1-RFP V1 Instructions to Proposers ACT.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Issued May 21, 2026

ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT (EAM) SYSTEM

Project No. 26-2-16100

1 TRANSIT WAY

PONTOON BEACH, IL 62040

Telephone (618) 797-4600

Agency for Community Transit RFP Volume 1 of 6

Instructions to Proposers Page 1 of 6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOLUME 1 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

1. INVITATION

2. PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

3. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING

4. OWNER PROCUREMENT REPRESENTATIVE

5. AMENDMENTS TO THIS SOLICITATION

6. TYPE AND TERM OF CONTRACT

7. DURATION OF PROPOSAL VALIDITY

8. FUNDING SOURCE

9. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

10. RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE PROPOSER

11. OWNER TREATMENT OF PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

12. EVALUATION COMMITTEE

13. LAW GOVERNING

14. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST

15. CONSIDERATION OF OFFERS

16. REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

17. EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT

18. OWNER TAX STATUS

19. PROTEST PROCEDURES

VOLUME 2 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

VOLUME 3 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL FORMS

VOLUME 4 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES

VOLUME 5 SAMPLE CONTRACT

VOLUME 6 SCOPE OF WORK

Prospective proposers are advised that the only valid source to receive this Request for Proposal and addenda is at mct-act.bonfirehub.com. Other sources have not been authorized for distribution. Proposers are responsible for acknowledging all issued addenda with their proposal.

https://mct-act.bonfirehub.com/

Instructions to Proposers Page 2 of 6

INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

1. Invitation Agency for Community Transit (hereinafter “Owner” or “ACT”) is seeking proposals to procure an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system. A comprehensive SaaS cloud-based software solution is needed to replace an existing Transman (TMT) system and support the management of fleet vehicles, facilities, equipment, inventory, work orders, preventive maintenance, and lifecycle cost analysis. The selected system should streamline maintenance operations, improve data accuracy, enhance reporting and compliance, and support a long-term asset management strategy.

2. Procurement Schedule Proposers are advised that the Owner will make a good faith effort to adhere to the following schedule for this procurement.

Date Milestone

May 21, 2026 RFP issued

June 10, 2026 Pre-proposal meeting, Open Q&A forum 11:00 AM CDT

June 17, 2026 Anticipated issuance of addendum with minutes of pre-proposal meeting

June 24, 2026 Deadline for questions, 5:00 PM Central time

June 29, 2026 Anticipated issuance of addendum with answers to questions (if any)

July 16, 2026 Proposal due date at 11:00 AM CDT

August 17, 2026 Anticipated week of proposer presentations (if needed)

September 11, 2026 Anticipated notice of intent to award a contract

September 18, 2026 Anticipated contract award

The Owner shall be under no obligation to comply with the procurement schedule shown above, provided that all prospective proposers or other interested parties known to Owner shall be notified equally of changes made to this schedule within a reasonable time after such changes are made. In no event shall any proposer have any redress to Owner, be it financial or otherwise, in the event that the Owner alters this schedule in any way.

3. Pre-Proposal Meeting A pre-proposal meeting will be held on June 10, 2026, via Microsoft Teams at 11 AM Central Time.

Prospective proposers are urged to make every effort to take part in this non-mandatory meeting.

Microsoft Teams meeting:

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/294076909355495?p=Nhi5BD512mnbJGb5WU Meeting ID: 294 076 909 355 495 Passcode: md7ry7Fk

Dial in by phone +1 618-437-6446,,195463357# Phone conference ID: 195 463 357#

Prospective proposers are reminded that any changes to the RFP will be by addenda only. Nothing stated at the pre-proposal meeting will change or qualify in any way any of the provisions in the RFP and shall not be binding on the Owner unless provided in an addendum.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/294076909355495?p=Nhi5BD512mnbJGb5WU tel:+16184376446,,195463357

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Questions after the pre-proposal meeting should be submitted through Bonfire by the stated deadline. Any conflicts within the RFP found after this deadline should be submitted as soon as possible, and the Owner will respond to them as the Owner deems appropriate.

It is the responsibility of the prospective proposer to identify and address any additional requirements or information needed to submit an offer. No special consideration shall be given to any proposer, because of the proposer's failure to be knowledgeable of all the requirements after the deadline. Responses to any questions shall be similarly furnished to all prospective proposers in the summary form of an addendum if the lack of such information could reasonably be considered prejudicial towards uninformed proposers.

4. Owner Procurement Representative The Owner’s designated procurement representative for this RFP is:

Name: Joseph Mangi Title: Procurement Project Manager

5. Amendments to this Solicitation Any or all changes, additions, or clarifications in connection with this solicitation shall be issued by the Owner in the form of a written addenda posted in the project file at mct-act.bonfirehub.com. Proposer must acknowledge all addenda issued as part of their submittal. Oral comments, responses and/or representations shall not be binding upon the Owner.

If the Owner determines that the addenda may require significant changes in the preparation of proposals, the deadline for submitting proposals may be postponed by the number of days that the Owner determines will allow proposers sufficient time to revise their proposals. Any new due date will be included in the addenda.

6. Type and Term of Contract Hybrid engagement: Fixed-price / time and material contract. Five (5) year base subscription term, with renewal options extending to 10 years.

7. Duration of Proposal Validity Proposals submitted shall remain firm for a period of 120 calendar days from the final due date for offers.

8. Funding Source Any contract resulting from this RFP will be partially funded by Madison County Transit’s operating assistance grant(s) with the State of Illinois Department of Transportation

9. Modification or Withdrawal of Proposal A modification of a proposal already received will be accepted by the Owner only if the modification is received prior to the deadline for proposals, is specifically requested by the Owner, or is made with a requested BAFO. All modifications shall be made in writing and executed and submitted in the same form and manner as the original proposal.

The Bonfire portal permits an electronic submission to be withdrawn prior to the final proposal due date.

After the proposal due date, a proposal may be withdrawn only if the Owner fails to award the Contract within the proposal validity period prescribed in “Duration of Proposal Validity,” or any agreed-upon extension thereof. The withdrawal of a proposal does not prejudice the right of a proposer to submit another proposal within the time set for receipt of proposals.

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10. Responsive and Responsible Proposer All proposals received in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation shall be screened initially in order to confirm the responsiveness of the written proposal, including minimum qualifications, if any.

A responsive proposal complies with all material aspects of the solicitation, both as to the method and timeliness of submission, and as to the substance of any resulting contract. The Owner shall ensure that all offers received prior to the deadline stated in the solicitation contain all required forms, signatures, attachments, and other information as specified herein. Offers that do not comply with all material aspects of the solicitation will be rejected as non-responsive.

A responsible proposer is an individual, firm or team that exhibits adequate organization, financial condition, personnel qualifications, facilities, record of past performance, and other characteristics necessary to carry out work related to this solicitation with a high degree of quality and timeliness.

11. Owner Treatment of Proprietary/Confidential Information Access to Madison County Transit government records is governed by the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1). Except as otherwise required to be disclosed by applicable law, the Owner will exempt from disclosure proprietary information identified in the proposal.

The Owner shall employ sound business practices no less diligent than those used for the Owner’s own confidential information to protect the confidence of all licensed technology, software, documentation, drawings, schematics, manuals, data and other information and material provided by Proposers and the Contractor pursuant to the Contract that contain confidential commercial or financial information, trade secrets or proprietary information as defined in or pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act against disclosure of such information and material to third parties, except as permitted by the Contract. The proposer shall be responsible for ensuring that confidential commercial or financial information, trade secrets or proprietary information — with such determinations to be made by the Owner in its sole discretion — bears appropriate notices relating to its confidential character.

12. Evaluation Committee An Evaluation Committee, which may include employees and/or agents of Owner, will be established. The Evaluation Committee will carry out the detailed evaluations, including establishing the Competitive Range, carrying out negotiations and making the selection of the proposer, if any, that may be recommended for contract award.

13. Law Governing Proposers shall recognize that all applicable Federal and State laws, municipal ordinances, and rules and regulations of all authorities having jurisdiction over the services to be provided shall apply to the contract throughout, and they will be deemed to be included in the contract the same as though herein written out in full. All matters of law pertaining to this solicitation and any contract resulting therefrom shall be governed by, and construed according to the laws of the State of Illinois, excluding, however, choice of laws principles.

It is the responsibility of the proposer to review this RFP and contract obligations with the proposer’s legal counsel.

14. Organizational Conflict of Interest Unless specifically exempted from the conditions of this provision by the Owner, any Owner contractor, subcontractor, subsidiary, or other entity which is legally related and which develops or drafts specifications, requirements, statements of work, or solicitations, is excluded from competing for the directly ensuing procurement.

15. Consideration of Offers The Owner shall not be obligated to award a contract solely on the basis of any response made to this solicitation, nor does the Owner intend to, nor will it be obligated to pay for the information solicited or obtained.

the Owner maintains the right, but shall be under no obligation, to award a contract to the responsive and

Instructions to Proposers Page 5 of 6 responsible proposer whose offer is deemed by the Owner to be most advantageous. The Owner reserves the right:

a) To reject any offer and to remove from mailing lists for future procurements the names of any firm or team engaging in collusive or other unlawful practices.

b) To award contract(s) without discussion based upon the initial offers.

c) To waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received if it believes there is a sound documented business reason for doing so, and to negotiate matters of contractor performance and other matters prior to awarding a contract.

d) To reject any offer if, in the Owner’s sole discretion, the offer is incomplete, the offer is not responsive to the requirements of this solicitation, the proposer does not meet the qualification requirements set forth herein, if any, or it is otherwise determined to be in the best interest of the Owner to reject the offer.

e) To supplement, amend, substitute, or otherwise modify the terms of this solicitation at any time prior to the execution of a final contract.

f) To accept or reject any or all of the items in any offer and award a contract for the whole or only a part of any offer if the Owner determines, in its sole discretion, that it is in the Owner’s best interest to do so.

g) To reject the offer of any proposal that, in the Owner’s sole judgment, has been delinquent or unfaithful in the performance of any contract with the Owner, is financially or technically incapable or is otherwise deemed to not be a responsible proposer.

h) To waive any informality, defect, non-responsiveness and/or deviation from this solicitation that is not, in the Owner’s sole judgment, material to the offer.

i) To permit or reject, at the Owner’s sole discretion, amendments (including information inadvertently omitted), modifications, alterations, and/or corrections to offers by one or more of the proposers following proposal submission.

j) To request additional or clarifying information.

k) To investigate the qualifications of any and all individuals and firms under consideration, to confirm any part of the information furnished in an offer, and to require further evidence of managerial, financial, or professional capabilities which are considered necessary for the successful performance of work described in this solicitation.

l) To cancel the procurement at any time during the process if it appears that the offers received are not suitable for any reason whatsoever.

m) To evaluate offers based on unit prices which will govern over extended prices.

n) To award this contract to a single or multiple service providers deemed to best meet the Owner’s specifications and needs.

16. Representations and Certifications By responding to this solicitation with a proposal, the proposer certifies the following:

a) It has no direct or indirect pecuniary or proprietary interest, and that it shall not acquire any interest which conflicts in any manner or degree with the work required to be performed and/or provided under this contract, and that it shall not employ any person or agent having any such interest. In the event that the successful proposer, its agents, employees or representatives hereafter acquire such a conflict of interest, the successful proposer shall immediately disclose such interest to the Owner and immediately take action to eliminate the conflict or to withdraw from this contract, as the Owner may require.

b) No person or selling agency except bona fide employees or designated agents or representatives of proposer has been employed or retained to solicit or secure this contract with an understanding that a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee would be paid; and no gratuities in the form of entertainment, gifts or otherwise were offered or given by proposer or any of its agents, employees or representatives, to any official, member or employee of the Owner or other governmental agency with a view toward securing this contract or securing favorable treatment with respect to the awarding or amending, or the making of any determination with respect to the performance required under, a contract with the Owner.

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c) The number and amount of other contracts and awards pending which the proposer is or will be obligated to perform, now and during the course of this project, will not interfere with or hinder the timely prosecution of work.

d) The proposal price has been arrived at independently, without consultation, communications, or agreement for the purpose of restricting competition.

e) It has not offered any money or other valuable thing to any person to induce them not to propose on this project, or as recompense for his not having proposed on this project.

f) The proposer is properly organized and qualified to do business in the State of Illinois and has any and all approvals, registration, and licenses to do business in the State and with the Owner and that the person executing the proposal on behalf of the proposer is the duly authorized representative of the proposer and has the requisite authority to do so.

g) It will accomplish the work in accordance with the contract.

17. Execution of a Contract The acceptance of a proposal for a pending award, if made, shall be evidenced in writing by a Notice of Intent to Award delivered to the successful proposer. Within two weeks after the Notice of intent to Award is issued, the successful proposer shall deliver to the Owner two (2) signed contracts and proof of insurance.

After receipt of acceptable documentation from the successful proposer and expiration of the protest period, a notice of award, fully executed contract, and Notice to Proceed can be issued by the Owner.

18. Owner Tax Status The Owner is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and is therefore exempt from the payment of Retailers’ Occupation Tax, Service Occupation Tax (both state and local), Use Tax, and Service Use Tax. The Owner’s Illinois tax exemption identification number is E99922355 (expires 02/01/2029).

19. Protest Procedures Any protest initiated by a protesting party concerning procurement actions will be administered in accordance with the agency’s Protest Procedures, which are available at www.mct.org/procurement.

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