1-Animal Services Audit RFP - August 2026.pdf

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City of Cibolo 200 South Main Street

Cibolo, Texas 78108

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FOR

CITY OF CIBOLO COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL

AUDIT OF ANIMAL SERVICES

RFP #26-547-37

Issue Date: August 26, 2026

Response Due Date and Time (CDT):

September 29, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.

City of Cibolo Page | 2 RFP No. 26-547-37- RFP Comprehensive Operational Audit of Animal Services version 1/10/2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL

DEFINITIONS

NOTICE TO RESPONDENTS

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

BACKGROUND AND CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES

SCOPE OF WORK

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

CERTIFICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

CLIENT REFERENCE FORM ............................................................................ ATTACHMENT “1”

EXEMPTIONS FORM ..................................................................................... ATTACHMENT “2”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT .................................................................. EXHIBIT “A”

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GENERAL

The City of Cibolo (CITY) is soliciting Proposals from Consultant(s) or Other Professional Services (excluding those identified by the Texas Government Code 2254.002 (Professional Services Procurement Act), which must be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity registered to do business in the State of Texas with demonstrated competence and qualifications and with considerable experience in providing operational audit services of a municipal Animal Services and Animal Shelter department.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) solicits information that will enable CITY to select one or more Consultant(s) that shall provide professional services for an audit is to provide a comprehensive assessment of departmental operations, policy governance, professional standards, training adequacy, risk management, and organizational accountability.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall be used to identify terms throughout this solicitation:

A. AGREEMENT/CONTRACT

A mutually binding legal document obligating the Firm to furnish the services specified within this solicitation and obligating CITY to pay for the services as specified.

B. CITY COUNCIL

The elected officials of the City of Cibolo, Texas given the authority to exercise such powers and jurisdiction of all CITY business as conferred by the State Constitution and Laws.

C. FIRM

The successful Respondent of this request. A person or business enterprise providing services to CITY as fulfillment of obligations arising from an agreement pursuant to this request; the successful respondent of this request.

D. PROPOSAL

A complete, properly signed and submitted response to this solicitation.

E. RESPONDENT

The Individual or Firm responding to this solicitation that considers themselves qualified to provide the services specified herein, and are interested in making an offer to provide the services to CITY.

F. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

This solicitation document issued by CITY containing terms, conditions and scope of work for the professional services to be procured.

G. CITY OF CIBOLO (CITY)

A home-rule municipal government.

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NOTICE TO RESPONDENTS

A. NOTICE

All Proposals are due on or before 2:00 p.m. on September 29, 2026. Solicitations are posted and available to download from: https://cibolotx.bonfirehub.com

Information related to this Solicitation will only be provided through the City’s Procurement Manager. Information about this Solicitation received through any other means may be inaccurate and result in a Respondent’s submittal being incomplete which could ultimately render the Respondent’s Proposal non-compliant. CITY accepts no responsibility for information obtained through any other source.

B. RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

*Bid submissions will be accepted as following: *

Electronic Submission Or

Hard Copy Submission

The hard copy submittal shall be enclosed in an opaque sealed envelope, marked with the project title and name, and the address of the Respondent. The Bid shall be accompanied by the Bid Security and other required documents. If the Bid is sent through the mail or other delivery system the sealed envelope shall be enclosed in a separate envelope with the notation "BID ENCLOSED" on the face of it.

Proposer shall submit one (1) copy of the entire proposal, plus one (1) digital copy (on CD, DVD or thumb drive).

Hard copy sealed Bids shall be addressed to and hand-delivered or shipped to:

Attn: Procurement Manager

Lucy Betancourt 200 South Main St.

Cibolo, TX 78108

Bids must be received electronically by Bonfire, or hard copy to the Procurement Manager, on or before the time and date specified. The mere fact that the Bid was dispatched will not be considered; the Respondent must ensure that the Bid is actually delivered. The time hard copy Bids are received shall be determined by the time clock stamp in the Procurement Manager’s office. Bids received after the specified time of the opening will be returned unopened.

C. PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CITY shall receive, publicly open, and acknowledge all Proposals received at 2:00 PM on September 29, 2026, at 201 W. Loop 539, Cibolo TX 78108. Information contained in the Proposals will not be disclosed until after the award of the Contract.

https://cibolotx.bonfirehub.com/

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D. QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES

Effective immediately upon release of this solicitation and until contract award, all official communications from proposers regarding the requirement of this RFP shall be directed to the CITY’s single point of contact designated below. All questions and inquiries about this solicitation shall be submitted in writing to lbetancourt@cibolotx.gov or:

Attn: Lucy Betancourt Procurement Manager

200 South Main St.

Cibolo, TX 78108

Questions received after the stated deadline, other than those presented in any pre-proposal conference (if applicable), will not be answered. All questions and answers are considered part of this RFP. Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary by CITY in response to such questions will be issued by Addenda and posted on the CITY’s website, https://cibolotx.bonfirehub.com It is the RESPONDENT’S responsibility to check the City of Cibolo website for all Addenda or Amendments.

Proposers shall not attempt to contact City Council members, CITY staff or Management directly during the pre-proposal or post-proposal period unless and until an award has been made, and any resulting contract or agreement has been executed. The CITY intends to respond to all appropriate questions or concerns; however, the CITY reserves the right to decline to respond to any question or concern. All material modifications, clarifications or interpretations will be incorporated into an addendum which will be publicly posted. All addenda issued prior to the due date and time for responses are incorporated into the RFP and must be acknowledged in the Proposal response. Only written information provided shall be binding. Oral or other interpretations shall not be binding and are held without legal effect.

E. ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF IMPORTANT DATES

CITY will generally comply with the following schedule for the selection process, subject to changes necessary to ensure fairness and to accommodate unanticipated events:

Release RFP August 26, 2026

Newspaper Advertisement Dates August 26, 2026 and August 30, 2026

Pre-Proposal Conference 10:00 A.M. CST September 1, 2026

Deadline for Questions and Inquiries 11:00 A.M. CST September 8, 2026

Proposals Closing Date and Time 2:00 P.M. CST September 29, 2026

CITY’s Review of Proposals October 2026

Date for Finalist Interviews or Presentations (if any) October 2026

Earliest Award by CITY November 2026 mailto:lbetancourt@cibolotx.gov https://cibolotx.bonfirehub.com/

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F. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

This meeting is not mandatory, but attendance is encouraged. Any questions and answers addressed during the conference meeting will be issued in an addendum and all known parties will be notified.

A pre-proposal conference will be held at 201 W. Loop 539, Cibolo, Texas 78108 at 10:00 AM CST on September 1, 2026.

Bidders are encouraged to prepare and submit their questions in writing in advance of the Pre-Submittal Conference in order to expedite the proceedings. City’s responses to questions received by this time may be distributed at the Pre-Submittal Conference and posted as an addendum with this solicitation.

Any oral response given at the Pre-Submittal Conference that is not confirmed in writing and posted with this solicitation shall not be official or binding on the City. Bidders are encouraged to resubmit questions asked during the meeting in writing to the Staff Contact Person identified on the title page, after the conclusion of the Conference.

This meeting is not mandatory, but attendance is encouraged. Any questions and answers addressed during the conference meeting will be issued in an addendum and all known interested parties will be notified. Also, you can join the pre-submittal by using Microsoft Teams Meeting:

• Join on your computer, mobile app or room device.

• https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/28143719689418?p=dWmwz5bOWMOs2kMlPA

• Meeting ID: 281 437 196 894 18

Passcode: 74Ss3bE9

• Download Teams | Join on the web

F. FINALIST INTERVIEWS and/or PRESENTATIONS

Proposers reasonably subject to being selected based on the criteria set forth in this RFP may be given an opportunity to make a presentation and/or interview with the Selection Committee. The presentation process may allow Respondents to demonstrate their proposal offering, explaining and/or clarifying any unusual or significant elements related to their proposals. At this stage, Respondents shall not be allowed to alter or amend their proposals.

Finalists selected for interviews and/or presentations must be available during regular business hours on October 12 to October 23, 2026, as arranged with the CITY, if interviews are conducted. Following any presentation and/or interviews, proposals will be ranked pursuant to the criteria listed herein and contract negotiations will begin with the top ranked Firm. Should negotiations with the highest ranked Firm fail to yield a contract, or if the Firm is unable to execute the CITY’s contract, negotiations will be formally ended and then commence with the second highest ranked Firm, etc. However, the CITY, may in its sole discretion, negotiate and award a contract without presentations or interviews, based solely on information supplied in the proposal responses.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/28143719689418?p=dWmwz5bOWMOs2kMlPA https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fmicrosoft-teams%2Fdownload-app&data=05%7C02%7Clsamuelson%40cibolotx.gov%7C85d29e87ce114eb1804d08dc957c2fab%7C1795a5eaa2d6433d8fb89d03f0f4ebab%7C0%7C0%7C638549607833754769%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3t8pT10%2BtXbkOwX9%2Bt0CcSB5F0O4p3YI3FCy5He6hRQ%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fmicrosoft-teams%2Fjoin-a-meeting&data=05%7C02%7Clsamuelson%40cibolotx.gov%7C85d29e87ce114eb1804d08dc957c2fab%7C1795a5eaa2d6433d8fb89d03f0f4ebab%7C0%7C0%7C638549607833760927%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Sfx27Tl6969etmm9JQiILDdN7N%2F4WXJvazcM%2Fvv5Iug%3D&reserved=0

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G. PROTEST PROCEDURES

1. Proposers are advised that protests of specifications, terms, conditions or any other aspect of this solicitation must be made prior to the proposal due date. Protest of specifications and solicitation terms and conditions made after the due date and time will not be considered by the Procurement Manager’s Office.

2. Protest of award must be made immediately, and in no event later than five (5) days after the aggrieved party knows, or should have known, the facts giving rise thereto. All protests must include the following information:

• The name, address and telephone number of the protestor.

• The signature of the protestor or protestor’s representative.

• The solicitation or contract number.

• A detailed statement of the legal and/or factual ground of the protest.

• The form of relief/result requested.

3. Protests shall be mailed to the Procurement Manager’s Office, 200 S. Main Street, Cibolo, TX 78108, Attention: Procurement Manager. Award will be made in the best interest of the CITY.

H. WITHDRAWAL of PROPOSALS BY RESPONDENT A proposal may be modified or withdrawn by the Proposer any time prior to the time and date set for the receipt of proposals in accordance with the following guidelines.

1. Proposer shall notify the Procurement Manager’s Office in writing of its intention to withdraw a previously submitted proposal.

2. If a change in the proposal is requested, the modification must be worded by the Proposer as to not reveal the original amount of the proposal.

3. Proposals withdrawn and modified must be resubmitted to the Procurement Manager’s Office no later than the time and date set for the receipt of proposals.

4. No proposal can be withdrawn after the time set for the receipt of proposals and for a minimum of ninety (90) days thereafter.

I. WITHDRAWAL BY CITY

CITY makes no guarantees or representations that any award will be made and reserves the right to cancel this solicitation for any reason, and take actions including:

1. Reject any and all Proposals received as a result of this RFP.

2. Waive or decline to waive any informality and any irregularities in any statement of qualifications or responses received.

3. Negotiate changes in the Scope of Work or services to be provided.

4. Withhold the award of contract(s).

5. Select Firm(s) it deems to be most qualified to fulfill the needs of CITY.

6. Terminate the RFP process.

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STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. ADDENDA

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this solicitation, prior to the due date and time, a written addendum will be provided to all Respondents. CITY is not bound by any oral representations, clarifications, or changes made in the written specification by CITY’s employees, unless such clarification or change is provided to Respondents in written addendum form from the CITY.

Addenda will be transmitted by email to all parties that are known to have downloaded a copy of the RFP documents and specifications from CITY’s website. However, it shall be the sole responsibility of the Respondent to verify issuance of any addenda and to check all avenues of document availability prior to the opening date and time. Respondent shall acknowledge receipt of all addenda on the Certification and Acknowledgement Form.

B. ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY

Firms shall not advertise or otherwise publicize, without CITY’s prior written consent, the fact that CITY has entered into the Agreement, except to the extent required by applicable law.

C. BUSINESS PRACTICES

Minority business enterprises and/or historically underutilized businesses will be afforded full opportunity to submit Proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, age, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, veteran’s status or political affiliation in consideration for an award.

D. CERTIFICATION

This Solicitation includes a certification page. Respondent must:

1. Furnish complete name, mailing address, telephone number and email of the individual duly authorized to execute contractual documents on behalf of the Respondent.

2. Furnish name of individual(s), along with respective telephone numbers and email addresses, who will be responsible for answering all questions.

3. Certify that they are duly qualified, capable and otherwise bondable business entity not in receivership or contemplating same, and has not filed bankruptcy.

Any attempt to intentionally or unintentionally conceal or obfuscate a conflict of interest may automatically result in the disqualification of the vendor's offer.

E. CHANGES IN PERSONNEL

Should there be a change in key personnel included in the Proposal after the due date and time, but before a contract is awarded, Respondents must notify CITY immediately. This may result in further evaluation. Should a change in key personnel occur after the contract is awarded, the Firm will be required to notify CITY as soon as practicably possible. CITY may terminate the Agreement for convenience should the change in key personnel be unacceptable to CITY.

F. RESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICATION

To ensure the proper and fair evaluation of all Proposals, CITY prohibits ex parte communication (e.g., unsolicited) initiated by the Respondent to CITY staff or its City’s Council, from the date of advertisement of this solicitation to the time an award has been made by

City of Cibolo Page | 9 version 1/10/2023 the Council, the City Manager, or his/her designee. This prohibition extends to “thank you” letters, phone calls, emails and any contact that results in the direct or indirect discussion of the solicitation or Firm’s response. Communication occurring during pre-submittal conference, if applicable, is an exception to the restrictions on communication, as are any timely written requests for clarifications or questions regarding this Solicitation if directed to point of contract listed in this Solicitation. Communication between Respondents and CITY will be initiated by the Procurement Manager, if necessary, in order to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the Proposal. Ex parte communication may be grounds for disqualifying the offending Respondent from consideration or award of the Proposal then in evaluation, and/or any future Solicitation, based on the CITY’s discretion.

Unless otherwise specified, all requests for clarification or questions regarding a solicitation must be directed to the point of contact listed in this Solicitation.

G. DISCLOSURE OF CONTENTS

At the due date and time there will be no disclosure of contents of any Proposal to competing Respondents, and all Proposals will be kept confidential during the negotiation process.

Except for trade secrets and confidential information which the Firm identifies as proprietary, all Proposals will be open for public inspection after the contract award.

H. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Effective January 1, 2006, Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code (House Bill 914) requires that any Respondent or person considering doing business with a local government entity disclose the Respondent or person's affiliation or business relationship that might cause a conflict of interest with a local government entity. The Conflict of Interest Questionnaire form is available from the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) at www.ethics.state.tx.us. Any completed Conflict of Interest Questionnaires shall be submitted to CITY. Any attempt to intentionally or unintentionally conceal or obfuscate a conflict of interest may automatically result in the disqualification of the Respondent's offer.

I. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTED PARTIES

Contracting hereunder may require compliance with §2252.908 Texas Government Code/Disclosure of Interested Parties for contracts that (1) require an action or vote by City Council before the contract may be signed; or (2) has a value of at least $1 million. The law provides that a governmental entity may not enter into certain contracts with a business entity unless the business entity submits a Disclosure of Interested Parties certificate to the governmental entity at the time the business entity submits the signed contract to the governmental entity or state agency.

The process as implemented by TEC is as follows:

1. The Disclosure of Interested Parties certificate must be performed using the Texas Ethics Commission’s electronic filing application listing each interested party of which the business entity is aware on Form 1295, obtaining a certification of filing number for this form from the TEC, and printing a copy of it to submit to CITY.

https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm

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2. The copy of Form 1295 submitted to CITY must be notarized and contain the unique certification number from the TEC. The form must be filed with CITY pursuant to §2252.908 Texas Government Code, “at the time the business entity submits the signed contract” to CITY.

3. CITY, in turn, will electronically acknowledge the disclosure form to the TEC not later than the 30th day after the date CITY receives the disclosure of interested parties from the business entity.

J. GIFTS

CITY may, by written notice to the Respondent, disqualify the Respondent without liability if it is determined by CITY that any gift or thing of value, whether in the form of money, services, credits, loans, travel, entertainment, hospitality, promise, or any other form, were offered or given by the Respondent or any agent or representative of the Respondent to any officer or employee of CITY with the intent of influence such officer or employee as a reward for any decision, opinion, recommendation, securing the Agreement or securing favorable treatment with respect to awarding or amending or the making of any determinations with respect to performance of the Agreement.

K. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

Nothing in this solicitation is intended to be construed as creating an employer/employee relationship, a partnership or joint venture. The Firm’s services shall be those of an independent contractor. The Firm agrees and understands that the Agreement does not grant any rights or privileges established for employees of CITY. Firms shall not be within protection or coverage of CITY’s Worker Compensation Insurance, Health Insurance, Liability Insurance or any other insurance that CITY, from time to time, may have in force.

L. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

CITY’s insurance requirements are provided in the Professional Services Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit “A” to this RFP.

M. PERSONAL INTEREST

No officer, employee, independent consultant or elected official of CITY who is involved in the development, evaluation or decision-making process of this Solicitation shall have a financial interest, direct or indirect, in the resulting Agreement. Any willful violation of this Paragraph shall constitute impropriety in office, and any officer or employee guilty thereof shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. In the event a member of the governing body or an appointed board or commission of the CITY belongs to a cooperative association, the CITY may purchase services from the association only if no member of the governing body, board or commission will receive pecuniary benefit from the purchase, other than as reflected as in increase in dividends distributed generally to members of the association. Any violation of this provision with the knowledge, expressed or implied, by the Vendor shall render the Agreement voidable by the CITY. Nevertheless, the CITY may obtain the services under the Agreement if a conflict of interest affidavit is filed and the Council member recuses his/herself.

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N. PRIORITY OF DOCUMENTS

In the event there are inconsistencies between the RFP terms and conditions, scope of work or Agreement terms and conditions contained herein, the latter will take precedence.

O. PROHIBITED FIRMS

1. CITY will not conduct business with Respondents who have failed to comply with their contracts and have been debarred from doing business with the State of Texas or the federal government.

2. Successful Respondent must affirm, in any resulting contract, that (i) it does not Boycott Israel; and (ii) will not Boycott Israel during the term of any resulting Contract. This section may not apply if the Company is a sole proprietor, a non-profit entity or a governmental entity; and only applies if: (i) the Company has ten (10) or more fulltime employees and

(ii) the Contract has a value of $100,000.00 or more to be paid under the terms of the Contract.

3. Successful Respondent must affirm, in any resulting contract, that it is not engaged in business with Iran, Sudan, or a foreign terrorist organization.

4. Successful Respondent must affirm, in any resulting contract, that it does not boycott energy companies, and will not boycott energy companies during the term of the Agreement.

5. Successful Respondent must affirm, in any resulting contract, that it (i) does not have a practice, policy, guidance or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (ii) will not discriminate against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the Agreement.

6. Successful Respondent must affirm, in any resulting contract, that it is not (i) owned or controlled by (a) individuals who are citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or a designated country; or (b) a company or other entity, including a governmental entity, that is owned or controlled by citizens of or is directly controlled by the government of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or a designated country; or (ii) headquartered in China, Iran, North Korea, Russia or a designated country.

P. PUBLIC INFORMATION

All Responses are subject to release as public information unless the Response or specific parts of the Response can be shown to be exempt from the Texas Public Information Act.

Respondents are advised to consult with their legal counsel regarding disclosure issues and take the appropriate precautions to safeguard trade secrets or any other proprietary information. CITY assumes no obligation or responsibility for asserting legal arguments on behalf of potential Respondents. Respondent acknowledges that pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, Respondent may also be responsible for taking steps to secure the confidentiality of certain documents if requested. Ultimately, the final decision as to what information must be disclosed under the Open Records Act lies with the Texas Attorney General.

If a Respondent believes that a Response or parts of a Response are confidential, then the Respondent shall so specify. The Respondent shall stamp in bold red letters the term “CONFIDENTIAL” on that part of the Response, which the Respondent believes to be confidential. Vague and general claims as to confidentiality shall not be accepted. All

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Responses and parts of Responses that are not marked as confidential will be automatically considered public information.

Q. RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

Proposals must be received by CITY prior to the time and date specified. The time Proposals are received shall be determined by the system time in the Procurement Manager’s office.

Please note that CITY is not responsible for delays at or near the time the response packages are due and that firms submitting their response package during peak traffic times risk their submittal not being received by the due date and time.

R. REIMBURSEMENTS

There is no express or implied obligation for the City of Cibolo to reimburse Respondents for any expenses incurred in preparing Proposals in response to this request and the City of Cibolo will not reimburse firms for these expenses, nor will CITY pay any subsequent costs associated with the provision of any additional information or presentation, or to procure a Contract for these services.

S. REPRESENTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, Respondent represents that it has carefully read and understands all elements of this RFP; has familiarized itself with all federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and rules and regulations that in any manner may affect the cost, progress, or performance of the work; and has full knowledge of the scope, nature, quality and quantity of services to be performed.

By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, the Respondent represents that it has not relied exclusively upon any technical details in place or under consideration for implementation by CITY, but has supplemented this information through due diligence research and that the Respondent sufficiently understands the issues relative to the indicated requirements.

The failure or omission of Respondent to receive or examine any form, instrument, addendum, or other documents or to acquaint itself with conditions existing at the site or other details shall in no way relieve any Respondent from any obligations with respect to its Proposal or to the contract.

T. RESERVATIONS

CITY reserves the right to request clarification or additional information specific to any response after all Responses have been received and the Solicitation due date has passed.

Additionally, CITY reserves the right to accept or reject all or part of any Response, waive any formalities or technical inconsistencies, delete any requirement or specification from the Solicitation, or terminate the Solicitation when deemed to be in CITY’s best interest.

U. RESPONSES BECOME PROPERTY OF CITY:

Submissions received in response to this Solicitation become the sole property of CITY.

V. RIGHT OF ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION

The qualifications of a firm shall not deprive CITY of the right to accept a Proposal, which in its judgment offers the best value to CITY. In addition, CITY reserves the right to reject any Proposal where circumstances and developments have, in the opinion of CITY, changed the qualifications or responsibility of the firm.

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W. RIGHT TO ASSURANCES

In the event CITY, in good faith, has reason to question the intent of the Firm to perform as presented in the Proposal, CITY may demand written assurances of the intent to perform as presented. In the event no written assurance is given within the time specified, CITY may reject the Proposal.

X. STANDARD FORM OF AGREEMENT

It is the intent of CITY to award this Contract to the Respondent(s) whose Proposal for completion of the Work provides the best value for CITY after consideration of the relative importance of costs and other evaluation factors described in this Solicitation. The successful Respondent(s) will be required to enter into the CITY’s Standard Form of Agreement. This RFP and the successful Respondents’ Response, or any part thereof, may be incorporated into and made a part of the final Contract. CITY reserves the right to negotiate final terms and conditions of the Contract. CITY also retains the right to revise the Agreement to comply with legal or regulatory requirements.

CITY’s Professional Services Agreement is attached as Exhibit “A”. Successful Firm(s) will be required to execute this Agreement. All Respondents shall be required to thoroughly read and understand the terms, conditions and provisions in this Agreement. The Respondent acknowledges that CITY retains the right to revise the Professional Services Agreement in order to comply with legal or regulatory requirements. All required Certificates of Insurance and endorsements will be required before contract award. Any exceptions taken to CITY’s Professional Services Agreement must be indicated in your Response. Failure to note any exceptions will be acknowledgement that you accept the terms and conditions without modifications. CITY may consider the proposed changes in the evaluation process.

Y. GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE

Any contract awarded as a result of this RFP shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, and venue for any action related to this contract will be Guadalupe County, Texas.

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SPECIAL PROVISIONS

A. EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM

The term of the Agreement shall become effective from date listed in the contract approved by the City of Cibolo, and shall continue in effect with firm fixed fees, prices until all obligations are performed in accordance with the terms and conditions herein.

B. WARRANTY OF SERVICES

Vendor warrants and represents that all Services to be provided to the CITY under the Agreement will be fully and timely performed in good and workmanlike manner in accordance with generally accepted industry standards and practices, the terms, conditions and covenants of the Agreement and all applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules or regulations. This warranty may not be limited, excluded or disclaimed and any attempt to do so will be without force or effect. Unless otherwise specified, the warranty period shall be a minimum of one year from acceptance by the CITY for Services. In the event any applicable warranty is breached, the Vendor shall promptly upon receipt of demand of performance, perform the Services again in accordance with the above standard at no additional costs to the CITY. All costs incidental to such additional performance shall be borne solely by the Vendor. The CITY shall endeavor to give the Vendor written notice of the breach of warranty within thirty (30) calendar days of discovery of the breach of warranty, but failure to give timely notice shall not impair the CITY’s rights under this section.

In the event the Vendor is unable or unwilling to perform the Services in accordance with the above standards as required by the CITY, then in addition to any other available remedy, the CITY may reduce the amount of Services originally required to purchase from the Vendor under the Agreement and procure conforming Services from other sources. In such event, the Vendor shall pay the CITY upon demand the increased cost, if any, incurred by the CITY to procure such services from an alternative source.

C. SUBCONTRACTORS

If the Vendor utilizes Subcontractors in providing the services under the Agreement, the Vendor shall be fully responsible to the CITY for all acts and omissions of the Subcontractors just as the Vendor is responsible for the Vendor’s own acts and omissions. The Vendor shall:

1. Require that all deliverables to be provided by the Subcontractor be provided in strict accordance with the provisions, specifications and terms of the Agreement;

2. Prohibit the Subcontractor from further subcontracting any portion of the Agreement without the prior written consent of the CITY and the Vendor. The CITY may require, as a condition to such further subcontracting, that the Subcontractor post a payment bond in form, substance and amount acceptable to the CITY;

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3. Require Subcontractors to submit all invoices and applications for payments, including any claims for additional payments, damages or otherwise, to the Vendor in sufficient time to enable the Vendor to include same with its invoice or application for payment to the CITY in accordance with the terms of the Agreement;

4. Require that all Subcontractors obtain and maintain, throughout the term of their contract, insurance in the type and amounts specified for the Vendor, with the CITY being a named insured as its interest shall appear;

5. Require that the Subcontractor indemnify and hold the CITY harmless to the same extent as the Contractor is required to indemnify the CITY; and

6. Shall pay each Subcontractor its appropriate share of payments made to the Vendor not later than ten (10) calendar days after receipt of payment from the CITY.

D. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All services and products resulting from performance of a contract with the selected Consultant shall become sole property of the City of Cibolo. At contract execution, the Consultant will sign an agreement for assignment of all copyright and intellectual property to the City of Cibolo.

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BACKGROUND AND CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES

A. ABOUT CIBOLO, TEXAS

Cibolo is located in the extreme western corner of Guadalupe County in south central Texas.

Situated along Farm Market Road 78 and north to south along FM 1103, and paralleled by two major interstate highways, IH 10 to the south and IH 35 to the north. The City of Cibolo is within easy access of Seguin and San Antonio. Cibolo is part of an area known as the Metrocom, the Northeast corner of Bexar County and the Southwest corner of Guadalupe County. The sister cities of the Metrocom include Universal City, Schertz, Selma, Live Oak, Garden Ridge, Converse and Kirby. In this area you will also find Randolph Air Force Base a major pilot training facility for the United States Air Force. Cibolo voted to become an independent township on October 9, 1965. In 2005 the voters adopted a home rule municipal charter with a council-manager type of government.

B. LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

The proposer shall conduct a performance audit of the current Animal Services Division, located at 108 Cibolo Dr, Building #300, Cibolo, Texas. The purpose of this performance audit is to provide a comprehensive assessment of departmental operations, policy governance, professional standards, training adequacy, risk management, and organizational accountability. In addition, the audit will help determine the extent to which the budget, existing data systems, policies, procedures, and staffing are evident to appropriately improve performance and promote transparency.

C. CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES

After a recent high-profile incident involving a dog bite case, in which the dog was taken into custody by an Animal Control Officer and Police Officer where the animal later died, the City Council has asked for comprehensive audit of the Animal Services Division, including an in-depth assessment of the dog bite case in question. City Council wants to ensure that Animal Services is operating with the proper policies, training, oversight, tools, and adherence to state law and regulations.

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SCOPE OF WORK

The proposer shall conduct a performance audit of the current Animal Services Division, located at 108 Cibolo Dr, Building #300, Cibolo, Texas. The purpose of this performance audit is to provide a comprehensive assessment of departmental operations, policy governance, professional standards, training adequacy, risk management, and organizational accountability. In addition, the audit will help determine the extent to which the budget, existing data systems, policies, procedures, and staffing are evident to appropriately improve performance and promote transparency.

This project will be completed in two phases. Prior to Phase One of the Project, the proposer will meet with City Staff to discuss the scope of work and approach to the project.

Phase One will consist of a comprehensive review of Animal Services operations related to operational effectiveness, with a focus on compliance with state and local laws, Department of State Health Services regulations and guidelines, training of personnel, and shelter operations.

Also included in Phase One will be a review of cases related to aggressive animals, animal bites, injured animals, citizen complaints, and referrals for prosecution. For Phase One, the contractor will be expected to conduct two or more on-site visits at the shelter to observe and compile observations and evaluations of shelter, intake and field services operations, and meetings with City personnel. This phase of the project will be completed within 60 days of contract signing.

Phase Two of the project will pertain to operational efficiency. For this phase of the project, the contractor will be expected to conduct two or more on-site visits at the shelter to observe and compile observations and evaluations of shelter, intake and field services operations, and meetings with City personnel.

DATA COLLECTION AND OBSERVATION

1. Data Review - Obtain and conduct a review of data, policies and procedures regarding the animal shelter operations prior to visiting the shelter. This information will be used by the contractor to determine if Cibolo Animal Services is performed effectively, including:

a. Adherence to State Law, Department of State Health Services regulations and guidelines

b. City of Cibolo Animal Control Ordinance

c. Policy & Procedures / best practices for the shelter and field operations.

d. Raw data from the PetPoint or successor/other database system used by the City

(software program used by Cibolo for collection of all animal data) or other databases for sheltering and medical services, noting the methods by which animals are:

i. Received and impounded

ii. Housed at the shelter

iii. Redeemed from the shelter

iv. Treated, including spaying/neutering and medical procedures

v. Euthanized and/or disposed of

vi. Raw data from PetPoint or successor/other database system used by the

City for shelter staffing ratios for daily cleaning, feeding, and intake procedures

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e. Raw data from PetPoint or successor/other database system used by the City for field services calls from calendar years 2024- July 2026, noting but not limited to the following:

i. To what extent evidence of enforcement of City ordinances exist.

ii. Number of investigations that result in impoundment, citation, and/or prosecution of reported animal bites and attacks.

iii. Thoroughness, outcome, and compliance with state law, city ordinance, and policies

f. Case file reviews:

i. Minimum requirements

a) All aggressive animal complaints

b) Bite quarantine reports

ii. Review for investigative details, thoroughness, and outcome, relative to:

a) Enforcement of State law and City ordinances, issuing citations or referring cases to County Attorney for prosecution

b) Dangerous and vicious animal complaints, including designation determination as defined by appropriate ordinance, interviewing witnesses, obtaining witness statements, and other evidence, as well as permit violation citations and vicious animal impoundments as required by City ordinance.

c) Determine if animal bite quarantines were handled within 24 hours of being received.

g. Raw data from PetPoint or successor/other database system used by the City for 50 random impounded animals, identifying the method of impoundment. For each animal, review:

i. Care received at the shelter, including medical treatment, if needed

ii. Final disposition

h. For all animals at the shelter during calendar years 2024 – July 2026, identify:

i. Average length of stay

ii. Range of length from shortest to longest

iii. Outcomes/disposition categories with relative percent of total.

2. Site Visits - Conduct four or more site visits at the shelter to interview and observe staff including:

a. Individual and/or group meetings with a minimum of four key personnel who may include the following:

i. Police Lieutenant

ii. Animal Services Manager

iii. Animal Control Officers

iv. Volunteer staff

b. Observe primary duties of the following staff. For each observation, note any issues that occur during a process, and any treatment not received and reason with the relative percent of total observations.

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i. A minimum of two Animal Services staff, with a minimum of four observations (8 observations total) for each item below:

a) Intake of animals

b) Treatment of animals, on intake

c) Cleaning of animals

d) Feeding of animals

e) Animal movement within the shelter

f) Medical treatment of sick or injured animals

ii. A minimum of two Animal Services staff (riding along for a minimum of two business days, exploring the following areas:

a) Flow of calls coming to the officer

b) Call response

c) Call completion

d) Animal impoundment

PHASE ONE:

3. Prepare and submit the Phase One Report within 60 days of the commencement of the contract:

a. A brief written report (20-30 pages) including:

i. A 1-3 page executive summary of findings and recommendations.

ii. Detailed sections covering observations and best practices recommendations for each of the following areas and with the objective of improving performance, promoting transparency, providing accountability and handling procedural issues:

a. Comprehensive Policy and SOP Review - Conduct a comprehensive review of all Standard Operating Procedures, written directives, and operational policies to determine whether they are:

• Complete and internally consistent

• Current and reflective of actual field operations

• Compliant with applicable Texas statutes and regulations

• Consistent with Texas Department of State Health Services

Animal Control Officer training requirements

• Consistent with nationally recognized animal care and control best practices

b. Training Program Assessment - Determine whether current training adequately prepares staff for field operations and high-risk incidents.

• Initial employee training

• Field training programs

• Continuing education requirements

• Periodic employee evaluations

• Documentation of training

• Compliance with Chapter 829 of the Texas Health and Safety

Code

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• Compliance with DSHS Animal Control Officer training requirements

c. Animal Restraint and De-escalation Practices - Evaluate departmental policies, training, equipment, and field practices regarding humane animal restraint techniques, including but not limited to:

• Catchpoles

• Nets

• Traps

• Chemical restraint (when applicable)

• Officer safety practices

• Humane handling techniques

• Decision-making and de-escalation practices

d. Incident Investigation and Quality Assurance - Determine whether investigations are objective, evidence-based, consistently documented, and include corrective action when appropriate.

• Animal injuries

• Animal deaths

• Citizen complaints

• Officer conduct

• Significant operational incidents

e. Shelter Operations – Provide an evaluation of current shelter operations.

• Facility Needs

• Record Keeping and Accountability

• Injured Animal Protocol

• Adoptions

• Euthanasia

• Equipment

• Communications

PHASE TWO:

4. Review information collected in Phase One related to operational efficiency. Prepare and submit the Phase Two Report within 120 days of the commencement of the contract, to include:

a. Information included in the Phase One report as it pertains to overall operational efficiency.

b. Risk Management and Liability - Assess departmental practices related to:

i. Operational risk

ii. Evidence preservation

iii. Documentation standards

iv. Claims management

v. Legal exposure

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vi. Compliance with accepted governmental risk management practices

c. Body-Worn Camera and Evidence Management - Evaluate policies governing:

i. Body camera activation

ii. Evidence retention

iii. Chain of custody

iv. Documentation requirements

v. Completeness of incident records

d. Benchmarking Against Professional Standards - In addition to comparing the department with peer municipalities, benchmark departmental operations against recognized professional guidance, including, as applicable:

i. Texas Health and Safety Code

ii. Texas Department of State Health Services guidance and training

iii. National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) best practices

iv. Association of Shelter Veterinarians guidelines

v. Other nationally recognized animal care and control organizations

e. Data systems – Assess whether or not the current PetPoint or successor/other database system used by the City provides the information storage and accessibility needed for efficient shelter operations.

f. Staffing – Provide recommendations on if current staffing levels and organizational structure is meeting the needs of the community. In addition, provide recommendations for the future animal shelter staffing.

g. City Ordinance – Provide recommendations for the City’s current Animal Control ordinance to enhance compliance and enforcement.

h. Community Relations – Provide evaluation of volunteer services, rescuing, fostering, TNR, education programs, outreach efforts, etc

5. Present comprehensive report to City Council within 150 days of contract commencement.

Prepare a short presentation to be provided at a City Council meeting on the findings of the comprehensive audit.

Confidentiality, Records, and Public Information

The selected Consultant may, in the course of performing services for the City, have access to records, data, communications, personnel information, financial information, security-related information, attorney-client communications, privileged materials, personally identifiable information, and other information that may be confidential, sensitive, privileged, or otherwise protected from disclosure by applicable law (“Confidential Information”).

The Consultant shall maintain the confidentiality and security of Confidential Information obtained or accessed in connection with this engagement and shall use such information solely for the purpose of performing the services required under the resulting agreement. The Consultant shall not disclose, distribute, reproduce, transmit, or otherwise make Confidential Information available to any person or entity except: (1) to Consultant personnel or approved subcontractors who have a legitimate need to know the information for purposes of performing the services and who are subject to confidentiality obligations at least as restrictive as those

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The Consultant shall implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the nature and sensitivity of the information received from or accessed on behalf of the City. The Consultant shall promptly notify the City of any actual or suspected unauthorized access, use, disclosure, loss, or compromise of City information and shall reasonably cooperate with the City in investigating and responding to such incident.

The Consultant acknowledges that the City is a governmental body subject to the Texas Public Information Act, Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, and that records relating to this solicitation, the resulting contract, and the Consultant's performance of services may constitute public…