CSFA01-25_-_FINAL_RFP_(04-04-25).pdf

MEMBERS

FIONA MA, CPA, CHAIR

State Treasurer

TONY THURMOND

State Superintendent of

Public Instruction

JOE STEPHENSHAW

Director of Finance

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Katrina M. Johantgen

300 S. Spring Street, Suite 8500 Los Angeles, CA 90013 p (213) 620-4608 f (213) 620-6309

901 P Street, Suite 313-B Sacramento, CA 95814 p (916) 651-7710 f (916) 651-7709 csfa@treasurer.ca.gov www.treasurer.ca.gov/csfa

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FINANCE AUTHORITY

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FINANCE AUTHORITY

Financial Advisory Services

RFP #CSFA01-25

Notice to Prospective Proposers

April 4, 2025

To: All Interested Parties

The California School Finance Authority (Authority) is pleased to provide the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) for Financial Advisory Services (FAS) (RFP #CSFA01-25). The Authority reserves the right to select multiple Firms to provide services as presented in the Scope of Services, pursuant to this RFP, as the Authority determines the Firm/Firms to best meet its financial needs. The total amount of the agreement award shall not exceed $500,000.

The financial advisory services requested for this RFP are specialized and relevant to the Authority's existing and new program development, as well as in the area of economic development and housing. The contractor for financial advisory services must have demonstrated experience in the following areas: 1) governmental practices; 2) K-14 and community college funding; 3) housing finance and economic development; 4) public school operations; 5) program development and implementation; 6) conduit financing and all attendant compliance and reporting requirements; 7) public-private partnership ventures; and 8) federal and state reporting requirements.

Proposals for these services must comply with the instructions included in the RFP. The RFP includes the Sample Standard Agreement the selected Firm will be expected to execute. The agreement that will be entered into with the State of California ("State") will include by reference the General Terms and Conditions and Contractor Certification Clauses which may be viewed and downloaded online at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal- Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language. The General Terms and Conditions and all Exhibits that are a part of the Sample Standard Agreement are not negotiable. By submitting a proposal, your Firm agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this RFP.

Three (3) printed copies of the proposal no staples or bindings must be submitted on or before 5:00 pm PT, May 9, 2025. Emailed or faxed submissions will not be accepted.

California School Finance Authority 300 South Spring Street, Suite 8500

ATTN: Katrina Johantgen (RFP #CSFA01-25)

Should you have further questions regarding the RFP, please email me at kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov.

mailto:csfa@treasurer.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language mailto:kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov

Table of Contents Section Page

A. Purpose and Description of Services 1

1. Introduction 1

2. Program Overview 1

3. Scope of Services 2

4. Term of Agreement 4

5. Conflict of Interest – Dual Representation 4

B. Minimum Qualifications for Proposers 5

C. Proposal Requirements and Information 5

1. Key Action Dates 5

2. Questions and Answers 6

3. Content and Format of Proposals 6

4. Submission of Proposal 9

5. Evaluation Process 11

6. Award and Protest 14

7. Disposition of Proposals 14

8. Agreement Execution and Performance 15

D. Preference and Incentive Programs 15

1. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference 15

2. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference 15

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) 16

4. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive Program 17

E. Required Attachments 17

1. Required Attachment Checklist

2. Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet

3. Minimum Qualifications Certification

4. Cost Proposal Worksheet

5. Proposer References

6. Resumes of Key Personnel

7. Payee Data Record (STD 204)

8. Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017)

9. Darfur Contracting Act Certification

10. Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105)

11. California Civil Rights Laws Certification

12. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Notification

13. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference*

14. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference*

15. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA)*

16. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Participation Program*

*If Applicable

Sample Standard Agreement (STD 213) Exhibit A, Scope of Work Exhibit A, Attachment 1, Resumes of Key Personnel Exhibit B, Budget Detail and Payment Provisions Exhibit C, General Terms and Conditions Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions Exhibit E, Additional Provisions

Request for Proposals #CSFA01-25

A. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

1. Introduction

The financial advisory services requested for this RFP are specialized and relevant to the Authority’s existing and new program development, as well as in the area of economic development and student and workforce housing. Such programs include the Charter School Facilities Program, Charter School Facility Grant Program (SB 740), Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement Grant Program, State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, Charter School Revolving Loan Program and Conduit Bond Financing Program. The financial advisory Firm must have demonstrated experience in the following areas: 1) governmental practices; 2) K-14 funding; 3) housing finance and economic development; 4) public school operations; 5) program development and implementation; 6) bond financing and all attendant compliance and reporting requirements; 7) public-private partnership ventures; and 8) federal and state reporting requirements.

The Authority anticipates entering into a contract for financial advisory services to provide technical support to the Authority for its existing and new programs. The Firm scoring the highest points following the evaluation process as outlined in Section C, Item 4, “Evaluation Process” will be awarded the financial advisory contract to be used on an “as-needed” basis to perform a wide range of services related to the Authority programs. In addition, special projects may occur from time to time on a variety of subjects. The Authority reserves the right to hire one or more Firms, creating a pool of Firms, primary, secondary and tertiary, to provide support in different areas of expertise.

The selected Firm(s) is expected to be technically and professionally capable of providing the services in all subject areas described in Section A, Item 3, Scope of Service and meet the Minimum Qualifications for Proposers in Section B. The Authority anticipates a July 1, 2025 contract start date, and the Firm(s) must be available at that time to assume services. The Authority anticipates entering into a two-year contract(s) with a one-year option to renew for the described services.

Upon contract award(s), and annually thereafter throughout the term of the contract(s), the selected Firm(s) will be required to comply with the Political Reform Act and the principals assigned to this contract will be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700, Fair Political Practices Commission).

2. Program Overview

The Authority administers a wide breadth of financing programs for charter schools, which include the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, Charter School Facilities Program, Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement Grant Program, Charter School Facility Grant Program, Conduit Financing Program, and Charter School Revolving Loan Program. Within the contract period, the Authority will work, with the assistance of its FA Pool, to expand its mandate to serve preschool and K-14 students. The Authority also is seeking to develop housing programs for students, professors, staff, and teachers.

3. Scope of Services

The financial advisor(s) will be assisting the Authority on an “as-needed” basis to perform a wide range of services for all Authority programs listed in the Program Overview section of RFP #CSFA01-25, throughout the proposed contract period. In addition, special projects may occur from time to time on a variety of subjects. The financial advisor(s) shall be available during regular business hours, either by phone or in person, for consultations with CSFA staff, which may require travel to the Sacramento or Los Angeles offices of CSFA or other locations as necessary.

The Authority reserves the right to hire one or more Firms, creating a pool of Firms to provide support in different areas of expertise in implementing its responsibilities under the Program.

In the event of multiple financial advisors:

Primary Firm as Financial Advisor

In the event the CSFA determines there is the potential for, or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Primary Firm, the assignment will go to the Secondary Firm. CSFA has the sole and exclusive authority to determine if a potential or actual conflict of interest exists. In addition, the Authority reserves the right to determine it necessary to use any or all of the advisors to assist with special projects on an as needed basis.

Secondary Firm as Financial Advisor

In the event the CSFA determines there is the potential for, or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Primary Firm, the assignment will go to the Secondary Firm. In the event the CSFA determines there is the potential for, or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Secondary Firm, the assignment will go to the Tertiary Firm.

CSFA has the sole and exclusive authority to determine if a potential or actual conflict of interest exists. In addition, the Authority reserves the right to determine it necessary to use any or all the advisors to assist with special projects on an as-needed basis.

Tertiary Firm as Financial Advisor

In the event the CSFA determines there is the potential for, or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Primary Firm and the Secondary Firm, the assignment will go to the Tertiary Firm. CSFA has the sole and exclusive authority to determine if a potential or actual conflict of interest exists. In addition, the Authority reserves the right to determine it necessary to use any or all of the Firm(s) to assist with special projects on an as-needed basis.

Services include the following:

a. General Advisory Services

• Assist in the review and analysis of state and federal legislation impacting the Authority’s programs, school finance, charter schools, or capital market financing;

• Assist in review and analysis of proposed program regulations as they relate to state and federal law;

• Assist in the streamlining of monthly reconciliation of program funds;

• Assist in developing tools for forecasting and developing sound projections for program funds;

• Assist in the preparation of presentations for board meetings, workshops, conferences;

• Assist with the development and preparation of statistical information and reports;

• Assist in, or perform, the financial analysis of current and proposed programs;

• Review and refine financial models to evaluate the financial soundness of applicants/awardees.

b. School Facilities Program

• Assist with CSFA’s undertaking of $600 million in Bond Proceeds for the CSFP program and assist in reviewing financial soundness of applicants and awardees at multiple times over the Program life cycle: at the time of initial application (preliminary apportionment), at advance apportionment, and at final apportionment

c. Bond Financing Services

• Vetting of new financing program concepts;

• Assist in the review of application completeness and readiness;

• Review and propose revisions to bond issuance guidelines and sales restrictions;

• Assist in creating template bond documents and identify, address and resolve common policy issues;

• Review proposed underwriter spread components and estimated costs of issuance items;

• Evaluate the proposed financing structures, and make recommendations as necessary regarding security features, specific covenants, credit enhancement, specific maturities of serial or term bonds, fixed or variable rates or call provisions;

• Analyze and make recommendations regarding structuring, pricing options, and rating implications as they relate to bond pricing;

• Ensure compliance with all pre- and post-issuance legal and reporting requirements;

• Conduct training of staff on various aspects of the bond sale financing process;

• Assist to expand its mandate to serve K-14 students, as well as preschool students;

• Assist to develop housing programs for students, professors, staff and teachers.

d. Special Projects

• Provide analysis and advice on issues or questions related to tax-exempt debt markets, the non-profit education sector, or any other related financial matter;

• Provide, as requested, periodic technical training of CSFA staff;

• Analyze new financing programs, including bond, loans or grant programs, and assist with the implementation of said programs;

• Perform financial analysis on proposals for new products as they pertain to educational or financing programs;

• Advise CSFA board and staff on new program development related to preschool and housing finance as well as economic development concepts;

• Assist to expand its mandate to serve K-14 students, as well as preschool students;

• Assist to develop housing programs for students, professors, staff and teachers.

4. Term of Agreement

The term of Agreement will be July 1, 2025, or upon approval of the contract by the Department of General Services, through June 30, 2027, and services shall not exceed $500,000. At the option of the State, the agreement may be extended for one additional year and an additional $250,000. The quoted rates shall remain the same throughout the entire term of the agreement.

5. Conflict of Interest – Dual Representation

On an “as-needed” basis, the Firm(s) may be called upon to perform a wide range of services and assist on special projects that may occur. Firm(s) must disclose any business relationships, which may be construed to be potential or actual conflicts of interest prior to a pending assignment. In the event the Authority determines there is the potential for or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Primary Firm, the assignment will go to the Secondary Firm. In the event the Authority determines there is the potential for, or an actual conflict of interest exists for the Secondary Firm, the assignment will go to the Tertiary Firm. The Authority has the sole and exclusive authority to determine if a potential or actual conflict of interest exists. In addition, the Authority reserves the right to determine it necessary to use any or all of the Firm(s) to assist with special projects on an as-needed basis.

The Firm(s) will have a continuing requirement to disclose any client relationship that may present an actual or potential conflict of interest at any time such may arise.

B. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROPOSERS

The Authority expects to work closely with its advisor(s) to ensure that the tasks outlined in the scope of services section are completed in a timely, efficient, and accurate manner. Accordingly, the Authority expects that its advisor(s) will be constantly up to date with applicable financial analysis and reporting standards, and will maintain appropriate expertise at the proposer’s own expense.

The following qualifications must be met in order to submit a proposal to the Authority for this assignment.

• The proposer must have an office in the State of California or be able to demonstrate its capacity to serve California clients in a timely and efficient manner.

• The proposer, or individuals employed by the proposer, must have been actively engaged in accounting, and/or financial consulting relevant to school finance, accessing the capital markets, and associated managerial and financial analysis for at least three (3) years. This experience should include services provided to governmental entities.

• The proposer, or individuals employed by the proposer, must have extensive knowledge of governmental practices, material audit findings, systems of internal control, accounting systems and recommendations regarding the financial reporting requirements applicable to CSFA’s participating agencies.

• The proposer must have qualification to do business in the State of California.

C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Key Action Dates

All proposers are hereby advised of the following schedule and will be expected to adhere to the required dates and times (all times are Pacific Time).

Event Due Date RFP Available to Prospective Proposers April 4, 2025 Deadline for submission of written questions

April 18, 2025

Distribution of answers to questions

April 21, 2025

Proposal Submittal Deadline May 9, 2025, 5:00 p.m. PT

Evaluation of Proposals May 12 – May 16, 2025 Notice of Intent to Award May 19, 2025 Contract Start Date July 1, 2025

The Authority reserves the right to change the above dates and times, and, if so, said changes will be posted to the Authority and Cal e-Procure website. The Authority also reserves the right not to award a contract for these services.

2. Questions and Answers

In the opinion of CSFA, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation. However, if you have questions, or should you require any clarifying information, please email Katrina Johantgen at kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov. Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than April 18, 2025, at 5:00 pm PT. Responses to questions will be provided on April 21, 2025, and will be made available in the California State Contracts Register located at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/ and the CSFA website.

3. Content and Format of Proposals

The required information in the following section is intended to demonstrate the proposer’s qualifications to serve as financial advisor to the Authority as outlined in this Scope of Services section in the RFP.

a. In preparing proposals, proposers must:

• Use standard 8½’ x 11” white paper with a minimum type size of 12 points.

Consecutively number all pages in the proposer’s response (including attachments and/or appendices) no staples or bindings.

• Include a cover letter stating:

o The name, address, telephone and fax numbers of the principal contact responsible for the oversight of the contract. Indicate the availability of this person for meetings with the Authority, and the Authority’s Executive Director.

o The name, address, telephone and fax numbers of the project representative who will be available to the Authority and its staff on a day- to-day basis during the term of the contract. Please also attach Exhibit A (found in Section F of this proposal) to the cover letter with Section 5 of Exhibit A completed.

o Whether the proposer satisfies all of the minimum qualifications set forth in Section B of this RFP.

• Include the documents identified in Section E, including the Required Attachment Checklist. Proposals not including the Required Attachments shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements and will be rejected.

• In addition, proposers are to provide any supplemental information as attachments that will provide the Authority with additional information regarding the proposer’s qualifications as they relate to this engagement.

Proposers are encouraged to provide complete responses to the following, responses must be listed in the same order as outlined below.

https://caleprocure.ca.gov/

b. Level of Representative Experience (25% weighting)

Representative experience should include, but not be limited to, recent services provided to other governmental agencies. Provide a detailed list of financial advisory and/or analytical services by client or transaction for the last three (3) years as an attachment.

• Overall/Miscellaneous Experience o Discuss how the Firm meets the minimum qualifications presented in Section B of this RFP.

o Discuss the overall experience of the Firm that demonstrates the ability to successfully provide the services requested in the Scope of Services section (see pages 2-4 of the RFP). Please present the Firm’s approach to each broad category of services described in Section A.3. Scope of Services.

o Describe the Firm’s experience with California governmental entities, including K-14 public schools, and/or charter schools (or districts with charter-related issues).

Indicate which of the assigned personnel have experience in these areas.

o Describe the Firm’s experience with housing finance and economic development projects, as well as public-private partnership projects and financing.

• Legislation and Regulations o Describe the Firm’s experience with the review and analysis of legislation and legislative material, if any.

o Describe the Firm’s experience in the development, review and revision of regulations as it applies to state or federal programs.

o List the Firm’s experience in the preparation and submission of reports and joint reports to government entities and the State Legislature.

• Applicant Review/Ongoing Monitoring o Describe the Firm’s experience with development of applications, and related program implementation requirements, including outreach, training and evaluation activities such as those described in the Scope of Services.

o Describe the Firm’s experience with the use of mathematical, computer or other financial models in evaluating financial soundness and credit worthiness.

o Describe the Firm’s experience in the development of application formats for the purpose of evaluating financial soundness and future financial viability of entities applying for government funding.

o Describe the Firm’s experience in monitoring the creditworthiness of funding recipients.

• General Services o Describe the Firm’s experience in the development of training programs and operational guidelines for financial analysis.

o Describe the Firm’s experience in the development and review of agreements and bond documents.

o Describe the Firm’s experience with the development and implementation of bond pooling programs.

o Describe the Firm’s experience with general advisory services such as those described in the Scope of Services.

o Describe the Firm’s general experience in the preparation and presentation of meeting materials for State boards and authorities.

o Describe the Firm’s experience in the development of audit standards and procedures for State or other governmental entities.

c. Expertise of Assigned Personnel (35% weighting)

• List all personnel who will be primarily responsible for performing services pursuant to this RFP. List names and locations; titles and responsibilities; total years of experience;

and years with Firm. Provide professional resumes for each of these individuals as required Attachment 6, Resumes of Key Personnel. Also include all such information for staff of subcontractors (if any). The Authority expects the Firm(s) to assure that the quality and availability of its personnel assigned to this Agreement will be maintained over the term of the Agreement. Any changes in assigned personnel are at the discretion of the Firm(s), provided that any replacements have substantially the same or better qualifications and experience than the original personnel.

• Describe the Firm’s backup procedures in the event the key personnel assigned to this account should leave the Firm.

d. Firm References and Capacity to Serve (10% weighting)

• Provide three (3) references within the last five years from among the representative clients for which services have been provided as referenced above, including name(s), agency(ies), title(s), location(s), and telephone number(s). Use required Attachment 5, Proposer References to provide contact information, to describe the services provided, and to indicate the assigned personnel involved.

• Provide an explanation if the proposer, any partner, related company (parent, subsidiary, sister), affiliate or joint venture, or any owner, officer, director, principal or management level employee of the proposer had any enforcement action taken against them by the Securities Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory agency or been named defendant in litigation where there was an allegation of violation of fiduciary responsibility.

• Describe the Firm’s backup procedures in the event the location where documents and files (paper or computer) are maintained is destroyed, damaged or lost.

e. Fees (30% weighting)

• Cost Detail Format and Requirements o Services to the Authority will be on an as-needed basis. The blended hourly rate for professional services will be an average of the hourly rate for all professionals expected to provide services under this anticipated contract (Partner, Managing Directors, Associate, etc.), not including support services or for training of staff. The blended hourly rate will be the hourly rate the Firm will be paid for professional services if awarded the contract. Use required Attachment 4, Cost Proposal Worksheet to identify lead personnel and identify all staff to be covered under “professional services” in the blended hourly rate. It is the responsibility of the Firm to determine the blended hourly rate, based upon the expected participation of various professionals with the Firm.

o Please provide the hourly rate for support services, briefly describing the services to be provided. These rates should not be averaged into the professional services blended hourly rate and will be scored separately. The support service rate will be the hourly rate the Firm will be paid for support services if awarded the contract.

o The Firm must submit costs for services regarding the RFP as follows:

i. Blended hourly rate for professional services = $/hr

ii. Hourly rate for support services = $/hr

f. Other Experience Relating to Scope of Services (0% weighting)

Firm(s) are invited to provide such other experience that demonstrates the Firm(s) experience as outlined in Section 3), A and B, Scope of Services. The Authority will also consider the applicant’s demonstrated experience in the following areas:

• Experience as an FA concerning charter school financing issues.

• Experience as an FA concerning public school systems in California.

• Such other experience as is deemed appropriate, with evidence that supports the response to this request for proposal.

(Note that the term “FA” means, a “municipal advisor,” as that term is defined in Release No.

34-70462 of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, File No. S7-45-10, dated September 18, 2013.)

4. Submission of Proposal

a. Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the proposer’s ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. The proposal must be complete and accurate.

Omissions, inaccuracies or misstatements will be sufficient cause for rejection of a proposal.

b. All proposals must be submitted under sealed cover and received by the Authority no later than 5:00 p.m. PT on May 9, 2025, unless The Authority provides notice on its website that the date has been changed. Proposals received after this date and time will not be considered.

c. One (1) original and two (2) additional copies of the proposal must be submitted with no staples or bindings.

d. The original proposal must be marked "ORIGINAL COPY." All documents contained in the original proposal package must have original signatures and must be signed by a person who is authorized to bind the proposing Firm. All additional proposal sets may contain photocopies of the original package.

e. The proposal envelopes must plainly show the RFP number and title, the Firm name, address and contact person, and must be marked "DO NOT OPEN," as shown in the following example:

Request for Proposal #CSFA01-25 Financial Advisor

Firm Name Firm Address

Contact Person and Telephone Number

“DO NOT OPEN”

If the proposal is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of proposer must be provided. Proposals not submitted under sealed cover and marked as indicated may be rejected.

f. Mail or deliver proposals to the following address by U.S. Postal Service (i.e. first class or Express Mail), hand delivery, or other mail service (i.e. UPS or Federal Express):

CSFA

Attention: Katrina Johantgen 300 S. Spring Street, Suite 8500 kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov

g. A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject any or all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. The State's waiver of immaterial defects shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the proposer from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

h. The proposer is entirely responsible for the costs of developing proposals and costs incurred in anticipation of award of the contract. Such costs shall not be charged to the State of California.

i. An individual who is authorized to bind the proposing Firm contractually shall sign Attachment 2, Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the Firm. An unsigned proposal may be rejected.

j. A proposer may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing its original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline. Proposal modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

k. A proposer may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to the State, signed by the proposer or an agent authorized in accordance with item j above. A proposer may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal submission deadline.

l. The Authority may modify this RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received an RFP.

m. Upon announcement and release of this RFP and until selection of the winning Firm(s) (and notice of intent to award the contract), proposers are not permitted to communicate with the Authority staff except as authorized to do so as specified in this RFP.

n. The Authority reserves the right to reject all proposals for reasonable cause; The Authority is not required to award a contract.

o. Proposers are cautioned to not rely on the State during the evaluation to discover and report to the proposer any defects and errors in the submitted documents. Before submitting their documents, proposers should carefully review them for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements.

p. Where applicable, proposer should carefully examine work sites and specifications. No additions or increases to the agreement amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications. The Authority may require proposer to travel to worksites in Sacramento and/or Los Angeles.

q. More than one proposal from a Firm, organization, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different names, will not be considered.

r. Reasonable grounds for believing that any proposer has submitted more than one proposal for the work contemplated herein will cause the rejection of all proposals submitted by that proposer. If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among multiple proposers, none of the participants in such collusion will be considered in this or future procurements.

s. No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

5. Evaluation Process

a. An evaluation committee comprised of at least three individuals will review all proposals. At the time of proposal opening, each proposal will be checked for the presence or absence of required information in conformance with the submission requirements of this RFP. The absence of required information will cause a proposal to be deemed unresponsive and will result in the proposal’s disqualification.

b. Proposals that contain false or misleading statements, or which provide references, which do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the proposer, may be rejected.

c. Award, if made, will be to the responsible proposer(s) with the highest scored proposal(s).

d. Proposal Evaluation - Proposals that meet the Minimum Qualifications outlined in Section B and the Proposal Requirements and Information outlined in Section C will be evaluated and scored according to the criteria indicated below. The selection will be made on the basis of the following weighted factors. (Maximum points available for each criterion are noted).

Rating/Scoring Criteria Maximum

Possible Points Level of Representative Experience: The Authority will evaluate the firm on the basis of the firm’s overall experience demonstrating its ability to successfully complete the requirements identified in the Scope of Work in Section A, Item 3. The Authority will evaluate the individuals to be assigned to the contract on the basis of background and experience in related work.

25 Points

Expertise of Assigned Personnel: The Authority will evaluate the individuals to be assigned to the contract on the basis of background and experience in related work.

35 Points

Firm References and Capacity to Serve: Experience as a financial advisor services firm to state/or governmental agency: The Authority will evaluate the firm on the firm’s experience with State Financial procedures specifically and experience to other state or local government agencies.

10 Points

Fees: The Authority will score the cost proposal based upon the Cost Detail Format and Requirements.

30 Points

Maximum Total Possible Points 100 Points

e. The following scale will be used to score the responses to each scored category except with regard to costs:

Points

Awarded Interpretation General Basis for Point Assignment 100% Exceptional Category is addressed with the highest degree of confidence.

Response exceeds the needs, requirements, and/or expectations with superior background, experience, expertise.

80% Excellent Response fully meets the needs, requirements, and/or expectations with a high degree of confidence. Proposal offers one or more enhancing feature, method, or approach

60% Good Response addresses the category being scored. Good degree of confidence with minimal weaknesses.

40% Adequate Response is adequate to meet the needs, requirements, and/or expectations. Any omissions, flaws, or defects, are inconsequential and acceptable.

20% Minimally Adequate

Minimally addresses the category being scored, but one or more major considerations of the category are not addressed or are addressed in such a limited way that it results in a low

0% Inadequate Fails to address any portion of the category being scored. The omissions, flaws, or defects are significant and considered

f. Point Award Formula

• The Authority anticipates entering into a two-year contract with a one-year option to renew with the highest scoring Firm(s). The blended hourly rate and the support services hourly rate is the hourly rate the Firm will be paid for services for the two-year contract and the one-year option to renew.

• The following formula will be used for the award of the points for the blended hourly rate and support services:

Lowest cost proposal for blended hourly rate for professional services will be awarded the maximum cost points (30 points). Proposals are awarded points based on the following calculation:

(Lowest blended hourly rate proposal/Other blended hourly rate proposal) = (factor) Other blended hourly rate proposal = (factor) X maximum cost points

EXAMPLE: A maximum of 30 cost points are available.

Lowest Blended Hourly Rate Proposal = $150/hour Other Blended Hourly Rate Proposal = $200/hour

(Lowest proposal/Other proposal) = $150/$200 = ¾

Cost points awarded to Other proposal = ¾ x 30 = 22.50

Lowest cost proposal for hourly rate for support services will be awarded the maximum cost points (5 points). The same formula will be used for the support services hourly rate with a maximum of 5 points.

i. The Authority reserves the right to select one Firm to provide services for all sections of the

Scope of Services or to select multiple Firms to provide service(s) within the Scope of Services, as the Authority determines will best meet its needs pursuant to this RFP.

j. The final selection will be based upon the quality of the written proposal (including clarity and thoroughness of the responses). Up to the three (3) highest ranked proposers who have the highest percentage weighting after evaluation of the written submission and upon completion of reference checks, may be recommended to The Authority’s board members for approval subject to successful contract negotiations.

k. The Authority is not required to award a contract (Public Contract Code 10344 (d), 10377 (d)) if it does not receive proposals that are deemed to meet The Authority’s requirements.

l. In the event two (2) or more responsive and responsible proposals earn the highest score, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score in Representative Experience. If the scores for Representative Experience are the same, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score in the Expertise of Assigned Personnel. If the scores in the Expertise of Assigned Personnel are the same, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score for Fees.

6. Award and Protest

a. Notice of the proposed award(s) shall be posted in a public place in the office of the Authority, at 300 South Spring Street, Suite 8500, Los Angeles, CA 90013. It will also be posted on the Internet at: http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/csfa/ five (5) working days prior to awarding the contract(s).

b. If any proposer, prior to the award of a contract, files a protest with the Authority and the Department of General Services, 707 Third Street, 7th Floor, West Sacramento, California 95605, on the grounds that the (protesting) proposer would have been awarded the contract had the Authority correctly applied the evaluation standard in the RFP, or if the Authority followed the evaluation and scoring methods in the RFP, the contract shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or the DGS has decided the matter. It is suggested that any protest be submitted by certified or registered mail.

c. An initial written statement of protest, including the RFP Number, the name of the State

Agency, and the contact person listed within the RFP, should be submitted to:

d. If submitting the initial written statement of protest via mail, it is suggested that the firm do so via certified or registered mail.

e. Within five (5) days after filing the initial protest, the protesting proposer shall file with the

DGS, Office of Legal Services and the Authority a full and complete written statement specifying the grounds for the protest. It is suggested that this complete written statement be submitted by certified or registered mail.

7. Disposition of Proposals

a. Upon proposal opening, all documents submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the State of California, and will be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.) and will be subject to review by the public. The State cannot prevent the disclosure of public documents.

However, the contents of all proposals, draft proposals, correspondence, agenda, memoranda, working papers, or any other medium that discloses any aspect of a proposer’s proposal, shall be held in the strictest confidence until the Notice of Intent to Award is posted.

CSFA

Attention: Katrina Johantgen 300 S. Spring Street, Suite 8500 Los Angeles, CA 90013 kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov

Department of General Services Attention: Protest Coordinator 707 Third Street, 7th Floor, Suite 7-330 West Sacramento, CA 95605 OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/csfa/ mailto:OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

b. Proposal packages may be returned only at the proposer’s expense, unless The Authority waives such expense.

c. The State reserves the right to use any or all ideas or concepts presented in any proposal.

Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect this right.

8. Agreement Execution and Performance

a. Service shall be available not later than 30 days, or on the express date set by The Authority and the contractor, after all approvals have been obtained and the contract is fully executed.

Should the contractor fail to commence work at the agreed upon time, the awarding agency, upon five (5) days written notice to the contractor, reserves the right to terminate the contract.

b. All performance under the contract shall be completed on or before the termination date of the contract.

c. No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

D. PREFERENCE PROGRAMS

1. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of- Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program

A five percent (5%) preference will be applied to certified small business companies submitting proposals. To obtain the preference, companies must be certified as a small business at the time the proposal is submitted. The proposer MUST include an updated copy of its Small Business Certificate to obtain the preference. The 5% preference is issued only for computation purposes to arrive at the successful companies and does not alter the amounts of the actual proposals. Once each proposal has been scored, if the highest responsible proposer is not a certified small business or microbusiness, 5% of the highest scoring proposal is added to the total “earned” points for each proposal submitted by a certified small business. These final numbers, with the 5% included, are then used to determine the highest scoring proposal.

Questions regarding the small business certification or preference approval should be directed to the Office of Small Business & DVBE Services (OSDS) at (916) 375-4940 or information can be found at the website listed above.

2. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference

Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program

A five percent (5%) preference is available to a non-small business claiming twenty-five percent (25%) California certified small business subcontractor participation. If claiming the non-small business subcontractor preference, the proposal must include a list of the small business(es) with which the proposer commits to subcontract in an amount of at least 25% of the net cost with one or more California certified small businesses. Each listed certified small business must perform a "commercially useful function" in the performance of the contract as defined in https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program

Government Code Section 14837(d)(4).

The required list of California certified small business subcontractors must be attached to the proposal and must include the following: 1) subcontractor name, 2) address, 3) phone number, 4) a description of the work to be performed and/or products supplied; and 5) the dollar amount or percentage of the net cost (as specified in the RFP) per subcontractor.

Companies claiming the 5% preference must commit to subcontract at least 25% of the net cost with one or more California certified small businesses. Completed certification applications and required support documents must be submitted to the OSDS no later than 5:00 p.m. on the proposal due date, and the OSDS must be able to approve the application as submitted.

Questions regarding certification should be directed to the OSDS at (916) 375-4940.

The preference to a non-small business company that commits to small business or microbusiness subcontractor participation of 25% of its net cost shall be 5% of the highest responsive, responsible proposer’s total score. A non-small business, which qualifies for this preference, may not take an award away from a certified small business.

3. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List- Folder/Request-Target-Area-Contract-Preference

This RFP provides for an optional TACPA preference. The TACPA program was established to stimulate business investments in distressed areas of the State and create job opportunities for Californians. Proposing companies are not required to apply for this preference. Both the TACPA workplace and workforce preferences will be evaluated for this solicitation.

Workplace preference – TACPA provides a 5 percent (5%) preference for a California business that is located in a qualified zone.

Workforce preference – TACPA provides a 1 - 4 percent (1-4%) preference for a California business that employs persons with a high risk of unemployment (Government Code Section 4532)

1% for 5-9% of workforce 2% for 10-14% of workforce 3% for 15-19% of workforce 4% for 20% or more of workforce

Proposing companies wishing to take advantage of the TACPA preference will need to review and submit the appropriate documents with the proposal response:

TACPA Preference Request (STD 830) Bidder’s Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (TACPA Form 526)

CSFA will send the applicable TACPA request documents to the Department of General Services, Procurement Division, Dispute Resolution Unit. TACPA preference requests are typically reviewed and processed by DGS within five (5) business days. If an award of this agreement is made based on the TACPA preference, DGS will monitor compliance directly with the Contractor throughout the life of the contract.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Request-Target-Area-Contract-Preference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Request-Target-Area-Contract-Preference https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std830.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd0526.pdf

4. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive Program

Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program

This RFP does not include a minimum DVBE participation requirement. However, a DVBE incentive will be applied as provided in Attachment 14.

The Department of General Services (“DGS”) established a DVBE incentive pursuant to Senate Bill 115, Chaptered October 3, 2005 and the military and Veterans Code section 999.5(a). The regulations apply to all competitive solicitations for public works, services, goods, and information technology goods and services posted or released after October 9, 2007. The DVBE incentive is required in solicitations that include DVBE program requirements and may be offered in other competitive solicitations. Department of General Services’ policy implements this program by rewarding prime proposers for increased DVBE participation: the more DVBE participation, the greater the incentive. This incentive program helps State agencies to meet their annual DVBE participation goals.

Attachment 14 outlines the DVBE Incentive Program. Companies who have been certified by the State of California as a DVBE must submit a completed DGS PD 843 (Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declaration) form. All disabled veteran owners and disabled veteran managers of the DVBE must sign the form. DVBE Incentive participation is optional and at the discretion of the proposing Firm.

NOTE: For this RFP, the Incentive application is based on the High Score Method and shall not exceed five percent (5%), nor be less than one percent (1%) of the total score (see table in Attachment 14) to submit additional written clarifying information. Failure to submit the requested written information as specified may be grounds for proposal rejection.

E. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS

For the proposal to be considered responsive, all required attachments must be included with the RFP by dates and times shown in Section C, Proposal Requirements and Information, Item 1, Key Action Dates.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/About/Page-Content/PD-Branch-Intro-Accordion-List/Office-of-Small-Business-and-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise/Certification-Program

ATTACHMENT 1

REQUIRED ATTACHMENT CHECKLIST

A complete proposal or proposal package will consist of the items identified below.

Complete this checklist to confirm the items in the proposal. Place a check mark or “X” next to each item that you are submitting to the State. For the proposal to be responsive, all required attachments must be completed and returned. This checklist should be returned with the proposal package also.

Attachment # – Attachment Name/Description

Attachment 1 - Required Attachment Checklist

Attachment 2 - Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet

Attachment 3 - Minimum Qualifications Certification

Attachment 4 - Cost Proposal Worksheet

Attachment 5 - Proposer References

Attachment 6 - Resumes of Key Personnel

Attachment 7 - Payee Data Record (STD 204)

Attachment 8 - Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017)

Att…