RFP 325-585 Fingerprint Outsourcing.pdf.crdownload

COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

WITH SUPPLIER DIVERSITY STRATEGY - REQUEST FOR BID PROPOSALS

RFP 325-585 Fingerprinting Outsourcing

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide the service of capturing fingerprints and transmitting them via secure connection directly to the Washington State Patrol for all new field-based applicants and volunteers, or those whose duties meet the criteria subject to background checks that require submission of fingerprints. These volunteers and employees are based in over 124 locations around the state.

PRIORITY STATEMENT: Because the contract is estimated to be less than $150,000, State Parks will award to the lowest responsive and responsible bid from a small or veteran-owned business, unless none of these businesses meet the criteria.

Bids are due: Tuesday, August 19, 2025, by 1:00 PM, PST.

ELECTRONIC BID RESPONSES ONLY: Bid responses will only be accepted electronically via Email/Email Attachment to BidBox@parks.wa.gov. (PDF scan encouraged). See Section 5.1 –

Submission of Responses for expanded details.

Procurement Coordinator: Rachel Decker, contracts@parks.wa.gov

Email Inquiries to: contracts@parks.wa.gov

• See also (special communication instructions) §2.1, §2.3, §2.4.

WA State’s Official Bid Notification System: Bidders are responsible for properly registering in the Washington’s Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) system, https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/ and downloading the solicitation document and all appendices and incorporated documents related to this solicitation. WEBS Registration Information:

https://des.wa.gov/services/contracting-purchasing/doing-business-state/webs-registration-search-tips.

WEBS is the system of record for this competition. Alternatively, you can also access the bid documents for reference purposes at www.parks.wa.gov/contracts by clicking on the State Purchasing link. However, please note that the official channel for notifications and updates is through WEBS and any RFP addenda, amendments or Bidders’ questions-&-answers will only be provided to those bidders who have registered with WEBS. Failure to do so may result in a Bidder having incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise inadequate information.

It is each Bidder’ responsibility to fully read and understand all provisions of this RFP. If a Bidder does not fully understand any portion of this RFP, the Bidder should contact the Procurement Coordinator.

It is the responsibility of each Bidder to carefully read, understand, and follow all of the instructions contained in this RFP and all amendments hereto.

mailto:BidBox@parks.wa.gov mailto:contracts@parks.wa.gov mailto:contracts@parks.wa.gov https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/ https://des.wa.gov/services/contracting-purchasing/doing-business-state/webs-registration-search-tips http://www.parks.wa.gov/contracts

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT

1.1 ACQUISITION AUTHORITY

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE PROCUREMENT – AWARD A CONTRACT

1.3 WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCES

2 DEADLINES, PREBID CONFERENCE, QUESTIONS AND PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE . 7

2.1 COMMUNICATION REGARDING THIS COMPETITION

2.2 Prebid Conference

2.3 QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

2.4 COMPLAINT PERIOD

2.5 PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

3 SPECIAL TERMS

3.1 ADVANCED PAYMENT PROHIBITION

3.2 BUSINESS STRUCTURE & EMPLOYEES (Compliance with Law)

3.3 THE RESULTING CONTRACT AND ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

4 RESPONSES - REQUIRED CONTENT, FORMAT, AND SCORING:

4.1 CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED SUBMITTALS

4.2 (APPENDIX A) – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATIONS, ASSURANCES, AND WAIVER

4.3 (APPENDIX B) – BIDDER’S PROFILE

4.4 (APPENDIX C) – bid PRICE

4.5 EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

4.6 Work plan and project schedule

4.7 (APPENDIX D) - REFERENCES

4.8 (APPENDIX E) – Diverse Business Inclusion Plan – Subcontractors

5 RESPONSES – PREPARATION, SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERENCES .14

5.1 SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

5.2 RESPONSE LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS

5.3 WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCE

6 EVALUATION AND AWARD

6.1 PRESENTATION (OPTIONAL)

6.2 Presentations Evaluation CRITERIA (OPTIONAL)

6.3 BID RESPONSIVENESS

6.4 BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY ANALYSIS

6.4.1 REJECTED BIDS/BIDDERS & REJECTION NOTIFICATION & REJECTION

RESPONSE

6.5 GENERAL EVALUATION PROVISIONS

6.6 EVALUATION OF COMPLETION BY DATE

6.7 EVALUATION STEPS

6.7.1 Preliminary Evaluation (Procedural)

6.7.2 Substantive Evaluation: Phase 1

6.7.3 Substantive Evaluation: Phase 2 (Optional)

6.8 SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

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7 ANNOUNCEMENT OF ASB, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, DEBRIEF, AND PROTESTS

7.1 ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER (ASB)

7.2 PROCUREMENT RECORDS DISCLOSURE

7.3 DEBRIEFING OF BIDDERS

7.3.1 How To Request A Debrief Conference

7.3.2 Debrief Meeting, Discussion, And Delay

7.3.3 Debrief Is A Prerequisite For Protest

7.4 PROTEST

7.4.1 General:

7.4.2 Form And Content:

7.4.3 Content Limitations:

7.4.4 Submission Of Protests

7.4.5 Grounds Which May Be Protested

7.4.6 Manager Assignment And Review

7.4.7 Protest Determinations And Findings

7.4.8 Agency Decision is final

8 ADDITIONAL GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR ALL BIDDERS

8.1 ANNOUNCEMENT AND SPECIAL INFORMATION

8.2 CONTRACTING WITH CURRENT OR FORMER STATE EMPLOYEES

8.3 AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPETITION

8.4 RESPONSIVENESS OF BIDDER’S RESPONSE

8.5 CLARITY AND CLARIFICATIONS

8.6 COST OF RESPONSE PREPARATION

8.7 OWNERSHIP OF RESPONSES

8.8 FINAL SELECTION & NO OBLIGATION

8.9 INCORPORATION OF RESPONSE IN CONTRACT

8.10 STATEWIDE VENDOR PAYMENT REGISTRATION

8.11 WEBS REGISTRATION

8.12 POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS) NOTICE

8.13 SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESS

8.14 ACCESS EQUITY CONTRACT REPORTING

8.15 PUBLIC DISCLOSURE & WAIVER OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

8.16 CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE

9 APPENDICES AND EXHIBITS

9.1 (APPENDIX A) – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATIONS, ASSURANCES, AND WAIVER

9.2 (APPENDIX B) – BIDDER PROFILE

9.3 (APPENDIX C) – BID PRICE (must be legible)

9.4 (APPENDIX D) - REFERENCES (must be legible)

9.5 (APPENDIX E) – DIVERSITY BUSINESS INCLUSION PLAN - SUBCONTRACTORS

9.6 (EXHIBIT A) – Sample Contract & General Contract Terms And Conditions

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1 INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT

This section describes the purpose of the competitive solicitation and provides information about this procurement, including the potential scope of the opportunity.

1.1 ACQUISITION AUTHORITY

In accordance with RCW Chapter 39.26, the objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to procure the goods and/or services described herein. State agency purchases must follow a competitive solicitation process, ensuring that the contract is awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

This process ensures fairness, transparency, and accountability in procurement. By following these guidelines, we seek to obtain the best value for the state while maintaining the integrity of our procurement practices. All bidders must meet specified criteria and demonstrate their ability to fulfill contract requirements. The evaluation will consider both the price and the bidder’s ability to perform the contract effectively and efficiently.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE PROCUREMENT – AWARD A CONTRACT

The purpose of this Competitive Solicitation is to receive competitive bids to evaluate and, as appropriate, award a contract for State Parks. The contract will be for a contractor to provide the service of capturing fingerprints and transmitting them via secure connection directly to the Washington State Patrol for all new field-based applicants and volunteers, or those whose duties meet the criteria subject to background checks that require submission of fingerprints. These volunteers and employees are based in over 124 locations around the state.

BACKGROUND

In accordance with RCW 43.43.830 prospective employees or volunteers who will or may have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults during the course of his or her employment involvement with State Parks is required to have a background check complete before being hired. In addition, in accordance with RCW 43.101.095 any applicant who has been offered a conditional offer of employment as a peace officer or a limited authority Washington peace officer must submit to a background investigation to determine the applicant’s suitability for employment; to include a requirement that fingerprints be submitted and searched through the Washington State Patrol identification and criminal history section. Also, any prospective employees who may have access to criminal records are required to have a background check complete before being hired.

CONTRACT TERM

The initial contract term is sixty (60) months, with an option to extend the contract on a year-to-year basis for up to five (5) additional years. Any extension shall be for the same terms and conditions as set forth in this Contract and is contingent upon funding availability and budget. The Contract is subject to earlier termination.

ESTIMATED CONTRACT VALUE

Historically, for prior contracts, annual total sales were approximately $9,000 for the goods/services. Total potential or estimated contract sales for this Competitive Solicitation are not known. Although State Parks does not represent or guarantee any minimum purchase from the Contract for the goods/services.

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REQUIREMENTS

Bidder must be registered to do business in the state of Washington (hold a Universal Business Identifier (UBI)). If awarded the contract, the successful bidder must obtain a UBI number within 24 hours to avoid being considered non-responsive.

Bidder must already be certified by the WA State Patrol as a vendor for this service and/or already directly perform fingerprint processing with WA State Patrol. Bidder must possess products and software that are approved for transmitting fingerprints to the WA State Patrol.

Bidder must provide several locations throughout WA State convenient for all qualified prospective employees and/or volunteers to access and minimize travel costs.

Bidder must be able to bill State Parks for services in accordance with state law requirements.

At least one person trained to capture fingerprints must be available during all hours of operations at every contractor location within this state. On-site personnel operating the fingerprinting equipment must be fully trained by a qualified entity to properly perform fingerprinting.

Bidder will allow all qualified prospective employees and/or volunteers to cancel or change a reservation up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment without penalty. Qualified prospective employees and/or volunteers who schedule a fingerprint reservation but are unable to make their scheduled appointment and provide a valid excuse, must be granted a full refund upon request directly to the contractor for up to 30 days after the date of the scheduled appointment.

Bidder must be able to guarantee that fingerprinting will be able to meet the requirement that there be no greater than a three percent (3%) reject rate for all fingerprint submissions.

The fingerprinting method must have the ability to verify the quality of fingerprints collected at the time of acquisition, as well as have the ability to resubmit rejected prints.

In the event fingerprints submitted by the bidder are rejected by WSP/FBI, all qualified prospective employees and/or volunteers will be allowed to reschedule an appointment to re-capture/resubmit fingerprints in accordance with WSP/FBI guidelines. No additional rolling fee may be charged by the bidder in the event of a rejected fingerprint.

All live-scan equipment must be WSP/FBI certified and have software which will accommodate the Washington State Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specifications (EFTS) - the Washington EFTS includes the requirements for the FBI.

Bidder will uphold friendly customer service and make every reasonable effort to respond to inquiries from either the Washington State Patrol, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission or to customers within a maximum of 24 hours, on average.

Between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on all business days (Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays), information must be provided to the Washington State Patrol, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission or customers who have questions or complaints concerning fingerprinting.

1.3 WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCES

State Parks will apply the following Washington State procurement priorities and preferences to this Competitive Solicitation which, as set forth in Section 5.3, will impact the evaluation of bids for this Competitive Solicitation:

MANDATORY AWARD TO SMALL OR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS: As of April 1, 2023, State Parks is required to award competitively procured services contracts with an initial value less than $150,000 to the highest-ranked responsive and responsible Small or

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Veteran-Owned Business, unless there was no responsive and responsible Proposal from a Small or Veteran-Owned Business, per DES Policy DES-090-06, Supplier Diversity section.

Given that the contract is estimated to be less than $150,000, State Parks intends to award a contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bid from small businesses (as defined in RCW 39.26.010(22)(a)) or veteran-owned businesses under RCW 43.60A.190, unless none of these businesses are deemed responsible and responsive to this solicitation.

All bidders must meet specified criteria and demonstrate their ability to fulfill contract requirements. The evaluation process will consider both the price and the bidder’s capacity to fulfil the contract effectively and efficiently.

This approach not only supports small and veteran-owned businesses but also aligns with our commitment to supplier diversity and equitable business opportunities. By promoting competitive procurement and prioritizing these businesses, we are fostering a diverse and inclusive marketplace that benefits all involved parties.

CERTIFICATION: State Parks, in accordance with Washington law, encourage small and diverse businesses to compete for and participate in state procurements as contractors and as subcontractors.

Include proof of certification issued by the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs or self-certify as a small business through WEBS at the time of competition. You may also include proof of certification from the Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). If you are a small business registered in Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS), we will verify your registration to determine eligibility.

https://www.des.wa.gov/policies-legal/supplier-diversity-des-090-06

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2 DEADLINES, PREBID CONFERENCE, QUESTIONS AND PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

This section identifies important deadlines for this Competitive Solicitation, where to direct questions regarding the Competitive Solicitation, and the process for potential amendments or modifications to the Competitive Solicitation.

2.1 COMMUNICATION REGARDING THIS COMPETITION

All communication should be directed to the State Parks Contracts and Grants Program (CGP) via the Procurement Coordinator's email listed on the face page. Contacting other State Parks staff may result in disqualification. Only responses posted on WEBS are official;

all other communications are unofficial and nonbinding. State Parks reserves the right to amend this solicitation.

2.2 PREBID CONFERENCE

Bidders are invited to an optional virtual prebid conference via Microsoft Teams, where they can ask questions and request changes. Interested bidders must RSVP to contracts@parks.wa.gov by the date specified in Section 2.5 – Procurement Schedule, with the bid identification number and "RSVP" in the subject line (e.g., "RFP # RSVP"). A meeting link will be sent the next day. The conference date and time are also in Section 2.5.

Attendees should not display video and keep their microphones muted if not speaking. If the conference fails or you have additional questions, send them by 3 PM (PST) on the same day. Responses will be posted on WEBS. State Parks is not responsible for technical issues or participation failures. Questions raised at the pre-bid conference and during the Q&A period will be answered and responses posted to WEBS.

State Parks reserves the right to amend and modify this Competitive Solicitation.

2.3 QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

Bidders may ask questions at any time, but responses must be posted on WEBS before the bid’s due date to allow bidders to respond. The final day for questions to receive a formal response is in Section 2.5 – Procurement Schedule.

Send questions to contracts@parks.wa.gov with the bid identification number and "Question" in the subject line (e.g., "RFP # Question"). Only responses posted on WEBS are official; all other communications are unofficial and nonbinding.

2.4 COMPLAINT PERIOD

Bidders should first address concerns during the Question-and-Answer period. If a complaint is necessary, refer to Section 2.5 – Procurement Schedule for the Complaints Period. Complaints outside this period will not be considered. Send complaints to contracts@parks.wa.gov with the bid identification number and "Complaint" in the subject line (e.g., "RFP # Complaint"). Failure to mark correctly may result in the complaint being missed. Responses will be posted on WEBS; only these responses are official.

Bidders must follow these procedures for complaints to be considered. Complaints must be in writing, sent to the Procurement Coordinator before the deadline, to the specified email address, and with the correct subject line. The complaint must state its basis and propose a remedy Only complaints that fall into the categories below and stipulate an issue of fact shall be considered:

• The solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition.

• The solicitation evaluation or scoring is unfair or flawed; or

• The solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.

mailto:contracts@parks.wa.gov mailto:contracts@parks.wa.gov

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2.5 PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

Any stated time is Pacific Time Zone (local time).

Activity Due Dates Time

RSVP Prebid Conference

07/18/2025

See additional details in Section 2.2 – Prebid Conference.

COB

Prebid Conference

07/22/2025

See additional details in Section 2.2 – Prebid Conference

10:00AM-

10:30AM

PST

Question Period

7/03/2025 – 8/04/2025

See additional details in Section 2.3 – Question and Answer Period.

COB

Answer

Period

7/08/2025 – 8/06/2025, anticipated but may take longer. All Answer Responses will be posted on WEBS. See Section 2.3 – Question and Answer Period

Complaint Period

08/05/2025 – 08/11/2025

See additional details in Section 2.4 – Complaint Period.

Complaints received before or after the Complaint period will not be considered.

NA

Bidder’s Response – Deadline

08/19/2025

See also: Section 4 - Responses – Required Content, Format, and Scoring. See also Section 4.1 Checklist of Required Submittals

1:00PM

PST

Presentations The Presentation criteria and instructions will be provided by email to the short-listed firms, if needed. (OPTIONAL)

Announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB)

After the Bid’s due date (deadline to submit bid responses) and following the evaluation, the state will Announce the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB). See additional details in Section 7.1 – Announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder.

Debriefing of Bidders

The Bidder wanting a Debrief must request a Debrief within three business days following the day of the Announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB). See additional details in Section 7.3 – Debriefing of Bidders

Protest The DEBRIEFED Bidder wanting to submit a protest must submit a Protest within five business days following the day of the Debrief. See additional details in Section 7.4 - Protests

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3 SPECIAL TERMS

This section outlines special terms for this Competitive Solicitation that bidders will need to review and adhere to in order to comply with the requirements.

3.1 ADVANCED PAYMENT PROHIBITION

Payment is based on provided goods and services only, following proper documentation and invoicing. No payment will be made for non-designated goods or services. Per Washington’s Constitution Article 8, Section 5, progress payments are allowed, but no payment will be made before work is completed, delivered, and accepted. This includes deposits and security deposits.

3.2 BUSINESS STRUCTURE & EMPLOYEES (Compliance with Law)

State Parks may require proof that your firm is legally licensed and compliant with all business and employee-related laws, including taxes, licenses, and employee insurance, during bid evaluation, contract execution, or the contract's duration. State Parks may contact any necessary entity to validate compliance. Additionally, they may require information verifying your business structure and employment status. Failure to provide timely information may result in bid rejection or contract termination. Non-compliance with laws and regulations may also lead to bid rejection or contract termination. Information is available from state agencies such as the Department of Revenue, Labor and Industries, Secretary of State, and Employment Security Department.

3.3 THE RESULTING CONTRACT AND ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A sample contract is provided at the end of the competition document to help bidders understand State Parks’ typical terms and conditions. Any resulting contract will include these terms and conditions. Bidders should review the sample, assess the risks and rewards, and bid accordingly. Selected bidders (Apparent Successful Bidders or ASB) often try to negotiate terms, but such negotiations will likely not be entertained. Bidders should consider all risks when forming their bid response.

Each Bidder’s submission of its Response confirms that Bidder’s consent to these terms and conditions.

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4 RESPONSES - REQUIRED CONTENT, FORMAT, AND SCORING:

This section describes the information required for the Competitive Solicitation and outlines how your bid will be scored. Additionally, bidders must review and adhere to the Competitive Solicitation requirements, including those detailed in the exhibits, which specify the information that must be provided for a bid to be considered responsive.

4.1 CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED SUBMITTALS

The following list in the table in this subsection identifies the content that must be included in each responsible submission (Bidder’s bid response). Any response that does not contain all of these items may be rejected as non-responsive. Each item is discussed in more depth in the sections following the Table.

# Submittal

Scored by Points and/or Low Price and/or

Pass/Fail

For Reference:

See Appendix Or

Section

Bidder Mark if Provided

(failure to provide as instructed may result in bid rejection)

Bidder’s Certifications (form provided, must be signed)

Pass/Fail Appendix A, Section 4.2 Section 9.1

2 Bidder’s Profile (form provided) Pass/Fail

Appendix B, Section 4.3 Section 9.2

3 Bid Price (form provided) Up to 35 points Appendix C, Section 4.4 Section 9.3

Experience and Expertise (self-authored) Up to 30 points Section 4.5

Current system/process established with WA State Patrol – system and process must be documented in submittal (self-authored)

Up to 35 points Section 4.6

6 References (form provided) Pass/Fail

Appendix D, Section 4.7 Section 9.4

Diverse Business Inclusion Plan – Subcontractors (form provided)

Pass/Fail Required if using subcontractors

Appendix E, Section 4.8 Section 9.5

Total points available are 100, with a minimum of 60 points required for a bid to be considered responsive. If a Washington Small Business or Certified Veteran-Owned Business does not meet the minimum points, the bid will be deemed non-responsive and rejected.

The table serves multiple purposes:

1. Specifies the submittals bidders must provide to State Parks in their bid response.

2. Acts as a checklist to ensure all required materials are included.

3. If State Parks does not provide a form, the bidder must "self-author" a response to fulfill the requirement.

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The table also indicates whether submittals will be scored based on points, low price, or pass/fail and provides a courtesy reference linking the submittal to other sections of the document.

General Evaluation Continuum

Bidder demonstrates renowned experience and/or the least or no risk, and/or ideal fit for what is being sought by State Parks (most points)

Bidder demonstrates considerable experience, and/or some minor risk, and/or a close but not ideal fit for what is being sought by State Parks.

Bidder demonstrates solid experience, and/or mild risk, and/or fair fit for what is being sought by State Parks.

Bidder demonstrates adequate experience, and/or medium risk, and/or mediocre fit for what is being sought by State Parks.

Bidder demonstrates limited experience, and/or high risk, and/or poor fit for what is being sought by State Parks.

(low points)

Bidder demonstrates no experience, and/or grave risk, and/or a bad fit for what is being sought by State Parks (no points)

4.2 (APPENDIX A) – BIDDER’S CERTIFICATIONS, ASSURANCES, AND WAIVER

A FORM is provided for this part of your bid response. See APPENDIX A – Bidder’s Certification, Assurances, and Waiver.

The Certifications must be executed as written in Appendix A. Failure to execute the Appendix in its official form will result in the Bidder’s Proposal being disqualified.

Appendix A – Bidder’s Certifications is evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

The certification must be signed and submitted by a duly authorized representative for the bidder.

4.3 (APPENDIX B) – BIDDER’S PROFILE

A FORM is provided for this part of your bid response. See APPENDIX B – Bidder’s Profile.

The Bidder’s Profile provides general information about the bidder and/or its corporate entity. It is important to fully read the Bidder’s Profile, as there may be additional pages that the bidder must self-author and attach, depending on the bidder’s response.

Appendix B – Bidder’s Profile must be substantively completed and is evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

Note: The Bidder’s Profile must be complete. Where there are choices, the bidder must check a box.

4.4 (APPENDIX C) – BID PRICE

A FORM is provided for this part of your bid response. See APPENDIX C – Bid Price.

The award is made to the responsive and responsible bidder and who has the highest score and the lowest price. See also Section 1.3 Washington State Procurement Priorities and Preferences.

All costs should be rolled in, except for sales tax. The bidder's not-to-exceed amount must factor in all cost drivers such as travel, shipping, packaging, and material costs. Washington State government agencies do pay sales tax, but it should appear separately on the invoice and not as part of the not-to-exceed amount on the Bid Price provided by the bidder..

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Failure to identify all costs in accordance with the instructions in this Competitive Solicitation is sufficient grounds for disqualification.

This part of the bid response is scored up to 35 points with a pro rata share for higher-cost bids. For example, if three bids are received (A @ $25, B @ $26.50, C @ $50):

• Bid A gets 35 points (25/25 = 1.0 x 35 points = 35),

• Bid B gets 33.02 points (25/26.50 = .943 X 35 points = 33.02),

• Bid C gets 17.5 points (25/50 = .5 X 35 points = 17.5).

COST CONTROL: A bid may be deemed non-responsive if it exceeds the average of all other bids by 20%.

Inclusive Pricing: Bidders must identify and include all cost elements in their pricing. If awarded a contract, the total price for the goods and/or services shall be the bidder’s price as submitted. Except as provided in the contract, there shall be no additional costs of any kind.

Credit Cards (P-Cards): If awarded a contract, the total price for the goods and/or services shall be the same regardless of whether purchasers make payment by cash, credit card, or electronic payment. The bidder shall bear any processing or surcharge fees associated with the use of credit cards or electronic payment.

4.5 EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

Bidder this part of your bid response is SELF-AUTHORED by you, no form is provided.

• Title this “4.5 Experience and Expertise”.

The Contractor shall have a minimum of five years of experience obtaining fingerprints with up-to-date technology that is in compliance with the WA State Patrol background process.

The contractor shall be in good standing with WA State Patrol, and provide timely and accurate service to prospective employees and volunteers. The contractors are required to be appropriately trained and knowledgeable about how to process fingerprints and all associated laws and rules, and they are required to follow all applicable laws and rules surrounding collecting fingerprints for background checks.

This part of the bid response is scored up to 30 points.

4.6 WORK PLAN AND PROJECT SCHEDULE

Bidder this part of your bid response is self-authored by you, no form is provided.

• Title this “4.6 Work Plan and Project Schedule”.

Work Plan: Include all project requirements and the proposed tasks, services, activities, etc.

necessary to accomplish the scope of the project defined in this RFP. This section must contain sufficient detail to convey to members of the evaluation team the Proposer’s knowledge of the subjects and skills necessary to successfully complete the project.

The Proposer may also present any creative approaches that might be appropriate and may provide any pertinent supporting documentation.

Project Schedule: Include a project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed. Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met.

Current system/process established with WA State Patrol – system and process must be documented.

This part of the bid response is scored up to 35 points.

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4.7 (APPENDIX D) - REFERENCES

A FORM is provided for this part of your bid response. See APPENDIX D – References.

Bidder this part of your bid response requires you to submit reference from other parties (do not use Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission as a reference).

Bidder must provide at least FIVE (5) Reference WITH FRESH ACTIVITY.

Provide a minimum of five references for similar services, with name and phone number.

This part of the bid response is evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

4.8 (APPENDIX E) – DIVERSE BUSINESS INCLUSION PLAN – SUBCONTRACTORS

A FORM is provided for this part of your bid response. See APPENDIX E – Diverse Business Inclusion Plan – Subcontractors.

Appendix E – Diverse Business Inclusion Plan - Subcontractor is evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

REQUIRED ONLY if Bidder will be using subcontractors to perform the Contract: This exhibit outlines the inclusion plan for diverse business subcontractors pertaining to the Contract.

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5 RESPONSES – PREPARATION, SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERENCES

This section identifies how to prepare and submit your bid for this Competitive Solicitation. By responding to this Competitive Solicitation and submitting a bid, bidders acknowledge having read and understood the entire Competitive Solicitation and accept all information contained within this Competitive Solicitation.

5.1 SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

Bids must be complete, legible, signed, and follow all instructions stated in the Competitive Solicitation (including the appendices, and exhibits). Unless otherwise specified in writing by documents included with an electronic bid must be prepared in MS Word, MS Excel, or Adobe PDF. Where required to do so, bidders may sign using either a physical or electronic signature.

Bidder’s electronic bid must be emailed to the Procurement Coordinator at the following email address: BidBox@parks.wa.gov. The email subject line should include the bid identification number, "Bid," and your company name (e.g., "RFP # Bid ACME"). Ensure the email, including attachments, is less than 30MB. It's recommended to keep it under 25MB. Zipped files are not accepted. All responses and any accompanying documentation become the property of State Parks and will not be returned.

State Parks will send an automatic acknowledgment of bid receipt. This acknowledgment does not determine the bid’s responsiveness. If the bidder does not receive an acknowledgment within a reasonable time, it is the bidder's responsibility to contact State Parks for confirmation.

VERIFICATION: Bidders are welcome to contact the State Parks Contracts and Grants Program team (CGP) to see if your bid response was received, however, this process works best if there’s enough time between the date and time submitted and the bid’s due date deadline. Send verification requests to:

contracts@parks.wa.gov The email subject line should include the bid identification number, "Verification," and your company name (e.g., "RFP # Verification ACME") CAUTION: Submit your bid response early as a safeguard against any technological slow-down or delays. Bids received after the deadline for any reason, no matter the cause, regardless of responsibility, will be rejected.

--- Late submissions will be considered non-responsive and may be rejected. ---

5.2 RESPONSE LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS

The Bidder’s bid response should be logically assembled so that the evaluators can easily understand what they are reading and relate what they are reading back to the competition document’s requirement. Evaluators appreciate landmarks or references using the competition document’s section numbers and section titles. One mistake that Bidders make is that they have a previously prepared statement or materials that don’t precisely relate to the competition document’s individual requirement (it wasn’t tailored or designed for the requirement), or that the previously prepared statement (or material) is supposed to relate to two or more requirements of the competition document. That can be confusing and may result in a negative impact to the evaluation of the Bidder’s bid response.

NOTE: If evaluators cannot easily identify the statement/material or cannot easily link it to the competition’s section reference, requirement, or question the statement/material may be misunderstood, disregarded, or may negatively impact the evaluation of the response.

mailto:BidBox@parks.wa.gov

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5.3 WASHINGTON STATE PROCUREMENT PRIORITIES & PREFERENCE

The following Washington State procurement priorities and preferences apply to this Competitive Solicitation:

WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESSES AND/OR CERTIFIED VETERAN-OWNED

BUSINESSES. In furtherance of Washington’s business inclusion goals State Parks will evaluate bids for best value and will provide a bid preference to any bidder who certifies.

• WASHINGTON SMALL BUSINESS. Bidder is a Washington Small Business as defined in RCW 39.26.010. To qualify as a Washington Small Business, Bidder must meet three (3) requirements:

o Location. Bidder’s principal office/place of business must be located in and identified as being in the State of Washington. A principal office or principal place of business is a firm’s headquarters where business decisions are made and the location for the firm’s books and records as well as the firm’s senior management personnel.

o Size. Bidder must be owned and operated independently from all other businesses and qualify as one of the following:

• Bidder Qualifies as a Small Business – i.e.,

• Bidder has fifty (50) or fewer employees; or

• Bidder has an annual gross revenue of less than $7,000,000 as reported on Bidder’s federal income tax return or its return filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue over the previous three (3) consecutive years.

• Bidder Qualifies as a Mini business – i.e., Bidder has an annual gross revenue of less than $3,000,000, but $1,000,000 or more, as reported on Bidder’s federal income tax return or its return filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue.

• Bidder Qualifies as a Microbusiness – i.e., Bidder has an annual gross revenue of less than $1,000,000 as reported on Bidder’s federal income tax return or its return filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue.

o WEBS Certification. Bidder must have certified its Washington Small Business status in Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS).

• CERTIFIED VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS. Bidder is a Certified Veteran-Owned Business under RCW 43.60A.190. To qualify as a Certified Veteran-Owned Business, Bidder must meet four (4) requirements:

o 51% Ownership. Bidder must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by:

(a) A veteran as defined as every person who at the time he or she seeks certification has received a discharge with an honorable characterization or received a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, and who has served in at least one of the capacities listed in RCW 41.04.007;

(b) A person who is in receipt of disability compensation or pension from the department of veterans affairs; or

(c) An active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

RFP 325-585 Fingerprint Outsourcing Page 16 of 42 o Washington Incorporation/Location. Bidder must be either an entity that is incorporated in the state of Washington as a Washington domestic corporation or, if not incorporated, an entity whose principal place of business is located within the State of Washington.

o WEBS Certification. Bidder must have certified its Veteran-Owned Business status in Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS).

o WDVA Certification. Bidder must have provided certification documentation to the Washington Department of Veterans’ Affairs WDVA) and be certified by WDVA and listed as such on WDVA’s website (WDVA – Veteran-Owned Businesses)

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6 EVALUATION AND AWARD

This section identifies how bids for this Competitive Solicitation will be evaluated.

6.1 PRESENTATION (OPTIONAL)

Presentations, if deemed necessary by State Parks, may be used to select the winning response. State Parks reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to invite the top-scoring firms from the evaluation to submit a written presentation. The Procurement Coordinator will reach out to the top-scoring bidder(s) to arrange a date and time for submitting the written presentation and will provide further instructions. Any commitments made by the Contractor in the presentation will be considered binding.

There will be a maximum of 100 points awarded based on bidder’s demonstration. All points will be cumulative. The presentation will determine the apparent successful bidder.

6.2 PRESENTATIONS EVALUATION CRITERIA (OPTIONAL)

Presentation Evaluation Criteria Maximum Possible Point Total

Organization:

- Management Plan

25 points

Project Management:

- Project Scheduling

25 points

Expertise

- Understanding of this project

25 Points

Experience

- Relevant Past Projects

25 Points

TOTAL: 100 Points

Points for the Presentation will be determined according to the following guidelines, and weighted appropriately:

Bidder demonstrates renowned experience (5 points)

Bidder demonstrates considerable experience (4 points)

Bidder demonstrates solid experience (3 points)

Bidder demonstrates adequate experience (2 points)

Bidder demonstrates limited experience (1 points)

Bidder demonstrates no experience (0 points)

6.3 BID RESPONSIVENESS

All Responses received by the stated deadline will first be reviewed by the Procurement Coordinator to ensure that the Responses appear to contain the information required in this competition document. Only Bid Responses that meet the requirements will be forwarded for further substantive review. Any Response that does not appear to contain all of the required information or any Bidder who does not meet the mandatory qualifications will be rejected as non-responsive and will be removed from further evaluation. However, the Procurement Coordinator has the right to waive minor informalities, and/or seek clarification

RFP 325-585 Fingerprint Outsourcing Page 18 of 42 if confused provided that neither alters the content of the Response. A bidder’s failure to provide requested clarification within five (5) business days may result in disqualification.

State Parks reserves the right to: (1) Waive any informality (State Parks reserves the right to determine the actual level of Bidders’ compliance with the requirements specified in this competition and to waive informalities in a bid). An informality is an immaterial variation from the exact requirements of the competition, having no effect or merely a minor or negligible effect on quality, quantity, or delivery of the supplies or performance of the services being procured.; (2) Reject any or all bids, or portions thereof; (3) Cancel the Competitive Solicitation and may re-solicit bids; and/or (4) Negotiate with the lowest responsive and responsible Bidder(s) (or Bidder with the most points) to determine if such bid can be improved. If, after a reasonable period of time, State Parks, in its sole judgement, cannot reach agreement on acceptable Contract terms with such bidder, State Parks may suspend negotiations and undertake negotiations with the next highest scored responsive, responsible bidder as determined by the evaluations.

6.4 BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY ANALYSIS

For responsive bids, State Parks must determine whether the bidder is a ‘responsible bidder.’ In determining bidder responsibility, State Parks must consider the following statutory elements:

a) The bidder’s ability, capacity, and skill to perform the contract or provide the service required;

b) The bidder’s character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency;

c) Whether the bidder can perform the contract within the time specified;

d) The bidder’s performance quality pertaining to previous contracts or services;

e) The bidder’s compliance with laws relating to the contract or services;

f) Whether, within the three-year period immediately preceding the date of the

Competitive Solicitation, the bidder has been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of chapter 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 RCW; and

g) Such other information as may be secured having a bearing on the decision to award the Contract.

See RCW 39.26.160(2)(a)-(g). In addition, State Parks may consider the following:

• Best Value Criteria:

a) Whether the bid satisfies the needs of the state as specified in the solicitation documents;

b) Whether the bid encourages diverse contractor participation;

c) Whether the bid provides competitive pricing, economies, and efficiencies;

d) Whether the bid considers human health and environmental impacts;

e) Whether the bid appropriately weighs cost and noncost considerations; and

f) Life-cycle cost.

See RCW 39.26.160(3)(a)-(f).

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• Financial Information: State Parks may request financial statements, credit ratings, references, record of past performance, clarification of bidder’s offer, on-site inspection of bidder's or subcontractor's facilities, or other information as necessary to determine bidder’s capacity to perform and the enforceability of bidder’s contractual commitments. Failure to respond to these requests may result in a bid being rejected as non-responsive.

• References: State Parks reserves the right to use references to confirm satisfactory customer service, performance, satisfaction with service/product, knowledge of products/service/industry and timeliness. Any negative or unsatisfactory reference can be reason for rejecting a bidder as non-responsible.

6.4.1 REJECTED BIDS/BIDDERS & REJECTION NOTIFICATION & REJECTION

RESPONSE

This Rejection Response process is not governed by Washington’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA), RCW 34.05, nor does it confer any additional rights above and beyond what the Bidder already enjoys as a taxpayer. The purpose of this process is to allow State Parks to correct evaluation process errors and problems before a contract is executed.

State Parks will perform a preliminary evaluation which is largely procedural. See Section

6.7.1 - Preliminary Evaluation (Procedural) and all of this section’s subparts.

If State Parks determines that a bid or Bidder must be rejected under 6.7.1 and/or subparts, State Parks will send a rejection notification to the email address provided by the Bidder in the Bidder’s Profile form (Appendix B). State Parks bears no responsibility for any issue or technological issue preventing actual receipt of the notification to the rejected Bidder.

Two Business-day Response Period: The Bidder may refute the rejection. The rejected Bidder must respond to the rejection within two (2) business-days following the day of rejection notification.

• The Bidder’s Rejection Response must be sent to contracts@parks.wa.gov.

• Subject line must include the bid’s identification number and “Rejection”. See the first page or footer for the bid’s identification number. (e.g., "RFP # Rejection")

• The Bidder must explain how and why State Parks erred in rejecting the Bidder’s bid under Section 6.7.1 - Preliminary Evaluation (Procedural).

State Parks will consider the rejected Bidder’s response, and if in State Parks’ opinion, it determines error on our part, the bid will be moved forward to further evaluation. If State Parks determines it did not err, the bid will not be moved forward for evaluation.

The process detailed in this section does not supersede or displace the DEBRIEF process or PROTEST process. A Bidder may after the Announcement of Apparent Successful Bidder is announced, request a Debrief, and a Debrief is a prerequisite for a Protest. See Section 7.3 – Debriefing of Bidders and Section 7.4 – Protests for expanded details about the process and what State Parks will recognize as legitimate.

6.5 GENERAL EVALUATION PROVISIONS

The evaluation process is designed to award a contract to the Bidder with the best value based on the selected evaluation criteria.

Evaluations of subjective material will likely be conducted by the customer program requiring the goods/services or an evaluation team. State Parks has sole discretion over the selection

RFP 325-585 Fingerprint Outsourcing Page 20 of 42 of evaluators and will make such selections based on each potential evaluator’s availability, knowledge, skills, and experience with the subject matter. Evaluator(s) will independently grade and score or consensus score the Bidder’s material based on their own independent judgment, and in accordance with the format noted herein for each respective requirement.

Evaluator(s) will only evaluate the material contained in the Responses and will not incorporate outside material into their determinations. The evaluator(s) has sole discretion over his or her final scores.

Bidders should take every precaution to assure that all answers are clear, complete, and directly responsive to each specific requirement.

6.6 EVALUATION OF COMPLETION BY DATE

State Parks reserves the right to require that the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) provide within three (3) business days after request, satisfactory evidence of ability to have the services performed and completed by: not used. Failure to provide satisfactory evidence may be grounds for submittal rejection.

6.7 EVALUATION STEPS

6.7.1 Preliminary Evaluation (Procedural)

a) Did the bid response arrive by the due date (deadline) to the proper location? Pass/Fail.

b) Did the Bidder, on behalf of the Bidder’s Firm, appear to bind the company to the commitment of the competition (manifestation of assent)? Pass/Fail. Acceptable manifestations of assent may include:

• Is the bid signed by an individual (a person and NOT a group or team) electronic, with a wet-ink signature albeit provided as a PDF scan, photo, or other similar visual copy representation?

c) Did the Bidder appear to provide and complete the information requested? Pass/Fail.

d) Does the Bidder appear to accept the State Parks terms and conditions without reservation? Pass/Fail.

e) Does the Bidder, under penalty of perjury, certify it is not a Wage violator (see Certification

- Wage Theft Prevention)? Pass/Fail.

f) Does the Bidder, under penalty of perjury, certify it supports worker’s rights (see

Certification - Supporting Workers’ Rights)? Pass/Fail.

g) If submittals were required, were the submittals provided and do they appear to be complete so that the bid could be compared to other conforming bids? Pass/Fail.

h) If any bid is rejected at this stage, send a Rejection Letter to the Bidder’s email address provided by the Bidder in Appendix B – Bidder’s Profile. See also Section 6.4.1 – Rejected Bids/Bidders & Rejection Notification & Rejection Response. Allow the Rejection process to run its course and then for all remaining responsive bids, advance the bid(s) to Section

6.7.2 – Substantive Evaluation: Phase 1.

6.7.2 Substantive Evaluation: Phase 1

a) Preferences and penalties: Preferences and penalties that are required by law, rule, or competition document will be applied to bid pricing. Preference reduces the Bidder’s stated price by the amount of the preference and is an advantage to the Bidder. A penalty increases the Bidder’s stated price by the amount of the penalty and is a disadvantage to the Bidder. Preferences and penalties are applied to the pricing for evaluation purposes only but are not applied for purchasing purposes if awarded the contract.

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• Determine Reciprocity under…