RFP DV-25-556~1.pdf

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution | RFP - DV-25-556 | Template v11.30.23 | 1

City of

Long Beach Request for Proposals RFP - DV-25-556

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution | RFP - DV-25-556 |

Template v11.30.23 | 1

Overview

Summary

The City of Long Beach (City) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide technological solutions that assist with the administration of the Short-Term Rental program. This includes address identification and data reporting, compliance monitoring, enforcement, and tax collection support.

Key Dates

Release Date: Friday, June 27, 2025

Optional Virtual Pre-Proposal Meeting: 10:00 AM

(PST), Thursday, July 10, 2025

Questions Due to the City: 11:00 AM (PST), July 24, Proposals Due: 11:00 AM (PST), Thursday, August 21, The City reserves the right to modify these dates at any time, with appropriate notice to prospective Contractors.

Proposal Information

Instructions for what to include in your proposal and how to submit it are detailed in Section 4.

Proposals must be submitted electronically via

LongBeachBuys.com.

Official Contact

Janet Kariuki rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov

All communication with the City related to this RFP must be directed to the contact listed above.

mailto:rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov

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Assistance & Resources For assistance using Long Beach Buys, please contact us directly

Customer Service Form rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov

(562) 570-6200

Additional support available for small businesses in Long Beach

BizCare

BizCare staff connect business owners and nonprofit leaders to important resources and information, such as grants, loans, technical assistance, information on City policies, and more.

562-570-4BIZ (4249)

4Biz@longbeach.gov

Request Assistance Form file:///C:/Users/casinoh/Downloads/longbeachbuys.com https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=wxE_MWhCak-NO8fmUBg-eJhZqE0zY4JHucmtLMnWlxRUMzlJTVpROTNONUpZQ0tPMzVIQU5WQkk2Uy4u mailto:rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov https://longbeach.gov/economicdevelopment/business-development/bizcare-program/bizcare-request/ mailto:4Biz@longbeach.gov https://longbeach.gov/economicdevelopment/business-development/bizcare-program/bizcare-request/

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Contents

BizCare

1 The Opportunity

1.1 Project Summary

1.2 Background

1.3 Goals

1.4 Award Terms

2 Scope of Work

2.1 Description of Services

2.2 Performance Metrics & Contract Management

2.2.1 Performance Metrics

2.2.2 Contract Management

2.2.3 Contract Payment

3 How We Choose

3.1 Minimum Qualifications

3.2 Evaluation Criteria

3.3 Local Preference

4 Proposal Instructions & Content

4.1 Timelines & Instructions

4.2 Proposal Content

4.3 Narrative Proposal Template

5 Terms & Conditions

5.1 Acronyms/Definitions

5.2 Solicitation Terms & Conditions

5.3 Contract Terms & Conditions

5.4 Additional Requirements

5.5 Protest Procedures

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1 The Opportunity

1.1 Project Summary

The City of Long Beach (City) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide technological solutions and direct support that assists the City with the administration of a

Short-Term Rental (STR) program. This includes participant registration, address identification, current and historical data reporting, compliance monitoring, enforcement, hotline/emergency contact management, and tax collection support.

1.2 Background

In 2020, the Long Beach City Council amended the Chapter 5.77 of the Long Beach

Municipal Code (LBMC) to include rules and regulations regarding the registration and administration of short-term rentals, also known as home-sharing. The City’s STR program was structured to be administered out of two City Departments, Department of Community

Development (Community Development) and Department of Financial Management

(Financial Management), of which Community Development is lead.

Community Development’s Code Enforcement Bureau administers STRs for the City, with two administrative staff and one inspector handling registration, monitoring, and enforcement. One Financial Management staff oversees tax collection for the program.

Program Background

The City’s program contains two types of registrations: primary and non-primary. Once approved, a registration number is issued and is tied to the STR operator (applicant) and the individual dwelling unit they applied for. Registration numbers may not be transferred between units or individuals and must be renewed by the City on an annual basis based on the anniversary date of initial approval. There are application fees for both the initial application and each subsequent renewal.

With primary registrations, the applicant must live on property during STR guest stays. With a non-primary registration, the applicant does not need to live on the property during guest stays. A person may only be approved for one non-primary registration and one primary registration at any given time. The City can also issue one non-primary registration to a business entity. Currently, registrants do not have access to online sign-in ‘accounts’ with the City and instead must track all their registration information individually.

Applicants can either be owners or tenants with owner permission. When applying, there may be various forms required depending on the situation. The City reviews all application https://library.municode.com/ca/long_beach/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT5REBUTRPR_CH5.77SHRMRE_5.77.010PU

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution | RFP - DV-25-556 | Template v11.30.23 | 5 materials submitted in addition to other available information regarding the unit/property. In some situations, an inspection is required as a condition of approval.

Upon approval, the applicant is issued a registration number which is required to be placed on all STR advertisements. An STR advertisement (ads) exists predominantly in the online space and is anything that offers overnight housing/sleeping accommodations for 1 to 30 nights. Once approved, the applicant is expected to abide by the rules of the LBMC which include (but is not limited to):

1. Posting the registration number on all ads.

2. Not advertising or exceeding the max occupancy as determined by the City-approved registration.

3. Not advertising more units than what was approved.

4. Responding to, or acknowledging, any hotline calls.

Calls to the hotline are taken by a live person 24/7/365 and the summary of the call is forwarded via an automated process to the phone of the emergency contact of record. The emergency contact is required to respond or acknowledge receipt of the automated message within one hour.

The City-wide limit for registered non-primary/un-hosted short-term rental units is

800. The City may register more than 800 non-primary units if the applying unit is in the coastal zone and the current number of registered non-primary units in the coastal zone is less than 350. There is no limit on registered primary/hosted short-term rental units.

With a few exceptions, the ordinance allows for any residential unit to be registered as a

STR throughout the City. However, the ordinance also allows residents to submit for a petition to restrict non-primary/un-hosted STRs in their Census Tract Block Group. To date, two petitions have been successful and those areas are no longer eligible for non-primary registration.

Taxes

STRs must pay Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) fees. The TOT payment is due to the City by the 10th of every month in which the unit is registered. Currently, the City has a tax collection agreement in place with Airbnb to collect TOT for any booking/stay that is 30 nights or less, regardless of whether the property is legally registered or not. Registrants using only Airbnb must still report their revenues to the City on a monthly basis.

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Current State of the Program

At this time, the majority of short-term rentals operating in the City are registered. As the

City approaches the 800 registered non-primary cap, the focus has shifted away from initial registration and towards renewal and current registrant management to prepare for the next phase of the program. Once an 800 unit cap is reached, the City expects more competition among those wanting to attain a registration. Additionally, while the original enforcement of the program focused on finding unregistered short-term rentals, that focus has also shifted to ensuring each current registrant is following the requirements of being a registered short-term rental.

The ideal Contractor should provide solution(s) for addressing the continuing regulations as discussed above as well as describe how their solution(s) can assist the City in managing the current program participants before and after the City reaches the 800 non-primary registration cap.

1.3 Goals

• Reduction of Customer inquiries regarding simple details of their registration.

• Shortened registration review times.

• Attaining a 100% accuracy in calls forwarded from the program-required hotline reaching the emergency contact.

• Increased availability of tracking mechanisms that assist the City to review registration statuses.

• Reduction of the steps and clicks required to update the City’s public facing website on current registration counts and locations.

1.4 Award Terms

This contract will be for a period of two years with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods. The total contract term will not exceed five years.

2 Scope of Work

2.1 Description of Services

It is the intent of Community Development to procure a single solution that will contain all the following components. However, consideration may be given to award certain components individually depending on feasibility. On a daily basis, Community

Development requires a solution, or solutions, which components contain the following capabilities:

Solution Component #1: Online Portal, Registration, and Renewals

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This solution component shall:

1. Include a self-service online portal to allow the public to register and renew (annually) their short-term rental(s).

2. Enable City users to independently update accounts and correct applicant errors, ensuring the City does not need to rely on Contractor for assistance with basic administrative functions.

3. Allow the City to manually and/or preemptively disallow the submittal of a renewal application for any given individual registration.

4. Disallow the submittal of new applications without consent/approval from the City.

5. Send automated emails/notifications to short-term rental registrants when submitting payments or applications to the City, as well as when any City approvals or denials are made.

6. Include the ability for the public to submit information, documentation, and payment necessary to obtain a registration.

The solution component should:

7. Include the ability for the public to have multiple sets of contact information for individual registrations, including owner, tenant, property manager, etc.

8. Include the ability for the public to export reports for information relevant to their account including, but not limited to, their tax payments.

9. Include the ability for the public to access general information about the status of their application or approved registration, including expiration date and registration number.

10. Provide a module wherein the City may view all registration records and may filter or change the view of these records without leaving the page.

11. Provide the ability for the City to securely enter the account of a portal user to assist/troubleshoot issues.

12. Provide a registration process which may be modified directly by the City, upon request by the City to the Contractor, or both.

13. Provide the ability to automatically withhold a renewal application submittal if the account is delinquent and to notify the registrant.

14. Provide for changes to registration statues to be instantaneously reflected across all the affected solution components, including reporting.

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15. Disallow the ability for an individual person to be registered for more than one non-primary registration and more than one primary registration. Likewise, an applicant applying as a business entity shall only obtain one non-primary registration.

16. Provide the ability to link multiple registrations to a single account.

17. Allow portal users the ability to modify details on their new or renewal application prior to City approval, including changing the application type (if application fees are equal in cost).

18. Allow portal users and the City to communicate directly within the solution.

19. Allow the City to create ad hoc e-mail notifications.

20. Allow the City to change automated email notifications upon request.

21. Provide the ability to add smart fields/labels to registrations both pre- and post-go live with the solution.

22. Provide a waitlist mechanism for when the City reaches a registration cap at a property, group of properties, or on a citywide basis.

Solution Component #2: Address Identification and Reporting

1. Provide the ability to correctly match online short-term rental listings to existing properties, with human verification of each listing identified and justification of matching criteria used.

2. Scrape/scan STR platforms at regular or randomized intervals, including new platform sites discovered post go-live, and take high resolution screen shots of all listings as well as determine their minimum night stay.

3. Include an automated updated live dashboard displaying property totals and listing counts, listing compliance breakdown, and STR location map.

4. Include a robust record management system that can export reports in Excel or CSV format.

5. Be able to identify, record and report advertised property details including, but not limited to, the number of bedrooms, host information, maximum occupancy, minimum night stay, property type, type of rental (entire home vs. room rental), nightly rate, etc.

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6. Be able to document, categorize, and store history related to a property or unit, including the advertisements, registrations, City notes, etc.

This solution component should:

7. Allow the City full access and editing rights to maintain a list of properties/parcels should such a list be incorporated into the solution.

8. The City should have an indefinite number of ways to label individual or groups of properties/parcels and those labels should be contextualized on a map.

9. Provide the City the ability to customize compliance statuses or labels as required to meet the City's unique regulations on STR.

10. Be able to identify and distinguish between different property types such as condominiums, single-family dwellings, duplex, apartment homes (4+ units), etc.

11. Provide ad hoc reporting features.

12. Be able to identify potential audits and underreporting of taxes based on calendar bookings found online.

Solution Component #3: Tax Collection

1. Allow the City to create, edit and schedule email reminders for monthly tax reporting.

2. Auto-calculate taxes based on which hosting platform was used and collect payment.

3. Provide the ability to waive penalty and interest fees, either for individual accounts, individual registrations or entire taxable periods.

This solution component should:

4. Provide the ability for registrants to remit taxes for all properties/units they manage in a single upload.

5. Allow the tax rates to be updated as needed without the need to engage a development team.

6. Provide the ability to automatically request support documentation for an exemption taken on a tax return.

7. Provide the ability to write off fees and maintain why the action was done.

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8. Continue to calculate interest on outstanding tax due resulting from an underpayment.

9. Provide the ability to process and track overpayments and underpayments.

10. Provide the ability for a taxpayer to remit the remaining amount due as a result of an underpayment or amended return online.

11. Provide the ability for a taxpayer to use a credit resulting from an overpayment or amended return online to reduce another filing amount.

12. Process amended returns and reflect revenue in the correct reporting periods.

13. Provide the ability to create a “payment plan” for payment agreements wherein users are able to remit payment according to the specified schedule and amount due online and the City able to track and report on the payment plan balance.

Solution Component #4: 24/7/365 Call Service Hotline

1. Provide a 24/7/365 (including holidays) live hotline to address neighbor complaints and issues concerning property rentals.

2. Allow the caller to speak with a live person before the call is over.

3. Record each incoming call to the hotline, notify all incoming callers that they will be recorded, and make all recordings available to the City.

4. Create a custom script for each call (developed jointly by the selected firm and the

City) and any options, if applicable, as a call progresses onto the next steps.

5. Provide call center agents whom shall cross reference the address given by the hotline caller with all registered short-term rentals with the City and call the emergency contact immediately after completing the hotline call in order to instruct the emergency contact about their requirements to resolve the issue.

• If the call attempts are successful, the emergency contact shall be provided an option to input resolution notes which will be accessible to the City.

• If the calls are unsuccessful, a voicemail shall be left and a text shall be sent, both providing a summary of the issue(s), City requirements to resolve the issue, and an option to provide resolution notes which will be accessible to the City.

This solution component should:

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6. Provide the following information for each hotline call which will be made available for review in the system by the City:

• Date and time of the call

• Unique complaint ID

• Recording of call

• Type of Complaint:

o noise, trash, unregistered rental, exceeding occupancy, etc.

• Reporting party name (if provided)

• Reporting party address (if provided)

• Reporting party phone number

• STR address as reported

• Confirmed property address

• STR account number (if available)

• Note if the reporting party wants a callback

• Emergency contact name(s) and phone number(s) (provided by the City or the via registration portal)

• Details, including timestamps, for each attempt made by Contractor to contact

Emergency contact

• Emergency contact resolution notes (if provided)

7. Provide a field for each call for the City to assign/edit a compliancy status.

8. Provide a field for each call for the City to enter notes.

9. Provide the City with the ability to directly update emergency contact names and numbers without solution provider assistance.

10. Provide the complaining party and the emergency contact the ability to submit photos/videos as ‘evidence’.

It is the intent of the Department to procure a single solution that will contain all the above components. However, consideration may be given to award certain components

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution | RFP - DV-25-556 | Template v11.30.23 | 12 individually depending on feasibility. The following requested services apply to the entirety of any proposed solution, whether in whole or in part:

Customer Support

The Contractor shall:

1. Provide customer support for public and City users of the solution.

2. Ensure that public users who are attempting to reach a representative of the

Contractor be able to speak with a human customer support representative within two automated voice prompts.

The Contractor should:

3. Designate a single point of contact for City-users for the life of the contract who must respond to all City-inquiries within one business day.

System Security

The solution system shall:

1. Provide full encryption and audit logs on every action.

2. Be Payment Card Industry PCI compliant.

3. Be System & Organization Controls Two (SOC 2) compliant and provide certification documentation.

4. Encrypt all data while in transit and at rest (e.g. credit cards information, personal information and documentation, etc.).

5. Provide Single Sign On (SSO) for City users.

6. Not store any private or sensitive data in the error logs.

7. Not store database connection information, passwords, and any other sensitive credentials in plain text.

8. Use HTTPS standard encryption for web-based traffic.

The solution system should:

9. Provide multi-factor authentication for business/portal customers.

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10. Continuously back up data to minimize recovery windows and stored in multiple server physical locations for redundancy (i.e., data centers located on the east and west coast).

11. Support scanning of files for viruses and malware.

12. Provide the ability to display the last date and time the user logged onto the system.

13. Expire the session after user walks away for a certain period of time.

2.2 Performance Metrics & Contract Management

2.2.1 Performance Metrics

The table below highlights the targets that will be tracked and reviewed collaboratively with the Awarded Contractor during the contract. This list is an indication of the performance metrics of interest to the City, and is not exhaustive or final. As a part of a response to this

RFP, Proposers may propose additional or alternative performance metrics to be tracked on a regular basis. The final set of performance metrics and frequency of collection will be negotiated by the successful Proposer and the City prior to the finalization of an agreement between parties, and may be adjusted over time as needed.

METRIC DESCRIPTION TARGET DATA SOURCE

1. Reduced STR application review times

The ordinance lists a maximum of 45 days that an application can sit in a pending status. Cutting down review times is imperative for the

City, especially when the non-primary cap is reached

Max of five service tickets are submitted to the

Contractor per quarter for the 1st year. Each quarter thereafter shall be reduced to a max of two service tickets.

Requests to modify the solution are not to be considered service tickets

Service tickets submitted to

Contractor

2. Increased communication capabilities

Account holders are able to review their account history within the solution, City shall not need to create ad-hoc notification systems or track external

System reports and data from the solution

Short-Term Rental Tech Solution | RFP - DV-25-556 | Template v11.30.23 | 14 within the solution reducing external correspondence from City user emails to business users emails outside of the solution to reach any or all the account holders

3. Near-perfect rate of connecting hotline calls with listed emergency contacts

Callers are able to be connected with an emergency contact 24/7/365

No more than one hotline call may be missed by the solution or not connected to the appropriate emergency contact per year.

System reports and

4. Increased reporting for all properties within individual solution components

City users are able to create ad-hoc reports based on the properties on an individual solution component

(registration, tax, hotline calls, address identification, etc.)

Any solution-provided property, tag, label, or City-added field is reportable directly from within the

System reports and

2.2.2 Contract Management

Over the course of the contract, the Awarded Contractor should expect to interact primarily with the Community Development, Code Enforcement Bureau, though the Financial

Management is also included as they are primarily involved with the process of how the

TOT is reported, collected, etc. Each Department shall have a Department liaison with the

Awarded Contractor, and each shall be regarded as a contract administrator.

The expected date for the Proposed Solution to be fully available to business users is

September 22, 2025. This shall be referred to as the Go-Live date.

The first year of the contract shall be broken down in two phases: (1) Implementation and

(2) Post Go-Live. Ideally, the Implementation phase will begin once the contract is awarded. The Implementation phase will end approximately two weeks after the Go-Live date and the Post-Go Live phase will begin and continue through the term of the contract.

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Each phase shall have an initial meeting with the Awarded Contractor and both department liaisons, as well as any other relevant staff. The Implementation Phase’s initial meeting shall be referred to as the “Kick-off Meeting”. Should City staff or the Awarded Contractor need a subsequent meeting, those may be scheduled together or independently as needed, however, the use of email communication to address narrow-focused items is preferred and encouraged.

The Post Go-Live initial meeting shall be referred to as the “Solution Evaluation” meeting and shall take place shortly after this phase begins. This meeting will focus on resolving any needs for the Proposed Solution from the City or the end users. As before, subsequent meetings can be scheduled collaboratively or independently.

Also in this phase, a second scheduled meeting shall be held approximately two months after the Go-Live Date, referred to as the “Performance Metrics” meeting. This meeting shall be essential for the long-term success of the contract. An accurate assessment of the performance metrics established in Section 3.2.1, as modified by the executed contract, is not possible prior to a live and working solution, therefore it will be at this meeting that the metrics are first evaluated. The City is aware that many of the performance metrics may not be immediately assessable from any sort of database and instead may be a measure of event frequency. At this meeting, the City will be clear on how it intends to relay any perceived poor metric performance as well as the timeframe afforded to the Awarded

Contractor to clarify, mitigate, and/or resolve the issue(s). It is not the intention of the City to magnify faults with the Solution, but to identify processes to work collaboratively through issues moving forward.

2.2.3 Contract Payment

The City of Long Beach issues payment based upon services rendered. After a contract is finalized and work is performed, the Contractor should invoice the City. The City will remit payment within 30 calendar days of being billed.

3 How We Choose

3.1 Minimum Qualifications

Proposers shall meet the following minimum qualifications to be eligible:

• Qualification to conduct business in the City of Long Beach

• Not have been debarred by any Federal, State or local government

• Have implemented the proposed solution in at least one other municipality and can provide references

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• Be able to transfer and incorporate existing data and terminology into proposed solution

3.2 Evaluation Criteria

Proposals shall be consistently evaluated based upon the following criteria:

CRITERIA Weight

1. Reasonableness of Cost

• Competitive solution cost and implementation cost

• Competitive pricing structure for service delivery & maintenance

• Competitive pricing structure (if any) for post go-live solution configurations

• Competitive pricing (if any) for special service (adding platforms for web scraping, 24/7 hotline add-ons, data migration, etc.)

15%

2. Ease of Operation

• The extent to which the proposed solution allows the City to independently manage, customize, and operate the system without reliance on the vendor

• Proven ability for the City to create, edit and manage workflows within the solution.

• Proven capability for the City to manage registration and account information for users.

40%

3. Customer Portal & Account Design and Support

• The extent to which the Interface is simple and intuitive for users to independently access and manage their accounts

• The availability and functionality of communication tools within the portal for both Customer and City users.

• Evidence of ease with which users can register and create accounts through the portal.

15%

4. Solution Features with;

• Evidence of 24/7 hotline methodology and effectiveness

• Proven capability of Methodology used for Address Identification & implied accuracy

30%

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• Evidence of solution to store, retrieve and analyze historical data effectively

• Proven ability for efficacy, legality and effective Web scraping methods

• Evidence of comprehensive and user friendly Reporting tools

• Proven ability to create and manage waitlists effectively.

• Overall design and usability of the solution interface

• Evidence of secure, accurate and user friendly payment and tax collection features

3.3 Local Preference

• The City shall apply five extra credit percentage points to all local businesses operating a home-based, residential business.

• The City shall apply ten extra credit percentage points to all local businesses operating a non-residential, commercial, brick-and-mortar business.

• Local business shall mean a business which maintains its principal place of business in a fixed office/place of business with the City of Long Beach, possesses a current

City of Long Beach business license and sellers permit if applicable.

• For a business to be eligible to claim preference, the business MUST request the preference in the solicitation response (see Attachment C) and provide a copy of its current business license and seller’s permit if applicable.

• The local preference does not apply to solicitations for all purchases funded in full or a fraction thereof by any tidelands fund, by any grant funds, nor by any funds received from the State of California.

4 Proposal Instructions & Content

4.1 Timelines & Instructions

MILESTONE

TIME

(PACIFIC) &

DATE LOCATION / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Release date Friday, June 27, Optional Virtual Pre-

Proposal Meeting

10:00 AM

(PST),

• Microsoft Teams. Click the link below to join the meeting

• Join the meeting now https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODMxMTliM2MtZDdjYS00MjhkLTliYTQtYTQ5MjE0ZGRhZDMz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22313f11c3-4268-4f6a-8d3b-c7e650183e78%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22da7601ed-1784-4e26-b900-0642c5dabdc1%22%7d

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Thursday, July 10, 2025

Questions due to the

City

11:00 AM

(PST),

Thursday

July 24, 2025

• Submit all inquiries via email to rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov

Posting of the Q&A Thursday, August 07,

• Responses to the questions will be posted on

LongBeachBuys.com.

Proposals due 11:00 AM

(PST),

Thursday

August 21,

• Proposals should be submitted electronically via LongBeachBuys.com.

• Late proposals, or proposals submitted through other channels will not be accepted.

• Proposers are responsible for submitting their proposals completely and on time.

o Proposers will receive an e-bid confirmation number with a time stamp from LongBeachBuys.com indicating that the proposal was submitted successfully. The City will only receive proposals that were transmitted successfully.

o For technical support, email or call the

City during normal business hours at

LBPurchasing@longbeach.gov or (562)

570-6200.

Evaluation of Narrative

& Cost Proposals

September

Estimated

• An Evaluation Committee will review

Narrative & Cost Proposals to select the proposal that best meets the needs of the

City.

• Evaluations will be conducted using a methodology derived from the evaluation criteria listed in Section 3.2.

Demos October

Estimated

• The City may interview or request demos from none, one, some or all Proposers.

Negotiation &

Contractor Selection

November

• Selected Contractor(s) will be notified in writing.

mailto:rfppurchasing@longbeach.gov file:///C:/Users/meid/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/X47PW9A6/LongBeachBuys.com file:///C:/Users/meid/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/X47PW9A6/LongBeachBuys.com file:///C:/Users/meid/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/X47PW9A6/LongBeachBuys.com mailto:LBPurchasing@longbeach.gov

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Estimated • Any award is contingent upon the successful negotiation of final contract terms. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully, the City reserves the right to negotiate a contract with another Contractor or withdraw the RFP.

• Negotiations shall be confidential and not subject to disclosure to competing

Contractors unless and until an agreement is reached.

Estimated Contract

Execution

TBD

Proposer Debrief After

Contractor is

Selected

• Successful and unsuccessful Proposers are encouraged to request phone call or in person meeting with the City to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their proposal.

The intent of the debrief is to provide the

Proposer with constructive feedback to equip them with information to effectively meet the City’s needs and be successful in future proposals.

4.2 Proposal Content

Complete proposals will include the following. Proposers are encouraged to use this table as a checklist to ensure all components are included in their proposal.

PROPOSAL

☐ Narrative

Proposal

The Narrative Proposal should provide a straightforward, concise delineation of capabilities to satisfy the RFP. Guidance on preparing a Narrative Proposal is detailed in Section 4.3.

☐ Cost Proposal • Proposers should provide an annual cost breakdown for each solution component. Cost Proposals should clearly itemize the expenses associated with each component to allow for a detailed evaluation. Please present the information in a clear and organized format, such as an Excel spreadsheet, to facilitate review and comparison.

PROPOSAL APPENDICES

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☐ Financial

Stability

Proposers should include one or more of the following financial statements to provide the City with enough information to determine financial stability of the Proposer and subcontractor.

• Financial Statement or Annual Report

• Business tax return

• Statement of income and balance sheet

☐ Other Addenda

(if applicable)

Colored displays, promotional materials, and other collateral are not necessary or desired. However, if a complete response cannot be provided without referencing supporting documentation, it may be provided as an addendum clearly cited in the Narrative or Cost Proposal.

MANDATORY ATTACHMENTS | The following are included as Attachments in Long

Beach Buys. They must be signed by the individual legally authorized to bind the

Proposer.

☐ A. Authorization & Certification

☐ B. Equal Benefits Ordinance (EBO) Form

☐ C. Local Preference Program

Attachments Which May be Submitted Upon Award | Upon award, Awarded

Contractors will be required to submit the following. We encourage you to take note of these requirements, and where possible, include available information as part of your proposal to expedite processing.

☐ D. W-9

☐ E. Business License

☐ F. Proof of Registration with the California Secretary of State

☐ G. Certificates of Insurance: [See section 5.3]

☐ H. Current Contractor’s State License Board print out

☐ Contact Information | Ensure your organization’s profile is up to date in Long Beach

Buys, including an email address, phone number, and for any classifications you may qualify for.

4.3 Narrative Proposal Template

Proposers should develop a narrative proposal that includes all of the following information.

The Proposer must demonstrate in its Proposal its ability to manage the solution and provide the customer service described in this RFP. The Proposer must provide a detailed overview of the company, describing its history, size, mission, primary line of business, organization, and structure, and how its products and resources will be used to meet the

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Additionally, proposers should refer to section 5.4 for additional requirements.

Organizational Capacity & Experience

PROPOSER CONTACT INFORMATION

Organization

Company Name

Company Address

Federal Tax ID Number

Website

Authorized

Representative

Name

Title

Email Address

Phone Number

Other Point of

Contact (if required)

Name

Title

Email Address

Phone Number

PROPOSER CAPACITY & EXPERIENCE

What type of enterprise is the organization?

☐ Non-Profit

☐ Sole Proprietorship

☐ General Partnership

☐ Corporation

State and Date of incorporation:

☐ Limited Liability Company

☐ Other _________________________________

Please describe why the organization is qualified to provide the services described in this RFP (1-2 paragraphs).

1. Please describe the length of time the organization has been providing the services described in this RFP (1-3 sentences).

2. The system solution shall support scanning of files for viruses and malware.

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Please describe how your software supports this requirement.

3. List any data breaches and outcome resolutions from the past seven years.

How many employees does the organization have in total and residing in Long Beach?

Where are the representative(s) that would service the City’s account located?

How many municipalities are currently using the Proposers solution and under contract with the Proposer?

REFERENCES

Reference 1

Company

Project Manager

Phone Number

Project Description

Project Start and

End Dates

Reference 2

Company

Project Manager

Phone Number

Project Description

Reference 3

Project Manager

Phone Number

Project Description

Reference 4

Project Manager

Phone Number

Project Description

Reference 5

Project Manager

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Phone Number

Project Description

SUB-CONTRACTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Does the proposal include subcontractors?

☐ Yes

☐ No

If applicable, provide the following for all subcontractors included in this proposal.

Organization Company Name

Company Address

Authorized

Representative

Name

Title

Email Address

Phone Number

Other Point of

Contact (if required)

Name

Title

Email Address

Phone Number

SUBCONTRACTOR CAPACITY & EXPERIENCE

What type of enterprise is the organization?

☐ Non-Profit

☐ Sole Proprietorship

☐ General Partnership

☐ Corporation

State and Date of incorporation:

☐ Limited Liability Company

☐ Other _________________________________

Which specific requirements of this RFP will the subcontractor perform?

Please describe why the organization is qualified to provide the services described in this RFP (1-2 paragraphs).

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Please describe the length of time the organization has been providing the services described in this RFP (1-3 sentences).

How many employees does the organization have nationally, locally, and residing in Long

Beach?

Where are the representative(s) that would service the City’s account located?

Has the proposer worked with the subcontractor in the past to deliver similar project(s)? Please describe

Method of Approach

The City seeks a flexible and reliable solution and Contractor. It is the City’s preference that the solution provides staff with the ability to modify certain aspects of the solution as needed. To that end:

1. Describe your solution by each component identified in the Scope of Services listed in Section 2.1 of the RFP.

2. Please provide a detailed description of the hotline process from the perspectives of the caller, the operator or emergency contact person, and the City. Additionally, outline the measures the Contractor utilizes to ensure calls are effectively directed to the appropriate contact person

3. Describe the advantages of your customer portal in meeting our needs. Is the platform user-friendly? Can customers easily access, and view information related to their registration? Additionally, are there any features offered that, while not specifically requested by the City, could provide added value?

4. How is the data entered into your system structured? What is/are the primary key(s) for your solution’s database (APN/AIN, accounts created, etc.)? Who has control over this data and will the City have access to it?

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5. The City requires a flexible solution that can accommodate new requirements as the program evolves. For instance, six months after the initial implementation, the

City may wish to begin tracking registrations for swimming pools and hot tubs, which would involve updating existing registration data. Please describe how the

Contractor would address such a request, including any associated costs and estimated timelines. Additionally, outline how this updated data would be reflected in the solution’s reporting capabilities.

6. For any record entered into the system, what information will the City be unable to modify? Please explain the reasons.

7. With reference to Section 2.1 of the RFP, please identify any areas where your solution may not fully meet the capabilities requested by the City. Provide context to explain whether your solution lacks, does not require, or is unable to deliver these capabilities. Additionally, assess whether the City's requirements are overly demanding or may benefit from clearer definition. If applicable, suggest alternative approaches or explanations to better address or mitigate the City’s needs.

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5 Terms & Conditions

5.1 Acronyms/Definitions

1. Awarded Contractor: The organization/individual that is awarded a contract with the

City of Long Beach, California for the services identified in this RFP.

2. City: The City of Long Beach and any department or agency identified herein.

3. Contractor / Proposer: Organization/individual submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

4. Department / Division: City of Long Beach, Community Development Department

Evaluation Committee: An independent committee comprised solely of representatives of the City established to review proposals submitted in response to the RFP, evaluate the proposals, and select a Contractor.

5. LBMC: Long Beach Municipal Code

6. May: Indicates something that is not mandatory but permissible.

7. PCI: Payment Card Industry (compliance)

8. RFP: Request for Proposals.

9. Shall / Must: Indicates a mandatory requirement. Failure to meet a mandatory requirement may result in the rejection of a proposal as non-responsive.

10. Should: Indicates something that is recommended but not mandatory. If the

Proposer fails to provide recommended information, the City may, at its sole option, ask the Proposer to provide the information or evaluate the proposal without the information.

11. SOC 2: System & Organization Controls Two

12. SSO: Single Sign On

13. STR: Short-Term Rental

14. Subcontractor: Third party not directly employed by the Proposer who will provide services identified in this RFP.

15. TOT: Transit Occupancy Tax

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5.2 Solicitation Terms & Conditions

1. The City reserves the right to alter, amend, or modify any provisions of this RFP, or to withdraw this RFP, at any time prior to the award of a contract pursuant hereto, if it is in the best interest of the City to do so.

2. The City reserves the right to request clarification of any proposal term from

Proposers.

3. The City may contact the references provided; contact any Proposer to clarify any response; contact any current users of a Proposer’s services; solicit information from any available source concerning any aspect of a proposal; and seek and review any other information deemed pertinent to the evaluation process.

4. The level and term of documentation required from the Proposer to satisfy the City will be commensurate with the size and complexity of the contract and Proposers should submit accordingly. If the information submitted by the Proposer, or available from other sources, is insufficient to satisfy the City as to the Proposer’s contractual responsibility, the City may request additional information from the

Proposer or may deem the proposal non-responsive.

5. The City reserves the right to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received.

6. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received prior to contract award.

7. The City’s determination of the Proposer’s responsibility, for the purposes of this RFP, shall be final.

8. Unless otherwise specified, the City prefers to award to a single Contractor but reserves the right to award contracts to multiple contractors.

9. The City shall not be obligated to accept the lowest priced proposal, but will make an award in the best interests of the City of Long Beach after all factors have been evaluated.

10. If the City receives a single responsive, responsible proposal, the City may request an extension of the proposal acceptance period and/or conduct a price or cost analysis on such proposal. The Proposer shall promptly provide all cost or pricing data, documentation and explanation requested by the City to assist such analysis. By

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The City reserves the right to reject such proposal or any portion thereof.

11. Any irregularities or lack of clarity in the RFP should be brought to the Purchasing

Division designee’s attention as soon as possible so that corrective addenda may be furnished to Proposers.

12. Proposals must include any and all proposed terms and conditions, including, without limitation, written warranties, maintenance/service agreements, license agreements, lease purchase agreements and the Proposer’s standard contract language. The omission of these documents may render a proposal non-responsive.

13. Alterations, modifications or variations to a proposal may not be considered unless authorized by the RFP or by addendum or amendment.

14. Proposals which appear unrealistic in the terms of technical commitments, lack of technical competence, or are indicative of failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of this contract, may be rejected.

15. Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received prior to the proposal opening time.

16. The price and amount of this proposal must have been arrived at independently and without consultation, communication, agreement or disclosure with or to any other

Contractor or prospective Contractor.

17. No attempt may be made at any time to induce any firm or person to refrain from submitting a proposal or to submit any intentionally high or noncompetitive proposal. All proposals must be made in good faith and without collusion.

18. Prices offered by Proposers in their proposals are an irrevocable offer for the term of the contract and any contract extensions. The Awarded Contractor agrees to provide the purchased services at the costs, rates and fees as set forth in their proposal in response to this RFP. No other costs, rates or fees shall be payable to the Awarded Contractor for implementation of their proposal.

19. The City is not liable for any costs incurred by Proposers prior to entering into a formal contract. Costs of developing the proposals or any other such expenses incurred by the Proposer in responding to the RFP, are entirely the responsibility of the Proposer, and shall not be reimbursed in any manner by the City.

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20. In the event a Proposer received assistance from City staff or a representative of the

City (technical assistance provider), the City is not responsible for any mistakes, inaccuracies, delays, or any other impact that the assistance provided did to impact the Proposer’s final product. Available technical assistance support services are only intended to provide advice and does not constitute a basis for any protest to this contract opportunity. It is solely the Proposer’s responsibility to prepare and submit a response to the RFP.

21. Proposal will become public record after the conclusion of the negotiation process and before final approval by the awarding body unless the proposal or specific parts of the proposal can be shown to be exempt by law. Each Proposer may clearly label all or part of a proposal as "CONFIDENTIAL" provided that the Proposer thereby agrees to indemnify and defend the City for honoring such a designation. The failure to so label any information that is released by the City shall constitute a complete waiver of any and all claims for damages caused by any release of the information.

22. A proposal submitted in response to this RFP must identify any subcontractors, and outline the contractual relationship between the Proposer and each subcontractor.

An official of each proposed subcontractor must sign, and include as part of the proposal submitted in response to this RFP, a statement to the effect that the subcontractor has read and will agree to abide by the Proposer’s obligations.

23. If the Contractor elects to use subcontractors, the City requires that the Awarded

Contractor provide proof of payment of any subcontractors used for this project.

Proposals shall include a plan by which the City will be notified of such payments.

24. Each Proposer must adhere to the City’s Vendor Code of Conduct, including, but not limited to, disclose any existing or potential conflict of interest relative to the performance of the contractual services resulting from this RFP. Any such relationship that might be perceived or represented as a conflict should be disclosed.

The City reserves the right to disqualify any Proposer on the grounds of actual or apparent conflict of interest.