OPA Commercial Appraisal Consultant 2026 RFP_Final.pdf

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Cherelle L. Parker, Mayor

James Aros Jr. Chief Assessment Officer, Office of Property Assessment

The City of Philadelphia

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR

COMMERCIAL APPRAISAL CONSULTANT

WORK SUMMARY:

The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) is seeking a Commercial Appraisal Consultant to assist the Department in support of activities related to establishing real property assessment values for multi-family, commercial, mixed use, and industrial properties in the City of

Philadelphia. The Consultant will also provide additional training for OPA employees as needed.

PROPOSED COMPENSATION:

Not to exceed $253,900

RFP ISSUE DATE:

September 14, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE:

No later than 5pm Philadelphia Time on October 1, 2026. A complete proposal must be submitted by this time to be considered. Proposals in-process are incomplete.

OFFICIAL RFP CONTACT:

Terron Loney

Budget Officer

Terron.Loney@phila.gov

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

All proposals must be submitted electronically to the correct contract opportunity established for this RFP (identified by opportunity number) through eContract Philly at https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/ mailto:Terron.Loney@phila.gov https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Values

1.2 Contracting with the City of Philadelphia

1.3 Contacting Us

1.4 Feedback about this RFP

2. THE OPPORTUNITY

2.1 Summary

2.2 Background

2.3 RFP Schedule

2.4 Outcome Goals

2.5 Award Terms

3. SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Description of Services

3.2 Performance Metrics, Contract Management & Payments

4. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

4.1 What You Must Include in Your Proposal

4.2 How To Submit Your Application

4.3 Proposal Binding

5. HOW WE CHOOSE

6. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING RFPs/PROPOSALS

6.1 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

6.2 Special Rules Applicable to Joint Ventures

6.3 Mandatory Political Contribution Disclosures and Penalties

6.4 Political Contribution Limits for City Contractors

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6.5 City Employee Conflict Provision

6.6 Reservation of Rights

6.7 Confidentiality and Public Disclosure

APPENDICES

Appendix A – General Provisions

Appendix B - City of Philadelphia Tax and Regulatory Status and Clearance Statement .. 26

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Values

The City of Philadelphia is committed to ensuring all businesses have access to contracting opportunities with the City and seeks to promote the economic development of small and local businesses.

1.2 Contracting with the City of Philadelphia

Consistent with our values, the City requires that all contractors and subcontractors comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, including:

Please closely review the City’s contract attachments including the standard terms and conditions found in the General Provisions under Appendix A of this RFP. Any contract resulting from this RFP will incorporate and be governed by these documents.

1.3 Contacting Us

For technical assistance with the eContract Philly website, email eContractPhilly@phila.gov or call

(215) 686-4914.

• Please note the phone number provided is not a live helpline.

IF ELIGIBLE, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO:

✓ Apply for Local Business Entity (LBE) certification with City’s Procurement Department. If you provide your LBE status and/or promise to have a Local Impact, this must be used by the contracting department as a positive factor in evaluation and potential selection.

Additionally, some opportunities are exclusively reserved for LBE certified businesses.

✓ Get Paid Faster! Enroll on the Vendor Payment Portal to effortlessly submit electronic invoices and monitor payment progress 24/7. The process of submitting invoices through the Vendor Payment Portal is user-friendly, efficient, and free.

CITY BUSINESS

LICENSES AND

PERMIT

REQUIREMENTS

PAYMENT OF CITY

BUSINESS TAXES

OR OTHER

INDEBTEDNESS

OWED TO THE CITY

CHAPTER 17-1300.

PHILADELPHIA 21ST

CENTURY MINIMUM

WAGE AND BENEFITS

STANDARD

1 2 3 mailto:eContractPhilly@phila.gov https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/bidding-on-a-city-contract/get-certified-as-a-local-business-entity/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvendor-payments.phila.gov%2Flogin&data=05%7C01%7CMihir.Mulloth%40phila.gov%7Cd3a519484f624cce6fc708db9fe39835%7C2046864f68ea497daf34a6629a6cd700%7C0%7C0%7C638279572083787221%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=EktpSPaS%2B8p3KxRyI13X2Icwkl9aYLDJ0KfEzw1NsTI%3D&reserved=0 https://business.phila.gov/ https://business.phila.gov/ https://business.phila.gov/ https://business.phila.gov/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/business-taxes/ https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296070 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296070 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296070 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296070 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296070

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• Allow for two (2) business days prior to any application deadline to receive a response to your request. The City will not extend a deadline even if it has not responded to your question or request.

• All other questions regarding the RFP, including substantive questions, must be submitted in accordance with Section 2.3. Applicants are otherwise prohibited from contacting City representatives concerning this RFP or related matters.

1.4 Feedback about this RFP

The City recently updated the design of the RFP we use for Professional Services, and would like feedback from vendors. If you have feedback you would like to share, please complete this voluntary survey. Thank you.

https://phila.formstack.com/forms/updated_rfp_feedback_survey https://phila.formstack.com/forms/updated_rfp_feedback_survey

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2. THE OPPORTUNITY

2.1 Summary

The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) is seeking a Commercial Appraisal Consultant to assist the department in support of activities related to establishing real property assessment values for multifamily, commercial, mixed use, and industrial properties in the City of Philadelphia. The

Commercial Appraisal Consultant will provide appraisal, valuation advisory, analytical, and training services in support of OPA’s commercial assessment functions. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Conducting annual and periodic market studies for commercial, industrial, institutional, and specialty property sectors, including capitalization rates, rents, income and expenses, vacancy, sales, and market trends.

- Serving as a subject matter expert in the development, review, and refinement of mass appraisal models, methodologies, and valuation practices.

- Providing consultation and appraisal review for individual properties and assessment appeals, including valuation analysis and staff coaching related to appeal preparation and testimony.

- Providing valuation advisory and quality assurance support to improve accuracy, consistency, uniformity, documentation, and overall valuation practices.

- Developing practical valuation methodologies, tools, reference materials, and resources for ongoing use by OPA valuation staff.

- Providing staff training on commercial appraisal fundamentals, valuation methodology, appraisal review, mass appraisal, market trends, and other relevant real estate topics.

All services shall be performed in accordance with USPAP and generally accepted appraisal practices. The scope of services may be modified throughout the engagement to address changing market conditions, revaluation priorities, appeals, legislative developments, operational requirements, special projects, or other appraisal-related needs as requested by the Chief

Assessment Officer. Contract hours are estimated at 40 – 60 per month.

2.2 Background

Office of Property Assessment Overview

OPA estimates the market value of all real property in the City and County of Philadelphia and is dedicated to doing so in a fair, equitable, and understandable manner. OPA’s primary goal, through ongoing revaluations, is to improve the accuracy and uniformity of all property values and to instill confidence in Philadelphia taxpayers regarding the fairness of the property tax system. Additionally, OPA formulates assessment policy, establishes assessment geographic market areas, keeps records of assessments and real property data characteristics, maintains surveys and other assessment materials, and provides notices of valuation. OPA reports the aggregate change of assessments on an annual basis to the Mayor, City Council, and Board of Education. OPA administers all tax

7 | P a g e abatement programs for new residential construction, residential rehabilitation, and construction and improvement of business properties, as well as some exemptions.

Project Background

OPA estimates the market value of more than 580,000 residential, commercial, industrial and institutional properties in Philadelphia through mass appraisal valuation, for the purposes of ad valorum taxation. Assessed values for commercial and large multi-family properties are estimated by analyzing recent sales, costs of operation, income generated, or the cost of land and construction. OPA utilizes multiple resources to keep property information up to date. OPA seeks assistance related to establishing and defending real property assessment values for multi-family, commercial, mixed use, and industrial properties in the City of Philadelphia.

Problem Statement

OPA continues to maintain compliance with the International Association of Assessing Officers

(IAAO) industry standards for uniformity, appraisal level, and equity. For the tax years in which a citywide revaluation is conducted, OPA may receive approximately 20,000 First Level Review appeals in addition to approximately 13,000 formal appeals that are submitted to the BRT. In order to address appeals in a fair and timely manner, OPA requires additional support at BRT appeal hearings. Additionally, to ensure OPA evaluation staff remain aligned with evolving industry practices and regulatory changes, OPA requires ongoing education and training.

2.3 RFP Schedule

RFP Posted September 14, 2026

Applicant Questions Due

Applicants must submit questions regarding this opportunity by September 18, 2026, at 5PM Philadelphia time. All questions must be submitted via email to

Terron.Loney@phila.gov.

Answers Posted on eContract

Philly September 24, 2026, 5pm Philadelphia time

Proposals Due October 1, 2026, 5pm Philadelphia time

Applicant Interviews, Presentations

(City Discretion)

Week of October 5, 2026

Applicant Selection October 16, 2026

Contract Execution November 1, 2026

Commencement of Work November 1, 2026

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The above dates are estimates only. Notice of changes in any pre-proposal meeting or site visit date, time or location, due date for Applicant questions, or proposal due date will be posted as a notice/Addendum with the original RFP on eContract Philly and will become a part of the RFP.

2.4 Outcome Goals

OPA’s goal is to maintain compliance with the IAAO industry standards for uniformity, appraisal level, and equity while improving current performance. The goal of the engagement is not solely to provide outside appraisal services, but to strengthen OPA's internal commercial valuation, improve the quality and defensibility of assessments, and establish fair, equitable valuation methodologies and bring institutional knowledge that can be maintained by OPA staff. With assistance from a Commercial Appraisal Consultant, OPA will be able to efficiently address BRT appeals.

2.5 Award Terms

Term

The term of this contract is expected to start on or about

November 1, 2026, and end on or about October 31, 2027.

The City may, at its sole option, amend the contract to add up to 4 additional terms, each not to exceed one year.

Compensation Contract will state maximum compensation including all expenses not to exceed $253,900.

Cost Proposal Type

Proposals should be fixed-priced.

Terms of Payment Payment upon completion and approval of specified work, monthly invoicing and payments.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The Commercial Appraisal Consultant will provide appraisal, valuation advisory, analytical, and training services in support of OPA’s commercial assessment functions. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Ensuring uniform real property assessment values for commercial parcels.

- Conducting annual and periodic market studies for commercial, industrial, institutional, and specialty property sectors, including capitalization rates, rents, income and expenses, vacancy, sales, and market trends.

- Serving as a subject matter expert in the development, review, and refinement of mass appraisal models, methodologies, and valuation practices.

- Providing consultation and appraisal review for individual properties and assessment appeals, including valuation analysis and staff coaching related to appeal preparation and testimony.

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- Defending commercial and industrial real property assessment values on appeal.

- Providing valuation advisory and quality assurance support to improve accuracy, consistency, uniformity, documentation, and overall valuation practices.

- Developing practical valuation methodologies, income models, tools, reference materials, and resources for ongoing use by OPA valuation staff.

- Providing staff training on commercial appraisal fundamentals, valuation methodology, appraisal review, mass appraisal, market trends, and other relevant real estate topics.

All services shall be performed in accordance with USPAP and generally accepted appraisal practices. The scope of services may be modified throughout the engagement to address changing market conditions, revaluation priorities, appeals, legislative developments, operational requirements, special projects, or other appraisal-related needs as requested by the Chief

Assessment Officer. Contract hours are estimated at 40 – 60 per month.

3.1 Description of Services

This Section 3.1, Description of Services includes the requirements for the project, including the services to be performed and the deliverables that must be met by the selected Applicant. The City reserves the right to change certain service requirements or deliverables based on changed circumstances, like a change in the business or technical environment or contract negotiations with

Applicant(s) selected for negotiations, without issuing a revised RFP.

Applicants should read this section closely. An Applicant’s proposed scope of work must detail how they will meet the service requirements or achieve the deliverables described in this section.

Applicants may also propose additional or revised services or deliverables to achieve the outcomes described in Section 2.4 Outcome Goals of this RFP. However, Applicants must explain why each of these additional services or deliverables are necessary, and when and how they will be completed.

Service Requirements

The Department requires at least the services listed below, including the specific tasks and work activities described.

• Data Collection - The Applicant shall review the data currently available to OPA for a sample of properties included in the Project. Based on this review, the Applicant shall prepare and execute a plan to supplement the currently available data to ensure that adequate data is available to assess the properties. The Applicant shall make use of commercial real estate data services, “the services”, to supplement the data gathered by OPA. Should the Applicant wish to supplement the services currently available to them, they should propose to OPA that it subscribe to the services or authorize the Applicant to subscribe to the services, in which case OPA will reimburse the Applicant for the actual cost of the services. In preparing this plan, the appraiser’s review shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

o Parcel Inventory Data – The Applicant shall ensure that OPA has adequate physical inventory information to support estimate of values for properties in the Project. If necessary, the Applicant will identify the supplemental data required and the preferred method for gathering the information from the property owner (written questionnaire, telephone interview, site visit). OPA staff will gather the information.

10 | P a g e o Sales Verification Information – The Applicant shall ensure that OPA has adequate data on sales of properties in the Project which occurred on or after January 1, 2014.

The data shall be adequate to determine whether the sale is arms-length between the parties and to, if necessary, calculate an adjusted sales price for purposes of the sales comparison approach. If necessary, the Applicant will identify the supplemental data required and the preferred method for gathering the information from the property owner. OPA staff will gather the information.

o Income & Expense Information – The Applicant shall prepare a questionnaire(s) to gather income and expense information for calendar year 2026 for Properties in the

Project. OPA staff shall prepare and distribute questionnaires to property owners and follow up as required to ensure adequate data for use in the Project.

• Development of Valuation Schedules - The Applicant shall develop one or more Valuation

Schedules for each Valuation Area. The number of Valuation Schedules in each Area shall correspond to the number of building classes found in the area. The Valuation Schedules will be used to estimate the total value of properties. The Applicant shall develop Valuation

Schedules for all classes of properties using the income and expense approach. When there is adequate sales information available, the Applicant shall develop Valuation Schedules using a sales comparison approach. Pennsylvania law requires OPA to assign a land value to each property, which is a portion of the total value of the property. The Applicant shall include land valuation schedules in each Valuation Schedule developed.

o Income and Expense Approach – The Applicant shall analyze data collected from the

Income and Expense Questionnaires described above as well as information from commercial data services available to the Applicant to develop Valuation Schedules using the Income and Expense Approach. Each Schedule shall include, but not be limited to, typical gross incomes, vacancy rates, net incomes, and expense ratios. The developed income figures shall be capitalized using overall capitalization rates and, when appropriate, gross rent multipliers.

o Sales Comparison Approach – When an adequate number of sales have occurred, the Applicant shall analyze data collected from the Sales Verification process described above as well as information from commercial data services available to the Applicant to develop Valuation Schedules using the Sales Comparison Approach.

The Schedules shall be based on sales price per square foot.

o Land Value – The Applicant shall analyze data on sales of arms-length sales of vacant properties as well as information from commercial data services available to the

Applicant to develop Land Valuation Schedules. These Schedules may be based on a dollar per front foot, dollar per front foot with depth adjustment, or dollar per square foot approach.

• Determination of Advisory Values - OPA staff shall apply the Valuation Schedules described above to the properties included in the Project. The Applicant shall provide technical support to OPA staff as required while they apply the Schedules. When OPA has completed the application of the Schedules, the Applicant shall review a sample of Properties to ensure that the Schedules were applied in an accurate and consistent manner.

• Determination of Assessed Values - The Chief Assessment Officer, or his designee, shall determine the Assessed Values to be entered on the 2029 assessment roll. These values may be the same as, higher, or lower than the Advisory Values described above. OPA will notify

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Property owners by mail when their 2029 Assessed Value differs from their 2028 Assessed

Value.

• Additional Training of OPA Evaluators - Throughout the engagement, the Applicant will work cooperatively with, and provide hands-on training to the OPA evaluators. In completing the tasks described below, the Applicant will, whenever possible, assign elements of the tasks to the OPA evaluators. When appropriate, the Applicant will recommend to OPA additional classroom training for the OPA evaluators in one or more elements of commercial appraisal theory and process. Should OPA approve the recommendation, this training may be provided or by the Applicant themselves or by outside professional organizations.

• Defense of Values - The Applicant shall, at OPA’s request, assist OPA in supporting the

Assessed Values of properties included in the Project during the Appeals process. The

Applicant may decline to support Assessed Values that are higher than the Advisory Values.

The Appeals process in Pennsylvania has three stages, which are described below:

o First Level Review – These are requested by the property owner and conducted by the OPA commercial Evaluator. They are informal in nature. They may include a telephone conversation, a face-to-face meeting, and/or, when appropriate, an inspection of the property. If the OPA Evaluator believes that an adjustment in value is appropriate, the Evaluator submits it to OPA.

o Board of Revision of Taxes Appeals – The Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT) is a seven-member Board provided for in the City Charter. The members are appointed by the

Judges of the Common Pleas Court. Property owners who feel that their assessment is incorrect may file a written appeal with the Board. Property owners may request an oral hearing with the Board. At the hearing, the owner or his agents, and OPA may provide arguments and enter written evidence in support of their position.

Following the hearing, the BRT may deny the appeal or adjust the assessed value.

The BRT issues a written ruling to the parties.

o Court Appeals – If Appellant is dissatisfied with the ruling issued by the BRT, they have the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Common Pleas. These appeals may require testimony by an expert witness.

General Requirements

The Applicant must have a valid Pennsylvania State Certified General Appraiser certification and must have in depth understanding of all valuation approaches as well as having completed assignments on complex property types. A minimum of 10 years of appraisal experience is required. Successful

Applicant should be experienced in commercial real property appraisals including, but not limited to:

office properties, shopping centers, riverfront, industrial, hotels, apartments, contaminated properties, subdivisions, condominiums, and special purpose properties. Experience with historic properties, easements, leaseholds, tax credits, and historic preservation is also desirable. The

Applicant must have extensive experience in appraising all types of properties in the City of

Philadelphia. The Applicant should understand and be able to utilize the three approaches to value, and have experience with Income Approach and techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis.

Familiarity and experience working with government bodies, including city agencies, departments, and authorities is desirable but not required. Applicants should be prepared to work in a confidential environment. Supplemental consideration will be given to other professional qualifications and designations such as MAI, SRPA, ASA, and CRE. Knowledge of assessment concepts and procedures as well as experience in assessment practices is required. The Applicant must have good

12 | P a g e communication skills and have experience in teaching appraisal valuation topics. Experience testifying as an expert witness is required, including testimony as an expert witness in Commonwealth Court.

Definitions:

Unless specified otherwise, words, phrases, abbreviations and/or acronyms have the following meanings:

• MAI - Member of Appraisal Institute

• SRA - Senior Residential Appraiser

• ASA - American Society of Appraiser

• CRE - Counselor of Real Estate

3.2 Performance Metrics, Contract Management & Payments

Performance Metrics

The City of Philadelphia is interested in identifying metrics in order to monitor and improve performance during the life of the contract. The OPA has identified the following metrics and will work with the awarded provider(s) to add to or refine this list during contract negotiations. The final set of performance metrics and frequency of collection will be negotiated by each successful

Applicant and the OPA prior to the finalization of an agreement between parties and may be adjusted over time as needed.

Performance Metric Data

Source

Data

Collection

Frequency

Data Collection

Responsibility

Data

Review

Cadence

Past

Performance

Benchmark

(if known)

Teach or assist in the creation of 2-4

Continuing Education classes for the

Certified Pennsylvania

Evaluator license for each renewal cycle (2 years).

N/A

Maintain office hours onsite at OPA for a minimum of 10 hours per month.

Responsiveness and timeliness in communication

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

90% of assignments delivered without needing more than 2 follow-ups

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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Contract Performance Monitoring

As part of the City of Philadelphia’s commitment to improved outcomes, the City seeks to actively and regularly monitor service delivery to enhance contract management, improve results, and adjust service delivery based on learning what works. Reliable and relevant data is necessary to drive service improvements, ensure compliance, inform trends to be monitored, and evaluate results and performance. As such, the City reserves the right to request/collect other key data and metrics from providers related to the performance of the contract and to reject any item of work that does not meet the performance standards described in the contract.

How We Will Pay the Selected Applicant

The contract for each chosen provider will include a contract maximum amount that cannot be exceeded without a written contract amendment. Applicants must provide a detailed cost proposal, with a line-item breakdown of the costs for specific services and work products proposed. Cost proposals must be “fixed price” proposals. The proposed price must include all costs that will be charged to the City for the services and tangible work products the Applicant proposes to perform and deliver to complete the project, including, but not limited to, costs for the following, if the

Department is to pay for them: employee compensation and fringe benefits; communication;

printing; administrative expenses; bonding; acquisition of real estate; rent, utilities, maintenance and security related to real estate; travel (reimbursable only at rates approved by the Department);

project management; development; testing; implementation; maintenance; training; and all other work proposed. If Applicants propose an hourly rate, Applicants must state hourly rates for all personnel, identified by education level, skill set, experience level, and job title, who will perform work under any contract resulting from this RFP; The total hourly rates cannot exceed the fixed price on contract. Any contract resulting from this RFP will provide for a not-to-exceed amount in the compensation section of the contract.

4. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

4.1 What You Must Include in Your Proposal

For your proposal to be considered, proposals must be submitted:

a) electronically;

b) through the City’s designated system (not email);

c) before the deadline; and,

d) signed by an authorized representative of the Applicant.

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Additionally, your proposal must include the information listed in the Proposal Requirements below and be organized in the order shown. Failure to submit your proposal in the manner and format required by this RFP may result in your proposal being rejected.

Proposal Requirements:

1. Table of Contents

2. Introduction/Executive Summary (Give a short description of your proposal.)

Provide an overview of your company, the goods or services you offer and how you plan to meet the

City’s needs.

3. Applicant Profile (Tell the City about yourself).

Please complete the Applicant information sheet and include it with your proposal submission.

Part 1. Please provide the following for the Applicant’s Business:

1. Name of Business

2. Business Address

3. Telephone Number

4. Fax Number (if applicable)

5. E-mail Address

6. Website Address

7. Federal Taxpayer Identification Number or Federal Employer Identification Number

Part 2. Please provide the following for the Applicant’s Primary Contact:

1. Name

2. Job Title

3. Address

4. Telephone Number

5. Fax Number (if applicable)

6. E-mail Address

Part 3. Please provide a description of the Applicant’s business background by answering the following:

1. What is the Applicant’s Business Organization type (i.e. corporation, partnership, LLC, for or not for profit, etc.)?

2. Is the Applicant’s Business registered to do business in Philadelphia and/or Pennsylvania?

3. What is the country and state of the Applicant’s business’ formation?

4. How many years has the Applicant’s business been operating?

5. What is the primary mission of the Applicant’s business?

6. What is the Applicant’s significant business experience?

4. Proposed Scope of Work (Tell the City what you propose to do).

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Review Section 3 of this RFP, “Scope of Work” and directly state what services and materials you will provide to meet the City’s described needs. Be specific, and, as necessary, describe your services and materials in plain language for the evaluation team to understand. Include a proposed budget or cost proposal, and a schedule for when the services and materials will be provided.

5. Statement of Qualifications; Relevant Experience (Tell the City why you are the best choice).

Provide a statement of your relevant qualifications and demonstrate how your experience meets or exceeds the City’s requirements. Include a list and description of similar projects you have worked on, including the number of such projects and the amount of time spent on them.

6. References (Tell us who can vouch for similar work you have completed).

Provide at least three references, preferably for projects that are similar to the work sought by this

RFP. Include the company/entity, a contact person’s name, the contact person’s title, their address, their email address, and telephone number. The more similar the reference is to the City the better, such as other local government entities.

7. Proposed Subcontractors (Tell the City who will work with you).

Please provide a complete list of prospective subcontractors with whom you plan to work on this project. Include:

• Company Name

• EIN

• Scope of Work

• Percentage of total work allocated to each firm

8. Requested Exceptions to Contract Terms (Tell the City any changes you would like to the contract).

In exceptional cases, a successful Applicant might be afforded exceptions to the City’s Contract

Terms. State if you would like to request exceptions to the City’s Contract Terms, including those contained in this RFP, including Appendix A and any other documents incorporated by link or reference. Identify the location of the proposed change as well as possible (noting the document, section, heading, and page), the reason for the change request, and proposed alternative language.

The City may consider your proposed changes or may disqualify your proposal at its option.

However, please be aware that exceptions are not made often and so you should thoroughly explain why the change is necessary and appropriate for the contract. Any proposed exceptions to the City’s

Contract Terms are subject to various internal review procedures before they can be accepted.

Note: Your proposal is a binding offer to contract and failure to propose exceptions binds you to the

City’s terms, if your proposal is accepted.

9. Tax and Regulatory Status and Clearance Statement (Certify that you do not owe the City).

Obtain a Tax Clearance Certificate and complete Appendix B attesting to Applicant’s tax and regulatory compliance with the City.

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10. Disclosure of Litigation, Administrative Proceedings, and Contract Defaults (Tell the City about any legal proceedings or contract disputes your company or its leaders were involved with).

Provide a description of any legal proceedings or contract disputes in the past five (5) years that might affect your business, finances, or ability to perform the work described by this RFP. Include all instances of litigation, bankruptcy, debarment, suspension, contract default claims, any criminal conviction or indictments, settlements, and court or administrative orders. For each matter, state the name and nature of the matter, the parties involved, and its current status. For contract disputes, provide the name and contact information for the opposing party. Provide the same information for any matter involving an officer, director, principal, partner, or affiliate of the

Applicant, and for any intended subcontractor of the Applicant.

11. Statement of Financial Capacity (Demonstrate how stable your business is).

Provide documentation demonstrating fiscal solvency and financial capability to perform the work sought by this RFP. You may include any of the following:

• A general, independent statement of the Applicant’s financial condition, prepared by an external auditor or accountant;

• Applicant’s most recent audited or unaudited financial statements, including:

o Balance Sheet, o Income Statement, or o Cashflow Statement;

• Most recent IRS Form 990 (for non-profit organizations only); or,

• Any other documentation that demonstrates your financial capacity to meet the requirements of this RFP.

12. Local Business Entity or Local Impact Certification (Tell the City if you are a local business or how you envision affecting the local economy).

The City is committed to leveraging its buying power to uplift and grow our local economy, which will result in more jobs for Philadelphians, including local and small businesses. For this reason, the City will consider local impact as a significant factor in our proposal evaluation for this contracting opportunity. If you meet the requirements of a certified Local Business Entity (LBE), we strongly recommend that you get certified for free by following the steps found HERE and include a copy of your certification with your proposal and/or include a statement about how you envision impacting the local economy through this work.

13. Disclosure Requirements (Tell the City about your political contributions).

Excess political contributions to City candidates and incumbents can disqualify you from a City contract. Complete the mandatory disclosures required as part of the electronic application process in eContract Philly, including any local political campaign contributions, by selecting “Apply for

Contract” from the opportunity information screen (where this RFP was located). Additional information and instructions are located under the “Disclosure/Eligibility” tab on the top of the eContract Philly homepage. Please make sure to review these requirements closely before completing these disclosure forms.

https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/bidding-on-a-city-contract/get-certified-as-a-local-business-entity/ https://philawx.phila.gov/ECONTRACT/default.aspx

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4.2 How To Submit Your Application

Online Submission Required by the Application Deadline

You must complete your application through eContract Philly before the deadline to be considered for this contract opportunity. Proposals may be changed at any time up until the submission deadline and the City will not review your proposal until after the deadline. The proposal is not considered submitted until the “submit” button is pressed at the conclusion of the eContract Philly submission process. You will receive a confirmation email that your Application was submitted.

Applicants are encouraged to allow sufficient time to complete the application process in order to become familiar with the requirements of the eContract Philly interface, upload all required documents, and resolve any technical issues prior to the submission deadline. The City need not accept, and may discard, responses that are incomplete, late, or submitted in any other format.

Electronic File Limitations eContract Philly accepts attachments up to 8MB of the following file types: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project, Adobe PDF or in a compressed zip file. Larger attachments must be split into smaller attachments to accommodate this file size limitation. There is no limit to the number of attachments that may be uploaded.

Every Entity Applies for Itself

Except in the case of Joint Ventures, which follow special rules described below, every entity must apply for itself. If the prospective applicant is not already registered with eContract Philly, you must first register for an account before you can apply to this opportunity. Note that each legal entity must have a separate account; you may not utilize or repurpose another entity’s account for this application. To identify each legal entity, the eContract Philly application system uses an entity’s

Taxpayer Identification Number, either a Social Security Number (SSN) or Employer Identification

Number (EIN). Make sure the Tax Identification Number associated with your profile matches the

Tax Identification Number of the company that is applying. Applications from an affiliated entity or made on another entity’s behalf will cause the City to reject the proposal.

See the Joint Venture rules if you are applying on behalf of a Joint Venture.

Use the Submission Checklist Below

This is a tool to help you to submit a complete, accurate, responsive, and on time application.

DOES MY RESPONSE MEET THE PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS?

Did you submit the proposal before the stated deadline of this RFP?

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Did the proposal explain how Applicant meets the goals and objectives, tasks, milestones, and deliverables, and other requirements described by the Department in the Opportunity and Scope of Work sections?

Does your cost proposal meet the requirements under “Compensation”?

Does your service proposal meet the requirements under “Description of Services”?

Does your proposal meet the overall format and content requirements described in “What you must include in your proposal”?

If eligible, did you enroll with the City’s Vendor Payment Portal to effortlessly submit electronic invoices and monitor payment progress 24/7?

Did you review the entire RFP and contract attachments, including the Contract Terms and

Conditions, and request any exceptions? You must propose contract language changes with your proposal or the City’s terms are deemed accepted.

Was the proposal submitted electronically through eContract Philly?

Did you complete the mandatory political contribution disclosures through the application?

Was the proposal submitted to the correct opportunity number?

Was the application signed by clicking on the “submit” button at the conclusion of the eContract Philly submission process? The proposal is not considered submitted until this button is pressed, regardless of when you started to complete the proposal.

You will receive an email acknowledgment of your submission.

Was the individual who signed the application authorized to sign on behalf of the

Applicant? For more information on who is authorized to sign your application, please see page 32 of the sample application found on eContract Philly here. You must be logged in to eContract Philly to access the document.

Does the Applicant’s eContract Philly Profile match the Applicant information provided in the proposal? Do the Taxpayer Identification Numbers match? (Do not use the SSN of the person filling out the proposal, unless the contract will be with that actual person; use the number of the entity applying and on its eContract Philly profile.)

Special Rule for Joint Ventures https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvendor-payments.phila.gov%2Flogin&data=05%7C01%7CMihir.Mulloth%40phila.gov%7Cd3a519484f624cce6fc708db9fe39835%7C2046864f68ea497daf34a6629a6cd700%7C0%7C0%7C638279572083787221%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=EktpSPaS%2B8p3KxRyI13X2Icwkl9aYLDJ0KfEzw1NsTI%3D&reserved=0 https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/ https://philawx.phila.gov/ECONTRACT/Inc/sample_app.pdf

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4.3 Proposal Binding

Your proposal is a binding offer to contract for what you propose. Each Applicant agrees that it will be bound by the terms of its proposal for a minimum of 180 calendar days from the application deadline for this RFP and will enter a contract containing the same terms. If the City accepts your proposal as submitted, the City need not negotiate additional or different terms. Applicants must state clearly and conspicuously any modifications, waivers, objections, or exceptions they seek in a separate section of the proposal entitled “Requested Exceptions to Contract Terms.”

The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to negotiate terms and conditions different from and/or additional to the Contract Terms without notice to other Applicants.

5. HOW WE CHOOSE

The City will consider many factors, including cost, when evaluating proposals submitted to this RFP. While cost is an important factor, it is not the sole, or necessarily the deciding factor. The City may choose to award the contract resulting from this RFP to an Applicant whose proposal is the most advantageous to the City and in the City’s best interest even if the Applicant is not offering the lowest price.

The City will base its selection on criteria that may include, but are not limited to:

1. Superior ability or capacity to meet particular requirements of contract and needs of

City Department and those it serves

2. Eligibility under Code provisions relating to campaign contributions

3. Superior prior experience of Applicant and staff

4. Superior quality, efficiency and fitness of proposed solution for City Department

5. Superior skill and reputation, including timeliness and demonstrable results

6. Special benefit to continuing services of incumbent, such as operational difficulties with transition or needs of population being served

7. Benefit of promoting long-term competitive development and allocation of experience to new, local, or small businesses

8. Lower cost

9. Administrative and operational efficiency, requiring less City oversight and administration

10. Anticipated long-term cost effectiveness

11. Meets prequalification requirements

12. Applicant’s certification of its Local Business Entity/Local Impact status.

If a contract is awarded from this RFP, a notice will be published on the City’s eContract

Philly website identifying the name of the selected Applicant and the basis for award to that

Applicant, as well as the names of all other Applicants to this RFP. To access this notice, 20 | P a g e select the button that says “Notice of Intent to Contract” and search for your opportunity number.

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6. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING

RFPs/PROPOSALS

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES IF I’M AWARDED THE CONTRACT?

Maintain an active Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT)

Account Number.

REGISTER HERE.

Maintain an active Commercial Activity License (CAL) Number REGISTER HERE

Obtain a Philadelphia Tax and Regulatory Status Clearance and return Appendix B and stay current with all City and School

District taxes and fees or payment plans.

OBTAIN A TAX

CLEARANCE

CERTIFICATE HERE

Continuously disclose your political contributions and stay under the contribution limits that allow you to be awarded a contract.

SEE THE

“DISCLOSURE/

ELIGIBILITY” TAB ON

ECONTRACT PHILLY

HERE FOR MORE

INFORMATION

Submit all Contracting Disclosures requirements. Provide demographic information about your workforce and your work for the City in the past five years (This is only required once an organization is awarded a contract with the City of

Philadelphia).

CONTRACTING

DISCLOSURE AND

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

ARE HERE

Pay a Contract Preparation Fee

SEE AND PAY THE FEE

HERE

Contracts resulting from this RFP are “Service Contracts” and awarded Applicants, along with their subcontractors at any level, are “Service Contractors” who must comply with the 21st

Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard found in

Philadelphia Code Sec. 17-1300.

THE CURRENT LIVING

WAGE RATE AND

BENEFITS

REQUIREMENTS AND

APPLICABILITY CAN

BE LOCATED HERE

If the awarded contract is valued at or over $250,000, you must extend Equal Benefits to life partners of employees that are extended to spouses of its employees, under 17-1900 of the

Philadelphia Code.

INFORMATION

REGARDING EQUAL

BENEIFITS IS

LOCATED HERE

https://tax-services.phila.gov/_/ https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses-permits-and-approvals/get-a-commercial-activity-license/ https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/get-tax-clearance/ https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/ https://www.phila.gov/services/business-self-employment/bidding-on-a-city-contract/file-transparency-in-business-act-disclosure-forms/ https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/pay-the-fee-for-a-professional-services-contract-online/ https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296110 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296544

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Register for electronic payments

INSTRUCTIONS FOR

REGISTRATION CAN

BE FOUND HERE

Comply with federal Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act (HIPAA) if applicable.

SEE HIPAA SECTION

BELOW

6.1 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) The work to be provided under any contract entered into pursuant to this RFP may be subject to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or other state or federal laws or regulations governing the privacy and security of health information.

If the contract is with any of the “Covered Units” designated by the City or the chosen provider is otherwise a “Business Associate” under HIPAA, the selected Applicant must comply with the “Terms and Conditions Relating to Protected Health Information” which are posted on eContract Philly under the “About” section and which will be incorporated into the contract by reference.

6.2 Special Rules Applicable to Joint Ventures

Generally, applications submitted through eContract Philly from Applicants that purport to be filing an application on behalf of another individual or business entity will not be considered, even if the other business entity is an affiliate of the Applicant. In the case of multiple business entities that, if awarded a contract, have formed, or intend to form a joint venture to perform the contract, a single business entity may file an application on behalf of all such business entities, so long as: (i) the filing business entity is or will be a member of the joint venture, (ii) the application is made in the name of the existing or proposed joint venture, (iii) documentation is submitted with the application identifying all business entities that will comprise the joint venture, and demonstrating a binding agreement among those business entities to perform the contract as the joint venture identified in the application (for a joint venture that has not yet been formed, documentation signed by each identified business entity evidencing a commitment to form the joint venture if awarded the contract is sufficient), and (iv) the non-filing business entities are eligible for award of a City contract and make the disclosures required by Chapter 17-1400 of the Philadelphia Code (described in greater detail below) within fourteen (14) days after the joint venture receives notice that it has been awarded the contract.

6.3 Mandatory Political Contribution Disclosures and Penalties Pursuant to Chapter 17-1400 of the Philadelphia Code, Applicants are required to disclose the following as part of their required online application:

• their direct and indirect campaign contributions to:

o political candidates and incumbents who are nominated for, running for, or serving in, a local Philadelphia elected office; and https://vendor-payments.phila.gov/login https://www.phila.gov/privacypolicy/ https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/ https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296144 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-296144

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• any consultants used in responding to the RFP and political contributions those consultants have made as described above; and

• whether the Applicant or any representative of the Applicant has received from any City employee a request for money or other items of value.

Applicants who make material misstatements or omissions in required disclosures may be prohibited from entering into contracts resulting from this or any other RFP of the City for one to three years and subjected to fines of up to three-times (3x) the amount that a contribution exceeded the political contribution limits, up to $2,000 for each contribution, pursuant to Section 20-1302 of the Philadelphia Code

For more information, please consult the text of Chapter 17-1400, the “Disclosure/Eligibility” tab on eContract Philly, e-mail econtractphilly@phila.gov, or call 215-686-4914.

6.4 Political Contribution Limits for City Contractors

The current contribution limits are adjusted every four…