CITY OF TUCSON

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

270195

ENTRY LEVEL FIRE FIGHTER EXAMS

Due Date: Monday, November 23, 2026

City of Tucson

255 W Alameda St

Tucson, AZ 85701

Procurement portal https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/tucson-az

Public Portal https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/tucson-az/projects/318055

PUBLISH DATE: October 29, 2026 https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7Bproject.government.code%7D https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7Bproject.government.code%7D/projects/%7Bproject.id%7D https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7Bproject.government.code%7D/projects/%7Bproject.id%7D

CITY OF TUCSON REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 270195

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 2 of 53 SHARED SERVICES PROCUREMENT DIVISION RESPONSIBLE CONTRACT OFFICER: Dominic Evans

255 W. ALAMEDA, 6TH FLOOR, TUCSON, AZ 85701 PH: (520) 243-0199

Attachments:

A - Offer and Acceptance C - General_Terms_and_Conditions_Data_Protection_and_AI

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A. NOTICE

A.1. CITY OF TUCSON

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO 270195

TITLE: Entry Level Fire Fighter Exams

SUBMITTAL DUE DATE: Monday, November 23, 2026 AT 2:00 P.M. LOCAL AZ TIME

PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING DATE: Monday, November 9, 2026

TIME: 9:30 am LOCAL AZ TIME

LOCATION: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2715301655524794?p=G1XVHwwqrYSVfZHlRF

QUESTIONS SHALL BE DIRECTED TO: Dominic Evans

(520) 243-0199 dominic.evans@tucsonaz.gov

Posted Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026

Competitive sealed offers for the material or service specified in this solicitation must be submitted through the City’s online bidding system. No late submitted offer will be accepted or considered.

Reponses submitted in physical form or by facsimile or email will not be considered. Offerors are cautioned to commence the submittal process sufficiently ahead of time to allow for unanticipated delays resulting from things like a slow internet connection, internet outage, difficulty uploading large documents, differing system requirements, etc.

Questions about this solicitation must be addressed to the responsible Contract Officer listed herein.

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B. INTRODUCTION

B.1. Summary

The City of Tucson is seeking proposals from qualified offerors to develop and administer online entry-level firefighter examinations with remote proctoring and webcam monitoring for the City of Tucson Fire Department. Candidates shall be able to complete examinations remotely without attending a testing facility, supporting the City’s goal of increasing accessibility and broadening the applicant pool.

The selected contractor will work closely with the Tucson Fire Department and Human Resources staff to provide examinations that assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the position of Firefighter in accordance with the Scope of Work.

The City reserves the right to engage the selected contractor to develop and administer a replacement examination as needed.

B.2. Background

The City of Tucson has historically conducted entry-level firefighter testing annually, with approximately 500–1,000 applicants participating in each testing cycle. Examination results support the establishment of an employment eligibility list from which the Tucson Fire Department selects candidates for its Fire Training Academy.

To broaden the applicant pool and reduce travel barriers, the City is seeking an online examination process that allows candidates to test remotely with proctoring and webcam monitoring.

The examination will be based on the City’s established Firefighter job description and assess relevant abilities and behavioral characteristics, including mathematics, reading comprehension, mechanical aptitude, teamwork, interpersonal skills, and situational judgment.

Historically, the examination process included a written exam, an oral/virtual board interview and the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). A candidate’s total score was based on the written exam and the oral board interview. The CPAT was pass/fail. Applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Be at least 18 years of age in order to apply

• Be in possession of a high school diploma, GED or equivalent certificate

• Have the ability to obtain an Arizona driver’s license

• Have at least 24 months of licensed driving experience

• Have not been convicted of a DUI (Driving Under Influence) or drug related driving offense within the last 24 months

• Possess the physical abilities and health status necessary to perform the duties of the job

The written exam is administered to all applicants approximately three weeks following the closing date of the application period

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The City of Tucson tests an average of 500 – 1,000 applicants per testing cycle. At the conclusion of the process, an employment list is established, and the Fire Department selects the individuals who will enter the Fire Training Academy based on the process

This solicitation is NOT to hire for the administration of the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)

B.3. Contact Information

Dominic Evans Contract Officer - Skill Bridge Intern Email: dominic.evans@tucsonaz.gov Phone: (520) 243-0199 Department:

Fire Department

B.4. Timeline mailto:dominic.evans@tucsonaz.gov tel:(520)243-0199

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Issue Date October 29, 2026

Pre-Submittal Meeting (Non- Mandatory)

November 9, 2026, 9:30am https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2715301 655524794?p=G1XVHwwqrYSVfZHlRF

Question Submission Deadline November 11, 2026, 11:59pm

Submittal Due Date November 23, 2026, 2:00pm https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2715301655524794?p=G1XVHwwqrYSVfZHlRF https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2715301655524794?p=G1XVHwwqrYSVfZHlRF

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C. SCOPE OF WORK

C.1. General Requirements

A. The Contractor shall provide services to develop and administer online entry-level firefighter examinations with remote proctoring and webcam monitoring for the Tucson Fire Department.

Services shall include examination planning, preparation of testing materials, an online testing platform, remote proctoring, scoring, reporting, and customer support for City staff and candidates. Candidates shall be able to complete examinations remotely without attending a testing facility.

B. The Contractor shall work closely with the City of Tucson Fire Department (TFD) and City of Tucson Human Resources (HR) staff and become familiar with the Department’s operations, policies, and requirements relevant to the examination process.

C. The City shall retain responsibility for establishing applicant eligibility requirements and making hiring decisions.

C.2. Examination Content and Job Relevance

The Contractor shall use the City’s established Firefighter job description as the basis for reviewing the position’s essential functions and identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be assessed. The Contractor is not expected to develop a new job description.

The examination shall demonstrate a clear connection between the position’s essential functions and the abilities and behavioral characteristics being measured, including:

A. Mathematics: Basic mathematics and elementary algebra appropriate to the position.

B. Reading Comprehension: Reading and interpreting information at approximately a ninth-grade reading level.

C. Mechanical Aptitude: Understanding basic physical principles and anticipating predictable outcomes.

D. Interpersonal Skills: Working effectively with others, building collaborative relationships, and managing conflict.

E. Self-Awareness and Self-Control: Demonstrating motivation, emotional control, respect for authority, and ethical behavior.

F. Teamwork: Participating effectively as a team member to accomplish shared goals.

G. Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptability: Working effectively with people from different backgrounds and adjusting to changing tasks, situations, and environments.

H. Professionalism: Maintaining composure, appropriate conduct, and effective communication in difficult situations.

I. Situational Judgment: Identifying problems, evaluating information, and selecting appropriate actions based on available facts and likely consequences.

J. Working Relationships: Maintaining positive and professional relationships with supervisors and management.

The examination shall be appropriate for entry-level applicants whose required education is a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

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C.3. Examination Development and Validation

A. The Contractor shall describe the methodology used to develop or select each examination component and explain how each component measures the knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to the Firefighter position.

B. The Contractor shall provide documentation supporting the examination’s validity, reliability, and relevance to the position, including its suitability for online administration with remote proctoring. If proposing an existing examination, the Contractor shall provide available validation reports and explain its applicability to the City’s Firefighter job description.

C. The Contractor shall describe the methods used to evaluate potential bias and adverse impact and support fair and consistent assessment of candidates.

D. The Contractor shall establish provisions for defending its examination and related services against challenges. Expenses incurred by the Contractor in defending its product shall be the Contractor’s responsibility.

C.4. Examination Plan and Schedule

The Contractor shall develop an examination plan in coordination with the City. The plan shall identify:

A. Major activities, milestones, and deliverables.

B. The proposed schedule for examination preparation, administration, scoring, and reporting, including candidate testing windows and any appointment scheduling requirements.

C. Contractor personnel assigned to each major activity.

D. Required participation, resources, and time commitments from City staff.

E. Online examination formats and administration procedures, including remote proctoring, webcam monitoring, and candidate access and equipment requirements.

F. Procedures for resolving testing problems, technical interruptions, and candidate challenges, including rescheduling or resuming interrupted examinations.

The City shall retain final approval of examination schedules, materials, sources, methodologies, and administrative procedures, including the resolution of challenges.

C.5. Candidate Preparation Materials

A. The Contractor shall provide information about reference and resource materials available to help candidates prepare for the examination.

B. The Contractor shall make a candidate study guide and practice test available for separate purchase. Associated costs shall be identified in the Price Proposal.

C. Preparation materials shall accurately describe the examination format, general content areas, and instructions without compromising examination security.

D. The Contractor shall provide candidates with instructions for accessing the online examination, meeting equipment and internet requirements, and completing remote proctoring and webcam setup. Candidates shall have an opportunity to verify system compatibility and webcam functionality before beginning the examination. These instructions and system checks shall be provided at no additional cost to candidates.

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C.6. Examination Administration and Security

A. All examinations shall be administered online with remote proctoring and webcam monitoring.

The Contractor shall provide the testing platform, remote proctoring services, examination materials, and administration instructions. Candidates shall be able to complete examinations remotely without attending a testing facility. The City shall not be responsible for providing a testing facility or proctors.

B. The Contractor shall describe the proposed remote proctoring method, including how webcam monitoring will be conducted throughout the examination and how suspected testing irregularities will be identified, reviewed, and reported to the City.

C. The Contractor shall establish procedures to verify candidate identity, prevent unauthorized assistance, protect examination content, and maintain consistent testing conditions. Suspected testing irregularities shall be documented and provided to the City for review before final action is taken regarding a candidate’s examination results.

D. The Contractor shall record each candidate’s entire examination session through webcam monitoring and make the recording available for subsequent review by authorized Tucson Fire Department and Human Resources staff. The Contractor shall:

o Provide access through a secure portal or other City-approved method that allows authorized staff to locate and view recordings by candidate and examination date.

o Identify where examination data and recordings will be stored, including whether storage is cloud-based, the hosting provider, and the geographic location of storage.

o The Contractor shall retain examination data and recordings throughout the contract term and for five years after contract closeout. Authorized City staff shall have secure access to review and export these records throughout that period. Deletion shall remain subject to City approval and any applicable preservation requests or legal holds.

o Establish procedures for City requests for copies or preservation of recordings before scheduled deletion, including response times and secure delivery methods.

o Protect examination data and recordings from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure through appropriate access controls and secure disposal procedures.

o Notify candidates before testing begins that their examination sessions will be monitored and recorded.

E. The Contractor shall provide technical support during scheduled testing periods and establish procedures for internet disruptions, equipment failures, and platform interruptions. These procedures shall address resuming or rescheduling examinations while protecting completed responses and maintaining examination integrity.

F. The Contractor shall coordinate with the City to support approved testing accommodations within the online examination and remote proctoring process while maintaining examination integrity.

C.7. Examination Versions and Continued Use

A. The examination shall be suitable for use for a minimum of two years or two testing cycles.

B. The Contractor shall provide two examination versions or documentation demonstrating that repeat administration will not compromise examination results. The Contractor shall identify

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 10 of 53 any retesting restrictions and explain how examination security and consistency will be maintained across testing cycles.

C. At the City’s request, the Contractor shall develop and administer a replacement examination.

The scope, schedule, and applicable pricing shall be established before work begins.

C.8. Scoring and Reporting

A. The Contractor shall provide each candidate’s scores to the City within three calendar days after the candidate completes the examination. Any results pending review of a suspected testing irregularity shall be clearly identified, with the reason for the delay and anticipated resolution date provided to the City.

B. Results shall be provided electronically and shall include candidate identifiers, overall examination scores, and scores for separately scored examination components, as applicable.

The Contractor shall explain the scoring methodology and provide guidance necessary for the City to interpret the results.

C. The Contractor shall describe its procedures for verifying scoring accuracy, correcting errors, and responding to scoring questions.

D. The Contractor shall provide the City with an electronic copy of the final examination product and associated deliverables through a secure delivery method.

C.9. Customer Support and Staffing

A. The Contractor shall provide customer support and assistance to City staff throughout examination planning, administration, scoring, and reporting. The Contractor shall also provide candidates with technical assistance for accessing the online examination, completing system compatibility checks, setting up webcam monitoring, and resolving issues during testing.

B. The Contractor shall identify a primary point of contact for the City and provide support contact information, availability, response times, and procedures for escalating urgent issues.

Candidate technical support shall be available throughout scheduled testing periods.

C. The Contractor shall assign qualified personnel with experience relevant to the services being performed, including online examination administration, remote proctoring, and technical support. Once assigned, key personnel shall not be removed or replaced without written notice to and concurrence by the City.

D. If key personnel will be unavailable for more than thirty consecutive calendar days or will devote substantially less time than anticipated, the Contractor shall promptly notify the City and propose replacement personnel with substantially equivalent qualifications for City approval.

C.10. Technical Specifications

A. Below are Technical Specifications the City is expecting from the successful vendor's solution.

(3.11 - 3.20)

C.11. Usage Parameters

A. Annual testing cycle; approximately 500–1,000 candidates per cycle.

B. Written examination administered approximately three weeks following the application closing date.

C. Examination suitable for a minimum of two years or two testing cycles.

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D. Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is excluded.

C.12. Online Testing Platform

A. Platform and Hosting

1. Contractor-provided online testing platform; the City shall not provide a testing facility, proctors, or City-hosted infrastructure.

2. Commercially proven, cloud-hosted Software-as-a-Service platform accessible via web interface.

3. Identification of the hosting provider and geographic location of all examination data and recordings, which must be within the United States.

4. Non-production or demonstration environment available for City acceptance testing prior to the first live testing cycle.

B. Capacity, Availability, and Continuity

1. Capacity to support multiple concurrent online examinations, remote proctoring, and candidate technical assistance throughout scheduled testing periods.

2. Stated maximum concurrent session capacity, with evidence of load testing at or above the full cycle volume.

3. Platform availability of not less than 99.9 percent during City-scheduled testing windows; no scheduled maintenance during testing windows.

4. Stated recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO), with annual evidence of disaster recovery testing.

C. Session Resilience and Interruption Handling

1. Procedures for internet disruptions, equipment failures, and platform interruptions, including resuming or rescheduling examinations.

2. Completed responses protected during any interruption.

3. Server-side save of each response upon entry, with no loss of submitted responses on disconnect (RPO of zero for submitted responses).

4. Remaining-time preservation and proctor-authorized resume, with all interruptions logged and reported to the City.

C.13. Candidate Access and Device Requirements

A. Candidate Technical Requirements

1. Published equipment, software, webcam, and internet requirements for candidates.

2. Stated supported operating systems, browsers, and device types, including whether

Chromebooks, tablets, and mobile devices are supported.

3. Stated minimum bandwidth and webcam/microphone specifications.

4. Any required lockdown browser or client software shall: require no persistent background services or kernel-level components; be fully removable after the examination; and be accompanied by disclosure of all data collected from the candidate device.

B. Pre-Examination System Check

1. Candidate instructions for accessing the examination and completing remote proctoring and webcam setup, provided at no cost to candidates.

2. Opportunity for candidates to verify system compatibility and webcam functionality before beginning the examination, at no cost to candidates.

C. Accessibility

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1. Conformance of all candidate-facing and City-facing web content with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, consistent with the DOJ April 24, 2024 final rule under Title II of the ADA.

2. Current Accessibility Conformance Report based on the latest VPAT, or an independent third-party accessibility evaluation, submitted with the proposal.

3. Support for City-approved testing accommodations within the online examination and remote proctoring process.

4. Compatibility of the testing platform and any lockdown software with common assistive technologies (screen readers, magnification, speech recognition), and configurable per-candidate extended time and breaks.

C.14. Remote Proctoring and Examination Integrity

A. Identity Verification

1. Procedures to verify candidate identity prior to and during the examination.

2. Description of identity verification method (e.g., government ID capture, photo comparison), including whether facial comparison or other biometric processing is used.

3. Matching of each session to a City-supplied candidate identifier.

B. Proctoring and Monitoring

1. Webcam monitoring throughout the entire examination session.

2. Description of the proctoring model (live human, automated with human review, or hybrid), proctor-to-candidate ratio, and proctor location.

3. Procedures to prevent unauthorized assistance and maintain consistent testing conditions.

C. Examination Content Security

1. Protection of examination content; preparation materials shall not compromise examination security.

2. Encryption of the item bank at rest and in transit; access to item content restricted to named, authorized personnel.

3. Technical controls during delivery, including item and response-option randomization, and prevention of copy, print, screen capture, and navigation outside the examination.

4. Two examination versions, or documentation demonstrating that repeat administration will not compromise results; stated retesting restrictions.

D. Irregularity Detection and Reporting

1. Identification, review, documentation, and reporting of suspected testing irregularities to the City before final action is taken on a candidate’s results.

2. Each flagged event time-stamped and linked to the corresponding point in the session recording.

3. Any automated (AI) flag reviewed by a trained human reviewer before reporting; no automated determination shall affect a candidate’s results.

4. Standardized irregularity reason codes, supplied as documented reference data.

C.15. Session Recording and Review Portal

A. Recording

1. Recording of each candidate’s entire examination session via webcam.

2. Stated recording scope (webcam video, audio, screen capture, room scan) and format.

3. Recording integrity: originals preserved unaltered with a cryptographic hash generated at capture; any derivative stored separately.

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B. Review Portal

1. Secure portal or other City-approved method for authorized TFD and HR staff to locate and view recordings by candidate and examination date.

2. Streaming playback without default download; export restricted by role and logged.

3. Display of irregularity flags on the recording timeline.

C. Preservation and Legal Hold

1. Procedures for City requests for copies or preservation of recordings before scheduled deletion, including response times and secure delivery methods.

2. Legal hold capability suspending deletion for designated candidates or cycles until released in writing by the City.

3. Exported recordings delivered with hash values and a chain-of-custody record.

C.16. Scoring, Results, and Data Delivery

A. Results Delivery

1. Scores for each candidate provided electronically within three calendar days after the candidate completes the examination.

2. Results to include candidate identifiers, overall scores, and component scores as applicable; results pending irregularity review clearly identified with reason and anticipated resolution date.

3. Documented procedures for verifying scoring accuracy, correcting errors, and responding to scoring questions.

4. Versioned results with an audit trail of any score correction (original value, corrected value, reason, user, date).

B. Data Format and Integration

1. Results delivered in CSV or XLSX with a versioned data dictionary, via the secure portal or

SFTP; documented REST API preferred.

2. City-supplied applicant identifier carried through all records to support import into the City applicant tracking system without manual matching.

3. Event-level session data (start, end, interruptions, irregularity flags, resolution) available for

City export.

4. Not less than sixty (60) days written notice before any change to file formats, schemas, or

API contracts.

C. Final Examination Product

1. Electronic copy of the final examination product and associated deliverables provided to the City through a secure delivery method.

C.17. Security, Identity, and Access Management

A. Data Classification

1. Candidate personal information, government ID images, session recordings, scores, and examination content handled as City of Tucson Data Classification Level 2 (Confidential) at minimum under AD 1.08-7; final classification to be determined by ITD.

2. No criminal justice information (CJIS) or protected health information shall be collected, stored, or processed by the platform. Accommodation documentation shall remain with City HR; the Contractor shall receive only the approved accommodation parameters.

B. Authentication and Access Control

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1. Access controls protecting examination data and recordings from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

2. Single sign-on for City users federated to the City of Tucson Microsoft Entra ID tenant using

SAML 2.0 or OIDC, with multifactor authentication enforced through the City identity provider.

3. Multifactor authentication mandatory for all Contractor administrative, proctor, and support accounts.

4. Named user accounts only; no shared or generic accounts. Role-based access control separating TFD, HR, and read-only roles.

5. Configurable session timeout and account lockout meeting City standards.

C. Encryption and Audit Logging

1. Encryption of data at rest (AES-256 or equivalent) and in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher).

2. Audit logging of authentication events, role changes, recording access and export, score changes, configuration changes, and deletions, identifying user, IP address, date/time, event, and outcome.

3. Audit records protected from modification, retained not less than three (3) years, and exportable to the City SIEM via API or syslog at no additional cost.

D. Security Assurance and Incident Response

1. Current SOC 2 Type II report (or ISO/IEC 27001 certification) covering the testing and proctoring platform, provided with the proposal and annually thereafter.

2. Completed City security questionnaire (or HECVAT/CAIQ equivalent) submitted with the proposal for ITD review.

3. Annual third-party penetration testing, with an executive summary provided to the City.

4. Notification to the City of any security incident affecting City data within seventy-two (72) hours of discovery; compliance with A.R.S. § 18-551 et seq.

E. Subprocessors

1. Identification of all subcontractors providing online testing, remote proctoring, or technical support.

2. Identification of all hosting and infrastructure subprocessors with access to City data, with prior written notice of any change.

C.18. Privacy, Data Ownership, and Records

A. Candidate Notice and Consent

1. Notification to candidates before testing that sessions will be monitored and recorded.

2. Candidate-facing privacy notice, approved by the City, identifying data collected, purpose, retention, and access; affirmative candidate acknowledgment recorded before the session begins.

B. Biometric Data

1. Disclosure of any facial recognition, facial comparison, voice, keystroke, or other biometric processing; biometric data used solely for identity verification and session integrity, and deleted on the schedule approved by the City.

C. Data Ownership and Residency

1. All deliverables created under the Contract are the sole property of the City.

2. All candidate data, recordings, scores, and derivative data remain the exclusive property of the City; not used for Contractor product development, model training, marketing, or resale.

3. All City data stored and processed within, and accessible only from, the United States.

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D. Retention, Destruction, and Public Records

1. The Contractor shall retain examination data and recordings throughout the contract term and for five years after contract closeout. Authorized City staff shall have secure access to review and export these records throughout that period. Deletion shall remain subject to City approval and any applicable preservation requests or legal holds.

2. Secure disposal procedures.

3. Retention configured to align with applicable Arizona State Library, Archives and Public

Records retention schedules.

4. Media sanitization consistent with NIST SP 800-88, with a certificate of destruction provided to the City.

5. The Contractor shall provide the City with a copy of all City data in an open, documented format within thirty (30) days after contract expiration or termination. The Contractor shall continue to retain examination data and recordings and provide authorized City staff with secure review and export access for five years after contract closeout.

6. Support for City response to public records requests under A.R.S. § 39-121 et seq.

E. Algorithmic Transparency

1. Disclosure, consistent with AD 1.08-8, of any AI or automated decision-making used in identity verification, proctoring, irregularity flagging, or scoring.

2. Description of the human review process and documented bias testing of automated proctoring and face detection across skin tones, lighting conditions, and disability-related behaviors.

C.19. Technical Support and Service Levels

A. Support

1. Candidate technical assistance for platform access, system compatibility checks, webcam setup, and issues during testing, available throughout scheduled testing periods.

2. Identified primary point of contact, support channels, availability, response times, and escalation procedures for City staff.

B. Service Levels

1. Defined severity levels with response and resolution targets during testing windows, and service credits for missed availability or response targets.

2. Post-cycle report including sessions started, completed, interrupted, resumed, rescheduled, and flagged, with platform availability for the cycle.

C.20. Applicable Standards and Policies

A. City of Tucson Administrative Directive 1.08-7, Data Ownership and Access.

B. City of Tucson Administrative Directive 1.08-8, Artificial Intelligence Policy.

C. Americans with Disabilities Act, 28 CFR Parts 35 and 36; WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

D. A.R.S. §§ 39-101 through 39-161 (Public Records).

E. A.R.S. § 18-551 et seq. (Data Security Breach Notification).

F. NIST SP 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

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D. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

D.1. DEFINITION OF KEY WORDS USED IN THE SOLICITATION

For purposes of this solicitation and any subsequent contract, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

City:The City of Tucson, Arizona

Contract:The legal agreement(s) executed between City and the Successful Offeror(s). The Contract will be deemed to include all the conditions and requirements set forth in this solicitation and any Addenda to the solicitation, all the Special Terms and Conditions and Standard Terms and Conditions, and all the terms of the Offer submitted by Offeror as finally negotiated and accepted by the City.

Contractor/Consultant:A Successful Offeror that enters into a Contract with the City.

Contract Representative:The City employee or employees who have been designated to act as the City contact for this solicitation process and who are responsible for monitoring and overseeing the Contractor's performance under the Contract.

Business Services Director:The contracting authority for the City, authorized to sign contracts and addenda thereto on behalf of the City.

May: Indicates something that is not mandatory but permissible.

May not:The indicated party is prohibited from taking the action.

Must: The action or condition is required.

Offer:Any proposal, statement of qualifications, bid, or other submission provided by an Offeror in response to this Solicitation.

Offeror: Each individual or entity that submits an Offer in response to this solicitation.

Successful Offeror: An Offeror who received a Notice of Award or a Notice of Intent to Award from the City.

Will:The indicated party is promising to take the action or abide by the condition.

D.2. PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING

A Pre-Submittal Meeting will be held at the date and time stated on the cover page of this solicitation, if such a date and time is provided. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but written minutes and/or notes regarding the meeting will NOT be provided, so attendance is encouraged. The purpose of this meeting will be to clarify the contents of this solicitation in order to prevent any misunderstanding of the City's position.

D.3. INQUIRIES

Any questions about this solicitation or the proposed Contract must be presented at the Pre-Submittal Meeting, if there is one (see above), or submitted in writing, via email, or through the online bidding system, to the Contract Officer by the Question Submission Deadline. The email must refer to the solicitation number and the paragraph number of the provision that the question concerns. The Contract

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Officer may respond by email or may, if they deem it appropriate, address the question in a solicitation addendum or response through the question and answer portal in the online bidding system. Offeror may not rely on oral interpretations or clarifications about the solicitation; only questions answered in an email by the Contract Officer, posted through the online bidding system, or posted as a formal solicitation addendum will be binding.

D.4. ADDENDUM OF SOLICITATION

Solicitation Addenda will be posted on the City’s link to the online bidding website. Offeror is responsible for checking the webpage regularly for new solicitation addenda and must acknowledge each addendum to this solicitation in its submittal. Please note that vendors who have registered with the Business Services Department at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/tucson-az and follow the City of Tucson will receive email notifications of solicitation addenda.

D.5. UNDERSTANDING SCOPE OF WORK

Before submitting an Offer to this solicitation, Offeror must familiarize itself with the Scope of Work, laws, regulations, physical conditions, and other factors affecting the obligations – including the expense and difficulty of fulfilling those obligations – that Offeror will have under the Contract if awarded to Offeror. No adjustment to the financial or other terms of the Contract will be justified by Offeror’s failure to fully understand or appreciate the Contract requirements or other factors affecting Contract performance.

D.6. PREPARATION OF OFFER

A. Form and Organization. If Offer forms are included in this Solicitation, Offeror’s Submittal must be on those forms. Supporting documentation must be arranged in a manner that follows and clearly refers to corresponding sections of the solicitation. Offeror may copy the submittal forms in order to complete them electronically but may not alter or rearrange them or change any paragraph designations.

B. Confidential Information. Any information in its submittal that Offeror wishes to be treated as confidential must be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL.”

C. Offer Contents. Offeror’s submittal must contain responses to all sections of this solicitation, any Offer forms provided must be completed and any requested supporting documentation must be attached.

D. Signatures. Offeror must include in their submittal signed copies of the Offer and Acceptance page. Any cover letter accompanying the proposal documents must be signed. Offeror must initial each erasure, interlineation or other modification in the submittal. The person signing and initialing on behalf of Offeror must be a person authorized to legally bind Offeror.

E. Prices. Where a unit price is provided it will govern over any erroneous extension of the price.

F. Time Periods. Periods of time, stated as a number of days, will be calendar days unless specifically stated otherwise.

G. Accuracy. Mistakes in preparation of its submittal confers on Offeror no right to modify or withdraw its submittal after the Submittal Deadline.

H. Cost of Preparation. The City will not reimburse Offeror for the cost of developing, presenting, submitting or providing any response to this solicitation.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/tucson-az

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I. Subcontractors. Offeror must, in their submittal, list any subcontractors that it will utilize in the performance of the Contract if they are awarded the Contract and must describe their qualifications in detail.

J. Incomplete Information. Failure to include all requested information may have a negative impact on the evaluation of Offeror’s submittal.

D.7. PAYMENT DISCOUNTS

Payment discount periods shall be computed from the date of receipt of the material/service or correct invoice, whichever is later, to the date City’s payment warrant is mailed. Unless freight and other charges are itemized, any discount provided shall be taken on full amount of invoice. Payment discounts of twenty-one calendar days or more shall be deducted from the proposed price in determining the price points. However, the City shall be entitled to take advantage of any payment discount offered by a vendor provided payment is made within the discount period. The payment discount shall apply to all purchases and to all payment methods.

D.8. TAXES

The City is exempt from federal excise tax, including the federal transportation tax, but is not exempt from any other taxes, including state and local sales and excise taxes.

D.9. EXCEPTIONS TO CONTRACT PROVISIONS

By submitting an offer in response to this solicitation, Offeror is offering to enter into the Contract with the City. If Offeror wishes to modify any Contract terms and conditions, Offeror must, in its Offer, clearly identify the changes it is requesting. No requested modification will be deemed accepted by the City unless and until the City’s Business Services Director or their designee expressly accepts it in writing.

D.10. PUBLIC RECORD

Any documents submitted by Offeror in response to this solicitation will become the property of the City.

Except as set forth below with respect to Confidential Information, the Submittal will be deemed to be a public record available for review by the public after the award notification.

D.11. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

The City is obligated to abide by the Arizona Public Records Law, A.R.S. §§ 39-101 through 39-161. If Offeror believes that any portion of its Offer, specification, protest or correspondence contains information that is confidential and subject to being withheld from disclosure in the event that the City receives a public records request to which the record is responsive, Offeror must, when the record is submitted, provide the Contract Officer written notification of that fact. The records or portions of records that Offeror wishes to be treated as confidential must also be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL” on their face. Pricing will not be treated as confidential.

If the City, after award notification, receives a public-records request the scope of which includes a document submitted by Offeror and marked "CONFIDENTIAL", the Contract Officer will make a written determination regarding whether the document will be provided to the requestor. If the Contract Officer determines that the document should be released, City will notify Offeror in writing. Unless Offeror, BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 19 of 53 within 10 days after the date of that notice, obtains and provides to City an order from a court of competent jurisdiction prohibiting the City from releasing the documents, the City may release the documents without any liability to Offeror.

D.12. WHEN AND HOW TO SUBMIT OFFERS

In order to be considered, Offeror must, no later than the Offer Submittal Deadline, submit its Offer electronically through the City’s online bidding system:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/tucson-az

NOTE: THE ENTIRE OFFER MUST BE IN "“SUBMITTED"” STATUS IN THE CITY’S ONLINE

BIDDING SYSTEM IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED. RESPONSES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED

IN THE SYSTEM, BUT THAT ARE NOT IN "“SUBMITTED"” STATUS BY THE OFFER SUBMITTAL

DEADLINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

D.13. CERTIFICATION OF NONCOLLUSION; CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Offeror will not communicate, orally or in writing, with any member of the Mayor and Council, or with any City staff outside the Procurement Division of the Business Services Department, regarding this Solicitation. By submitting an Offer, Offeror warrants that:

A. Preparation and submission of the submittal did not involve collusion or other anti-competitive practices.

B. Offeror has not given, offered to give, nor intends to give at any time hereafter, any economic opportunity, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discount, trip, favor, meal or service to a public servant in connection with this solicitation.

C. No person has been employed or retained to solicit or secure a Contract under this solicitation upon a promise of a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee.

D. No employee of the City involved in this Solicitation process, or any family member of such an employee, has any substantial financial interest in Offeror’s firm. No member of the City of Tucson Mayor and Council who has, or whose family member has, any substantial financial interest in Offeror’s firm will participate in any action taken by the Mayor and Council with respect to this Contract. The terms “relative” and “substantial interest” have the meanings assigned in A.R.S. § 38-502

The City may disqualify Offeror from further participation in the solicitation process if the City determines that any City employee or official involved in this Solicitation process has an actual or apparent conflict of interest or if Offeror has engaged in any collusion or anti-competitive practices.

D.14. WITHDRAWAL OF OFFER; BINDING OFFER

By submitting an Offer in response to this Solicitation, Offeror is offering to enter into the Contract with the City. Offeror may withdraw a submitted Offer at any time prior to the Offer Submittal Deadline.

Telephonic or oral withdrawals are not effective.

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Offeror cannot withdraw an Offer that is in “submitted” status as of the Offer Submittal Deadline unless the Director of the Business Services Department consents in writing to the withdrawal. The Offer will be irrevocable for 90 days after the Offer Submittal Deadline.

D.15. DISCUSSIONS

The City may, at its discretion, conduct discussions with Offeror for the purpose of eliminating minor irregularities, informalities, or apparent clerical mistakes in Offeror’s submittal in order to clarify the offer and assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, solicitation requirements.

D.16. VENDOR REGISTRATION; BUSINESS LICENSE

In order to be eligible for award of a Contract, Offeror must:

A. Register with the City’s Business Services Department. Registration can be completed at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/tucson-az

B. Obtain a City of Tucson Business License or a written determination from the City's Business License Section that a license is not required. For questions contact the City's Business License Section at

(520) 791-4566 or email at license@tucsonaz.gov mailto:license@tucsonaz.gov

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E. OFFER EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

E.1. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA – (listed in relative order of importance)

A. Method of Approach B. Qualifications and Experience C. Price Proposal

E.2. INTERVIEWS

The City may interview some or all of the offerors at any point during the evaluation process. If interviews are conducted, information provided during the interview process will be taken into consideration in the evaluation process. The City will not reimburse the Offeror for any costs Offeror incurs during its participation in the interview process.

E.3. ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIONS

The City may undertake any additional investigations it deems appropriate to evaluate the competence and financial stability of any offeror.

E.4. OTHER INFORMATION

Information that evaluation committee members have about an offeror beyond what is provided in the offeror’s Offer may be taken into consideration during the evaluation process.

E.5. PRICE

A. Tax Offset Policy. If applicable under Section 28-18(6) or Section 28-17(7)(d) of the Tucson Procurement Code, the City will include the amount of all business privilege taxes other than the City’s in evaluating the pricing component of each Offer.

B. Payment Discounts. Any discounts offered by Offeror for payments made within 21 calendar days or more will be deducted from the proposed price in evaluating an offeror’s pricing.

However, the City may take advantage of any early- or timely-payment discounts offered by a vendor. Any proposed payment discount will apply to all purchases and to all payment methods

E.6. CITY’S RIGHT TO WAIVE DEFECTS OR REJECT OFFERS

Notwithstanding any other provision of this solicitation, the City may:

A. Waive any immaterial defect or informality; or B. Reject any or all submittals, or portions thereof; or C. Reissue the solicitation.

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E.7. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

At the City’s discretion, it may negotiate with one or more responsible offerors to agree upon the final conditions, terms and price of the Contract. In doing so, the City will treat offerors fairly and will not disclose to any offeror information from responses submitted by other offerors. Exclusive or concurrent negotiations do not constitute a contract award and do not confer any rights to the offerors participating in such negotiations. In the event the City deems that negotiations are not progressing, the City may formally terminate these negotiations and may enter into concurrent or exclusive negotiations with the next most qualified firm(s).

E.8. AWARD OF CONTRACT

A Contract is created when, and only when, it is formally awarded, which occurs when the Business Services Director and the City Attorney sign the Offer and Acceptance page of the Successful Offeror’s submittal. When a Contract is awarded, the City will send the Contractor a Notice of Award.

The City may first issue a Notice of Intent to Award to the Successful Offeror(s). Offeror, if it receives a Notice of Intent to Award from the City, must sign and file with the City, within ten (10) days after receipt of the Notice, all documents necessary for execution of the Contract. A Notice of Intent to Award does not create a contract. Only a subsequent formal award, as described above, creates a Contract.

E.9. MULTIPLE AWARDS

The City, at its sole discretion, may award multiple Contracts.

E.10. SUBMITTAL RESULTS

After the City issues a Notice of Award, the City will post the name(s) of the Successful Offeror(s) on the Business Services Department’s Internet site at https://procurement.opengov.com/portalucson-az/contracts

E.11. PROTESTS

Any interested party, may, in accordance with Article IX of the Tucson Procurement Code, protest either this solicitation or the award of a Contract under this solicitation. A protest based on alleged improprieties in this solicitation must be filed no later than five (5) working days before the Proposal Submittal Deadline. A protest of a proposed or actual award must be filed no later than ten (10) calendar days after the City issues a Notice of Intent to Award or, if no Notice of Intent to Award is issued, after the City issues a Notice of Award.

A protest must be made in writing and filed with the Contract Officer. It must include:

A. The name, address, and telephone number of the protestant;

B. The signature of the protestant or its representative;

C. The solicitation or Contract number;

D. A detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds for the protest along with copies of all relevant documents; and E. The form of relief requested.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portalucson-az/contracts https://procurement.opengov.com/portalucson-az/contracts

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F. EVALUATION CRITERIA

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

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1. Method of Approach A. Understanding of

Scope and Examination Approach Describe your approach to developing and administering online entry-level firefighter examinations with remote proctoring and webcam monitoring. Explain how candidates will complete examinations remotely without attending a testing facility. Describe how your proposed examination will assess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behavioral characteristics identified in the Scope of Work and align with the City’s established Firefighter job description.

B. Examination Development, Validation, and Fairness Describe your methodology for developing or selecting the examination and its components. Include:

o Documentation supporting examination validity, reliability, and relevance to entry-level firefighter duties, including suitability for online administration with remote proctoring.

o Validation reports for any existing

N/A N/A

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 25 of 53 examination you propose.

o Your methods for evaluating potential bias and adverse impact.

o Your…