4-25-090 RFP - Final.pdf

Request for Proposal (RFP)

#25-090, Organizational, Staffing, and Operational

Assessment For: Walworth County Sheriff’s Office

Schedule of Events Proposal Issued: April 2, 2026

Questions Dues: April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Final Addendum Issued: April 28, 2026

Proposals Due (Closing Time): May 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Presentations/Interviews: June 1, 2026 & June 2, 2026

Estimated Contract Award: June 26, 2026

Estimated Contract Start: July 6, 2026

This schedule is in local time and is provided for your information and planning purposes.

Although every effort will be made to follow this schedule, we reserve the right to modify the dates as necessary.

Contact Purchasing Agent: Jen White, Purchasing Supervisor

Address: Walworth County Finance - Purchasing

100 W. Walworth Street

Elkhorn, WI 53121

Table of Contents

I. POSTING OF SOLICITATION

II. INVITATION

III. BACKGROUND

IV. DIVISION & SECTION OVERVIEWS

V. TERM OF CONTRACT

VI. PROPOSER QUALIFICATIONS

VII. SCOPE OF SERVICES / SPECIFICATIONS

VIII. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS – WALWORTH COUNTY

IX. EXAMINATION OF SITE AND PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS

X. PROPOSER QUESTIONS / REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTIONS OR CHANGES

XI. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND CONTENT

XII. ELECTRONIC MODIFICATION OF PROPOSAL

XIII. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

XIV. PROPOSER SUPPLIED DOCUMENTATION / MATERIALS

XV. EVALUATION CRITERIA

XVI. INTERVIEWS AND/OR PRESENTATIONS

XVII. AWARD

XVIII. ADDITIONAL SERVICES

XIX. SUBCONTRACTING / SUBCONSULTING

XX. EMPLOYEES

XXI. PRICING

XXII. INVOICING

XXIII. PAYMENT

XXIV. REJECTION

XXV. DEFICIENCIES

XXVI. ACCEPTANCE

XXVII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

XXVIII. “PIGGYBACK” CLAUSE

XXIX. CONTRACT REVIEW AND ADMINISTRATION

XXX. NONDISCRIMINATION / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

XXXI. WORK RULES

XXXII. BACKGROUND CHECKS

XXXIII. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

XXXIV. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

XXXV. CANCELLATION

I. Posting of Solicitation

All Walworth County solicitations are posted on the County’s Bonfire Portal at:

walworthcountywi.bonfirehub.com. To ensure notification of future opportunities with Walworth

County, Proposers must be registered. Proposers may register for an account with Bonfire at no charge.

NOTE: Walworth County will make no attempt to contact Proposers with updated information. It is the responsibility of each Proposer to periodically check the portal for all notifications, releases, and addenda associated with this solicitation.

II. Invitation

Walworth County is accepting sealed, electronic proposals submitted through the Bonfire Portal from qualified firms for a “Organizational, Staffing, and Operational Assessment” for the Walworth County

Sheriff’s Office, hereinafter referred to as the “County,” or “WCSO” in accordance with the specifications stated and/or attached herein/hereto. Respondents of this request will hereinafter be referred to as the “Proposer” or “Consultant.”

Sealed, electronic proposals will be received until 10:00 a.m. local time on May 6, 2026. All electronic proposals will be recorded by purchasing staff shortly after the deadline.

Consultants having considerable experience in conducting assessments of public safety organizational staffing, operations or other closely related projects are invited to participate.

The Purpose of this solicitation is to award a contract to the selected Consultant that can demonstrate that they possess the technical capabilities to provide all of the deliverables required in this RFP within a reasonable project schedule and when considering the thoroughness of the proposal’s project understanding.

In summary, the scope and intent of this project is to conduct a comprehensive, data driven assessment of the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, examining its organizational structure, staffing levels, operational practices, workloads, and service demands across all divisions and the

Administration Section. The consultant will evaluate current conditions, identify strengths and opportunities for improvement, and develop detailed recommendations with justifications and cost impacts to support effective short and long term public safety service delivery through the year 2040.

This assessment is intended to guide strategic planning, enhance operational efficiency, ensure appropriate staffing levels, and position the Sheriff’s Office to meet the evolving needs of the community.

III. Background

The Walworth County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) was established in 1839. The sheriff is an elected official;

Wisconsin State Statutes 59.27 and 59.28 largely define the sheriff's duties, including maintaining the jail, attending to the courts, serving process, and enforcing the laws and ordinances.

Mission Statement

We will serve and protect all citizens and visitors of Walworth County with dedicated public safety services in partnership with our community.

Motto

ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION

Vision Statement

We will continue to strengthen community relationships and public trust while striving for excellence through employee development, self-discipline, teamwork, and effective leadership.

Values

• Integrity - We will strive to ensure our actions and words encompass strong moral principles.

• Compassion - We will have concern for those we serve and each other.

• Professionalism – We will demonstrate the highest standard of personal and organizational excellence through our conduct and demeanor.

• Dedication - We are committed to each other, our families, our organization and the citizens we serve.

Accreditation and Compliance

WCSO is a fully accredited agency by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group

(WILEAG), 6th Edition. The jail is accredited by the NCCHC (National Commission on Correctional

Health Care), and complies with State of Wisconsin DOC 350 standards and ACA (American

Correctional Association) standards, and national PREA Standards (not a federal PREA-compliant facility due to housing 17-year-olds). The jail undergoes multiple annual inspections including: state jail inspection (all operations), NCCHC inspection, annual food service inspection, and full facility fire inspection.

Historical Assessment

WCSO has not had a comprehensive staff assessment since 2006, when Northwestern University

Center for Public Safety conducted one. It cannot be determined what, if any, changes were implemented as a result of that assessment.

Service Environment

According to the US Census Bureau, WCSO serves a population of approximately 106,000 residents.

Walworth County is a tourist-rich county, with the daily summer population reaching up to 200,000 depending on events. Walworth County is 577 square miles and comprises five (5) cities, nine (9) villages, and sixteen (16) townships. There are 14 police departments and 15 Fire/EMS departments in the County. All cities and villages have police departments; 5 townships have police departments.

WCSO is the largest law enforcement agency in the county and provides primary law enforcement services to the remainder of the county.

WCSO provides assistance to all police departments when requested. WCSO provides shift coverage when requested by municipal agencies. For long-term coverage, Memorandums of

Understanding (MOU) have been utilized to formalize shift coverage, ensuring that the WCSO provides a dedicated deputy to those jurisdictions.

Budget

The total WCSO 2025 budget was $30,924,022.00. The total WCSO 2026 budget is $31,220,959.00.

WCSO has five divisions Patrol, Corrections, Communications, Support Services, and Investigations and an Administration Section, with an authorized strength of 220 members: 87 sworn deputies, 90 correctional officers, 19 professional staff, and 24 communications officers. Communications and

Correctional staff are non-sworn.

Staffing Attachments

• Attachment A, 2026 Department Organizational Chart

• Attachment B, WCSD 2026 Authorized Staffing

IV. Division & Section Overviews

Patrol Division

The patrol division is led by one (1) captain, three (3) lieutenants, and eight (8) sergeants. One (1) lieutenant and two (2) sergeants are assigned to each of the three shifts. The shift hours for deputies are 6:00 AM – 2:15 PM, 2:00 PM – 10:15 PM, and 10:00 PM – 6:15 AM. Shift sergeants come in 15 minutes earlier for each shift. All work a rotating 5 – 2, 5 – 3 schedule. The patrol division is responsible for general calls for service, with 51 sworn deputies assigned to the division. Many of these deputies have additional assignments to a variety of specialized teams.

In 2025 the WCSO completed a “Deputy assigned” squad program, where each deputy not assigned to a fixed post, such as court security, was issued a take-home squad. This allows patrol division deputies to start their shift from their homes, making them immediately available for calls.

WCSO provides contracted services for the Whitewater Lake boat patrol. This is supervised by a part-time deputy (Manager), and part-time deputies are utilized for the majority of the staffing. Shifts may be filled on overtime by full-time deputies.

The Patrol Division oversees the Crash Reconstruction and Drone Teams.

The WCSO has substations in Troy, Whitewater, Walworth, Darien, and Lyons townships, which allow deputies to remain in the county to write reports, meet with citizens, or take a break.

Scheduling is done utilizing an online program by Powertime – “PlanIt” for all divisions.

Corrections Division

The corrections division is led by one (1) Jail Administrator, two (2) Jail Superintendents, one (1) training and quality assurance manager, and ten (10) sergeants. The shift hours for correctional officers are 6:45 AM - 3:00 PM, 2:45 PM - 11:00 PM, and 10:45 PM - 7:00 AM, working a 5 – 2 and 5 –

3 rotational schedule. The sergeant hours are 6:30 AM - 3:00 PM, 2:30 PM - 11:00 PM, and 10:30 PM

- 7:00 AM, working a 4 – 2 rotational schedule.

Scheduling is done utilizing an online program by Powertime – “PlanIt”.

The jail has a capacity of 512 inmates. The jail is accredited by the NCCHC (National Commission on

Correctional Health Care). The jail follows the State of Wisconsin DOC 350 standards along with

ACA (American Correctional Association) standards and the national Pre Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

Standards; however, it is not a federal PREA-compliant facility due to housing 17-year-olds.

Several outside agencies inspect all or portions of our operation. The state jail inspection covers all aspects of our operation annually. We are also inspected by NCCHC. Our food service must have an outside inspection completed annually. We also have a total facility fire inspection annually.

We contract with Southern Health Partners (SHP) for our medical services. They provide 24/7 medical, dental, and mental health services.

Through a contract, Walworth County Health and Human Services provides a Community Substance

Use Case Manager and an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner for prescriber care.

Aramark Correctional Services provides all our inmate meals via a contract. They are served two hot meals and one cold meal every day. Aramark is also responsible for all inmate laundry and any hazardous clean-ups.

The Huber dorm was closed during COVID-19 and has not reopened, and the Sheriff has no plans currently to reopen it. Electronic monitoring replaced that operation. Correctional staff have additional assignments to a variety of specialized teams.

Support Services Division

A captain, a lieutenant, a records supervisor, and a lead worker lead the support services division.

This division has the following sections assigned: Civil Process, Central Records, Training and

Planning, and Court Security.

The civil process section has two (2) deputies.

Court security has one (1) sergeant, and five (5) deputies (authorized).

Central Records, which one (1) supervisor and one (1) lead worker, is responsible for various tasks and duties surrounding the legal requirements of processing, storing, and disseminating all records created or maintained by the WCSO. This includes the case management of files as they are routed throughout the judicial process. Digital evidence has become a major portion of that workload, which involves the storage and management, but also the most intensive portion, which is the redaction.

Redaction is required/permitted by law and must be completed on all records not part of the judicial process or court order. Additional tasks, such as warrant management, include entering all new warrants, canceling fulfilled or quashed warrants, and monthly auditing of records to ensure compliance. The coordination of conveyances for prisoners to and from the court and other correctional institutions is required to fulfill judicial orders, medical appointments, and extraditions from anywhere in the United States. The WCSO utilizes the National Incident-Based Reporting

System (NIBRS), which requires monthly submissions and audits. Many other tasks combined fulfill the mission of records management. Ten professional staff members are assigned to various duties.

Employees work shifts from 6:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.

The Captain of Support Services currently manages our vehicle fleet. This includes maintaining vehicles with our Public Works Department, ordering, assigning, distributing, equipping, and managing crashed vehicles. The captain is also responsible for long-term strategic management and the surplus of vehicles.

The lieutenant is assigned to the training and planning section of this division. All Field Training and

Evaluations Programs are overseen by the lieutenant.

Investigations Division

The investigations division is led by one (1) captain and one (1) sergeant assigned to the drug unit.

Detectives work Monday through Friday, varying from 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM. The drug unit works 9:00

AM - 5:00 PM. The investigation division has an authorized strength of nine (9), with one “overfill” due to one detective's military leave, for a total of ten (10) as of April 15, 2025. Several detectives also have additional assignments to a variety of specialized teams.

Three (3) deputies are assigned to the Walworth County metro drug unit, and a fourth deputy is authorized but left vacant due to staffing. PEER support is overseen by the Captain of Investigations.

Communications Division

The communications division is led by one (1) captain, one (1) operations manager, one (1) training and quality assurance manager, and three (3) shift supervisors. The shift hours are 6:45 AM - 3:00

PM, 2:45 PM - 11:00 PM, and 10:45 PM - 7:00 AM. All work rotates 5 – 2 and 5 – 3 schedules. The division has an authorized strength of nineteen (19) communications officers, six (6) on day, seven (7) on afternoons, and six (6) on nights.

In 2025, an RFP was issued for an assessment of our communications division and the potential of consolidating the three communications centers in the county into a joint communication center.

Therefore, we don’t require an in-depth assessment of the communications center, but do want a review of the leadership/rank structure of the division.

One (1) Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) administrator is under this division, as well as one (1)

Information Technology (IT) specialist.

Emergency management is included in this division, with one (1) lieutenant and one (1) assistant.

Administration Section

Although not a Division, the Administration Section, under the supervision of one (1) Sheriff and one

(1) Undersheriff, has one (1) administrative assistant, one (1) business officer manager, and two (2) clerks.

Under the control of the Sheriff, the WCSO administers the following multi-jurisdictional specialty teams: SWAT, Dive, and Mobile Field Force. The Undersheriff oversees departmental specialty teams: Honor Guard and Crime Prevention. None of these are full-time and are filled via volunteers or assignments.

V. Term of Contract

A contract will be awarded to the successful Consultant. The contract term will commence on or about July 6, 2026, until completion of the project. The County anticipates that the project will be completed within approximately six months; however, some flexibility may be permitted if justified by the Consultant in their Work/Project Schedule. Extensions may be granted, at the sole option of the

County, upon written request of the Consultant detailing the reason for the extension request.

VI. Proposer Qualifications

Proposer’s responding to this request must meet the following qualifications:

1) Have considerable experience in conducting public safety organizational staffing and operational assessments or other closely related projects.

2) Proposer must be properly licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin and may not be on the State of Wisconsin List of Debarred contractors with the effective dates of this project.

3) Have a record of performance with reasonable financial support, personnel and organization to ensure that they can satisfactorily execute the service required and specified herein if awarded. Proposers who have failed to perform in the past may not be considered for award.

VII. Scope of Services / Specifications

The County seeks a consultant to conduct a comprehensive examination and assessment of WCSO including:

1) Organizational Structure Assessment

a. Review the agency's organizational structure, including but not limited to, current division structure, allocation of duties and assignments within and between divisions, leadership/rank structure of the organization and the divisions, staffing levels across the organizational structure, and a comparison with other Wisconsin sheriff’s offices serving similar-sized jurisdictions.

2) Operational Procedures and Staffing Practices Assessment

a. Identify effective/efficient processes, methodologies, and leadership tools as well as ineffective/inefficient ones within the WCSO and divisions.

3) Recommendations and Justifications (through 2040)

a. Provide detailed, clearly described recommendations and justifications for each recommendation regarding the agency’s organizational structure (as described above) and the operational procedures and staffing practices (as described above) that would provide improvements or enhancements and that address current and future, through 2040, service demands on the agency to ensure that the WCSO can effectively provide dedicated public safety services in both the short- and long-term.

4) Divisional Coverage

a. The examination, assessment, and the resulting recommendations and justifications are to be prepared for and provided for all five divisions of the WCSO: Patrol, Corrections, Communications, Support Services, and Investigations as well as the Administration

Section. However, due to the County’s engagement in a separate project reviewing the

Communications Division, the scope of services applicable to the Communications Division under this RFP is limited as described below.

i. The consultant shall conduct the required examination and assessment of the leadership and rank structure of the Communications Division and provide relevant, clearly described, and justified recommendations, as appropriate.

ii. The consultant shall evaluate, use, and consider workload and call data generated or recorded by the Communications Division activities, such as but not limited to calls for service and response times, and the related future estimates for such workload and call data.

NOTE: Workload and call data, including estimates of future demand and service levels, generated or compiled as part of the separate project reviewing the Communications

Division, will be available for use within this project to the extent that it is completed and available. That contract currently has a delivery date of May or June of 2026, which is subject to change. Although such data may be used within this project, its availability cannot be guaranteed and cannot be relied upon by the Contractor awarded this RFP.

Requirements:

a. The selected consultant must demonstrate technical and professional capabilities to deliver all required outcomes within a reasonable timeframe.

b. Recommend appropriate courses of action for each evaluated topic or item based on current and future needs until 2040. Evaluated topics include all those items listed below.

c. Examine All five Divisions and the Administrative Section.

iii. The Communications Division examination shall only include a review of the leadership and management structure.

d. Recommendations shall identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

(SWOT).

e. Provide reasonable, well-supported justifications for any recommended organizational and operational change, any recommendation not to change current organizational and operational structures or practices, and any projections of future service demands until

2040.

f. Where the selected consultant makes a recommended organizational and operational change that requires or proposes an increase in staffing, address in detail what the consultant would do if additional staffing were not available.

g. For each recommended course of action, provide a cost estimate along with the basis for the estimation.

h. Process Tracking Requirements:

a. In the final contract, deliverables will include any methodologies, approaches, and communications identified in the Consultant’s “Technical Proposal” related to the tracking and execution of the project.

b. Additionally, the final contract will identify the minimum requirements for the

Consultant related to project update reports or meetings. The requirements may be subject to the contents of the Consultant’s proposal; however, the County anticipates at minimum a biweekly, in-person or virtual meetings with consultant provided meeting notes e-mailed to County participants within 2 days of each meeting.

Detailed Tasks

Subject to the details and “Requirements” established above, the examination and assessment shall include the following for all five Divisions and the Administrative Section (unless otherwise noted):

1) Identify SWOT associated with current conditions and operations. (Exclude Communications

Division)

2) Review job descriptions and review the number of current positions and assignments. (Exclude

Communications Division)

3) Conduct staff meetings and interviews to better understand roles and responsibilities. (Exclude

Communications Division)

4) Assess operational staffing, including, but not limited to, considering differential shift demands.

(Exclude Communications Division)

5) Review the existing organizational rank structure in all divisions, including positions, duties, and responsibilities, to determine necessary changes.

a. Recommend duties or positions that could be transitioned from sworn to civilian positions.

6) Analyze the current organizational staff structure to identify any potential changes.

7) Research other comparable and neighboring counties/municipalities to gather information on services, staffing levels, shift schedules, work hours, work environment, policies, etc. (Exclude

Communications Division)

8) Evaluate current and historical call volumes to identify trends, service demands through 2040, and associated impacts across all divisions: Patrol, Investigations, Communications, Corrections, Support Services and the Administration Section. See below for specific information.

a. Investigations – Review the number of cases assigned to each detective and the clearance rate. Based on the current cases and tips, how many staff do we need for the drug unit now and in the future?

b. Support Services – Assess the Court Security duties and the courts' demands. Analyze the workload of Central records to determine proper staffing and evaluate workload in relation to staffing numbers, particularly concerning body camera redaction demands.

Review the number of dockets and demands in Civil Process to determine proper staffing.

c. Administration Section – Review the agency rank structure and other duties of those assigned to this section.

d. Patrol - Review response times in relation to call volume, to evaluate whether the number of deputies assigned to each shift is adequate to provide required services.

9) Identify staffing impacts based on workload analysis.

10) Identify potential transitions of positions from sworn to non-sworn roles, including justifications and cost implications.

11) Review vehicle fleet management and associated responsibilities.

12) Assess the financial impact of any recommendations or considerations for service alterations and manpower increases.

13) Research industry standards, best practices, and trends in public safety services.

14) Evaluate training time, including processes and methodologies, for WCSO patrol and correctional staff in comparison to similar agencies.

15) Review the effectiveness of patrol area assignments.

16) Analyze shift coverage hours for all divisions.

17) Recommend industry standards, considerations, or issues impacting public safety services that are pertinent for the assessment.

18) Carry out other tasks as mutually determined by the consultant and the WCSO.

19) Provide post-assessment support and reports to WCSO, including:

a. A draft report detailing the consultant’s findings and work related to the assessment.

b. Fifteen (15) hard copies and one (1) digital copy of the report.

c. An overview presentation to County staff and other stakeholders, followed by a Q&A session to address any concerns.

d. A final project report that incorporates feedback from stakeholders into a revised version.

e. A presentation to select County staff and stakeholders, addressing any changes made from the draft to the final report.

f. At least one in-person presentation to a County Board committee during a public meeting.

VIII. Standard Terms and Conditions – Walworth County

The Standard Terms and Conditions of Walworth County are made a part of this RFP (RFP) by reference. Standard Terms and Conditions are available on the County’s website, under the

Purchasing Division on the Walworth County Home Page or by clicking on the following link:

http://www.co.walworth.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/479/05-2017-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-

PDF

Documents are also available, upon request, by contacting the Purchasing Agent listed on this solicitation.

IX. Examination of Site and Proposal Documents

Proposer is required to carefully examine the RFP, the scope of work and the contract contained herein. It will be assumed that the Proposer has investigated and is satisfied as to the requirements of the RFP documents. It is mutually agreed that the submission of a proposal shall be considered as conclusive evidence that the Proposer has made such examination and is satisfied as to all the conditions and contingencies.

Pleas of ignorance of conditions that exist or that may hereafter exist, or of conditions or difficulties that may be encountered in the execution of the services under this RFP as a result of failure to make the necessary examinations and investigations will NOT be accepted as:

• An excuse for any failure or omission on the part of the Consultant to fulfill, in every detail, all of the requirements of the RFP, or

• As a basis for any claims whatsoever for extra compensation, or

• For an extension of time.

All services or features not specifically mentioned which are regularly furnished to complete these types of services will be furnished at proposal pricing and shall conform in quality, workmanship and service to that usually provided by the practice as specified in this RFP.

X. Proposer Questions / Requests for Exceptions or Changes

Proposers should request interpretation or correction of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error in the

RFP requirements.

Consideration will be given to a Proposer’s request for a change if any of the terms and conditions of this RFP are not in full accord, or if changes, alterations, additions or deductions are necessary for your firm to be compliant with the specifications and submit a response. Any requests for changes, clarifications, etc., must be submitted in writing using the “Messages” feature under this Project in

Bonfire at: https://walworthcountywi.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/181697.

http://www.co.walworth.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/479/05-2017-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-PDF http://www.co.walworth.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/479/05-2017-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-PDF https://walworthcountywi.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/181697

Questions must be received no later than April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (local time). Proposers will not be able to initiate messages to the Purchasing Agent after this time.

Unauthorized Proposer contact regarding this RFP with any County employee may result in disqualification of proposal. Any oral communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding.

Proposers shall rely only on written addenda issued for this opportunity.

Any changes made as a result of a written request will be issued via addendum and will be posted to the Bonfire Portal. Proposers are responsible for monitoring the Bonfire Portal. Each addendum forms an integral part of this RFP and contains important information which may include significant changes to this RFP. Proposers are responsible for obtaining all addenda issued by the County prior to the opening date. The County will make no attempt to contact bidders with updated information. Proposers must provide acknowledgement of addenda when responding to this RFP.

XI. Proposal Submission and Content

Proposers, by submitting a response to this RFP, certify and agree to meet all the requirements as stated herein. A Proposer must state in their response if they are unable or unwilling to meet any requirement. Inability or unwillingness to meet any requirement, in part or in whole, may be cause for disqualification. Any exceptions taken by the Proposer must be clearly identified in the proposal.

Proposals shall be irrevocable until Contract award unless the proposal is withdrawn. Proposers may withdraw a response at any time until the submission deadline.

The County will only accept electronic submittals in response to this RFP. All proposals must be submitted electronically using the Bonfire Portal by the time and in the manner prescribed. Bonfire will serve as the proposal collection destination.

Proposers shall assume full responsibility for ensuring electronic delivery of proposals before the RFP deadline. Proposers should allow sufficient time to complete the electronic submission by the date and time specified.

A. Proposal Content

In order for an evaluation committee to adequately compare proposals and evaluate them uniformly and objectively, all proposals must be submitted according to this section. The proposal should be prepared simply and economically, providing straightforward and concise information as requested.

Every attempt should be made to use technological terminology that is common to the industry.

Comparable terminology may be substituted where appropriate, provided clear and concise definitions are included.

The submission format is presented below along with the minimum information to be contained in each section. Each section below shall be clearly identified and contain all of the information necessary to meet the minimum requirements of this section. The responses should emphasize services and experiences that most closely match those requested by the County. While the Proposer should provide enough information to fully respond to each section, proposals should be as concise as possible.

1. Acknowledgements

a. There are various questions to acknowledge/respond to within the Bonfire Portal. Follow the instructions provided for each item as indicated in the Bonfire Portal.

2. Technical Proposal No pricing or cost information shall be submitted with any of the following items. All costs are to be submitted with the Cost Proposal information in item 3 below.

a. Table of Contents (Required as a one PDF document): Include a clear identification of the material by section.

b. Company Information (Required as one PDF document): Provide general firm information for the following items:

i. Provide a brief history of the firm

ii. Provide Information to include name, e-mail and phone number for the following contacts:

(a) Representative to answer questions regarding the proposal submission

(b) Representative authorized to sign a contract, if awarded

(c) Representative to manage invoicing and payments, if awarded

iii. Identify any contractual arrangements that may conflict with the firm’s role as an independent contractor for the County or which may result in any monetary compensation related to county contracts creating a conflict of interest. If there is a perceived conflict of interest, please include a statement proposing remedial actions that would be taken to eliminate it. No conflict of interest should exist which would prevent the provider from representing the County with respect to this proposal. Each provider must disclose all potential conflicts of which he or she has knowledge, or which may arise with respect to the representation of the County on this proposal including, without limitation, any circumstances which would create the appearance of a conflict of interest. The County will disqualify potential provider if, in The County’s sole judgment, such conflict would preclude effective representation by that provider.

iv. Provide information which confirms the firm has sufficient financial support to perform the requested services. Include information regarding recent default or bankruptcy, if none, provide a statement indicating none of these circumstances have occurred.

b. Project Understanding (Required as one PDF document): Provide your understanding of this project and requirements as depicted in this RFP, providing a positive commitment to perform the services as outlined. Identify key issues from the Consultant’s perspective.

c. Firm Experience (Required as one or multiple PDF document(s)):

i. Provide a statement, not to exceed five (5) pages of your interests and qualifications, including the firm’s ability, distinctive competencies, and qualifications to provide the services, as stated in this RFP, relative to this project.

ii. Provide a chronological listing (most recent to oldest) of similar projects or studies currently underway or completed in the last seven (7) years. List the year, community or communities served, and project/report title. No more than 15 projects or studies need to be listed, so a full seven-year lookback is not required.

iii. Provide at least three (3) references of recent clients with similar requirements as specified in this RFP. The County is especially interested in receiving references from government entities that most closely match the requirements as described in this RFP.

(a) Reference information shall include:

(i) Name of company

(ii) Company address

(iii) Contact person

(iv) Phone number

(v) E-mail address of a person that may be contacted with relevant recent project information.

(vi) Briefly describe the scope of work for each reference that demonstrates relevant experience.

iv. Provide a list of contracts that have been cancelled, projects not completed, and projects that resulted in litigation due to non-performance or the inability to complete the contract. If none, provide a statement indicating none of these circumstances have occurred.

v. If applicable, identify any subcontractors/subconsultants or parties outside of the firm that will be utilized in the performance of these services. Provide relevant information of said party(s) detailing their qualifications and provide details of their anticipated role in the Work/Project Plan submitted.

d. Staff Experience (Required as one or multiple PDF document(s)): Provide staff resumes for key personnel who will be assigned to these services. At a minimum, the staff resumes shall include the following information:

i. Name and position title

ii. Education (degree, major, institution, year)

iii. Summary of pertinent experience and qualifications

iv. Years employed by current company

v. Any other information that would assist the County in determining the qualifications of the individuals and their ability to complete the services required.

e. Work/Project Plan (Required as one PDF document): Submit a work/project plan describing a step-by-step process that your firm will follow to address the scope of work for this request.

i. This plan will make clear the approach recommended by your firm to ensure the timely and accurate completion of the study and submission of the written report/recommendations.

ii. This plan should highlight all milestones and deliverables and include the individual(s) to be assigned and the estimated number of hours that will be contributed to each identified step in the process.

iii. The plan should identify efforts and meetings occurring on-site and those occurring remotely.

iv. Be sure to specify the level of involvement, for example, the estimated number of hours and specific tasks, you will require of the WCSO and/or stakeholders for each identified step in the process.

v. The plan should identify the types of information the County would be required to provide to enable your organization to complete the scope of services.

vi. The plan should describe the process you will utilize to create the cost estimates for recommendations as it relates to the Scope of Services.

f. Work/Project Schedule (Required as one PDF document): Provide project schedules or timelines that the Consultant proposes for execution of the project and provision of project deliverables, including sufficient benchmarks or linkages to the step-by-step project plan proposed by the Consultant in their Technical Proposal.

i. The timeline should be expressed as days, weeks, or months, as appropriate, from the execution of the contract.

ii. As timeliness is a consideration in the award of the RFP, provide a discussion explaining or justifying the proposed project schedules.

iii. The County anticipates that the project will be completed within approximately six months; however, some flexibility may be permitted if justified by the Consultant in their project schedule.

g. Exceptions (Optional as one or multiple PDF document(s)): Proposer must identify any desired exceptions to the minimum requirements, Standard Professional Services Contract or terms and conditions of this RFP.

i. These exceptions must be addressed to the specific paragraph where a conflict exists.

If exceptions are taken, cite the paragraph involved, the exception taken, and state alternate language acceptable to the proposer. the County will not consider the

Proposer’s wholly substituting their agreement without exceptions clearly identified.

ii. A response that includes contractual terms and conditions that do not conform to the contractual terms and conditions in the RFP document are subject to rejection as nonresponsive. Walworth County reserves the right to permit the vendor to withdraw nonconforming terms and conditions from its response or negotiate changes to the contractual requirements prior to making a determination of responsiveness.

h. Value Added Services-VAS (Optional as one PDF document): Proposer shall detail any value-added services the firm offers that go beyond the standard service scope outlined in this RFP. Specifically, describe how these additional services can enhance the County’s operational efficiency, improve experience, and provide measurable benefits to the County and how they will be implemented and supported. Be sure to include if this is provided with the proposed pricing at no additional cost or if there is additional cost. Do not include any additional costs in this document. Additional costs shall be provided separately as part of the Cost Proposal.

3. Cost Proposal

a. Proposed Pricing (BT-58OT): Provide a firm fixed fee (not-to -exceed amount) to complete the Organizational, Staffing, and Operational Assessment as outlined in Section VII. Scope of Services/Specifications, including all requirements and tasks.

i. Complete the Proposed Pricing online in the browser. The Pricing can be completed any time during your submission, however it must be completed all at once to submit and finalize. Proposer may edit the submission before the due date.

ii. In the event the County requires additional presentations to be presented to the County

Board or other interested parties, please provide a cost for each additional presentation outside of the scope. Cost to be inclusive of all expenses, including travel.

b. Preferred Payment Schedule (Required as a Text Input in Bonfire): Provide a text response detailing the Preferred Payment Schedule. The final payment schedule will be negotiated with the Proposer recommended for award of the contract, with no more than

70% of the total costs being paid prior to the delivery of the draft report required in Section

VII. Scope of Services/Specifications.

c. Value Added Services-VAS Cost (Optional as PDF): Proposer shall detail the cost of any value-added services proposed, if any. Be sure to clearly explain the cost structure associated with each proposed value-added service.

B. Proposal Submission

1. Upload your Submission at: https://walworthcountywi.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/207814

a. Bonfire Submission Guidelines:

i. Provide all documents as listed in item A. Proposal Content of this section.

https://walworthcountywi.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/207814

ii. Some response forms are available for downloading on the Bonfire Portal by using the link provided above.

iii. Please note the types of files allowed. The maximum upload file size is 100 MB.

iv. Do not embed any documents within your uploaded files, as they will not be accessible or evaluated.

v. Uploading large documents may take significant time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your Internet connection speed.

vi. Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. Javascript and browser cookies must be enabled.

vii. The County is not responsible for any delays associated with the electronic submission of proposals through the Bonfire Portal.

viii. Need Help? The County uses the Bonfire Portal for accepting and evaluating proposals digitally. Please contact Bonfire at Support@GoBonfire.com for technical questions related to your submission. You can also visit their help forum at https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com/hc/en-us.

b. You will receive an email confirmation receipt with a unique confirmation number once you finalize your submission.

c. Proposals may not be transmitted orally, in person, by mail, by email or fax machine.

d. All proposals shall be valid for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days after the scheduled time of closing. Proposals shall remain firm and may not be withdrawn during this period.

e. Proposals will only be visible to the County after the Proposal Deadline.

XII. Electronic Modification of Proposal

Proposals may be modified electronically using the Bonfire Portal provided such modification is made prior to the closing time for receipt of proposals.

XIII. Withdrawal of Proposal

Proposals may be withdrawn electronically using the Bonfire Portal provided such withdrawal is made prior to the closing for receipt of proposals.

XIV. Proposer Supplied Documentation / Materials

All material submitted by the Proposer in response to this request, become the property of The

County. The County is a unit of local government obligated to comply with Wisconsin’s Public

Records Law, Wisconsin Statutes secs. 19.31 through 19.39. The presumption under the law is that public records shall be open to the public unless there is a clear statutory exception, unless there exists a limitation under the common law, or unless there is an overriding public interest in keeping the public record confidential. As such, Proposers should assume that their submitted proposal will be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Law.

A Proposer responding to this request should not include any Confidential Information, proprietary information or protected trade secret(s) as part of its proposal unless the Proposer designates the specific information that it maintains is proprietary or trade secret and the reason(s) for such designation in a separate document and identifies the specific information when it occurs within the proposal.

https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com/hc/en-us

The County reserves the right to make determinations of Confidential Information when responding to public records requests and complying with Public Records Laws. Designation(s) of Confidential

Information in no way guarantees that designated information will be kept confidential under the provision of the Public Records Law. Simply placing a confidential notice in the header or footer of the submittal does not satisfy the designation requirements. Proposer is not entitled to notification prior to release of information. In no event will price be deemed confidential.

Generally, proposals are available for public review after the County has awarded a contract.

XV. Evaluation Criteria

The County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFP, to waive or permit cure of minor irregularities, and to conduct discussions with all qualified suppliers in any manner necessary to serve the best interest of the County. The County also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a contract based upon the proposals received without prior discussion or negotiation with respect to those proposals. Proposers are cautioned that proposals should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms.

All proposals will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee. The evaluation and selection of Proposer shall be in accordance with the requirements of the scope and deliverables of this RFP and the criteria stated below. The recommendation for award shall be made to the responsive, responsible

Proposer who complies with the requirements and scores the highest total on the evaluation criteria, which represents the most advantageous overall value for The County, all factors considered.

Technical Proposal

Evaluation Criteria Max Points

General:

a) Response is complete and includes all required information

b) Includes a clear understanding of the requirements

c) References are relevant to the scope

d) Sufficient Financial Support

Proposer Qualifications, Experience, and Resources: Proposer’s company and staff experience, qualifications and ability in providing services of a similar nature.

a) Acknowledgements

b) Company Information

c) Firm Experience

d) Staff Experience

Ability to Meet Scope of Services: Ability to meet scope of services and compliance with provisions/requirements. The approach to delivering the project (plan, stages, timeline). Quality of the proposed solution and its ability to meet the project needs.

a) Work/Project Plan

b) Project Schedule

c) Value Added Services

d) Exceptions (review to verify if acceptable)

e) Presentation Performance and Content

Cost Proposal

Evaluation Criteria Max Points

Proposed Cost: The competitiveness of the proposed costs will be scored based on the total sum of item one requested in the Proposed Pricing (BT-

37GI) excluding VAS or optional items. The formula used will be as follows:

Lowest Qualified Proposers

Cost X 20 = Awarded Points

Proposer(s) Cost Total

XVI. Interviews and/or Presentations

Top-scoring Proposers, based on the evaluation of the written proposal, will be required to attend and interview/presentation to support and clarify the proposal submitted. The County will make every reasonable attempt to schedule the interview/presentation on a date specified in the Schedule of

Events on the coversheet of this request. Presentations are preferred to be held in person at the

County, however, virtual presentations through Microsoft Teams can be accommodated. Proposer is required to have key members of staff attend and be prepared to present and respond to questions.

Failure of a Proposer to complete a scheduled interview/presentation with the County will result in the rejection of the proposal. The County may conduct reviews of the Proposer’s work and/or contact references to clarify or confirm proposal information.

Information provided in the Presentation/Interview phase of this process will be used to evaluate and rescore using the criteria outlined in Section XVI. Evaluation Criteria.

XVII. Award

Within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the opening of proposals, award will be made in accordance with the criteria stated above to the responsive, responsible Proposer who complies with the requirements and scores the highest total on the evaluation criteria, which represents the most advantageous overall value for The County, all factors considered.

The successful Proposer shall be required to enter into a contract agreement with the County. A sample copy of the County’s standard Professional Services Contract is included as Attachment C to this RFP.

The contract shall be deemed as having been awarded when formal recommendation of award has been approved by the appropriate County authority.

XVIII. Additional Services

The County reserves the rights to add, delete or acquire other types of service that the Consultant can provide that are similar to, but not specifically called for in this RFP. Additions or changes to services must be agreed to in writing by all parties.

XIX. Subcontracting / Subconsulting

All subcontractors shall be held to the same insurance provisions as noted herein. Additionally, the subcontractor shall comply with all requirements as stated in this specification.

Consultant will not be permitted to sublet, sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of the contract of any portion therein, or its right, title or interest in, to any person and/or Proposer(s) without the written consent of the County. No subcontract shall, under any circumstances, relieve the consultant of liability and obligation under this contract. If subcontractors are used, the County will consider the awarded Proposer to be the Prime Consultant and to be solely responsible in all contractual matters, including payment of any and all charges resulting from such subcontractor arrangements. The

Prime Consultant shall be fully responsible for the acts, errors and omissions of the subcontractor.

In the event that a portion or portions of the contract are…