3-2026-006 RFP LA County Public Polling.pdf

RFP 2026-006 Page 1 of 8

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA,

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

(Non-IT Services)

RFP # 2026-006

LA County Public Polling

RFP 2026-006 Page 2 of 8

A. BACKGROUND / PURPOSE

The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (Court) is requesting proposals from well-qualified Proposers to provide annual county-wide polling for the Court. Interested and qualified Proposers who can demonstrate their ability to successfully provide the services described in this Request for Proposal (RFP) are invited to submit a proposal.

This is a fully electronic RFP process. All proposals must be submitted electronically on the Court’s Online Procurement Website at https://lacourt.bonfirehub.com/ (Bonfire) in accordance with the requirements set forth in this document. See the attached Court Online Procurement Procedures for further information.

B. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS AND/OR SERVICES NEEDED

The Court seeks annual county-wide polling meeting the requirements set forth in the Statement of Work. The awarded contract will have an initial term of three (3) years with up to two (2) one-year extensions.

C. RFP TIME-LINE

The Court has developed the following list of key events related to this RFP. The listed dates are not binding upon the Court and subject to change at the discretion of the Court. Changes to the listed dates will be posted on Bonfire or on the Court’s website.

EVENT DATE

RFP Issued See Bonfire for exact date(s)

Deadline for Submission of Questions See Bonfire for exact date(s)

Proposal Due Date (Late proposals will not be accepted by the Court)

See Bonfire for exact date(s)

Proposal Evaluations Month of February (estimated)

Notice of Intent to Award Month of February (estimated)

Start Date of Services Month of March (estimated)

D. RFP PACKET ATTACHMENTS

1. Statement of Work

Describes in detail the specific services for which proposals are being solicited. Once a contractor has been selected, the Statement of Work will become part of the final Agreement.

https://lacourt.bonfirehub.com/

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2. Court Online Procurement Procedures

These rules and procedures govern this solicitation and should be read carefully by Proposer.

3. Terms and Conditions

Proposers are encouraged to review carefully the Model Agreement, which includes the Court’s Standard Business Terms and Conditions. Please note that the language may be subject to change. Proposers are not required to sign the Model Agreement at this time.

The contractor selected to provide services as a result of this RFP process will be required to sign the final version of the Model Agreement upon completion of the negotiation process.

Any proposed exceptions/modifications to the Model Agreement must be submitted on a red-line version of the Model Agreement with comments to substantiate each proposed exception/modification.

4. Required Forms

All forms posted on Bonfire must be completed and submitted electronically on Bonfire.

The completed forms will become part of Proposer’s proposal.

E. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Proposer must meet the minimum requirements listed below. Failure to comply with any one of the minimum requirements may be cause for disqualifying a proposal from further consideration.

The Court may, in its discretion, waive minor deviations or defects. Only those proposals that are deemed as meeting the minimum requirements may be considered for a full evaluation and a possible contract award.

1. Proposal Submission Deadline. The proposal must be submitted on Bonfire on or before the Proposal Due Date. The Court does not accept proposals submitted by email, except under limited circumstances as determined by the Court.

2. Experience and Capability. Proposer must have at least five (5) consecutive years documented experience in providing national and/or Los Angeles County polling. Polling experience, specifically for judicial entities, is not mandatory but will be evaluated positively. Such experience shall be documented in the Proposer’s Technical Proposal.

3. Insurance.

The selected contractor must procure and maintain the insurance coverages as indicated below. The Court Standard Business Terms and Conditions 4.0 describes the Court’s specific insurance requirements.

☒ Standard Business Terms and Conditions 4.0, Section 20.1 Insurance Requirements

– General Coverage

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4. Business License and Certifications. Upon request of the Court, Proposer must submit copies of any current business licenses, professional licenses, certificates or other credentials required by the nature of the contract work to be performed by Proposer.

5. Required Forms. Proposer must complete and submit all Required Forms posted on Bonfire as directed.

F. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

In preparing its proposal, Proposer should do so in its own words and take care not to simply copy the language in the RFP. Specific information is requested from all Proposers to ensure that the proposals can be fairly compared in a standard manner. Only that information which is contained in the proposal will be evaluated. Incomplete or inaccurate information may result in disqualification of the proposal.

1. Executive Summary. Provide an Executive Summary of your proposal. The Executive Summary should be a high‐level, general overview of how Proposer intends to accomplish the requirements of this RFP. The Executive Summary should demonstrate the Proposer’s understanding of the requirements. The Executive Summary must also address how Proposer meets the minimum requirements.

2. Work Plan for Providing the Requested Services. Provide a detailed Work Plan, which must include a proposed method for completing the work set forth in the Statement of Work. The Work Plan must also include details outlining your firm’s experience in 1) providing national and/or Los Angeles County polling services, and 2) providing polling services for judicial entities.

3. Staff Qualifications. For each key staff member provide a resume describing the individual’s background and experience, as well as the individual’s ability and experience in conducting the proposed activities.

4. Business License and Certification. Upon request of the Court, Proposer must submit copies of all business or professional licenses or certificates required by the nature of the services to be performed and held by Proposer (i.e. California State Board of Equalization Seller’s Permit and Business License).

5. Required Forms. Proposer shall complete and submit all Required Forms posted on Bonfire where indicated on Bonfire.

G. COST PROPOSAL

1. Proposer shall submit on Bonfire, where indicated, its pricing for the services described in the Statement of Work.

2. There is no Court prescribed format for the Cost Proposal, however, the offeror shall provide pricing separated by the initial term of three (3) years and for each of the two (2) one-year extensions.

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3. In calculating pricing to be offered, Proposers are cautioned to include all costs associated with providing the service.

NOTE: It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the Business and Professions Code.

H. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. The Court shall evaluate the proposals using the criteria set forth in the table below.

EVALUATION CRITERIA PERCENT

WEIGHTED

Experience on Similar Assignments 30%

Credentials of Proposer’s Personnel to be Assigned to the Project 7%

Quality of Work Plan Submitted 30%

Cost 30%

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise 3%

I. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

1. Cooperative Agreement (“Piggybacking”). Following discussion and consideration by the Court and the successful bidder/proposer, the “piggybacking clause,” provided in the Model Agreement, may be included in the final form of the Agreement if mutually desired.

2. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Preference.

a. The Court has established rules and procedures for its DVBE program. Qualified Proposers wishing to claim the DVBE incentive should refer to the DVBE Rules and Procedures for further information. The Court’s DVBE Rules and Procedures can be located at the following website:

https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/procurement/cp/socioeconomic-programs

b. A Proposer will receive the DVBE incentive if, in the Court’s sole discretion, Proposer has met all applicable requirements. If Proposer receives the DVBE incentive, the final score of its proposal will be increased by an amount equal to 3% of the total possible available points.

3. Multiple Awards. The Court reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to award multiple contracts to more than one vendor under this RFP. If multiple awards are made, the Court will not be obligated to procure any minimum amount of Work under any such contracts executed under this RFP.

https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/procurement/cp/socioeconomic-programs

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ATTACHMENT A – STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

A. BACKGROUND / PURPOSE

Contractor will create a countywide court survey, offered in both English and Spanish, to assess public attitudes of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (“Court”). The survey will include a custom sampling and research strategy, utilizing landline, cell, text, and online methods, with an emphasis on obtaining a representative sample across race, ethnicity, gender, age, education, and geography. The contractor will conduct an annual survey, consisting of approximately 800-1000 interviews, each lasting 15-18 minutes, to ensure sufficient data for analyzing key subgroups within the County.

The purpose of this agreement is for Contractor to annually prepare and deliver work that includes, but is not limited to:

a) The development of a countywide court survey, available in English and Spanish, to evaluate public attitudes of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

b) The design of a custom sampling and research plan, employing landline, cell, text, and online interviews with a particular focus on ensuring a representative sample based on race and ethnicity, gender, age, education, and geography within the County.

c) Conducting 800-1000 interviews, each lasting 15-18 minutes, to ensure sufficient data for analyzing key subgroups within the County and providing the results of the survey to the Court.

B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GOODS AND/OR SERVICES NEEDED

Under the direction of, and after initial consultation with, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Strategy Officer for the Court, the Contractor shall work independently to complete the objectives, scope of work details and defined tasks and deliverables. The contractor shall regularly consult and collaborate with the Chief Strategy Officer for any support of the objectives, scope of work details and defined tasks and deliverables. The contractor will consult with the Chief Strategy Officer as necessary to ensure tasks and deliverables are achieved. Upon approval of the Chief Strategy Officer, Contractor shall design a comprehensive project plan to guide and track all project activities and deliverables.

C. DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

For each annual survey requested by the Court, provide the following:

Task 1: Participate in Project kick-off with the Court to discuss scope of work, project activities, and timelines.

Subtask 1.1 - Create project plan timeline that tracks all project activities, timelines, responsible parties, and deliverables

Task 2: Create a countywide court survey, offered in both English and Spanish, to assess public attitudes of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (“Court”)

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Subtask 2.1 – Design a custom sampling and research plan, employing landline, cell, text, and online interviews with a particular focus on ensuring a representative sample based on race and ethnicity, gender, age, education, and geography within the County.

Subtask 2.2 – Conduct 800-1000 interviews, lasting 15-18 minutes, to ensure sufficient data for analyzing key subgroups within the County and provide the results of the survey to the Court.

Task 3: Finalize the survey of the opinion polls and provide a detailed assessment and report, and present the findings to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and other selected relevant Court personnel or partners.

Subtask 3.1 – Develop a high-level presentation that can be used to communicate the key results of the poll to key internal and external stakeholders.

Subtask 3.2 – Participate in no more than 5 presentations of the poll results to key stakeholder groups.

D. INSPECTION AND/OR ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Acceptance Criteria for a Completed Survey Report:

1. All Required Sections Included o Executive summary o Methodology (sample size, demographics, data collection process) o Key findings and insights o Charts, tables, and visualizations o Conclusions and recommendations (if applicable)

2. Accuracy and Consistency o Data in the report matches the raw survey results.

o No calculation errors in percentages, averages, or statistical analysis.

3. Clarity and Readability o Report is well-structured, easy to understand, and free of jargon.

o Visuals (graphs, charts) are labeled correctly and enhance comprehension.

4. Actionable Insights o Findings are interpreted, not just listed.

o Recommendations are clear and based on data.

5. Compliance with Standards o Adheres to organizational reporting guidelines (branding, formatting).

o Meets any regulatory or confidentiality requirements.

6. Validation and Sign-Off o Reviewed and approved by stakeholders or project owner.

o Includes version control and final approval date.

7. Deliverable Format o Provided in the agreed format (PDF, PowerPoint, dashboard, etc.).

o Accessible and shareable (e.g., no broken links, password issues).

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Final Acceptance is provided by the Court Project Manager.

E. CONTRACTOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES

a) Contractor shall identify its Project Manager and Director for this agreement. The Project Manager will be responsible for managing, scheduling, and coordinating the activities of the Contractor.

b) Contractor shall work closely with the designated Court staff or Project Manager to ensure proper execution of all tasks, deliverables, and support.

c) Contractor shall provide the services and deliverables required as outlined in this Statement of Work.

F. COURT’S RESPONSIBILITIES

a) The Court shall identify the Court’s Project Manager and Director for this agreement. The Court Project Manager and Director (or designee) will be responsible for managing, scheduling, and coordinating with the Contractor to ensure the services and deliverables are provided in a timely and satisfactory manner.