DQ_INF-35_People and Culture Consulting Services _final.pdf

REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTED

QUOTE

People and Culture Consulting Services

DQ #: DQ_INF-0000000035

April 2, 2025

DQ_INF-0000000035 Page 2

REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTED QUOTE (DQ)

Procurement Service Center (PSC) University of Colorado 1800 Grant Street, Suite 400 Denver, CO 80203

Purchasing Agent (PA): Kyle Jimenez E-Mail: kyle.jimenez@cu.edu

Documented Quote #: DQ_INF-0000000035

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 by 2:00 PM Denver Local Time

E-MAIL OR FACSIMILE RESPONSES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System (BidNet) website link:

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/universityofcolorado

Schedule of Activities:

This projected schedule is an estimated timeline and is subject to change at the sole discretion of the University. All times listed in this document are understood to be Denver local time.

Event Date DQ Advertisement Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Proposal Due Date Wednesday, April 9, 2025 by 2:00 PM

Proposal Submittal The proposal shall be prepared in accordance with the Preparation of Proposal as described in Section III of this DQ. Proposers shall submit their proposal and all required forms via the BidNet website. Proposals are due by the date and time listed in the Schedule of Activities above. Late proposals will not be accepted.

Allow ample time for the electronic submission of your proposal. Following are links to a BidNet Electronic Bid Submission (EBS) guide and EBS FAQ site. CU strongly encourages Proposers to review this information prior to starting your submission in addition to starting the submission process at least one business day prior to the proposal due date. CU will not extend the submission deadline due to any technical issues or outages you may experience. Also provided below are links to a webinar recording and slide deck related to a vendor training that was conducted on November 8, 2023.

Proposer EBS Guide and FAQs:

http://faq.bidnetdirect.com/electronic-bid-submission/

Bidnet Webinar Recording and Slide Deck:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/886645835?h=6d7aea788f https://communications.bidnet.com/hubfs/University-of-Colorado-Vendor-Webinar-November-8- 2023.pdf mailto:kyle.jimenez@cu.edu https://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/universityofcolorado http://faq.bidnetdirect.com/electronic-bid-submission/ https://player.vimeo.com/video/886645835?h=6d7aea788f https://communications.bidnet.com/hubfs/University-of-Colorado-Vendor-Webinar-November-8-2023.pdf https://communications.bidnet.com/hubfs/University-of-Colorado-Vendor-Webinar-November-8-2023.pdf

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PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

The following is a checklist for reference when compiling the proposal submission. The documents listed below are required:

• Technical Proposal:

o Complete responses to the Technical Proposal Content as outlined in Section

IV

• Cost Proposal

• Proposal Form(s) - All complete and signed o CU Solicitation Form

• Variances:

o List of all proposed modifications and/or legal issues regarding terms of the solicitation document and/or the Sample Agreement and Special Provisions, Attachment C

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTED QUOTE (DQ)

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

I. UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW

II. SCOPE OF WORK

III. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

1. Issuing Office

2. Means of Communication

3. Interpretation of DQ Documents

4. Addenda

5. CU BidNet Website

6. Withdrawal of Proposal

7. Award

8. Rights of CU

9. Confidentiality of Records

10. Proposer Agreements

11. Designation of Subcontractors

12. Payment

13. Insurance Requirements

14. Form of the Contract

15. Solicitation Response and Material Ownership

16. Incurring Costs

17. Non-Discrimination

18. News Releases

19. Assignment and Delegation

20. Standard of Conduct

21. Other Applicable Statutes

22. Cooperative Purchasing

IV. PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL

1. Preparation of Proposal – Proposal Forms

2. Preparation of Proposal – Technical Proposal

3. Technical Proposal Contents

4. Cost Proposal

V. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS AND AWARD

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1. Evaluation of Proposals

2. Best and Final Offers

3. Evaluation Criteria

5. Determination of the Responsibility of the Proposer

6. Award

VI. ATTACHMENTS

A. CU Solicitation Form B. Insurance Requirements C. Sample Agreement and Special Provisions

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I. UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW

This solicitation is issued by the University of Colorado (CU or University), through the Procurement Service Center (PSC).

CU is the state’s largest and most influential public research university, a community of approximately 67,000 students and 37,000 employees spanning four campuses and system administration. Every year CU graduates thousands of students who fill critical workforce needs across the state. CU is the state’s third-largest employer with an annual operating budget of $5.5 billion. CU faculty attracted $1.4 billion in sponsored research awards to conduct research in economic sectors critical to the state and nation, including energy, bioscience, aerospace, and health care. Overall, CU contributes approximately $14 billion annually to the state’s economy.

The proposal must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the requirements and procedures contained in this DQ document and the University’s policies, rules, policies, and procedures.

Compliance with these requirements by the Proposer is mandatory and is a condition of responsiveness. Any failure to satisfy these requirements will be a sufficient basis for the University to disqualify the Proposer. The University shall not be liable for any of the Proposer’s expenses associated with its preparation of the proposal or University’s consideration of it. The Proposer, if selected, shall not include any such expenses as part of its fee for performing the Scope of Work.

As a result of this solicitation, CU intends to award a contract to a single proposer. The anticipated starting date for any resulting contract is May 2025. By submitting a signed proposal in response to this solicitation, the Proposer represents and warrants that it will honor its proposal as being held open as irrevocable until time of award. The term of the contract resulting from the award of this solicitation shall begin upon execution of the contract, and last up to nine (9) months for the initial project to be completed. CU, at its discretion, may terminate the contract with thirty (30) days’ notice by stating so in writing.

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II. SCOPE OF WORK

1. Introduction The Human Resources (HR) team, the Office of Collaboration and University Counsel at the University of Colorado (CU) System Administration are seeking a consultant with significant experience reviewing and documenting HR practices to provide actionable best practices for recruitment, hiring, and staff retention, in compliance with all local, state and federal laws. The work is specifically for the System Administration office, which includes approximately 600 staff employees.

In order to help recruit, hire and retain a diverse workforce, the consultant will assess recruitment, hiring, and retention practices and provide guidance and documentation to help ensure CU is an attractive and welcoming place to work for all people from all communities in Colorado, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. 1

The work also involves evaluating onboarding and retention strategies for staff to enhance retention and community building. The work of the consultant will contribute to our goal of creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, while improving employee satisfaction, retention, and performance. The System Administration office has recently completed a climate survey and focus groups. These results should be used to assess the current climate and programs for employees. The consultant will interview identified HR Team members and leadership but additional surveys or focus groups are not required for this engagement.

2. Minimum Mandatory Requirements and Qualifications Proposers must meet these minimum requirements and qualifications to be considered for evaluation and award.

a. Proposer has at least 5 years of experience performing consulting services regarding workplace recruitment and retention strategies.

b. Proposer has a proven track record of developing, implementing, and actualizing best practices in employee-centric recruitment and retention strategies, supported by demonstrable instances of successful and tangible implementation.

c. Experience working with higher education institutional systems preferred.

d. Experience gathering baseline data, performing assessments, developing strategies, presenting, and communicating data and best practices.

e. Proven experience building a workforce that reflects a wide range of perspectives and experiences, ensuring that our hiring and workplace practices remove barriers and create fair opportunities for all.

f. Demonstrated expertise with structural change and proactive engagement with policies, culture, and leadership development practices that foster an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute fully.

3. Scope of Services The selected Consultant shall assess and advise on three main areas listed below considering the diverse needs, experiences, and perspectives of all individuals.

1 Regent Law Article 8, Part A https://www.cu.edu/cwc-system

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a. Review current recruitment practices and procedures

i. Evaluate job description template

ii. Evaluate job postings template

iii. Review current sourcing activities to recruit talent, including hiring senior leaders.

iv. Review, identify, and document strategies and practices on how to recruit for positions at all levels, with a focus on talent from Colorado and the Denver metro area and a workforce that reflects a wide range of perspectives and experiences, ensuring that our hiring and workplace practices remove barriers and create fair opportunities for all.

b. Review current hiring practices and procedures

i. Evaluate candidate interview template and structures

ii. Evaluate selection process of candidates

iii. Review job offer process and documentation

iv. Evaluate hiring practices for integration of fairness, belonging, and access to ensure our organization is representative, welcoming, and committed to lasting change.

v. Review onboarding process for new staff

vi. Provide and document strategies to expand our outreach and encourage a broader range of candidates to apply.

vii. Interview identified HR Team members and leadership involved in the hiring process.

c. Review retention practices and procedures

i. Evaluate community building in our remote and hybrid environment, including

Employee Resource Groups.

ii. Review training offerings to support a sense of belonging.

iii. Review the results of our recent climate survey, focus groups and strategies.

iv. Provide and document best practices for retaining a diverse workforce as described in Article 8, Part A.

4. Deliverables The selected Consultant will be required to provide the following deliverables following their assessment of the main areas provided above:

a. Create a best practices document focused on recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies used by comparable organizations (such as university system offices and central corporate offices of similar size and financial background to CU System Administration). This will include a report and a presentation summary. The consultant will evaluate CU System Administration current processes and procedures, identifying gaps in our practices, and places where we could improve. A detailed gap analysis should then be provided, highlighting specific practices, policies and procedural language that may be used to develop or improve CU System Administration’s existing policies, practices, and procedures.

b. Develop and draft, as needed, comprehensive policies, processes, procedures and communication plan to address identified gaps in recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts and initiatives for CU System Administration.

https://www.cu.edu/regents/law/8

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III. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

1. Issuing Office This DQ is being issued by the University of Colorado (CU or University) through the Procurement Service Center (PSC). This DQ is governed by the University’s policies and Procurement Rules in effect at the time of its issuance. The PSC Purchasing Agent listed herein is the sole point of contact concerning this DQ. All communication must be done through the PSC. Prospective and actual Proposers shall not directly contact other CU personnel regarding matters concerning this solicitation.

2. Means of Communication

During the solicitation process for this DQ, all communication between the PSC and Proposers will be made via postings on CU’s Bidnet website.

The PSC will post notices, which include, but are not limited to, any modifications to administrative or performance requirements, answers to inquiries received, clarifications to requirements, addenda, and the announcement of the awarded Proposer. It is the responsibility of each potential Proposer to monitor the BidNet website regularly to be aware of changes, communications and/or addenda to solicitation.

3. Interpretation of DQ Documents

The Proposer may request, in writing, a clarification or interpretation of any aspect of the DQ documents. Such requests must be made via the BidNet website by the due date and time specified in the Schedule of Activities listed on Page 2. CU shall post all questions and answers on the BidNet website following the deadline for submittal of questions as an addendum to the bid. CU will not accept or respond to oral inquiries. The only ‘official’ responses are those that are posted to the BidNet website for this DQ.

Should any interested Proposer, sales representative, or manufacturer find any part of the listed specifications or terms and conditions to be discrepant, incomplete, or otherwise questionable, it shall be the responsibility of the concerned party to notify the Purchasing Agent of such matters immediately upon discovery.

Proposers cannot rely on any other statements that clarify or alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation.

4. Addenda

CU reserves the right to revise the DQ documents at any time up to the time set for submission of the proposals. Any such revision(s) shall be described in an addendum to the DQ and shall be posted on CU’s BidNet website.

If CU determines that the addendum may require significant changes to the Scope of Work, the deadline for submitting the proposals may be postponed by the number of days that CU determines will allow Proposers sufficient time to revise their proposals. Any new submittal deadline date for delivering proposals to CU shall be included in the addendum.

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Proposers must acknowledge in the proposal submission that they received all addenda to the proposal documents (see Attachment A). Failure to acknowledge receipt of addenda may disqualify the proposal.

5. CU BidNet Website

It shall be conclusively presumed that the Proposer did, before submitting a proposal and prior to the final proposal deadline, read all addenda, posted decisions and other information items relevant to the DQ which appeared on CU’s BidNet website.

Please visit CU’s BidNet website which contains such services and information as:

a. Advertisements for Documented Quote, RFx and IFB opportunities

b. Status of Documented Quote, RFx and IFB opportunities

c. Addendums including Proposer questions and responses

d. Award information

6. Withdrawal of Proposal

A Proposer may withdraw its proposal, up until time of award, by submitting to CU a written request signed by the Proposer’s authorized representative. The withdrawal of a proposal does not prejudice the right of the Proposer to submit future proposals.

7. Award

Any resulting contract from this solicitation will be awarded to the Proposer whose overall offer is deemed to be the most advantageous to CU. The PSC will notify all Proposers via a posting on CU’s BidNet website of the results of the solicitation evaluation. The posting will be an announcement of the award.

The contents of the proposal (including persons specified to implement the project) of the Proposer will become contractual obligations if acquisition action ensues. Failure of the successful Proposer to accept these obligations in a contract, purchase order, or similar authorized acquisition document may result in cancellation of the award and such Proposer may be removed from future solicitations.

8. Rights of CU

CU reserves the right to cancel or modify this DQ at any time and to reject any or all proposals for any reason or for no reason. This DQ is an open and equitable invitation for proposals, and each proposal constitutes an offer to contract that CU may consider in its sole and absolute discretion. Any errors or omissions in a proposal may result in the rejection and disqualification of the entire proposal. Errors, omissions, and other acts that may result in proposal rejection and disqualification include, but are not limited to, failure to strictly comply with the DQ requirements or any applicable policies, rules, or policies; the submission of any inaccurate or false information; any improper communications or collusion involving Proposers; default or termination for cause of any public or private contracts within the past five years; delinquent arrearages owed to CU; and failure to submit proof of licensing or franchise authority and any related exclusivity requirements.

Notwithstanding the broad rights reserved to CU to reject and disqualify any or all proposals, CU may waive any immaterial deficiencies in proposals and may allow Proposers to cure any such deficiencies if an opportunity to cure is determined by CU to be in CU’s best interests. If

DQ_INF-0000000035 Page 11 given an opportunity to cure, Proposers will be notified of the allotted time to correct the identified deficiency; failure to correct the deficiency in the time allotted may result in proposals being deemed non-responsive and disqualified. CU’s waiver of an immaterial deficiency will in no way modify the DQ or excuse Proposers from full compliance with all DQ specifications. CU may exercise the foregoing rights at any time without notice and without any liability whatsoever to any Proposer or other party. By responding to this DQ, each Proposer is deemed to accept and agree to all terms and conditions and to waive any rights to challenge CU’s determinations regarding proposal deficiencies in accordance with this section.

During the evaluation process, CU reserves the right to request additional information from any Proposer, to seek clarification of information provided, to conduct its own due diligence with respect to any Proposer or proposal, reference checks, or any other investigations deemed necessary.

9. Confidentiality of Records

Documents submitted to or created by the University in response to this solicitation are subject to the Colorado Open Records Act (C.R.S. § 24-72-201 et seq.) (“CORA”). In accordance with the University policies and procedures, all documents submitted to or created by the University in response to this solicitation are confidential and privileged and may not be inspected until an award is made or the solicitation is cancelled by the University. An award is made when the University formally executes a contract resulting from this solicitation. A solicitation is cancelled when notice of such cancellation is posted on University’s BidNet Website.

CORA requires the University to withhold certain information, including trade secrets, confidential commercial and financial data, or privileged information. To designate portions of the solicitation as confidential, Proposer must:

1. Mark the cover page as follows: “This response to the Solicitation Name and Number includes trade secrets, confidential financial data, or other privileged information.”

2. Mark each sheet or data to be restricted with the following: “Confidential: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this response to the solicitation.”

3. Provide a separate secondary proposal in BidNet with a redacted copy of your entire response to this solicitation. Proposer is responsible for properly and adequately redacting any data which Proposer desires to remain confidential. If entire pages or sections are removed, a page indicating that the page or section has been redacted must represent the redacted pages. Failure to provide a secondary response with a redacted copy may result in disclosure of an unredacted copy under CORA.

4. Provide a written explanation of the basis under which each redacted item has been deemed confidential, making refence to the exception under CORA and/or any other law restricting disclosure.

Neither a proposal in its entirety, nor proposal price information will be considered confidential/proprietary.

A request for non-disclosure of your proposal under the guidelines stated above does not guarantee it can be withheld under CORA. The Proposer's opinion as to what constitutes trade secret, confidential financial data, or privileged information is not binding on the University when responding to a CORA request. Where a CORA request is made to inspect or copy

DQ_INF-0000000035 Page 12 proposals or other documents related to this opportunity, the University has sole discretion to determine whether information or records must be provided under CORA.

10. Proposer Agreements

Proposers may submit proposed agreements of any form (contracts or documents) that contain supplemental terms and conditions that the Proposer desires to be considered by CU for inclusion in the contract. Such forms may include Proposer’s software licensing agreements, maintenance contracts, and technical support agreements. By accepting delivery of these items, CU is not bound to accept them as part of an ensuing contract. CU may negotiate such supplemental terms and conditions that do not materially conflict with the contract terms and conditions detailed in this DQ and do not materially change the nature of this solicitation or adversely affect competition. If the parties cannot agree on the terms of the contract, including any terms desired by Proposer, CU may terminate negotiations with the Proposer and enter into a contract with another responsive Proposer.

11. Designation of Subcontractors

The Proposer shall describe the qualifications of each subcontractor which it intends to use and the percentage and scope of the work which will be assigned to each of them. Resumes for the subcontractor’s key personnel must be included. CU encourages use of small businesses wherever viable. CU will need to vet and approve identified subcontractor(s).

Proposers who submit a proposal in response to this DQ are precluded from participation as a subcontractor with any other Proposers who submit a proposal for this DQ. However, subcontractors may be named on more than one (1) proposal. Subcontractors who are named in more than one proposal are prohibited from sharing information about one Proposer with another Proposer or utilizing such information to assist in the preparation of another proposal.

12. Payment

Appropriate clarifications and additions to the Scope of Work may be made during negotiations with the successful Proposer. It is the intent of CU to enter into a contract in which the Proposer will be paid pursuant to the terms of the contract.

13. Insurance Requirements Proposer shall adhere to all insurance requirements stated in Attachment B, which are attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

14. Form of the Contract

A condition of the Proposer’s response shall be that the contract resulting from the award to the Proposer shall be in the form required by current Colorado statutes, University of Colorado Procurement rules and Fiscal Procedures. The contract will include all such terms and conditions required by these statutes and rules. If the Proposer’s forms (or parts of forms) are included as attachments or exhibits in the final contract, the Proposer agrees that where there are contradictions or inconsistencies, the terms of the contract shall always supersede, manage, and control those of any such attachment or exhibit. Further, the terms of the solicitation and of the successful Proposer’s response to the solicitation (the “Response”) shall be incorporated into the final contract, with the contract taking precedence over either the solicitation or the Response, and the solicitation taking precedence over the Response in the event the documents conflict.

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The contract will state that Colorado law shall govern the contract and that the Proposer must agree to indemnify the University. A commercially reasonable version of the following language shall appear in the contract:

“The supplier shall indemnify, save, and hold harmless the University, its employees and agents, against any and all claims, damages, liability and court awards including costs, expenses, and attorney fees incurred as a result of any act or omission by the supplier, or its employees, agents, subcontractor or assignees pursuant to the terms of this Contract”.

The University is precluded from indemnifying any parties, including proposers.

The contract shall include the “Special Provisions” which are required pursuant to the University of Colorado Fiscal Procedures. The “Special Provisions” are included with the Sample Agreement.

Proposer and the University agree to incorporate DQ requirements and Proposer’s Response into the resulting contract. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency among the following documents, the documents will control in the following order: (a) the contract, any addenda or exhibits, as amended from time to time, (b) the DQ including any attachments or addenda, and

(c) Proposer’s Response including any attachments and addenda.

15. Solicitation Response and Material Ownership

All material submitted regarding this solicitation becomes the property of the University, unless otherwise noted in the solicitation.

16. Incurring Costs

The University is not liable for any cost incurred prior to issuance of a legally executed contract or a purchase order. No property interest, of any nature shall occur until a contract is awarded and signed by all concerned parties.

17. Non-Discrimination The Proposer shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations involving non-discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, or sex.

18. News Releases

Neither the University, nor the Proposer, shall make news releases pertaining to this DQ prior to execution of the contract without prior written approval.

19. Assignment and Delegation

Neither party to any resulting contract may assign or delegate any portion of the contract without the prior written consent of the other party.

20. Standard of Conduct

The successful firm shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employees' competency, conduct, courtesy, appearance, honesty, and integrity, and shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary action with respect to any employee, as may be necessary. The University may request the successful firm to immediately remove from this assignment any employee found unfit to perform duties due to one or more of the following reasons:

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a. Neglect of duty.

b. Disorderly conduct, use of abusive or offensive language, quarreling, intimidation by words or actions or fighting.

c. Theft, vandalism, immoral conduct, or any other criminal action.

d. Selling, consuming, possessing, or being under the influence of intoxicants, including alcohol, or illegal substances while on assignment for the University.

21. Other Applicable Statutes

a. By submission of a response, the Proposer avers that he/she is familiar with Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-8-301, et seq. (Bribery and Corrupt Influence) and 18-8-401, et seq.

(Abuse of Public Office) as amended, and that no violation of such provisions is present.

b. By submission of a response, the Proposer avers that to his/her knowledge, no University of Colorado employee has any personal or beneficial interest whatsoever in the service or property described herein. See CRS 24-18-201 and CRS 24-50-5.

22. Cooperative Purchasing

Successful proposer(s) shall make available to other Colorado state agencies or political subdivisions (“Participating Entity”) any and all items specified herein at the contract prices(s) established herein. If a Participating Entity exercises this option, it shall be understood and agreed that such an arrangement does not bind either the Participating Entity or the successful proposer(s) to the terms, conditions or prevailing awards generated through this RFP; nor does it preclude any Participating Entity from pursuing a purchase or purchases through their own contracting methods with another vendor.

It shall be further understood and agreed that the Institutions are not a legally binding party to any contractual agreement made between a Participating Entity and the successful proposer(s) as a result of this RFP. Each Participating Entity which determines to enter into a contractual arrangement with the successful proposer(s) shall establish its own contract, place its own orders, issue its on purchase orders, be invoiced there from and make its own payments, and issue its own exemption certificates as required by the successful proposer(s).

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IV. PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL

1. Preparation of Proposal – Proposal Forms The proposal shall be submitted in accordance with and meet all requirements set forth in herein. The Proposer shall fill in all blank spaces in the applicable Proposal Form(s) and initial all interlineations, alterations, or erasures in its proposal. The Proposer’s completed Proposal Form(s), Technical Proposal, and Cost Proposal Form shall constitute its proposal. It shall be conclusively presumed that the Proposer did, before submitting a proposal, read all addenda, posted decisions and other information items relevant to the DQ that appeared on CU’s BidNet Website.

An authorized representative of the Proposer shall execute Attachment A, CU Solicitation Form.

2. Preparation of Proposal – Technical Proposal

A. GENERAL

The Proposer shall prepare its proposal in the format described below and must ensure that each page of its proposal is identified with the:

a. DQ #

b. Proposer’s name

c. Page number

B. FORMAT

Proposals shall meet the following formatting requirements:

a. Proposals shall be printable on 8 ½” x 11” paper.

b. Proposals shall use the font type and size of Times New Roman 12 point.

c. Proposals shall be in a format and in the order of the Technical Proposal is listed below.

d. Proposals shall include a table of contents.

e. Proposals shall include tabbed or bookmarked sections as appropriate.

f. The Technical Proposal shall not exceed 20 pages. This page limit does not include the cover letter, table of contents, resumes, additional pages (which must be separate) with comments or proposed changes to the Sample Agreement and Special Provisions, tabs, or CU-required forms.

g. Resumes shall be limited to 1 page per individual. Please attach resumes to the end of your Technical Proposal.

h. Proposals which contain unnecessarily elaborate artwork are discouraged.

i. Proposal shall be submitted as an electronic document in an un-secured/un-password protected Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.

j. Cost proposal shall be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal.

3. Technical Proposal Contents

This section describes the required contents for your proposal. The proposal is to be organized as follows:

Cover Letter The Proposer shall prepare a cover letter, not exceeding 2 pages in length. It shall include the following:

a. Provide key contact information, including phone number and email address.

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b. Company introduction

c. Qualifications summary

d. Brief summary of Proposer’s methodology

Technical Proposal Contents

A. Understanding the Project B. Clear and Detailed Project Strategy C. Key Personnel and Ability to Respond D. Company Experience and Qualifications

A. Understanding the Project

Prepare a statement which describes the Proposer’s understanding of the work involved in performing the Scope of Work described above. Discuss understanding of the proposed Scope of Work; the complexity, challenges and problems involved in planning and performing that work; approaches and philosophy for dealing with problems; sensitivity and experience dealing with key issues and any additional issues or matters relating to the Scope of Work which the Proposer believes should be addressed.

B. Clear and Detailed Project Strategy Describe in detail the project strategy that will be utilized to ensure that the Scope of Work is met, and all deliverables are provided in a timely manner. Provide a project timeline specifying the planned timeframe to complete each requirement laid out in the Scope of Work above.

C. Key Personnel and Ability to Respond

Prepare an organizational chart which identifies the Proposer’s and subcontractor’s (if applicable) key personnel who would perform work under the Contract. If applicable, describe the qualifications of each subcontractor which the Proposer plans to retain to perform work and describe the type of work which will be assigned to each subcontractor.

Submit detailed resumes for the proposed key staff personnel. Include a description of their qualifications and experience and a description of their position and length of employment with the Proposer or subcontractor.

D. Company Experience and Qualifications Discuss your experience and approach to providing the services detailed in the Scope of Work, above. Include information on previous projects where these services have been provided by your company and discuss your methodology, challenges that typically arise, lessons learned, the expected level of assistance required from the client to accomplish each specified task, and any other relevant factors.

4. Cost Proposal

a. Prices shall be provided as a time and materials effort and on a project basis.

b. Provide an estimated rate sheet that details your pricing structure for services relevant to the goals, objectives and deliverables outlined in the Scope of Work. This breakdown of your pricing structure should include any and all hourly rates, project fees, contingency fees, retainer fees, and terms of payment that may apply to the Scope of Work.

c. Offer of Value-Added Products and/or Services

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i. If a solicitation response includes an offer of value-added products and/or services, such an offer shall be inserted in this section and include associated pricing and any other information relevant to such value-added offer. However, the University is not obligated to purchase value-added products or services.

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V. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS AND AWARD

1. Evaluation of Proposals CU will review and evaluate the proposals in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria below, the Proposer’s demonstrated experience and the Proposer’s qualifications as they relate to the scope of services required. The Proposer’s ability to present its proposal in writing in a clear, concise, and organized manner will be considered in the evaluation. Responsive Proposers may be required to participate in oral presentations. CU may, in its sole discretion, consider the Proposer’s comments on the Sample Agreement and Special Provisions or other proposed terms and conditions. Upon selection of a successful Proposer, CU shall attempt to negotiate a Contract with the Proposer which it considers the most qualified, responsive, and responsible.

2. Best and Final Offers CU, at its discretion, may utilize a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) stage after submission and prior to award to clarify the Scope of Work, assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the solicitation requirement, update pricing, or any other component of the DQ identified by CU. In BAFO discussions, there shall be no disclosure of any information derived from proposals submitted by competing Proposers. The Purchasing Agent shall be the SOLE point of contact throughout the process for all Proposers.

3. Evaluation Criteria

In preparing responses, Proposers shall describe in detail how they propose to meet the specifications detailed in Section II, Scope of Work. Specific factors will be applied to the proposal information to assist CU in selecting the most qualified Proposer(s) for this opportunity. The evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate submitted proposals is listed below.

5. Determination of the Responsibility of the Proposer

The University of Colorado Procurement Rules state that a Purchasing Agent shall make purchases from, and award contracts to, responsible proposers only. CU reserves the right to make its Proposer responsibility determination at any time in this solicitation process.

Factors to be considered in determining whether the standard of responsibility has been met include whether a Proposer has:

a. availability of the appropriate financial, material, equipment, facility, and personnel resources and expertise, or the ability to obtain them, necessary to indicate the capability to meet all contractual requirements;

b. a satisfactory record of performance;

c. a satisfactory record of integrity;

Evaluation Criteria Description of Criteria

Criteria A Understanding the Project Criteria B Clear and Detailed Project Strategy Criteria C Key Personnel and Ability to Respond Criteria D Company Experience and Qualifications Criteria E Cost Proposal

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d. the legal authority to contract with CU; and

e. supplied all necessary information in connection with the inquiry concerning responsibility.

The Proposer shall supply information requested by CU via email concerning the Proposer’s responsibility. CU reserves the right to request further information as it deems necessary to determine the Proposer’s responsibility. If the Proposer fails to supply the requested information, CU shall base the determination of responsibility upon any available information or may find the Proposer non-responsible if such failure is unreasonable.

6. Award

Any resulting contract from this solicitation will be awarded to the Proposer whose overall offer is deemed to be the most advantageous to CU. The PSC purchasing office will notify all Proposers via a posting on CU’s BidNet website of the results of the solicitation evaluation. The posting will be an announcement of the award.

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VI. ATTACHMENTS

The following attachments relative to this DQ are provided through BidNet as separate attachments to this solicitation.

A. CU Solicitation Form B. Insurance Requirements C. Sample Agreement and Special Provisions