Request for Proposals Municipal Fire Alarm System Assessment and Design Services FINAL.pdf

TOWN OF SIMSBURY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

DPW 2026

RFP MUNICIPAL FIRE ALARM SYSTEM ASSESSMENT

AND DESIGN SERVICES

The Town of Simsbury (“Town”) is requesting sealed proposals from qualified fire alarm design professionals to evaluate the condition, performance, and code compliance of existing fire alarm systems at eight of our Town buildings and to recommend, specify and design a comprehensive system upgrade. The final work product will be bid documents for the recommended upgrades to our facilities.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) is available online at the Town of Simsbury’s web page under Bids and RFP’s or using this link:

https://www.simsbury-ct.gov/Bids.aspx?CatID=17

The Town of Simsbury reserves the right to accept or reject, without prejudice, any or all proposals or to waive any irregularities therein, or to accept the proposal deemed to be in the best interest of Town of Simsbury.

Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to Matthew Hopkins, Facilities Supervisor, via email at pubworks@simsbury-ct.gov or by mail to Department of Public Works, 66 Town Forest Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092. To receive consideration, all questions must be submitted by the close of business on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. A response to all salient questions will be provided via addendum that will be posted on the Town’s website under the Finance Department’s page for Public Bids and RFPs prior to the close of business on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

Interested and qualified consultants are to submit three (3) copies of their proposals in a sealed envelope, clearly marked “RFP MUNICIPAL FIRE ALARM SYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND DESIGN SERVICES,” and addressed to Amy Meriwether, Director of Finance, Town of Simsbury, 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070. Proposals will be accepted until 10:00 AM on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. No Statement of Qualifications will be accepted after the date and time specified. No fax or email submissions will be accepted.

https://www.simsbury-ct.gov/Bids.aspx?CatID=17 mailto:pubworks@simsbury-ct.gov

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

933 HOPMEADOW STREET

SIMSBURY, CONNECTICUT 06070

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

DPW 2026

RFP MUNICIPAL FIRE ALARM SYSTEM ASSESSMENT

AND DESIGN SERVICES

Request for Proposals Issued: Thursday, July 16, 2026

Mandatory Walk Through: Tuesday August 4, 2026, at 10:00AM at DPW, 66 Town Forest Road, West Simsbury CT, 06092

Question Submittal: Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Question Answers: Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 10:00AM

Submission Contact and Address: Amy Meriwether

Director of Finance 933 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, CT 06070

Commencement of Work: Within fifteen (15) business days of Notice to Proceed

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

1. BACKGROUND

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), the Town intends to retain a qualified firm to evaluate the condition, performance, and code compliance of existing fire alarm systems and to develop a prioritized plan and construction documents for the upgrade of our current system to be bid early in 2027.

The assessment shall include the following facilities:

1. Town Hall (including Police Department, Town Offices, and Board of Education spaces), 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070

2. Highway Facility, 66 Town Forest Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

3. Scout Hall, 695 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070

4. Apple Barn, 60 Old Farms Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

5. Recreation Office, 100 Old Farms Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

6. Golf Pro Shop & Restaurant, 100 Old Farms Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

7. Ice Rink, 100 Old Farms Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

8. Park & Golf Maintenance, 80 Hop Brook Road, West Simsbury, CT 06092

The objective of this project is to provide the Town with a comprehensive system that is uniform across all buildings, that is both efficient and cost effective. The selected consultant shall prepare bid documents using the Town’s “front-end” documents and provide bid services including answering questions, issuing addenda, and evaluating the bid responses to determine the most favorable bid for the Town.

2. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS & SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

The selected Consultant shall be chosen based upon their relevant expertise and thorough knowledge of the professional services, functions, activities, and related responsibilities to successfully perform the Scope of Work described in this RFP. The selected Consultant shall possess all applicable valid and pertinent State of Connecticut licenses for the work.

All proposals submitted, and information contained therein and attached thereto, will not become public information until the Town has awarded a contract to the successful Consultant.

All Consultants shall provide the following qualifications:

A. Letter of Transmittal: Provide a letter introducing the company and relevant experience.

Also include the company’s project approach, key staff members and any other relevant experience.

B. Qualifications & Licensing: List of Consultant’s staff and the license / certifications that they hold.

C. Firm Description: Provide a brief description of the firm, including firm size and area of specialization, location of corporate headquarters, and location of office proposed to manage this project.

D. Experience: Brief description of the experience of the firm and an executive summary of some recent projects completed that are similar in nature.

E. Project Team: Provide resumes of key staff and l any additional qualifications the Town may find beneficial.

F. References: Three (3) references from comparable projects, including the current contact name and phone number of the authorized owner’s representative, as well as the Consultant’s project manager for each project.

G. Exceptions & Alternatives: Consultants who take exception to any requirement or portion of this RFP shall state and explain the exception in this section. The Town may accept proposals which take exception or provide an alternative to any requirement contained in this RFP. Any exception or alteration must be clearly defined and cannot materially affect the substance of the RFP.

H. Project Approach: Methodology for the investigation into the existing Towns systems and recommendations for how a new system will be designed and installed at the various eight buildings listed in this RFP.

I. Timeline: Timeline for project completion and major project milestones.

3. SCOPE OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

The selected firm shall perform, at a minimum, the following services:

3.1 System Inventory and Documentation

• Conduct site visits to each facility to perform a comprehensive inventory of all fire alarm system components.

• Identify and document all equipment, including, but not limited to:

o Fire alarm control panels (FACP) o Initiating devices (e.g., smoke detectors, heat detectors, pull stations) o Notification appliances (horns, strobes, speakers) o Power supplies, batteries, and backup systems o Wiring, circuits, and networked components o Interfaces with other building systems (e.g., HVAC shutdown, elevators, access control)

• Document equipment locations and system configurations.

3.2 Condition Assessment and Life Cycle Evaluation

• Evaluate the operational condition and performance of all system components.

• Determine the approximate age of equipment and assess remaining useful life.

• Identify obsolete or unsupported systems and components nearing end-of-life.

3.3 Code Compliance Review

• Review all systems for compliance with applicable codes and standards, including:

o NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code) o Connecticut State Fire Safety Code and Building Code o Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (LAHJ) requirements

• Identify and clearly document all deficiencies and non-compliant conditions.

3.4 Performance and Suitability Analysis

• Assess system performance relative to current building use and occupancy classifications.

• Evaluate adequacy of coverage, audibility, visibility, and overall system reliability.

• Identify gaps in functionality based on current standards and best practices.

3.5 Plan Development

• Develop a comprehensive set of bid documents for system upgrades and replacements to the fire protection systems in our eight identified buildings.

• Equipment for each building shall be on a uniform platform to facilitate ease of maintenance and operation.

• The Town prefers that the new system avoid proprietary hardware that will bind us to a particular vendor in the future.

3.6 Cost Estimating

• Provide cost estimates for the recommended upgrades for each building.

• Identify opportunities for phased implementation and cost efficiencies.

3.7 Deliverables

• Prepare bid-ready plans and specifications for all eight buildings using the Town’s standard contract and front-end documents. Documents will be reviewed at 60% and 90% completion.

3.8 Project Coordination

• Coordinate with Town staff to schedule site visits and gather relevant documentation.

• Minimize disruption to ongoing municipal operations during assessments.

4. SCHEDULING OF WORK

N/A

5. SUBCONSULTING

A. The CONSULTANT may utilize the services of Specialty SUBCONSULTANTS on those parts of the WORK which, under normal contracting practices, are performed by Specialty CONSULTANTS.

B. The CONSULTANT shall not award WORK to SUBCONSULTANT(s) in excess of fifty

(50) percent of the CONTRACT PRICE without prior written approval of the TOWN.

6. CANCELLATION OF AGREEMENT

The Town reserves the right to cancel any contract/agreement, at any time, with a minimum thirty (30)-day written notice to the Consultant, should any of the following conditions exist:

• The Town, through changes in its requirements, method of operation, or program operation, no longer has a need for the service.

• Rate increases deemed excessive by Town.

• Failure to perform duties covered by contract in a reasonable timeframe.

7. EVALUATION & SELECTION PROCESS

The materials submitted by the Consultants will be reviewed and ranked by the Town.

Evaluation will be based upon a combination of qualifications and cost.

The process will incorporate without limitation the following criteria:

• Consultant’s relevant experience.

• Consultant’s past performance.

• Consultant’s current workload and staff assignment.

• Consultant’s current relevant equipment list to demonstrate ability to perform work described in this proposal.

• Background and experience of key personnel to be assigned to this contract.

• References and specific projects that are comparable in size. The Town of Simsbury may contact one or more of the references listed in the Consultant’s response to this RFP as part of the selection process.

• Proposal completeness and compliance with the RFP’s requirements.

Consultants must be prepared to present evidence of experience, ability, financial standing, and any other information deemed necessary by the Town of Simsbury or any other participating municipality to satisfactorily meet the requirements set forth in the proposal.

Consultants submitting the most responsive proposals may be invited to an interview with the Town.

The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or parts thereof for any reason, negotiate changes to proposal terms, waive inconsistencies with the RFP, and negotiate contracts with the successful Proposal.

The Town shall not be liable for costs incurred in the preparation of the responses to this RFP or in connection with any presentation before the Town or any participating municipality.

The selected consultant will provide a detailed scope and fee proposal to the Town of Simsbury. Assuming an agreement is reached, a contract will be provided to the consultant.

If the selected consultant and the Town cannot agree on pricing, the Town will move to the next best consultant for this engagement.

8. INSURANCE REQUIRMENTS

The Consultant must carry the following types of insurance under which the Town is named as an additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis, as follows:

Such insurance must be by insurance companies licensed to write such insurance in Connecticut against the following risks with the following minimum amounts and minimum durations.

A. Workers’ Compensation, as required by Connecticut State Statute.

Employer’s Liability: at least $100,000 per employee/ $1,000,000 per incident, and $1,000,000 per policy.

Public Liability, Bodily Injury Liability and Property Damage Liability as follows:

Injury or death of one person: $1,000,000 Injury to more than one person in a single accident: $1,000,000 Property damage in one accident: $1,000,000 Property damage in all accidents: $1,000,000

B. Automobile (including owned, hired, non-owned) and Truck (Vehicular) Public Liability, Bodily Injury Liability, and Property Damage Liability as follows:

Injury or death of one person: $1,000,000 Injury to more than one person in a single accident: $1,000,000 Property damage in one accident: $1,000,000 Property damage in all accidents: $1,000,000

C. Builders Risk including Fire and Extended coverage:

In an amount equal to the value of construction completed plus materials delivered to the site.

D. Excess Liability Insurance. The CONSULTANT shall maintain excess liability, which shall be over and above the commercial general liability insurance and business automobile liability insurance requirements, with limits of not less than:

Excess Liability: $5,000,000

Insurance under B, C, and D above must provide for a 30-day notice to the Town of cancellation/or restrictive amendment.

Insurance under B, C, and D above must be for the whole duration of the contract and for at least twenty-four (24) months after acceptance of the project by the Town.

The Town of Simsbury shall be named as additional insured on the general liability, umbrella liability and automobile liability policies. A waiver of subrogation is required in favor of the Town of Simsbury on all insurance policies, including workers’ compensation.

A waiver of subrogation is required in favor of the Town of Simsbury on all insurance policies, including workers’ compensation.

Subconsultants must carry A, B, C, and D in at least the same amounts as above for the duration of the project and until acceptance by the Town.

Certificates of insurance with the Town named as additional insured, along with a copy of the relevant policies and list of endorsements, must be submitted to the Director of Public Works prior to the signing of the contract and within ten (10) days of notification of award of contract. Should any insurance expire or be terminated during the period in which the same is required by this contract, the Director of Public Works shall be notified, and such expired or terminated insurance must be replaced with new insurance and a new certificate furnished to the Director of Public Works.

Failure to provide the required insurance and certificates may, at the option of the Town, be held to be a willful and substantial breach of this contract.

NOTE: Coverage under "B" shall include XCU coverage, as necessary. Collapse and Underground shall be provided for ALL Contracts. Explosion will be provided if specified, or prior to any blasting being performed under the Contract.

Indemnification: To the fullest extent permitted by law, Consultant shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Town of Simsbury from and against all claims, bodily injury and property damage, judgments and expenses, including attorney fees that arise from and are alleged to arise from the performance of this Agreement. This provision shall survive termination of this Agreement.

END OF GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT OF BIDDER

State of ________________________________, County of _____________________, being first duly sworn, disposes and says that:

1. He is the owner, officer, representative or agent of: _________________________________ the BIDDER that has submitted the attached BID;

2. The attached BID is genuine; it is not a collusive or sham BID.

3. He is fully informed respecting the preparation, and contents of, and knowledgeable of all pertinent circumstances respecting the attached BID.

4. Neither BIDDER nor any of its officers, partners, owners, agents, representatives, employees, or parties in interest, including this affiant, has in any way colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed, directly or indirectly, with any other bidder, firm or person to submit a collusive or sham BID in connection with the AGREEMENT for which the attached BID has been submitted or to refrain from bidding in connection with any contract, or has in any manner, directly or indirectly, sought by agreement, collusion, communication or conference with any other bidder, firm or person to fix the price or prices in the attached BID or of any other bidder, or to fix any overhead, profit or cost element of the BID prices or the bid price of any other bidder, or to secure through collusion, conspiracy, connivance or unlawful agreement any advantage against the Town of Simsbury or any other person interested in the proposed AGREEMENT.

5. The price(s) quoted in the attached BID are fair and proper and are not tainted by any collusion, conspiracy, connivance or unlawful agreement on the part of the BIDDER or any of its agents, representatives, owners, employees, or parties in interest, including this affiant;

and

6. That no elected or appointed official or other officer or employee of the Town of Simsbury, who is directly or indirectly interested in this BID, or in the supplies, materials, equipment, work or labor to which it relates, or in any of the profits thereof.

(Signed)_______________________

(Name of Bidder)

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

________day of_____________, 20__

Title

My Commission expires _________, 20__

STATEMENT OF BIDDERS COMPLIANCE WITH

Acknowledgement Form and Charter Section 1103

Code of the Town of Simsbury

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

I have read Section 1103 of the Charter of the Town of Simsbury, the Code of Ethics Ordinance, and the Guidelines issued thereunder. I understand my responsibilities as a Consultant retained by the Town of Simsbury, and I am in compliance with the Charter and the Code of Ethics. I have indicated in the space below any areas of conflict should they arise in matters before our board, commission, agency or department, and I agree to report any future conflicts under the provisions of Section 1103 of the Charter.

Areas of Exception

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

SECTION 1103

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Town that any elected or appointed officer, any member of any board or commission or any employee of the Town who has a financial interest, direct or indirect, in any contract, transaction or decision of any officer or agent of the Town or any board or commission, shall disclose that interest to the Board of Selectmen, which shall record such disclosure upon the official record of its meetings. Such disclosure of a financial interest, direct or indirect, in any contract, transaction or decision of any officer or agent of the town or of any board or commission shall disqualify such elected or appointed official or such member of a board of commission or such town employee from participation in the awarding, assignment or discussion of said contract, transaction or decision. Violation by any such official, board or commission member or employee of the provisions of this section shall be grounds for his/her removal.

Signature

Name (Please Print)

Date

A copy of the Town Code is available from the Office of the Town Clerk or is available online at https://ecode360.com/28661967 https://ecode360.com/28661967

STATEMENT OF BIDDER’S COMPLIANCE WITH

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY LAW AND

REGULATION INCLUDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 3

This statement must be completed by the Bidder and shall accompany his bid for this project.

IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED THAT:

NAME OF BIDDER:

BUSINESS ADDRESS:

To the extent required by law, the Bidder has complied on past Contracts and will fully comply on this project with all applicable laws and regulation regarding equal employment opportunities for minorities and women, and;

Has has not previously performed work under the conditions of the Governor’s Executive Order No. 3 of the State of Connecticut, or any preceding similar Executive Order with regards to Non-Discrimination.

Signature

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

________day of_____________, 20__

My Commission expires _________, 20__

IMPORTANT: THIS STATEMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH BID

END OF SECTION