267010 Audit RFP Final.pdf

Finance Department

Financial Auditing Services

RFP NUMBER: 267010

CLOSING DATE: April 17, 2026 AT 4:00 PM (LOCAL TIME)

Page 1 Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER:267010

INTRODUCTION

The City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “City”, is seeking proposals for Financial Auditing

Servcies based on the scope of services contained in this RFP.

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), April 17, 2026.

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 7, 2026 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 https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker mailto:help@equityhub.us https://bidlocker.us/files/Vendor%20Guide%20-%20Bid%20Locker%20Base.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 submitting a Public Records Request through the City Recorders Office Public Records Request |

Salem, Oregon (cityofsalem.net).

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 Equity & Accessibility | Salem, Oregon (cityofsalem.net). 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 23, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER: 267010

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CLOSING: April 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM (Local Time) https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/public-records-request https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/public-records-request https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/equity-accessibility

Page 3 Request for Proposal

RFP #267010

The City of Salem (“City”) is a municipal corporation serving a community with a population of approximately 177,600. It is the capital of the State of Oregon and the county seat of Marion

County. The City has a Council-Manager form of government with an elected mayor and 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

1.1 City of Salem and Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem

The City of Salem and Salem Urban Renewal Agency combined annual appropriations for fiscal year 2025-26 for the general fund and all funds combined are $184.6 million and $664.3 million respectively. For 2024-25, the City incurred salary and wage expense of $133.4 million.

The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “Agency” has seven

(7) active urban renewal areas (for 2025-26) established under the provisions of Oregon Revised

Statute 457, and are included as a blended component unit in the City of Salem June 30, 2025 financial statements.

1.2 Finance Operations

The Finance Department (including Budget and Contracts & Procurement) consists of 25 employees. The principal functions performed and the number of employees assigned to each is as follows:

Function # of Employees

Administration 3

Budget 5

Accounting and reporting 6

Treasury (excluding receipting) 2

Accounts receivable 2

Contracts & Procurement 3

Accounts payable 2

Project/Grant accounting 2

Payroll staff (4-5) are managed by the Human Resources division of the Enterprise Services department. Cash receipting staff (5-6) are part of the Customer Service Center which is also a division of the Enterprise Services department.

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A. Budgetary Basis of Accounting

The City prepares its budgets on a modified accrual basis.

B. Component Units

The City is defined, for financial reporting purposes, in conformity with the Governmental

Accounting Standards Board's Codification of Governmental Accounting and Financial

Reporting Standards, Section 2100. Using these criteria, component units are included in the City’s financial statements. City management identified the following component units for inclusion in the City financial statements:

• Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem – Blended component unit

• Housing Authority of the City of Salem – Discretely presented component unit

(the Housing Authority separately contracts for its own audit and has a fiscal year end of September 30)

C. Financial Reporting Fund Types

Fund Type # of Funds - Legally

Adopted Budgets

General fund 1

Special revenue funds 10

Debt service funds 2

Capital projects funds 4

Permanent funds 1

Enterprise funds 5

Internal service funds 4

Custodial 1

D. Financial Reports Available Online

Prior City, Urban Renewal Agency, Federal Grant Compliance, and Salem Convention

Center audit reports can be found on the City’s website at https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/budget-finance/financial-reports.

E. Software Systems

The City currently utilizes the Oracle E-Business Suite enterprise resource planning system and multiple external systems (e.g. utility billing, building permits, etc) that interface summary accounting data to the ERP. This system is well established and will remain in place for all fiscal year 2025-26 year end procedures and financial statements.

The City will be transitioning to Workday Enterprise Resource Planning software in fiscal year 2026-27, requiring many internal procedural changes that may affect audit planning and execution.

https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/budget-finance/financial-reports

Page 5 Request for Proposal

1.3 Other Background Information

A. Audit Timing

• Salem Convention Center – Books are ready for audit by mid-July, with a draft financial report due by August 15 and the final report due by August 31.

• City/Agency – Interim fieldwork to be completed no later than June 15.

Historically, final audit fieldwork begins in late October while staff continues to finalize the financial statements.

• Single Audit – The SEFA is generally complete by September 15.

B. City Staffing

• Salem Convention Center – Management and financial staff have extensive experience at the Convention Center.

• City/Agency – The Finance department is led by an experienced CFO; Financial

Reporting Manager with 15+ years in governmental accounting, audit coordination and ACFR drafting; Budget Manager with 15+ years at the City, Contracts and

Procurement Manager with 25+ years at the City, and many other long-term staff covering all accounting functions.

• Single Audit – The City has experienced grant managers in applicable operating departments and central Finance staff with many years of experience in grant compliance and reporting.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF REQUESTED SERVICES

2.1 TERM “SALEM” INCLUDES:

The Finance Department of the City of Salem, Oregon, acting on behalf of the City of

Salem (“City”), Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem ("Agency"), and Salem

Convention Center (“SCC”), collectively referred to hereinafter as "Salem", is soliciting proposals from qualified independent public accounting firms to provide auditing services over the next five (5) years.

2.2 AUDITING SERVICES:

By submitting a proposal, each proposer agrees to and accepts this contractual relationship if awarded a contract. The following audits are to be performed in accordance with the provisions contained in this RFP:

Entity Audit Mgmt Letter ACFR /Fin. Report Single Audit

City of Salem X X X X

Urban Renewal Agency:

Urban Renewal Areas X

X

Salem Convention Center X

X

A. Conformance with Federal/State Laws and GAAS

Each audit will be conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing

Standards (GAAS), Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards

(GAGAS), Minimum Standards for Audits of Oregon Municipal Corporations, Single Audit Act and Uniform Grant Guidance in Title 2 CFR Part 200, Oregon and local laws and regulations, Salem City Charter and Code provisions.

Page 6 Request for Proposal

B. Management Letter

The City requires a "Letter of Recommendation" (Management Letter) to accompany the ACFR when, in the auditor’s opinion, there are issues that need to be addressed by management that reach a level of importance that the auditor is required to communicate those issues to the appropriate oversight body. The Letter may cover such areas as internal controls, accounting practices and procedures, or other areas of concern, and is intended to assist the City in making continual improvements to overall financial management. Recommendations for improvement applicable to the other entities are encouraged and may be communicated in a less formal manner.

C. ACFR, Urban Renewal Financial Report, Schedule of Expenditures of

Federal Awards (SEFA), and SCC:

City staff prepares the ACFR, the Urban Renewal Agency financial report, and the

Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards.

Audit field work for SCC is to be completed in early August with the completed report due by August 31.

Audit field work for the City and Agency is generally initiated in late October.

Complete financial statement drafting may extend into December.

The audit firm will prepare and publish:

1. The SCC financial report

2. The Federal Grant Compliance Report for the City of Salem

D. Separate Agreed Upon Procedures engagement

The City requires a small additional agreed-upon procedures engagement to be performed annually after the ACFR is complete. The Oregon DEQ requires an annual re-certification of financial assurance for closure and post-closure costs of a small “municipal solid waste facility” located at the Salem Airport. The AUP confirms a few figures from the City ACFR and the report is exclusively for the use of the City and DEQ for this certification.

E. Technical Assistance:

Each entity is responsible for closing its books, preparing trial balances, reconciling bank accounts, and performing other financial management functions. As a part of the overall audit contract, the City, the Agency, and the SCC expect to receive from the audit firm as part of the fee quoted, routine technical assistance throughout the fiscal year. This assistance includes answers to accounting, reporting, internal control, financial reporting, or other questions that arise as part of the entities’ operations. Any assistance provided during the year for which the audit firm expects to invoice as additional service must be requested in writing and authorized by the appropriate entity prior to receiving the assistance in order for the firm to receive payment.

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F. Exit Conferences:

At the option of each entity, a post-audit conference to review the various reports and financial statements may be held with appropriate officials at a mutually agreeable date.

G. Audit Presentation to Specific Audience:

The selected audit firm will be required to present the results of the audit, financial statements and applicable management letters to the City Finance Committee.

Other presentations may be required for the City, Agency, and SCC.

2.3 TIMELINESS OF AUDITING SERVICES:

A. Planning:

The scope of each audit shall be planned so as to preclude the necessity for exceptions arising from scope limitations and shall be sufficient to enable the auditor to issue a management letter for the City as appropriate. The scope of audits, as detailed in a formal Audit Plan, including report submission deadlines, will be reviewed and approved annually by the Chief Financial Officer and

Financial Reporting Manager in coordination with appropriate City, Agency, and

SCC personnel.

C. Commencement of Work:

Pre-audit conferences with City staff will be held no later than June 1 each year to discuss the audit schedules and responsibilities. The audit firm will commence preliminary (pre-fiscal year end) fieldwork at a mutually agreeable date.

D. Submission Deadlines:

Entity Fiscal Year Report Deadline

City of Salem July 1 – June 30 ACFR published A-133

Audit December 31

Urban Renewal Agency

Urban Renewal Areas July 1 – June 30 Audit December 31 Salem Convention Center July 1 – June 30 Audit August 31

2.4 WORKING PAPER RETENTION AND ACCESS:

The auditing firm will maintain materials and working papers developed during the engagement for a minimum of five (5) years from the date of the financial reports. Materials and working papers will be made available for examinations by authorized representatives of appropriate federal and state agencies, the U.S. General Accounting Office, and the City, Agency, and SCC and authorized representatives of the cognizant federal audit agency of the City of Salem.

In addition, the firm shall respond to the reasonable inquiries of successor auditors and allow successor auditors to review working papers relating to matters of continuing accounting significance.

2.5 SALEM STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

City staff are responsible for closing the books, reconciling bank and general ledger

Page 8 Request for Proposal accounts, reconciling subsidiary systems to the general ledger, preparing all year-end adjusting journals, preparing analyses in support of significant balance sheet accounts, researching technical issues (in consultation with auditors which would be included in the audit fee), and incorporating legal and contractual compliance issues into the accounting system. The City will prepare and publish financial statements for the City and Agency audits.

2.6 ACCEPTABLE SIGNERS:

Under OAR 801-20-620(2) unless a partnership, limited liability company, or professional corporation (registered under the provisions of ORS 673.090, 673.130 or ORS 58.345) has at least one member on the roster of accountants authorized to conduct municipal audits, the partnership, limited liability company, or professional corporation may not bid on, contract for, or issue municipal audits. That member on the roster must sign bids, contracts, or audits on behalf of the firm. However, if the firm name only is used (signed), all partners and shareholders must be municipal auditors.

An individual CPA must have a Municipal Audit License and may sign their own name.

2.7 PROCUREMENT AUTHORIZATION UNDER THIS RFP:

The authority to contract for Audit Services and all terms and conditions stated within this

RFP document shall apply to the City, the Agency, and the SCC.

2.8 FIELDWORK:

Scheduling of preliminary fieldwork and completion of audit fieldwork will be arranged with the respective entities.

2.9 REPORT PREPARATION:

ACFR and Agency: Report preparation, printing, and binding shall be the responsibility of the City. Audit letters and review of the reports for suggested modifications shall be the responsibility of the auditor.

SCC and Federal Grant Compliance: Report preparation, printing, and binding shall be the responsibility of the auditor. Report editing, audit letters, and completeness shall be the responsibility of the auditor.

2.10 DATE FINAL REPORTS ARE DUE:

The Finance Department, with auditor assistance as needed, shall prepare financial statements, transmittal letter, MD&A, notes, and all required supplementary schedules, statistical data and SEC disclosures. The auditor shall provide ongoing recommendations, revisions, and suggestions for improvement to the Financial Reporting Manager. In addition, the auditors will assist, if needed, in the formulation of responses to comments received from the Government Finance Officers Association as part of the Award for

Excellence in Financial Reporting review. A draft of the City management letter will be made available to the Finance Department before issuance.

Page 9 Request for Proposal

2.11 DEPARTMENT AND CLERICAL ASSISTANCE:

The respective City staff and management personnel will be available during audit to provide required information, documentation, and explanations. The Financial Reporting

Manager will be the primary point of contact for arranging such communications. The preparation of confirmations will be the responsibility of the respective entities being audited in consultation with the auditor.

2.12 ON SITE WORK AREA:

The City of Salem (for the City and Agency), and the SCC will provide audit staff with reasonable workspace, desks, chairs, internet access, etc.

SECTION 3: PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Organization of the Proposal

Proposers must organize and present their proposal materials in the same order as presented below, and include page numbers. Proposals received without following this format, or received after the deadline and stated place of delivery, may be rejected as non-responsive.

A. Cover Letter: A cover letter indicating the proposer’s understanding and compliance of the services as specified in the Section 2, Scope of Requested Services, to be performed and the approach to provide these services to meet the needs of the City.

Signatory of this letter shall be authorized to contractually bind you to a contract with the City. Include your company name, address, phone number, contact person, and email address.

B. Table of Contents with clear identification of each section and page number.

C. Organization Structure and Approach to this Project: Brief summary of your organization, structure, and size. Specifically include a brief description of your available in-house areas of expertise. Indicate which of your staff will be assigned to this project. Indicate the amount and/or type of project support anticipated to be provided by various employees. Identify the level and nature of support anticipated from City staff. Describe your approach to the project.

D. Qualifications of Firm’s Staff: Provide resume(s) with qualifications and experience of the individual(s) who will provide services to the City in compliance with Section

2, Scope of Requested Services. Describe the number of years of experience they have in performing work substantially the same as that needed by the City and summarize their qualifications.

E. Mobilization: Specifically address your firm’s ability to begin providing the services by the dates indicated in section 1.3 and 2.3.

F. Mandatory Elements: Please affirmatively state how the firm meets the following requirements:

Page 10 Request for Proposal

1. The audit firm/staff are licensed to practice municipal audits in Oregon and are in good standing with the Oregon Board of Accountancy.

2. The audit firm meets the applicable independence standards.

3. Liability insurance

4. Any disciplinary action taken by an oversight body against the proposing local office for the last five years.

G. 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. Make sure your pricing proposal is as detailed as possible.

H. References: A list of clients with telephone numbers that may be contacted for three to five projects performed within the last five years by your firm or by the individuals that are closely related to those described in Section 2: Scope of Requested Services.

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 that it is aware of, 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 (Pass/Fail). Failure to provide all the information requested in 3.A will result in a Fail. Your proposal would be considered non-responsive and would not be considered for further evaluation.

B. Organization Structure and Approach to this Project. 20 points out of 100 points may be awarded for Organization Structure and Approach to this Project.

Proposers will be evaluated on their approach to this Project. Proposers will also be evaluated on their ability to provide internal quality control. The City will also review and evaluate the level of anticipated involvement from various staff members, by name and/or title, and the roles each would be expected to serve in project completion.

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C. Qualifications of Firm’s Staff. 25 points out of 100 points may be awarded for

Qualifications of Firm’s Staff.

Proposers will be evaluated based on the training and experience of their employees. The City seeks proposals from technical experts in the field who have prepared similar work products for local governments. Qualifications and experiences of individual staff members are relevant only in cases where the staff is anticipated to be directly involved in this Project.

D. Mobilization. 10 points out of 100 points may be awarded for Mobilization.

The ability to mobilize in a timely fashion.

E. Fee Proposal. 30 points out of 100 points may be awarded for Fee Proposal.

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

Score = lowest proposed fee / proposed fee * 30 points.

F. References. 15 points out of 100 points may be awarded for References.

Note: Additional references may be sought out by the evaluation committee to include, but not limited to, City staff and other governmental agencies.

Proposer must list at least three (3) 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. An outstanding recommendation for less relevant work products may not score as well as a positive recommendation on directly related work.

Evaluation Criteria Maximum Points

Cover letter Pass/Fail

Organization Structure and Approach to this Project 20

Qualifications and Experience with Similar Projects 25

Mobilization 10

Fee Proposal 30

References 15

Total Maximum Points Possible 100

4.2 Selection Process

A RFP Selection Committee will be appointed by the City to evaluate and rank all qualifying proposals received by the closing date. If 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.

Page 12 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 April 7, 2026, 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 23, 2026 .............................................................................. Begin RFP Solicitation

April 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM (local time) .................................. Questions/Clarifications Due

April 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM (local time) ................................................. RFP Closing Date

May 2026 ............................................................... Notice of Intent to Award Agreement

June 2026 ............................................................... Agreement Award (Anticipated Date)

July 1, 2026 ............................................................................................ 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 7, 2026. 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.

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

OregonBuys.

mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 13 Request for Proposal

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 7, 2026. 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 17, 2026.

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

Page 14 Request for Proposal

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 #267010.”

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:

• 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).

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

Page 15 Request for Proposal

• 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 Jeremy Morgan, Financial Reporting Manager. 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 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 mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 16 Request for Proposal 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, 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 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 non-discrimination laws. The City’s complete Title VI Plan may be viewed at www.cityofsalem.net.

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 mailto:contracts@cityofsalem.net http://www.cityofsalem.net/

Page 17 Request for Proposal 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 non-discrimination laws. (See Appendix B.)

5.18 Discrimination in Subcontracting Prohibited

Proposer agrees not to discriminate against disadvantaged business enterprise, a minority-owned business, a woman-owned business, a veteran-owned 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 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.

Page 18 Request for Proposal

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.

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;

Page 19 Request for Proposal

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. A violation may include but is not limited to a failure to perform the terms of a contract or an unsatisfactory performance in accordance with the terms of the contract. A failure to perform or an unsatisfactory performance caused by acts beyond the control of the contractor may not be considered to be a basis for debarment; or

5. The prospective proposer does not carry any insurance as required by applicable law.

The Contracts and Procurement Manager shall give written notice of the reasons for the debarment and the proposed length of debarment to the person for whom debarment is being considered. The proposer shall be given not less than fourteen (14) days to respond to the

Contracts and Procurement Manager in writing. The Contracts and Procurement Manager shall issue a written decision that states the reason for the action taken and that informs the proposer of the proposer’s appeal rights.

5.29 Proposals submitted by City Employees Prohibited

The City will not purchase any goods or services from City employees unless City Council expressly authorizes the purchase, or the purchase is necessary during a state of emergency and the City Manager approves the purchase.

Page 20 Request for Proposal

SECTION 6: AGREEMENT TERMS AND REQUIREMENTS

6.1 Forfeiture of the Agreement

This Agreement may be canceled at the election of the City at any time for any willful failure or refusal by the successful proposer to perform according to the terms of an

Agreement as herein provided.

6.2 Non-Assignment

If an Agreement is awarded, it shall not be assigned, nor duties be delegated, in part or in total without consent of the City. Reasonable requests for assignment of the Agreements may be granted based on the sole determination of the City.

6.3 Liability Insurance

Successful proposer shall obtain and maintain during the term of this Agreement, a policy or policies of liability insurance including commercial general liability insurance with a combined single limit, or the equivalent, of not less than $2,000,000 (two million dollars) for each occurrence for Bodily Injury and Property Damage.

The insurance required shall include the following coverages:

• Comprehensive General or Commercial General Liability, including personal injury, contractual liability, and products/completed operations coverage;

• Automobile Liability.

Each policy of such insurance shall be on an "occurrence" and not a "claims made" form, and shall:

• Name as additional insured "the City of Salem, Oregon, its officers, agents and employees";

• Apply to each named and additional named insured as though a separate policy had been issued to each, provided that the policy limits shall not be increased thereby;

• Apply as primary coverage for each additional named insured except to the extent that two or more such policies are intended to "layer" coverage and, taken together, they provide total coverage from the first dollar of liability;

• Successful proposer shall immediately notify the City of any change in insurance coverage;

• Successful proposer shall supply an endorsement naming the City, its officers, employees and agents as additional insureds within sixty (60) days of the Effective

Date of the Agreement; and

• Be evidenced by a certificate or certificates…