?

u. Are all the Vendor laptops encrypted?

v. Are all Vendor computers (workstations, notebooks) required to join the Company’s domain and receive Group Policies?

w. Does the Vendor meet the NIST 800-63 password guidelines?

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15. Risk Management

a. Does your organization have an enterprise risk management framework implemented at your organization?

b. Does your organization have documented enterprise risk management policies and procedures?

c. Who in the organization is responsible for reviewing the enterprise risk management policies and

d. Does your organization utilize an outside third-party to provide services/products to the client?

e. Does your organization have a third-party risk management program (TPRM)?

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f. Does your organization include right-to audit clauses in contracts with third parties?

g. Does your organization have a certificate of insurance (COI)? Please attach a copy of your COI.

Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery

a. Does your organization have a business continuity plan?

b. How often is the business continuity plan updated?

c. Does your organization conduct business continuity tests once per year?

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d. Does your organization have a disaster recovery plan?

e. How often is the disaster recovery plan updated?

f. Does your organization conduct disaster recovery tests once per year?

g. Does your organization have business continuity and/or disaster recovery sites?

h. Are the business continuity/disaster recovery sites located in the United States or outside the

United States? Please include the locations of business continuity/disaster recovery sites?

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SECTION 2 – SCOPE OF WORK / PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

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2.1 Introduction

The City of Norwalk is soliciting proposals from certified public accounting firms or auditing firms to provide personal property audit services on the City's business personal property taxpayers as authorized by Connecticut General Statutes concerning tangible personal property located within the city and valued as of October 1st each year under State statute by the Assessor.

It is the intent of the City to award this project to two (2) qualified firms. It is at the City’s discretion to have the services performed at all, some or none upon approval of funding by the Common Council of the City of Norwalk. The selected firms will act as an agent for the Assessor.

2.2 Background

It is the intent of the Assessor to annually audit approximately twenty (20) percent of the significant accounts on a generally random basis. All significant accounts would be scheduled for audit over a five

(5) year period. The Assessor will select the accounts scheduled for audit.

Manufacturer's inventories, inventories held for resale, EDP software, registered motor vehicles and boats are specifically excluded from this project. The project generally includes, but is not limited to, non-residential furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, and leasehold improvements.

Field procedures, depreciation schedules, indexing schedules, forms design and letter composition will be established by the Assessor's Office and reviewed by the Contractor for professional approach and technical application. All facets of the program will be subject to final approval by the Assessor.

The requested proposal will cover the project organization, and each firm will pilot list of no less than fifty (50) audits for the Grand List of October 1, 2025. Future years will be considered after the final results of the pilot list are reviewed. It is anticipated that such future year audits would consist of approximately forty (40) similar audits per fiscal year, for four (4) additional futures years, not to exceed totaling four hundred twenty (420) audits over the potential five (5) year award period.

2.3 Scope of Services

The purpose of this section is to define a general outline of the requirements of the project. The proposal should elaborate on the work that will be performed, professional time that will be provided, per diem fee required for the services performed and a list of all services that are included in the fee.

Field Inspections will be requested/performed at the discretion of the assessor based upon responses received from the initial request for information from the Auditor hired.

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A financial records inspection to obtain a listing of all items at original cost by year of acquisition including transportation and installation costs. Structures on leased land and leasehold improvements, not assessed as real estate, will be included.

The individual audit sequence will include an initial letter to the property owner stating audit selection;

reasons and information requested; a telephone call to the property owner to arrange for an appointment for site inspection, if deemed necessary by the assessor; a telephone call to the accounting firm to arrange for an appointment for records inspection, if necessary and authorized by the property owner; the audit of the actual site and records, if deemed necessary by the assessor; the necessary research, reconciliation, depreciation, tabulation and reporting to the Assessor; a report of final results to the owner after Assessor approval; and a report of project status, by month, to the Chief Financial Officer after Assessor approval.

All taxpayer personal property information provided to the successful auditing firm shall be used solely for this project and may not be provided to any outside agency, business, person or persons without the express written consent of the City of Norwalk.

2.4 Work Schedule

The property owner contact and audit phase will follow in late January 2026.

Experience from other communities indicates that an average of two (2) audits can be readily completed in the field and finalized in the office per workday.

The City of Norwalk will make available to the Contractor, appropriate records, surveys and studies, as well as appropriate staff, to assist the Contractor in the gathering of necessary data to complete the study requirements. Any request for staff support will be subject to review and approval by the City.

Audit results will be tabulated, reconciled, depreciated and submitted to the Assessor on a monthly basis for review as field work is completed. Supply any/all backup material to the Assessor upon request.

The program should proceed in sequence through each phase so that all pilot work can be completed by end of January 2026.

Fees will be payable net thirty (30) days, following acceptance of the progress of the project by the Assessor.

2.5 Media Announcements

Social media and press new releases pertaining to the services, study, or project to which it relates will not be made without prior approval, and then only in coordination with the City.

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2.6 Qualifications

Respondent firms must also demonstrate maturity, sensitivity, and tact in dealing with City of Norwalk taxpayers’ confidential books and records.

The firms must meet and/or demonstrate proficiency and performance levels required in analyzing diverse financial documents.

At minimum, respondent firms must employ certified public accountants with at least five (5) years of public auditing experience OR a minimum of three (3) years’ experience performing municipal personal property tax audits in Connecticut. Additionally, the firm must have performed projects in the State of Connecticut of similar size and scope to the City of Norwalk.

Or each company, corporation, partnership, or individual, must hold from the commencement of the project through the completion of all work hereinafter required, a valid Connecticut Personal Property Revaluation Company Certification pursuant to Section 12-2b of the Connecticut General Statutes, and be authorized to perform personal property audits pursuant to 12-53 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

The awarded firm(s) must have enough staff assigned to ensure timely completion of the project.

2.7 Record Keeping

Incidental to any and all services provided is the requirement to prepare and maintain a project schedule, provide monthly status reports and maintain proper record keeping. The initial project schedule for any particular engagement shall be included in the original scope of services agreed upon by the City and the Consultant for that particular engagement. The consultant is required to keep the project schedule current and revise it as appropriate and necessary, subject to approval by the City, throughout the course of the engagement.

The monthly status reports shall summarize the status of all projects for which the consultant is engaged. Information contained in the status reports shall include work and activities completed and/or undertaken during the current reporting period, identification and explanation of any work or activities anticipated within the previous status report that was not completed or undertaken, identifying, and explaining if appropriate, any significant happenings or milestones occurring during the current reporting period, relating the current status of the project to the current project schedule, updating the project schedule, if necessary, and identifying the work, activities, milestones, and significant happenings anticipated and/or planned for the upcoming reporting period.

Record keeping shall include maintaining complete and accurate records of all correspondence, submittals, reports, transmittals, logs, meeting minutes, drawings, results, requirements, and any other written documentation or information generated or received by the consultant in the course of or related to the consultant s involvement in any engagement under the on-call contract. Such records shall be sorted and filed, separated by engagement and in chronological order, by the type of information contained, the task and/or stage of the project related to, and/or the generator and/or recipient of the document as is appropriate to the scope of the engagement and the volume of records being stored. The consultant shall ensure that the City receives copies, in a timely manner, of any such records as may be significant, or otherwise appropriate, to the City s oversight and/or involvement in

Page 27 of 58, 4477 Personal Property Audits-FINAL the engagement and/or any work, relevant event or effect, or public expenditure associated therewith or otherwise related thereto. The consultant shall also endeavor to obtain a copy of any document that the consultant knows to, or has reason to believe may, exist which appropriately should be included in such records. In addition, the consultant shall appropriately communicate any significant verbal correspondence.

All such records shall be stored in a secure location and in a manner that allows for convenient location and identification for as long as the consultant is required to maintain them. Records associated with an active engagement shall be stored in such a manner as to be readily accessible on demand. Such records shall be maintained by the Consultant for a minimum of six (6) years beyond the completion of the particular engagement. Upon completion of the project, the Consultant shall provide to the City copies of all such documents requested by the City, deemed appropriate for the City to possess for purposes of utilizing and/or maintaining any facilities completed in association with the engagement, interpreting or applying any deliverables generated through the engagement, and/or evaluating or auditing any work or tasks associated with the engagement.

2.8 Proposal Submission Format

Proposals should put forth full, accurate, and complete but concise information as required by this request. The City shall not be liable for costs incurred in the preparation of the response to this RFP or in connection with any presentation before a Selection Committee.

Firms should create their submissions in 8½” x 11” document size using a minimum 12-point font size, double sided, include page numbers and any blank pages must be watermarked “Intentionally Left Blank”. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the applicant's ability to meet the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content.

The City reserves the right to reject proposals/parts thereof or to solicit new proposal and award contracts as it deems tin its best interest. All proposals will remain property of the City. It is further understood and agreed that all information included in, attached to, or required by the Request for Proposal shall be public record upon delivery to the City.

To enable the City to compare the proposals received we ask that your proposal include the information specified below, the sequence listed, with each section of your proposal numbered to correspond to the numbers sequenced below.

Request for Proposal (RFP) shall include the following, in this order:

1. Section 1-Executive Summary: Provide a brief history of your firm, company structure, and identify key qualities or services provided that distinguishes your firm from other firms. This section shall include a concise statement of the consultant's approach to the project and a summary of the Consultant's ability to provide the required services. Also include in this section include the Name and address of firm(s) and identification and contact information of the Project Lead.

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2. Section 2-Project Team Organization and Staffing:

The firm must identify all staff, by name and title, who will be assigned to the project or who will otherwise play a major role in the proposed project. Briefly describe each individual’s proposed role. For each identified individual, provide qualifications, background, and experience with similar projects. Please provide resumes of all key personnel.

- Also include the certificate levels of the staff that will be assigned to this project.

The City reserves the right to interview and specify key staff members on this project.

3. Section 3-Project Approach: A clear description of how your firm would complete this project, including scope and methodology. This section shall also include the following:

- A detailed Work Plan Schedule, including estimated completion times for each milestone, allocated staff time per phase, and an overall timeframe for completion of project.

4. Section 4-References/Statement of Qualifications: Provide four (4) most recent current or previous government clients in which your firm provides the same size and scope of services requested by the City. Highlight how it’s directly related to City of Norwalk. The City, at its discretion may check references in order to determine the Offeror’s experience and ability to provide services described in the Scope of Work. All client reference information must be documented and verifiable. Reference contacts must be aware that they are being used as a reference and agreeable to City interview for follow up. References shall include the following, in this order:

a. Client/Agency Name

b. Contact Name and Title (project manager role preferred), Telephone, and Email

c. Number of Projects Completed for Client/Agency

d. Project Names

e. Project Descriptions

f. Project Approach and Methodology

g. Year of Project and Length of Project

h. Project Budgets and Final Invoiced Amount

i. Contractor Personnel Assigned to Project and Project Role

5. Section 5-Other Information: Provide any other information that you believe will assist the City of Norwalk in making its selection. Such information may be in this section of your proposal

6. Section 6-Forms: Fully Completed Section 1 – Response Forms

2.9 Selection Process

Proposals will be initially reviewed by a Selection Committee. The Selection Committee may select the two or three firms that best meet the City’s requirements. These firms will then be invited to represent their proposals to and respond to questions from the Selection Committee.

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Following this selection process, the Selection Committee will make a recommendation to the Common Council Committee. Approval to enter into a contract has to be authorized by the Norwalk Common Council.

The City of Norwalk reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted, to request additional information from all proposers and to negotiate with one or more of the finalists regarding the terms of this engagement. The City of Norwalk also reserves the right to retain the proposals, use any ideas contained in the proposals and is not obligated in any manner to reimburse the proposers for the costs incurred in connection with responding to this Request for Proposals.

The Selection Committee intends to recommend the firm that, in its opinion, best meets the City’s needs, not necessarily the firm with the lowest fees.

The anticipated selection schedule is as follows:

RFP Interviews December 2025 Common Council Committee Review December 2025/January 2026 Common Council Review December 2025/January 2026

2.10 Criteria for Evaluating Proposal Submissions

The City of Norwalk shall be responsible for reviewing the proposals received and will further evaluate them, using the following criteria. The City reserves its rights to examine any other criteria and take the same under consideration and to reject any firm or proposals despite its compliance with these criteria if it determines that to do so would be in its best interests.

Criteria Weight

Qualifications and Experience:

• Respondent must demonstrate adequate experience in the following areas:

qualification, general experience and technical competence of the project team

• Experience, resources, and technical expertise with similar type/size project

• Feedback from References with projects similar in size & scope

20%

Overall Impression of Proposal

• Organization, clarity, conciseness, and thoroughness.

• Approach to the scope of services and statement of works

• Proposed project schedule

20%

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Criteria Weight

Additional Considerations (applicable only when not in conflict with state or federal guidelines)

• Interview/Presentation 10%

Cost Proposal:

Cost proposal should include any payment schedule setting forth the frequency and amount of progress payments and identifying the tasks and deliverables (“milestones”) to be completed for each payment to be deemed earned.

50%

Total Possible Points 100

2.11 Prime Proposer Responsibility

Firm’s submitting proposals to this RFP may utilize the services of subcontractors. If subcontractors are planned to be used, this should be clearly explained in the proposal. The prime proposer will be responsible for the entire contract performance whether or not subcontractor is to perform.

All corporate information required in this RFP must be included for each proposed subcontractor. The proposal must also include copies of any agreements to be executed between the prime proposer and any subcontractors in the event of contract award. Under this RFP, the City of Norwalk retains the right to approve all subcontractors.

2.12 Key Personnel

The personnel and commitments identified on any proposer’s proposal will be considered essential to the work to be performed under this RFP. Prior to diverting any of the specified individuals to other programs or changing the level of effort of the specified individuals, the proposer must notify the City of Norwalk fourteen (14) days in advance and will be required to submit justification, including proposed substitutions, in sufficient detail, to permit evaluation of the impact on the project. The proposer will make no deviation without the prior written consent of the City of Norwalk. Replacement of personnel will be with personnel or equal ability and qualifications.

Any employee of the proposer, who in the sole opinion of the City of Norwalk is unacceptable, shall be removed from the project pursuant to the request of City of Norwalk. The proposer will have Fourteen

(14) Days to fill the vacancy with another employee of acceptable technical experience and skills subject to the written approval of the City of Norwalk.

2.13 Availability of Funds

The contract award under this RFP is contingent upon the availability of funds to the City of Norwalk for this project. In the event that funds are not available, any contract resulting from this RFP will become void and of no force and effect.

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2.14 Payment & Invoices

The proposer will bill the City of Norwalk based on the submission of monthly invoices in a format to be determined by the City.

2.15 Termination for Default or for the Convenience of the Contracting Agency Performance under this contract resulting from this RFP may be terminated by the City of Norwalk whenever;

The proposer, in the sole opinion of the City, is in default in the performance of the contract and shall fail to correct such default within the period specified by the contracting officer in a notice specifying default; or the contracting officer shall determine that termination is the best interest of the City of Norwalk.

Termination will be effected by delivery to the proposer of a notice to terminate, stating the date upon which the termination becomes effective. Upon receipt of the notice to terminate, the proposer shall:

• Stop all work

• Assign to the City of Norwalk all rights, title and interest in the work being developed;

• Deliver forthwith to the City of Norwalk all completed work and work in progress;

• Preserve and protect, until delivery to the City, all material plans, and documents related to this contract which, if the contract had been completed, would have been furnished to the City of Norwalk or necessary to the completion of the work

2.16 Negotiated changes

In the event negotiated changes occur after the awarding of the contract, the same pricing policies called for in the original contract will remain in effect

2.17 Contract Agreement(s) and Contract Period(s)

The selected proposer will be required to agree to and sign a formal written contract between the City of Norwalk and the proposer, prepared by the Law Department of the City of Norwalk. A sample of the contract, is provided in a separate section to illustrate the type of contract the City will use to contract for this project.

It is the intention of the City of Norwalk to enter into an agreement for one (1) years with the option of four (4), one-year extensions for a potential total contract length of five (5) years. Any renewal is contingent upon satisfactory performance by the contractor and the City of Norwalk’s desire to continue with these services.

2.18 Right of Set-Off

The undersigned bidder hereby authorizes the City to set off against monies payable hereunder by the City to the bidder, an amount equal to any unpaid real and personal property taxes and assessments (the collection of which is not barred by the State of Limitations), owing by the bidder to the City, including all interest and lien charges in connection with such paid taxes.

2.19 Duration of Proposals

Proposals will remain in effect for a period of ninety (90) days from the deadline for submission of the proposal.

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2.20 Acceptance of RFP Content

Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful response will be used to establish final contractual obligations. The City retains the option of canceling the award if the successful Respondent fails to accept such obligations. The City and the successful Respondent shall enter into a written contract for the work to be performed.

It is understood that this RFP and the Respondent’s proposal shall be attached and included by reference in a contract signed by the City and the successful Respondent.

This RFP is not an offer: Neither this RFP nor any subsequent discussions shall give rise to any commitment on the part of the City of Norwalk or confer any rights on any proposer unless and until a contract is fully executed by the necessary parties. The fully executed contract document will represent the entire agreement between the proposer and the Department and will supersede all prior negotiations, representations or agreements, alleged or made, between the parties. The City shall assume no liability for costs incurred by the proposer or for payment of services under the terms of the contract until the contract has been accepted and approved by the City’s Corporation Counsel and fully executed by all parties.

2.21 Insurance Coverage Requirements

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INSURANCE RIDER

As a provider of Professional Services, the Consultant shall provide and maintain insurance coverage related to its services in connection with the Project in compliance with the following requirements.

The insurance required shall be written for not less than the scope and limits of insurance specified hereunder, or required by applicable federal, state and/or municipal law, regulation or requirement, whichever coverage requirement is greater. It is agreed and understood that the scope and limits of insurance specified hereunder are minimum requirements and shall in no way limit or preclude the City from requiring additional limits and coverage to be provided under the Consultant's policies.

The insurance obligations under this agreement shall be (1) all the insurance coverage and/or limits carried by or available to the Consultant; or (2) the minimum insurance coverage requirements and/or limits shown in this agreement, whichever is greater.

Minimum Scope and Limits of Insurance:

Workers' Compensation: With respect to all operations the Consultant performs, it shall carry workers' compensation insurance in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the State of Connecticut, and Employer's Liability limits of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) coverage for each accident, One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) coverage for each employee by disease, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) policy limit coverage for disease.

Commercial General Liability: With respect to all operations the Consultant performs it shall carry Commercial General Liability insurance providing for a total limit of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) coverage per occurrence for all damages arising out of bodily injury, personal injury, property damage, products/completed operations, and contractual liability coverage for the indemnification obligations arising under this Agreement. The Annual Aggregate limit shall not be less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000).

Automobile Liability: With respect to each owned, non-owned, or hired vehicles the Consultant shall carry Automobile Liability insurance providing One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) coverage per accident for bodily injury and property damage.

Professional Liability: The Consultant shall provide Professional Liability Insurance covering errors and omissions. Such insurance shall be in an amount no less than $1,000,000 each claim and $1,000,000 Aggregate. Such insurance coverage shall remain in place for seven years after City’s acceptance of Consultant’s work, and if Consultant’s insurance coverage is written on a “claims made” basis, such seven year requirement can be satisfied through a combination of an extended reporting period and tail coverage.

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Acceptability of Insurers: The Consultant's policies shall be written by insurance companies licensed to do business in the State of Connecticut, with an AM Best rating of A-VII, or better. Additionally, all carriers are subject to approval by the City of Norwalk.

Subcontractors: The Consultant shall require all subcontractors to provide the same "minimum scope and limits of insurance" as required herein. All Certificates of Insurance shall be provided to the City's Corporation Counsel and to the City’s Finance Department (Attn: Risk Manager) as required herein

Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions: Any deductible or self-insured retention must be declared to and approved by the City. All deductibles or self-insured retentions are the sole responsibility of the Consultant to pay and/or to indemnify.

Notice of Cancellation or Nonrenewal: Each insurance policy required shall be endorsed to state that coverage shall not be suspended, voided, cancelled, or reduced in coverage or in limits before the expiration date except after thirty (30) days prior written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, has been given to the City.

Notwithstanding this requirement, the Consultant is primarily responsible for providing such written notice to the City thirty (30) days prior to any policy change or cancellation that would result in a change of the amount or type of coverage provided. In the event of any such change the Consultant shall provide comparable substitute coverage so that there is no lapse in applicable coverage or reduction in the amount of coverage available to the City related to the Consultant’s Services.

Waiver of Governmental Immunity: Unless requested otherwise by the City, the Consultant and its insurer shall waive governmental immunity as defense and shall not use the defense of governmental immunity in the adjustment of claims or in the defense of any suit brought against the City.

Additional Insured: The liability insurance coverage, (excluding Workers' Compensation & Professional Liability, if included) required for the performance of the Services shall include the City as an Additional Insured with respect to the Consultant's activities to be performed under this Agreement. Consultant’s insurance shall be primary and shall not seek contribution from any other insurance carried by the additional insured in the payment of a claim.

Waiver of Subrogation: Consultant hereby waives the right to subrogate or seek recovery from City of Norwalk and its insurance carriers. This waiver of subrogation does not apply to Professional Liability coverage.

Certificate of Insurance: Prior to the commencement of services under this Contract, the Consultant shall furnish Certificate(s) of Insurance to the City. The Certificate(s) will specify all parties who are endorsed on the policy as Additional Insureds (or Loss Payees). The Certificates and endorsements for each insurance policy are to be signed by a person authorized by the insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. Renewals of expiring Certificates shall be provided prior to expiration but no more than fifteen (15) days after

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policy renewal.

All insurance documents required should be mailed to the City of Norwalk Corporation Counsel and Finance Department (Attn: Risk Manager), 125 East Avenue, P.O. Box 5125, Norwalk, CT 06856-5125.

Waiver of requirements: The Corporation Counsel may vary these insurance requirements at Corporation Counsel's sole discretion if Corporation Counsel determines that the City's interests will be adequately protected by the provision of different types or other amounts of coverage.

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2.22 Data Protection Rider

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Sample Data Protection Rider The following section is a sample of the City’s standard data protection rider which may be applicable and based on the completed IT vendor security questionnaire. Please be advised that the substantive terms and requirements outlined therein may be revised only with the approval of Norwalk’s Corporation Counsel.

INFORMATION PROTECTION AND DATA…