13-DOA1312659731- POST 12.13.24.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Department of Administration

Request for Proposal #: 13-DOA1312659731

NCMAC Lobbying Services

Date of Issue: December 13, 2024

Proposal Opening Date: January 23, 2025

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Sandra Bryant

Procurement Specialist

Email: Sandra.bryant@doa.nc.gov

Phone: 984-236-0075

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Request for Proposal #

13-DOA1312659731

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Proposal Number: 13-DOA1312659731 Vendor: __________________________________________

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Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to the procurement lead through the Message Board in the Sourcing Tool. See section 2.5 for details

Request for Proposal #: 13-DOA1312659731 Proposals will be publicly opened: January 23, 2025 at 2:00 pm

Using Agency: DMVA/NCMAC Commodity No. and Description: 80101707 Lobbying Services Requisition No.: RQ154245

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

Department of Administration

Proposal Number:13-DOA1312659731 Vendor: __________________________________________

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VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred and eighty days (180) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Department of Administration)

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 BACKGROUND

1.2 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.4 PROPOSAL RESPONSE

4.5 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

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6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 INVOICES

6.3 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.4 QUARTERLY STATUS REPORTS

6.5 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.7 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.8 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.9 CONTRACT CHANGES

6.10 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The Department of Administration (DOA), on behalf of the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (DMVA) is seeking to acquire Lobbying Services for the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (NCMAC) to be better prepared for another round of base realignment and closure (BRAC); and to determine what additional actions may be needed to protect and expand military missions in NC. This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) to acquire lobbying services to meet the requirements of the scope of work contained in this RFP.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Term Contract.

1.1 BACKGROUND

The North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (hereinafter the "NCMAC") is established by the North Carolina General Assembly (GA) to exercise powers, duties and functions in making North Carolina the most military friendly state in the United States. Defense is the second largest economic sector in North Carolina and therefore improves the quality of life of all communities, industries and individuals across the entire State. NCMAC provides advice, counsel, and recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, the Secretary of the Military and Veterans Affairs, and other State agencies on initiatives, programs, and legislation that will continue and increase the role that North Carolina's military installations, the National Guard, and Reserves play in America's defense strategy and the economic health and vitality of the State. One of the NCMAC’s most important missions is protecting and sustaining our military installations, encouraging defense related economic development and improving the quality of life for military members, families and veterans. The NCMAC receives administrative support from the DMVA and fiscal management support from DOA.

North Carolina is home to six (6) major military bases, over 100 National Guard and 40 Army Reserve facilities and the third highest number of uniformed military personnel in the country. The Department of Defense has an annual impact of $66 billion and is the second largest sector of North Carolina’s economy (12% GDP).

The North Carolina state government, in conjunction with regional organizations and local communities, has invested a significant amount of time and effort to attract additional military missions and to ensure that our military installations receive the support needed to sustain and improve these installations, and surrounding communities, while protecting them from incompatible development and mission degradation.

The six (6) major military installations in North Carolina are: Fort Liberty; Camp Lejeune; MCAS Cherry Point (including the Fleet Readiness Center East – FRC East); Seymour Johnson AFB; MCAS New River; and Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City. Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU) and the Army Research Office (ARO) are specified in the Scope of Work.

1.2 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of one (1) year, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”).

At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up two (2) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option no later than thirty (30) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

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2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: This is an NC eProcurement solicitation facilitated by the Ariba Network. The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

What is the Ariba Network?

The Ariba Network is a web-based platform that serves as a connection point for buyers and vendors. Vendors can log in to the Ariba Network to view purchase orders, respond to electronic requests for quotes, participate in Sourcing Events, and collaborate with buyers on contract documents.

For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site:

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions, issues, regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded. Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive. The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State December 13, 2024 Submit Written Questions Vendor January 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm Provide Response to Questions State January 10, 2025 at 2:00 pm Submit Proposals Vendor January 23, 2025 at 2:00 pm Contract Award State TBD Contract Effective Date State April 1, 2025

The Department of Administration will be conducting live bid openings over Microsoft Teams conference call. Below is the call-in information for this procurement’s bid opening scheduled for January 23, 2025 at 2:00PM ET.

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

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Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 277 270 125 365 Passcode: 25fW3RE9 Dial in by phone +1 984-204-1487,,315814614# United States, Raleigh Find a local number Phone conference ID: 315 814 614# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: ncgov@m.webex.com Video ID: 114 274 109 5 More info For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section of this RFP.

Vendors will enter “RFP # 13-DOA1312659731 – Questions” as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received.

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888- 211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the Sourcing Tool in the form of an addendum and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.

Vendor’s proposals for this procurement must be submitted through the Sourcing Tool. For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888- 211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.

Tips for Using the Sourcing Tool

1. Vendors should review available training and confirm that they are able to access the Sourcing Event, enter responses, and upload files well in advance of the date and time response are due to allow sufficient time to seek assistance from the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faka.ms%2FJoinTeamsMeeting%3Fomkt%3Den-US&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025678657%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=p8du6gyXwYOYq7GEXE%2FMfS%2FUMP0MJdzH4tNl04iuUJM%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_MDg4NjcyOTUtNzQwYy00OTBjLWIwN2QtNWZjNmJlOGJhMWE5%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25227a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522eba0bdb7-0b77-4d3e-8f1e-17f560c8298a%2522%257d&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025698515%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=tVCFaCQ95ivqyI4C23lMc5RQoy%2BvqIAcUsv%2FhqTJbsE%3D&reserved=0 tel:+19842041487,,315814614 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdialin.teams.microsoft.com%2Fc102d528-0544-4660-b869-294e85047e28%3Fid%3D315814614&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025711593%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2B%2BJY0H0cGxrI86cXSUxdgniGkZRN0N8s2N%2BgnUnfxBw%3D&reserved=0 mailto:ncgov@m.webex.com https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.webex.com%2Fmsteams%3Fconfid%3D1142741095%26tenantkey%3Dncgov%26domain%3Dm.webex.com&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025724142%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3K9NC46wXZ55j18PlVjfFtgSxeNBDIwC4xSNJ9i2EBM%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2FmeetingOptions%2F%3ForganizerId%3Deba0bdb7-0b77-4d3e-8f1e-17f560c8298a%26tenantId%3D7a7681dc-b9d0-449a-85c3-ecc26cd7ed19%26threadId%3D19_meeting_MDg4NjcyOTUtNzQwYy00OTBjLWIwN2QtNWZjNmJlOGJhMWE5%40thread.v2%26messageId%3D0%26language%3Den-US&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025736517%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=q07h8nCQrs0oDB%2BDEghASYBXN8o4rrHEJo4GQWFkVOo%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdialin.teams.microsoft.com%2Fusp%2Fpstnconferencing&data=05%7C02%7CSandra.Bryant%40doa.nc.gov%7Ce355a791bca24575bec808dd1abe9525%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638696128025749237%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XZdngc8a88%2Blwbz1DiPLs9RQh8zT8mxrxBr%2BRuKPwKg%3D&reserved=0 https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training

Ver: 11/2023 8

2. Vendors may submit their responses early to make sure there are no issues, and then submit a revised response any time prior to the response due date and time. The State will only review the most recent response.

3. Vendors should respond to all relevant sections of the Sourcing Event. Certain questions or items are required in order to submit a response and are denoted with an asterisk. The Sourcing Tool will not allow a response to be submitted unless all required items are completed. The Sourcing Tool will provide error messages to help identify any required information that is missing when response is submitted.

4. Simply saving your response in the Sourcing Tool is not the same as submitting your response to the State. Vendors should make sure they complete the submission process and receive a message that their response was successfully submitted.

5. Only Proposals submitted through the Content Section of the Ariba Sourcing Event will be considered. Proposals submitted through the Message Board will not be accepted or considered for award.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above.

However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall provide responses to all questions and complete all attachments for this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and upload them to the Sourcing Event in the Sourcing Tool. Vendor may not be able to submit its response in the Sourcing Tool unless all required items are addressed. Vendors shall provide authorized signatures where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor shall include the following items and attachments in the Sourcing Tool:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i)a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP; (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Scope of this RFP.

f) Vendors response to 4.4 PROPOSAL RESPONSE and 4.5 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

h) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

k) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

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2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, Vendor shall follow the specific instructions for uploading Alternate Proposals in the Sourcing Tool.

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found in the Sourcing Tool, which are incorporated herein by this reference.

The following definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations are also relevant to this RFP:

a) Blended Hourly Rate : Blended hourly rate shall include all administrative fees, travel expenses and will be used on an as needed basis.

b) BRAC: Base realignment and closure

c) COBRA: Cost of Base Realignment Actions

d) DHS: Department of Homeland Security

e) DMVA: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

f) DOA: Department of Administration

g) DoD: Department of Defense

h) NCMAC: North Carolina Military Affairs Commission

i) OSD: Office of the Secretary of Defense

j) SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line-items, to not award one or more line-items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled

COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, Ver: 11/2023 10 and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids are authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of "Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement.

A ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement using evaluation criteria listed in order of importance in the Evaluation Criteria section below to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor(s) providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with, or traded-off against, other non-price factors.

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EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

1. Vendor Corporate Background and Experience: Evaluation under this category will be based on the Vendor’s response to section 4.4.1 and how the Vendor’s background and experience are related to the scope of work of this RFP.

2. Vendor Qualifications: Evaluation under this category will be based on the Vendor’s response to section 4.4.2 and its proposed staff qualifications and experience to complete the tasks of this RFP.

3. Vendor’s Technical Approach: Evaluation under this category will be based on the Vendor’s response to section 4.4.3 Technical Approach on how the Vendor plans to meet the objectives, deliverables and tasks of this project.

4. Cost Proposal: Evaluation under this category will take into consideration both the Vendor’s flat monthly fee as well as a blended hourly rate based on forty (40) monthly hours of work. See Section 4.1 and Attachment A: Pricing Form.

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

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4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM within this solicitation document and upload in the Sourcing Tool. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

Blended hourly rate shall include all administrative fees, travel expenses and will be used on an as needed basis.

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.4 PROPOSAL RESPONSE

Vendor shall respond in its proposal to each of the sections below. Sections shall be tabbed and titled as listed. Vendors are requested to keep responses straightforward and to the point and should not include generic marketing materials. Responses will be reviewed as part of the evaluation process.

4.4.1 Vendor Experience

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State of North Carolina. This section shall include background information on the organization and should give details of experience with similar projects. Successful Vendor must be thoroughly familiar with the Cost of Base Realignment Actions (COBRA) process used in previous BRACs. Vendor’s response to this section must include detailed information on the following topics:

A. Vendor shall provide examples of similar work performed in the past considering relevance to the Scope of Work under this RFP.

B. Vendor shall include knowledge and experience of the BRAC process and knowledge and insight into DoD’s current thinking on realignments and closures. Vendor shall include any experience of military realignment projects.

C. Vendor shall provide documentation demonstrating Vendor’s successful record of past performance in performing the tasks required in the statement of work including correspondence and other documentation that advances the State’s /NCMAC’s strategies, goals and or opportunities.

4.4.2 Vendor Qualifications

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In its Proposal, Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project. Information must include at a minimum the following topics:

A. Vendor shall include proposed project staff qualifications and experience, including resumes or a narrative outline citing experience with similar projects.

B. Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

C. Vendor shall describe and elaborate on any existing relationships between Vendor and/or personnel who would be assigned to this project and the military services and Congress.

4.4.3 Technical Approach

Vendor’s proposal shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form the Vendor's approach to accomplishing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work section of this RFP. A description of each task and deliverable and the schedule for accomplishing each shall be included. Describe how Vendor would provide consulting support for NC military installations and engage with key decision makers at the federal level. This effort is intended to leverage information obtained from current SWOT analyses, other assessments and NCMAC inputs, to ensure that military services, OSD and the NC Congressional delegation are aware of the military value of the military installations in NC. Vendor’s response to this section must include detailed information on the following topics:

A. Vendor shall describe how its company will use existing data from previous BRAC’s and from studies conducted after BRAC 2005 to avoid duplication of effort and to minimize costs. The State and regional groups will assist in providing this information.

B. Vendor proposals shall show how it would assess and analyze data obtained from previous data calls and project the impact of data changes that have occurred since 2005 within each of the eight (8) criteria on future COBRA scoring.

Describe the process and methodology Vendor would use to compare the key data points and criteria used by the military services and the BRAC Commission in 2005 with the current status of those criteria.

C. Vendor shall describe its methodology and analytical tools that would be used to enable the work to be performed.

D. Vendor shall provide examples of Legislative, Political and Regulatory Research on selected topics related to military support, sustainability, and advocacy.

E. Vendor shall provide an example of a quarterly report. See section 5.2 (14)

F. Based on past performance and current contracts, Vendor shall describe and detail any potentials for a conflict of interest with other states or communities and how Vendor would avoid a conflict of interest (See Section 4.5 of this RFP).

4.5 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Vendor shall be free to enter into contracts for similar services to be performed for other persons or entities while this contract is in effect; provided, however, that Lobbyist’s represents and affirms that it has no existing or potential conflicts of interest that would prevent it from performing the Services to the best of its abilities. If Vendor works for another client on an issue that may have a material adverse impact on the State’s/NCMAC’s interests, the Vendor shall inform the State/NCMAC and seek its written consent to proceed. The State/NCMAC may decline to waive the conflict of interest in its sole discretion. If the conflict of interest is not waived by the State/NCMAC or otherwise resolved, the Vendor must terminate either its representation of the State/NCMAC or the other party.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendor shall upload to the Sourcing Tool at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine

Ver: 11/2023 14 whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.10 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☐ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

The NCMAC was established in July 2013 to assist the Governor and General Assembly with protecting and sustaining our military installations, encouraging defense related economic development and with improving the quality of life for military members, families and veterans. The NCMAC requests assistance in determining ongoing, and emerging best practices in other States, determining new and/or significant trends in direction of the Armed Forces, and in coordinating support and support-building

Ver: 11/2023 15 initiatives at the Federal level. The successful vendor will demonstrate ongoing, robust contact relationships with senior Federal elected representatives, and with military and civilian officials with DoD and the Armed Forces, proven advocacy campaigns that resulted in measurable results, and experience in coordinating local efforts with senior officials in and around Washington DC.

The State has concluded that the level of effort to complete the scope of work under this contract will require an estimated 40 hours of services per month. Vendor is to provide its offer below based on 40 hours of services per month.