RFP 27-12 Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink.pdf

SOLICITATION FOR:

RFP #27-12 Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS

RELEASE DATE: 9/1/2026

QUESTIONS DUE: 9/10/2026 by 12PM EST

DUE DATE AND TIME: 9/23/2026 by 3PM EST

Anticipated Contract Award 9/30/2026

Est. Contract Commencement Date 11/1/2026 Est. Contract Completion Date 10/31/2027 Est. Renewal Years (If Applicable) Two (2) additional one-year renewal options

DELIVER TO:

City of Somerville

Procurement & Contracting Services Attn: Cameron Moriarty

Procurement Analyst cmoriarty@somervillema.gov

93 Highland Avenue Somerville, MA 02143

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS

Enclosed You Will Find a Request for Proposal For:

RFP #27-12 Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

SECTION 1.0

GENERAL INFORMATION ON PROPOSAL PROCESS

1.1 General Instructions

Copies of the solicitation may be obtained from the Procurement & Contracting Services Department on and after 9/1/2026 per the below-noted City Hall hours of operation.

All Responses Must be Sealed and Delivered To:

Procurement & Contracting Services Department City of Somerville

93 Highland Avenue Somerville, MA 02143

It is the sole responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the proposal arrives on time at the designated place. Late proposals will not be considered and will be rejected and returned.

Proposal Format:

Submit one (1) sealed proposal package (with two sealed envelopes, one for the price and one for the technical proposal); it must be marked with the solicitation title and number and must be original.

In an effort to reduce waste, we discourage the use of 3-ring binders.

Responses must be sealed and marked with the solicitation title and number.

All proposals must include all forms listed in the Proposers Checklist (and all documents included or referenced in Sections 2.0 - 4.0). If all required documents are not present, the proposal may be deemed non-responsive and may result in disqualification of the proposal unless the City determines that such failure(s) constitute(s) a minor informality, as defined in Chapter MGL 30B.

A complete Proposal must also include a cover letter signed by an official authorized to bind the Offeror contractually and contain a statement that the proposal is firm for ninety (90) days. An unsigned letter, or one signed by an individual not authorized to bind the Offeror, may be disqualified.

The Offeror’s authorized official(s) must sign all required proposal forms.

The Price Form in Section 3.0 must be completed. No substitute form will be accepted unless otherwise stated. Pricing must remain firm for the entire contract period.

All information in the Offeror’s response should be clear and concise. The successful response will be incorporated into a contract as an exhibit; therefore, Offerors should not make claims to which they are not prepared to commit themselves contractually.

The successful Offeror must be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The City of Somerville values a diverse workforce and believes it contributes to a work product and

City Hall Hours of Operation:

Monday – Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

customer experience that best reflects the community in our city. Applicants are highly encouraged to include any certifications and documents that recognize the diversity of the Offeror’s work force, including ownership of the offering firm/organization, executive leadership, management, and employees proposed for the work in Somerville, including diversity of sub-consultants. Please use the supplier diversity form (see Section 4.0) with supporting documentation to share your diversity data with the City.

1.2 Proposal Schedule

Key dates for this Request for Proposals:

RFP Issued 9/1/2026 Deadline for Submitting Questions to RFP

9/10/2026 by 12PM EST

Proposals Due 9/23/2026 by 3PM EST

Anticipated Contract Award 9/30/2026 Est. Contract Commencement Date

11/1/2026

Est. Contract Completion Date 10/31/2027

Responses must be delivered by

9/23/2026 by 3PM EST to:

City of Somerville Procurement & Contracting Services Attn: Cameron Moriarty

1.3 Submission Instructions

If you are submitting your proposal online via Bidexpress.com, then you do not need to also submit a sealed proposal package as instructed below. Email is not an acceptable method of submission of bids.

Please submit two sealed envelopes, all within one sealed proposal package, with the following contents and marked in the following manner:

Contents of Sealed Proposal Package Marked As Envelope 1 Non-Price Technical Proposal:

Shall Include (1) original and one (1) electronic copy. [Electronic copies are to be submitted on USB drives and are to be saved in Adobe Acrobat format. (“Read only” files are acceptable.)]

To Be Marked: Non-Price Proposal RFP #27-12 Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

Envelope 2 Price Proposal: Shall Include one

(1) original and one (1) electronic copy.

[Electronic copies of Price and Non-Price Technical proposal can be submitted on the same USB drives but as separate files]

To Be Marked: Price Proposal RFP #27-12 Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

Please send the complete sealed package to the attention of :

Cameron Moriarty Procurement Analyst Procurement & Contracting Services Somerville City Hall

Methods of Bid Submission Bidders may submit bids in any of the following ways. All bids will be timestamped and must be received no later than due date and time.

1) Sealed bids can be sent to City Hall through the US Postal Service or other delivery service (e.g.

FedEx, UPS).

2) BidExpress.com is an online bidding platform where bidders can submit all required documents.

The fee to use this service is approximately $50.00 unless your company has a subscription with BidExpress. You can access the bid package and forms via the City of Somerville BidExpress page at: https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/33100/home A user guide is attached for your reference.

3) For any technical assistance while submitting the online bid, please contact the BidExpress Customer support team at www.bidexpress.com. Bidders may submit bids in any of the following ways. All bids will be timestamped and must be received no later than due date and time.

(Note: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30B requires that price proposals must be separate from technical proposals. Therefore, please make no reference to pricing in the non-price technical proposal. Failure to adhere to this requirement will result in disqualification.

Non-Price (Technical) Proposal Format Responses must be submitted in accordance with the requirements set forth in this solicitation. Results of the proposal review process will be utilized to establish a preliminary ranking of the proposers. The City may http://www.somervillema.gov/BidExpress https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/33100/home http://www.bidexpress.com/ interview the top ranked candidates as part of the evaluation process. All information in the technical proposal should be organized and presented as directed below. Your Non-Price Proposal response should contain all forms outlined in the Proposers Checklist (Section 4.0). Responses shall be prepared on standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper (charts may be landscaped but must be on 8.5 x 11 inch paper) and shall be in a legible font size (12). All pages of each response shall be appropriately numbered (and with consecutive page numbering across tabs).

Elaborate format and binding are neither necessary nor desirable. Each proposal shall clearly identify the Offeror’s name, solicitation number, formal solicitation title and copy number, (e.g., “Original”, “Copy”). All submissions will allow for easy removal and replacement of pages.

Cover Letter Submit a cover letter that includes the official name of the firm submitting the proposal, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, fax number, and contact name. The letter must be signed by an official authorized to bind the proposer contractually and contain a statement that the proposal is firm for ninety (90) days. An unsigned letter, or one signed by an individual not authorized to bind the Offeror, may be disqualified.

Qualifications & Experience The Offeror shall include qualifications and experience of the firm (or sole proprietor). The Offeror shall identify the year the firm was established, the total number of employees currently employed, and the number of employees focused on this engagement. The Offeror may include any additional literature and product brochures. The Quality Requirements Form (Section 2.0), or set of basic business standards, must be submitted in the sealed proposal.

References The Offeror shall list at least two relevant references, which the City can contact. The City of Somerville reserves the right to use ourselves as a reference. References shall include the following information:

●The name, address, telephone number, and email address of each client listed above.

●A description of the work performed under each contract. ●The amount of the contract.

●A description of the nature of the relationship between Offeror and the customer.

●The dates of performance. ●The volume of the work performed.

Price Proposal Format Price Summary Page (see Section 3.0)

Proposal Prices to Remain Firm All proposal prices submitted in response to this solicitation must remain firm for 90 days following the proposal opening.

Price Submission All prices must contain the unit rate as requested on the proposal price form in this solicitation. All prices are to include delivery, the cost of fuel, the cost of labor, and all other charges related to the products or services listed. Prices are to remain fixed for the contract period of performance.

1.4 Questions

Questions are due: 9/10/2026 by 12PM EST

Questions concerning this solicitation must be delivered in writing to:

Cameron Moriarty Procurement Analyst Somerville City Hall

Procurement & Contracting Services Department 93 Highland Avenue

Somerville, MA 02143 Or emailed to:

cmoriarty@somervillema.gov Or faxed to:

617-625-1344

Answers will be sent via an addendum to all Offerors who have registered as proposal holders. Proposers are encouraged to contact the Procurement & Contracting Services Department to register as a proposal document holder to automatically be alerted as to addenda as they are issued. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to also monitor the proposal portal on the City’s website for any updates, addenda, etc. regarding that specific solicitation. The web address is: https://www.somervillema.gov/procurement

If any proposer contacts City personnel outside of the Procurement & Contracting Services Department regarding this proposal, that proposer may be disqualified.

1.5 General Terms

Proposal Signature A response must be signed as follows: 1) if the Offeror is an individual, by her/him personally; 2) if the Offeror is a partnership, by the name of the partnership, followed by the signature of each general partner; and 3) if the Offeror is a corporation, by the authorized officer, whose signature must be attested to by the clerk/secretary of the corporation (& with corporate seal).

Time for Proposal Acceptance and City Contract Requirements The contract will be awarded within 90 days after the proposal opening. The time for award may be extended for up to 45 additional days by mutual agreement between the City of Somerville and the Offeror that is most advantageous and responsible. The Offeror’s submission will remain in effect for a period of 90 days from the response deadline or until it is formally withdrawn, a contract is executed, or this solicitation is canceled, whichever occurs first. The Offeror will be required to sign a standard City contract per the City’s general terms included herein as Appendix A.

Holidays are as follows:

New Year’s Day Martin Luther King. Jr. Day Washington's Birthday Patriots’ Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Independence Day Independence Day Labor Day Indigenous Peoples’ Day Veterans’ Day Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Friday Christmas Eve (half day) Christmas Day Please visit http://www.somervillema.gov/ for the City’s most recent calendar. *Under State Law, all holidays falling on Sunday must be observed on Monday.

https://www.somervillema.gov/procurement http://www.somervillema.gov/

If the awarded Offeror for their convenience desires to perform work during other than normal working hours or on other than normal work days, or if the Offeror is required to perform work at such times, the Offeror shall reimburse the City for any additional expense occasioned the City, thereby, such as, but not limited to, overtime pay for City employees, utilities service, etc. UNLESS otherwise specified in these provisions, services will be performed during normal work hours. When required services occur on holidays, work will be performed on either the previous or following work day, unless specified otherwise.

Unforeseen Office Closure If, at the time of the scheduled proposal opening, the Procurement & Contracting Services Department is closed due to uncontrolled events such as fire, snow, ice, wind, or building evacuation, the proposal due date will be postponed until 2:00 p.m. on the next normal business day. Proposals will be accepted until that date and time.

In the event of inclement weather, the Offeror is responsible for listening to the media to determine if the City has been closed due to weather.

Changes & Addenda If any changes are made to this solicitation, an addendum will be issued. All proposers on record as having picked up the solicitation will be alerted via email as to the posting of all addenda. The City will also post addenda on its website (https://www.somervillema.gov/procurement). No changes may be made to the solicitation documents by the Offerors without written authorization and/or an addendum from the Procurement & Contracting Services Department.

Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals, Mistakes, and Minor Informalities An Offeror may correct, modify, or withdraw a proposal by written notice received by the City of Somerville prior to the time and date set for the proposal opening. Proposal modifications must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly labeled "Modification No.__" to the address listed in Section 1. Each modification must be numbered in sequence and must reference the original solicitation. After the proposal opening, an Offeror may not change any provision of the proposal in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the City or fair competition.

Minor informalities will be waived or the proposer will be allowed to correct them. If a mistake and the intended proposal are clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, the mistake will be corrected to reflect the intended correct proposal, and the proposer will be notified in writing; the proposer may not withdraw the proposal. A proposer may withdraw a proposal if a mistake is clearly evident on the face of the proposal document, but the intended correct proposal is not similarly evident.

Right to Cancel/Reject Proposals The City of Somerville may cancel this solicitation, or reject in whole or in part any and all proposals, if the City determines that cancellation or rejection serves the best interests of the City.

Unbalanced Proposals The City reserves the right to reject unbalanced, front-loaded, and conditional proposals.

Brand Name “or Equal” Any references to any brand name or proprietary product in the specifications shall require the acceptance of an equal or better brand. The City has the right to make the final determination as to whether an alternate brand is equal to the brand specified.

https://www.somervillema.gov/procurement

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) For EFT payment, the following shall be included with invoices to the point of contact:

• Contract/Order number; Contractor’s name & address as stated in the contract;

• The signature (manual or electronic, as appropriate) title, and telephone number of the Offeror’s representative authorized to provide sensitive information;

• Name of financial institution; Financial institution nine (9) digit routing transit number;

• Offeror’s account number; Type of account, i.e., checking or saving.

Other Applicable Laws In addition to applicable federal and state laws, the City has several ordinances that apply to the services requested in this contract. Such ordinances include but are not limited to: living wage ordinance, ordinance to protect vulnerable road users,[1] and ordinance to protect against wage theft. Workplace safety is of paramount importance to all workers who perform services on City contracts and all bidders must certify that they will disclose any citations they may have received for OSHA violations.

[1] The ordinance to protect vulnerable road users only applies to contracts where the vendor and/or its subcontractors use large vehicles in the City of Somerville to perform the work of the contract.

Notice and Certification Pursuant to Somerville Wage Theft Ordinance All Offerors, bidders, respondents have an affirmative duty to report to the Procurement & Contracting Services Department and provide a copy of any criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, or final administrative determination, order, or debarment, relating to wage theft, against the bidder or any of its subcontractors entered within the five years prior to bid submission.

If you are the successful bidder, you and any of your subcontractors have an affirmative duty to report any criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, final administrative determination, order, or debarment against the bidder or any its subcontractors while your contract with the City is in effect, within five business days of receipt.

You may not contract with the City if you have been either voluntarily or involuntarily debarred by the federal government, any agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any other state for the entire term of the debarment.

You may not use any subcontractor who has been debarred by the federal government or any state government during the period of that subcontractor's debarment.

You must post notices in accordance with M.G.L. c. 151 § 16 in a conspicuous location accessible to all of their employees in English and the primary language of the employee(s) at the particular workplace.

If not all employees would have reasonable access to the notice if posted in a single location, then you must inform the purchasing agent or other City Department of the number and location of postings in order to ensure that you provide reasonable notice to all of your employees.

As a condition of this bid, the bidder (a.k.a. Offeror, respondent) hereby certifies that neither the bidder nor any of the bidder's subcontractors have been subject to a criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, final administrative determination, order, or debarment resulting from a violation of M.G.L. c. 149, M.G.L. c. 151, or 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq. within five years prior to bid submission.

In the alternative, the Bidder hereby discloses a criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, administrative determination, or debarment, within five years prior to bid https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=391&keywords=live%2Clived%2Clives%2Cliving%27s%2Clivings%2Clivings%27%2Cliving%2Cwage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage#secid-391 https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=391&keywords=live%2Clived%2Clives%2Cliving%27s%2Clivings%2Clivings%27%2Cliving%2Cwage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage#secid-391 https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=1533&keywords=vulnerable#secid-1533 https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=1452&keywords=wage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage%2Ctheft%27s%2Cthefts%2Cthefts%27%2Ctheft#secid-1676 https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=1452&keywords=wage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage%2Ctheft%27s%2Cthefts%2Cthefts%27%2Ctheft#secid-1676 submission. Included with the Bid is a copy of the same, in addition to documentation demonstrating that all damages, fines, costs, and fees have been paid.

1.6 Evaluation Methodology

Qualified proposals will be reviewed and rated by an evaluation committee ("the Committee") composed of employees of the City. The City reserves the right to involve an outside consultant in the selection process.

Comparative Evaluation Criteria The Committee shall use the comparative evaluation criteria included in Section 2.0 to evaluate the responsibility and responsiveness of all proposals that already meet the minimum quality requirements. For each proposal, the Committee will assign a rating of Highly Advantageous, Advantageous, Not Advantageous, or Unacceptable to each of the corresponding comparative evaluation criteria.

Final selection will be based upon the evaluators’ analysis of the information and materials required under the RFP and provided by the Offerors in their submissions. The City may request additional information from the Offerors to ensure that the Offeror has the necessary resources to perform the required services. The Committee may choose to interview Offerors. If interviews will be conducted, the City will notify the Offerors, either by e-mail or telephone, of the date, time, and place for their interviews and any other pertinent information related thereto.

Selection Process The City will award the contract to the most responsive and responsible Offeror whose entire proposal (technical and price) is deemed to be the most advantageous. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if it determines that the criteria set forth have not been met.

RFP #27-12

SECTION 2.0

RULE FOR AWARD /

SPECIFICATIONS/SCOPE OF SERVICES

Rule for Award The contract shall be awarded to the responsible and responsive proposer submitting the most advantageous proposal response, taking into consideration all evaluation criteria as well as price. The contract will be awarded within ninety (90) days after the proposal opening. The time for award may be extended for up to 45 additional days by mutual agreement between the City and the most highly advantageous and responsible offeror. The successful Proposer will be required to execute an Agreement with the City of Somerville.

Introduction and Background The City of Somerville ("City"), through its Department of Recreation, is seeking proposals from qualified vendors ("Proposer") to operate and manage the Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink, located at 14 Bleachery Ct, Somerville, MA 02143 (the "Licensed Space"), which is owned by the City.

The City wishes to make the Licensed Space available to a qualified operator so that the selected Proposer may provide an organized, efficient, safe, clean and professionally staffed public ice-skating rink operation pursuant to the applicable rules and regulations of the City, the terms in this RFP and Award Notice, and a License Agreement (or a suitable agreement).

Proposers shall make the Licensed Space available to the pubic and skating groups, including youth hockey, youth figure skating, adult hockey, and adult figure skating, while ensuring continued, affordable access for Somerville residents and the City's own recreation programs. Proposers must ensure that Somerville youth groups are scheduled for skating times (refer to details in Scope of Work below).

The rink has historically been operated under a permit arrangement in which a private operator manages day-to-day staffing, programming, maintenance, and revenue collection, while the City retains ownership of the facility and certain shared responsibilities (trash removal, parking lot snow removal, and grounds maintenance).

The winning Proposer should be prepared to begin the licensed operation, management and maintenance responsibilities of the subject rink no later than November 27, 2026.

Scope of Work The selected Proposer will operate, staff, and maintain the Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink for an initial term of one (1) year with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year terms at the City’s sole discretion, commencing November 1, 2026. The agreement will commence on November 1, 2026, and the Proposer shall ensure the rink is open for operations no later than November 27, 2026.

• Season of Operations: Proposer shall make the Licensed Space available to the public and skating groups during a minimum operating season from November to March 31 each year. Outside of the season, the rink shall be de-iced and returned to use as a general recreation space unless otherwise authorized by the City.

• Hours of Operations: Proposer may set hours of operation as it sees fit, provided such hours comply with applicable local and state law and the minimum operating season, and subject to the following required community access:

◦ The rink must be made available to Somerville youth/adult programs from 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM.

◦ Allocation of Time:

1. Scheduling preference before 4:00 PM must be given to the following user groups listed in priority order:

a. Somerville High School Hockey

b. Somerville Youth Hockey Association

c. General Public Skating

d. Other Somerville Non-Profit Youth Groups

e. High School hockey other than Somerville High School

f. Youth groups other than non-profit groups

g. Adult organization or informal groups

2. The rink must be available at no charge from 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM to Somerville high school students on early-release Wednesdays and offer free skate rentals to the students during this time. (can count towards the weekly Public Skating hours requirements)

3. Ice time may be allocated at the discretion of the Proposer with the following restrictions:

a. Somerville High School hockey and Somerville Youth Hockey Association must have 1st refusal of ice time

b. Public skating hours must be a minimum of six (6) hours per week.

• Staffing and Management: Proposer will provide and be responsible for all management and staffing of the facility, including ensuring that all on-site employees undergo Massachusetts CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) background checks prior to being hired or appointed.

• Ice Maintenance / Ice Resurfacer: The City will make its Zamboni Ice Resurfacer (Serial No.

KH44455 BS) available to the Proposer for the sole purpose of maintaining the ice. Proposer is responsible for routine maintenance (battery, blade sharpening/changing, steering, hydraulic lines) and must ensure operators are trained and hold STAR/ISI certification. Major mechanical/structural repairs remain the City's responsibility, and the City will replace the Ice Resurfacer if it breaks down beyond reasonable repair.

• Advertising: Proposer may operate a skate-related concession within the existing facility configuration.

Any advertising or marketing program must be approved in advance by the Department of Recreation.

• Skate Rentals: Proposer shall propose a plan to offer free ice skate rentals to Somerville High School students during early release Wednesday free skate times (1:00 PM – 3:30 PM, Wednesdays). Proposer should provide the skates during this time at no cost.

• Cleaning, Utilities, and Building Systems: Proposer is responsible for cleaning and maintaining all equipment in the Licensed Space, clearing snow/debris from walkways, non-structural repairs, code compliance (air quality, health standards, non-structural/infrastructure related building code items (including but not limited to fire suppression compliance, alarm systems, temperature controls, cleanliness, painting, light elements replacement, safety and security components, etc.)), furnishing and paying for/maintaining all utilities (heat, electricity, water, etc.) serving the Licensed Space.

• Revenue Collection, Reporting, and Records: Proposer must maintain internal controls and complete, accurate books and records (daily sales/receipts, ice-time booking logs, bank deposits), submit monthly statements of gross receipts by the 15th of each month, and provide an annual reconciliation within 45 days of the end of each operating season. Records must be retained for at least three (3) years.

Specifications / Requirements

• Compensation to the City:

◦ Price Proposal: A price proposal shall be submitted with each proposal that includes a rate for public skate admissions and ice-rental times. The price proposal should also include a revenue share percentage proposal for the amount to be retained by the City from gross revenues from the operation of the ice rink (public skate admissions, ice-time rentals but not concessions, marketing, or advertisements).

◦ Revenue Reporting: Revenue share reports including gross receipts by transaction shall be submitted to the City by the 15th of every month for the prior month and include the payment due for the previous month’s calculated revenue share %.

◦ License Fee: A use and occupancy fee for the Licensed Space of one dollar ($1) payable upon commence of this Agreement. Said license fee shall be paid in full no later than the date this Agreement is executed by both parties.

• Special requirements/considerations:

◦ Compliance with Massachusetts CORI background-check requirements for on-site staff.

◦ Compliance with the City's advance-approval process for advertising and marketing.

◦ Proposer will indemnify and hold harmless the City for all claims arising from its operations, including negligent or willful acts involving the Ice Resurfacer or any hazardous materials.

Additional Proposal Submission Requirements

1) Complete written description of the operation and services to be provided to rink visitors including but not limited to:

a) A detailed description, photos, schematics, etc., of the proposed rink uses including public (all skate and stick) ice time, any specific team or group uses, non-skating events or parties, any summer or off-season uses, and any other operations proposed to be offered at the Licensed Space.

i) Proposers shall show how the priority order of group ice time schedules as listed below (i.e. how will the proposing entity address the use schedules of the priority groups to achieve and maintain the required order).

1) Somerville High School Hockey

2) Somerville Youth Hockey Association

3) General Public skating

4) Somerville non-profit youth groups

5) High School hockey other than Somerville High School

6) Youth groups other than non-profit groups

7) Adult organizations or informal groups

b) Maintenance, general operations, staffing, training, and financial management plans including:

• A community focused operational plan

• Any proposed interior layout changes, signage, cleaning plans, maintenance, or changes in any internal areas inside the rink, including walls, windows, doors, etc

• Proposer’s planned marketing, sponsorship, outreach or discount programs, if any.

• Proposer’s auditable sales and accounting plans for the Licensed space including:

o Fee collection (including cash and credit card management) system, including detailed price lists (with discounts for non-profit youth groups and Somerville High School), event/door split policies for the Licensed Space o General description of any related services, sales, events, programming or other revenue-generating operations now in place, if any, and those planned in the future of the Licensed Space o A plan for the prevention of fraud, waste, theft, and abuse by staff, patrons or other third parties.

• A description of equipment or contracts for any equipment to be operated on the Licensed Space and any proposed operation system, including repair or service contracts for all rink systems and equipment.

• Hourly/daily staffing contingency coverage plans, including emergency plans for handling customer safety, accidents, other incidents, damage claims, communications, etc.

• Safety and security plans or procedures for the Licensed Space to ensure patrons, staff, nearby park visitors, and the general public are safely evacuated and emergencies are handled properly including installation and maintenance of defibrillators and extinguishers, video recording equipment, alarm systems, all equipment inspection and maintenance, operator certification and training updates, written or posted emergency and daily operations procedures or protocols, etc.

2) Financial, Rate and Budget Information: revenue share percentage to be retained by the City of gross revenues, as defined in Section 2.0 above) and proposed hourly ice-time rate for Somerville youth/adult programs during the 4:00–11:00 PM window.

a) Proposers shall prepare and submit a statement for operation of the Premises that includes:

i) Projected revenues estimated yearly for up to three (3) years, commencing November 1, 2026.

ii) The proposal should include revenue from all actual and/or proposed. Proposer should include a list of proposed rates to be charged including any discount or other programs.

b) Financial Statements for the proposing entity

i) A statement of projected expenses and costs should include the following categories:

(1) General and Administrative expenses including all forms of overhead, supplies, management and accounting expenses;

(2) Any other expenses including insurance, bond or Letter of Credit taxes, and any local, state or federal fees for permits (i.e., food service permits and training);

(3) All property related expenses including system upgrades and maintenance, transportation, Ice

Resurfacer and ice edger maintenance, coolant, utility and security related expenses, and concession supplies. Currently the City of Somerville owns one Zamboni Ice Resurfacer.

Ownership of the Ice Resurfacer will remain with the City of Somerville.

3) References: contact information for at least two prior clients or facilities for which the Proposer has provided similar services.

Project Deliverables Successful mobilization and opening of the rink by November 27, 2026, including completed staffing, insurance in place, and payment of the license fee and first-year service fee.

1. Successful completion of a full operating season (November 1 – March 31), including timely monthly gross-receipts statements (by the 15th of each month) and the required scheduling accommodations for Somerville Youth Hockey Association, the Department of Recreation, and Somerville high school students.

2. Final Completion and Report Submission: annual reconciliation statement submitted within forty-five

(45) days after the end of each operating season, remitting any underpayment or crediting any overpayment as applicable.

Comparative Evaluation Criteria The Comparative Evaluation Criteria set forth in this section of the RFP shall be used to evaluate responsible and responsive proposals.

All proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation committee composed of employees of the City. Final selection will be based upon the evaluators’ analysis of the information and materials required under the RFP and provided by the proposing vendors in their submissions. The City reserves the right to involve an outside consultant in the selection process. Proposals that meet the minimum quality requirements will be reviewed for responses to the comparative evaluation criteria. The evaluation committee will assign a rating of Highly Advantageous, Advantageous, Not Advantageous, or Unacceptable to the comparative evaluation criteria.

The City will only award a contract to a responsive and responsible Proposer. Before awarding the contract(s), the City may request additional information from the Proposer to ensure that the Proposer has the resources necessary to perform the required services. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if it determines that the criteria set forth have not been met. The Comparative Evaluation Criteria are:

Factor 1: Operational Experience & Track Record

Highly Advantageous

Proposer has more than five (5) years, within the last ten (10) years, of direct experience operating an ice rink of comparable size including staffing, scheduling, and facility maintenance and holds current or recent (within 5 years) contracts for similar rink or comparable property management with multiple private, municipal, or state entities.

Advantageous Proposer meets the minimum three (3) years of comparable rink operating experience within the last ten (10) years, and has at least one current or past contract (within 5 years) for similar rink or comparable property management.

Not Advantageous

Proposer meets the minimum three (3) years of experience, but has no current or past contracts for similar rink or comparable property management within the last five (5) years, or the prior experience is only partially comparable in size or scope.

Unacceptable Proposer has fewer than three (3) years of experience operating a comparable ice rink within the last ten (10) years.

Factor 2: Financial Capacity & Revenue Management Systems

Advantageous

Proposer demonstrates clear financial capacity to operate and maintain the ice rink and has an established, well-documented internal control/accounting system (e.g., point-of-sale integration, audited financials, dedicated bookkeeping staff) capable of producing accurate monthly gross-revenue reports with minimal City oversight.

Advantageous Proposer demonstrates sufficient financial capacity to operate and maintain the ice rink and has a functioning internal control/accounting system capable of monthly revenue reporting.

Not Advantageous

Proposer demonstrates minimal or marginal financial capacity to operate and maintain the ice rink and/or its internal control/accounting systems are informal or unproven for monthly revenue reporting.

Unacceptable Proposer cannot demonstrate the financial capacity to operate and maintain the ice rink and share revenue or has no internal control/accounting system capable of tracking and reporting gross revenue.

Factor 3: Equipment & Facility Maintenance Capability

Advantageous

Proposer owns or holds long-term contracts for all equipment necessary to operate and maintain the entire Licensed Space, with demonstrated redundancy or backup arrangements (e.g., backup maintenance contractors, spare parts inventory) to minimize service disruption.

And identified personnel who are proven to possess a very high level of ice rink operations, ice maintenance, and program administration experience. Resumes are included for all proposed personnel, including Ice Resurfacer operators, and all show an adequate level of relevant experience to successfully perform the scope outlined herein.

Advantageous

Proposer has sufficient equipment and/or contracts in place to obtain and maintain all equipment necessary for the Licensed Space and includes key personnel (rink manager and Ice Resurfacer operator) identified by the Proposer who are proven to possess a high level of relevant experience and performance.

Not Advantageous

Proposer has most, but not all, of the equipment or contracts necessary to maintain the Licensed Space, with gaps that would need to be resolved after award. Proposer identifies key personnel who are proven to possess an adequate level of relevant experience. Resumes are not included for any of the proposed staff.

Unacceptable Proposer lacks sufficient equipment or contracts to maintain the Licensed Space or has not identified a plan to obtain them. Proposer is also unable to identify personnel for key positions such as rink manager and Ice Resurfacer operator.

Quality Requirements

Quality requirements, or basic business requirements, are the minimum set of standards that an entity must meet and certify to be considered responsible and responsive. Please complete the Quality Requirements form, below, and submit it with your completed proposal. The City of Somerville will disqualify any response that does not meet the minimum quality requirements. A "No” response to items 1 - 5 or a failure to respond to any of the following minimum standards, may result in disqualification of your proposal.

QUALITY REQUIREMENTS YES NO

1.

Proposer has at least three (3) years of experience operating an ice skating rink of comparable size with direct responsibility for staffing, scheduling and facility maintenance within the last ten (10) years.

2.

Proposer has the financial capacity to operate and maintain the ice rink and has established internal control/accounting systems capable of tracking and reporting gross revenue on a monthly basis.

3. Proposer has sufficient equipment and/or contracts to obtain and maintain all the equipment on the entire Licensed Space.

4.

Proposer has current or past contracts for related or similar rink operations or management, or management of similar property, with any private, municipal or state entity within the last five (5) years.

5.

Optional:

Are you a Mass. Supplier Diversity Office MBE/WBE certified minority or woman owned business? Additional diversity designations may be submitted by attaching supporting documentation.

In order to provide verification of affirmative responses to items 1 – 4 under the quality requirements listed in the Quality Requirements Form, Offeror must submit written information that details the general background, experience, and qualifications of the organization. Subcontractors, if applicable, must be also included.

Period of Performance The period of performance for this contract begins on or about 11/1/2026 and ends on or about 10/31/2027. If applicable, optional renewal years may be exercised by the sole discretion of the City (see cover page for anticipated contract term).

Place of Performance All services shall be conducted at Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink, 14 Bleachery Ct, Somerville, MA 02143. The premise around the rink consists of a parking lot and basketball courts. The parking lot can be used for the vendors of the Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink. However, during the City snow emergencies the parking lot will be occupied by the residents of Somerville for snow parking.

The basketballs adjacent to the rink are permitted through the City’s Department of Recreation. Such courts are open to the public and cannot be used by the vendor or any league without a permit from Recreation.

Vendor Conduct The Vendor’s employees shall comply with all City regulations, policies, and procedures. The Vendor shall ensure that their employees present professional work attire at all times. The authorized contracting body of the City may, at his/her sole discretion, direct the Vendor to remove any Vendor employee from City facilities for misconduct or safety reasons. Such rule does not relieve the Vendor of their responsibility to provide sufficient and timely service. The City will provide the Vendor with immediate written notice for the removal of the employee. Vendors must be knowledgeable of the conflict of interest law found on the Commonwealth’s website https://www.mass.gov/info-details/gl-c-268a-the-conflict-of-interest-law-as-amended-by-c-248-acts-of- 2024. Vendors may be required to take the Conflict of Interest exam.

Vendor Personnel The Vendor shall clearly state the name of the proposed project manager. All proposed staff must demonstrate the ability to carry out the specified requirements.

Confidentiality The Vendor agrees that it will ensure that its employees and others performing services under this contract will not use or disclose any non-public information unless authorized by the City. That includes confidential reports, information, discussions, procedures, and any other data that are collected, generated or resulting from the performance of this scope of work. All documents, photocopies, computer data, and any other information of any kind collected or received by the Vendor in connection with the contract work shall be provided to the City upon request at the termination of the contract (i.e., the date on which final payment is made on the contract or at such other time as may be requested by the City or as otherwise agreed by City and the Vendor). The Vendor may not discuss the contract work in progress with any outside party, including responding to media and press inquiries, without the prior written permission of the City. In addition, the Vendor may not issue news releases or similar items regarding contract award, any subsequent contract modifications, or any other contract-related matter without the prior written approval of the City. Requests to make such disclosures should be addressed in writing to the Vendor’s point of contact.

Deliverables Vendor shall provide for all day-to-day supervision, inspection, and monitoring of rink operations, ice maintenance, and staffing to ensure compliance with the contract requirements, including timely submission of monthly gross-receipts statements (by the 15th of each month) and the annual reconciliation statement (within 45 days of season end). The Vendor is responsible for remedying all defects or omissions in services provided to ensure deliverables meet the requirements detailed in the contract specifications.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/gl-c-268a-the-conflict-of-interest-law-as-amended-by-c-248-acts-of-2024 https://www.mass.gov/info-details/gl-c-268a-the-conflict-of-interest-law-as-amended-by-c-248-acts-of-2024

SECTION 3.0

PRICING

By signing this Price Form, the Proposer certifies the following bulleted statements and offers to supply and deliver the materials and services specified below in full accordance with the Contract Documents supplied by the City of Somerville entitled: Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

• The proposals will be received at the office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143 no later than 9/23/2026 by 3PM EST

• If the awarded vendor is a Corporation a “Certificate of Good Standing” (produced by the Mass. Sec. of State) must be furnished with the resulting contract (see Section 4.0.)

• Awarded Vendor must comply with Living Wage requirements (see Section 4.0; only for services)

• Awarded Vendor must comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to the Somerville Wage

Theft Ordinance.

• Awarded Vendor must comply with insurance requirements as stated in Section 4.0.

• The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and/or to waive any informalities if in her/his sole judgment it is deemed to be in the best interest of the City of Somerville.

• The following prices shall include delivery, the cost of fuel, the cost of labor, and all other charges.

• This form to be enclosed in sealed proposal package.

Please provide the following:

A) A percentage (%) amount of gross revenues of the Operation and Maintenance of Founder’s Ice Rink B) A detailed breakdown of estimated revenues by transaction each month (on a separate document) C) Proposed hourly Public Ice-Time rates, with discounted rates for Somerville youth programs (on a separate document)

Project Description Revenue Share Proposal

Operation and Maintenance of Founder’s Ice Rink

____________ % of gross revenues

Note: The revenue percentage provided will apply to the initial agreement term and the two (2) additional one-year renewal options.

Detailed breakdown of estimated revenues by transaction each month (Provide as a separate attachment) Proposed hourly Public Ice-Time rates, with discounted rates for Somerville youth programs (Provide as a separate attachment)

Name of Company/Individual:

Address, City, State, Zip:

Tel # Email:

Signature of Authorized Individual Please acknowledge receipt of any and all Addenda (if applicable) by signing below and including this form in your proposal package. Failure to do so may subject the proposer to disqualification.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA:

Addendum #1 ____ #2 ____ #3____ #4____ #5____ #6____ #7____ #8____ #9____ #10____ https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=1452&keywords=wage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage%2Ctheft%27s%2Cthefts%2Cthefts%27%2Ctheft#secid-1676 https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/somerville-ma-coo/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=1452&keywords=wage%27s%2Cwaged%2Cwages%2Cwages%27%2Cwaging%2Cwage%2Ctheft%27s%2Cthefts%2Cthefts%27%2Ctheft#secid-1676

SECTION 4.0

Operation of Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

PROPOSERS’ CHECKLIST

Please ensure all documents listed on this checklist are included with your proposal. Failure to do so may subject the proposer to disqualification.

Non-Price Proposal

Required with Sealed Proposals

____ Cover Letter

____ Acknowledgement of Addenda (if applicable and non-price related)

____ Quality Requirements (See Section 2.0)

____ Somerville Living Wage Form

____ Certificate of Non-Collusion and Tax Compliance

_____ Certificate of Signature Authority

_____ Reference Form (or equivalent may be attached)

____ Supplier Diversity Form

_____ Vulnerable Road Users Ordinance

____ W9

Required with Contract, Post Award

_____ Certificate of Good Standing (will be required of awarded Vendor; please furnish with proposal if available)

_____ Insurance Certificate (will be required of awarded Vendor; furnish sample certificate with bid, if possible)

Price Proposal

____ Acknowledgement of Addenda (if applicable and price related)

_____ Price Form

APPENDIX A

License Agreement Sample

License Agreement – Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink

The LICENSE AGREEMENT (“License”) is entered into as of this ___ day of ____ 2026, by and between the CITY OF SOMERVILLE, by and through it’s Department of Recreation, 167 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144, and _____________________.

WHEREAS, the City of Somerville (“City” or “Licensor”) is the owner of the Founders Memorial Ice Skating Rink at 14 Bleachery Ct, Somerville, MA 02143 (“Licensed Space”); and

WHEREAS, the City of Somerville is willing to make the Licensed Space available to ____________ (“Licensee”), through this License so that Licensee may operate an ice skating rink therein as detailed in this License Agreement;

1. Grand of License/Effective Dates: The City of Somerville hereby grants to ________ (“Licensee”) to use of the…