I. General Overview and Instructions

This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is intended to provide interested offerors with sufficient basic information to submit proposals meeting minimum requirements. It is not intended to limit a proposal's content or exclude any relevant or essential data.

This solicitation is issued in accordance with the State of Utah Procurement Code, Utah Code Annotated (UCA) Chapter 63G-6a, and applicable Rules found in the Utah Administrative Code (UAC). If any provision of this solicitation conflicts with the UCA or UAC, the UCA or UAC will take precedence.

NOTICE: In this solicitation, if an item is defined through use of a trade name, brand name, or a manufacturer and/or model number, it is intended that the words, “or equivalent” apply; and invites the submission of equivalent products by the Offerors.

CANCELLATION OF PROCUREMENT

The Utah Department of Transportation (the State) reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time and not award a contract if such action is determined in writing to be in the best interest of the State (UCA §63G-6a-709).

FUTURE PROCUREMENTS

UDOT reserves the right to reopen this solicitation or create a new solicitation if it determines there may be more need for the procurement item than when the original solicitation was issued.

QUANTITY ESTIMATES

Historical usage may not be representative of forthcoming need, and as such, UDOT does not guarantee to purchase any amount under this contract.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Questions MUST be submitted through the online bidding system during the designated Question and Answer period. Questions submitted through any other channel will not be answered. Answers disseminated by the State through the online bidding system may modify the specification or requirements of this solicitation and will constitute an addendum to this solicitation.

Questions or notifications to the State of any ambiguity, inconsistency, excessively restrictive requirement, or errors in this solicitation MUST be submitted as a question during the Q&A period.

Issues with the solicitation that have not been previously addressed within the Q&A period of the procurement are not allowed to be addressed within a proposal and may result in the Offeror’s proposal being considered non-responsive.

It is the responsibility of the Offeror to submit their proposal as required by this solicitation, including any requirements contained in an answered question and/or addenda.

Exceptions to the scope of work or other content of the Solicitation not previously addressed within the Q&A period of the procurement may result in the Offeror’s proposal being considered non-responsive.

ADDENDA

Any modification to this procurement will be made by addendum issued by the State. Addenda to this solicitation may be made for the purpose of making changes to: the scope of work, the schedule, the qualification requirements, the criteria, the weighting, or other requirements of this solicitation.

Authorized and properly issued addenda shall constitute the official and binding position of the State. Any response to this solicitation which has as its basis any communications or information received from sources other than this solicitation, or related addenda, may be considered non-responsive and be rejected at the sole discretion of the State.

The State accepts no responsibility for a prospective Offeror not receiving solicitation documents and/or revisions to the solicitation. It is the responsibility of the prospective Offeror to monitor the bidding system to obtain addenda or other information relating to the solicitation.

RESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS

From the issue date of this solicitation until an award is published, Offerors are prohibited from communications regarding this solicitation with staff, evaluation committee members, or other associated individuals EXCEPT the UDOT procurement officers overseeing this solicitation. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

All materials submitted become the property of the State. Materials may be evaluated by anyone designated by the state as part of the proposal evaluation committee. Materials submitted may be returned only at the State's option.

Proposals must be received by the due date and time (“deadline”). Proposals received after the deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration.

Electronic submission instructions: When submitting a proposal electronically through the online bidding system, please allow sufficient time to complete the online forms and to upload proposal documents. The solicitation will end at the deadline. If an Offeror is in the middle of uploading a proposal when the deadline arrives, the system will stop the upload process and the proposal will not be accepted by the bidding system, and the attempted submission will be considered late and ineligible for consideration.

Electronic proposals may require uploading of electronic attachments. The online bidding system will accept a wide variety of document types as attachments. However, the State is unable to view certain documents. Therefore, DO NOT submit documents that are embedded (zip files), or encrypted. All documents must be uploaded in the bidding system as separate files (system limit for file size is 50 MB).

Files submitted electronically must NOT be password protected or locked in any way.

Cost Proposal submission instructions: Cost Proposals are evaluated independently from the technical proposal, pursuant to the Utah Procurement Code, and as such, must be submitted separately from the technical proposal and as per solicitation requirements.

Failure to submit cost or pricing data separately and as directed may result in your proposal being judged as non-responsive and ineligible for contract award.

Sample submission instructions: Offerors may be required to submit product samples to demonstrate whether a procurement item meets the specifications and other requirements set forth in the solicitation.

Samples must be received prior to the solicitation due date and time and must be furnished free of charge unless otherwise stated in the solicitation. Submitted samples will not be subject to return. Samples must be labeled or otherwise identified as specified in the solicitation.

All costs incurred by an Offeror in the preparation and submission of a proposal, including any costs incurred during interviews, oral presentations, and/or product demonstrations are the responsibility of the Offeror and will not be reimbursed.

PROTECTED INFORMATION

Portions of a proposal may be protected by submitting a Claim of Business Confidentiality Form. However, an entire proposal cannot be identified as “PROTECTED”, “CONFIDENTIAL” or “PROPRIETARY”, and if so identified, shall be considered non-responsive unless the Offeror removes the designation.

Pricing may not be classified as confidential or protected and will be considered public information after award of the contract.

Process for Requesting Non-Disclosure: Any Offeror requesting that a record be protected must provide with their proposal the following information:

1. Must provide a completed Claim of Business Confidentiality at the time the information (proposal) is provided to the state, and

2. Must include a concise statement of reasons supporting the claim of business confidentiality (UCA § 63G-2-309(1)).

3. Must submit an electronic “redacted” (excluding protected information) copy of the proposal. Copy must clearly be marked “Redacted Version.”

Redacted Copy: If an Offeror submits a proposal that contains information claimed to be business confidential or protected information, the Offeror MUST submit two separate proposals: one redacted version for public release, with all protected business confidential information either blacked-out or removed, clearly marked as "Redacted Version"; and one non-redacted version for evaluation purposes, clearly marked as "Protected Business Confidential."

Offeror acknowledges that its proposal or redacted copy will be made public upon the State’s receipt of a GRAMA request. The Offeror will not be notified of any GRAMA request made to the State for offeror’s proposal. If the offeror submits a redacted copy, then the State will respond to a GRAMA request for offeror’s proposal with offeror’s redacted copy. However, if the offeror fails to submit a redacted copy, then the State will respond to a GRAMA request with offeror’s proposal, which will result in offeror’s protected/proprietary information, if any, being made public. Contractor acknowledges that notations in the header, footer or watermark of the proposal will not be considered sufficient to constitute a request for non-disclosure of protected/proprietary information.

Failure to comply with the requirements regarding Protected Information releases the State from any obligation or liability arising from the inadvertent release of Offeror information.

CORRECTION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by written or electronic notice received by the procurement officer prior to the established due date.

A decision to permit the correction or withdrawal of a proposal or the cancellation of an award or a contract shall be supported in a written document, signed by the chief procurement officer or head of a procurement unit with independent procurement authority.

The State reserves the right to waive minor informalities as well as minor deviations. The State also reserves the right to seek clarification on any proposal response.

DISCUSSIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS

Discussions may be held with an Offeror to obtain a more complete understanding of whether the Offeror is responsible, or the Offeror’s submitted proposal is responsive. Following discussions, a proposal may be rejected if it is determined that the Offeror is not responsible, or the proposal is not responsive.

BEST AND FINAL OFFER

A Best and Final Offer (BAFO) may be issued if it is determined to be necessary. The Best and Final Offer process is a formal request for offerors to amend specific portions of the technical proposal or cost proposal.

Under the Utah Procurement Code, a Best and Final Offer may be requested if:

(i) no single proposal adequately addresses all the specifications stated in the request for proposals;

(ii) all proposals are unclear or deficient in one or more respects;

(iii) all cost proposals exceed the identified budget or the procurement unit’s available funding; or

(iv) two or more proposals receive an identical evaluation score that is the highest score.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

All responsive and responsible proposals that have not been disqualified from consideration under the provisions of Part 7 of Utah Code 63G-6a, using the criteria established in this RFP will be evaluated by an evaluation committee in accordance with the Utah Procurement Code, Administrative Rules, policies, and the evaluation criteria set forth in this solicitation.

All proposals shall remain valid for a minimum of 120 calendar days after the Proposal Due Date to allow adequate time for evaluation.

AWARD

After the evaluation and final scoring of proposals is completed, the State shall award the contract as soon as practicable, provided the solicitation is not canceled without awarding a contract.

PROTEST PROCESS

Offerors are directed to Utah Code Part 16 and Utah Administrative Code Rule R33-16 for available appeal processes.

CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS, EXCEPTIONS, AND NEGOTIATIONS

Any contract resulting from this solicitation will include, but not be limited to the following:

· Scope of Work Specifications, Requirements, and Instructions.

· Any addendums to the solicitation as issued through the bidding system.

· Attachment A - State of Utah Standard Terms and Conditions.

Exceptions and/or additions to the Standard Terms and Conditions are strongly discouraged. Any requested exceptions and/or additions to the Standard Terms and Conditions must be submitted with the proposal. Exceptions and/or additions submitted after the date and time for receipt of proposals will not be considered. Offerors may not submit requests for exceptions and/or additions by reference to a vendor's website or URL.

The State may refuse to negotiate exceptions and/or additions that are determined to be excessive; that are inconsistent with similar contracts of the procurement unit; to warranties, insurance, or indemnification provisions that are necessary to protect the procurement unit after consultation with the Attorney General's Office or other applicable legal counsel; where the solicitation specifically prohibits exceptions and/or additions; or that are not in the best interest of the procurement unit.

In a multiple award situation, the State reserves the right to negotiate exceptions and/or additions to terms and conditions in a manner resulting in expeditious resolutions. This process may include beginning negotiations with the Offeror having the least number of exceptions and/or additions and concluding with the Offeror submitting the greatest number of exceptions and/or additions. Contracts may be executed and become effective as negotiations are completed.

If negotiations are required, Offerors must provide all documents in Microsoft Word format for redline editing. Offerors must also provide the name, contact information, and access to the person(s) that will be directly involved in legal negotiations.

Any mandatorily required acceptance of an Offeror’s terms and conditions may result in the proposal being determined to be non-responsive.

An award resulting from this solicitation is subject to successful contract terms and conditions negotiation (if required). The State, at its sole discretion, will determine when contract terms and conditions negotiations become unproductive and will result in termination of award to that Offeror and the State may move to the next eligible Offeror.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Contracts resulting from this solicitation are subject to performance evaluations. Continuous negative performance evaluations and documented feedback from end users may impact a vendor’s ability to participate in future solicitations. Performance evaluations may include end user surveys, performance audits, reports, interviews, or other reasonable methods of performance evaluation.

Performance evaluations will be conducted quarterly. Vendors will be provided with review metrics at the time of contract award. Vendors will be responsible for scheduling performance reviews. Vendors will be notified of the results of any performance evaluations or end user feedback collected.

If the Vendor’s final work product is determined, over time, to be unacceptable, defective, or non-conforming to the specifications outlined in this Agreement, the Vendor shall promptly correct, repair, or re-perform the non-conforming work product at its sole cost and expense. Under no circumstances shall the Client be obligated to pay additional fees, rates, or expenses for any remedial or re-performed work. If the Vendor repeatedly fails to deliver a conforming work product, the Client reserves the right, without penalty, to withhold payment, reject future work, and terminate this Agreement for cause upon written notice.

STABILITY OF VENDOR

The State reserves the right to request financial and other information it deems relevant as necessary to evaluate a vendor’s stability and capability of completing the Scope of Work.

OWNERSHIP OF DATA & WORK FOR HIRE

UDOT retains ownership of any UDOT data/publications that are used or created within this contract to be able to utilize as needed.

Offeror agrees to transfer and assign, and hereby transfers and assigns, to State of Utah, without further Compensation, the entire right, title and interest throughout the world in and to:

(a) all Technical Information first produced by Offeror in the performance of this Agreement;

(b) all Intellectual Property resulting from Offeror’s activities under this Agreement;

(c) all Intellectual Property relating to any Deliverables under this Agreement; and

(d) creations and inventions that are otherwise made through the use of State of Utah or its affiliates’ equipment, supplies, facilities, materials and/or Proprietary Information. All such Technical Information and Intellectual Property that are protectable by copyright will be considered work(s) made by Contractor for hire for State of Utah (as “works made for hire” is defined in the United States Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101) and will belong exclusively to the State of Utah. If by operation of law any of such Technical Information or Intellectual Property is not owned in its entirety by the State of Utah automatically upon creation, Offeror agrees to transfer and assign, and hereby transfers and assigns, same as stated in the first sentence of this Section.

Upon termination or completion of the Contract, Contractor shall reasonably cooperate with other parties in connection with all Goods and Services to be delivered, including any successor contractor to whom data is transferred. The Contractor shall assist UDOT in exporting and extracting data, in a usable format as agreed to between the parties, at no additional cost.

SUBCONTRACTORS

The planned use of any and all subcontractors must be clearly explained in the Executive Summary. The Offeror, if awarded the contract, shall be responsible for all costs and contract performances if subcontractors are used. The State must be notified if the Offeror contracts with any vendor or subcontractor not listed in the RFP response. The State reserves the right to review and approve all subcontractors, review services conducted by subcontractors, and refuse payment on projects where subcontractors are used without foreknowledge or approval by the State.

Subcontractors must be authorized to do business in the State of Utah. Subcontractors must include information, in the same detail as the prime contractor or offeror, of any and all personnel and companies who are not in the direct employ of the Contractor.

Freelance/contracted labor may not be billed above the prevailing labor rate in the contract and is not considered a reimbursable expense. The prime Offeror shall be responsible for all costs and contract performances by subcontractors if used.

All contractors and subcontractors included in the proposal will be available and committed throughout the duration of the contract. If it becomes necessary for one party to be removed from the contract, an acceptable replacement will be identified and approved by the UDOT Program Manager.

Joint Bids: Where two or more Bidders desire to submit a single bid in response to a solicitation, they must do so on a prime/subcontractor basis rather than as a joint venture. The State intends to contract with a single firm or multiple firms, but not with multiple firms doing business as a joint venture.

TECHNOLOGY MODIFICATIONS

The awarded contract(s) may be modified as a result of technological upgrades for the procurement item(s). Any modification for upgraded technology must be substantially within the scope of the original procurement or contract, and if both parties agree to the modification, then the contract may be modified, but not extended beyond the term of the original awarded contract except as provided in the Utah Procurement Code.

The awarded contract(s) may be modified for new technology related to the procurement item(s). Any modification for new technology shall not be exercised without: (1) the approval required under Section 63F-1-205 of the Utah Code, (2) the new technology modification has been subject to the review as described in Administrative Rule R33-6-114, and (3) the contracting parties agree to the modification.

II. Solicitation Specifics NOTICE: The electronic bidding system’s Event Number must be referred to on all proposals, correspondence, and documentation relating to this solicitation.

PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to enter into a contract between the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and a qualified firm to provide the Utah Department of Transportation and local agency partners within the State of Utah, public relations, outreach, and information management services for the Zero Fatalities program.

BACKGROUND

The Zero Fatalities Program is integral to supporting UDOT’s strategic goal of eliminating crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Achieving the absolute vision of Zero Fatalities requires focusing on both individual driver behavior, as well as the entire transportation ecosystem. Safety is a shared responsibility, encompassing system designers (engineers, planners, policymakers) and users (drivers, pedestrians, cyclists). The three core values of the Zero Fatalities Program, which focus on the value of human life and the collective duty to protect it, drive every policy, educational campaign, and enforcement action.

The communications campaign for the Zero Fatalities Program primarily focuses on providing education to the traveling public. Education plays a key role in fostering a supportive safety culture where behavior is improved at all levels. Effective education involves understanding and addressing the challenges and needs of all users, including improving the culture of the organizations that implement, enforce, and respond to safety. Effective safety education focuses on shifting culture and mindsets, fostering a sense of shared responsibility, rapidly raising risk awareness, and actively improving practical knowledge and skills necessary for safe behavior.

It is the responsibility of the Zero Fatalities PR and Media team to collaborate with the Zero Fatalities program team, UDOT Communications, and other partners, to strategize how to best reach out to the traveling public with behavior change messages that will increase safe driving behavior, and improve the safety of the transportation system. The Zero Fatalities PR and Media team will also serve as a resource for the Behavioral Safety Program to draw from for media outreach efforts throughout the year, as needed.

UDOT does not guarantee to purchase any specific dollar amount, and media purchasing may be variable from year to year.

The PR and Media program has four major elements:

1. Public relations outreach

2. Development of assets and creative

3. Paid media placement and purchasing

4. Communications strategy

5. Social media production and coordination, as requested

CONTRACT AWARD INTENT

It is anticipated that this solicitation will result in an award to a single contractor.

LENGTH OF CONTRACT AND PRICING GUARANTEE

The contract(s) resulting from this solicitation will be for an initial period through June 30, 2027, with three one-year options to renew.

All pricing must be guaranteed for the life of the contract. Requests for price adjustment must include sufficient documentation supporting the request (ie. through Federal commodity indices) and demonstrating a logical mathematical link between the current price and the proposed price.

Any adjustment or amendment to the contract will not be effective unless approved by the State. The State will be given the immediate benefit of any decrease in the market, or allowable discount.

This contract does not guarantee exclusivity on scope items to the awarded team. UDOT, at its sole discretion, may contract with other vendors to complete similar tasks at any time.

III. SCOPE OF WORK AND ASSOCIATED REQUIREMENTS

All Scope of Work Requirements MUST be demonstrably met by an Offeror in order for their response to be considered. Any breach of requirements once the Contract has been awarded constitutes breach of Contract by the vendor and the Contract may be terminated immediately.

The Scope of Work is subject to change based on the awarded contract(s).

DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK AND ASSOCIATED REQUIREMENTS

The successful Offeror will be expected to accomplish the following tasks:

A. Work with the Zero Fatalities program team to create a Strategic Communications Plan for the year. This will require the successful Offeror to be familiar with the Zero Fatalities program priorities and goals in order to develop a communications strategy that influences behavior change toward the goal of Zero Crashes, Injuries, and Fatalities.

B. As part of the annual plan, the successful Offeror will provide details including the following items:

I. Media Placement and Media Relations II. Television, Radio, Social Media and Creative Production III. Planned and Potential Press Events

C. Execute media plan and paid media strategy, which may include the following:

· Television partnerships

· Television/radio buying placement/planning

· Radio partnerships

· Spanish language partnerships

· Social media content creation and promotion

· Program information development (magazines, trade publications, etc)

· This does not include distribution D. Assist UDOT Zero Fatalities Program Manager as needed. This will include providing press kits/graphics, talking points, and coordination with media outlets and program staff. This may also include assisting with other Behavioral Safety PR or media needs (e.g. Safe Routes Utah, Truck Smart, etc.).

E. Establish on-going communication with both the Zero Fatalities Program Manager to identify media or PR needs.

F. Successful Offeror is required to provide services on an ongoing, on-call and immediate basis.

G. No change in personnel assigned to individual projects will be permitted without prior written approval by UDOT’s Zero Fatalities Program Manager. All personnel must be available during the time frames specified on individual projects.

H. Contractor shall submit invoices to:

UDOT Traffic and Safety Attention: S. Burbidge/ P. Cowley Box 141260 4501 South 2700 West Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1260

J. The contract number shall appear on all invoices and correspondence. Billings must be itemized, showing hours worked by each staff member with a clear definition of the project phase and the work related to the project. All billings and invoices must correlate to project progress reports and be submitted in a timely manner. Contract staff are expected to provide documentation of work task hours, and all work should appropriately contribute to the completion of the scope of work.

K. Any vendor purchases or direct costs must be based on appropriate bids/cost estimates, be pre-approved, and invoices requesting reimbursement should include documentation (original itemized receipts); this includes advertising purchases. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) defines Direct Costs in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part

31.2 and UDOT’s Consultant Services Manual.

L. The Contractor will meet with the Zero Fatalities Program Manager bi-weekly to discuss the progress of work and support the monthly claim for payment.

M. Submit monthly and annual media reports, summarizing media coverage of the Zero Fatalities Program both quantitatively and analytically. Reports should demonstrate the effectiveness of all media campaigns and efforts to influence behavior change.

N. The Project Team will maintain ALL drafts, deliverables, and materials in a shared Google drive, accessible to UDOT and DPS Staff at all times. ALL drafts, deliverables and materials created are the property of UDOT under the terms of the contract, and shall not be used by the vendor for other purposes without expressed written permission.

O. The Contractor is not guaranteed a specific number of hours or tasks under this contract and this Scope of Work is subject to change based on the needs of the Department.

Budget: Total compensation paid to Offeror under this Agreement shall not exceed $1,500,000.00 (Not-to-Exceed Limit). Contractor/Agency shall monitor its costs and shall notify Client in writing when total billings reach 80% of the Not-to-Exceed Limit. Contractor/Agency shall not perform work that would cause total charges to exceed this amount without prior written amendment signed by the UDOT Program Manager.

Contractor/Agency shall be compensated strictly on a time-and-materials, deliverable, or actual-cost basis for Services authorized in writing and successfully completed and accepted by Client. Client shall have no obligation to pay for any work not actually performed or deliverables not delivered and approved. Client shall have no obligation to pay for work completed without pre-approval, where required.

The Not-to-Exceed Limit represents a maximum spending ceiling only and does not constitute a fixed fee, a commitment to spend $1,500,000.00, or a guarantee of any minimum volume of work or compensation. Client makes no representations or warranties regarding the actual amount of funds that will be expended under this Agreement.

Travel: Any travel will be reimbursed at the state approved rate. All travel must be pre-approved in writing by the UDOT Program Manager. Mileage will be reimbursed according to current state standards (Reference UDOT Travel Memo), and any invoice for mileage must be accompanied by a completed mileage log.

Mark-Ups and Commissions:

· Direct expenses will be passed through at net vendor cost.

· Applying administrative handling fees or profit markups is strictly prohibited.

· Any sales tax or shipping costs will not be reimbursed (see terms and conditions).

· Invoice amounts must match the amount on the original receipt.

· Credit card statements will not be accepted in place of original itemized purchase receipts.

· UDOT will NOT pay commissions on media purchases. Commissions or fees charged outside of the loaded billable rate will not be paid and are unallowable under this contract.

· UDOT will not pay any service fees, or add-on staffing fees outside of the approved company overhead rate.

6. CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

If the contractor at any time is not meeting project schedule, standards or specifications as agreed upon for the project, the UDOT representative may do any of the following:

· Issue a written warning.

· ‘Stop award’ of any future projects until current work is complete or rectified.

· Withdraw work and award to another contractor.

· Issue a written notice to the Contractor and the Surety Company that the contractor is failing. The Surety Company and the contractor shall provide a written plan to the UDOT representative to restore the projects’ delivery.

· Suspend the Contractor’s parent contract.

IV. REQUIRED PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INFORMATION

PROPOSAL RESPONSE

All offerors must submit proposals that detail their experience and qualifications in the requested areas (each area must be addressed; do not list “not applicable”).

For ease of evaluation, the submitted proposals must provide a point-by-point response, addressing in detail each area of the evaluation criteria. The criteria are not intended to limit a proposal's content or exclude any relevant or essential data. Offerors are at liberty and are encouraged to expand upon the criteria to demonstrate the Offeror’s capability to provide the State with a solution.

Offerors bear sole responsibility for providing evidence in their response that they are capable of performing the requested Scope of Work.

PROPOSAL FORMAT and RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS Proposals should be concise, straightforward, and prepared simply and economically. Expensive displays, bindings or promotional materials are neither desired nor required. However, there is no intent in these instructions to limit a proposal’s content or to exclude any relevant or essential data.

Proposals should be organized and titled using each of the following specific headings:

1. Section Title: Vendor FI-170 Form.

UDOT’s Vendor Set Up Form completed and signed by the offeror.

2. Section Title: Cover Page Include a cover page that identifies the name and primary contact information of the person who will be authorized to execute an agreement with the State of Utah on behalf of the Offeror.

3. Section Title: Protected Information.

All protected/proprietary information must be included in this section of the proposal, by completing and submitting a Claim of Business Confidentiality form.

If offeror’s proposal contains protected/proprietary information (refer to the Protected Information section of this solicitation for additional information) then offeror must also submit a redacted copy of the proposal at the same time offeror submits its proposal. The redacted copy of the offeror’s proposal must be submitted in compliance with the other sections of this solicitation.

If there is no protected information, write “None” in this section.

Failure to comply with this Section releases the State from any obligation or liability arising from the inadvertent release of Offeror information.

4. Section Title: Potential Conflicts of Interest.

Offerors must identify any conflict, or potential conflict of interest, that might arise during the contract. If no conflicts are identified or expected, write “None” in this section.

5. Section Title: Exceptions and/or Additions to the Standard Terms and Conditions. Proposed exceptions and/or additions to the Standard Terms and Conditions must be submitted in this section. Offeror must provide all proposed exceptions and/or additions, including an Offeror’s terms and conditions in Microsoft Word redline format. Offerors must also provide the name, contact information, and access to the person(s) that will be directly involved in terms and conditions negotiations.

If there are no exceptions and additions to the Standard Terms and Conditions and requirements listed in this document, write “None” in this section.

6. Section Title: Mandatory Minimum Requirements/Qualifications (Pass/Fail Criteria).

Offerors must provide the required evidence and/or documentation/narratives demonstrating compliance with the stated Mandatory Minimum Requirements/Qualifications. An Offeror’s failure to meet any one of the mandatory requirements will result in the proposal being classified as non-responsive and will be rejected under the provisions of the Utah Procurement Code.

Offerors must provide sufficient evidence and/or documentation demonstrating that the offeror is compliant with the following Mandatory Minimum Requirements:

7. Section Title: Detailed Technical Proposal (Scored Criteria).

This section should constitute the major portion of the proposal and must be a concise overview of the Offeror's assessment of the work to be performed, the Offeror’s ability and approach, and the resources necessary to fulfill the requirements. This section should demonstrate the Offeror's understanding of the desired overall performance expectations, deliverables, if any, and outcomes. Clearly indicate any options or alternatives proposed. In any case wherein the Offeror cannot comply with a provision outlined in the “Detailed Scope of Work”, such inability must be stated in response to the applicable requirement. Offerors should reference the Scope of Work in their response.

For ease of evaluation, the Detailed Technical Proposal Section must be a specific point-by-point response, addressing in detail each of the Technical Response Evaluation Criteria.

Offerors must provide a detailed narrative demonstrating their capability, capacity, depth of experience, and prior accomplishments, as follows:

Please emphasize the prior PR/Media and Communications experience of the Project Manager

15 points

Please focus on how you will communicate new ideas, tie everything together under a common theme and the Zero Fatalities brand identity, and collaborate with UDOT and DPS staff.

Four key scope components are provided below, including a list of examples that may potentially be needed within each:

1. Contract Management:

· Coordinate Zero Fatalities media and PR efforts and manage a communications schedule for the Zero Fatalities Program

· Provide communications support as needed to the UDOTProgram Manager

· Create a Strategic Communications Plan for the year that promotes public behavior change to improve safety, and reduce injuries and fatalities. The Plan will be developed under the direction of the Zero Fatalities Program Manager.

· Develop a Content Review Plan within 30 days of issuance of Notice to Proceed; update the Plan annually, or when there are changes in

45 Points key personnel. (Reference UDOT Policy 04-03, Content Review for Public Communications for guidance on Content Review Plan format.)

2. Media/Outreach:

· Media placement

· Media relations

· Television, radio, social media, and creative production

· Planned and potential press events

· Grassroots community and partner events, as requested

3. Paid Media and Media Strategy:

· Television partnerships

· Television/radio buying, placement/planning

· Radio partnerships

· Spanish language partnerships

· Social media content and promotion

· Additional content placement, such as magazines, trade publications, etc.

4. Media Coordination:

· Pitches to media, as requested

· Creating and managing media events on transportation safety topics throughout the year

· Providing press kits/graphics, talking points, and coordination with media outlets and program staff for special events

· How will you manage staff time to maximize quality while optimizing value, especially on teams with subcontractors?

· How will you ensure transparent billing?

· What prior experience do you have negotiating with vendors to provide better pricing?

10 points

direct performance and experience with UDOT or comparable organizations on past projects. Please provide contact for comparable organizations.

Your narrative and portfolio examples can be uploaded either into the bid system (Bonfire) or provided on a flash drive or file share service (Google Drive) and delivered to UDOT at the following location:

Attn: Melina Huntsman mhuntsman@utah.gov UDOT Procurement 1st Floor Box 148260 4501 South 2700 West Salt Lake City, UT 84114-8260

It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the flash drive or file sharing is functioning properly, and the documents are received correctly by UDOT. The file formats provided must be viewable using commonly found applications on a personal computer. If unsure whether UDOT is able to view specific file formats, contact the procurement agent to verify.

NOTICE: Technical Responses received that exceed the listed page limits will be deemed non-responsive.

Formatting Requirements:

Section 6--Mandatory Minimums: 5 page limit. Brevity is encouraged. Section 7–Technical Proposal:

· Section 1-3 Maximum 8 pages

· Section 4 Maximum 7 pages

· 8-½” x 11” pages, single sided, no smaller than 10pt font.

Resumes:

· Offerer may submit up to 6 team member resumes with a maximum limit of two (2) single-sided pages. Resumes will not count against your page limits.

Responses that exceed the page limit may be deemed non-responsive.

All proposals should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Brevity is encouraged.

8. Section Title: Firms scoring at least 75 points on the technical proposal may be invited to interview with program staff. Each firm will be given exactly 30 minutes for their interview. The interview format will be as follows:

· Introduce key team members

· Describe your understanding of the Zero Fatalities mission and audience

· Describe PM’s experience in PR/Media and Communications Strategy

· Present your approach for the following scope items:

· Coordination with Zero Fatalities Program Team

· Discuss your strategic approach to changing driver behavior

· Approach to PR, media coordination, and paid media

· i.e., How you will balance paid media, earned media, social/digital, creative, etc.

· Share an analysis of the current Zero Fatalities PR effort and recommended strategies for improvements.

· Why do you want to work with Zero Fatalities?

9. Cost Proposal: Cost Proposal. All costs are to be enumerated on the Cost Proposal Form (see Response Form- Proposal Cost Form).

NOTICE: An offeror must obtain 75 out of 100 possible points of the Technical Proposal points and pass all the pass/fail criteria in order to submit a cost proposal.

Cost Proposals will be evaluated independently from the Technical Proposal and must be submitted as an independent and separate document (Cost Form) from the Technical Proposal. Inclusion of any cost or pricing data within the Technical Proposal will result in the proposal being judged as non-responsive.

Offerors must provide the following:

The cost proposal must address all costs associated with the services described in the RFP over the life of the project. The cost of this project should be defined according to the specific tasks or steps to be taken.

NOTICE: Offerors may not change/modify the format of the Price Response Form and must submit pricing in the exact format requested for a fair comparison of pricing among all offerors. Altering the format or conditioning the cost on acceptance of additional/conflicting terms or limitations may result in a finding that your proposal is non-responsive.

V. Evaluation Process and Contract Award

PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

This solicitation will be evaluated under a Multiple Stage process.

Stage 1: Determination of Responsiveness (Pass/Fail) In Stage One of the evaluation process, all proposals timely received will be reviewed for responsiveness to solicitation requirements. Proposals not conforming to solicitation requirements or unable to meet the Minimum and/or Mandatory Requirements will not proceed on to Stage 2 Technical Proposal Evaluation.

Stage 2: Detailed Technical Proposal Evaluation (Scored) Stage Two will consist of an evaluation committee conducting a detailed Technical Evaluation of each responsive and responsible proposal that has not been previously disqualified or rejected.

Responsive proposals will be evaluated against the Technical Evaluation Criteria. The evaluation committee will tally the final scores for the Technical Criteria to arrive at a consensus score by an average of the individual scores.

Only those Proposals that obtain 75 points or more of the possible 100 Total Technical points will be eligible to proceed on to Stage 3: Interview. Proposals with a score of less than the minimum required technical score will be deemed non-responsive and ineligible for further consideration.

Stage 3. Interview (Scored) Respondents that obtain 75 or more points on the Technical Proposal and pass all the pass/fail criteria will be invited to participate in an interview. The interview should showcase Respondents’ ability to meet or exceed each of the requirements in the Scope of Work and demonstrate the Respondents’ ability to affect behavior change in a target population. The interview will be evaluated as follows:

PM’s experience in PR/Media and communications strategy 20 Points

Stage 4: Cost Proposal Evaluation (Scored) Stage Three will consist of the Cost Proposal Evaluation of each responsive and responsible proposal that has not been previously disqualified or rejected.

Responsive proposals will be evaluated as follows:

The offeror with the lowest Blended Hourly Labor Rate will receive the maximum available Cost points. All other offerors will receive points as determined by the ratio* of their Blended Hourly Labor Rate to the lowest Blended Hourly Labor Rate. Final cost scores will be calculated based on the following:

*Ratio Calculation: Points assigned to each offeror’s Cost Proposal will be based on the Lowest Proposed Cost. The offeror with the Lowest Proposed Cost will receive 100% of the cost points. All other offerors will receive a portion of the total cost points based on what percentage higher their proposed cost is than the Lowest Proposed Cost. An Offeror whose proposed cost is more than double (200%) the Lowest Proposed Cost will receive no points. The formula to compute the points is: Cost Points x (2- (Proposed Cost/ Lowest Proposed Cost)).

Stage 5: Determination of Contract Award Single Award:The Highest Total Scoring Response will be eligible for contract single award.

After the evaluation and final scoring of proposals is completed, the State shall award the contract as soon as practicable, provided the RFP is not canceled in accordance with Utah Procurement Code requirements.