267033 RFP.pdf

Finance Department

Independent Registered Municipal

Advisor (IRMA) Services

RFP NUMBER: 267033

CLOSING DATE: May 15, 2026 AT 4:00 PM (LOCAL TIME)

Page 1 Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER: 267033

Independent Registered Municipal Advisor (IRMA) Services

INTRODUCTION

The City of Salem, hereinafter referred to as “City”, is seeking proposals for independent municipal advisor services.

Proposals will be received until, but not after 4:00 PM (local time), May 15, 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 May 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM (local time).

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

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 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: April 15, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER: 267033

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CLOSING: May 15, 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 #267033

Independent Registered Municipal Advisor (IRMA) Services

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

The Finance Department is responsible for managing the issuance of debt, including but not limited to general obligations, revenue bonds, full faith & credit obligations, and certain capital lease purchases, for the City of Salem and the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem (URA). The purpose and intent of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified firms to establish a contract for Independent Registered Municipal Advisor (IRMA) services. The IRMA will assist Finance in the financial analysis, structure and placement of debt financed projects, management of the financing process, and relevant tasks described in the scope of services. The

IRMA will serve solely the interests of the City of Salem and/or the Urban Renewal Agency of the

City of Salem.

The City of Salem, incorporated in 1860, is the capital of the State of Oregon, and the seat of

Marion County. It is located in Marion and Polk Counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley, is approximately 45 miles south of Portland, Oregon, and covers 49 square miles. A nine-member elected council appoints a City Manager who is the chief administrative officer of the City. The

Chief Financial Officer manages the financial affairs of the City; operation of an accounting system in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and practices, and receipt, custody, and disbursement of all City funds.

The City provides a full range of municipal services including fire, police, transportation, parks, planning, building and safety, economic development, neighborhood enhancement, water/waste-water/stormwater utilities, library, municipal court, airport, and central services. In FY 2025-26 the City has an annual budget of $849 million, inclusive of a capital improvement budget of $201 million.

The City’s bond ratings are: Moody’s rates both the City’s General Obligation debt and Utility revenue backed debt at Aa2. The City finances capital projects through various funding vehicles, including pay-as-you-go, grants, and short/long-term debt financing.

Detailed FY 2024-25 reports for the City and URA can be found at the websites below. Debt information is shown on pages 178-179 of the annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR).

Page 4 Request for Proposal https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/budget-finance/annual-budget https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/budget-finance/financial-reports

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF REQUESTED SERVICES

2.1 Scope of Services

The selected IRMA will be required to perform the following services:

1. Advise on general market conditions and outlook for financing including, but not limited to, new series of bonds, refunding bonds, analysis of tax exempt versus taxable financing, and new financing products.

2. Review existing revenue sources, budgetary practices/policies, and debt commitments to determine potential impacts on the proposed financing and make appropriate recommendations to the financing staff.

3. Assist in acquiring financing for capital projects by providing analysis and recommendations on:

a. Financing plans (e.g. public offerings, negotiated sales, or direct bank loan).

b. Type of debt financing such as obligation bonds, revenue bond issues, or other types of appropriate financing options.

c. Debt service scenarios and schedules which meet the City’s objectives and provide options for minimizing the impact on rate payers.

4. Review and recommend structuring options for bonds or obligations as appropriate (e.g.

redemption provisions, maturity schedules, bid parameters, and other), and advise on timing and other considerations for achieving an optimal financing plan.

5. As appropriate, and to the extent allowable, assist in the preparation and circulation of requests for proposals to potential purchasers of the bonds other debt obligations and assist in selecting a provider for such services.

6. Meet with council/board members, bond counsel, and others as appropriate to review financing options and discuss and assess potential financing arrangements deemed desirable.

7. Assist staff in meetings/conference calls with underwriters, bond counsel, State of

Oregon, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), etc. as requested by the City.

8. Represent only the interests of the City or URA when meeting with staff, underwriters, bond counsel, or other entity associated with the City or URA debt.

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

Page 5 Request for Proposal

9. Prepare with contracted bond counsel, resolution, loan agreement, indentures, official statements, memoranda and other documents, appropriate for use in the sale of bonds and other debt obligations, and assure all necessary documents are made accessible pursuant to state and federal regulations.

10. Recommend whether a credit rating should be obtained, and if so, recommend which reporting agency should be pursued. If a credit rating is recommended, prepare credit profiles and assist in making presentations to rating agencies, bond insurance companies, financial institutions, and investors with respect to bond or other debt obligations. The

City is currently rated by Moody’s.

11. Manage competitive or negotiated sale process. Schedule the sale of the obligations and coordinate advertising and all other activities that normally precede such a sale.

a. Should the bonds or other debt obligations be sold in a negotiated arrangement, Proposer will assist in negotiating the interest rate and fees associated with the transaction and coordinate closing details.

b. Should the method of sale be performed through a competitive bid process, Proposer will assist in soliciting and verifying bids on the date of sale and coordinating closing details.

12. Assist bond counsel in arranging the closing, timing, and finalizing documentation for the form of sale selected.

13. Assist in selecting Paying Agent and other services required to monitor the bonds or other debt obligations.

14. When appropriate, selected IRMA will analyze and make recommendations as to the potential of any positive refinancing opportunities that may be available based on the current outstanding debt.

15. Assist with the timely filing of required filings, disclosures, tax reporting, publications and registrations, and any other documents required.

16. Advise as needed on matters related to financial planning, debt management, other related topics such as revising capital improvement plans, revising financial policies, compliance, debt disclosures, etc.

17. Provide advice on statutory and regulatory changes proposed and or imposed by State of

Oregon, US Treasury, SEC, IRS, or other regulatory agencies.

18. Prepare staff on issues related to bond issuance, debt and other financial analysis as requested.

19. Provide assistance and, when appropriate, training to staff to enhance the capacity to manage through a variety of bond-related activities.

Page 6 Request for Proposal

20. Assist City with the development of any specific policies, practices or material required by SEC and Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) rule changes.

2.2 Special Considerations

1. Bond Counsel

The City/URA contracts with bond counsel services. The selected IRMA will be required to the extent practical/applicable to coordinate their advice and services with the bond counsel.

2. Refrain from Underwriting or Trading

The selected IRMA will be required to agree to refrain from any underwriting or trading on any transaction on which municipal advisory services are provided to the City or URA

(MSRB Rule G23).

2.3 Length of Service

The City/URA desire a long-term relationship with the selected IRMA. A successful contract will be in place for a total of ten (10) years; initial contract term of one (1) year, followed by nine (9) opportunities to extend the contract for an additional year for a total contract term of ten (10) years.

2.4 Minimum Qualifications

Proposer must meet or exceed the following criteria:

1. Be an IRMA as defined by the SEC.

2. Be registered in the State of Oregon as a municipal advisory service provider.

3. Hold all necessary licenses and authorizations to offer municipal advisory services for municipal debt in the State of Oregon.

4. Be familiar with all applicable Oregon statutes and Federal regulations with regard to municipal advisory services.

5. Be current and in compliance with all filing requirements of the MSRB Rules G37.

6. Served as the primary municipal advisor to a minimum of ten (10) local or regional government issuers within the past five (5) years. Proposer’s lead staff assigned to the

City/URA must have a minimum of five (5) years experience in Oregon.

Page 7 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, 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 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. Organization and Qualifications: 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.

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.

C. Fee Proposal:

Depending on the anticipated length of time between initial discussion for an issuance and actual placement, the City and proposer will select a billing rate method; hourly rate or a per issuance rate.

a. Please provide a table of hourly rates by position type based on the following example:

Position Rate Per Hour Cost Escalator

Vice President $xxx.xx CPI (Port-Salem)

Associate $xxx.xx

b. Please provide cost estimates on a per issuance basis for the following placement types using the issuance size shown below:

Type of Sale $10 M $50 M $100 M

Competitive Bid

Negotiated Sale

Bank Placement

Page 8 Request for Proposal

D. References: A list of at least three (3) governmental clients with contact information for similar services as specified in Section 2.

E. Appendices: (all items provided shall be in sequential order and referenced in the table of contents). At a minimum, the appendix section of your proposal shall include:

A. Resumes of assigned representative(s), project manager(s), and staff.

B. Audited financial statements for the past two (2) years and a current interim financial statement. If your firm is privately held and does not produce audited statements, unaudited will be acceptable.

C. Description of any litigation, administrative proceedings, or federal/state investigations, or formal complaints filed, involving your firm/principals/owners/employees, during the period beginning 1/1/2020 to present.

D. Proposer Forms: Any additional forms the Proposer expects to submit at a later date for signature may not conflict with the intent or specifics of this RFP and, although they will not be evaluated, they must be submitted with the proposal.

Any such form must include the Agreement terms identified in this RFP.

Examples of these forms include, but are not limited to, the following:

agreements, licensing, waivers, etc.

E. Submission of any forms shall not be considered a waiver or amendment to any

RFP requirement and any Proposal conditioned upon acceptance of any such forms shall be considered non-responsive. The City in its sole discretion may approve the form, require modifications, or reject the forms.

F. Certification that there are no conflicts of interest in providing the services.

Proposers must certify that no actual or potential conflicts of interest exist at the time of proposal submittal, or if conflicts or potential conflicts do exist, they must be disclosed. Proposer must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest that may arise during the term of agreement.

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.

Page 9 Request for Proposal

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:

Evaluation Item Maximum Points

Cover Letter 5

Organization and Qualifications 30

Fee Proposal 30

References 25

Appendices 10

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 10 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 May 1, 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)

April 15, 2026 ................................................................................ Begin RFP Solicitation

May 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM (local time) ................................... Questions/Clarifications Due

May 15, 2026 at 4:00 PM (local time) .................................................. RFP Closing Date

June 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), May 1, 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.

Page 11 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), May 1, 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), May 15, 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 https://oregonbuys.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml https://bidlocker.us/a/salem_or/BidLocker

Page 12 Request for Proposal 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 #267033.”

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).

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

Page 13 Request for Proposal

• 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 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 mailto:sself@cityofsalem.net

Page 14 Request for Proposal 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, 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.

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

Page 15 Request for Proposal

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 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.

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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.

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;

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

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

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

Board to be so serious as to justify debarment. 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.

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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 of such insurance approved by the City.

6.4 Errors and Omissions

Successful proposer shall carry Errors and Omissions (professional liability) insurance coverage with combined single limits of not less than $2,000,000 (two million dollars).

Successful proposer shall furnish evidence of such coverage through a certificate of insurance in a form acceptable to the City.

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6.5 Workers’ Compensation Law

All subject employers working under an awarded Agreement are either employers that will comply with ORS 656.017 or employers that are exempt under ORS 656.126. Proof of compliance will be required prior to Agreement execution. (See Appendix A)

6.6 Laws of the State of Oregon

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, proposer(s) agree that, any terms and conditions stated within any agreement that is awarded as a result of this solicitation shall also include the following laws of the State of Oregon are hereby incorporated by reference into the Agreement: ORS 279B.220, 279B.230, and 279B.235.

Any Agreements awarded and/or purchase order issued as a result of this RFP shall be governed by the laws of the State of Oregon without regard to conflict of laws principles.

Exclusive venue for litigation of any action arising under the Agreement shall be in the

Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for Marion County unless exclusive jurisdiction is in federal court, in which case exclusive venue shall be in the federal district court for the district of Oregon. Each party expressly waives any and all rights to maintain an action under this Agreement in any other venue, and expressly consents that, upon motion of the other party, any case may be dismissed or its venue transferred, as appropriate, so as to effectuate this choice of venue.

6.7. Successful Proposer’s Compliance with Tax Laws

Successful proposer represents and warrants to the City that:

1. Successful proposer shall, throughout the term of this Agreement, including any extensions hereof, comply with:

A. All tax laws of the State of Oregon, including but not limited to ORS 305.620 and

ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318;

B. Any tax provisions imposed by a political subdivision of the State of Oregon applicable to successful proposer; and

C. Any rules, regulations, charter provisions, or ordinances that implement or enforce any of the foregoing tax laws or provisions.

2. If applicable, the successful proposer, for a period of no fewer than six (6) calendar years preceding the Effective Date of this Agreement, has faithfully complied with:

A. All tax laws of the State of Oregon, including but not limited to ORS 305.620 and

ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318;

B. Any tax provisions imposed by a political subdivision of the State of Oregon applicable to successful proposer; and

C. Any rules, regulations, charter provisions, or ordinances that implement or enforce any of the foregoing tax laws or provisions.

Successful proposer’s failure to comply with the tax laws of the State of Oregon and all applicable tax laws of any political subdivision of the State of Oregon shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement. Further, any violation of successful proposer’s warranty, as set forth in this Article, shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement.

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Any material breach of this Agreement shall entitle the City to terminate this Agreement and to seek damages and any other relief available under this Agreement, at law, or in equity.

Any Work delivered to the City under this Agreement shall be provided to the City free and clear of any and all restrictions on or conditions of its use, transfer, modification, or assignment, and shall be free and clear of any and all liens, claims, mortgages, security interests, liabilities, charges, and encumbrances of any kind.

6.8 Agreement Term

The Agreement shall commence on July 1, 2026 and continue until June 30, 2027, and upon renewal (see renewal clause) shall continue for each additional consecutive fiscal year until canceled or expiration of the Agreement term.

6.9 Renewal

If the City determines that it is in the City’s best interest, the City may elect to extend the

Agreement for nine (9) additional one (1) year periods at the end of each fiscal year, July

1 through June 30, subject to the following conditions:

a. Approval by City and budget approval.

b. Service has been determined, by the Contract Administrator, to be satisfactory.

c. Price remains firm for the additional year; adjusted only for any escalation/ de-escalation allowed under the terms of the Agreement.

d. Agreement to extend the Agreements, in writing, by the successful proposer after a minimum sixty (60) calendar days’ notice by City prior to the expiration of the

6.10 Termination for Lack of Appropriations

The City may terminate all or portions of the Agreement for lack of funds, if the successful proposer is notified by certified mail thirty (30) calendar days in advance.

6.11 Cooperative Purchasing

Pursuant to ORS 279A.205 thru 279A.215, other public agencies, Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Salem, Housing Authority of the City of Salem, and members of the Oregon

Cooperative Purchasing Program (ORCPP) may use the service agreement resulting from this RFP unless proposer expressly notes in their proposal that the prices quoted are available to the City only. The condition of such use by other agencies is that any such agency must make and pursue contact, purchase order, delivery arrangements, and all contractual remedies directly with the successful proposer; the City accepts no responsibility for performance by either the successful proposer or such other agency using this agreement. With such condition, the City consents to such use by any other public agency.

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6.12 Escalation/ De-Escalation Agreement

Prices shall remain firm throughout the initial…