RFP 24-07.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) NO. 24-07

CLASS 1 LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE AND LOBBYING

SERVICES

and

CLASS 2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP BUILDING

SERVICES

RFP PROPOSED SCHEDULE

RFP Posted Wednesday, July 3, 2024 Questions regarding this RFP submitted to District by 2:00 pm PST Friday, July 19, 2024

Questions and Answers posted to Website Friday, July 26, 2024

Proposer Responses Due by 2:00 pm PST Friday, August 2, 2024

Interviews with Proposers Week of September 9-11, 2024

Tentative Award Date Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Board Date for Approval Wednesday, October 9, 2024

CONTRACTS UNIT

770 Wilshire Boulevard, 6th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017-3719

213. 891.2332

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Purpose of RFP

1.2. About the District

2. GENERAL GOALS AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

2.1. General Goals

2.2. Scope of Services

2.3. Term of Contract

3. GENERAL INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

3.1. District Contact Person

3.2. Internet Access to this RFP

3.3. Unauthorized Communications

3.4. Interested Parties

3.5. Proposer Clarifications

3.6. False Information

3.7. District Confirmation

3.8. Joint Offers

3.9. District Determinations

4. INSTRUCTIONS AND GENERAL CONDITIONS

4.1. RFP Instructions and General Conditions

A. RFP Schedule

B. Proposal Submission

C. Meeting RFP Specifications

D. Proposed Information to be Accurate, Complete and Valid

E. Authorized Signatures

F. Authorization to Do Business

G. Requirements

H. Questions about RFP

I. RFP Addenda

J. Interpretation of Documents

K. Withdrawal/Proposal Irrevocable for 180 Days

L. Exemption from Disclosure

M. Pre-Contractual Expenses

N. Subcontractors

O. Immaterial Defect in Proposal

P. Oral Communications

Q. RFP as Part of Final Contract

R. Proposed Contract

S. Exceptions/Deviations

T. No Commitment to Award

U. No Agreement Until Signed

V. News Releases

W. Use of District Employee’s Names

X. Adjustments to Contract

Y. Contractor Evaluation

Z. Termination or Cancellation

AA. Protests

BB. Other District Rights

5. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

5.1. General

5.2. Required Components of the Proposal

5.2.1. Required Format of Proposals

5.2.2. Required Content of Proposals

6. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

6.1. General

6.2. Evaluation Procedures

6.2.1. Evaluation Criteria for Written Proposals

6.2.2 Evaluation Criteria for Interview/Presentations- Class 1- Local

Government Legislative and Lobbying Services Provider

6.2.3 Evaluation Criteria for Interviews /Presentations- Class 2-Community Engagement and Partnership Services . 28

6.3 Contract Award

Appendix A: Scope of Services

A.1 Scope of Services – Class 1 Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services

A.2 Scope of Services – Class 2 Community Engagement and Partnership Building Services

Appendix B: Cost Proposal

Appendix C: Authorization to Contract

Appendix D: Additional Information-Supporting Documents

Appendix E: List of Exhibits

EXHIBIT A: Non-Collusion Affidavit

EXHIBIT B: Certificate of Non-Discrimination

EXHIBIT C: Completed Confidentiality Agreement

EXHIBIT D: Acknowledgement of All Addenda Issued By The District

EXHIBIT E: Exceptions and Deviations to the Standard Form Agreement

EXHIBIT F: Certification of Small, Local, Emerging, And Disabled Veteran Business (SLEDV)

EXHIBIT G: Russian Economic Sanctions Certification

EXHIBIT H Professional Services Agreement

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Purpose of RFP

The District is seeking to establish a Bench of one or more local lobbyists and community outreach firms for legislative and community partnership and engagement advocacy services. This Bench of providers will assist the Los Angeles Community College District in achieving its local advocacy priorities. These priorities include but are not limited to increasing LACCD funding and services, bolstering higher education policy, enhancing its community engagement, and increasing its community partnerships within and outside of the LACCD service area. The contractor(s) shall also assist the District in its long-range planning for organizational and institutional development in crafting and implementing strategic plans and expanding its government and community advocacy outreach activities.

Proposers may submit proposals for one, or both classes outlined in the RFP Appendix A, “Scope of Services” as follows:

A.1 Class 1 Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services

A.2 Class 2 Community Engagement and Partnership Building Services

1.2. About the District

The District was organized in 1969 and is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and is part of the statewide California Community College system. Members of the Board of Trustees are elected at large to serve four-year terms. LACCD serves a highly diverse, multiracial, and multi-lingual geopolitical area of approximately five million people in 2023 in roughly 900 square miles of the County of Los Angeles, including 36 cities and unincorporated communities, including the City of Los Angeles. The District extends from the San Fernando Valley and Sylmar areas north of metropolitan Los Angeles, down to the Port of Los Angeles in the south; from the “west side” of Los Angeles, over to the eastern side of Los Angeles into Boyle Heights and the San Gabriel Valley. The District’s nine colleges provide comprehensive, lower-division general education (the traditional first two years of a four-year degree) for transfer; education pathways for two year certificates or Associate’s degrees; occupational education; credit and non-credit instructional programs and Adult Education to meet the needs of the surrounding communities; Career Education and Strong Workforce jobs training education; citizenship classes; and, in some instances, four-year Bachelor’s degree programs and other lifelong learning opportunities. The colleges receive accreditation, subject to renewal, from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). The nine colleges are: Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission

College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade- Technical College, Los Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College and all are fully accredited. The colleges range in size from about 22 acres (Los Angeles Trade- Technical College) to more than 450 acres (Los Angeles Pierce College). Facilities include newly constructed classroom and instructional laboratory buildings, learning resource centers (libraries with specialized learning/tutoring centers) as well as original instructional buildings, parking structures, maintenance yards, athletic fields, and gymnasiums. Some of the colleges, like Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, founded in 1925, pre-date the District and were brought into the District. Others were created and built as the District expanded to its current configuration. The District’s 2023-2024 Fiscal Year budget, found online, here, is from all funds and sources is $10.4 billion, of which $8.5 billion is for the District’s capital improvement and construction program, “BuildLACCD.”

In Fall 2023 the District employed more than 6,200 full-and part-time personnel and served over 170,000 full-and part-time students in the 2022-23 academic year. More information about the District and its colleges can be found online, here. The student population of the LACCD is ethnically diverse with 60 percent Hispanic/Latinx, 16 percent White, 9 percent African American, 8 percent Asian, and 2 percent Multi-Ethnic. More detailed information about LACCD students can be found online, here. In the 2022-23 Academic Year, the District conferred nearly 35,000 awards to students, including two-year degrees, degrees for transfer, and credit and non-credit certificates of achievement.

The District maintains an active free-tuition program, the Los Angeles College Promise (LACP), available to all first-time, full-time students, regardless of age, race/ethnicity, or demographic background. Since its inception in 2017, over 30,000 students have participated in this program and about 7,500 LACP students are enrolled in LACCD colleges in the 2022-2023 academic year.

2. GENERAL GOALS AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

2.1. General Goals

The District welcomes a diverse pool of proposers to respond to the Request for Proposal as outlined above, with a strong preference for those with a demonstrable history of providing support to individuals and communities from diverse backgrounds, especially in service to educational institutions and higher education. This includes those firms that have received LGBTQIA certification by recognized municipal agencies.

2.2. Scope of Services

Please refer to Appendix A, Scope of Services.

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.laccd.edu%2Fsites%2Flaccd.edu%2Ffiles%2F2023-02%2F2022-2023%2520Final%2520Budget_10-19-22%2520ADA.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CDANIELAR2%40EMAIL.LACCD.EDU%7C91e7e3ddee914ee70d9808dc6fb64d85%7C0b71261a495f4ea99911da844b9402ef%7C0%7C0%7C638508075990029591%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=xrTys6%2Fs8lRu0zddmNi1nKrcA4COeJvIwrPX38LkBpE%3D&reserved=0?

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2.3. Term of Contract

Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP solicitation shall be for a contract period up to three (3) years. The contract may be renewed for up to two (2) additional one (1) year terms for a maximum of five (5) years, upon mutual consent of the parties or unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions specified in the District’s Standard Agreement.

3. GENERAL INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

3.1. District Contact Person

Marcia Webb Procurement Specialist Los Angeles Community College District Procurement Unit, 6th Floor 770 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90017-3719

TEL: 213.891.2288

email: WEBBMS@LACCD.EDU

3.2. Internet Access to this RFP

All materials related to the RFP will be available on the internet at:

http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And- Proposals.aspx

A Respondent who chooses to download an RFP solicitation will be responsible for checking the aforementioned website for clarifications and/or addenda.

Failure to obtain clarifications and/or addenda from the website shall not relieve Respondent from being bound by any additional terms and conditions in the clarifications and/or addenda, or from considering additional information contained therein in preparing your Proposal.

Note: There may be multiple clarifications and/or addenda. Any harm to the Respondent resulting from such failure shall not be valid grounds for a protest against award(s) made under the solicitation.

All Respondents are responsible for obtaining all RFP materials.

mailto:WEBBMS@LACCD.EDU http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And-Proposals.aspx

3.3. Unauthorized Communications

Proposers shall not, prior to Award, contact or communicate, either verbally or in writing, with any of the following persons (other than the person named above) for the purpose of discussing the requirements of the RFP Documents or the RFP process: (1) any trustee, officer, employee, or representative of the District; or (2) any consultant, or employee of a consultant, providing the District with assistance, advice, or professional services relating to the matters covered by the RFP Documents or who is involved in any aspect of the RFP evaluation or scoring processes. Unauthorized communication by a Proposer in violation of the foregoing may result in disqualification.

3.4. Interested Parties

Providers who are advisors to the District in respect to the RFP process are not allowed to submit, or participate in submission of, Proposals. A Proposer shall not participate in, or be “interested in,” more than one Proposal. For purposes of this paragraph, “interested in” means having a managerial or financial interest in another Proposer or a Subcontractor to another Proposer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Subcontractor may be proposed as a subcontractor to more than one Proposer.

3.5. Proposer Clarifications

Without limitation to the District’s rights relating to the conduct and content of Negotiations, the District reserves the right, but assumes no obligation to, at any point in the RFP process to contact a Proposer directly, without notice to other Proposers, for purpose of obtaining clarifications of, or to address minor irregularities, informalities, or apparent clerical mistakes in, a Proposal (“Proposer Clarifications”). Where the District determines that there is a need and justification for seeking Proposer Clarifications, the District may request Proposer Clarifications from some Proposers and not other Proposers.

If Proposer Clarifications are sought from all Proposers, the questions asked may be different for each Proposer.

3.6. False Information

In addition to and without limitation upon any other requirements of the RFP Documents, the District reserves the right, but assumes no obligation, to disqualify any Proposer and reject any Proposal should the District determine that any information submitted by the Proposer is false, incorrect, or materially incomplete.

3.7. District Confirmation

The District reserves the right, but assumes no obligation, to confirm through any means available to the District the truth, accuracy, or completeness of any information contained within the resumes or other information submitted by a Proposer or communicated by a Proposer or a Subcontractor during face-to-face communications with the District or its representatives or consultants administering the RFP process.

3.8. Joint Offers

The District will only contract with a single firm for the services requested by the RFP.

However, a single proposal from two (2) or more firms proposing jointly may be considered.

The proposal should be submitted on a prime–subcontractor arrangement in order to be considered. One firm must declare that it is the ‘Prime’ contractor and that it assumes all responsibility for the implementation of the services and the other as the “Subcontractor” and shall be designated by the prime to do discrete services or portions of the Statement of Work. Proposals submitted by multiple firms doing business as joint ventures will not be considered.

3.9. District Determinations

The District shall have the right to make all determinations and interpretations relating to the RFP Documents or the RFP process, including, without limitation, any Proposer’s compliance with the RFP Documents or its qualifications to participate in the RFP process, and all such determinations shall be final and binding.

4. INSTRUCTIONS AND GENERAL CONDITIONS

4.1. RFP Instructions and General Conditions

This RFP contains the instructions and conditions governing the requirements for a proposal to be submitted by an interested Proposer, the format in which the proposal is to be submitted, the material to be included therein, and the requirements that must be met.

Each Proposer should carefully examine the entire RFP and be fully aware of the nature and quality of the services sought by “DISTRICT” as well as the conditions in providing such services.

PROPOSALS MAY BE REJECTED AS NON-RESPONSIVE IF THE PROPOSER FAILS

TO FULLY COMPLY WITH ANY OR ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS OR CONDITIONS

SET FORTH IN THIS RFP.

A. RFP Schedule

RFP SCHEDULE

RFP Posted Wednesday July 3, 2024 Questions regarding this RFP submitted to District by 2:00 pm PST Friday, July 19, 2024

Questions and Answers posted to Website Friday, July 26, 2024

Proposer Responses Due by 2:00 pm PST Friday, August 2, 2024

Interviews with Proposers Week of September 9-11, 2024

Tentative Award Date Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Board Date for Approval Wednesday, October 9, 2024

The District reserves the right, at any time to make adjustments in the form of additions, modifications or deletions to the RFP schedule. Such adjustments, if any shall be made by RFP Addendum. References in the RFP Documents to the RFP Schedule or to date in the RFP Schedule shall mean the RFP Schedule as so adjusted.

B. Proposal Submission

The proposer shall submit to the District one (1) printed original and seven (7) copies of its proposal, together with one (1) copy of a USB drive containing an electronic version of the proposal in Microsoft Word format, addressing each of the items in this RFP and must be received by the District no later than 2:00 p.m.

on Friday, August 2, 2024. One of the copies shall be marked “Original” and contain wet-ink signatures in all locations requiring signatures. The remaining copies do not require signatures.

Proposals are to be enclosed in a sealed package displaying the proposer’s name and California Secretary of State Certificate of registration with the words:

“PROPOSAL RESPONDING TO RFP 24-07: “Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services and Community Engagement and Partnership Building Services”.

Mail or deliver proposals to:

Los Angeles Community College District

770 Wilshire Blvd, 6th Floor Los Angeles, California 90017

Attention: Marcia Webb Procurement Specialist

Proposals must be received by 2:00 p.m., PST on Friday, August 2, 2024. Any proposals received after the time and date above may at the District’s sole discretion of the District, be returned unopened or set aside without consideration.

Delivery of the proposal by the specified deadline is the sole responsibility of the Proposer. If hand delivered, ample time should be scheduled for delays caused by downtown Los Angeles area traffic and parking.

The District does not provide parking accommodations to proposers submitting proposals.

The District shall not be responsible for, nor accept as a valid excuse for late proposal receipt, any delay in mail service or other method of delivery used by the Proposer except where it can be established that the District was the sole cause of the late receipt.

Proposals submitted via fax, telephone or email will not be accepted.

All proposals must be provider offers subject to acceptance by “DISTRICT” and may not be withdrawn for a period of 180 calendar days following the Proposal Submission Deadline. Proposals may not be amended once submitted to “DISTRICT”, except as permitted by “DISTRICT.”

C. Meeting RFP Specifications

The services offered by the Proposer must meet the specifications as described in this RFP. The District reserves the right to reject as non-responsive any proposal that does not meet the specifications as described in this RFP.

D. Proposed Information to be Accurate, Complete and Valid

The Proposer must provide information including, but not limited to, fees for all offered services based on the scope of services, which is set forth in Appendix A – Scope of Services.

Failure to do so may invalidate the proposal. The price must be accurate, complete and must be valid for the term of the agreement. The Proposer is responsible for the accuracy of the proposal submitted, and no allowance will be made for error or fee increases that the Proposer later alleges are retroactively applicable.

E. Authorized Signatures

Exhibits A through G must all be signed by the Proposer’s authorized signatory and must be submitted by the Proposer in a sealed envelope along with its proposal. The District is unable to accept any proposal submitted without these statements completed and signed by the Proposer’s authorized signatory.

F. Authorization to Do Business

All Proposers must be authorized to do business in California. If a Proposer is a sole proprietorship or partnership, the Proposer should furnish with its proposal a copy of a current business license issued in California. If the Proposer is a corporation, it must be approved by the California Secretary of State to do business in California as shown by it having an “ACTIVE” status listed on the California Secretary of State website as of the date of submission of the proposal. The Proposer shall provide the corporate number issued by the Secretary of State with its proposal.

Each Proposer is required to possess at the time of submitting its Proposal, and at all times during the RFP process (and, in the case of the Proposer that receives an award, at the time of award, upon execution of the Agreement, and at all times during the performance of the Agreement) any licenses required by Applicable Law for the performance of the Agreement.

G. Requirements

The Proposer shall be responsible for becoming familiar with the scope of services required by the District as set forth on pages of this RFP, and shall rely solely upon his or her own independent judgment, and not upon any statements or representations made by the District, whether express or implied. The failure or omission of any Proposer to acquaint himself or herself with the service requirements of the District shall in no way relieve any Proposer from any obligation with respect to this proposal or to the resulting agreement.

The submission of a proposal shall be taken as prima facie evidence of compliance with this section.

H. Questions about RFP

Questions are to be submitted in writing by email to Marcia Webb, at email address:

webbms@laccd.edu on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Friday, July 19, 2024. Please include “RFP 24-07 – Questions for “Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services and Community Engagement and Partnership Building Services” in the subject line.

Proposers are asked to submit all questions in writing by the questions deadline. The District shall not be obligated to answer any questions received after the above deadline or submitted in a manner other than as instructed above.

Written responses will be posted on the website:

http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And- Proposals.aspx

Proposers are instructed not to contact District personnel or its agents in any other manner concerning this RFP. Unauthorized contact, at District’s sole discretion, will be grounds for disqualification of a proposer.

I. RFP Addenda

If it becomes necessary for “DISTRICT” to revise any part of this RFP or to provide clarification or additional information after the proposal documents are released, written addenda will be posted at the following website address:

http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And- Proposals.aspx

It shall be the responsibility of the Proposer to check the website or to appropriately inquire with “DISTRICT” for any addenda issued. All addenda issued by DISTRICT shall become part of the RFP and the Proposer shall acknowledge, in writing, receipt and incorporation of all addenda and clarifications in its response. Specifically, Proposer’s acknowledgement of the addenda must be declared in the proposal in Exhibit D.

Failure of the Proposer to receive addenda shall not relieve the Proposer from any obligation under its proposal as submitted. The Proposer shall identify and list in its proposal all addenda received and included in its proposal. The Proposer’s failure to identify and list in its proposal all addenda received and included in its proposal may be asserted by the “DISTRICT” as a basis for determining a proposal as non-responsive.

mailto:webbms@laccd.edu http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And-Proposals.aspx http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And-Proposals.aspx http://www.laccd.edu/Departments/BusinessServices/Contract-Services/Pages/Bids-And-Proposals.aspx

J. Interpretation of Documents

If any person contemplating submitting a proposal for the services proposed herein is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the proposal documents, or finds discrepancies in, or omissions from the documents, he/she may submit to the District a written request for an interpretation of correction thereof. The person submitting the request will be responsible for its prompt delivery. Any interpretation or correction of the proposal documents will be made only by addendum duly issued and a copy of such addendum will be mailed or delivered to each person receiving a set of the proposal documents. No person is authorized to make any oral interpretation of any provision in the proposal documents to any Proposer, and no Proposer is authorized to rely on any such unauthorized oral interpretation.

K. Withdrawal/Proposal Irrevocable for 180 Days

A Proposer may withdraw its proposal at any time before the submittal deadline by sending the District a request in writing from the same person who signed the submitted proposal. As of the deadline for submittal, any proposal received by the District and not withdrawn becomes an irrevocable offer available for acceptance by the District immediately and for one hundred and eighty (180) days thereafter. The Proposer is responsible for the accuracy of the proposal submitted, and no allowance will be made for errors or price increases that the Proposer later alleges are retroactively applicable.

L. Exemption from Disclosure

Proposals will remain confidential in their entirety until the evaluation and analysis process is complete and a recommendation of an award has been approved by the District Board of Trustees. All proposals submitted will become the property of the District. The Proposer must identify, in writing, all copyrighted material, trade secrets, or other proprietary information that the preparer claims are exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act (California Government Code Section 6250 et seq.). Any Proposer claiming such an exemption must also state in the proposal that “the provider agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Los Angeles Community College District, its Board of Trustees, Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission College, Pierce College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, West Los Angeles College, and its officers, employees and agents, from any claims, liability, or damages against, and to defend any action brought against above said entities for their refusal to disclose such material, trade secrets, or other proprietary information by any party." Failure of a proposal to include such a statement will be deemed a waiver of any exemption from disclosure under the California Public Records Act. A blanket statement that all contents of the proposal are confidential or proprietary will not be honored by the District. The Proposer’s identification of a document as “proprietary” or “confidential” does not automatically confer exclusion from disclosure under the California Public Records Act.

M. Pre-Contractual Expenses

Pre-contractual expenses are defined as any expenses incurred by the Proposer to:

(1) Prepare its proposal in response to this RFP; (2) Submit that proposal to “DISTRICT”;

(3) Negotiate with “DISTRICT” on any matters related to this RFP, including a possible contract; and (4) Engage in any other activity prior to the effective date of award, if any, of a contract resulting from this RFP. “DISTRICT” shall not, under any circumstance, be liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by Proposers. All expenses including, but not limited to, pre-contractual expenses incurred by the Proposer in preparing the proposal shall be borne and paid for solely by the Proposer and shall not be included in their offers.

N. Subcontractors

Proposers are permitted to provide for a portion of the Basic Services to be performed by one or more consultants or contractors retained by the Proposer (collectively, “subcontractor”) provided that each subcontractor proposed to be used is identified in the Proposal by name, contact person, telephone number, email address, and a description of the portion of Basic Services to be performed by the subcontractor.

O. Immaterial Defect in Proposal

The District may waive any immaterial deviation or defect in a proposal. The District’s waiver shall in no way modify the RFP documents or excuse the Proposer from full compliance with the RFP if awarded the contract.

P. Oral Communications

Any oral communication by the District Contact Person or his/her designee regarding this RFP is not binding and shall in no way modify the RFP or the obligations of the District, Proposer and/or Contractor.

Q. RFP as Part of Final Contract

At the District’s discretion, the content of this RFP may be incorporated into the final contract.

R. Proposed Contract

The Proposer(s) selected for contract award through this RFP shall be required to enter into a written agreement with the District. The Standard Agreement for professional services presented in Exhibit G of this RFP is the contract proposed for execution. It may be modified to incorporate other pertinent terms and conditions set forth in this RFP, including those added by addendum, and to reflect the Proposer's offer or the outcome of contract negotiations, if any.

Exceptions and requested changes to the terms and conditions of the Standard Agreement, or the Proposer's inability or unwillingness to comply with any of the provisions of the Standard Agreement, must be declared in the proposal and will be considered as part of the proposal evaluation process.

S. Exceptions/Deviations

Any exceptions to, deviations from, or inability to comply with the requirements set forth in this RFP, or the terms and conditions contained in the Professional Services Agreement, must be declared in writing in Exhibit E within the proposal; and failure to do so will prevent Proposer from asserting its inability to comply with the terms or conditions later

on. Such exceptions or deviations must be segregated as a separate element of the proposal under Exhibit E - "Exceptions and Deviations to Professional Services Agreement." The District will make a good faith effort to consider contractual issues identified by providers and “DISTRICT” requires all proposing providers to similarly make a good faith effort to comply with the District’s sample agreement terms and conditions.

Proposals that mandate the use of provider standard services contract, rather than utilizing the District’s standard services contract will result in the provider’s proposal being judged non-responsive and their proposal will be rejected.

Proposals that reject the following integral provisions of the District's contract terms and conditions will be treated as a rejection of the District's contract and these proposals will be rejected.

Section 5 - Term of Agreement Section 16 - Governing Law Section 17 - Non-Discrimination Section 20 - Board Authorization Section 25 - Requirements for Federally Funded

Contracts Section 26 - Family Educational Rights Privacy Act

(FERPA)

Section 28 - Accessibility Requirements

The Proposer’s attention is directed to sections 12 and 13 of the Professional Services Agreement, which specify the indemnity clause and the minimum insurance requirements that must be met by the successful Proposer. The Proposer’s inability or unwillingness to meet these requirements as a condition of the award of an Agreement must be stated as an exception in the proposal.

Exceptions or deviations which are in conflict with the District's terms and conditions may render the proposal non-responsive. In the event that exceptions and deviations to the Professional Services Agreement are requested after the contract has been awarded, the District may deem the proposal non-responsive and may disqualify the proposal at its discretion.

T. No Commitment to Award

Issuance of this RFP and receipt of proposals does not commit “DISTRICT” to award a contract. “DISTRICT” expressly reserves the right to postpone proposal opening for its own convenience, to accept or reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP, to negotiate with more than one provider concurrently, or to cancel all or part of this RFP.

U. No Agreement Until Signed

No agreement with the District is effective until both parties have signed a contract and the District’s Board of Trustees has authorized the contract.

V. News Releases

News releases pertaining to any award resulting from this RFP may not be made without the prior written approval of the District.

W. Use of District Employee’s Names

The successful Proposer must agree not to use the names, office phone numbers, email addresses, and/or addresses of District employees for any purpose not directly related to this RFP.

X. Adjustments to Contract

All adjustments shall be proposed in writing by the District for approval prior to becoming effective. All required contract amendment(s) shall be issued by the District.

Y. Contractor Evaluation

Contractors (and its subcontractors, if applicable) will be evaluated periodically regarding their performance.

Z. Termination or Cancellation

The District reserves the right to terminate any contract awarded through this RFP by providing six (6) months written notice to the Contractor.

AA. Protests

Any Proposer that has provided a proposal to the District may protest the solicitation or award of a contract for violations of “DISTRICT’S” procurement policies or of laws and regulations governing “DISTRICT’S” procurement activities, provided the proposer has complied with PP-04-09, Bid Protest and Appeals.

In order to be considered, all protests must be in writing and filed with and received by “DISTRICT”, not more than five (5) business days following the date of issuance of the District’s Notice of Intent to Award with the contact below. Protests received by “DISTRICT” after this date will be returned to the sender.

The protest letter must state the basis for the protest and the remedy sought and should be addressed to:

Valencia M. Moffett Director of Business Services or designee Los Angeles Community College District 770 Wilshire Blvd, 6th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017

Failure to timely file the proposal protest shall constitute grounds for the District to deny the proposal protest without further consideration of the grounds stated therein.

BB. Other District Rights

The rights, powers, and discretion expressly conferred upon the District under the RFP Documents are not intended to be exclusive but are cumulative and in addition to, and not a substitute for, every other right, power, or discretion existing or available to the District under the RFP Documents or Applicable Laws.

5. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

5.1. General

The proposal should provide a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis should be placed on conformance to the RFP instructions, on responsiveness to the RFP requirements, and on completeness and clarity of the proposal’s content.

This RFP and the selected proposal response will become a part of any Agreement that is executed as a result of this RFP between the District and the Contractor. Any proposal attachments, documents, letters and materials submitted by the proposer shall be binding and may be included as part of any final Agreement.

Each provider submitting a proposal must follow the instructions contained in this RFP in preparing and submitting its proposal. The proposing provider is advised to thoroughly read and follow all instructions. A proposal must contain all of the information in the order and format indicated below. All terms and conditions set forth in this RFP will be deemed to be incorporated by reference in their entirety into any response submitted by your provider.

Failure to comply with the rules/format set forth herein may result in rejection of the RFP response.

All proposals received and any information contained therein, are subject to disclosure in accordance with the California Education Code. Interested providers must respond to all of the questions listed below.

5.2. Required Components of the Proposal

5.2.1. Required Format of Proposals

In order to adequately compare and evaluate proposals objectively, all proposals must be submitted in accordance with the format below. Failure to comply with the rules/format set forth herein may result in rejection of the RFP response.

In your proposal please respond to each question by repeating the question at the top of the section and referring to the question by the numbers used in this RFP.

Proposals are to be submitted in 8 1/2” x 11” size, typed in a font size no less than 12 and submitted in paper form, single-sided, bound with a simple method of fastening.

Lengthy narrative is discouraged; presentations should be brief and concise and not include extraneous or unnecessarily elaborate promotional material.

Sections should be separated by labeled tabs and organized in accordance with subject matter sequence as set forth below. Each page of the Proposal must be numbered in a manner so as to be uniquely identified. Proposals must be clear, concise and well organized.

Supplemental technical information, product literature, and other supporting materials that further explain or demonstrate Provider's capabilities may also be included as addenda to a submitted proposal.

Proposers should use the following outline in organizing the contents of their proposals.

(See details in Section 5.2.2)

Cover Page Transmittal Letter Table of Contents

Specifications of Scope of Services Reference Letters

Appendices Appendix A – Scope of Services Appendix B – Cost Proposal Appendix C - Authorization to Contract

Appendix D - Additional Information Appendix E - Mandatory Documents to be Submitted in Response

Failure to comply with the rules/format set forth herein may result in rejection of the RFP response.

5.2.2. Required Content of Proposals

1. Cover Page A cover page with the Proposer’s name, the title, “RFP 24-07: Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services and Community Engagement and Partnership Building Services and submission due date and time. The Proposer should provide the corporate number issued by the California Secretary of State. (Please see 4.F Authorization to Do Business)

2. Transmittal Letter The letter of transmittal must, at a minimum, contain the following:

Identification of the offering vendor(s), including name, address email address and telephone number;

An acknowledgement of RFP addendum and/or addenda, if any;

Name, title, address, telephone number and email address of contact person during period of proposal evaluation

A statement that the proposal shall remain valid for a period of not less than six (6) months, (180 days), from the due date for submittal

Identification of any information contained in the proposal which the proposer deems to be, and establishes as, confidential or proprietary and wishes to be withheld from disclosure to others under the California Public Records Act

A blanket statement that all contents of the proposal are confidential or proprietary will not be honored by the District.

• Signature of a person authorized to bind the offering provider to the terms of the proposal

• Name and address of operating provider, names of owners or principals of the provider. Also, include a completed W-9.

3. Table of Contents

Immediately following the transmittal letter include a complete table of contents for material included in the proposal, including page numbers.

4. Response to Specifications and Scope of Services

A. Proposals and Related Experience

This section should establish the ability of the proposer to satisfactorily perform the required work by reasons of: demonstrated competence in the services to be provided;

nature and relevance of similar work recently completed for other clients; record of meeting schedules and deadlines on other projects; competitive advantages over other firms in the same industry; strength and stability as a business concern; and supportive client references. Information should be furnished for both the proposer and co-lobbyists included in the offer.

Specifically include:

• Background information about your firm, including date of founding, legal form (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation/state of incorporation), number and location of offices, principal lines of business, number of employees and other pertinent data. Disclose any conditions (e.g., bankruptcy or other financial problems, pending litigation, planned office closures, impending merger) that may affect your firm’s ability to perform contractually. Certify that the firm and its principals are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise declared ineligible to contract by any federal, state, or local public agency, or declare and explain any such status.

B. Proposed Staffing and Project Organization

This section should discuss the staff of the proposing firm who would be assigned to work for the District. Demonstrate that the firm has professional personnel, by identifying the key parties to perform under contract with the District and by providing their resumes.

Please indicate years of experience both on a firm and an individual basis.

The evaluation will consider amongst other factors length of practice, education, training, relevant experience and longevity with the firm.

C. Work Plan

This section should describe how the proposer would perform the scope of services to the satisfaction of the District. Specify what resources would be expected and/or required from the District, such as a central point of contact, workspace, equipment, and information. If the proposer is applying for Class 1 of this RFP, the firm should demonstrate its knowledge and experience with California’s government-elected officials and staff, Los Angeles Congressional delegations, and California State and local government officials, agencies, and representatives, as identified in Appendix A.

If the proposer is applying for Class 2 of this RFP, the firm should demonstrate its knowledge and experience working with local, statewide, and national community-based and nonprofit organizations and public and private agencies as identified in Appendix A of this RFP.

The Work Plan should also include information on the process by which the firm identifies areas of concern and also follow up on any requested assignments, surveys or research projects. Also, describe how this information will be communicated to the District Chancellor and his designee, and evidence of the ability to effectively communicate the results.

5. References

Provide a minimum of four (4) Reference Letters from clients.

List of business clients—especially community colleges and school districts—to which your firm has provided similar services in the past three years. Specifically, include the following: name and address of organization, description of work and date performed, contact name/title/phone numbers/email address.

6. Appendices to be Included in Proposal

1. Appendix A – Scope of Services

2. Appendix B - Cost Structure - All Proposers are required to use Appendix B, Cost Proposal to be submitted with their Proposal. Proposals shall be valid for a minimum of 180 days following submission

Overview: This section should disclose all charges to be assessed the District and to be generated from the District’s Scope of Services.

Quote on a monthly retainer rate for completing all requirements outlined in the Scope of Services.

3. Appendix C – Authorization to Contract. Provide pages as necessary. Provide either an excerpt from your Corporate Resolution, Certificate of Secretary, or correspondence from the Chief Executive Officer or chairperson attesting that the individual signing the proposal has the authority to make binding representations on behalf of the financial institution.

4. Appendix D - Furnish as appendices those supporting documents (e.g., certificates of insurance, staff resumes; include a completed W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number) requested in the preceding instructions. Any other additional information you deem essential to a proper evaluation of your proposal and which is not solicited in any of the preceding sections.

5. Appendix E – Mandatory Documents to be Submitted in Response

1. Completed and signed Non-Collusion Affidavit (Exhibit A)

2. Completed and signed Certificate of Non-Discrimination (Exhibit B)

3. Completed Confidentiality Agreement (Exhibit C)

4. Acknowledgement of all addenda issued by the District (Exhibit D)

5. Completed and signed Exceptions and Deviations (Exhibit E)

6. Completed and signed Small, Local, Emerging Disabled Veterans (Exhibit F)

7. Completed and signed Russian Economic Sanctions Certification (Exhibit G)

Proposers are cautioned, however, that this does not constitute an invitation to submit large amounts of extraneous material; appendices should be relevant and brief.

GRACE PERIOD FOR MISSING OR INCORRECT FILING OF EXHIBITS “A”

THROUGH “G”:

In the event that a Provider fails to submit all or any part of items (a) through (g) above with its submission or if any submitted item is incomplete or incorrect, the Contracts Unit will notify the Provider and the Provider shall have an additional three (3) business days to submit the missing item to the Contracts Unit. Failure to submit the missing item will result in the disqualification of the Provider if the mandatory item is missing entirely.

Failure to complete or correct a mandatory item will result in the Provider’s Proposal being considered in the form in which it was originally submitted. Failure to submit mandatory items after the grace period will result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive.

6. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

6.1. General

All proposals received in accordance with these RFP instructions will be evaluated to determine if they are complete and meet the requirements in this RFP. An award will be made to the Proposer(s) judged to be the most advantageous to the District. The District expressly reserves the right to protect and make no award under this RFP.

Request for Additional Information During any phase of the evaluation the District may require supplemental information in order to fairly evaluate a Proposer’s offer. For this purpose, the District may request such information, including a best and final offer, from the Proposer after the initial submittal.

If such information is required, the Proposer will be notified and be permitted a reasonable period of time to submit the information.

6.2. Evaluation Procedures

A Screening and Evaluation Panel consisting of District staff and/or outside associates will review, analyze, and evaluate each proposal. The Evaluation Panel will rank the proposals based on the Written Proposal Scoring Criteria listed below to identify the top five (5) highest ranking proposals from each class.

The Evaluation Panel may have the top five (5) highest rated proposals participate in interviews/presentations from each class. If interviews take place, the proposals will be re-scored based on the Evaluation Criteria for Interviews/Presentations noted below to determine which firm(s) will be selected to serve on the Bench.

At the approval of the Evaluation Panel, a recommendation for inclusion on the Bench will be made to one or more successful proposers from each class, and the proposed Contract(s) with the selected Firm(s) will be submitted to the District's Board of Trustees for approval. The Contract(s) will be executed, and notice(s) to proceed will be issued after Board approval.

6.2.1. Evaluation Criteria for Written Proposals

Proposers may apply for one or both categories noted in Appendix A, sections A.1 and A.2.

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with your response to the criteria outlined in Appendix “A” Scope of Services. Proposals will also be evaluated for innovativeness, specificity, completeness, demonstrated knowledge of and successful local government and community engagement and advocacy efforts, general knowledge of higher education policy efforts and the Los Angeles Community College District, relevant experience and experience of personnel, and estimate of fees.

Using numerical scoring techniques, proposals will be evaluated by the District against the factors specified below. The relative weights of the criteria are based on a 100-point scale, as listed below.

CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN PROPOSAL SCORING

Criteria based on the required components of the proposal

Points possible

Proposer Experience, Scope and Demonstrated Success 25

Cost/fees 20

Proposed Staffing and Project Organization 20

Reference Letters 15

Work Plan Organization 10

Small, Local, Emerging, Disadvantaged, Veteran (SLEDV) 10

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100 pts

6.2.2 Evaluation Criteria for Interview/Presentations- Class 1- Local Government Legislative and Lobbying Services Provider

If virtual interviews/presentations are conducted, these will be evaluated by the District against the factors specified below. The relative weights of the criteria are based on a 100-point scale and are listed below.

CRITERIA FOR INTERVIEW/ PRESENTATION –

APPENDIX A.1 -CLASS 1

Points possible

Strength of Relationships with Key Policymakers (local, state, and federal) and Higher Education Staff 25

Staffing Considerations 25

Experience with higher education policy and local advocacy issues. 20

Responsiveness to Questions 10

Familiarity with the Los Angeles County 10

Familiarity with the District and its nine colleges 10

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100 pts

6.2.3 Evaluation Criteria for Interviews /Presentations- Class 2- Community…