245068 RFP.pdf

Public Works Department

Municipal Energy

Master Plan

Part A: Facilities

Phase 1

RFP NUMBER: 245068

CLOSING DATE: October 11, 2024 AT 4:00 PM (LOCAL TIME)

Page 1 Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER: 245068

Public Works

Municipal Energy Master Plan, Part A: Facilities Phase 1

INTRODUCTION

The City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “City”, is seeking proposals from qualified firms to prepare a Municipal Energy Master Plan for Part A: Facilities Phase 1. The plan will focus on two broad categories of the City’s energy usage: facilities and operations. The Part B for the Operations will be put out for an RFP at a later date. 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. The City will reserve the option of retaining the seleced

Consultant for implementaiton efforts of the Municpinal Energy Master Plan. This Request for

Proposals is for Part A: Municipal Facilities of the Energy Master Plan, Phase 1. This is

Qualification Based Selection (QBS).

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), October 11, 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.

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

Page 2 Request for Proposal

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 September 27, 2024, at 5:00 PM (local time).

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: September 9, 2024

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER: 245068

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CLOSING: October 11, 2024 at 4:00 PM (Local Time) mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/public-records-request https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 3 Request for Proposal

RFP # 245068

Public Works

MUNICIPAL ENERGY MASTER PLAN, PART A: FACILITIES PHASE 1

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

In July 2023, the City of Salem initiated a productive partnership with the U.S. Department of

Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a comprehensive scope of work for energy master planning. 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.

Municipal energy consumption can be divided into two parts: Part A, Municipal Facilities

(energy used in municipal buildings and parks facilities), which accounts for roughly one-third of the city's energy consumption, and Part B, Municipal Operations (energy used for essential functions such as water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment, and transportation system signals and street lights), which accounts for the remaining two-thirds. A secondary RFP will be issued for Part B.

The partnership with NREL and the C2C program produced a draft Scope of Work structured in two phases for energy master planning. Phase 1 involves developing a master plan centered on municipal activities where the City has direct control. Phase 2 will focus on implementation or further data collection, analysis, and planning, identified through the outcomes of Phase 1.

Phase 2 will build on the NREL/City draft energy master planning scope, broadening the focus to include the entire Salem area and considering energy-related activities involving other partners, agencies, and the public.

This Request for Proposals is derived from Phase 1 of the draft NREL/City Scope of Work, specifically focusing on Part A: Municipal Facilities. The goal is to develop a Municipal Energy

Master Plan that outlines actionable strategies and projects aimed at reducing nonrenewable energy consumption (electricity and natural gas), generating renewable energy, and enhancing

Page 4 Request for Proposal energy resilience. This project is funded by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant

(EECBG) program from the U.S. Department of Energy, with a budget cap of $250,000.

General Organization

The Municipal Energy Master Plan will be structured into two primary categories:

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.

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

• Benchmarking and inventorying energy usage of municipal buildings and parks.

• 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.

• Material changes and building upgrades to utilize passive cooling, cool roofs, and nature-based solutions infrastructure to help reduce energy costs and improve environmental quality.

• Financing options including (but not limited to) grants, incentive programs, and

Energy Savings Preformance Contracting to actualize plan intentions.

Part B. (To be addressed in a future RFP) 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;

(3) Wastewater infiltration prevention; and

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

City-owned property.

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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.

“Benchmarking” means to measure a building’s energy use and compare it to similar buildings and its own past usage, or a reference level.

“Characterize” means identifying information necessary to evaluate energy consumption and opportunities for energy conservation. This could include, for example: location, age, 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), settings (temperature controls, for example), and creating an asset score (asset-by-asset inventory) for the case study buildings.

“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 therms.

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

“Municipal Facilities” means buildings, parks systems, 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 revisor.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF REQUESTED SERVICES

TASK 1. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Consultant is responsible for coordinating project tasks and ensuring a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, schedules, scopes, and budgets. Consultant will lead the Consultant’s project team including any sub-consultants, and will be responsible for its coordination.

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. The Consultant and the City Project Manager shall jointly manage task-sharing between Consultant and City staff throughout the project.

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Deliverables:

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

2. Monthly progress meetings and 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 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

This task aims to establish a baseline for the City’s total energy usage for Part A: Municipal

Facilities. The Consultant will use readily available data and information and will implement a

Data Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) process to ensure accuracy and reliability of the baseline data.

A. Identify and characterize the Municipal Facilities assets that consume energy.

B. Using and information available from energy providers, establish a baseline of the total energy usage by City facilities for the baseline average from 2021 through 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 the majority of energy usage by City facilities.

D. Compare baseline data against industry standards or Energy Use Intensity Targets.

Page 7 Request for Proposal

1. A Microsoft List or Microsoft Excel file classifying each energy account, along with a file of the 2021 through 2023 baseline data. 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 during the baseline period.

2. A report providing a high-level overview accompanying the data file of comparisons to industry standards or EUI Targets. This report will include, at a minimum:

(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 most of the total energy usage. The catalogue should include characteristics (name, location, age, qualitative description, nature of consumption, etc.).

(d) For each building/real property identified above, the energy consumed during the baseline period and the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) Targets suggested for the building based on type and use.

TASK 4. OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION

The Consultant will identify new projects or changes in activities that can reduce energy consumption by the items identified under Task 3 over the next 10 years. The Consultant will also identify potential programs and policies to reduce energy consumption over the same period.

The Consultant will propose priority actions to qualify as early adopters for Oregon Building

Performance Standards (HB 3409) and provide cost estimates for those measures and associated potential energy reductions. The Consultant will propose three implementation strategies:

1. A package of building upgrades suited for Energy Savings Performance Contracting

(ESPC),

2. Energy improvements, including fuel switching projects not suitable for ESPC,

3. Envelope improvement projects not suitable for ESPC

Modeling of emissions through 2050 using ICLEI Clear Path for the City’s Scope I emissions from facilities will be conducted, considering each suite of options.

1. An interim technical report containing charts, tables, and supporting verbiage describing 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 https://www.oregon.gov/energy/save-energy/Pages/BPS.aspx

Page 8 Request for Proposal and/ or consumption.

(c) A prioritization criterion with clear framework for recommending energy reduction opportunities considering factors such as State requirements, ease of implementation, cost, and potential impact.

(d) A detailed suite of options suited for ESPC, facility energy and fuel-switching upgrades, and facility envelop improvement options.

(e) Modeling projections of the potential reduction on energy consumption and associated emissions from the three suites of options.

TASK 5. 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 6

(see below), the Consultant will estimate trends in annual energy consumption beginning in the baseline period (2021-2023) and continuing over the next ten years. The energy consumption trend line may be tiered to reflect the suite of recommended projects identified in Task 4.

1. An interim technical report containing charts, tables, and supporting verbiage describing the modeled energy usage over the next five years. This report will include, at a minimum:

(b) General descriptions of projections in energy use over the next five years.

(c) Identification of facilities and buildings biggest increases of energy use over the next ten years.

(d) Sensitivity analysis on key assumptions (e.g., energy price changes, policy shifts, grid demand) to provide a range of possible future outcomes.

TASK 6. OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE ENERGY RESILIENCY

The Consultant will identify potential projects that can increase resiliency in the City’s energy supply. Among the opportunities the City is currently aware of are mobile renewable power units, stand-alone solar generators, battery storage, natural gas and propane storage, gas/propane generators, and grid interactivity. The Consultant will also identify critical facility energy resilience projects and estimate the cost of these measures. The Consultant will examine resilience scenarios for critical infrastructure and suggest investments for strengthening community resilience.

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

Page 9 Request for Proposal

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

(c) Resilience scenarios of different potential external disruptions, with a focus on critical infrastructure to suggest upgrades and investments.

(d) Estimates of the potential energy produced and associated forecasted emissions reductions and energy cost savings.

TASK 7. FUNDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 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 leveraging economy of scale by partnering with adjacent governmental entities.

Additionally, the Consultant will identify opportunities to address gaps identified in the report through matching the City with Technical Assistance opportunities.

1. A technical report containing a covering document and one or more tables identifying potential sources of grant funding. 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 8. 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 ten years. To the degree possible, the recommendations will be identified as short term (within five years) or intermediate term (five to ten years). Where possible, each recommendation will contain an estimated cost, or cost range, to implement (in 2024 dollars) with initial/capital costs and, if applicable, annual operating costs.

1. A technical report of an implementation roadmap that outlines the sequence of actions, timelines, and responsible parties for each recommendation.

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

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

TASK 9. FINAL REPORT

Working closely with City staff and using the deliverables of Task 3 through Task 8, the

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

Municipal Energy Master Plan, Part A: Municipal Facilities.

Page 10 Request for Proposal

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

(b) Baseline Conditions for Municipal Energy Use.

(c) Opportunities to Reduce Energy Consumption.

(d) Scenario-based Analysis of Future Energy Usage.

(e) Opportunities to Increase Energy Resiliency.

(f) Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities.

(g) Recommendations.

(h) Areas of Further Research.

(i) References.

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

Page 11 Request for Proposal

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 20 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 Proposer 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). Include resumes of individuals anticipated to be assigned to this project. The City is particularly interested the degree to which the individuals to be assigned to the project have experience in performing work substantially similar to that required by the City. Correlate qualifications of firm’s staff to the references provided to the extent practicable.

If subcontractors will be utilized, explain how coordination and collaboration will be managed to ensure a quality product. Specify the role the lead firm play in the overall approach for developing a Municipal Energy Master Plan.

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

F. References: Provide contact information for at least three clients who have received services by the Proposer similar to those contained in this RFP. Alignment with staff identified in the Qualifications of Firm’s Staff category is preferable. Projects should have been completed by the Proposer within the past five years. In lieu of completed

Page 12 Request for Proposal projects, projects currently underway may also be submitted. Required information:

contact name, SECTION 4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 Evaluation Criteria

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. (20 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. (40 possible points out of 100 points). Proposers will 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. (20 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. (10 possible points out of 100 points). The Proposer will receive maximum of 10 points if able to commence work on the project within 30 days of

Page 13 Request for Proposal receiving a Notice to Proceed.

F. 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 20

C. Approach to this Project 40

D. Qualifications of the Firm and the Firm’s Staff 20

E. Mobilization 10

G. References 5

Total Maximum Points Possible 100

4.2 Selection Process

An RFP Selection Committee comprised of City staff will evaluate and rank all qualifying proposals received by the closing date. Negotiations will be conducted with the highest ranked proposer. If no acceptable arrangements can be made, negotiations with the next highest ranked proposer will occur. The selection committee shall recommend awarding a contract to the proposer(s) having the best overall qualifications to provide the services as set forth in this RFP.

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.

Page 14 Request for Proposal

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 September 27, 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)

September 9, 2024 ......................................................................... Begin RFP Solicitation

September 27, 2024 at 5:00 PM (local time) ....................... Questions/Clarifications Due

October 11, 2024 at 4:00 PM (local time) ............................................ RFP Closing Date

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

December 2024 ...................................................... Agreement Award (Anticipated Date)

December 2024/January 2025................................................................ 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), September 27, 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.

Page 15 Request for Proposal

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), September 27, 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), October 11, 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

Page 16 Request for Proposal

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 #

245068.”

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 17 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 18 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 19 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!

Reference source not found..)

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 20 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 21 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…