Chelsea Housing Authority | RFP — Fire Alarm Testing, Inspection & Repair

RFP No. CHA-FA-2026-01 | Page 1 of 52

CHELSEA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Fire Alarm Testing, Inspection, and Repair Services

RFP No. CHA-FA-2026-01

Issued Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B

Issued by: Chelsea Housing Authority 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150

Issue Date: July 29, 2026

Proposals Due: August 19, 2026 @ 2:00 PM

Contract Term: 1-year base + up to two (2) one-year options at CHA's sole discretion (3 years max)

Estimated Value: $40,000 – $60,000 annually (estimated $120,000 – $180,000 over full term)

Contact: Wayne Brooks Chelsea Housing Authority wbrooks@chelseaha.com 617-438-7952

This Request for Proposals is issued under the public bidding requirements of M.G.L. c. 30B. All responses must be submitted in accordance with the instructions set forth herein. Late, incomplete, or non-responsive proposals will be rejected.

mailto:wbrooks@chelseaha.com

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. Table of Contents

Section 1 — Introduction & General Information Section 2 — Scope of Work Section 3 — Pricing Structure Section 4 — Prevailing Wage Compliance Section 5 — Insurance, Indemnification & Limitation of Liability Section 6 — Contract Terms & Conditions Section 7 — Vendor Qualifications & Minimum Requirements Section 8 — Evaluation Criteria & Award Process Section 9 — Submission Requirements & Bid Forms Section 10 — General Provisions Appendix A — Schedule of Locations & System Inventory Appendix B — Required Bid Forms & Certifications Appendix C — Sample Contract Agreement Appendix D — Massachusetts Prevailing Wage Reference

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1. Introduction & General Information

1.1 Purpose

The Chelsea Housing Authority (“CHA” or the “Awarding Authority”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified fire protection service contractors for annual fire alarm testing, inspection, and as-needed repair services for twenty-five (25) residential and administrative properties owned and operated by CHA, all located in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The selected vendor shall perform all work in accordance with NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code), applicable Massachusetts state codes (including 527 CMR), local Authority Having Jurisdiction (“AHJ”) requirements, and the terms of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”).

1.2 About the Chelsea Housing Authority

CHA is a public body corporate and politic organized under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 121B, providing affordable rental housing to low-income families, elderly residents, and persons with disabilities. CHA operates state-aided and federally-assisted public housing developments across the City of Chelsea. CHA's main office is located at 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150.

1.3 Statutory Authority

This procurement is conducted pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B (the “Uniform Procurement Act”), §§ 5 and 6, governing the procurement of supplies and services by Massachusetts public agencies for contracts exceeding $50,000. CHA shall award the contract to the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror, taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria set forth in Section 8 of this RFP.

1.4 RFP Document & Public Notice

This RFP shall be advertised in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30B § 5. A copy of this RFP, including all appendices, is available without charge from CHA upon written request to the Procurement Officer identified in Section 1.6 below. The RFP shall also be posted on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Goods and Services Procurement Portal (COMMBUYS) and on CHA's website.

1.5 Estimated Contract Value & Term

CHA estimates the annual value of services under this contract to be between $40,000 and $60,000, depending on the volume of repair work performed. The total estimated contract value, including potential option years, is between $120,000 and $180,000.

The contract shall consist of a one-year base term commencing on September 2, 2026, with two

(2) one-year options to renew, exercisable solely at the discretion of CHA upon written notice to the vendor not less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the then-current term. The maximum total contract term, including all options, shall not exceed three (3) years. There shall be no automatic, evergreen, or rollover renewal of any kind.

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1.6 Procurement Officer & Sole Point of Contact

All communications regarding this RFP shall be directed exclusively to:

• Wayne Brooks, Procurement Officer / Business Manager

• Chelsea Housing Authority, 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150

• Email: wbrooks@chelseaha.com

• Telephone: 617-438-7952

Vendors are strictly prohibited from contacting any other CHA employee, official, board member, or evaluator regarding this RFP from the date of issuance through the date of contract award.

Violation of this restriction may result in disqualification of the vendor's proposal at CHA's sole discretion.

1.7 Schedule of Key Dates

Milestone Date / Time

RFP Issued (publicly advertised) July 29, 2026

Optional Pre-Bid Walk-Through (strongly recommended)

August 5, 2026 @ 10:00 AM, meet at Main Office, 54 Locke St.

Written Questions Due (no oral questions accepted after walk-through) August 12, 2026 @ 4:00 PM

Addendum / Q&A Responses Issued August 14, 2026

Sealed Proposals Due (Bid Opening) August 26, 2026 @ 2:00 PM

Evaluation Period August 26 – August 28, 2026

Notice of Award (Contingent) August 31, 2026

Contract Execution Deadline August 31, 2026

Contract Start Date September 2, 2026

CHA reserves the right to modify any of the above dates by written addendum. Vendors are responsible for monitoring for addenda and ensuring they have reviewed the most current version of the RFP and all addenda before submitting a proposal.

1.8 Pre-Bid Walk-Through

An optional but strongly recommended pre-bid walk-through will be held at the date and time indicated in Section 1.7. The walk-through will originate at CHA's Main Office at 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150, and will include a tour of representative sample properties from the location schedule. Vendors are responsible for their own transportation between sites.

Attendance is not mandatory. However, no claim of unfamiliarity with site conditions, system configurations, panel types, or access constraints will be entertained from any vendor, whether or not the vendor attended the walk-through. Vendors who do not attend assume full responsibility for assessing site conditions on their own.

mailto:wbrooks@chelseaha.com

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1.9 Questions & Addenda

All vendor questions must be submitted in writing by email to the Procurement Officer no later than the Q&A Deadline in Section 1.7. Oral questions raised at the walk-through will be transcribed but require written follow-up to receive a binding response. Questions received after the deadline will not be answered.

All responses to questions, together with any modifications to the RFP, will be issued in the form of one or more written addenda, distributed to all vendors known to have requested or downloaded the RFP and posted to COMMBUYS and CHA's website. Vendors are required to acknowledge receipt of all addenda on the Bid Form. Failure to do so may result in rejection of the proposal.

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2. Scope of Work

2.1 General Scope

The selected vendor shall provide complete fire alarm testing, inspection, and repair services for all twenty-five (25) CHA properties listed in Appendix A. Services shall include, at a minimum:

• Annual fire alarm system testing and inspection in accordance with NFPA 72 § 14, including all initiating devices, notification appliances, supervisory devices, control units, and ancillary functions.

• Functional testing of all smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, water flow switches, tamper switches, duct detectors, horn/strobe assemblies, and panel battery backup systems.

• Visual inspection of wiring, conduit, junction boxes, and field devices for damage, tampering, or improper installation.

• Battery testing (load test and replacement as required by NFPA 72 § 14.4.5).

• Verification of all programmed device addresses, zone configurations, and event logs.

• Sensitivity testing of smoke detectors at the frequency required by NFPA 72 § 14.4.5.3.

• Verification of communication with any required offsite reporting (where applicable; CHA does not currently subscribe to monitoring services through this contract).

• As-needed repair services for deficiencies identified during inspection or for system faults reported by CHA staff.

• Same-day or next-business-day delivery of written inspection reports identifying any code deficiencies, system faults, or recommended repairs.

2.2 Inspection Frequency

Annual inspection is the required minimum frequency under this contract, performed once per calendar year at each location. Vendor shall propose and coordinate an inspection schedule with the CHA Maintenance Director that distributes inspections across the calendar year and minimizes resident disruption. Vendor shall provide at least seven (7) days' written notice to CHA before each scheduled inspection visit. Where panel manufacturer documentation or AHJ requirements impose more frequent inspection on specific devices or components, the vendor shall perform such additional inspections at no additional cost as part of the annual inspection package.

2.3 Repair Response Times

2.3.1 Emergency Repair Response (2 hours)

The vendor shall respond on-site within two (2) hours of notification by CHA, twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, including holidays, for any of the following conditions (“Emergency Conditions”):

• Complete system failure (panel offline or non-operational).

• Multiple zones or devices reporting trouble or supervisory conditions simultaneously.

• Active alarm condition with no apparent cause (false or nuisance alarm that cannot be silenced).

• Fire alarm system shutdown or required watch condition imposed by the Chelsea Fire

Department or other AHJ.

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• Any condition rendering the fire alarm system substantially non-functional at an occupied residential property.

2.3.2 Non-Emergency Repair Response (24 hours)

The vendor shall respond on-site within twenty-four (24) hours of notification by CHA during normal business days for non-emergency repair calls, including single-device faults, isolated trouble signals, scheduled repairs of deficiencies identified during annual inspection, and any other condition not meeting the Emergency Conditions definition above. CHA shall designate at the time of each call whether the call is an Emergency or Non-Emergency repair; CHA's designation shall be binding for purposes of response time obligations.

2.3.3 Failure to Meet Response Times

Failure to meet a required response time, except whereas caused by force majeure as defined in Section 6.10, shall constitute a material breach of contract. CHA reserves the right to assess liquidated damages of $500 per occurrence for failure to meet an Emergency response time, and $250 per occurrence for failure to meet a Non-Emergency response time. Repeated failures may, at CHA's discretion, constitute grounds for termination for cause under Section 6.7.

2.4 Repair Authorization Thresholds

2.4.1 Not-To-Exceed (NTE) Authorization

The vendor is authorized to perform repair work without prior written purchase order authorization from CHA up to a Not-To-Exceed (NTE) threshold of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per individual repair occurrence, inclusive of all labor, parts, and trip charges. Repairs exceeding $1,000 require a written, itemized quote submitted to CHA in advance and a written purchase order issued by the CHA Procurement Officer or Maintenance Director before any work above the NTE threshold may proceed.

2.4.2 Emergency Override

Notwithstanding Section 2.4.1, in the case of an Emergency Condition where waiting for written authorization would create an unacceptable safety risk, the vendor may perform up to four (4) hours of additional labor (beyond the NTE threshold) to restore the system to a safe operational state, provided the vendor immediately notifies the CHA Maintenance Director by telephone and follows up with a written explanation within twenty-four (24) hours. CHA reserves the right to dispute charges incurred under this emergency override provision if the vendor cannot document that the emergency override was genuinely necessary.

2.4.3 Itemization Requirement

All repair work, regardless of whether under or over the NTE threshold, shall be invoiced on a fully itemized basis showing: (a) labor hours by date and classification, (b) labor rate applied, (c) each part used with quantity, supplier source, and verifiable supplier cost, (d) markup applied (which shall not exceed 10% as set forth in Section 3.4), and (e) any trip charge or mobilization fee. Lump-sum repair invoicing is not permitted and will be rejected for payment until itemized.

2.5 Reporting & Documentation

2.5.1 Inspection Reports

Within five (5) business days of completing each annual inspection, the vendor shall deliver to CHA a written inspection report for the inspected property, including:

• Complete device inventory with location, type, manufacturer, model, and identifying tag/address.

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• Pass/fail status of each device tested, with date and technician identification.

• Itemized list of any deficiencies, code violations, or recommended repairs, prioritized by severity.

• Battery test results, including load test voltage and recommendation for replacement where applicable.

• Photographs of any significant deficiencies.

• Signed certification by the inspecting technician (with license number and NICET certification if applicable).

2.5.2 Repair Reports

Within three (3) business days of completing each repair, the vendor shall deliver to CHA a repair report describing: the reported issue, diagnostic findings, work performed, parts replaced, time on site, and verification that the system was restored to operational status. Repair reports shall be linked by reference number to the corresponding invoice.

2.5.3 Electronic Record Retention

Vendor shall maintain electronic copies of all inspection reports, repair reports, certified payroll records, and supporting documentation for the entire contract term plus seven (7) years thereafter, and shall make such records available to CHA, CHA's auditors, the Department of Labor Standards, the Department of Housing and Community Development, or any other lawful inspecting authority upon request within ten (10) business days.

2.6 Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) Coordination

The vendor shall coordinate all inspection scheduling and any required impairment, watch, or out-of-service notifications with the Chelsea Fire Department and any other applicable AHJ. The vendor shall submit annual inspection reports to the AHJ as required by 527 CMR 1.00 and shall maintain documentation evidencing such submissions. The vendor shall be solely responsible for any consequences of failure to file required AHJ notifications, including any fines or penalties assessed against CHA as a result.

2.7 Central Station Monitoring Coordination

Certain CHA properties are connected to one or more third-party central station monitoring services with which CHA contracts separately from this Agreement. The vendor selected under this RFP is not the central station monitoring provider and shall not be responsible for monitoring services or related fees. The vendor shall, however, coordinate with CHA's designated central station provider(s) as follows:

• Provide reasonable advance notice to the central station provider before any inspection or repair work that may generate test signals or temporarily place the system out of service.

• Coordinate signal verification with the central station after each annual inspection and after any repair work that affects a notification appliance, initiating device, communicator, or signal transmission path.

• Confirm post-work that all monitored zones are properly reporting and that no points are left in trouble, supervisory, or test mode after the vendor leaves the site.

• Notify CHA immediately of any condition during inspection or repair that affects the central station's ability to receive or properly interpret signals, including any required communicator reprogramming.

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• Provide CHA with written documentation of central station coordination as part of each inspection report and repair report.

CHA will provide the awarded vendor with the names, contact information, and account numbers for the central station provider(s) at the time of contract execution. The vendor shall treat this information as confidential operational information per Section 6.12.

2.8 Specialized Work & Subcontracting

The vendor shall not subcontract any portion of the work under this contract without the prior written consent of CHA. If specific panel manufacturer-proprietary work requires factory-authorized service (for example, certain Edwards EST-3, Notifier, Simplex, or Honeywell components), the vendor shall identify such manufacturers in its proposal and shall include any such factory-authorized service within the vendor's own scope and pricing, not as a separately-billed subcontractor pass-through. Any subcontractor used by the vendor shall be bound by all the terms of this contract, including prevailing wage compliance.

2.9 Known Existing Deficiencies — Disclosure

The most recent annual NFPA 72 inspections, performed in November 2025 by the predecessor vendor, identified a substantial backlog of unrepaired deficiencies across the CHA portfolio that have not, to CHA's knowledge, been resolved as of the issuance of this RFP. Common categories of identified but unrepaired deficiencies include, without limitation:

• Fire alarm control unit batteries exceeding three (3) years of age and identified as due for replacement at multiple locations across the portfolio.

• Manufacturer-recalled heat detectors identified as requiring replacement at one or more Fitzpatrick Apartments locations (notably 13 Burma Road and associated buildings).

• Attic-mounted heat detectors documented as “not accessible” and therefore not visually inspected or functionally tested during the FY25 inspection cycle, at several Fitzpatrick locations.

Miscellaneous device-level deficiencies (failed devices, aged or expired detectors, battery failures, wiring or programming faults) were flagged across the majority of the twenty-five

(25) systems in the FY25 reports, concentrated most heavily at Margolis Apartments (260 Clark Avenue), where 177 heat detectors were flagged as beyond their 15-year service life together with multiple control-unit and booster battery failures. These are repair and replacement items and are not part of the annual testing scope.

Copies of the FY25 inspection reports are available to vendors upon written request to the Procurement Officer and will be reviewed during the pre-bid walk-through. Vendors are advised that the awarded vendor should anticipate a meaningful first-year repair workload to bring deferred items into NFPA 72 and 527 CMR compliance, and should size its first-year repair-labor estimates accordingly. The awarded vendor will not be responsible for any condition created by the predecessor vendor's work or failure to perform, but shall, within the first ninety (90) days of contract performance, deliver to CHA a written assessment of the portfolio's compliance status, a prioritized punch list of all deficiencies (existing and newly identified), and a recommended phased remediation plan with associated costs at the contract pricing. CHA shall determine in its sole discretion which items, if any, to authorize for remediation under the NTE provisions of Section

2.4 or by separate purchase order.

Nothing in this section creates an obligation on the part of the vendor to perform repair work beyond what CHA authorizes. The disclosure is provided to ensure all bidders have equivalent information about the current condition of the systems and to enable accurate first-year cost estimation.

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3. Pricing Structure

3.1 General Pricing Principles

All pricing submitted in response to this RFP shall be firm and binding for the full term of the contract, subject only to the annual price escalation provisions of Section 3.6 below. Vendors shall complete the Pricing Schedule (Section 3.2 below) in full; incomplete pricing or pricing submitted in a format other than the Pricing Schedule may result in proposal rejection.

3.2 Pricing Schedule

Vendors shall submit pricing using the following structure. The Pricing Schedule shall be completed and signed in Appendix B of the proposal submission.

# Pricing Item Year 1 Price Year 2 Price Year 3 Price

1 Annual Fire Alarm Test & Inspection — Lump Sum (all 25 locations) $________ $________ $________

2 Hourly Labor Rate — Fire Alarm Technician (Journey worker), Regular Time $_____/hr $_____/hr $_____/hr

Hourly Labor Rate — Fire Alarm Technician (Journey worker), Overtime (after 3:30 PM, weekends, holidays)

$_____/hr $_____/hr $_____/hr

4 Hourly Labor Rate — Apprentice (if applicable;

identify step) $_____/hr $_____/hr $_____/hr

5 Trip Charge / Mobilization Fee (per visit, non-emergency) $________ $________ $________

6 Emergency Response Trip Charge (after-hours, weekend, holiday) $________ $________ $________

7 Parts Markup over verifiable supplier cost (must not exceed 10%) ____% ____% ____%

8 Minimum Service Visit (in hours; vendor's policy) ____ hrs ____ hrs ____ hrs

3.3 Annual Inspection Lump Sum

The Annual Fire Alarm Test & Inspection price shall be a single lump sum covering all twenty-five

(25) locations listed in Appendix A. This lump sum shall include all labor (at applicable prevailing wage rates), all standard inspection materials and consumables, all travel between sites, all administrative and reporting time, all AHJ filings, and all costs associated with delivering the work products described in Section 2. No additional charges may be billed against the annual inspection lump sum except for: (a) repair work properly authorized under Section 2.4, and (b) parts and labor required to replace failed components identified during inspection, with prior CHA approval.

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3.4 Parts Markup Cap

The vendor's markup on parts shall not exceed ten percent (10%) over the vendor's verifiable supplier cost. The vendor shall maintain copies of supplier invoices for all parts billed to CHA, and shall provide such invoices to CHA upon request as a condition of payment. Any parts billed without supporting supplier invoice documentation, or at a markup exceeding 10%, shall be subject to dispute under Section 6.5 and may be deducted from amounts owed to the vendor.

3.5 Trip Charges & Minimum Visits

Vendor's trip charge or mobilization fee, if any, shall be stated explicitly on the Pricing Schedule.

CHA will not accept trip charges that are not disclosed in advance and approved as part of the awarded contract pricing. Vendor's minimum service-call duration policy (if any) shall also be disclosed on the Pricing Schedule. CHA reserves the right to reject proposals with minimum visit durations exceeding two (2) hours.

3.6 Annual Price Escalation

Pricing for option years (Year 2 and Year 3) may not increase above the prior contract year by more than the lesser of: (a) three percent (3%), or (b) the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items (CPI-U), as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the most recent twelve-month period preceding the option year start date. Vendor shall propose firm Year 2 and Year 3 pricing in the initial proposal; any subsequent increase request must be supported by documented CPI data and is subject to CHA's discretionary approval.

3.7 Payment Terms

All invoices shall be submitted to CHA Accounts Payable within thirty (30) days of work completion. CHA shall pay all undisputed, properly itemized invoices within thirty (30) days of receipt (“Net 30”). CHA does not accept invoice terms of Net 10, Net 15, or any payment terms more restrictive than Net 30. The vendor shall not impose finance charges, late fees, or interest on undisputed invoices paid within forty-five (45) days of receipt.

3.8 Invoice Dispute Resolution

CHA shall have sixty (60) days from receipt of any invoice to dispute the invoice in whole or in part by providing written notice to the vendor identifying the invoice number, disputed amount, and reason for the dispute. The vendor shall not treat the disputed portion as past-due during the dispute resolution period. Disputes shall be addressed in good faith and, if not resolved within thirty (30) days of CHA's notice, may be escalated to the dispute resolution process set forth in Section 6.9.

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3.9 Prohibited Pricing Practices

The following pricing practices are prohibited and shall be grounds for rejection of a proposal or, if discovered post-award, for termination for cause:

• Pricing dependent on services not described in this RFP (e.g., bundled monitoring services CHA has not requested).

• Pricing contingent on the vendor's right to charge additional, undisclosed fees during contract performance.

• Pricing structured to make repair work artificially cheap and inspection work artificially expensive (or vice versa) in a manner inconsistent with industry-standard cost allocation.

• Pricing tied to acceptance of the vendor's separate “terms and conditions”, end-user license, click-wrap, or any document not expressly incorporated into the executed CHA contract.

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4. Prevailing Wage Compliance

4.1 Applicability

This contract is subject to the Massachusetts prevailing wage law, M.G.L. c. 149, §§ 26 to 27H, as applied to public works performed for a Massachusetts housing authority. The vendor and any subcontractors shall pay all employees performing work under this contract not less than the prevailing wage rates established by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (“DLS”) for each applicable classification.

4.2 Applicable Classifications

The applicable DLS classifications for work under this contract include, but are not limited to:

• FIRE ALARM REPAIR / MAINTENANCE / COMMISSIONING — for inspection, testing, troubleshooting, and repair of existing fire alarm systems.

• FIRE ALARM INSTALLER — for new installation of fire alarm devices, conduit, wiring, or related components (where applicable to scope of repair work).

CHA shall provide the vendor with the DLS-issued prevailing wage schedule applicable to this contract upon award and shall request updated wage schedules from DLS in connection with each option year exercised, in accordance with DLS requirements.

4.3 Certified Payroll Reports

Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 149, § 27B, the vendor shall submit weekly certified payroll reports to the CHA Procurement Officer within ten (10) days of the close of each payroll period during which work was performed under this contract. Each certified payroll report shall include, for each employee performing work on this contract:

• Name and address.

• Occupational classification (matched to a published DLS classification).

• Hours worked per day and total hours for the week.

• Hourly base wage paid and total wages paid for the week.

• Hourly value of health, pension, annuity, and supplemental benefits attributed to the worker.

• Signed Statement of Compliance certifying that the wages paid meet or exceed the applicable DLS prevailing wage rate.

4.4 Apprentices

Any apprentice classification rate may be paid only to apprentices registered with the Massachusetts Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) at the applicable step. Apprentice identification cards shall be carried by registered apprentices during all work hours on CHA property and shall be produced upon request. Any worker not registered with DAS shall be paid at the full journey worker rate, regardless of any other certification or registration.

4.5 Wage Schedule Posting

The vendor shall post a copy of the applicable DLS wage schedule in a conspicuous location accessible to all workers performing work under this contract. If the vendor performs the majority of work from a non-CHA location, the wage schedule shall be posted at the vendor's office in a location accessible to workers.

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4.6 Audit Rights

CHA, the DLS, the Massachusetts Attorney General's Fair Labor Division, and any other lawful inspecting authority shall have the right to audit the vendor's payroll records, supplier invoices, time records, and any other records relevant to prevailing wage compliance, upon reasonable written notice, during the contract term and for a period of three (3) years thereafter. The vendor shall cooperate fully with any such audit at its own expense.

4.7 Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure of the vendor or any subcontractor to comply with the prevailing wage law is a material breach of this contract. Without limiting CHA's other remedies, CHA may: (a) withhold payment in an amount sufficient to cover documented wage deficiencies until the deficiency is cured; (b) terminate the contract for cause under Section 6.7; and (c) report the vendor to the Office of the Attorney General. The vendor acknowledges that prevailing wage violations carry mandatory treble damages and attorney's fees under M.G.L. c. 149, § 27, and c. 151, § 1B.

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5. Insurance, Indemnification & Limitation of Liability

5.1 Required Insurance

The vendor shall obtain and maintain throughout the entire contract term, at its own cost and expense, the following minimum insurance coverages:

• Commercial General Liability Insurance, on an occurrence form, with limits of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 general aggregate, covering bodily injury, property damage, personal and advertising injury, and products/completed operations.

• Automobile Liability Insurance with combined single limit of not less than $1,000,000 per accident, covering all owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles used in connection with the contract.

• Workers' Compensation Insurance as required by M.G.L. c. 152, with statutory limits, and Employer's Liability Insurance with limits of not less than $500,000 per accident.

• Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions Insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 per claim, covering the vendor's professional services under this contract.

• Umbrella or Excess Liability Insurance with limits of not less than $2,000,000, in excess of the General Liability, Auto, and Employer's Liability policies above.

5.2 Additional Insured Endorsement

The Chelsea Housing Authority shall be named as an Additional Insured on the vendor's Commercial General Liability, Automobile Liability, and Umbrella/Excess Liability policies by formal endorsement. The endorsement shall be on a primary and non-contributory basis and shall include both ongoing operations and products/completed operations coverage. CHA's status as Additional Insured shall extend to the vendor's officers, board members, employees, and agents in their official capacities.

5.3 Waiver of Subrogation

The vendor's insurers shall waive all rights of subrogation against CHA on each required policy.

The vendor shall provide written evidence of this waiver on each Certificate of Insurance.

5.4 Certificates of Insurance

Prior to contract execution, the vendor shall deliver to CHA Certificates of Insurance evidencing all required coverages, with endorsements attached. The certificates shall provide for not less than thirty (30) days' written notice to CHA of any cancellation, non-renewal, or material change in coverage. The vendor shall maintain current certificates on file with CHA throughout the contract term, providing updated certificates not less than thirty (30) days before any policy expiration.

5.5 Indemnification (Mutual)

5.5.1 Vendor's Indemnification of CHA

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the vendor shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless CHA, its board members, officers, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, liabilities, damages, judgments, losses, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs), and causes of action of any kind whatsoever, to the extent caused by or arising out of: (a) the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of the vendor, its officers, RFP No. CHA-FA-2026-01 | Page 17 of 52 employees, agents, or subcontractors; (b) the vendor's breach of this contract; or (c) the vendor's failure to comply with applicable law, including but not limited to prevailing wage law.

5.5.2 CHA's Indemnification of Vendor

To the extent permitted by Massachusetts law (including M.G.L. c. 258), and subject to all limitations of public sector liability, CHA shall defend and hold harmless the vendor from and against claims to the extent caused by the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of CHA, its board members, officers, or employees.

5.6 Limitation of Liability

Notwithstanding any other provision of this contract, the vendor's total aggregate liability to CHA under this contract, in tort, contract, or otherwise, shall not be limited to any cap below the limits of the insurance coverage required under Section 5.1. Any attempt by the vendor to limit its liability to a lesser amount through standard “terms and conditions,” click-wrap, invoice back-page language, or any other document not expressly incorporated into the executed CHA contract is void and unenforceable. The vendor shall not require, as a condition of performance, that CHA agree to any provision limiting the vendor's liability for its own negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of contract.

5.7 Rejection of Vendor-Side Boilerplate

CHA expressly rejects, and the vendor shall not assert, any of the following as binding under this contract: (a) any provision in vendor's quotes, invoices, websites, or terms-and-conditions documents purporting to bind CHA by acceptance of goods or services; (b) any provision requiring CHA to name the vendor as additional insured or to indemnify the vendor for the vendor's own negligence; (c) any provision capping vendor liability at $1,000 or any other amount below the insurance limits above; (d) any provision requiring CHA to waive rights of subrogation in favor of the vendor; (e) any choice-of-law or forum-selection clause designating any state other than Massachusetts; or (f) any class-action or jury-trial waiver. The terms of the executed contract between CHA and the vendor shall supersede any conflicting vendor-side document.

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6. Contract Terms & Conditions

6.1 Governing Law

This contract shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any provision of any vendor-side document purporting to apply the law of a state other than Massachusetts is void and unenforceable.

6.2 Venue

Any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this contract shall be commenced exclusively in the Superior Court of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, or in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The vendor consents to personal jurisdiction in such courts and waives any objection to venue. Mandatory arbitration provisions in any vendor-side document are not binding on CHA.

6.3 No Jury or Class Action Waiver

CHA does not waive any right to trial by jury or to participate in or commence class, collective, or representative actions. Any such waiver in any vendor-side document is void and unenforceable.

6.4 Termination for Convenience

CHA may terminate this contract for convenience, in whole or in part, at any time by providing the vendor with thirty (30) days' written notice. Upon such termination, the vendor shall be entitled to payment for services properly performed up to the effective date of termination, on a prorated basis, and shall have no claim for lost profits, consequential damages, liquidated damages, prepayment penalties, or any other amount beyond payment for services actually rendered.

6.5 Termination for Cause

CHA may terminate this contract for cause, effective upon written notice (with a reasonable opportunity to cure non-material breaches, as determined by CHA in its reasonable discretion), upon any of the following:

• Material breach of any provision of this contract that is not cured within thirty (30) days of written notice.

• Failure to maintain required insurance coverage.

• Failure to comply with prevailing wage law.

• Repeated failures to meet required response times.

• Conviction of, or formal charge involving, fraud, bribery, or other serious crime affecting the vendor's ability to perform.

• Vendor's bankruptcy, insolvency, or assignment for the benefit of creditors.

• Loss or suspension of any license required to perform the work, including the MA Fire Alarm

Systems Contractor license.

6.6 Non-Renewal Default

This contract does not auto-renew. Renewal of any option year requires affirmative written notice from CHA to the vendor not less than thirty (30) days before the end of the then-current term.

Absent such written notice, the contract shall expire automatically at the end of the then-current

RFP No. CHA-FA-2026-01 | Page 19 of 52 term, without any further action by either party and without any termination charges, wind-down fees, or other amounts owed to the vendor beyond payment for work actually performed.

6.7 Notices

All formal notices under this contract shall be in writing and delivered by: (a) certified mail, return receipt requested; (b) overnight courier with proof of delivery; or (c) hand delivery with signed acknowledgment. Notices to CHA shall be addressed to the Procurement Officer at 54 Locke Street, Chelsea, MA 02150, with a courtesy copy by email. Notices to the vendor shall be addressed to the vendor's designated representative at the address specified in the executed contract. Notice is effective upon documented receipt.

6.8 Assignment

This contract may not be assigned, transferred, or subcontracted by the vendor, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of CHA. CHA's consent may be conditioned on the vendor's agreement to remain jointly liable with any assignee or subcontractor.

6.9 Dispute Resolution

Disputes arising under this contract shall be resolved as follows: (a) the parties shall first attempt good-faith negotiation between the CHA Procurement Officer and an authorized vendor representative; (b) if unresolved within thirty (30) days, the parties may, by mutual written agreement, engage in non-binding mediation; (c) failing resolution by mediation or if mediation is declined, either party may commence litigation in the courts identified in Section 6.2. Arbitration is not required and is not the default. The vendor shall not make any unilateral demand for binding arbitration under any vendor-side document.

6.10 Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform any obligation under this contract to the extent such failure results from causes beyond the party's reasonable control, including acts of God, fire, flood, declared pandemic, war, civil unrest, or government action prohibiting performance. The party invoking force majeure shall provide prompt written notice and shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate the impact. Vendor staffing shortages, equipment unavailability, and supply chain delays are not force majeure events unless directly attributable to a qualifying cause.

6.11 Compliance with Applicable Law

The vendor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, and codes in the performance of this contract, including but not limited to: NFPA 72;

Massachusetts State Building Code; 527 CMR (Massachusetts fire safety regulations); M.G.L. c.

149 (prevailing wage); M.G.L. c. 151B (anti-discrimination); 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA construction safety); applicable lead-safe work practices where relevant; and HUD requirements applicable to federally-assisted housing.

6.12 Confidentiality & Records

The vendor shall treat as confidential any non-public information regarding CHA residents, property security, system configurations, alarm passwords, or related operational details. The vendor shall not disclose such information except as required by law or with CHA's prior written consent. This obligation survives termination of the contract.

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6.13 Public Records

The vendor acknowledges that records related to this contract may be subject to disclosure under the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66 and 4 § 7(26). The vendor's submission of proposal pricing and contract terms shall not be treated as confidential or proprietary except to the extent specifically identified by the vendor at the time of submission and supported by legal authority. CHA shall provide the vendor with notice and opportunity to defend against any third-party records request that the vendor has identified as containing proprietary information.

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7. Vendor Qualifications & Minimum Requirements

7.1 Pass/Fail Minimum Requirements

To be considered for award, a vendor must satisfy ALL of the following minimum requirements.

Failure to meet any single minimum requirement shall result in disqualification of the proposal without further evaluation. CHA reserves the right to verify each requirement through documentation, references, or independent inquiry.

7.1.1 Licensure

• Active Massachusetts Fire Alarm Systems Contractor license (or equivalent license issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety), in good standing as of the proposal submission date and throughout the contract term.

• Active Massachusetts business registration (Foreign Corporation Certificate of Good Standing, if applicable, or Massachusetts Corporate/LLC registration).

7.1.2 Experience

• Minimum five (5) years in continuous business performing fire alarm testing, inspection, and repair services in Massachusetts.

• Minimum three (3) verifiable references from public sector or housing authority clients in

Massachusetts or New England within the last five (5) years, with contact information.

7.1.3 Operational Capability

• 24/7 dispatch infrastructure capable of meeting the 2-hour emergency response time defined in Section 2.3.1.

• At least two (2) qualified fire alarm technicians on staff (W-2 employees, not subcontractors), with documented training on multiple panel manufacturer platforms including Edwards

EST-3.

• OSHA-10 certification cards for all field technicians who will perform work at CHA properties, with copies submitted at proposal time and renewals tracked.

7.1.4 Compliance Capability

• Documented capability and prior experience submitting weekly certified payroll reports for

Massachusetts public works projects subject to prevailing wage. At least one (1) successfully completed Massachusetts prevailing wage project in the last three (3) years.

• Written Drug-Free Workplace Policy, with copy submitted at proposal time.

• Written Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, with copy submitted at proposal time.

• Active Workers' Compensation coverage as required by M.G.L. c. 152.

• Massachusetts Department of Revenue Certificate of Good Standing (Tax Compliance

Certificate) issued within 90 days of proposal submission.

7.1.5 Financial Capability

• No bankruptcy filing, voluntary or involuntary, within the last five (5) years.

• No contract default, termination for cause, or substantiated breach claim from a public sector client within the last five (5) years.

7.1.6 Insurance Capability

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• Confirmation, signed by the vendor's insurance broker or agent, that the vendor can obtain and maintain the insurance coverages required by Section 5.1 at the limits specified, with CHA named as Additional Insured.

7.1.7 No Conflicts of Interest

• No undisclosed relationship between the vendor (including any owner, officer, or key employee) and any CHA board member, officer, employee, or family member thereof, that would create an actual or apparent conflict of interest.

7.1.8 Not Debarred or Suspended

• Not currently debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment from federal, state, or local government contracting, as evidenced by certification on the Bid Form and a search of the SAM.gov Excluded Parties List.

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8. Evaluation Criteria & Award Process

8.1 Evaluation Committee

Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of at least three (3) CHA staff or designated representatives, which may include the Procurement Officer, the Maintenance Director, the Executive Director or designee, and any technical advisors retained by CHA. All evaluation committee members shall complete written conflict-of-interest disclosures before reviewing any proposal.

8.2 Evaluation Process

Evaluation will proceed in the following sequence, consistent with M.G.L. c. 30B, § 6:

Phase 1 — Responsiveness Screening: Each proposal will be reviewed for compliance with submission requirements. Late, incomplete, or non-conforming proposals will be rejected without further evaluation.

Phase 2 — Minimum Requirements Screening: Each responsive proposal will be reviewed against the Pass/Fail Minimum Requirements in Section 7.1. Proposals not meeting any minimum requirement will be disqualified.

Phase 3 — Non-Price Evaluation: The evaluation committee opens and evaluates only the Non-Price (Technical) Proposals, assigning each criterion in Section 8.3 a rating of Highly Advantageous, Advantageous, Not Advantageous, or Unacceptable, and a composite non-price rating for each proposal — in writing and with reasons — without any knowledge of the vendors’ prices. The sealed Price Proposals remain in the Procurement Officer’s custody, unopened, during this phase. Phase 4 — Price Evaluation & Selection: After the non-price evaluation is complete and documented, the Procurement Officer opens the sealed Price Proposals, evaluates price under Section 8.4, and identifies the most advantageous proposal under Section 8.5, taking into consideration the composite non-price ratings and price.

8.3 Non-Price Evaluation Criteria

Each Non-Price (Technical) Proposal is evaluated against the criteria below. For each criterion, each evaluation committee member assigns a rating of Highly Advantageous, Advantageous, Not Advantageous, or Unacceptable, with written reasons; the committee then assigns each proposal a composite non-price rating with written reasons. Price is not rated under this Section and is evaluated separately under Section 8.4.

Criterion 1 — Technical Approach & Capability. The vendor’s staffing, supervision, and dispatch infrastructure; emergency-response protocol and after-hours coverage; demonstrated experience with the fire alarm panel makes in CHA’s portfolio, with emphasis on Edwards EST-3; annual inspection, testing, and reporting approach and sample report; prevailing-wage compliance program; and safety program.

Criterion 2 — Experience & Qualifications. The vendor’s years of relevant experience; comparable multifamily or institutional fire alarm service contracts; and the licensing and certifications of the firm and of the field technicians assigned to CHA work.

Criterion 3 — References & Past Performance. The quality and relevance of the vendor’s three (3) required references and any independent inquiry by the committee, including timeliness and quality of prior work, responsiveness, invoicing accuracy, and the absence of substantiated complaints or terminations for cause.

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Rating Definitions. The committee applies the following ratings to each criterion:

Highly Advantageous — the proposal materially exceeds the requirement for the criterion and offers clear added value to CHA with minimal risk.

Advantageous — the proposal fully meets the requirement for the criterion with acceptable risk.

Not Advantageous — the proposal meets the requirement only marginally, or raises concerns that create meaningful risk to performance.

Unacceptable — the proposal fails to meet the requirement, or omits information necessary to evaluate the criterion. A rating of Unacceptable on any single criterion may render the entire proposal unacceptable and ineligible for award.

8.4 Price Evaluation

The Price Proposals are opened only after the non-price evaluation is complete and documented, and only by the Procurement Officer, in a manner that avoids disclosing price to the committee members evaluating the non-price criteria (Section 9.4). For comparison, each vendor’s Total Proposed Price shall consist of: (a) the Annual Inspection Lump Sum for all three potential contract years; plus (b) an estimated annual repair budget of $20,000 calculated using the vendor’s proposed labor rates (assumed 50 hours of regular-time technician labor) and trip charges (assumed 4 trips per year). This produces a comparable Total Proposed Price across vendors with different labor-rate and minimum-visit structures. The lowest Total Proposed Price from a responsive and responsible offeror is the most advantageous on price.

8.5 Technical Proposal Contents

The vendor’s written technical proposal narrative supports the Technical Approach & Capability rating in Section 8.3 and shall include:

• Description of the vendor's organization, facilities, staffing, and dispatch infrastructure.

• Resumes and certifications of the vendor's key staff and field technicians who will perform

CHA work.

• Description of the vendor's proposed approach to scheduling annual inspections across

CHA's 25 locations to minimize resident disruption.

• Description of the…