REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

2027 Historic Cemetery Tours RFP

Parks and Recreation Department Commissioner, Diana Fernandez Bibeau

EV00017717

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD) seeks a contractor to operate historically accurate, informative, and entertaining nighttime tours to Copp’s Hill, Granary Burying Ground, and/or King’s Chapel Burying Grounds. Tours must operate annually at a minimum between these dates: April 15- November 15. Year round tours are encouraged. Tours shall consist of a maximum of 30 customers at any one time. The Commissioner of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Boston shall be the officer in charge of the work and their designee shall be the supervisor.

IMPORTANT DATES:See the full RFP schedule in Section 1.4.

EVENT DATE

RFP Issue Date September 28, 2026

Pre-Proposal Q&A due via email October 14, 2026 12pm EST Email bethanne.grassa@boston.gov

Proposal Due Date October 22, 2026 12pm EST

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Beth-Anne Grassa| bethanne.grassa@boston.gov All questions should be emailed with the RFP number (EV00017717) in the subject line.

You can access this RFP and related documents on the City of Boston Supplier Portal, via boston.gov/procurement.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement

WHAT IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) AND HOW

DOES IT WORK?

What: An RFP is a document that explains what services the City of Boston needs and is looking for vendors (you!) to submit a proposal of your service.

Why: The RFP explains what a vendor needs to do to compete for this opportunity, how they will be evaluated, and how the contract will be managed.

How:

● Read through the RFP carefully and decide if you want to compete for the contract.

● Register as a vendor on the Supplier Portal (if you aren’t already); you can access the Supplier Portal via boston.gov/procurement, and get assistance by emailing Vendor.Questions@boston.gov or joining their office hours

● Put together your technical proposal and price proposal and be sure to keep them separate. Failure to do so will disqualify your proposal.

● If you have questions please email questions to bethanne.grassa@boston.gov by October 14, 2026 12pm.

● Submit your final technical and price proposals separately, as well as any other necessary forms. Do not include any price information in your technical proposal or presentation or the City will reject your entire proposal. Read the instructions carefully on how to submit each of these proposals. Be sure to leave plenty of time for submission.

RFP Structure:

Read sections I and II

Respond to sections III and IV

Follow the directions in section V http://boston.gov/procurement mailto:Vendor.Questions@boston.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURCHASE DESCRIPTION 3

1.1 BACKGROUND 3

1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES 4

1.3 GOALS 6

1.4PROPOSAL TIMELINE 7

1.4 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS 8

1.5 CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER INFORMATION 8

1.6 PAYMENT PROCESS 9

1.10 NONDISCRIMINATION 9

II. HOW WE CHOOSE 10

2.1 MINIMUM EVALUATION CRITERIA 10

2.2 COMPARATIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA 11

2.3 RULE FOR AWARD AND CONTRACT 12

III. YOUR TECHNICAL PROPOSAL 14

3.1 COVER PAGE 15

3.2 RESPONSE TO SCOPE OF SERVICES 16

3.3 REFERENCES 21

3.4 INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION 23

3.5 SCRIPT 23

IV. YOUR PRICE PROPOSAL 24

4.1 PRICE PROPOSAL (REQUIRED) 25

4.2 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (OPTIONAL) 26

V. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS 28

5.1 CHECKLIST FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL 29

5.2 SUBMITTING PROPOSAL VIA BOSTON’S SUPPLIER PORTAL 30

5.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY 22

VI. APPENDICES 33

APPENDIX 1: RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS 33

APPENDIX 2: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 35

APPENDIX 3: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 36

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

Read sections I and II

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

● By submitting a proposal, each proposer accepts the RFP specifications, Boston’s RFP terms, and Boston’s standard contract terms and conditions ( found in the Appendix below).

● Once awarded, the contract will be governed by the terms and conditions listed in forms CM-10 and CM-11, which shall be incorporated by reference into this RFP. Please see Appendix 2 for a full list of the forms that the selected vendor will be required to sign and submit during the contracting process if awarded this contract. Please review these before submitting your proposal. Failure to agree to the City of Boston’s standard contract terms and conditions will result in your Proposal being deemed non-responsive to the solicitation and therefore rejected.

1.1 BACKGROUND

With this Request for Proposal (RFP), the Department, acting through the Parks Commissioner, seeks a contractor to operate historically accurate, informative, and entertaining nighttime tours to Copp’s Hill, Granary Burying Ground, and/or King’s Chapel Burying Grounds. Tours shall consist of a maximum of 30 customers at any one time. The Commissioner of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Boston shall be the officer in charge of the work and their designee shall be the supervisor.

Based on data provided by prior contractors, there have been over 20,000 tour customers annually in prior years. The Parks Department makes no guarantee of the accuracy of these figures and makes no guarantee of the number of customers in future years.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KPoQBuzMCIBqO6gKOOEdXzQq62zbTDox/view?usp=drive_link

We look forward to receiving your proposal.1

1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES

This section is very important. It outlines what we are asking for and gives an in-depth look at what we are expecting.

In Massachusetts Procurement Law, this is part of the “Purchase Description.”

The scope of work should:

1. The tours will operate nightly at a minimum from April 15 to November 15 of each contract year subject to the following restrictions:

2. The contractor shall enter Copp’s Hill, Granary, and/or King’s Chapel Burying Ground no earlier than 6:00 PM. The contractor shall leave Copp’s Hill Burying Ground no later than 9:30 PM, and shall leave Granary and King’s Chapel Burying Ground no later than 10:55 PM.

3. The contractor may conduct tours from November 15 through April14 upon request, subject to the approval of the Commissioner or their designee.

Parking and Pickup/Dropoff

Proposers shall outline the pickup, drop off, and parking locations that will be utilized, if using a motorized vehicle. The contractor will be responsible for following all City of Boston parking rules and regulations, including anti-idling ordinances.

1 This RFP is open to any vendor who would like to respond, and the City encourages participation from small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. To support equality of opportunity for these businesses, we also encourage respondents to solicit for the subcontracting of goods and services from certified businesses. The City’s directory of certified businesses is available at http://cityofboston.gov/slbe/search.

http://cityofboston.gov/slbe/search

Tour Behavior

No vehicles, other than motorized mobility devices (such as electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters), will be allowed in the burying grounds. The contractor will, at a minimum, provide a guide who will remain with the tour group at all times and ensure all people involved with the tour including customers and guides remain on paved pathways within the burying grounds and maintain control over customers at all times. No running, loud behavior, or open flames are acceptable. Guides must keep visitors in one cohesive group at all times and make sure all visitors are accounted for and leave at the same time. Guides must ensure all pathways are safely lit by providing flashlights or other suitable lighting devices to ensure customers can see pathways and walk safely. The contractor shall make sure that any and all litter produced by the tour group is picked up and removed by the end of each tour. The contractor is responsible for the safekeeping of the burial ground keys and must maintain control of the keys at all times. The contractor shall not duplicate or allow any other party to duplicate the burying ground keys. Guides must lock sites after all visits. Keys shall be returned to the Boston Parks Department at the end of each season.

Trolleys and/or other Vehicles

If a trolley or other mechanical vehicles are used to convey people between burying grounds, all vehicles shall be in good mechanical condition. The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary licenses and permits, and shall only utilize drivers licensed to operate such vehicles.

Script Approval

The script used by contractor employees must be historically accurate and should be informative, entertaining, and not offensive to the paying customer. Script will be submitted with your proposal. The Commissioner or her designee will have final script approval prior to the contract award.

Prices

Price list for tours must be included in the proposal. The Commissioner or her designee shall review and approve the contractor’s customer price list. The contractor must notify the Commissioner or her designee of any change to the price list and receive prior approval before any changes are made.

Advertising

All advertising copy (newspaper, radio, TV, internet, handbills, etc.) for the services described herein are subject to the prior review and approval of the Fund.

1.3 GOALS

This project has the following goals:

● Attract tourists and neighborhood residents to visit our Historic Burial Grounds.

● Provide high-quality historic tours as a true Boston Iconic attraction.

RFP PROCESS

1.4 PROPOSAL TIMELINE

The table below shows the preliminary RFP schedule. Dates are subject to change.

For the most updated information, please visit the Supplier Portal via boston.gov/procurement. *All times are in Eastern Time*

2 The consolidated Q&A posting will include answers to all RFP questions posed to the City at the Q&A Conference Call and by the email by the due date above. The City will update the Q&A if it chooses to answer any additional questions after that time.

EVENT DATE

RFP Released September 28, 2026

Questions Due to the City Via email to bethanne.grassa@boston.gov

October 14, 2026 12pm

Consolidated Q&A Posted by the City2 October 15, 2026

Deadline for Proposals See Submission Instructions for details

October 22, 2026 12pm

Contractor Selected November 10, 2026

1.5 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

Vendors can ask questions via email to bethanne.grassa@boston.gov by October 14, 2026 @ 12pm RFP number (EV00017717) in the subject line.3,4

1.6 CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER INFORMATION

The contract shall be awarded under the authority of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B, Section 6. The contract term shall be for 3 years, starting January 1, 2027 through December 2029. The rights granted to the contractor will not be exclusive, and the City reserves the right to use, lease or otherwise permit its property.

● In addition to the City of Boston's Standard Contract, Forms CM-10 and CM-11, and any applicable supplemental terms and conditions that are part of this RFP, the contract will include, without limitation, City required forms and certifications, including the City's CORI Compliance Certification, Living Wage Form, Wage Theft Form, Contractor Certification, and Certificate of Authority. These forms are attached hereto and/or are available upon request. The submitted Proposal, along with the RFP, will also be part of the contract between the City and the contractor.

● The contract is subject to the availability and appropriation of funds and may be cancelled by the City without penalty in any year in which an appropriation is not made.

4 After the proposal deadline, Vendors should not contact the RFP Coordinator or any other City official or employee about this RFP, except to respond to a request by the RFP Coordinator.

Vendors may continue to contact City officials and employees about issues unrelated to this RFP.

3 No other City employee, consultant, or contractor is empowered to speak for the City with respect to this RFP. Any oral communication is considered unofficial and non-binding to the City.

mailto:bethanne.grassa@boston.gov

1.7 PAYMENT PROCESSES

The financial model of this contract is intended to produce revenues to BPRD while at the same time offering a profitable business opportunity to the contractor. The Contractor shall pay a fixed amount per customer to BPRD, as outlined in the Price Proposal. The amount shall be paid to BPRD on a monthly basis, no later than 30 days after the end of the preceding month. The monthly payments should be accompanied by a statement detailing the customer volume by tour type, date, and time of tour. The contractor shall make the payments to BPRD, as set forth herein, without notice or demand and without deduction or set-off. The contractor agrees to provide the services herein described, and abide by and adhere to the conditions, terms and covenants hereinafter set forth. The contractor shall submit an annual financial statement, by a certified public accountant, showing operational expenditures and ticket revenue.

1.8 NONDISCRIMINATION

The contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religious creed, sexual preference, disability, color, age or national origin.

II. HOW WE CHOOSE

This section explains how we will evaluate candidates. It provides clear descriptions for what we consider a highly advantageous proposal.

We will evaluate your proposal based on two sets of criteria: minimum evaluation criteria and comparative evaluation criteria.

2.1 MINIMUM EVALUATION CRITERIA

First, we will review all proposals to see if they meet the minimum (or “quality”) evaluation criteria listed below. These are “yes-or-no” standards that will apply to every proposal.

These criteria reflect the standards that the City considers essential for this contract, as well as statutory thresholds for responsive and responsible proposers.

Any vendor that does not meet these minimum criteria is “not responsive” and will be eliminated from further consideration.

The minimum evaluation criteria include:

1. Did the vendor submit the proposal by the deadline, appropriately and truthfully?

2. Did the vendor submit separate technical and price proposals (with no price information in the technical proposal)? Note: Any technical proposal or interview/demonstration that includes price information will be disqualified from consideration. (See below for further information and instructions about separately submitting your technical and price proposals).

3. Did the vendor submit and complete all the necessary forms and documentation requested in this RFP?

2.2 COMPARATIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals that have met all minimum evaluation criteria will move to the next stage of evaluation. In this stage, we will evaluate proposals according to the comparative evaluation criteria described below.

CRITERIA 1: PROPOSAL CLARITY

Relevant experience running tours

● Highly Advantageous: The proposal is well-written in clear, concise language. The proposed tour operator has five (5) or more years of experience as a tour operator.

● Advantageous: The proposal is clear and well-organized. The proposed tour operator has three (3) or more years of experience as a tour operator.

● Not Advantageous: The proposal does not address all aspects of the RFP. It is poorly written and/or difficult to read. The proposed tour operator has less than three (3) years of experience as a tour operator.

CRITERIA 2: VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Business Plan Management, Staffing and Operations Plan and Methodology (response to this criteria should include but not be limited to staff organizational charts, anticipated work schedules, pricing charts for operations, planned marketing programs, established accounting controls, proposed maintenance schedules, and visual site plan)

● Highly Advantageous: Demonstrates significant and strong technical experience in operating tours. Demonstrates a track record of success in managing tours of similar size and scope.

Proposal outlined a business plan- including hours of operation, staff, ticket sales and team structure.

● Advantageous: Demonstrates some experience in operating a boat tour. The proposal includes some success in managing tours of similar size and scope. Proposal included some outline of a business plan- including hours of operation, staff, ticket sales and team structure.

● Not Advantageous: Demonstrates limited experience in operating a tours. Demonstrates limited information for a business plan.

CRITERIA 3: RESPONSE TO SCOPE OF SERVICES

Historic Tours “script”

● Highly advantageous: The proposed script is engaging and historically factual.

● Advantageous: The proposed tour script is moderately engaging and historically factual.

● Not advantageous: The proposed script is not engaging or historically factual.

2.3 RULE FOR AWARD AND CONTRACT

The City will select the responsible and responsive proposer (who has met all submission requirements and minimum evaluation criteria) who has submitted the most advantageous proposal, based on both the proposed price and the comparative evaluation criteria.

Please Note: An award letter or award notification is not a communication of final acceptance of a Vendor's proposal. No final award has been made until the following three steps have occurred:

1. Final execution of a Contract by the Vendor and the City of Boston (by its Awarding Authority/Official and the City Auditor);

2. The approval of the final Contract by the Mayor of Boston; and

3. Contractor receipt of a City issued Purchase Order.

The forms in Appendix 1 of this RFP are incorporated into the Contract by reference.

***The City reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time until proposals are opened, and further reserves its right to reject all proposals after they are opened if the City determines doing so is in its best interest.

III. YOUR TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Your application will be submitted in two parts. The first part (this section) is the Technical (Non-Price) Proposal. The Technical Proposal will be evaluated to determine whether it meets all of the submission and quality requirements specified in the RFP.

Do NOT mention pricing in this section. If you include pricing information in your technical proposal your proposal will be rejected in its entirety.

Why can’t you include price in the technical proposal? The law requires that we look at the technical and pricing proposals separately. This allows us to first determine who would be the best at implementing the project, without considering price. Next, we consider price proposals. Once both technical and price proposals are evaluated, we choose the most advantageous proposal that provides the best value overall.

Your technical proposal should consist of the following sections (each detailed in the following pages). Your technical proposal should be submitted as one document that addresses all components listed below.

An editable version of the template below is included in the “package” on this RFP’s Supplier Portal page. You should complete the editable template and submit it as your technical proposal.

● (3.1) Cover Page

● (3.2) Response to Scope of Services

● (3.3) Ownership Details (Informational only)

● (3.4) References

● (3.5) Insurance Documentation

● (3.6) Tour Script

3.1 COVER PAGE

Please include a cover page as the first page of your technical proposal.

COVER PAGE

RFP Title and Number

Primary Organization Name

Contact Information Name

Title

Address

Email

Phone

A brief introduction highlighting why you would be a good partner for the City on this project (4-5 sentences).

3.2 RESPONSE TO SCOPE OF SERVICES

This section is where you tell us how your solution meets or exceeds our needs by answering the questions/prompts below. Feel free to use anything (e.g. graphics, links to your work, etc.) that helps you make your case. Suggested response lengths are for guidance only. Feel free to answer with more or less detail as needed to best answer the question, and feel free to use anything (e.g., graphics, links to your work, etc.) that helps you make your case.

Q1: Please explain why your organization is best-suited to manage this RFP (Suggested length: 1-2 paragraphs)

An ideal answer will include the following information, focusing on why these qualities of your organization make it best-suited to manage this RFP:

● What services your organization provides

● How long your organization has been providing these services

● Your organization’s structure

● Your organization’s strategy

● Any relevant awards your team has received

Response:

Q2: Who will work on this project and why are they best qualified to achieve the goals of this RFP? (1-3 paragraphs)

An ideal answer will include:

● A description of the team that would work on the project

● A list of key team members

● Justification for why they will be great partners on this project, such as resumes or bios.

● A description of the team structure

Q3: If your team includes multiple organizations, please let us know (a) how long you have worked together and (b) which one organization will be designated as the prime contractor (all others will be designated as subcontractors). Skip if not applicable to your organization.

Name How long you have worked together

Prime contractor

Subcontractor

Subcontractor

Subcontractor

Q4: What is your implementation plan? Include a project timeline and identify the staff that will be involved with critical tasks and milestones.

Q5: Have you had a contract terminated for default during the past five (5) years, or have been involved in litigation regarding a contract?5

● Yes

● No

Q6: If you answered “Yes” to the previous question, what is your position on the matter(s)?

5 Please note: If you have had a contract terminated for default during the past five (5) years, or have been involved in litigation regarding a contract, this fact must be disclosed along with your position on the matter(s). If you have experienced no such terminations for default in the past five (5) years and have not been involved in contract litigation, then you must indicate as such. The City reserves the right to request a copy of your firm’s audited financial statements, including a detailed balance sheet and profit and loss statement for three years, or Dun & Bradstreet reports or similar financial reports, in order to evaluate the financial strength of your company.

3.3 OWNERSHIP DETAILS (INFORMATIONAL ONLY)

Q1. Is your organization a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business?6 (Yes or No)

● Small

● Local

● Minority-Owned

● Women-Owned

● Veteran Owned

Q2: Is your organization certified as a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business with the City of Boston? If you are unsure, you can check here

If you are not certified but would like to be, you can find directions for how to apply here

Becoming a certified small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business with the City of Boston provides you with many opportunities:

● Exclusive access to Sheltered Market Program contracts (listed toward the bottom of this page)

● Targeted outreach for released procurements

● Support building your business and navigating the procurement process

● Access to the new Inclusive Written Quote Contract procurements, which provide a simpler way for businesses to get into government contracting.

6 These details are used to help us improve our outreach to all potential partners, and are for informational purposes only; this RFP is open to any vendor who would like to respond.

https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiY2UwZDliYjUtZWJkNi00MzFmLWJlMTQtMDM2ZjFmYjgwMDY1IiwidCI6Ijg1NTI4ODdjLWNiYzMtNGVlNS05ZmQzLWVhMjE3ZTMwMjZmYyJ9 https://bostonopendata.knack.com/vendor-cert#menu3/ https://www.boston.gov/departments/economic-opportunity-and-inclusion/sheltered-market-pilot-program

Q3. Are any of your proposed subcontractors a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business?7

3.4 REFERENCES

REFERENCES

REFERENCE

EXAMPLE

Organization

Smith Events

Project Manager (or equivalent)

Jennifer Smith

Phone number

845-111-2222

Email (if available) jsmith@smithevents.com

Project Description

Planned and implemented a family-friendly concert on the steps of City Hall. Worked with diverse community organizations to select performers and vendors. Hosted 150 residents.

Project Start and End Dates

March 2020 - May 2020

REFERENCE 1 Organization

Project Manager (or equivalent)

7 Same as above.

REFERENCE 2 Organization

Project Description

REFERENCE 3 Organization

3.5 INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION

Attach documentation of your insurance coverage. The City’s recommended levels of insurance are listed in Appendix 3.

If you have a different level of coverage, you must explain below why that is sufficient to manage the risk of this project.

3.6 Tour Script & Ticket pricing

Include an example of your tour guides tour script. Please include sights viewed on the tour.

Pricing menu for all tours.

IV. YOUR PRICE PROPOSAL

The Pricing Proposal is where you will share your estimated project budget with us and where you will explain your costs/budget.

IMPORTANT: The Price Proposal (and all pricing information) MUST be submitted separately from the remainder of the proposal. No price information may be included in the Technical Proposal or at the Site Visit.

If you do not separate all pricing information from your Technical Proposal, your entire proposal will be rejected.

The pricing proposal (which lists all costs associated with your proposed deliverable) is required in addition to the technical proposal. There are two steps:

1. Please complete the price proposal template provided below.

2. Please enter the total price for the entire contract length in the price line if submitted electronically through the Supplier Portal. More detailed instructions are available in the following section, Section VI, Submission Instructions. Instructions can also be found on the Procurement Information Page.

Please note:

● The total price will be used to compare price proposals.

● In the price proposal, the City asks that you provide detailed pricing for all deliverables in the scope of services with the understanding that the deliverables and quantities of goods and services the City notes in this RFP are estimates only and that the final scope of services may change during contract negotiations between the City and the selected vendor(s).

● No additional charges will be allowed unless they are included in your Price Proposal.

● The vendor will bear the onus of any errors made in pricing the services (e.g., omitting a component of the services).

http://boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal

4.1 PRICE PROPOSAL (REQUIRED)

The selected vendor will not receive compensation directly from the City pursuant to a contract awarded under this RFP; the vendor will provide the services described in this RFP at no cost to the City.

Rather, the selected vendor will retain a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its tickets, and will pay the City the amounts proposed in the Price Proposal Form below.

Proposals that fail to include complete pricing information will be rejected as incomplete and deemed non-responsive. All price/revenue proposals must, at a minimum, be provided on the Price Proposal Form below for purposes of comparing prices/revenues between vendors.

ITEM DESCRIPTION Per Person rate

ESTIMATED ticket sales per person(ANNUALLY) *based off your schedule of operation.

TOTAL

ESTIMATED

PRICE (1 YEAR)

Amount to be paid to BPRD per ticket sold

*MINIMUM AMOUNT

PAID TO BPRD PER

TICKET SOLD IS $5

IMPORTANT: The price proposal must be completed and submitted in a separate sealed envelope marked “Price Proposal.”

The Monthly payment will be paid to BPRD by the 10th of each following month.

4.2 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (OPTIONAL)

You have the option (but are not required) to attach additional information describing any costs that don’t fit into the above template, to describe the reasoning behind your pricing, or to state any assumptions you made while filling out the template.

V. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows you how to submit your application.

● To be considered responsive, each vendor must submit a complete proposal prior to October 22, 2026.

○ See the checklist below (section 5.1) for the requirements for a complete application.

● Edits and updates to proposals can only be before the deadline.

● Complete applications can be submitted in two ways:

○ Through the City of Boston Supplier Portal (see section 5.2)

○ By mail or physical delivery (see section 5.3)

● Applicants sometimes run into technical issues with the City of Boston Supplier Portal. We STRONGLY recommend submitting your proposal in advance of the deadline to allow for enough time to navigate any issues.

● The contact you listed in your submitted proposal will receive periodic email updates to let you know:

○ If your application has been received

○ Whether your proposal has been awarded the contract

○ If we need any follow up information

The City will NOT be able to consider proposals that are submitted late or that do not follow these guidelines.

https://procurement.cityofboston.gov/psp/prdsp/SUPPLIER/ERP/h/?tab=DEFAULT

5.1 CHECKLIST FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL

This checklist is for your use only; you do not need to submit this checklist along with your proposal.

CHECKLIST ITEM

COMPLETE

IMPORTANT: Submit separate technical and price proposals. (Do NOT include any price information in your technical proposal, otherwise your proposal will be rejected.)

A. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Included a cover page with all required information Responded to questions and prompts in “Response to Scope of Services”

Provided 3 references Included required documentation of insurance Tour Script

B. PRICE PROPOSAL

Provided detailed budget and pricing Provided additional information about pricing proposal (optional)

C. REVIEW CONTRACT TERMS & CONDITIONS

Read and reviewed contract terms, conditions, and additional forms If awarded the contract, you will be required to sign and submit forms listed in Appendix 2.

Complete and submit the CM-16 Wage Theft Prevention Certification https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YmPYyKj9LzNGr6qGC71UjG7KXI2DFgVm/view?usp=drive_link

5.2 SUBMITTING PROPOSAL VIA BOSTON’S SUPPLIER PORTAL

Respondents can submit a proposal electronically through the Supplier Portal. You can access the Supplier Portal from boston.gov/procurement at the Supplier Portal link. We do not accept proposals submitted via email or other electronic communication.

To submit using the Supplier Portal, follow the steps on this website boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/e/entering_a_bid_on-line_1.pdf. Below is a summary of those steps:

1. REGISTER (If you are not yet registered as a “bidder” or “vendor” on the Supplier Portal)

a. https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-suppli er-portal provides step-by-step instructions to register.

2. FIND EVENT:

a. Log in to your account.

b. A list of all active procurements is listed under My Sell Events on the home page. Navigate to the RFP you want to bid on and click the hyperlinked Event Name (2027 Historic Cemetery Tours RFP) OR navigate to Main Menu > Manage Events and Place Bids > View Events and Place Bids, enter EV00017717 into the Event ID search box and click “Search”, then click the hyperlinked Event ID in the search results

c. Click “View Event Package.” Here you can download forms and documentation linked to this RFP. We recommend starting with “Copley Square Winter Activation 2026.”

d. Click the ‘OK’ button to return to the ‘Event Details’ page.

3. ATTACH YOUR TECHNICAL AND PRICE PROPOSALS:

a. Click on the ‘Bid On Event’ button.

b. Answer all questions and upload the required forms as directed, including the non-price technical proposal. Do NOT include any price information in your technical proposal, otherwise your proposal will be rejected. Click “Step 2: Enter Line Bid Responses”. Here is where you http://boston.gov/procurement https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/e/entering_a_bid_on-line_1.pdf https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal input your price information separately. If there are multiple lines, you may need to enter separate amounts for each line item you are bidding on,

c. Click the icon on the far right of the screen labeled “View/Add Question Comments and Attachments.” Here is where you will attach your Price Proposal (in the template provided above in Section 4.1)

4. SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL:

a. Once you have responded to all required fields, you may click “Validate

Entries” to confirm if your application is ready to be submitted.

b. To submit your proposals, click “Submit Bid.”

Further instructions on registering and submitting a bid can also be found on the Procurement Information Page. We recommend submitting your proposal at least 24 hours prior to the deadline.8

NOTE: MODIFICATIONS MAY BE MADE AFTER SUBMISSION BUT NOT AFTER THE

PROPOSAL DUE DATE. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR PROPOSAL IS COMPLETE AND

ACCURATE PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE.

8 Please note that Supplier Portal file uploads are limited to a 59-character file name length.

5.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY

You may submit hard copies of the Technical and Price Proposals by mail, delivery service, or in person. If you choose to submit a hard copy, you must submit two separate envelopes: (Envelope 1) three copies of completed Technical Proposal in (Envelope 2) a Price Proposal sealed.

The envelopes should be clearly marked as follows:

ENVELOPE #1 - TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL

**technical proposal should have absolutely no reference to price** 3 copies of the technical proposal should be provided to BPRD

ENVELOPE #2 - PRICE PROPOSAL

2027 Historic Cemetery Tours RFP

RFP Number: EV00017717

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Submitted by: [Name of Vendor]

[Date Submitted]

2027 Historic Cemetery Tours RFP

RFP Number: EV00017717

PRICE PROPOSAL

Submitted by: [Name of Vendor]

[Date Submitted]

The envelopes should be delivered or mailed to:

MAILING/DELIVERY ADDRESS

Beth-Anne Grassa

Parks and Recreation Department

3rd floor

1010 Massachusetts Ave

Boston, MA 02118

VI. APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION, REJECTION, AND WAIVER

The City is under no obligation to proceed with this RFP and may cancel the RFP at any time with or without the substitution of another. The City reserves the right to reject in whole or in part any or all Proposals, when the City determines that rejection serves the best interests of the City. The City may waive minor informalities in the Proposal or allow the Vendor to correct them.

The submitted Proposal, along with the RFP, will also be part of the Contract between the City and the Contractor.

The Contract is subject to the availability and appropriation of funds.

WITHDRAWAL OR MODIFICATION OF PROPOSAL

The City may allow a Vendor representative bearing proper authorization and identification to sign for, receive and withdraw the Vendor's unopened Proposal prior to the submission deadline. A Vendor that seeks to correct or modify its Proposal may do so by withdrawing the initial submission and then submitting a modified Proposal prior to the submission deadline.

PROPOSAL VALIDITY PERIOD

By submitting a Proposal the Vendor agrees that its Proposal is valid for one hundred eighty (180) days following the submission deadline unless extended by mutual agreement.

PROPOSAL COSTS

Any and all costs incurred by a Vendor in preparing a Proposal and throughout the RFP process are ineligible for reimbursement, or recovery from, the City and are solely the burden of the Vendor.

TAXES

The City is a tax-exempt organization. However, should any part of the Contract be subject to taxes, the Vendor shall include and be responsible for paying all taxes that are applicable.

Any taxes due will be assumed to be included in your price of services, otherwise the Vendor is responsible for any additional costs not included. The City is exempt from federal excise taxes (Federal Exemption No. A-108-328) and from Massachusetts sales and use taxes (Certificate No. E-046-001-380). Exemption certificates will be provided, if requested, following award.

SUBCONTRACTORS

The City will contract with one Contractor who will be solely responsible for contractual performance and who shall be the sole point of contact for the City with regard to Contract matters. In the event the Contractor utilizes one or more Subcontractors, the Contractor will assume all responsibility for performance of services by the Subcontractor(s).

The City must be named as a third party beneficiary in all subcontracts. A list of all Subcontractors proposed to take part in the performance of the Contract shall be provided to the City for approval prior to Contract execution.

USE OF CITY NAME

The Contractor and any Subcontractor(s) agree not to use the City of Boston name or seal, or that of any other City Agency or Department in advertising, trade literature, or press releases without the prior written approval of the City.

PUBLIC RECORDS

Proposals shall be confidential until the time for acceptance specified in the RFP has expired. Thereafter, proposals will be public record and subject to disclosure upon request. Do not submit confidential information in your Proposal.

APPENDIX 2: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please be familiar with these terms and conditions at the time of proposal submission to ensure that you are able to meet them if awarded the contract.

All applicants are required to review the following documents at this stage; some terms are verified electronically via the Supplier Portal, and only the CM-16 Wage Theft form must be submitted with your proposal, per the instructions in Section 5 of this RFP.

By submitting a proposal, an applicant acknowledges that if they are selected as the winning respondent, they will be required to complete and provide each of the below forms to the City as part of the contract package. The vendor will be disqualified if it does not submit completed versions of the following forms during the contracting process.

1. Form CM-06 – Certificate of Authority (Only Required for Corporations)

2. Form CM-09 – Contractor Certification

3. Form CM-10 and CM11 – Standard Contract Document & General Conditions

4. CM Forms 15A, 15B – CORI Compliance & Standard

5. Form CM-16 – Wage Theft: Complete and submit with your proposal

6. Form Wage-1 – Requirements Of The Boston Jobs, Living Wage, And

Prevailing Wage Ordinance

7. Form Wage-2 – The Boston Jobs, Living Wage, And Prevailing Wage

Ordinance Vendor Agreement

8. Truck Side Guard Ordinance - Applies to contractors using vehicles over

10,000 lbs and semi-trailers with a total weight exceeding 26,000 lbs. Full ordinance here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ABTttv9VhPCQD7rpZd8ZiFsm5a4eVhx/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICCwi8JJxi2RSwfygRFBztmRnCGW1q10/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KPoQBuzMCIBqO6gKOOEdXzQq62zbTDox/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xd4OzRb-IJdaWVpcvI0sL5mpovf_UFxp/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QCvjZ_HkLRfrjxwJoXXgQKULiBT-BKtI/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YmPYyKj9LzNGr6qGC71UjG7KXI2DFgVm/view?usp=drive_link https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2025/04/WAGE-1%20FY26%20%28Notice%20to%20Vendor%29.pdf https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2025/04/WAGE-2%20FY26%20%28Vendor%20Agreement%29.pdf https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m3NT4Tsqof0WlM3KQwpBL9QUXQuHJ1N_/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zkKWLnMCh8MD7G3ClCLJW8Xq5v585bJx/view?usp=sharing

APPENDIX 3: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

As noted in Section III, Your Technical Proposal, the City requires the following levels of insurance.

The Contractor shall purchase and maintain during the term of the Contract all insurance required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and as required in this section, and will assure that subcontractors carry similar and appropriate coverage.

These requirements shall not be construed to limit the liability of the Contractor or its insurer.

Insurance will be issued by insurance companies licensed to write insurance in their domicile state and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will have a current Best’s rating of A- VII or above. Insurance Certificates on Acord Form 25 evidencing all requirements listed below shall be delivered to the Official by the selected vendor prior to the execution of any contract. Additionally, renewal certificates must be delivered within 30 days prior to the expiration of the preceding policy.

Insurance Requirements:

1. Workers’ Compensation insurance as required from under General Laws c.152 (the Workers’ Compensation Law) and including employer’s liability limits of one million ($1,000,000) per accident and per employee, including disease.

2. Commercial General Liability with coverage no less than one million ($1,000,000) per occurrence and two million ($2,000,000) annual aggregate limit per location or project basis.

3. Automobile Liability (Any Auto/Hired/Non-owned) for one million ($1,000,000) combined single limit per accident.

4. Umbrella Liability excess of Commercial General Liability, Employer’s Liability and Auto Liability for one million ($1,000,000) each occurrence. In lieu of umbrella liability, required limits may be achieved by purchasing higher limits on individual policies.

5. Technology Errors & Omissions / Cyber Liability / Security & Privacy: for one million ($1,000,000) per claim and one million ($1,000,000) in the aggregate with coverage continuing for one year after completion or termination of the Agreement. Policy must specifically include: a) computer or network systems attacks, b) denial or loss of service, c) introduction, implantation or spread of malicious software code, d) unauthorized Access and Use of computer systems, e) privacy liability, and f) breach response coverage equaling at least 50% of liability limit.

6. Third Party Crime / Employee Dishonesty: for $1 million per claim and $1 million in the aggregate. Coverage is required if vendor will have access to personal or municipal financial information and/or records maintained by City

7. Professional Services for two million ($2,000,000) per claim and two million ($2,000,000) in the aggregate with coverage continuing for one year after work period.

General Conditions:

● City of Boston must be named as Additional Insured on all policies except, Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability.

● Above insurance shall be primary and noncontributory over any such insurance available to the City of Boston, its officials, employees and volunteers.

● Waiver of Subrogation will be included as respects all coverages listed above in favor of the City of Boston. The Workers’ Compensation Policy must be specifically endorsed and noted as such in the required certificate.

● All policies will be endorsed to provide thirty days written notice to the certificate holder, the City of Boston, in the event of cancellation, non-renewal or material changes in coverage. Such endorsements must be attached to the Certificate.

2.2 COMPARATIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA

III.YOUR TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

3.5 INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION

5.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY

VI.APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

APPENDIX 2: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS