RFP 27-21_Youth Council and Provider Network.pdf

SOLICITATION FOR:

RFP # 27-21 Youth Council & Provider Network

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS

RELEASE DATE: 10/14/2026

QUESTIONS DUE: 10/21/2026 by 12PM EST

DUE DATE AND TIME: 10/28/2026 by 3PM EST

Anticipated Contract Award 11/04/2026

Est. Contract Commencement Date 12/01/2026 Est. Contract Completion Date 06/01/2027 Est. Renewal Years (If Applicable) Two (2) optional one (1) year renewals at the discretion of the City

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- 21 Youth Council & Provider Network

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 10/14/2026 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 10/14/2026 Deadline for Submitting Questions to RFP

10/21/2026 by 12PM EST

Proposals Due 10/28/2026 by 3PM EST

Anticipated Contract Award 11/04/2026 Est. Contract Commencement Date

12/01/2026

Est. Contract Completion Date 06/01/2027

Responses must be delivered by

10/28/2026 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 # 27-21 Youth Council & Provider Network

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 # 27-21 Youth Council & Provider Network

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 http://www.somervillema.gov/BidExpress https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/33100/home http://www.bidexpress.com/ proposal review process will be utilized to establish a preliminary ranking of the proposers. The City may 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. This section should also describe work that is similar in scope and complexity that the Offeror has undertaken in the past. A discussion of the challenges faced and solutions developed are highly recommended. 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 three 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: 10/21/2026 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

Estimated Quantities The City of Somerville has provided estimated quantities, which will be ordered/purchased over the course of the contract period. These estimates are estimates only and not guaranteed.

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 https://www.somervillema.gov/procurement

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.

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

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 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 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 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 # 27-21

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.

Introduction and Background

• Provide a brief introduction to the RFP, including the purpose of the project and the desired outcome.

• Describe the current situation and context in which the project will take place.

• Explain any relevant history or past initiatives related to the project.

The City of Somerville conducted a youth needs assessment that identified strengths, barriers and potential gaps of current services and structures that support the individual and collective growth of youth in the city.

Outcomes from the assessment highlighted the need for coordinated support and communication systems across the city for youth including collaboration among youth serving organizations and programs in Somerville.

Stakeholders called for trauma-informed, culturally relevant services and programs, particularly for vulnerable populations such as low-income and immigrant youth. They also noted the importance of trusting relationships with caring adults who could serve as role models and provide guidance to young people. Additionally, several stakeholders mentioned the creation of peer support networks and leadership opportunities for youth. As a response to this, the City of Somerville is seeking an organization to facilitate a youth council and coordinate the collaboration of teen service providers throughout the city.

The City of Somerville has a budget that is not to exceed $75,000.

Scope of Work

• Define the scope of work

• Describe in detail the specific services, tasks, activities, responsibilities and deliverables that the vendor is expected to provide.

• Be clear about what is included in the scope of work and what is not included.

• Identify any specific requirements, timelines, or deliverables that are critical to the success of the project.

• Clearly state any required qualifications, certifications, or experience that vendors must possess to be considered for the project.

• Specify any limitations, constraints, or assumptions.

Proposals should outline how your organization will:

Create, establish and facilitate a City of Somerville Youth Council to provide a platform for youth to voice their opinions, collaborate with city officials and address challenges facing young people in Somerville.

• Outline steps and timeline to prepare for and start the youth council

• Meet with Mayor’s Office to establish goals and expectations for the youth council

• Establish appropriate meeting cadence (at least 2-3 times a month) including meeting with the Mayor

• Identify seats on the council to ensure representation from the existing youth advocacy groups including, but not limited to:

o Teen Empowerment o Mystic Learning Center o Somerville Positive Forces o RSJ Youth League o Somerville High School Student Council o Somerville High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance o Somerville High School Clubs and Athletics

• As well as at-large representatives to include youth who are not part of an existing youth advocacy group

• Provide stipends to at least 10 youth who are participating in the Youth Council

• Support youth in gathering pre-existing data to establish actionable priorities, including, but not limited to the

Youth Health survey and Public Safety for All survey.

• Identify 2-3 key areas the youth council will prioritize based on their priorities and existing evidenced-based areas of improvement.

• Support participants to gain leadership skills, experience in public service, and a deeper understanding of local government

• Provide monthly written updates to the Somerville Children’s Cabinet and present their work near the end of the session.

• Create a formalized process for requesting the support or feedback of the Youth Council for both internal and external stakeholders

• Support annual presentations to the City Council and School Committee

• Develop an iterative feedback and evaluation process with both youth and stakeholders to ensure the Council is having the desired impact

Create, establish and facilitate a monthly meeting of staff of youth serving organizations in Somerville who are working directly with youth (13+) as well as coordinate on-going communication and collaboration among the group

• Outline steps and timeline to prepare for and start the youth worker’s network

• Work closely with a Steering Committee to make sure network goals and work align with larger city and community priorities

• Establish appropriate meeting cadence (at least monthly)

• Review and clean up current partner list and conduct outreach with all local youth service providers to identify direct service staff to attend including but not limited to:

o Somerville Department of Parks and Recreation o Somerville Public Schools o Groundwork Somerville o Mystic Learning Center o Welcome Project o YMCA o BAM/WOW o Enroot o Knovva o Soccer Without Borders o CHA Teen Health Center o Parkour o Somerville Media Center o Dojo o Books of Hope

• Facilitate meetings that serve as a community of practice to discuss the benefits, challenges and trends direct service staff are aware of in their work with teens.

• Use a digital form of communication to regularly communicate information, announcements, and important details about teen programming and resources that can be used across organizations and departments

• Contract with providers to craft professional learning opportunities in response to the information gathered in the monthly meetings.

• Identify opportunities to work across agencies to support youth.

• Support participants to gain leadership skills, experience in civic engagement, and a deeper understanding of local government Provide monthly written updates to the Somerville Children’s Cabinet

• Organize 2 meetings annually that include the Youth Council

• Develop an iterative feedback process with both members and stakeholders to ensure the group is having the desired impact.

Incorporate the following four key aspects of positive youth development in all efforts:

• Relationships: safe and supportive relationships within the family and with other youth and adults

• Environment: safe, equitable, and stable environments where youth can live, learn, and engage

• Engagement: opportunities for social and civic engagement to develop a sense of belonging and connectedness

• Emotional Growth: opportunities for emotional growth where youth feel supported through difficult events and emotions

Incorporate equity & a trauma informed approach, including culturally responsive practices, inclusion of marginalized youth, and strategies to address systemic barriers

Specifications / Requirements Identify resources and requirements

• List as much detail as necessary, any/all resources required to complete the project, such as personnel, equipment, or materials.

• Provide a list of mandatory requirements that vendors must meet in order to be eligible to submit a proposal.

• This may include requirements related to experience, certifications, financial stability, insurance, and other qualifications.

• Specify any special requirements or considerations, such as security or confidentiality requirements.

Proposals should include documentation that your organization:

• Is an established youth serving organization which has been in operation for at least three (3) years

• Has staff and organizational capacity to create and facilitate a youth council as well as a youth worker network

• Has experience reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

• Has a functional Board of Directors or advisory committee to provide oversight, strategic direction, and fiduciary responsibility

• Will not rely on City of Somerville as a sole funder but instead secure funding from multiple sources.

We expect that successful proposers will depend on public support (federal, state and local grants) as well as some private support

• Organization(s) must demonstrate sustainable funding and sound fiscal management

Information should be provided to demonstrate that staff have:

• A deep understanding of and training in positive youth development including building safe supportive relationships & environments as well as providing opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth

• Experience and expertise in youth-led civic engagement and youth worker network group facilitation

• The ability and experience to engage with diverse groups specifically marginalized youth

• Ongoing professional development opportunities to enhance facilitation and evaluation of programming

• Successfully completed a background check including fingerprinting, CORI & SORI

Proposal Submission Requirements Please include and address the following in your proposals:

• Detailed plan for creating and facilitating a youth council and a youth worker network

• Staffing plan including roles and responsibilities as well as credentials/experience

• Documentation of being an established youth serving organization for at least 3 years with a board of directors or advisory committee

• Evidence of successful outcomes for similar work around a youth council and youth worker network

• Detailed budget including stipends for youth council participants

• Financial documentation to demonstrate sustainable funding from multiple funding sources and sound fiscal management

Project Deliverables/Milestones/Phase (if any)a

1. Successful creation and facilitation of a youth council that meets at least 2-3 times monthly and reports out to the Mayor, Somerville Children’s Cabinet, City Council and School Committee

2. Successful creation and facilitation of a youth workers network that meets at least monthly and reports out to the Somerville Children’s Cabinet

3. Successful completion of quarterly reports detailing programmatic progress

4. Submission of quarterly invoices in alignment with proposed budget

5. Successful completion of final report detailing overall progress aligned with the scope of services outlined in the contract

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: Proposal Quality

Highly Advantageous

Proposal is comprehensive and clearly outlines how both a youth council and youth worker network will be created and facilitated and meets all stated project requirements and deliverables

Proposal is strongly aligned with positive youth development models and clearly outlines how it will build safe, supportive relationships & environments as well as provide opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth

Proposal demonstrates a strong commitment to equity & a trauma informed approach, including culturally responsive practices, inclusion of marginalized youth, and strategies to address systemic barriers

Advantageous

Proposal outlines how both a youth council and youth worker network will be created and facilitated and meets some of the stated project requirements and deliverables

Proposal is aligned with positive youth development models and outlines how it will build safe, supportive relationships & environments as well as provide opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth but is lacking in some detail or key aspects

Equity, inclusion and trauma informed practices are present in the proposal

Not Advantageous

Proposal is vague or incompletely outlines how a youth council or youth worker network will be created and facilitated and does not meet the stated project requirements and deliverables

Limited connection to positive youth development models and how it will build safe, supportive relationships & environments or provide opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth

Limited discussion of equity, inclusion, and trauma informed practices

Unacceptable

Proposal does not describe or address how a youth council or youth worker network will be created and facilitated or any of the stated project requirements and deliverables

No mention positive youth development models or how it will build safe, supportive relationships & environments or provide opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth

No consideration or mention of equity, inclusion or trauma informed practices

Factor 2: Organizational & Staff Experience

Advantageous

Organization demonstrates extensive experience (at least 3-5 years) as a youth serving organization specifically experience and expertise in youth-led civic engagement and youth worker network facilitation

Organization and staff have extensive experience reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Staff are fully trained in positive youth development that builds safe, supportive relationships & environments or provides opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth

Advantageous

Organization shows moderate experience (at least 3 years) as a youth serving organization specifically experience and expertise in youth-led civic engagement and youth worker network facilitation

Organization and staff have some experience reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Staff has received training in positive youth development that builds safe, supportive relationships & environments and/or provides opportunities for engagement, belonging and emotional growth but has not demonstrated how they will fully integrate it into their work

Not Advantageous

Organization has limited experience as a youth serving organization (less than 3 years) or experience in youth-led civic engagement and youth worker network facilitation

Organization and staff have limited experience reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Staff has limited knowledge of or training in positive youth development that builds safe, supportive relationships & environments or provides opportunities for engagement, Organization has no relevant experience as a youth serving organization or experience in youth-led civic engagement and youth worker network facilitation

Organization and staff have no experience reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Staff has no knowledge of or training in positive youth development that builds safe, supportive relationships & environments or provides opportunities for engagement, Factor 3: Implementation, Evaluation & Cost

Advantageous

Proposal clearly outlines a plan for reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Budget is detailed, justified, and demonstrates strong value and efficient use of funds aligned with outcomes outlined in RFP

Advantageous

Proposal outlines a plan for reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council and implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact but lacks some details

Budget is reasonable and aligns with outcomes outlined in RFP

Not Advantageous

Proposal includes a limited or unrealistic plan for reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council or implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Budget lacks details or is misaligned with outcomes outlined in RFP

Proposal does not include a plan for reporting and presenting findings to stakeholders including but not limited to the Mayor and the City Council or implementing a feedback and evaluation process to ensure maximum impact

Budget is incomplete, unrealistic, or non-compliant with outcomes outlined in RFP

Key dates for this Request for Proposals:

RFP Issued 10/14/2026 Deadline for Submitting Questions to RFP

10/21/2026 by 12PM EST

Proposals Due 10/28/2026 by 3PM EST

Anticipated Contract Award 11/04/2026 Est. Contract Commencement Date

12/01/2026

Est. Contract Completion Date 06/01/2027

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, 2, or 3, 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 3 years of experience as a youth serving organization and presented documentation of successful implementation of a youth council and youth worker network facilitation

2.

Proposer is located in the City of Somerville and has established relationships with city, school and community organizations throughout the city

3. Proposer demonstrates sustainable funding beyond this contract and sound fiscal management

4.

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, 2, and 3 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 12/01/ and ends on or about 06/01/2027. 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, delivery, and other required support shall be conducted in Somerville and other locations designated by the Department point of contact. Meetings between the Vendor and City personnel shall be held at the City of Somerville, Massachusetts, unless otherwise specified.

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 all work performed to ensure compliance with the contract requirements. The contractor is responsible for remedying all defects and or omissions to the supplies or services provided to ensure that said deliverables meet the requirements as 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: Youth Council & Provider Network

• 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 10/28/2026 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 Unit Price for the following and include any additional fees not listed:

Project Description Total Fixed Fee (not to exceed $75,000 per year) Creation and facilitation of youth council and youth worker network

Pricing for a project period of 1 year with 2 optional one-year renewals at the discretion of the City.

PRICING FORMATS:

Total Fixed Fee with submission of a detailed breakdown on a separate page of costs which includes stipends for youth council participants. Will be paid upon completion of services after submission of quarterly invoices with supporting reports.

Year 1 (12/1/2026-5/31/2026)

Year 2 (6/1/2027-5/31/2028)

Year 3 (6/1/2028 – 5/21/2-2029)

Total $ $ $

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

Youth Council & Provider Network

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

____ W9

Required with Contract, Post Award

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

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

_____ Statement of Management (if applicable)

Price Proposal

____ Acknowledgement of Addenda (if applicable and price related)

_____ Price Form

APPENDIX A

City’s General Terms and Conditions

Approved 8/27/2015 - Page 1 of 4

CITY OF SOMERVILLE STANDARD CONTRACT GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. Definitions

“City” shall mean the City of Somerville, Massachusetts.

“Contract” and “Contract Documents” shall include the following documents, as applicable: City’s Standard Contract Form; these Standard Contract General Conditions; Supplemental Conditions (if applicable); City’s Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals, Request for Quotation, or other solicitation; the Vendor’s response to the City’s solicitation document including certifications but excluding any language stricken by City as unacceptable. Appendices are made an integral part of this Contract. The Contract documents are to be read collectively and complementary to one another; any requirement under one shall be as binding as if required by all. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the City’s Standard Contract General Conditions and the Supplemental Conditions, the Supplemental Conditions shall prevail.