RFP 2526H035 Administrative Support Services.pdf

STATE OF ALASKA

REQUEST FOR

PROPOSALS

OFFERORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RETURN THIS FORM.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: IF YOU RECEIVED THIS SOLICITATION FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA’S

“ONLINE PUBLIC NOTICE” WEB SITE, YOU MUST REGISTER WITH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER

LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS. FAILURE

TO CONTACT THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER MAY RESULT IN THE REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER.

ISSUED BY:

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION &

PUBLIC FACILITIES (DOT&PF)

DIVISION OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT &

ADMINISTRATION (PMA)

PRIMARY CONTACT:

CHRIS HUNT

PROCUREMENT OFFICER

CHRIS.HUNT@ALASKA.GOV

(907) 465-8448

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE

ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY OPERATIONS BOARD

RFP 2526H035

ISSUED NOVEMBER 26, 2025

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC FACILITIES (DOT&PF), DIVISION OF

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION (PMA), IS SOLICITING PROPOSALS TO

RESULT IN A SINGLE CONTRACT AWARD FOR COMPREHENSIVE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

SERVICES FOR THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY OPERATIONS BOARD (AMHOB)

mailto:chris.hunt@alaska.gov

STATE OF ALASKA – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 2526H035

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE ALASKA

MARINE HIGHWAY OPERATIONS BOARD

2 Rev. 8/24

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

SEC. 1.12 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.13 NEWS RELEASES

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM AND WORK SCHEDULE

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR STATE PURCHASES

SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

SEC. 3.08 CONTRACT PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

SEC. 3.09 LOCATION OF WORK

SEC. 3.10 THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS

SEC. 3.11 SUBCONTRACTORS

SEC. 3.12 JOINT VENTURES

SEC. 3.13 RIGHT TO INSPECT PLACE OF BUSINESS

SEC. 3.14 F.O.B. POINT

SEC. 3.15 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

SEC. 3.16 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNACCEPTABLE DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.17 CONTRACT CHANGES - UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

SEC. 3.18 NONDISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

SEC. 3.19 INDEMNIFICATION

SEC. 3.20 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 3.21 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 RFP SUBMITTAL FORMS

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 4.03 OFFEROR INFORMATION AND CERTIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM A)

SEC. 4.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM B)

SEC. 4.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM C)

SEC. 4.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM D)

SEC. 4.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM E)

SEC. 4.08 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM F)

SECTION 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACTOR SELECTION

SEC. 5.01 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION PROCESS

SEC. 5.02 EVALUATION CRITERIA

SEC. 5.03 SCORING METHOD AND CALCULATION

SEC. 5.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

SEC. 5.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.08 INTERVIEWS

SEC. 5.09 CONTRACT COST (COST PROPOSAL)

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SEC. 5.10 ALASKA OFFEROR PREFERENCE

SEC. 5.11 SHORTLISTING

SEC. 5.12 INTERVIEWS OF KEY PERSONNEL

SECTION 6. GENERAL PROCESS AND LEGAL INFORMATION

SEC. 6.01 INFORMAL DEBRIEFING

SEC. 6.02 ALASKA BUSINESS LICENSE AND OTHER REQUIRED LICENSES

SEC. 6.03 SITE INSPECTION

SEC. 6.04 CLARIFICATION OF OFFERS

SEC. 6.05 DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFERORS

SEC. 6.06 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 6.07 CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

SEC. 6.08 FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE

SEC. 6.09 OFFEROR NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION

SEC. 6.10 PROTEST

SEC. 6.11 APPLICATION OF PREFERENCES

SEC. 6.12 ALASKA BIDDER PREFERENCE

SEC. 6.13 ALASKA VETERAN PREFERENCE

SEC. 6.14 STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS

SEC. 6.15 QUALIFIED OFFERORS

SEC. 6.16 PROPOSAL AS PART OF THE CONTRACT

SEC. 6.17 ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.18 HUMAN TRAFFICKING

SEC. 6.19 RIGHT OF REJECTION

SEC. 6.20 STATE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARATION COSTS

SEC. 6.21 DISCLOSURE OF PROPOSAL CONTENTS

SEC. 6.22 ASSIGNMENT

SEC. 6.23 FORCE MAJEURE (IMPOSSIBILITY TO PERFORM)

SEC. 6.24 DISPUTES

SEC. 6.25 SEVERABILITY

SEC. 6.26 SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.27 SOLICITATION ADVERTISING

SEC. 6.28 FEDERALLY IMPOSED TARIFFS

SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS

SEC. 7.01 ATTACHMENTS

4 Rev. 8/24

INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

The Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Division of Program Management and Administration (PMA), is soliciting proposals to result in a single contract award to a qualified firm to provide comprehensive administrative support services for the Alaska Marine Highway Operations

Board (AMHOB), established under AS 19.65.110–19.65.180. The intent of this contract is to ensure the efficient, transparent, and independent administration of the AMHOB’s statutory responsibilities.

SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

Approval or continuation of a contract resulting from this RFP is contingent upon legislative appropriation.

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 PM prevailing Alaska Standard Time on December 19, 2025 as indicated by postmark or email timestamp and late proposals will not be considered.

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

In order for offers to be considered responsive offerors must meet these minimum prior experience requirements:

• A minimum of one (1) year of experience in government communications and stakeholder engagement.

These minimum prior experience requirements will be demonstrated by submission of resumes and

Attachment #11 Demonstration of Required Minimum Prior Experience Form with their proposal.

An offeror's failure to meet these minimum prior experience requirements will cause their proposal to be considered non-responsive and rejected.

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

Offerors should carefully review this solicitation for defects and questionable or objectionable material.

Comments concerning defects and questionable or objectionable material should be made in writing and received by the procurement officer at least ten days before the deadline for receipt of proposals. This will allow time for the issuance of any necessary amendments. It will also help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of offeror's proposals upon which award could not be made.

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF

PROPOSALS

All questions must be in writing and directed to the procurement officer. The interested party must confirm telephone conversations in writing.

Two types of questions generally arise. One may be answered by directing the questioner to a specific section of the RFP. These questions may be answered over the telephone. Other questions may be more

5 Rev. 8/24 complex and may require a written amendment to the RFP. The procurement officer will make that decision.

PROCUREMENT OFFICER: Chris Hunt PHONE 907-465-8448

EMAIL ADDRESS: chris.hunt@alaska.gov FAX: 907-465-3124

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

If submitting a hard copy proposal, Offerors must submit one hard copy of their proposal to the procurement officer in a sealed package. The cost proposal included with the package must be sealed separately from the rest of the proposal and must be clearly identified. The sealed proposal package(s) must be addressed as follows:

Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Division of Program Management and Administration

Attention: Chris Hunt

Request for Proposal (RFP) Number: 2526H035

RFP Title: Administrative Support Services for the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board

If using U.S. mail, please use the following address:

PO Box 112500

3132 Channel Drive, Room 350

Juneau, Alaska 99811-2500

If using a delivery service, please use the following address:

Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Attention: Chris Hunt

3132 Channel Drive, Room 350

Juneau, Alaska 99801

An offeror’s failure to submit its proposal prior to the deadline will cause the proposal to be disqualified.

Late proposals or amendments will not be opened or accepted for evaluation.

Please take into consideration that due to weather, scheduling, and location there is no overnight delivery service to Juneau, Alaska.

Electronic Proposal Submission:

If submitting a proposal via email, the technical proposal and cost proposal must be saved as separate PDF documents and emailed to dotstatewideprocurement@alaska.gov as separate, clearly labeled attachments, such as “Vendor A – Technical Proposal.pdf” and “Vendor A – Cost Proposal.pdf”. The email must contain the RFP number in the subject line.

The maximum size of a single email (including all text and attachments) that can be received by the state is 15mb (megabytes). If the email containing the proposal exceeds this size, the proposal must be sent in mailto:chris.hunt@alaska.gov mailto:dotstatewideprocurement@alaska.gov

6 Rev. 8/24 multiple emails that are each less than 15 megabytes and each email must comply with the requirements described above.

Please note that email transmission is not instantaneous. Similar to sending a hard copy proposal, if you are emailing your proposal, the state recommends sending it with enough time to ensure the email is delivered by the deadline for receipt of proposals.

It is the offeror’s responsibility to contact the issuing agency at (907) 465-8447 to confirm that the proposal has been received. The state is not responsible for unreadable, corrupt, or missing attachments.

Faxed or oral proposals will not be accepted.

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

Offerors with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more information, contact the procurement officer no later than ten days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

Amendments to or withdrawals of proposals will only be allowed if acceptable requests are received prior to the deadline that is set for receipt of proposals. No amendments or withdrawals will be accepted after the deadline unless they are in response to the state's request in accordance with 2 AAC 12.290.

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

If an amendment is issued before the deadline for receipt of proposals, the amendment will be posted on the State of Alaska Online Public Notice (OPN) website. The link to the posting of the amendment will be provided to all who were notified of the RFP and to those who have registered with the procurement officer after receiving the RFP from the OPN.

After receipt of proposals, if there is a need for any substantial clarification or material change in the RFP, an amendment will be issued. The amendment will incorporate the clarification or change, and a new date and time established for new or amended proposals. Evaluations may be adjusted as a result of receiving new or amended proposals.

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

RFP schedule set out herein represents the state’s best estimate of the schedule that will be followed. If a component of this schedule, such as the deadline for receipt of proposals, is delayed, the rest of the schedule may be shifted accordingly. All times are Alaska Standard Time.

ACTIVITY TIME DATE

Issue Date / RFP Released N/A November 26 2025

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals / Proposal Due Date 2:00 PM December 19, 2025

Initial Proposal Evaluation Committee Meeting N/A December 23, 2025

Interviews (week of) Will be Scheduled December 29, 2025

Proposal Evaluations Complete N/A January 2, 2026

Notice of Intent to Award N/A January 2, 2026

Contract Issued N/A January 13, 2026

7 Rev. 8/24

This RFP does not, by itself, obligate the state. The state's obligation will commence when the contract is approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), or the Commissioner's designee. Upon written notice to the contractor, the state may set a different starting date for the contract. The state will not be responsible for any work done by the contractor, even work done in good faith, if it occurs prior to the contract start date set by the state.

SEC. 1.12 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Offerors may only submit one proposal for evaluation. In accordance with 2 AAC 12.830 alternate proposals (proposals that offer something different than what is asked for) will be rejected.

SEC. 1.13 NEWS RELEASES

News releases related to this RFP will not be made without prior approval of the project director.

8 Rev. 8/24

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Though DOT&PF has a seat on this advisory Board, the board operates separately from DOT&PF and requires a significant amount of dedicated administration and coordination. This contract is needed to ensure the efficient, transparent, and independent administration of the AMHOB’s statutory responsibilities, and all actions comply with AS 19.65.110–19.65.180, AS 44.62 (Administrative

Procedure Act), and the Alaska Open Meetings Act.

9 Rev. 8/24

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor will provide comprehensive administrative support to the AMHOB, including but not limited to:

1. Meeting Administration and Logistics o Schedule, organize, and coordinate all regular and special meetings in compliance with the

Alaska Open Meetings Act.

o Arrange and manage meeting locations, technology platforms, and public notice postings.

o Prepare, distribute, and archive agendas, minutes, and official records.

o Manage all logistics for in-person and virtual meetings, including room reservations, teleconference setup, and public access.

2. Board Member Coordination o Coordinate Board member travel, lodging, and reimbursements in accordance with State travel policy.

o Provide Board communication and scheduling support.

o Maintain current records of Board membership, terms, and contact information.

3. Information and Document Management o Manage public correspondence, record requests, and publication of materials on the

AMHOB website.

o Maintain a document repository for meeting materials, reports, and Board actions.

o Facilitate preparation of the Board’s annual reports and recommendations to the

Commissioner and Legislature.

4. Agency and Public Interface o Serve as the primary administrative contact for the Board.

o Coordinate with DOT&PF, AMHS, and other agencies as needed for information and data requests.

o Ensure that all formal requests for information or materials are properly documented and submitted through established channels.

5. Meeting Facilitation and Reporting o Provide professional meeting facilitation and recordkeeping services.

o Draft meeting summaries, action items, and follow-up correspondence.

o Support the Chair in the timely submission of official communications and reports required under statute.

6. Compliance and Performance Standards o Ensure all actions comply with AS 19.65.110–19.65.180, AS 44.62 (Administrative

Procedure Act), and the Alaska Open Meetings Act.

o Maintain confidentiality and neutrality in all administrative functions.

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SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM AND WORK SCHEDULE

The length of the contract will be from the date of the award, approximately January 15 2026 through

December 31, 2026. This contract contains four (4) one (1) year renewal options to be exercised solely by the State.

Unless otherwise provided in this RFP, the State and the successful offeror/contractor agree: (1) that any extension of the contract excluding any exercised renewal options, will be considered as a month-to-month extension, and all other terms and conditions shall remain in full force and effect and (2) the procurement officer will provide notice to the contractor of the intent to cancel such month-to-month extension at least

30 days before the desired date of cancellation. A month-to-month extension may only be executed by the procurement officer via a written contract amendment.

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

The contractor will be required to provide the following deliverables:

A. Annual calendar of meetings and deadlines.

B. Meeting notices, agendas, and minutes.

C. Travel coordination records.

D. Annual summary of Board actions and recommendations.

E. Quarterly administrative reports to DOT&PF.

The AMHOB will provide the contractor with all documentation and information necessary to complete the required deliverables. This may include, but is not limited to, AMHOB member names, traveler details, meeting schedules, email addresses, and any other relevant records.

The AMHOB will also identify all deliverable deadlines, as well as any requirements for draft review and approval. If a review process is required, AMHOB will specify the individuals responsible for providing feedback and final approval.

All electronic deliverables will be submitted in digital PDF format, with any associated data also provided in a tabular format (CSV or XLS).

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

This contract is a Fixed price with adjustments.

SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

The state will make monthly payment at the end of each month for deliverables provided during the previous month, and deliverables are received, and approved by the project director.

11 Rev. 8/24

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR STATE PURCHASES

The state is eligible to receive a 5% discount for all invoices paid within 15 business days from the date of receipt of the commodities or services and/or a correct invoice, whichever is later. The discount shall be taken on the full invoice amount. The state shall consider payment being made as either the date a printed warrant is issued or the date an electronic funds transfer (EFT) is initiated.

SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

No payment will be made until the contract is approved by the Commissioner of the Department of

Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) or the Commissioner's designee. Under no conditions will the state be liable for the payment of any interest charges associated with the cost of the contract. The state is not responsible for and will not pay local, state, or federal taxes. All costs associated with the contract must be stated in U.S. currency.

Payment for agreements under $500,000 for the undisputed purchase of goods or services provided to a state agency, will be made within 30 days of the receipt of a proper billing or the delivery of the goods or services to the location(s) specified in the agreement, whichever is later. A late payment is subject to 1.5% interest per month on the unpaid balance. Interest will not be paid if there is a dispute or if there is an agreement that establishes a lower interest rate or precludes the charging of interest.

Any single contract payment of $1 million or higher must be accepted by the contractor via Electronic

Funds Transfer (EFT).

SEC. 3.08 CONTRACT PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

Consumer Price Index (CPI): Contract prices will remain firm through December 31, 2026.

The Contractor or State may request price adjustments, no sooner than 12 months from the Contract execution date, and no more than once per contract year. Contractors must submit a request to the State at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the current term. All Requests must be in writing and must be received 30 days prior to the Contract renewal date.

a. If the Contractor or State fail to request a CPI price adjustment 30 days prior to the Contract renewal date, the adjustment will be effective 30 days after the State or Contractor receives their written request.

b. Price adjustments will be made in accordance with the percentage change in the U.S.

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for All

Urban Consumers, All Items, Urban Alaska.

c. The price adjustment rate will be determined by comparing the percentage difference between the CPI in effect for the base year reported HALF1 (January through June 2025); and each

HALF1 thereafter. The percentage difference between those two CPI issues will be the price adjustment rate. No retroactive contract price adjustments will be allowed. All price adjustments must be approved by the Procurement Officer prior to the implementation of the

12 Rev. 8/24 adjusted pricing. Approval shall be in the form of a Contract Amendment issued by the

Procurement Officer.

d. Approval for all price increases is dependent upon full compliance with the terms of the

Contract including reporting requirements.

SEC. 3.09 LOCATION OF WORK

The location(s) the work is to be performed, completed, and managed is the contractor’s place of business, however, the contractor will have presence to operate teleconference and streaming technology at in person meetings.

The state will not provide workspace for the contractor. The contractor must provide its own workspace.

By signing their proposal, the offeror certifies that all services provided under this contract by the contractor and all subcontractors shall be performed in the United States.

If the offeror cannot certify that all work will be performed in the United States, the offeror must contact the procurement officer in writing to request a waiver at least 10 days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

The request must include a detailed description of the portion of work that will be performed outside the

United States, where, by whom, and the reason the waiver is necessary.

Failure to comply with these requirements may cause the state to reject the proposal as non-responsive or cancel the contract.

SEC. 3.10 THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS

The contractor must provide, on an annual basis, a Type 2 Statement on Standards for Attestation

Engagements (SSAE) SOC 1, SOC 2, or SOC 3 report(s). Failure to provide these reports may be treated as a material breach and may be a basis for a finding of default.

SEC. 3.11 SUBCONTRACTORS

Subcontractors will not be allowed.

SEC. 3.12 JOINT VENTURES

Joint ventures will not be allowed.

SEC. 3.13 RIGHT TO INSPECT PLACE OF BUSINESS

At reasonable times, the state may inspect those areas of the contractor's place of business that are related to the performance of a contract. If the state makes such an inspection, the contractor must provide reasonable assistance.

SEC. 3.14 F.O.B. POINT

All goods purchased through this contract will be F.O.B. final destination. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all prices offered must include the delivery costs to any location within the State of Alaska.

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SEC. 3.15 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

Any change of project team members or subcontractors named in the proposal must be approved, in advance and in writing, by the project director and the procurement officer. Changes that are not approved by the state may be grounds for the state to terminate the contract.

SEC. 3.16 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR

UNACCEPTABLE DELIVERABLES

The contractor is responsible for the completion of all work set out in the contract. All work is subject to inspection, evaluation, and approval by the project director. The state may employ all reasonable means to ensure that the work is progressing and being performed in compliance with the contract. The project director or procurement officer may instruct the contractor to make corrections or modifications if needed in order to accomplish the contract’s intent. The contractor will not unreasonably withhold such changes.

Substantial failure of the contractor to perform the contract may cause the state to terminate the contract.

In this event, the state may require the contractor to reimburse monies paid (based on the identified portion of unacceptable work received) and may seek associated damages.

SEC. 3.17 CONTRACT CHANGES - UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

During the course of this contract, the contractor may be required to perform additional work. That work will be within the general scope of the initial contract. When additional work is required, the project director will provide the contractor a written description of the additional work and request the contractor to submit a firm time schedule for accomplishing the additional work and a firm price for the additional work. Cost and pricing data must be provided to justify the cost of such amendments per AS 36.30.400.

The contractor will not commence additional work until the procurement officer has secured any required state approvals necessary for the amendment and issued a written contract amendment, approved by the

Commissioner of the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) or the Commissioner's designee.

SEC. 3.18 NONDISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Contractor agrees that all confidential information shall be used only for purposes of providing the deliverables and performing the services specified herein and shall not disseminate or allow dissemination of confidential information except as provided for in this section. The contractor shall hold as confidential and will use reasonable care (including both facility physical security and electronic security) to prevent unauthorized access by, storage, disclosure, publication, dissemination to and/or use by third parties of, the confidential information. “Reasonable care” means compliance by the contractor with all applicable federal and state law, including the Social Security Act and HIPAA. The contractor must promptly notify the state in writing if it becomes aware of any storage, disclosure, loss, unauthorized access to or use of the confidential information.

Confidential information, as used herein, means any data, files, software, information or materials

(whether prepared by the state or its agents or advisors) in oral, electronic, tangible or intangible form and however stored, compiled or memorialized that is classified confidential as defined by State of Alaska

14 Rev. 8/24 classification and categorization guidelines provided by the state to the contractor or a contractor agent or otherwise made available to the contractor or a contractor agent in connection with this contract, or acquired, obtained or learned by the contractor or a contractor agent in the performance of this contract.

Examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to: technology infrastructure, architecture, financial data, trade secrets, equipment specifications, user lists, passwords, research data, and technology data (infrastructure, architecture, operating systems, security tools, IP addresses, etc).

Additional information that the contractor shall hold as confidential during the performance of services under this contract include:

Though not specifically known at the time of this solicitation, some meeting materials or board staffing matters may be confidential. Any information to be held confidential will be communicated by the project director to the contractor in writing.

If confidential information is requested to be disclosed by the contractor pursuant to a request received by a third party and such disclosure of the confidential information is required under applicable state or federal law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority, the contractor may disclose the confidential information after providing the state with written notice of the requested disclosure ( to the extent such notice to the state is permitted by applicable law) and giving the state opportunity to review the request.

If the contractor receives no objection from the state, it may release the confidential information within

30 days. Notice of the requested disclosure of confidential information by the contractor must be provided to the state within a reasonable time after the contractor’s receipt of notice of the requested disclosure and, upon request of the state, shall seek to obtain legal protection from the release of the confidential information.

The following information shall not be considered confidential information: information previously known to be public information when received from the other party; information freely available to the general public; information which now is or hereafter becomes publicly known by other than a breach of confidentiality hereof; or information which is disclosed by a party pursuant to subpoena or other legal process and which as a result becomes lawfully obtainable by the general public.

SEC. 3.19 INDEMNIFICATION

The contractor shall indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the contracting agency from and against any claim of, or liability for error, omission, or negligent act of the contractor under this agreement. The contractor shall not be required to indemnify the contracting agency for a claim of, or liability for, the independent negligence of the contracting agency. If there is a claim of, or liability for, the joint negligent error or omission of the contractor and the independent negligence of the contracting agency, the indemnification and hold harmless obligation shall be apportioned on a comparative fault basis.

“Contractor” and “contracting agency”, as used within this and the following article, include the employees, agents and other contractors who are directly responsible, respectively, to each. The term

“independent negligence” is negligence other than in the contracting agency’s selection, administration, monitoring, or controlling of the contractor and in approving or accepting the contractor’s work.

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SEC. 3.20 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Without limiting contractor's indemnification, it is agreed that contractor shall purchase at its own expense and maintain in force at all times during the performance of services under this agreement the following policies of insurance. Where specific limits are shown, it is understood that they shall be the minimum acceptable limits. If the contractor's policy contains higher limits, the state shall be entitled to coverage to the extent of such higher limits.

Certificates of Insurance must be furnished to the procurement officer prior to beginning work and must provide for a notice of cancellation, non-renewal, or material change of conditions in accordance with policy provisions. Failure to furnish satisfactory evidence of insurance or lapse of the policy is a material breach of this contract and shall be grounds for termination of the contractor's services. All insurance policies shall comply with and be issued by insurers licensed to transact the business of insurance under

AS 21.

Workers' Compensation Insurance: The contractor shall provide and maintain, for all employees engaged in work under this contract, coverage as required by AS 23.30.045, and where applicable, any other statutory obligations including but not limited to Federal U.S.L. & H. and

Jones Act requirements. The policy must waive subrogation against the State.

Commercial General Liability Insurance: covering all business premises and operations used by the Contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance: covering all vehicles used by the contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

SEC. 3.21 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

a. If the Project Director or Procurement Officer determines that the contractor has refused to perform the work or has failed to perform the work with such diligence as to ensure its timely and accurate completion, the state may, by providing written notice to the contractor, terminate the contractor's right to proceed with part or all the remaining work.

b. The Procurement Officer may also, by written notice, terminate this contract under Administrative

Order 352 if the contractor supports or participates in a boycott of the State of Israel.

This clause does not restrict the state's termination rights under the contract provisions of Appendix A, attached in SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS.

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SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 RFP SUBMITTAL FORMS

This RFP contains Submittal Forms, which must be completed by the offeror and submitted as part of their proposal. An electronic copy of the forms is posted along with this RFP.

Unless otherwise specified in this RFP, the Submittal Forms shall be the offeror’s entire proposal. Do not include any marketing information in the proposal.

Any proposal that does not follow these requirements may be deemed non-responsive.

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The offeror must ensure that their proposal meets all special formatting requirements identified in this section.

Documents and Text: All attachment documents must be written in the English language, be single sided, and be single spaced with a minimum font size of 10. Pictures or graphics may be used if the offeror feels it is necessary to communicate their information, however, be aware of the below requirements for page limits.

Page Limits: Some Submittal Forms listed below have maximum page limit requirements. Offerors must not exceed the maximum page limits. Note, the page limit applies to the front side of a page only (for example, ‘1 Page’ implies that the offeror can only provide a response on one side of a piece of paper). Any pages exceeding the maximum page limit will be discarded and will not be included in the evaluations (for example, the maximum page limit is 3 pages, but the Offeror submits

5 pages for that submittal form. Only pages 1-3 will be evaluated. Pages 4 and 5 would be discarded by the Procurement Officer before sending to the proposal evaluation committee for evaluation.).

Submittal Form Maximum

Page Limits

Submittal Form A – Offeror Information and Certifications

Submittal Form B – Experience and Qualifications 5

Submittal Form C – Understanding of the Project 5

Submittal Form D – Methodology Used for the Project 5

Submittal Form E – Management Plan for the Project 5

Submittal Form F – Cost Proposal

Any Submittal Form submitted as part of a proposal that is not compliant with the instructions above may be a basis for finding the proposal non-responsive and thus rejected.

SEC. 4.03 OFFEROR INFORMATION AND CERTIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL

FORM A)

The offeror must complete and submit this Submittal Form. The form must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the offeror to the provisions of the RFP.

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By signature on the form, the offeror certifies they comply with the following:

a) the laws of the State of Alaska;

b) the applicable portion of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964;

c) the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government;

d) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government;

e) all terms and conditions set out in this RFP;

f) a condition that the proposal submitted was independently arrived at, without collusion, under penalty of perjury; and

g) that the offers will remain open and valid for at least 90 days.

If any offeror fails to comply with [a] through [g] of this paragraph, the state reserves the right to disregard the proposal, terminate the contract, or consider the contractor in default.

The Submittal Form also requests the following information:

a) The complete name and address of offeror’s firm along with the offeror’s Tax ID.

b) Information on the person the state should contact regarding the proposal.

c) Names of critical team members/personnel.

d) Addenda acknowledgement.

e) Conflict of interest statement.

f) Federal requirements.

g) Alaska preference qualifications.

An offeror's failure to address/respond/include these items may cause the proposal to be determined to be non-responsive and the proposal may be rejected.

SEC. 4.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM B)

Offerors must provide detail on the personnel assigned to accomplish the work called for in this RFP;

illustrate the lines of authority; designate the individual responsible and accountable for the completion of each component and deliverable of the RFP.

Offerors must provide a narrative description of the organization of the project team and a personnel roster that identifies each person who will actually work on the contract along with their titles and location(s) where work will be performed.

Offerors must also provide reference names and phone numbers for similar projects the offeror’s firm has completed.

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The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. Submission forms shall not exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

Offerors must provide resumes for those personnel with names and title that will be assigned to complete the project as a separate attachment to Submittal Form B. Resumes will not count against the maximum page limits for this evaluation criteria.

SEC. 4.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM C)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that illustrate their understanding of the requirements of the project and the project schedule.

The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. Submission forms shall not exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM

D)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that set out the methodology they intend to employ and illustrate how the methodology will serve to accomplish the work and meet the state’s project schedule.

The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. Submission forms shall not exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM

E)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that set out the management plan they intend to follow and illustrate how the plan will serve to accomplish the work and meet the state's project schedule.

The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. Submission forms shall not exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.08 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM F)

Offerors must complete and submit this Submittal Form. Proposed costs must include all direct and indirect costs associated with the performance of the contract, including, but not limited to, total number of hours at various hourly rates, direct expenses, payroll, supplies, overhead assigned to each person working on the project, percentage of each person's time devoted to the project, and profit. The costs identified on the cost proposal are the total amount of costs to be paid by the state. No additional charges shall be allowed.

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SECTION 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACTOR

SELECTION

SEC. 5.01 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION PROCESS

The state will use the following steps to evaluate and prioritize proposals:

1) Proposals will be assessed for overall responsiveness and responsibility. Proposals deemed non-responsive or non-responsible will be eliminated from further consideration.

2) A proposal evaluation committee (PEC), made up of at least three state employees or public officials, will evaluate the Technical portion of all responsive proposals.

3) The Submittal Forms, from each responsive proposal, will be sent to the PEC. No cost information will be shared or provided to the PEC.

4) The PEC will independently evaluate and score the documents based on the degree to which they meet the stated evaluation criteria.

5) After independent scoring, the PEC will have a meeting, chaired by the procurement officer, where the PEC may have a group discussion prior to finalizing their scores.

6) The evaluators will submit their final individual scores to the procurement officer, who will then compile the scores and calculate awarded points as set out in Section 5.03.

7) The procurement officer will calculate scores for cost proposals as set out in Section 5.08 and add those scores to the awarded points along with factoring in any Alaska preferences.

8) The procurement officer shall inform the PEC of the initial scores and determine which Offerors are eligible to move forward with interviews based on a natural score break. The state reserves the right to interview all responsive Offerors if it is in the state’s best interest to do so.

9) The procurement officer will provide the PEC with the interview evaluation forms.

10) After interviews with proposed personnel, PEC members will score each Offeror using the interview evaluation forms and will provide their interview scores to the procurement officer. If needed, the PEC may also hold a new PEC meeting to allow discussion regarding the interview scoring. If held, this PEC discussion shall be limited to the scores awarded specifically for the interview scoring phase. As with the initial PEC meeting, all PEC should be in attendance.

Like the initial PEC meeting, the PEC has the opportunity to discuss the merits of each Interviewee, and the PEC members may adjust their initial interview score based on the discussion. Scoring will remain independent for each PEC member. Cost will not be a discussion item during this meeting.

The procurement officer is responsible for running this meeting. Any changes to scores must be justified on each PEC member’s score sheet. If scores are changed as a result of this discussion, the initial interview score should be removed and the new score should be entered accompanied by written justification for the new score. All score changes shall be documented by the procurement officer. At the end of the PEC meeting scoring of the interview phase is final and

PEC members shall provide all score sheets to the procurement officer for final tabulation.

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11) The procurement officer may ask for best and final offers from offerors susceptible for award and revise the cost scores accordingly.

12) The state will then conduct any necessary negotiations with the highest scoring offeror and award a contract if the negotiations are successful.

SEC. 5.02 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on their overall value to state, considering both cost and non-cost factors as described below. Note: An evaluation may not be based on discrimination due to the race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability, or political affiliation of the offeror.

Overall Criteria Weight

Responsiveness Pass/Fail

Qualifications Criteria Weight

Experience and Qualifications (Submittal Form B) 100

Understanding of the Project (Submittal Form C) 100

Methodology Used for the Project (Submittal Form D) 100

Management Plan for the Project (Submittal Form E) 100

Interviews 100

Total 500

Cost Criteria Weight

Cost Proposal (Submittal Form F) 400

Total 400

Preference Criteria Weight

Alaska Offeror Preference (if applicable) 100

Total 100

TOTAL EVALUATION POINTS AVAILABLE: 1000

SEC. 5.03 SCORING METHOD AND CALCULATION

Each Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) member will individually evaluate and score each responsive proposal using the criteria set out in Sections 5.04 through 5.08 and assign a single score of 1 through 10, with 10 representing the highest score and 1 representing the lowest score. Using only whole numbers, PEC members should start with a score of 5 on each section. The score may either increase or decrease depending on the offeror’s response to each question for that section. As an example, if the Offeror provided responses over and above the evaluation questions in a section, they would receive a higher score. However, if the Offeror’s response fails to address all questions of a section or demonstrates some lack of understanding or competency as it relates to a question for that section, the Offeror would then receive a lower score.

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After the PEC has scored, the scores for each section will be totaled and the following formula will be used to calculate the total amount of points awarded for each section:

Offeror Total Score x Max Points = Points Awarded

Highest Total Score Possible

Example (Max Points for the Section = 100):

PEC

Member 1

Score

PEC

Member 2

Score

PEC

Member 3

Score

PEC

Member 4

Score

Combined

Total Score

Points

Awarded

Offeror

10 5 5 10 30 75

Offeror

5 5 5 5 20 50

Offeror

10 10 10 10 40 100

Offeror 1 was awarded 75 points:

Offeror Total Score (30) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (75)

Highest Total Score Possible (40)

Offeror 2 was awarded 50 points:

Offeror Total Score (20) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (50)

Offeror 3 was awarded 100 points:

Offeror Total Score (40) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (100)

SEC. 5.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) Questions regarding the personnel:

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a) Do the individuals assigned to the project have experience on similar projects?

b) Are resumes complete and do they demonstrate backgrounds that would be desirable for individuals engaged in the work the project requires?

c) How extensive is the applicable education and experience of the personnel designated to work on the project?

2) Questions regarding the firm and subcontractor (if used):

a) How well has the firm demonstrated experience in completing similar projects on time and within budget?

b) How successful is the general history of the firm regarding timely and successful completion of projects?

c) Has the firm provided letters of reference from previous clients?

d) If a subcontractor will perform work on the contract, how well do they measure up to the evaluation used for the offeror?

SEC. 5.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How well has the offeror demonstrated a thorough understanding of the purpose and scope of the project?

2) How well has the offeror identified pertinent issues and potential problems related to the project?

3) To what degree has the offeror demonstrated an understanding of the deliverables the state expects it to provide?

4) Has the offeror demonstrated an understanding of the state's time schedule and can meet it?

SEC. 5.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How comprehensive is the methodology and does it depict a logical approach to fulfilling the requirements of the RFP?

2) How well does the methodology match and achieve the objectives set out in the RFP?

3) Does the methodology interface with the time schedule in the RFP?

SEC. 5.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How well does the management plan support all of the project requirements and logically lead to the deliverables required in the RFP?

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2) How well is accountability completely and clearly defined?

3) Is the organization of the project team clear?

4) How well does the management plan illustrate the lines of authority and communication?

5) To what extent does the offeror already have the hardware, software, equipment, and licenses necessary to perform the contract?

6) Does it appear that the offeror can meet the schedule set out in the RFP?

7) Has the offeror gone beyond the minimum tasks necessary to meet the objectives of the RFP?

8) To what degree is the proposal practical and feasible?

9) To what extent has the offeror identified potential problems?

SEC. 5.08 INTERVIEWS

The PEC will conduct interviews with the personnel assigned to fill the position and accomplish the work identified in the Scope of Services from the Offerors who have scored above the natural point break with the highest ranking. Offerors should plan for the Account Manager and Assistant Manager personnel assigned to fill the position to be available virtually for the interview. The state will not be responsible for reimbursing any costs incurred by Offerors for attending interviews.

The PEC will ask identical, pre-determined questions to all Offerors, and discussion will be moderated by the procurement officer to ensure equitable opportunity for discussion. All Offerors will be afforded the same amount of time for interviews.

The interview is a required part of the RFP process for those Offerors scoring above the natural point break. An Offeror’s failure to respond to the requirements of this section shall cause their proposal to be determined non-responsive and rejected.

This portion of the Offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1. Tell us your experience assisting another government agency with communications and public meetings.

2. What kind of streaming, social, and telecom technology do you have experience with?

3. What special skillsets likely distinguish you from other providers?

SEC. 5.09 CONTRACT COST (COST PROPOSAL)

Overall, a minimum of 40% of the total evaluation points will be assigned to cost. After the procurement officer applies any applicable preferences, the offeror with the lowest total cost will receive the maximum number of points allocated to cost per 2 AAC 12.260(c). The point allocations for cost on the other proposals will be determined using the following formula:

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[(Price of Lowest Cost Proposal) x (Maximum Points for Cost)] ÷ (Cost of Each Higher Priced Proposal)

Example (Max Points for Contract Cost = 400):

Step 1

List all proposal prices, adjusted where appropriate by the application of applicable preferences claimed by the offeror.

Offeror #1 $40,000

Offeror #2 $42,750

Offeror #3 $47,500

Step 2

In this example, the RFP allotted 40% of the available 1,000 points to cost. This means that the lowest cost will receive the maximum number of points.

Offeror #1 receives 400 points.

The reason they receive that amount is because the lowest cost proposal, in this case $40,000, receives the maximum number of points allocated to cost, 400 points.

Offeror #2 receives 374.3 points.

$40,000 lowest cost x 400 maximum points for cost = 16,000,000 ÷ $42,750 cost of Offeror #2’s proposal

= 374.3

Offeror #3 receives 336.8 points.

$40,000 lowest cost x 400 maximum points for cost = 16,000,000 ÷ $47,500 cost of Offeror #3’s proposal

= 336.8

SEC. 5.10 ALASKA OFFEROR PREFERENCE

Per 2 AAC 12.260, if an offeror qualifies for the Alaska Bidder Preference, the offeror will receive an

Alaska…