10-Air Service Development Consulting and Related Market Research RFP-2026-002.pdf

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (“MKE”)

Request for Proposal Number RFP-2026-002

Air Service Development Consulting and Related Market Research

Issued: March 18, 2026

Response Due Date: April 17, 2026, 4:00 PM Central Time

37Thttps://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Admin-Services/Bids-and-RFPs37T https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Admin-Services/Bids-and-RFPs

RFP-2026-002

Air Service Development Consulting and Related Market Research

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CONTENTS

# Section Page

1 RFP Summary Sheet 3

2 Introduction 4

3 Scope of Work 8

4 Evaluation Criteria 9

5 Technical Proposal Content 10

6 Price Proposal Content 12

7 RFP Process 13

8 Attachments 32

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1 RFP SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposal Title: Air Service Development Consulting and Related Market Research

Request for Proposal Number: RFP-2026-002

RFP Issuing Office:

Procurement Division on behalf of

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (“MKE”)

RFP Issue Date: March 18, 2026

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: April 10, 2026, 4:00 PM Central Time

RFP Proposal Receipt Deadline: April 17, 2026, 4:00 PM Central Time

Service Starting Date (Projected): January 1, 2027

Euna Portal: https://countymilwaukee.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/224509

Euna Technical Support:

https://bonfirehub.zendesk.com/hc or support@gobonfire.com

RFP Administrator:

Sara Torres

Sara.Torres@MilwaukeeCountyWI.gov https://countymilwaukee.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/224509 https://bonfirehub.zendesk.com/hc mailto:support@gobonfire.com

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2 INTRODUCTION

Milwaukee County (“County”) invites responses to this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) from qualified, experienced firms to provide air service development consulting and related market research for Milwaukee Mitchell International

Airport. Milwaukee County intends to award a three (3) year contract with up to three (3) one-year optional renewal terms to the winning Respondent under this solicitation.

Respondents should use this written document, its attachments, and any addenda as the sole basis for their Proposal response. Respondents must meet the qualifications described in Section 2.1 Minimum Qualifications and must be fully capable of providing the services described in Section 3: Scope of Work. The County will evaluate Proposals based on the criteria stated in Section 4: Evaluation Criteria.

2.1 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this opportunity, Respondents must:

a. Demonstrate at least 5 years of continuous experience providing Air Service Development consulting, preferably at medium to large hub airport clients. The Account Executive assigned to the account must also have at least 5 years of related experience.

b. Agree, if awarded, to enter a Contract with the County and comply with all terms and conditions required by state or local law, regulation, or ordinance; and agree that any subcontractors used to provide services will be contracted directly with the Respondent and that Respondent will be wholly responsible for the subcontracted vendor in performance of responsibilities under any awarded

Contract.

The County considers any of the following to constitute non-Responsibility or non-Responsiveness:

a. Submission of incomplete or Alternative Proposals.

b. Submission of any Proposal that requires the County to contract directly with a third party other than the

Respondent.

c. Disqualification or disbarment from participating in competitive solicitation by any other state, local, or federal government entity.

d. Failure to demonstrate the required experience.

e. Failure to provide any requested evidence of financial solvency.

2.2 PROCESS

Section 7: RFP Process contains a detailed overview of the RFP process and important guidelines that all

Respondents should review.

Activities related to this RFP will be managed via a portal on the Euna platform (“Bonfire”) at the link provided on the

RFP Summary Sheet. The County will post all documents and communications about the RFP on Bonfire. As further

5 | P a g e described in Section 7, Respondents should use Bonfire to monitor communication about the RFP and to submit any clarifying questions to the County. Respondents are required to submit all Proposal materials via Bonfire.

2.3 PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS

Respondent’s overall Proposal will consist of a Technical Proposal that addresses the questions in Section 5:

Technical Proposal Content and a Price Proposal that addresses the questions in Section 6: Price Proposal Content.

In addition to above, the following forms are required to be submitted as part of the Proposal response and are available on the Bonfire Portal:

• Preliminary Evaluation Questionnaire (Bonfire Template Q-67IZ)

• Proprietary Information Disclosure Form o Redacted Proposal is required if proprietary information is identified on the Proprietary Information

Disclosure Form

• EEOC Compliance Form

• Targeted Business Enterprise Forms

• Sworn Statement of Respondent

• Respondent Information Sheet

• Conflict of Interest Stipulation

• Certification regarding Debarment and Suspension

More detail about required documents can be found in Section 7.7: Submitting a Proposal.

2.4 INTRODUCTION TO MILWAUKEE COUNTY

The County is governed by an elected County Executive and an 18-member elected County Board of Supervisors.

Other County elected officials include a Register of Deeds, Treasurer, Comptroller, County Clerk, Clerk of Courts, District Attorney and Sheriff, who, in conjunction with administration, provide a full range of associated governmental services, including but not limited to: law enforcement, in-patient mental health, transit services, highways, courts, corrections, official record keeping, parks and recreation, international airport operations, jail and juvenile detention, public assistance programs, and a world-famous zoo.

The County is a Midwestern hub for business, travel, industry, recreation, and culture. A strong sense of community makes Milwaukee County a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Advancing Racial Equity in Milwaukee County

The County’s vision is “By achieving racial equity, Milwaukee will be the healthiest County in Wisconsin.” In

May of 2019, the County became the first jurisdiction in the Country to declare racism a public health crisis.

As a governmental body, the County recognizes its power to make change at a systemic level, Milwaukee

County passed an ordinance, Milwaukee County Code of Ordinances (MCCO)- Chapter 108, Achieving Racial https://library.municode.com/wi/milwaukee_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MICOCOGEORVOII_CH108ACRAEQHE

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& Health Equity, that commits itself to identify and address policies, practices, and power structures, whether intentionally or unintentionally, that work in favor of white people and create barriers for Black, Brown, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC). MCCO-Chapter 18 ensures racial equity is a top priority of

Milwaukee County government and remains larger than any one government leader.

Core Principles:

o Institutionalizing racial equity within the County's mission, vision, values, and services is a top priority.

o Racism has been, is, and will continue to be, a public health crisis until race is no longer a predictor of quality or length of life in Milwaukee County.

o Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives.

o Milwaukee County is committed to its county-wide goal to improving equitable service delivery and fostering an organizational culture of equity.

Milwaukee County seeks to achieve its vision by dismantling institutional racism in the organization and building up policies, practices, and a culture that ensures race no longer predicts health outcomes, and outcomes for everyone improve. The strategic focus areas include creating intentional inclusion, bridging the gap, and investing in equity.

In support of the County’s vision, it is requested that Contractors and vendor partners agree to collaborate with the County in working to achieve racial equity for our constituents and commit to improving racial equity within Milwaukee County.

For more information about Milwaukee County and its initiatives, mission, vision, and goals, please visit www.county.milwaukee.gov.

Introduction to the Procurement Division

The Procurement Division of the Department of Administrative Services is responsible for purchasing or contracting for supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services needed by County departments, agencies, and institutions. Procurement is authorized to develop standards, prepare specifications, sign and issue contracts and purchase orders, issue requests for proposals, and assist in the sale of surplus or obsolete supplies, materials, or equipment.

Introduction to Office of Economic Inclusion

The Office of Economic Inclusion (OEI), a Division of the Department of Administrative Services, is responsible for monitoring and enforcing Milwaukee County Target Enterprise (MCTE) Ordinance for inclusion of small or disadvantaged businesses. Target firms include DBE firms certified under the

Wisconsin Unified Certification Program following Federal regulations, WBE and MBE certifications from the

State of Wisconsin DOA, SBE firms certified by Milwaukee County, and SBE firms meeting SBA size standards and listed in the SAM directory.

OEI is Milwaukee County’s certifying body for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Airport Concession

Disadvantage Business Enterprises (ACDBE) and Small Business Enterprises (SBE). Milwaukee County has set DBE and ACDBE goals for all U.S. DOT-funded projects.

Introduction to the Airport Division https://library.municode.com/wi/milwaukee_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MICOCOGEORVOII_CH108ACRAEQHE http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/

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Milwaukee County owns and operates through its Department of Transportation two airports, Milwaukee

Mitchell International Airport and Timmerman Airport. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (“MKE”) is a medium-hub, primary commercial service airport and the largest airport in Wisconsin covering 2,180 acres with five runways.

This section of the page intentionally left blank.

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3 SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 BACKGROUND

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (“MKE” or “Airport”) is the largest airport in Wisconsin, processing six million passengers in 2025. MKE primarily serves southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois but also draws passengers from other parts of Wisconsin and from the Chicago area. There are eight airlines serving MKE. There also are several air charter carriers offering seasonal passenger service from MKE. More information about MKE is available at www.mitchellairport.com.

3.2 GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK

The winning Respondent to this solicitation (“Consultant”) will support MKE in its mission to provide a robust level of reasonably priced air service for travelers in the region. The Airport’s intent in contracting for this work is to provide a high level of air service through the addition of seats, flights or new routes by new or current carriers.

The Consultant should have the capability to perform the following tasks as needed and agreed to by MKE:

• Evaluation of both domestic and international air service at MKE.

• Formulation of a plan to address both domestic and international air service deficiencies and opportunities.

• Development of detailed proposals and presentation materials, including graphics, for meetings with targeted air carriers.

• Schedule meetings with highest-level domestic and international airline schedule planners for presentation of MKE’s proposed air service additions.

• Ongoing analysis of how other U.S. airports have structured air service incentive programs to attract both domestic and international air service.

• Wisconsin and northern Illinois market analysis, to include demographic, ethnic, economic, business & leisure travel research.

• Identify business relationships and other connections between MKE and targeted underserved markets.

• Produce MKE airline load factor reports, passenger leakage, and other standard reports.

• Analysis of domestic and international aviation regulations potentially impacting MKE.

• Ongoing reporting on relevant industry information.

• Economic impact analysis of specific routes and/or markets.

These services will be performed as requested by Milwaukee County at various times throughout the duration of the contract. Consultant may wish to propose elements in addition to those presented above that Consultant deems necessary to provide a comprehensive program.

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4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

All Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria. The weights specify the percentage value for each criterion. Items with a P/F indicate that the criterion will be scored on a pass-fail basis.

Evaluation Area Criteria (Section Reference) Weight

Preliminary Evaluation

All Proposal Materials Provided (7.7.4; 7.9.1)

P/F

Minimum Qualifications Met (2.1)

P/F

Technical Proposal Evaluation

Profile (5.1)

25%

Experience (5.2)

25%

Example Proposal (5.3)

15%

Proposed Approach (5.4)

20%

Price Proposal Evaluation

Price Proposal (6)

15%

TOTAL SCORE ___/100

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5 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL CONTENT

The following sections and questions represent the basis for content to be provided in the Technical Proposal.

Respondents must follow the guidelines provided in Section 7.7.3: Technical Proposal Format. All responses should reflect your programs, organization, and administrative systems as they currently exist. Technical Proposals should convey an understanding of the Scope of Work.

5.1 PROFILE

1. Provide a profile of the Respondent. Include legal name, years in business, size, professional registrations/certifications, and areas of specialization.

2. Summarize the unique strengths and benefits Respondent’s firm will bring to this contract.

3. Provide an organizational structure of the Respondent’s project team, including any subcontractors. Identify the Account Executive who will be the main point of contract for the Airport. Provide a one-page resume or summary of qualifications for key team member(s).

4. Has Respondent failed to complete any work awarded in an RFP process within the past ten (10) years? If yes, explain when and the circumstances.

5. Has Respondent ever had a contract for the general type of services/product sought by the

County terminated for non-compliance or inadequate performance? If yes, provide details in the comments section.

6. In the last five years, has Respondent or its owners, partners or officers been involved in any criminal proceeding, excluding traffic violations and other minor infractions? If yes, enclose details. If the action is current or pending, say so.

7. Has there been, in the last five (5) years, or is there now pending any litigation, arbitration, governmental proceeding or regulatory proceeding involving claims in excess of $100,000 with respect to the performance of any services or the provision of any product by Respondent’s business/company/organization? If yes, provide details in the comments section.

5.2 EXPERIENCE

1. Describe Respondent’s level of previous experience with successful air service development consulting programs and related market research. Highlight experience with medium to large hub airport clients and experience developing international air service for U.S. airports.

2. Provide a description of three previous programs for which Respondent has provided similar services and that demonstrate Respondent’s qualifications to fulfill the Scope of Work. For each contract, include

11 | P a g e dates, client, services provided, and client contact info (name, title, phone number and email).

5.3 EXAMPLE PROPOSAL

1. Provide an example proposal prepared for a meeting with airline schedule planning executives on behalf of an airport client.

5.4 PROPOSED APPROACH

1. Describe Respondent’s approach to successfully delivering the services identified in the Scope of Work.

Include recommended approaches specific to MKE air service development, rationales for such approaches, and anticipated challenges.

2. Please describe how Respondent will collaborate with Milwaukee County to advance racial equity in alignment with MCCO Chapter 108. Specifically, explain how your proposed approach, staffing, decision-making processes, and service delivery methods will help ensure that race does not predict access to or outcomes of the services provided through this contract. Include any existing practices, internal initiatives, or commitments your organization employs to identify and address inequities impacting Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color.

https://library.municode.com/wi/milwaukee_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MICOCOGEORVOII_CH108ACRAEQHE

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6 PRICE PROPOSAL CONTENT

The following questions represent the basis for content to be provided in the Price Proposal. Respondents should follow the guidelines provided in Section 7.7.3: Price Proposal Format. Price Proposals must consider the Scope of

Work required and provide pricing appropriate to that scope.

6.1 PRICE PROPOSAL

The County will pay Consultant on an hourly basis and will separately reimburse Consultant for approved expenses for travel, meetings, and materials with no markup. The hourly rate must be comprehensive of all other costs and expenses.

Use below format to provide hourly rates for Consulting and Research for each base and option year of the

Agreement:

Base Year

Base Year

Base Year

Option Year

Option Year

Option Year

Consulting

Hourly Rate Research

Hourly Rate

6.2 PRICE PROPOSAL NARRATIVE (OPTIONAL)

If applicable, provide a brief narrative in support of the Price Proposal. In this section, Respondent must list and describe any special assumptions, conditions, or constraints (including involvement of County staff) relative to, or which impact, the pricing presented. Assumptions, conditions and constraints are subject to County approval. All costs must be identified and included in the Price Proposal.

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7 RFP PROCESS

7.1 DEFINITIONS

Term Definition

Agreement/Contract

Agreement/Contract are used interchangeably throughout the RFP. Both refer to the subsequent service Agreement that will result from this RFP between County and awarded Contractor.

Alternative Proposal

A Proposal which does not meet the requirements of the scope of work, but which offers alternatives for consideration, or which contains substantive variations to the basic provisions, specifications, term, or conditions of the solicitation.

Euna / Euna Portal

Euna / Euna Portal are used interchangeably throughout the RFP. Both refer to

Milwaukee County’s Euna Portal located at

37Thttps://countymilwaukee.bonfirehub.com/projects37T.

The Euna Portal is used as the sole method of communication under this RFP and will provide RFP details, addenda, the ability to ask questions, and other RFP

Administration functions.

OEI

OEI means Milwaukee County’s Office of Economic Inclusion, a Division of the

Department of Administrative Services.

Contractor The Contractor is a winning Respondent who has been awarded a Contract under this RFP.

County

County means Milwaukee County, a municipal body corporate located in the State of

Wisconsin, and all the Divisions and Departments thereof. For purposes of this RFP, Milwaukee County is represented by its Procurement Division of the Department of

Administrative Services, acting on behalf of its Department of Human Resources

Errors Errors are defined as mistakes or inaccuracies made in the RFP document and/or other official correspondence from Milwaukee County regarding this solicitation.

MCCO

MCCO means the Milwaukee County Code of Ordinances, accessible at https://library.municode.com/wi/milwaukee_county/codes/code_of_ordinances

Minor Irregularities

Minor Irregularities are irregularities that have no adverse effect on the outcome of the selection process, and which do not give any Respondent an advantage or benefit not afforded to other Respondents.

https://countymilwaukee.bonfirehub.com/projects https://library.municode.com/wi/milwaukee_county/codes/code_of_ordinances

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Omissions Omissions are defined as any failure of Milwaukee County to provide complete information or instructions in the RFP document or other official correspondence.

Proposal The Proposal is Respondent’s materials submitted in response to the RFP, including all requested information listed in all Attachments.

Respondent A Respondent is any offering vendor / supplier who prepares or submits a Proposal.

Responsible Vendor /

Responsible

Any person or firm that has the capacity, in all respects, to fully perform the Contract requirements with integrity and reliability; or a Proposal demonstrating such capacity.

Responsive Vendor /

Responsive

Any person or firm that has submitted a complete Proposal in response to this RFP document and has demonstrated in that Proposal an understanding of the Scope of

Work; or a Proposal meeting such requirements.

Scope of Work

A document or section of this RFP that describes the outcome or result sought by the purchasing entity. The SOW seeks a functional solution based on and measured by performance standards rather than specific specifications.

Solicitation

A solicitation is a method of procurement used by public procurement officials to procure goods and services in a fair, open, and transparent manner. For purposes of this RFP, “solicitation” shall mean this RFP document and all related procurement activities.

Substantially Similar

Service

A substantially similar service is one that can be reasonably compared to the requested service through identifiable measurements such as number of clients served, type and size of facility served, type of product provided, type of service provided, geographical area served, type of client or user served, industry area served, etc.

7.2 COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY

Following public posting of the RFP, all communications between Milwaukee County and any interested Respondent must follow the guidelines of this section.

All contact between any potential Respondent and Milwaukee County must be conducted through the RFP

Administrator identified on the RFP Summary Sheet, except in the case of inquiries about the County’s Targeted

Business Enterprise program which may be directed to The Office of Economic Inclusion as noted in Section 7.6.6.

Respondents are not permitted to contact any employee, elected official, agent, consultant, or representative of

Milwaukee County regarding this RFP without the RFP Administrator’s prior written consent. Communication initiated

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Administrator.

Respondents in current business relationships with Milwaukee County are required to disclose such relationships to the RFP Administrator in writing. Respondents providing service to Milwaukee County are permitted to discuss the existing service and business relationship with their contact(s) at Milwaukee County. Respondents are expressly prohibited from discussing any details of this RFP, their Proposals, or other information related to the Request with their contact(s) at Milwaukee County.

Any unauthorized communication between a Respondent and an employee, official, agent, consultant, or representative of the County may constitute grounds for rejection or elimination of a Proposal from further consideration, at the sole discretion of the County.

Names and identities of individuals on the Evaluation Committee are confidential and will not be disclosed at any time during or after the solicitation process. Direct contact between the Respondent and any member of the

Evaluation Committee regarding this RFP is forbidden and will result in immediate rejection of the Respondent’s

Proposal.

7.3 REQUESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

ADA Accommodations

Upon request, DAS-Procurement will provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in alternative format, for qualified individuals with disabilities. If a Respondent needs accommodations, that Respondent should contact the RFP Administrator.

COVID-19 Accommodations

Milwaukee County acknowledges that limitations on travel and in-person meetings may exist as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon request, the County may provide accommodations such as electronic meetings, digital demonstration platforms, and social distancing to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the acquisition process.

7.4 RESPONDENT’S OBLIGATIONS.

Comprehension

Respondents are responsible for reading and ensuring they understand all information in this Request for

Proposals prior to submitting a Proposal. Respondents are responsible for ensuring they fully comprehend all requirements associated with the Scope of Work, Specifications, and any Contract. The provisions of this

RFP and the winning Respondent’s Proposal will become contractual obligations. A winning Respondent who fails to fully read and understand the requirements in this RFP is still required to provide all services necessary and required to carry out the intent of the resulting Contract, without additional costs to the

County. Failure or refusal of the winning Respondent to accept these obligations in a contractual agreement may result in cancellation of the award.

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Monitoring of the Euna Portal

All amendments are acknowledged by the Respondent’s submission of Attachment 4: Sworn Statement of

Respondent form, and submission of the form constitutes a waiver of appeal or administrative review rights based on ambiguity, error, omission, or other deficiency in the amendment document(s).

Respondents are responsible for monitoring the RFP’s Project Board on the Euna website for any changes or modifications to the RFP does not relieve the Respondent of its obligation to fulfill the requirements as posted.

Questions

If a Respondent has questions about the materials provided in this document, or if a Respondent discovers an error, apparent conflict, or omission in this document, the Respondent is responsible for raising the question or bringing the error, conflict, or omission to the attention of the RFP Administrator. Respondents must follow the procedure in Section 7.6.3: Asking Questions to ask any clarifying questions prior to submission of their Proposals.

Incurred Expenses

Respondents are solely responsible for any cost or expense incurred in preparing and submitting a Proposal, including costs related to attending meetings and evaluations of Proposals prior to execution of the

Contract. Respondents are solely responsible for legal fees for work performed or representation by

Respondent’s legal counsel and/or for any costs pertaining to an appeal or administrative review process during all phases of the RFP process and prior to County Board and County Executive approval of a Contract award.

Firm Commitment, Availability, Proposal Validity

Respondents are responsible for maintaining availability of service as set forth in their Proposals for the anticipated service starting date provided in the RFP Summary Sheet. Respondents are expected to perform planning and implementation activities prior to commencement of any Contract. Milwaukee County will not reimburs for these costs.

Public Records Requirements Milwaukee County is required by law to respond to all Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) and Wisconsin

Public Records Law (“Open Records”) requests.

By submitting a Proposal, Respondent acknowledges that information provided in its Proposal responses and any other information submitted constitutes a “record” for purposes of Wis. Stat. §19.21, et. seq.

For Respondents awarded a contract, the application material submitted is placed in a master file that becomes part of the contract with the County. Successful Proposal materials become public information and are subject to the Open Records Law only after the procurement process is completed. Contract drafts and information become subject to the Open Records Law after a contract is fully executed. Prior to the issuance of Notice of Intent to Award and the full execution of any resulting Contract, Proposal materials and contract

17 | P a g e documents are considered "drafts" and are not subject to the Open Records Law except to appellant(s) to the award, subject to the proprietary information restriction as detailed below.

In complying with FOIA and Open Records requests, the County presumes the right “of complete public access, consistent with the conduct of government business.” Denial of access is considered contrary to the public interest and is only supported in exceptional instances.

Respondents agree, by submitting Proposals in response to this RFP and by entering into any Contract as a result of an award under this RFP, that they shall be obligated to assist the County in retaining and timely producing records that are subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law upon any statutory request having been made, and that any failure to do so shall constitute a material breach of any Contract, whereupon the

Respondent shall then and in such event be obligated to indemnify, defend and hold the County harmless from liability under the Wisconsin Public Records Law occasioned by such breach. Except as otherwise authorized by the County in writing, records that are subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law shall be maintained for a period of three years after receipt of final payment under any Contract.

Any materials submitted by the Respondent in response to this Request for Proposal that the Respondent considers to be:

• confidential and proprietary information; and

• which Respondent believes qualify as trade secret(s) as provided in s. 19.36(5), Wis. Stats; or

• material which can be kept confidential under the Wisconsin public record law, must be identified in Attachment 1: Proprietary Information Disclosure Form.

If the Respondent designates any such information as confidential, it must upload a version of its Proposal with all designated identified information redacted. Confidential information must be labeled as such.

Pricing always becomes public information and therefore cannot be kept confidential.

Any other requests for confidentiality MUST be justified in writing on the form provided and included in the

Proposal submitted. Milwaukee County has the sole right to determine whether designations made by a

Respondent qualify as trade secrets under the Wisconsin public records law.

Permits and Licenses

Respondent and associated employees performing services under this RFP, at the time of Proposal submission and during the term of any awarded Contract, must possess and maintain the required licenses and permits required to provide services.

Any reprimand, disciplinary action or investigation carried out against Contractor or its employees by any agency issuing permits and licenses required to provide the services must be reported to Milwaukee County within 48 hours of notification by the issuing agency.

Federal, State, and Local Regulations

Respondents are required and agree to comply with all applicable Federal, State and Local laws and regulations throughout the course of the solicitation process, and during the term of any awarded agreement, 18 | P a g e including, but not limited to, the regulations listed in this RFP. Following award, the successful Respondent will be required to enter and maintain a Contract with Milwaukee County that complies with all Federal, State, and local, health, accessibility, environmental and safety laws, regulations, standards and ordinances.

7.5 COUNTY’S RIGHTS

All information in this RFP, including information in any addenda, was developed from the best available sources at the time the document was created. Milwaukee County makes no representation, warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy of such information.

The County may clarify or revise any part of this RFP at its discretion. When a clarification or revision is made, the

County will post written amendments to the RFP’s Project Board on the Euna website. It is the responsibility of

Respondents to check the website for any amendments prior to the RFP submission date.

Milwaukee County reserves the right to:

a. Waive minor irregularities in Proposals.

b. Waive any requirements that are not material.

c. Delete or modify any part of the Scope of Work (“SOW”) at any time during the RFP process.

d. Make an award under the RFP in whole or in part and change any scheduled dates.

e. Use ideas presented in reply to this RFP, notwithstanding selection or rejection of Proposals.

f. Make changes to, withdraw, cancel, or re-publish this RFP at any time.

g. Reject any Proposal received, or reject all Proposals received, if deemed appropriate and in the best interests of the County.

h. Negotiate the terms and conditions of any awarded Contract with any selected Respondent, at its option.

i. Proceed with Contract negotiations with other Responsive, Responsible, high-scoring Respondents, should contract negotiations with the winning Respondent be unsuccessful.

Public Records and Information Release

All materials submitted become the property of Milwaukee County and may be subject to public records requests as outlined in Section 7.4.6: Public Records Requirements. Any restriction on the use of data contained within a request must be clearly stated in the Proposal itself. Proprietary information submitted in any Proposal will be handled in accordance with applicable Milwaukee County Ordinances, State of

Wisconsin procurement regulations, and the Wisconsin public records law. Proprietary restrictions are typically not accepted. However, when accepted, it is the Respondent’s responsibility to defend the determination in the event of an appeal or litigation.

Disclosure and Use of Information Before Award

Provisions of MCCO Chapter 32.47 apply to the release of information. Chapter 32.47 governs disclosure and use of information before award. After receipt of Proposals, none of the information contained in them or concerning the number or identity of Respondents shall be made available to the public or to anyone in county government. During the pre-award or pre-acceptance period of a negotiated procurement, only the

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Procurement Director or his or her designee(s), RFP Administrator, or members of the Evaluation Committee shall transmit technical or other information and conduct discussions with Respondents.

Information shall not be furnished to a Respondent if, alone or together with other information, it may afford the Respondent an advantage over others. However, general information that is not prejudicial to others may be furnished upon request, following Section 7.6.3: Asking Questions and Section 7.4.6: Public Records

Requirements. Respondents may place restrictions on the disclosure and use of data in Proposals, following

Section 7.4.6: Public Records Requirements and Attachment 1: Proprietary Information Disclosure Form.

The Procurement Director, RFP Administrator, and/or Evaluation Committee shall not exclude Proposals from consideration merely because they restrict disclosure and use of data, nor shall they be prejudiced by that restriction. The portions of the Proposal that are restricted (except for information that is also obtained from another source without restriction, or information required to be disclosed to County auditors) shall be used only for evaluation and shall not be disclosed outside the County without the permission of the Respondent.

Intellectual Property Restrictions in Proposals

Data contained in a Request for Proposal, all documentation provided therein, and innovations developed as a result of the contracted commodities or services cannot be copyrighted or patented. All data, documentation, and innovations become the property of Milwaukee County.

Additional Information Requests

Milwaukee County may, at any time during the procurement process, request and/or require additional disclosures, acknowledgments, and/or warranties, relating to, without limitation, confidentiality, EEOC compliance, collusion, disbarment, and/or conflict of interest.

7.6 PREPARING A RESPONSE

The following section provides important instructions and information a Respondent will need to successfully prepare a Proposal in response to this solicitation. Respondents should read each section carefully and ensure they understand and can comply with any requirements.

Multiple Proposals from a single Respondent are not permitted. Alternative Proposals are not permitted.

Writing a Technical Proposal

Technical Proposals must convey an understanding of the Scope of Work. The Respondent should offer a solution to the objectives, problem, or need specified in the RFP, and define how it intends to meet or exceed the RFP requirements.

Technical Proposals should:

a. Be accurate, complete, and clear.

b. Answer questions directly and as succinctly as possible.

c. Focus specifically on Milwaukee County and the Scope of Work.

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d. Include only those exhibits, attachments, and/or images that are clearly relevant to the question asked.

e. Demonstrate why the Respondent’s solution or product is superior to competitors’ and why the solution or product represents the best value to Milwaukee County.

f. Answer all questions asked in Section 5: Technical Proposal Content.

g. Follow formatting instructions provided in Section 7.7.3: Technical Proposal Format.

Technical Proposals should not:

a. Rely on technical jargon or industry buzzwords.

b. Rely excessively on attachments, presentations, or other documentation secondary to the

Respondent’s direct answers to the questions asked in Section 5: Technical Proposal Content.

c. Include marketing materials.

d. Provide non-specific responses, repetitive information, or unnecessary filler.

e. Include information that is not pertinent to Milwaukee County and/or the Scope of Work.

Writing a Price Proposal

Price Proposals must provide pricing appropriate to the Scope of Work. When writing a Price Proposal, Respondents should:

a. Be accurate, complete, and clear.

b. Include all pricing and cost information necessary to complete the Scope of Work.

c. Answer all questions asked in Section 6: Price Proposal Content.

d. Follow formatting instructions provided in Section 7.7.3: Price Proposal Format.

Price Proposals should not:

a. Include unclear, undefined, or confusing pricing

b. Include caveats to pricing that require County action or inaction

c. Include assumptions or contingencies not clearly identified in writing

Asking Questions

Respondents may submit questions regarding this RFP. Questions should be submitted using the

“Opportunity Q&A” function under the “Messages” tab of the Euna portal.

All questions, along with County answers, will be posted to the Euna website. The County will post answers as they become available, either on a rolling basis or in a single response. Only the County’s final written answers to questions submitted following the procedure laid out in this section are considered to be modifications or qualifications to the terms of the solicitation.

The deadline for submission of questions for this opportunity is identified on the RFP Summary Sheet. After this deadline, Respondents will no longer be permitted to submit Q&A messages on the Euna portal.

Respondents may still contact the RFP Administrator after the deadline, but questions will be limited to process or technical questions, in the discretion of the RFP Administrator.

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The RFP Administrator is the sole point of contact during this process. The submission of questions to any other employee, agent, or subcontractor of Milwaukee County is prohibited and may be grounds for disqualification under this RFP (see Section 7.2: Communication with the County).

Identifying Ambiguities, Errors, and Omissions

If a Respondent discovers any significant ambiguity, error, omission or other deficiency in the RFP document, the Respondent should immediately notify the RFP Administrator in writing by posting a Question on the

RFP’s Euna Portal as outlined in Section 7.6.3: Asking Questions.

The failure of a Respondent to notify the RFP Administrator of an ambiguity, error, omission, or other deficiency prior to submission of its Proposal constitutes a waiver of appeal or administrative review rights based upon any such ambiguity, error, omission, or other deficiency in the RFP document.

Requesting Exceptions to RFP Terms

Respondents must review the RFP in its entirety. If Respondent takes any exceptions to the requirements defined in the RFP, such exceptions must be documented on Attachment 5: Exceptions Form and uploaded with the Proposal. Respondents must cite the paragraph or section, the exception taken, and state alternate language acceptable to the Respondent. Alternative language is subject to County approval. All exceptions must be included with the Proposal. Exceptions taken following submission of a Proposal will not be considered. Material exceptions taken following submission of a Proposal may be cause for a finding of non-Responsiveness of the Respondent, and removal from consideration for this opportunity.

Targeted Business Enterprise (TBE) Utilization Requirements

There is no Targeted Business Enterprise participation requirement for this project.

Complying with Applicable County Policies Respondents are required to comply with Milwaukee County policies and programs applicable to the commodities or services requested by this solicitation. Compliance with the following policies may be included in any awarded contract as contractual obligations. Respondents should carefully read the requirements of each policy or program and ensure they are able to meet all requirements prior to submission of a Proposal.

Non-Discrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Affirmative Action In addition to its policy regarding racial equity, Milwaukee County requires all contractors providing services or commodities to County departments or divisions to agree to support non-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action programs. All Respondents shall complete and submit

Attachment 2: EEOC Compliance Form.

Respondents shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, disability, marital status, family status, lawful source of income, or status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, which shall include but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for

22 | P a g e training including apprenticeships. If awarded the Contract, Respondent will post in conspicuous places, available for employment, notices to be provided by the County setting forth the provisions of the nondiscriminatory clause.

A violation of this provision shall be sufficient cause for the County to terminate the Contract without liability for the uncompleted portion or for any materials or services purchased or paid for by the Respondent for use in completing the Contract.

The Respondent agrees that it will strive to implement the principles of equal employment opportunities through an effective affirmative action program, and will so certify prior to the award of the Contract, which program shall have as its objective to increase the utilization of women, minorities and handicapped persons, and other protected groups, at all levels of employment in all divisions of the Respondent’s workforce, where these groups may have been previously under-utilized and under-represented. The Respondent also agrees that in the event of any disputes to compliance with the aforestated requirements, it shall be his/her responsibility to show that he/she has met all such requirements.

Responsible Vendor Policy

Milwaukee County recognizes that superior service requires that the Respondent hires well-trained and dedicated staff to provide the services under this RFP. The Respondent must ensure availability of a qualified staff, avoid labor disruption and costly employee turnover, treat workers fairly, and abide by applicable labor laws.

The County supports the development of a healthy business environment through the responsible management and treatment of employees, adherence to federal, state, and local laws, and appropriate workplace safety procedures. Therefore, the County of Milwaukee maintains the following requirement:

Contractor shall abide by all applicable local, state and federal laws. Contractor shall at all times maintain safe and healthful working conditions and abide by all applicable wage and hour regulations and prohibitions against child labor. Contractor shall ensure its employees’ working conditions conform to the standards set by the Federal OSHA. Contractor shall, on request, provide to the County a report on their compliance. The County recognizes the right of an employee to self-organization and the right to form, join, or assist labor organizations to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection and, conversely, the right of such employees to refrain from any or all such activities. All Respondents shall provide working conditions for services of a similar character in a similar locality in which the services are performed.

Policy Regarding the Non-Interest of County Employees and Officials County officials, employees, representatives, officers, and/or agents are bound by Chapter 9 of the Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances, Code of Ethics.

No County official, employee, or representative on the evaluation committee shall have any financial interest, either direct or indirect, in the Proposal or Contract, nor shall they exercise any undue influence in the awarding of the Contract.

No County employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a Contract if a conflict of interest, real or apparent, would be involved.

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During the period of any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, the Contractor shall not hire, retain or utilize for compensation any member, officer, or employee of County or any person who, to the knowledge of the Contractor, has a conflict of interest.

Code of Ethics

Respondents shall strictly adhere to Chapter 9 of the Milwaukee County Code of Ordinances, Code of Ethics, with particular attention to Subsection 9.05(2)(l):

“No campaign contributions to county officials with approval authority: No person(s) with a personal financial interest in the approval or denial of a Contract or proposal being considered by a county department or with an agency funded and regulated by a county department, shall make a campaign contribution to any county elected official who has approval authority over that

Contract or proposal during its consideration. Contract or proposal consideration shall begin when a Contract or proposal is submitted directly to a county department or to an agency funded or regulated by a county department until the Contract or proposal has reached final disposition, including adoption, county executive action, proceedings on veto (if necessary) or departmental approval. This provision does not apply to those items covered by section 9.14 unless an acceptance by an elected official would conflict with this section. The language in subsection 9.05(2)(l) shall be included in all Requests for Proposals and bid documents.”

In addition, the Contractor is required to adhere to the Code of Ethics provision in all contracts, which states:

Contractor hereby attests that it is familiar with Milwaukee County’s Code of Ethics, which states, in part, “No person shall offer or give any public official or employee, directly or indirectly, and no public official or employee shall solicit or accept from any person, directly or indirectly, anything of value if it could reasonably be expected to influence the public official's or employee's vote, official actions or judgment, or could reasonably be considered as a reward for any official action or inaction or omission by of the public official or employee.”

Contractor shall ensure all subcontractors and employees are familiarized with the statement above.

Security and Background Checks

Respondents understand that certain background and security checks may be required following award of any

Contract under this RFP. Background checks are mandatory for all employees of the Respondent who will require administrative access to the County’s Information System (for example, accessing servers, systems, or information architecture not available to County end-users). Background checks must be performed at

Respondent’s expense. Background check minimum requirement must involve a security check and process that is approved by and deemed satisfactory to Milwaukee County to ensure, at a minimum, that no staff has felony or fraud convictions. Additional requirements may exist for employees who require access to systems containing PCI, PHI, or CJIS data.

Security background checks shall be conducted for all employees prior to starting work.

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Safety and Security Policies

Respondents understand and agree to use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause any of its employees who provide services under a Contract awarded under this RFP on County’s premises to comply with County’s safety and security policies, to the extent that the policies are applicable to the site where Respondent’s employees are providing services.