234120 RFP.pdf

Public Works

Municipal Energy

Master Plan

RFP NUMBER: 234120

CLOSING DATE: April 19, 2024 AT 4:00 PM (LOCAL TIME)

Page 1 Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER: 234120

Municipal Energy Master Plan

INTRODUCTION

The City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “City”, is seeking proposals from qualified firms to prepare a Municipal Energy Master Plan. The plan will focus on two broad categories of the

City’s energy usage: facilities and operations. The plan will provide a baseline of existing municipal consumption, identify a range of actions that can reduce energy consumption, recommend actions that can generate renewable energy, conduct long-term modeling to estimate the potential impacts of selected actions, and provide a prioritized set of measures for the City to implement over a 25-year period of time to the year 2050.

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), April 19, 2024.

Completed proposals must arrive electronically via Equity Hub’s Bid Locker at https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker. The City will not accept proposals submitted in any other manner.

NO LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Your proposal must be uploaded prior to the Closing Date and Time. The City strongly recommends that you give yourself sufficient time and at least ONE (1) day before the closing date and time to begin the uploading process and to finalize your submission. The City accepts no responsibility for non-receipt and/or delays in receipt caused by transmission and reception problems, equipment failure, or any other similar cause. Each Proposal is instantly sealed and will only be visible to the City after the closing date and time. Uploading large documents may take significant time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your internet connection speed.

You will receive an email confirmation receipt once you finalize your submission.

Supported web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Vivaldi.

Need Help?

Please contact Equity Hub at help@equityhub.us or (267) 225-1407 for technical questions related to your submission.

The Vendor Guide for Bid Locker can be found at Vendor Guide for Bid Locker.

Prospective proposers may obtain these solicitation documents by registering on the OregonBuys website and downloading them. Proposers shall consult the OregonBuys system regularly until closing date and time to avoid missing any notices. To register on OregonBuys go to https://oregonbuys.gov. The City shall advertise all Addenda on OregonBuys. Prospective proposers are solely responsible for checking OregonBuys to determine whether or not any

Addenda have been issued. RFP documents will not be mailed to prospective proposers.

Any objections to or comments upon the RFP specifications must be submitted in writing to the office of the Contracts and Procurement Manager, by email sself@cityofsalem.net.

They must be received no later than April 4, 2024, at 5:00 PM (local time).

https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker mailto:help@equityhub.us https://bidlocker.us/files/Bid%20Locker%20Vendor%20Guide%20-%20Nov%202020.pdf https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/ https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 2 Request for Proposal

Proposals received will be held confidential until a recommendation for award has been approved by the Department Director. Thereafter, all Proposals will be available for public inspection by submitting a Public Records Request through the City Recorders Office

(https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/public-records-request.

The City will be the sole judge in determining award of Agreement and reserves the right to reject all Proposals.

Human Rights: It is the express policy of the City that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status or domestic partnership, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income as provided by Salem Revised Code Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other federal nondiscrimination laws. The City’s complete Title

VI Plan may be viewed at https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility.

Proposer agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of federal, state, and local civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules, and regulations if awarded an agreement by the City.

Solicitations for Subcontracts, Including Procurements of Materials and Equipment: In all solicitations, either by competitive bidding or negotiation made by the successful proposer for work to be performed under a subcontract, including procurements of materials or leases of equipment, each potential subcontractor or supplier shall be notified by the successful proposer of the successful proposer’s obligations under this Agreement and the Salem Revised Code

Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal nondiscrimination laws.

Note: Errors and Omissions Liability Insurance Coverage will be required.

The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

Questions regarding the City’s RFP process may be addressed to Shawna Self, CPPB, Contracts and Procurement Manager, who may be reached at (503) 588-6445 or by email at sself@cityofsalem.net during City business hours.

The City operates and maintains Americans with Disabilities Act compliant facilities.

Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Shawna Self, CPPB, Manager

Contracts and Procurement

FIRST DATE OF SOLICITATION: March 14, 2024

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER: 234120

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CLOSING: April 19, 2024 at 4:00 PM (Local Time https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/public-records-request https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility

Page 3 Request for Proposal

RFP # 234120

MUNICIPAL ENERGY MASTER PLAN

The City of Salem (“City”) is a municipal corporation serving a community with a population of approximately 177,700. Salem is the capital of the State of Oregon and the seat of Marion

County. The City has a Council-Manager form of government with an elected mayor and an elected, eight-member City Council. The City has approximately 1,300 employees and nine operating departments (listed below).

City Manager Legal

Community Services Community Planning and Development

Enterprise Services Police

Fire Public Works

Finance

SECTION 1: BACKGROUND

Beginning in July 2023, the City began a highly productive partnership with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to draft a scope of work for energy master planning for Salem. This work was conducted under the Clean Energies to Communities

(C2C) program, a nationwide project designed to provide communities with expert advice, specialized tools, and individual support to achieve their energy goals. The City’s work with

NREL aligned with several strategies contained in the 2022 Salem Climate Action Plan (CAP), most specifically CAP Strategy EN-12, Energy Planning, in which the City is to develop a comprehensive approach to increase energy efficiency in municipal buildings.

Among the products of our work with NREL and the C2C program was a draft Scope of Work consisting of a two-phased approach for energy master planning. Phase 1 was a master plan focused on municipal activities with an emphasis on those activities over which the City had some degree of control. Phase 2 of the NREL/City draft energy master planning Scope of Work expanded the area of interest to include the larger Salem area and potential energy-related activities of other partners, agencies, and the public.

This Request for Proposals is based on the tasks and deliverables contained in Phase 1 of the draft NREL/City Scope of Work. Its purpose is to produce a City-focused Municipal Energy

Master Plan that contains a suite of actions and projects designed to reduce consumption on nonrenewable energy (electricity and natural gas), to generate renewable energy (solar, in-pipe hydraulic, cogeneration), and to increase energy resilience. Funding for the Energy Master Plan is coming from the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program from the

Department of Energy.

General Organization

The Municipal Energy Master Plan will be organized into two broad categories:

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1. Municipal Facilities. This category encompasses the various resources owned and operated by the City, such as buildings, land, reservoirs, and other real property. Among the aspects to be considered in this category:

• Energy conservation opportunities for equipment related to HVAC, lighting, electronic components, and other electrical equipment.

• Programmed and recommended capital projects involving replacement and upgrades of electrical equipment, improvements in building efficiency, insulation, and potential conversions from natural gas to electrical HVAC.

• Policies related to operating and maintaining the facilities such as temperature management, lighting controls, phantom power, and landscaping equipment.

Note: Conversion of the City’s fleet from combustion to battery power is being evaluated separately and will not be a component of this Scope of Work.

2. Municipal Operations. This category includes activities related to operating Salem’s municipal drinking water system, wastewater system, stormwater system, and transportation system. Among the aspects to be considered in this category:

• Energy usage specific to equipment related to water treatment and transmission systems, wastewater conveyance and treatment systems, and traffic signals and controls systems.

• Opportunities for generating, storing, and transmitting renewable energy, including:

(1) In-pipe power generation in the drinking water system transmission line;

(2) Power cogeneration using methane gas generated by the wastewater treatment process; and

(3) Power generation using solar panels and supporting equipment located on

City-owned property.

Definitions for terms used in the RFP:

As used in this RFP, the following terms are defined and indicated with italicized fonts in the

Section 2 (Scope of Requested Services):

“Assets” mean the suite of energy-consuming resources owned and operated by the City.

Generally, an asset is something physical, such as a building, a pump, or a traffic signal.

“Activities” mean energy consuming work associated with operating and maintaining City assets and includes such cycling times, operating schedules, and temperature settings.

“Aggressive implementation” means all the programs and projects identified in the

Municipal Energy Master Plan are implemented over the 25-year timeline.

“Characterize” means identifying information necessary to evaluate energy consumption and opportunities for energy conservation. This could include, for example: location, age, Page 5 Request for Proposal condition, HVAC system type, power rating, lighting, construction type, existing energy conservation measures (for example, insulation for buildings and reactive power capture in pumps), operational cycling (pumps, for example), scheduling

(automatic on/off lighting, for example), and settings (temperature controls, for example).

“Energy usage” means energy that is consumed by City assets and activities in terms of electrical energy measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and natural gas measured in hundreds of cubic feet (ccf).

“Energy providers” means Portland General Electric Company (PGE), Salem Electric (SE), Pacific Power (PP), and Northwest Natural (NW Natural).

“Minimum implementation” means current trajectories of financial investments in programs and projects remain unchanged during the 25-year timeline of the Municipal Energy

Master Plan. No new programs are added to the City’s Operating Budget and no new projects are added or envisioned to be added to the City’s Capital Improvement

Program.

“Moderate implementation” means the lower cost programs and projects are implemented over the 25-year timeline of the Municipal Energy Master Plan. Using best professional judgment, the programs and projects selected in this category should account for between 25% and 50% of the total estimated cost of aggressive implementation.

“Municipal Facilities” means buildings, reservoirs, and other real property owned and operated by the City.

“Municipal Operations” means work conducted by the City of Salem associated with operating and maintaining the City’s water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation, and parks systems.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF REQUESTED SERVICES

TASK 1. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Consultant is responsible for coordinating project tasks and ensuring there is a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, schedule, scope, and budget. Consultant will lead the

Consultant’s team and shall be responsible for coordinating any tasks of sub-consultants.

Consultant will communicate frequently and work closely with the City Project Manager to review actions, resolve issues, identify additional needs, manage budgets, and expedite the decision-making processes. Consultant and the City Project Manager shall manage task sharing between Consultant and City staff throughout the project.

Deliverables:

1. Project Work Plan that includes scope of work, tasks, schedule, responsible staff, and estimated budget.

Page 6 Request for Proposal

2. Monthly invoices with progress reports, including information necessary to submit

Federal Sub-Award reports, performance reporting, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Reporting on job creation, and updates to budget and schedule as needed.

TASK 2. MEETINGS

The Consultant will meet regularly with City staff over the course of the project. Meetings will be scheduled with sufficient notice for participation. For planning purposes, the Consultant should budget for 20 hours of meeting with City staff. Meetings may be held at a physical location, over the phone, or via video teleconferencing. The Consultant may be asked to prepare a meeting agenda and provide post-meeting summary notes.

1. Participation in meetings on request of the City Project Manager.

2. If requested, summary notes for each meeting no later than three business days following meeting.

TASK 3. BASELINE CONDITIONS FOR MUNICIPAL ENERGY USE

The intent of this task is to establish the baseline for the City’s total energy usage and then identify the energy consumptive assets and activities within the two categories of Municipal

Facilities and Municipal Operations that together account for between 80 and 90 percent of the total energy usage. This task is to be accomplished using readily available data and information.

A. Identify and characterized the assets and activities within the two categories of Municipal

Facilities and Municipal Operations that consume energy.

B. Using data and information available from energy providers, establish a baseline of the total energy usage by the City for the baseline year of 2023.

C. Based on studies from other municipalities, feedback from City staff, and professional knowledge, postulate the set of key assets and activities that are likely to account for between 80 and 90 percent of the total energy usage by the City.

D. Using the information compiled in Task 3.C above, determine the annual energy usage of the identified assets and activities.

E. Repeat Tasks 3.C and 3.D as necessary until the identified assets and activities have accounted for between 80 and 90 percent of the total energy usage by the City.

1. An interim technical report containing charts, tables, and supporting verbiage describing the methodologies used, assets and operations, data sources, descriptions of energy consuming activities, and the specific energy consumption for each activity for the baseline year 2023. More specifically, this report will contain, at minimum, the

Page 7 Request for Proposal following:

(a) Executive Summary

(b) Description of methodology and data used.

(c) Under the category of Municipal Facilities, a catalogue of buildings and any other real property that account for 80%-90% of total energy usage. The catalogue should include characteristics (name, location, age, qualitative description, nature of consumption, etc.), energy features (specifically those features that may be related to energy usage, such as condition, HVAC systems, plumbing, insulation, lighting, controls, etc.).

(d) For each building/real property identified above, the energy consumed during the baseline year 2023.

(e) Under the category of Municipal Operations, a catalogue of equipment and activities that together account for 80%-90% of total energy usage. For equipment, the catalogue should include characteristics (name, location, age, qualitative description, nature of consumption, etc.), energy features (specifically those features that may be related to energy usage, such as operational cycles, equipment efficiency, recent upgrades, etc.).

(f) For each equipment/activity identified above, the energy consumed during the baseline year 2023.

TASK 4. OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION

The Consultant will identify new projects or changes in activities that can reduce energy consumed by the items identified under Task 3 over the next 25 years. The Consultant will also identify potential programs and policies that can reduce energy consumption over the next 25 years. The Consultant will estimate the cost for these measures (in 2023 dollars). The Consultant will estimate the potential energy reduction for each project, program, and policy over the next

25 years. As appropriate, the potential energy reduction can be tiered to reflect minimum implementation, moderate implementation, and monumental implementation.

the opportunities identified that can reduce energy consumption for the items identified in

Task 3. More specifically, this report will contain, at minimum, the following:

(b) General descriptions of projects, programs, and policies that can reduce energy cost and/ or consumption.

(c) Tables or other means that align the identified projects, programs, and policies with the specific building, equipment, location, etc. identified in Task 3.

(d) Estimates of the potential reduction on energy consumption, using a three-tiered approach, based on the level of implementation (i.e., minimum, moderate, aggressive).

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TASK 5. OPPORTUNITIES TO GENERATE RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Consultant will identify potential projects that can generate energy using renewable energy.1

Among the opportunities of which the City is currently aware: solar energy, battery storage, cogeneration, and in-pipe [water system] power generation. The Consultant will identify potential projects and estimate the cost for these measures (in 2023 dollars) including both capital/initial costs and annual operating costs, as applicable. The Consultant will estimate the potential energy generated for each project over the next 25 years. As appropriate, the potential energy production can be tiered to reflect minimum implementation, moderate implementation, and aggressive implementation.

the opportunities identified that can generate energy. More specifically, this report will contain, at minimum, the following:

(b) General descriptions of projects that can generate energy using renewable energy.

(c) Estimates of the potential energy produced, using a three tiered approach, based on the level of implementation (i.e., minimum, moderate, aggressive).

TASK 6. SCENARIO-BASED ANALYSIS OF FUTURE ENERGY USAGE

Using the baseline energy consumption determined in Task 3, the opportunities to reduce energy consumption identified in Task 4, and the opportunities to generate energy identified in Task 5, the Consultant will estimate trends in annual energy consumption beginning in the base year

2023 and continuing to the end of calendar year 2050. As appropriate, the energy consumption trend line can be tiered to reflect minimum implementation, moderate implementation, and aggressive implementation of recommended projects, policies, and programs.

the opportunities identified that can generate energy. More specifically, this report will

TASK 7. OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE ENERGY RESILIENCY

The Consultant will identify potential projects that can increase resiliency in the City’s energy supply. Among the opportunities of which the City is currently aware: stand-along solar generators, battery storage, natural gas and propane storage, gas/propane generators, cogeneration, and in-pipe electrical generation. The Consultant will also identify potential

1 For the purposes of simplifying this RFP, cogeneration using methane gas produced by wastewater treatment processes will be considered using renewable energy.

Page 9 Request for Proposal projects and estimate the cost for these measures (in 2023 dollars).

1. A technical report containing charts, tables, and supporting verbiage describing the opportunities identified that can generate energy. More specifically, this report will

TASK 8. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Consultant will identify potential external funding sources available to the City for implementing the actions recommended in the Municipal Energy Master Plan. Funding sources can be from federal or state agencies, nonprofit organizations as well as Public-Private

Partnerships and Energy Saving Performance Contracts.

1. A technical report containing a covering document and one or more tables identifying potential sources of grant funding. Minimum information to be provided includes name of grant, source, purpose of the grant, potential applicability of the grant to the Municipal

Energy Master Plan, size of grant, key application due dates, and contact information for additional details.

TASK 9. RECOMMENDATIONS

Working closely with City staff, the Consultant will develop a set of recommendations for implementing the findings of the Municipal Energy Master Plan over the next 25 years. To the degree possible, the recommendations will be identified as short term (within five years);

intermediate term (five to ten years); and long-term (over ten years). Where possible, each recommendation will contain an estimated cost to implement (in 2023 dollars) with initial/capital costs and, if applicable, annual operating costs.

1. Participation in meetings on request of the City Project Manager.

2. If requested, summary notes for each meeting no later than three business days following meeting.

TASK 10. FINAL REPORT

Working closely with City staff and using the deliverables of Task 3 through Task 9, the

Consultant will prepare first a draft report followed by a final report that will comprise Salem’s

Municipal Energy Master Plan.

Page 10 Request for Proposal

1. A Draft Salem Municipal Energy Plan, generally organized as follows:

(b) Baseline Conditions for Municipal Energy Use

(c) Opportunities to Reduce Energy Consumption

(d) Opportunities to Generate Renewable Energy

(e) Scenario-based Analysis of Future Energy Usage

(f) Opportunities to Increase Energy Resiliency

(g) Funding Opportunities

(h) Recommendations

(i) Areas of Further Research

(j) References

2. A Final Salem Municipal Energy Master Plan, incorporating feedback from City staff on the draft document.

SECTION 3: PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Organization of the Proposal

Proposers must organize and present their proposal materials in the same order as presented below. Pages should be numbered. Proposals received without following this format or received after the deadline and not received at the stated place of delivery may be rejected as non-responsive. The proposal should not exceed 50 total pages.

A. Cover Letter: A cover letter indicating the Proposer’s understanding of the services as specified in the Section 2 (Scope of Requested Services), the Proposer’s general approach to provide these services, and the Proposer’s ability to provide these services. Include your company name, address, phone number, contact name, and email address.

B. Organization Structure: Brief summary of the Proposer’s organization, structure, and size. Include a general description of the Proposer’s in-house areas of expertise, years of experience in similar work as outlined in this RFP, and the ability of the Proposer to consult Subject Matter Experts within the firm who may be only peripherally assigned to the project.

C. Approach to this Project: Describe the Proposer’s approach to the project as specified in

Section 2 (Scope of Requested Services). Based on the Proposer’s understanding of the project and the intent of the various tasks, the Propose may recommend alternative approaches the City should consider. Describe the Proposer’s ability to provide alternative, innovative, and cost effective solutions.

D. Qualifications of Firm’s Staff: Provide resumes with qualifications and experience of the individuals who will provide services to the City in compliance with Section 2 (Scope of Requested Services). Provide resumes of individuals anticipated to be assigned this

Page 11 Request for Proposal project. Of particular interest to the City is the degree to which the individuals to be assigned to the project have experience in performing work substantially the same as that needed by the City.

E. Mobilization: Specifically address your firm’s ability to commence work once a Notice to Proceed has been issued.

F. Fee Proposal: Provide a fee estimate for the project which shall include the number of hours estimated to complete the project, hourly rates for staff, work tasks, and work items.

G. References: Provide contact information for at least three clients who have received services by the Proposer similar to those contained in this RFP. Projects should have been completed by the Proposer within the past five years. In lieu of completed projects, projects currently underway may also be submitted.

SECTION 4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 Evaluation Criteria

Although cost of services is important, the City will not necessarily select the lowest cost proposal for the award. The City reserves the right to award a contract based on initial proposal submittals or, at the sole discretion of the City, to conduct interviews with any or all of the proposers. Any interviews shall be held for the purpose of clarity of proposals and will not be scored. However, the Proposal Selection Committee members may use the interview process as an opportunity to adjust their original proposal scores to reflect any additional understanding of proposals that they derived from the interviews. In addition to submitted proposal information, the City reserves the right to use any information of which it is aware, independent of the submitted proposals, in determining consideration of contract award.

The City will not pay for any costs incurred by proposer in responding to this RFP to include costs to the proposer to conduct interviews and presentations.

The evaluation criteria to be used for this RFP are summarized below:

A. Cover Letter. (5 possible points out of 100 points). The cover letter will be evaluated on its ability to succinctly convey the Proposer’s understanding of the services requested, the Proposer’s approach to providing these services, and the

Proposer’s ability to provide these services.

B. Organization Structure. (10 possible points out of 100 points). The Proposer’s organizational structure will be evaluated based on its in-house areas of expertise and reach-back capacity to consult subject matter experts.

C. Approach to this Project. (30 possible points out of 100 points). Proposers will

Page 12 Request for Proposal be evaluated on their approach to this Project as specified in Section 2 (Scope of

Requested Services) and on the Proposer’s suggested alternative approach, if any, to achieve similar objectives.

D. Qualifications of the Firm and the Firm’s Staff. (15 possible points out of 100 points). Proposals will be evaluated based on the training and experience of their employees who will be assigned to this project. Proposers are to provide resumes with qualifications and experience of individuals who will be providing services to the City.

E. Mobilization. (5 possible points out of 100 points). The Proposer will receive maximum of 5 points if able to commence work on the project within 30 days of receiving a Notice to Proceed.

F. Fee Proposal. (30 possible points out of 100 points).

Points will be based on a comparison ratio between proposals received.

Score = lowest proposed fee / proposed fee * 30 points. Please be sure your pricing proposal is as detailed as possible.

G. References. (5 possible points out of 100 point). Proposer must list at least three references. References will be evaluated based on the similarity of work completed to the work required based on this RFP as well as the reference’s evaluation of the quality of the work performed in the past by the Proposer.

Evaluation Criteria Maximum Points

A. Cover letter 5

B. Organization Structure 10

C. Approach to this Project 30

D. Qualifications of the Firm and the Firm’s Staff 15

E. Mobilization 5

F. Fee Proposal 30

G. References 5

Total Maximum Points Possible 100

4.2 Selection Process

An RFP Selection Committee will be appointed by the City to evaluate and rank all qualifying proposals received by the closing dateIf no acceptable arrangements can be made, negotiations with the next highest ranked proposer will occur.

The successful proposer will be required to complete an Agreement in the form of a

Personal Services Agreement (sample included in Appendix A), which will incorporate this RFP and proposer’s response as a part of the Agreement.

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SECTION 5: INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

This section contains administrative and procedural information and instructions for preparation and submittal of the proposal. Note: This RFP process offers several opportunities for prospective proposers to submit formal protests. Filing a protest with the City requires submitting $500.00 with the formal written protest. Prospective proposers and proposers wishing to submit objections to or comments on RFP specifications of a non-protest nature, must submit them in writing to the office of the

Contracts & Procurement, by email sself@cityofsalem.net. They must be received no later than April 4, 2024, at 5:00 PM (local time). There is no fee for filing objections to or comments on RFP specifications of this non-protest nature.

5.1 Anticipated Schedule (subject to change)

March 14, 2024 .............................................................................. Begin RFP Solicitation

April 4, 2024 at 5:00 PM (local time) .................................. Questions/Clarifications Due

April 19, 2024 at 4:00 PM (local time) ................................................. RFP Closing Date

May 2024 ................................................................ Notice of Intent to Award Agreement

May/June 2024 ....................................................... Agreement Award (Anticipated Date)

June 2024 ............................................................................................... Notice to Proceed

5.2 Qualification Requirements

Each proposer shall respond to the proposal requirements as presented in Section 3, Proposal Submittal Requirements, of this RFP. Proposals received without the required information may be rejected as being non-responsive.

The City shall have the right to disqualify any proposal as a result of the information gathered in its research.

5.3 Pre-Proposal Interpretation of RFP and Requested Changes

Technical questions relating to the requirement and scope of services of this RFP and/or the RFP process should be directed in writing to the Contracts and Procurement Manager, Contracts and Procurement, by email: sself@cityofsalem.net.

Any clarification or interpretation of the proposal documents will be made only by written notification. The City is not responsible for any explanation, clarification, or interpretation given in any manner except by written notification.

Any person who contemplates submitting a proposal in response to this RFP and who wishes to have the City consider a change in any part of this RFP shall submit to the

Contracts and Procurement Manager of the City of Salem a written request for a change or substitution no later than 5:00 PM (local time), April 4, 2024. The request shall include the proposed change and the reason for the change. Protest against award based on the scope of services or other content of this RFP will not be considered after this time.

Changes to this RFP document shall only be by written addenda.

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A copy of any written clarification, interpretation and addendum will be posted on

OregonBuys.

5.4 Protest of Solicitation Document and the Procurement Process

A prospective proposer may protest the procurement process or the solicitation document for an Agreement. A prospective proposer must deliver a written protest to the Contracts and Procurement Manager (email: sself@cityofsalem.net) no later than 5:00 PM (local time), April 4, 2024. The prospective proposers shall indicate the reasons for the disagreement through a written protest and shall include a statement of the desired changes to the procurement process or the solicitation document that the prospective proposer believes will remedy the conditions upon which the prospective proposer based its protest.

The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.5 Execution of the Proposal

The proposal shall be executed in the name of the proposer followed by the signature of the officer authorized to sign for the printed or typewritten designation of the office held.

If the proposal is made by a partnership, it shall be executed in the name of the partnership followed by the signature of an authorized partner.

If the proposal is made by a Limited Liability Company (LLC), it shall be executed in the name of the LLC followed by the signature of the authorized member(s) or manager(s) authorized to sign for the LLC and the printed or typewritten designation of the office held in the LLC.

If the proposal is made by a corporation, it shall be executed in the name of the corporation followed by the signature of the officer authorized to sign for the corporation and the printed or typewritten designation of the office they hold in the corporation.

If the proposal is made by a joint venture, it shall be executed by each participant of the joint venture.

5.6 Submission of Proposal

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), April 19, 2024.

Completed proposals must arrive electronically via Equity Hub’s Bid Locker at https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker. The City will not accept proposals submitted in any other manner.

NO LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker

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Your proposal must be uploaded prior to the Closing Date and Time. The City strongly recommends that you give yourself sufficient time and at least ONE (1) day before the closing date and time to begin the uploading process and to finalize your submission. The City accepts no responsibility for non-receipt and/or delays in receipt caused by transmission and reception problems, equipment failure, or any other similar cause. Each Proposal is instantly sealed and will only be visible to the City after the closing date and time. Uploading large documents may take significant time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your internet connection speed. You will receive an email confirmation receipt once you finalize your submission.

Supported web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Vivaldi.

Need Help?

Please contact Equity Hub at help@equityhub.us or 267-225-1407 for technical questions related to your submission.

The Vendor Guide for Bid Locker can be found at Vendor Guide for Bid Locker.

5.7 Response Date

Delivery in the manner stated herein and completeness of submittals as required by this

RFP shall be solely the responsibility of the proposer(s). Submission of proposals or additional information offered after the closing date and time shall not be accepted or considered.

5.8 Withdrawal of Proposal

Proposer(s) may withdraw their proposal, by written notice submitted on the proposer's letterhead, signed by the proposer's authorized representative, delivered to the Contracts and Procurement Office by email at contracts@cityofsalem.net. To be effective, the withdrawal must be received prior to closing date and time. The proposer shall mark a written request to withdraw its proposal as follows: “Proposal Withdrawal - RFP #

234120.”

5.9 Notice to Proceed

The successful proposer(s) may be given ten (10) calendar days to execute the Agreement and return it to the City. Contractual work may not begin until the notice to proceed has been issued. The notice to proceed will be issued after execution of the Agreements by the City. The notice to proceed will authorize commencement of the work based on the

Agreement.

5.10 Rights of City to Award or Reject Proposals

This RFP does not commit the City to award or enter into an Agreement. Under no circumstances will the City pay the costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this

RFP. The City reserves the right to:

mailto:help@equityhub.us https://bidlocker.us/files/Bid%20Locker%20Vendor%20Guide%20-%20Nov%202020.pdf

Page 16 Request for Proposal

• Accept or reject any or all proposals or any portion thereof received as a result of this

RFP.

• Negotiate with any proposer(s).

• Accept a proposal and subsequent offers for Agreement from other than the lowest cost proposed.

• Waive any immaterial defects and irregularities in proposals and to waive or modify any irregularities in proposals received, after prior notification to the proposer(s).

• In determining the most responsive proposer, take into consideration any or all information supplied by the proposer in the proposal and the City’s investigation into the experience of the proposer. In addition, the City may accept or reject proposals based on minor variations from the stated scope of services and when such action is deemed to be in the City’s best interest.

• Negotiate a final scope and price with the selected proposer that may differ in some respects from this RFP.

• To seek clarifications of each proposal.

• If proposer chooses to participate in negotiations, they may be asked to submit additional information, or other revisions to their proposal as may be required.

• Consider proposal modifications received at any time before the award is made, if such action is in the best interest of the City.

• To negotiate a final Agreement that is in the best interest of the City.

5.11 Contract Administrator

The Contract Administrator is Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE, Assistant Public Works

Director. All questions relating to the RFP process should be directed in writing to

Shawna Self, CPPB, Contracts and Procurement Manager, by email to:

sself@cityofsalem.net.

5.12 Economy of Proposal Preparation

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, by providing a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s capabilities related to specified elements units or services. Proposals should not include any information not specifically identified or specified as a required response.

5.13 Addenda

In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum will be posted on OregonBuys. Prospective proposers are solely responsible for checking

OregonBuys to determine whether or not any addenda have been issued. The City is not responsible for any explanation, clarification, interpretation, or approval made or given in any manner except by addenda. Addenda, if necessary, will be issued not later than five

(5) City business days prior to the RFP closing date. Addenda shall be signed by the same mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 17 Request for Proposal individual that signs the proposal and SHALL BE SUBMITTED with the proposal.

Proposals received without properly signed addenda may be considered non-responsive.

5.14 Protests of Addenda

A prospective proposer may submit a written protest to an addendum within forty-eight

(48) hours by the close of the City’s next business day after issuance of the addendum.

The written protest shall (1) Sufficiently identify the addendum being protested; (2)

Identify the specific grounds that demonstrate how the addenda is contrary to law, unnecessarily restrictive, legally flawed or improperly specifies a brand name; (3) Include evidence or supporting documentation that supports the grounds on which the protest is based; (4) Identify the relief sought; and (5) Include a statement of the desired changes to the addendum that the prospective proposer believes will remedy the conditions upon which the prospective proposer based its protest. The City will not consider a protest to matters not added or modified by the protested addendum. Delivered to the Contracts and

Procurement Division, 555 Liberty Street SE, Room 330, Salem, OR 97301, via email to contracts@cityofsalem.net.

The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.15 Acceptance of Proposal Content

The contents of the proposal of the successful proposer will become contractual obligations if acceptance action ensues. Failure of the successful proposer to accept these obligations in an Agreement may result in cancellation of the award.

5.16 Public Records and Confidentiality of Proposal

This RFP and one copy of each original response received, together with copies of all documents pertaining to the selection of the successful proposer and execution of a copy of the executed agreement, shall be kept for the City by the Contracts and Procurement

Office for a period of five (5) years and made a part of a file or record which shall be open to public inspection.

Public Records. By submitting a proposal, the proposer acknowledges that information submitted in response to this RFP is open to public inspection under the Oregon Public

Records Law, ORS 192.311 through 192.513. The proposer is responsible for becoming familiar with and understanding the provisions of the Public Records Law.

Note: Under no circumstances will any proposal information be disclosed by the

Contracts and Procurement Office prior to receiving a written recommendation to award from the Department Director.

5.17 Human Rights

It is the express policy of the City that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program mailto:contracts@cityofsalem.net

Page 18 Request for Proposal or activity on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status or domestic partnership, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income as provided by the Salem Revised Code

Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal nondiscrimination laws. The City’s complete Title VI Plan may be viewed at https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility/title-vi-plan. Successful proposer agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of federal, state, and local civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules and regulations if awarded an Agreement by the City.

Solicitations for Subcontracts, Including Procurements of Materials and

Equipment: In all solicitations either by competitive bidding or negotiation made by the successful proposer for work to be performed under a subcontract, including procurements of materials or leases of equipment, each potential subcontractor or supplier shall be notified by the successful proposer of the successful proposer's obligations under this Agreement and the Salem Revised Code Chapter 97, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal nondiscrimination laws. (See Error!

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5.18 Discrimination in Subcontracting Prohibited

Proposer agrees not to discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprise, a minority-owned business, a woman-owned business, a business that a service-disabled veteran owns, or an emerging small business certified under ORS 200.055 in awarding subcontracts as required by ORS 279A.110.

5.19 Notice of Intent to Award

All responsive and evaluated proposers to this RFP will be notified of the City’s intent to award an Agreement not less than seven (7) days prior to award. The City will issue a notice of intent to award based on the results of its evaluation process. The notice of intent to award will be posted on OregonBuys only.

5.20 Protest of Intent to Award

A proposer may protest the award of the Agreement or the intent to award such

Agreement, whichever occurs first, if the proposer claims to have been adversely affected or aggrieved by the selection of a proposer. A proposer submitting a protest must claim that the protesting proposer is the highest ranked proposer because the proposals of all higher ranked proposers failed to meet the requirements of this RFP or because the highest ranked proposers otherwise are not qualified to perform the services described in this RFP. The proposer must deliver the written protest to the Contracts and Procurement

Division to contracts@cityofsalem.net, within seven (7) days after issuance of the notice of intent to award the Agreement or if no notice of intent to award is issued, within forty-eight (48) hours after award. A proposer’s written protest shall specify the grounds for protest to be considered by the City pursuant to ORS 279B.410(2). The City Manager shall not consider a proposer’s award protest submitted after the above timeline. The written protest must be submitted with a certified check or cashier's check in the https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility/title-vi-plan

Page 19 Request for Proposal amount of $500.00 to cover the costs of processing the protest. The check shall be submitted via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

5.21 Incurred Costs

Neither the City, nor its officers, agents, or employees are liable for any cost incurred by proposer(s) prior to issuance of an agreement, or purchase order. All prospective proposer(s) who respond to this RFP do so solely at the proposer's cost and expense.

5.22 No Warranty

All facts and opinion stated within this RFP and all supporting documents and data are based upon information available from a variety of sources. No representation or warranty is made with respect thereto.

5.23 Statement of Time

A period of time, unless stated as a number of City business days, shall include

Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

The word “day” as used in this RFP document, and any resulting Agreement awarded as a result of this process, shall constitute a calendar day of twenty-four (24) hours measured from midnight to the next midnight.

When a time period is identified by days, it is computed by excluding the first day and including the last day. When the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or City’s holiday, that time period shall extend to the next City business day.

5.24 Right to Audit

The successful proposer shall maintain financial records and other records as may be prescribed by the City or by applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. The successful proposer(s) shall retain these records for a period of five (5) years after final payment, or until they are audited by the City, whichever event occurs first. These records shall be made available during the term of the Agreement and the subsequent five-year period for examination, transcription, and audit by the City, its designees, or other authorized bodies.

5.25 Accept or Reject Proposals

The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals in response to this RFP without cause or to delay or cancel this RFP process without liability to the City if the

City determines it is in the public interest to do so.

5.26 Additional Information

The City reserves the right to request additional information following their initial review of the proposal documents that the City deems reasonably necessary to evaluate, rank, and select the most qualified proposer(s). The City staff may conduct a review and verification of confidential information with staff and consultants.

Page 20 Request for Proposal

5.27 Right to Modify Process

The City reserves the right to modify the selection process or other aspects of this RFP process at its sole discretion. The Contracts and Procurement Office will take reasonable steps to ensure that any modification or clarification to this RFP are posted on

OregonBuys.

5.28 Debarment of Proposer

The Contracts and Procurement Manager may debar prospective proposers from consideration for Agreements for a period of not more than three (3) years if:

1. The prospective proposer has been convicted of a criminal offense as an incident in obtaining or attempting to obtain a public or private contract subcontract or in the performance of such contract or subcontract;

2. The prospective proposer has been convicted under state or federal statutes of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification, or destruction of records, receiving stolen property, or any other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that currently, seriously, and directly affects the prospective proposer’s responsibility as a contractor;

3. The prospective proposer has been convicted under state or federal antitrust statutes;

4. The prospective proposer has committed a violation of a contract provision that is regarded by the Contracts & Procurement Manager or the Construction Contractors

Board to be so serious as to justify debarment.