K6091 RFP.pdf

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 1 of 2 Printed: October 30, 2026

BIOSTATISTICAL SUPPORT FOR SHARP RESEARCH PROGRAM

Solicitation No. K6091

1. SCHEDULE

EVENT DATES & TIME

Issue Solicitation October 30, 2026 Question & Answer Period October 30- December 15, 2026, 5:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time Final Question & Answer Document Posted by L&I

December 16, 2026

Complaint Period Begins on the date this solicitation is posted on Washington’s electronic Business Solution (WEBS) and ends five business days prior to the Bid Due Date

Bid Due Date December 21, 2026, 5:00 pm, Pacific Standard Time

THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE ESTIMATES

Begin Evaluations After Bid Due Date

Notification of Apparent Successful Bidder

Upon Completion of Evaluation Process

Contract Start Date Upon Completion of Solicitation Process

2. WEBS REGISTRATION

Vendors are strongly encouraged to download the original solicitation from Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS). Only Vendors who have downloaded the original solicitation directly from WEBS prior to an amendment being issued will receive email notification from WEBS of an amendment. For more information and instructions to register: https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state

Please select at least one of the following Commodity Code(s) in your WEBS registration process.

COMMODITY CODE COMMODITY CODE TITLE

918-12 Analytical Studies and Surveys (Consulting)

The Department of Labor & Industries provides equal access to its programs and services for all people without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.

To request this information in alternative formats, please contact the Solicitation Coordinator.

The Washington APEX Accelerator, formerly Washington PTAC (opens in a new tab) is a no-cost resource for small businesses that can help with bidding and strategies for selling to the government. APEX Accelerator can review a business’s proposal draft, marketing strategies, registrations, certifications, and more.

https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state https://washingtonapex.org/

L&I RFP K6091

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 2 of 3 Printed: October 30, 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. SCHEDULE

2. WEBS REGISTRATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

3. INTRODUCTION

4. BACKGROUND

5. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

6. BIDDER’S CONFERENCE

7. SCOPE OF WORK

8. ACCEPTANCE OF SOLICITATION AND SAMPLE CONTRACT

9. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

10. FUNDING

11. SOLICITATION COORDINATOR

12. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

13. LETTER OF INTENT TO BID, Mandatory/Optional .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

14. COMPLAINT PROCESS – PRE-BID SUBMISSION

15. VENDOR REGISTRATION / WASHINGTON'S ELECTRONIC BUSINESS SOLUTION (WEBS)

16. SOLICITATION MODIFICATION

17. PARTICIPATION WITH SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES

18. Subcontractor Participation Monitoring and Reporting

19. EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03, SUPPORTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS

20. DEFINITIONS

EVALUATION AND AWARD

21. EVALUATION

22. REFERENCES

23. ORAL PRESENTATIONS/SANDBOX DEMONSTRATIONS ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

24. SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT SCORES

25. SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

26. FINAL SELECTION

27. SINGLE RESPONSE

28. AUTHORITY TO BIND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES

29. DEBRIEFING OF BIDDERS

30. PROTEST PROCESS

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING THE BID

31. COMPLETING THE BIDDER’S QUESTIONNAIRE

32. BIDDER IDENTIFICATION

33. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

34. SUBMISSION OF BID

35. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION & PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

36. COST OF PREPARING BIDS

37. FAILURE TO COMPLY

38. ERRORS

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 3 of 4 Printed: October 30, 2026 General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

3. INTRODUCTION

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (hereafter called L&I or the Department) is initiating this solicitation to obtain biostatistical analysis services for the SHARP research program to consult with L&I on epidemiological study design, biostatistical analysis and statistical analysis software coding techniques for existing research projects. Providing summaries of best approaches and/or coding examples.

The Contractor shall work with L&I to develop a Work Plan for each project. Work Plans will include at least the following:

• Summary level description of the Contractor's approach to the project and a detailed Work Plan.

• A summary of the purpose of the project, goals, scope, and the specific roles of L&I staff and Contractor staff.

• A list of tasks required for performance of the project. The list of tasks shall include start and end dates, contractor's staff who are responsible for completing each task, and the number of hours allotted for each task.

This solicitation is seeking to obtain biostatistical analysis services for the SHARP research program to consult with L&I on epidemiological study design, biostatistical analysis and statistical analysis software coding techniques for existing research projects. Providing summaries of best approaches and/or coding examples.

4. BACKGROUND

L&I is an executive branch agency of Washington State government. Established by State statute in 1921, and the mission of L&I is to keep Washington safe and working. L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health, and security of Washington's 3.3 million workers. We help employers meet safety and health standards, and we inspect workplaces when alerted to hazards.

SHARP (Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention) is a workplace safety and health research and prevention program within Washington State’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). The program is guided by the belief that workplace injuries and illnesses are preventable; that there is no such thing as a ‘workplace accident,’ but rather a series of preventable exposures that lead to injury and illness.

Our research brings together information from available data, site visits to participating employers, interviews with workers and safety professionals, and scientific literature. Our aim is to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses by developing practical solutions that benefit workers and employers. Employer and worker participation in SHARP research is confidential. SHARP is independent of L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health and L&I’s workers’ compensation insurance program.

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 4 of 5 Printed: October 30, 2026 General Information

5. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

Bidders who do not meet the minimum qualifications as described herein will be deemed non-responsive and may not receive further consideration. Please see Bidder’s Questionnaire to review and respond to these qualifications.

5.1 Minimum Qualifications, Firm:

5 years’ experience in biostatistical analysis of epidemiological studies, as well as experimental studies relevant to occupational safety and health and in using administrative databases, recognizing strengths and limitations for inference.

5 years’ experience in design and analysis of case-control and cohort studies, and intervention/evaluation studies. Experience should include multilevel modeling, multivariate modeling including survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, and/or correlation analysis.

• 5 years of experience in weighted sample survey analysis

• 5 years of experience in health surveillance systems (provide examples)

• Demonstrated knowledge of SAS, SPSS, STATA, R, and Python

• Experience using machine learning for data processing or analysis

• PhD in Statistics or Biostatistics

• Strong Publication Record

• Be able to begin work on the contract on January 15, 2027

Must have completed the WSIRB, Institutional Review Board required training for “Protection of Human Subjects in Research” within the first month of the contract’s Period of Performance.

6. BIDDER’S CONFERENCE

There will NOT be a pre-Proposal conference for Bidders. Questions submitted in writing will be documented and officially answered by L&I in written form as explained below in Solicitation Modification.

L&I shall be bound only to its written answers to questions as posted on WEBS.

7. SCOPE OF WORK

The Scope of Work the Contractor(s) must perform is described in Attachment A - Sample Contract.

8. ACCEPTANCE OF SOLICITATION AND SAMPLE CONTRACT

The Apparent Successful Bidder will be expected to enter into a contract with L&I that is substantially similar to the Sample Contract, which is part of this solicitation. RFP K6091 Sample Contract.docx is available for download from WEBS with all other documents posted under this solicitation.

In no event can a Bidder submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this solicitation. The Bidder may submit suggested revisions as described in the Bidder’s Questionnaire.

9. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this solicitation is tentatively scheduled to begin according to the Schedule, with the initial term ending December 31, 2030. L&I reserves the option to extend the contract for up to two additional three-year periods.

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 5 of 6 Printed: October 30, 2026 General Information

10. FUNDING

Any contract awarded as a result of this solicitation is contingent upon the availability of funding. L&I offers no guarantee of volume or usage. Bids in excess of $20,000 per year shall be deemed non-responsive.

11. SOLICITATION COORDINATOR

The Solicitation Coordinator is the sole point of contact in L&I for this solicitation. Communications directed at parties other than the Solicitation Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Bidder.

Amanda Robinson, Solicitation Coordinator, may be reached at: K6091@lni.wa.gov.

12. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

Questions concerning the solicitation must be submitted to the Solicitation Coordinator during the Question-and-Answer Period as outlined in the Schedule above. All questions must be submitted in an email to the Solicitation Coordinator.

The answer to any question which may be given orally during the Bidders’ Conference (see above) is to be considered tentative. Questions will be researched and the official answer published in writing and posted on WEBS. This will ensure accurate, consistent responses to all Bidders.

13. COMPLAINT PROCESS – PRE-BID SUBMISSION

According to the Schedule on the cover page of this solicitation, Bidders may submit a complaint to the Solicitation Coordinator if s/he believes: 1) the solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition; 2) the solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed; or, 3) the solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a Bid. Complaints must be submitted in writing to the Solicitation Coordinator, clearly articulate the basis for the complaint, and must include a proposed remedy. Text of a complaint is limited to one 8-1/2” X 11” single sided page in 10-point font or larger.

Any changes to the solicitation as a result of a complaint will be documented as outlined in Solicitation Modification; otherwise, all other responses to complaints will be posted separately on WEBS. The Department’s solicitation may continue. The complaint may not be raised again during the protest period.

No further administrative remedy or appeal is available.

14. VENDOR REGISTRATION / WASHINGTON'S ELECTRONIC BUSINESS SOLUTION (WEBS)

Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) is an Internet vendor registration and solicitation notification system. The system offers an online site where vendors can register to receive state government solicitation notifications. L&I shall utilize WEBS for all solicitation updates (e.g. addenda, amendments, posting, announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder, etc.). Only Vendors who have downloaded the original solicitation directly from WEBS prior to an amendment being issued will receive email notification from WEBS of an amendment. For more information and instructions to register:

https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state.

Bidders must register in WEBS by the Bid Due Date & Time. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of the Bidder's response. Bidders are encouraged to register as early as possible to ensure they have access to solicitation updates. A Bidder will not receive a notification of the solicitation or the updates prior to their registration.

mailto:K6091@lni.wa.gov https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 6 of 7 Printed: October 30, 2026 General Information

15. SOLICITATION MODIFICATION

L&I reserves the right to change the Schedule or issue amendments to the solicitation at any time. L&I also reserves the right to cancel or reissue the solicitation in whole or in part, and for any reason, at the sole discretion of L&I at any time prior to execution of a contract.

Vendors are responsible for checking WEBS for any addenda or changes to the solicitation.

16. PARTICIPATION WITH SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES

L&I strongly encourages participation of small and diverse businesses. According to the 2019 State of Washington Disparity Study (opens in a new tab) small and diverse businesses were significantly underrepresented in state procurement contracts. As of April 1, 2023, under the direction of RCW 39.26 (opens in a new tab) and Executive Order (EO) 22-01 (opens in a new tab), the Department of Enterprise Services has implemented Policy POL-DES-090-06.

In support of this Order and Policy, small and diverse businesses are encouraged to participate in this solicitation, as the Bidder and/or as a Subcontractor of a Bidder. Please see Bidder’s Questionnaire.

L&I has established the following FY2024 voluntary numerical goals for its solicitations:

Six-point seven nine percent (6.79%) Minority-Owned Businesses certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE); Women- Owned Businesses certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE).

Two-point two three percent (2.23%) Veteran-Owned Businesses certified by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA).

Achievement of these goals is encouraged whether directly or through subcontractors.

OMWBE Certification. Bidders and their proposed subcontractors may contact the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) regarding information on Minority-Owned and Women-Owned certified firms, state and federal certification programs, or to become certified. OMWBE can be reached by telephone, 866- 208-1064, or through their website at OMWBE. Bidders may provide certification information in the Bidder’s Questionnaire, for themselves and/or subcontractors.

WDVA Certification. Bidders and their proposed subcontractors may contact the Washington State Department of Veterans’ Affairs (WDVA) for information regarding Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses or to become a Certified Veteran-Owned Business. The WDVA can be reached by telephone, (360) 725-2169, or through their website at WDVA.

Bidders may provide certification information in the Bidder’s Questionnaire, for themselves and/or subcontractors.

Washington Small Businesses, including microbusinesses or mini businesses as defined in RCW 39.26.010(16) and (17). Bidders may contact Enterprise Services about small and diverse business inclusion and qualifications as a Washington Small Business. If bidder or subcontractor qualifies as a Washington Small Business, identify firm as such in WEBS. Call WEBS Customer Service at 360-902-7400. Bidders may provide certification information in the Bidder’s Questionnaire, for themselves and/or subcontractors.

https://omwbe.wa.gov/governors-subcabinet-business-diversity/disparity-study https://omwbe.wa.gov/governors-subcabinet-business-diversity/disparity-study https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.26 https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.26 https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/exe_order/22-01%20-%20Equity%20in%20Public%20Contracting.pdf http://www.omwbe.wa.gov/ http://www.omwbe.wa.gov/ https://www.dva.wa.gov/veterans-their-families/veteran-owned-businesses/vob-search http://www.dva.wa.gov/

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 7 of 8 Printed: October 30, 2026 General Information

17. Subcontractor Participation Monitoring and Reporting

Once a contract is awarded through the solicitation or proposal process, the awarded Prime Contractor is obligated to complete the vendor registration in Access Equity. Access Equity is a secure online vendor management system (B2GNow). Confidential information (Tax ID, etc.) will not be published. Prime Contractors that have previously registered with B2Gnow for any public entity must verify the system has updated information. Contractors can access the system at https://omwbe.diversitycompliance.com/ or through a direct link on the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) website at: https://omwbe.wa.gov/.

Each month during the contract, the Prime Contractor will report payments to ALL Subcontractors through the Access Equity system. This monthly reporting information includes total payment in dollars made to the Subcontractor, payment dates, and any additional information required to verify payment to Subcontractors. The Prime Contractor will enter this payment information into the Access Equity system, and the Subcontractors will verify this payment information in the system.

Online training is available through the Access Equity/B2Gnow system. This requirement applies to both Prime Contractors and Subcontractors.

18. EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03, SUPPORTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS

Pursuant to RCW 39.26.160(3) (best value criteria) and consistent with Executive Order 18-03 – Supporting Workers’ Rights to Effectively Address Workplace Violations (dated June 12, 2018), L&I will evaluate bids for best value and provide a bid preference in the of 5 percent to any bidder who certifies, pursuant to the certification in the Bidder’s Questionnaire, Section 5.5, Contract Certification for Executive Order 18-03 – Worker’s Rights, that their firm does NOT require its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waiver.

19. DEFINITIONS

Bid - An offer, Proposal, or quote for goods or services in response to a solicitation issued for such goods or services by the Department or an agency of Washington state government.

Bidder - An individual or entity who submits a bid, quotation, or Proposal in response to a solicitation issued for such goods or services by the Department or an agency of Washington state government.

Business Days and Hours - L&I’s published business days and hours are Monday through Friday, exclusive of state holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time. If the end of a period calculated using calendar days falls on a weekend or state holiday, it will be extended to 5:00 p.m. of the next business day.

Certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) - A minority or women-owned business enterprise certified by the Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises of Washington state.

Contractor - An individual or entity awarded a contract with the Department or an agency to perform a service or provide goods.

Vendor - Any business with an interest in this solicitation.

https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/exe_order/18-03%20-%20Workers%20Rights%20%28tmp%29.pdf?=fd376

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 8 of 9 Printed: October 30, 2026 Evaluation and Award

EVALUATION AND AWARD

20. EVALUATION

The evaluation process is designed to award the contract to the Bidder with the best combination of attributes that meet the needs of L&I. Scoring of the Bidder’s written response will be based on the Bidder’s responses to the questions in the Bidder's Questionnaire.

Oral presentations, if requested, will be based on the evaluation team’s overall assessment of the Bidder’s presentation and responses to questions during the presentation. All Bidders forwarded to this stage of the competition shall enter with its preliminary score as shown below.

20.1 EVALUATION PROCEDURES

The evaluators will consider how well the response meets the needs of L&I as described in the Bidder’s response to each question in the Bidder’s Questionnaire. It is important that the responses be clear and complete so that the evaluators can adequately understand all aspects of the response.

20.2 EVALUATION TEAMS

The evaluation procedures will be performed under the direction of the Solicitation Coordinator and other state staff designated solely by L&I who will determine which bid is most responsive to the requirements stated in this solicitation. Bidders will not have personal contact with the evaluators unless L&I elects oral presentations.

20.3 WEIGHTING OF QUESTIONS

The scoring/weighting of responses is as follows with percent meaning the percent of the total points awarded in the preliminary scoring of the Bid.

WEIGHTING OF QUESTIONS

Topic

Percentage Methodology & Approach 35% Qualifications & Experience 30% Cost 20% Executive Order 18-03 Certification 5% *Washington Veteran-owned and/or Washington Small Business 10-20% (remove this line for a solicitation using federal dollars)

Preliminary Score 100%

Only top scoring Bidders will advance after the preliminary scores are determined.

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 9 of 10 Printed: October 30, 2026 Evaluation and Award

L&I RESERVES THE RIGHT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO THE LOWEST COST BID.

*Points provided are based on the following: a Washington state certified veteran-owned and/or Washington state small business that meets the size or gross revenue standard (as defined in RCW 39.26.010(22)(a)).

(13) "In-state business" means a business that has its principal office located in Washington. (22) "Small business" means an in-state business, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that:

(a) Certifies, under penalty of perjury, that it is owned and operated independently from all other businesses and has either:

(i) Fifty or fewer employees; or

(ii) A gross revenue of less than seven million dollars annually as reported on its federal income tax return or its return filed with the department of revenue over the previous three consecutive years;

or

(b) Is certified with the office of women and minority business enterprises under chapter 39.19

RCW.

21. REFERENCES

L&I may contact references for the top scoring Bidders only, based on Preliminary Scoring. References help the Department determine whether the Bidder is a responsible Bidder. L&I will use references to get more information related to any part of the Bidder’s proposal and qualifications to perform the work under this contract.

L&I may, at its discretion, reject the Bid of any contractor who has failed to perform satisfactorily on a previous contract with the state.

L&I reserves the right to contact references not supplied by the Bidder and use the information obtained during scoring. References may include, but are not limited to private companies, other governmental organizations and internal L&I programs.

22. SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT SCORES

When evaluation of the Bids produces numerical ratings that are substantially equivalent, i.e., scores separated by 2% or less of the total available points, L&I reserves the right to proceed with the Bidder whose Bid is deemed to be in L&I’s best interest.

23. SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

The evaluation process is designed to award the contract to the most responsive and responsible Bidder.

Pursuant to DES Policy 090-06, solicitations with an initial value of $150,000 or less shall be awarded to the highest ranked responsive and responsible small or veteran-owned bidder unless there is no responsive and responsible bid submitted by a small or veteran-owned business.

24. FINAL SELECTION

L&I reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any or all Proposals without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this solicitation.

L&I reserves the right to refrain from contracting with any Bidder. The issuance of this solicitation does not compel L&I to purchase. The final selection, if any, will be that Proposal which, in the opinion of L&I, best http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=39.19

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 10 of 11 Printed: October 30, 2026 Evaluation and Award meets the requirements set forth in this solicitation and is in the best interest of L&I and the state of Washington.

25. SINGLE RESPONSE

A single Bid (i.e., receipt of a Bid from only one Bidder) to the solicitation may be deemed a failure of competition and, at the sole option of L&I, the solicitation may be canceled. Likewise, receipt of only one Bid may allow L&I to award a contract to that Bidder.

26. AUTHORITY TO BIND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES

The Director of the Department of Labor and Industries or the Director’s designees are the only individuals who may legally commit L&I to the expenditure of funds for a contract resulting from this solicitation. No cost chargeable to the proposed contract may be incurred before receipt of either a fully executed contract or specific written authorization from L&I’s Director.

27. DEBRIEFING OF BIDDERS

Bidders will be offered a Debriefing Conference. The request for a Debriefing Conference must be received by L&I’s Solicitation Coordinator within three (3) business days after the Bidder Notice of Apparent Successful Bidder is emailed by WEBS. Discussion will be limited to a critique of the requesting Bidder's response. Comparisons between Bids or evaluations of the other Bidders’ responses will not be allowed.

The Debriefing Conference must be held within five (5) business days after the Notice of Apparent Successful Bidder is emailed by WEBS.

28. PROTEST PROCESS

Who may protest? A party may utilize these protest procedures if it (1) has submitted a Bid, that is, the protester must have submitted a Bid, and (2) has requested a Debriefing Conference within the required time period, and (3) received a Debriefing Conference within the required time period.

Limitations. Bidders protesting the selection of the Apparent Successful Bidder must follow the procedures described below. The Bidder should include in its protest all issues it wishes to raise because a Bidder is limited to only one protest. Issues not raised in the initial protest shall not be considered. Protests that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. This protest procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Bidders under this procurement. Chapter 34.05 RCW, Administrative Procedures Act (APA) does not apply to this procurement.

Protest Review. Upon receipt of a protest, a protest review will be held by the Contracts Office to review the procurement process utilized. This is not a review of Bids submitted or the evaluation scores received.

The review is to ensure Department policy and procedures were followed, all requirements were met and all Bidders were treated equally and fairly. See Allowable and Disallowed Issues below.

If a protest may affect the interest of any Bidder, such Bidder(s) may be given an opportunity to submit its view and any relevant information on the protest to the Contracts Office.

The Contracts Office will consider the record and all facts available and issue a decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the protest unless additional time is required, in which case the protesting party will be notified by the Contracts Office of the delay. The decision of the Contracts Office will be final and conclusive.

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Allowable Issues. Only protests setting out an issue of fact concerning the following subjects shall be considered:

a) a matter of bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator,

b) errors in computing the scores, or

c) non-compliance with procedures described in the procurement document or agency protest process or DES requirements.

Disallowed Issues. Protests not based on procedural matters will not be considered. Protests will be rejected as without merit if they attack such issues as:

a) evaluator's professional judgment on the quality of a proposal, or

b) L&I's assessments of its own needs or requirements.

PROTEST – PROCEDURE AND FORMAT

Written Document. All protests must be in writing and signed by the protesting party or an authorized agent and submitted as set out in Protest – Deadline for Receipt by L&I below. Telegrams, faxed documents, e-mail, or similar transmittals will not be considered.

Statement of Facts. The protest must state all facts and arguments about an allowable issue reasonably known by the protesting party at the time of the protest on which the protesting party is relying.

Required Format. The protest must be set out in the following format:

1. Identity of the protester. Name, address, phone number, FAX number, contact person.

2. Identity of the solicitation. Title of solicitation, date, and Solicitation Coordinator.

3. Issue protested. State which of the allowable issues is being protested.

4. Facts and circumstances. Describe, with specific details and in chronological order, the exact facts and circumstances leading to the belief that a protest worthy issue has occurred. Such statement must include, but is not limited to the following:

a. Dates of documents, actions, etc.; and

b. Names and titles of all involved parties; and,

c. Statements, activities, etc. of each involved party.

5. Resolution requested. State the requested resolution of the protest.

6. Attachments. List and include copies of all documents referenced in the protest. However, you do not need to send a copy of your Bid or this solicitation document.

Submit to: All protests shall be submitted to: ProcurementProtests@Lni.wa.gov

In the event of a timely protest, the Department may proceed further with the procurement it shall not execute the contract unless the protest is decided or in the case of exigent circumstances, until the Department of Enterprise Services or a designee makes a written determination that the award of the contract without delay is necessary to protect substantial interest of the Department.

PROTEST – DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT BY L&I

The written protest must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. local time in Olympia, Washington, five (5) business days following your firm’s Debriefing Conference.

mailto:ProcurementProtests@Lni.wa.gov

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 12 of 13 Preparing and Submitting the Bid

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING THE BID

29. COMPLETING THE BIDDER’S QUESTIONNAIRE

You must respond to the solicitation requirements by completing and returning to L&I the following documents, which in total are considered the Bidder’s Questionnaire:

1. RFX K6091 Bidder’s Questionnaire.docx, including the signed Certifications & Assurances.

Include additional pages as needed to respond to all information required. In all cases, adhere to page limits as may be stated in the Bidder’s Questionnaire.

WHEN ATTACHING ADDITIONAL PAGES for explaining answers or describing experience:

• Restate the number and the short title of the requirement; and,

• Write the response immediately after the short title.

Do not respond by referencing material presented elsewhere. The response provided immediately after the restatement of the requirement shall be considered complete and stands on its own merits. A response of “will comply” or “see above” or similar statement shall receive zero (0) points for scoring purposes. Failure to respond to any portion(s) of the Bidder’s Questionnaire may result in rejection of the bid as non-responsive and the bid will not be scored.

30. BIDDER IDENTIFICATION

The Bidder’s name must be entered at either the top or bottom of each page of the bid.

31. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

L&I reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the Bid submitted; there will be no best and final offer procedure. [NOTE: An exception is that the Solicitation Coordinator may contact the Bidder for clarification of a portion of the bid.] Therefore, the Bid should be initially submitted on the most favorable terms the Bidder can offer.

This solicitation, including the Contractor’s Bid, may become part of the awarded Contract. It is understood that the Bid will become a part of the official file on this matter without obligation to L&I.

32. SUBMISSION OF BID

All Proposals must arrive via attachment to an email, sent to the Solicitation Coordinator by the Bid Due Date as outlined in the Schedule, with the presentation and format as described below.

1. Bid attachments must be in Microsoft Word and Excel software as provided in the attachments on WEBS, except for the signed Certification and Assurances, which may be submitted separately with your bid in an Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format).

2. Please submit your Bid with this Subject Line: Your Company Name, Response to RFP K6091, Specialty x

Postal mailed or faxed Proposals WILL NOT be accepted.

Late Proposals shall not be accepted and shall automatically be disqualified from further consideration.

Delivery shall be at the Bidder’s sole risk to assure delivery at the designated time and to the designated email address. L&I does not take responsibility for any problems with the email.

File Name: K6091 RFP Page 13 of 13 Preparing and Submitting the Bid

33. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION & PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Any information contained in the bid that the Bidder desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under the provisions of RCW 42.56, must be clearly designated. The Bidder must cite the statute and briefly explain how it applies to the proprietary information supplied in the bid. The page and the particular exception/s from disclosure upon which the Bidder is making the claim must be identified. Each page claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the word "confidential" printed on the lower right hand corner of the page. Marking the entire bid as confidential will be neither accepted nor honored and may result in disclosure of the entire bid. The Bidder must be reasonable in designating information as confidential. Bids shall be deemed public records as defined in RCW 42.56 and RCW 39.26. Confidentiality is available only to the limited extent allowed in state law. L&I can choose to disclose despite information being marked as confidential.

34. COST OF PREPARING BIDS

L&I is not liable for any costs incurred by Bidders in the preparation and presentation of Bids submitted in response to this solicitation.

35. FAILURE TO COMPLY

The Bidder is specifically notified that failure to comply with any part of the solicitation may result in rejection of the Bid as non-responsive. Rejected, non-responsive Bids will not be scored. Failure to respond to any portions of the Bidder’s Questionnaire may result in rejection of the Bid as non-responsive and the Bid will not be scored.

36. ERRORS

L&I will not be liable for any errors in Bids. L&I reserves the right at its sole discretion, to make corrections or amendments due to minor administrative irregularities contained in any Bid.