Online_Reference_Checking_(Addendum_#1_Revision).pdf

COUNTY OF ORANGE

COUNTY PROCUREMENT OFFICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

FOR

ONLINE REFERENCE CHECKING

RFP NO. RFP 017-2667703-RE-B

County of Orange RFP

County Procurement Office - Online Reference Checking, RFP 017-2667703-RE-B

County of Orange

County Procurement Office

Procurement Services

400 West Civic Center

Santa Ana, CA

92701

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Release Project Date August 21, 2024

Question Submission Deadline August 28, 2024, 2:00pm

Question Response Deadline August 29, 2024, 2:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline October 1, 2024, 2:00pm

Contractor Selection Date TBD

**This is a proposed schedule that is subject to change. Any changes to the schedule for the RFP process will be issued to all Respondents via addenda on the County’s online bidding system https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov **

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED ON

OR BEFORE

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

2:00 pm https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov

SECTIONS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

SECTION 2. SCOPE OF WORK

SECTION 3. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 5. PRICING PROPOSAL

SECTION 6. ADDITIONAL WORK

SECTION 7. OCLSB AND DVBE PREFERENCE POLICIES CERTIFICATION

REQUIREMENTS

Attachments:

A - Draft Model Contract-RFP-017-2667703-RE-B

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The County of Orange, County Procurement Office (hereinafter referred to as “County”), is soliciting proposals from qualified firms (hereinafter referred to as “Respondents”) for Online

Reference Checking. Respondents must meet the minimum qualifications and requirements as set forth within the RFP and be capable of providing services identified in the Scope of Work herein. No guarantee is given by the County regarding usage of this Contract. No minimum or maximum number of referrals is guaranteed, expressed, or implied under this Contract.

Respondents that are interested in viewing County of Orange solicitations must register your company via the OPENGOV website for free. Please review the bid prior to submitting any questions. All questions must be submitted through OPENGOV website by the question and answer deadline. Respondents are advised to carefully read the county terms, conditions and insurance requirements prior to submitting a proposal. It is the respondent's responsibility to check back frequently on OPENGOV for any addendum or other information

1.2 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTAL

A. Proposals are to be uploaded via the County's Online Bidding System at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov

Note: This is a fully electronic Request for Proposals (RFP). Respondents must submit their proposals online via County’s online bidding system. Only electronic proposals will be accepted. Facsimile and e-mail proposals will NOT be allowed. For assistance on uploading proposals via County’s online bidding system, please contact procurement-support@opengov.com or https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/

B. Examine the Contract Documents and the site of the proposed work carefully before submitting a Proposal for the work contemplated. Investigate the conditions to be encountered, as to the character, quality, and quantities of work to be performed and materials to be furnished and as to the requirements of all Contract Documents.

The County has attempted to provide all information available. It is the responsibility of each Respondent to review, evaluate, and, where necessary, request any clarification prior to submission of a Proposal. If any person contemplating submitting a response to this Request for Proposals is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the solicitation documents attached hereto or finds discrepancies in or omissions from the specifications, they may submit a written request for clarification/interpretation to the County Deputy

Purchasing Agent (DPA) via the County’s online bidding system under the bid page for this solicitation.

If clarification or interpretation of this solicitation is considered necessary by County, an addendum shall be issued, and the information will be posted via the County’s online bidding system. Any interpretation of, or correction to, this solicitation shall be issued by the DPA. It is the responsibility of each Respondent to periodically check the County’s https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprocurement.opengov.com%2Flogin&data=05%7C01%7Cjessica.loy%40ocgov.com%7Ca945829bcd8d441710e608dbae35df8b%7Ce4449a56cd3d40baae3225a63deaab3b%7C0%7C0%7C638295318629814063%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=nz3f1bYe8rr5Cj1J6wc%2FzVq9ulgluhjV6%2FmB9uSML68%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprocurement.opengov.com%2Flogin&data=05%7C01%7Cjessica.loy%40ocgov.com%7Ca945829bcd8d441710e608dbae35df8b%7Ce4449a56cd3d40baae3225a63deaab3b%7C0%7C0%7C638295318629814063%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=nz3f1bYe8rr5Cj1J6wc%2FzVq9ulgluhjV6%2FmB9uSML68%3D&reserved=0 https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/ online bidding system to ensure that they have received and reviewed any and all addenda to this solicitation.

The County will not be responsible for any other explanations, corrections to, or interpretations of the documents, including any oral information. If an addendum is issued, proposers must acknowledge the addendum via the County’s online bidding system.

All questions or requests for interpretations must be received on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, before 2:00 pm as specified in the solicitation. Respondents are not to contact other

County personnel with any questions or clarifications concerning this RFP.

The DPA will provide all official communication concerning this RFP. Any County response relevant to this RFP other than through or approved by the DPA is unauthorized and will be considered invalid.

C. Proposals must be valid for a period of at least three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days from the closing date and time of receipt. No Proposal may be withdrawn after the submission date.

D. Each Respondent must submit their proposal electronically via the County’s online bidding system.

E. All pages must be numbered and identified sequentially by section. Proposals must be tabbed and indexed in accordance with the information requested in the Proposal

Response Requirements Section. It is imperative that all Respondents comply, exactly and completely, with the instructions set forth herein. All responses to this RFP shall be type written or word-processed (except where otherwise provided or noted), concise, straightforward, and must fully address each requirement and question. Although not as a substitute for a complete written response, additional material, such as technical documents, may be referenced in any response if the material is included in the same section as additional information.

F. Proposals are not to be marked as confidential or proprietary. The County may refuse to consider any Proposal so marked. All Proposals and supporting documents will be subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act (California Code

Government Code 6250 et seq.) (PRA) and will be disclosed or withheld in accordance therewith. The County shall not be liable in any way for disclosure of any such records.

Additionally, all Proposals shall become the property of the County. The County reserves the right to make use of any information or ideas in the Proposals submitted.

Respondents should not request that certain information be treated as exempt, and statements in the Proposals should not be marked as confidential or proprietary. In the event that any information is marked as confidential or proprietary, as it may be absolutely necessary, Respondents have the sole responsibility of obtaining any applicable injunctive reliefs to prevent the disclosure of such confidential proprietary information in connection with any request made to County pursuant to PRA or a subpoena for disclosure of such information.

G. Each Respondent shall exercise reasonable care and diligence to avoid submitting a

Proposal that could result in a conflict of interest if Respondent were to be selected. This obligation shall apply to the Respondent, the Respondent’s employees, agents, and relatives, sub-contractors, and third parties associated with accomplishing work and services in Proposal. In the event Respondent has done work for the County on this

Project in the past or has reason to believe that a conflict of interest may exist for

Respondent in regard to this Project, Respondent should consult with its legal counsel prior to responding to this RFP. Any Respondent who is found to have an actual conflict of interest may have its Proposal rejected on that ground.

Respondent, its employees and/or consultants may be subject to the provisions of the

California Political Reform Act of 1974 (the “Act”), which (1) requires such persons to disclose any financial interest that may be materially affected by services provided under this Contract, (2) prohibits such persons from making, or participating in making, decisions that could reasonably affect such interest; and (3) may require the filing a

Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700).

If subject to the Act, Respondent shall conform to all requirements of the Act. Failure to do so shall constitute a material breach and is grounds for immediate termination of the

Contract by County. Respondent shall indemnify and hold harmless County for any and all claims for damages resulting from Respondent’s violation of this Section.

H. By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent represents that it thoroughly examined the

County’s requirements, is familiar with the services required under this RFP and is qualified and capable of providing the services to achieve the County’s objectives.

I. Each Respondent must submit its Proposal in strict accordance with all requirements of this RFP and compliance must be stated in the Proposal. Deviations, clarifications and/or exceptions must be clearly identified and listed separately as alternative items on additional information section for the County’s consideration as specified in the Proposal Response Requirements Section, “Statement of Compliance.”

Note: Allow sufficient time to upload all required files.

J. County reserves the right to request proposal revisions and hold discussions and negotiations with any Respondent as necessary to serve the best interests of the County.

Any Proposal may be rejected if it is conditional, incomplete or deviates from specifications in this RFP. The County reserves the right to waive, at its discretion, any procedural irregularity, immaterial defects or other improprieties which the County deems reasonably correctable or otherwise not warranting rejection of the Proposal. Any waiver will not excuse a proponent from full compliance.

K. Pre-contractual expenses are not to be included in the Cost Proposal, Attachment B, Cost/Compensation. Pre-contractual expenses are defined as including, but not limited to, expenses incurred by the Respondent in: a) preparing its Proposal in response to this

RFP; b) submitting that Proposal to the County; c) negotiating with the County any matter related to the Respondent’s Proposal; and d) any other expenses incurred by the

Respondent prior to the date of award and execution, if any, of the Contract.

L. Any Proposal may be construed as non-responsive and ineligible for consideration if it does not comply with the requirements of the RFP. Failure to comply with the technical features and acknowledgment of receipt of addenda are common causes for holding a

Proposal nonresponsive.

M. Where two or more Respondents desire to submit a single Proposal in response to this solicitation, they must do so on a prime/subcontractor basis rather than as a joint venture.

The County intends to contract with a single firm that may subcontract with multiple firms (team) but not with multiple firms doing business as a joint venture.

N. County does not require and neither encourages nor discourages the use of lobbyists or other consultants for the purpose of securing business.

O. The County requires a valid D-U-N-S number prior to Contract Award. If needed, your company may obtain one at no cost at www.dnb.com. If you are unable to provide/obtain a D-U-N-S number, please indicate so in your proposal/bid submission response.

P. If applicable, the County requires a valid UEI number prior to Contract Award. If needed, your company may obtain one at no cost at www.usfcr.com. If you are unable to provide/obtain a UEI number, please indicate so in your proposal submission response.

Q. County reserves the right to: a) negotiate the final Contract with any Respondent(s); b) withdraw this RFP in whole or part at any time without prior notice (the County makes no representations that any Contract will be awarded to any Respondent responding to this RFP); c) award its total requirements to one Respondent or to apportion those requirements among two or more Respondents; d) reject any Proposal if it is conditional, incomplete or deviates significantly from the services requested in this RFP; and/or e) request Best and Final Offer from any Respondent determined to be within the competitive range. Unless requested by the County, late Best and Final Offers will not be accepted by the County for any reason. In addition, negotiations may or may not be conducted with Respondents. Therefore, Proposals submitted shall contain the

Respondent’s most favorable terms and conditions, since the selection and award may be made without discussion with any Respondent.

http://www.dnb.com/ http://www.usfcr.com/

1.3 PROTEST PROCEDURES:

All protests shall be typed under the protestor’s letterhead and submitted in accordance with the provisions stated herein. All protests shall include at a minimum the following information:

A. The name, address, and telephone number of the protestor.

B. The signature of the protestor or the protestor’s representative.

C. The solicitation or contract number.

D. A detailed statement of the legal and/or factual grounds for the protest; and, E. The form of relief requested.

F. Protest of Bid/Proposal Specifications: All protests related to proposal specifications must be submitted to the Deputy Purchasing Agent no later than five (5) business days prior to the RFP Closing Date for proposals. Protests received after the five (5) business-day deadline will not be considered by the County.

In the event the protest of specifications is denied, and the protestor wishes to continue in the solicitation process, the protestor must still submit a proposal prior to the close of the solicitation in accordance with the proposal submittal procedures provided in this RFP.

G. Protest of Award of Contract: In protests related to the award of a contract, the protest must be submitted no later than five (5) business days after the notice of intent award is provided by the DPA. Protests relating to a proposed contract award which are received after the five (5) business day deadline will not be considered by the County.

H. Protest Process

1. In the event of a timely protest, the County shall not proceed with the solicitation or award of the contract until the DPA renders a decision on the protest.

2. Upon receipt of a timely protest, the DPA will, within ten (10) business days of receipt of the protest, issue a decision in writing which shall state the reasons for the actions taken.

3. The County may, after providing written justification to be included in the procurement file, make the determination that an immediate award of the contract is necessary to protect the substantial interests of the County. The award of a contract shall in no way compromise the protestor’s right to the protest procedures outlined herein.

4. If the protestor disagrees with the decision of the, DPA the protestor may submit a written appeal to the County Procurement Officer requesting an appeal to the

Procurement Appeals Board, in accordance with the process stated below.

I. Appeal Process

1. If the protestor wishes to appeal the decision of the DPA, the protestor must submit, within three (3) business days from receipt of the DPA’s decision, a written appeal to the Office of the County Procurement Officer.

Written appeals must be sent by mail to the address below with a courtesy copy by email;

County of Orange/County Executive Office

County Procurement Office

400 W. Civic Center Drive, 5th Floor

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Attn: County Procurement Officer

CPOAppeals@ocgov.com

2. Within fifteen (15) business days, the County Procurement Officer will review all materials in connection with the grievance, assess the merits of the protest and provide a written determination that shall contain his or her decision on whether the appeal shall be forwarded to the Procurement Appeals Board.

3. The decision of the County Procurement Officer will be final and there shall be no right to any administrative appeals of this decision.

1.4 EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

Proposals deemed to meet all minimum RFP requirements will be scored based on the established criteria, and will be assigned points that measure the responsiveness to each identified criterion.

The total number of points earned will be tallied for each Proposal, based upon the Respondent(s) submitted written materials.

Proposals shall be evaluated by an Evaluation Committee of job knowledge experts on the basis of the responsiveness to the requirements in this RFP. The County may request clarifications, or otherwise verify the contents of the Proposal, including information about the Respondent, Contractors and sub-contractors. The County reserves the right to seek publicly available information about the Respondents.

The scoring is based on evaluation of the Proposal as measured against the Scoring Criteria.

Proposals will be evaluated from the most advantageous to the least advantageous to the County.

*Please note: These minimum qualifications must be verified for the Proposal to be deemed responsive. Any Proposal may be construed as non-responsive and ineligible for consideration if it does not comply with the requirements of the RFP.

mailto:CPOAppeals@ocgov.com

Minimum Qualifications/Requirements: Respondent’s Proposal shall meet the following minimum requirements and qualifications to proceed to the evaluation and scoring process:

Respondent must meet the following minimum requirements listed below:

A. Respondent must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing online reference check services for at least five years, which must be clearly stated or demonstrated in the proposal.

B. Respondent must also possess all permits, licenses, and professional credentials necessary to supply products and perform services specified under this RFP. Unless noted otherwise in the RFP, including any Addendum, Respondent is not required to submit copies or verification of the permits, licenses, and credentials; however, Respondent must provide such proof if requested by the County .

1.5 SELECTION/AWARD PROCESS

Upon the completion of the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee will make a recommendation for an award to DPA. Final award determination shall be subject to reference checks and past performance and may be subject to approval(s) by the County Board of

Supervisors. In addition, County reserves the right to verify and validate any information prior to the Contract Award and during the entire term of the Contract.

The Model Contract contained herein this RFP is the Contract proposed for execution. It may be modified to incorporate negotiated items and other pertinent terms and conditions set forth in this

RFP, including special conditions and requirements and those added by addendum, necessary attachments, and to reflect Respondent’s Proposal and qualifications. Any additional exceptions to the terms and conditions made by any Respondent after submission of its Proposal may result in its elimination from further consideration.

Negotiations may or may not be conducted with the finalist(s); therefore, the Proposal submitted should contain Respondent(s) most favorable terms and conditions, since the selection and award may be made without further discussion or need for clarification. Any additional exceptions to the terms and conditions made by any Respondent(s) after submission of its proposal may result in elimination from further consideration.

If a satisfactory Contract cannot be negotiated in a timely manner, County, in its sole discretion, may terminate negotiations with the selected Respondent and begin negotiations with the next

Respondent.

Exceptions to the terms and conditions of the proposed Contract or the statements regarding

Respondent’s inability to comply with any of the provisions thereof are to be declared in the response to the RFP in the Section below titled: "PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS" subsection titled: “Statement of Compliance”.

1.6 TITLE VI SOLICITATION NOTICE

The County of Orange, in accordance with the provisions of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

(78 Stat. 252, 42 USC §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Respondents that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this solicitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

1.7 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE FORM

W-9 REQUIREMENTS

Effective June 3, 2006, all Contractors, entering into a Contract with County, who are not already established in Countywide Accounting as an Auditor-Controller vendor, will be required to submit to County a federal Form W-9, or form W-8 for foreign vendors. County will inform Contractor, at the time of award, if the Form W-9 or W-8 will be required.

In order to comply with this County requirement, within ten (10) days of notification of selection of award of Contract but prior to official award of Contract, the selected Contractor agrees to furnish to Contract administrator, DPA, or the agency/department deputy purchasing agent the required W-9 or W-8.

1.8 COUNTY OF ORANGE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS (OCLSB) AND DISABLED

VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DVBE) PREFERENCE POLICIES:

A. OCLSB: Effective January 1, 2020, the Orange County Board of Supervisors adopted the

OCLSB Preference policy. Implementation of the OCLSB Preference policy supports local businesses, the local economy and the development of the County’s tax base.

To be certified as a Local Small Business by the County of Orange, a business shall meet

(1) and (2) below:

1. Local Business requirements:

a. Maintains their principal center of operations (i.e. headquarters) within Orange

County, and;

b. Has:

i. a business address located in the County of Orange that is not a post office box, or

ii. a valid business license or certificate of occupancy issued by the County of

Orange or by an Orange County city, or other documentation acceptable to the

County of Orange.

2. Small Business Requirements:

a. Must be certified as a Small Business by the State of California Department of

General Services (DGS); and,

b. DGS Small Business requirements must be valid at the time of bid/proposal submittal.

B. DVBE: Effective January 1, 2021, County of Orange Board of Supervisors adopted the

DVBE Preference policy. The DVBE Preference policy supports local business opportunity, economy and the development of the County’s tax base, and in addition recognizes the service and sacrifice given by the men and women of our Armed Forces.

To be certified as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise by the County of Orange, a business shall meet (1) and (2) below:

1. Must be certified as a DVBE by the State of California Department of General

Services (DGS); and,

2. DGS DVBE requirements must be valid at the time of bid/proposal submittal.

To participate as an OCLSB and/or DVBE please read and follow the process outlined in

EXHIBIT Titled - COUNTY OF ORANGE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS (OCLSB) AND

DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DVBE) CERTIFICATION

REQUIREMENTS.

SECTION 2. SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 GENERAL INFORMATION:

The County of Orange is comprised of 22 Departments and over 18,000 employees located throughout the County. The County’s core businesses are public safety, public works, construction management, public health, environmental protection, regional planning, public assistance, social services, and aviation.

2.2 BACKGROUND:

Human Resource Services, Recruiting Services, supports County of Orange Agencies by attracting, retaining, and developing a highly skilled and competent work force so that County agencies/departments can provide outstanding services to their customers. This is done through the facilitation of the recruitment process, which involves a series of steps that include an application period, assessments, selection interviews and, if successful, a job offer.

When a hiring department is considering selecting a candidate for a vacant position, the organization typically conducts a reference check. To conduct a reference check, the hiring manager or HR staff will call an individual to discuss the prospective candidate’s work history and work ethic. This individual is typically a current or former supervisor or manager of the prospective candidate and can discuss how the candidate has performed on the job in the past. The reference’s contact information is supplied by the candidate. In recent years, there has been a trend in employment practices in which reference checks have become harder to complete. Companies and organizations have been less willing to provide information on prospective candidates due to the risk of legal action by current or former employees. Some companies have enacted policies that will only allow their staff to verify dates of employment, but not allow them to answer questions about the candidate’s past performance and work ethic. In order to alleviate these issues and streamline the reference check process, the Recruiting Services team explored alternatives to the traditional reference check process. As part of these discussions, the team identified Electronic

Reference checks as a possible alternative to complete reference checks more quickly and with a greater degree of accuracy.

2.3 OBJECTIVE:

To streamline the completion of reference checks by utilizing an online platform to eliminate the need for hiring managers to call candidate references. To receive more accurate reference checks that have a greater degree of precision in predicting the future success of a prospective employee.

2.4 CONTRACTOR SHALL:

Provide data security and retention/archives in compliance with state and local requirements. Maintain confidentiality of candidate information and feedback from any individual reference.

Provide a library/bank of surveys to select from to ensure relevant questions are utilized in relation to a broad range of industries, disciplines, and position types.

Include security measures that eliminate opportunities for manipulation while ensuring compliance, consistency, and liability protection.

Have validated surveys that are free of bias and adverse impact.

Offer legally defensible questions that are compliant with federal and CA State employment laws.

The Contractor shall routinely monitor the data for compliance with federal EEOC guidelines.

Provide unlimited training and recordings or training materials available for County end users.

Clearly outline the pricing model (per check, per candidate, subscription), contract length, and renewal terms.

Provide a timeline with key milestones and estimated completion dates for implementation.

Specify data ownership and data transfer procedures in the event that the County switches platforms.

2.5 THE CONTRACTOR'S SYSTEM MUST:

Provide Recruitment Services the ability to create individual accounts for Recruiters, Referral Specialists, and managers to manage their assigned candidates and reference checks.

Offer multiple choice and open-ended questions.

Provide access to a bank of behavioral based interviewing questions.

Allow the County (client) administrator access to customize/edit questions to surveys or develop custom surveys and customize email notifications.

Allow customization for private label branding.

Enable candidates to communicate to their designated references about completing the survey through email and text message.

Have legally defensible questions that are compliant with federal and CA State employment laws. Contractor shall routinely monitor the data for compliance with federal EEOC guidelines.

Provide an automatic email reminder to candidates and references at 24- and 48-hour intervals.

Be available and accessible 24/7. Contractor will have a dedicated Client Relations Director, who is a direct contact during business hours, as well as a customer service line and email options within the system for end users to utilize.

Be reasonably easy to use and user friendly.

Be capable of aggregating data and generating a variety of reports, including those displaying candidate comparisons and passive candidates.

Possess the ability to verify the known IP addresses of candidates and references that interface with the platform.

Be accessible from mobile devices.

Maintain a record retention system and long-term storage of surveys and reports of no less than three years, which is consistent with the County of Orange’s Recruitment Rules and Policies.

Meet accessibility standards to accommodate users with disabilities.

2.6 DELIVERABLES/REPORTS:

All deliverables are to be provided online and in a format compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel and/or Access.

Deliverables/reports shall consist of, but not be limited to, the following:

• Summary reference report on each candidate in numeric and narrative formats.

• Comparison report between multiple candidates in numeric and narrative summary formats.

SECTION 3. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

3.1 PHASE 1

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Firm’s Background, Qualifications &

Experience Points Based 175

(35% of Total)

2. Key Personnel/Proposed Staffing Points Based 150 (30% of Total)

3. Quality/Effectiveness of Work Plan/Project

Approach Points Based 125

(25% of Total)

4. Organization/Completeness of Response Points Based 25 (5% of Total)

5. Compliance with the County Model

Contract

*Note: Respondents submitting exceptions to the County Model

Contract of this RFP will receive a score of “0” for this criterion.

Points Based 25 (5% of Total)

3.2 PHASE 2

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Presentation/Interview Scoring Format: 400 points maximum:

County reserves the right to conduct, or to not conduct, oral interviews and/or presentations with the highest-scored

Respondent(s). The decision whether to conduct oral interviews/presentations rests solely with County and the decision of the DPA is final. Respondents shall be ready to attend interview within fifteen

(15) calendar days of notification. Any inquiry to determine the responsibility of a Respondent to this RFP may be conducted. Respondent agrees that the submission of a Proposal is permission by

Respondent for County to verify all information contained therein. If County believes it necessary, additional information may be requested from

Respondent. The County may also send written questions and ask for written responses within five (5) business days.

Failure to comply with any such request may disqualify a Respondent from further consideration. Respondents must be prepared to discuss all aspects of their proposal in detail, including technical questions. Respondents will not be allowed to alter or amend their Proposal through the use of the presentation process.

NOTE: If interview/presentations are not conducted, the Written Proposal shall account for 900 total points of the scoring.

Points Based 400 (100% of Total)

3.3 PHASE 3

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Cost Proposal

Respondent shall provide a sealed Cost Proposal for both

Respondent and, if applicable, any subcontractors, at the time of interview. The Cost

Proposal will be evaluated as follows:

A. Lowest price receives the full score of 100 points.

B. Other scores are proportional to the lowest price.

If County elects not to conduct interviews for this solicitation, Deputy Purchasing Agent will contact Respondents to coordinate the submission of the Cost Proposal.

Points Based 100 (100% of Total)

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content with sufficient detail to allow for accurate evaluation and comparative analysis. Proposals are limited to 45 single sided pages. Response to Part 1 and

Part 2 will not count against the 45-page limit. All items listed in Part 3 will count against the page limit, no exceptions.

Note: Proposals that exceed the page limit noted above may be disqualified from further consideration.

Proposals must be electronically organized into three (3) sections and must be indexed in the order outlined below. List questions and your responses and/or attachments as numbered and listed within each section.

4.1 COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS (PART 1)*

Some *required questions might not be applicable to your company. Do not leave any required fields blank. Please indicate "N/A" when necessary. A required field that is left blank will prohibit your response from being submitted.

*indicates that it is required.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

4.2 VALIDITY OF PROPOSAL *

The County requires that all Proposals be valid for at least three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days. Submissions not valid for at least three hundred sixty-five (365) days will be considered nonresponsive. The Respondent shall state the length of time for which the submitted Proposal shall remain valid below:

Please state 365 calendar days if your proposal will be valid for that period of time. If your proposal will be valid for a different period of time please list the appropriate number of calendar days.

Maximum response length: 100 characters

*Response required

4.3 CERTIFICATION OF UNDERSTANDING *

The County assumes no responsibility for any understanding or representation made by any of its officers, employees or agents during or prior to the execution of any Contract resulting from this solicitation unless:

A. Such understanding or representations are expressly stated in the Contract; and

B. The Contract expressly provides that the County therefore assumes the responsibility.

Representations made but not expressly stated and for which liability is not expressly assumed by the County in the Contract shall be deemed only for the information of the Respondent.

Respondent certifies that such understanding has been considered in this response.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.4 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS STATEMENT*

Respondent shall certify that it meets all minimum qualifications and requirements set forth herein.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.5 CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE *

The Respondent shall certify its willingness and ability to provide the required insurance coverage and certificates as set forth in the Model Contract.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.6 W-9 REQUIREMENTS *

The Respondent shall certify its willingness and ability to provide W-9 Requirements as indicated in this RFP (will obtain at the time of award).

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.7 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE FORM

W-9 REQUIREMENTS

Effective June 3, 2006, all Contractors, entering into a Contract with County, who are not already established in Countywide Accounting System as an Auditor-Controller vendor, will be required to submit to County a federal Form W-9, or form W-8 for foreign vendors. County will inform

Contractor, at the time of award, if the Form W-9 or W-8 will be required.

In order to comply with this County requirement, within ten (10) days of notification of selection of award of Contract but prior to official award of Contract, the selected Contractor agrees to furnish to Contract administrator, DPA, or the agency/department deputy purchasing agent the required W-9 or W-8.

You may upload the appropriate form here or comply within the ten (10) days as described above.

4.8 CONFLICT OF INTEREST *

Respondent must certify and select option 1 or 2 below:

A. Respondent certifies current/past financial, business or other relationship(s) with the County exist/existed as follows:

A. Disclose any financial, business or other relationship with the County, any other entity that the County Board of Supervisors governs, or any County Board member, officer or employee, which may have an impact, affect or influence on the outcome of the services you propose to provide. Provide a list of current clients, employees, principals or shareholders (including family members) who may have a financial interest in the outcome of services you propose to provide.

B. Disclose any financial, business or other relationship within the last three (3) years with any firm or member of any firm who may have a financial interest in the outcome of the work.

2. Respondent certifies that no relationships exist/existed as outlined in item 1 above.

☐ 1. Respondent certifies current/past financial, business or other relationship(s) with the

County exist/existed as follows.

☐ 2. Respondent certifies that no relationships exist/existed as outlined in item 1 above.

4.9 STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE*

A statement of compliance with all parts of this RFP or a listing of exceptions and suggested changes must be submitted in response to this RFP.

• Yes: This response is in strict compliance with said RFP, including, but not limited to, the terms and conditions set forth in the Contract and its Attachments, and no exceptions thereto are proposed.

• No: If there are any proposed exceptions, Respondent shall answer "No" to this question and proceed to attach a list any and all exceptions in accordance with the instructions provided after "No" is selected.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "No"

4.9.1 Attachment for each proposed exception must include:*

A. The RFP page number and section of the provision Respondent is taking exception to;

B. The complete provision Respondent is taking exception to;

C. The Respondent’s suggested rewording;

D. Reason(s) for submitting the proposed exception; and

E. Any impact the proposed exception may have on cost, scheduling, or other areas.

*Response required

4.10 NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT*

Each Respondent must execute the Non-Collusion Declaration contained in the RFP and submit it with the Proposal.

The County of Orange may require that the Respondent, before awarding any subcontract, secure

Non-Collusion Declarations from proposed Subcontractors. The County of Orange does not conduct business with Respondents who engage in the act of Collusion.

• Non-Collusion_Affidavit.docx

*Response required

4.11 NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION - A*

Has your firm ever initiated discussions with competing consulting firms about the payment structure of an existing or potential future contract with the County of Orange? Respondent must select one (1). If Respondent selects Yes answer, Respondent must provide a brief explanation below. A “Yes” answer may preclude you from moving forward in the RFP

Process. Respondent must certify both questions below:

https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/65972/f9ecd2a8-fe8a-48fa-8fe6-ce482a914257_Non-Collusion_Affidavit.docx?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA47RIURE4ISUNWSG6%2F20240910%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240910T164236Z&X-Amz-Expires=72000&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEFAaCXVzLXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIDk8Lb5jd1N27Gi%2Fz2jNI8nqgT6hmpNLNQor3mNhTctJAiEAlElEPM0GX7Kw4Y3zs%2B7mRtp1wQ8PQFAm4ALtojA4GTAqgwUIeRACGgw4OTIzNjQ2ODc2NzIiDLNm26%2FI24l8tSOUAyrgBFDI9x2iSiVEuu1eUdAUbfiGtPHm2h8lexke4O6%2BPNXZIovaJPpQU7d6HOxm6kwIPx96q3j7rXmt5RuUHZrJXCRND%2FZWHZ4GsudyW5Iagi%2Bnb8Rl4U9GUjCSiQanhqzQzwqoPceho%2FAdGDl4M0lH22BuJDRMbypVPdsTkfQz0132RrZWz%2BOpbIsDbQe%2BFycpRt8h2gRFyXhG9dJtoOe85olaC1ohEou6t3PRkRKuVQBVqquSSTEZMDKFYj%2FbEshPnjWXst5mdvXqCZKZuiWWbL6nwnj%2FPsLUNaHRtI4cbABsXwSA5N09XtU0uy2lfz1DnMuatswX7BZ7p4RsWnA%2FI24%2FSj9%2B4cfh9eKAwXfVQKlzPTqOr%2BG5flnnICHJLZ1qJtpcfm4Gu7UiCDaQUh%2BVakU4VUkWa3RUcejkY0rraGGlrmGmsg78iVRRLjYejnzLW9JGcvBF70dBOkb7bM7zLBzUuVgpENBr9qV6IgO1G%2FPlSLLHGu7oy57Lp51dEwsaypAQmvUMKgY5wY9AkubOKLjH6qK5mGZLRQitAhpekhV%2FhmdxWg0zixRjxv%2BUV7WOirGrsl0WHhzctnmg0AmyIGQM%2FXtDiebKRg38Nku0jAwpgmSEg4Kpk6EbCFX00zvHvKu%2BVv5CDZwlneAy3Xae4TXcEZ4fLOhOtarAequVZS4skpbe9bNUZPNpiJGWw4%2BZub6fgBUGWcgDWngXLMwRe00evlquz9j7SMq%2F2HxQwDGcxUA6QIZoA0RqSCz5c6jcSZBBfGaIn%2FCy1UgnvNOMGD8tM2UGsxDxzcSfFQB11R0jMJnggbcGOpsBMn%2Fpyb7haDD6Ya45ViZbadsVpduZd0q0S0lWNFDeszOfe6da6CVLX2FRXDdPwSrBT8SqHSzF0Cq973f3HMJzJyhbpxDoiV44KAe2ljI0fUhrSkHfQYShKItryuAHuQzyN%2FC8OgojKcF246Z%2BgNIBkDWzcGUg%2FluOjBt%2BUTxZ6wpWllFFzCnseHa2ybpxB%2B886PwXdlg26qGw%2FQQ%3D&X-Amz-Signature=89e0ea4352c1ece6d4ab87290434411dcd61e52f86baa834c5497af045804d3e&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22Non-Collusion_Affidavit.docx%22&x-id=GetObject

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

4.11.1 Reason for Collusion:*

*Response required

4.12 NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION - B*

If not, has your firm participated in any discussions with competing firms in an effort to influence the payment structure for existing or potential County contracts? Respondent must select one (1).

A “Yes” answer may preclude you from moving forward in the RFP Process.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

4.12.1 Provide names of competing firms: *

*Response required

4.13 LITIGATION AGAINST COUNTY OF ORANGE IN THE PAST SEVEN (7)

YEARS*

Respondent must certify either Yes or No:

A. (Yes) Respondent certifies current/past litigation as follows:

1. Respondent shall provide detailed information regarding litigation (court and case number), liens, or claims involving Respondent, or any company that holds a controlling interest in Respondent, against County of Orange in the past seven (7) years.

B. (No) Respondent certifies that Respondent or any proposed subcontractors do not have any past or current litigation described above.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

4.13.1 Respondent shall provide detailed information regarding litigation (court and case number), liens, or claims involving any proposed subcontractors, or any company that holds a controlling interest in subcontractor firm(s), against County of

Orange in the past seven (7) years.*

4.14 NAME/OWNERSHIP CHANGES:*

Respondent must certify either Yes or No below:

A. (Yes) Respondent certifies past company name changes and/or ownership changes, for

Respondent’s firm and any proposed subcontractor firm, as follows:

1. Respondent shall provide detailed information regarding any company name changes

(including legal business names) in the past seven (7) years.

B. (No) Respondent certifies that Respondent or any proposed subcontractors have not had any company name change or ownership changes in the past seven (7) years.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

4.14.1 Respondent shall provide detailed information regarding any company ownership changes (including legal business names) in the past seven (7) years. *

*Response required

4.15 THE LEVINE ACT: COUNTY OF ORANGE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION

DISCLOSURE*

The Levine Act compliance is a minimum submittal requirement of this solicitation.

Please complete and sign the County of Orange Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form attached hereto. A proposer’s failure to provide a completed and signed copy will render its proposal as incomplete and nonresponsive.

• CAMPAIGN_CONTRIBUTION_DISCL...

*Response required

4.16 STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST (FORM 700)*

If subject to the Act, Respondent shall conform to all requirements of the Act. Failure to do so shall constitute a material breach and is grounds for immediate termination of the Contract by

County. Respondent shall indemnify and hold harmless County for any and all claims for damages resulting from Respondent’s violation of this Section.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.17 IS YOUR FIRM A COUNTY OF ORANGE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS (OCLSB)

OR A DISABLED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DVBE)?*

To participate as an OCLSB and/or DVBE, the requirements in the OCLSB AND DVBE

PREFERENCE POLICIES CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS must be met https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/65972/17b2bb06-5a3f-4635-bf4c-9f65d4ba382e_CAMPAIGN_CONTRIBUTION_DISCLOSURE_FORM_%281%29.docx?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA47RIURE4ISUNWSG6%2F20240910%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240910T164236Z&X-Amz-Expires=72000&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEFAaCXVzLXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIDk8Lb5jd1N27Gi%2Fz2jNI8nqgT6hmpNLNQor3mNhTctJAiEAlElEPM0GX7Kw4Y3zs%2B7mRtp1wQ8PQFAm4ALtojA4GTAqgwUIeRACGgw4OTIzNjQ2ODc2NzIiDLNm26%2FI24l8tSOUAyrgBFDI9x2iSiVEuu1eUdAUbfiGtPHm2h8lexke4O6%2BPNXZIovaJPpQU7d6HOxm6kwIPx96q3j7rXmt5RuUHZrJXCRND%2FZWHZ4GsudyW5Iagi%2Bnb8Rl4U9GUjCSiQanhqzQzwqoPceho%2FAdGDl4M0lH22BuJDRMbypVPdsTkfQz0132RrZWz%2BOpbIsDbQe%2BFycpRt8h2gRFyXhG9dJtoOe85olaC1ohEou6t3PRkRKuVQBVqquSSTEZMDKFYj%2FbEshPnjWXst5mdvXqCZKZuiWWbL6nwnj%2FPsLUNaHRtI4cbABsXwSA5N09XtU0uy2lfz1DnMuatswX7BZ7p4RsWnA%2FI24%2FSj9%2B4cfh9eKAwXfVQKlzPTqOr%2BG5flnnICHJLZ1qJtpcfm4Gu7UiCDaQUh%2BVakU4VUkWa3RUcejkY0rraGGlrmGmsg78iVRRLjYejnzLW9JGcvBF70dBOkb7bM7zLBzUuVgpENBr9qV6IgO1G%2FPlSLLHGu7oy57Lp51dEwsaypAQmvUMKgY5wY9AkubOKLjH6qK5mGZLRQitAhpekhV%2FhmdxWg0zixRjxv%2BUV7WOirGrsl0WHhzctnmg0AmyIGQM%2FXtDiebKRg38Nku0jAwpgmSEg4Kpk6EbCFX00zvHvKu%2BVv5CDZwlneAy3Xae4TXcEZ4fLOhOtarAequVZS4skpbe9bNUZPNpiJGWw4%2BZub6fgBUGWcgDWngXLMwRe00evlquz9j7SMq%2F2HxQwDGcxUA6QIZoA0RqSCz5c6jcSZBBfGaIn%2FCy1UgnvNOMGD8tM2UGsxDxzcSfFQB11R0jMJnggbcGOpsBMn%2Fpyb7haDD6Ya45ViZbadsVpduZd0q0S0lWNFDeszOfe6da6CVLX2FRXDdPwSrBT8SqHSzF0Cq973f3HMJzJyhbpxDoiV44KAe2ljI0fUhrSkHfQYShKItryuAHuQzyN%2FC8OgojKcF246Z%2BgNIBkDWzcGUg%2FluOjBt%2BUTxZ6wpWllFFzCnseHa2ybpxB%2B886PwXdlg26qGw%2FQQ%3D&X-Amz-Signature=90b0f5782f01d9e4edcfe8cfa12d35aae7fae87cc1093440e170d5104a909875&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22CAMPAIGN_CONTRIBUTION_DISCLOSURE_FORM_%281%29.docx%22&x-id=GetObject https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov/projects/110713/document?section=undefined https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov/projects/110713/document?section=undefined

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

4.17.1 OC Local Small Business (OCLSB) Preference And Disabled Veteran

Business Enterprise (DVBE) Certifications*

Instructions are located here: https://cpo.ocgov.com/doing-business-oc/preference-policies

• Local_Small_Business_(OCLSB...

*Response required

4.18 UPON RECOMMENDATION OF CONTRACT AWARD, RESPONDENT WILL

BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS WITHIN TEN

(10) DAYS OF COUNTY NOTIFICATION, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

IN THE RFP:*

A. Insurance Certificate(s) including additional Insured Endorsement(s) (see Model

Contract).

B. Current signed form W-9 (Taxpayer Identification Number & Certification) which includes

Respondent’s-legal business name(s).

C. Signed Contract – Selected Respondent will be required to sign a contract upon award. If selected Respondent is a corporation, signature will be provided in accordance with the corporation’s code as specified in this solicitation.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.19 I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND AGREE TO ALL STATEMENTS IN THIS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, AND TO THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND

ATTACHMENTS REFERENCED HEREIN.*

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

4.20 COMPANY PROFILE & REFERENCES (PART 2)

Some *required questions might not be applicable to your company. Do not leave any required fields blank. Please indicate "N/A" when necessary. A required field that is left blank will prohibit your response from being submitted.

*indicates that it is required.

4.20.1 Company Legal Name:*

*Response required https://cpo.ocgov.com/doing-business-oc/preference-policies…