State Of Colorado

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) RESPONSE COVER SHEET

Department of Personnel & Administration Division of Finance and Procurement State Purchasing Office 1525 Sherman Street, 3rd Floor Denver, CO 80203

Mountain Time

TITLE: Regional Tourism Projects – Economic Analysis of Applications

Per the attached specifications, terms and conditions.

F.E.I.N.:

Payment Terms:

(Minimum of Net 30)

Delivery Date:

Authorized Signature:

Signature acknowledges acceptance of all terms and conditions of the solicitation.

Typed/Printed Name and Title:

Legal Company Name:

Doing Business As:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Contact for Clarifications:

Title:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

E-mail Address:

IMPORTANT NOTE: The following must be on the outside of the sealed Bid Return Envelope:

Contractors Name, Bid Number, Closing Date, Closing Time, Contractor’s Email Address

Contractors are urged to read the solicitation document thoroughly before submitting a bid/proposal.

Contractor to Answer:

- Confirm that you are aware that the award notice will be published on VSS. ____ Yes

- My company is registered on ColoradoVSS. _____Yes / ____No

- Proprietary Information is included and as segregated pages ____ Yes / ____No

- Registered with the Colorado Secretary of State ___No / ____Yes, and #___________________

- Contractor proposes using Subcontractor(s) services in the bid proposal ____Yes ____No

- Confirm you understand the remedy for Appeals CRS 24-109-104 see also 1.19 of this RFP

· THIS PAGE MUST BE COMPLETED, SIGNED IN BLUE INK AND RETURNED WITH PROPOSAL

· Must be registered with the State of Colorado VSS by the closing date/time of the Solicitation.

This Solicitation is made up of the following sections:

1. Administrative Information and Instructions for Contractors Page 3

2. Background Page 8

3. Statement of Work Page 10

4. Response Format & Proposal Instructions Page 13

5. Evaluation and Award Selection Process Page 16

6. Definitions of Terms Page 17

Exhibits:

A. Sample Model Contract

B. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Policy

Attachments: (Contractor to Complete and Submit in its Proposal)

1. Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (W-9)

2. Vendor Disclosure Statement

3. Contractor Response Pricing Matrix

Section 1 - Administrative Information and Instructions for Contractors

1.1 Vendor Self-Service (VSS) and Registration.

This solicitation is published using the Colorado Vendor Self-Service System (VSS). Contractors must be registered on Colorado VSS in order to receive an award. VSS information can be found through the State Purchasing Office (SPO) link at www.colorado.gov/VSS or the VSS Help Desk can be reached at 303.866.6464 for further assistance.

1.2 Issuing Office and Official Means of Communication.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the Colorado State Purchasing Office (SPO) and is the sole point of contact concerning this RFP. During the solicitation process for this RFP, all official communication with Contractors will be via notices on VSS. Notices may include any modifications to administrative or performance requirements, answers to inquiries received, clarifications to requirements, and the announcement of the apparent winning Contractor(s). It is incumbent upon Contractors to regularly monitor VSS for any such notices.

1.3 Purpose.

The Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), State Purchasing Office (SPO), on behalf of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) wishes to establish a contract with a qualified Contractor (Third Party Analyst) with expertise in the field of economic and financial tourism analysis. The State of Colorado makes no guarantee that any services will be purchased as a result of this RFP.

All information contained within this RFP, and any amendments and modifications thereto, reflect the best and most accurate information available to the State at the time of RFP preparation. No inaccuracies in such data shall constitute a basis for legal recovery of damages or protests, either real or perceived, except to the extent that any such inaccuracy was a result of intentional misrepresentation by the State.

1.4 Scope of the RFP/Basis for Award.

The purpose of this RFP is to seek proposals from Third Party Analysts (TPA) to analyze and report on Regional Tourism Act (RTA) applications. Using the information submitted by applicants, along with additional data/resources deemed necessary (by the TPA), the Contractor shall perform economic and financial evaluations for each proposed regional tourism project. The Contractor shall provide an executive summary for its recommendations for each proposal evaluated. The Contractor’s analysis will be used by the commission in determining the sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to a proposed regional tourism project.

The State’s intent is to award to a single contractor but reserves the right to award to multiple contractors if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. Evaluation of the responsive proposals received will be conducted and the State may award a contract as a result of this RFP. Contractors will be awarded based on proposals that are determined to be most advantageous to the State considering the evaluation factors set forth in Section 5 (Evaluation and Award Selection Process). The State intends to establish a contract for a period starting on the executed contract date to June 30th, 2015.

1.5 Schedule of Activities.

(Held at the State’s discretion.)

6. Projected contract date. Late October

1.6 Inquiries and Questions.

Contractors may submit email or written inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification on specifications and requirements. All inquiries are due no later than the time shown in Section 1.5. (Schedule of Activities) or otherwise amended on VSS. The SPO prefers all inquiries be sent via electronic mail and referencing the RFP number in the subject line. Please submit inquiries via email and as an attachment in WORD format. List your questions as “1, 2, 3, etc.”

Please limit inquiries to only those issues which are essential in order to submit a viable proposal in response to this RFP. Requests for detailed or exhaustive information may be declined if said information is not deemed by the State to be necessary in order to submit a viable proposal. Inquiries must be submitted by way of one of the following two methods, yet e-mail is preferred.

1. E-mail Send to molly.randol@state.co.us (In the subject line, reference“RFP-MR-15-001 Regional Tourism Projects”)

2. Written State Purchasing Office Attention: Molly Randol RFP-AA-15-001 Regional Tourism Projects 1525 Sherman Street, 3rd Floor Denver, Colorado 80203

Response to Contractor questions will be published as a modification on VSS. Contractors should not rely on any other information if it is not published on VSS, either written or oral, that alter any specification or other term or condition of the RFP during the open solicitation period. Contractors are NOT to contact any other State Office or individual regarding this solicitation. Contractors are responsible for monitoring VSS for the publication of any and all modifications to this solicitation.

1.7 State of Colorado Solicitation Instructions/Terms and Conditions The State of Colorado Solicitation Instructions/Terms and Conditions govern except to the extent they are modified, supplemented or replaced in this solicitation. By responding to this RFP, Contractors acknowledge they have reviewed these Solicitation Instructions/Terms and Conditions.

1.8 General Instructions and Bid Submission.

Contractors are encouraged to carefully and completely review this RFP and all attachments prior to submitting its proposal. For detailed information on the proposal submission, see Section 4 (Format and Proposal Instructions) of this RFP. Sealed proposals, including the Request for Proposal (RFP) Cover Sheet, must be received on or before the date and time indicated on the RFP Cover Sheet (page 1) or as modified on VSS. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure its proposal arrives at the Colorado State Purchasing Office on or before the solicitation’s closing date and time, regardless of the delivery method used. Late proposals will not be accepted.

1.9 Minimum Specifications for Response.

Contractors must be able to demonstrate the ability to perform according to the terms of this solicitation. The Contractor must demonstrate the following skills: Minimum two (2) years experience in the past six (6) years in general economic or financial analysis. Work experience is preferred in these areas noted below.

a) General Public Economic Analysis

b) General Public Fiscal Analysis

c) State and Local Tax Policies

1.10 Contractor’s Binding Offer and Acceptance.

The contents of a Contractor’s proposal submitted in response to this RFP shall constitute a binding offer and will become contractual obligations of the successful Contractor. Acknowledgment of this condition shall be indicated by the signature (page 1, Response Cover Sheet) of the Contractor or an officer of the Contractor legally authorized to execute contractual obligations. A submission in response to this RFP, unless specified otherwise, acknowledges acceptance by the Contractor of all terms and conditions, as set forth herein including its attachments and exhibits, without making its offer contingent.

A Contractor may withdraw its proposal upon written notification submitted to and received by the SPO prior to the established RFP bid opening date and time (email is acceptable). In accordance with Procurement Rule 24-103-202b, the State will not retain a copy of the withdrawn proposal.

The State may require additional information (financial, capacity, etc.) of the apparent successful Contractor(s) to determine its ability to perform. The State reserves the right to visit Contractor’s office(s) to verify such ability.

1.11 Selection of Successful Proposals, Number of Awards, and Intent to Award.

The State intends to award a Contractor capable of fulfilling the anticipated volume needs for the State. Should the State determine at any time during the term of the resulting award that the number of awarded Contractors is not adequate to properly fill these needs, the State reserves the right to make awards to Contractors who submitted responses to the original solicitation but were not awarded, or to re-issue the solicitation and make additional awards as necessary. An evaluation will be conducted and an award made to Contractors whose proposals are determined to be most advantageous to the State considering the evaluation factors set forth in Section 5 (Evaluation and Award Selection Process).

1.12 Term of the Price Agreement and Model Contract.

Term: The contract will be effective upon an executed contract date and end on June 30, 2015.

Model Contract: Except as modified herein, the standard State Contract Terms and Conditions and the Sample Model Contract, Exhibit A included in this RFP shall govern this procurement and are hereby incorporated by reference.

The Contractor is expected to review the attached Model Contract and note exceptions in their response. The Contractor shall identify clearly and thoroughly any variations between its proposal and the State’s RFP. Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance, except as may be outlined or specified in the RFP.

Contractors are cautioned that requests for modifications to the terms and conditions constitute increased risk to the State and increased costs. Changes to Special Provisions are not permitted.

1.13 Proprietary/Confidential Information.

Any restrictions of the use or inspection of material contained within the proposal shall be clearly stated in the proposal itself and such information segregated. Written requests for confidentiality shall be submitted by the Contractor with the proposal for consideration and acceptance of confidential status by the State. The Contractor must state specifically what elements of the proposal are to be considered confidential/proprietary and must state the statutory basis for the request under Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (§ 24-72-201 et seq., C.R.S.). Confidential/Proprietary information must be readily identified, marked and separated/packaged from the rest of the proposal. Neither a proposal in its entirety, nor proposal price information is considered confidential and proprietary. Any information that will be included in any resulting contract cannot be considered confidential.

The Colorado State Purchasing Office (SPO) will make a written determination as to the apparent validity of any written request for confidentiality. In the event the SPO does not concur with the Contractor’s request for confidentiality, the written determination will be sent to the Contractor. (§ 24-72-201 et. seq., C.R.S).

1.14 Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Participation.

A Contractor claiming status as a service disabled veteran owned small business must identify itself as such in its proposal and provide documentation of its certification from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (US DOVA) with its response to this RFP.

1.15 RFP Response Material Ownership.

The State has the right to retain the original proposal and other RFP response materials for its files received by the solicitation closing and not withdrawn prior to the public opening. As such, the State may retain or dispose of all copies as is lawfully deemed appropriate. The State has the right to use any or all information/material presented in the reply to the RFP, subject to limitations outlined in the clause, Proprietary/Confidential Information. Proposal materials may be reviewed after the “Notice of Intent to Award” has been issued, subject to the terms of C.R.S. Title 24, Article 72, Part 2 as amended.

1.16 Venue.

The parties agree the venue for any action related to the performance of a resulting contract is the City and County of Denver, Colorado. (See Sample Model Contract, Exhibit A for additional information.)

1.17 Taxes.

State of Colorado Agencies, as purchaser, are exempt from all federal excise taxes under Chapter 32 of the Internal Revenue Code and from all state and local government sales and use taxes (§ 39-26-704, C.R.S.).

1.18 Payment Schedule.

The State's minimum payment terms for the resulting contract are net thirty (30) days. The State has historically remitted payment in a timely matter but it is the Contractor’s responsibility to confirm all payment terms with each order placed. Late fees may not be assessed to State government entities until the 46th day after the payment was due. The Contractor is eligible to invoice for late payment charges of 1% per month on the unpaid balance.

1.19 Protested Solicitations and Awards.

Any actual or prospective Contractor who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of a contract may protest to: SPO Director, State of Colorado, State Purchasing Office, 1525 Sherman Street, Third Floor, ATTN: (Molly Randol, Acting SPO Director), Denver, CO 80203. The protest shall be submitted in writing within seven (7) business days after such aggrieved person knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the protest. The remedy allowed under Colorado Revised Statute is : “24-109-104. Entitlement to costs. When a protest is sustained administratively or upon administrative or judicial review and the protesting bidder or Offeror should have been awarded the contract under the solicitation but, due to a defect in the solicitation, was not, the protestor shall be entitled to the reasonable costs incurred in connection with the solicitation, including bid preparation costs. No other costs shall be permitted, and reasonable costs shall not include attorney fees.” (Reference: C.R.S. Title 24, Article 109.)

1.20 News Releases.

News releases pertaining to this RFP and associated awards without prior written approval by the SPO are prohibited by the Contractor.

1.21 Parent Company.

If a Contractor is owned or controlled by a parent company, the name, main office address and parent company’s tax identification number shall be provided in the proposal. Note: Contractors are advised that the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) entered on the RFP Cover Sheet (page 1), and on the W-9 form submitted in its proposal, and as registered in VSS must be the same.

1.22 Certification of Independent Price Determination.

1.22.1 By submission of this proposal each Contractor certifies, and in the case of a joint proposal each party, thereto, certifies as to its own organization, that in connection with this procurement:

a) The prices in this proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Contractor or with any competitor; and

b) Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been quoted in this proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Contractor and will not knowingly be disclosed by the Contractor prior to opening, directly or indirectly to any other Contractor or to any competitor; and

c) No attempt has been made or will be made by the Contractor to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

1.22.2 Each person signing the Request for Proposal Cover Sheet of this proposal certifies that:

a) He/She is the person in the Contractor’s organization responsible for the decision as to the prices being offered herein and that he/she has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1)(a) through (1)(c) above; or

b) He/She is not the person in the Contractor’s organization responsible for the decision as to the prices being offered herein but that he/she has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1)(a) through (1)(c) above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and he has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1)(a) through (1)(c) above.

1.23 Legislative Changes.

The State reserves the right to amend the RFP and/or contract in response to Colorado legislative changes that affect this program.

1.24 Order of Precedence.

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between terms of this RFP and the offer, such conflict or inconsistency shall be resolved first, by giving effect to the terms and conditions of a resulting contract, second to the RFP, and third to the proposal. (See Sample Model Contract, Exhibit A for additional information.)

1.25 RFP Cancellation.

The State reserves the right to cancel this entire RFP or individual phases at any time, without penalty in accordance with Procurement Rule 24-103-304.

1.26 Audit.

Awarded Contractors may be required to have a process audit conducted of the program at least once every three (3) years, at the Contractor’s expense. If the Contractor has not had such an audit prior to awarding of a resulting contract, one may be required to begin within six (6) months of the award of a contract, at the Contractor’s expense. A complete copy of the audit must be provided to the State’s project manager as identified in the awarded contract within five (5) working days of its completion. The State will negotiate directly with the Contractor regarding any exceptions or findings from the audit.

1.27 Doing Business in Colorado.

The Contractor shall register with the Colorado Secretary of State in accordance with § 7-90-801, C.R.S., and must obtain and maintain a rating of “good standing” status throughout the term of an awarded contract. The link to the Colorado Secretary of State’s website is: www.sos.state.co.us . (See Sample Model Contract, Exhibit A for additional information.)

1.28 Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).

The Contractor is required to provide its FEIN to indicate its legal business identity. Contractor must complete and submit the form provided by the State, Attachment 1, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (W-9).

1.29 Vendor Disclosure Statement.

In compliance with § 24-102-206, C.R.S., Contractor Performance Outside the United States or Colorado, the Contractor is required to disclose information to the State on where services will be performed. Secondly, per HB14-1224 a Contractor claiming status as a service disabled veteran owned small business must identify itself as such and provide documentation of its certification from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Contractor must complete and submit the Vendor Disclosure Statement, Attachment 2.

1.30 Insurance.

An awarded Contractor shall obtain and maintain insurance coverage at all times during the term of a resulting contract. The Contractor must obtain and maintain liability coverages for general, automobile, and workman’s compensation, at a minimum and as identified in the Colorado Sample Model Contract, A. Note: Only the awarded Contractor is required to submit such documents to the State upon request.

1.31 Greening Requirement.

The State respects the environment and desires to do business with Contractors who share this concern. Awarded Contractors agree that reports, correspondence, or other submittals will be made on recycled paper and with copying on both sides of the pages. (Recycled paper meaning not less than 50% of the total weight consisting of secondary and post-consumer waste, and not less than 10% total weight consisting of post-consumer waste.) See Exhibit B, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy for additional information.

1.32 Public Opening of Proposals:

On the date and time shown in the “Public Opening of Proposals” above, the State Purchasing Office will conduct the public opening at the delivery location identified in Section 1.5 (Schedule of Activities) or otherwise amended on VSS. The Public Opening will disclose only the names of all Contractors who have submitted a proposal in response to the RFP by the closing deadline. Information regarding contents of proposals will be available from the State Purchasing Office following issuance of a “Notice of Intent to Award” letter.

1.33 Budget/Cost Expectations

There is no set budget for this project. Each evaluation and written executive summary report for individual local proposals will be a set fee. See Section 3.10, Payment Schedule for additional information.

1.34 RTA Payment Schedule

Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of each “Economic and Fiscal Analysis report.” Respondents may also propose a schedule for milestone payments based on work completed through the economic and fiscal evaluation process.

1.35 Points of Contact and Hours of Operation

Point of Contact: Contractor will designate a single representative to serve as the central point of contact for the State account. This person is responsible for the overall relationship between Contractor (and its subcontractors, if applicable) and the State, and may be involved in activities, such as account reviews. The Contractor shall provide contract representative’s name, title, phone number, and email address.

1.36 Administration of Resulting Contract.

Contract Term: The resulting State award from this solicitation will be a term starting on the executed contract date and ending June 30, 2015 with no renewal options.

Confidential and/or Sensitive Information: An awarded Contractor will come into contact with confidential information contained in the records and/or files of the State in the performance of its obligations under any resulting contract. Such records and information shall be kept confidential, secure and in compliance with all laws and regulations. The Contractor shall notify its employees that they are subject to the confidentiality requirements before its employee is permitted access to confidential data. The Contractor shall provide and maintain a secure environment that ensures data confidentiality. The confidentiality of all information will be respected and no confidential information shall be distributed or sold to any third party nor used by the Contractor or its assignees and/or retained in any files or otherwise by the Contractor. Disclosure of such information may be cause for legal action and defense of any such action shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

Point of Contact After Award: If awarded a contract, Contractor inquiries regarding the contract are to be directed to the Sourcing Specialist at the State Purchasing Office managing the contract. Further, questions regarding Regional Tourism Projects are to be directed to the OSPB as indicated on assigned Projects.

Section 2 – Background and Overview

2.1 Background.

The Regional Tourism Act was enacted in 2009 by the passing of Senate Bill 09-173. It was amended in 2014 by the passing of House Bill 14-1350. The following program information summarizes the purpose and process of the Regional Tourism Act.

Purpose The Regional Tourism Act creates a mechanism for a local government to undertake a regional tourism project to attract out-of-state visitors, to create a regional tourism zone in which the project will be built, and to create a regional tourism authority (or to designate other financing entities) with the power to receive and utilize the increment of revenues derived from the state sales tax collected in the zone, that is above a designated base amount, to be used to finance eligible improvements to the project.

The State’s Role The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) provides administrative support for the Colorado Economic Development Commission (EDC). The EDC has oversight authority for this program. A local community should work with OEDIT to determine application requirements and deadlines to submit completed applications for review by OEDIT. The Business Funding and Incentives Staff will facilitate the application review process, application presentation with structuring recommendations to the EDC, resolution drafting and project monitoring.

Requirements

· The EDC shall not approve any project that would likely create an annual state sales tax revenue dedication of more than $50 million to all regional tourism projects.

· The EDC cannot initially approve more than two projects. Once the EDC approves two initial projects, the EDC may approve two additional projects during the next calendar year. Once the EDC approves two additional projects, the EDC may approve two additional projects during the following calendar year.

· The EDC will:

· Review applications forwarded with OEDIT recommendations and may approve or reject the project based on a demonstration that the following criteria are materially met:

· The project is of an extraordinary/unique nature and is reasonably anticipated to contribute significantly to economic development and tourism in the state and communities where the project is located.

· The project is reasonably anticipated to result in a substantial increase in out-of-state tourism.

· A significant portion of sales tax revenue generated by the project is reasonably anticipated to be attributable to transactions with nonresidents of the zone.

· The local government has provided reliable economic data demonstrating that in the absence of state sales tax increment revenue, the project is not reasonably anticipated to be developed within the foreseeable future.

· Adopt a resolution for approved applications specifying the following:

· The local government approved to undertake a regional tourism project.

· The area of the regional tourism zone.

· Requested by the local government, authorize the creation of an authority to receive and

· spend state sales tax increment revenue.

· The percentage of the state sales tax increment revenue that will be dedicated to the

· project.

· Authorize the collection and use of the state sales tax increment revenue for a designated

· number of years.

· Authorize the utilization of the state sales tax increment revenue by the financing entity pursuant to the RTA and conditions of approval determined by the EDC.

· Appoint board members to the approved authority when applicable.

· Have the ability to revoke or modify its approval of a project if substantial work on the project does not commence within five years of approval by the EDC.

· Other terms and conditions required by the EDC.

Process A local government will need to submit a regional tourism project application to OEDIT within the application cycle deadline. OEDIT will review the application for general completeness and to make an initial determination regarding whether the application has met the general criteria for a regional tourism project. An economic review and report on the application will be completed by an independent Third Party Analyst hired by the Office of State Planning and Budgeting. Applications will be forwarded to any county or counties and adjacent municipalities where the project will be implemented for an opportunity to review the application and submit comments to the EDC within 30 days prior to the scheduled EDC meeting. The EDC will make final approval or denial determinations.

2.2 Overview

The State Purchasing Office is requesting proposals from responsible Contractors to establish a contract with a qualified Contractor (Third Party Analyst) with expertise in the field of economic and financial analysis. By using the information submitted by applicants, along with additional data/resources deemed necessary (by the Contractor), the Contractor shall perform economic and financial evaluations for each proposed regional tourism project. The Contractor shall provide a report of this analysis including an executive summary for its recommendations for each proposal evaluated. The Contractor’s analysis will be used by the commission in determining the sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to a proposed regional tourism project.

The State may award all or part of this RFP based on the best interests of the State and reserves the right to award to multiple Contractors. To maximize chances of success in this process, Contractors are encouraged to provide an aggressive response to this RFP.

Section 3 - Statement of Work

3.1 Required Economic and Financial Evaluations

3.1.1 The Awarded Contractor shall be responsible for the following activities, including but not limited to the required services as follows.

a) Contractor will review the Regional Tourism Act application and verify/modify the basic development and economic/fiscal assumptions and estimates needed to evaluate the proposal. Contractor will summarize the development project, identifying the development project in size and average market sales and lease values by annual increment. Contractor will make any additions and modifications needed regarding market values and absorption needed, along with estimates of construction costs and land values.

b) Contractor will evaluate the overall viability (likelihood of success) of the proposed project(s). This component should be directly linked to net new economic activity associated with the project.

c) Contractor will calculate basic inputs for fiscal and economic evaluations such as direct employment, households, and population generated by the proposed development.

d) Contractor shall apply property tax assessment rates for residential and commercial property consistent with the Gallagher Amendment and should be calculated using appropriate mill levies. Contractor will review any suggested modifications in development value and timing with OEDIT staff.

e) Contractor will evaluate data provided by the applicant to verify and/or modify assumptions regarding new out-of-state visitation and spending levels. Market analysis techniques may vary depending on the type of project proposed.

f) Contractor will perform a competitive analysis of the project to determine if there are similar facilities existing in the state from which market share would be cannibalized. Based on visitation and sales levels at competitive facilities, or other estimates of demand, Contractor will estimate the range of expected net new activity. Contractor will expand the competitive analysis, as needed, to the broader Rocky Mountain region and national markets to evaluate the level of market competition and a reasonable market share for the proposed facility to determine overall project viability.

g) Contractor will construct a model to estimate the resulting annual City, County, and State sales taxes from the development forecasts and new sales tax activity. Tax revenues used will include taxes on construction as well as ongoing revenues from onsite retail and employment uses. Sales tax revenue shall be calculated on an annual fiscal year basis for the forecast period.

h) Contractor will review the applicant’s proposal to assess the probability of the proposed project moving forward without funding from tax increment financing.

i) Contractor will quantify the net new economic benefits of the project to the State in terms of new job creation, economic activity, and revenues. One-time impacts from construction should be identified separately from the ongoing net-impacts of operating the project. Benefits should include direct, indirect, and induced impacts at the State level.

j) Contractor will conduct a State fiscal impact analysis. This analysis should estimate the net impact of the project based on revenues generated, state tax revenue pledged to the project, and the costs to the state of providing other services for the project. Contractor will use the baseline growth rate estimated by OSPB and OEDIT in their assumptions for the fiscal analysis. A further State fiscal impact analysis should estimate the impact of the project on the broader state budgeting framework. This may include other state government costs and revenues, such the impact on K-12 education, and Colorado State Patrol.

k) Contractor will conduct two formal face-to-face meetings with each applicant during its review period in order to better understand issues and assumptions associated with each project. Outside of these two meetings, Contractor should also engage with the applicant’s experts who may have sector specific knowledge regarding the project’s elements.

l) Based on its fiscal analysis, the Contractor shall calculate the cumulative dollar amount and percentage of sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to the regional tourism project. In addition, the Contractor shall calculate the amount and percentage of the total regional tourism zone sales tax increment revenue that each county and municipality included in a multi-party application is eligible to receive.

m) Contractor will hold a workshop with EDC to explain key assumptions and logic in their recommendations. EDC will prepare takeaway questions after the initial workshop, for which the Contractor will prepare answers and address at a follow-up meeting with EDC.

n) As per §24-46-303, Contractor’s fiscal analysis will be used as a base for the EDC’s final determination of the cumulative dollar amount and percentage of sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to the selected regional tourism project.

3.2 Third Party Analyst(s) Deliverables for Regional Tourism Projects

If awarded a contract describe and/or demonstrate how your Regional tourism Project deliverable meets these components.

a) Prepare an economic and financial analysis report for each submitted local regional tourism project proposal. Contractor reports shall be provided to the OSPB Program Manager as an electronic file on a CD in a format that is compatible with OEDIT software applications (such as WORD, Excel, etc.). The report is to be titled “Economic and Financial Analysis Report” for each evaluated local proposal and contains the jurisdiction’s name. These reports shall not be given directly to applicants for any reason without prior written approval from the OSPB Program Manager. Each summary explanation of the proposed specific regional tourism project must be included at the beginning of each evaluation as an Executive Summary portion, along with a summary section denoting the Contractor’s final bottom line fiscal impact to the State, by fiscal year, and cumulative dollar amount and percentage of sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to the regional tourism project.

I. An economic evaluation that includes jobs and wage analysis (in response to Section 3.1.1 i above), a summary of the Contractor’s assumptions, and a detailed explanation of the methodology (including calculations) used to derive the Contractor’s final conclusions;

II. A financial evaluation that includes net State sales taxes generated from the proposed project, the net impact to State income tax collections (both individual and corporate), and the net impact to State expenditures as a result of the proposed project (in response to Sections 3.1.1 g and 3.1.1 j above). The evaluation must also include an estimate of the total cumulative dollar amount and percentage of the state sales tax increment revenue that can be dedicated to the regional tourism project (in response to Section 3.1.1 l). The Contractor must also include a summary of all assumptions and a detailed explanation of the methodology (including calculations) used to derive the Contractor’s final conclusions.

III. A summary of the net fiscal impact to the State that is a result of the out-of-state tourism (in response to Section 3.1.1 j above). The summary shall include an explanation of the assumptions used to estimate the in-state versus out-of-state fiscal impact, detailed calculations, and the net fiscal impact from out-of-state tourism by fiscal year.

IV. Detailed assumptions and calculations must accompany each analysis of fiscal impact to the State. Tables and supportive text must assist the reader through each calculation. All independent variables must be sourced.

b) Upon completion of the analysis of all project proposals in the initial round, the contractor shall produce a single, summary document, the “Projects Summary Report”, providing a summary of all regional tourism project proposals with briefly stated impacts for each regional tourism project reviewed.

3.3 Regional Tourism Project Process & Schedule of Activities

Indicate in your response compliance to this timeline and activities:

a. The Contractor shall review the regional tourism project applications received from OSPB in electronic format. The actual number of applications is difficult to project as it is unknown how many jurisdictions have interest; however, it is anticipated to be approximately 6-10 initial applications.

b. The Contractor shall, within 90 calendar days of receipt of application material from OSPB, complete its analysis of economic and financial impacts for each regional tourism proposal and provide a final report, “Economic and Financial Analysis Report,” to the OSPB Program Manager via electronic format (Microsoft Word preferred). During this period, Contractor shall conduct two face-to-face meetings with each applicant before submission of the final report.

c. OSPB will review the reports and provide feedback to the Contractor regarding the satisfactory completion of all required components (as outlined in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 above) within fifteen (15) calendar days of a receipt of a report from the Contractor. If necessary, additional work may be required of the Contractor prior to further determination by OSPB. If additional work is necessary, the Contractor will have ten (10) calendar days to make revisions to address OSPB concerns.

d. The OSPB will notify the Contractor of its acceptance of the Contractor’s initial report as satisfactorily completed. Final payment to the Contractor will be released at that time.

e. The OSPB will release the report findings to the applicant. If the local applicant is in agreement with the report findings, the applicant may formally submit its completed application (along with the Contractor’s report) to OEDIT for consideration. However, if the applicant is dissatisfied with the report, the applicant may make revisions to its regional tourism project proposal and request one additional review of its revised proposal. The applicant will have eleven (11) calendar days to make this determination and submit a report revision request to OSPB.

f. The OSPB will send to the Contractor the applicant’s revised application for a second review. The Contractor will have fifteen (15) calendar days to make revisions to its previously submitted analysis report to account for revisions made by the applicant. The Contractor shall complete its analysis of economic and financial impacts and submit a final report, “Economic and Financial Analysis Report”, to the OSPB Program Manager via CD.

g. The OSPB will, within one (1) calendar day of receipt of a revised analysis report from the Contractor, review the report and provide feedback to the Contractor regarding the satisfactory completion of all required components (as outlined in Section 3.1 above). If necessary, the OSPB may require additional work of the Contractor prior to a further determination by OSPB. The Contractor will have three (3) calendar days from the date of identification to make revisions and submit a revised analysis report to OSPB if necessary.

h. Upon determination by OSPB, the Contractor’s revised analysis will be considered final and the report will again be shared with the applicant. The OSPB will notify the Contractor of its acceptance of the revised “Economic and Financial Analysis Report” as satisfactorily completed. Payment to the Contractor will be released at that time.

i. Upon completion of analysis of all project proposals, the Contractor shall produce a single, summary document, the “Projects Summary Report”, providing a summary of all regional tourism project proposals and contains briefly stated impacts for each regional tourism project reviewed.

j. Contractor will hold a workshop with the EDC to explain key assumptions and logic contained in the “Economic and Financial Analysis Report.” At this time, EDC may provide takeaway questions for the Contractor based on its analysis. Six (6) calendar days following the workshop, the Contractor will hold an additional meeting with the EDC to provide answers to EDC’s follow-up questions.

3.4 Administrative Progress Report

The purpose of the reports from the Contractor is to provide a status of the project’s progress to the OSPB. It is imperative that the awarded Contractor of this RFP understands that all reports are essential and the Contractor agrees to cooperate fully in meeting any report deadlines that OSPB requires.

The Work Status Report: will consist of a narrative in a Microsoft alterable format describing highlights, concerns, and progress of the proposal workload in a template provided by the OSPB. Delivery is required on the 20th day and the 40th day of the start of the proposal analysis to be sent via email.

3.5 Transition and Handoff to OSPB

Activities within this area shall include, but may not be limited to, integration of electronic data into OSPB/OEDIT software and the delivery of any hardcopy documents to OSPB. Note: All materials developed by the Contractor for this RFP are the property of the State and the release of any portion thereof for any other purpose is through written approval of OSPB management.

3.8 Cost Proposal – Pricing.

Submit Pricing separately from the Technical Proposal portion, refer to Section 4.3. Proposals submitted will be valid for and pricing held for the first 12 months of a resulting award. Pricing must include all delivery service costs associated with the product. Estimated proposal prices are not acceptable and pricing must be in United States funds. Any costs not included as part of the proposal will be disallowed.

Price Changes: Contractor may not increase pricing during the Term of this contract, decreases are accepted.

3.11 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing.

Contractors are to review the State’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Policy, Exhibit B. The Contractor is expected to provide a solution that supports the State’s EPP Policy, identifies and provides Green products in addition to its standard inventory. “Green” is determined by third party certification or registration (no self-certification), such as industry accepted entities like Energy Star, LEED, EPA, Green Seal, etc. The Contractor shall describe in detail how its company supports the State’s EPP Policy. If applicable, narrate ability to identify comparable Green products when ordering on-line and in-store. Proposals will be evaluated based on Contractor’s ability to support the State’s EPP Policy.

3.12 Statement of Work Modifications

The OSPB reserves the right to make minor changes in scope, within the Statement of Work of this RFP, through a Contract Amendment by mutual agreement with Awarded Contractor.

Section 4 – Response Format & Proposal Instructions

4.1 General Submission Instructions.

Required Proposal Response Elements

a) A response in detail to the scope of work in Section 3 above.

· Describe how your company will manage this project. Emphasize the Contractor’s experience, qualifications, and key personnel, and the extent to which the qualifications, experience, and past performance are likely to foster successful, on-time performance, etc.

· Include an anticipated timeline for initial review of applicant project proposals (assume 6 to 10 evaluations).

· Include current resources at your company’s disposal, broken down by number and various levels of expertise, to achieve the above timeline

· Include detail regarding how resources would be structured to ensure achievement of the final desired outcome, including education, analysis, report production, and review processes. Consider multiple evaluations and potential revisions would need to be performed simultaneously to meet required timelines.

· Identify key management and economist personnel who will be assigned to the project and describe their experience. Explain how you will ensure that equally qualified persons are assigned to the project if these lead individuals leave the project. The State expects that the awarded Contractor will continue to make the key project personnel available through the life of the contract as long as they remain in the Contractor’s employ. The State reserves the right of acceptance for any replacement personnel in these key positions.

· Describe the review mechanisms that would be implemented to ensure appropriate review of each regional tourism project evaluation, including review of junior staff assigned to work on sections of the evaluation, as well as the overall anticipated quality control process.

· Describe how you would handle potential conflicts of interest if you currently know or learn later of a prior relationship/interaction with the applicant, the regional tourism project entity or related representatives in various capabilities.

Company Experience and Demonstrated Capacity

· The Contractor is to demonstrate proficient skills to perform all aspects of the Statement of Work by providing detailed explanation of past experience as a business company (or as a sole proprietor, if applicable) and employee credentials. When providing the resumes of its company’s staff that will provide the services addressed in this RFP, emphasize their credentials relevant to this RFP. The State may require additional information of the apparent successful Contractor to determine their ability to perform. The Contractor is to provide at least three (3) and no more than five (5) business references that support the Contractor’s proposal relating to the minimum qualification skills above. Provide the principal contact and the telephone number, as well as a brief description of work performed for each. Include the timeframe for the work performed.

· The Contractor shall submit evidence of recent projects it has completed that are similar in size, scope and type (services and/or goods delivered) as that described in the RFP. Recent projects are defined as projects that have been completed within the past six (6) years. If the Contractor has completed more than five (5) projects during this time period, submit the most similar projects. The purpose of this section is to provide the State the ability to assess the Contractor’s prior record and experience in providing similar or relevant services to other companies and organizations.

· The descriptions of these projects shall be detailed and comprehensive enough to enable the State to assess the similarity of those projects to the work anticipated in the award of the contract resulting from this procurement. The State’s determination of the similarity of the project references to the project specified in the RFP shall be final.

· For this RFP, please submit evidence of completed Company Experience and Demonstrated Capability for three (3) projects completed within the past six (6) years. In this component, describe your firm’s experience with similar projects for the most closely related projects, and outline the type of economic and financial evaluations…