4-RFP-02-Scope of Services.pdf

CITY OF FORT WORTH - PURCHASING DIVISION

SCOPE OF SERVICES

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 1 of 19 RFP Title: Mailroom Equipment Lease

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

The City of Fort Worth (“City”) is seeking qualified vendors to provide mailroom equipment leasing that includes inserters, mailing systems, receiving/tracking technology, software platforms, accessories, and comprehensive service and support for the Financial Management Services Department.

The City's current mailroom equipment lease expires November 29, 2026.

The Vendor shall coordinate implementation and transition activities to ensure the proposed solution is fully installed, configured, tested, and operational prior to expiration of the City's current lease. The Vendor shall minimize disruption to City mailroom operations throughout the transition.

Following the award, additional services of the same general category that could have been encompassed in the award of this Agreement, and that are not already on the Agreement, may be added.

The successful respondent(s), hereafter referred to as the "Proposer" or "Vendor," shall perform the requested services in accordance with the requirements and specifications of this solicitation.

2.0 MINIMUM VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

2.1 To be considered for award, Vendors shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

2.1.1 Have demonstrated experience providing and implementing mailroom equipment and related solutions of a similar size and scope.

2.1.2 Be an authorized distributor, reseller, or service provider for all proposed equipment and software, as applicable.

2.2 Failure to meet the minimum qualifications may result in the Proposal being deemed non-responsive and removed from further consideration.

3.0 BACKGROUND

The City of Fort Worth Mailroom, located at 100 Fort Worth Trail, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, provides centralized mail processing and distribution services for City departments. The Mailroom manages daily incoming and outgoing mail, parcels, interoffice deliveries, and departmental

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 2 of 19 correspondence.

3.1 The City seeks a new lease that provides equivalent or enhanced capabilities, ensures reliable continuity of operations, and includes all required services, software, and support.

3.2 The City is open to available lease terms offered by the Vendor.

Vendors should provide pricing for all available lease options, including 36-, 48-, and 60-month terms, as applicable. The City will consider the proposed lease term, total cost, equipment and technology offered, and overall value when determining the solution that best meets the City's needs.

3.3 Mailroom Operations

3.3.1 Mail Volume: The City of Fort Worth Mail room processes an average monthly volume of 36,795 pre-sort letters and post cards submitted to Pitney Bowes for discounted USPS mailing, as well as 2,886 pieces of non- presort mail processed at standard USPS rates, including First Class letters, packages, Certified mail, E- Certified mail, full-rate post cards, Priority Flat rate and Priority Express mail.

3.3.2 Mail and Materials Processed: Operations include processing First-Class Mail, First-Class Presort Mail, Postcards, Certified Mail (Standard and Electronic), Ground Advantage parcels, Priority Mail (including flat-rate), and Express Mail envelopes.

3.3.3 Staffing and Schedule: The Mailroom is currently staffed by three (3) full-time employees operating a single day shift, Monday through Friday.

3.3.4 Hours of Operation: Standard operating hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with peak activity generally occurring between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

3.3.5 Software Environment: Current systems utilize SendSuite Tracking and SendPro Enterprise. The selected vendor will provide software necessary to operate the proposed equipment.

3.3.6 Facility Space: The Mailroom includes designated space for the installation and operation of mailing equipment, parcel-

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 3 of 19 processing systems, and associated components.

3.4 Existing Equipment and Systems

3.4.1 The City’s Mailroom currently operates two primary mail-processing systems and one intelligent parcel locker bank.

3.4.1.1 Automated Inserting System: Relay 5000.

3.4.1.2 Mailing and Package Processing System: SendPro P-

Series.

3.4.1.3 Intelligent Parcel Locker Bank integrated with

SendSuite Tracking and at least thirteen (13) lockers in a variety of sizes.

4.0 REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

4.1 Integration Requirements

4.1.1 Proposed solutions must be comparable to SendSuite Tracking.

4.1.2 Proposed solutions must be compatible with the City’s Outlook directory for user authentication and/or staff lookup functions, subject to review by the City’s Information Technology Department.

4.1.3 Proposed solutions shall provide integration capabilities necessary to support the City's mailroom operations, including the ability to exchange user, department, package, tracking, delivery, and other operational data with systems identified by the City. The Proposer shall identify all available integration methods, including APIs, web services, data imports/exports, and other available integration capabilities.

4.1.4 The Proposer shall identify all software, licenses, subscriptions, middleware, APIs, connectivity, or professional services required to support integrations. Any recurring or one-time costs associated with integration shall be clearly identified in the Proposal.

4.1.5 The proposed solution shall support role-based access and administrative controls that allow the City to manage user access based on job responsibilities, departments, and other

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 4 of 19 applicable security requirements.

4.1.6 The proposed solution shall maintain audit logs sufficient to identify user and administrative activity, including system access, changes to user permissions, package or mail tracking activity, locker access, and other applicable transactions.

4.1.7 All proposed software, systems, and cloud-based components shall comply with applicable City Information Technology security requirements. The Proposer shall identify the security controls, authentication methods, encryption, access controls, and other security measures applicable to the proposed solution.

4.2 Inserting System Inserting System (Current System: Relay 5000)

4.2.1 The proposed solution must include an automated inserting system with:

4.2.1.1 Multi station document feeder

4.2.1.2 Tower feeder capability

4.2.1.3 Sheet/flat envelope trays and insert tray

4.2.1.4 Address inverter functionality

4.2.1.5 High volume throughput suitable for municipal

operations

4.2.1.6 Power protection features equivalent to PowerGuard

4.2.1.7 Installation and operator training

4.3 Mailing System (Current System: SendPro P Series)

4.3.1 The mailing system must include at a minimum:

4.3.1.1 Postage meter with multi class processing

4.3.1.2 Differential weighing capability

4.3.1.3 Compatibility with 30-lb. and 70-lb. scales

4.3.1.4 External scale display

4.3.1.5 Minimum 15-inch color touch interface

4.3.1.6 High volume throughput (minimum 270 LPM)

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4.3.1.7 Weigh on the way (WOW) processing

4.3.1.8 Power stacker modules and extensions

4.3.1.9 Mono print module

4.3.1.10 High volume 4-inch label printing

4.3.1.11 Departmental analytics and reporting (3,000

department capability or better)

4.4 Intelligent Locker Bank (Integrated with SendSuite Tracking or

Equivalent)

4.4.1 The Vendor shall provide an intelligent parcel locker solution that meets or exceeds the functionality of the City’s existing intelligent locker bank currently integrated with SendSuite Tracking. The proposed solution must include:

4.4.1.1 Full compatibility and real-time integration with

SendSuite Tracking or an equivalent enterprise package-tracking platform approved by the City.

4.4.1.2 Automated parcel receiving workflows, including

locker assignment, secure storage, recipient notifications, and pickup verification.

4.4.1.3 Secure, audit-ready chain-of-custody logging for all

locker-based transactions.

4.4.1.4 Real-time synchronization of locker events including

access codes, delivery confirmations, and pickup records.

4.4.1.5 All required software, firmware, licenses, middleware, APIs, and connectivity components necessary for complete operation of the locker system.

4.4.1.6 All software updates, upgrades, security patches, and enhancements included at no additional cost for the duration of the lease.

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4.4.1.7 Intelligent locker hardware including secure

compartments, digital access controls, user interface screens, controllers, sensors, and power systems.

4.4.1.8 Remote monitoring and alerting capabilities for

system health, locker door issues, power outages, or connectivity failures

4.4.1.9 Maintenance, diagnostics, repair, and technical

support for locker hardware and all associated system components.

4.4.1.10 Installation, configuration, testing, and transition support, including the option to replace or upgrade the existing locker bank if proposed.

4.4.1.11 End-user and administrator training for City

personnel.

4.4.1.12 Locker systems must comply with City security

requirements, including secured administrative access, audit trails, and proper data protection measures.

4.4.1.13 The proposed locker bank shall include a minimum of

thirteen (13) individual lockers. The City is open to varying locker sizes and configurations, provided the proposed solution supports the City’s operational needs and does not interfere with mailroom operations.

4.5 Receiving, Shipping & Tracking System

4.5.1 The solution must include:

4.5.1.1 Package receiving and chain-of-custody logging

4.5.1.2 Multi-carrier shipping processing

4.5.1.3 Enterprise tracking dashboard with reporting and

multi-site visibility

4.5.1.4 Mobile scanners (wired or wireless) and charging

cradles

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4.5.1.5 Signature capture

4.5.1.6 Automated email notifications

4.5.1.7 Unlimited workstation access or functional equivalent

5.0 SOFTWARE, UPDATES, AND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

5.1 The proposed solution must include all software and cloud or on-premise components required for full operation, including but not limited to:

5.1.1 Metering and mailing software.

5.1.2 Reporting and analytics dashboards.

5.1.3 Enterprise mail management/tracking software.

5.1.4 Security and update-management tools.

5.1.5 Setup, welcome kits, templates, and configuration tools.

5.1.6 Implementation support and project management.

5.2 The Vendor shall provide all software updates, upgrades, patches, security fixes, performance improvements, version changes, and feature enhancements at no additional cost to the City for the entire duration of the lease.

5.3 The Vendor shall ensure that all leased equipment remains supported by the manufacturer and compatible with required software throughout the lease term.

5.3.1 If leased equipment becomes obsolete, reaches manufacturer end-of-support, or is no longer capable of supporting required software, security, or operational requirements during the lease term, the Vendor shall notify the City and provide available replacement or upgrade options, including any associated pricing, for the City's consideration and approval.

5.3.2 Any equipment replacement or upgrade resulting in an

additional cost to the City must receive prior written approval from the City.

5.4 Software provided under the resulting Agreement shall remain current and supported throughout the lease term.

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5.5 Updates shall be deployed in a timely manner and coordinated, as necessary, to minimize disruption to City operations.

5.6 All labor, remote support, configuration changes, and testing necessary to implement required software updates shall be included at no additional cost to the City.

5.7 Updated software shall remain compatible with all leased equipment and other components of the proposed solution.

5.8 The City shall receive advance notification of major software releases or updates that may require scheduled downtime, configuration changes, or other operational adjustments.

5.9 No upgrade fees, subscription increases, or add on charges for functionality, software, licenses, or components required to operate the proposed solution as represented in the Proposal will be accepted during the lease term, except as expressly identified in the Proposal and approved by the City

5.10 All data generated, collected, processed, or stored through the City's use of the proposed solution shall remain the property of the City.

5.11 The Vendor shall not sell, disclose, distribute, or use City data for any purpose other than providing the services required under the Agreement, except as authorized by the City or required by law.

5.12 The Vendor shall provide the City with reasonable access to City data throughout the lease term. The City shall have the ability to retrieve and export applicable operational, tracking, reporting, user, department, and transaction data.

5.13 Upon request by the City, and at the conclusion or expiration of the Agreement, the Vendor shall provide a complete export of applicable City data in a commonly usable electronic format. The Vendor shall identify any limitations, fees, or technical requirements associated with data export in its Proposal.

5.14 The Vendor shall cooperate with the City in the transition of applicable data to a replacement system or successor Vendor at the conclusion of the Agreement.

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5.15 Following expiration or termination of the Agreement, the Vendor shall securely dispose of City data in accordance with applicable City requirements and shall provide documentation or certification of disposal upon request.

6.0 MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

6.1 Comprehensive service and maintenance shall be provided for all leased equipment and associated software throughout the lease term and shall include, at a minimum:

6.1.1 Standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) coverage for all equipment and software.

6.1.2 Preventive maintenance and scheduled service.

6.1.3 All repair labor, travel, and replacement parts.

6.1.4 Remote diagnostics.

6.1.5 Customer support during standard business hours.

6.1.6 Guaranteed response times and resolution times as proposed by the Vendor and accepted by the City.

6.1.7 The Vendor shall provide defined service levels for equipment, software, locker systems, tracking systems, and other components of the proposed solution. The Proposal shall clearly identify response and resolution times for critical, major, and minor service issues.

6.1.8 At a minimum, the Vendor shall identify:

6.1.8.1 Remote response time;

6.1.8.2 On-site response time, when required;

6.1.8.3 Target resolution time;

6.1.8.4 Escalation procedures;

6.1.8.5 eHours and methods of technical support;

6.1.8.6 Procedures for critical system or equipment failures;

and

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6.1.8.7 Procedures for issues affecting the City's ability to process, receive, track, or distribute mail and packages.

6.1.8.8 The Vendor shall notify the City of any service issue that materially affects mailroom operations and shall provide status updates until the issue has been resolved.

6.1.8.9 Service and support requirements shall apply to all

leased equipment, software, locker systems, tracking systems, and associated components provided as part of the proposed solution.

7.0 LEASE REQUIREMENTS

7.1 The proposed solution shall be offered under a Fair Market Value

(FMV) lease.

7.2 Lease pricing shall include all equipment, required software, licenses/subscriptions, service, maintenance, updates, training, and support necessary to provide the proposed solution.

7.3 Vendors may offer any available lease terms. The City is particularly interested in 36-, 48-, and 60-month options; however, Vendors are not required to offer all three terms.

7.4 The City prefers solutions that provide options for equipment upgrades, component changes, replacements, or scalability during the lease term.

7.5 End-of-term removal of leased equipment shall be included, if applicable.

7.6 Vendors shall clearly identify all costs associated with the proposed solution for the full lease term, including equipment, software, licenses, subscriptions, implementation, installation, integration, maintenance, service, training, support, updates, upgrades, connectivity, and other required components.

7.6.1 The Vendor may identify and describe any optional equipment, services, features, integrations, expansions, or other add-on

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 11 of 19 items available in connection with the proposed solution. Any optional items shall be clearly identified as add-ons and include applicable pricing. Optional items are provided for the City’s consideration and are not required to meet the requirements of this Scope of Work. The City is under no obligation to purchase or utilize any optional item offered.

7.6.2 The Vendor shall identify all recurring and one-time costs that may be incurred by the City during the lease term.

7.6.3 No additional recurring fees, subscription increases, software charges, licensing fees, or other costs for components required to operate the proposed solution shall be imposed during the lease term unless specifically identified in the Proposal and approved by the City in accordance with the Agreement.

7.6.4 Vendors shall identify the cost and process for adding users, departments, lockers, scanners, workstations, equipment, storage capacity, or other components necessary to accommodate future operational growth.

8.0 INSTALLATION, TRANSITION, AND TRAINING

8.1 The Vendor shall be responsible for the following:

8.1.1 Install, configure, and test all leased equipment.

8.1.2 Coordinate with the City, and the City's incumbent Vendor as applicable, to support the removal and transition of existing leased systems.

8.1.2.1 The Vendor shall designate a project manager who

shall serve as the primary point of contact for implementation, transition, installation, testing, training, and go-live activities.

8.1.2.2 The Vendor shall provide a detailed implementation

schedule identifying major milestones, dependencies, responsibilities, testing activities, training, cutover activities, and the anticipated go-live date.

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8.1.2.3 The Vendor shall coordinate with the City and the

incumbent Vendor, as applicable, to minimize disruption to mailroom operations during the transition from the City's existing equipment and systems to the proposed solution.

8.1.2.4 The Vendor shall identify any responsibilities, information, access, equipment, connectivity, or other resources required from the City or incumbent Vendor to complete the transition.

8.1.2.5 The Vendor shall provide a contingency plan

addressing potential delays in equipment delivery, installation, configuration, testing, data transition, or other implementation activities that could affect the City's ability to maintain uninterrupted mailroom operations.

8.1.3 Deliver operator training for at least three staff members.

8.1.4 Provide refresher training as requested.

8.1.5 Supply user manuals, quick-start guides, and online resources.

8.1.6 Prior to final acceptance of the proposed solution, the Vendor shall complete testing of all equipment, software, integrations, tracking capabilities, locker functionality, notifications, reporting, user access, and other required components to demonstrate that the solution meets the requirements of this Scope of Work.

8.1.7 The Vendor shall provide the City with an implementation and acceptance testing plan for review and approval prior to implementation.

8.1.8 Acceptance testing shall include, at a minimum, verification that:

8.1.8.1 All required equipment is installed and operational;

8.1.8.2 Required software and licenses are installed and

functioning;

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8.1.8.3 Required integrations are operational;

8.1.8.4 Package and mail tracking functions as required;

8.1.8.5 Locker assignment, access, notifications, and pickup

verification function as required;

8.1.8.6 Required reports and analytics are available;

8.1.8.7 User authentication and access controls function as

required;

8.1.8.8 Required equipment throughput and functionality are

demonstrated; and

8.1.8.9 City personnel have received required training.

8.1.9 Any deficiencies identified during acceptance testing shall be corrected by the Vendor prior to final acceptance at no additional cost to the City.

8.1.10 Final acceptance shall not relieve the Vendor of its ongoing maintenance, service, warranty, support, software, or other contractual obligations.

9.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

9.1 Minimum 98% equipment uptime during the City’s standard operating hours.

9.2 Inserting and mailing speeds must meet or exceed current operational needs.

9.3 Package tracking system must support audit-ready reporting.

9.4 All equipment and software must comply with City IT security requirements.

9.5 The Vendor shall maintain appropriate business continuity and disaster recovery procedures for the proposed solution to minimize disruption to City mailroom operations in the event of equipment failure, software failure, network or connectivity interruption, power interruption, cybersecurity incident, or other system outage.

9.6 The Proposer shall describe its backup and disaster recovery procedures, including applicable recovery time objectives, recovery

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 14 of 19 point objectives, backup frequency, data recovery procedures, and procedures for restoring system functionality.

9.7 The proposed solution shall provide a method for maintaining or documenting mail and package processing activity during a system outage and for reconciling applicable transactions following restoration of the system.

9.8 The Vendor shall notify the City of significant system outages and provide status updates, estimated restoration times, and corrective action information until normal operations are restored.

9.9 The Proposer shall identify any City infrastructure, equipment, connectivity, or procedures required to support the proposed business continuity and disaster recovery solution.

10.0 MEHOD OF AWARD - Proposals will be evaluated based on “best value” to the City. Proposals that receive less than 50% of the total available points, excluding price points, will not be considered for award.

11.0 EVALUATION FACTORS

To be considered, the Proposer must submit a complete Proposal by the stated deadline and in accordance with all Proposal requirements. All required documentation must be included for evaluation.

Proposals that meet these requirements will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below.

11.1 Small Business Participation – up to 20 points available.

Participation will be based on the following tier: 0% = 0 points, 1% to 7% = 7 points, 8% to 15% = 10 points, 16% to 29% = 15 points, 30% or more (goal met) = 20 points

11.2 Proposed Solution & Functional Capabilities – up to 25 points available.

11.3 Vendor Experience, References & Qualifications – up to 15 points available.

11.4 Implementation, Service, & Support – up to 20 points available.

11.5 Cost – up to 20 points available.

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12.0 CONTRACT AWARD PROCESS

12.1 The Purchasing Division will facilitate and manage the evaluation process.

12.2 An Evaluation Panel consisting of representatives from various City departments and City consultants may be appointed to review and evaluate RFP responses in accordance with this RFP. City reserves the right at its sole discretion to include additional representatives at any point during the evaluation.

12.3 The Evaluation Committee will evaluate responses and may select Proposer for onsite interviews, presentations or demonstrations.

12.4 At its sole discretion, the City may request Best and Final Offers (BAFO) from proposers whose proposals are deemed most advantageous. Contract negotiations will be based on the BAFO submissions.

12.5 The City reserves the right to negotiate all elements that comprise the successful Proposer’s response to ensure that the best possible consideration be afforded to all concerned.

12.6 The City reserves the right to shortlist firms based upon scores/ratings received during the evaluation process.

12.7 The City will notify all proposers in writing of the outcome once an award determination has been made.

13.0 PROPOSAL FORMAT AND ATTACHMENTS

To facilitate and expedite the evaluation process, Proposals should adequately address all evaluation factors and include the following list of required items that will be used as part of the evaluation. A Proposal may be deemed to be non-responsive and may be disqualified, at the City’s discretion, if the Proposal fails to comply with the following instructions.

13.1 Proposal Format Requirements

13.1.1 Proposal format shall be in font no smaller than 12 point, 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper size, with one inch margins and single-spaced for the entire submitted proposal.

13.1.2 All proposal sections shall be divided by submission titles.

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All pages within these sections shall be uniquely numbered for purposes of easy reference.

13.2 Response Forms

13.2.1 Completed and signed RFP-04-CFW Required Forms.

13.2.2 Completed and signed RFP-05-Small Business Utilization

Form and Small Business Certificate (Note: both the Utilization Form and qualifying Small Business Certificate must be submitted by the proposal deadline to be considered for Small Business Participation.)

13.2.3 Completed and signed RFP-06-Deviations.

13.2.4 Signed addenda (if applicable). If none are issued, please add a page stating, “No Addenda Issued.”

13.2.5 Completed Price Proposal.

13.3 Technical Response

The Technical Response should be organized to generally align with the evaluation criteria and demonstrate the Proposer’s qualifications, experience, proposed solution, and ability to meet the requirements of the Scope of Services.

The Technical Response should include the following information:

13.3.1 Company Qualifications and Experience – provide a brief narrative describing your company’s experience providing and implementing mailroom equipment, software, and related services of a similar size and scope. Include experience providing services to governmental or other public-sector entities.

13.3.2 Proposed Equipment and Solution – describe the overall solution being proposed and explain how it will meet the City's operational requirements and improve upon or enhance the City's current mailroom environment. Identify the manufacturer and model number of all major equipment and describe the associated software, licensing, access methods, and other components necessary for operation. Describe the https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/econdev/sbdp/sbe

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 17 of 19 proposed mail and package tracking capabilities, including chain of custody, departmental/employee delivery, notifications, audit trails, reporting, and intelligent locker functionality. Indicate whether the company is an authorized distributor or reseller for the proposed equipment and software.

13.3.3 Implementation and Transition Approach – describe your approach to implementation and transition, including delivery, installation, configuration, testing, system integration, and training. Provide the anticipated implementation timeline and identify the amount of time required to have the proposed solution fully operational prior to November 29, 2026.

13.3.4 Maintenance, Service, and Support – describe the

maintenance and technical support that will be provided throughout the lease term. Include applicable service levels, response times, preventive maintenance, repair services, technical support, escalation procedures, and the process for maintaining current and supported equipment and software throughout the lease term.

13.3.5 Training – describe the initial and ongoing training that will be available to City personnel, including operator and administrator training, refresher training, and available training resources.

13.4 Exceptions/Substitutions/Clarifications/Additions

13.4.1 Although the Scope of Work included Project Requirements of the solicitation represents the City’s anticipated needs, there may be instances in which it is in the City’s best interest to permit exceptions to requirements and accept proposed alternatives.

13.4.2 If no exceptions are taken, the Proposer shall indicate “No Exceptions Taken” on RFP-06-Deviations and submit the completed form.

13.4.3 It is extremely important for the Proposer to make clear

RFP Ref. #: 26-0300 Doc. Ref#: RFP-02 Page 18 of 19 where exceptions, clarifications substitutions and/or additions to the Scope of Services, Draft Vendor Service Agreement and General Terms and Conditions are taken and how substitutions shall be provided. The City does not recognize strikeouts, deletions, or changes to Solicitation documents. Therefore, exceptions, conditions, clarifications and/or substitutions to the provisions of the City’s requirements must be clearly identified along with the proposed addition or modification. If the Proposer does not make it clear that an addition, exception or clarification is taken, the City shall assume the Proposer is responding to and shall meet the City’s stated requirements.

13.4.4 Identify each exception, clarification, substitution and/or addition by specifically referencing the page number, section number, subsection number, item number or letter, and, if necessary, paragraph, or line number.

13.4.5 Identify each item clearly as an addition, exception, clarification or substitution. It is not necessary to include the entire text of a particular section or subsection. However, for ease of reference, Proposers may use portions of the solicitation’s text, if helpful in explanation.

13.4.6 For substitutions/clarifications, provide an explanation of the difference between what the solicitation requests and what is proposed. The City is open to other means of accomplishing the requested Work. Proposers must explain why they believe their method of accomplishing the Work is equal to or better than that specified by the City.

13.4.7 For any addition(s) proposed or exception(s) taken, provide a rationale in as much detail as possible.

13.4.8 Begin responses to the major sections of the solicitation on a new page.

13.4.9 The City shall consider the number and substance of

alterations to the City’s stated requirements as a factor in determining the most advantageous response.

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SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM – The City of Fort Worth has established a 30% Small Business (SB) participation goal for this solicitation. This goal reflects the City’s determination that certified Small Business Firms are available to provide the goods and/or services required under this bid. Accordingly, at least 30% of the total awarded contract value must be subcontracted or spent with a certified Small Business Firm. All provisions and requirements outlined in City Ordinance No. 27832-08-2025 apply to this solicitation. Bidders are required to submit the following documentation with their proposal:

a. Small Business Utilization Form (RFP-05), detailing how the Small Business goal will be achieved.

b. Current Small Business Certification issued by a certifying entity approved by the City Manager.