27232048 EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM-RFP.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CITY OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

RFP #27232048

Due: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Jonathan F. Mitchell Emergency Management Division Mayor 133 William Street

New Bedford, MA 02740

Table of Contents

Section

1. Advertisement 1

2. Section I: Instructions to Proposers 2

3. Section II: General Requirements 5

4. Section III: Scope and Specifications of Project 8

5. Section IV: Proposal Requirements 11

6. Section V: Comparative Evaluation Criteria 12

7. Section VI: Selection Process 17

8. Section VII: Proposed Schedule 18

Attachments

Attachment 1: Certificate of Non-Collusion and Tax Compliance 20

Attachment 2: Vote of Corporation OR Certificate of Incumbency and Authority 21

Attachment 3: Sample Contract 23

CITY OF NEW BEDFORD

MASSACHUSETTS

Advertisement

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #27232048

Emergency Alert System

The City of New Bedford Purchasing Department, in conjunction with the Emergency Management Division, is seeking bids from qualified vendors to provide an Emergency Alert System for the City of New Bedford. The system will be used to provide timely emergency and critical notifications to residents, employees, and other designated users through various communication methods, including text messages, email, and voice calls. The City is seeking a three-year contract term. The bidding and award of this Contract will be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 30B.

Request for Proposals (RFP) documents may be obtained beginning on Monday, October 12, 2026, by visiting the City of New Bedford electronic bidding platform at bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford. Only interested parties who have downloaded documents or otherwise registered their interest in this solicitation via Bidnet Direct will be considered official plan-holders.

Responses will be received by the Purchasing Department until Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm EST.

Responses must be submitted electronically via the City of New Bedford solicitation webpage on BidNet Direct:

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford until the above time and date. Responses received after the above time and date will be rejected. Emailed and/or faxed responses will not be accepted. It is recommended that respondents email purchasing@newbedford-ma.gov to confirm that they have submitted a proposal through BidNet Direct.

Responses must include ALL DOCUMENTS required by the Request for Proposals and strictly follow its instructions. The City of New Bedford reserves the right to waive any informality, error, or omission in, or to reject, any or all responses, if it deems such waiver or rejection to be in its best interest. A contract may be awarded within sixty (60) days of the submission deadline, or a later date as determined at the sole discretion of the City.

The City is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages MBE/DBE/WBEs to submit a proposal.

Awarding Authority City of New Bedford Purchasing Department Molly Gilfeather Rodriguez, Chief Procurement Officer https://www.bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford https://www.bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford mailto:purchasing@newbedford-ma.gov

SECTION I: INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

1. PROPOSALS

Proposals herein received in response to Emergency Alert System Request for Proposals (RFP) will be received via electronic submission at bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford by the City of New Bedford’s Purchasing Department on or before Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. As this is an RFP, the opening will not be public.

2. SUBMITTAL

Responses will be submitted electronically via the City of New Bedford Solicitation webpage on BidNet Direct:

bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford until the above time and date. Only interested parties who download documents or otherwise register their interest in this solicitation via Bidnet Direct will be considered official plan-holders.

Submissions received after the above time and date will be rejected. A proposer may correct, modify, or withdraw a proposal prior to the time and date set for the proposal opening. After the opening, a proposer may not change any provision of their proposal in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the governmental body or fair competition. The City shall waive minor informalities. If a mistake and the intended proposal are clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, the City shall correct the mistake to reflect the intended correct proposal and so notify the Proposer in writing. A Proposer may withdraw a proposal if a mistake is clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, but the intended correct proposal is not similarly evident.

3. REGULAR PROPOSAL

All information submitted must be provided to constitute a regular proposal. No alteration, erasure or addition is to be made in the typewritten or printed matter. The submission of a proposal will be construed to mean that the Proposer is fully informed as to the extent and character of the service required and is representation that the proposer can furnish the manpower and equipment necessary to properly render the desired service. Telephone, emailed, and faxed replies will not be accepted.

4. TYPEWRITTEN

Prices and information required, with the exception of the signature of the proposer, should be typewritten for legibility. Illegible or vague submissions may be rejected. All signatures must be written. Facsimile, printed or typewritten signatures are not acceptable. All proposal prices must be presented so that the total cost is clearly understandable.

5. RFP QUESTIONS & ADDENDA

Questions concerning this Specification must be submitted online by visiting bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford. Once logged in and viewing the notice online, use the “Ask a Question” button at the top of the page. If assistance is needed, please contact BidNet’s Vendor Support Department at 800-835- 4603, Option 2. Questions submitted by mail, via email, or by any other method will not be accepted.

Questions are due by Friday, October 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM. City responses issued as addenda will be issued via Bidnet Direct. Failure of any Proposer to receive any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve any Proposer from any obligation under this solicitation as submitted. Only interested parties who download documents or otherwise register their interest in this solicitation via Bidnet Direct will be considered official plan-holders. No oral https://www.bidnetdirect.com/massachusetts/newbedford interpretations will be made to any proposer as to the meaning of any provision of the Request for Proposals or other contract documents. Failure to acknowledge all addenda may result in your submission being rejected as non-responsive.

6. AWARDS

The contract will be awarded to the qualified, responsible and responsive proposer providing the most advantageous proposal meeting the specifications within this RFP and taking into consideration all required qualifications, submission requirements and selection criteria set forth in the RFP. Emphasis in selecting a firm shall be placed on the chosen firm’s experience on similar past projects and overall experience within this category of work. It is understood that the City may use all means at their disposal to evaluate the proposals received on these criteria, and the final decision as to the best overall offer, both as to price (should the City request this information from the proposers) and to suitability of the services offered to fit the needs of the City. No proposal will be accepted from, or contract awarded to any person, firm, or corporation that is in arrears or is in default to any municipality or has failed previously to perform faithfully any previous contract with a municipality.

Although it is the City’s intent to award a single contract, the City may award more than one contract if it deems this to be in its best interest.

7. PROCESS FOR ENTERING INTO AGREEMENT

The Proposer whose Proposal is found to be the “Most Advantageous” to the City will be offered the contract award.

8. REJECT SUBMISSIONS

The City reserves the right to reject all proposals. Also reserved is the right to reject for cause any proposal in whole or in part; to waive technical defects, qualifications, irregularities; and omissions if in its judgment, the best interest of the City will be served.

9. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

The Successful Proposer must meet all requirements. Any proposal which does not meet these requirements or is nonresponsive, incomplete, conditional, and/or obscure will be rejected.

Any proposal which contains additions not called for, and/or irregularities of any kind, is non-responsive and will be rejected. The attention of all Proposers is called to General Laws Chapter 156D, which requires in part that, not later than 10 days after it commences transacting business in the commonwealth, a foreign corporation deliver a certificate to the secretary of state for filing. Proposers required to be registered with the Secretary of State in the Massachusetts Corporate Database must use the same business name in their bidding documents as is listed in the Database for that business. All Proposers must use the same business name throughout all bidding documents, and for the Successful Proposer(s), throughout all contract documents. Examples of these documents include the proposal, vote of corporation, W-9, and certificate of insurance. Any Proposer with multiple and/or inconsistent business names for one business may be rejected by the City.

10. SPECIFICATION INTENT

It is the intention of this RFP to establish and define the services that are to be provided and to determine the capability and experience of the Proposers desiring to provide such services.

11. TAXES

No charge will be allowed for federal, state, or municipal sales and excise taxes since the City is exempt from such taxes.

12. SIGNED PROPOSAL

A proposal must be signed as follows: (1) if the Proposer is an individual, by her/him personally; (2) if the Proposer is a partnership, by the name of the partnership, followed by the signature of each general partner; and (3) if the Proposer is a corporation, by the authorized officer, whose signature must be attested to by the Clerk/Secretary of the corporation and the corporate seal affixed. If the proposal is being submitted by an entity other than an individual, partnership or corporation, the proposal must include written evidence of the Proposer’s authority from the entity to submit the proposal in the form of legally binding documentation.

13. LICENSING

Proposers must be properly licensed and registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to perform the work.

identified in this specification.

14. NON-PERFORMANCE

In the event that the Successful Proposer does not fulfill its obligations under the terms and conditions of this contract, the City shall notify the Successful Proposer in writing. If the Successful Proposer continues to neglect the terms and conditions of the contract, the City may elect to terminate the contract. Under no circumstances shall monies be due to the Successful Proposer in the event that the contract is terminated under non-performance.

END OF SECTION- INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

SECTION II: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. There will be no pre-bid conference. No oral interpretations will be made to any proposer as to the meaning ofany provision of the Request for Proposals or other contract documents.

2. The Proposer will be bound by all applicable statutory provisions of law of the Federal Government, the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the City of New Bedford. Certificates of all required insurance willbe required prior to executing a contract.

3. All submitted proposals and associated price quotes must be guaranteed to the City of New Bedford for a periodof sixty (60) days from the date of the proposal opening. If a contract is to be awarded as a result of this RFP, it will be awarded within a sixty (60) daytime period, or at a later date as determined at the sole discretion of the City.

As provided by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 64H, §6(d), purchases made by the City of New Bedford are exempt from the payment of Federal Excise Taxes and Massachusetts Sales Tax; any such taxes must not be included in the quoted price. All Proposers should take this factor into consideration and be calculated accordingly.

4. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, and to make awards in a manner deemed in thebest interest of the City.

5. The Proposer will not be permitted to either assign or underlet the contract nor assign either legally or equitably, any monies hereunder, or its claim thereto, without the previous written consent of the Director of Purchasing.

6. Any and all proposal prices stated must be firm.

DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PRICING INFORMATION WITH THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL.

The pricing of individual items (if applicable) shall be stated in words, and in figures. If unit prices are provided, discrepancies between unit prices and their respective total amounts will be resolved in favor of the unit prices.

Discrepancies between words and figures will be resolved in favor of words. Discrepancies between the indicated sum of any column of figures and the correct sum thereof will be resolved in favor of the correct sum.

7. Before submitting a proposal, each Proposer must make a careful study of the specifications contained in this

Request for Proposals document and fully assure themselves as to the quality, quantity and type of services thatthe City is seeking to have performed.

8. The proposal for this work must cover all contingencies, including all labor and materials, transportation, etc., necessary for the purchase and delivery/execution of the services required by theCity.

9. The Proposer(s) who is/are selected to provide services will be required to indemnify the City for all damage to life and property that may occur due to their negligence or that of their employees, subcontractors, etc., during the period of this contract.

10. Prior to commencement of an Agreement, the awarded proposer(s) shall obtain at its own cost and expense, the required insurance from insurance companies licensed in their state, carrying a Best’s Financial Rating of “A-” or better, and shall provide evidence of such insurance to the City of New Bedford (City). The policies or certificates thereof shall provide that 30 days prior to cancellation or material change in the policy, notices of same shall be given to the City by registered mail, return receipt requested, for all of the following stated insurance policies.

If at any time any of the policies required herein shall be or become unsatisfactory to the City as to form or substance, or if a company issuing any such policy shall become unsatisfactory to the City, the awarded proposer shall upon notice to that effect from the City, promptly obtain a new policy, submit the same to the City for approval and submit a certificate thereof. Upon failure of the awarded proposer to furnish, deliver and maintain such insurance, the Agreement, at the election of the City may be declared suspended, discontinued or terminated.

Failure of the awarded proposer to provide and maintain any of the required insurance shall not relieve the awarded proposer from any liability under the Agreement, nor shall the insurance requirements be construed to conflict with or otherwise limit the contractual obligations on the awarded proposer concerning indemnification. The City may waive the requirement of coverage type or amount if not reasonably available and if the City deems it to be in the best interest to do so.

The awarded proposer shall maintain workers compensation, general liability, automobile, umbrella and pollution liability insurance for the minimum amount required by the contract that this contract applies to or as outlined below. Insurance coverages and certificates shall be provided and include City of New Bedford as an additional insured, on a primary and non-contributory basis, on all liability policies. All such insurance as is required of the awarded proposer shall be provided by or on behalf of all subcontractors to cover their operations performed. The awarded proposer shall be held responsible for any modifications, deviations or omissions in the compliance with these requirements by the subcontractors.

Minimum required insurance limits (coverage on an occurrence basis):

Commercial General Liability $2,000,000 Products/Completed Operations Aggregate $2,000,000 General Aggregate $1,000,000 Any One Occurrence

Employers Liability (Coverage “B” on the Workers Compensation Policy) $ 500,000 Each Accident $ 500,000 Each Employee for Injury by Disease $ 500,000 Aggregate for Injury by Disease Alternate Employer Endorsement is required

Commercial Automobile $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit/Bodily Injury and Property Damage $1,000,000 Hired/Non Owned Auto

Umbrella/Excess Liability $1,000,000 Any One Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate

Any awarded proposer who does not carry worker’s compensation insurance coverage to protect himself personally from work-related injuries hereby releases, holds harmless and indemnifies the City from any injuries that may occur to the awarded proposer himself during the course of the project. In no way does this provision affect the absolute duty of every awarded proposer to provide worker’s compensation insurance coverage to each and every one of their employees and himself according to the provisions of this Agreement and all applicable state and federal laws.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the awarded proposer hereby acknowledges and agrees that it shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend the City, and any of the officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, subsidiaries and partners from and against all claims, damages, losses and expenses, including but not limited to, attorney’s fees, arising out of or resulting from the performance of the awarded proposer work under this contract, provided that any such claim, damage, loss or expense (1) is attributable to bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death or injury to or destruction of tangible property (other than to the Work itself) including loss of use resulting there from, and (2) is caused in whole or in part by any acts or omissions of the awarded proposer, its employees, agents or sub-contractors or anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them or anyone whose acts any of them may be liable.

All Insurance Certificates must contain a clause indicating that certificate holders be given a minimum of 30 days written notice prior to the cancellation of contractor’s insurance, except for nonpayment. The awarded proposer must furnish the certificate referred to above as an express condition precedent to the awarded proposer’s duty to make any progress payments to awarded proposer pursuant to any Agreement.

The awarded proposer hereby acknowledges its obligation under the forgoing paragraph to indemnify the City of New Bedford against judgments suffered because of the contractor’s work and to assume the cost of defending the City against claims as described in the forgoing paragraph.

11. The proposal must include a certification of tax compliance as required by General Laws Chapter 62C, Sec.

(Requirement of Tax Compliance by All Contractors Providing Goods, Services, or Real Estate Space tothe Commonwealth or Subdivision). All proposers must submit a signed and completed Non-Collusion and Tax Compliance Form.

12. The following list has been prepared for the convenience of the Proposers. The Proposer is responsible for verifying. and determining the required forms to be submitted with his/her proposal. Proposers shall completeand submit the following attachments with their Proposals in accordance with the Instruction to Proposers and the Request for Proposals:

- Technical Proposal (DO NOT INCLUDE PRICING INFORMATION)

- Price Proposal (in format desired by Proposer)

- City of New Bedford Non-Collusion and Tax Compliance Form

- City of New Bedford Vote of Corporation or Certificate of LLC Incumbency and Authority

- Addenda Acknowledgement Form (if applicable)

13. All materials provided to the City become the property of the City and may be returned only at its sole discretion.

The City is a public entity. All proposals and any materials submitted with a proposal may be deemed public records subject to disclosure pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Act. No portion of any proposal or materials submitted therewith will be withheld from disclosure as proprietary, trade secret or confidential unless that portion is clearly marked by the proposer as such, and the proposer agrees to indemnify The City against any claim or action to compel disclosure of such portion of the proposal. The City is not obligated to accept any proposal or to negotiate with any entity. All transactions are subject to the final approval of the City, which reserves the right to reject any and all proposals without liability. All costs directly or indirectly related to a response to this RFP will be borne by the proposer.

14. The City of New Bedford is an EEO/AA/MBE employer. Women and minority owned businesses are encouraged to apply.

15. The Proposer(s) selected shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws in the performance of services.

16. The consideration of all proposals and subsequent selection of a Proposer shall be made without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, religion, political affiliation, or national origin.

17. The Successful Proposer(s) shall adhere to the provisions of the Fair Employment Practices Law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (See Gen. Laws c. 151B).

18. The provisions relating to non-discrimination and affirmative action in employment shall flow through all contracts and sub-contracts that the Successful Proposer may award as a result of thiscontract.

19. Proposers and/or individuals preparing proposals may be asked to provide additional information and/or may be requested to make a presentation of their proposal.

END OF SECTION – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Scope of Services

1. Purpose

The City of New Bedford is seeking an Emergency Alert System commonly known as reverse 911 to provide reliable and timely emergency notifications to residents, employees, and other designated users. The system will be used to communicate emergency situations, public safety information, weather-related emergencies, and other important City notifications.

2. System Requirements

The selected vendor shall provide a comprehensive Emergency Alert System that includes, at a minimum:

• Ability to send notifications by text message/SMS, email, and voice/telephone calls.

• Ability to send notifications to large numbers of recipients simultaneously.

• Ability for residents and other users to register for alerts and manage their contact information and notification preferences.

• Ability to send alerts to specific geographic areas, neighborhoods, or designated groups.

• Ability to create, customize, and send emergency and informational messages.

• Ability to schedule messages for a future date and time.

• Ability to use pre-established message templates for common emergency situations.

• Ability to send messages through multiple communication methods at the same time.

• Ability to manage contact lists and notification groups, including construction notifications, trash delays, and other notification groups to be established at a later date.

• Ability to create multiple user accounts with different levels of administrative access.

• Ability to provide delivery reports showing the status of notifications.

• Ability to send notifications in multiple languages.

• Ability to access and operate the system through commonly used web browsers and mobile devices.

• Ability to view results and reports from past notifications and calls.

• Annual database cleaning to remove users with unreachable or invalid contact information.

• Provide marketing materials and user guides for residents and system users.

• Ability to send pre-recorded voice messages.

• Access to the general 911 call database in addition to registered users.

• Ability to generate reports showing the geographic areas of the City where users have registered for alerts.

• Ability to generate reports showing the number of current registered users and the ability to view user counts as of a specified date.

• Ability to generate reports showing the languages selected by registered users.

3. Implementation and Training

The selected vendor shall provide all services necessary to implement and configure the system, including:

• Initial setup and configuration.

• Assistance with importing existing contact lists, if applicable.

• Configuration of users, groups, and administrative permissions.

• Configuration of notification categories and message templates.

• Testing of the system prior to implementation.

• Training for designated City staff.

• User guides or other documentation necessary to operate the system.

4. Technical Support and Maintenance

The vendor shall provide ongoing technical support and system maintenance throughout the contract term, including:

• 24/7 Unlimited Support

• Assistance with system issues and troubleshooting.

• Software updates and upgrades.

• Routine system maintenance.

• Security updates.

• Support during emergency situations.

• Notification of planned maintenance or system outages.

The vendor shall provide the City with a designated method for requesting technical support, including a process for addressing urgent issues.

5. Security and Reliability

The Emergency Alert System shall be secure and reliable and capable of supporting high-volume notifications during an emergency.

The vendor shall maintain appropriate safeguards to protect City and resident information and shall describe its data security, backup, and disaster recovery procedures.

6. Vendor Responsibilities

The selected vendor shall provide all software, licenses, implementation services, training, technical support, maintenance, updates, and other services necessary for the successful operation of the Emergency Alert System throughout the contract term. If the system becomes unavailable or goes down at any point during the contract term, the vendor shall reimburse the City on a per-day basis, calculated based on the contracted amount, for each day the system is unavailable.

SECTION IV: PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposers must include the following information and order of sections:

1. Letter of Interest

The proposal must include the name, title, address, telephone number, and email address of one or more individuals who will serve as Proposer’s contact for purposes of the RFP. The Proposer shall fully disclose details regarding its legal identity, such as corporation, partnership, limited liability company, sole proprietorship or other.

2. Proposer Qualifications

The Proposer must describe its financial capability, qualifications, and experience in providing the work described in the RFP. Experience should include examples of performing similar or related services. The Proposer should indicate that it has any relevant licenses, certifications, qualifications, or other required items to perform said work in the state of Massachusetts. Explain how your firm is a suitable provider for this project.

Please review the below Comparative Evaluation Criteria closely and ensure there is sufficient information in your technical proposal for the City to evaluate based on these criteria.

3. Price Proposal

Proposers shall submit a price proposal inclusive of all project costs and fees in a separate electronic envelope as indicated on BidNet Direct, the City’s electronic bidding platform.

END OF SECTION – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

SECTION V: COMPARATIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA

The City will use the following criteria to evaluate and compare proposals and select the vendor that provides the best overall value and meets the City's Emergency Alert System requirements.

1. Emergency Alert System and Functionality The proposer shall describe the Emergency Alert System, including its features, capabilities, communication methods, geographic targeting, notification groups, message management, scheduling, multilingual capabilities, and ability to support high-volume emergency notifications.

Highly Advantageous

• Provides a comprehensive Emergency Alert System that meets or exceeds all requirements identified in the Scope of Services.

• Provides multiple communication methods, including SMS/text, email, and voice/telephone notifications.

• Provides robust geographic targeting and the ability to notify specific neighborhoods, groups, or designated areas.

• Provides flexible contact management, notification groups, message templates, scheduling, and multilingual notification capabilities.

• Demonstrates the ability to reliably handle large-volume notifications during emergency situations.

• Provides comprehensive reporting and notification history.

Advantageous

• Meets the majority of the City's requirements and provides a reliable Emergency

Alert System.

• Provides the required communication methods and basic geographic and group targeting capabilities.

• Provides adequate contact management, scheduling, templates, and reporting features.

• May have some limitations in functionality or customization.

Not Advantageous

• Meets only the basic system requirements.

• Provides limited functionality for geographic targeting, contact management, reporting, or notification groups.

• Has limitations that may affect the City's ability to effectively use the system during an emergency.

• Provides limited evidence of the system's ability to handle high-volume notifications.

Unacceptable

• Does not provide the required Emergency Alert System functionality.

• Does not support the City's required communication methods.

• Does not demonstrate the ability to reliably provide emergency notifications.

• Proposal does not contain sufficient information to evaluate the system.

2. Implementation, Training, and User Support The proposer shall describe its approach to implementation, system configuration, data import, testing, training, documentation, and ongoing technical support.

Highly Advantageous

• Provides a detailed and well-organized implementation plan with clear timelines and responsibilities.

• Provides comprehensive training for City staff and detailed user guides and documentation.

• Provides a clear process for importing existing contact information and configuring users, groups, and permissions.

• Provides responsive technical support, including dedicated support for urgent emergency situations.

• Demonstrates extensive experience implementing similar emergency notification systems.

Advantageous

• Provides a complete implementation and training plan.

• Provides adequate training, documentation, and technical support.

• Demonstrates experience with similar systems and implementations.

• Provides a reasonable process for addressing technical issues and urgent requests.

Not Advantageous

• Provides limited details regarding implementation or training.

• Training or documentation is minimal.

• Technical support procedures are not clearly defined.

• Limited experience with similar emergency notification systems is demonstrated.

Unacceptable

• Does not provide an adequate implementation or training plan.

• Does not provide sufficient technical support.

• Proposal does not contain enough information to evaluate the vendor's ability to implement and support the system.

3. Security, Reliability, and System Availability The proposer shall describe its system security, data protection, backup procedures, disaster recovery, system availability, maintenance, and outage response procedures.

Highly Advantageous

• Demonstrates a highly reliable and secure system designed to support emergency communications.

• Provides detailed security, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity procedures.

• Demonstrates strong system availability and a clear process for responding to outages.

• Provides timely notification to the City regarding planned or unplanned system outages.

• Provides a clear commitment to reimburse the City in accordance with the Scope of

Services if the system becomes unavailable.

Advantageous

• Provides reliable system availability and adequate security measures.

• Provides appropriate backup and disaster recovery procedures.

• Has established procedures for addressing system outages and notifying the City.

• Meets the City's requirements regarding system availability and reimbursement.

Not Advantageous

• Provides limited information regarding system security, backup, or disaster recovery.

• System availability or outage procedures are not clearly defined.

• Provides limited information regarding the vendor's ability to maintain system reliability during emergencies.

Unacceptable

• Does not demonstrate that the system is secure or reliable.

• Does not provide adequate backup or disaster recovery procedures.

• Does not provide an acceptable process for addressing system outages.

• Proposal does not contain sufficient information to evaluate system reliability.

4. Vendor Experience and Qualifications The proposer shall provide information regarding its experience providing emergency alert or mass notification systems to municipalities, government agencies, or other comparable organizations.

Highly Advantageous

• Demonstrates extensive experience providing emergency alert or mass notification systems to municipalities or comparable organizations.

• Provides multiple relevant references demonstrating successful implementation and operation of similar systems.

• Demonstrates a strong understanding of emergency communications and public notification requirements.

• Demonstrates the qualifications and resources necessary to provide ongoing support throughout the contract term.

Advantageous

• Demonstrates relevant experience providing similar notification systems.

• Provides satisfactory references and demonstrates the ability to provide the required services.

• Has adequate staff and resources to support the City.

Not Advantageous

• Has limited experience with similar systems or municipal clients.

• Provides limited references or information regarding prior experience.

• Provides limited information regarding available staffing and resources.

Unacceptable

• Does not demonstrate relevant experience.

• Does not provide adequate references or qualifications.

• Does not demonstrate the ability to provide the required services.

5. Cost and Overall Value The City will evaluate the proposed pricing in relation to the services, features, functionality, support, and overall value provided by the proposer.

Highly Advantageous

• Provides competitive pricing that represents excellent overall value to the City.

• Pricing is clear, complete, and transparent.

• Includes all costs necessary to implement, operate, maintain, and support the system.

• Provides a strong balance between cost, system capabilities, reliability, and level of service.

• Clearly identifies any optional costs, additional fees, or future charges.

Advantageous

• Provides reasonable and competitive pricing.

• Pricing is generally clear and complete.

• Provides good overall value in relation to the services and functionality offered.

Not Advantageous

• Pricing is higher than comparable proposals without a corresponding increase in value or functionality.

• Pricing contains unclear or additional costs.

• Proposal provides limited overall value to the City.

Unacceptable

• Pricing is incomplete or cannot be reasonably evaluated.

• Contains significant undisclosed or unexplained costs.

• Does not provide sufficient information for the City to determine the overall cost of the system.

SECTION VI: SELECTION PROCESS

As a result of this RFP, the City intends to award one contract to the Proposer whose proposal is most advantageous to the City. All qualified technical proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the selection committee based on the established Comparative Evaluation Criteria set forth in this RFP. Background checks, requests for additional information, and interviews will be performed as needed at the discretion of the City.

The selection committee will then submit a recommendation to the Director of Purchasing who will review the recommendation and then open the price proposals, at which time a firm will be selected based on composite ratings and taking into account the price.

This Request for Proposals does not commit the City to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this request, or to procure or contract for any services of any kind.

In the evaluation of the proposals, the City, at its discretion, may obtain technical support from outside sources.

The Proposers, by virtue of their proposal submissions, agree to fully cooperate with the personnel of such outside sources in the evaluation of their respective proposal. Failure to cooperate may result in the rejection of the Proposal.

If one or more contracts are to be awarded as a result of this RFP, award(s) will occur within sixty (60) days after the opening of technical proposals excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays or a later date as determined at the sole discretion of the City. When the City gives a Notice of Award to the Successful Proposer(s), within ten (10) days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after the date of receipt of such notification, the Successful Proposer(s) shall return the acknowledgement of the Notice of Award and other applicable documentation to the City. Within twenty (20) days thereafter the City will furnish the Contract for electronic signature via Docusign.

END OF SECTION – SELECTION PROCESS

SECTION VII: PROPOSED SCHEDULE

RFP Published Monday, October 12, 2026

Question Submittal Deadline Friday, October 30, 2026 at 4:00 pm

Final Addendum Issued Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RFP Due Date Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Advisory Committee Evaluation & Selection

Within 60 days of due date excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, or a later date if needed and determined by the City.

END OF SECTION- PROPOSED SCHEDULE

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1: Certificate of Non-Collusion and Tax Compliance

Attachment 2: Vote of Corporation OR Certificate of Incumbency and Authority (submit one or the other with technical proposal)

Attachment 3: Sample Contract

Attachment 1

MASSACHUSETTS

NON-COLLUSION AND TAX COMPLIANCE FORM

CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION

The undersigned certifies under the penalties of perjury that this bid is in all respects bona fide, fair and made without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this subsection the word "person'' shall mean any natural person, joint venture, partnership, corporation or other business or legal entity.

Signature of individual submitting bid

Name of business/organization

TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Chapter 62C of the Massachusetts General Laws, Section 49A(b), I, the undersigned, authorized signatory for the below named contractor, do hereby certify under the pains and penalties of perjury that said contractor has complied with all laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts relating to taxes, reporting of employees and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support.

Signature of person submitting bid

Name of business/organization

Jonathan F. Mitchell, Mayor

Attachment 2

CITY OF NEW BEDFORD

MASSACHUSETTS

VOTE OF CORPORATION AUTHORIZING

EXECUTION OF CORPORATE AGREEMENTS

At a meeting of the Board of Directors of duly called and held on , 20 at which a quorum was present and acting throughout, the following vote was duly adopted.

VOTED: That , a of the corporation, be and hereby is authorized to affix the Corporate Seal, sign and deliver in the name and behalf of the corporation contract documents with the City of New Bedford, the above mentioned documents to include but not be limited to Bids, Proposals, Deeds, Purchase and Sales Agreements, Agreements, Contracts, Leases, Licenses, Releases and Indemnifications; and also to seal and execute, as above, surety company bonds to secure bids and proposals and the performance of said contract and payment for labor and materials, all in such form and on such terms and conditions as he/she, by the execution thereof, shall deem proper. A true copy.

ATTEST:

Name (Print)

(Affix Corporate Seal) Signature

Title Date

133 William Street, Room 208 | New Bedford, MA 02740 | Telephone 508-979-1433

LLC CERTIFICATE OF INCUMBENCY AND AUTHORITY

, LLC

I, , do hereby certify that:

1. I am the duly elected and acting of LLC, a limited liability company organized and existing in good standing under the laws of the State of

(the “Company”).

2. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a true and correct copy of resolutions which were duly adopted by the members of the Company on , 20 .

3. The attached resolutions have not been amended, rescinded or modified and are in full force and effect on the date hereof in the form originally adopted, and are in conformity with the Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement of the Company.

4. Attached hereto as Exhibit B is a true and correct copy of the Articles of Organization dated

, 20 and the Operating Agreement dated , 20 .

5. The attached Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement have not been amended, rescinded, or modified and are in full force and effect on the date hereof.

6. The following persons are the Authorized Officers of the Company in the capacities indicated, and the signatures set forth after their names and titles are their true and genuine signatures.

Name Office Signature

Witness, my signature and the seal of the Company this day of , 20 .

Name:

Title:

Attachment 3

AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Sample Contract # 27232048

Emergency Alert System

Date:

WHEREAS, the CITY OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, a municipal corporation, 133 William

Street, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts 02740, hereinafter referred to as the “City,” acting by and through its Office of the Emergency Management Division, has need for a Contractor to provide an

Emergency Alert System.

WHEREAS, VENDOR, located at , hereinafter referred to as the “Contractor,” submitted a proposal to perform the Scope of Services described herein in Appendix “A” and undertake related duties and responsibilities required under this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Contractor’s proposal indicates that it is qualified by experience and training to perform said

Scope of Services and undertake the duties and responsibilities required under this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, and other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the City and Contractor hereby agree as follows:

This Agreement is comprised of Part I and Part II, and includes all appendices, attachments, submitted documents, addenda, technical proposal, the price proposal, and all documented negotiations relevant to the proposal. Part I includes details of the services to be performed, schedule of the services, and compensation.

Part II contains the Terms and Conditions of Agreement, which are the general terms of the engagement between the City and Contractor.

PART I

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The complete Scope of Services, Schedule, and Budget for performance of the Scope of Services are contained herein in Appendix A. The Scope of Services, Schedule, and Budget may be modified by agreement of the City and Contractor, providing any such modification complies with applicable law. The Contractor shall perform services by specific Task authorized by its proposal or on an as needed basis by Change Order or Work Order in accordance with this Agreement.

PART II

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The City’s engagement of the Contractor is under the following terms and conditions that form an integral part of this Agreement:

1. Scope: The Scope of Services, Schedule, and Budget encompass the entire time of performance of the Agreement regardless of whether the term exceeds one (1) year. See Appendix A for full Scope of Services.

2. Prices; Term: All prices contained in this agreement shall remain the same throughout the term of the Agreement. The term of this contract shall be for 36 months, beginning , and ending

3. Appropriation; Termination: The City may terminate this Agreement if funds are not appropriated to support continuation of performance beyond the first year.

4. Payment Responsibility: Payment to Contractor is the sole responsibility of signatory of this Agreement and is not subject to third party agreements.

5. Acceptance: All Contracts require proper acceptance of the described goods or services by the City.

Proper acceptance shall be understood to include inspection of goods and certification of acceptable performance for services by authorized representatives of the City to ensure that the goods or services are complete and are as specified in the Contract.

6. The Contractor: The “other party” to any Contract with the City. This term shall (as the sense and particular Contract so require) include Vendor, Contractor, Engineer, or other label used to identify the other party in the particular Contract. Use of the term “Contractor” shall be understood to refer to any other such label used.

7. Commencement: All schedules set forth in the Scope of Services commence upon the execution of this Agreement.

8. Compensation: The City will compensate Contractor for the satisfactory performance of the Tasks included in the Scope of Services as agreed upon in Appendix A. Total compensation for allservices rendered by the Contractor under this Agreement shall not exceed , unless authorized by a Change Order duly executed by Vendor and the City. Compensation for additional work will be determined after the details of additional work has been priced and presented to the City by Contractor and, if accepted by the City, shall be subject to Change Order.

9. Invoices: Contractor shall submit an invoice no later than the 15th for services rendered the previous month. The City shall make all reasonable efforts to process payments within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of each invoice. The City shall give prompt written notice of any disputed invoice amount and shall pay the amount not in dispute.

10. Insurance: Contractor agrees to carry the following insurance, with the City clearly designated as additional insured, during the term of this Agreement. Prior to execution of the Agreement, Contractor shall provide proof of the following coverage:

a. Workers Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance in compliance with statutorylimits;

b. Liability Insurance with $1,000,000 General Liability Coverage

c. $2,000,000 General Aggregate Liability coverage

d. Certificate of Errors and Omissions Insurance will also be required with $1,000,000 minimum coverage

e. Automobile Liability Insurance including non-owned and hired automobiles with combined single limit of $1,000,000 per accident

Prior to execution of this Agreement, Contractor will furnish certificates of insurance evidencing the above coverage to the City for the City’s review and approval.

11. Indemnification: Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold the City harmless from and against legal liability for all judgments, losses, damages, and expenses to the extent of its applicable insurance coverage and to the extent that such judgments, losses, damages or expenses are caused by Contractor’s negligent acts, errors, or omissions arising out of its performance of services under this Agreement.

12. Delays: Contractor shall not be responsible for failure to perform or for delays in theperformance of services that arise out of causes beyond the control and/or without the fault or negligence of Contractor. Contractor shall notify the City promptly in writing whenever a delay is anticipated or experienced, and to inform the City of all facts and details related to the delay.

13. Services for Use of City: Contractor’s services will be performed on behalf of and solely for the benefit and exclusive use of the City and the City’s agents and designees for the limited purpose set forth in the Agreement. The City acknowledges that Contractor’s services require decisions that are not necessarily based upon science, but rather upon judgmental considerations.

14. Ownership and Use of Documents: All documents prepared or received by Contractor in its performance of this Agreement, including all drawings, designs, specifications, notes, field notes, computer files, data and other documents shall be delivered to and become the property of City.

Contractor agrees not to assert any rights or establish any claim under patent, copyright or other laws with respect to the City’s ownership of said documents and hereby grants the City an irrevocable royalty-free license to all such documents, including the right to use them on any other City projects without additional cost to the City. Contractor bears no responsibility whatsoever for reuse by the City of documents prepared under this Agreement for any other purpose than originally intended.

Contractor shall at all times obtain the prior written approval of the City before it, any of its officers, agents, employees or subcontractors, either during or after termination of this Agreement, makes any statement bearing on the work performed or data collected under this Agreement to the press or issues any material or publication through any medium of communication. If the Contractor, or any of its officers, agents, employees or subcontractors, publishes a work dealing with any aspect of performance under this Agreement, or of the results and accomplishments attained in such performance, the City shall have a royalty-free non-exclusive and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and to authorize others to use, the publication.

15. Confidential Information: Contractor acknowledges that its services hereunder are being rendered to the City of New Bedford.