AthenaGroupBid.pdf

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 1

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION

Competitive Solicitation: No. 01620 – Business Consulting Services

Bidder: The Athena Group, LLC______________ Type/print full legal name of Bidder

Bidder’s Address: 112 4th Avenue E, Suite 200, Olympia, WA 98501 Type/print Bidder’s Address

Bidder Organization Type:

Check appropriate box

Corporation: Domestic Foreign

Limited Liability Company (LLC): Domestic Foreign

Partnership: Domestic Foreign

Sole Proprietorship:

State of Formation: Washington________________________ Type/print the state where the corporation, LLC, or partnership is formed – e.g., ‘Washington’ if domestic and the name of the state if ‘Foreign’ (i.e., not Washington)

Bidder, through the duly authorized undersigned, makes this certification as a required element of submitting a responsive bid. Bidder certifies, to the best of its knowledge and belief, that the following are true, complete, correct, and made in good faith:

1. UNDERSTANDING. Bidder certifies that Bidder has read, thoroughly examined, and fully understands all of the provisions in the Competitive Solicitation (including all exhibits) and the terms and conditions of the Master Contract and any amendments or clarifications to the Competitive Solicitation, and agrees to abide by the same.

2. ACCURACY. Bidder certifies that Bidder has carefully prepared and reviewed its bid and fully supports the accuracy of the same. Bidder further understands and acknowledges that Enterprise Services shall not be responsible for any errors or omission on the part of Bidder in preparing its bid. Bidder certifies that the facts declared here are true and accurate. Bidder further understands and acknowledges that the continuing compliance with these statements and all requirements of the Competitive Solicitation are conditions precedent to the award or continuation of the resulting Master Contract.

3. NO COLLUSION OR ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES. Bidder certifies that Bidder has not, either directly or indirectly, entered into any agreement, participated in any collusion, or otherwise taken any action in restraint of free competitive bidding in connection with this Competitive Solicitation.

Bidder certifies that Bidder’s bid prices have been arrived at independently, without engaging in collusion, bid rigging, or any other illegal activity, and without for the purpose of restricting competition any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other bidder or competitor

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 2

relating to (a) those prices, (b) the intention to submit a bid, or (c) the methods or factors used to calculate the prices offered. Bidder certifies that Bidder has not been and will not knowingly disclose its bid prices, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder or competitor before award of a Master Contract, unless otherwise required by law. Bidder certifies that Bidder has made no attempt and shall not make any attempt to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a bid for the purpose of restricting competition. Bidder, however, freely may join with other persons or organizations for the purpose of presenting a bid.

4. FIRM OFFER. Bidder certifies that its bid, attached hereto, is a firm offer which cannot be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days from and after the bid due date specified in the Competitive Solicitation. Enterprise Services may accept such bid, with or without further negotiation, at any time within such period. In the event of a protest, Bidder’s bid shall remain valid for such period or until the protest and any related court action is resolved, whichever is later.

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Bidder certifies that, in preparing this bid, Bidder has not been assisted by any current or former employee of the State of Washington whose duties relate (or did relate) to this Competitive Solicitation, or prospective Master Contract, and who was assisting in other than his or her official, public capacity. Neither does such a person nor any member of his or her immediate family have any financial interest in the outcome of this bid.

6. NO REIMBURSEMENT. Bidder certifies that Bidder understands that the State of Washington will not reimburse Bidder for any costs incurred in the preparation of this bid. All bids become the property of the State of Washington, and Bidder claims no proprietary right to the ideas, writings, items, or samples unless so stated in the bid.

7. PERFORMANCE. Bidder certifies that Bidder understands that its submittal of a bid and execution of this Bidder’s Certification certifies bidder’s willingness to comply with the Master Contract, if awarded such. By submitting this bid, Bidder hereby offers to furnish the goods and/or services solicited pursuant to this Competitive Solicitation in compliance with all terms, conditions, and performance requirements contained in this Competitive Solicitation and the resulting Master Contract or, if applicable, as detailed on a Contract Issues List, if permitted, in this Competitive Solicitation.

8. INSURANCE. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

BIDDER HAS REQUIRED INSURANCE. Bidder has attached a current, valid Certificate of

Insurance with each and all of the required insurance coverages as specified in the Master Contract (note: Bidder must attach the Insurance Certificate).

OR

BIDDER WILL OBTAIN REQUIRED INSURANCE. Bidder does not have a current, valid

Certificate of Insurance with each and all of the required insurance coverages as specified in the Master Contract but, if designated as the Apparent Successful Bidder, Bidder will provide such a Certificate of Insurance, without exception of any kind, to Enterprise Services within twenty-four (24) hours of such designation or notification by Enterprise Services or be deemed a nonresponsive bid.

OR

BIDDER DOES NOT HAVE REQUIRED INSURANCE. As detailed on the attached explanation

(Bidder to provide), Bidder does not have a current, valid Certificate of Insurance with each and all of the required insurance coverages as specified in the Master

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 3

Contract and, if designated as the Apparent Successful Bidder would not be able to provide such a Certificate of Insurance to Enterprise Services within twenty-four (24) hours of such designation.

9. DEBARMENT. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO DEBARMENT. Bidder and/or its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from contracting with any federal, state, or local governmental entity.

OR

DEBARRED. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), Bidder and/or its principals presently are debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from contracting with a federal, state, or local governmental entity.

10. CRIMINAL OFFENSE. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO CRIMINAL OFFENSE. Bidder has not, within the three (3) year period preceding the date of this Competitive Solicitation, been convicted or had a civil judgment rendered against Bidder for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a governmental contract;

violation of any federal or state antitrust statute; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property. Bidder further certifies that it is not presently indicted or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in this paragraph.

OR

CRIMINAL OFFENSE. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), within the three (3) year period preceding the date of this Competitive Solicitation, Bidder has been convicted or had a civil judgment rendered against Bidder for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a governmental contract; violation of any federal or state antitrust statute; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.

11. WAGE THEFT PREVENTION. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO WAGE VIOLATIONS. Bidder has NOT been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of RCW chapters 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 within three (3) years prior to the date of the above-referenced Competitive Solicitation date.

OR

VIOLATIONS OF WAGE LAWS. Bidder has been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, a provision of RCW chapters 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 within three (3) years prior to the date of the above-referenced Competitive Solicitation date.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48.082 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.46 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.52 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48.082 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.46 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.52

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 4

12. PAY EQUALITY. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

PAY EQUALITY FOR SIMILARLY EMPLOYED WORKERS. Bidder’s similarly employed individuals are compensated as equals. For purposes of this provision, employees are similarly employed if the individuals work for the same employer, the performance of the job requires comparable skill, effort, and responsibility, and the jobs are performed under similar working conditions. Job titles alone are not determinative of whether employees are similarly employed. Bidder may allow differentials in compensation for its workers based in good faith on any of the following: a seniority system; a merit system; a system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production;

a bona fide job-related factor or factors; or a bona fide regional difference in compensation levels. A bona fide job-related factor or factors may include, but not be limited to, education, training, or experience that is: consistent with business necessity; not based on or derived from a gender-based differential; and accounts for the entire differential. A bona fide regional difference in compensation level must be consistent with business necessity; not based on or derived from a gender-based differential; and account for the entire differential.

OR

NO PAY EQUALITY FOR SIMILARLY EMPLOYED WORKERS. Bidder’s similarly employed individuals are NOT compensated as equals.

13. WORKERS’ RIGHTS (EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03). Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO MANDATORY INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION CLAUSES AND CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ACTION WAIVERS

FOR EMPLOYEES. Bidder does NOT require its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waivers.

OR

MANDATORY INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION CLAUSES AND CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ACTION WAIVERS FOR

EMPLOYEES. Bidder requires its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waivers.

14. TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT OR CAUSE. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT OR CAUSE. Bidder has not, within the three (3) year period preceding the date of this Competitive Solicitation, had one (1) or more federal, state, or local governmental contracts terminated for cause or default.

OR

TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT OR CAUSE. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), within the three (3) year period preceding the date of this Competitive Solicitation, Bidder has had one (1) or more federal, state, or local governmental contracts terminated for cause or default.

15. TAXES. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

TAXES PAID. Except as validly contested, Bidder is not delinquent and has paid or has arranged for payment of all taxes due to the State of Washington and has filed all required returns and reports as applicable.

OR

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 5

DELINQUENT TAXES. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), Bidder has not paid or arranged for payment of all taxes due to the State of Washington and/or has not timely filed all required returns and reports as applicable.

16. LAWFUL REGISTRATION. Bidder, if conducting business other than as a sole proprietorship (e.g., Bidder is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership) certifies as follows (must check one):

CURRENT LAWFUL REGISTRATION. Bidder is in good standing in the State of Washington and the jurisdiction where Bidder is organized, including having timely filed all required annual reports.

OR

DELINQUENT REGISTRATION. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), Bidder currently is not in good standing in the State of Washington and/or the jurisdiction where Bidder is organized.

17. SUBCONTRACTORS. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

NO SUBCONTRACTORS. If awarded a Master Contract, Bidder will not utilize subcontractors to provide the goods and/or services subject to this Competitive Solicitation.

OR

SUBCONTRACTORS. As detailed on the attached explanation (Bidder to provide), If awarded a Master Contract, Bidder will utilize subcontractors to provide the goods and/or services subject to this Competitive Solicitation. In such event, Bidder certifies that, as to the State, Bidder shall retain responsibility for its subcontractors, including, without limitation, liability for any subcontractor’s acts or omissions.

Note: Bidder must provide the precise legal name (including state of organization), business address, and federal tax identification number (TIN) for each subcontractor.

Note: If the TIN is a SSN, provide only the last four (4) digits.

18. WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESS. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESS. Bidder is a Washington Small Business as defined in

RCW 39.26.010. To qualify as a Washington Small Business, bidder must meet the following three (3) requirements:

1. Bidder’s principal office/place of business must be located in and identified as being in the State of Washington. A principal office or principal place of business is a firm’s headquarters where business decisions are made and the location for the firm’s books and records as well as the firm’s senior management personnel.

2. Bidder must be owned and operated independently from all other businesses and have either: (a) fifty (50) or fewer employees; or (b) gross revenue of less than seven million dollars ($7,000,000) annually as reported on its federal income tax return or its return filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue over the previous three consecutive years).

3. Bidder must have certified its small business status in WEBS.

OR

NOT WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESS. Bidder is not a Washington Small Business as defined http://www.des.wa.gov/services/ContractingPurchasing/Business/Pages/WEBSRegistration.aspx

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 6

in RCW 39.26.010.

19. VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS. Bidder certifies as follows (must check one):

VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS. Bidder is a certified Veteran-Owned business under

RCW 43.60A.190 and is identified as such on WEBS (which is confirmed by the Washington Department of Veterans’ Affairs).

OR

NOT VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS. Bidder is not a certified Veteran-Owned business under

RCW 43.60A.190.

20. REFERENCES. Bidder certifies that the references provided to Enterprise Services have worked with Bidder and that such individuals and firms have full permission, without any additional requirement or release, to provide such references and information to Enterprise Services. Bidder hereby authorizes Enterprise Services (or its agent) to contact Bidder’s references and others who may have pertinent information regarding Bidder’s prior experience and ability to perform the Master Contract, if awarded. Bidder hereby authorizes such individuals and firms to provide such references and release to Enterprise Services information pertaining to the same.

Bidder further certifies that it shall provide immediate written notice to Enterprise Services if, at any time prior to a contract award, Bidder learns that any of its certifications set forth herein were erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.

I hereby certify, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington, that the certifications herein are true and correct and that I am duly authorized to make these certifications on behalf of the Bidder listed herein.

BIDDER NAME: THE ATHENA GROUP, LLC______________________________________

Print Name of Bidder – Print full legal entity name of the firm submitting the Bid

By: ______________________________ Signature of Bidder’s authorized person

Title: Founder/CEO___________________ Title of person signing certificate

Date: 1/22/21_______________

Faith Trimble____________________________ Print Name of person making certifications for Bidder

Place: Olympia, Washington_______________ Print city and state where signed

Return this Bidder’s Certification to Procurement Coordinator at:

DESContractsTeamCedar@des.wa.gov mailto:DESContractsTeamCedar@des.wa.gov

EXHIBIT A-1 – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATION - 01620 PAGE 7

Question 17 – Subcontractors explanation:

Our company uses sub-contractors as needed to ensure we are bringing together the best team with the right experience for each project. We have a wide network of trusted experts and positive working relationships with a wide range of individual consultants and smaller firms. All subcontractors are subject to our quality assurance and client engagement standards and receive ongoing oversight from Project Managers and Consultant Project Leads. We are happy to refrain from using subcontractors for specific projects at the request of our clients.

EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE - 01620 PAGE 1

EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE

Competitive Solicitation No.: 01620 – Business Consulting Services

Bidder: The Athena Group, LLC

BIDDER INFORMATION

Legal name and address of Bidder:

Note: This must match information from Business License

The Athena Group, LLC________ Business Name 112 4th Avenue E, Suite 200_____ Address Olympia, WA 98501___________ City, State, Zip Code

Washington State Department of Revenue Registration Number:

Note: This is the Unified Business Identifier (UBI)

603303751__________________

Federal Tax ID No. (TIN):

Note: If your TIN is a Social Security number, provide only the last four digits.

46-3407964__________________

Is your firm certified as a minority or woman owned business with the Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises

(OMWBE)?

Yes No If yes, provide MWBE certification no.

WBE: W2F0017471, DBE: D2F0017471

Is your firm a self-certified Washington State small business?

Note: See definitions of ‘microbusiness,’ ‘minibusiness,’ and ‘small business,” set forth in

RCW 39.26.010.

Yes No

If yes, what is your business size?

Small Mini Micro

Is your firm certified as Veteran Owned with the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs?

Yes No If yes, provide WSDVA certification no.

EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE - 01620 PAGE 2

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT POINTS OF CONTACT

Authorized Representative Name: Faith Trimble Email: faitht@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x115

Contract Administrator Name: Kate King Email: katek@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x112

Sales Reporting Representative Name: Faith Trimble Email: faitht@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x115

Sales Reporting Alternate Name: Kate King Email: katek@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x112

Management Fee Representative Name: Faith Trimble Email: faitht@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x115

Management Fee Contact Alternate Name: Kate King Email: katek@athenaplace.com Phone: (360) 754-1954 x112

Address for Enterprise Services to send management fee invoices:

Company name: The Athena Group, LLC Attn: Kate King Address: 112 4th Avenue E, Suite 200 City/State/Zip: Olympia, WA 98501

ORDERING/SALES POINTS OF CONTACT (expand as necessary)

Name Phone Number E-mail Area of Responsibility

Davey Wilkes (360) 754-1954 x155 daveyw@athenaplace.com Business Relationships

EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE - 01620 PAGE 3

REFERENCES

Provide a minimum of two (2) commercial or government references for which bidder has delivered goods and/or services similar in scope as described in the Competitive Solicitation. Additional references may be required if Bidder intends to submit a bid for more than one category. See instructions in Exhibit C-1 – Bid Evaluation Criteria, Item No. 2 Experience.

Reference 1 – Organizational Development, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Washington State Department of Transportation Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation

(360) 705-7027 MillarR@wsdot.wa.gov

Reference 2 – Organizational Development, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Seattle City Light Namura Nkeze, Sr. HR Director

(206) 256-5240 namura.nkeze@seattle.gov

Reference 1 – Change Management, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Washington State Department of Early Learning Heather Moss, former Director and Deputy Secretary

(253) 756-0887 heather.moss@piercecounty.gov

Reference 2 – Change Management, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Washington State Investment Board Theresa Whitmarsh, Executive director

(360) 956-4710 Theresa.Whitmarsh@sib.wa.gov

Reference 1 – Management and Business Analysis, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Washington State Health Care Authority Bonnie Wennerstrom, Policy Connector/Contract Manager

(360) 522-0161 Bonnie.Wennerstrom@hca.wa.gov

Reference 2 – Management and Business Analysis, if applicable

Company Name:

Contact & Title:

Phone:

Email:

Child Care Aware of Washington Sandy Maldonado, Director of Early Learning

(253) 533-6790 sandy@childcareawarewa.org

EXHIBIT A-2 – BIDDER’S PROFILE - 01620 PAGE 4

PURCHASE CARDS (I.E., CREDIT CARDS)

Please indicate which types of purchasing (credit) cards are accepted (note: any card fees must be included in the unit price of the bid):

Visa Master Card American Express Discover Other: None

Return this Bidder’s Profile to Procurement Coordinator at:

EXHIBIT A-3 – RESPONSIBLE BIDDER (COMPETENCIES) - 01620 PAGE 1

EXHIBIT A-3 - RESPONSIBLE BIDDER (COMPETENCIES)

Competitive Solicitation: No. 01620 – Business Consulting Services

Bidder, through the duly authorized undersigned, makes this certification as a required element of submitting a responsive bid. Bidder certifies, to the best of its knowledge and belief that the following are true, complete, correct, and made in good faith:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is important to Washington State must be present in the fabric of the work we do in all areas. For professional services, where outside entities are coming into and directing the work of our civil servants, it is essential that they align with these values. As a requirement for responsibility, your firm must attest to the state’s values and culture. This will become part of any resultant contract and Bidder will be required to meet or exceed the commitments listed herein.

ATTESTATION

☒ I and the named leader(s) below have read and understand the Washington State Enterprise Leadership Competencies and the Enterprise DEI Competencies for all employees posted by the DEI Committee of the Office of Financial Management, and titled “Enterprise DEI Competencies – All Employees – A pathway for success [PDF]”. The named leader(s) below have the authority to, and shall ensure, that Bidder, Bidder’s employees, and Bidder’s subcontractors will follow the base expectation for values and culture established by Washington State. As Washington State continues to listen to our state family, this leader will enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within this organization. I will notify Enterprise Services within 30 days if these named leader(s) need to be changed.

Faith Trimble, Founder/CEO_______________ _________________________ 1/22/21_________ Name, Title Signature Date

Name, Title Signature Date

Name, Title Signature Date https://des.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/documents/Training/LeadershipDevelopment/Leadership_Competencies.pdf?=420bb https://des.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/documents/Training/LeadershipDevelopment/Leadership_Competencies.pdf?=420bb https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/workforce-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-resources/dei-committee-documents https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/workforce-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-resources/dei-committee-documents

EXHIBIT A-3 – RESPONSIBLE BIDDER (COMPETENCIES) - 01620 PAGE 2

CERTIFICATION

Bidder further certifies that it shall provide immediate written notice to Enterprise Services if, at any time prior to a contract award, Bidder learns that any of its certifications set forth herein were erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.

I hereby certify, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington, that the certifications herein are true and correct and that I am duly authorized to make these certifications on behalf of the Bidder listed herein.

BIDDER NAME: THE ATHENA GROUP, LLC________________________________________________ Print Name of Bidder – Print full legal entity name of the firm submitting the Bid

By: ______________________________ Signature of Bidder’s authorized person

Title: Founder/CEO___________________ Title of person signing certificate

Date: 1/22/21_______________

Faith Trimble___________________________ Print Name of person making certifications for Bidder

Place: Olympia, Washington______________ Print city and state where signed

Return this Bidder’s Certification to Procurement Coordinator at:

Bidder Name: The Athena Group, LLC

EXHIBIT C - 2 – BIDDER RESPONSE SHEET / 01620-BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES

Categories that your company is bidding on (Mandatory, Not Scored)

Check the box(s) next to each category that your company is bidding on:

Organizational Development Change Management Management and Business Analysis

Bidder’s Organization (4 pages maximum) (150 points)

Who We Are Based in Olympia, WA, our company has provided exceptional organizational development, change management, and management and business analysis services to state, regional, local governments and nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. Over seventy percent (70%) of our work is with state and local governments. While our main geographic focus is the state of Washington, we also have satellite offices in two additional states and serve clients across the country and in Canada.

Along with organizational development, change management and management and business analysis services as defined in this RFP, we also provide inclusive community and stakeholder engagements reaching typically hard to reach populations like people with disabilities, people who don’t trust government, people who don’t have access to standard government meetings, people who speak English as a second language or not at all, and people who are unable to transport themselves.

We are a woman-owed, small business with eleven Partners, six Principals and Associates, and an extended network of business relationships with over sixty independent consultants and smaller consulting firms. We are certified through the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) status.

Why We Do This Work

We recently went through an extensive strategic planning process and organizational redesign to align ourselves around this purpose: everyone deserves to thrive. This is a shared purpose with our clients.

When we ask our clients what they need from us, they tell us their constituents are calling for transformational change; they know they have to do things differently than they have in the past.

Consequently, we have focused our priority services to provide the most relevant and high value offerings that improve our clients’ capabilities to foster the conditions for transformational change in self, systems, and society.

How We Work Our company partners with clients and their stakeholders to lead transformational efforts. We help them find clarity, inclusively engage others, understand and appreciate differences, develop strategic direction, priorities, and shared measures, and build actionable, adaptable plans that speak to our most pressing public problems and issues.

We believe that resilient, healthy and inclusive organizations and communities require work from the inside out. Our services span a spectrum of offerings that result in:

• Individuals: Enhanced self-awareness of emotions, thinking patterns, and how they are held in our bodies; awareness of biases; dealing with conflict; improved interactions with others; and capacities to follow and lead.

• Organizations: Building trust, relationships, and systems that work for employees and teams;

strategic clarity; clear decision-making roles; healthy conversations that don’t skirt conflict;

inclusive policies and practices that address systemic inequities; a culture of continuous improvement; and collecting and using quantitative and qualitative data that supports strategic decision-making.

• Communities: Making a bigger impact by working across sectors, levels and divisions; being in partnerships where no one entity has all the power; engaging and communicating with each other; sharing information and problem solving together; and inclusively co-creating future pathways.

Whether we are offering coaching, training, facilitation, mediation, planning, project management, process improvement, program evaluations, or community engagement, we approach our work from the mindset that change happens from the inside-out, that we all have so much to learn about ourselves and about each other, and disruption is part of creation.

Stability, Strength and Capability We are excited to continue our work with DES and Washington State Agencies and we submit this proposal confident in the capability, stability, and strength of our firm to meet your needs.

Our STABILITY can be gauged by our over 20 years in business, and also by our deep roots in responding to Washington government needs, our existing positive relationships with DES and other Washington State agencies, and our talented bench of highly experienced Partners, Principals, subcontractors, and business associates, many of whom bring a depth of experience working inside state and local governments.

We have weathered all of the economic downturns over the last 20 years, including the current COVID- 19 health, social and economic pandemic. While it hasn’t always been easy, our secret sauce has been the nimbleness of the organization to respond to client demands and to right size our response while simultaneously respecting the livelihoods of our consultants.

Our agile organizational framework is purpose-driven, and self-organizing with distributed authority and shared ownership. This provides highly developed consultants with the creative and entrepreneurial space they need to fully bring their best selves to the client while providing a robust and flexible internal structure that facilitates getting decisions made and getting the work done.

The STRENGTH of our company can be found in our people. Like our company, they are passionately purpose focused, avid listeners, and creative thinkers. We attract and retain the best talent by aligning our work with the organizational purpose, maintaining strong relationships with our clients, and continuously striving to be a place where our consultants can be deeply connected, make an impact, and have fun while being in their zone of genius.

Our strength also comes from our deep respect for public servants, and knowledge of Washington State. We have consultants that have lived in Washington their entire life, and who have worked in all sectors, including substantially with Washington state and local governments. We have worked with over thirty state agencies and over sixty local governments since our inception. We see our clients as the experts in the field, and respect and honor the work that comes before us. While we offer a suite of skill sets, we never push a single solution or subscription on our clients.

Our strength can also be represented in the growing diversity of consultants on our team and our commitment to anti-racism. Our founder hosts quarterly Race Conversations with our Partners, Principals, subcontractors, and business associates, she is participating in an Intercultural Foundations

Program for Leaders and is working on an intercultural development plan. Many of the white consultants on our team are likewise committed to the ongoing work of examining the dominant culture of white supremacy, and our internal Equity Stewards guide our organization when we need to make changes to our internal practices or external services.

The CAPABILITY of our organization can be seen in our broad spectrum of services from individual coaching, to organizational culture and strategy, to community engagement.

We share a belief that some of society’s deepest issues can be best addressed through the collaborative attention and investment of government, non-profits and the private sector. Each sector has a role to play in the transformational changes that are being called for. Given the broad range of our consultant contacts, our firm is in a good position to connect our Washington state government clients with different divisions and branches of government; with tribal, regional and local governments; with the non-profit and for-profit sectors; and with their own constituents.

Our consultants offer a broad range of lived-experience, education and certifications, and a history of client satisfaction. We have the ability to scale to meet the client needs as illustrated below:

Strategic Plan on Homelessness – Our company recently won a statewide award for our inclusive communities work on affordable housing and homelessness. A city and county engaged our consultant team to facilitate a community-driven strategic planning process on homelessness. In partnership with stakeholders, we designed and facilitated an inclusive process that enabled a diverse group of community members and leaders to find the best way forward for themselves, in light of all interests and perspectives in the community. The community got to know each other better while learning together. They listened to the community’s and each other’s needs and differences. They were able to agree on goals and ultimately developed an actionable and mutually satisfying plan to address homelessness.

Changing the Legacy of Race – Program Development and Facilitator Training & Coaching – Our company partnered with board and staff members to identify an approach to change the work they did.

They wanted to leverage the strengths that already existed among staff and increase their capacity to host and facilitate bridge-building community conversations on challenging topics. The team developed and piloted a Community Conversations program on Changing the Legacy of Race and trained two experienced facilitators in advanced methods in intergroup dialogue, mentored them throughout the pilot project, and worked with the team to evaluate the pilot effort.

Leadership Development Program – Our company worked with a county library system to design a leadership development program to cultivate a cross-organizational network of emerging leaders throughout the regionally dispersed library system. The cohort-based program features learning, practice, and coaching to build competence in emotional intelligence, giving and receiving feedback, building trust, communicating effectively, influencing change and engaging conflict.

Quality Improvement – Our company conducted a micro version of an organizational analysis with a focus on strategy, systems, and culture. These efforts led to the identification of a number of key issues and cultural enablers that could be leveraged to achieve the organization’s goals. A future-state process map was created for how to, inclusively, develop and deploy strategic goals annually. An implementation plan was created for how to achieve this future state map. As a result, leaders have a road map for how to better implement their strategic priorities.

Experience (4 pages for each category bid) (200 points)

Project 1 / Reference 1 - Organizational Development

Our company worked on: Executive Retreats, Priority Setting, Team Building & Implementation

Size of Company: Over 6,000 employees

Length of Engagement: November 2015 – December 2016

Goals, Scope, and Opportunity Description: The secretary and deputy secretary of a large Washington State agency both shared a leadership vision. They wanted the executive team and senior leadership to also share the vision and actively engage the entire agency in blending these principles into daily work.

One of the principles they wanted to infuse throughout the agency was Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Actions Taken: We designed and facilitated the departments’ strategic 2-day executive retreats in 2015 and 2016. During the first retreat, we helped the executives land on three “agency emphasis areas” – one which included a strategy for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

In the 12 months following the first retreat and leading up to the second retreat, we helped senior leadership act on the agency emphasis areas, in particular the implementation of a significant culture change in how the agency prioritized and selected projects.

During the second retreat, the leadership reaffirmed these emphasis areas and identified where improvements were needed to take the agency to the next level. We also facilitated current state analysis of performance, strategy, budget, and lean systems. Additionally, we provided training, facilitation, and coaching support to a cross-sector group in charge of a major initiatives.

Results:

• Leadership unification on three agency emphasis areas

• Improved norms of collaboration and communication

• Common definition of success in key areas

• Introduction to adaptive leadership concepts and tools

• Documentation of current state for strategy, budget, performance, and continuous improvement integration

Project 2 / Reference 2 - Organizational Development

Our company worked on: Executive/Leadership Development and Team Collaboration

Size of Company: Nearly 2,000 employees

Length of Engagement: April 2017 – present

Goals, Scope, and Opportunity Description: There were a variety of challenges that our client’s Human Resources representatives identified when discussing the scope of work with us. Among their concerns were ineffective leadership skills, lack of collaboration within teams and across divisions/departments, low productivity/performance, poor communication, low prioritization skills, unprofessional behaviors, and lack of strategy development and execution. They had done a cultural assessment to prioritize areas for improvement and found leadership skills were lacking and no internal leadership development structure existed. The culture had long prioritized promoting from within, but competency as individual contributors didn’t translate well to leadership competencies. When outsiders were hired in, they set a higher bar in this important area. Internally promoted leaders (many of whom had never led a team before) needed support learning new competencies and reaching the higher bar being set.

Actions Taken: Our consulting team administered a variety of assessments including 360 Leadership Circle assessments, 5 Dysfunction of a Team, and individual interviews across the organization. We dug beyond the symptoms to really understand the problem and develop the right solutions, instead of offering cookie cutter coaching. We helped individuals and teams understand why they were seeing the feedback they were from 360s and other assessments and worked with them to develop plans for improvement in areas critical to their success and fulfillment at work. To address both a skills gap and a lack of respect in the culture, we developed and facilitated over 14 workshops on topics such as giving and receiving feedback and inclusive leadership. We additionally facilitated meetings with over 48 people and provided guidance and demonstrated skill sets, along with over 400 hours of executive one on one coaching and leadership development.

Results: Our client has reported improved retention, job satisfaction, increased productivity, improved and consistent communication, and improved collaboration since partnering with our consultants. While this contract was initially a spot on their coaching roster, we now provide coaching and leadership development services for 4 different departments within the agency, based on our ability to get deeper and successfully equip leaders with the tools they needed to improve the culture and themselves. In one team, a member known for obstructive behavior walked out on the first day during introductions, saying the work wasn’t mandatory or worth their time. The team was bothered by this, so we helped them to focus on their own work and areas where they could have an impact and create change. A few sessions later, that same person showed back up on their own accord, still defensive, but curious. They had seen results in their teammates already and didn’t want to be left behind.

Positive reports have come not only from our client directly, but the impact of our work has been noticed and commented on during cross-team projects, from HR, as well as upper management in other divisions who have praised higher engagement and more responsiveness from the departments working with us.

Project 1 / Reference 1 – Change Management

Our company worked on: Organizational Change, Culture and Leadership in Department Merger

Size of Company: Over 300 employees

Length of Engagement: June 2017 – June 2018

Goals, Scope, and Opportunity Description: The Washington State Legislature formed a new agency by merging an existing agency and divisions. The agency wanted to explore ways to strengthen the agency culture that was beneficial and let go of agency culture that was not serving as it prepared to transition during a short time frame.

Actions Taken: Our team worked collaboratively with agency leaders and employees to conduct an organizational cultural assessment. This assessment entailed:

• an agency-wide organizational and health survey;

• 50 ethnographic interviews of a cross-section of employees across all levels and regions;

• group ethnographic observation; and

• extensive analysis and vetting of assessment results.

After the assessment, we facilitated a series of employee workshops across the state, through a highly inclusive participatory process, to engage employees in making sense of the organizational and cultural assessment results. Through additional workshops, we guided staff in developing targeted strategies to strengthen culture.

We worked with leadership to prioritize potential safe-to-fail culture strengthening experiments and assisted leadership and staff in defining and launching an initial set of experiments. Key elements of the organizational and health survey and individual interviews provided insights into strengths and growth opportunities for executive leadership.

Leveraging those insights, we shaped leadership development activities to support individual and group leadership capacity. We did this through individual coaching of executives, 2 two-day leadership offsites focused on capacity-building and applied learning activities, and regular meetings with the Leadership Team to engage them in culture awareness and strengthening activities. The client extended our contract to continue our existing coaching relationships, conduct 360-degree assessments of all leaders and a subset of high-level managers, and co-develop individual developments plans (IDPs).

Results: The client successfully merged with the other two divisions, forming the new state agency by the state determined deadline. Leaders and staff were well equipped for the transition and the subsequent changes to unfold.

Project 2 / Reference 2 - Change Management

Our company worked on: Organizational Culture Assessment in Succession Planning

Size of Company: Over 500 employees

Length of Engagement: February 2019 – present

Goals, Scope, and Opportunity Description: The top two executive leaders of a state agency were planning on retiring within the next 2-3 years. The executive leadership recognized that this would likely lead to lot of concern and discomfort across the agency. At the time, the different departments operated tightly and with big workloads. Departments, and groups within them, tended to operate in silos. Distinct and very different cultures had emerged over the years, with some staff tending to be more highly educated, and other staff feeling like second class citizens. The agency also had many younger people coming into a fairly stable and mature workplace. While their most recent employee satisfaction survey rated reasonably well overall, it had very low ratings related to communication.

Actions Taken: Our team developed an integrated, multi-dimensional response to the project. Our approach was strengths-based, appreciative, collaborative and whole-systems aware. We started by conducting a thorough organizational health and culture assessment at both the micro level (individual leaders, staff and teams) as well as at the macro level (organization- and division-wide). This included an initial needs assessment to assess the health and resiliency of the organization and culture, and a series of ethnographic interview of staff at all levels. The results of the organizational culture assessment were examined in “Sense-Making” Workshops that engaged a cross-section of employees from across the agency. Here, employees had an opportunity to help our consultant team look for patterns in the data and begin to generate early-stage hypotheses (or best guesses) as to what might help to improve culture where it is shown to be undesirable. The most promising hypotheses were then further developed and refined into a number of small, time-bound culture change experiments (or “safe-to-fail experiments”).

We facilitated a process to evaluate and prioritize the different culture change experiment proposals.

We also developed a robust experiment monitoring plan to allow teams to monitor the initiative for signs of success and failure. In this way, the client would have the ability to explore what works and what doesn’t before they decided to provide additional resources and support to any particular experiment.

Results: The executive team received the information, tools and skills they needed in order to lead and manage the human side of change by building trust and by fostering widespread meaningful engagement in, and adoption of, operational process improvements and cultural development. The workshops generated over 20 potential culture experiments, that allowed different teams throughout the agency to test different ways to improve the culture. Out of the original 20 potential culture experiments, 12 were approved by the executive team and launched within the agency. One significant experiment that was subsequently adopted as a permanent change was the establishment of a new operating committee that included senior representatives from each division to look across the agency and make recommendations for synergies and improved functioning to the executive team. Staff at all levels gained the practical skills and tools needed to generate, evaluate, launch, and monitor future initiatives.

Project 1 / Reference 1 – Management and Business Analysis

Our company worked on: Project & Program Management for Large Statewide Demonstration Project

Size of Company: Over 1,000 employees

Length of Engagement: August 2017 – December 2020

Goals, Scope, and Opportunity Description: The State of Washington was approved by the federal government for a $1.5 billion, 5-year waiver for the delivery of alternative services and payment models.

During this demonstration period, the state implemented value base purchasing, behavioral health integration initiatives, and initiatives to reduce regional health disparities. Additionally, two other state agencies jointly implemented a similarly funded housing and employment benefit.

During the 5-year period, project management and program integrity were essential as the federal agency required key data and program evaluation results to assess the long-term program viability.

Actions Taken: Our consultant team provided core project and program management services. Our team started with an evaluation of project management maturity, implemented key process changes, and facilitated change management activities to smooth the adoption of new project management processes. Key streams of work included:

• Project Management Maturity and Governance Model Assessment

• Project Management Process Implementation

• Project Management Staff Augmentation Services o Schedule Management o Risk Management o Governance/Decision-making

• Executive Governance/Steering Committee Facilitation

• Interagency Governance…