RFP 1753 PRESIDENTIAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES.PDF

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP 1753

SPECIFICATIONS FOR

PRESIDENTIAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES

Issued by:

Gateway Technical College 3520 – 30th Avenue

Kenosha, WI 53144-1690

Proposal must be emailed and submitted no later than 2:00 PM CST on October 1, 2025

To: Purchasing Department

Administration Center 3520 – 30th Avenue Kenosha, WI 53144 bernhardte@gtc.edu mailto:bernhardte@gtc.edu

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL 1753

NOTICE TO PROVIDERS FOR

PRESIDENTIAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES

Notice is hereby given that sealed written proposals will be received by Gateway Technical

College District, in the Administration Center, Purchasing Department, at 3520 – 30th

Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53144-1690 until 2:00 pm CST, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 for Presidential Recruitment Services. For a copy of the complete specifications, please contact Ericka Bernhardt at bernhardte@gtc.edu.

The district reserves the right to reject any proposal for due cause or to waive minor irregularities in any proposal.

Gateway Technical College is an equal opportunity/access/employer and educator

All proposals must be guaranteed for ninety (90) days after the date of opening.

PURPOSE

Gateway Technical College is seeking proposals for qualified firms or an individual to conduct a search to fill the executive position of President for Gateway Technical College.

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to inform interested proposers how to prepare and submit an electronic proposal.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Gateway Technical College is a municipal corporation of the State of Wisconsin primarily engaged in post- secondary and adult education. Gateway is one of sixteen districts in the Wisconsin Technical College system. The district consists of Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties with major campuses located in each county.

Gateway Technical College collaborates with communities in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties to ensure economic growth and viability by providing education, training, leadership, and technological resources to meet the changing needs of students, employers, and communities.

Gateway offers instructional programs from its campuses and through distance learning opportunities, such as online courses, to approximately 3933 full time equivalent students who are registered in over 75 career training programs. Gateway offers over seventy (85) associates of applied science degree programs, technical diploma programs, advanced technical certificates, and apprenticeship programs. We also provide customized training to over 400 business and industry representatives in more than fifty (50) businesses.

It is the policy of Gateway Technical College not to discriminate in admission to, or participation in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, political affiliation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, family or medical leave, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, arrest record or conviction record, retaliation, union or non-union affiliation, membership in the National Guard, state defense force or any reserve component of the military forces of the U.S. or Wisconsin.

RFP 1753 – INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

1. Proposal Submission Due Date

All proposals must be received no later than 2:00 PM CST on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Proposals must be emailed and received via e-mail by the Purchasing Department Agent, Ericka Bernhardt bernhardte@gtc.edu. Any proposal received after 2:00 PM CST will be disqualified.

2. Proposal Submission Instructions

PROPOSAL DELIVERY OPTION: Proposals and all associated documentation shall be emailed to Ericka Bernhardt, bernhardte@gtc.edu. Please include the following in the subject line of the email: “Proposal RFP 1753 for “Presidential Recruitment Services”.

Any proposal received without the subject line of the email not properly and clearly marked may result in the bid being rejected. Electronic bids will be opened briefly upon receipt to verify they are not corrupted and unable to be opened during the bid opening. Proposals will not be opened publicly.

PROPOSALS SHOULD NOT BE HAND DELIVERED OR MAILED VIA FedEx, USPS, or UPS.

Proposals sent via email will only be accepted, before the 2:00 PM deadline on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Gateway Technical College will respond via email confirming the receipt of your company’s proposal.

If you do not receive a confirmation that your proposal has been received, it is the responsibility of the bidder emailing their proposal to follow up with Ericka Bernhardt at bernhardte@gtc.edu.

3. Required Forms to Submit Proposal

No proposal will be accepted on any other form(s) than those herewith specified and/or provided with the RFP. All proposals submitted must be accompanied by the enclosed Noncollusion and Nondiscrimination Affidavits properly executed by an authorized representative of the proposer and acceptance is contingent upon their receipt. Gateway Technical College is not liable for any costs incurred in replying to this request. All proposals become the property of the district and are public record.

4. Withdrawal of Proposals

Proposals may be withdrawn by the submitting parties any time prior to the due date for the proposal to be received. Negligence on the part of the proposer in preparing the proposal confers no right of withdrawal or modification of the proposal after the due date for submission.

5. Deviations from Proposal Specifications

Any deviations from proposal item specifications must be clearly documented on an attachment sheet to this proposal form and indicated as “Exceptions to Specs”. Gateway Technical College reserves the right to determine if any noted deviations or qualifying statements indicated in a proposal are in the best interest of the college and reserves the option to reject any proposal(s), all proposals, or a portion of a proposal(s), on that basis.

6. Alternate Proposals Specifications contained in this RFP are intended to define the level of quality and performance and not to restrict competition. Where certain brands or part numbers are specified, it is for illustration or to establish a standard for features and construction.

Suppliers offering alternates shall submit an itemized comparison to the RFP specifications, documenting differences. Unless indicated otherwise, suppliers may offer more than one alternative.

7. Acceptance/Right to Rejection of Proposals

Gateway Technical College reserves the right to make an award based on its own determination, or to reject any or all proposals or portions of the same, if in the opinion of Gateway Technical College, the best interests of Gateway Technical College will be served thereby. Gateway Technical College also reserves the right to reject all proposals received and resubmit the RFP if it feels an adequate level of competition was not obtained, or if specifications/terms did not allow for a sufficient level of competing proposals to be received, or if desired specifications, features, or standards were not, in the opinion of Gateway Technical College, acceptable.

Gateway Technical College may elect to award a single contractor to service all college sites or may choose multiple providers, each awarded specific sites. Vendors, at their discretion, may choose to identify in their proposal specific college sites where they are interested in providing services or in not providing services.

An award may be made without notification to any other supplier(s). Suppliers need to quote prices on a line-item basis with the understanding that Gateway may only order partial items of what was quoted. If the supplier can offer additional discounted prices on the premise that it will receive the entire award, the supplier should enumerate such additional pricing discount options for Gateway’s consideration.

8. Irregularities

Gateway Technical College may waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received.

9. Firm Proposals

All proposals are to be firm for acceptance for a minimum of ninety (90) days from opening and for the specified contract period. Any exceptions shall be fully noted. The purchase of the item(s) in this RFP is contingent on budget availability. The college may elect to not proceed with this project, or delay the project, or modify the conditions for this project, if so considered to be in the best interest of the college.

10. Liability

Gateway Technical College incurs no liability for any cost the supplier may have incurred in preparing and submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

11. Right to Addendums

Gateway Technical College reserves the right to amend the terms and specifications of this RFP. In the event of any changes to the terms and/or specifications of this RFP, a formal addendum to the RFP will be issued.

All addenda issued by the College before the proposal due date shall become a part of the specifications, shall be covered in the proposal, and will be made part of the contract. It is the responsibility of each bidder to check for any addenda issued related to this bid or RFP before submitting a proposal.

12. Binding Contract

A proposal received in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) is an offer that can be accepted by Gateway Technical College to create a binding contract.

13. Public Inspection of Proposals To maintain the integrity of the competitive proposal process, proposals received from suppliers will NOT be made available to other competing suppliers or to individuals or firms outside of the Gateway Technical College proposal evaluation team until an award decision (prior to actual award) has been made.

14. Other Considerations Factors which include, but are not limited to, quantity involved, time of completion, purpose for which required, competency and financial capacity of the vendor, ability to render satisfactory service and past performance will be considered in determining status as a responsible vendor. Gateway Technical College reserves the right to request additional information as may reasonably be required to make this determination and to further investigate the qualifications of the respondent as deemed appropriate.

15. State Sales Tax and Federal Excise Tax Exemption

Notice is hereby given that Gateway Technical College as a Wisconsin municipality is exempt from state sales taxes and federal excise taxes pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes, Section 77.54(9a). Such taxes should not be included in prices or quotes proposed to Gateway Technical College.

16. Evaluation Criteria and Procedure

Evaluation of proposals will be based on a weighted point system. The specific evaluation criteria and points will be further explained in the RFP document. The evaluation of proposals will be composed of the Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Committee. The Purchasing Department oversees the evaluation process to ensure it is objective and scoring is based on the requirements communicated to the suppliers in the RFP. Gateway shall be the sole judge in the subjective matters of a supplier’s capability, experience, references, etc. as to what best meets the unique needs of Gateway. Unless a proposer can cite a specific statute or administrative code being violated, the subjective judgment or scoring by the Gateway evaluators is not appealable.

Following the initial evaluation, the evaluation committee may decide to contact one or more of the proposers to obtain clarification to various responses given in the proposal submission.

As a result of these follow-up questions and responses, scores may be adjusted.

17. Contents of Proposal and Meetings with Suppliers All attachments, additional pages, addenda or explanations supplied by the vendor with this proposal will be considered as part of the proposal response.

Upon receipt of all proposals meeting the conditions outlined in this RFP and arriving by the specified due date and time, Gateway Technical College reserves the option to meet with a select group (not all) of suppliers that it considers to be in the best interest of the Gateway Technical College, to do presentations, demonstrations, or clarify details of their proposals to Gateway Technical College staff. If an oral presentation, interview, or demonstration is required of selected finalists, it shall be at the respondent’s expense. However, an award may be made without discussion with the respondents. Therefore, respondents are cautioned that proposals should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms, from both a technical and cost standpoint. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond that required to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired.

18. References

Gateway Technical College may assign evaluation points based on comments and reviews of the supplier’s product and/or the services, as provided by references.

19. Assignment or Subcontract

Neither party shall assign a right or interest, nor delegate or subcontract any obligation owed without the written consent of the other. If a subcontractor is in agreed upon with both parties (written consent), the main contractor should do the following:

a. Provide Lien Waivers of all subcontractors and suppliers.

b. Provide Certificates of Insurance indicating Gateway Technical College as an additional insured with respect to all work performed under the accepted proposal/agreement. The contractor must provide a certificate of insurance to the college prior to commencement of the work per the written agreement/contract.

20. Payment for Contract Performance

Upon complete performance of the contract by the supplier when accepted as such by Gateway Technical College, Gateway Technical College will pay the supplier for any balance payment due and payable under the terms of the contract for said work, material, services, items, supplies, or equipment, within a reasonable and customary time after receipt of a properly prepared and submitted invoice to Gateway Technical College.

21. Delivery

All proposed items or services are to be delivered tax-exempt, F.O.B. Destination – delivered, with freight cost included in the price or otherwise quoted on the Gateway Technical College price quotation form, to the Gateway Technical College campus(s) noted.

22. Advance Copy of Contract

Suppliers are to include in their proposal submission an advance copy of their standard form or agreement that they would expect Gateway Technical College to sign if they are awarded the contract.

23. Right to Negotiate Contract Terms

Gateway Technical College reserves the right to negotiate the terms of the Contract, including the award amount, with the selected proposer prior to entering into a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the highest scoring proposer, the agency may negotiate a contract with the next highest scoring proposer.

24. Choice of Law This Contract, and all other Contract Documents, shall be governed, construed and interpreted solely in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules.

25. Venue

The Contractor consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Wisconsin Circuit Courts of Kenosha and/or Racine and/or Walworth County for any action or lawsuit arising out of matters related to this Contract. The Contractor waives its right to commence an action or lawsuit in connection with this Contract in any court located outside of Kenosha, Racine, or Walworth County Wisconsin.

26. Remedies

In addition to any other rights or remedies afforded by this Contract of by law, in the event of a default by Contractor, Gateway Technical College shall have the right to file suit to enforce the terms and conditions of this Contract and/or sue for damages, and – in addition to any damages – Gateway Technical College shall be entitled to all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) Incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Contract.

27. Order of Precedence This Contract shall be interpreted, in order of precedence the following “Contract Documents”:

a.The Request for Proposal b.Other documents provided by Gateway Technical College c.The Contractor’s Proposal

In the event of any conflict of interpretation of the Contract Documents, the interpretations will be based on the above order of precedence.

28. Termination for Convenience

Gateway Technical College may terminate this Contract, in whole or in part, at any time by written notice to the Contractor when it is in Gateway’s best interest. The Contractor shall be paid its cost, including contract close-out costs, and profit on work performed up to the time of termination. The Contractor shall promptly submit its termination claim to Gateway Technical College to be paid by the Contractor. If the Contractor has any property in its possession belonging to Gateway Technical College, the Contractor will account for the same and dispose of it in the manner Gateway Technical College directs.

29. Indemnification

The Contractor shall indemnify and hold harmless Gateway Technical College, its employees, officers, agents and assigns, from any and all liability for damages on account of injury, including death, to persons, including employees of Gateway Technical College, or for damage to property which actually or allegedly results from or actually or allegedly arises in connection with the performance of services or the furnishing of goods or products provided in connection with this Contract. In addition, the Contractor shall reimburse Gateway Technical College for all costs, expenses, including all costs of defense attorneys' fees, and all other losses incurred by Gateway Technical College in connection with any claims, demands and causes of action, whether meritorious or not, which may be brought against Gateway Technical College or their employees, agents or assigns, arising in whole or in part from goods, services or products provided or furnished in connection with this Contract.

30. Contact with Gateway Technical College

During the time period from the issue date of this RFP until the College has notified all Offerors of its decision, all contact with any other College or Wisconsin Technical College System employee concerning this RFP is prohibited, except as authorized by the College’s procurement department.

Questions or comments regarding the RFP -- including insurance requirements -- must be sent by email to Ericka Bernhardt at bernhardte@gtc.edu. Substantive questions submitted will be answered via addendum and shared with all potential offerors. The deadline for receiving questions is September 17, 2025 by 2:00pm CST as indicated in the RFP.

Failure to adhere to this provision may be cause for disqualification of an Offeror’s submission.

31. Insurance Requirements:

Vendor shall obtain, pay and keep in force until the expiration of this Agreement the following insurance. Vendor agrees to list College as an additional insured on all policies (except Worker’s Compensation) required to be maintained under this section (below) and to promptly provide College with evidence of such insurance upon request. Such certificate shall contain a provision that coverage afforded under these policies will not be canceled and no material changes will be made until at least thirty (30) days prior to written notice has been given to College. Any subcontractors or third-party affiliates working for or on behalf of the College are required to comply with the insurance requirements set forth above.

Vendor shall provide the following insurance coverages:

● COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY

o Insuring against bodily injury, property damage, personal injury and advertising injury product, completed operations, and contractual liability.

o $1,000,000 each occurrence

● COMPREHENSIVE AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY

o $1,000,000 each accident o Coverage shall apply to "any auto", owned, hired, or non-owned

● WORKERS' COMPENSATION

o Must carry coverage for Statutory Workers Compensation and Employers Liability limit of:

▪$100,000 Each Accident

▪$500,000 Disease Policy Limit

▪$100,000 Disease – Each Employee o Must include coverage for occupational disease, sickness, and death o Must include Broad Form All States Endorsement/other states endorsement

● ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS – IF APPLICABLE FOR RFP SPECIFICATIONS

AS WELL AS FOR THE WORK TO BE PERFORMED UPON AWARD OF PROPOSAL:

o Must include: Premises and Operations Liability o Must include: Explosion, Collapse and Underground Coverage o Must include: Broad Form Blanket Contractual o Must Include: Personal Injury (Group A, B, C) and delete Employment exclusion o Must include: Product and Completed Operations Coverage o Must include: Independent Contractors Coverage (Owners &

Contractors protective)

● ERRORS AND OMISSIONS OR PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY – Claims Made Basis o $5,000,000 Single Limit Each Occurrence for the term of the contract and for two years following its completion

●SURVIVAL

oThis Section shall continue beyond the expiration, non-renewal, or termination of this Agreement.

The following additional insurance coverage will apply to any contract where outside resources are utilized to manage or store Gateway data:

(Vendor) shall obtain at its own expense and evidence via Certificate(s) of Insurance the following insurance requirements before commencement of any awarded work and throughout the duration of the Agreement:

A) Errors and Omissions (E&O), Technology E&O / Technology Products E&O:

minimum of $5 million limit and in the annual aggregate, inclusive of defense costs

B) Network Security / Privacy Liability;

including

(1) computer or network systems attacks (2)denial or loss of service (3)introduction, implantation, or spread of malicious software code (4)unauthorized Access and Use of computer systems (5)privacy liability (6)breach response coverage (7)Provide a description of your company's cybersecurity posture (for example by providing completed HECVAT (Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit), SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2), or equivalent documentation).

•Liability coverages should have a minimum of $5 million limit and in the annual aggregate •Breach response sublimit of at least 50% of the liability limit

C) Crime Insurance: Vendor, at its sole cost and expense, shall obtain and maintain in full force and effect, Third Party Crime/Employee Dishonesty Insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000. The insurance shall name Gateway Technical College as a loss payee.

If policy or policies are written on a claims-made basis, coverage must be in place for a period of at least 12 months after the completion or termination of the Agreement.

"INSURED" and subsidiaries must be named as an additional insured under E&O, Technology E&O / Technology Products E&O and Network Security / Privacy Liability coverage sections. Further, an appropriate endorsement deleting the Insured vs. Insured exclusion must be evidenced, so as not to impede a claim by "INSURED" and subsidiaries for a wrongful act of (Vendor). All insurance carrier(s) must carry an A.M. Best rating of at least A-, Class VIII.

32. Insurance Coverage:

The awarded Vendor agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the College, its officers, agents and employees from any kind and all liability including claims, demands, losses, costs, damages and expenses of every kind and description or damage to persons or property arising out of or in connection with or occurring during the course of the contract. In addition to the kinds of insurance enumerated herein, the Vendor shall also obtain, at its own expense, any special insurance as it in its sole discretion deems necessary to protect its interest in its equipment, inventory and supplies.

a. The enumeration in the Vendor’s proposal of the kinds and amounts of liability insurance shall not abridge, diminish or affect the Vendor’s legal responsibilities for the consequences of accidents arising out of or resulting from the services of the Vendor under this agreement.

b. The agreement shall be void and of no force and effect unless the Vendor provides coverage for the benefit of, and keeps covered during the life of this agreement, such employees as are required to be covered by the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law.

c. The Vendor shall furnish the College with a certificate showing that such insurance is in effect and the protection afforded under the policy will not be canceled or reduced until at least thirty (30) days prior notice is sent to the College by the insurance company or agent, such notice being sent be registered mail. The Vendor will specify the additional umbrella liability which it will provide. Each policy of insurance shall contain the following endorsement: “It is understood and agreed that the insurance company shall notify Gateway Technical College in writing ninety (90) days in advance of the effective date of any reduction in or termination or cancellation of this policy.”

d. In case of default of the insurance company, Gateway Technical College may procure the articles or services from other sources and hold the company responsible for any excess costs or loss of revenue occasioned thereby.

e. The Vendor shall keep the College free and clear from all liens asserted by any person or Vendor for any reason arising out of the furnishing of services or materials by or to the Vendor.

Vendor shall obtain, pay and keep in force until the expiration of this Agreement the following insurance. Vendor agrees to list College as an additional insured on all policies (except Worker’s Compensation) required to be maintained under this section (below) and to promptly provide College with evidence of such insurance upon request. Such certificate shall contain a provision that coverage afforded under these policies will not be canceled and no material changes will be made until at least thirty (30) days prior to written notice has been given to College. Any subcontractors or third-party affiliates working for or on behalf of the College are required to comply with the insurance requirements set forth above.

33. Americans with Disabilities Language (ADA) Gateway is committed to making its facilities, services, programs, and activities readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities as required by law. The college seeks products and services that will allow it to meet that commitment. Accordingly, by submitting a response, vendor represents and warrants that the products or services to be provided under this Contract will be designed, produced, and/or delivered in such a way that will enable the college to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to the extent the vendor’s products or services may be covered by that act. . For technology and software products, this means provision of a VPTA that demonstrates compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

The failure of a vendor to deliver accessible products and services as required by this provision shall constitute a material breach of the contract/agreement. If the college notifies the vendor that a person has made a claim against the college concerning accessibility of products or services furnished by the vendor under this contract/agreement, or the college otherwise discovers the same, the vendor will work with the college in an effort to remedy the claim in a timely manner, at the vendor’s expense.

34. Web Accessibility Compliance Provision

1.Compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA Standards

The Third Party shall ensure that all digital services, content, platforms, applications, and deliverables provided under this Agreement ("Services") fully comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, as published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), or any subsequent versions thereof as may be mutually agreed upon in writing. This includes, but is not limited to, websites, web applications, mobile applications, and any other digital interfaces or content provided or maintained by the Third Party.

2.Accessibility Requirements

a. The Third Party represents and warrants that the Services will be designed, developed, tested, and maintained to meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.

b. The Services shall incorporate, at a minimum, features such as text alternatives for non-text content, keyboard navigability, sufficient color contrast, captions for multimedia, and compatibility with assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers).

3.Documentation and Testing

a. The Third Party shall provide, upon request, documentation demonstrating compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, including but not limited to accessibility conformance reports, testing results, or audit reports conducted by qualified accessibility professionals.

b. The Third Party shall conduct regular accessibility testing and remediation to ensure ongoing compliance throughout the term of this Agreement.

c. The Third Party shall provide a current VPAT that demonstrates compliance with WCAG

2.1 AA requirements.

4.Remediation of Non-Compliance

In the event that any Services are found to be non-compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, the Third Party shall, at its sole cost and expense, promptly remedy such non-compliance within 45 days of receiving written notice. Failure to remedy non-compliance may result in [insert remedies, e.g., termination of the Agreement, withholding of payment, or other contractual penalties].

5.Ongoing Compliance

The Third Party shall maintain compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards for the duration of this Agreement and shall promptly implement any updates or modifications necessary to address changes in applicable accessibility standards or legal requirements.

35. Distribution of Procurement Solicitations

Gateway Technical College uses DemandStar.com as their automatic supplier registration, procurement notice and document distribution system.

a. Suppliers interested in receiving bid and proposal information from Gateway

Technical College must register online to access all bidding opportunities at the College.

b. Registration is FREE

● Register at www.demandstar.com/app/wapp/registration If you have already registered through this link with regard to another WAPP agency, you do not have to register again to receive solicitations generated by Gateway Technical College. If you registered for a specific WAPP agency and would also like to receive solicitations from Gateway Technical College, contact DemandStar registration assistance to have your agency designation changed.

● Select Commodity Codes in order to receive notification.

Once your DemandStar registration has been activated you must log in to Demand Star and go to the “Account Info” page. Then “Edit” “Commodity Codes'' and select any NGIP commodity code selections. If commodity codes are not selected, you will not receive any notifications.

c. It is the responsibility of the Supplier to regularly monitor this Website.

● Suppliers are required to update and maintain their profile on DemandStar in order to ensure notification and access to procurement opportunities and information they are interested in receiving. This includes updating the commodity codes for which the Supplier wants solicitations/notifications.

● A Supplier’s failure to retrieve available, required procurement information and include the appropriate documentation and information in solicitation responses is the sole responsibility of the Supplier, and may result in disqualification

● Vendors are responsible for checking DemandStar at https://www.demandstar.com/app/loginw.demandstar.com for any addenda prior to submitting a bid.

Vendor Selection/Evaluation Criteria (Evaluation of Proposals)

This is a Request for Proposal, and factors other than price alone will be reviewed and evaluated. Gateway Technical College will use the following weighted point system in evaluating the proposals for Presidential Recruitment Services.

Right of Rejection - Gateway Technical College reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to http://www.demandstar.com/app/wapp/registration https://www.demandstar.com/app/loginw.demandstar.com waive any non- material irregularities or informalities in any Request For Proposal and to accept or reject any item or combination of items. Gateway will also consider competitive contracts currently in place with other State/Governmental Agencies.

Number of contracts - Gateway Technical College reserves the right to contract with more than one firm depending on the evaluation of the proposals submitted.

The evaluation of proposals will be composed of the Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Committee. The evaluation committee may decide to contact one or more of the vendors to obtain clarification to various responses given in the proposal submission. As a result, if these follow-up questions, scores may be adjusted based on the responses.

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions - Submission of a proposal shall constitute acknowledgement and acceptance of all the terms and conditions contained in this request for proposal. The VENDOR chosen will be required to enter into a formal contract with Gateway Technical College. Any agreement or contract resulting from the acceptance of a proposal shall be on forms approved by Gateway. Gateway reserves the right to reject or modify any agreement which does not conform to the request for proposal and any requirements for agreements and contracts.

CONTRACT TERMS

Contract Period - The contract for this RFP will be for a one (1) year period commencing on or about October 2025.

Cancellation of Contract - The contract shall provide that Gateway reserves the right to cancel any agreement at any time upon ninety (90) days prior written notice of its intent to terminate any agreement. The designated shall provide at least one hundred eighty (180) days prior written notice of its intent to terminate any agreement.

Points Evaluation Criteria

Demonstrated Success in Presidential Searches - Level of experience and achievement working successfully with public and/or private institutions on presidential searches, as evidenced by placement success, tenure of hires, and relevant higher education experience.

20 Cost/Value Alignment - Evaluated on competitiveness, clarity of pricing, and alignment of costs with the scope of services and deliverables.

Full points awarded for proposals demonstrating strong value for services, not simply lowest cost.

20 Cultural Fit & Understanding of Gateway’s Mission - How well the vendor demonstrates knowledge of Gateway’s values, educational mission, and community context, and how this understanding will shape their approach.

15 Stakeholder Engagement Approach - Strength of the vendor’s plan to involve Gateway Technical College representatives in developing the presidential profile, soliciting input during the search process, and keeping the District Board informed of progress.

10 Responsiveness & Thoroughness of Proposal - As demonstrated by the vendor’s attention to detail, clarity, and completeness in describing how expectations will be met.

10 Innovation & Customization - Use of innovative methods, tools and tailored approaches (beyond “off-the-shell” processes) to ensure Gateway receives the strongest candidate pool

100 Total Points

36. OSHA, Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services Requirements The initial shipment of any items requiring an SDS provided under contract to each college within the WTCS or to any other Wisconsin agency participating on the contract must include a SDS for filing with each respective shipping location receiving the items. All services must meet “OSHA” specifications. In addition, all items must meet the shipping, recording, and identification requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.

It is a direct condition of the terms of this solicitation that if there be any toxic substances, materials, or infectious agents, in this proposal, the Proposer shall supply a SDS with the material shipment and/or at the time the material is brought onto Gateway Technical College premises and a copy of the SDS is to be forwarded to:

Sharon E. Johnson CFO/VP of Finance and Administration Gateway Technical College 3520 – 30th Avenue Kenosha, WI 53144

37. Wisconsin Open Records Law

Respondents to this RFP are advised that all documents received by Gateway Technical College in connection with this RFP, including bids, contracts, if any, and all other submitted attachments, will become the exclusive property of Gateway Technical College.

Furthermore, to the extent permitted by law, it is the intention of Gateway Technical College to withhold the contents of the bids, contracts, if any, and any other submitted documents, from public view until such times as the competitive or bargaining reasons no longer require non-disclosure in the opinion of Gateway Technical College. At that time, all bids, and any resulting contracts thereof, and all other submitted documents in connection to this RFP, will be available for review in accordance with Wisconsin Open Records Law.

Pursuant to Wisconsin State Statutes Section 19.36(5), protection from disclosure may apply to those pages in each submittal, as defined in Wisconsin Statutes Section 134.90(1)(c), and which are marked as TRADE SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, or PROPRIETARY by the RFP respondent or other submitting party. The respondent shall mark each page separately; and any non-confidential data shall begin on the subsequent page. Marking all or nearly all, of the bid as TRADE SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, OR PROPRIETARY may result in the rejection of the bid. In this regard, Gateway Technical College may reject any bid it cannot fairly evaluate without the information marked proprietary.

Gateway Technical College will not advise as to the nature of the content of the documents marked as entitled to this protection of non-disclosure, or as to the definition of trade secret, confidential, or proprietary information. The respondent or other submitting party will be solely responsible for all such determinations made by it, and for clearly and prominently marking each and every page or sheet of materials with TRADE SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, or PROPRIETARY as it determines to be appropriate.

Gateway Technical College will endeavor to advise the RFP respondent of any requests for the disclosure of the material so marked with TRADE SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, or PROPRIETARY, and give the respondent or other submitting party the opportunity to seek a court order to protect such materials from disclosure. If a party other than the proposer submitted the requested materials, the proposer respondent shall be solely responsible for notifying the submitting party of the requests.

Gateway’s sole responsibility is to notify the proposer of the request for disclosure, and Gateway shall not be liable for any damages resulting out of such disclosure, whether such disclosure is deemed required by law, by an order of the court or administrative agency, or occurs through inadvertence, mistake, negligence on the part of Gateway Technical College or its officers, employees, consultants, or subcontractors.

TENTATIVE TIMETABLE

September 3, 2025 Distribute RFP September 17, 2025 Deadline for questions at 2:00 PM CST September 23, 2025 Estimated date for Gateway to answer questions via Addendum, October 1, 2025 Bids due no later than 2:00 PM CST October 7, 2025 Interview Notifications October 14, 2025 Face to Face Presentations October 14, 2025 Notice of Award

SPECIFICATIONS

IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES

Company Name:

Address:

Telephone: Fax:

Key Representative

Email Address:

Please acknowledge if applicable this RFP for any addendums containing changes. Failure to acknowledge in this manner may render the proposal non-responsive.

Signature Title Date

SPECIFICATIONS

SCOPE:

Gateway Technical College is soliciting interest from qualified firms or an individual to conduct a search to fill the executive position of President and CEO. The executive search firm or individual should provide the following services at a minimum to:

● Be available to commence the search process as soon as the chosen firm is identified, expected to be

October 2025.

● Recommend the approach and methodology to be used for the search and selection process. Work with the Board of Trustees and Board Liaison to adjust that approach as needed for the College’s unique needs.

● Serve as a consultant to the Board of Trustees/Board Liaison to develop and facilitate the search process, including establishing and recommending a timeline and milestones.

● Develop the ideal profile for the President and CEO by meeting with Gateway Technical College representatives to obtain information regarding specific issues and opportunities for the management skills and style that are appropriate for the position.

● Develop a strategy for implementing the President and CEO recruitment (including submission and name of various websites and identifying outreach to encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply).

● Review resumes for background and qualifications and conduct follow-up virtual/telephone conversations for clarification.

● Facilitate virtual interviews by representatives chosen by the Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Presidential Search Committee to clarify each applicant’s experience and credentials.

● Prepare a written summary of all candidates for the position, with the most promising qualifications to share with the Ad Hoc Presidential Search Committee.

● Evaluate candidates for serious consideration by conducting in-depth reference checks with individuals who are or have been in the position to evaluate the candidate’s performance on the job. A recommended short list of finalist candidates shall be presented to Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Presidential Search Committee for their consideration.

● Recommend and finalize a process with Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Presidential Search Committee for interview and coordinating candidate’s participation in interviews.

● Assist with agenda and schedule coordination of candidates for candidate interviews, visitation to Gateway Technical College’s campus and centers, and site visits to the candidate(s) current places of employment.

● Debrief Gateway Technical College Ad Hoc Presidential Search Committee following interviews and identify additional candidates, if necessary.

● Verify selected candidates' educational and employment background, financial/credit, and coordinate criminal and civil litigation checks.

● Assist Gateway Technical /College in structuring the job offer, the employment package and relocation (if applicable) with the finalist.

● Provide Gateway Technical College with regular written status reports and keep candidates apprised of their status.

● Conduct a sufficient number of meetings to properly solicit input from and keep informed but not limited to Gateway Technical College Board of the search firm's progress.

● Provide examples of recruitment literature (i.e. brochures or recruitment marketing pamphlets) successfully used by the search firm in other executive searches.

● Reinitiate additional executive searches, at no fee to Gateway Technical College, if successful candidates leave (via resignation or termination with or without cause) the employment of within one (1) year of placement.

VENDOR SELECTION

A selection committee consisting of Gateway Technical College’s District Board Members will be evaluating all proposals. Award will be based on a point system and awarded to the proposer with the highest points. The maximum possible points will be one hundred (100) points. The Gateway selection committee will score proposals based on the following criteria:

● Past performance as measured by the tenure and satisfaction of the selected candidate and the hiring institution.

● State whether your organization is national, regional or local, including the size, range of activities. Particular emphasis should be given as to how the firm-wide experience and expertise in the areas addressed by this RFP will be brought to bear on the proposed work.

● Include a narrative description of the process to be used in proactively identifying and recruiting qualified candidates for this specific position.

● Identify the firm’s or individual's (and your proposed project team’s) recent experience in filling presidential positions (include both number and frequency).

● Identify the individual who would be the principal in charge (main contact) assigned to provide services on behalf of the firm on this project along with others to be involved and provide detailed resume(s).

● Provide data defining the firm’s or individual success in minority, ethnic, and gender recruitment and placement in presidential positions (include number and frequency breakdown by minority and gender).

● Describe the firm’s or individual knowledge and experience in recruiting presidential positions at 2-year vocational, technical, and community colleges and identify institutions for which you have provided these services within the last 5 years.

● Provide examples of how the firm has obtained input from stakeholders in a presidential search and copies of comprehensive position profiles that the firm produced for other comparable clients.

● Outline resources of the firm available to help Gateway Technical College identify and recruit the best pool of qualified candidates. Provide a complete list of publications to be advertised in and details of electronic databases, websites, or other internet resources to be used in seeking qualified candidates.

● Outline the frequency of updates/status reports provided to clients.

● Identify the procedures used in conducting reference and background checks (include forms, logs, sample records used in screening and verifying credentials) and details on database searches to be conducted.

● Provide written references or contacts from clients.

● Provide a copy of the sample contract entered into with clients for a presidential search.

● Propose a search project calendar.

● Pricing proposal. Provide a detailed estimate of total fees/expenses, including the basis to be used in establishing the fee (flat fee, etc.): approximate expenses to be incurred including the firm’s reimbursement policies/limits): and an example of the total fees and expenses charges for a President search in the past 12 months. Identify payment schedule options based on milestones/results achieved. (Evaluation will be based on the total fee proposed with the lowest fee receiving the high score and highest fee receiving the lowest score.)

The president must be innovative, collaborative, data-driven, comfortable working in a complex, multi-institutional system/organization, a proven change leader, and financially savvy with a broad scope of administrative, and academic, government, or business experiences from which to draw. The President will commence work as early as July 2026.

Responses to the evaluation criteria will be considered a part of the contract to be entered into with the firm selected. All communications with Gateway Technical College shall be done exclusively with the designee of the District Board through the purchasing department.

TERMINATIONS/PENALTIES FOR NON-PERFORMANCE

The Gateway Technical College District reserves the right to cancel any purchase order or contract for failure of the contractor to satisfactorily comply with the terms, conditions, and specifications of this inquiry.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Ericka Bernhardt Purchasing Agent Gateway Technical College 3520 – 30th Avenue Kenosha, WI 53144 bernhardte@gtc.edu

RFP 1753 SPECIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES

By signing this Proposal Offer Form, I agree to all terms and conditions set forth in this Proposal Specification Package. I further acknowledge my proposal cannot be withdrawn any time after a recommendation is made by the selection committee to the Gateway Technical College District Board.

The proposal must be signed by a company official who has the full authority to legally bind the prime vendor to the proposed obligations. The signer of the proposal must also declare that the proposal is made without collusion or fraud and that the proposal represents no conflict with the Code of Ethics requirements of Gateway Technical College.

The undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Gateway Technical College, its officers or directors, employees and agents, against and from any and all expenses, costs, damages, claims, and liabilities of any kind or any intentional or negligent act or omission in the course of the performance of duties/obligations under this agreement. The indemnification obligations of the parties hereto pursuant to this section shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the expiration or termination of this agreement with respect to any such expenses, costs, damages, claims, and liabilities, which arise out of or are attributable to the performance of this agreement prior to its expiration or termination.

Credit Card payment accepted: Yes No If yes, do you charge a fee Yes No

Signature of Principal Officer/Owner:

Please Print Name of Principal Officer/Owner:

Title:

Date:

Name of Company

Address

Telephone Number Fax Number

Email Address

SUPPLIER PROOF OF RESPONSIBILITY FORM

The “Supplier Proof of Responsibility” information on this form is held in strict confidence by Gateway Technical College and is not shared with any other people or firms outside of the Gateway proposal review committee members. This information is exempt from being provided to outside firms or individuals under open record laws or Freedom of Information Act requirements. Gateway may reject or disregard any and all proposals received from suppliers/contractors that fail to prove responsibility and/or does not provide this completed questionnaire with their submitted proposals.

Company Name:

Address:

List Names and Titles of Officers or Partners:

Type of Firm: Corporation, Individual,…