Request for Proposals

Information Technology Strategic Plan

Release Date: April 8, 2026

Deadline for Submittal

5:00 PM

May 6, 2026

Contact: Nickie Mastay, Deputy City Manager Email: Nickie_Mastay@ci.richmond.ca.us

Phone Number: (510) 620-6609

City of Richmond City Manager’s Office

INTRODUCTION

The City of Richmond (City) is seeking proposals from qualified proposers interested in providing the City with a five (5) year Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan to guide the City in planning, procuring, implementing, and managing current and future IT investments and resources. This plan should be a “living” document that serves as the basis for regular review and adjustment of governance, infrastructure, equipment, software, cybersecurity, staffing, and the effective use of technology to support the work of the City. The proposed IT Strategic Plan should serve as the road map for addressing the short and long-term business systems needs of the City and improve the balance between demand for new and emerging technology and available IT resources, including staffing, IT governance, capital, and operating funds.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) describes the required scope of services, the selection process, and the minimum information that must be included in the proposal. Failure to submit the information in accordance with the RFP requirements and procedures is cause for disqualification. The anticipated term of this contract will be for a period of one year, with an option to renew for an additional year with mutual agreement of both parties.

Qualified proposers are required to read and understand all information contained within this entire proposal package. By responding to this RFP, the qualified professional agrees that they have read and understand these documents.

ABOUT THE CITY

The City of Richmond was chartered as a city in 1909 and is located 16 miles northeast of San Francisco, directly across the San Francisco Bay. Richmond’s population is 115,353. The City is a Charter City and operates a Council-administrator form of government consisting of six council members and a mayor. There are six (6) districts in the City of Richmond, with the Mayor elected at large.

The City of Richmond provides a full range of municipal services, including police and fire protection; construction and maintenance of highways, streets and infrastructure;

library services; storm water and municipal sewer systems; operation of a wastewater treatment facility; and the administration of recreational activities and cultural events.

The City also operates the Richmond Memorial Convention Center and the Port of Richmond.

To become better acquainted with the City, please visit the City’s website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us

PROJECT OVERVIEW

It is expected that the selected proposer will prepare an IT Strategic Plan that contains specific goals, coupled with a suggested Implementation Plan that includes timing and anticipated costs.

https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/

Proposers responding to this RFP must have proven expertise and extensive experience in the assessment of IT Systems and a successful track record of creating and implementing IT strategic plans for municipalities and similar public agencies, including experience with public safety systems and related infrastructure, enterprise resource planning and online services.

The City’s IT Department currently supports all networks, network security, desktop support and specialized business applications. IT supports the following departments:

• City Attorney

• City Clerk

• City Council

• City Manager

• Community Development

• Community Services

• Economic Development

• Human Resources

• Finance

• Fire

• Police

• Public Works

SCOPE OF SERVICES

1. Assessment of Current IT Infrastructure and Practices Review and evaluate the current IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, network systems, and data centers. Assess existing IT practices, procedures, and systems for efficiency and effectiveness.

a. Conduct a review of the current IT infrastructure, including examining hardware, software, network systems, and data centers.

b. Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the current IT practices and procedures, identifying areas that may require improvements.

c. Review the IT asset procurement, deployment, and tracking lifecycle and provide recommendations for improvement.

d. Based on the assessments, identify improvement areas and propose optimization strategies.

e. Assess staff structures and provide optimal recommendations to support the City’s departmental needs.

2. Future IT Needs Analysis Perform a comprehensive analysis of future IT needs in alignment with the organization’s strategic goals. The analysis should involve discussions with City Executive management to understand technology needs and consider emerging technology opportunities in the public sector.

a. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the organization's future IT needs, keeping in line with its strategic objectives.

b. Meet with the City's executive management to gain insights into anticipated technology requirements and goals.

c. Evaluate emerging technology opportunities in the public sector and assess their relevance and applicability to the City.

d. Align the analysis findings with the organization's strategic goals, prioritizing IT initiatives that support these objectives

e. Formulate a strategic plan for meeting the identified future IT needs, incorporating innovative public sector technology opportunities.

f. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the IT organization staff and provide a growth path for future support.

3. IT Governance and Policies Recommend a framework for IT governance, including a decision-making body, processes, and responsibilities. Review and recommend IT policies to ensure regulatory compliance, data security, and efficient use of IT resources.

a. Develop a comprehensive framework for IT governance, defining the decision-making body, processes, and roles and responsibilities.

b. Assess existing IT policies, focusing on their effectiveness in ensuring regulatory compliance, data security, and efficient use of IT resources.

c. Based on the assessment, recommend modifications to existing IT policies or propose new policies as needed.

d. Establish procedures to regularly review and update IT policies, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.

e. Create a roadmap for implementing the IT governance framework and updated policies.

4. Cybersecurity Strategy and Roadmap Review the City's current cybersecurity practices and devise a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy to safeguard the organization’s assets. The review should include an evaluation of current tooling, staff, policy, and budgetary resources.

a. Conduct a thorough review of the City's current cybersecurity practices, identifying potential strengths and weaknesses.

b. Evaluate the effectiveness of current cybersecurity tools, staff competencies, existing policies, and allocated budgetary resources.

c. Based on the review and evaluation, develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy to protect the organization’s digital assets.

d. Propose improvements or additions to cybersecurity tooling, staff training, policies, and budget to support the new strategy.

5. IT Staffing and Training Assess the current organizational structure of IT and staff resources. Identify and make recommendations for a strategy for recruiting, skills gap training, and retaining IT staff.

a. Review the current organizational structure of the IT divisions and the skills and capacities of staff resources.

b. Compare the current IT capabilities with the future technological needs of the organization to identify potential gaps and recommend strategies to mitigate them.

c. Recommend recruitment strategies to attract the talent necessary to meet the organization’s future technological needs.

d. Identify any skills gaps among current IT staff and propose a training program to address these deficiencies.

e. Recommend strategies for retaining IT staff.

6. Replacement Budgeting and Cycles The City budgets for the planned replacement of crucial IT assets. Analyze and review the IT replacement budget to assess utilization and conformity to industry standard replacement practices

a. Review the City's budget for the replacement of IT assets.

b. Analyze the utilization of the IT replacement budget, identifying trends, potential areas of improvement, and effectiveness.

c. Identify opportunities to simplify the processes associated with the IT replacement budget.

d. Compare the City's practices with industry-standard replacement practices to determine conformity.

e. Provide recommendations based on the analysis for optimizing the utilization and management of the IT replacement budget.

7. IT Satisfaction Assessment Evaluate the organization's satisfaction with existing IT services and infrastructure.

Evaluation should involve gathering and analyzing feedback from various organizational stakeholders, including executive management, staff, and users of IT systems.

a. Assess the organization's level of satisfaction with current IT services and infrastructure.

b. Gather feedback on IT services and infrastructure from various organizational stakeholders, including executive management, staff and users of IT systems.

c. Analyze the collected feedback to understand IT service quality and infrastructure performance perceptions.

d. Develop an evaluation report detailing stakeholder satisfaction with IT services and infrastructure.

e. Propose actionable steps based on the evaluation to improve IT service and infrastructure satisfaction.

DELIVERABLES

The above Scope of Work will result in a minimum of 3 major areas of deliverable reports.

1. Current state of the IT environment, including, without limitation, a full inventory of equipment systems, networks, servers, and other essential equipment necessary to IT operations within the City.

2. Gap analysis of environment, including, without limitation, any deficiencies or gaps in infrastructure, equipment, software, security, networks, email services, or business continuity, and methods or recommendations for addressing such issues.

3. Recommendation for future improvements or upgrades to the IT environment, coupled with a strategic map, timeframe, and order of magnitude cost estimates associated with implementation.

REPORT CONTENT

Within each of the deliverables, the minimum requirements will include a discussion of results discovered, the benefits and risks associated with any recommendation, as well as an order of magnitude cost estimate associated with each implementation item.

1. IT Strategy: Conduct interviews with City Department Heads and staff, and other designated personnel to develop comprehensive recommendations for an IT Strategic Plan. Provide recommendations for short-term transitions as well as long-term strategic directions, including additional online services from departments.

2. IT Risk Assessment: Use IT industry standards to perform risk assessment and gap analysis on the effectiveness of the current City IT structure, security, and resourcing.

Identify and mitigate potential risk vulnerabilities.

3. Technical Infrastructure: Analyze and prepare a gap analysis on the ability of the existing City hardware, network infrastructure, and support to meet the needs of current and future City initiatives. Make recommendations for in-house hardware and infrastructure support versus hosting and/or use of contracted services.

4. IT Organizational Structure/Personnel: Review and evaluate the current IT department organizational structure, staffing levels, and the use of contracted services.

Perform a gap analysis of the entire organization, including the type of staff, staffing levels, and distribution of staff versus future needs. Provide recommendations for the IT organization, level of staff, and placement of staff to support the future needs of the City.

Evaluate current IT staff skill levels and perform a gap analysis comparing current staff to skill levels required to meet proposed changes. Provide recommendations for addressing staff changes and/or staff training and education needs. Include recommendations on the need for and use of contracted resources as appropriate.

5. IT Cost Analysis: Perform a comprehensive analysis of current City IT costs and value versus public and non-public IT organizations of similar size, complexity, and nature.

ANTICIPATED WORK PRODUCTS

The selected proposer will be expected to draft a 5-year IT Strategic Plan consisting of an executive summary, findings, recommendations, and a proposed implementation plan consistent with the Scope of Services, Deliverables, and Report Content of this Request for Proposal. The plan shall compare current operations with industry standards and use such comparison as the basis for recommended actions. After review and consultation of the draft IT Strategic Plan with City staff, a final IT Strategic Plan, which will be created from the draft IT Strategic Plan and incorporate recommendations and strategies from City staff, will be submitted to the City Manager or their designee for approval. Both the draft and final IT Strategic Plan shall include order-of-magnitude cost estimates associated with proposed work and resource procurement.

Responsive materials should be submitted no later than the close of business, 5:00 p.m.

Friday, May 6, 2026.

RFP SCHEDULE

Date Activity April 15, 2026 Release RFP

April 22, 2026 Final Day to Submit Questions (5:00 PM)

May 6, 2026 RFP Due Date (5:00 PM)

May/June 2026 Evaluation of proposals/Interviews of Respondents

June/July 2026 Effective Date of Contract

PROPOSAL FORMAT GUIDELINES

The proposal should be concise, well-organized, and demonstrate the proposer’s qualifications and experience applicable to the Project. The proposal shall be limited to no more than 10 double-sided pages (8.5 inches x 11 inches), inclusive of graphics, forms, pictures, photographs, dividers, etc., but not of cost proposal, resumes, required forms, certifications, front and back covers, or letters of commitment from sub-consultants. The required font size is 12 point, with minimum left and right margins of one-inch, and top and bottom margins of 0.7 inches.

Each proposal will adhere to the following order and content of sections. Proposal should be straightforward, concise and provide “layman” explanations of technical terms that are used. Emphasis should be concentrated on conforming to the RFP instructions, responding to the RFP requirements, and on providing a complete and clear description of the offer. Proposals, which appear unrealistic in terms of technical commitments, lack of technical competence or are indicative of failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of this contract, may be rejected. The following proposal sections are to be included in the Respondent’s response:

A. Respondent Cover Letter

A cover letter, not to exceed three pages in length, should summarize key elements of the proposal and shall:

• Confirm that all elements of this RFP have been reviewed and understood;

• Include a statement of intent to perform the services as outlined;

• Express the proposer’s willingness to enter into an agreement under the terms and conditions prescribed by this RFP, insurance requirements (Attachment 1), Sanctuary City Compliance Statement (Attachment 2), and in the sample Standard Service Agreement (Attachment 3).

• Submit a written description and brief history of the proposer’s experiences, qualifications, and successes in providing California services described herein. Please indicate the number of employees, client base, and location of offices.

• Indicate the address and telephone number of the proposer’s office located nearest to Richmond, California and the office from which the project will be managed.

• Confirm that the proposer has a minimum of three (3) years of verifiable California experience.

• Stipulate that the proposal price will be valid for a period of at least 180 days.

• Identify a single person for contact during the RFP review process; and

• Cover letter shall be signed by an authorized official of the company.

B. Background and Project Summary Section

The Background and Project Summary Section should describe your understanding of the City, the work to be done, and the objectives to be accomplished. Refer to the description of services for this RFP.

C. Methodology Section

Provide a detailed description of the approach and methodology to be used to accomplish the Scope of Services of this RFP. The Methodology Section should include:

1) An implementation plan that describes in detail (i) the methods, including controls by which your firm manages projects of the type sought by this RFP; (ii) methodology for soliciting and documenting views of internal and external stakeholders; (iii) and any other project management or implementation strategies or techniques that the respondent intends to employ in carrying out the work.

2) Detailed description of efforts your firm will undertake to achieve client satisfaction and to satisfy the requirements of the "Scope of Services" section.

3) Detailed project schedule, identifying all tasks and deliverables to be performed, durations for each task, and overall time of completion.

4) Detail how your firm conducts meetings with City Council and staff (all with different backgrounds) to get to twelve top priorities.

5) Detailed description of specific tasks you will require from City staff.

Explain what the respective roles of City staff and your staff would be to complete the tasks specified in the Scope of Services.

D. Staffing and Timeline

Describe the proposed Project team organization, including identification and responsibilities of key personnel. Include resumes of the Project team assigned to this project. Indicate role and responsibility of prime consultants and all sub-consultants. If applicable, indicate how local firms are being utilized to ensure a strong understanding of state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, policies, requirements, and permitting.

Provide a proposed approach with projected timeline (including retreats and workshops) to conduct and complete the scope of work.

E. Firm Qualifications

The information requested in this section should describe the qualifications of the firm, key staff and sub‐contractors performing projects within the past five years that are similar in size and scope to demonstrate competence to perform these services. Information shall include:

1) Key staff that participated on named projects and their specific responsibilities with respect to this scope of service.

2) Firm must be 100% independent, defined as receiving no fees or commissions from any manufacturer, vendor or organization that could potentially be considered for the City as a qualified provider of hardware or software.

3) A summary of your firm’s demonstrated capability, including length of time that your firm has provided the services being requested in this Request for Proposal.

4) Provide at least one (1) sample IT Strategic Plan completed for a public agency of similar size and complexity. The sample should demonstrate the firm’s ability to produce actionable and implemented recommendations

5) Provide at least three (3) references that received similar services from your firm in the past 3 years. The City of Richmond reserves the right to contact any of the organizations or individuals listed. Information provided shall include:

a) Client Name and contact info

• Telephone & e-mail address

• Address

b) Description of services provided including contract amount

c) Project start and end dates

F. Cost Information

Provide the total direct and indirect costs to complete all tasks identified in the scope of services. Even if the method of payment to proposer will be fixed fee, a detailed cost breakdown shall be provided identifying:

1) The number of staff hours and hourly rates for each professional and administrative staff person who will be available to the City;

2) All other direct costs, such as materials and reproduction costs; and

3) Sub-consultant services, if needed.

If project work exceeds one-year period, indicate if the proposed rates are fixed for this entire time frame or specifically include how the rates will be adjusted in subsequent years. These rates will also be used to negotiate costs for other projects (including optional tasks) that may be assigned. No additional funds will be paid above and beyond the original quote given by the selected Respondent.

G. Value Added Services

Please provide any additional services of benefit not specifically required herein, which the Respondent offers to provide.

H. Respondent Assignment of Sub-Contract

The resulting contract shall not be assigned, transferred, or sublet, in whole or in part, without the prior written approval of the City of Richmond. If Respondents intend to subcontract any portion of the resulting contract, they must describe their process for selecting such subcontractor(s) and the quality control measures that the Respondent will employ to ensure that any subcontractor complies with the provisions of Respondent’s contract with the City.

I. Previous Contracts with the City of Richmond

The Respondent shall submit a list which indicates all prime contracts and/or amendments awarded to the proposer by the City of Richmond for the last three

(3) years. The list shall include a short description of the Project, the Project scope of work, award date, completion date, name of the City of Richmond’s assigned Project Manager, and contract value.

J. Exceptions to this Request for Proposals

The Respondent shall state whether or not it takes exception(s) to this RFP, including but not limited to the City of Richmond’s Standard Services Agreement

– RFP (Attachment 3). If the Respondent does take exception(s) to any portion of the RFP or contract, the specific portion to which exception(s) is taken must be identified by section number and explained. Requests for changes or additions to sections of City of Richmond’s Standard Services Agreement must be shown by requesting deletion of specific words and/or by providing new requested contract language. Requests for complete replacement of the City of Richmond’s Standard Services Agreement for another contract will not be granted. Failure to make exceptions to the RFP or Standard Services Agreement within the proposal will be deemed a waiver of any objection. Exceptions will be considered during the proposal evaluation process.

K. Statement of Impartiality and Disclosure

The nature of this Project requires an impartial, unbiased approach on the part of the Respondent’s team. This proposal shall include a statement declaring that the Respondent’s and sub-consultants are not currently, and will not, during the performance of these services, participate in any other similar work involving a third-party with interests currently in conflict or likely to be in conflict with City of Richmond’s interests. Additionally, proposer is required to disclose any pending or active investigations or litigation that may affect the reputation or ability of the proposer to carry out the Project.

QUESTIONS CONCERNING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

All questions must be submitted via the electronic BidsOnline system on the Q&A tab by April 15, 2026 - 5:00pm PST. If the City finds it necessary to issue an addendum, prospective Respondents will receive e-mail notification of addendum.

Otherwise, answers to questions received will be provided on the Q&A tab and notification will be sent by April22, 2026. It is the proposer’s responsibility to periodically check the BidsOnline website www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids for any possible Addenda to the RFP that may have been posted.

Any party submitting a proposal shall not contact or lobby any City Council member, City official, employee (except those specified for contact) or agent regarding the RFP.

Any party attempting to influence or circumvent the RFP, bid submittal, and review process shall have their proposal rejected for violating this provision of the RFP.

Interested parties may download copies of the abovementioned proposal by visiting the City's web site, www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids. To download t h e RFP, new Respondents will be required to register. Once the Respondent downloads any documents relative to a solicitation, that Respondent's name will appear on the Prospective Bidders list for that project and will receive any addenda or notifications relating to the RFP.

PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

Electronic Proposals shall be submitted via the City’s secure online bidding system. All required sections of the proposal must be submitted via the website. Respondent is solely responsible for “on time” submission of their electronic proposal. The Bid Management System will not accept late proposals and no exceptions shall be made.

Respondents will receive an e-bid confirmation number with a time stamp from the Bid Management System indicating that their proposal was submitted successfully. The City http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids.

will only receive those proposals that were transmitted successfully. The proposal must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., local time, on May 6, 2026. The proposal and any required certifications shall be signed by an individual or individuals authorized to execute legal documents on behalf of the Respondent.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

This RFP does not commit the City of Richmond to award a contract, to defray any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal pursuant to this RFP, or to procure or contract for work. The City of Richmond may reject a proposal without providing the reason(s) underlying the declination. A failure to award a contract to the proposer with the lowest cost proposal shall not constitute a valid cause of action against the City of Richmond. The City shall not be responsible for work done, even in good faith, prior to final approval of the proposed contract. The City may investigate the qualifications of any respondent under consideration, require confirmation of information furnished by the respondent, and require additional evidence or qualifications to perform the Services described in this RFP.

The City reserves the right to:

1. Reject any or all proposals.

2. Issue subsequent Requests for Proposal.

3. Postpone opening for its own convenience.

4. Remedy technical errors in the Request for Proposal process.

5. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the Respondents.

6. Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the Respondents.

7. Select one or more Respondents.

8. Accept other than the lowest proposed fees.

9. Waive informalities and irregularities in proposals.

Public Records

All proposals submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the City of Richmond and public records and, as such, may be subject to public review. Documents protected by law from public disclosure will not be disclosed by the City of Richmond if clearly marked with the word "confidential" on each applicable page. Trade secrets may be marked as confidential only to the extent they meet the requirements of California Government Code section 6254.7. Only information claimed to be a trade secret at the time of submittal to the City of Richmond and marked as "confidential" will be treated as a trade secret.

Insurance Requirements

The City of Richmond requires consultants doing business with it to obtain insurance, as shown in RFP Attachment 1. The required insurance certificates must comply with all requirements of the standards as shown and must be provided within fifteen (15) days of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award and prior to the commencement of any work on the Project.

Business Licenses

The successful Respondent and all subcontractors used in the work will be required to hold or to obtain a City of Richmond business license for which the fee will not be waived.

Compliance with City Ordinances

The contractor and all subcontractors shall comply with the City of Richmond Nondiscrimination Clauses in City Contracts Ordinance (Richmond Municipal Code (RMC) Chapter 2.28), Business Opportunity Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.50), Local Employment Program Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.56), Living Wage Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.60) and Ordinance Banning the Requirement to Provide Information of Prior Criminal Convictions on all Employment Applications (“Ban the Box”) (RMC Chapter 2.65), which are incorporated into the Contract Documents by this reference.

Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance (SCCO)

The Richmond Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance No. 12-18 prohibits the City from granting and or retaining contracts with any person or entity that provides Data Broker or Extreme Vetting services to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the United States Department of Homeland Security (“ICE”). Bidders/Proposers must submit the Sanctuary City Compliance Statement (Attachment 2) with their Bid or Proposal.

Collusion

By submitting a proposal, each respondent represents and warrants that its proposal is genuine and not false or collusive or made in the interest of, or on behalf of any person not named therein; that the respondent has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other person to submit a false proposal, or any other person to refrain from submitting a proposal; and that the respondent has not, in any manner, sought collusion to secure any improper advantage over any other person submitting a proposal.

Withdrawal of Proposals

A respondent may withdraw their proposal before the expiration of the time for submission of proposals by delivering to the Finance Department a written request for withdrawal signed by, or on behalf of, the respondent.

Ownership of Documents

All reports, studies, information, data, statistics, forms, designs, plans, procedures, systems and any other materials produced for the Project shall be the sole and exclusive property of the City. No such materials or properties produced in whole or in part for the Project shall be subject to private use, copyrights or patent rights by Respondent in the United States or in any other country without the express written https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.28%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.28%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.50%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.56%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.60%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.60%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.65%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product https://www.municode.com/library/#!/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?searchRequest=%7B%22searchText%22:%222.65%22,%22pageNum%22:1,%22resultsPerPage%22:25,%22booleanSearch%22:false,%22stemming%22:true,%22fuzzy%22:false,%22synonym%22:false,%22contentTypes%22:%5B%22CODES%22%5D,%22product consent of the City. The City shall have unrestricted authority to publish, disclose (except as may be limited by the provisions of the Public Records Act), distribute, and otherwise use, copyright or patent, in whole or in part, any such reports, studies, data, statistics, forms or other materials or properties produced for this project.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

All proposals shall be reviewed to verify that the Respondent has met the minimum requirements. Proposals that have not complied with requirements, do not meet minimum content and quality standards, or take unacceptable exceptions to the General Terms and Conditions of the Service Agreement, will be eliminated from further consideration. Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by an evaluation committee comprised of City of Richmond personnel.

The City also reserves the right to require modifications follow‐up with requests for additional information, including, but not limited to, follow‐up interviews. The City may request Best and Final offers based upon improved understanding of the offers or changed scope of service. The City will negotiate with that respondent to determine final pricing, and contract form. Because this proposal is negotiable, all pricing data will remain confidential until after award is made, and there will be no public opening and reading of Proposals. Overall responsiveness to the RFP is an important factor in the evaluation process. The criteria upon which the evaluation of the proposals will be based include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Quality, clarity, and responsiveness of proposal. (15%)

• Completeness and organization of proposal

• Demonstrated understanding of project objectives

• Clarity of written communication

2. Experience of key individual(s) assigned to the contract. (15%)

• Relevant experience with municipal IT strategic planning

• Experience with public safety systems, ERP systems, and cybersecurity

• Qualifications and roles of proposed staff

3. Experience of firm in performing this type of service. (15%)

• Demonstrated success with similar public agency projects

• Experience with California municipalities preferred

• Proven track record of delivering implementable strategic plans

4. References from clients for whom similar work was performed. (15%)

• Quality of references from similar engagements

• Demonstrated client satisfaction and outcomes

5. Project schedule and depth of staff available to perform services. (10%)

• Stakeholder engagement approach

• Realistic and structured implementation plan

• Ability to deliver actionable and measurable outcomes

6. Ability to meet the needs of City. (10%)

• Feasibility of timeline

• Adequacy of staffing resources

7. Understanding of services to be provided and ability to provide requested services. (10%)

• Alignment with City’s operational and strategic goals

• Demonstrated understanding of municipal IT environments

8. Cost. (10%)

• Cost reasonableness

• Clarity and completeness of cost breakdown

Interviews may be conducted with top-ranked proposers. If interviews are conducted, the City reserves the right to adjust final rankings based on interview performance. The evaluation committee will consider both written proposals and interview results in determining final rankings.

Interview/presentations

Upon request of the City of Richmond, Respondents may be requested to give an oral presentation/demonstration on the proposal, which would include a detailed analysis of how each of the RFP requirements would be addressed should Offeror receive the award. An in-person presentation is preferred but City staff will work with the vendor to determine what is feasible. The demonstration shall be conducted at no cost to the City.

The purpose of the presentation is to verify the vendor’s capability, suitability, and adaptability to the performance requirements stipulated in this solicitation.

The City will schedule the interview date, time, and location with the successful finalists.

If the vendor fails to participate in the interview on the specified date stipulated, the City may elect to reject the proposal or to re-schedule at its discretion.

Respondents are not guaranteed an opportunity to have an interview. Respondents may be eliminated from consideration based solely on inability to meet minimal requirements and/or review of written proposals. The City shall be the sole judge of the acceptability of the proposal in conformance with the specifications and its decision shall be final.

If required these presentations will take place at the following location:

City of Richmond 450 Civic Center Plaza Richmond, CA 94804

If special accommodations are required in order to attend a site visit, contact at Nickie_Mastay@ci.richmond.ca.us, no later than three (3) days before the event.

Pre-Award Negotiations

After the proposals are opened, but prior to award, the City may elect to conduct negotiations with the highest ranked respondents for purposes of:

• Resolving minor differences and information

• Clarifying necessary details and responsibilities

• Emphasizing important issues and points

• Receiving assurances from respondents

• Cost/budget clarifications

Selection may be made without further discussion, negotiations or Respondent’s presentations; therefore, Respondent shall offer the most favorable terms in response to this RFP. Respondent must demonstrate an understanding of the scope of service to be provided and the ability to accomplish the tasks set forth. Respondent shall include information that will enable the City to determine the Respondent’s overall qualifications.

The City reserves the right to request additional information or clarification on any matter included in the proposal response, to enable the City to arrive at a final award decision.

Award

When the Review Panel has completed its work, City staff will then recommend the award to the City Manager for approval. The award of a contract to the successful respondent will be at the discretion of the City Manager/City Council. The services provided by the successful bidder shall be governed by a Standard Services Agreement (Attachment 3).

Attachment 1: Insurance Certificate Attachment 2: Sanctuary City Compliance Statement Attachment 3: Standard Services Agreement mailto:dorothy_mandujano@ci.richmond.ca.us