Retirement Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #26-006

Retirement Services

NON-MANDATORY PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING:

September 15, 2025, 2:30 p.m.

VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS WEBINAR

Non-mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference Registration Link:

https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/c9da9963-a17e-43e7-809d-b6c73d1e8e70@c6279049

Proposals are due:

October 2, 2025, no later than 2:00 p.m.

Firms offering responses to this RFP (“Offeror(s)”) shall submit sealed proposals (“Proposal(s)”) to be received by the City of Sandy Springs (“City”) no later than October 2, 2025, 2:00 p.m. EST. The City will only accept online submissions for this RFP through the Bonfire Portal at:

https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details.

Any Proposal submitted in any other format (e-mail, paper, fax, mail, etc.) will not be accepted for any reason.

General Information:

1. All communications regarding this procurement must be with the assigned Procurement Officer, Edward McAdoo, emcadoo@sandyspringsga.gov.

2. All questions or requests for clarification must be sent via Bonfire under Message Opportunity

Q&A: https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details . Questions are due no later than September 18, 2025, 5:00 p.m. EST. Questions received after this date and time may not be answered.

3. Questions and clarifications will be answered in the form of an addendum. Any addenda, schedule changes and other important information regarding this procurement will be posted on Bonfire at https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details.

It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check Bonfire for any addenda or other communications related https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/c9da9963-a17e-43e7-809d-b6c73d1e8e70@c6279049-e794-4541-8247-8e8261a33321 https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/view/17847 https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/143641/details to this procurement.

4. The form of contract the City intends to execute with the selected Offeror (the “Contract”) is included as Attachment A for review. Offerors are urged to read this Contract carefully, including exhibits, prior to submitting a Proposal. In general, the City is unable to negotiate or revise contract provisions. If an Offeror believes certain contract provisions are out of date, not applicable or place an undue burden or cost on the Offeror or the City, the Offeror must address these concerns in writing during the question and answer period. The Procurement Officer will review and determine the appropriate response. If the City determines a change is warranted; an addendum will be posted to this RFP. If an Offeror is unwilling to execute the Contract, whether modified by addendum or not, a Proposal should not be submitted. Offerors must submit a fully executed copy of the contract with their proposal submission.

5. The City reserves the right to reject all Proposals and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make an award in the best interest of the City.

6. An Offeror’s RFP Checklist is provided for your convenience below. This checklist is provided for assistance only and should not be submitted with the Proposal.

7. The City is not responsible for any technical difficulties. It is highly recommended that all Offerors submit their Proposals prior to the due date of this solicitation.

8. Offerors shall submit an executed Contract and all executed Exhibits to the Contract with the Proposal. Proposals that do not contain a fully executed Contract with all executed Exhibits may be deemed non-responsive.

9. All Offerors are hereby notified that any digital content, applications, websites, or technology services provided under this solicitation must comply with the accessibility standards established under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Offerors must demonstrate their ability to deliver products and/or services that are accessible to individuals with disabilities, including compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, and voice recognition tools

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROPOSAL SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION

CORPORATE CERTIFICATE

OFFEROR’S RFP CHECKLIST

SECTION 1: BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF SERVICES

SECTION 3: SUBMITTALS

SECTION 4: STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

SECTION 5: EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION 6: PRE-SUBMITTAL INQUIRIES

SECTION 7 REQUIRED SUBMITTALS

SECTION 8: COMMUNICATIONS

SECTION 9: SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SECTION 10: TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SECTION 11: CONTRACT INFORMATION

Attachment A: CONTRACT, which includes all Exhibits attached thereto including:

• Scope of Services and/or Contractor Proposal

• Fee Schedule

• Certification of Contractor - Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act

• Certification of Consultant - Drug-Free Workplace

• Affidavit Verifying Status for City Public Benefit Application

• Contractor Affidavit Under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b)(1)

• Insurance Requirements

• List of Subcontractors

• Notice to Contractors - Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Attachment B: List of all Investments Available to Employees

PROPOSAL SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION

I certify that this Proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a Proposal (“Offeror”) for the same materials, supplies, equipment, or services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I understand collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards. I agree to abide by all the conditions of this Proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this

Proposal for the undersigned Offeror. I further certify that the undersigned Offeror has not violated the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20, et seq. and will not violate them in any respect.

Authorized Signature for Offeror: _________________________________________________

Date: __________________________________________________

Print/Type Name: __________________________________________________

Print/Type Offeror Name Here: __________________________________________________

Company Name: __________________________________________________

I, ____________________________________, certify that: I am the _________________ of the entity named as

Offeror in the foregoing Proposal; that ______________________________________________, who signed said

Proposal on behalf of the Offeror, was then (title) __________________ of said entity; that said Proposal was duly signed for and in behalf of said entity by authority of its governing body, and is within the scope of its corporate powers; that said entity is duly authorized to do business in the State of Georgia.

This _____________ day of ___________________________, 2025.

(Signature)

(Seal)

Corporate Name: _____________________________________________________ d/b/a: _____________________________________________________

OFFEROR’S RFP CHECKLIST

9 Critical Things to Keep in Mind When Responding to an RFP for the City of Sandy Springs

1. ________ Read the entire document. Note critical items such as: supplies/services required;

submittal dates; number of copies required for submittal; contract requirements, if any (e.g. bonding and insurance requirements).

2. ________ Note the Procurement Officer's name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address. This is the only person you are allowed to communicate with regarding the RFP and is an excellent source of information.

3. ________ Take advantage of the “question and answer” period. Submit your questions to the Procurement Officer by the due date listed in the RFP and view the answers given in any formal “addenda” issued for the RFP. All addenda issued for an RFP will be distributed by e-mail to Offerors.

4. ________ Follow the format required in the RFP when preparing a Proposal. Provide point-by-point responses to all sections in a clear and concise manner.

5. ________ Provide complete answers/descriptions. Read and answer all questions and requirements. Don’t assume the City or Evaluation Committee will know what your capabilities are or what items/services you can provide, even if you have previously contracted with the City. Proposals are evaluated based on the information and materials provided in response to the RFP.

6. ________ Use the forms provided, e.g. cover page, reference questionnaire, etc.

7. ________ Review the RFP document again to make sure that you have addressed all requirements.

8. ________ Submit the Proposal on time. Note all the dates and times listed in this RFP and be sure to submit all required items on time. Late Proposals will not be accepted.

This checklist is provided for assistance only and should not be submitted with your Proposal.

SECTION 1: BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION

The City of Sandy Springs (“City”) is located in Fulton County, Georgia, is the second-largest city in the metropolitan area and sixth largest in the State. The geographic area of the City is approximately 38.52 square miles. Incorporated in 2005, the City is the home of several corporate headquarters including UPS, Newell Brands, Mercedes-Benz USA, Intercontinental Exchange and many others. The City has 648 employees with 547 Full-Time employees eligible for the two retirement plans. Our current recordkeeper is Empower and the City has a 401(a) plan and a 457(b) government plan. As of June 30, 2025, the 457(b) plan had $ $39,107,433.05 in total assets and 656 participants. As of June 30, 2025, the 401(a) plan had $66,490,569.75 in total assets and 633 participants. The investments available to employees are listed as Attachment B.

General Information

The Request for Proposals (RFP), along with the submitted responses, will assist the City in identifying qualified firms capable of delivering the services outlined in Section 2 – Scope of Services. All proposals will undergo a thorough, fair, and impartial evaluation by a designated Evaluation Committee established by the City. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to determine, at its sole discretion, that no submission meets the City's requirements.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City of Sandy Springs (“The City”) is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to serve as the Retirement Services Advisor for the City’s 401(a) and 457(b) Retirement Plans. The selected consultant will provide ongoing advisory services, which include, but are not limited to, comprehensive plan consulting and fiduciary support in accordance with ERISA 3(21) Co-Fiduciary standards. Certain services will be provided on an as-needed basis. For the proposed projects, the following types of services may be required:

Plan Level Services

1. Review of current plan design and architecture

2. Investment policy review and recommendations

3. Assignment of a lead retirement consultant/advisor

4. Annual calendar of retirement education and meetings

5. Provide a progress report on investments

6. Produce all meeting presentations and agenda items

7. Provide fiduciary education to plan level sponsor

8. Lead the Retirement Advisory Committee meetings and take minutes (quarterly)

9. Vendor contract negotiations

10. Plan document and contract review and advice

11. Peer/Industry Benchmarking and analysis

12. Regulatory compliance and plan governance

13. Recordkeeper fee review annually

14. Recordkeeper searches as needed including RFI/RFP materials

15. Client references

16. Dedicated financial advisors assigned for continuity

Individual/Employee Level Services:

1. Enrollment assistance with expertise in a non-technological workforce

2. Assist participants in accessing account information and navigating websites

3. Provide fiduciary advice (not just education)

4. Investment diversification recommendations with no sales benefit/commission to consultant

5. Provide one-on-one meetings multiple days per year in person to Participants

6. Provide a number to call to speak to Financial Advisers to support employees with these fiduciary responsibilities listed above.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Agree to sign an agreement with the City with a venue of Fulton County, Georgia and per Georgia law no indemnification can be made by in the contract by the City of Sandy Springs, which must be submitted at the time of proposal submission.

2. 3(21) Co-Fiduciary responsibilities to the plan

3. Free of conflict of interest in regard to record-keepers

4. Have a local metro-Atlanta, Georgia client services team

5. Are experts in the field of investments and plan governance

6. Have the ability to meet all of the scope of services

7. Has a minimum of 5 years providing retirement consulting services.

8. Shall be registered with the SEC or appropriate state securities regulator

9. Have a team that can provide quarterly fund analysis and provide quarterly reports at a scheduled meeting

10. Be a registered investment adviser

SECTION 3: SUBMITTALS

Proposals shall be submitted through Bonfire at:

https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details no later than 2:00 PM on October 2, 2025.

A Proposal received after this date and time or at any other location will not be accepted or considered. The City is not responsible for delays caused for any reason. It is Offeror’s sole responsibility to submit its Proposal before the required deadline. Hard copy, electronic and facsimile submittals will not be accepted.

SECTION 4: STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

In order for the City of Sandy Springs to adequately compare and evaluate Statement of Qualifications, all Statement of Qualifications must be submitted in accordance with format detailed in the following pages.

I. Cover Letter

(One page maximum) The letter should designate the proposing firm, the business address of where the relationship will be signed by authorized company officers. The letter should address the firm’s willingness and commitment to provide the proposed services and why the Awarded Offeror believes it should be selected. No pricing information should be included in this section. This should be signed by an individual authorized to bind the firm to the terms and conditions of this RFP.

II. Table of Contents

Table of Contents should follow the RFP format.

III. About Your Firm

1. Firm Overview: (Two-page maximum) General overview of company, how long the company has been in business, customer service philosophy, and identification of the primary office which will be supporting the City of Sandy Springs.

2. Ownership Structure: Describe your firm’s ownership structure.

3. Firm History: Brief description of your firm’s history and any mergers, acquisitions or significant organizational changes in the past 5 years.

4. Line of Business:

a. List all lines of business your firm engages in, including any affiliated companies.

b. Are any of your retirement plan advisors financially incentivized to introduce non-advisory business lines (e.g. insurance, banking, brokerage, HR outsources) to retirement plan clients?

5. Employee Information:

a. Total number of employees

b. Number of Investment Advisor Representatives (IARs)

c. Will you use sub-contractors for any services discussed in the RFP?

i. If yes, specify the contractors, the services they are proposed to provide and their qualifications for providing the proposed services.

d. Employee turnover in the last 12 months (gains and losses)

6. Retirement Plan Advisory Business

a. Percentage of revenue from retirement plan advisory services

b. Total retirement plan assets under advisement.

c. Total number of defined contribution plan clients and total assets

d. Number of retirement plan advisory clients added and lost over the last 24 months

e. Average plan size

7. Regulatory Compliance:

• Detail any violations and fines due to securities regulations

8. Insurance and Bonding:

• Is your firm bonded/insured? If so, what is the coverage amount?

9. Conflict of Interest Policy:

• Provide your firm’s written policy for addressing conflicts of interest.

10. External Funding and Recommendations:

a. Does your firm accept funds or sponsorships from investment managers, recordkeepers, or other organizations for various events and services, whether directly or indirectly?

b. List organizations that have provided such funds in the past 24 months and whether your firm recommends their services/products.

c. Include a copy of both parts of your firm’s form ADV (form registered with SEC and state securities authorities).

IV. Experience

1. Public Sector Marketplace Experience:

a) Describe your experience within the public sector marketplace.

b) Number of public sector retirement plan clients served and total assets. Please include the average plan size.

2. Reference Clients:

• List three reference clients within the public sector, similar in size to our plans.

V. Service Team

1. Service Model:

• Describe your service model for our plan, including:

a) Staff and their responsibilities.

b) Interaction with our plan.

c) Frequency of in-person meetings and conference calls.

2. Primary Contact for Our Relationship:

a) Name:

b) Title:

c) City and State:

d) Phone:

e) Email:

f) Overall experience with employer-sponsored retirement plans.

g) Education, honors, designations, and other credentials.

h) Years with the firm.

i) Role at the firm.

j) Number of plans supported.

k) Average size of plans supported.

l) Maximum Number of clients you will support at a time

3. Additional Contacts:

• Will the primary contact be the only person we will be working with?

• If not, provide details for additional contacts, including name, title, contact information, experience, role, and number of plans supported.

VI. Investment Services

1. Approach to 401(a) and 457(b) Plan Investment Consulting:

a) Describe your firm’s consulting approach.

b) How many 401(a) and 457(b) plans does your firm advise?

2. Investment Policy Statement Support:

• Describe the support you offer regarding investment policy statements.

3. Evaluation Tools for Investment Funds and Managers:

• Describe your tools used for evaluation.

• Which are proprietary tools developed in-house or specifically for your firm?

4. Investment Research Resources and Capabilities:

• Describe your investment research resources and capabilities.

• The number of employees dedicated solely to investment research and their locations.

5. Performance Review Meetings:

a) How often would you meet with our Committee to discuss investment performance?

b) Provide a sample annual calendar to illustrate what a year of advisory services with your firm would entail.

6. Actions for Underperforming Investments:

• Describe actions that would be proposed for underperforming investments.

7. Quarterly Reporting:

• Provide a sample quarterly report and written recommendations for an underperforming fund.

• How is data verified and validated before reporting to clients?

VII. Provider/Recordkeeper Services

1. Recordkeeper Benchmark Service and Process:

a) How often do you meet with clients to conduct a comprehensive review of their recordkeeper relationships, including evaluation of services and fees?

b) Describe your recordkeeper benchmark service and process.

2. Recordkeeper RFP Service and Process:

a) How frequently do you recommend that your clients conduct a Request for Proposal (RFP) for recordkeeper services?

b) Describe your recordkeeper RFP service and process.

3. Recordkeeper Searches in the Past 36 Months:

a) Number of searches conducted in the past 36 months.

b) Number of searches conducted and resulting changes in TPA/Recordkeeper.

c) The top three TPA/Recordkeepers recommended.

4. Experience with Current Service Provider:

• Experience with our current provider Empower and any relevant issues.

5. Vendor/Recordkeeper Research Team:

• Number of employees exclusively dedicated to vendor/recordkeeper research and their locations.

6. Recordkeeper Cybersecurity:

• Describe how your firm assists us in implementing the Department of Labor’s cybersecurity program best practices. Please include any regular monitoring reports your firm provides.

VIII. Fiduciary and Compliance Services

1. Fiduciary Role:

a) Describe your fiduciary role for the plan and participants.

b) Do you accept fiduciary responsibility under ERISA 3(21)? Please describe.

2. Compliance Resources:

a) What compliance resources does your organization provide?

b) How often do you review plan documents with your clients?

3. Training, Education, and Support:

• How often do you conduct training, education, and support sessions for committees?

IX. Participant Services

1. Types of Services:

• List of services provided to retirement plan participants.

2. Participant Advice and Education:

a) Provide details on the employee support structure for your participant education and advice services. How many employees are solely dedicated to this service offering?

b) Are there advisors available to come on site and speak with our employees? Can we have a single dedicated advisor for this purpose? Describe that advisor’s background and experience.

c) Describe the difference between participant advice and participant education. Which of these services does your firm provide?

d) Do you have a call center with advisors exclusively dedicated to it? If so, how many advisors? Provide details on call center availability, location, and hours of operation.

e) Examples or case studies showing measurable improvement in participate outcomes

f) Educational resources and materials provided to participants (provide examples and how often)

g) How do you track engagement and outcomes related to participate services in the following areas, particularly in situations where you assumed the role of Broker and achieved measurable improvements in employee outcomes:

1. Retirement readiness

2. Engagement

3. Financial Wellness

How do you measure success in these areas, and how are these metrics communicated to your clients? Please include specific examples where applicable.

X. Security and Business Continuity

1. Data Security Measures:

• Describe your data security measures.

2. Disaster Recovery Plans:

• Describe your disaster recovery plans.

XI. Fees

1. Compensation for Services:

a) How is your firm compensated?

b) Do you recommend that advisory fees for plans of our size be fixed or asset-based, and why?

2. Fees for Services:

• Describe all fees for services under this proposal and any guarantees.

3. Written Agreement or Letter of Engagement:

• Provide a sample written agreement or letter of engagement detailing services provided to our plans.

SECTION 5: EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. General Information

The RFP and Proposals will enable the City to gather additional information and identify a qualified Offeror to perform the services described in the Scope of Services and specifications. The City will conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial evaluation of all proposals received. An evaluation committee will be established by the City to evaluate the proposals (“Evaluation Committee”). The City reserves the right to determine that no qualified Proposals have been received and reject any and all Proposals.

2. Best Value Evaluation

The City will evaluate Proposals and select the Proposal that represents the best value for the City. By submission of its Proposal, the Offeror accedes to all requirements of this procurement, including terms and conditions, representations and certifications and technical requirements. Failure to meet a requirement may result in a Proposal being determined technically unacceptable.

3. Administrative Review

All Proposals received will be reviewed by the Purchasing Office, a division of the City’s Finance Department, to ensure that all administrative requirements of the RFP package have been met by the Offerors. Each Proposal shall be reviewed to ensure that the Offeror has followed all guidelines for Proposal submittal including, but not limited to: submission of a separately packaged Technical Proposal, Cost/Fee Proposal and Past Performance/References; only technical information is included in the Technical Proposal; only cost information is included in the Cost/Fee Proposal; and all documents requiring a signature have been signed and included. Failure to meet these requirements may be cause for rejection of a Proposal. All Technical Proposals that meet the administrative requirements will then be turned over to the Evaluation Committee for further consideration.

4. Scoring of Proposals

A. Technical Proposal. Utilizing the information submitted in response to Section 4 and elsewhere in this RFP, the Evaluation Committee will consider the following factors during the evaluation of the Technical Proposal:

i. Capabilities and Approaches: Provide a detailed and complete response for the items requested in Section 4 (except IV Experience and XI Fees).

ii. Past Performance: Provide a detailed and complete response for the items requested in Section 4, IV Experience.

The Capabilities and Approaches will be rated as being “acceptable” or “unacceptable.” As part of the Technical Proposal evaluation, the City will contact some or all of the references listed by the Offeror in its Technical Proposal. The City may also obtain data independently from other governmental and commercial sources, at its sole discretion. The purpose of this evaluation is to allow the City to assess the Offeror’s ability to perform the effort described in this RFP based on the Offeror’s demonstrated past performance. The City may also visit current Offeror operated facilities to evaluate Offeror customer service, facility maintenance, and general appearance of such locations.

B. Cost/Fee Proposal. Cost/Fee Proposals will be evaluated separately from Technical Proposals. While the Cost/Fee Proposal is important to the City, cost will not be the sole determining factor in selecting an Operator. This is a best value evaluation, and the City reserves the right to award based on considerations other than the best Cost/Fee Proposal.

The City reserves the right to negotiate with one (1) or more Offerors should the City deem it is its best interest to negotiate. To facilitate negotiations, the City reserves the right to revise and/or alter the Project scope folling contract award. The City reserves the right to suspend negotiations with one (1) Offeror and to enter into negotiations with another Offeror.

Submission of a Proposal indicates the Offeror’s acceptance of the described evaluation methodology and the Offeror’s recognition that some subjective judgments must be made by the City. Components of the cost/fee proposal should include the following: estimated start-up cost, estimated gross revenue for the first year broken out as a revenue obtained from specific source(s), estimated operating cost for the first year, annual payment to the City, and estimated annual value of in-kind services or scholarships to Sandy Springs residents.

C. Past Performance- References Any information received by the Evaluation Committee subsequent to the Offeror’s Proposal will be used to further evaluate the short-listed Offerors to determine a rank-order. Final approval of a selected Offeror is subject to the City’s Purchasing Policies.

5. Formal Interviews and Presentations

After the initial Proposal evaluation, one (1) or more Offerors may be invited to meet with members of the Evaluation Committee for a formal interview. At the City’s discretion, selected Offerors may be interviewed and re-evaluated based upon additional information received in these meetings against criteria stated in this RFP. Offerors may be asked to provide the Evaluation Committee supplemental information regarding demonstrated competence and qualifications, feasibility of implementing the Project as proposed, ability to meet schedules, costing methodology, or other factors as appropriate.

Any information requested by the Evaluation Committee subsequent to submission of the Offeror’s Proposal will be used to further evaluate the selected Offerors to determine a rank-order. Final approval of a selected Offeror is subject to the City’s Purchasing Policies and the approval of the City’s governing body.

Formal interviews and presentations are anticipated to be held on the date(s) set forth in Section 8. Each Offeror invited for formal interview will be contacted with a scheduled appointment time.

6. Negotiation and Best and Final Offer (as applicable)

a. If the City deems it is in its best interest to retain the services of one (1) or more Offerors, the City reserves the right to negotiate a revised scope and/or fees. Negotiations will encompass all phases of work, including but not limited to: hourly rates, fees for services, markups for overhead and profit on subcontractors, a “not to exceed” contract amount, as well as any other items the City deems appropriate.

b. If negotiations are successful, the City and the successful Offeror will enter into an agreement to develop the services as outlined in this RFP. If an acceptable agreement cannot be reached between the City and the successful Offeror, the City may choose to negotiate with other Offeror(s).

c. Separate meetings with more than one (1) Offeror may be conducted during the same time frame; however, negotiation sessions with an Offeror will not be held in the presence of another Offeror.

d. “Best and Final offer” is an option available to the City under the RFP process, which permits the City to request a “best and final offer” from one (1) or more Offerors if additional information is required to make a final decision. Offerors may be contacted to request that they submit their “best and final offer,” which must include any and all discussed revisions.

Offerors submitting Proposals should be aware that the Evaluation Committee has sole discretion to determine what constitutes the “best value and offer” for the City. Consequently, Offerors are urged to submit their best possible terms in their original submittal.

SECTION 6: PRE-SUBMITTAL INQUIRIES

All questions or requests for clarification shall be sent via Bonfire under Message - Opportunity Q&A:

https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details or directed to: emcadoo@sandyspringsga.gov.

Questions are due no later than September 18, 2025, 5:00 pm EST. Questions received after this date and time may not be answered.

Questions and clarifications will be answered in the form of an addendum. Any addenda, schedule changes and other important information regarding this procurement will be posted on Bonfire at:

https://sandysprings.bonfirehub.com/projects/200579/details

It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check Bonfire frequently for any addenda or other communications related to this procurement.

mailto:emcadoo@sandyspringsga.gov

SECTION 7: REQUIRED SUBMITTALS

Failure to submit the following proposal documents may result in the bid being deemed non-responsive and the proposal shall be rejected:

Technical Proposal City Qualification Signature and Certification Form Cost Proposal Proposal Signature and Certification E-verify Affidavit under O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(1) Addenda Acknowledgment Certification of Sponsor Drug Free Workplace Georgia Security Immigration Compliance Act Affidavit Affidavit verifying Status for City Public Benefit Application Corporate Certificate Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire Signed Contract Business License (Registered in the state of Georgia) Investment Certifications Certified Retirement Plan Fiduciary

Upon award of contract the following items shall also be submitted:

Certificate of Insurance

SECTION 7: COMMUNICATIONS

Questions or comments regarding this procurement shall be submitted in writing via e-mail to the Procurement Officer ONLY (see address below). The Offeror shall clearly reference the section and page numbers of the RFP which are applicable to the question(s) or comment(s) submitted.

Note: Oral questions will not be accepted due to the possibility of misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

Offerors are encouraged to submit questions or comments by no later than September 18, 2025, 5:00 p.m. EST, to allow for analysis and dissemination of the City's responses in advance of the Proposal due date. Questions received after this date and time may not be answered.

The principal point of contact for this procurement is the Purchasing Agent, Edward McAdoo, for the City.

Mr. McAdoo can be reached via e-mail at emcadoo@sandyspringsga.gov. Until a Consultant is selected and the selection is announced regarding the procurement, elected officials, Evaluation Committee members, employees of the City, and contracted personnel receiving information and documents regarding this procurement are not allowed to communicate regarding the procurement for any reason with any potential or interested contractors, vendors, City staff, or contracted personnel except through the City's Procurement Officer or designated successor.

For violation of this restriction, the City reserves the right to reject the Proposal of any potential or interested contractor or vendor who knowingly participates in such violation. Any City staff or elected officials who violate this restriction acknowledge such conduct may result in an ethics violation pursuant to the City's ethics ordinance and/or disqualification from further participation in, or briefing on, the procurement. All communications concerning this procurement must be directed to the Procurement Officer named in this procurement.

SECTION 8: SCHEDULE OF EVENTS*

EVENT DATE

RFP Release Date September 2, 2025 Pre-Proposal Meeting September 15, 2025 (2:30-3:30) Deadline for Receipt of Inquiries September 18, 2025 Proposal Due Date October 2, 2025 Proposal Evaluations Completed TBD Presentations/Interviews (Optional) TBD Final Selection TBD

*This proposed schedule of events is informational and is subject to change at the discretion of the City.

SECTION 9: TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All Proposals and supporting materials as well as correspondence relating to this procurement become property of the City when received. Any proprietary information contained in the Proposal shall be so indicated; however, a general indication that the entire contents, or a major portion, of the Proposal is proprietary will not be honored. The following terms and conditions shall also apply:

1. All applicable federal and state laws and City ordinances, licenses and regulations of all agencies having jurisdiction shall apply to Offerors throughout the solicitation and the Project and are incorporated herein.

2. Gratuities, Rebates, or kickbacks.

a. Gratuities. It is prohibited for any person to offer, give, or agree to give any City Representative, or for any City Representative to solicit, demand, accept, or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity, rebate or offer of employment in connection with any decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation or preparation of any part of this RFP influencing the content of any specification or standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing or in any other advisory capacity in any proceeding or application, request for ruling, determination, claim or controversy, or other particular matter, pertaining to this RFP or a Contract or subcontract, or to any Solicitation or response therefore in any manner inconsistent with the State of Georgia’s Department of Administrative Services Gratuity Policy located in the Georgia Procurement Manual Section I.4.

b. Kickbacks. It is prohibited for any payment, gratuity, or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf of a subcontractor under a Contract to the prime Contractor or higher tier subcontractor, or any person associated therewith, as an inducement for the Award of this RFP.

c. Rebates. It is prohibited for any rebate to be offered for the sole purpose of inducement. Rebates normally or routinely offered to all customers for the purchase of Goods and Services are acceptable and are the property of the City.

d. Nothing in this section shall preclude a City Representative from attending seminars, courses, lectures, briefings, or similar functions at any Offeror's facility or at any other place if any such seminar, course, lecture, briefing, or similar function is for the purpose of furnishing the City Representative with knowledge and information relative to the Offeror's Goods or Services and is one the City Manager determines would be beneficial to the City. In connection with any such seminar, course, lecture, briefing, or similar function, nothing shall preclude the City Representative from receiving meals from an Offeror. Nothing in this section shall preclude the City Representative from receiving educational materials and business-related items of not more than nominal value from an Offeror. Nothing contained in this section shall permit the City Representative to accept free travel from the Offeror outside the State of Georgia or free lodging in or outside the State of Georgia.

3. Professionals requiring special licenses shall be licensed in the State of Georgia and shall be responsible for those portions of the work as may be required by law.

4. No Proposal shall be accepted from, and no contract shall be awarded to, any person, firm, or corporation that (i) is in arrears to the City with respect to any debt, (ii) is in default with respect to any obligation to the City, or (iii) is deemed irresponsible or unreliable by the City.

5. The City shall be able to request of Offeror satisfactory evidence that it has the necessary financial resources to accomplish the requirements of the contract.

6. From the date this RFP is issued until a Consultant is selected, Offerors are not allowed to communicate with any staff or elected officials of the City regarding this procurement, except at the direction of Reginald Starling, Purchasing Agent for this procurement. Any unauthorized contact may disqualify the Offeror from further consideration. Contact information for the single point of contact is as follows:

Edward McAdoo, Purchasing Agent City of Sandy Springs

1 Galambos Way Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328

E-mail: emcadoo@sandyspringsga.gov

7. While the City has every intention to make an award as a result of this procurement, issuance of the

RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the City to award and execute a contract. Upon a determination such actions would be in its best interest, the City, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to:

a. Cancel or terminate this RFP at any time. A notice of cancellation will be issued if the RFP is cancelled.

b. Preparation of a Proposal is the Offeror’s sole financial responsibility.

c. The City will not reimburse any Offeror for preparation of its Proposal. Proposals may be returned upon request, if unopened.

d. Reject any or all Proposals received, make a contract award based directly on the Proposals received in the best interest of the City, in its sole discretion, or enter into further discussions with one (1) or more Offerors.

e. Waive and/or amend any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions/specifications of this RFP which would not have significant impact on any Proposal.

f. Make partial award or no award if it is in the best interest of the City to do so.

g. Terminate any contract if the City determines adequate funds are not available or if it is in the City’s best interest to do so.

h. The City reserves the right to award multiple contracts for the Project Scope described in this procurement. If the contract awarded pursuant to this procurement is terminated for any reason, the City reserves the right to request from an eligible Respondent a cost proposal and an executed contract for consideration of award. The City also reserves the right to request such other documents at that time as deemed necessary to consider whether or not to make a contract award, or it may determine to pursue other methods available to it to procure required services.

SECTION 10: CONTRACT INFORMATION

The form of agreement (“Contract”) the City intends to execute with the selected Offeror is included in this RFP as Attachment A. Offerors are urged to read this Contract carefully prior to submitting a Proposal.

In general, the City is unable to negotiate or revise contract provisions. If an Offeror believes certain contract provisions are out of date, not applicable or place an undue burden or cost on the Offeror or the City, the Offeror shall address these concerns in writing during the pre-submittal inquiries period. The Procurement Officer will review and determine the appropriate response. If the City determines a change is warranted; an addendum will be posted to this RFP. If an Offeror is unwilling to execute the Contract, whether modified by addendum or not, a Proposal should not be submitted.

The City may deem any Proposal containing contract changes or exceptions non-responsive and reject the Response.

This RFP document, together with its addenda, amendments, attachments, modifications, Offeror’s Proposal, including any amendments, a “best and final offer,” and any clarification question responses, when executed, becomes part of the contract between the parties. The City does not intend to accept alternate terms and conditions to the Contract. All questions are due in writing no later than the date stated on the first page of this RFP. Questions received after this date and time may not be answered.

Prior to award, the apparent selected Offeror may be required to enter into discussions with the City to resolve any contractual differences before an award is made. These discussions shall be finalized, and all exceptions resolved within one (1) week of notification; if not, the Proposal may be rejected and discussions initiated with the second highest scoring Offeror.

The selected Offeror shall not begin performance of services requested by this RFP prior to the execution of a formal agreement (based on the Contract) by the City and selected Contractor. Any Contractor beginning performance prior to the execution of a formal agreement shall be deemed to be proceeding at the Contractor’s risk and shall not be entitled to any compensation for such performance. In addition, the City reserves the right to withdraw or cancel an award.

The City may, by written notice to the selected Offeror, terminate any resulting agreement without cause.

The City must give notice of termination to the selected Offeror at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of termination.

Attachment B List of All Investments as of 07/11/2025

Name Symbol Category AB Large Cap Growth Z APGZX Large Cap Funds American Century One Choice 2035 R6 ARLDX Asset Allocation American Century One Choice 2045 R6 ARDOX Asset Allocation American Century One Choice 2055 R6 AREUX Asset Allocation American Century One Choice 2065 R6 ARHSX Asset Allocation American Century One Choice In Retire R6 ARDTX Asset Allocation American Funds Capital World Bond R6 RCWGX Bond Funds American Funds New Perspective R6 RNPGX International Funds American Funds New World R6 RNWGX International Funds BlackRock 40/60 Target Allocation K BKMPX Asset Allocation BlackRock Health Sciences Opps K SHSKX Specialty BlackRock High Yield K BRHYX Bond Funds ClearBridge International Growth IS LMGPX International Funds Fidelity 500 Index FXAIX Large Cap Funds Fidelity International Index FSPSX International Funds Fidelity Mid Cap Index FSMDX Mid Cap Funds Fidelity Small Cap Index FSSNX Small Cap Funds Fidelity US Bond Index FXNAX Bond Funds Franklin Utilities R6 FUFRX Specialty Invesco Balanced-Risk Commodity Strat R6 IBRFX Specialty Invesco Gold & Special Minerals R6 OGMIX Specialty JPMorgan Core Plus Bond R6 JCPUX Bond Funds Macquarie Small Cap Growth R6 IRGFX Small Cap Funds MassMutual Inf-Prot and Inc I MIPZX Bond Funds MFS Mid Cap Growth R6 OTCKX Mid Cap Funds Nuveen Real Estate Securities Select R6 TIREX Specialty SAGIC Core Bond I N/A Fixed Schwab SDB Securities N/A Brokerage Schwab SDB Sweep Program N/A Brokerage T Rowe Price Financial Services I TFIFX Specialty Undiscovered Mgrs Behavioral Value R6 UBVFX Small Cap Funds Vanguard Energy Index Adm VENAX Specialty Vanguard Information Technology Idx Adm VITAX Specialty

Vanguard Short-Term Federal Inv VSGBX Bond Funds Vanguard Windsor II VWNFX Large Cap Funds

SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Agreement (hereinafter “Agreement”) is made of the execution date by the City (the “Effective Date”), by and between ______________________________________ a legal entity authorized to do business in the State of Georgia (hereinafter “Contractor”) and having a Georgia registered agent’s address at_________________ and principal office address of ______________________Attn: (Registered Agent, City State)_______________ and the City of Sandy Springs, Georgia, a Georgia Municipal Corporation located at 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 (“Sandy Springs” or “the City”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Contractor is engaged in the business of providing investment advisory services ; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Springs has a need to acquire the investment advisory services described in the Contractor Proposal attached hereto as Exhibit A (hereafter “Services”); and

WHEREAS, Contractor is willing and able to render the Services and wishes to perform the Services for Sandy Springs; and

WHEREAS, Sandy Springs wishes to acquire the Services from Contractor;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms, conditions and covenants set forth herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Services.

Contractor hereby agrees to render the Services to Sandy Springs as set forth in the Scope of Services and/or Contractor Proposal attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference. Contractor agrees to perform the Services at the direction of the City’s project manager or designee, in the manner and to the extent required by the parties herein, as may be amended hereafter in writing by mutual agreement of the parties.

2. Compensation.

a. Fee. As consideration for the Services, Sandy Springs shall pay to Contractor the fees described in Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.

b. Manner of Payment. Contractor shall, on a monthly basis, prepare and submit to the Sandy Springs Finance Department an invoice, indicating work performed and approved and additional equipment expenses incurred during the applicable time period, together with such supporting documentation as may be required by Sandy Springs. Each compliant invoice shall be paid within thirty (30) days after submission of an invoice.

3. Relationship of Parties.

a. Independent Contractors. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create any relationship other than that of independent contractor between Sandy Springs and Contractor This Agreement shall not constitute, create, or otherwise imply an employment, joint venture, partnership, agency or similar arrangement between Sandy Springs and Contractor. It is expressly agreed that Contractor is acting as an independent contractor and not as an employee in providing the Services under this Agreement.

b. Employee Benefits. Contractor shall not be eligible for any benefit available to employees of

Sandy Springs including, but not limited to, workers’ compensation insurance, state disability insurance, unemployment insurance, group health and life insurance, vacation pay, sick pay, severance pay, bonus plans, pension plans, or savings plans.

c. Payroll Taxes. No income, social security, state disability or other federal or state payroll tax will be deducted from payments made to Contractor under this Agreement. Contractor shall be responsible for all FICA, federal and state withholding taxes and workers’ compensation coverage for any individuals assigned to perform the Services for Sandy Springs.

4. Term

This Agreement shall become effective as of the Effective Date. The Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect until June 30, 2026 (the “Initial Term”) with the City having an exclusive option to renew for three (3) additional one-year periods (each referred to as a/the “Renewal Term”) contingent upon annual appropriations of funds by the City of Sandy Springs City Council. The Agreement will terminate at the close of each fiscal year but will automatically renew absent any positive action by the City to terminate.

The Parties agree that this Agreement, as required by O.C.G.A. § 36-60-13, shall terminate absolutely and without further obligation on the part of the City should the City’s governing body fail to appropriate adequate funds prior to the start of each Renewal Term.

5. Termination.

Either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement if the other party is in default of any obligation hereunder and such default is not cured within ten (10) days of receipt of a notice from the other party specifying such default. “Default” shall mean:

a. If Sandy Springs fails to make payments when due or fails to perform or observe any of its duties or obligations under the terms of this Agreement;

b. If Contractor fails to perform or observe any of its duties or obligations under the terms of this

Agreement;

c. If Sandy Springs or Contractor shall have made any warranty or representation in connection with this Agreement which is found to have been false at the time such warranty or representation was made and is materially harmful to the other party.

d. This Agreement may also be terminated by either party by giving written notice thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of termination. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this paragraph, Contractor shall be exclusively limited to receiving only compensation for the work performed and appropriately documented to and including the effective date identified in the written termination notice.

6. Termination of Services and Return of Property.

Upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement, Contractor shall immediately terminate the Services hereunder and shall deliver promptly to Sandy Springs all property relating to the Services and any Work Product (as defined below), patents or copyrights covered by this Agreement. Work Product shall include, but not be limited to, all hardware and software, written, graphical, and recorded material, and any copies, abstracts or summaries thereof.

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