city of new orleans pavement condition assessment Event 4733-0 Summary _ Supplier Portal.pdf

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

FOR

RE-BID PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DPW 832

PAVEMENT CONDITION ASSESSMENTS

RFQ NO. 4733

RELEASE DATE: JULY 13, 2026

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: AUGUST 11, 2026@ 4:00P.M.

RFQ No: 4733 RFQ Title: Re-Bid Professional Services DPW832 Pavement Condition Assessments

KEY REMINDERS TO PROSPECTIVE RESPONDENTS

1. READ THE SOLICITATION IN ITS ENTIRETY.

2. CONTACT THE DESIGNATED PURCHASING OFFICIAL ONLY.

3. CHECK THE SUPPLIER PORTAL PERIODICALLY.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PERIOD.

5. PROVIDE COMPLETE ANSWERS AND DESCRIPTIONS.

6. REVIEW THE RFQ AND YOUR RESPONSE BEFORE SUBMITTING.

7. SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL ON TIME.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1 - Definition

Section 2 - Overview

Section 3 - DBE

Section 4 – Anticipated Timetable

Section 5 – Responsiveness and Selection Committee

Section 6 – Evaluation

Section 7 – Notification and Contract

Section 8 – Submission

Section 9 – General Information

Section 10 – Statement of No Response

Section 11 – Attachments

SECTION 1 – DEFINITIONS

BRASS- means Budget, Requisition, and Accounting Services System.

City- refers to the City of New Orleans.

Close Event- means the date and time at which BRASS prohibits Respondents from submitting a response to the solicitation.

DBE- means Disadvantage Business Enterprise.

Event- means the solicitation (RFQ, RFQ, ITB, ITQ) that the Bureau of Purchasing created to release it on the Supplier Portal of BRASS.

OSD- means the City’s Office of Supplier Diversity.

Open Event- means the date and time at which the Event is released to the public in the Supplier Portal of BRASS.

Purchasing Conference Room- applies to the room adjacent to the Bureau of Purchasing Suite 4W07, located on the 4th floor of City Hall at 1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112.

Respondent, Respondents or a respondent- refers to a person or entity who responds to the RFQ.

RFQ- means Request For Proposals.

SBE- means Small Business Enterprise as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

SLDBE- means State and Local Disadvantage Business Enterprise.

SECTION 2 – OVERVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The City of New Orleans (“City”), through its Department of Public Works (DPW), is seeking a qualified firm to provide pavement condition assessment services. The selected consultant will collect, analyze, and report pavement condition data for the City’s roadway network to support long-term asset management, capital planning, and maintenance prioritization. The survey will focus only on the pavement conditions and will not include any other right-of-way assets such as sidewalks, curbs, signs, etc. The responsibilities of the consultant will include project initiation, research, field surveys, and data management and integration.

2.2 Background

The City of New Orleans has approximately 169 square miles of land area and a population of approximately 369,000 (2012 Census). The City's street system is comprised of approximately 1,550 roadway centerline miles, of which approximately 55% are asphalt surfaced and 45% are concrete surfaced. It has been over eight years (prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005) since the last comprehensive pavement condition survey was completed.

2.3 Purpose

The purpose of this RFQ is to obtain a comprehensive, data-driven evaluation of pavement conditions across the City’s roadway system. The assessment will support DPW in developing maintenance strategies, estimating funding needs, and updating the City’s pavement management database.

2.4 Statement of Needs

You must refer to Attachment A.

2.5 Performance Evaluation

The City will memorialize performance evaluation criteria in the executed contract.

SECTION 3 – Supplier & Diversity

3.1 In General

The requirements of the City’s DBE Program apply to the RFQ.

See section of the RFQ on Attachments for more information and the applicable form(s).

3.2 DBE Goal

A DBE contract goal of 35 percent has been established for this RFQ.

3.3 DBE Interest

The Bureau of Purchasing and OSD seek to offer the opportunity to DBE and SLDBE, SBEs, and other certified minority, women, disabled veteran owned businesses to submit their interest in participating to the RFQ as a prospective subcontractor to a respondent or to jointly propose as a prospective partner with a respondent, or both.

DBE and other certified diversity entities must complete a questionnaire to express their interest. Follow the below link to submit your interest:

• https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hfTLCLccAkqaIQ3ZtFuf9 0s12RkxNB5KnaGW8hYN33NUQlo4WkhHWE5YQ1lCQjZHUUZBOEhMMzg1U C4u

If a pre-submittal conference is scheduled, OSD will present the results of the questionnaire for the RFQ during the conference.

IMPORTANT: Submit your interest on or before the deadline identified under Section 4.1.

Otherwise, OSD will not be able to present it during the pre-submittal conference.

The Bureau of Purchasing will post said results via an addendum to the RFQ following the said conference or, in the absence of a conference, several days after the deadline identified under Section 4.1.

3.4 DBE Opportunities

The City expects Respondents to ensure that every effort is made to meet DBE utilization goals.

OSD offers the opportunity to Respondents to submit subcontracting opportunities on its DBE Opportunities Page. Said page can be found at:

https://nola.gov/next/services/doing-business-with-the-city/equitable-business-opportunities-(ebo)-program/submit-a-small-business-opportunity/

3.5 Mentor-Protégé Program

The City of New Orleans is dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive business environment. This program is a key part of that commitment. The Mentor-Protégé Program is a valuable resource for certified SLDBE (State & Local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) firms. It pairs experienced companies with smaller businesses to share knowledge and expertise, and the program encourages partnership for the growth of small businesses.

https://nola.gov/next/supplier-diversity/programs/mentor-protege-program/

3.6 Point of Contact

You shall direct questions related to DBE compliance prior to the Submission Deadline to:

• By email: Supplierdiversity@nola.gov

• In writing or in-person: Office of Supplier Diversity

1340 Poydras Street, Suite 1800, New Orleans, LA 70112

SECTION 4 – ANTICIPATED TIMETABLE

4.1 Dates

Release/Open Event (Cone of Silence Begins) July 13, 2026

Deadline for DBE Interest July 29, 2026@ 4:00 P.M.

Pre-Submittal Conference July 30, 2026@ 1:00 P.M.

Site Visit N/A

Deadline for Submitting Questions August 4, 2026@ 4:00 P.M. CST

Submission Deadline/Close Event August 11, 2026@4:00 P.M. CST

Evaluation by Selection Committee On or about August 25, 2026

Notification Within 1 to 2 business days from the date of the evaluation

4.2 Meetings

The pre-submittal conference meeting and the selection committee meeting are public meetings. The Bureau of Purchasing encourages Respondents to attend said meetings.

The pre-submittal conference will be held via teleconference call. The Designated

Purchasing Official will post the dial in information via the Event in BRASS under

“Meetings.”

4.3 City Calendar

The Bureau of Purchasing posts the dates and times of the public meetings connected to the RFQ on the calendar of the City.

The Bureau of Purchasing encourages Respondents to subscribe to the calendar.

The City calendar can be found at: Services - Doing Business with the City - Bids, RFQs &

RFQs - View bid opportunities - City of New Orleans

4.4 Selection Committee Meeting

The Bureau of Purchasing makes every effort to maintain the above date of the selection committee meeting.

However, from time to time, the Bureau of Purchasing may need to reschedule the said meeting for reasons which include, but not limited to, request(s) from committee member(s) to have additional time for review, an unexpected calendar conflict of one or more committee member, an unforeseen emergency, etc.

4.5 Questions

You must submit substantive questions to the Designated Purchasing Official via the “Q & A Forum” in the Event no later than the deadline set forth in Section 4.1. Make sure that you check the box “Allow Supplier Q&A” when you create the event.

The Bureau of Purchasing does not guarantee that your question(s) submitted via email to the Designated Purchasing Official will be answered.

The Designated Purchasing Official will issue a response to questions by written addendum to the RFQ.

Your question(s) submitted after the deadline may not be reviewed for inclusion in an addendum to the RFQ.

The Designated Purchasing Official will not respond to substantive questions submitted verbally either by telephone or in person or both outside of the scheduled meetings.

The Respondent is responsible for ensuring their questions are submitted properly in

BRASS.

4.6 Cone of Silence

From the release of the RFQ until the award, there is a prohibition on communication by respondents (or anyone on their behalf) with the City’s staff, the mayor and staff, council members and staff, members of the selection committee members and elected officials.

The Bureau of Purchasing calls this prohibition the “Cone of Silence.”

This does not apply to oral communications at pre-submittal conferences, oral presentations before selection committees, contract negotiations, or communications in writing at any time with any city employee or elected official regarding matters not concerning this RFQ.

In those instances, in which a Prospective Respondent is also an incumbent contractor, the City’s staff and the incumbent contractor may contact each other with respect to the existing contract only.

Under no circumstances may the City’s staff and the incumbent contractor and/or its representative(s) discuss the RFQ.

BREAKING THE CONE OF SILENCE, IF PROVEN, MAY RESULT IN A

DISQUALIFICATION OF YOUR RESPONSE.

SECTION 5 – RESPONSIVENESS AND SELECTION COMMITTEE

5.1 Responsiveness

Following the submission deadline, the Designated Purchasing Official will IAW LRS 38:2212:

• Opens the timely submitted proposals, and then

• Reviews and determines if the respondent completed and submitted the required forms.

You are invited to read Section 8.7 for failure to comply with the deadline or the required documents.

If there are responsive respondents, the Designated Purchasing Official will provide a copy of the proposals to the selection committee.

5.2 Selection Committee – Composition

The Chief Procurement Officer must establish selection committees with relevant subject-matter expertise in reviewing and evaluating responses to the RFQ.

As per the applicable executive order, the selection committee will consist of the following individuals:

• The Chief Administrative Officer, or designee,

• The Chief Financial Officer, or designee,

• The manager of the User Entity requesting the service, or designee,

• The employee who will manage and monitor the contract, and

• A professional from within local government who possesses expertise in the relevant field.

5.3 Selection Committee – Grading

The members on the selection committee shall either complete the numerical grading or use the wholly qualitative evaluation criteria.

5.4 Selection Committee – Non-Voting Member

The Selection Committee, through a majority vote, may add one non-voting member to the committee who has expertise in the relevant field.

SECTION 6 – EVALUATION

6.1 In General

The selection committee will evaluate responses based on the technical criteria established under this section.

You may receive the maximum points, a portion of this score, or no points at all, depending upon the merit of your response, as judged by the selection committee in accordance with the technical criteria.

During the review of any submission at any time (including in the event of a shortlist), the selection committee may:

• Conduct reference checks relevant to the solicitation to verify all information, and rely on or consider any relevant information from such cited references or from any other sources in the evaluation of the submissions,

• Seek clarification of a submission or additional information from any or all respondents and consider same in the evaluation of submissions,

• Waive any requests or requirements if such waiver is in the best interest of the City, and

• Request interviews/presentations with any, some or all respondents to clarify any questions or considerations based on the information included in submission.

6.2 Technical Criteria for the RFQ

The Selection Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate the proposals submitted by Respondents:

1. Criterion No. 1: Technical Approach 0 –35 Points

Firm's technical competence directly related to the identifying discipline(s) of work you are submitting proposal/qualifications for, as applicable. Particular emphasis should be placed on your firm's specific technical approach

2. Criterion No. 2: Specialized Experience 0 –25 Points

Firm's specialized experience directly related to the identifying discipline(s) of work you are submitting proposal/qualifications for, as applicable. Particular emphasis should be placed on your firm's specific and unique strengths that show leadership, management work quality, commitment, collaboration, and communication capabilities. Consultants may not use the qualifications of sub-consultants as part of their SOQ submittal to qualify in a work discipline. Work experience gained while an employee was working for a different f i rm must be disclosed.

3. Criterion No. 3: Schedule 0 –20 Points

Firm's schedule, including a detailed timeline, major milestones, detailed task breakdowns and dependencies. Performance history, competency, responsiveness, cost control, work quality and the ability to' meet schedules and deadlines shall be described.

4. DBE 0 – 75 Points Previously, the DBE section of RFQ evaluations was conducted by a five-member Proposal Review Committee, with each member awarding up to 15 points for a combined total of 75 possible points for DBE participation per committee member. Effective April 15, 2026, under the revised process, the Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) Compliance Officers will now serve as the sole evaluator for the DBE section. The original point system and total possible score (75 points) remain unchanged; however, all DBE scoring and assessments will now be completed by OSD to ensure consistency and efficiency in the evaluation process.

You will see below a table with additional information on this criterion.

POINTS

DESCRIPTION POINTS

AWARD

AWARDING GUIDELINES

15 pts. may be awarded

DBE Goal:

Proposal complies with contract DBE participation goal or will conduct good faith efforts to do so.

+15 pts

+10 pts

+5 pts

+0 pts

• Meets or exceeds the stated contract DBE goal or demonstrates why and how the respondent can only achieve a lower DBE goal

• States will meet a lower contract goal without demonstrating why or how.

• No commitment - 0% but demonstrates why & how DBE participation is not achievable.

• No commitment -0% without explanation.

30 pts. may be awarded

Quality of Proposal:

Proposal submitted includes a quality DBE Participation Plan that outlines innovative strategies & approaches to achieve & maintain compliance over the contract term & that builds capacity in the DBE community.

• Prime has identified scopes of work to be performed by DBE firm(s) to be used that represent a Commercially Useful Function.

• Prime has clearly identified DBE firm(s) and their scopes of work.

• The DBE has contributed directly to the Proposal (Resumes, Experience Portfolio, etc.).

• Prime has identified ways to support the DBE (e.g.:

Mentor-protégé relationship, bonding, early payments, etc.).

30 pts is the default award points may be deducted

Past Performance Issues:

Includes firm’s past performance on meeting DBE goals, technical assistance and supportive services designed to increase participation and build capacity in the DBE community.

Up to 30 points may be deducted.

-5 pts

Points shall be deducted for the following reasons:

• Prime has a history of not meeting their committed DBE goal.

• Prime has a history of switching DBEs or reducing work committed to DBEs.

• Prime is inconsistent with reporting requirements of the DBE policy.

• Prime does not cooperate with OSD on-site monitoring.

• Prime has history of not paying their DBE subs in a timely manner.

• Prime has a history of insufficient good faith efforts working with the DBE community.

Mentor-Protégé Program Participation 0 – 30 Points

Pursuant to Chapter 70, Article IV, Division 2 of the Code of the City of New Orleans and consistent with Motion M-22-95 and in accordance with all duly promulgated rules & regulations governing the City’s Mentor–Protégé Program, participants in good standing at the time of proposal submission shall qualify for additional evaluation points as an incentive for participation. Eligible respondents may receive additional BONUS points under the Mentor-Protégé Program evaluation category as follows:

ADDITIONAL

POINTS

DESCRIPTION POINTS

AWARD

AWARDING GUIDELINES

Additional (bonus) points may be awarded for Mentor- Protégé Participants

Mentor-Protégé Program Participation:

Includes active mentoring or protégé participation confirmed by the Office of Supplier Diversity

+ 10 pts

+ 20 pts

+ 30 pts

+ 30 pts

• Mentor submitting as a Prime

• Protégé submitting as a Prime

• Mentor submitting as a Prime & utilizing Protégé(s) for the subcontract

• Protégé submitting as a Prime & utilizing a Mentor Protégé participant for the subcontract

SECTION 7 – NOTIFICATION AND CONTRACT

7.1 Notification

Once the selection committee recommends a proposal, the Bureau of Purchasing notifies the selected firm with an intent to award letter. The unsuccessful firm(s) will be notified as well.

The Designated Purchasing Official will also award the Event in BRASS which only represents an administrative function.

The Intent to Award letter will contain the name and contact information of the representative of the department responsible for administering the future contract.

IMPORTANT: The Intent to Award letter is not a contract award notification. The contract award is subject to the successful satisfaction of the selected respondent of all additional requirements in the solicitation.

7.2 Composite Scoring Sheet

In addition to the notification, the Designated Purchasing Official will post an electronic copy of the sheet on the website of the Bureau of Purchasing under “RFQ/RFQ Composite Scoring Sheets.”

The Bureau of Purchasing keeps a sheet available for public view for 30 days from the date of the selection committee meeting.

You can find the composite scoring sheets on the following webpage:

• https://nola.gov/view-RFQ-rfq-composite-scoring-sheets/

After 30 days, any interested party must submit a request for public records to the City’s Attorney Office to obtain a copy of the tabulation.

You can submit your request at https://www.nola.gov/city-attorney/public-records-requests/ .

7.3 Negotiation and Execution of Contract

After the issuance of the intent to award letter, the City may negotiate the final contract with the selected respondent.

Irrespective of the occurrence of contractual negotiations or not, the selected respondent must provide the representative of the department responsible for administering the future contract with required documentation (examples: tax clearance form, proof of signing authority, proof of good standing with the State of Louisiana, etc.).

The City Attorney’s Office is responsible for presenting the successful respondent with a proposed written contract to execute.

Once executed by the City, the department responsible for the administration of the contract can authorize the beginning of the services.

The City will publish a copy of the fully executed contract on the City’s Supplier Portal.

7.4 Contract Administration

The executed contract with the selected firm identifies the department responsible for administering it.

Said department will be notably responsible for monitoring the performance of the contractor.

7.5 Contract Amendment and/or Time Extension

7.5.1 DBE Compliance

Prior to amending and/or extending the contract for time with the contracted firm, said firm must be compliant with its committed DBE plan.

Failure to comply can constitute cause for termination of the contract.

7.5.2 Performance Evaluation

Prior to amending and/or extending the contract for time with the contracted firm, said firm must perform in accordance with the scope of work set forth in the contract.

Failure to comply can constitute cause for termination of the contract.

SECTION 8 – SUBMISSION

8.1 In General

You may respond to this RFQ:

• By responding to the Event in BRASS (preferred method).

• Or by submitting a physical copy to the Bureau of Purchasing in person or by courier.

8.1.1 Submission In Person or by Courier

If you choose to submit a physical copy of your response, your envelope must:

a. Be addressed to the Designated Purchasing Official (see Section 8.2 for the contact information)

b. Be marked with “[name of respondent] – RFQ [number of present RFQ]”

c. Contain:

i. One printed signed hardcopy of the technical proposal in a separate sealed envelope marked “[name of respondent] – RFQ [number of present RFQ] – Technical Proposal”, and

ii. One printed signed hardcopy of the price proposal in a separate sealed envelope marked “[name of respondent] – RFQ [number of present RFQ] – Price Proposal”

d. Submissions will NOT be accepted unless properly sealed prior to issuing to Designated Purchasing Official.

8.1.2 Submission In BRASS

This is the preferred method to submit your response.

If you choose to submit your proposal in response to the Event via BRASS, you must submit in PDF format the following 2 separate documents:

• Technical Proposal o Entitle the PDF as follows: “[name of respondent] - RFQ [number of present RFQ] – Technical Proposal”, and

• Price Proposal o Entitle the PDF as follows: “[name respondent] – RFQ [insert number of present RFQ] – Price Proposal”.

See Section 8.3 for their respective contents.

NOTE: If you encounter a problem submitting your response in person, by courier or in the BRASS system, you must notify the Designated Purchasing Official immediately and coordinate with said official for an alternative method of submission (by email).

You must obtain written approval from the said official prior to submitting your response via an alternative method.

The City will not accept qualifications submitted by fax.

8.2 Designated Purchasing Official

You must direct response, correspondence, and other communications regarding the RFQ to the following Designated Purchasing Official:

• Title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.), First and Last Name: Maxie M. Birch

• Email address: maxie.birch@nola.gov

• Office Telephone Number: 504-658-1562

• For in-person or mailing: Attn: Maxie M. Birch

City of New Orleans

Bureau of Purchasing

1300 Perdido Street, Suite 4W07, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112.

8.3 Contents

The City requires that the submission be organized in the manner specified below to achieve a uniform review process and obtain the maximum degree of comparability.

The table below will serve as the purpose of a checklist to ensure that you attach the necessary documents. You do not need to incorporate this checklist with your submission.

Tabs Contents Attach? Y or N

DOCUMENT NO. 1 - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Cover Letter Show the RFQ number and subject, the name of your firm, address, email address, telephone number(s), name of contact person and date.

Yes ☐ No☐

Table of Contents

Include a clear identification of the material by tab and by page number.

Yes ☐ No☐

Consultant’s Profile and Submittal Letter

Submittal Letter signed by and authorized agent of the respondent.

A proposal statement setting forth in detail how the proposal meets the proposal requirements and evaluation factors.

Organizational structure and locations of business with ownership interests.

Yes ☐ No☐

Technical Approach Criterion 1

Firm's technical competence directly related to the identifying discipline(s) of work you are submitting proposal/qualifications for, as applicable. Particular emphasis should be placed on your firm's specific technical approach

Yes ☐ No☐

Specialized Experience Criterion 2

Firm's specialized experience directly related to the identifying discipline(s) of work you are submitting proposal/qualifications for, as applicable. Particular emphasis should be placed on your firm's specific and unique strengths that show leadership, management work quality, commitment, collaboration, and communication capabilities. Consultants may not use the qualifications of sub-consultants as part of their SOQ submittal to qualify in a work discipline. Work experience gained while an employee was working for a different f i rm must be disclosed.

Schedule Criterion 3

Firm's schedule, including a detailed timeline, major milestones, detailed task breakdowns and dependencies. Performance history, competency, responsiveness, cost control, work quality and the ability to' meet schedules and deadlines shall be described.

DBE Attach the applicable DBE form(s) provided under Attachment B to the RFQ.

Yes ☐ No☐

Responsibility Attach your response to the questionnaire provided under Attachment D to the RFQ.

Yes ☐ No☐

References Provide at least 2 entity references (preferably governmental entity) for which the firm has performed similar work of the same or similar magnitude to those requested in this solicitation, including the contact’s name, entity, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and dollar amount and term of the contract.

At least 2 letters of reference from previous clients are also required.

Yes ☐ No☐

Insurance Attach evidence of required insurance in the amounts indicated.

If available, a properly completed ACORD Form is preferable.

Yes ☐ No☐

Exceptions Include any/all exceptions taken to the content of solicitation itself or any contract or legal agreement(s) or document(s) related to the solicitation.

Any exceptions shall be reviewed by City for appropriateness and is only valid if accepted in writing by City.

Yes ☐ No☐

Litigation Provide all judgments entered against the respondent by any Federal, State, or Local Courts within the past 10 years; any criminal conviction ever issued against the respondent or its owners or principals, and all civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings pending against the Prospective Consultant at this time.

Forms Attach any other forms listed under Section 11.2. Yes ☐ No☐

8.4 Receipt

THE DESIGNATED PURCHASING OFFICIAL MUST RECEIVE YOUR RESPONSE

BEFORE THE DEADLINE INDICATED UNDER SECTION 4.1.

The City will NOT accept submissions received/delivered after the deadline.

The City will NOT credit delivery claims not clearly documented by original receipt.

The City will NOT accept submissions that are not properly sealed.

8.5 Time Stamp in Person, by Courier or BRASS

If you intend to submit a response in BRASS, the time stamp of receipt is generated by

BRASS.

Note that BRASS prohibits any submission on and after the date and time the RFQ closes.

If you intend to submit a physical response, the date and time of receipt by the Designated Purchasing Official constitutes the time stamp of receipt.

The date and time of the delivery claimed by the courier does NOT constitute proof of receipt without documented proof of delivery.

IMPORTANT:

• The Bureau of Purchasing encourages Respondents submitting a response via BRASS to submit the response 1 or 2 business days before the deadline set forth in the RFQ.

• The Bureau of Purchasing encourages Respondents submitting a physical copy via a courier to request proof of delivery from said courier.

• It is the responsibility of the respondent to ensure the submission was properly uploaded and received in BRASS (Not in DRAFT Status).

8.6 Alternative Method of Submission

An alternative method of submission can be approved by email to the Designated Purchasing Official.

If the Designated Purchasing Official approves an alternative method of submission, Respondent remains responsible for ensuring that the proposal is received prior to the submission deadline.

Note that the date and time the email is received by the Designated Purchasing Official constitutes the time stamp of receipt.

The date and time the email was sent by Respondent does NOT constitute proof of receipt.

Failure to meet the submission deadline, irrespective of the mode of delivery, shall result in the rejection of the proposal.

8.7 Failing to Comply

The Designated Purchasing Official will notify Respondent in writing that the proposal is non-responsive IAW LRS 38:2212 if:

• Respondent failed to submit it timely, or

• Respondent failed to complete and submit a form or document provided and required by the City.

The Designated Purchasing Official will not distribute a non-responsive proposal to the selection committee.

Respondent will have two (2) business days from the date of notification by the Designated Purchasing Official to appeal the decision of non-responsiveness.

Non-responsive respondents must submit the appeal to the Chief Procurement Officer via email with the number of the RFQ and a detailed explanation.

The decision from the Chief Procurement Officer or designee will be final.

Failure to submit the appeal timely waives the right to obtain a decision from the Chief Procurement Officer or designee.

8.8 Disclaimer

Respondents are hereby advised that due to the nature of the internet, the City cannot guarantee that access to BRASS will be uninterrupted or that emails or other electronic transmissions will be sent to you or received by us.

The City is not responsible for any delays caused by the internet or any other means of submission chosen by Respondent or both.

SECTION 9 – GENERAL INFORMATION

9.1 Legal Authority

City Charter Section 6-308(5)(b) and Executive Order LC 20-01 authorize the City to issue a request for proposals to interested and qualified firms.

9.2 Ownership

Your response and/or documentation submitted therewith are city property for all purposes.

9.3 Effect

The RFQ and any related discussions or evaluations by anyone create no rights or obligations whatsoever.

The City is not responsible for submissions and/or presentation costs.

The City may cancel or modify this solicitation at any time at will, with or without notice.

All proposals remain valid for 90 calendar days after the submission deadline.

Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, the contract executed by the City and a qualified firm, if any, is the exclusive statement of rights and obligations extending from the RFQ and the request for proposal connected with the contract.

9.4 Addendum

The Designated Purchasing Official posts addendum on the supplier portal of BRASS under the RFQ. A copy of the addendum is saved in the “Attachment” tab of the event for the RFQ.

Respondents shall not rely on any representation, statement, or explanation other than those made in this RFQ or in any addendums issued.

Where there appears to be a conflict between the RFQ and any addendum issued, the last addendum issued will prevail.

9.5 Agree to Contract Terms and Conditions

By responding to this RFQ, you agree to the City’s required Contract Terms and Conditions set forth in this solicitation and therefore waives any future right to contest the required provisions.

9.6 Protest

The City’s protest policy applies to this solicitation.

The policy is available at: https://www.nola.gov/getattachment/Purchasing/Forms/No- 130-Procurement-Protest-Policy.pdf/ .

9.7 Debriefing

Respondents who were not qualified can request a post-award debriefing.

The debriefing shall not include point-by-point comparisons of the debriefed respondent’s submission with the awarded or selected respondent(s).

The unsuccessful respondent must submit a request in writing to the Designated Purchasing Official within 15 calendar days from the date of the notification issued by the Bureau of Purchasing.

The Bureau of Purchasing will ensure that the debriefing is conducted within a reasonable time.

9.8 Code of Ethics

The City adheres to the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics, contained in the Louisiana Revised Statutes Annotated, R.S. 42:1101, et seq.

By submitting a qualification submission, prospective respondents warrant that there is no “conflict of interest” related to this solicitation that would violate applicable Louisiana Law.

Violation of the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics may result in rescission of contract, permit or licenses, and the imposition of fines and/or penalties, without contractual liability to the public in accordance with applicable law.

9.9 BRASS

The City launched BRASS in July 2019. BRASS replaces the legacy databases and is used by all City departments.

BRASS enables suppliers to register and to maintain information about their organization for the purpose of doing business with the City and receiving notifications of business opportunities.

Registration is free. The City invites prospective suppliers to learn more at https://nola.gov/purchasing/brass/ .

9.10 Direct Deposit Electronic Payment Program

The City will require that the successful firm enrolls in its direct deposit electronic payment program.

Instead of receiving paper checks, payments will be made electronically via Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) and deposited directly into an account designated by the qualified respondent at its financial institution.

Enrolling in direct deposit payments supports the City’s ongoing efforts to become a more efficient and effective government, deliver enhanced services and timely payments, and provide for a sustainable environment.

ACH payment will apply to the invoice that you submit through the City’s Supplier Portal AFTER the Bureaus of Purchasing AND Treasury have completed the ACH activation.

The activation process may take 4 to 10 calendar days.

9.11 Waiver of Administrative Informalities

The City shall reserve the right, at its sole discretion, to waive administrative informalities contained in any submission.

9.12 Errors and Omissions in Submission

The City reserves the right to seek clarification of any submission for the purpose of identifying and eliminating irregularities or informalities.

9.13 Familiarity with Laws

You shall familiarize yourself with and shall comply with all applicable Federal and State Laws, parish/municipal ordinances, resolutions, and the rules and regulations of all authorities having jurisdiction over the solicitation.

These laws and/or ordinance will be deemed to be included in the contract, the same as though herein written in full.

9.14 Sample Agreement

The City supplies a sample professional services agreement on the website of the Bureau of Purchasing at: Microsoft Word - RFQ for C&P

The selected respondent(s) shall be expected to execute a contract that is substantially the same as the sample agreement.

You shall not submit your own standard contract terms and conditions as a response to this RFQ.

9.15 Federal Contract Provisions

If the City uses or intends to use federal funds (for example: ARPA, FEMA, HUD, etc.) to pay for the services rendered by the selected respondent, you will be required to comply with the federal contract provisions attached to the RFQ and/or the signed contract.

9.16 Organizational Conflicts of Interest

As per Section 9.8, the City is required to comply with all state and local laws that govern conflict of interest.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form for Professional Services Selection Committee Members

When a project is partly funded by grants administered by a Federal agency, the City must also comply with Federal procurement standards codified in 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (Uniform Rules) for that portion of the project utilizing Federal Funds.

2 C.F.R. § 200.318 requires the non-Federal entity (the City) to maintain written standards of conduct covering conflict of interest, including Organizational Conflict Of Interest

(OCOI).

An OCOI means that because of other activities or relationships with other people or entities, a person or entity:

1. Is unable or potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice to the City;

or

2. Is or might be otherwise impaired in its objectivity in performing the contract work;

or

3. Has an unfair competitive advantage.

Disclosure, evaluation, neutralization, and management of these conflicts and of the appearance of conflicts, is in the interests of the public, the City, and the business community.

You are therefore encouraged to investigate and manage any potential OCOI well in advance of forming teams or considering participation with or as a prospective respondent on a solicitation.

For this RFQ, you are required to:

1. EITHER certify that you conducted an internal review prior to submitting a proposal and that you do not have any organizational conflict of interest (you must then complete and submit Attachment C-1);

2. OR disclose all relevant facts concerning any past, present, or currently planned interests, activities, or relationships which may present an organizational conflict of interest (you must then complete and submit Attachment C-2).

If you submit an Organizational Conflict of Interest Disclosure and Avoidance/Neutralization/Mitigation Plan (Attachment C-2), the Designated Purchasing Official will ask the sponsoring department to review and make a recommendation on whether the identified conflict precludes your proposal from being submitted to the selection committee.

The City reserves the right to require revisions to the avoidance/neutralization/mitigation plan that you submitted.

If the sponsoring department recommends disqualifying your proposal, the Designated Purchasing Official will notify you in writing that you are disqualified from further participation.

You will have 2 business days from the date of notification by the Designated Purchasing Official to appeal the decision of disqualification.

You must submit the appeal to the Chief Procurement Officer via email with the number of the RFQ and a detailed explanation.

The decision from the Chief Procurement Officer or designee will be final.

Failure to submit the appeal timely waives the right to obtain a decision from the Chief Procurement Officer or designee.

You shall also refer to Section 8.7 when a prospective respondent fails to comply with the requirements of this section.

9.17 Determination of Responsibility

The City seeks to select a responsible respondent who IAW LRS 38:2212:

• Has adequate financial resources for performance or can obtain such resources as required during performance.

• Has the necessary experience, organization, technical qualifications, skills, and facilities, or can obtain them.

• Can comply with the proposed or required time of delivery or performance schedule.

• Has a satisfactory record of integrity, judgment, and performance.

• Is otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

You must ensure that your proposal contains sufficient information for the City to make its determination by presenting acceptable evidence of the above to perform the contracted services.

9.18 Confidential Information, Trade Secrets, and Proprietary Information

The designation of certain information as trade secrets and/or privileged or confidential proprietary information shall only apply to the technical portion of the proposal. The financial proposal will not be considered confidential under any circumstance. Any proposal copyrighted or marked as confidential or proprietary in its entirety may be rejected without further consideration or recourse.

For the purposes of this procurement, the provisions of the Louisiana Public Records Act (La. R.S. 44.1 et. seq.) shall be in effect. Pursuant to this Act, all proceedings, records, contracts, and other public documents relating to this procurement shall be open to public inspection.

You are reminded that while trade secrets and other proprietary information you submit in conjunction with this procurement may not be subject to public disclosure, you must claim such protections at the time of submission of your technical proposal. You should refer to the Louisiana Public Records Act for further clarification.

The City will not credit any blanket exemption claims lacking specific justification.

You shall clearly designate the part of the proposal that contains a trade secret and/or privileged or confidential proprietary information as “confidential” to claim protection, if any, from disclosure.

You shall mark the cover sheet of the proposal with the following legend, specifying the specific section(s) of the proposal sought to be restricted in accordance with the conditions of the legend:

“The data contained in pages _____of the proposal have been submitted in confidence and contain trade secrets and/or privileged or confidential information and such data shall only be disclosed for evaluation purposes, provided that if a contract is awarded to this Respondent as a result of or in connection with the submission of this proposal, the City of New Orleans shall have the right to use or disclose the data therein to the extent provided in the contract. This restriction does not limit the City of New Orleans’s right to use or disclose data obtained from any source, including the Respondent, without restrictions.”

Further, to protect such data, each page containing such data shall be specifically identified and marked “CONFIDENTIAL”.

You must be prepared to defend the reasons why the material should be held confidential.

By submitting a proposal with data, information, or material designated as containing trade secrets and/or privileged or confidential proprietary information, or otherwise designated as “confidential”, you agree to indemnify and defend (including attorney’s fees) the City and hold the City harmless against all actions or court proceedings that may ensue which seek to order the City to disclose the information.

The City reserves the right to make any proposal, including proprietary information contained therein, available to city personnel for the sole purpose of assisting the City in its evaluation of the proposal. The City shall require said individuals to protect the confidentiality of any specifically identified proprietary information or privileged business information obtained as a result of their participation in these evaluations.

Additionally, any proposal that fails to follow this section and/or La. R.S. 44:3.2.(D)(1) shall have failed to properly assert the designation of trade secrets and/or privileged or confidential proprietary information and the information may be considered public records.

SECTION 10 – STATEMENT OF NO RESPONSE

If you elect not to respond to the RFQ, the Bureau of Purchasing is interested in learning the reason(s) for non-response.

Your response to the questionnaire below will help the City understanding potential challenges and/or barriers with the RFQ.

• https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hfTLCLccAkqaIQ3ZtFuf9 0s12RkxNB5KnaGW8hYN33NUMjZBN05YS1U0UVY4N0tXOFdEMEVHQTFXNi 4u

SECTION 11 – ATTACHMENTS

11.1. Document to Review

• Attachment A – Statement of Needs and Price Proposal

11.2. Required to Submit with Proposal In Response to RFQ

• Attachment B – DBE Compliance Form-3

• Attachment C – Conflict of Interest o C1 - Organizational Conflict of Interest Disclosure Certification or o C2 - Organizational Conflict of Interest Disclosure and

Avoidance/Neutralization/Mitigation Plan

• Attachment D – Responsibility Questionnaire

• Attachment E – Acknowledgement of Addenda Form

11.3. Contract Terms and Conditions and Insurance

• Attachment F - Insurance Requirements

• Attachment G – City Contract Terms and Conditions

11.4. Guidance For Respondents

• Respondent’s Checklist

• Sample C1 - Organizational Conflict of Interest Disclosure Certification

[ATTACHMENTS A THRU F ON FOLLOWING PAGES]

SECTION 11.1.

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT IS FOR REVIEW

ONLY

ATTACHMENT NO. A

STATEMENT OF NEEDS AND PRICE PROPOSAL

Part 1 - Statement of Needs

The Consultant shall provide all necessary field inspectors, vehicles, tools, equipment, and traffic control required to complete a field survey of the pavement condition of all City-owned streets following the ASTM Standard 06433-11 "Standard Practice for Road and Parking Lots Pavement Condition Index (PCI) Surveys", and associated tasks as described in more detail below.

1. Data Collection

• Perform pavement condition surveys on all City-maintained roadways (approx. 1550 centerline miles).

• Utilize automated, high-resolution data collection technologies (e.g., LiDAR, LCMS, digital imaging).

• Collect data on pavement distresses, roughness, rutting, faulting, and other relevant indicators.

• Record roadway inventory.

2. Roadway information that shall be collected and provided to the City a minimum, at the completion of the PCI survey includes:

a. street name

b. endpoint one, endpoint two, and segment ID

c. segment length and pavement width

d. inventory date

e. pavement type, in terms of flexible (asphalt) or rigid (concrete) will be identified

f. segment functional classification, as provided by the City.

3. Pavement Condition Index (PCI) Analysis

• Evaluate pavement conditions using ASTM-standard PCI methodology.

• Develop additional indices as needed (e.g., RCI, SDI).

• Provide GIS-compatible datasets and shapefiles.

• Collect digital images at 10-20-foot intervals of the road surface condition and link to a geodatabase. The collected images shall be calibrated for possible future asset extraction.

a. Pavement condition scored based on 13 surface distress types with corresponding unit of measure scored every 100 feet longitudinally. The following distresses should be rated:

Item

Asphalt Rating System

Distress Description

Portland Rating System

Distress Description

1 Patching (ACC) Patching (PCC)

2 Rippling & Shoving Scaling

3 Raveling & Streaking Raveling (PCC)

4 Flushing & Bleeding Polishing

5 Deformation & Distortions Distortion, Depress

6 Excessive Crown Corner 'C' & 'D' Cracking

7 Progressive Edge Cracking Coarse Aggregate Loss

8 Alligator Cracking Potholes (PCC)

9 Potholes (ACC) Joint Sealant Loss

10 Map Cracking Linear Cracking (PCC)

11 Longitudinal Cracking Transverse Cracking (PCC)

12 Transverse Cracks (ACC) Joint Spalling

13 Wheel Track Rutting Joint Faulting/Stepping

b. Pavement performance information that includes rutting, fatigue cracking, transverse cracking, and longitudinal cracking.

c. Collect digital images at 10-20-foot intervals of the road surface condition and link to a geodatabase. The collected images shall be calibrated for possible future asset extraction.

4. Pavement Management Modeling

Consultant shall develop recommended maintenance and rehabilitation strategies (M&R) based on data gathered by/during the assessment phase. Deliverables to include

· Update or develop performance models for pavement deterioration.

· Recommend maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) strategies.

· Provide cost estimates for M&R treatments.

5. Provide to the City the pavement condition data in database format compatible with the City’s asset management system (Cityworks/NeoGov). Coordinate with the City's IT department to provide pavement condition data in a format compatible with the City's Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) GIS database.

6. Calculate a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score for each road segment in accordance with ASTM D6433. Provide results compatible with the City's GIS database.

7. Calculate the International Roughness Index for each road segment, where applicable in accordance with ASTM E1926. Provide results compatible with the City's GIS database.

8. With input from City staff, devise a weighting system taking into account PCI, JR), average daily traffic for thoroughfares (traffic count raw data provided by City), public safety emergency routes, and apply this 0-100 numeric index to the roadway information collected for the entire City. Provide results compatible with the City's GIS database.

9. Estimate the annual budget required to meet the long term goals regarding desired pavement condition levels.

10. Create a five year and ten year pavement rehabilitation plan with input from City staff.

11. Provide/utilize information collected under this project to support other, ongoing pavement condition analysis efforts and initiatives as requested by the City.

Reporting & Deliverables: At the completion of this project, the Consultant shall provide the following deliverables to DPW:

• Executive summary of findings.

• Detailed technical report including methodology, results, and recommendations.

• GIS-based pavement condition maps.

• Database files compatible with the City’s asset management system (Cartegraph/NeoGov).

• Presentation to DPW leadership and City stakeholders.

1. Draft Pavement Condition Survey Report - The Consultant shall prepare a Draft Pavement Condition Survey report containing a summary of the PCI data collected, and a final PCI rating for each street, as well as an executive summary of the recommended City-wide levels of maintenance, indexed by year to be performed, sorted by PCI brackets, and including tallied estimates of the various categories of maintenance work required.

2. Final Pavement Condition Survey Report -The Consultant shall prepare a Pavement Condition Survey report sealed by a Professional Engineer registered to practice in the State of Louisiana. The report shall incorporate City comments on the Draft Pavement Condition Survey Report and contain a summary of the PCI data collected, and a final PCI rating for each street, as well as an executive summary of the recommended City-wide levels of maintenance, indexed by year to be performed, sorted by PCI brackets, and including tallied estimates of the various categories of maintenance work required.

The Consultant shall provide ten (10) printed copies of the final report detailing all findings and recommendations and electronic, web-ready files portable flash drive including the following:

a. Final report in PDF and editable format (such as MS Word).

b. Supporting graphics, maps, and data files in original format (.jpg, .ArcGIS files, etc.)

At the completion of the project and acceptance by the City, the data generated will become the property of the City of New Orleans.

Proposal Requirements: The Consultant shall include the following information in their proposal…