Solicitation #2026-10-15

Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

SOLICITATION #2026-10-15

Formal Request for Proposals

Project Title: Washington State Multi-Conference RFP

Issue Date: October 15, 2026

Response Due Date: All Responses must be received in their entirety by

3:00p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on Monday, December 7, 2026 unless an Amendment is issued modifying the Solicitation Schedule set forth in Section 3.1 of this Solicitation Document.

Submit Response To: Responses must be submitted to:

Robin Toth, Procurement Coordinator.

Administrative Office of the Courts Email: Procurements@courts.wa.gov

Formal Solicitation will be posted on:

AOC Website: Washington State Courts - Procurement WEBS Website: Washington's Electronic Business Solution OMWBE Website: Bids & Contracting Opportunities | Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (wa.gov)

Applicable WEBS Commodity Code:

971-30 Hotel/Motel Accommodations (Incl. Lodges. Resorts, Bed/Breakfast Inns, etc.)

Rental or Lease mailto:Procurements@courts.wa.gov https://www.courts.wa.gov/procure/ https://des.wa.gov/services/contracting-purchasing/doing-business-state/webs-registration-search-tips https://omwbe.wa.gov/small-business-assistance/bids-contracting-opportunities

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. Contract Requirements

Section 2. Definitions

Section 3. Explanation of Solicitation Process

Section 4. Instructions Regarding Content, Format and Submission of Responses

Section 5. Evaluation of Responses

Section 6. Bidder Debriefing

Section 6. Contracting Procedures

Attachments:

Attachment A: Sample Proposal Submission Letter Attachment B: Bidder Certifications and Assurances Letter Attachment C: Bidder Questionnaire Form

SECTION 1.

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

1. Purpose

This solicitation is issued in order to assist the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Education Team to solicit competitive proposals from various conference venues, including meeting space, accommodations and catering services. We require a venue that can accommodate both the meeting space and hotel accommodations in one location for our attendees.

2. Background

AOC is soliciting competitive proposals from various conference venues to establish and award contracts by category/ies, by specified locations and seasons to secure dates, the best possible accommodation and meeting space for upcoming conferences. Category descriptions are listed in Scope.

3. Scope

Pursuant to this Solicitation, AOC intends to award Contracts by specified contract categories for the following contract categories by geographic areas. Bidders may bid on any or all specified contract categories and geographic areas.

Category Descriptions:

3.1 Category 1 – Large

The AOC defines a “large” conference as an event hosting approximately 150-225 participants, presenters, and staff support. Events of this size require lodging accommodation, standard food and beverage service, and multiple meeting spaces of various sizes. Typical lodging requirements range from 500-650 room nights.

Conference locations rotate throughout Washington State, including Central, Eastern, and Western regions.

3.2 Category 2 – Mid-Size

The AOC defines a “mid-size” conference as an event hosting approximately 75-130 participants, presenters, and staff support. Events of this size require lodging accommodation, standard food and beverage service, and multiple meeting spaces of various sizes.

Typical lodging requirements range from 200-350 room nights. Conference locations rotate throughout Washington State, including Central, Eastern, and Western regions.

They occur around the same time each year, scheduled to avoid religious and state/federal holidays. Potential dates are shown in the chart below.

3.3 Category 3 – Small

The AOC defines a “small-size” conference as an event hosting approximately 30-65 participants, presenters, and staff support. Events of this size require lodging accommodation, standard food and beverage service, and one meeting room. Typical lodging requirements range from 75-100 room nights. Conference locations rotate throughout Washington State, including Central, Eastern, and Western regions.

3.4 Category 4 – Unique annual one-week event that hosts from 30-100 individuals.

Events of this size require lodging accommodation, standard food and beverage service, and one meeting room. Sunday through Friday. Conference preferred location is King, Pierce or Snohomish counties.

3.5 Category 5 – Venue Pool. These events are ad hoc.

The AOC seeks to establish a pool of qualified vendors throughout Washington State capable of providing direct-bill lodging options for staff and approved guests traveling for work-related purposes. In addition to individual travel needs, this vendor pool may support hosting smaller-scale events that may require lodging, meeting space, food and beverage service, and audiovisual capabilities.

These smaller events typically require between 1 and 50 lodging rooms and may include additional services such as:

• Meeting or event space

• Audiovisual equipment and support

• Standard food and beverage service

Conference Schedules by Category

Category 1 - Large Programs

3.1 Name of Conference | Superior Court Judges’ Spring Program (SCJA) Preferred Dates:

April 23-26, 2028 April 15-18, 2029 April 14-17, 2030

# of Attendees

Guest Rooms

Saturday 35 Sunday 225 Monday 225 Tuesday 200

WA State Per Diem Guest Room (Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

April 2-5, 2028 April 22-25, 2029 April 7-10, 2030

Food & Beverage

SCJA Conference Details

• In even numbered calendar years, a pre-conference retreat is held o 35-40 additional 35-40 lodging nights (Saturday) o Meeting space configured for 45 attendees (rounds of 6, classroom style, or combination) o One lunch and snack and beverage service

• Yearly post-conference Board meeting (Wednesday at 12:30PM) o No additional lodging nights needed o 15-20 attendees o Meeting space configured for 15-20 attendees (open-U or square) o Lunch and beverage service

• AWSCA co-locates o 1 additional meeting space needed Sunday at noon through Tuesday at noon o 35-40 attendees o Set-up is open-U (preferred) or rounds of 6 o AV need is screen, projector (or large television), and mic o Joins in 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and snack and beverages

• Plenary sessions each day with the potential of 2-4 breakout sessions throughout the conference.

• Set-up is rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

• 3-5 smaller meeting spaces are needed throughout the conference to accommodate on-site Committee meetings. They can be set up as Boardroom, U-Shape, rounds, square, etc. AV such as a television monitor may be needed.

• 2-3 evening activities are held to include a reception, trivia night, or karaoke

• Food & Beverage

• Prefer separate meal/dining space

• Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages

• A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items

• 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate

• 2 lunches (prefer buffet)

• 1 reception

• 1 dinner (optional)

3.1 Name of Conference | District and Municipal Court JUDGES’ Spring Program (DMCJA) Preferred Dates:

June 4-7, 2028 June 3-6, 2029 June 2-5, 2030

Guest Rooms

Saturday 35 Sunday 225 Monday 225 Tuesday 200

June 11-14, 2028 June 10-13, 2029 June 9-12, 2030

DMCJA Annual Pre-Conference Board Meeting Details

• Sunday at 9:00AM – 12:30PM

• 35 additional lodging nights (Saturday)

• Meeting space configured for 15-20 attendees (open-U or square)

• Potential breakfast and/or lunch and beverage service

DMCJA Annual Conference Details

• Yearly, pre-conference meeting (Sunday 9:00AM to 12:30PM)

• 10 additional lodging nights (Saturday)

• Meeting space configured for 45 attendees (open-U or square)

• AV to include screen, projector, house sound, two mics

• Snack and beverage service and lunch

• Plenary sessions each day with the potential of 2-4 breakout sessions throughout the conference.

• Set-up is rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

• 3-5 smaller meeting spaces are needed throughout the conference to accommodate on-site Committee meetings. They can be set up as Boardroom, U-Shape, rounds, square, etc. AV such as a television monitor may be needed.

• 2-3 evening activities are held to include a reception, trivia night, or karaoke

• Food & Beverage

• Prefer separate meal/dining space

• Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages

• A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items

• 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate

• 2 lunches (prefer buffet)

3.1 Name of Conference | Annual Washington Judges Conference (Annual) Preferred Dates:

September/October 2027 September/October 2028 September/October 2029

Guest Rooms

Saturday 35 Sunday 180 Monday 180 Tuesday 160

(Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

Dates in September and October fluctuate based on Jewish Holy Holidays.

Annual Washington Judges Conference details:

• Plenary sessions each day with the potential of 2-4 breakout sessions throughout the conference.

• Set-up is rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• 3-5 smaller meeting spaces are needed throughout the conference to accommodate on-site Committee meetings. They can be set up as Boardroom, U-Shape, rounds, square, etc. AV such as a television monitor may be needed.

• 2-3 evening activities are held to include a reception, trivia night, or karaoke

• Food & Beverage

• Prefer separate meal/dining space

• Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages

• A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items

• 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate

• 2 lunches (prefer buffet)

Category 2 Schedule (Mid-Size Programs):

3.2 Name of Conference | District and Municipal Court ADMINISTRATORS’ Spring Program

(DMCMA)

Preferred Dates:

May 21-24, 2028 May 20-23, 2029 May 19-22, 2030

Guest Rooms

Saturday 20 Sunday 150 Monday 150 Tuesday 130

WA State Per Diem Guest Room (Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

May 7-10, 2028 May 6-9, 2029 May 5-8, 2030

DMCMA Conference Details

• Runs Sunday at noon through Wednesday at noon.

• Plenary sessions each day set-up in rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• 1-2 evening activities are held such as a reception or other activity

• Food & Beverage o Prefer separate meal/dining space o Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages o A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items o 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate o 2 lunches (prefer buffet) o 1 reception (optional) o 1 dinner (optional)

3.2 Name of Conference | Better Together (Sunday-Tuesday Program) Preferred Dates:

September/October 2027 September/October 2028 September/October 2029

Guest Rooms

Saturday – 10 Sunday – 90 Monday – 90

(Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

Dates fluctuate based on other Annual Conference dates.

Better Together Conference Details

• Runs Sunday mid-morning through Wednesday at noon

• Plenary sessions each day set-up in rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• 1 evening activity - reception

• Food & Beverage o Prefer separate meal/dining space o Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages o A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items o 2 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate o 1 lunch (prefer buffet) o 1 reception

Category 3 Schedule (Small Programs)

3.3 Name of Conference | Appellate Spring Program Preferred Dates:

March 19-22, 2028 (Spokane or Eastern WA) March 18-21, 2029 (Tacoma or Western WA) March 17-20, 2030 (TBD)

Guest Rooms

Saturday 10 Sunday 45 Monday 45 Tuesday 45

WA State Per Diem Guest Room (Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

March 26-29, 2028 (Spokane or Eastern WA) March 11-14, 2029 (Tacoma or Western WA) March 10-13, 2030 (TBD)

Appellate Spring Conference Details

• Plenary sessions each day

• Set-up is rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• 1 evening activity - dinner

• Food & Beverage o Prefer separate meal/dining space o Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages o A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items o 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate o 2 lunches (prefer buffet) o 1 dinner

Name of Conference: | Washington Juvenile Court Administrators Association (WAJCA) (3 days mid-week) Preferred Dates:

May 10-12, 2028 May 9-11, 2029 May 8-10, 2030

Guest Rooms

Saturday 10 Sunday 45 Monday 45 Tuesday 45

WA State Per Diem Guest Room (Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

May 9-11, 2028 May 8-10, 2029 May 7-9, 2030

WAJCA Conference Details

• Plenary sessions each day

• Set-up is open-U (only configuration accepted)

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• No evening activities

• Food & Beverage o Meals can be in same space o Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages o A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items o 3 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate o 2 lunches (prefer buffet) o 1 reception (optional) o 1 dinner

Name of Conference | Superior Court ADMINSTRATORS’ Spring Program (AWSCA) (Sunday-Tuesday Program) Preferred Dates:

April 23-26, 2028 April 15-18, 2029 April 14-17, 2030

# of Attendees

Guest Rooms

Saturday 10 Sunday 45 Monday 45

WA State Per Diem Guest Room

April 2-5, 2028 April 22-25, 2029 April 7-10, 2030

WA State Per Diem Food & Beverage

AWSCA Conference Details

• Runs Sunday at noon through Tuesday at noon

• Historically co-locates with SCJA

• Plenary sessions each day

• Set-up is open-U (preferred) or rounds of 6

• No evening activities

• May request separate snack and beverage service

• May request separate lunch service

Category 4 Schedule (Unique annual one-week events)

3.4 Name of Conference | Judicial College (Sunday-Friday Program) Preferred Dates:

January 23-28, 2028 January 21-26, 2029 Jan 27-Feb 1, 2030

Average of 65

Guest Rooms

Saturday 65 Sunday 80 Monday 70 Tuesday 70 Wednesday 70 Thursday 70

(Yes/No)

Alternate Dates:

Jan 30-Feb 4, 2028 Jan 28-Feb 2, 2029 February 3-8, 2030

Judicial College Conference Details

• Runs Sunday at 9:00AM through Friday at noon

• Plenary sessions each day set-up in rounds of 6

• Small meeting room near main meeting space for staging materials and equipment. (Can be set as Boardroom, square, open u, etc.)

o Main criteria is close proximity to the main meeting space.

• 2 evening activities [(reception (Sunday) and trivia (Thursday)]

• Additional 10 lodging nights on Sunday

• Food & Beverage o Prefer separate meal/dining space o Beverage service each day to include hot and cold beverages o A minimum of one snack break each day with one or two snack items o 5 breakfasts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) o Can be flow service, buffet OR o Complimentary/included in lodging rate o 3 lunches (prefer buffet) (days vary year-to-year) o 1 reception (Sunday) o For 2027 – Breakout sessions on Thursday o Main plenary room stays set “as is” o Need an additional 4 meeting spaces o Set-up can be Boardroom, open-U, square, rounds of 6 o Two rooms minimum of 10 people o Two rooms minimum of 25 people o AV in each room may include screen, projector (or large TV), mic

3.5 Category 5 – (Ad Hoc)

No specific dates or locations. Looking for a vendor pool who will accept qualifications listed in Section 4.

4. Bidder Minimum Qualifications

All Bidders must meet the following minimum qualifications and include in your proposal:

a. Experience, Requirements and Qualifications

• Audiovisual Requirements The AOC prefers facilities that offer a combination of in-house audiovisual equipment (e.g., sound systems, projectors, screens) with the ability to supplement services through AOC preferred external AV vendor. Facilities must allow seamless integration of both in-house and third-party AV services, with no additional fees or penalties for the use of an outside provider.

• Food and Beverage Preferences

• Menus should be priced at the prevailing per diem rate and should be inclusive of all taxes, service charges, and fees.

• Menus must include options accommodating a wide range of dietary needs, including but not limited to nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free selections.

• Breakfast is defined as a hot meal that includes both protein and a starch, along with standard items such as fresh fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, and similar offerings.

• Facilities must have the ability to provide snack and beverage service—both hot and cold—at designated times, with costs ranging from $5.00 to $12.00 per person, per day.

• The AOC requires flexibility to negotiate and supplement menu items as needed, including situations where the total cost exceeds standard per-diem limits.

• Preferred facility setups include:

• Dedicated meeting spaces that are separate from dining or meal service areas

• The main meeting space set-up to be crescent-round seating of 6-per table with additional rectangular tables on the perimeter for AV operator and equipment and staff.

• Breakout space large enough to accommodate half of the expected attendance.

• Variety of other meeting space set-up to include crescent-round seating, U-Shape, Boardroom, Reception, etc.

• A stage area equipped with ramps and/or stairs

• Adequate space to accommodate tables for panel presentations

• Center and side aisles that meet ADA accessibility requirements

In addition, facilities should provide access to supplemental meeting spaces suitable for daily and evening activities such as breakout sessions, committee meetings, receptions, trivia nights, karaoke, and similar events.

• Additional Facility Preferences

• A complimentary or reduced-rate large networking suite for after-hours use

• A mix of king and double-queen lodging rooms

• Room nights at prevailing per diem rate

• Free or reduced parking fees for attendees

• Complimentary lodging rooms such as one free lodging night for every

40-50 lodging nights

• Billing Arrangements:

• Vendors must be able to establish Direct Bill accounts without requiring deposits.

• Guest room charges will be handled through a combination of

Individual Pay and Direct-Bill/Group Pay. A detailed housing list will be provided by the designated event planner identifying which guests fall under each payment category.

b. Certification/Licensure Requirements

• Licensed to do business in the State of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as an Apparently Successful Bidder.

Bidders failing to demonstrate in their Proposals that they meet these minimum qualifications will be considered nonresponsive and will, therefore, be disqualified from further consideration.

5. Period of Contract Performance

AOC intends to award multiple Contract(s) for the Services described in this Formal Solicitation. The period of performance under the Contract(s) varies based on Conference schedule. At the discretion of AOC and pursuant to funding availability, contract may be extended. Additional services that are appropriate to the scope of this Solicitation, as determined by AOC, may be added to the Contract in a mutually agreeable by signed written amendment.

Funding

Any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. Although AOC does guarantee any minimum purchase from the Contract(s).

All proposed costs will be evaluated but not scored. The Bidder(s) who provides the best overall value to AOC will be announced as the ASB(s).

The following terms have the meanings set forth below:

AOC – Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts is the agency of the state of Washington that is issuing this Solicitation.

Amendment – A unilateral change to the Solicitation that is issued by AOC at its sole discretion and posted on WEBS and the Agency website.

Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) – A Bidder submitting a Response to this Solicitation that is evaluated and is identified and announced by Agency as providing the best value to the Agency. Upon execution of a Contract, the ASB is referred to as the successful bidder or the Contractor.

Authorized Representative – An individual designated by the Bidder to act on its behalf who has the authority to legally bind the Bidder concerning the terms and conditions set forth in this Solicitation and related documents.

Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private agency or other entity submitting a proposal in response.

Contract – A written agreement entered into between a successful Bidder and AOC as a result of this Solicitation.

Contractor – Individual or organization whose proposal has been evaluated by AOC and is awarded a fully executed, written contract.

Debriefing – A meeting an unsuccessful responsive Bidder may request with the AOC following the announcement of the ASB for the purpose of receiving information regarding the review and evaluation of that Bidder’s Response.

General Court Rules – A Procedure or regulation that govern court proceedings.

OWMBE - Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) as defined in chapter 39.19 RCW.

Procurement – The broad process of identifying goods and services for purchase or acquisition, of effecting the purchase or acquisition, and of managing the purchase or acquisition. This Solicitation is a part of an overall Procurement process. Despite the broader meaning attributed to “procurement”, for purposes of this Solicitation, the terms Solicitation, Formal RFP, RFP and Procurement are interchangeable.

Procurement Coordinator – An individual or designee who is employed by AOC and who is responsible for conducting this Solicitation.

Proposal – A formal offer submitted in response to this Formal RFP.

SECTION 2

DEFINITIONS

http://www.omwbe.wa.gov/ https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.19

Protest – A process that may follow a Bidder Debrief to alert AOC to certain types of alleged errors in the evaluation of the Solicitation.

RCW – The Revised Code of Washington. All references to RCW chapters or sections shall include any successor, amended, or replacement statute.

Responsible Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private agency, or other entity that has demonstrated the capability to meet all the requirements of the Solicitation and to meet the elements of responsibility. (See RCW 39.26.160 (2))

Responsive Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private agency, or other entity who has submitted a Proposal that fully conforms in all material aspects to the Solicitation and all its requirements, in both form and substance.

RFP – The request for proposals, qualifications, quotations, or qualifications and quotations set forth in this Solicitation document.

Scope of Work – The Project or work scope set forth in this Solicitation Document that identifies AOC’s contractual needs and requirements.

Services – Labor, work, analysis, or similar activities provided by a contractor to accomplish a specific scope of work.

Solicitation – A formal process providing and equal and open opportunity for bidders culminating in a selection based upon predetermined criteria. This RFP is a Solicitation.

Solicitation Document – This RFP document, including all attachments and all amendments that are issued by AOC.

Statement of Work – The detailed description of services to be performed by the Contractor and set forth in the Contract.

Subcontractor – An individual or other entity contracted by Bidder to perform part of the services or to provide goods under the Contract resulting from this Solicitation.

Subcontractors, if allowed, are subject to the advance approval of AOC.

WEBS – Washington’s Electronic Business Solution, the Bidder notification system found at https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ and maintained by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.26.160 https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/

1. Formal Solicitation Schedule

The Formal Solicitation Schedule set forth below outlines the schedule. The dates and times listed through the date of response submission are mandatory deadlines. The remaining dates are estimates and may change the posting of an Amendment. Failure to meet the Response deadline will result in Bidder disqualification.

Item Action Date

1. AOC posts Solicitation.

Prospective Bidders should register as a Vendor on WEBS using the commodity code on the cover page of this Solicitation as soon as possible to receive notifications.

Thursday, 10/15/26

3. Bidders must RSVP for the Pre-Bid Conference by 3:00 p.m.

(Pacific Daylight Time).

Monday, 10/26/26

4. Pre-Bid Conference at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) Thursday, 10/29/26

5. Bidder may submit written questions until 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time).

Thursday November 5,

6. AOC will post responses to all written questions by 3:00 pm (Pacific Daylight Time)

Friday, November 13,

7. Bidder must submit Response/ Proposal by 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time)

Monday, December 7,

8. AOC evaluation of written Responses/ Proposals. No later than Monday, January 11,

9. Site Visits (AOC may request site visits from selected venues at AOC Discretion)

TBD if needed

10. Announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder(s) on WEBS and beginning of contract negotiations.

No later than Friday, April 30, 2027

SECTION 3

EXPLANATION OF SOLICITATION PROCESS

Item Action Date

11. AOC notifies unsuccessful Bidder(s). No later than Friday, April 30, 2027

12. Bidders may request a debriefing conference until 3:00 p.m.

(Pacific Daylight Time).

Three days to request a debrief once notified.

13. AOC holds debriefing conferences, if requested. Will be scheduled within 5 business days of request.

14. Contract Estimated Execution/Start Date. Will be based on awarded category.

2. Posting of Solicitation Documents

AOC shall post this Solicitation on the AOC Website Procurement Page, WEBS, and

OWMBE.

All amendments and announcements relating to this Solicitation will be posted on WEBS only. To receive updates, you must register in WEBS.

• WEBS can be accessed at: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/.

• AOC website, found at: Washington State Courts - Procurement

• OWMBE can be accessed at: Bids & Contracting Opportunities | Office of Minority and

Women's Business Enterprises (wa.gov).

3. Amendment, Cancellation/Rejection of Proposals, Reissuance of

Solicitation

AOC may amend or add to, retract from or cancel this Solicitation at any time, in whole or in part, and without penalty. AOC reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject all Proposals and cancel or rebid this Formal Solicitation.

4. Communications Regarding Solicitation

Upon the posting of this Solicitation, all communications concerning this Solicitation must be directed to the Procurement Coordinator listed above. AOC may disqualify any Bidder who communicates with anyone in AOC other than the Procurement Coordinator regarding this Solicitation.

AOC considers all oral communications unofficial and non-binding on AOC. Bidders https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ https://www.courts.wa.gov/procure/ should rely only on written statements issued by the Procurement Coordinator. Email shall be considered an official method of communication.

5. Pre-Bid Conference

Bidders are invited to attend a Pre-Bid Conference which shall be held virtually on the date and at the time in section 3.1. The Pre-Bid Conference is an opportunity for Bidders to learn more about the conditions under which a Contract will be performed. At the Pre- Bid Conference, Bidders will have an opportunity to ask questions with knowledgeable AOC personnel. AOC shall summarize the information shared at the Pre-Bid Conference and post that summary on WEBS as an Amendment to this Solicitation. Bidders may only rely upon information that is included in this Amendment in preparing their Responses.

Registration is required by emailing Procurements@courts.wa.gov.

Bidders interested in attending the Bidder Conference must RSVP by the date listed in the schedule, Section 3.1

6. Questions and Answers

Bidders may send written questions concerning this Solicitation to the Procurement Coordinator by the date and time set forth in the Solicitation schedule. Questions should be sent via email and include the number and title of this Solicitation in the subject line.

AOC may consolidate Bidder questions and shall respond by posting one or more Amendments on the WEBS website on or around the date specified in the Solicitation Schedule. AOC will not respond to individual questions.

Only Bidders who have properly registered and downloaded the original Solicitation directly via the WEBS system: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ will receive notification of Amendments and other correspondence pertaining to this Solicitation.

7. Acceptance of Solicitation Terms

In submitting a Response, Bidder must include:

• signed Proposal Submission Letter in the form set forth in Attachment A

• signed Bidder Certifications in the form set forth on Attachment B

• Bidder Questionnaire Form set forth in Attachment C

• Bidder Proposal Attachment D (Bidder Provided).

Bidder must acknowledge that in submitting a Response, it accepts all terms of this Solicitation Document, including any Attachments or Exhibits, and that Bidder’s Response constitutes a binding offer. Bidders may not alter or redline the solicitation terms or requirements in their response. Submitting altered or redlined solicitation terms or requirements in the Questionnaire Form may result in bidder disqualification.

mailto:Procurements@courts.wa.gov https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/

8. Withdrawal of Responses

After a Response has been submitted, Bidders may withdraw their Response at any time up to the Response due date and time as specified in Section 3.1, Solicitation Schedule.

A written request to withdraw the Response must be submitted to the Procurement Coordinator. After withdrawing a Response, the Bidder may submit another Response at any time up to the Response submission date and time.

9. Ownership of Responses

All materials submitted in response to this Solicitation become the property of AOC, unless received after the deadline. AOC shall have the right to use any of the ideas presented as part of the process in any manner as it deems appropriate or beneficial, regardless of whether it is contained in a Response that results in selection for a Contract.

10. Site Tours

After Proposals are received and written evaluations are completed, AOC may request that one or more Responsible and Responsive Bidders participate in a site visit from AOC.

11. Successful Bidder(s)

The AOC will make the sole determination of clarity and completeness in the responses to any of the provisions in this Formal Solicitation. The review process is designed to select a Bidder whose proposal is deemed to offer the best overall value and that is in the best interests of AOC and the State of Washington.

This Formal Solicitation does not obligate the AOC to contract for the specified services.

The AOC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive minor administrative irregularities contained in any Proposal.

Bidders shall submit their Responses utilizing Attachments A, B, C and D to this Solicitation. Each Attachment represents a separate section of the Response. Failure to complete and submit all required Attachments, and to sign them, if applicable, may result in Bidder disqualification. Responses should use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation and should be submitted in the following order with each section of the Response clearly labeled.

1. Attachment: Bidder Response

Bidders must provide proposals as set forth below to provide the services as outlined in this Formal Solicitation. Proposals should include, and in this order:

• Attachment A- Proposal Submission Letter (Can use sample provided)

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INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING CONTENT, FORMAT

AND SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

• Attachment B – Bidder Certifications & Assurances Letter

• Attachment C – Bidder Questionnaire Form

• Attachment D – Bidder Proposal provided by Bidder

Bidders should not submit product brochures, white papers, customer testimonials, cut sheets, hyperlinks, webpages, or other pre-prepared materials in response to any of the questions.

If Bidder(s) are awarded a Contract, AOC may require that Bidder’s Response/Proposal to be incorporated, in whole or in part, into the Contract.

2. Proprietary Information/Public Disclosure

Materials submitted in response to this Formal Solicitation shall become the property of AOC and will not be returned. All proposals received shall remain confidential until AOC announces the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) for this Formal Solicitation at which time the proposals shall be deemed public records subject to disclosure under General Court Rule 31.1.

When a public records request is received for a document that is otherwise disclosable and includes information considered by the Bidder to be confidential, the AOC public records officer will notify the Bidder of the request and of the date that the records will be released to the requester, allowing ten business days for the Bidder to obtain an injunction enjoining disclosure of the identified proprietary information. If the Bidder fails to obtain an injunction, the public records office will release the requested information in its entirety on the date specified. If a Bidder obtains an injunction and ensures that it is received by the public records officer prior to the scheduled release date, AOC shall abide by the injunction, while disclosing the remainder of the requested materials.

Marking the entire Proposal exempt from disclosure or as Proprietary Information will not be honored.

3. Submission of Responses

Proposal Responses must be submitted in the format as presented in this solicitation.

Proposal Responses must be emailed directly to the Procurement Coordinator at the email address provided on the cover sheet of this Solicitation. Proposal Responses must be received by the Procurement Coordinator in their entirety on or before the due date and time set forth in Section 3.1., the Formal Solicitation Schedule, unless a posted Amendment to this Solicitation changes the due date and time.

Bidders assume all risks for the timely submission of the Response. Bidders are responsible for allowing sufficient time to ensure timely electronic receipt of their Response by the Procurement Coordinator. AOC does not assume responsibility for problems with the Bidder’s email, or network problems.

AOC will not accept late Responses, nor grant time extensions for individual Bidders.

AOC will disqualify any Response and withdraw it from consideration if it is received after the Response submission due date and time.

4. Acceptable Electronic Formats for Submission of Responses

Attachment D, Questionnaire Form, should be submitted in Microsoft Word. Other Response documents must be formatted in Portable Document Format (Adobe Acrobat PDF) or Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. Spreadsheet documents must be submitted in Microsoft Excel and in a live, unprotected file that includes all formulas, macros, and computations that are relied on or used to calculate any rates or values presented therein. When scanning documents to be submitted in PDF format, scanner resolution should be set to at least 200 dots per inch.

NOTE: AOC cannot receive emails that are larger than 30MB. To keep file sizes to a minimum, Bidders are cautioned not to use unnecessary graphics in their Responses. If your Response approaches or exceeds 30MB, you must break it up and send it by more than one email so that no single email exceeds 30MB.

1. Review of Responses

The review process is designed to select Bidder(s) whose proposal is deemed to offer the best overall value and that is in the best interests of AOC and the State of Washington.

This Formal Solicitation does not obligate the AOC to contract for the specified services.

The AOC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive minor administrative irregularities contained in any Proposal.

2. Bidder’s References

Once the review process is completed, AOC may contact the references provided in order to assess past performance and validate information in Bidder Responses. In submitting a Response, Bidder agrees that it shall hold harmless AOC and any individuals identified as references from and against liability resulting from the provision of information or the receipt and use of that information in evaluating Bidder’s Response.

AOC may reject a proposal if a reference provides negative information about a Bidder’s past performance.

AOC may, at any time, require additional or substitute references to determine the Bidder’s experience and level of responsibility. AOC reserves the right to contact other references known to the state. If the reference check process reveals information that

SECTION 5

EVALUATION OF RESPONSES

should properly be considered in evaluating Bidder’s responses, AOC may, in its sole discretion, reconvene the reviewers to reconsider in light of the information obtained.

3. Errors in Bidder Response

Bidders are responsible for all errors or omissions contained in their Reponses. Bidders will not be allowed to alter Response documents after the deadline for Response submissions.

AOC reserves the right to contact any Bidder for clarification. In those cases where it is unclear to what extent a requirement has been addressed, the evaluation panel may, in their discretion and acting through the Solicitation Coordinator, contact a Bidder to clarify specific matters in the submitted Response.

AOC reserves the right to waive minor administrative irregularities contained in any Bidder Response.

4. Selection of Apparent Successful Bidder

The selection process shall determine which Bidder(s) provides the best value in meeting the needs of AOC. Selection of the Apparent Successful Bidder(s) (ASB) depends upon AOC’s assessment of multiple factors, including Bidders’ qualifications, capabilities, efficiency, experience, reliability, responsibility, integrity, quality of proposed services and deliverables, timeliness, cost and potential impact on AOC’s needs.

AOC’s decision will be subject to the execution of a Contract satisfactory to AOC within a reasonable period of time following the announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder to the Bidders. In the event the parties are unable to reach agreement on the final details of a Contract, AOC shall have the option of negotiating with another Bidder and of revising the announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder.

5. Site Tours

AOC reserves the right to request site visits.

If AOC deems the facility assessments are necessary, the Solicitation Coordinator will notify the top-ranking Bidder(s) of the date and time for their facility assessment. AOC expects the facility assessments will take place on the dates specified in Section 3.1.

Solicitation Schedule.

1. Debriefing Conferences

No later than 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, on the third business day following the posted announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder(s) on WEBS, Bidders who are not selected as a Successful Bidder may send an email to the Solicitation Coordinator requesting a Debriefing Conference. Since debriefing conferences pertain to the formal evaluation process, Bidders who were disqualified as nonresponsive and therefore did not go through the formal evaluation process are not entitled to request a Debriefing Conference. Unless a different date is agreed upon by the Solicitation Coordinator, the Debriefing Conference will be held on a date designated in Section 3.1., Solicitation Schedule.

Discussion at debrief conference(s) will be limited to the following:

• Evaluation of the Bidder’s Response

• Critique of the Response based on the evaluation

No comparisons between Proposals will be allowed during the Debriefing Conference, which shall be conducted virtually, and shall last for a maximum period of one hour.

1. Contract Execution

The Apparent Successful Bidder(s) is expected to sign a contract that aligns with AOC rules and regulations, samples included in the Bidder Questionnaire.

AOC reserves the right to require some or all of Bidder’s Response be incorporated into the Contract, and to negotiate the specific wording of the Statement of Work, based on the requirements of this Solicitation and the terms of the Response submitted by the Apparent Successful Bidder.

2. Non-Endorsement

The award of a Contract is not an endorsement by the State or AOC of the Bidder or Bidder’s Services and shall not be represented as such by Bidder in any advertising or other publicity materials.

SECTION 6

BIDDER DEBRIEFING

SECTION 7

CONTRACTING PROCEDURES

By submitting a Response to this Solicitation, the Bidder agrees to make no reference to AOC in any literature, promotional materials, brochures, sales/marketing presentations or the like without the prior written consent of AOC.

3. Selecting a Contractor for Work

Category 1 through 4

AOC will contract with Contractors directly based on proposals received referencing Category 1 through 4.

Category 5

AOC will create an unranked list of Pre-Qualified Contractors to provide services on an as-needed basis through an optional use contract referencing Category 5. Contractors participating are not obligated to provide services. Pre-Qualified Vendor list will be valid for up to three (3) years.

As the need for services arises, all Contractors on the Pre-Qualified Vendors List for the relevant service category and demographic location may be invited to submit a response, including a quote, possible site tour, Statement of Work that meets AOC the business requirements at that time.

AOC will review all responses submitted for consideration and will, in its sole discretion, select the Contractor(s) to provide those services for AOC. AOC retains the right to select the most qualified Contractor(s) from the responses received, at its sole discretion. For any given engagement, staff from multiple Contractors may be selected to meet AOC’s needs, and Statements of Work will be issued against the selected Contractor’s contract at that time.

4. Electronic Payment

The State prefers to utilize electronic payment in its transactions. The successful Bidder will be required to register in the Statewide Vendor Payment system, Statewide Vendor Number Lookup - Office of Financial Management prior to submitting a request for payment under their Contract. No payment shall be made until the registration is completed.

https://ofm.wa.gov/tech-support/statewide-vendor-payee-services/statewide-vendor-number-lookup/ https://ofm.wa.gov/tech-support/statewide-vendor-payee-services/statewide-vendor-number-lookup/