Dane_County_Early_Childhood_Zones_Employment_and_Education_Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

427011-PMM

DANE COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD ZONES EMPLOYMENT AND

EDUCATION SERVICES

Dane County Department of Human Services

1202 Northport Dr.

Madison, WI 53704

RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: May 8, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: June 4, 2026, 11:59 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane

Dane County Department of Human Services

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Dane County Early Childhood Zones Employment and Education Services

I. Introduction II. RFP Overview

III. Scope of Services IV. RFP Response Requirements & Evaluation Criteria V. Pricing Proposal

VI. Vendor Questionnaire VII. General Guidelines

VIII. Standard Terms and Conditions

Request For Proposal #427011-PMM Title: Dane County Early Childhood Zones Employment and Education Services

1. Introduction

Please scroll down for RFP timeline. Vendors are invited to view a Dane County Dept of Human Services -

RFP 101 Video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4FeRx7WN38

1.1. Summary

This program will provide a wide range of services to clients in the Dane County Early Childhood Zones in order to increase their access and readiness to engage in adult education and/or to seek and secure employment.

1.2. Contact Information

Katie O'Brien

Purchasing Officer

Email: obrien.katie@danecounty.gov

Phone: (608) 381-5593

Department:

Human Services

1.3. Timeline

Release Project Date April 13, 2026

Question Submission Deadline May 8, 2026, 11:59pm

Responses Posted to Questions May 15, 2026, 11:59pm

Proposal Submission Deadline June 4, 2026, 11:59pm

Anticipated award notification August of 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4FeRx7WN38 mailto:obrien.katie@danecounty.gov tel:(608)381-5593

2. RFP Overview

2.1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this document is to provide interested parties with information to enable them to prepare and submit a proposal according to the specifications set forth within this document.

The County intends to use the results of this process to award a contract or issue of purchase order for the product(s) and or services(s) stated: This program will provide a wide range of services to clients in the Dane County Early Childhood Zones in order to increase their access and readiness to engage in adult education and/or to seek and secure employment.

The contact listed in this RFP is the sole point of contact for questions and issues that may arise during the RFP process.

2.2. CLARIFICATION OF THE SPECIFICATIONS

All inquiries concerning this RFP must be submitted via the County's eProcurement Portal.

Any questions concerning this RFP must be submitted before 11:59 pm on Friday, May 8, 2026.

Proposers are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have concerning the RFP document at this point in the RFP process. If a proposer discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in this RFP, the proposer should immediately notify the contact person of such error and request modification or clarification of the RFP document.

Proposers are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of Dane County, except as described herein. No County employee or representative other than those individuals listed as County contacts in this RFP is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFP.

One or more organizations may collaborate to submit a single proposal. The application shall include clearly delineated channels of communication, duties, and memorandums of understanding where applicable.

2.3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this RFP are listed in the timeline in the

Introduction section above. The actions with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed by the County. In the event that the County finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, it will do so by issuing an addendum to this RFP and posting such addendum on the Dane County eProcurement Portal. There may or may not be a formal notification issued for changes in the estimated dates and times.

2.4. SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Dane County reserves the right to accept any part of this bid deemed to be in the best interest of the

County. The County also retains the right to accept or reject any or all bids.

Proposals must be submitted via the County's eProcurement Portal before 11:59 pm on Thursday, June

4, 2026. Late, faxed, mailed, hand-delivered, or incomplete proposals will be rejected unless otherwise specified. Dane County is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this RFP.

To Submit a Proposal:

1. Register at the County's eProcurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane

2. Once registered, click on the "draft" button to draft your proposal.

3. Provide company information

4. Answer Vendor Questionnaire

5. Where indicated upload the required documents.

6. The file upload status can be seen for each document uploaded.

7. Confirm all files have been uploaded

8. Review your work and click on "submit" proposal

9. Acknowledge any addenda

3. Scope of Services

3.1. DEFINITIONS & LINKS

The following definitions and links are used throughout the RFP.

County: Dane County

Department: Dane County Department of Human Services

Dane County Department of Human Services' Website: https://dcdhs.com/

Dane County Procurement Portal: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane

Fair Labor Practices websites: www.nlrb.gov and http://werc.wi.gov

Proposer/Vendor/Firm/Contractor: a company submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

3.2. CONTRACT TERM AND FUNDING

The contract shall be effective on the date indicated on the contract execution date and shall run for one year from that date, with an option by mutual agreement of the County and contractor, to renew for four (4) additional one-year periods.

At the time of contracting with the Department of Human Services, agencies must be registered entities in good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Contracts with the Department of Human Services limit administrative costs/expenses to a 15% ceiling.

3.3. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This program will provide a wide range of services to clients in order to increase their access and readiness to seek and secure employment and/or engage in adult education. The agency awarded this contract will be a partner in the Dane County Early Childhood Zones (ECZ). This program specifically serves families enrolled in the Dane County Early Childhood Zones (ECZs) and/or enrolled in Dane

County Human Services-funded early childhood home visiting programs.

The Dane County Early Childhood Zones are a collaboration of organizations that work together to support families who are pregnant and/or have children under the age of five. Depending on a family's interest and eligibility, they are first enrolled in one of six different home visiting programs in Dane

County. Their home visitors can then connect the family to other services that support housing stability, mental wellness, and/or education and employment services that will be provided through this program. As such, this program must work with ECZ home visiting agencies to accept referrals and collaborate on client service. Program services are provided in clients’ homes or in other community settings in order to minimize transportation barriers. Currently the Dane County Early Childhood Zones cover Sun Prairie, Marshall, Fitchburg, and portions of the city of Madison. The geographic coverage area of the ECZs is subject to change. This program covers all Zone geographic areas. Current agencies that make up the network of service providers in the ECZs are Children’s Wisconsin, Community Action

Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Forward Service Corporation, Public Health Madison & Dane

County, Rainbow Inc, Reach Dane, RISE Wisconsin, and Sunshine Place.

https://dcdhs.com/ http://www.nlrb.gov/ https://www.nlrb.gov/ http://werc.wi.gov/

3.4. PROGRAM GOAL & DELIVERABLES

Goal

Assist Early Childhood Zone clients to seek, secure, and retain full time, market-supported employment or to enroll in adult education or a certified training program in order to gain employment and achieve and maintain family self-sufficiency.

Deliverables:

1. Receive and enroll referrals from ECZ partner agencies in a timely manner.

2. Serve at least 200 clients a year

3. Clients placed in employment

4. Retention of employment

5. Clients placed in education/training

6. Completion of education/ training programs

7. # of employer partnerships

3.5. NEEDS & EXPECTATIONS

1. This program will assess client needs, strengths, skill sets, and deficits, and develop an individualized plan of support which outlines the services and interventions that will be delivered to meet the clients’ education and/or employment goals.

2. Length of service time will vary by client, but it is expected that clients will be enrolled in the service for no more than 6 months on average.

3. This program must offer some services in each of three distinct service areas of focus:

job/education placement, skill building, and working with employers. Individual clients do not have to receive services in each area, and will only receive the services relevant to them, as laid out in their individualized plan.

1. Job/Education Placement: provider must offer services that assist clients directly with obtaining employment and/or enrolling in education or training. These job/education placement services may include but are not limited to assistance with: Helping clients understand what opportunities are available to match their skill set and experience, helping clients research and enroll in relevant education and training programs, job retention, job searching, career planning, and addressing barriers to employment and education such as lack of child care, transportation, or criminal history.

2. Skill Building: provider must offer or connect clients to skill building programming aimed at improving work readiness, employability, and/or retention of employment. This includes but is not limited to training on soft skills, job-seeking skills, workplace etiquette and expectations, foundational skills, and financial literacy. If provider is not offering the services directly, identify the partners or resources to be used to meet this expectation.

3. Working with Employers/Knowledge of the local Labor Market This program must understand employer needs, understand the requirements for different job placements, and collaborate with employers as possible on training and placement of employees.

4. This program serves clients regardless of the barriers the client faces to entry into the employment or education sectors.

5. This program must be able to effectively serve diverse populations including low-income families and clients with high school education or less.

6. This program must be able to effectively serve clients in the client’s preferred language, through bilingual staff and language access practices. It is expected that many of the clients in this program will need services in a language other than English. It is anticipated that approximately half of all clients receive services in Spanish.

7. This program must be able to provide services in the client’s home and/or in community settings to minimize transportation barriers for clients.

8. This program must be familiar with other providers of skill trainings and other employment services in order to place clients in external services when needed.

9. This program must be able to work effectively with other agencies in the Early Childhood Zones for referral, consultation, and case collaboration.

10. This program must be an active partner in the network of service providers in the ECZs. This includes attending ECZ meetings, weighing in on ECZ collective decisions, clearly communicating referral practices to ECZ partner agencies, collaborating proactively and efficiently with ECZ partner agencies, and entering data into a shared ECZ data system, which is administered by the

County.

11. Program must submit monthly 610 reports to DCDHS.

3.6. CURRENT OPERATIONS & SERVICE LEVELS

This section describes the current service environment and operational context for Early Childhood

Zones Employment and Education Services. The information provided is intended to help proposers understand existing service delivery models, system capacity, and relevant operational realities; this information is provided for context only and is not intended to prescribe a required organizational structure for proposers. This description reflects current conditions and does not prescribe a required service design. Proposers are encouraged to propose approaches that build upon, enhance, or adapt current operations in alignment with program goals and contractual requirements.

The program is currently operated by Children’s Wisconsin. Services currently include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting clients in job search

• Connecting clients to services and/or resources to help them overcome barriers to their employment and education goals

• Assisting clients in applying for employment and educational and/or training programs

Direct service delivery is supported by approximately 4 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in the role of education and employment specialists.

Historical service utilization for the program is summarized below to provide context regarding service volume and demand:

• Calendar Year 2024: 104 clients served. 48% received services in Spanish, 44% received services in English, and 8% received services in other languages. 51% met with program staff in their homes and 49% met with program staff in community spaces.

• Calendar Year 2025: 96 clients served. 50% received services in Spanish, 46% received services in

English, and 4% received services in other languages. 70% met with program staff in their homes and 30% met with program staff in community spaces.

Service levels have been influenced by referral volume, staff turnover, availability of bilingual services.

Proposers should note that historical utilization does not guarantee future service volume.

Under the forthcoming contract, the County anticipates a target service volume of approximately 5200 units of service annually subject to funding availability and program needs. Units of service are defined as direct client service and case management activities.

The County also anticipates at least 200 clients being served annually under this contract.

3.7. FUNDING STRUCTURE & SERVICE UNIT DEFINITION

Specific payment terms will be negotiated on a post-award basis. No more than 15% of the program cost proposal can be indirect administration costs. DCDHS anticipates payment for services in this RFP will be on a monthly expense reimbursement basis.

The unit of service for this purchase of service engagement equals one (1) hour of direct service for a client, performed by qualified staff. Allowable time includes direct client contact (in person, phone, or video) and client-specific case management/employment service activities, including documentation, service planning, and coordination directly related to the client’s plan. Non-allowable time includes general administration, staff meetings, supervision, training, general outreach, and employer outreach not tied to a specific client

4. RFP Response Requirements & Evaluation Criteria

General Instructions and Format for Submitting Proposal Responses

RFP Response - Proposers shall upload and submit their proposal response document(s) via Question #1 of the Vendor Questionnaire.

• The RFP Response shall be organized to comply with the section numbers and names as shown below. Each section heading shall be clearly marked.

• Response shall be formatted and submitted in an 8.5 x 11 format. Document margins should be one (1) inch.

• Response shall be single-spaced with twelve (12) point font, preferably Times New Roman.

Diagrams, footnotes, resumes, page headers/footers, and text in tables may be less than 12-point font.

• Cover letters, cover pages and a Table of Contents may be included but are not required.

• Graphics may be included but are not required.

All proposal documents must be saved in PDF format unless otherwise specified within the RFP document and the file name shall include the RFP# and name of business submitting proposal.

Example of how to name the files:

• 424021-ABC – Vendor Name

• 424021-ABC – Vendor Name - Licenses

Late, faxed, mailed, hand-delivered, or incomplete proposals will be rejected unless otherwise specified.

Dane County is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this RFP.

General Instructions for Pricing and Format for Submitting Budget Backup

Vendors must provide their unit rate in the Pricing Proposal section of their response. This unit rate will be used to evaluate and score pricing and will be compared across all respondents.

The budget backup for this Request for Proposal is a separate document that can be downloaded from the Vendor Questionnaire. The budget backup template is provided in a Microsoft Excel based workbook which contains full instructions for completion.

• Within the budget backup, vendors are asked to provide a proposed breakdown of program costs, personnel, and the number of service units the vendor is proposing to render.

• Note it’s important to understand the service unit definition for this engagement (e.g., client service hours, service days, etc.) in order to provide relevant service units for vendor bidding.

This information varies by engagement and may be referenced in the “Funding and Service Unit

Definition” section of the RFP program scope.

• Pricing shall be inclusive of all labor, delivery costs and other expenses necessary to provide services in accordance with the specifications and terms and conditions of this bid document and your proposal.

• The budget backup submission should be saved with the document name including the RFP #, Vendor Name, and Budget. (i.e.: R02TY21 – ABC Company – Budget). Budget backup may be submitted as an Excel file (.xls).

Final Pricing and Payment Terms

Service costs scored in the cost proposal will represent the guide for final vendor contracting. Best and final offer pricing discussions may be pursued by the County to differentiate finalists based on refined price quotes. Final payment terms associated with billing and payment methodology, as well as service unit levels and unit prices for individual programs, will be negotiated prior to contract execution. Note that final pricing will reflect cost reasonableness and available Dane County funding. All prospective vendors must demonstrate organizational capacity to bill for discrete units of service rendered.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Program Context & Overview

Please limit your response to this section to two

(2) pages.

A. Provide an overview of the education and employment sector in Dane

County, specifically as it pertains to low-income parents of young children.

B. Provide a description of some common barriers faced as well as strengths possessed by the target beneficiaries of this program. Explain how current conditions in the labor market and education/training systems favor and/or challenge this specific population.

C. Provide a high-level overview of how you propose to connect clients with employment and education opportunities within the context you describe.

Points Based 10 (9.5% of Total)

2. Program Strategies and Activities

Please limit your response to this section to four (4) pages.

A. Describe all proposed program activities under each of the three service areas in detail. This description must include (but is not limited to) the specific services to be offered and why they are appropriate for the specific target population of this program, how clients’ needs and skills assessment will be carried out and used to inform service, and how client progress will be tracked.

B. Please specify which services will be provided directly by program staff and which will require referral. For any services that will require referral please provide an overview of the agencies you plan to refer to, and how you will work with those agencies.

C. Describe how the proposed activities under this program specifically lead to the Deliverables laid out in section

2 of this RFP as well as meet the

Needs and Expectations laid out in

Section 3.

D. Describe how you will create and maintain collaborative relationships and effective referral networks with other ECZ agencies.

Points Based 25 (23.8% of Total)

3. Staffing

Please limit your response to this section to three (3) pages.

A. Describe your staffing plan for this program and how it will ensure effective delivery of program services to diverse populations in their preferred language, particularly the large number of Spanish-speaking clients.

B. Provide position descriptions for key positions in the staffing plan. (It is not required that these positions already exist in your organization.

Parts of this staffing plan may be contingent upon award of this contract.)

C. Discuss relevant experience and skills of any current staff who will work directly on this program.

Points Based 20 (19% of Total)

4. Experience and Qualifications

Please limit your response to this section to two

(2) pages.

1. Describe the experience and qualification of your agency to provide programs that are welcoming to persons of all backgrounds and cultures, including language access practices. Include any explicit plans your agency may be undertaking to improve in this area.

2. Describe the experience and qualification of your agency in providing education and employment services. In your response please provide examples of relevant programs your agency has delivered within the last five years.

Include program goals, population served and number of participants, partnerships with employers, training providers, or educational institutions, and measurable outcomes (e.g.

employment placement rate, credential attainment, job retention at 3/6/12 months, wage gains, educational advancements).

3. Describe the experience and qualification of your agency to work closely with partner agencies in serving clients

Points Based 15 (14.3% of Total)

5. Quality Improvement

Please limit your response to this section to two

(2) pages.

A. Describe how your agency would monitor the quality of your proposed program

B. Describe how program data would be used to inform quality improvement efforts, including the measurement of and performance on client participant outcomes. In your response, please reference your examples from your response to 4B, above, and describe lessons learned and how those lessons informed program improvements.

C. Propose and define at least 4 performance indicators. These indicators should correspond to the program deliverables; you may also propose additional indicators.

Points Based 10 (9.5% of Total)

6. Cost

Points for cost will be awarded using a relative formula. The proposal with the lowest cost will receive the maximum number of points available for this section. All other proposals will receive a proportion of the cost points according to the following calculation:

(Lowest Proposed Cost ÷ Respondent’s

Proposed Cost) × Maximum Cost Points

Available = Score

In plain language: the lowest-cost proposal earns all available points. Other proposals earn fewer points based on how their cost compares to the lowest. For example, if your proposal costs twice as much as the lowest proposal, you would receive about half of the cost points.

Points Based 20 (19% of Total)

7. Local Vendor Preference

Per Dane County ordinance, a local Dane

County vendor automatically receives five (5) points toward the evaluation score.

Vendors located within the counties adjacent to Dane County (Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, or Sauk) automatically receive two (2) points toward the evaluation score.

Locally Operated Vendor means a supplier or provider of equipment, materials, supplies, or services which has an established place of business within Dane County and whose business is registered and authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin. An established place of business means a physical office, plant, or other facility. A post office box address does not qualify a vendor as a Locally

Operated Vendor. Dane County Ordinance

25.04(5)

Points Based 5 (4.8% of Total)

5. Pricing Proposal

ECZ PRICING TABLE

DCDHS anticipates a target service volume of approximately 5,200 units of service annually subject to funding availability and program needs. One Unit of Service equals one (1) hour of direct service for a client, performed by qualified staff. Allowable time includes direct client contact (in person, phone, or video) and client-specific case management/employment service activities, including documentation, service planning, and coordination directly related to the client’s plan. Non-allowable time includes general administration, staff meetings, supervision, training, general outreach, and employer outreach not tied to a specific client.

Line Item Description Estimated target # of units

Unit of

Measure Unit Cost Total

1 Services described within this RFP 5,200 1 hour of direct service

TOTAL

6. Vendor Questionnaire

6.1. RFP DOCUMENT UPLOADS

6.1.1. Upload your Proposal*

Please DO NOT include Cost information in this section.

*Response required

6.1.2. Budget Backup

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Budget_Backup_Workbook.xlsx

6.1.3. W9 Upload*

Upload your company's W9 form.

NOTE: The W9 is required to be signed within the past 12 months

*Response required

6.1.4. Supplemental Document Upload

Upload any additional or required information documents that supplements this solicitation.

6.2. VENDOR INFORMATION

6.2.1. Agency UEI number:

6.2.2. Registration with Wisconsin DFI*

At the time of contracting with the Department of Human Services, agencies must be registered entities in good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Please check this box to indicate that your agency is registered or will be registered in good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "No"

6.2.3. Please explain.*

You've indicated that your agency is not and will not be registered with Wisconsin DFI. At the time of contracting with the Department of Human Services, agencies must be registered entities in good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

*Response required

6.2.4. Local Vendor Preference *

Select a Local Vendor Preference:

Vendors located within Dane County automatically receive five points toward the evaluation score.

https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/251712/9dd570fe-ec1c-4da3-8aef-591474aceb82_Budget_Backup_Workbook.xlsx

Vendors located within the counties adjacent to Dane County (Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, Sauk) automatically receive two points toward the evaluation score.

Vendors located outside of Dane County of the 7 counties adjacent to Dane County would choose "No

Preference".

NOTE: A post office box address does not qualify as an established place of business.

☐ No Preference

☐ Yes - Dane County

☐ Yes - Columbia County

☐ Yes - Dodge County

☐ Yes - Green County

☐ Yes - Jefferson County

☐ Yes - Iowa County

☐ Yes - Rock County

☐ Yes - Sauk County

*Response required

6.2.5. Fair Labor Practice Certification *

Has your company been found by the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") or the Wisconsin

Employment Relations Commission ("WERC") to have violated any statute or regulation regarding labor standards or relations in the seven years prior to the date this bid submission is signed?

If yesis answered, a copy of any relevant information regarding such violation is required to be uploaded with your bid submission.

Additional information about the NLRB and WERC can be found using the following links:

www.nlrb.gov and http://werc.wi.gov.

☐ Yes and any relevant information regarding such violation has been or will be uploaded with this bid submission.

☐ No

*Response required

6.2.6. Cooperative Purchasing*

Reference Guidelines - Section F.

Does your company agree to furnish the commodities or services of this bid to municipalities and state agencies?

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

6.2.7. Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information* http://www.nlrb.gov/

Please specify what information you wish to designate as confidential and proprietary. Please identify section/ pages/ topic /documents, etc.

NOTE: Pricing sections cannot be designated as confidential and proprietary.

If nothing will be designated, simply type "None" in the section below.

*Response required

6.3. RFP ADDENDA

6.3.1. I understand that if any addendum is issued I will have to acknowledge the posted addendum. * ☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

6.3.2. If an addendum is posted after I have submitted my proposal response and the resulting addendum requires action to be taken either in the Specification Section or Pricing Section, I understand that:*

1. I will have to unsubmit my proposal response.

2. I will have to acknowledge the posted addendum.

3. I will have to take action in responding to the changes on either the Specification Section or Pricing

Section.

4. I will then have to resubmit my proposal response.

Further instructions on addendum(a) postings can be found here.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

6.4. SIGNATURE DECLARATION

6.4.1. Solicitation Response Declaration *

In submitting and confirming this solicitation response, we certify that we have not, either directly or indirectly, entered into any agreement or participated in any collusion or otherwise taken any action in restraint of free competition; that no attempt has been made to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a solicitation response; that this solicitation response has been independently arrived at without collusion with any other vendor competitor or potential competitor; that this solicitation response has not been knowingly disclosed prior to the opening of bids to any other vendor or competitor; that the above statement is accurate under penalty of perjury.

Further, by submitting this solicitation response, firm agrees with all the terms, conditions, and specifications required by the County in this solicitation and declares that the corresponding solicitation response and pricing are in conformity therewith.

https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/articles/4413350-managing-addenda

I have read and understood the entire document.

I declare under penalty of false swearing under the law of Wisconsin that the foregoing is true and correct.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

6.4.2. Signed on:*

Write in month, day, year and city/state in which the submission occurred.

Example: June 27, 2025 in Madison, WI

*Response required

6.4.3. Electronically signed by: *

Provide First Name, Last Name and Title

*Response required

7. General Guidelines

7.1. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

The County will provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you need accommodations, contact the Department of Human Services at (608) 242-6439 (voice) or Wisconsin

Relay (711).

7.2. ADDENDA & REVISIONS

In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying data or information, or to revise any part of this RFP, revisions/amendments and/or supplements will be posted via the County’s

Procurement Portal.

It shall be the responsibility of the proposers to regularly monitor the web site for any such postings.

Proposers must acknowledge the receipt/review of any addendum(s) via the Procurement Portal.

7.3. CONTRACT TERM & FUNDING

The contract shall be effective on the date indicated on the contract execution date and shall run for one year from that date, with an option by mutual agreement of the County and contractor, to renew for four (4) additional one-year periods.

At the time of contracting with Dane County Department of Human Services, agencies must be registered entities in good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Contracts with the Department of Human Services limit administrative costs/expenses to a 15% ceiling.

7.4. MULTIPLE PROPOSALS

Multiple proposals from a vendor will be permissible; however each proposal must conform fully to the requirements for proposal submission. Each such proposal must be separately submitted and labeled as

Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc.

Multiple proposals from a vendor will be permissible; however, the proposer must create separate accounts with separate log-in sequences, emails, and passwords on the County’s eProcurement

Portal.

Please message procurementsupport@opengov.com with any questions regarding set up.

7.5. PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION & FORMAT

Proposers must respond to the Vendor Questionnaire via the Procurement Portal and organize based on submission instructions.

7.6. DESIGNATION OF CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETY INFORMATION

All restrictions on the use of data contained within a proposal and all confidential information must be clearly stated on the Vendor Information Attachment under the “Designation of Confidential and

Proprietary Information” section.

Proprietary information submitted in a proposal, or in response to the RFP, will be handled in accordance with the applicable Wisconsin State Statute(s).

Submitted pricing will always become public information when proposals are opened and therefore cannot be designated as confidential.

Other information cannot be kept confidential unless it is a trade secret. Trade secret is defined in Sect.

134(80)(1)(c) Wis. State Statutes, as follows: "Trade secret" means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method technique or process to which all of the following apply:

1. The information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use.

2. The information is the subject of efforts to maintain its secrecy that are reasonable under the circumstances.

To the extent permitted by law, it is the intention of Dane County to withhold the contents of the proposal from public view until such times as competitive or bargaining reasons no longer require non-disclosure, in the opinion of Dane County. At that time, all proposals will be available for review in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law.

In the event the Designation of Confidentiality of this information is challenged, vendor is required to provide legal counsel or other necessary assistance to defend the Designation of Confidentiality.

Failure to designate confidential and proprietary information within the Designation of Confidential and

Proprietary Information section of the Vendor Information Attachment may mean that all information provided as part of the proposal response will be open to examination or copying. The County considers other markings of confidential in the proposal document to be insufficient. The undersigned agrees to hold the County harmless for any damages arising out of the release of any material unless they are specifically identified within the Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information section of the

Vendor Information Attachment.

7.7. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

Participating in cooperative purchasing gives vendors the opportunity for additional sales without additional bidding. Municipalities and state agencies use cooperative purchasing to expedite purchases.

A “municipality” is defined as any county, city, village, town, school district, board of school directors, sewer district, drainage district, vocational, technical and adult education district, or any other public body having authority to award public contracts (s. 16.70(8), Wis. Stats.). Federally recognized Indian tribes and bands in this state may participate in cooperative purchasing with the state or any municipality under ss. 66.0301(1) and (2), Wis. Stats.

On the Vendor Information page, you will have the opportunity to participate in allowing municipalities and state agencies to piggyback this bid. Participation is not mandatory. A vendor’s decision on participating in this service has no effect on awarding the bid.

Dane County is not a party to these purchases or any dispute arising from these purchases and is not liable for delivery or payment of any of these purchases.

7.8. VENDOR REGISTRATION

Vendors are required to register at the County’s Procurement Portal. Registration is free and will ensure that you receive notifications of solicitations that match your profile and category code(s).

Registering allows a vendor the opportunity to receive notifications for bids issued by the County and provides the County with up-to-date company contact information.

Once registered, please check to make sure your vendor information including commodity codes is up to date by signing into your account at:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane.

7.9. LOCAL PURCHASING ORDINANCE

Under County ordinances, a Local Vendor is defined as a supplier or provider of equipment, materials, supplies, or services that has an established place of business within the County of Dane. An established place of business means a physical office, plant or other facility. A post office box address does not qualify a vendor as a Local Vendor.

County ordinance provides that a local vendor automatically receive five points toward the evaluation score.

Vendors located within the counties adjacent to Dane County (Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, or Sauk) automatically receive two points toward the evaluation score.

7.10. DANE COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES

On October 18, 2012, the Dane County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 103, 2012-2013 establishing the following sustainability principles for the county:

• Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to fossil fuel dependence and to wasteful use of scarce metals and minerals;

• Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to dependence upon persistent chemicals and wasteful use of synthetic substances;

• Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to encroachment upon nature and harm to life-sustaining ecosystems (e.g., land, water, wildlife, forest, soil, ecosystems);

• Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to conditions that undermine people’s ability to meet their basic human needs.

7.11. FAIR LABOR PRACTICES CERTIFICATION

Dane County Ord. 25.09 (1) is as follows:

(28) BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY. (a) Any bid, application or proposal for any contract with the county, file:///C:/portal/countyofdane including public works contracts regulated under chapter 40, shall include a certification indicating whether the bidder has been found by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) or the Wisconsin

Employment Relations Committee (WERC) to have violated any statute or regulation regarding labor standards or relations within the last seven years. The purchasing manager shall investigate any such finding and make a recommendation to the committee, which shall determine whether the conduct resulting in the finding affects the bidder’s responsibility to perform the contract.

If you indicate that you have been found by the NLRB or WERC to have such a violation on the Vendor

Information page, you must include a copy of any relevant information regarding such violation with your proposal, bid or application.

Additional information about the NLRB and WERC can be found using the following links:

www.nlrb.gov and http://werc.wi.gov.

7.12. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

The proposals will first be reviewed to determine if requirements are met. Failure to do so will result in the proposal being rejected. In the event that all vendors do not meet one or more of the requirements, the County reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the proposals and to select the proposal which most closely meets the requirements specified in this RFP.

7.13. PROPOSAL SCORING

Accepted proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation team and scored against the stated criteria. This scoring will determine the ranking of vendors based upon their written proposals.

The pricing proposal will be scored using a standard quantitative calculation where the most cost criteria points will be awarded to the proposal with the lowest cost. If the team determines that it is in the best interest of the County to require oral presentations/interview, the highest-ranking vendors will be invited to make such presentations. Those vendors that participate in the oral presentations/interview process will then be scored, and the final ranking will be made based upon those scores.

7.14. ORAL PRESENTATIONS/INTERVIEW/SITE VISITS

Top ranked selected proposers may be required to make oral interview presentations and/or site visits to supplement their proposals, if requested by the County. The County will make every reasonable attempt to schedule each presentation at a time and location that is agreeable to the proposer. Failure of a proposer to conduct a presentation to the County on the date scheduled may result in rejection of the vendor’s proposal.

7.15. RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS & NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TERMS

The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to negotiate the terms of the contract, including the award amount, with the selected proposer prior to entering into a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the highest scoring proposer, the County may negotiate a contract with the next highest scoring proposer.

http://www.nlrb.gov/

7.16. AWARD & FINAL OFFERS

The award will be granted in one of two ways. The award may be granted to the highest scoring responsive and responsible proposer. Alternatively, the highest scoring proposer or proposers may be requested to submit best and final offers. If final and best offers are requested, they will be evaluated against the stated criteria, scored and ranked. The award will then be granted to the highest scoring proposer.

7.17. NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO AWARD

Notice of award will be sent to applicants via email only, using the contact information provided in their bid submission. Upon receipt of the notice of award the awarded vendor must respond via email to confirm acceptance of the award and acknowledge the units and rates specified therein, which may differ from the original bid. After notice of award a formal contract containing all provisions of the agreement, signed by both parties, shall be executed.

7.18. FIXED PRICE PERIOD

All prices, costs, and conditions outlined in the proposal shall remain fixed for 180 days.

7.19. ACCESSIBILITY OF PUBLIC-FACING PROGRAM CONTENT

If the proposer will use webpages, web-based tools, online forms, PDFs, or other public-facing digital materials to describe or support the services requested under this RFP, or which may be used by the public to apply for, gain access to, or participate in such services, the proposer should be prepared to ensure that those program-related materials comply with applicable accessibility requirements, including WCAG 2.1 Level AA where applicable. This expectation applies to digital content related to eligibility, intake, enrollment, service access, client instructions, forms, schedules, and other public-facing information regarding the contracted services.

8. Standard Terms and Conditions

8.1. APPLICABILITY

The terms and conditions set forth in this document apply to Requests for Proposals (RFP), Bids and all other transactions whereby the County of Dane acquires goods or services, or both.

8.2. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

Dane County has Standard Terms and Conditions that shall apply to any contract, including any purchase order, awarded as a result of this request. Special requirements of a resulting contract may also apply.

Said written contract with referenced parts and attachments shall constitute the entire agreement, and no other terms and conditions in any document, acceptance, or acknowledgment shall be effective or binding unless expressly agreed to in writing by the County. Unless otherwise stated in the agreement, these standard terms and conditions supersede any other terms and/or conditions applicable to the agreement.

8.3. DEFINITIONS

As used herein, “vendor” includes a provider of goods or services, or both, who is responding to an RFP or a bid, and “bid” includes a response to either an RFP or a bid.

8.4. SPECIFICATIONS

The specifications herein are the minimum acceptable. When specific manufacturer and model numbers are used, they are to establish a design, type of construction, quality, functional capability or performance level, or any combination thereof, desired. When alternates are proposed, they must be identified by manufacturer, stock number, and such other information necessary to establish equivalency. Dane County shall be the sole judge of equivalency. Vendors are cautioned to avoid proposing alternates to the specifications that may result in rejection of their bid.

8.5. DEVIATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS

Deviations and exceptions from terms, conditions, or specifications shall be described fully in writing, signed, and attached to the bid. In the absence of such statement, the bid shall be accepted as in strict compliance with all terms, conditions, and specifications and vendor shall be held liable for injury resulting from any deviation.

8.6. QUALITY

Unless otherwise indicated in the request, all material shall be first quality. No pre-owned, obsolete, discontinued or defective materials may be used.

8.7. QUANTITIES

The quantities shown herein are based on estimated needs. The County reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities to meet actual needs.

8.8. DELIVERY

Deliveries shall be FOB destination freight prepaid and included unless otherwise specified. County will reject shipments sent COD or freight collect.

8.9. PRICING

Unit prices shown on the bid shall be the price per unit of sale as stated on the request or contract. For any given item, the quantity multiplied by the unit price shall establish the extended price. The unit price shall govern in the bid evaluation and contract administration.

Submission of a bid constitutes bidder’s certification that no financial or personal relationship exists between the bidder and any county official or employee except as specially set forth in writing attached to and made a part of the bid. The successful bidder shall disclose any such relationship which develops during the term of the contract.

8.10. ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION

Dane County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to waive any technicality in any bid submitted and to accept any part of a bid as deemed to be in the best interests of the County.

Submission of a proposal or a bid constitutes the making of an offer to contract and gives the County an option valid for 60 days after the date of submission to the County.

Proposals must be submitted via the County's Procurement Portal. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO

THIS POLICY.

8.11. METHOD OF AWARD

Award shall be made to the lowest responsible responsive bidder conforming to specifications, terms, and conditions, or to the most advantageous bid submitted to the County on a quality versus price basis.

8.12. PAYMENT TERMS AND INVOICING

Unless otherwise agreed, Dane County will pay properly submitted vendor invoices within thirty (30) days of receipt of goods and services. Payment will not be made until goods or services are delivered, installed (if required), and accepted as specified. Invoices presented for payment must be submitted in accordance with instructions contained on the purchase order.

1. NO WAIVER OF DEFAULT: In no event shall the making of any payment or acceptance of any service or product required by this Agreement constitute or be construed as a waiver by County of any breach of the covenants of the Agreement or a waiver of any default of the successful vendor, and the making of any such payment or acceptance of any such service or product by County while any such default or breach shall exist shall in no way impair or prejudice the right of County with respect to recovery of damages or other remedy as a result of such breach or default.

8.13. TAXES

The County and its departments are exempt from payment of all federal tax and Wisconsin state and local taxes on its purchases except Wisconsin excise taxes as described below. The State of Wisconsin

Department of Revenue has issued tax exempt number ES41279 to Dane County.

1. The County is required to pay the Wisconsin excise or occupation tax on its purchase of beer, liquor, wine, cigarettes, tobacco products, motor vehicle fuel and general aviation fuel. The County is exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax on these purchases. The County may be subject to other states’ taxes on its purchases in that state depending on the laws of that state. Vendors performing construction activities are required to pay state use tax on the cost of materials.

8.14. GUARANTEED DELIVERY

Failure of the vendor to adhere to delivery schedules as specified or to promptly replace rejected materials shall render the vendor liable for all costs in excess of the contract price when alternate procurement is necessary. Excess costs shall include administrative costs.

8.15. APPLICABLE LAW AND VENUE

This contract shall be governed under the laws of the State of Wisconsin, and venue for any legal action between the parties shall be in Dane County Circuit Court. The vendor shall at all times comply with and observe all federal and state laws, local laws, ordinances, and regulations which are in effect during the period of this contract and which in any manner affect the work or its conduct.

8.16. ASSIGNMENT

No right or duty in whole or in part of the vendor under this contract may be assigned or delegated without the prior written consent of Dane…