4-B. NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution RFP.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

N P D E S M S4 S C M C OM P LI A N C E S OF TWA R E

S OL U T I ON

R F P # F Y 26 - RF P - 0 7

C I T Y OF C HA R L OT T E

N ORT H C A R OL I N A

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP #FY26-RFP-07

NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution

September 24, 2025

Charlotte Water, a department of the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, is now accepting Proposals for a NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution. The requirements for submitting a Proposal are stated in the attached Request for Proposals (the “RFP”). Please review them carefully.

Charlotte Water is using the Bonfire City of Charlotte e-Procurement Portal (“Procurement Portal” -https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com) to accept and evaluate proposals for this RFP. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Procurement Portal on or before the Due Date in order to be accepted.

Each Company is solely responsible for the timely delivery of their Proposal. Companies accept all risks of late delivery regardless of fault. In addition, Companies accept all risks if file is corrupted, incorrect, incomplete, or not attached. Any Proposal received after the date and time specified, regardless of the mode of delivery, shall not be considered.

A Non-Mandatory Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference for the purpose of reviewing the RFP and answering questions regarding the Services will be held on October 3, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. No onsite meeting will be held and Companies should not come to the City expecting to attend in person. While attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference is not mandatory, all interested Companies are encouraged to participate.

Click here to join – Join the meeting now

To join via phone only - 872-256-4172 Conference ID: 103 585 330#

Please have a copy of the RFP available for reviewing during the Pre-Proposal Conference. Proposal submissions are due no later than October 23, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

All times stated in this RFP shall be of the eastern time zone (ET).

The City is an equal opportunity purchaser.

Sincerely, Wendy Raiford Procurement Officer, Charlotte Water Acquisition and Compliance https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODc0NzNkNDgtNzBjNy00NjMwLWI1NTEtNTU1MGY1ZmJmYTYw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f312740d-c153-4339-9160-e26a104e0ecc%22%7d

Checklist for submitting a Proposal:

Step 1 Read the document fully.

Step 2 Review the solicitation timeline and upcoming events in the Procurement Portal and download copies of any documents if you plan to submit a Proposal.

Step 3 Submit any questions via the Procurement Portal by the deadline(s) noted for the solicitation.

Step 4 Conduct a thorough review of the Sample Contract. Any exceptions to the Sample Contract must be uploaded in word format (with redlines/tracked changes).

Step 5 Monitor the Procurement Portal for any addendums and/or responses to questions.

If you plan to submit a Proposal, you must submit all required documents and respond to all questions within the Procurement Portal for the RFP.

If awarded a contract, your company will be required to provide an insurance certificate(s) that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in the Sample Contract.

Table of Contents

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. OBJECTIVE

1.2. DEFINITIONS

2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS

2.1. SCHEDULE AND PROCESS

2.2. INTENT TO BID

2.3. INTERPRETATIONS AND ADDENDA

2.4. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

2.5. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

2.6. CORRECTION OF ERRORS

2.7. EVALUATION

2.8. CONTRACT AWARD BY CITY MANAGER. (ANTICIPATED)

2.9. VENDOR INCLUSION

3. SCOPE OF NPDES MS4 SCM COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE SOLUTION

3.1. GENERAL SCOPE

3.2. EQUIPMENT

3.3. PRICING

3.4. CUSTOMER SERVICE

3.5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

3.6. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

3.7. CITY HARDWARE/SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

3.8. REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIC TO APPLICATION PACKAGES

3.9. SOFTWARE CUSTOMIZATIONS

3.10. SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE

3.11. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

3.12. SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE

3.13. DISASTER RECOVERY

3.14. TRAINING

3.15. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

4. PROPOSAL CONTENT AND FORMAT

4.1. PROPOSAL CONTENT

5. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

5.1. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND APPROACH

5.1.1. Interviews and Demonstrations

5.2. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND VALUE

5.3. ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT

Section 1 Introduction and General Information

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1. INTRODUCTION.

1.1. Objective.

The objective of this RFP is to solicit Proposals that will enable the City to determine which Company and Proposed Solution will best meet the City’s needs.

1.2. Definitions.

As used in this RFP, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acceptance: Refers to receipt and approval by the City of a Product or Service in accordance with the acceptance process and criteria set forth in the Contract.

Affiliates: Refers to all departments or units of the City and all other governmental units, boards, committees, or municipalities for which the City processes data or performs Services that involve the System.

Charlotte Business INClusion/CBI: Refers to the Charlotte Business INClusion office of the City of

Charlotte.

Charlotte Business INClusion Policy/ CBI Policy: Refers to the policy adopted by City Council, which seeks to enhance competition in contracting and procurement opportunities for MWSBEs located in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area.

Charlotte Combined Statistical Area: Refers to the area consisting of the North Carolina counties of Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, and Union, and the South Carolina county of York; a criterion used by Charlotte Business INClusion to determine eligibility to participate in the program.

City: Refers to the City of Charlotte, North Carolina.

City Project Manager: Refers to a specified City employee representing the best interests of the City for this Project.

Company: Refers to a company that has been selected by the City to provide the Services required by this RFP.

Company Project Manager: Refers to a specified Company employee representing the best interests of the Company for this Project.

Company Software: Refers to all pre-existing software owned by the Company or any of its “Related Entities” which the Company provides or is required to provide under this RFP, and all Updates and Enhancements to the foregoing. The term "Related Entity" shall mean any person or entity that is directly or indirectly in control of, controlled by, or under common control with the Company, including but not limited to, parent, subsidiary, and affiliate entities. The word "control," as used in this context, shall mean ownership of a sufficient percentage (not necessarily a majority) of the outstanding voting interests in an entity so as to afford effective control of the management of the entity.

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Contract: Refers to a written agreement executed by the City and the Company for all or part of the Services.

Current Release: Refers to the latest version of the Software offered for general commercial distribution at a given point in time, including all Updates.

Customizations: Refers to all newly-developed software created by the Company and/or its subcontractors pursuant to this RFP, including but not limited to all interfaces between different components of the System and between the System and other systems. Customizations will not include Updates and Enhancements that become part of the company Software.

Defect: Refers to any failure of the System or any component thereof to fully conform to the Specifications and Requirements. A non-conformity is not a Defect if it results directly from the City’s improper use or damage, unless it is reasonably likely that such non-conformity would have occurred on that or another occasion even without the City’s improper use or damage.

Deliverables: Refers to all tasks, reports, information, designs, plans and other items, which the Company is required to complete and deliver to the City in connection with this Contract.

Department: Refers to a department within the City of Charlotte.

Documentation: Refers to all written, electronic, or recorded works, that describe the use, functions, features, or purpose of the System or any component thereof, and which are published or provided to the City by the Company or its subcontractors, including without limitation all end user manuals, training manuals, guides, program listings, data models, flow charts, logic diagrams, and other materials related to or for use with the System.

Enhancements: Refers to any products, parts of products, improvements, additions or materials which are not included in the Products at the time of execution of a Contract or that are subsequently developed, which modify the Products to provide a function or feature not originally offered or an improvement in function.

Evaluation Committee: Refers to a City-appointed committee responsible for determining the best Company for the Services described in this RFP.

Hardware: Refers to all hardware, equipment, and materials that the Company actually provides or is required to provide under the terms of this RFP (whether now or in the future).

License: Refers to the license agreement.

Maintenance Services: Refers to the maintenance services described in Section 3.

Milestones: Refers to the benchmarks of performance (consisting of an identified deadline for the completion of specific services and/or the acceptance of identified Deliverables), as specified in this RFP.

Minority-owned Business Enterprise/

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MBE: Refers to a business enterprise that: (i) is certified by the State of North Carolina as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) within the meaning of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-128.4; and (ii) is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more persons who are members of one of the following groups: African American or Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American or American Indian.

MS4: Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

MWSBE: Refers to SBEs, MBEs, and WBEs, collectively.

MWSBE Goal: If an RFP or Contract has separate Subcontracting Goals for MBEs, WBEs, and/or SBEs, the term MWSBE is a shorthand way to refer collectively to all MBE, WBE, and SBE Goals set for the RFP. In some instances, the City may set one (1) combined goal for MBEs, WBEs, and/or SBEs, in which event the term MWSBE Goal refers to that one (1) combined goal. In the latter instance, calculated as a percentage, the MWSBE Goal represents the total dollars spent with MBEs, WBEs, and SBEs as a portion of the total Proposal amount, including any contingency.

NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

Project: Refers to the procurement process to choose a Company to provide a NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution for the City.

Project Plan: Refers to the detailed plan for implementation of the System as described in Section 3, in the form accepted in writing by the City in accordance with the terms of this RFP and resultant Contract.

Products: Refers to all Software and all Hardware (both as herein defined).

Proposal: Refers to the proposal submitted by a Company for the Services as outlined in this RFP.

SCM: Stormwater Control Measures

Services: Refers to the NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution as requested in this RFP.

Small Business Enterprise/SBE: Refers to a business enterprise that is certified by the City of Charlotte under Part E of the CBI Policy as meeting all of the requirements for SBE certification.

Software: Refers to (i) all Company Software; (ii) all Customizations; (iii) all Third-Party Software; and (iv) all Updates and Enhancements of any of the foregoing.

Source Code: Refers to the human readable form of a computer program and all algorithms, flow charts, logic diagrams, structure descriptions or diagrams, data format or layout descriptions, pseudo-code, code listings (including comments), and other technical documentation relating to such program.

Specifications and Requirements: Refers to all definitions, descriptions, requirements, criteria, warranties and performance standards relating to the Products or

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System which are set forth or referenced in: (i) this RFP; (ii) the Documentation; and (iii) any functional and/or technical specifications which are published or provided by the Company or its licensors or suppliers from time to time with respect to all or any part of the Products or the System.

Subcontracting Goal: Refers to a SBE, MBE, WBE, and/or MWSBE Goal established by the City for an RFP and resulting Contract.

System: Refers to NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution to be designed, supplied, installed, configured, tested and commissioned by the Company under this RFP, including but not limited to all Products.

System Acceptance: The term “System Acceptance” shall mean acceptance by the City of the complete System to be provided.

Third Party Software: Refers to all software included within the System or required for the System to function in full compliance with the Specifications and Requirements that is provided by the Company as a result of this RFP and was not manufactured, developed or otherwise created by the Company, any Related Entity of the Company, or any of the Company’s subcontractors. The phrase "Related Entity" shall mean any person or entity that is directly or indirectly in control of, controlled by, or under common control with the Company, including but not limited to any parent, subsidiary, and affiliate entities. The word, "control," as used in this context, shall mean ownership of a sufficient percentage (not necessarily a majority) of the outstanding voting interests in an entity so as to afford effective control of the management of the entity.

Trade Secrets: Information of the City or any of its suppliers, contractors or licensors:

(i) that derives value from being secret; and (ii) that the owner has taken reasonable steps to keep confidential. See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66- 152 et seq. Examples of trade secrets include information relating to proprietary software, new technology, new products or services, flow charts or diagrams that show how things work, manuals that tell how things work and business processes and procedures.

Updates: Refers to program logic changes made by Company or its subcontractors or vendors to correct Defects in the Products and/or related Documentation delivered hereunder.

Warranty Period: Refers to the twelve-month period following System Acceptance.

Woman-owned Business Enterprise/ WBE: Refers to a business enterprise that: (i) is certified by the State of North

Carolina as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) within the meaning of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-128.4; and (ii) is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one or more persons who are female.

Workaround: Refers to a reasonable change in the procedures followed or data supplied to avoid a Defect that does not impair the performance of the System or increase the cost of using the System.

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Work Product: Refers to the Deliverables and all other programs, algorithms, reports, information, designs, plans and other items developed by the Company in connection with this RFP, and all partial, intermediate or preliminary versions of any of the foregoing.

1.3. Accuracy of RFP and Related Documents.

Each Company must independently evaluate all information provided by the City. The City makes no representations or warranties regarding any information presented in this RFP, or otherwise made available during this procurement process, and assumes no responsibility for conclusions or interpretations derived from such information. In addition, the City will not be bound by or be responsible for any explanation or conclusions regarding this RFP or any related documents other than those provided by an addendum issued by the City. Companies may not rely on any oral statement by the City or its agents, advisors, or consultants.

If a Company identifies potential errors or omissions in this RFP or any other related documents, the Company should immediately notify the City of such potential discrepancy in writing. The City may issue a written addendum if the City determines clarification necessary. Each Company requesting an interpretation will be responsible for submitting them per Section 2.3.

1.4. City’s Rights and Options.

The City reserves the right, at the City’s sole discretion, to take any action affecting this RFP, this RFP process, or the Services or facilities subject to this RFP that would be in the best interests of the City, including:

1.4.1. To supplement, amend, substitute, or otherwise modify this RFP, including the schedule, at any time;

1.4.2. To cancel this RFP with or without the substitution of another RFP;

1.4.3. To require one or more Companies to supplement, clarify or provide additional information in order for the City to evaluate the Proposals submitted

1.4.4. To investigate the qualifications, experience, capabilities, and financial standing of each Company submitting a Proposal;

1.4.5. To waive any defect or irregularity in any Proposal received;

1.4.6. To reject any or all Proposals;

1.4.7. To share the Proposals with City employees other than the Evaluation Committee or City advisory committees as deemed necessary;

1.4.8. To award all, none, or any part of the Services and enter into Contracts with one or more of the responding Companies deemed by the City to be in the best interest of the City, which may be done with or without re-solicitation;

1.4.9. To discuss and negotiate with any Company(-ies) their Proposal terms and conditions, including but not limited to financial terms;

1.4.10. To terminate discussions and negotiations with any Company at any time and for any reason;

1.4.11. To issue additional requests for information; and

1.4.12. To take any action affecting this RFP, this RFP process, or the Services or facilities subject to this RFP that would be in the best interest of the City.

1.5. Expense of Submittal Preparation.

The City accepts no liability, and Companies will have no actionable claims, for reimbursement of any costs or expenses incurred in participating in this solicitation process. This includes expenses and costs related to Proposal submission, submission of written questions, attendance at pre-proposal meetings or evaluation interviews, contract negotiations, or activities required for contract execution.

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1.6. Proposal Conditions.

1.6.1. The following terms are applicable to this RFP and the Company’s Proposal Not An Offer.

This RFP does not constitute an offer by the City. No binding contract, obligation to negotiate, or any other obligation shall be created on the part of the City unless the City and the Company execute a Contract. No recommendations or conclusions from this RFP process concerning the Company shall constitute a right (property or otherwise) under the Constitution of the United States or under the Constitution, case law, or statutory law of North Carolina.

1.6.2. Right to Terminate Discussions.

The Company’s participation in this process might result in the City selecting the Company to engage in further discussions. The commencement of such discussions, however, does not signify a commitment by the City to execute a Contract or to continue discussions. The City can terminate discussions at any time and for any reason.

1.6.3. Trade Secrets and Personal Identification Information.

Definition.

Upon receipt by the City, all materials submitted by a Company (including the Proposal) are considered public records except for (1) material that qualifies as “trade secret” information under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 et seq. (“Trade Secrets”) or (2) “personally identifiable information” protected by state or federal law, to include, but not be limited to, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and driver’s license numbers (“Personally Identifiable Information” or “PII”).

Instructions for Marking and Identifying Trade Secrets.

If any Proposal contains Trade Secrets or PII, such Trade Secrets and PII must specifically and clearly be identified by clearly separating them from the rest of the Proposal and marked either “Personally Identifiable Information – Confidential” or “Trade Secret—Confidential and Proprietary Information.” This confidentiality caption must appear on each page of the Trade Secret or PII materials, and the document(s) must be submitted separately in the Procurement Portal.

Availability of Proposals to City Staff and Contractors.

By submitting a Proposal, each Company agrees that the City may reveal any Trade Secret materials and PII contained therein to all City staff and City officials involved in the selection process, and to any outside consultant or other third parties who serve on the Evaluation Committee or who are hired or appointed by the City to assist in the evaluation process.

Availability of Proposals via Public Records Requests.

Any person or entity (including competitors) may request Proposals submitted in response to an RFP. Only those portions of RFPs properly designated as Trade Secret or PII are not subject to disclosure. The public disclosure of the contents of a Proposal or other materials submitted by a Company is governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 132 and 66-152, et seq.

When determining whether to mark materials as Trade Secret, please note the following:

• Entire Proposals may not be marked as Trade Secret

• Pricing may not be marked as Trade Secret

The City may disqualify and Company that designates its entire Proposal as a trade secret, or any portion thereof that clearly does not qualify under applicable law as a Trade Secret or PII. Each Company agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City and each of its officers, employees, and agents from all costs, damages, and expenses incurred in connection with refusing to disclose any material that the Company has designated as a Trade Secret or PII. This includes an obligation on the part of the Company to defend any litigation brought by a party that has requested Proposals or other information that the Company has marked Trade Secret or PII.

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1.6.4. Statutory Requirements.

Any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP shall be in full conformance with all statutory requirements of North Carolina and all statutory requirements of the Federal Government, to the extent applicable.

1.6.5. Reservation of Right to Change Schedule.

The City shall ultimately determine the timing and sequence of events resulting from this RFP. The City reserves the right to delay the closing date and time for any phase if City staff believe that an extension will be in the best interest of the City.

1.6.6. Reservation of Right to Amend RFP.

The City reserves the right to amend this RFP at any time during the process, if it believes that doing so is in the best interests of the City. Any addenda will be posted to the Procurement Portal. Companies are required to acknowledge receipt of each addendum.

1.6.7. No Collusion or Conflict of Interest.

By responding to this RFP, the Company shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that the Proposal is not made in connection with any competing Company submitting a separate response to this RFP and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud.

1.6.8. Proposal Terms Firm and Irreversible.

The signed Proposal shall be considered a firm offer on the part of the Company. The City reserves the right to negotiate price and other terms. All Proposal elements (including all statements, claims, declarations, prices, and specifications) shall be considered firm and irrevocable for purposes of future Contract negotiations unless specifically waived in writing by the City. The Company chosen for award should be prepared to have its Proposal and any relevant correspondence incorporated into the Contract, either in part or in its entirety, at the City's election. Any false or misleading statements found in the Proposal or Contract exceptions not included in the Proposal may be grounds for disqualification.

1.6.9. Charlotte Business INClusion Program.

Pursuant to Charlotte City Council’s adoption of the Charlotte Business INClusion (CBI) Policy, the CBI program promotes diversity, inclusion, and local business opportunities in the City’s contracting and procurement process for Minority-owned, Woman-owned, and Small Business Enterprises (MWSBEs) with a significant business presence in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area. The CBI Policy is posted at www.charlottebusinessinclusion.com.

The City is committed to promoting opportunities for maximum participation of certified MWSBEs on City-funded contracts at both the prime and subcontract level. For MWSBE participation to count towards a Subcontracting Goal, MWSBEs must meet both the certification and geographic requirements as detailed throughout this solicitation and in the CBI Policy.

1.6.9.1. The City intends to negotiate utilization of MWSBE(s). The Company is required to submit the “MWSBE Utilization Form” through the Procurement Portal.

Failure to submit this form with the Proposal may render the Proposal non-responsive.

1.6.10. Subcontracting.

The Company given contract award shall be the prime contractor and shall be solely responsible for contractual performance. In the event of a subcontracting relationship, the Company shall remain the prime contractor and will assume all responsibility for the performance of the Services that are supplied by all subcontractors. The City retains the right to approve all subcontractors. Additionally, the City must be named as a third-party beneficiary in all subcontracts.

1.6.11. Equal Opportunity.

https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ http://www.charlottebusinessinclusion.com/

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The City has an equal opportunity purchasing policy. The City seeks to ensure that all segments of the business community have access to supplying the goods and services needed by City programs. The City provides equal opportunity for all businesses and does not discriminate against any Companies regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, and national origin or disability.

1.6.12. Use of City’s Name.

No advertising, sales promotion, or other materials of the Company or its agents or representatives may identify or reference the City in any manner absent the prior written consent of the City.

1.6.13. Withdrawal for Modification of Proposals.

Companies may change or withdraw a previously-submitted Proposal at any time prior to the Proposal due date by editing or removing their submission on the Procurement Portal.

1.6.14. No Bribery.

In submitting a response to this RFP, each Company certifies that neither it, any of its affiliates or subcontractors, nor any employees of any of the foregoing has bribed, or attempted to bribe, an officer or employee of the City in connection with the Contract.

1.6.15. Exceptions to the RFP.

Other than exceptions that are stated in compliance with this Section, each Proposal shall be deemed to agree to comply with all terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements of this RFP including the Sample Contract language. An “exception” is defined as the Company’s inability or unwillingness to meet a term, condition, specification, or requirement in the manner specified in the RFP including in the Sample Contract. All exceptions taken must be identified and explained in writing in your Proposal and must specifically reference the relevant section(s) of this RFP. If the Company provides an alternate solution when taking an exception to a requirement, the benefits of this alternative solution and impact, if any, on any part of the remainder of the Company’s solution, must be described in detail.

Exceptions must be submitted under the Acknowledgement section in the Procurement Portal. If exceptions are not identified in your Proposal, they may not be considered during Contract negotiation and could result in Proposal being rejected from further consideration.

If legal counsel needs to review the Sample Contract prior to signature, reviews must be completed before your Proposal is submitted. The City reserves the right to refuse consideration of any terms not so included. Any proposed changes to the Sample Terms after tentative contract award may constitute a material change to the Company’s Proposal and be grounds for revoking the award.

The City intends to enter into a City-drafted Contract with the successful Company that contains the terms and conditions set forth in the Sample Services Contract. The number and extent of any exceptions and proposed additions to the Sample Terms will be one of the City’s evaluation criteria.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City reserves the right to modify the Sample Terms prior to or during contract negotiations if it is in the City’s best interest to do so.

1.6.16. Fair Trade Certifications.

By submitting a Proposal, the Company certifies that:

• The prices in its Proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement with anyone, as to any matter relating to such prices for the purpose of restricting competition;

• Unless otherwise required by law, the prices quoted in its Proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Company and will not knowingly be so disclosed prior to the Proposal due date; and

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• No attempt has been made or will be made by the Company to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a Proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

1.6.17. Companies’ Obligation to Fully Inform Themselves.

Companies or their authorized representatives must fully inform themselves as to all conditions, requirements, and specifications of this RFP before submitting a Proposal. Failure to do so will be at the Company’s own risk.

1.6.18. Disclaimer

Each Company must perform its own evaluation and due diligence verification of all information and data provided by the City. The City makes no representations or warranties regarding any information or data provided by the City.

Section 2 Procurement Process

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2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

This Section 2 contains information about the procurement process for this Project.

2.1. Schedule and Process.

The following chart shows the schedule of events for the conduct of this RFP. The key events and deadlines for this process are as follows, some of which are set forth in more detail in the Sections that follow:

DATE EVENT

SEPTEMBER 24,2025 Issuance of RFP. The City issues this RFP.

OCTOBER 2, 2025 Intent to Bid. Company submits its intent to submit a Proposal via the Procurement Portal for this RFP by 5:00 p.m.

OCTOBER 3, 2025 Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference to be held via the link indicated in Section 2.4 at 9:00 a.m.

OCTOBER 9, 2025 Submission of Questions. Questions are due by 5:00 p.m.

OCTOBER 23, 2025 Proposal Submission. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. via the Procurement Portal.

OCTOBER 24, 2025 -

NOVEMBER 7, 2025

Evaluation. The Evaluation Committee will assess each Proposal and conduct evaluation activities with Companies.

NOVEMBER 7, 2025 Short-Listed Notifications Provided / Virtual Software Demonstration Scheduling

NOVEMBER 17, 2025 –

NOVEMBER 21, 2025

Potential Short-Listed Proposer Software Demonstrations.

2.2. Intent to Bid.

Please acknowledge receipt of this RFP through the Intent to Bid feature within the Procurement Portal, advising the City of your Company’s intention to submit or not submit a Proposal. The City strongly encourages Companies to submit their Intent to Bid prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference, but Companies shall not be precluded from submitting a Proposal if they fail to submit their Intent to Bid.

2.3. Interpretations and Addenda.

There are two (2) ways to ask questions about this RFP: (1) submit a question through the Vendor Discussion section on the Procurement Portal; or (2) ask a question at the Pre-Proposal Conference, if one is held. Other than these permitted methods, Companies should refrain from contacting City staff prior to the Proposal due date. The City is not bound by any statements, representations or clarifications regarding this RFP other than those provided in writing by the Procurement Officer.

Questions must be submitted in the Procurement Portal by the deadline stated in Section 2.1. In the case of questions not submitted by the deadline, the City will, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, decide whether an answer can be given before the Proposal deadline. When responding to Company questions or issuing addenda to the RFP, the City will post the answer or information to the Procurement Portal.

2.4. Pre-Proposal Conference.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference will be conducted on October 3, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Meeting information is provided below:

Click here to join – Join the meeting now

To join via phone only - 872-256-4172 Conference ID: 103 585 330# https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODc0NzNkNDgtNzBjNy00NjMwLWI1NTEtNTU1MGY1ZmJmYTYw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f312740d-c153-4339-9160-e26a104e0ecc%22%7d

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While attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference is not mandatory, all interested Companies are encouraged to attend. If special accommodations are required for attendance, please notify the City in advance through the Vendor Discussion section of the Procurement Portal.

2.5. Submission of Proposals.

Proposals must be in the format specified in Section 4 of this RFP by October 23, 2025 on or before but no later than 2:00 p.m.

Refer to the Bonfire Procurement Portal Instructions document in the Procurement Portal for submission instructions.

When received, all Proposals and supporting materials, as well as correspondence relating to this RFP, shall become the property of the City. The Proposals will not be read aloud or made available to inspect or copy until any trade secret issues have been resolved.

2.6. Correction of Errors.

The person signing the Proposal must initial erasures or other corrections in the Proposal. The Company further agrees that in the event of any obvious errors, the City reserves the right to waive such errors in its sole discretion. The City, however, has no obligation under any circumstances to waive such errors.

2.7. Evaluation.

As part of the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee may engage in discussions with one or more Companies. Discussions might be held with individual Companies to determine in greater detail the Company’s qualifications, to explore with the Company the scope and nature of the required contractual Services, to learn the Company’s proposed method of performance and the relative utility of alternative methods, and to facilitate arriving at a Contract that will be satisfactory to the City.

The City may in its discretion require one (1) or more Companies to make presentations to the Evaluation Committee or appear before the City and/or its representatives for an interview. During such interview, the Company may be required to orally and otherwise present its Proposal and to respond in detail to any questions posed. Additional meetings may be held to clarify issues or to address comments, as the City deems appropriate. Companies will be notified in advance of the time and format of such meetings.

Since the City may choose to award a Contract without engaging in discussions or negotiations, the Proposals submitted shall state the Company's best offer for performing the Services described in this

RFP.

2.8. Contract Award by City Manager. (anticipated)

As soon as practical after opening the Proposals, the name of the apparent successful Company will be submitted to the City Manager for final approval of award and the Procurement Officer will provide Contract documents to the Company. In the event the City Manager approval is not received within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days after opening of the Proposals, the Company may request that it be released from the Proposal.

2.9. Vendor Inclusion.

The City’s vendor management philosophy supports a fair, open, and inclusive process that offers the same access and information to all Companies. Although Companies are not required to be registered in the City’s vendor registration system prior to submitting a Proposal, in order to execute a contract with the City and receive payment from the City, all Companies must register with the City’s vendor registration system.

Your registration provides the City with baseline information for your company including location, contact and demographic information, as well as your areas of expertise with specific commodity and/or service descriptions. You will also have the opportunity to complete any applicable certifications

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if your company desires to establish itself as an SBE, MBE, or WBE. The link below will provide you with the opportunity to complete your registration on-line with the City.

http://charlottenc.gov/vendors http://charlottenc.gov/vendors

Section 3 Scope of Services

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3. SCOPE OF NPDES MS4 SCM COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE SOLUTION.

3.1. General Scope.

The City is seeking a software solution to support compliance with our NPDES MS4 permit, which mandates the tracking and enforcement of annual inspections for Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs). The required system must be capable of managing SCM records, supporting inspection workflows, and generating permit-compliant reports. The product should utilize:

• Geospatial tracking and visualization of SCMs

• Storage and management of property owner and responsible party contact information

• Integration and processing of third-party inspection reports

• Enforcement tracking including violations and corrective actions

• Reporting tools to meet permit and internal documentation requirements

In addition to permit-required activities, the system must support City staff inspections of SCMs under other local ordinances. Inspectors must be able to review and provide feedback on third-party submittals and, upon approval, record the inspection data into the system.

While the City is flexible with respect to certain elements of the NPDES MS4 SCM Compliance Software Solution, the City has specific requirements and preferences for the Service delivery method.

3.2. Equipment.

This project should not include any required hardware. All services are to be cloud hosted.

3.3. Pricing.

Regardless of exceptions taken, Companies shall provide pricing based on the requirements and terms set forth in this RFP. Pricing must be all-inclusive and cover every aspect of the Project. Cost must be in United States dollars rounded to the nearest quarter of a dollar. A pricing worksheet is provided in in the Procurement Portal to assist you.

The Company shall provide a fixed price Proposal, which shall be paralleled to a Milestone Payment Plan. The Milestone Payment Plan shall be in direct correlation with the Project Plan submitted by the Company. The Milestone Payment Plan shall be governed by terms and conditions as set forth in the Sample Contract of this RFP.

3.4. Customer Service.

The City is very focused on Customer Service with a philosophy to provide all customers with quality services in a manner that is courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless. The Services will be delivered with patience, understanding, good will, and without regard to our own convenience. The selected Company will be expected to use these guidelines in developing the Proposed Solution:

• Accessible, courteous, responsive and seamless customer service is of highest priority for the City.

• Accessible service means that citizens have easy access to the organization.

• Seamless customer service means that a customer gets good service no matter who is responsible.

• Responsible customer service means that our employees know what they are doing: that information they give is accurate; that they have a good understanding of how to get problems and decisions made; that they are trained and evaluated for the jobs they are doing.

• Customer Service goals must be measurable and regularly evaluated.

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• Continuous improvements in customer service must be made in order to make City services accessible, responsive and as seamless as possible.

3.5. Reporting Requirements.

3.5.1 Progress Reports.

Throughout the development and implementation period, the Company will be required to prepare and submit weekly written reports to the City Project Manager. The weekly reports shall: Update the Project Plan indicating progress for each task; Identify and report the status of all tasks that have fallen behind schedule and the reason and cure period; Identify and summarize all risks and problems identified by the Company which may affect the Project;

For each risk and problem, identify the action and person(s) responsible for mitigating the risk and resolving the problem; For each risk and problem identified, state the impact on the Project Plan; and identify all changes in the Project Plan that affect personnel, equipment, facilities and resources of the City which will be required for the Company to perform the Services two (2) weeks in advance of the need.

3.6. Application Requirements.

The Company shall address how their solution(s) will support these areas as well as the requirements listed in the Application Requirements Matrix Form found as a File within the Procurement Portal. Unless otherwise indicated as an optional requirement, the Company shall be required to meet all listed requirements with their proposed solution.

3.6.1. Technical Requirements.

3.6.2. Functional Requirements.

3.7. City Hardware/Software Requirements.

Compatibility and standardization are key concerns in City technology procurements. This is important to optimize interoperability and achieve better overall performance, and to reduce the costs of maintenance, inventory, training, and administration. To that end, the City has established certain standards and preferences regarding implementation of new hardware and software. Proposals must adhere to these where noted in the first column of the following table. In the remaining cases, adherence is preferred, but not required. Standards documentation for any technology category can be provided upon request. Version references in the matrix below are as of the time of publication.

Vendors are expected to adhere to the current city-supported versions and will need to request those version updates from the City.

A City Hardware-Software Requirements Compliance Form is included as a File within the Procurement Portal. This form should be completed and submitted as part of Company’s Proposal.

Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where different)

Compliant?

(Y/N)

Telephony

Telephony • AT&T POTS analog lines

• Cisco

• True Image Interactive (TII)

IVR (Formerly GetAbby) Centrex

• PepLink Hosted SIP Phone solution

• Cloud VoIP

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Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where

Call Recording System

• Eventide

• Verint

• Cisco

• OneCloud

• Eventide

• Verint

Mobile Device Services

• Apple iPhone 11, 12, & SE

• iPads – iPad 9th Gen

• Samsung S21 & S10E

• No approval required for android on approved exception list.

• VMWare AirWatch Managed Devices

• AT&T FirstNet (If qualified)

• Verizon services

• Apple iOS version

14.5 or higher

• Google Pixel 6 & above for Android

Networking x

Network Cabling *Standards

Apply/Adherence Required

• CAT6e or better

• Corning fiber optic

• CAT6 Plenum rated Systimax

• Panduit or equivalent

Network Hardware

*Standards Apply/Adherence

Required

• Cisco Systems Hardware and Software systems including all portions of their Borderless Networking, Collaboration, Data Center and Virtualization product lines, Extreme Networks

• Extreme Networks

• Aruba Network products

• Extreme Networks

Multiple Domains • Any technology the city adopts must work with multiple Active Directory domains, including the ability to distinguish between users with the same username in multiple domains.

• Microsoft 2016 Active Directory or higher

• Single Enterprise Forest

Network Communication

Protocol (standards apply)

• IP, current protocol is IPv4, but new equipment should support IPv6

• New technologies should support both IPv4 and IPv6

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Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where

Wi-Fi • Wi-Fi enabled systems should support 802.11a,b,g,n,ac protocols

• AES 256 bit encryption

• PEAP

• MS-CHAPv2 authentication

• New Access point equipment should support Cisco CAPWAP architecture, IEEE 802.11i or AeroHive/Extreme networks

• Extreme Networks

• Wi-Fi enabled systems should support 802.11 ac protocols

• Aruba

• Extreme Networks

• EAP-TLS

X

Desktop Computing *Standards

Apply/Adherence Required

• Dell OptiPlex

• Precision

• Latitude

• Panasonic Toughbook

• Hewlett Packard

• Macbooks

• NEC/Technovare (OPS only)

• Dell OptiPlex

• Precision

• Latitude

• Panasonic

Toughbook

Video Management /

Cameras

• QVMS (CATS VMS “Video Management System”)

• Qognify – NiceVision

• Axis

• Hanwha Techwin

• Genetec 5.12

• FUSUS

• NexView

• Verint

• Victor by American

Dynamics

• Not older than 2 versions behind the current

Digital Displays • Dell

• NEC P series

• NEC UN series (zero-bezel video wall)

• Sharp

• Samsung

• LG

• Smart Board

• NEC P series

• NEC UN series (zero-bezel video wall)

Data Center

Server Hardware *Standards

Apply/Adherence Required

• Dell PowerEdge series

• HP ProLiant

• Dell/EMC VxRail

• Nutanix hyperconverged clusters

• Dell PowerEdge Series

• HP ProLiant

• Dell/EMC VxRail

• Nutanix hyperconverged clusters

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Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where

Server Operating Systemse

*Standards Apply/Adherence

Required

• Windows Server 2016 and above

• Red Hat 7

• Oracle VM Server release

3.0+ and above at current patch level

• Suse Linux

• Windows Server 2019 or 2022

• Red Hat 8

• Suse Linux

• Preferred last OS version 1+ years in production

Virtual Operating Environments

*Standards Apply/Adherence

Required

• Servers o VMware ESXi

• Workstation Virtual Desktops – Microsoft Hyper- V/RDS system o Microsoft Server Desktop (Server 2016 – 2019) o Virtual Windows Server o Windows 10 “Jump Boxes” o Microsoft Windows 10 Virtual desktops session where applicable

• Microsoft Hyper-V/ RDS Published Applications replacing Microsoft App-V.

• Microsoft RDS Published Applications or Microsoft APPV

Applications support legacy components (Prior approval needed)

• All servers will be Vmware VMs except

VDI/RDS.

• VDI/RDS:

o Microsoft

Hyper-V o RDS

Published Applications

Enterprise Storage • EMC PowerStore FC SAN

• EMC PowerVault

• EMC Isilon NAS

• Cohesity

• StoneFly NAS

• HPE SAN

• EMC PowerStore FC

SAN

• EMC PowerVault

• EMC Isilon NAS

• Cohesity

• StoneFly NAS

• HPE SAN

Backup/Data

Protection Software

• Cohesity • Cohesity

Backup Hardware • Cohesity • Cohesity

Data

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Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where

Database Systems *Standards

Apply/Adherence Required

• MS SQL Server 2016

• MS SQL Server 2017

• MS SQL Server 2019

• MS SQL Server 2022

• Oracle Database Server 19c and above

• MS SQL Server 2022

• Oracle 19c and later

• Postgres 13.x and later

• MariaDB 11.4

ETL/Data Mapping Services/Data Warehousing

• SQL Server Integration Services

• SQL Server Analysis Services

• WhereScape (RED, 3D and

Data Vault Express)

• R

• Python

• PowerShell

• Preferred last version 1+ years in production

Business Intelligence / Data

Visualization

• Tableau

• Excel

• Microsoft SQL Reporting

Services (SSRS)

• Esri’s Insights

• Varies per use :

Contact Innovation & Data before agreeing to contract.

Reporting Services • Business Objects

• Crystal

• COGNOS

• Oracle Reports

• Microsoft SQL Server

Reporting Services (SSRS)

• Tableau Enterprise

• SQL Server Reporting Services 2017 and later

• Tableau Enterprise Server 2021.1

Application Servers

• .NET Framework

• Oracle WebLogic

• Red Hat JBoss Enterprise

Application Platform (version 7.2+)

• .NET Framework 4.5.2

Web Servers • Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) versions 8.0,8.5, and 10.0 - Standard is to use what’s included in Microsoft OS.

• IIS – Ver 8.0, 8.5 and 10.0

Languages

• MS VB.NET

• ASP.NET

• MVC

• C#.NET

• PL/SQL

• JSP

• JavaScript

• Java J2EE

• C#.NET Core

• React

• React Native

• Python

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Standards Apply /

Adherence Required

Technology Category Current Architecture Summary Target Architecture (where

Enterprise Integration

Platform

• Microsoft BizTalk 2016

• Apache Active MQ

• .NET Framework

• Dell Boomi

• Apache Active MQ 5.15+

• .NET Framework 4.5.2

Desktop Operating System

*Standards Apply/Adherence

Required

• Windows 11 Enterprise 21H2 and above,

•…