MassArt RFP 26-10 Exec Search Firm Services.pdf

MassArt RFP # 26-10 Executive Search and Recruitment Search Firm Services

Request for Proposal # 26-10

Issue Date:

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Bid Deadline - Proposals Must Be Received By:

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 5 PM EST

Bids must be submitted electronically by emailing proposals to purchasing@massart.edu. Your electronic file should not exceed 10 megabytes. Subject line in your email should reference RFP 26-10, No paper or fax copies will be accepted.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, seeks proposals for executive search and recruitment search firm services.

I. Acquisition Method: Fee for service

II. Single or Multiple Contractors: Multiple

III. Use by Single or Multiple Departments: Other Massachusetts public higher education institutions have the option to use this competitively bid contract. MassArt will have no responsibility for other agency agreements or payments.

IV. Duration of Contract and Options to Extend: Any contract resulting from this RFP shall be for a duration of three years.

Either party may terminate this agreement without cause by giving to the other party not less than thirty (30) days advance written notice of both its election to do so and the effective date of termination. If this agreement is terminated the College shall have no further obligations other than payment for services already rendered and for expenses previously incurred.

Timeline

Bid Issued March 3, 2026 Deadline to submit written questions Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST Bid addendum issued answering questions Friday, March 13, 2026 Bid Deadline Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 5 PM EST Anticipated Bid Award Week of March 23, 2026

Any questions regarding the bid must be submitted in writing to purchasing@massart.edu by Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Please include MassArt RFP 26-10 in the subject of your email. An RFP addendum will be issued by end of day, Friday, March 13, 2026, containing written responses to all questions received. The College will not be able to address additional questions received after Wednesday, March 11th.

MassArt is not responsible for delays and will not open any proposals received later than the deadline date and time as put forth in this RFP.

Bid Distribution

This RFP has been distributed electronically using the Commonwealth of Massachusetts online solicitation system CommBuys (https://www.commbuys.com) as well as posted on the college’s website (massart.edu/public-bidding-opportunities). Interested parties are advised to check either of these sites throughout the RFP process to ensure they have the most recent information.

https://www.commbuys.com/

General Information

All terms, conditions, requirements, and procedures included in this RFP must be met for a proposal to be determined responsive. If a bidder fails to meet any material term, condition, requirement, or procedure, its proposal may be deemed unresponsive and disqualified.

Public Records Law

All material submitted by Vendors become the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not be returned to the Vendor. All responses and information submitted in response to this RFP are subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L., Chapter 66, Section 10, and to Chapter 4, Section 7, Subsection 26, regarding public access to such documents. Any statements reserving any confidentiality or privacy rights in submitted proposals or otherwise inconsistent with these statutes will be void and disregarded.

No Guarantee of Purchase

The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any contract resulting from this RFP. Any estimates or past procurement volumes referenced in this RFP are included only for the convenience of bidders, and are not to be relied upon as any indication of future purchase levels.

Bidding Alternates

If a Bidder is unable to meet any of the specifications required in this RFP, the Bidder’s Proposal must include an alternative method for meeting such specification by identifying the specification, the proposed alternative, and thoroughly describing how the alternative achieves substantially equivalent or better performance to the performance required in the RFP specification. The College will determine if a proposed alternative method of performance achieves substantially equivalent or better performance.

The goal of this RFP is to provide the best value of commodities and services to achieve the procurement goals of the College. Bidders proposing alternatives which provide substantially better or more cost-effective performance than achievable under a stated RFP specification, or Bidders that propose discounts, uncharged commodities and services or other benefits in addition to the RFP specifications may receive a preference or additional points under this RFP as specified.

Contract Documents

The contract between Massachusetts College of Art and Design and the successful Vendor will include as integral parts thereof:

• Commonwealth Standard Contract Form and Instructions, and the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions

• This RFP and amendments thereto

• Vendors response and amendments thereto

In the event of a conflict in language between any of the above-mentioned documents, the provisions and requirements set forth or referenced in the Commonwealth contract documents and this RFP with the Amendments shall govern. In the event that an issue is addressed in the response that is not addressed in the RFP, no conflict in language shall be deemed to occur.

Payments

All invoices submitted to MassArt will be due and payable within 30 days of receipt.

For all full Executive Searches, MassArt intends to structure the pricing for this contract based on milestones for the engagement, inclusive of “Indirect Expense Fees.”

Indirect expenses include communications and web portal applications, postage and courier deliveries, printing and production, public profile research, references and background checks.

Payment will be made based on completion of the following milestones as agreed upon by the parties:

• 33% of search fee to be invoiced at time of contract execution

• 33% of search fee to be invoiced at time of presentation of final qualified candidate pool.

Qualified candidate pool must be approved by campus search committee

• 34% of search fee to be invoiced upon executed candidate acceptance letter

In the event of a failed search*, MassArt will not issue the final payment to Contractor as per the payment terms defined in this document

*Failed searches: A failed search is defined as a search that does not result in an executed position acceptance letter by one of the candidates included in the contracted search.

Exception: Contractor puts forth a minimum of 3 qualified and viable candidates and MassArt elects to hire an internal candidate

Direct expenses, which include contractor's and candidate's travel related expenses and advertising expenses, must be pre-approved in writing by MassArt and include receipts.

Performance Guarantee

Performance and Replacement Guarantee for Tier 1 Full Executive Searches: Should MassArt hire a candidate whom the contractor has evaluated and recommended, and, if within one (1) year from the hired person’s employment start date, MassArt chooses to terminate the person for any reason (excepting disability, change of ownership, or organizational realignment), or the person leaves for any reason (excepting death, disability, change of ownership, or organizational realignment), then contractor will reopen the search and replace the person for no additional professional fee, provided that the new search commences within three (3) months of the employment termination date, unless both parties mutually agree on a later re-launch date. You will be responsible only for ordinary reimbursable expenses and an additional 10% of the original fee to cover additional indirect expenses.

Taxes, Fees, Assessments, Etc.

Vendors must pay all taxes, fees, and assessments associated with furnishing the products as part of the contract.

Contract Award

Awards will be made to Contractors that provide the best overall value for MassArt, utilizes best practice, strategic resources and tools in today’s talent acquisition landscape, and demonstrate the ability to provide MassArt with superior service. Firms should demonstrate their ability to skillfully communicate what makes MassArt distinctive, such as characteristics of the culture, history and generous Commonwealth benefits.

RFP Cancellation

The College reserves the right to cancel this bid at any time before a contract has been executed and approved, in which event the College will reject any and all bids received in response to this RFP.

Should the bid be canceled, all expenses related to preparation of response to this RFP remain the responsibility of the Vendor.

Contact Information Lucas Dean, Executive Director of Administrative Services Ldean@massart.edu Phone: 617.879.7935

Specifications and Description of Services

See Attachment #1 – Specifications

Certificate of Non-Collusion

The undersigned hereby certify under penalty of perjury that they are the only persons interested in this proposal, that it is made without any connections with any other persons making any bid for the same work, that no person acting for, or employed by, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is directly or indirectly influencing or attempting to influence any other person or corporation to bid or to refrain from bidding or to influence the amount of the bid or any other person or corporation; and that this response is in all respects bona fide, fair and made in good faith, without collusion or fraud with any natural person, joint venture, partnership, corporation or business or connection with any other person bidding from the same work.

Company Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ____________________________________

Print Name: ___________________________________ Title: ____________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________ Email: ____________________________________

Contact Person if Different Than Above: _________________________________________________________

Contact Information