College Advisor(s) RFP 2026-NPS-001.pdf

CITY OF NEWPORT - NEWPORT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP # 2026-NPS-001

Sealed proposals are being requested for College Advisor(s), in accordance with all terms and specifications contained herein will be received until;

Two (2:00) PM, Local Time

August 20, 2025

Bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes addressed to the City of Newport- Purchasing Office, 43 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840 and must be plainly marked in the lower left-hand corner, “College Advisor(s)” - RFP #2026-NPS-001. Please submit two (2) originals and (2) copies of your submission.

Any bidder taking exception to, or questioning any of the provisions, procedures, conditions or specifications herein stated should make such exceptions known to the undersigned, in writing, not less than five (5) days before the proposal opening.

Any change or interpretation made as a result thereof will be published in an addendum and posted on the BidNET e-procurement website at: https://www.bidnetdirect.com. Should a proposer still not be satisfied, he may, in the proposal, set out and stipulate the exception, with enough explanation to be understood and within the stipulation, the INCREASE or DECREASE in the proposal price because of the exception shall be stated. City of Newport/ Newport Public Schools may, at its discretion, accept or reject any or all exceptions.

The right is reserved, as the interest of City of Newport/Newport Public Schools may require, to reject any or all proposals, to waive any technical defect or informality in proposals received, and to accept or reject any proposal or portion thereof.

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the submission is delivered by the time and at the place described above. Submission received prior to the time of opening will be securely kept unopened. No responsibility will attach to any officer or person for the premature opening of a submission not properly addressed and identified. Any submission received after the time and date specified shall not be considered even if it is determined by the City of Newport that such non-arrival before the time set for opening was due solely to delay in the mails for which the submitter is not responsible.

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/

General Conditions

A. City of Newport -Newport Public Schools reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any informality, to request interviews of proposers prior to award and to select and negotiate the contractor services in the best interest of the City of Newport and Newport Public Schools.

B. City of Newport/Newport Public Schools reserves the right to accept all or part of any proposal, and to negotiate a contract for services and cost with the selected firm or team.

C. In addition to any warranty obligations, the Contractor shall be specifically obligated to correct any and all defective or nonconforming work, at no cost to City of Newport/ Newport Public Schools, for a period of twelve (12) months following final completion of all work upon written direction from Newport Public Schools.

D. Contractors shall secure and maintain such insurance from an insurance company authorized to write casualty insurance in the State of Rhode Island as will protect himself, his sub Consultants, and the Owner from claims for bodily injury, death or property damage which may arise from operations under this contract. The Contractor shall not commence work under this contract until he has obtained all insurance required under this section and until he shall have filed the certificate of insurance or the certified copy of the insurance policy with the Owner. Each insurance policy shall contain a clause providing that it shall not be canceled by the insurance company without ten (10) days written notice to the Owner of intention to cancel.

The amounts of such insurance shall not be less than the following:

Workmen's Compensation and Employers' Liability Insurance shall be secured and maintained as required by the State of Rhode Island.

Public Liability, Bodily Injury, and Property Damage:

1. Injury or death of one person: $ 1,000,000

2. Injury to more than one person in a single accident: $ 1,000,000

3. Property damage: $ 1,000,000

Automobile and Truck Public Liability, Bodily Injury and Property Damage:

1. Injury or death of one person: $ 1,000,000

2. Injury to more than one person in a single accident: $ 1,000,000

3. Property damage: $ 1,000,000

E. Prevailing Wage: Work under this contract is subject to the prevailing wage rates of the State of Rhode Island. Certified payrolls must be submitted for all work under this contract.

The attention of the Contractor is called to the requirements for compliance with the applicable provisions of Rhode Island General Laws, Chapter 37-12 and 37-13. The Department of Labor determines the customary and prevailing rate of wages paid to craftsmen, teamsters, and laborers in construction of public works by the State, and by Cities, towns, and by persons contracting therewith for such construction. The latest general wage decision as determined by RIGL at the time of this project shall be implemented by the Contractor for this project. The Contractor is responsible for compliance with all wage laws.

Also attached are sections 37-13-5, 37-13-6, and37-13-7 of the General Laws of Rhode Island as required to be inserted by Section 37-13- 9. Further information may be obtained from the Office of the Department of Labor, 220 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island.

F. Contractors shall guarantee to perform the services offered and the total price of the proposal for a period of not less than ninety (90) days from the deadline for submission of proposals.

G. Contractors shall provide all necessary personnel, materials and equipment to perform and complete all work under this proposal.

H. Newport Public Schools intends to recommend award of a contract to the Newport School

Committee for the requested services within one (1) month of receipt of the proposals. The Contractor shall be prepared to commence work immediately upon execution of a contract with Newport Public Schools.

I. Awards will not be made to any person, firm or company in default of a contract with the

City of Newport, the State of Rhode Island or the Federal Government.

J. The Contractor hereby agrees that it will assign to the City of Newport/Newport Public

Schools all cause of action that it may acquire under the anti-trust laws of Rhode Island and the United States as the result of conspiracies, combination of contracts in restraint of trade which affect the price of goods or services obtained by the City of Newport/Newport Public Schools under this contract if so requested by the City of Newport/ Newport Public Schools.

K. Unless otherwise stated, Payment Requests are to be submitted no more than once per month. Each Payment Request shall be signed by the design build firm/team and shall constitute the design build firm/team’s representation that quantity of work has reached the level for which payment is requested, that the work has been properly installed and that the design build firm/team knows no reason why payment should not be made as requested. The payment request shall include an itemization of all services provided, including unit list price, net price, extensions and total amount due. Newport Public Schools shall approve by signature the amount that, in the opinion of Newport Public Schools, is properly owing to the Contractor. Newport Public Schools shall retain five percent (5%) of the progress or monthly payments claimed and pay the Contractor on or before the last day of the following month. Retainage will be released after final inspection and acceptance of work.

L. Unless otherwise stated, payment will be made within thirty (30) days of the completion of the work, in an acceptable fashion, to Newport Public Schools and receipt of invoice, whichever is later.

M. Newport Public Schools is exempt from all sales and Federal excise taxes. Our exemption number is 05-6000260. Please bill less these taxes.

N. Newport Public School’s obligations to pay any amount due under a contract are contingent upon availability and continuation of funds for the purpose. Newport Public Schools may terminate the contract, for non-appropriation of funds, and all payment obligations of Newport Public Schools cease on the date of termination.

O. None of the services covered by the contract shall be assigned in full or in part, or subcontracted without the prior approval of Newport Public Schools.

P. This contract will be for the services described above; however, this agreement should not be considered exclusive. As deemed necessary, the City of Newport/Newport Public Schools reserves the right to obtain these services from any other vendor.

Q. Unless otherwise specified all costs listed are firm for the term of the contract.

R. Neither party shall be liable for any inability to perform its obligations under any subsequent agreement due to war, riot, insurrection, civil commotion, fire, flood, earthquake, storm or other act of God.

S. Notification of the parties shall be considered to have been constructively received when it is mailed via the United State Postal Service or delivered in hand to the parties as stated in the contract.

T. If any of the GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS is held to be invalid or unenforceable, it will be construed to have the broadest interpretation which would make it valid and enforceable under such holding. Invalidity or unenforceability of a term or condition will not affect any of the other GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

U. Each and every provision and clause required by law to be inserted in any subsequent

Contract shall be deemed to be inserted herein and the Contract shall be read and enforced as though it were included herein, and if through mistake or otherwise any such provision is not inserted, or is not correctly inserted, then upon the application of either party, the Contract shall forthwith be physically amended to make such insertion or correction.

V. Proposal shall also mean quotation, bid, offer, qualification/experience statement, and services. Proposers shall also mean vendors, offerors, bidders, or any person or firm responding to a Request for Proposals.

W. All contracts entered into by Newport Public Schools shall be governed by the Laws of the

State of Rhode Island. Any disputes shall be resolved within the venue of the State of Rhode Island and Newport County.

Newport Public Schools Request for Proposals

College Advisor(s)

RFP# 2026-NPS-001

All questions should be addressed by email only to: Ronald Gonsalves

Ronaldgonsalves@npsri.net

Scope of Services

● Full time college advising corp. [avg. 40 hrs./week] in underserved high schools. The advising corp. will work in collaboration with the college advisor (CAC), school counselors, teachers, and administrators to increase college-going rates in the schools they serve.

With a focus on Low-income and first-generation students.

● The college advisor will provide admissions and financial-aid advising to students and their families through in-school and in the community; one-on-one and group sessions that help students identify colleges that will serve them well; complete their admissions and financial-aid applications; and enroll successfully at the schools they eventually chose.

● The college advisor will provide services during school hours, as well as, in the evenings, providing multiple opportunities to support our students and their families.

● This program will aim to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students entering and completing higher education.

● Pricing should be broken out in annual increments. 1 year term (FY 2025-2026 & FY 2026-2027)

Advisor(s) and School agree to:

● Work collaboratively to develop and implement programs and services that (a) foster access to postsecondary education and (b) include all students who wish to participate and who work in good faith to do so.

● Work collaboratively to (a) outline current school-based efforts to foster access to postsecondary education; (b) review the college advising programs and services to ensure that they complement and extend these existing efforts; and (c) establish clear and mutually agreeable timelines for the implementation of college advising programs and services.

Proposal Acceptance

Proposals will be accepted until 2:00PM, EST on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. All proposals received after that date and time will be returned unopened. Offers by Fax, E-mail or telephone will not be accepted.

Proposals must be submitted in two separate envelopes:

• Marked Technical Proposal, no cost information is to be included.

• Marked Cost Proposal any and all cost information should be contained in this envelope.

Technical proposals will be evaluated prior to opening any cost information.

Failure to adhere to this requirement will be cause for rejection.

Submissions determined to be either "non-responsive" or "not responsible," will be discontinued from further consideration by the committee.

Minimum Criteria *Must have experience with the college admission process as well as experience working in underserved high school.

Factors for Award

Newport Public Schools will evaluate each written proposal as well as analyze the cost of each submitted proposal