RFP_222937.pdf

CITY OF TUCSON

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 222937

SOLICITATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FIRST REVIEW DATE: December 7, 2021, 2:00 pm LOCAL AZ TIME

OPEN AND CONTINUOUS THROUGH

DECEMBER 31, 2025

SOLICITATION SUBMITTAL LOCATION: Business Services Department https://www.tucsonaz.gov/bso/

MATERIAL OR SERVICE: QUALIFIED VENDOR LIST (QVL)

FOR FINANCIAL CONSULTING

SERVICES FOR GRANT FUNDS

RESPONSIBLE CONTRACT OFFICER: Troy Rombough

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (520) 837-4139

EMAIL: troy.rombough@tucsonaz.gov

A copy of the solicitation and any possible amendments may be downloaded from our Internet site at:

http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ by selecting the Bid Opportunities link and the associated solicitation number. Email notifications are sent to those interested Vendors who are registered with us and who have selected email as their preferred delivery method. To register, or to update an existing vendor record, please visit www.tucsonprocurement.com, click on Vendors, then click on Vendor Registration to access the City’s vendor registration system. You may also call the Procurement Division of the Business Services Department at (520) 791-4217 if you have questions.

Competitive sealed submittals for the specified material or service shall be received electronically by the Business Services Department at: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/bso/ until the date and time cited. In order to allow for any issues that may be encountered, (i.e. slow internet, internet outage, uploading large documents, differing system requirements, etc.), Respondents should ensure sufficient time to upload submittal documents. Responses not in “Submitted” Status by the Due Date and Time stated in the solicitation WILL be rejected.

Respondents shall submit their response to the Business Services Department on or before the day and hour set for the Solicitation Due Date identified above, as may be modified by amendments to this solicitation.

Responses to this solicitation shall only be accepted via electronic submission through the City’s online bidding system. Instructions to submit a response to this solicitation can be found at the following link:

https://tucsonprocurement.com/assets/OnlineBiddingProceduresManual.pdf.

It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to submit their response before the scheduled time, as reflected in the City’s online bidding system. No Response shall be accepted after the scheduled opening time.

Questions must be addressed to the responsible Contract Officer listed above.

PUBLISH DATE: November 23, 2021 https://www.tucsonaz.gov/bso/ http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ https://www.tucsonaz.gov/bso/ https://tucsonprocurement.com/assets/OnlineBiddingProceduresManual.pdf

CITY OF TUCSON REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 222937

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 2 of 32 SHARED SERVICES PROCUREMENT DIVISION RESPONSIBLE CONTRACT OFFICER: Troy Rombough

255 W. ALAMEDA, 6TH FLOOR, TUCSON, AZ 85701 PH: (520) 837-4139

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Qualified Vendor List (QVL) for Financial Consulting Services for Grant Funds

A. INTRODUCTION

B. SCOPE OF WORK

C. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

D. PROPOSAL EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS

E. VENDOR RESPONSE

F. PRICING PROPOSAL

G. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

H. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

I. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 3 of 32

A. INTRODUCTION

A.1. Summary

The City of Tucson (City), Arizona intends to establish a qualified vendor list for Independent Financial Consulting firm(s) who are licensed to practice in the State of Arizona, to submit proposals for Financial Consulting Services as determined necessary in support of the fiscal/budgetary operations of the City, primarily related to the management, tracking, and reporting of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds. Successful firms will work with recipients of City awarded grant funds to provide accounting support related specifically to their City ARPA awards. It is preferred that the consultant(s) utilized for the described services have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation, although such designation is not required. All proposals submitted will be required to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, codes, and laws.

The City intends to negotiate scope and pricing for specific engagements at the time of said engagement with each Contractor. Offeror shall complete the price page contained herein as well as offering any additional details about your services that may assist the City with their needs. The City shall use this as a starting point when reaching out.

Open and Continuous

This solicitation will be open and continuous, allowing offerors to submit after the initial due date for consideration. Submittals through January 28, 2022 will be reviewed as received. After January 31, 2022, proposals will be reviewed by the committee quarterly. The schedule for proposals to be accepted shall be as follows:

December 8, 2021 – December 22, 2021 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

December 23, 2021 – December 31, 2021 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

January 3, 2022 – January 28, 2022, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

January 31, 2022 – March 23, 2022, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

March 24, 2022 – June 30, 2022, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

October 3, 2022 – December 30, 2022, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

January 2, 2023 – March 31, 2023, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

April 3, 2023 – June 30, 2023, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

July 3, 2023 – September 29, 2023, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

October 2, 2023 – December 29, 2023, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

January 2, 2024 – March 29, 2024, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

April 1, 2024 – June 28, 2024, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

July 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 4 of 32

October 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

January 2, 2025 – March 31, 2025, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

April 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

July 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

October 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025, 2:00 PM, LOCAL AZ TIME

No new awards shall be given after December 31, 2025

A.2. Contact Information

Troy Rombough Senior Contract Officer Email: troy.rombough@tucsonaz.gov Phone: (520) 837-4139 Department:

Business Services mailto:troy.rombough@tucsonaz.gov tel:(520)837-4139

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 5 of 32

B. SCOPE OF WORK

B.1. Scope of Work

The consultant will work directly with third party ARPA grant fund recipients, primarily small businesses and non-profit organizations, in conjunction with City personnel. City will assign task assignments/Release Orders on an as needed basis by the City's Business Services Director or designee.

Duties will include:

A. Provide Accounting Services, including expenditure tracking, revenue tracking, and detailed financial reporting in accordance with GAAP and Federal Reporting Standards.

B. Provide reporting support in accordance with the funding agreements and memoranda with the City of Tucson.

C. Provide Financial Management support by advising concerning processes and appropriate expenditures in accordance with the agreements, GAAP, and Federal Guidelines.

D. Provide additional Financial guidance and support as needed to execute the requirements of the agreements with the City.

E. Other duties include, but are not limited to: establish grant fund tracking mechanisms, monitor expenditures and make determinations on eligible/ineligible expenditures, prepare or provide assistance in the preparation and submission of necessary forms and paperwork, ensure compliance throughout the entire grant lifecycle, provide ad-hoc reporting, and respond to recipient or City inquiries in an expedient manner.

F. Work with the City to resolve disputes with ARPA funding or other agencies as may be necessary including, but not limited to, the preparation of appeals.

G. Provide the City with grants close-out services to ensure funding is retained.

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C. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

C.1. DEFINITION OF KEY WORDS USED IN THE SOLICITATION

For purposes of this solicitation and subsequent contract, the following definitions shall apply:

City: The City of Tucson, Arizona

Contract: The legal agreement executed between the City and the Contractor/Consultant. The Contract shall include this RFP document incorporated herein by reference, all terms, conditions, specifications, scope of work, Amendments, the Contractor’s offer and negotiated items as accepted by the City.

Contractor/Consultant: The individual, partnership, or corporation who, as a result of the competitive solicitation process, is awarded a contract by the City.

Contract Representative: The City employee or employees who have specifically been designated to act as a contact person or persons to the Contractor, and is responsible for monitoring and overseeing the Contractor's performance under this Contract.

Business Services Director: The contracting authority for the City, authorized to sign contracts and amendments thereto on behalf of the City.

May: Indicates something that is not mandatory but permissible.

Offeror: The individual, partnership, or corporation who submits a proposal in response to a solicitation.

Shall, Will, Must: Indicates a mandatory requirement. Failure to meet these mandatory requirements, if they constitute a substantive requirement, may, at the City’s sole discretion, result in the rejection of a proposal as non-responsive.

Should: Indicates something that is recommended but not mandatory. If the Offeror fails to provide recommended information, the City may, at its sole option, ask the Offeror to provide the information or evaluate the proposal without the information.

C.2. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

If scheduled, the date and time of a Pre-Proposal conference is indicated on the cover page of this document. Attendance at this conference is not mandatory. Written minutes and/or notes will not be available, therefore attendance is encouraged. If an Offeror is unable to attend the Pre-Proposal Conference questions may be submitted in writing. Offerors are encouraged to submit written questions, via electronic mail at least nine days prior to the Request for Proposal due date to the Contract Officer listed above. The purpose of this conference will be to clarify the contents of this Request for Proposal in order to prevent any misunderstanding of the City's position. Any doubt as to the requirements of this Request for Proposal or any apparent omission or discrepancy should be presented to the City at this conference. The City will then determine the appropriate action necessary, if any, and may issue a written amendment to the Request for Proposal. Oral statements or instructions will not constitute an amendment to this Request for Proposal.

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C.3. INQUIRIES

Any question related to the Request for Proposal shall be directed to the Contract Officer whose name appears above. An offeror shall not contact or ask questions of the department for whom the requirement is being procured. The Contract Officer may require any and all questions be submitted in writing. Offerors are encouraged to submit written questions via electronic mail at least nine days prior to the proposal due date. Any correspondence related to a solicitation should refer to the appropriate Request for Proposal number, page and paragraph number. Oral interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect. Only questions answered by a formal written amendment to the Request for Proposal will be binding.

C.4. AMENDMENT OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Offeror shall acknowledge receipt of a Request for Proposal Amendment by signing and returning the document by the specified due date and time.

C.5. FAMILIARIZATION OF SCOPE OF WORK

Before submitting a proposal, each offeror shall familiarize itself with the Scope of Work, laws, regulations and other factors affecting contract performance. The Offeror shall be responsible for fully understanding the requirements of the subsequent Contract and otherwise satisfy itself as to the expense and difficulties accompanying the fulfillment of contract requirements. The submission of a proposal will constitute a representation of compliance by the Offeror. There will be no subsequent financial adjustment, other than that provided by the subsequent Contract, for lack of such familiarization.

C.6. PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL

A. All proposals shall be on the forms provided in this Request for Proposal package. It is permissible to copy these forms as required. Facsimiles or electronic mail proposals shall not be considered.

B. At a minimum, your proposal should include the signed Offer and Acceptance form, signed copies of any solicitation amendments, completed Price Page and your response to all evaluation criteria.

C. The Offer and Acceptance page shall be signed by a person authorized to submit an offer. An authorized signature on the Offer and Acceptance page, Proposal Amendment(s), or cover letter accompanying the proposal documents shall constitute an irrevocable offer to sell the good and/or service specified herein. Offeror shall submit any additional requested documentation, signifying intent to be bound by the terms of the agreement.

D. The authorized person signing the proposal shall initial erasure, interlineations or other modifications on the proposal.

E. In case of error in the extension of prices in the proposal, unit price shall govern when applicable.

F. Periods of time, stated as a number of days, shall be in calendar days.

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 8 of 32

G. It is the responsibility of all offerors to examine the entire Request for Proposal package and seek clarification of any requirement that may not be clear and to check all responses for accuracy before submitting a proposal. Negligence in preparing a proposal confers no right of withdrawal after due date and time.

H. The City shall not reimburse the cost of developing, presenting, submitting or providing any response to this solicitation.

I. Offeror must list any subcontractors to be utilized in the performance of the services specified herein. For each subcontractor, details on respective qualifications must be included.

Please be reminded that this RFP titled Qualified Vendor List (QVL) for Financial Consulting Services for Grant Funds MUST be received no later than Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at 2:00 pm. for the Initial Review. All other proposals will be reviewed as scheduled above.

C.7. PAYMENT DISCOUNTS

Payment discount periods shall be computed from the date of receipt of the material/service or correct invoice, whichever is later, to the date City’s payment warrant is mailed. Unless freight and other charges are itemized, any discount provided shall be taken on full amount of invoice. Payment discounts of twenty-one calendar days or more shall be deducted from the proposed price in determining the price points. However, the City shall be entitled to take advantage of any payment discount offered by a vendor provided payment is made within the discount period. The payment discount shall apply to all purchases and to all payment methods.

C.8. TAXES

The City of Tucson is exempt from federal excise tax, including the federal transportation tax.

C.9. PROPOSAL/SUBMITTAL FORMAT

A proposal should be submitted on the forms and in the format specified in the RFP. Any information that the offeror requested to held as confidential information shall be clearly marked as such. The material should be in sequence and related to the RFP. The sections of the submittal should be organized, clearly identifiable, and should include a minimum of the following sections: the completed Offer and Acceptance Form, all signed Amendments, a copy of this RFP document, and the Offeror’s response to the Evaluation Criteria including the completed Price Page. Failure to include the requested information may have a negative impact on the evaluation of the offeror's proposal.

C.10. EXCEPTIONS TO CONTRACT PROVISIONS

A response to any Request for Proposal is an offer to contract with the City based upon the contract provisions contained in the City’s Request for Proposal, including but not limited to, the specifications, scope of work and any terms and conditions. Offerors who wish to propose modifications to the contract provisions must clearly identify the proposed deviations and any proposed substitute language. The provisions of the Request for Proposal cannot be modified without the express written approval of the Director or his designee. If a proposal or offer is returned with modifications to the contract provisions

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 9 of 32 that are not expressly approved in writing by the Director or his designee, the contract provisions contained in the City’s Request for Proposal shall prevail.

C.11. PUBLIC RECORD

All proposals submitted in response to this Request for Proposal shall become the property of the City and shall become a matter of public record available for review subsequent to the award notification.

C.12. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

The City of Tucson is obligated to abide by all public information laws. If an Offeror believes that any portion of a proposal, offer, specification, protest or correspondence contains information that should be withheld, a statement advising the Contract Officer of this fact should accompany the submission and the information shall be so identified wherever it appears. The City shall review all requests for confidentiality and may provide a written determination to designate specified documents confidential or the request may be denied. Price is not confidential and will not be withheld. If the confidential request is denied, such information shall be disclosed as public information, unless the offeror submits a formal written objection.

C.13. CERTIFICATION

By signature on the Offer and Acceptance page, solicitation Amendment(s), or cover letter accompanying the submittal documents, Offeror certifies:

A. The submission of the offer did not involve collusion or other anti-competitive practices.

B. The Offeror shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment in violation of Federal or State law.

C. The Offeror has not given, offered to give, nor intends to give at any time hereafter, any economic opportunity, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discount, trip, favor, meal or service to a public servant in connection with the submitted offer.

D. The Offeror hereby certifies that the individual signing the submittal is an authorized agent for the Offeror and has the authority to bind the Offeror to the Contract.

C.14. WHERE TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS

Competitive sealed proposals for the specified material or service shall be received electronically by the Business Services Department at https://www.tucsonaz.gov/bso/ until the date and time cited.

Offerors shall submit their Proposal to the Business Services Department on or before the day and hour set for the Proposal Due Date identified above, as may be modified by amendments to this solicitation. Responses to this solicitation shall only be accepted via electronic submission through the City’s online bidding system. Instructions to submit a response to this solicitation can be found at the following link: https://tucsonprocurement.com/assets/OnlineBiddingProceduresManual.pdf.

NOTE: RESPONSES MUST BE IN "SUBMITTED" STATUS (SEE THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

THAT IS ACCESSIBLE ON THE LINK ABOVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS) IN ORDER TO BE

https://tucsonprocurement.com/assets/OnlineBiddingProceduresManual.pdf

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 10 of 32

CONSIDERED. RESPONSES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED IN THE SYSTEM, BUT THAT ARE

NOT IN "SUBMITTED" STATUS AT THE DUE DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

C.15. LATE PROPOSALS

Late proposals will be rejected. It is strongly advised that offerors create their responses in the City’s online bidding system well in advance of the Due Date and Time in order to allow for unforeseen circumstances such as slow internet speed, internet outage, etc. Proposals that are not in “Submitted” status at the Due Date and Time will NOT be considered.

C.16. OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

In order to allow for an adequate evaluation, the City requires an offer in response to this solicitation to be valid and irrevocable for ninety (90) days after the proposal due date and time.

C.17. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

At any time prior to the specified solicitation due date and time, an offeror may formally withdraw the proposal by a written letter or electronic mail from the Offeror or a designated representative.

Telephonic or oral withdrawals shall not be considered.

C.18. DISCUSSIONS

The City reserves the right to conduct discussions with offerors for the purpose of eliminating minor irregularities, informalities, or apparent clerical mistakes in the proposal in order to clarify an offer and assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, solicitation requirements.

C.19. TAX OFFSET POLICY

If applicable, in evaluating price proposals, the City shall include the amount of applicable business privilege tax, except that the amount of the City of Tucson business privilege tax shall not be included in the evaluation.

C.20. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

Exclusive or concurrent negotiations may be conducted with responsible offeror(s) for the purpose of altering or otherwise changing the conditions, terms and price of the proposed contract unless prohibited. Offerors shall be accorded fair and equal treatment in conducting negotiations and there shall be no disclosure of any information derived from proposals submitted by competing offerors.

Exclusive or concurrent negotiations shall not constitute a contract award nor shall it confer any property rights to the successful offeror. In the event the City deems that negotiations are not progressing, the City may formally terminate these negotiations and may enter into subsequent concurrent or exclusive negotiations with the next most qualified firm(s).

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 11 of 32

C.21. VENDOR APPLICATION

Prior to the award of a Contract, the successful offeror shall register with the City’s Business Services Department. Registration can be completed at http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ by clicking on Vendor Services. Please note that email notifications of newly published solicitations and amendments will be provided to those vendors that select email as their preferred delivery method in their vendor record.

C.22. CITY OF TUCSON BUSINESS LICENSE

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to have a City of Tucson Business License throughout the life of this contract or a written determination from the City's Business License Section that a license is not required. At any time during the contract, the City may request the Contractor to provide a valid copy of the business license or a written determination that a business license is not required. Application for a City Business License can be completed at http://www.tucsonaz.gov/etax. For questions contact the City's Business License Section at (520) 791-4566 or email at tax-license@tucsonaz.gov.

C.23. UPON NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

The apparent successful offeror shall sign and file with the City, within five (5) days after Notice of Intent to Award, all documents necessary to the successful execution of the Contract.

C.24. AWARD OF CONTRACT

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Request for Proposal, the City reserves the right to:

A. waive any immaterial defect or informality; or

B. reject any or all proposals, or portions thereof; or

C. reissue the Request for Proposal.

A response to this Request for Proposal is an offer to contract with the City based upon the terms, conditions and Scope of Work contained in the City's Request for Proposal. Proposals do not become contracts unless and until they are executed by the City's Business Services Director and the City Attorney. A contract has its inception in the award, eliminating a formal signing of a separate contract.

All of the terms and conditions of the contract are contained in the Request for Proposal, unless any of the terms and conditions are modified by a Request for Proposal amendment, a Contract Amendment, or by mutually agreed terms and conditions in the Contract documents.

C.25. PROPOSAL RESULTS

The name(s) of the successful offeror(s) will be posted on the Procurement Department’s Internet site at http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ upon issuance of a Notice of Intent to Award or upon final contract execution.

http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/ http://www.tucsonaz.gov/etax http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/

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C.26. PROTESTS

A protest shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Business Services Director. A protest of a Request for Proposal shall be received at the Department of Procurement not less than five (5) working days before the Request for Proposal due date. A protest of a proposed award or of an award shall be filed within ten (10) days after issuance of notification of award or issuance of a notice of intent to award, as applicable. A protest shall include:

A. The name, address, and telephone number of the protestant;

B. The signature of the protestant or its representative;

C. Identification of the Request for Proposal or Contract number;

D. A detailed statement of the legal and factual grounds of protest including copies of relevant documents; and

E. The form of relief requested.

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D. PROPOSAL EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS

D.1. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA – (listed in relative order of importance)

A. Qualifications & Experience

B. Similar Projects/References

C. Method of Approach

Submittals received in response to this Request for Proposals will be reviewed and scored by the Evaluation Committee. Submittals receiving a score of 80 or better from the majority of the Evaluation Committee members will be recommended for contract award.

D.2. Shortlist

The City reserves the right to shortlist the offerors on any of the stated criteria. However, the City may determine that shortlisting is not necessary.

D.3. Interviews

The City reserves the right to conduct interviews with some or all of the offerors at any point during the evaluation process. However, the City may determine that interviews are not necessary. In the event interviews are conducted, information provided during the interview process shall be taken into consideration when evaluating the stated criteria. The City shall not reimburse the offeror for the costs associated with the interview process.

D.4. Additional Investigations

The City reserves the right to make such additional investigations as it deems necessary to establish the competence and financial stability of any offeror submitting a proposal.

D.5. Prior Experience

Experiences with the City and entities that evaluation committee members represent and that are not specifically mentioned in the solicitation response may be taken into consideration when evaluating offers.

D.6. Multiple Awards

To provide adequate contract coverage, at the City’s sole discretion, multiple awards may be made.

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 14 of 32

E. VENDOR RESPONSE

Submittals received in response to this Request for Proposals will be reviewed and scored by the Evaluation Committee. Submittals receiving a score of 80 or better from the majority of the Evaluation Committee members will be recommended for contract award.

REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIC TO EVALUATION CRITERIA: The narrative portion and the materials presented in response to this Request for Proposal should be submitted in the same order as requested and must contain, at a minimum, the following:

E.1. Qualifications & Experience

1. Describe the ability of your firm to perform the work identified under the Scope of Work.

2. Provide a detailed description of the firm, including primary business focus and number of years’ experience.

3. Describe the firm’s business experience with projects of similar or identical Scope of Work.

4. Attach resumes of key staff members including detailed descriptions of involvement with projects of similar or identical Scope of work, who would be assigned to this contract and the designated Project Manager.

5. List any past and/or pending litigation or disputes relating to the work described herein that your firm has been involved in within the last five (5) years. The list shall include each project name and the nature of the litigation.

6. Provide an official letter from the proposer’s financial institution detailing the financial status of the proposer. The letter shall include a contact name, address, phone number, and fax number. The failure to produce financial requirements may be grounds for disqualification of your proposal response and offer.

7. Provide detail/resumes of staff that have bilingual capabilities. Demonstrate their ability to work in a monolingual and bilingual environment.

E.2. Similar Projects/References

1. To demonstrate experience and success in conducting similar work, the firm shall provide a minimum of five (5) references of similar size projects in similar circumstances with appropriate reference information, concentrating only on those projects completed within the last three (3) years or currently underway by the firm, as follows:

i. Client name, address, phone, fax number and email address

ii. Description of all services provided

iii. Performance period

iv. Total annual amount of contract

2. Describe any significant or unique awards received or accomplishments made in previous, similar projects.

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 15 of 32

3. Provide detail stating how the consultant demonstrates knowledge of grant funding opportunities, specifically ARPA funding.

4. Provide detail stating that the consultant has in depth knowledge of governmental financial operations and accounting, regulations and requirements related to the Stafford Act, the Code of Federal Regulations as well as other financial assistance.

5. Demonstrate experience working with small businesses and non-profit organizations.

E.3. Method of Approach

1. Prepare a detailed point-by-point response to all sections (A-G) of the Scope of Work. This section should clearly demonstrate the understanding of the RFP.

2. Define the adequacy of resources, including personnel, labor, equipment and supply resources, and other requirements to provide the requested services.

3. Provide a clear statement of the specific services and tasks to be performed. Include information concerning each task and staff committed to accomplish each task.

4. Provide a typical response time and/or project implementation schedule for proposed services including any management and planning strategies.

5. Provide information regarding any proposed innovative concepts that may enhance the value and quality of the services to be performed.

6. It is preferred that the consultant has local resources available. Describe how the consultant will meet with the City of Tucson designees and grantees (small businesses) if not located within Tucson metropolitan area.

7. Please indicate how you would work with grantees to achieve the City’s goals, including the use of onsite personnel, personnel working remotely, and the use of technology.

8. Please provide a sample invoice.

E.4. Forms to Be Filled out by Vendor

Please ensure that all required information is included with your offer:

A. Living Wage Certification Form (If applicable)

B. Technical Proposal

C. Pricing Proposal

D. Any solicitation amendments

E. Offer and Acceptance Form

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 16 of 32

F. PRICING PROPOSAL

HOURLY RATES PRICE PROPOSAL

Include any additional information that the City will need to be aware of when negotiating engagements.

Line Item Description Unit of Measure

Unit Cost

1 Partner Hour

2 Manager Hour

3 Senior (Lead) Hour

4 Staff Hour

5 Clerical Hour

6 Administrative Hour

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G. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

G.1. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

Any Contract resulting from this solicitation shall be for the use of the City of Tucson. In addition, public and nonprofit agencies that have entered into a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with the City of Tucson's Department of Procurement are eligible to participate in any subsequent Contract. See http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/coop_partners.aspx and click on Cooperatives for a list of the public and nonprofit agencies that have currently entered into Cooperative Purchasing Agreements with the City of Tucson. Additionally, this contract is eligible for use by the Strategic Alliance for Volume Expenditures (SAVE) cooperative. See http://www.mesaaz.gov/home/showdocument?id=23638 for a listing of participating agencies. The parties agree that these lists are subject to change.

Any orders placed to, or services required from, the successful Contractor(s) will be requested by each participating agency. Payment for purchases made under this agreement will be the sole responsibility of each participating agency. The Contractor may negotiate additional expenses incurred as a result of participating agencies’ usage of this contract (i.e., freight charges, travel related expenses, etc.). The City shall not be responsible for any disputes arising out of transactions made by others.

The Contractor(s) will provide an electronic copy of the complete Contract to the City of Tucson Department of Procurement upon receipt of the Notice of Intent to Award. At the City's request, the successful Contractor(s) may also be requested to provide an electronic copy of the complete Contract to a participating agency.

G.2. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

An Offeror responding to this RFP acknowledges that, to the best of its knowledge, information and belief, no person has been employed or retained to solicit or secure a Contract that may be awarded pursuant to this RFP upon a promise of a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, and that no member of the City of Tucson Mayor and Council or any employee of the City has any financial interest in Offeror’s firm. In addition, all communications regarding this solicitation shall be directed to the Department of Procurement. Interested Offerors shall refrain from engaging in any communication (written or verbal) regarding this solicitation or the matters involving this solicitation or TCC operations with any other City staff, Mayor & Council or staff of Mayor & Council.

The City reserves the right to disqualify an Offeror from further participation in the RFP process in the event the City determines that Offeror has an actual or apparent conflict of interest with the purposes of this RFP, or has violated this Conflict of Interest.

Upon a finding by the City that gratuities in the form of entertainment, gifts or inducements were offered or given by Offeror, or any agent or representative of Offeror, to any officer or employee of the City, including the Mayor and Council and their staff, for the purpose of securing a Contract that may be awarded pursuant to this RFP, or securing favorable treatment with respect to the awarding, amending, or making of any determination with respect to the performance of a Contract that may be awarded under this RFP, the City, may, by one (1) calendar day provide written notice to Offeror, terminate the right of Offeror to proceed under this RFP; provided that the existence of the facts upon which the City made such finding shall be an issue and may be litigated in an Arizona court of competent jurisdiction.

http://www.tucsonprocurement.com/coop_partners.aspx http://www.mesaaz.gov/home/showdocument?id=23638

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 18 of 32

G.3. LIVING WAGE REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the City’s Living Wage Ordinance (Article XIV of the Tucson Procurement Code). Contractor further agrees, upon request, to affirm in writing that Contractor is in compliance. The City’s Living Wage ordinance can be found at the following link:

https://tucsonprocurement.com/bidders_livingwage.aspx

G.4. TERM AND RENEWAL

The term of the Individual Contract shall commence upon award and shall remain in effect until December 31, 2026, unless terminated, canceled or extended as otherwise provided herein. All contracts resulting from this solicitation shall expire on December 31, 2026, regardless of when the contract is executed.

https://tucsonprocurement.com/bidders_livingwage.aspx

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 19 of 32

H. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

H.1. The Contractor agrees to:

A. Obtain insurance coverage of the types and amount required in this section and keep such insurance coverage in force throughout the life of this contract. All policies will contain an endorsement providing that written notice be given to the City at least ten (10) calendar days prior to termination, cancellation, or reduction in coverage in any policy.

B. The Commercial General Liability, Commercial Automobile Liability and umbrella policies where applicable will include the City as an additional insured with respect to liability arising out of the performance of this contract. Such additional insured shall be covered to the full limits of liability purchased by the Contractor, even if those limits of liability are in excess of those required by this Contract. The Contractor agrees that the insurance hereunder will be primary and that any insurance carried by the City will be excess and not contributing.

C. Provide and maintain minimum insurance limits as applicable.

H.2. Commercial General Liability

Policy shall include Bodily Injury, Property Damage, Personal Injury and Broad Form Contractual Liability:

Each Occurrence: $1,000,000

General Aggregate: $2,000,000

Products & Completed Operations Aggregate: $2,000,000

Personal and Advertising Injury: $1,000,000

Blanket Contractual Liability: $1,000,000

H.3. Commercial Automobile Liability

Policy shall include Bodily Injury and Property Damage, for any owned, Hired, and/or Non-owned vehicles used in the operation, installation and maintenance of facilities under this agreement.

Combined Single Limit: $1,000,000

H.4. Worker's Compensation (Applicable to the State of Arizona)

Per Occurrence: Statutory

Employer's Liability: $1,000,000

Disease Each Employee: $1,000,000

Disease Policy Limit: $1,000,000

*Sole Proprietor/Independent Contractor designation is given to those who desire to waive their rights for workers’ compensation coverage and benefits as outlined in ARS§ 23-901 and specifically ARS §

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 20 of 32

23-961 (O). If applicable, please request the Sole Proprietor/Independent Contractor form from the Contract Officer listed in the solicitation.

H.5. Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)

Each Claim: $1,000,000

Annual Aggregate: $2,000,000

H.6. Claims Made Insurance Coverage

If any or part of the required insurance is written on a claims-made basis, any policy retroactive date must precede the date of the contract and the Contractor must maintain such coverage for a period not less than three (3) years following contract expiration, termination or cancellation.

H.7. Additional Insurance Requirements

All Policies, excluding Employment Practices Liability and Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions), shall include or be endorsed to include the following provisions:

A. A waiver of subrogation endorsement in favor of the City of Tucson, for losses arising from work performed by or on behalf of the Contractor (Including Worker’s Compensation).

B. The insurance afforded the contractor shall be primary insurance and that any insurance carried by the City of Tucson and its agents, officials or employees shall be excess and not contributory.

C. Coverage provided by the Contractor shall not be limited to the liability assumed under the indemnification provisions of this Contract.

H.8. Notice of Coverage Modifications

Any changes material to compliance with this contract in the insurance policies above shall require (10) days written notice from the contractor to the City of Tucson. Such notice shall be sent directly to the Procurement Division.

H.9. Acceptability of Insurers

Contractors insurance shall have an “A.M. Best” rating of not less than A-VII. The City of Tucson in no way warrants that the required minimum insurer rating is sufficient to protect the Contractor from potential insurer insolvency.

H.10. Verification of Coverage

Contractor shall furnish the City of Tucson with certificates of insurance (ACORD form or equivalent approved by the City of Tucson) as required by this Contract. The certificates for each insurance policy are to be signed by an authorized representative.

All certificates and endorsements are to be received and approved by the City of Tucson before work commences. Each insurance policy required by this Contract must be in effect at or prior to

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 21 of 32 commencement of work and remain in effect for the duration of the contract and two (2) years after completion. Failure to maintain the insurance policies as required by this Contract, or to provide evidence of renewal upon the City’s request, is a material breach of contract.

All certificates required by this Contract shall be sent directly to the Procurement Division.

The City of Tucson project/contract number and project description shall be noted on the certificate of insurance. The City of Tucson reserves the right to require complete copies of all insurance policies required by this Contract at any time.

H.11. Subcontractors

Contractors’ certificate(s) shall include all subcontractors as insureds under its policies or Contractor shall furnish to the City of Tucson separate certificates and endorsements for each subcontractor. All coverages for subcontractors shall be subject to the minimum requirements identified above.

H.12. Exceptions

In the event the Contractor or sub-contractor(s) is/are a public entity, then the Insurance Requirements shall not apply. Such public entity shall provide a Certificate of Self- Insurance.

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 22 of 32

I. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

I.1. ADVERTISING

Contractor shall not advertise or publish information concerning this Contract without prior written consent of the City’s Business Services Director.

I.2. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Contractor shall abide by the provisions of the Tucson Procurement Code Chapter 28, Article XII.

I.3. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (Public Law 101-336, 42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq.) and applicable Federal regulations under the Act.

I.4. APPLICABLE LAW

This Contract shall be governed, and the City and Contractor shall have all remedies afforded to each, by the Tucson Procurement Code and the law of the State of Arizona. State law claims shall be brought only in Pima County Superior Court.

I.5. ASSIGNMENT-DELEGATION

No right or interest in this Contract shall be assigned by the Contractor without prior written permission of the City, and no delegation of any duty of the Contractor shall be made without prior written permission of the City's Business Services Director. The City shall not unreasonably withhold approval and shall notify the Contractor of the City's position by written notice.

I.6. CHILD/SWEAT-FREE LABOR POLICY

The Contractor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the United States Federal and State Child Labor and Worker's Right laws and agrees if called upon to affirm in writing, that they, and any subcontractor involved in the provision of goods to the City, are in compliance.

I.7. CLEAN UP

The Contractor shall at all times keep the contract area, including storage areas used by the Contractor, free from accumulation of waste material or rubbish and, prior to completion of the work, remove any rubbish from the premises and all tools, scaffolding, equipment and materials not property of the City.

Upon completion of the repair, the Contractor shall leave the work and premises in clean, neat and workmanlike condition.

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 23 of 32

I.8. COMMENCEMENT OF WORK

The Contractor is cautioned not to commence any billable work or provide any material or service under this Contract until Contractor receives purchase order or is otherwise directed to do so, in writing, by the City.

I.9. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS

The Contractor shall establish and maintain procedures and controls that are acceptable to the City for the purpose of assuring that no information contained in its records or obtained from the City or from others in carrying out its functions under the Contract shall be used by or disclosed by it, its agents, officers, or employees, except as required to efficiently perform duties under the Contract. Persons requesting such information should be referred to the City. Information pertaining to individual persons shall not be divulged other than to employees or officers of Contractor as needed for the performance of duties under the Contract, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the City.

I.10. CONTRACT AMENDMENTS

The Procurement Department has the sole authority to:

A. Amend the contract or enter into supplemental verbal or written agreements;

B. Grant time extensions or contract renewals;

C. Otherwise modify the scope or terms and provisions of the contract.

This Contract shall only be modified with the approval of the Department of Procurement. Except in the case of a documented emergency, approval must be granted prior to performance. Any contract modification not explicitly approved by the Procurement Department through a written contract amendment or change order is performed at the sole risk of the Contractor and may not be eligible for payment by the City.

I.11. CONTRACT

The Contract shall be based upon the Request for Proposal issued by the City and the Offer submitted by the Contractor in response to the Request for Proposal. The offer shall substantially conform to the terms, conditions, specifications and other requirements set forth within the text of the Request for Proposal. The City reserves the right to clarify any contractual terms with the concurrence of the Contractor; however, any substantial non-conformity in the offer, as determined by the City's Business Services Director, shall be deemed non-responsive and the offer rejected. The Contract shall contain the entire agreement between the City of Tucson and the Contractor relating to this requirement and shall prevail over any and all previous agreements, contracts, proposals, negotiations, purchase orders, or master agreements in any form.

I.12. DEFAULT IN ONE INSTALLMENT TO CONSTITUTE TOTAL BREACH

Contractor shall deliver conforming materials in each installment or lot of this Contract and may not substitute nonconforming materials. Delivery of nonconforming materials, or default of any nature, may

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 24 of 32 constitute breach of the Contract. Noncompliance may be deemed a cause for possible Contract termination.

I.13. DUPLEXED/RECYCLED PAPER

In accordance with efficient resource procurement and utilization policies adopted by the City of Tucson, the Contractor shall ensure that, whenever practicable, all printed materials produced by the Contractor in the performance of this Contract are duplexed (two-sided copies), printed on recycled paper and labeled as such.

I.14. EQUAL PAY

The Contractor shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Pub.L. 88-38, 29 U.S.C. section 206(d)); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub.L. 88-352, 42 U.S.C. 2000e et.seq.; and, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (Pub.L. 111-2).

I.15. EXCLUSIVE POSSESSION

All services, information, computer program elements, reports and other deliverables created under this Contract are the sole property of the City of Tucson and shall not be used or released by the Contractor or any other person except with prior written permission by the City.

I.16. FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Contractor warrants that it complies with all Federal Immigration laws and regulations that relate to its employees and complies with A.R.S. § 23-214(A) and that it requires the same compliance of all subcontractors under this Contract. Contractor acknowledges that pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-4401 and effective September 30, 2008, a breach of this warranty is a material breach of this Contract subject to penalties up to and including termination of this Contract. The City retains the legal right to audit the records of the Contractor and inspect the papers of any employee who works for the Contractor to ensure compliance with this warranty and the Contractor shall assist in any such audit. The Contractor shall include the requirements of this paragraph in each contract with subcontractors under this Contract.

If the Contractor or subcontractor warrants that it has complied with the employment verification provisions prescribed by sections 274(a) and 274(b) of the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act and the E-verify requirements prescribed by A.R.S. § 23-214(A), the Contractor or subcontractor shall be deemed to be in compliance with this provision. The City may request proof of such compliance at any time during the term of this Contract by the Contractor and any subcontractor.

I.17. FORCE MAJEURE

Except for payment of sums due, neither party shall be liable to the other nor deemed in default under this Contract if and to the extent that such party's performance of this Contract is prevented by reason of Force Majeure. The term "Force Majeure" means an occurrence that is beyond the control of the party affected and occurs without its fault or negligence. Force Majeure shall not include late

BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT Page 25 of 32 performance by a subcontractor unless the delay arises out of a Force Majeure occurrence in accordance with this Force Majeure term and condition.

If either party is delayed at any time in the progress of the work by Force Majeure, the delayed party shall notify the other party in writing of such delay, as soon as…