16-Specifications.pdf

SPECIFICATIONS

Contingent Workforce Services for the Harris County Toll Road Authority

SCOPE

Harris County is seeking proposals from qualified vendor(s) to provide contingent workforce services for the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA), as described herein. The term shall begin on or about June 1, 2026 and ending twelve (12) months thereafter or until all services ordered prior to the expiration date have been satisfactorily delivered and accepted or performed satisfactorily for the using department.

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. CST Via Microsoft Teams.

Attendance is not mandatory, but all vendors are strongly encouraged to attend in order to have a better understanding of the requirements of this RFP. Should you wish to attend, you must RSVP to Margaret Obot at margaret.obot@pur.hctx.net two (2) days prior to the conference. By RSVP request, you will be provided with the conference line number and access code to dial in to attend the meeting. Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should contact the Office of the Purchasing Agent at 713-274-4400 at least two (2) days prior to the conference.

It is the responsibility of each vendor to examine the entire RFP package, seek clarification in writing, and review their RFP response for accuracy before submitting. Questions relating to this RFP must be submitted in writing though Bonfire. The deadline for submission of questions relating to this RFP is listed on the Event schedule within Bonfire of this project. All questions submitted in writing prior to the deadline will be compiled and answered in writing. A copy of all questions and answers will be released as a Public Notice within Bonfire to all firms. The County will not be bound by any information conveyed verbally.

RENEWAL OPTIONS

Harris County may consider four (4) one-year renewal options, renewable one (1) year at a time, based upon the same terms and conditions as the original year. Profit Markup percentage shall remain firm during the entire duration of the contract, including all renewal options and extensions. Renewals are subject to approval by Harris County Commissioners Court. Once renewal options are exhausted, the contract must be rebid. Harris County reserves the right to rebid at any time as is in its best interest and is not automatically bound to renew.

BACKGROUND

HCTRA improves mobility in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area through excellence in the operation of urban toll highway systems, while upholding a commitment to leadership, public service and quality of life.

HCTRA is an Enterprise Fund of Harris County and relies on charges from users of the toll road system to fund operations, debt service and future projects. Led by its Executive Director, Roberto Treviño, HCTRA is organized and operates through multiple divisions that include: Administration, Tolling Operations, Engineering & Construction, Operations & Facility Infrastructure, Public Safety, Finance and Public Affairs.

The HCTRA Toll Road System consists of approximately one hundred and thirty-two (132) miles of roadway including the Hardy Toll Road, Sam Houston Tollway, Westpark Tollway, Fort Bend Parkway, and the Katy Managed Lanes. HCTRA is a PCI Level One (1) merchant organization and is responsible for the monitoring and management of system security logs, events, vulnerabilities, intrusion protection and detection.

OBJECTIVE

HCTRA is seeking to secure the services of qualified and experienced firms to provide contingent workforce services for its Tolling Operations Division to help with an array of operational, project, and support initiatives. It is the intent of HCTRA to award multiple vendors, thereby creating a pool of vendors to provide all or a subset of described services on an as needed basis throughout the contract period.

mailto:margaret.obot@pur.hctx.net

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Harris County makes no guarantees in regard to contract usage, any particular profit, revenue, or volume of work to the vendor (s). The proposed services shall not be limited to the general requirements listed below and each vendor is encouraged to respond with their ability to perform or expand on each activity/deliverable as well as provide additional capabilities not listed.

• At the time a work order is prepared, the vendor with the available resources and expertise as determined by Harris County will be assigned the project.

• All vendors must be compliant with appropriate Federal, state and county regulations including Payment Card Industry (PCI) / Data Security Standard (DSS) provisions.

• Harris County will not provide or allow travel reimbursements. Vendor personnel shall be responsible for their own parking arrangements unless specifically provided by HCTRA. Harris County will not be responsible for payment of parking fees, tolls, towing, mileage, fuel, damage or loss to vehicle.

• Vendor shall be responsible for loss, abuse and misuse of Harris County equipment/property including but not limited to: computers, phones, office equipment, etc. Vendor shall fully reimburse Harris County for any theft or cash shortage incurred by vendor personnel in the course of duties performed if the personnel cannot or does not reimburse Harris County. Vendors are responsible for all of its employees sent to work under this contract as to their actions, errors, performance, attendance, etc. Harris County will not be liable for errors/omissions by vendor personnel, which may result in suits or litigation.

HISTORICAL VOLUME

• HCTRA anticipates around twelve (12) placements per year with each placement having thirty-sixty (30-

60) candidate requests.

SPECIFICATIONS

The demand for various personnel within HCTRA routinely exceeds the current capacity of full-time personnel noted in the attachment titled Appendix B - Job Descriptions, under Supporting Documentation inside Bonfire.

The intent of this contingent workforce services RFP is to increase existing capacity by sourcing additional temporary personnel resources to manage and support services within the scope of this solicitation.

It is not the intent of Harris County to limit Job Classifications; instead, this RFP is to establish minimum requirements. Vendor(s) may offer, and Harris County strongly encourages vendor(s) offer expands across its entire portfolio of contingent workforce services offered by vendor in its normal course of business.

Should the contract require additional positions outside of the positions identified within the BidTable(s), Harris County Purchasing will solicit price quotations from awarded vendors for review, approval, and execution. Any changes shall be in writing and must be agreed to by both Harris County and the awarded vendor(s). Harris County reserves the right to add departments/positions on an as-needed basis. In the event such arrangement is unsatisfactory, Harris County may opt to choose an alternate means of meeting its needs up to and including a rebid of the entire contract. Specifications and requirements stated herein shall also apply to future departments/positions unless otherwise noted.

In the event it becomes necessary to add or delete departments/positions receiving this service, the following parameters shall apply.

1. Purchasing will notify the awarded vendors in writing and establish an effective date at which a location will begin or cease to receive service and re-confirm the agreed pricing.

2. Purchasing will notify the awarded vendors in writing when additional positions are required, at that time vendors will state Bill Rates and ability to supply additional personnel. An amendment will be generated, and all parties will sign.

3. Purchasing will amend the contract by defining the nature of revisions, including but not limited to, locations/positions and the starting/ending date of service, etc., which all parties will sign.

There is no guarantee of any minimum amount of services that may be requested during the term of the agreement resulting from this RFP. Multiple vendors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited may be selected for award.

Staffing agencies shall have expertise in sourcing, screening, and providing quality candidates to fill a diverse range of job categories, including but not limited to: Administrative/Clerical, Customer Service, and Technical.

Contingent workers are retained for seasonal work, work of fixed duration, or other work which does not have a reasonable expectancy to continue indefinitely. All contingent workforce positions are fully onsite.

If HCTRA requests temporary assistance due to a special project, a temporary increase in workload, or absence of a HCTRA employee, the temporary assignment shall be made for a period of no more than six (6) months or nine hundred sixty (960) hours but may be extended with approval from the Director of Toll Operations or his or her designee. In the event of an emergency, which may result in loss of public property or serious inconvenience to the public, emergency placements may be staffed for the duration of the emergency and each contingent worker shall have the prefix emergency.

It is expressly understood, and vendor shall acknowledge the resulting contract Limit of Appropriation shall be a total maximum sum contract of which all vendors awarded services described in this RFP will receive a portion of the total maximum sum for applicable services rendered. Harris County does not guarantee any particular volume or number of orders, revenue or profit to vendor(s).

Awarded vendors will be utilized in a manner that best fills HCTRA requirements. HCTRA will submit staffing requests to vendors via email, for an urgent need, a planned need (vacation replacements or staffing for project periods), or to fill a full time opening (to keep the work in operation during the interim to find the right individual to fill a position).

Vendors shall meet or exceed the following requirements:

Point of Contact/Account Manager The vendor shall appoint a Point of Contact/Account Manager who shall be responsible for the overall success and establishing a relationship with HCTRA. The Account Manager shall handle program needs and requirements, facilitate communication with HCTRA’s Toll Operations Assistant Director and the contingent worker, monitor/ensure the quality of performance of contingent workers, and attend meetings with HCTRA as needed. The Account Manager must be experienced and readily accessible. The Account Manager shall familiarize themselves with HCTRA’s culture and environment to ensure proper placements. If the Account Manager is away from the office for an extended period or replaced, the vendor shall immediately notify HCTRA Toll Operations in writing.

Operational Standards o The vendor shall maintain an office with hours of operation from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST and shall be accessible to new recruits.

o The vendor shall provide HCTRA Toll Operations with a twenty-four (24) hour telephone number for emergencies, answered by live agency personnel. Voicemail, answering machine, or recorded messages are not acceptable.

o The vendor shall agree to abide by the Service Level Agreement as outlined in attachment titled Appendix

A – Service Level Agreement, under Supporting Documentation inside Bonfire.

Process for Staffing Requests (Assignment Notification) o HCTRA Toll Operations will submit job postings to all awarded vendors based on the department’s staffing needs. Each job posting will include the position title, description of job duties, required education, certifications/licenses, employment/experience, assignment start and end date, location, work hours for each assignment and point of contact. (HCTRA has multiple facilities throughout Harris County.

Candidates will be sourced for specific locations.) Upon request, resumes must also be provided. Due to the dynamic nature of HCTRA, vendors may be asked to respond within forty-eight (48) hours of the posting.

o Upon receipt of an assignment notification, vendors shall propose a selection of candidates who have the appropriate level of experience, knowledge, and ability suitable for the specific assignment. Candidates submitted by the vendor shall possess the required skills and abilities to perform the assigned tasks.

Candidates shall meet the minimum qualifications, education and experience required by the classification specification for the job to be performed. HCTRA reserves the right to interview the candidates by phone, virtually or in person, at its sole discretion to select the candidate best suited for the position based upon the candidate’s qualifications and hourly rates. HCTRA also reserves the right to request additional candidates, if necessary. Positions may require additional aptitude testing based upon assignment.

o HCTRA shall review the proposed candidate’s qualifications prior to honoring any assignment. Vendor shall provide HCTRA with a proposal including reference checks, background checks, and appropriate screenings no later than one (1) business days after receipt of notification of assignment from HCTRA, unless HCTRA agrees to extend the timeframe.

○ Responses to requests shall clearly state if a temporary candidate can or cannot be provided. Failure to respond by the forty-eight (48) hour deadline will be considered as an inability to provide a candidate.

○ HCTRA reserves the right to reject any proposed candidate.

○ Once a candidate is selected, the HCTRA hiring manager will create a Work Order. The vendor shall accept the Work Order within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt.

○ HCTRA reserves the right to terminate contingent workforce assignments at any time.

Right Of Refusal o Vendor shall be given forty-eight (48) hours to confirm availability of a temporary employee to fill a request. However, for “hard-to-fill” positions, HCTRA may allow up to five (5) business days for vendor to confirm availability of a temporary employee.

o In the event the vendor is unable to fill the job request, HCTRA may cancel the request and place the request with another vendor. HCTRA reserves the right to simultaneously give all vendors an opportunity to fill all “hard-to-fill” positions on a “first come” basis.

o In the event all vendors are unable to fill the request, HCTRA may fill the requirement by soliciting pricing from other qualified sources contracted by the Harris County.

Assignment Hours o The HCTRA hiring manager will provide the dates and time(s) for each position per assignment. The vendor will be compensated for the actual hours worked by its contingent worker, excluding time for lunch.

Under no circumstances will overtime, hours worked above forty (40) hours per week, be allowed. Straight time will be paid for time not exceeding forty (40) hours in a workweek. HCTRA will not reimburse the vendors for parking or other miscellaneous expenses. Services will generally not be required during County holidays, or when the County is closed for inclement weather. Holidays recognized by Harris County can be found at the following website: https://www.harriscountytx.gov/Residents/Information/Harris-County- Holidays.

o Harris County calculates vendor personnel’s hours to the nearest completed one-tenth (1/10) hour of any given hour. Invoices submitted for payment MUST be calculated in this format or they will be rejected and not paid. No vendor personnel will be permitted to work additional hours to make- up time lost during a given day or week without the approval of the using departments personnel section. No make-up time will be approved which would constitute more than forty (40) hours in a given week. Harris County will not be responsible for payment for vacation, sick time or any other hours not actually worked by the vendor’s personnel.

Background, Drug Test, Employment, And Verification Services o Background checks and drug tests will be requested on a case-by-case basis as determined by HCTRA.

Background checks shall include, but is not limited to: fingerprints, social security number verification, criminal conviction records (nationwide), as well as employment and education verifications. The vendor shall provide HCTRA with background and drug test results and are financially responsible for these costs.

All vendors shall adhere to federal, State and privacy protection laws when conducting background checks and provide the required waivers, authorizations, notices, disclosures, and releases. If the vendor uses an outside company to conduct background checks, the vendor shall only use registered and licensed investigators.

o All open HCTRA toll balances must be resolved prior to assignment of any candidate staffed through this solicitation.

o Vendor shall ensure that candidate has and maintains a valid driver’s license throughout the assignment by conducting motor vehicle checks for outstanding tickets, warrants and unpaid HCTRA tolls. All safety sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing.

o Vendor shall be responsible for administering the proper tests and/or evaluation methods to recruit and employ temporary candidates for HCTRA. In addition to all professional screening, the vendor shall perform reference checks on all candidates. Vendor shall provide a nationwide criminal background check for job postings. If the position title requires specific work experience or operation of equipment, the candidate’s skills or licensing shall be verified by the vendor and all records maintained and accessible to the Toll Operations Assistant Director.

o The vendor shall strictly adhere to all State and federal laws with respect to discrimination in employment and shall not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, or disability. Vendor shall conform to the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 by verifying the employment eligibility of each candidate referred to HCTRA. If applicable, vendor must also conform to the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010.

Conduct

○ It is expected that vendor’s personnel shall adhere to established HCTRA dress codes relevant to the position and act in a professional and courteous manner. Contingent workforce may be assigned to positions where confidential or financial information is available and must sign confidentiality agreements and/or non-disclosure agreements.

○ The vendor shall perform and document ongoing performance evaluations with the hiring manager which include check-in calls on the day assignment begins and periodic calls throughout the assignment for quality assurance.

Compensation The vendor shall be responsible for any compensation due to its personnel in accordance with the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Contingent workers are employees of the vendor and shall not be considered employees of Harris County or HCTRA. Vendors shall adhere to the Harris County Minimum Wage Policy located in Bonfire under Supporting Documentation.

Replacements Upon notice by HCTRA, the vendor shall furnish replacements for any vendor personnel deemed unacceptable by HCTRA. A replacement will be requested by HCTRA if assigned personnel do not perform tasks as requested, has poor attendance, poor performance or has engaged in misconduct. Examples of misconduct shall include, but are not limited to, verbal or physical altercations, improper use of HCTRA’s computers or networks, excessive use of phone or computers for personal business, theft or misuse of HCTRA or other’s property, or the disclosure of any confidential information.

Conversion The vendor shall permit HCTRA to hire a contingent worker after completing a minimum of thirty (30) working days or two hundred forty (240) hours at no cost and dependent upon the position, the contingent worker may be required to successfully complete one hundred twenty (120) hours of training course(s).

Timesheets o The vendor shall monitor and audit timesheets to ensure hours are entered in the correct format and on the correct date. If corrections are needed, the vendor shall revise the timesheet on behalf of the contingent worker.

o A service week is defined as beginning at 12:00 A.M. CST Saturday and ending at 11:59 on the following Friday (Saturday-Friday).

Documents and Work Product The vendor expressly acknowledges that HCTRA holds all right, title, or other ownership interest in all Documents and Work Products. The vendor shall not possess or assert any lien or other right against any documents or work products. The vendor agrees it shall have written agreement(s) that are consistent with the provisions hereof related to Work Products and Proprietary Rights with vendor’s employees, agents, consultants or subconsultants providing services or Work Products pursuant to the agreement resulting from this RFP, prior to their providing such services or Work Products, and that it shall maintain such written agreements at all times during performance of the agreement with HCTRA, which are sufficient to support all performance and grants of right by the vendor. Copies of such agreements shall be provided to Toll Operations promptly upon request. The vendor shall cooperate with HCTRA in registering, creating, and enforcing Proprietary Rights arising under the agreement with HCTRA. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, HCTRA is, will be, and shall remain at all times the sole owner of all Documents and Work Products.

Termination of Assignment Upon termination of assignment, contingent worker(s) must return assigned uniforms, badges, and equipment to HCTRA within three (3) business days. Failure to do so shall result in reimbursement or replacement of property by the vendor.

Taxes and Compliance The vendor shall be responsible for withholding federal, state, and local taxes, unemployment insurance, and any other tax or withholding required by law. In the event the vendor fails to comply with all applicable labor laws, legally required tax withholding, wage and hour laws and employment discrimination laws, and any claim based upon such non-compliance is pursued against HCTRA, the vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless HCTRA for any and all costs and liabilities incurred, including reasonable attorney's fees. In the event the vendor or its employees are determined by a governmental body to be employees of HCTRA, the vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless HCTRA for any and all costs and liabilities incurred, including reasonable attorney's fees.

Job Classifications Vendor(s) shall be capable of providing one (1) or more of the service categories outlined in the attachment titled Appendix B - Job Descriptions, under Supporting Documentation inside Bonfire. Vendor(s) shall respond only to the service categories vendor possesses the capabilities to perform. Verifiable references are required. Vendor(s) shall have expertise in sourcing, screening, and providing quality candidates to fill a diverse range of job categories.