Addendum No. 1 Final.pdf

August 19, 2026

ADDENDUM No. 1

TO: Prospective Proposers

FROM: Caron Christian (caron.christian@cuny.edu) The City University of New York

RE: Contract #UCO-1014

Request For Proposal (RFP) Economic Impact Study

This Addendum No. 1 to the above-referenced RFP is being issued to:

I) revise the Key Dates and Events; and

II) respond to questions that were raised by prospective proposers.

All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the RFP.

I. Revision to Key Dates and Events

All times listed below are Eastern Standard Time.

Action Date

CUNY issues RFP for Economic Impact Study July 31, 2026 Submission of Written Questions Due Date 1 August 6, 2026 at 1:00 pm Submission of Written Questions Due Date 2 August 28, 2026 at 1:00 pm Proposal Submission Due Date and Time September 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm

II. Questions and Answers:

1. Would CUNY consider an insurance waiver for a firm that carries slightly less insurance than what the requirements state?

Section 3.3 (ii) Employer’s Liability Insurance requirement is deleted in its entirety.

Office of the University Executive Strategic Director and Chief Procurement and Diversity Officer

205 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10036 mailto:caron.christian@cuny.edu

Economic Impact Study RFP August 19, 2026 Addendum No. 1 page 2 of 10

2. Can a firm submit a bid as a prime and also participate on another submission as a sub?

Yes.

3. Given the limitations on subcontracting, may a proposer identify a qualified SDVOB subcontractor after Contract award, in coordination with CUNY, in order to meet the SDVOB participation goal?

The vendor is expected to make a good faith effort to identify and engage qualified SDVOB subcontractors prior to contract award in order to meet the SDVOB participation goal. The Office of Supplier Diversity can assist vendors during the solicitation process by providing guidance and resources to help identify certified SDVOB firms. Identifying an SDVOB subcontractor only after contract award would generally not satisfy the good faith effort requirement associated with the proposal.

4. Does CUNY have an anticipated budget or range for this work?

CUNY does not provide budgetary information for solicitations.

5. Does CUNY have any specific milestones to be aware of when proposing a timeline (budget season, capital request planning, etc.)

There are no specific milestones, but CUNY would ideally like to have this work started and finished within 3-4 months after award of contract.

6. Is there a page limit to adhere to? (page 12 of rfp)

Twenty (20) pages double-sided for a total of 40 pages.

7. In addition to local impacts described in the scope, does CUNY want impacts to be aggregated at the NYC AND NYS levels? Just one or the other?

Yes, CUNY wants impacts to be aggregated at the state and city levels, as well as having the disaggregated raw data provided separately.

8. Does CUNY maintain data on its business/vendor relationships - both the zip codes of these businesses and the amount spent? This would include both capital/construction spending as well as operational spending (e.g., professional services, accounting, catering, and similar vendors). If so, would this data be made available to the selected Contractor?

To the extent that CUNY has this data, all applicable data will be provided to the selected Contractor pursuant to award of contract.

9. Likewise, does CUNY keep data on graduates that start small businesses and/or are self employed?

Addendum No. 1 page 3 of 10

10. Does CUNY keep data on graduates that stay in NYC/NYS after graduation?

11. Will CUNY make aggregated / anonymized information about where employees live available to the contractor?

12. There are many data points for the impact analysis including CUNY enrollment and student demographics, employee places of residence and payroll, capital spending, vendor/procurement spending, and alumni employment and earnings outcomes. For each data category can CUNY confirm:

• Whether the data is centralized system-wide or whether it is maintained independently by each college?

CUNY has a combination of both centralized data as well as data maintained independently by various colleges.

• If decentralized, could CUNY please clarify what level of detail (e.g., by campus, spending category, status) the awarded contractor can expect CUNY to make available?

This will be discussed and decided during the kick-off meeting with the selected Contractor.

• Is there an anticipated format and timeframe for providing this data?

This will be discussed and decided during the kick-off meeting with the selected Contractor.

13. Regarding Section 3.3 (Insurance), page 11, the RFP expressly permits the use of an Umbrella policy to satisfy the Commercial General Liability coverage requirements. May the Bidder also rely on Umbrella coverage to satisfy the required minimum limits for Employer's Liability insurance, provided the combined coverage meets or exceeds the required limits?

No.

14. Regarding Section 3.2.3.4, page 9, under 3.2 Contract-Specific Provisions,", the RFP states that the Contractor shall designate a Senior Manager who serves as the principal liaison for the project and "has full decision-making authority on behalf of Contractor and the authority to obligate Contractor." If the Bidder's corporate governance separates day-to-day project

Addendum No. 1 page 4 of 10 management from corporate contracting authority, would CUNY consider this requirement satisfied if the designated Senior Manager serves as the primary project manager and liaison, while an authorized corporate officer is available at all times to exercise contracting authority on behalf of the Contractor?

Yes.

15. Regarding Part 7: Terms and Conditions, section 13, (page 19) the RFP states that CUNY may, at its discretion, conduct criminal background checks on Contractor personnel. If the Bidder conducts criminal background checks on all personnel as part of its standard hiring process but does not permit third parties to conduct separate background investigations on its personnel, would CUNY consider this requirement satisfied if the Bidder certifies that applicable personnel have successfully completed its internal background screening process? As this question relates to a Term and Condition in Part 7, we have attached our requested redlines per the following instructions:

Section 13: CUNY, at its discretion may, on its own, or through a third party, conduct a criminal background check on Contractor personnel. Contractor represents and warrants that it performs criminal background checks on its employees.

Rejected.

16. Regarding 3.1 Detailed Specifications and Deliverables (page 8), bullet point four, the RFP requests analysis of the impacts from spending on local businesses and MWBEs. Does CUNY have data available identifying expenditures with MWBEs that will be provided to the selected Contractor? If not, should the Contractor address this requirement qualitatively?

17. Regarding Part 7: Terms and Conditions, section 17 (page 20), incorporates CUNY's Information Security Addendum and IT Policies by reference. Those policies recommend that certain cloud solutions undergo a FedRAMP assessment. Since this procurement is unrelated to cloud solutions, can CUNY confirm that a FedRAMP authorization or equivalent cloud security certification is not a requirement for this procurement?

It is not required.

18. My company (Thompson Consulting and Analytics), is a certified NYS MBE that specializes in economic impact analysis and regional economics. How can we connect with prospective primes before the proposal is due?

Please see attached list of vendors that have viewed this solicitation from the New York State Contract Reporter.

Addendum No. 1 page 5 of 10

19. Proposal submission deadline

Reference: Part 1, Key Events and Dates

Would CUNY consider extending the August 21, 2026, proposal deadline by two weeks?

Responses to the second round of questions are due August 13, leaving limited time to incorporate CUNY’s answers and any resulting addenda. Additional time would also allow proposers to conduct meaningful outreach to New York State-certified MWBE and SDVOB firms in support of CUNY’s participation goals.

Please refer to Revisions to Key Dates and Events above.

20.Report deliverables - Reference: Part 3, Section 3.1

Does CUNY expect one systemwide report, separate reports by institution or borough, or both?

If institution-level reports are required, how many should proposers include? Alternatively, should these reports be priced separately?

CUNY expects one systemwide report, in addition to, receiving the disaggregated data pertaining to individual campus schools necessary for completing the systemwide report.

21.Report audience and branding - Reference: Part 3, Section 3.1; Part 7, Clause 30

Is the final report intended primarily for external audiences, such as policymakers, the media, and the general public, or for internal use?

Should the report follow CUNY’s brand standards? If so, will CUNY provide its brand guidelines and authorize the contractor to use CUNY’s name and marks in the deliverables?

Final report is intended for internal and external audiences.

Brand standards will be discussed and decided during the kick-off meeting with the selected Contractor.

22. Alumni data availability and survey expectations - Reference: Part 2, Paragraph I, Items 3(a), 3(b), and 3(d); Part 3, Section 3.1

Does CUNY already collect or maintain data on alumni small-business ownership and self-employment, graduates moving off public benefits, and alumni employment by borough and sector? If so, will this data be available to the selected contractor? If not, does CUNY expect the contractor to conduct an alumni survey as part of this engagement?

To the extent that CUNY has this data, all applicable data will be provided to the selected Contractor pursuant to award of contract. CUNY does not expect the Contractor to conduct an alumni survey at this time.

23. Existing alumni outcomes data - Reference: Part 3, Section 3.1

Addendum No. 1 page 6 of 10

Does CUNY have alumni employment and earnings data that it can provide to the contractor?

This could include state wage-record matches, Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes data, or prior alumni survey results.

24.Facilities, energy, and Local Law 97 data - Reference: Part 3, Section 3.1

Will CUNY provide the data needed to estimate savings from its sustainability and resiliency efforts, including:

• Energy and resiliency capital-project records

• Utility use and cost data by campus or building

• Local Law 84 and Local Law 133 benchmarking submissions

• Project measurement and verification reports

• Local Law 97 emissions and compliance analyses

• CUNY Conserves energy budget and savings records

25. Onsite work - Reference: Part 3, Section 3.2.2

How much onsite work should proposers anticipate? Approximately how many visits, days, and campuses should be included in the flat, all-inclusive price?

CUNY expects to have no more than five (5) in-person meetings. All in-person meetings will be held at the CUNY Central Office location (205 East 42nd Street).

26. Volume II page limit - Reference: Part 4

What is the page limit for the technical and management proposal? Do tables, résumés, appendices, and required forms count toward the limit?

See response to #6 above.

27. Diversity Practices Questionnaire - Reference: Form 6 Checklist; Part 6, Step 2 and Table 1

Is Form 4, the Diversity Practices Questionnaire, required? The Form 6 checklist says that it is not applicable, but Part 6 says it is scored for procurements valued at $250,000 or more.

No, it is not required. In addition, Part 6, Table 1 does not have any numerical score attached to it.

28.Completion and release date - Reference: Part 1, Section IV

Addendum No. 1 page 7 of 10

Does CUNY have a target date for completing or publicly releasing the final report?

CUNY would like the final report to be completed within 3-4 months.

29. Prior economic impact studies

Has CUNY previously commissioned an economic impact study? If so, will the prior reports or methodologies be made available to proposers or the selected contractor?

CUNY has not conducted any prior relevant economic impact studies.

30. Accessibility requirements

What accessibility standards apply to the deliverables? Is there a required WCAG conformance level or CUNY accessibility policy for reports, presentations, and web-based materials?

The report should conform with CUNY’s accessibility policy, including Policy 7.10, which can be found here: https://policy.cuny.edu/general-policy/article-vii/#policy_7.10.

31.Estimated contract value

Has CUNY established an estimated contract value or budget range for this engagement?

See response to #4 above.

32. (Part 2, Paragraph I, Minimum Proposer Qualifications, items 1-3): Each of the three minimum qualifications references "at least ten years of experience." Please clarify how the University will measure this ten-year requirement. Specifically, may a Proposer satisfy these qualifications through the collective, documented experience of its principals and key personnel, including qualifying work those individuals performed in the same field at a predecessor firm or prior employer, rather than solely through the number of years the proposing legal entity has been in existence? This approach is common in professional-services procurements where the substantive work is performed by named senior personnel, and we want to ensure our proposal is prepared responsively.

A Proposer may satisfy these qualifications through the collective, documented experience of its principals and key personnel.

33. (Part 2, Paragraph I, item 3): Item 3 requires that the ten years of data-backed studies contain each of the analytical components listed in its sub-items, including "(g) quantifying economic benefits of sustainability and resiliency measures in the built environment, including energy reduction and carbon emissions reduction measures." Please confirm whether a Proposer must demonstrate that every one of these components has been present in its studies continuously for the full ten-year period, or whether the University will consider the Proposer's demonstrated capability and cumulative experience across these components in the aggregate. Separately, the sub-items in item 3 appear to be mislabeled: the list is lettered (a) through (g), but the final https://policy.cuny.edu/general-policy/article-vii/#policy_7.10

Addendum No. 1 page 8 of 10 component ("Societal benefits and savings") is also labeled (f), so there is no sub-item (h).

Please confirm the intended enumeration of item 3's components.

The University will consider the Proposer's demonstrated capability and cumulative experience in the aggregate.

“Societal benefits and savings” in that section was incorrected labeled as Section 3(f); it should be labeled as Section 3(h).

34. (Part 4, Technical and Management Proposal Requirements): The introductory paragraph to Part 4 states that the information "should not exceed [X#] pages." Please confirm the applicable page limit, if any, for Proposal Volume II.

See response to #6 above.

35. Part 4: Technical and Management Proposal Requirements (Proposal Volume III), page 12 - in the top paragraph, it states: The information should not exceed [X#] pages and should include, but not be limited to: [...]. Can CUNY advise if there is a page limit? If so, what should the not to exceed # be?

See response to #6 above.

36. Page 69 of the PDF - Form 1 - indicates the form should include references, and then later on page 72, VI notes bidders should complete the attached Reference Form as required by Attachment 4. Can you advise where we can find the reference form?

There are no reference forms required to be submitted for this solicitation.

37. Is it possible to obtain an extension to the RFP deadline.

Please see Section I above, Key Dates and Events.

38. Based on Part 2, paragraph 1, section 3a: on section 1, which requires 10 years of experience as set forth in section 3, it requires experience to include analysis on where CUNY workforce resides. Does this pertain to 10 years of experience in undertaking economic impact analysis with sensitivity to and accounting for workforce residing in different areas, or is the requirement specifically related to 10-year experience with respect to analysis of CUNY workforce residency.

Part 2, Paragraph I, Section 3(a) is revised as follows:

a. Analysis of employment data and impact of education on employment and future earnings, as well as analysis of the location/place of residence of the client/target workforce;

Addendum No. 1 page 9 of 10

39. Are Forms 2, 3, and 4 required for subconsultants as well as prime consultants? If so, are any able to be filled out at CUNY's request following the submission, or are all required with the submission?

Only the prime contractor is responsible for completing and submitting Forms 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. These forms must be completed and included with a firm’s proposal submission as part of Volume I.

[Signature Page Follows]

Addendum No. 1 page 10 of 10

THIS ADDENDUM NO. 1 IS PART OF YOUR PROPOSAL AND IS TO BE INCLUDED

WITH VOLUME I OF YOUR PROPOSAL. YOUR SIGNATURE BELOW WARRANTS

THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS ADDENDUM NO. 1 AND THAT YOU HAVE MADE

THE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR PROPOSAL AND CALCULATIONS.

THE UNIVERSITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS SUBMITTED

WITHOUT ALL ADDENDA PROPERLY SIGNED.

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