902779_Countywide_Audit_Service.docx

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 902779 for

COUNTYWIDE AUDIT SERVICES

For complete information regarding this project, see Request for Proposal (RFP) posted at County of Alameda Procurement Portal [https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov] or contact the County Thank you for your interest!

Contact Person: A. Ramesh Phone Number: (510) 208-3905 Email Address: a.ramesh@acgov.org General Services Agency (GSA) – Procurement

RESPONSE DUE

by 2:00 p.m.

on September 2, 2026 through Alameda County, GSA-Procurement County of Alameda Procurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

COUNTYWIDE AUDIT SERVICES

TO ATTEND ONLINE:

Join: Click Here to Join the Bidders Conference Meeting ID: 214 455 141 811 676 Passcode: i6S94ic7

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,835064982# United States, San Francisco

(888) 715-8170,,835064982# United States (Toll-free) Find a local number Phone conference ID: 835 064 982# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 114 272 411 2

Written Questions Due via the “Question & Answer” tab of this project in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal August 7, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.

Response Due and Submitted through County of Alameda Procurement Portal

September 2, 2026, by 2:00 p.m.

Followed immediately by online Public Bid Opening which can be joined here:

Join: Click Here to Join the Bid Opening Meeting ID: 253 602 398 633 533 Passcode: Mi3Kr7PH

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,523014748# United States, San Francisco

(888) 715-8170,,523014748# United States (Toll-free) Find a local number Phone conference ID: 523 014 748# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 119 008 784 8

NOTE: All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Alameda County Vendor Outreach

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

TO ATTEND ONLINE:

Vendor Outreach Call-in: +1 415-915-3950 Conference ID: 504 517 635#

COME MEET ALAMEDA COUNTY’S

PROCUREMENT TEAM!

This public event is not specific to any RFP, where vendors can speak with GSA professionals, get to know them, and learn more about contracting opportunities with the County.

These are conducted on most Wednesdays. Dates and locations can be confirmed by checking at Upcoming Events [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/upcoming-contracting-events/]

SPECIFICATIONS, TERMS & CONDITIONS

for

COUNTYWIDE AUDIT SERVICES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT A Bid Response Packet

STATEMENT OF WORK

INTENT

It is the intent of these specifications, terms, and conditions to describe countywide audit services being requested by the County.

The County intends to award a three-year contract (with the option to renew for two years) to the Bidder selected as the most responsive and responsible Bidder whose response conforms to the RFP and meets the County’s requirements.

SCOPE/BACKGROUND

The audit services required to assist the County of Alameda in meeting its statutory responsibilities for examining the financial operations of the County, its officers, and its departments, and to provide the County with a single, organization-wide financial and compliance audit in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996, California Government Code Section 25250, and applicable requirements of the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The County of Alameda is a charter county with a workforce of approximately 9,600 employees. The governing body is an elected five-member Board of Supervisors, which is responsible for the executive and legislative functions of the County. A County Administrator is appointed by and reports to the Board of Supervisors. Organizational units of the County government are under the direction of elected officials or appointed department/agency heads.

The County Charter requires the Board of Supervisors to also employ a certified public accountant to examine the books, records, and reports of the County. California Government Code Section 25250 requires the Board of Supervisors to examine and audit the accounts of all officers having responsibility for the care, management, collection, or disbursement of money belonging to the County or money received or disbursed by them under authority of law. The contract will also include an audit of the County's federal financial assistance programs conducted pursuant to the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and applicable OMB Circulars. To avoid duplication of effort and costs, the County will engage the same firm for both the Basic Financial Statements Audit (aka Annual Comprehensive Financial Report) and the Single Audit.

The County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder, an elected official, maintains the central accounting records and prepares an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report covering the County's financial operations. The County has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its financial report since 1984.

The accounting transactions are recorded and reported within the following funds:

1. General Fund

2. Special Revenue Funds

3. Capital Projects Fund

4. Debt Service Funds

5. Internal Service Funds

6. Trust and Agency Funds (including Pension Trust) Information regarding the County's accounting system may be obtained from the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder.

The County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder maintains an internal audit staff to perform internal control reviews, performance and compliance audits. Bidders must not contact the internal audit staff, nor must they contact any persons in the employ of Alameda County for assistance in preparing bids. Copies of audit reports issued by the internal auditors during the audit year will be made available to the successful Bidder as requested.

BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

BIDDER Minimum Qualifications Bidder must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing audit services for at least the last five (5) years to counties or similarly large and complex governmental entities, which must be clearly stated or demonstrated in the bid response. OR Bidder directly involved in the audit process must be an active licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) by the California State Board of Accountancy, which a copy of the active licensed CPA by the California State Board of Accountancy must be clearly stated or demonstrated in the bid response.

Bidder must possess all permits, licenses, and professional credentials necessary to supply products and perform services specified under this RFP. Unless noted otherwise in the RFP, for example the item(s) stated above, including any Addendum, Bidder is not required to submit copies or verification of the permits, licenses and credentials; however, Bidder must provide such proof if requested by County.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES/REPORTS

Contractor must successfully complete annual Basic Financial Statement Audits and Single Audits that fully comply with Government Auditing Standards, Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS), the Single Audit Act, applicable OMB requirements, and California law; deliver all reports by required statutory deadlines; provide timely, accurate, and evidence-based findings and recommendations that strengthen the County's financial management and internal controls; maintain effective communication and project management throughout the engagement; and provide meaningful knowledge transfer to County staff that enhances the County's audit cap.

An active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license from the California State Board of Accountancy must be maintained throughout the period of this agreement from Contractor and all key personnel.

Bidder must demonstrate experience serving as the independent auditor for at least three (3) governmental entities of similar size, complexity, and organizational structure within the past five (5) years, including the performance of annual financial statement audits in accordance with Government Auditing Standards.

Bidder must have successfully completed at least three (3) Single Audits for governmental entities subject to the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) within the past five (5) years.

Bidder must demonstrate experience auditing governmental entities with multiple funds, decentralized operations, and numerous departments or agencies comparable to the County's organizational structure.

Bidder must demonstrate experience auditing organizations administering multiple federal financial assistance programs and evaluating compliance with federal grant requirements.

Contractor must maintain a current external peer review rating of "Pass" (or equivalent highest rating) throughout the term of the Agreement and provide a copy of its most recent peer review report upon request. The Bidder is to provide a copy of its most recent peer review report in Exhibit A - Bid Response Packet.

Contractor must notify the County in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of any disciplinary actions, license suspensions, revocations, sanctions, or findings by regulatory or oversight agencies that may affect the Contractor’s ability to perform the services under the Agreement resulting from this RFP. Bidder is to disclose any such disciplinary actions, license suspensions, revocations, sanctions, or findings that occurred within the past five (5) years and relate to the provisions of governmental audit services.

Basic Financial Statements Audit Contractor must perform a financial audit to determine whether the Basic Financial Statements of the County present fairly the financial position and the changes in financial position in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Contractor must examine the Basic Financial Statements of the County as of and for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2027; June 30, 2028; and June 30, 2029.

Contractor must examine the internal accounting controls and accounting procedures of County departments and offices and render written reports of their findings and recommendations to the County.

Contractor must examine and review the County departments’ responses to recommendations for the prior year Basic Financial Statements audits and for the internal controls and accounting procedures of the said offices of the County of Alameda and will render a written report of their recommendations and conclusions to the County.

The examination must be made and reports rendered in accordance with Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.

If Contractor finds indications of fraud and illegal acts or other circumstances requiring an extension of procedures beyond the scope of the examination which would be sufficient under ordinary circumstances, Contractor must provide the County with all readily ascertainable facts relative to such extraordinary circumstances together with an estimate for the additional cost of investigating. Fees relating to such additional services are not contemplated as being within the scope of services to be performed under the paragraphs above and will be subject to approval by the County.

Contractor must report to the County on the progress of their examinations and on their findings and conclusions. Contractor must meet regularly, as requested, with the County to discuss preliminary audit findings. This timeline and meeting schedule will be determined and attached to the Standard Services Agreement resulting from this RFP, as agreed upon by County and the Contractor.

Prior to issuing final reports, Contractor must meet with representatives of the County Administrator, and the County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder to discuss their reports.

Reports must be addressed to the County.

Contractor must provide five copies of each report to the County no later than December 1st following the end of each audited fiscal year, unless unforeseen circumstances delay completion of the examination and preparation of the reports.

Contractor must incorporate into its audit team the equivalent of one (1.0) FTE from County staff in conducting the Basic Financial Statements audit for the purpose of training and creating efficiencies.

Contractor must provide the County with a list of personnel involved who will be conducting the basic financial statements audits.

Contractor must not subcontract, assign, or delegate any portion of the Agreement resulting from this RFP or any duties or obligations hereunder without the County’s prior written approval.

Single Audit (Audit of Federal Financial Assistance Programs) Contractor must perform an audit and issue separate reports of the County's federal financial assistance programs (hereafter referred to as the "Single Audit") pursuant to the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and applicable OMB Circulars.

Contractor must coordinate the County's Single Audit activities with the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder (or his designee).

The audit will cover the County's fiscal years ending June 30, 2027, through June 30, 2029. The County's federal programs are administered by various departments which maintain the accounting records of individual grants and programs. The County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder's central accounting system, which conforms to the uniform accounting system prescribed for counties in California, does not segregate all federal assistance program expenditures from County or state-funded operations.

Subrecipients (excluding construction contracts) of County's federal funds are audited by independent public accounting firms as required. Audit reports are on file in the office of the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder.

Contractor must report to the County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder on the progress of examinations, findings, and conclusions. Contractor must meet regularly, as requested, with the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder to discuss preliminary audit findings.

Prior to issuing final reports, Contractor must meet with representatives of the County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder. Specific findings and recommendations must be discussed with representatives of the affected County departments.

The specific format and requirements of the reports must be coordinated with the County's designated agency.

Reports must be addressed to the Board of Supervisors.

Contractor must deliver three printed copies of each report to the County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder no later than March 31st following the end of the audited fiscal year, unless otherwise arranged with the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder or unless unforeseen circumstances delay completion of the examination and preparation of the audit reports.

Contractor must provide the County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder with an electronic version of the final report, preferably in PDF format, no later than March 31st following the end of the audited fiscal year, unless otherwise arranged with the Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder or unless unforeseen circumstances delay completion of the examination and preparation of the reports.

Contractor must incorporate into its audit team the equivalent of one (1.0) FTE from the County staff in conducting the Single Audit for the purpose of training and creating efficiencies.

Contractor must provide the County with a list of personnel involved who will be conducting the single audits.

Contractor must not subcontract, assign, or delegate any portion of this Agreement or any duties or obligations hereunder without the County’s prior written approval.

Performance Standards:

BIDDERS CONFERENCE(S)/VENDOR OUTREACH

The Bidders Conference(s) held on the date(s) specified in the Calendar of Events will have online conference capabilities for remote participation. Bidders can opt to participate via a computer with a stable internet connection (the recommended Bandwidth is 512Kbps) at:

TO ATTEND ONLINE:

Join: Click Here to Join the Bidders Conference Meeting ID: 214 455 141 811 676 Passcode: i6S94ic7

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,835064982# United States, San Francisco

(888) 715-8170,,835064982# United States (Toll-free) Find a local number Phone conference ID: 835 064 982# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 114 272 411 2

1. Vendor Outreach is usually conducted on Wednesdays at Vendor Outreach Link (Call-in: +1 415-915-3950; Conference ID: 504 517 635#). Dates and locations can be confirmed by checking at: Upcoming Events [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/upcoming-contracting-events/].

Information regarding the RFP will be presented during the conference(s). To get the best experience, the County recommends that Bidders who participate remotely use equipment with audio output such as speakers, headsets, or a telephone.

2. Bidders Conference(s) will be held to:

Provide an opportunity for Small Local Emerging Businesses (SLEBs) and large firms to network and develop subcontracting relationships to participate in the contract(s) that may result from this RFP.

Provide an opportunity for Bidders to request clarification on this RFP and ask specific questions about the project, goods, and services.

Provide the County with an opportunity to receive feedback related to this RFP.

The Bidders Conference(s) Attendees List will be released in a separate document.

Written questions submitted by the stated deadline will be addressed in a posted RFP Questions and Answers (Q&A) following the Bidders Conference(s). Should there be a need to amend or revise the RFP, an Addendum will be issued. Any verbal statements, including at any Bidders Conference(s) are not binding. Only the written documents will be binding.

Questions regarding these specifications, terms, and conditions are to be submitted in writing through the “Question & Answer” tab of this project in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal by 5:00 p.m. on the date specified in the Calendar of Events.

Attendance at the Bidders Conference(s) and Vendor Outreach are highly recommended but are not mandatory. Vendors who attend the Bidders Conference(s) will be added to the Vendor Bid List.

COUNTY PROCEDURES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

EVALUATION CRITERIA / SELECTION COMMITTEE

1. Initial Evaluation (Completeness of Response and Debarment and Suspension). All proposals will first be reviewed to determine if they pass the initial Evaluation Criteria (Section A), which are determined on a pass/fail basis.

2. Evaluation by County Selection Committee. All proposals that have passed the initial Evaluation Criteria will be evaluated by a County Selection Committee (CSC). The CSC may be composed of County staff and other parties that may have expertise or experience related to the goods or services that are being procured. The CSC will score the proposals according to the Evaluation Criteria set forth in this RFP. Other than the initial pass/fail Evaluation Criteria, the evaluation of the proposals will be within the sole judgment and discretion of the CSC.

3. Unrealistic Bids. Bidders should bear in mind that any proposal that is unrealistic in terms of the technical or schedule commitments or unrealistically high or low in cost may be deemed reflective of an inherent lack of technical knowledge or indicative of a failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of the County’s requirements as set forth in this RFP.

4. Price Discrepancy. In the case of a discrepancy between the unit price and an extension, the unit price will be used for evaluation purposes.

5. Evaluation Criteria Descriptions. The items listed in the Evaluation Criteria should be considered as minimum requirements. All information contained in a proposal and presented in vendor interviews (if there are interviews) will be considered during the evaluation process and included in scoring within the appropriate Evaluation Criteria.

6. Evaluation Scores. Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the zero to five-point scale within each Evaluation Criteria below. Scores for all Evaluation Criteria (see the section below) will then be added, according to their assigned weight (below), to arrive at a weighted score for each proposal. A proposal with a higher-weighted total will be deemed of higher quality than a proposal with a lesser-weighted total.

7. Shortlist Process. The evaluation process may include a two-stage approach including a preliminary evaluation of the written proposal and preliminary scoring to develop a shortlist of Bidders that will continue to the final stage of optional vendor interview, and reference checks. The preliminary scoring will be based on the total points, excluding any points allocated to references, and optional vendor interview. The five (5) Bidders receiving the highest preliminary scores may advance to the next evaluation phase. All other Bidders will be deemed eliminated from the process. All Bidders will be notified of the shortlist participants; however, the preliminary scores at that time will not be communicated to Bidders.

8. Reference Checks. The County reserves the right to conduct reference check(s) on all Bidders who submitted a bid proposal. The CSC will then score the reference check(s), as identified in the Evaluation Criteria below, which will then be included in the final score.

9. Optional Vendor Interviews. The County may in its sole discretion, conduct vendor interviews. Should the County opt to conduct a vendor interview, the interview may include responding to standard and specific questions from the CSC regarding the Bidders’ proposal. Whether or not a shortlist process is used, the score of any evaluation criterion below may be revised or informed based on the vendor interview.

10. Final Score. The final maximum score for any procurement is 550 points, including the possible 50 points for local and small, local and emerging, or local preference points (maximum 10% of the final score; derived from 5% for local preference and 5% for either Small and Local or Emerging and Local preference). Proposals will be ranked by their final scores.

a. Without Vendor Interview. In procurements where there are no vendor interviews, the score received by the evaluation of the written proposal with the references score added will be the final score.

b. With Vendor Interview. In procurements where there are vendor interviews, the CSC will consider the interview and may adjust the scores received by the evaluation of the written proposal which, with the reference scores added, will be the final score.

11. Contact During Evaluation Process. All contact during the evaluation phase must be through the GSA-Procurement department only. Bidders must neither contact nor lobby CSC during the evaluation process. Attempts by Bidders to contact and/or influence members of the CSC may result in disqualification of Bidders.

12. Determining Award. As a result of this RFP, the County intends to award a contract to the highest-ranked responsible Bidder(s), as determined by the combined weight of the Evaluation Criteria, whose response conforms to the RFP and whose bid presents the greatest value to the County considering all Evaluation Criteria. The combined weight of the Evaluation Criteria is greater in importance than the cost in determining the best value to the County. The County may award a contract of higher qualitative competence over the lowest priced response.

13. The zero to five-point scale range is defined as follows:

14. The Evaluation Criteria and their respective weights are as follows:

Responses to this RFP must be complete. Responses must address all the requirements identified within this RFP and all related documents, including any Addenda. Failure to meet the Bidder Minimum Qualifications may also be considered an incomplete response and may result in the disqualification of the Bidder.

Pass/Fail

Bidders, its principal, and named subcontractors are not identified on the list of Federally debarred, suspended, or other excluded parties located at www.sam.gov/SAM.

Pass/Fail

The points for Cost will be computed by dividing the amount of the lowest responsive bid received by each Bidder’s total proposed cost.

While not reflected in the Cost evaluation points, an evaluation may also be made of:

1. Reasonableness (i.e., does the proposed pricing accurately reflect the Bidder’s effort to meet requirements and objectives?);

2. Realism (i.e., is the proposed cost appropriate to the nature of the products and/or services to be provided?); and

3. Affordability (i.e., the ability of the County to finance the services).

Consideration of price in terms of overall affordability may be controlling in circumstances where two or more proposals are otherwise adjudged to be equal, or when a superior proposal is at a price that the County cannot afford.

20 Points

In each area described below, an evaluation will be made of the probability of success of and risks associated with the proposal response:

1. Proposed Services - A comparison will be made of the proposed audit services required by the Board of Supervisors, which includes, but is not limited to: vendor staff integration, scope of services to be provided and the proposed services as they relate to covering all of the County’s specifications for audit services required by the Board of Supervisors. How well has the proposer identified pertinent issues and potential problems related to the project?

2. Resources - How well does the Bidder demonstrate that it has sufficient qualified personnel, resources, and organizational capacity to successfully perform the required audit services?

3. Breadth of Services - How well does the Bidder demonstrate that its proposed audit services meet the requirements of this RFP, including the qualifications and experience of its staff, the scope of services offered, and the ability to provide services as needed?

4. Ancillary Services - How well does Bidder demonstrate its ability to provide responsive, convenient, and technically proficient support services that enhance the overall delivery of the required audit services?

5. How well does the proposer demonstrate an understanding of the County's audit requirements, objectives, and regulatory environment (e.g., Government Auditing Standards, Single Audit requirements, and California Government Code)?

6. How comprehensive and effective is the proposed audit methodology, including planning, risk assessment, internal control evaluation, testing procedures, and reporting?

7. To what extent does the proposal demonstrate the ability to identify risks, communicate findings, and provide practical, value-added recommendations that strengthen the County's financial management and internal controls?

8. How well does the proposer describe its quality assurance and quality control processes to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant audit deliverables?

9. To what extent does the proposer leverage technology, data analytics, or other innovative approaches to improve audit efficiency, effectiveness, and value to the County?

20 Points

Proposals will be evaluated against the RFP specifications and the questions below:

1. How extensive is the Bidder’s experience performing financial statement audits and Single Audits for counties or similarly large and complex governmental entities?

2. How relevant is Bidder’s experience with organizations that have multiple funds, decentralized departments, and significant federal grant funding?

3. How successfully has Bidder demonstrated its ability to complete comparable audit engagements on schedule and in compliance with applicable auditing standards?

4. How well does the Bidder demonstrate experience identifying significant audit issues and providing actionable recommendations that improved financial reporting or internal controls?

5. How well has the Bidder consistently delivered high-quality audit services and maintained positive client relationships?

25 Points

Project Management & Staffing Plan Proposals will be evaluated against the RFP specifications and the questions below:

1. How well does the proposed staffing plan demonstrate that the engagement team has the appropriate qualifications, experience, and capacity to successfully perform the required audit services?

2. How effective is the Bidder’s project management approach for planning, coordinating, communicating, and completing the engagement within required timelines?

3. How well does the Bidder demonstrate continuity of key personnel, including strategies for staff retention, succession planning, and minimizing turnover during the contract term?

4. How clearly does the Bidder define the roles, responsibilities, and level of involvement of the engagement partner, manager, supervisors, and audit staff throughout the engagement?

5. How well does the Bidder demonstrate its ability to collaborate with County staff, provide knowledge transfer, and effectively integrate the County's assigned staff into the audit process?

20 Points

Should the County opt to conduct a vendor interview, the interview may include responding to standard and specific questions from the CSC regarding the Bidder’s proposal. Whether or not a shortlist process is used, the scores of any evaluation criterion above may be revised or informed based on the vendor interview.

Vendor Interview may be used to revise / inform scores of criteria above

SMALL LOCAL EMERGING BUSINESS PREFERENCE

CONTRACT EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

During the initial 120-day period of any contract awarded, the County may review the proposal, the contract, any goods or services provided, and/or meet with the Contractor to identify any issues or potential problems.

The County reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, whether:

The Contractor has complied with all terms of this RFP and the contract; and Any problems or potential problems with the proposed goods and/or services were evidenced, which makes it unlikely (even with possible modifications) that such goods and/or services have met or will meet the County requirements.

If, as a result of such determination, the County concludes that it is not satisfied with the Contractor’s performance under any awarded contract and/or Contractor’s goods and services as contracted for therein, the Contractor may be notified that the contract is being terminated. The Contractor must be responsible for returning County facilities to their original state at no charge to the County. The County will have the right to invite the next qualified Bidder(s) to enter into a contract. The County also reserves the right to re-bid this project if it is determined to be in its best interest to do so. The County’s right to go to the next qualified Bidder(s) and/or rebid is not limited by the award of a contract or the 120-day period.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

At the conclusion of the RFP response evaluation period, all Bidders will be notified in writing by email or US Postal Service mail of the contract award recommendation, if any, by GSA-Procurement. The document providing this notification is the Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award.

The Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award will provide the following information:

The name(s) of the Bidder(s) being recommended for contract award; and The names of all other parties that submitted proposals.

The submitted proposals will be made available upon request no later than five calendar days before approval of the award and contract is scheduled to be considered by the Board of Supervisors.

BID PROTEST / APPEALS PROCESS

The County of Alameda prides itself on the establishment of fair and competitive contracting procedures and the commitment made to follow those procedures. The following is provided in the event that Bidders wish to protest the bid process or appeal the recommendation to award a contract once the Notices of Intent to Award/Non-Award have been issued. Bid protests submitted prior to issuance of the Notices of Intent to Award/Non-Award will not be accepted by the County.

Any bid protest must be submitted in writing by 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award/ Non-Award, not the date received by the Bidder. The bid protest must be submitted to the office that has been designated for review of protests for this procurement (the Protest Evaluator). For this procurement, the Protest Evaluator is:

GSA–Office of Acquisition Policy ATTN: Contract Compliance Officer 1401 Lakeside Drive, 10th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612 Email: GSA-BidProtests@acgov.org

A bid protest received after 5:00 p.m. is considered received as of the next calendar day. A protest received after 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award will not be considered under any circumstances by the Protest Evaluator or their designee.

Generally, the County will promptly send an email acknowledging receipt of the protest; it is the responsibility of the protestor to confirm that the protest was timely received.

The bid protest must contain a complete statement of the reasons and facts for the protest.

The protest must refer to the specific portions of all documents that form the basis for the protest.

The protest must include the name, address, email address, and telephone number of the person submitting the protest on behalf of the protesting party.

The Contract Specialist will send a notification to Bidders if a protest is received.

The Protest Evaluator, or their designee, will review and evaluate the protest and issue a written decision. The Protest Evaluator may, at its discretion, do any of the following: investigate the protest, obtain additional information, provide an opportunity to settle the protest by mutual agreement, and/or schedule a meeting(s) with the protesting Bidder and others (as appropriate) to discuss the protest. The decision on the bid protest must be final prior to the Board hearing.

A notification of the decision will be communicated by email and/or US Postal Service mail to the protestor. Notification will be provided to Bidders when a decision has been made on the protest and whether or not the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors in the Notice of Intent to Award/ Non-Award will stand.

The decision on the bid protest by the Protest Evaluator may be appealed to the Auditor-Controller's Office of Contract Compliance & Reporting (OCCR) located at 1221 Oak St., Room 249, Oakland, CA 94612, Email: OCCR@acgov.org, unless the OCCR determines that it has a conflict of interest in which case an alternate will be identified to hear the appeal and all steps to be taken by OCCR will be performed by the alternate. The Bidder whose bid is the subject of the protest, all Bidders affected by the Protest Evaluator's decision on the protest, and the protestor have the right to appeal if they feel the Protest Evaluator's decision is incorrect. All appeals to the Auditor-Controller's OCCR must be in writing and submitted within SEVEN (7) calendar days following the issuance of the decision, not the date the decision is received by the Bidder. An appeal received after 5:00 p.m. is considered received as of the next calendar day. An appeal received after 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the decision by the Protest Evaluator will not be considered under any circumstances by the Auditor-Controller OCCR or their designee.

The appeal must specify the decision being appealed and all the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of the appeal.

In reviewing protest appeals, the OCCR will not re-judge the proposal(s). The appeal to the OCCR must be limited to a review of the procurement process to determine if the contracting department materially erred in following the bid or, if applicable, County contracting policies or other laws and regulations.

The appeal to the OCCR must be limited to the grounds raised in the original protest and the written decision by the Protest Evaluator. As such, a Bidder is prohibited from stating new grounds for a Bid protest in its appeal.

The Auditor’s Office may overturn the results of a bid process for ethical violations by Procurement staff, County Selection Committee members, subject matter experts, or any other County staff managing or participating in the competitive bid process, regardless of timing or the contents of a bid protest.

The finding of the Auditor-Controller’s OCCR is the final step of the appeal process. A copy of the finding of the Auditor-Controller’s OCCR will be furnished to the protestor.

The finding on the appeal must be issued before a recommendation to award the contract is considered and contract awarded by the Board of Supervisors.

The procedures and time limits set forth in this section are mandatory and are each Bidder's sole and exclusive remedy in the event of a bid protest. A Bidder’s failure to timely complete both the bid protest and appeal procedures will be deemed a failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Failure to exhaust administrative remedies, or failure to comply otherwise with these procedures, will constitute a waiver of any right to further pursue the bid protest, including filing a Government Code Claim or legal proceedings.

TERM / TERMINATION / RENEWAL

The contract term, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFP, will be three (3) years.

By mutual agreement, any contract, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFP, may be extended for an additional two years.

The County has and reserves the right to suspend, terminate or abandon the execution of any work, services and/or providing of goods by the Contractor without cause at any time upon giving the Contractor prior written notice. In the event that the County should abandon, terminate or suspend the Contractor’s work, services and/or providing of goods, the Contractor will be entitled to payment for services provided hereunder prior to the effective date of said suspension, termination, or abandonment. The County may terminate the contract at any time for cause without written notice upon a material breach of contract or substandard or unsatisfactory performance by the Contractor. In the event of termination with cause, the County reserves the right to seek any and all damages from the Contractor. In the event of such termination, with or without cause, the County reserves the right to invite the next highest-ranked Bidder to enter into a contract or rebid the project if it is determined to be in its best interest to do so.

BRAND NAMES AND APPROVED EQUIVALENTS

Any references in this RFP, including Addendum and other documents, to manufacturers’ trade names, brand names, and/or catalog numbers are intended to be descriptive but not restrictive unless otherwise stated and are intended to indicate the quality level desired. Unless otherwise noted, Bidders may offer any equivalent product that meets or exceeds the specifications; however, if the County, in its sole discretion, determines the product proposed is not equivalent, the Bid may be disqualified, or a lower score awarded by the CSC. Bids based on equivalent products must:

Clearly describe the alternate offered and indicate how it differs from the product specified; and Include complete descriptive literature and/or specifications as PDF attachments to the online bid submission as proof that the proposed alternate will be equal to or better than the product named in this RFP.

The County reserves the right to be the sole judge of what is equal and acceptable. It may require Bidders to provide additional information and/or samples or disqualify the bid proposal.

If Bidders do not specify otherwise, it is understood that the referenced brand will be supplied.

QUANTITIES

Quantities listed herein are annual estimates based on past usage and are not to be construed as a commitment. No minimum or maximum is guaranteed or implied.

PRICING

All pricing as quoted will not increase, but except as noted below, remain fixed and firm for the term of any contract that may be awarded as a result of this RFP.

Unless otherwise stated, Bidder agrees that, in the event of a price decline, the benefit of such a lower price will be extended to the County.

Reasonable price increases or decreases for subsequent contract terms may be negotiated between Contractor and County after completion of the initial term.

Taxes and freight charges:

The County is soliciting a total price for this project. The price(s) quoted must be the total cost the County will pay for this project, including all taxes (excluding Sales and Use taxes) and all other charges.

No charge for delivery, drayage, express, parcel post packing, cartage, insurance, license fees, permits, costs of bonds, or for any other purpose, except taxes legally payable by the County, will be paid by the County unless expressly included and itemized in the bid proposal.

Amount paid for the transportation of property to the County of Alameda is exempt from Federal Transportation Tax. An exemption certificate is not required where the shipping papers show the consignee as Alameda County as such papers may be accepted by the carrier as proof of the exempt character of the shipment.

Articles sold to the County of Alameda are exempt from certain Federal excise taxes. If applicable, and upon request, the County will furnish an exemption certificate.

All prices quoted must be in United States dollars.

Price quotes must include any and all payment incentives available to the County.

In the evaluation of cost, if applicable, it will be assumed that the unit price quoted is correct in the case of a discrepancy between the unit price and an extension, and the Bidder must honor the unit price quoted.

Federal and State minimum wage laws apply. The County has no requirements for living wages. The County is not imposing any additional requirements regarding wages.

AWARD

Most Responsive and Responsible Bidder(s)

a. The award will be made to the highest-ranked Bidder(s) who meet the requirements of these specifications, terms, and conditions.

b. Awards may also be made to the subsequent highest ranked Bidder(s) who will be called in order should the County need to contract with another Bidder(s).

c. An award will be recommended for the Bidder(s) that submitted the proposal(s) that best serves the overall interests of the County by attaining the highest overall point score. The award may not necessarily be made to the Bidder(s) with the lowest price.

Small Local Emerging Business (SLEB) Program Small and Emerging Locally Owned Business: The County is vitally interested in promoting the growth of small and emerging local businesses by means of increasing the participation of these businesses in the County’s purchase of goods and services.

As a result of the County’s commitment to advancing the economic opportunities of these businesses, Bidders must meet the County’s Small and Emerging Locally Owned Business requirements in order to be considered for the contract award. These requirements can be found online at:

Alameda County SLEB Program Overview [http://acgov.org/auditor/sleb/overview.htm]; and Alameda County SLEB Program Additional Information [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/vendor-support/small-local-and-emerging-businesses/] For purposes of this procurement, applicable industries include, but are not limited to, the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code(s): 541211, 541219, 541611, 541618, 561210, and 561499.

A small business is defined by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) as having no more than the number of employees or average annual gross receipts over the last three years required per SBA standards based on the small business's appropriate NAICS code.

An emerging business is defined by the County as having either annual gross receipts of less than one-half that of a small business OR having less than one-half the number of employees AND that has been in business less than five years.

If a Bidder is certified by the County as either a small and local or an emerging and local business (SLEB), the County will provide up to 5% bid preference for procurements over $25,000.

If a Bidder is located within Alameda County, the County may provide a 5% local bid preference.

County Rights The County reserves the right to reject any or all responses that materially differ from any terms contained in this RFP, including Exhibits and any Addendums, to waive informalities and minor irregularities in responses received, and to provide an opportunity for Bidders to correct minor and immaterial errors contained in their submissions. The decision as to what constitutes a minor irregularity will be made solely at the discretion of the County.

Any bid proposals that contain false or misleading information may be disqualified by the County.

The County reserves the right to award to a single or multiple Contractors.

The County reserves the right to conduct additional procurements for the same or similar goods and/or services or to award to additional contract(s), including to other Bidder(s), during the term of the contract if it determines that additional Contractors are needed to supplement goods and/or services being provided.

The County has the right to decline to award this contract or any part thereof for any reason.

Procedures

a. Board approval to award a contract is required.

b. A contract must be fully executed by the recommended awardee and the County prior to any services and goods being provided or work being performed.

c. The County uses its Standard Services Agreement terms and conditions for purchases and services. Any terms that are not acceptable to a Bidder must be identified on the Exceptions and Clarifications form in Exhibit A - Bid Response Packet. Bidder may access a copy of the Standard Services Agreement template at:

Alameda County Standard Services Agreement Template [https://acgovt.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/GSADigitalLibrary/IQCjVXq3dT-NSaAUGCoWR-gjAbTNIS-exDZplo3UsNGxtOs?e=YoJGo3]

d. The RFP specifications, terms, conditions, Exhibits, RFP Addenda, and Bidder’s proposal may be incorporated into and made a part of any contract that may be awarded as a result of this RFP.

METHOD OF ORDERING

A written Purchase Order (PO) will be issued after an executed contract and Board approval. If there is any conflict in terms of any PO and the executed contract, the contract will control, even if a PO is issued later.