26OPM0202AA DESPP AND DOC STAFFING STUDY RFP - FINAL.pdf

LEGAL NOTICE

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to conducting a study of the staffing of the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the custody and counseling staffing within the Department of Correction.

The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide data-driven analysis and best-practice recommendations regarding state police staffing and correctional custody and counseling staffing within a stated timeframe.

The RFP is available online at: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/Request-For-Proposals or from Andre Simons, Office of Policy and Management, Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS#52CJP, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379. E-mail:

Andre.Simons@ct.gov. Telephone (860) 418-6216. Deadline for response submission is 5:00 P.M., October 27, 2026.

TO BE PUBLISHED IN

• THE HARTFORD COURANT AND

THE INNER-CITY NEWS

• OPM WEBSITE

• DAS CONTRACTING PORTAL (CTsource) https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/Request-For-Proposals mailto:Andre.Simons@ct.gov

RFP# 26OPM0202AA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

BY

THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

OFFICE OF POLICY AND MANAGEMENT (OPM)

Staffing Study of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection & Custody and Counseling Staffing within the Department of Correction

I. BACKGROUND

PURPOSE OF RFP

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management (hereinafter “OPM”, “Agency” or “State”) is seeking a proposer to conduct a study of the staffing of the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the custody and counseling staffing within the Department of Correction.

The State at its sole discretion may choose to bifurcate the scope and award this contract to multiple separate contractors based on specialized experience in law enforcement and correctional institutions and responses to this request for proposal. Such services are authorized in accordance with Chapter 50 of the Connecticut General Statutes (“CGS”) Sec. 4-65a.

BACKGROUND

The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the Department of Correction are experiencing recruitment, retention, and long-term workforce sustainability challenges that require deeper analysis.

The Connecticut State Police (CSP), a division of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), provides a full range of statewide law enforcement services. This includes staffing the Resident Trooper Program, which supports municipalities without fulltime police departments.

The CSP was established in 1903 with 11 Troop locations that were established between 1921 and 1954. The organization has a long and proud history of public service. Over the course of CSP's history, the State has seen significant changes in the population levels, roadways and public service needs.

Police departments face many challenges today, including gaining public trust, maintaining accountability, incorporating technology in their workflow, providing data to the right people at the right time, and navigating budget constraints. These challenges are in addition to public safety challenges police departments face daily. One aspect of policing that affects, or is affected by, nearly all of these challenges are staffing. Adequately staffing law enforcement departments is a constant challenge that has become more difficult recently. Nationally, police departments are experiencing staffing shortages. Challenges related to police staffing include a decreasing number of qualified applicants, growing attrition, budget constraints, and a broadening scope of work along with changing community expectations. These problems exist for both sworn and non-sworn personnel. Resignations and retirements add to this problem, as the Police Executive Research Forum reports that resignations have increased by 47% due to pandemic burnout, civil unrest, and changing perceptions of police from the public (Police Executive Research Forum, 2019). Retirements remain steady, even as resignations have slightly decreased.

Law enforcement agencies have few resources to guide them in determining the adequate staffing levels. Many departments rely on nonreproducible staffing estimates that are potentially outdated.

The function of law enforcement has changed, and will change over time, and staffing studies should be designed in a way that is repeatable, testable, and improvable, in addition to being accurate. Additionally, determining the adequate amount of sworn personnel needed to patrol is often not calculated. It is paramount to start with this parameter so everyone, the public, the department, government officials, etc. know what is needed to adequately staff the patrolling function of the CSP. Starting with constraints, like budgets or public sentiment, only provides the amount of sworn personnel desired, or affordable and does not provide the best case to work towards what would be ideal, if possible, for the law enforcement agency.

Despite the challenges to staffing police departments, there is no uniform approach when it comes to calculating the number of staff needed.

The CSP is responsible for four (4) major operations as follows:

1. Patrol and law enforcement for all Connecticut State Highways, managed across the eleven (11) Troop locations throughout the state.

2. Specialty Units that provide highly skilled and specialized law enforcement capabilities and investigative responsibilities throughout the State of Connecticut as needed. This includes specialty units such as, Major Crimes, Emergency Services, Traffic, Governor’s Security, Bureau of Special Investigations, etc.

3. Full police service coverage, if the jurisdiction is without a local police department.

4. The Resident State Trooper program under the purview of the Troop locations, acts as the local police department in small, rural settings throughout the State.

Approximately 11%, of the State’s population lives in towns that rely on Resident State Trooper coverage.

CSP’s staffing needs fluctuate based on geography, community needs, incident type, mission complexity, and operational tempo.

The Department of Correction (DOC) operates thirteen (13) facilities across Connecticut that house both unsentenced and sentenced individuals. Since 1968, all county jails and state prisons have been consolidated under a single, statewide corrections system. In addition to facility operations, DOC manages reentry efforts and supervises individuals returning to the community.

Its secure facilities require 24/7 staffing, movement control, programming, specialized units, and strict compliance with statutory requirements, administrative directives, and labor agreements.

SCOPE OF WORK

The state seeks data-driven and best-practice recommendations regarding state police staffing and correctional custody and counseling staffing.

A. Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

1. Operating Environment

The state workforce operates in a complex labor relations and policy environment, which includes several legally binding considerations. The Contractor is required to have demonstrated experience in analyses of unionized workforces, as well as the current Connecticut statutory frameworks and requirements including, but not limited to, job-protective leave policies.

The contractor will be responsible for making recommendations that are actionable and compliant with the full spectrum of requirements in effect in Connecticut, which may include but not be limited to:

• Collective bargaining contracts and provisions.

• State and/or federal law (e.g., workers' compensation, leave time).

• State and/or federal training mandates and accreditation standards.

• Mutual aid or local agreements.

• Administrative directives or policies.

2. Zero-Based Staffing Review

The Contractor shall conduct a comprehensive, zero-based staffing assessment, building staffing assumptions from the ground up. This review should identify obsolete posts and assignments, as well as opportunities for consolidation or the integration of technology solutions. The Contractor shall evaluate whether current shift structures and post configurations remain operationally necessary and recommend changes or alternatives, as appropriate. The Contractor shall further identify legacy positions or incremental mission “creep” requirements that no longer provide meaningful operational value. Contractor shall additionally identify modalities for repeatable and reproducible methods that can be employed by DESPP to ensure ongoing ability to adapt to changing environments.

3. Agency Specific Indicators

Given the nature of DESPP operations, the agency faces distinct operational challenges that warrant deeper analysis to ensure recommendations are appropriately tailored. The Contractor shall identify, quantify, and prioritize operational drivers unique to DESPP and develop a model that directly links staffing recommendations to demonstrated operational need.

4. Technology Efficiencies

The State seeks to identify opportunities where technology solutions can strengthen operational efficiency, improve service delivery, and optimize resource allocation. The State maintains a unified and centralized information technology environment managed by the Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Information Technology Services. The selected Contractor shall identify initiatives that can reduce labor requirements, enhance supervisory capabilities, streamline workflows, and support flexible, data‑driven staff deployment strategies. The

Contractor shall assess the current technology landscape, identify gaps, and provide recommendations encompassing both existing systems and emerging technologies.

5. Force Deployment Efficiency

The contractor shall examine and report on the utilization of sworn staffing for tasks that could be performed by non-sworn employees, including administrative, office, records, intelligence, support functions, and other situations where opportunities exist to redeploy and utilize non-sworn staffing to improve sworn staffing deployments.

6. Performance Expectations

The Contractor shall develop comprehensive staffing analyses and propose staffing recommendations that ensure the agency can meet operational needs and expected level of service. The Contractor shall work collaboratively with designated points of contact from the OPM and DESPP. The analysis should incorporate, at minimum, the following metrics and considerations:

• Identify how 24/7/365 operations intersect with specialized staffing needs. Models should be informed by data such as crime or incident patterns, time‑of‑day variation, population dynamics, seasonal impacts, and other relevant operational indicators.

• Assess response times (by call or incident priority) and the influence of geographic or facility‑specific factors. The Contractor shall work collaboratively with each agency to understand current expectations and evaluate how adjustments to these expectations could affect mission achievement, particularly when staffing must be structured within constrained resources.

• Compare Connecticut’s staffing levels with best practices in similar government settings, including per‑capita models, demographic and economic factors, geographic considerations, and crime or incident rates.

• Review and identify unit backlogs and processes that would benefit for efficiency mapping.

• Assess officer or staff injury trends, overtime usage, and fatigue‑related indicators that may affect performance, safety, and retention.

• If applicable, incorporate obligations tied to consent decrees, Department of Justice oversight, or other external mandates that influence staffing structure or operational expectations.

• Formalized time studies for each type of call/incident/work product and analysis of the frequency by time/day/holiday or day-of-importance, and geographic trends.

• Evaluate training requirements and time off commitments to include but are not limited to existing Collective Bargaining Agreements, and military commitments to determine the number of officers available for duty.

7. Lost time

The Contractor shall perform a multi-year analysis of leave categories, absenteeism, workers compensation and light duty time lost, training requirements, mandatory overtime, and non-deployable status to derive a validated shift relief factor.

8. Agency & Jurisdiction Characteristics

The analysis shall examine the following elements and inform staffing recommendations based on both the unique dynamics of the State, industry standards, and comparative state models. In each of these indicators, special attention will be paid to the dichotomy between the staffing needs of the Resident Trooper Program and the nuances of Highway Patrol.

• Types, volume, and timeframes of calls for service

• Jurisdiction population both statewide and for state police barracks.

• Geographic size (sq. miles).

• Urban/suburban/rural classification.

• Demographic breakdown (age, race/ethnicity, income, housing density).

• Economic indicators (unemployment rate, poverty rate).

• Number of municipalities served.

• Presence of special populations (airports, universities, tourist centers, highways, transit and public transportation systems, state technical high schools, high visibility targets (i.e.

nuclear power plant, submarine base, etc.)

• Staffing of local communities under models like the Resident Trooper program.

9. Crime, Incident Data, and Public Safety

Crime, incident data and public safety assessment shall be comprehensively analyzed to inform patterns and staffing needs. The analysis shall include graphical representations including “heat mapping” to aid users of the analysis:

• Uniform Crime Reporting/National Incident-Based Reporting System (UCR/NIBRS) offense counts

• Calls for service (citizen-initiated v. trooper initiated)

• Crime rates per 1,000 population

• Clearance rates

• Crime trends (5–10 year)

• Hot spot locations

• Repeat call locations

• Special event incidents

• Outside agency assistance requests

10. Staffing Recommendations

Recommended staffing shall not just provide an aggregate staffing count or employment number but rather should define and differentiate core responsibility components, synergies where they exist and elimination of overlapping responsibilities. For example, recommendations could differentiate in carrying out the mission of routine patrol functions of the state police, while separately identifying Resident Trooper requirements, and opportunities that exist for surge capacity or specialty teams.

Further, the recommendations should identify optimal locations for state police barracks, to aid in future capital and facilities investments.

B. Department of Correction

1. Operating Environment

The state workforce operates in a complex labor relations and policy environment, which includes several legally binding considerations. The Contractor is required to have demonstrated experience in analyses of unionized workforces, as well as the current Connecticut statutory frameworks and requirements including, but not limited to, job-protective leave policies.

The Contractor will be responsible for making recommendations that are actionable and compliant with the full spectrum of requirements in effect in Connecticut, which may include but not be limited to:

• Collective bargaining contracts and provisions.

• State and/or federal law (e.g., workers' compensation, leave time).

• State and/or federal training mandates and accreditation standards.

• Mutual aid or local agreements.

• Administrative directives or policies.

2. Zero-Based Staffing Review

The Contractor shall conduct a comprehensive, zero-based staffing assessment, building staffing assumptions from the ground up. This review should identify obsolete or inefficient posts and assignments, opportunities to implement best-practices, including opportunities for consolidation or the integration of technology solutions. The Contractor shall evaluate whether current shift structures and post configurations remain operationally necessary and recommend changes or alternatives, as appropriate. The Contractor shall further identify legacy positions or incremental mission “creep” requirements that no longer provide meaningful operational value. For counseling services, the Contractor shall additionally examine the current structure of in facility and reentry counseling services to identify proper organizational structure and needs.

3. Technology Efficiencies

The State seeks to identify opportunities where technology solutions can strengthen operational efficiency, improve service delivery, and optimize resource allocation. The State maintains a unified and centralized information technology environment managed by the Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Information Technology Services. The selected Contractor shall identify initiatives that can reduce labor requirements, enhance supervisory capabilities, streamline workflows, and support flexible, data‑driven staff deployment strategies. The Contractor shall assess the current technology landscape, identify gaps, and provide recommendations encompassing both existing systems and emerging technologies.

4. Force Deployment Efficiency

The Contractor shall examine and report on the utilization of existing officer staffing for tasks that could be performed by non-officers, including administrative, office, records, intelligence, support functions, and other situations where opportunities exist to redeploy and improve staffing deployments.

5. Performance Expectations

The Contractor shall develop comprehensive staffing analyses and propose staffing recommendations that ensure the agency can meet operational needs and expected level of service. The analysis should incorporate, at minimum, the following metrics and considerations:

• Identify how 24/7/365 operations intersect with specialized staffing needs. Models should be informed by data such as crime or incident patterns, time‑of‑day variation, population dynamics, seasonal impacts, and other relevant operational indicators.

• Assess response times (by call or incident priority) and the influence of geographic or facility‑specific factors. The Contractor shall work collaboratively with each agency to understand current expectations and evaluate how adjustments to these expectations could affect mission achievement, particularly when staffing must be structured within constrained resources.

• Compare Connecticut’s staffing levels with best practices in similar government settings, including per‑capita models, demographic and economic factors, geographic considerations, and crime or incident rates.

• Provide a clear account of the optimal relationship between current and necessary staffing levels taking into account the structural decline in the daily incarcerated population since 2008.

• Review investigative responsiveness, case clearance rates, security assessments, and other indicators of investigative or analytical capacity.

• Evaluate use‑of‑force incidents involving agency personnel, both by and against staff, and assess correlations between staffing levels, deployment models, and incident frequency.

• Review citizen complaints, internal affairs cases, and internal review process requirements as indicators of organizational climate and oversight needs.

• Assess officer or staff injury trends, overtime usage, and fatigue‑related indicators that may affect performance, safety, and retention.

• If applicable, incorporate obligations tied to consent decrees, Department of Justice oversight, or other external mandates that influence staffing structure or operational expectations.

6. Lost time

The Contractor shall perform a multi-year analysis of leave categories, absenteeism, workers compensation and light duty time lost, training requirements, mandatory overtime, and non-deployable status to derive a validated shift relief factor. Best-practices drawn from other state prison systems specifically aimed to address such issues should be identified.

7. Officer Position Description

Identify areas where Correctional Officer duties as well as state job classifications could be updated, including but not limited to those in keeping with best practices elsewhere. . Innovative thinking is encouraged in addition to identified best practices. Opportunities for partnerships with other agencies, as well as the public tertiary educational systems could be identified for purposes of collaborative training and professional development.

8. Agency specific measures

Given the nature of DOC operations, the agency faces distinct operational challenges that warrant deeper analysis to ensure recommendations are appropriately tailored. The Contractor shall identify, quantify, and prioritize operational drivers unique to DOC and develop a model that directly links staffing recommendations to demonstrated operational need.

The analysis shall examine the following elements and inform staffing recommendations based on the unique dynamics of the State, industry standards, and comparative state models.

• A review of DOC Administrative Directives and identify impacts to staffing, including posts, job duties, staffing requirements, and operational efficiencies.

• Review post plan structure, orders, and duties by shift and their impact on staffing deployment and coverage requirements to determine efficiency opportunities.

• Assess all custodial activities, including specialized functions such as K-9, CERT, Central Transport, Hospital Transport, hospitalization coverage, and other specialty assignments, including the staffing impacts of activation and deployment requirements.

• Review training plans, including In-Service Training (IST), specialized training, certification requirements, and minimum annual training requirements, and assess impacts on staffing coverage and relief needs.

• Assess the use of correctional officer staff in administrative functions and the resulting impacts on staffing resources and deployment.

• Review recruitment practices and their impact on staffing levels and vacancies.

• Assess current shift schedules, staffing patterns, relief factors, and coverage models to determine their impact on staffing requirements, overtime utilization, operational efficiency, and workforce sustainability.

• Review manuals, policies, and procedures outside of Administrative Directives and identify any impacts to staffing requirements and operations.

• Review firearms deployment policies, training requirements, and armed post assignments

9. Technology Deployments

The Contractor shall recommend opportunities to improve operations through the utilization of technology, including in areas of paper-based reporting and dynamic real-time management or oversight of populations under the care and custody of the DOC. Potential approaches to consider may include:

• Wi-Fi modernization

• Heat mapping

• Facility analytics

• Activity tracking

• Biometric monitoring systems

• Suicide watch technology

• Remote observation capabilities

• Body scanners

• Reduced search staffing models

Based on national or comparative models the deployment of new, emerging, or existing technologies should be factored into personnel staffing models. The staffing models and studies proposed here do not require formal cost benefit analysis of these technologies but rather seek broad understanding of the changes that could be effectuated if technology was more fully deployed.

C. Outcomes/Deliverables

The Contractor shall deliver a clear, actionable final report for each agency that translates all analyses into a strategic staffing plan. The report must provide defensible staffing recommendations, a transparent methodology, and practical tools that support ongoing workforce planning and operational decision‑making. The final product must enable DESPP and DOC to make informed, future‑focused staffing decisions that strengthen service delivery, enhance safety, and support long‑term organizational resilience.

Deliverables shall include:

• A validated shift relief factor grounded in statutory requirements, historical utilization, and analytically derived assumptions.

• A workload‑based staffing model that ties recommended staffing levels to measurable operational drivers, including calls for service, incident patterns, facility activity, geographic demands, and 24/7/365 operational requirements.

• An operational risk assessment that identifies current vulnerabilities, their root causes, and recommended mitigation strategies.

• Function‑level staffing recommendations that distinguish routine, specialized, and surge‑capacity needs, highlight civilianization opportunities, and identify optimal deployment configurations.

• A concise set of efficiency opportunities, including elimination of obsolete posts, structural consolidations, and technology‑enabled workforce reductions or reallocations.

• A modernization roadmap outlining prioritized technology and process improvements that enhance efficiency, decision‑support, and supervisory capacity.

• Sustainable analytical tools, such as repeatable forecasting models, workload calculators, and deployment metrics, that agencies can use to continuously refine staffing decisions.

Integrated workforce projections and scenario‑based models that connect staffing needs to future call volume, population changes, incident trends, and facility or field operational requirements.

D. Addendum 1

The contractor shall provide an additional supplementary scope of work, including an associated supplementary cost estimate, which would extend the primary scope of work to include the staffing analysis for the Department of Corrections to include all agency personnel (in addition to the custodial and counseling staff in the primary proposal). Under such a supplementary plan, opportunities for staffing reallocation should be identified in areas that are also already addressed by the public sector in non-correctional settings (education and training, medical and behavioral health, social services and re-entry).

EXPECTED CONTRACT PERIOD

The State anticipates that the successful proposer will commence work on or about 12/01/2026 and continue until 02/26/27. The contract may, upon mutual consent, be extended.

PROPOSER QUALIFICATIONS

Eligible proposers will be those consultants, companies, and/or entities which meet the following minimum qualifications: The state workforce operates in a complex labor relations and policy environment, which includes several legally binding considerations. The Contractor is required to have demonstrated experience in analyses of unionized workforces, as well as the current Connecticut statutory frameworks and requirements including, but not limited to, job-protective leave policies.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Proposals are due by 5:00 PM on October 27, 2026. Proposals must be submitted in the format prescribed later in this RFP and must be received by OPM no later than the deadline. Late submission(s) shall not be accepted.

II. RFP PROCEDURES

A. Official State Contact and Communications Notice. OPM has designated the individual below as the Official State Contact for the purpose of this RFP. The Official State Contact is the only authorized contact for this solicitation and, as such handles all related communications on behalf of the Agency. All communications with the State or any person representing the State concerning this RFP are strictly prohibited, except as permitted by this RFP. Any violation of this prohibition by proposers or their representatives may result in disqualification or other sanctions, or both.

Andre Simons Secretary II Office of Policy and Management Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division 450 Capitol Avenue

MS# 52CJP

Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1379

(860) 418-6216 Andre.Simons@ct.gov

B. Letter of Intent. A Letter of Intent (LOI) Is not required by this RFP.

C. Inquiry Procedures. All questions regarding this RFP must be directed via e-mail to the Official State Contact before the deadline specified in the RFP timeline. Questions will not be accepted or answered verbally. OPM will not answer questions when the source is unknown, or questions are deemed unrelated to the RFP. If this RFP requires a Letter of Intent, OPM reserves the right to answer questions only from those who have submitted such a letter. All questions and answers will be compiled into a written amendment to this RFP and will be published to the State Contracting Portal and on OPM’s RFP web page on the date specified in the RFP timeline. If any answer to any question constitutes a material change to the RFP, the question and answer will be placed at the beginning of the amendment and duly noted as such.

D. Proposers’ RFP Conference. A Proposers’ RFP conference will not be held to answer questions from prospective proposers.

E. Resource Library. There is no resource library for this RFP.

F. Proposals Due. Proposals are due by: 5:00 PM, October 27, 2026.

G. Minimum Submission Requirements. Proposals must be (1) submitted before the deadline, (2) satisfy either the hardcopy packaging and labeling requirements, or the electronic submittal requirements, (3) follow the required format, (4) be complete and legible, (5) include all required forms and/or attachments, and (6) be duly executed by the Proposer’s Authorized Official. Proposals that fail to meet these minimum submission requirements may be disqualified and not reviewed further.

H. Selection Committee. A Selection Committee comprised of State staff or other designees as deemed appropriate will evaluate qualified proposals submitted in response to this RFP and recommend finalists for consideration. The Selection Committee shall evaluate all proposals that meet the Minimum Submission Requirements.

I. Meetings with Proposers. At its discretion, the State may convene meetings with proposers in order to gain a fuller understanding of the proposals. The meetings may involve demonstrations, interviews, presentations, or site visits. If the State decides meetings are warranted, the Official State Contact will contact proposers to make an appointment. Any such meetings are tentatively scheduled for the week of November 2, 2026

J. Contractor Selection. It is the State’s intention to notify the successful proposer by

11/9/26 and to initiate this engagement as soon as possible thereafter.

K. Timeline. The following timeline, up to and including the deadline for submitting proposals, shall be changed only by an amendment to this RFP. Dates after the submittal deadline are target dates (*) only.

9/28/26 RFP Released 10/5/26 Deadline for Questions 10/13/26 Written Answers to Questions Released 10/27/26 at 5:00 pm Proposals Due/Submittal Deadline 11/2/26 Meetings with Proposers (If OPM decides to hold. See section I. above)* 11/9/26 Contractor Selection * 11/16/26 Start of Contract Negotiations * 12/1/26 Start of Contract *

III. REQUIRED FORMAT AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSALS

All proposals must follow the required format, submission instructions, and address all requirements listed in the prescribed order using the prescribed numbering system in Sections 1 through 8 of Article IV. REQUIRED PROPOSAL CONTENT. Failure to follow the required format may result in disqualification of a proposal.

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP shall be submitted to the Official State Contact as follows:

▪ Electronically in a ZIP file via Email to the Official State Contact. If your ZIP file exceeds 10MB, you will need to separate your submission into smaller ZIP files and send them in separate emails clearly identified, for example, 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3. If submitting confidential information, such confidential information must be separated and isolated from other material in the proposal and included in a separate document/file labeled “confidential RFP information”.

For additional information on the submission of confidential information, please see “Article IV. REQUIRED PROPOSAL CONTENT - Section 8 – REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS”- Declaration of Confidential Information.

▪ Print Setup: none specified

▪ Font Size: none specified

▪ Font Type: none specified

▪ Line Spacing: none specified

▪ Margins: none specified

▪ Pagination: Proposer’s name must be displayed in the header of each page; all pages, including appendices, forms and/or required attachments must be numbered in the footer of each page.

▪ Maximum number of pages: 30 - Not including Section 1, Proposer Information;

Section 2, Table of Contents; Section 4d, Financial Condition; Section 4e, References; Section 6b, Resumes of Key Personnel; Section 8a, Declaration of Confidential Information; Section 8b, Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement;

Section 8c, Statement of Assurances; and Section 8d, Required Forms.

▪ Maximum file size if submitting proposal electronically via email: Files must be in a ZIP file not to exceed 10MB. If your ZIP file exceeds 10MB you will need to separate your submission into smaller ZIP files and send them in separate emails clearly identified, for example, 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3. Within the ZIP file(s), the main part of the submission must be in Microsoft Word and/or Excel format(s) and required attachments may be in pdf format.

DO NOT use material dependent on color distinctions, animated electronics, etc. in submissions.

▪ Electronic Submission Requirements: One (1) conforming electronic copy of the original proposal (clearly marked as “original”) must be sent in a ZIP file emailed to the Official State Contact. The subject line of the email must read: “RFP SUBMITTAL: DESPP/DOC Staffing Study”. If your ZIP file exceeds 10MB you will need to separate your submission into smaller ZIP files and send them in separate emails clearly identified, for example, 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of

3. If submitting confidential information, such confidential information must be separated and isolated from other material in the proposal and included in a separate document/file labeled “confidential RFP information”.

The main proposal must be in Microsoft Word and/or Excel format. Required forms and/or required attachments may be scanned and submitted as PDFs. Respondents should ensure there are not additional IT limitations at the proposer’s end and should also ensure that any firewalls or email screening programs are set to allow receipt of emails from the Office of Policy and Management. Original proposals that are not complete, legible, formatted as prescribed (including the email subject line format), dated and signed by the Proposer’s Authorized Official will be rejected.

▪ DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS THROUGH THE DAS CTsource CONTRACTING

PORTAL. Proposals submitted through the CTSource Contracting Portal will not be accepted.

IMPORTANT NOTE: While proposals are NOT to be submitted through the DAS CTsource Contracting Portal, proposers must create an account with CTsource to receive alerts about any future amendments made to this solicitation. Additionally, the successful proposer is required to be registered with CTsource before a contract can be awarded. It is in the best interest of all proposers to register with CTsource if they haven’t done so already. CTsource registration information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/Create-a- CTsource-Account-for-Doing-Business-with-the-State?language=en_US

All submissions must be received by the due date and time as listed in the RFP timeline.

IV. REQUIRED PROPOSAL CONTENT

Section 1 – PROPOSER INFORMATION

The Proposer shall include a Cover Sheet as the first page of their proposal. The cover sheet shall include the following information:

o RFP Name o Proposer’s Legal Name o FEIN o Street Address o Town/City/State/Zip o Proposer’s Contact Person* o Title o Phone Number o E-Mail Address o Proposer’s Authorized Official** o Title o Signature o E-Mail Address

*Proposer’s Contact Person. Contact person is defined as the individual who can provide additional information about the proposal or who has immediate responsibility for the proposal.

https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/Create-a-CTsource-Account-for-Doing-Business-with-the-State?language=en_US https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/Create-a-CTsource-Account-for-Doing-Business-with-the-State?language=en_US

**Proposer’s Authorized Official. Authorized Official is defined as the individual empowered to submit a binding offer on behalf of the proposer to provide services in accordance with the terms and provisions described in this RFP and any amendments or attachments hereto.

Section 2 – TABLE OF CONTENTS

Proposers must include a Table of Contents that lists sections and subsections with page numbers that follow the organization and sequence for this proposal as required.

Section 3 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Proposals must include a high-level summary, not to exceed 2 page(s), of the main proposal and cost proposal. The summary must also include the organization’s eligibility and qualifications to respond to this RFP.

Section 4 - INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

a. Qualifications. Describe how your experience, education and training, or special knowledge, skills or abilities meet the required minimum qualifications of this RFP.

b. Summary of Relevant Experience. Provide a listing of projects that the proposer has completed within the last three (3) years in the subject area with emphasis on activities relevant and related to the proposed project. Additionally, please list any contracts in the last three (3) years between the proposer and any agency of the State of Connecticut.

c. Organization Chart. If the proposer is a firm or corporation, provide a diagram showing the hierarchical structure of functions and positions within the organization.

d. Financial Condition. If the proposer is a firm or corporation, include the two (2) most recent annual financial statements prepared by an independent Certified Public Accountant, and reviewed or audited in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (USA) (GAAP). If a proposer has been in business for less than two years, such proposer must include any financial statements prepared by a Certified Public Accountant, and reviewed or audited in accordance with GAAP for the entire existence of such firm or corporation.

e. References. Include three (3) letters of reference from recent clients. Provide the following information for each reference: name, title, name of company, company address, and telephone number.

Section 5- STATEMENT OF WORK

a. Work Plan. Provide a detailed, task-oriented breakdown for each activity/task specified in the Scope of Services. Proposers wishing to add activities/tasks to those specified in the Scope of Services must show the additions as separately numbered activities/tasks.

b. Methodologies. Describe how each activity/task will be accomplished, providing a detailed explanation of the procedures or processes that will be used to attain the expected outcomes.

c. Deliverables. List and describe the form and content of each deliverable (outcome).

Include a description of the proposed method of working with the State, the resources or services requested of the State (if any), and the proposed method of receiving State approval of deliverables.

d. Schedule. Include a proposed work schedule, by activity/task, indicating when each activity/task will be accomplished. Identify any significant milestones or deadlines.

Include due dates for all deliverables.

Section 6 – PERSONNEL RESOURCES

a. Staffing Plan. Identify the personnel resources that will be assigned to each activity/task delineated in the work plan above. State the proportion of time that personnel will allocate to each activity/task of the project. Include a job description for each title assigned to the personnel identified.

b. Key Personnel. Identify the key personnel that will be assigned to this project. Attach resumes reflecting their qualifications and work experience in the subject area. [Note:

The State must be notified in writing and in advance regarding the departure of any key personnel from the project.]

Section 7 - PROPOSED COST

Include a cost proposal using the required format which appears below. Any fee proposals must be valid for the entire duration of the contract. Note: The State of Connecticut is exempt from the payment of excise, transportation and sales taxes imposed by the Federal Government and/or the State. Such taxes must not be included in the proposed cost.

Value and Cost Proposal Document

• Proposer is required to submit a completed Value Document. Proposer must provide all requested pricing information. Proposer response received without a fully completed Value Document may be rejected by the evaluation committee as non-responsive.

• OPM reserves the right to request additional information and clarification for any Proposer response on behalf of the evaluation committee. This is a “best value” RFP, looking for the solution(s) that provides the best combination of product(s), service(s), technical quality, price, and other evaluation criteria per the solicitation overview and scope of work document.

Item # Item Description Proposer Response Required

1 DESPP Staffing Analyses $ ENTER FIXED FEE TOTAL

2 DOC Staffing Analyses $ ENTER FIXED FEE TOTAL

3 Narrative and justification: Present a detailed cost narrative that explains the basis and rationale for the costs proposed for item 1 proposer to affix document

4 Narrative and Justification: Present a detailed cost narrative that explains the basis and rationale for the costs proposed for item 2

Proposer to affix document

5 Implementation timeline: Provide a cost breakdown per your proposed implementation timeline for your project, including pricing for each key milestone(s) related to the scope of work.

proposer to affix document

TOTAL ALL MANDATORY DELIVERABLES $ ENTER FIXED FEE TOTAL

Signatory Information:

Submitted by: Enter Organization Name

Signature of Authorized Signatory:

Printed Name of Authorized Signatory:

Date Signed:

*Optional deliverables are at the discretion of OPM to purchase, contingent upon contract negotiation. Proposers are not required to propose quotes for optional deliverables.

Section 8 – REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS

a. Declaration of Confidential Information. Proposers are generally advised not to include in their proposals any confidential information because, as set forth in Article V, Section E, the State of Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) typically requires disclosure of public records unless an exception or exemption applies. If a proposer deems that certain information required by this RFP is confidential, the proposer must label such information as CONFIDENTIAL prior to submission. An example of an exemption is a “trade secret,” as defined by Connecticut General Statutes Section 1-

210(b)(5)(A). Confidential information must be separated and isolated from other material in the proposal. Such confidential information must be clearly labeled and referenced back to the corresponding RFP section - - EXAMPLE: Section G.1.a. For each subsection so referenced, the proposer must provide a convincing written explanation and rationale sufficient to justify an exemption of the information from release under the FOIA. Simply making a general claim will not suffice. The explanation and rationale must be stated in terms of (a) the prospective harm to the competitive position of the proposer that would result if the identified information were to be released and (b) the reasons why the information is legally exempt from release pursuant to

C.G.S. § 1-210(b).

For submittal instructions related to confidential information, please see:

“Article III. REQUIRED FORMAT AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS FOR

PROPOSALS”

b. Conflict of Interest – Disclosure Statement. Proposers must include a disclosure statement concerning any current business relationships (within the last three (3) years) that pose a conflict of interest. Examples of conflicts of interest, include, but are not limited to: proposer has an interest in other contracts that would interfere with proposer’s discharge of its duties and responsibilities under the resulting RFP contract with OPM;

proposer is inappropriately using proprietary information, intellectual property of another company; proposer has made gifts prohibited by C.G.S. §§ 1-84(m) and 1-86e; or where there is an interest prohibited by C.G.S. § 1-85. In the absence of any conflict of interest, a proposer must affirm such in the disclosure statement.

c. Statement of Assurances. The Statement of Assurances form is included in the

Appendix of this RFP. Place the completed form after the Conflict of Interest-Disclosure Statement in your proposal.

d. Required Forms/Certificates/Documents. Complete the following forms and include any other requested documentation that may pertain to your legal status:

1. Agency Vendor Form (SP-26NB)

2. W-9 available at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

3. Campaign Contribution Certification (OPM Form 1)

4. IRS Determination letter (only required for nonprofit proposers) https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/opm/admin/forms/agency-vendorprofileformsp26nb-revised-5-14-24.pdf https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/OPM/Fin-General/OPM-Form1-CampaignContributionCertification-8-18-Final.pdf

Section 9 – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Provide any additional information which the proposer wishes to bring to the attention of the State that is relevant to this RFP.

Section 10 - EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The following criteria shall be those utilized in the selection process. They are presented as a guide for the proposer in understanding the State's requirements and expectations for this project and are not necessarily presented in order of importance.

a. PROPOSED WORK PLAN. Emphasis will be on grasp of the problems involved, soundness of approach and the quality of the overall proposal including the proposer’s ability to complete the activities/tasks and produce the necessary products/results/outcomes within the required time frame.

b. PROPOSED COST.

c. EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE, AND CAPABILITIES. Background, qualifications, and previous experience of personnel to be assigned to the project and their demonstrated competence, experience and expertise in the type of work to be performed.

d. REFERENCES.

V. MANDATORY PROVISIONS

A. STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS

OPM’s Standard Contract Provisions are contained within the Personal Service Agreement (PSA) boilerplate contract document, which is the contract document that must be executed once a contract is awarded.

B. ASSURANCES

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, a proposer implicitly gives the following assurances:

1. Collusion. The proposer represents and warrants that the proposer did not participate in any part of the RFP development process and had no knowledge of the specific contents of the RFP prior to its issuance. The proposer further represents and warrants that no agent, representative, or employee of the State participated directly in the preparation of the proposer’s proposal. The proposer also represents and warrants that the submitted proposal is in all respects fair and is made without collusion or fraud.

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/opm/admin/forms/psa-boilerplate-contract-eff-10-01-25-rev.pdf?rev=db412110d9a94b7b9b4695425e05234c https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/opm/admin/forms/psa-boilerplate-contract-eff-10-01-25-rev.pdf?rev=db412110d9a94b7b9b4695425e05234c

2. State Officials and Employees. The proposer certifies that no elected or appointed official or employee of the State has or will benefit financially or materially from any contract resulting from this RFP. The Agency may terminate a resulting contract if it is determined that gratuities of any kind were either offered or received by any of the aforementioned officials or employees from the proposer, contractor, or its agents or employees.

3. Competitors. The proposer assures that the submitted proposal is not made in connection with any competing organization or competitor submitting a separate proposal in response to this RFP. No attempt has been made, or will be made, by the proposer to induce any other organization or competitor to submit, or not submit, a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition. The proposer further assures that the proposed costs have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other organization or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition. Nor has the proposer knowingly disclosed the proposed costs on a prior basis, either directly or indirectly, to any other organization or competitor.

4. Validity of Proposal. The proposer certifies that the proposal represents a valid and binding offer to provide services in accordance with the terms and provisions described in this RFP and any amendments or attachments hereto. The proposal shall remain valid for a period of 180 days after the submission due date and may be extended beyond that time by mutual agreement. At its sole discretion, the Agency may include the proposal, by reference or otherwise, into any contract with the successful proposer.

5. Press Releases. The proposer agrees to obtain prior written consent and approval of the Agency for press releases that relate in any manner to this RFP or any resultant contract.

C. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, a proposer implicitly agrees to comply with the following terms and conditions:

1. Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The State is an Equal Opportunity and

Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate in its hiring, employment, or business practices. The State is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its…