RFP SRC-011-031226 STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

“STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

CONSULTING SERVICES”

Bid #SGR-011-031226

For

February 19, 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES

RFP # SGR-011-031226

COVER PAGE

TABLE of CONTENTS 1

Introduction 2

Section I General Terms and Conditions 3-5

Section II Required Qualifications 6-7

Section III Format for Responses 8-9

Section IV Timetable for the RFP Process 10

Section V Non-Collusion Affidavit 11

Section VI Method of Evaluation and Selection

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INTRODUCTION

It is the intent of the City of Torrington ("City") by issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to secure lobbying services for the City of Torrington before the Connecticut General Assembly and Connecticut State agencies for a period of one fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, plus two (2) one-year options, one year at a time, in 2027 and 2028, that may be exercised by the City.

The lobbying firm(s) shall prepare correspondence and testimony, make appointments, monitor legislative activity, and communicate effectively with State legislators, General Assembly staff, City representatives, and the City delegation and their staff, as well as political entities who share specific interests with the City of Torrington. These activities shall be conducted in furtherance of the City's legislative and executive agendas. The lobbying firm(s) shall also provide the City with monthly status reports concerning its activities on behalf of the City.

By this RFP, the City seeks to identify and select a lobbying firm(s) that will be fully and solely responsible for the performance of all activities provided in connection with this engagement regardless of political parties, districts, legislative Committees or Subcommittees, or individuals contacted or lobbied in connection with this engagement. The successful firm(s) must commit to representing the City at all times with decorum and integrity.

Any questions or requests for additional information should be addressed, in writing, to Pennie Zucco, Purchasing Agent via mail to the address above or via email at pennie_zucco@torringtonct.org no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2026 by 4:00 PM.

All responses must be received by no later than 11:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2026. The City will thoroughly review all responses and, as described in this RFP, the City will identify Respondents that it deems to be the most responsible and qualified as is described in the “Method of Evaluation and Selection” section of this RFP.

There will not be a public opening of this Bid

The City of Torrington reserves the right to award or reject any or all bids, or any portion thereof, to waive technicalities, to award the contract to a bidder other than the lowest bid and to award the bid and/or contracts to one or more bidders submitting essentially identical proposals and, that in the city’s judgment will best serve public interest.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

MBE’S WBE’S AND SBE’S ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

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Section I General Terms and Conditions RFP # SGR-011-031226

1. Due Date and Delivery

One (1) original (clearly identified as such) and three (3) exact paper copies of the proposal, must be received at the following address no later than 11:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2026: Pennie Zucco, Purchasing Agent, City of Torrington, 140 Main Street, Room 206, Torrington, CT 06790

Please allow ample time for receipt of responses. Responses received after this time will not be accepted or recognized. Postmarks do not determine actual receipt.

2. Additional Information

Any questions or requests for additional information should be addressed, in writing, to Pennie Zucco, Purchasing Agent via mail to the address above or via email at pennie_zucco@torringtonct.org no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2026 by 4:00 PM.

Reasonable requests will receive expeditious response. Requests for additional information or interpretations must be received by the RFP deadline of March 3, 2026 by 4:00 PM as described in the timetable. Interpretations, corrections and changes to this RFP will be made by Addendum issued by the City. Interpretations, corrections and changes of the RFP made in any manner other than by such an Addendum will not be binding, and Respondents shall not rely upon them.

Addendum will be issued no later than the Addendum Close Date, as described in the timetable.

Addendum will be provided to all prospective Respondents that inform the City in writing of its desire to receive Addendum.

INDEMNIFICATION

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Bidder shall indemnify and hold harmless the City and their respective consultants, agents, and employees from and against all claims, damages, losses and expenses, direct, indirect or consequential (including but not limited to fees and charges of attorneys and other professionals and court and arbitration costs) arising out of or resulting from the performance of the Firm’s work, provided that such claim, damage, loss or expense is caused in whole or in part by any negligent act or omission by the Firm, or breach of its obligations herein or by any person or organization directly or indirectly employed or engaged by the Firm to perform or furnish services, or anyone for whose acts the Firm may be liable, regardless of whether or not it is caused in part by a party indemnified hereunder.

As to any and all claims against the City or any of its consultants, agents or employees by any employee of Firm, by any person or organization directly or indirectly employed by Firm to perform or furnish any of the work, or by anyone for whose acts Firm may be liable, the indemnification obligation under this section shall not be limited in any way by any limitation on the amount of type of damages, compensation or benefits payable by or for Firm under worker’s or workman’s compensation acts, disability benefit acts or other employee benefit acts.

The City of Torrington reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal to best serve its interest or to hold the proposals for 90 days before decision.

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The City of Torrington reserves the right to make an award based solely on the proposals or to negotiate further with one or more respondent.

Acceptance of any firm’s response does not place the City of Torrington under any obligation to accept the lowest priced response.

Any costs and expenses incurred by proposers in preparing or submitting proposals are the sole responsibility of the proposer.

Any contract resulting from this RFP process will represent the entire agreement between the proposer and the City and will supersede all prior negotiations, representations or agreements, alleged or made, between the parties. The City shall assume no liability for payment of services under the terms of the contract or purchase order until the successful proposer is notified that the contract or purchase order has been accepted and approved by the City. Any contract resulting from this RFP may be amended only by means of a written instrument signed by the proposer and signed by the Mayor.

COLLUSION:

By responding, the firm implicitly states that the proposal is not made in connection with any competing firm submitting a separate response to the RFP, and is in all respect fair and without collusion or fraud. It is further implied that the firm did not participate in the RFP development process, had no knowledge of the specific contents of the RFP prior to its issuance, and that no employee of the City participated directly or indirectly in the firm’s proposal preparation. The respondent shall be required to complete and submit the Non-collusive Statement incorporated herein with their proposal.

NON-DISCRIMINATION:

The respondent agrees and warrants that in the performance of the contract pursuant to this solicitation he/she will not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons on the grounds of sex, race, color, religion, age, marital status, ancestry, national origin, past history of mental disorder, mental retardation or physical disability or other basis in any manner prohibited by the laws of the United States, the State of Connecticut or the City of Torrington.

WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL:

Proposals may be withdrawn at any time prior to the proposal date. No firm shall withdraw or cancel their proposal for a period of ninety (90) days after the proposal closing date of 11:00 AM, Thursday, March 12, 2026. The successful respondent shall not withdraw, cancel or modify their proposal.

INSURANCE

Certificate of Insurance: All insurance policies must include a Waiver of Subrogation whereby the insured waives its right to subrogate against the City, its subsidiaries, employees, volunteers, directors and officers. Proof of proper insurance coverage, Workers Compensation Insurance, Liability and Property damage, and Vehicle Insurance shall be filed with the City of Torrington Purchasing Agent within 10 days after the award of the bid. The Certificate of Insurance must name the City of Torrington, 140 Main St., Torrington, CT, its subsidiaries, employees, volunteers, directors & officers as the “Additional Insured” and filed with the Purchasing Agent prior to commencement of work.

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Renewal Certificates of Insurance must be mailed to the Purchasing Agent 10 days prior to the expiration of the required coverage.

NONAPPROPRIATION:

All funds for payment by the City under this contract are subject to the availability of an annual appropriation for this purpose by the City. In the event of non-appropriation of funds by the City Council of the City of Torrington for the goods or services provided under the contract, the City will terminate the contract, without termination charge or other liability, on the last day of the then-current fiscal year or when the appropriation made for the then-current year for the goods or services covered by this contract is spent, whichever event occurs first. If at any time funds are not appropriated for the continuance of this contract, cancellation shall be accepted by the Seller on thirty (30) days prior written notice, but failure to give such notice shall be of no effect and the City shall not be obligated under this contract beyond the date of termination.

FEDERAL PROCUREMENT: Any procurement made pursuant to a federal award or subject to reimbursement, in whole or in part, with federal funds must comply with the City of Torrington’s purchasing procedures, State law and the applicable Federal Procurement Requirements, including 2 CFR § 200.322 ("Procurement of recovered materials"), 2 CFR § 200.323 ("Contract cost and price"), 2 CFR § 200.324 ("Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity review"), 2 CFR § 200.325 ("Bonding requirements"), and 2 CFR § 200.326 ("Contract provisions"). In the event of any conflict between Town, State, or federal requirements, the most stringent requirements must be used (See 2 CFR § 200.318.) City employees must comply with funding agency requests for review of technical specifications or procurement documents as provided in 2 CFR § 200.324.

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Section II Required Qualifications RFP # SGR-011-031226

1. The lobbying firm(s) must have successful experience as a lobbyist for municipalities or other organizations of a similar size or with similar needs as the City. The lobbying firm(s) and its representatives must have knowledge of the inner workings and regulatory requirements of a Connecticut municipality.

2. The lobbying firm(s) and its representatives must have knowledge of legislative Committees, Subcommittees and leadership by topical area.

3. In addition, the lobbying firm(s) must be highly effective in both verbal and written communication with the City's legislative delegation, State legislators, General Assembly and their staffs, and administrative personnel in State departments and commissions.

4. The lobbying firm(s) shall provide sufficient documentation that they are qualified to represent the City of Torrington in the manner providing the City with the maximum opportunity to advance its agenda.

5. The lobbying firm(s) shall identify topics and areas of legislative or administrative activity to the

Torrington delegation, relevant committee chairs and membership, and City administration officials.

6. The lobbying firm(s) shall strongly advocate positions on behalf of the City.

7. The lobbying firm(s) shall prepare correspondence and testimony.

8. The lobbying firm(s) shall meet with legislators and staff, and facilitate such meetings for City officials.

9. The lobbying firm(s) shall monitor legislative activity.

10. The lobbying firm(s) shall recommend actions to be taken by the City.

11. The lobbying firm(s) shall perform follow up with groups supporting Torrington municipal interests.

12. The lobbying firm(s) shall undertake other advocacy activities as necessary in consultation with the City and its delegation.

13. Meet with State administrative staff and facilitate such meetings for City officials.

14. All proposals in response to this RFP are to be the sole property of the City. Proposers are encouraged not to include in their proposals any information which is proprietary. All materials associated with this procurement process are subject to the terms of state laws defining freedom of information and privacy and all rules, regulations and interpretations resulting from those laws.

15. Any product, whether acceptable or unacceptable, developed under a contract awarded as a result of the RFP is to be the sole property of the City.

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16. Oral Agreements - Any alleged oral agreement or arrangement made by a respondent with any agency or employee will be superseded by the written agreement.

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Section III Format for Responses RFP # SGR-011-031226 Responses to this RFP should be in the following format:

1. Instructions

The City of Torrington requests that all responding lobbying firms follow the guidelines below. Each copy of the submission shall contain the following sections:

Section 1 A Letter of Interest Section 2 Technical Response/Corporate Experience and Capacity Section 3 Committed Staff and Project Organization Section 4 References Section 5 Fee Proposal

2. Letter of Interest

The cover letter must specify the following:

• The name and address of the proposer.

• The name, title, e-mail address and telephone number of the individual whom the City of

Torrington should contact regarding questions and clarifications.

• Expression of Interest Statement.

• Certification that the firm will meet the primary qualifications identified in Section 2 of this

RFP.

3. Technical Response Format/Corporate Experience and Capacity

The lobbying firm(s) shall include detailed information regarding previous projects, similar in nature and complexity to that required by the City of Torrington, where lobbying services were performed successfully.

The lobbying firm(s) shall provide a list of evidence that its work has been successfully utilized on work of similar scope to that reflected in this RFP. The list is not limited, but must include the following:

• Project name/type.

• Type of state outcome required.

• Person in the lobbying firm responsible.

• Activities undertaken.

• Results achieved.

• Timeframe for achieving results.

4. Committed Staff and Project Organization

Project Management Plan and Organization: The lobbying firm(s) shall submit an organizational chart including all key personnel who will be responsible for implementing services to the City of Torrington.

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Project Manager and Technical Staff Skills and Experience: A detailed resume must be included for each individual who will be assigned or committed to working with the City of Torrington. Resumes should highlight similar projects the individual has worked on and approximately when the work was performed.

5. References

The lobbying firm(s) must indicate which projects listed above the City may call for references, and include contact information.

6. Fee Proposal

The lobbying firm(s) must include a lump sum fee proposal for services for July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027; and then one for each of the two following fiscal years (FY 27/28 and FY 2 8 / 2 9 ) in order to conduct Torrington lobbying efforts at the Connecticut General Assembly (including budget acts, bonding, tax and implementer acts at a minimum), as well as any necessary administrative action with State Departments. No hourly fee or cost plus expenses method of presentation will be accepted. The City will identify the most qualified and responsible Respondents in the manner described in this RFP.

Additional Information

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this RFP, the City reserves the right to withdraw this RFP; to find that any or all of the Respondents are not qualified to provide the services;

to reject any or all Reponses, in whole or in part; to refrain from awarding any contract for services;

and/or to exclude any or all Respondents from inclusion in any Request for Proposals, or any other form of solicitation for the provision of the services. Any contract to be awarded to a qualified lobbying firm(s) to represent Torrington is contingent upon the annual availability of funds to the City of Torrington.

The City reserves the right to accept modifications and clarifications of the responses when The City determines such action would be in the best interest of the City. The City further reserves the right to waive any non-conformity in a response.

Information and data provided in this RFP have been compiled with the greatest care and attention to accuracy. However, the data has not been audited or verified and the City cannot, and does not, warrant the accuracy of all the information provided in this RFP.

The City prohibits harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, sex, ancestry, sexual orientation, or past or present physical or mental disability in accordance with Titles VI, VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1973; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991; and applicable state laws.

The City will contractually reserve the right to cancel the contract at any time.

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Section IV Timetable for the RFP Process RFP # SGR-011-031226

The City anticipates proceeding in a manner consistent with the following timetable. This timetable is subject to change at The City's sole discretion.

RFP advertised: February 21, 2026

Last Date to Receive Questions/ Requests for Information:

(The “RFI Due Date”) March 3, 2026 by 4:00 PM

Answers/Addenda issued through:

(The “Addenda Close Date”) March 5, 2026

Response Deadline: March 12, 2026, 11:00 AM

Engagement Awarded: TBD

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Section V Non-Collusion Statement

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CITY OF TORRINGTON

STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CONSULTING SERVICES

RFP # SGR-011-031226

The company submitting this proposal certifies that it is being submitted without any collusion, communication or agreement as to any matter relating to it with any other respondent or competitor.

We understand that this proposal must be signed by an authorized agent of our company to constitute a valid proposal.

Name and Address of Firm:

Name, Title and Contact Information (phone, fax, email) of Authorized Representative:

Signature of Authorized Representative:

Federal Tax Identification Number: (FEIN) ___________________________

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Section VI Method of Evaluation and Selection RFP # SGR-011-031226

1. Responses will be opened in private, on the Response Deadline (as defined in this RFP).

2. Responses will first be evaluated to determine the experience and qualification of the firm(s) and individuals who would be representing the City.

3. Responses from Respondents thus qualified will then be reviewed and evaluated. The City will be looking for comprehensive responses to items outlined in the Preliminary Scope of Services section of this RFP.

4. To the extent the City deems necessary, the City will invite Respondents to an interview (the “Qualification Interview”). The outcomes and impressions of any such interview, and any modifications or clarifications of a Response resulting from the same, may be considered by the City in the evaluation of Responses. Respondents should expect to have key members of their team who will handle proposed projects available and present at these interviews.

5. The City, after deliberations, may elect to award to one or more of the interviewed respondents as the City’s contracted State lobbyist(s) as deemed to be in its best interest.

Section IV Timetable for the RFP Process RFP # SGR-011-031226