2017 VPA_HIP_TA_RFP_TL_final - Konrad.doc

State of Wisconsin Wis. Statutes s.16.75

DOA-3261 N(R01/98)

PROPOSALS MUST BE SEALED AND ADDRESSED TO:

SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \h Remove from proposal list for this commodity/service. (Return this page only.)

AGENCY: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ADDRESS: Attn: Richard Straub PO Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707-7921

THIS IS NOT

AN ORDER

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Proposal envelope must be sealed and plainly marked in lower corner with due date and Request for Proposal #18-075-20. Late proposals will be rejected. Proposals MUST be date and time stamped by the soliciting purchasing office on or before the date and time that the proposal is due. Proposals dated and time stamped in another office will be rejected. Receipt of a proposal by the mail system does not constitute receipt of a proposal by the purchasing office. Any proposal that is inadvertently opened as a result of not being properly and clearly marked is subject to rejection. Proposals must be submitted separately, i.e., not included with sample packages or other proposals. Proposal openings are public unless otherwise specified. Records will be available for public inspection after issuance of the notice of intent to award or the award of the contract. Proposer should contact person named below for an appointment to view the proposal record. Proposals shall be firm for acceptance for sixty (60) days from date of proposal opening, unless otherwise noted. The attached terms and conditions apply to any subsequent award.

PROPOSER (Name and Address)

Proposals MUST be in this office no later than Public Opening SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \h 11:00 AM CST, August 16, 2017 No Public Opening

Name (Contact for further information)

Richard Straub(email address: Richard.Straub@wisconsin.gov)

Phone

Date

608-261-6415 07/26/2017

Quote Price and Delivery FOB

Destination

Description

Request for Proposal

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Bureau of Wildlife Management

Voluntary Public Access & Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) Marketing Plan RFP Issue Date

July 27, 2017

SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \h We claim minority preference [Wis. Stats. s. 16.75(3m)]. Under Wisconsin Statutes, a 5% preference may be granted to CERTIFIED Minority Business Enterprises. Proposer must be certified by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. If you have questions concerning the certification process, contact the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, 5th Floor, 201 W. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53702, (608) 267-9550.

SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \h We are a work center qualified under Wis. Stats. s. 16.752. Questions concerning the qualification process should be addressed to the Work Center Program, State Bureau of Procurement, 6th Floor, 101 E. Wilson St., Madison, Wisconsin 53702, (608) 266-2605.

Wis. Stats. s. 16.754 directs the state to purchase materials that are manufactured to the greatest extent in the United States when all other factors are substantially equal. Materials covered in our proposal were manufactured in whole or in substantial part within the United States, or the majority of the component parts thereof were manufactured in whole or in substantial part in the United States.

SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \hYes SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \hNo SYMBOL 168 \f "Wingdings" \s 9 \hUnknown

In signing this proposal we also certify that we have not, either directly or indirectly, entered into any agreement or participated in any collusion or otherwise taken any action in restraint of free competition; that no attempt has been made to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal; that this proposal has been independently arrived at without collusion with any other proposer, competitor or potential competitor; that this proposal has not been knowingly disclosed prior to the opening of proposals to any other proposer or competitor; that the above statement is accurate under penalty of perjury.

We will comply with all terms, conditions and specifications required by the state in this Request for Proposal and all terms of our proposal.

Fax

Proprietor (Voluntary)

This form can be made available in accessible formats upon request to qualified individuals with disabilities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction and background

1.2 Scope of the project

1.3 Procuring and contracting agency

1.4 Definitions

1.5 Clarification and/or revisions to the specifications and requirements

1.6 Vendor Conference

1.7 Reasonable accommodations 1.8 Calendar of events

1.9 Contract term and funding 2.0

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

2.1 General instructions

2.2 Incurring costs

2.3 Submitting the proposal

2.4 Proposal organization and format

2.5 Multiple proposals

2.6 Oral presentations

2.7 Withdrawal of proposals 3.0

PROPOSAL SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

3.1 Preliminary evaluation

3.2 Proposal scoring

3.3 Evaluation criteria

3.4 Right to reject proposals and negotiate contract terms

3.5 Award and final offers

3.6 Notification of intent to award

3.7 Appeals process 4.0

EXPERIENCE AND ORGANIZATION CABALITIES

4.1 Mandatory Conditions

4.2 Organization capabilities

4.3 Specific Experience

4.4 Staff qualifications

4.5 Proposer references 5.0

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Approach

5.2 Collaboration between Wisconsin DNR and the Contractor

5.3 Tools

5.4 Timeline 6.0

COST PROPOSAL

6.1 General instructions on preparing cost proposals

6.2 Fixed price period 7.0

SPECIAL CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7.1 Payment requirements

7.2 Liquidated damages

7.3 Prime contractor and minority business subcontractors

7.4 Executed contract to constitute entire agreement

7.5 Termination of contract 8.0

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Standard Terms and Conditions (Requests for Bids/Proposals) (DOA-3054)

Supplemental Standard Terms and Conditions for Procurements for Services (DOA-3681)

9.0

REQUIRED FORMS

Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information (DOA-3027)

Vendor Information (DOA-3477)

Vendor Reference (DOA-3478)

Cost Proposal Form Appendix A

Appendix B .………………………………………………………………………………………………………...34

1.0

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction and background Through federal funding authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill (Agricultural Act), the Voluntary Public Access & Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) leases private lands for public access with the goal of expanding hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife observation opportunities. Wisconsin is one of the many states in the Midwest that partner with private landowners to provide public access (e.g., Iowa’s Habitat and Access program). The overarching goals at the national and state level for these programs are to increase public access acres and to communicate to users about the expanded options for wildlife-dependent recreation.

1.2 Background Information/Scope of the project The Voluntary Public Access & Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), provides wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities on private lands in 52 eligible counties in Wisconsin (see map below). Through public access leases with private landowners, recreational users may enjoy expanded access for hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife observation. Wisconsin’s VPA-HIP received supplemental funding from NRCS to recruit and educate historically underserved landowners and users about the program. The term historically underserved shall refer to beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged groups (i.e. American Indians, Asian Americans, Black or African Americans, Hispanics), limited resource farmers, and women (see Appendix A for definitions).

Current Wisconsin VPA-HIP landowners reported very high overall satisfaction (86%) with the program in 2016 and 95% of users reported that they were satisfied with the overall experience on VPA-HIP properties.

WDNR has used traditional media and outreach tools in an effort to recruit landowners to enroll in the program within eligible counties (see Appendix B for a description of efforts to date). We have determined that 39 current landowners will not renew their lease for 2017-2020 lease period due to a variety of reasons (i.e., enrollment fatigue, property sales, and bad interactions with hunters). This represents $100k in leases and 4,368 acres. Since September 2016, we have enrolled 20 new properties in 12 counties for almost $51K in leases and 1,488 acres.

Goals: The agency intends that the contract awarded as a result of this RFP process will result in the following outcomes:

1) Enroll 20-25 new underserved and/or traditional landowners from within 52 eligible counties that will result in ~$50k in lease payments and totaling ~2,500 acres by November 1, 2017.

2) Create 100 acres of habitat on newly enrolled VPA lands through the Habitat Incentive program by May 2018.

3) Inform Wisconsin traditional and underserved hunters, anglers, trappers and wildlife watchers in the 52 VPA counties about the VPA-HIP program with a goal of increasing usership of the properties.

Target demographics for potential VPA landowner enrollees include:

· Landowners in 52 Eligible Counties (see map)

· Landowners that fit the underserved definition

· Age range: 30-75 years old

· Landowners with > 40 acres of land

· Landowners adjacent to public hunting lands

Target demographics for potential VPA recreational users:

· Users that fit the underserved definition, especially those in geographical areas that do not usually receive information about wildlife-dependent recreation (urban areas) We have an initial goal of recruiting 25 new landowners (both traditional and underserved) into the program by November 1st, 2017. Timeline for adding 100 acres of habitat and reaching VPA users is to start September 1, 2017 and end August 1, 2018.

Scope of Project/Deliverables: The primary service to be performed through this contract is to create a marketing and implementation plan to promote VPA-HIP to traditional groups but with a concentrated effort on historically underserved groups. It is envisioned that some aspects of implementing the plan will be accomplished by the selected firm and some aspects by the department.

Expected results INCLUDE:

· An evaluation of the DNR’s current efforts to sign up landowners.

· A plan to make a concentrated effort to sign up new landowners.

· All $30,000 must be spent by August 1, 2018.

1.3 Procuring and contracting agency

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the WDNR, which is the sole point of contact for the State of Wisconsin during the selection process. The person responsible for managing the procurement process is Richard Straub.

The contract resulting from this RFP will be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The project manager will be Sawyer Briel, PR/6, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

1.4 Definitions The following definitions are used throughout the RFP.

Agency means the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Proposer/vendor means a firm submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

State means State of Wisconsin.

Contractor or successful firm means proposer awarded the contract.

WDNR or DNR means the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

VPA-HIP is the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program

1.5 Clarification and/or revisions to the specifications and requirements

Any questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing on or before

8/7/2017 (email submission is preferred) to:

Senior Procurement Specialist

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

PO Box 7921

Madison, WI 53707-7921

Telephone #: (608) 261-6415

FAX #: (608) 264-6277

Email Address: Richard.Straub@wisconsin.gov Vendors are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have concerning this RFP document at this point in the RFP process. If a vendor discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in this RFP, the vendor should notify immediately the above named individual of such error and request modification or clarification of the RFP.

In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying data or information, or to revise any part of this RFP, revisions/amendments and/or supplements will be provided to all recipients of this initial RFP.

Each proposal shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the requirements, terms, and conditions of this RFP and any supplements or revisions thereof.

Any contact with State employees concerning this RFP is prohibited, except as authorized by the RFP manager, Richard Straub, during the period from date of release of the RFP until the notice of intent to contract is released.

1.8 Calendar of events Listed below are specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this Request for Proposal (RFP). The actions with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed by the State. In the event that the State finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, it will do so by issuing a supplement to this RFP. There may or may not be a formal notification issued for changes in the estimated dates and times.

DATE

EVENT

7/26/2017 Date of issue of the RFP.

8/7/2017

Last day for submitting written inquires.

8/9/2017

Mail notification to vendors of supplements or revisions to the RFP.

8/16/2017 Proposals due from vendors.

+ 1 week Oral presentations by invited vendors (optional- if needed).

+ 2 week Notification of intent to award sent to vendors.

9/1/2017 est.

Contract start date.

1.9 Contract term and funding

The contract shall be effective on the date indicated on the purchase order or the contract execution date and shall be in effect until August 1, 2018. The initial term of this contract is being funded through a federal grant of $30,000. Refer to sections 5.0 and 6.0 for more information. Any contract amounts established for services once the plan is approved will be subject to mutual agreement based on a new scope of work developed for the period.

2.0

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

2.1 General instructions

The evaluation and selection of a contractor and the contract will be based on the information submitted in the vendor's proposal plus references and any oral presentations. Failure to respond to each of the requirements in the RFP may be the basis for rejecting a response.

Elaborate proposals (e.g., expensive artwork), beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal, are not necessary or desired.

2.2 Incurring costs

The State of Wisconsin is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this RFP.

2.3 Submitting the proposal

Proposers must submit an original, four hard copies and one electronic copy (on CD or thumb drive) of all materials required for acceptance of their proposal by, to one of the two following addresses depending on how you send it:

· If proposer is using the US Mail direct your proposals to:

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Attn: Richard Straub Senior Procurement Specialist

PO Box 7921

Madison, WI 53707-7921

· If sending your proposal via any other delivery method (e.g. UPS, FED-Ex, DHL, courier, etc.) send to

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Attn: Richard Straub Senior Procurement Specialist

101 S. Webster St.

Madison, WI 53703 To ensure confidentiality of the document, all proposals must be packaged, sealed and show the following information on the outside of the package:

—Proposer's name and address

—Request for proposal title

—Request for proposal number

—Proposal due date

An original plus one (1) copies of the Cost Proposal Form must be sealed and submitted as a separate part of the proposal. Do not include the Cost Proposal Form on the CD being prepared and sent with the written proposals. The outside of the envelope must be clearly labeled with the words “Cost Proposal, RFP #18-075-20, Voluntary Public Access & Habitat Incentive Program Marketing Plan”, and include the name of the vendor and the due date. The cost proposal is due to the addressee on the due date and time noted above. All bidders are responsible for the delivery of their RFP package to this purchasing office prior to the stated RFP opening time. Late and unsigned proposals will be rejected. No fax proposals will be accepted.

2.4 Proposal organization and format

Proposals should be typed and submitted on 8.5 by 11 inch paper bound securely. Proposals should be organized and presented in the order and by the number assigned in the RFP. Proposals must be organized with the following headings and subheadings. Each heading and subheading should be separated by tabs or otherwise clearly marked. Failure to provide any requested information in the prescribed format may result in disqualification of the proposal.

The RFP sections which should be submitted or responded to are:

Tab 1 - Cover Letter/Vendor Certifications: Include here any cover letter included with the proposal and include a signed copy of form number DOA-3261 Request for Proposal Cover Sheet. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be signed by a person in the vendor’s organization who is responsible for the decision as to the prices being offered in the proposal or by a person who has been authorized in writing to act as an agent for the person responsible for the decision on prices. Each proposal shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the terms and conditions of this RFP and any supplements or revisions thereof.

By submitting a signed proposal, the vendor’s signatories certify that in connection with this procurement: (a) the vendor’s organization or agent of the vendor’s organization has arrived at the prices in its proposal; without consultant, communication, or agreement with any other respondent or with any competitor for the purpose of restricting competition, (b) the prices quoted in the proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the vendor’s organization or by any agent of the vendor’s organization and will not be knowingly disclosed by same, directly or indirectly, to any other respondent or to any competitor, and (c) no attempt has been made or will be made by the vendor’s organization or by any agent of the vendor’s organization to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

Tab 2 – Additional Required Forms: Include here completed and signed copies of the required forms listed in section 9.0 except for the cost proposal form. Do not include the cost proposal form in this tab.

Tab 3 – Response to Experience and Organization Capabilities: Provide a point-by-point response to each and every proposal requirement specified in Section 4.0 of this RFP. Responses must be in the same sequence and numbered as they appear in this RFP. Responses must indicate all information requested in each specific requirement.

Tab 4 – Response to Project Requirements: Provide a point-by-point response to each and every technical requirement specified in Section 5.0 of this RFP. Responses must be in the same sequence and numbered as they appear in this RFP. Responses must indicate all information requested in each specific requirement.

Tab 6 – Additional Information: Include additional information which will be essential to an understanding of the proposal. This might include diagrams, excerpts from manuals, or other explanatory documentation, which would clarify and/or substantiate the proposal. Any material included here should be specifically referenced elsewhere in the proposal.

Separate Envelope – Cost Information: The vendor must submit their Cost Proposal according to the instructions provided in Section 2.3 above. Failure to provide any requested information in the prescribed format may result in disqualification of the proposal. No mention of the cost proposal amounts may be made in the response to the general or technical requirements of this Request for Proposal.

2.5 Multiple proposals

Multiple proposals from a vendor will be permissible; however, each proposal must conform fully to the requirements for proposal submission. Each such proposal must be submitted separately and labeled as Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc. on each page included in the response. Alternate acquisition plans do not constitute multiple proposals.

2.6 Oral Presentations

Top scoring vendors based on an evaluation of the written proposal may be required to participate in oral presentations, if requested by the State. The State will make every reasonable attempt to schedule each presentation at a time and location that is agreeable to the proposer. Failure of a proposer to present on the date scheduled may result in rejection of the vendor's proposal. Proposers should note the dates established in Sec. 1.8, Calendar of Events, and should be prepared to be available for an oral presentation (if requested) on those dates. If, at the time of proposal submission, a proposer knows that they will not be available on the above indicated dates, they should make note of it in their response and indicate alternative dates. The State expects that scheduled oral presentations will be held at the DNR Central Office in Madison, WI. Each vendor invited to make an oral presentation will be provided with additional details at the time of the invitation.

2.7 Withdrawal of proposals

Proposals shall be irrevocable until contract award unless the proposal is withdrawn. Proposers may withdraw a proposal in writing at any time up to the proposal closing date and time. To accomplish this, the written request must be signed by an authorized representative of the proposer and submitted to the RFP project manager. If a previously submitted proposal is withdrawn before the proposal due date and time, the proposer may submit another proposal at any time up to the proposal closing date and time.

3.0

PROPOSAL SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

3.1 Preliminary evaluation

The proposals will be reviewed initially to determine if mandatory requirements are met. Failure to meet mandatory requirements will result in rejection of the proposal. In the event that all vendors do not meet one or more of the mandatory requirements, the State reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the proposals and to select the proposal that most closely meets the requirements specified in this RFP.

3.2 Proposal scoring

Accepted proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation committee and scored against the stated criteria. A proposer may not contact any member of an evaluation committee except at the State’s direction. The committee may review references and/or request interviews, and use the results in scoring the proposals. Proposals from certified Minority Business Enterprises may have points weighted by a factor of 1.00 to 1.05 to provide up to a five percent (5%) preference to these businesses (Wis. Stats. 16.75(3m)). The evaluation committee's scoring will be tabulated and proposals ranked based on the numerical scores received. The cost proposals will be calculated with the most points awarded to the proposal with the lowest cost. Other cost proposals will be assigned points that correlate to those assigned to the lowest cost proposal.

3.3 Evaluation criteria

The proposals will be scored using the following criteria:

3.4 Right to reject proposals and negotiate contract terms

The State reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. The State may negotiate the terms of the contract, including the award amount, with the selected proposer prior to entering into a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the highest scoring proposer, the agency may negotiate a contract with the next highest scoring proposer.

3.5 Award and final offers

The State will compile the final scores for each proposal. The award will be granted in one of two ways. The award may be granted to the highest scoring responsive and responsible proposer. Alternatively, the highest scoring proposer or proposers may be requested to submit final and best offers. If final and best offers are requested by the State and submitted by the vendor, they will be evaluated against the stated criteria, scored and ranked by the evaluation committee. The award then will be granted to the highest scoring proposer. However, a proposer should not expect that the State will request a final and best offer.

3.6 Notification of intent to award

All vendors who respond to this RFP will be notified in writing of the State's intent to award the contract(s) as a result of this RFP.

After notification of the intent to award is made, and under the supervision of agency staff, copies of proposals will be available for public inspection from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the DNR’s Central Office in Madison, WI. Vendors should schedule reviews with Richard Straub by phone at (608) 261-6415, or by email at: Richard.Straub@wisconsin.gov.

4.0

EXPERIENCE AND ORGANIZATION CAPABILITIES

Please address the firm’s experience and expertise in each area listed below. Responses in the proposal must be in the same sequence and numbered as they appear here. Be specific and identify projects, dates, and results. Discuss all projects the firm has been involved with that pertain to these areas, including projects where the desired objective was not achieved.

4.1 Mandatory Conditions

To meet the conditions of the RFP please provide a statement that you meet the three mandatory requirements below.

4.1.1 Must have experience marketing toward the farming community.

4.1.2 Must have experience marketing toward individuals or groups that meet the NRCS “underserved” definition.

4.1.3 Plan must not exceed $30,000.

4.2 Organization capabilities Please summarize the firm’s qualifications related to the following general topics. Be specific and identify projects, dates, and results.

· Experience developing extensive communications/marketing plans

· Experience targeting underserved and traditional audiences

· Experience with diverse media outlets/delivery methods (e.g. Radio, billboards, television, spokespeople, etc.)

4.3 Specific Experience Please describe the firm's experience in the following topics related to natural resources communication and marketing. Be specific and identify projects, dates, and results.

· Previous success working with natural resources issues

· Previous success working with controversial issues and conflicting interests

· Experience working with DNR staff or a similar agency

· Experience with and/or knowledge of Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation culture

· Experience with working with underserved landowners and user groups

· Experience marketing to the farming community 4.4 Staff qualifications Please provide a list of staff who will be assigned to this project along with a statement describing their anticipated project role. Clearly indicate who will be the project leader. For each staff member listed indicate what, if any, involvement they had in each project for which a reference is being provided. Proposers shall also provide resumes describing the educational and work experiences for each of the key staff who would be assigned to the project and what their role would be.

4.5 Proposer references

Please include in your RFP a list of all clients/organizations, including those listed in sections 4.1 and 4.2, with whom the proposer has done business like that required by this solicitation within the last four years. For each client/buyer/organization, the proposer must include the name, title, address, and telephone number of a contact person along with a brief description of the project or assignment that was the basis for the business relationship. The procuring agency will determine which, if any, references to contact to assess the quality of work performed and personnel assigned to the project. The results of any references will be provided to the evaluation committee and used in scoring the proposal. Please use the attached Vendor Reference Form (DOA-3478) to provide reference information.

5.0

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The firm awarded this contract will be required to develop a comprehensive plan for communicating information about the VPA-HIP program to both traditional and underserved landowners and users. Success is defined as sufficient number of landowners contacting VPA staff to enroll in the program, resulting in at least 20-25 new landowners totalling 2,500 acres enrolled and 100 acres of habitat enhancement. The successful firm will have expertise not currently within the DNR. Please describe in as much detail as possible how you would achieve this. Refer to appendix A for information about efforts the DNR has made in the past. Respond to each of the items below in the same sequence and numbered as they appear here.

5.1 Approach & Collaboration

· Please describe in detail how your firm would complete the research and planning phases of the project as previously outlined in Section 1.2 Scope of the Project. Your experience may suggest that an approach other than the one described in Section 1.2 may better achieve the agency’s objectives. Please provide details of your approach to develop a comprehensive plan for communicating information about VPA-HIP markting efforts and increasing support for those efforts using steps listed in Section 1.2 or your suggested alternative.

· Wisconsin DNR has some information and experience pertinent to this project. Please describe how you would use these DNR resources in the research phase.

· Please describe how you would keep DNR staff informed and involved as you develop the plan in the planning phase.

· The proposal should anticipate a minimum of two meetings, one shortly after the contract is awarded and another to present the marketing plan developed by the contractor.

5.2 Marketing Plan

· Timeline: Provide your “best guess” of a timeline, describing how long you think it would take to conduct the situation analysis and define target audiences, then estimating how much time you would need to draft the plan. Includes the meetings indicated above in Section 5.2.3.

· Preliminary Marketing and Implementation Plan Provide a preliminary marketing and implementation plan that includes 1) target audiences/customers including demographics and interests, 2) how you will reach customers/audiences includes distribution plan to target audiences, and 3) types of materials to distribute to target audiences.

· Tools: Describe the media types, tools, and processes you will consider using/developing in the plan and how each one could complement the delivery of the agency message.

6.0

COST PROPOSAL

6.1 General instructions on preparing cost proposals

The cost proposal should be submitted in a separate envelope with the written proposal. Use the form supplied in Section 9.0. The total cost of this project is $30,000. A percentage of that $30,000 will be the marketing firms fee the remainder will be used to implement the plan. The points for this proposal will be based upon the contractor’s fee. The lowest fee will receive full points while hire fees will receive less points in a proportional way.

6.2 Fixed price period

All prices, costs, and conditions outlined in the proposal shall remain fixed and valid for acceptance for sixty (60) calendar days starting on the due date for proposals.

7.0

SPECIAL CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7.1 Payment requirements During the term of this contract the contractor may invoice the DNR on a monthly basis for costs incurred up to 40% of the total contract amount. The remaining 60% of the contract amount may be invoiced and will be paid once the DNR has approved the final plan submitted by the contractor.

7.2 Executed contract to constitute entire agreement

In the event of contract award, the contents of this RFP (including all attachments), RFP addenda and revisions, and the proposal of the successful vendor, and additional terms agreed to, in writing, by the agency and the contractor shall become part of the contract. Failure of the successful proposer to accept these as a contractual agreement may result in a cancellation of award.

The following priority for contract documents will be used if there are conflicts or disputes.

Official Purchase Orders

Vendor's Proposal Dated xx/xx/xxxx

State Request for Proposal Dated xx/xx/xxxx

Standard Terms and Conditions (DOA-3054)

Supplemental Standard Terms and Conditions for Procurements for Services (DOA-3681)

7.3 Termination of contract

The agency may terminate the contract at any time at its sole discretion by delivering 30 days written notice to the contractor. Upon termination, the agency's liability will be limited to the pro rata cost of the services performed as of the date of termination plus expenses incurred with the prior written approval of the agency. In the event that the contractor terminates the contract, for any reason whatsoever, it will refund to the agency within 5 days of said termination, all payments made hereunder by the agency to the contractor for work not completed or not accepted by the agency. Such termination will require written notice to that effect to be delivered by the contractor to the agency not less than 30 days prior to said termination.

8.0

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The State of Wisconsin reserves the right to incorporate standard State contract provisions into any contract negotiated with any proposal submitted responding to this RFP (Standard Terms and Conditions (DOA-3054) and Supplemental Standard Terms and Conditions for Procurements for Services (DOA-3681)). Failure of the successful proposer to accept these obligations in a contractual agreement may result in cancellation of the award.

1.0 SPECIFICATIONS: The specifications in this request are the minimum acceptable. When specific manufacturer and model numbers are used, they are to establish a design, type of construction, quality, functional capability and/or performance level desired. When alternates are bid/proposed, they must be identified by manufacturer, stock number, and such other information necessary to establish equivalency. The State of Wisconsin shall be the sole judge of equivalency. Bidders/proposers are cautioned to avoid bidding alternates to the specifications which may result in rejection of their bid/proposal.

2.0 DEVIATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS: Deviations and exceptions from original text, terms, conditions, or specifications shall be described fully, on the bidder's/proposer's letterhead, signed, and attached to the request. In the absence of such statement, the bid/proposal shall be accepted as in strict compliance with all terms, conditions, and specifications and the bidders/proposers shall be held liable.

3.0 QUALITY: Unless otherwise indicated in the request, all material shall be first quality. Items which are used, demonstrators, obsolete, seconds, or which have been discontinued are unacceptable without prior written approval by the State of Wisconsin.

4.0 QUANTITIES: The quantities shown on this request are based on estimated needs. The state reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities to meet actual needs.

5.0 DELIVERY: Deliveries shall be F.O.B. destination freight prepaid and included unless otherwise specified.

6.0 PRICING AND DISCOUNT: The State of Wisconsin qualifies for governmental discounts and its educational institutions also qualify for educational discounts. Unit prices shall reflect these discounts.

6.1 Unit prices shown on the bid/proposal or contract shall be the price per unit of sale (e.g., gal., cs., doz., ea.) as stated on the request or contract. For any given item, the quantity multiplied by the unit price shall establish the extended price, the unit price shall govern in the bid/proposal evaluation and contract administration.

6.2 Prices established in continuing agreements and term contracts may be lowered due to general market conditions, but prices shall not be subject to increase for ninety (90) calendar days from the date of award. Any increase proposed shall be submitted to the contracting agency thirty (30) calendar days before the proposed effective date of the price increase, and shall be limited to fully documented cost increases to the contractor which are demonstrated to be industrywide. The conditions under which price increases may be granted shall be expressed in bid/proposal documents and contracts or agreements.

6.3 In determination of award, discounts for early payment will only be considered when all other conditions are equal and when payment terms allow at least fifteen (15) days, providing the discount terms are deemed favorable. All payment terms must allow the option of net thirty (30).

7.0 UNFAIR SALES ACT: Prices quoted to the State of Wisconsin are not governed by the Unfair Sales Act.

8.0 ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION: The State of Wisconsin reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids/proposals, to waive any technicality in any bid/proposal submitted, and to accept any part of a bid/proposal as deemed to be in the best interests of the State of Wisconsin.

Bids/proposals MUST be date and time stamped by the soliciting purchasing office on or before the date and time that the bid/proposal is due. Bids/proposals date and time stamped in another office will be rejected. Receipt of a bid/proposal by the mail system does not constitute receipt of a bid/proposal by the purchasing office.

9.0 METHOD OF AWARD: Award shall be made to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder unless otherwise specified.

10.0 ORDERING: Purchase orders or releases via purchasing cards shall be placed directly to the contractor by an authorized agency. No other purchase orders are authorized.

11.0 PAYMENT TERMS AND INVOICING: The State of Wisconsin normally will pay properly submitted vendor invoices within thirty (30) days of receipt providing goods and/or services have been delivered, installed (if required), and accepted as specified.

Invoices presented for payment must be submitted in accordance with instructions contained on the purchase order including reference to purchase order number and submittal to the correct address for processing.

A good faith dispute creates an exception to prompt payment.

12.0 TAXES: The State of Wisconsin and its agencies are exempt from payment of all federal tax and Wisconsin state and local taxes on its purchases except Wisconsin excise taxes as described below.

The State of Wisconsin, including all its agencies, is required to pay the Wisconsin excise or occupation tax on its purchase of beer, liquor, wine, cigarettes, tobacco products, motor vehicle fuel and general aviation fuel. However, it is exempt from payment of Wisconsin sales or use tax on its purchases. The State of Wisconsin may be subject to other states' taxes on its purchases in that state depending on the laws of that state. Contractors performing construction activities are required to pay state use tax on the cost of materials.

13.0 GUARANTEED DELIVERY: Failure of the contractor to adhere to delivery schedules as specified or to promptly replace rejected materials shall render the contractor liable for all costs in excess of the contract price when alternate procurement is necessary. Excess costs shall include the administrative costs.

14.0 ENTIRE AGREEMENT: These Standard Terms and Conditions shall apply to any contract or order awarded as a result of this request except where special requirements are stated elsewhere in the request; in such cases, the special requirements shall apply. Further, the written contract and/or order with referenced parts and attachments shall constitute the entire agreement and no other terms and conditions in any document, acceptance, or acknowledgment shall be effective or binding unless expressly agreed to in writing by the contracting authority.

15.0 APPLICABLE LAW: This contract shall be governed under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. The contractor shall at all times comply with and observe all federal and state laws, local laws, ordinances, and regulations which are in effect during the period of this contract and which in any manner affect the work or its conduct. The State of Wisconsin reserves the right to cancel any contract with a federally debarred contractor or a contractor which is presently identified on the list of parties excluded from federal procurement and non-procurement contracts.

16.0 ANTITRUST ASSIGNMENT: The contractor and the State of Wisconsin recognize that in actual economic practice, overcharges resulting from antitrust violations are in fact usually borne by the State of Wisconsin (purchaser). Therefore, the contractor hereby assigns to the State of Wisconsin any and all claims for such overcharges as to goods, materials or services purchased in connection with this contract.

17.0 ASSIGNMENT: No right or duty in whole or in part of the contractor under this contract may be assigned or delegated without the prior written consent of the State of Wisconsin.

18.0 WORK CENTER CRITERIA: A work center must be certified under s. 16.752, Wis. Stats., and must ensure that when engaged in the production of materials, supplies or equipment or the performance of contractual services, not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the total hours of direct labor are performed by severely handicapped individuals.

19.0 NONDISCRIMINATION / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: In connection with the performance of work under this contract, the contractor agrees not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, developmental disability as defined in s. 51.01(5), Wis. Stats., sexual orientation as defined in s. 111.32(13m), Wis. Stats., or national origin. This provision 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 training, including apprenticeship. Except with respect to sexual orientation, the contractor further agrees to take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities.

19.1 Contracts estimated to be over twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) require the submission of a written affirmative action plan by the contractor. An exemption occurs from this requirement if the contractor has a workforce of less than twenty-five (25) employees. Within fifteen (15) working days after the contract is awarded, the contractor must submit the plan to the contracting state agency for approval. Instructions on preparing the plan and technical assistance regarding this clause are available from the contracting state agency.

19.2 The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available for employees and applicants for employment, a notice to be provided by the contracting state agency that sets forth the provisions of the State of Wisconsin's nondiscrimination law.

19.3 Failure to comply with the conditions of this clause may result in the contractor's becoming declared an "ineligible" contractor, termination of the contract, or withholding of payment.

20.0 PATENT INFRINGEMENT: The contractor selling to the State of Wisconsin the articles described herein guarantees the articles were manufactured or produced in accordance with applicable federal labor laws. Further, that the sale or use of the articles described herein will not infringe any United States patent. The contractor covenants that it will at its own expense defend every suit which shall be brought against the State of Wisconsin (provided that such contractor is promptly notified of such suit, and all papers therein are delivered to it) for any alleged infringement of any patent by reason of the sale or use of such articles, and agrees that it will pay all costs, damages, and profits recoverable in any such suit.

21.0 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: All materials, equipment, and supplies provided to the State of Wisconsin must comply fully with all safety requirements as set forth by the Wisconsin Administrative Code, the Rules of the Industrial Commission on Safety, and all applicable OSHA Standards.

22.0 WARRANTY: Unless otherwise specifically stated by the bidder/proposer, equipment purchased as a result of this request shall be warranted against defects by the bidder/proposer for one (1) year from date of receipt. The equipment manufacturer's standard warranty shall apply as a minimum and must be honored by the contractor.

23.0 INSURANCE RESPONSIBILITY: The contractor performing services for the State of Wisconsin shall:

23.1 Maintain worker's compensation insurance as required by Wisconsin Statutes, for all employees engaged in the work.

23.2 Maintain commercial liability, bodily injury and property damage insurance against any claim(s) which might occur in carrying out this agreement/contract. Minimum coverage shall be one million dollars ($1,000,000) liability for bodily injury and property damage including products liability and completed operations. Provide motor vehicle insurance for all owned, non-owned and hired vehicles that are used in carrying out this contract. Minimum coverage shall be one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence combined single limit for automobile liability and property damage.

23.3 The state reserves the right to require higher or lower limits where warranted.

24.0 CANCELLATION: The State of Wisconsin reserves the right to cancel any contract in whole or in part without penalty due to nonappropriation of funds or for failure of the contractor to comply with terms, conditions, and specifications of this contract.

25.0 VENDOR TAX DELINQUENCY: Vendors who have a delinquent Wisconsin tax liability may have their payments offset by the State of Wisconsin.

26.0 PUBLIC RECORDS ACCESS: It is the intention of the state to maintain an open and public process in the solicitation, submission, review, and approval of procurement activities.

Bid/proposal openings are public unless otherwise specified. Records may not be available for public inspection prior to issuance of the notice of intent to award or the award of the contract.

27.0 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: Any restrictions on the use of data contained within a request, must be clearly stated in the bid/proposal itself. Proprietary information submitted in response to a request will be handled in accordance with applicable State of Wisconsin procurement regulations and the Wisconsin public records law. Proprietary restrictions normally are not accepted. However, when accepted, it is the vendor's responsibility to defend the determination in the event of an appeal or litigation.

27.1 Data contained in a bid/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 the State of Wisconsin.

27.2 Any material submitted by the vendor in response to this request that the vendor considers confidential and proprietary information and which qualifies as a trade secret, as provided in s. 19.36(5), Wis. Stats., or material which can be kept confidential under the Wisconsin public records law, must be identified on a Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information form (DOA-3027). Bidders/proposers may request the form if it is not part of the Request for Bid/Request for Proposal package. Bid/proposal prices cannot be held confidential.

28.0 DISCLOSURE: If a state public official (s. 19.42, Wis. Stats.), a member of a state public official's immediate family, or any organization in which a state public official or a member of the official's immediate family owns or controls a ten percent (10%) interest, is a party to this agreement, and if this agreement involves payment of more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) within a twelve (12) month period, this contract is voidable by the state unless appropriate disclosure is made according to s. 19.45(6), Wis. Stats., before signing the contract. Disclosure must be made to the State of Wisconsin Ethics Board, 44 East Mifflin Street, Suite 601, Madison, Wisconsin 53703 (Telephone 608-266-8123).

State classified and former employees and certain University of Wisconsin faculty/staff are subject to separate disclosure requirements, s. 16.417, Wis. Stats.

RECYCLED MATERIALS: The State of Wisconsin is required to purchase products incorporating recycled materials whenever technically and economically feasible. Bidders are encouraged to bid products with recycled content which meet specifications.

29.0 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET: If any item(s) on an order(s) resulting from this award(s) is a hazardous chemical, as defined under 29CFR 1910.1200, provide one (1) copy of a Material Safety Data Sheet for each item with the shipped container(s) and one (1) copy with the invoice(s).

30.0 PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING / NEWS RELEASES: Reference to or use of the State of Wisconsin, any of its departments, agencies or other subunits, or any state official or employee for commercial promotion is prohibited. News releases pertaining to this procurement shall not be made without prior approval of the State of Wisconsin.