RFQP_-_2025_Lobbying_Services.pdf

For more information, please visit our online supplier portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofjackson

CITY OF JACKSON

2025-CITY MANAGER-049

RFQP - 2025 LOBBYING SERVICES

RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2025

RESPONSE DEADLINE: May 22, 2025, 11:00 am

Please refer to the project timeline in this document for all important deadlines.

Request For Qualification #2025-CITY MANAGER-049 Title: RFQP - 2025 Lobbying Services

Table Of Contents

1. Instructions to Consultants

2. General Information

3. Scope of Work

4. Criteria for Selection

5. Cost Proposal

6. Vendor Questionnaire

Attachments:

A - Figure_A_Summary_-_LOBBYING_SERVICES_QUALIFIED_PERSONNEL

Instructions to Consultants

1. REQUIRED TIME FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

Submit Electronic Responses via the e-Procurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofjackson by Thursday, May 22, 2025, Thursday, May 22, 2025. Any proposals received after this time will not be reviewed or considered by the City.

2. INTERPRETATIONS FOR ADDENDA

No oral interpretation will be made to any Consultant as to the meaning of the Document or any part thereof. Consultant shall submit all inquiries regarding this solicitation via the e-Procurement Portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofjackson. Please note the deadline for submitting inquiries. All answers to inquiries will be posted on the e-Procurement Portal. Bidders may also click “Follow” on this bid to receive an email notification when answers are posted. It is the responsibility of the bidder to check the website for answers to inquiries.

Any interpretation made to a Consultant shall be in the form of an Addendum to the Documents and, when issued, will be on the e-Procurement Portal at least five (5) calendar days before the proposals are opened. All such Addenda shall become part of the Contract Documents and all Consultants shall be bound by such Addenda, whether or not received by the Consultant.

3. PROPOSALS

A. All QUALIFICATION PROPOSALS must be submitted following format supplied by the City using figures attached (when provided) and shall be subject to all requirements including the

INSTRUCTION TO CONSULTANTS and QUALIFICATION PROPOSAL. All proposals must be regular in every respect and no interlineations, excisions, or special conditions shall be made or included in the format by the Consultant.

B. The City of Jackson may consider as irregular any proposal on which there is an alteration of or departure from this format, and at its option may reject the same.

C. Each Consultant shall include in its COST PROPOSAL, in the format requested thereof, the cost of performing the work. The prices set forth in the proposal by the Consultant shall remain effective for 90 days from the time proposals are opened.

4. ECONOMY OF PREPARATION

Each Proposal should be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward concise description of the Consultant's ability to meet the requirements of the RFQP. Emphasis should be on the completeness and clarity of the content.

5. SUBCONTRACT AGREEMENTS

Before executing any subcontract, the successful Consultant shall submit the name of any proposed subcontractor for prior approval.

6. CORRECTIONS

Consultants may select "unsubmit" their proposal anytime before the bid deadline to make any necessary corrections.

7. TIME FOR RECEIVING PROPOSALS

Proposals may be received up to but not later than 11:00 am, Thursday, May 22, 2025 via the e-

Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofjackson. The e-

Procurement Portal Clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times.

Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The City of Jackson strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.

8. OPENING PROPOSALS

The City of Jackson will open every eligible responsive qualification proposal received within the time set for receiving proposals. Cost proposals will only be opened for those Consultants who have deemed most qualified based on their qualifications proposal.

9. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be withdrawn on the e-Procurement Portal anytime prior to the time fixed for opening.

10. AWARD OF CONTRACTS / REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

A. The City of Jackson reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any irregularity in proposals received whenever such rejection or waiver is in its best interests. The

Consultant to whom the Award is made will be notified at the earliest possible date.

B. The City of Jackson reserves the right to consider as unqualified to perform the Contract any

Consultant who does not habitually perform with its own forces at least fifty (50%) of the work involved.

11. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Attention of Consultants is particularly called to the requirements for ensuring that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated on any illegal basis including race, national origin, color, religion, age, sex, height, weight, marital status, and physical or mental handicap as required by the City of Jackson's Ordinance Chapter 15-3.

12. DEFAULT TO CITY

It is understood that any Consultant who is in default to the City at the time of opening the proposal shall have the proposal declared null and void.

13. SIGNATURES

All proposal notifications, claims and statements must be signed as following:

A. CORPORATIONS: Signature of official shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the individual signing to bind the corporation.

Each signature must be witnessed and notarized.

B. PARTNERSHIPS: Signatures of one partner shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the

Power of Attorney authorizing the signing to bind all partners. If the proposal is signed by all partners no authorization is needed. Each signature must be witnessed and notarized.

INDIVIDUAL: No authorization is needed, but signature must be witnessed and notarized

14. TAX LIABILITY

When the terms of this contract involve the lease of property, real or personal, to the City, it is understood that the Lessor shall be solely responsible for the payment of all taxes of any nature whatsoever that accrue on the property during the term of the lease. Sales Tax and Use Tax are applicable in this contract and are the sole responsibility of the Provider of services.

15. CITY ORDINANCE AND CHARTER REFERENCES

All City of Jackson Policies, Ordinances and Charter Sections applicable to this RFQP are available at the Jackson City Clerk's office for the Consultant's inspection and review, and the Consultant understands that it is its sole responsibility to understand and fully comply with all applicable City of

Jackson Policies, Ordinances and Charter sections.

16. NOT TO EXCEED OR NON-APPROPRIATION

The Consultant hereby recognizes that the City is a political body corporate, and that in the event the

City fails to appropriate monies sufficient enough to pay its obligations herein, that the City may terminate this agreement without incurring any liability thereof.

17. INCURRING COST

The City shall not be liable for any costs, including any travel, incurred by the Consultant prior to award of contract. The City does not intend to pay for any information obtained from the RFQP, though such may be utilized in determining the award.

18. NO THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS

It is agreed and understood that the contract is made solely for the benefit of the City and the

Provider of Services; that it is not made for the benefit of any third party; and that no action or defense may be founded upon this contract except by the parties signatory hereto.

19. ORAL PRESENTATION

Those Consultants deemed most qualified based on their qualifications proposal may be required to make an oral presentation of their proposal to the City of Jackson. These presentations will provide an opportunity for the Consultant to clarify his proposal to ensure mutual understanding of its contents. The City of Jackson will schedule any such presentations.

20. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL CONTENT

The contents of the proposal of the successful Consultant will become contractual obligations, if a contract is issued. Failure of the successful Consultant to accept these obligations will result in cancellation of the award.

21. NEWS RELEASES

News releases pertaining to this request or the work to which it relates will not be made without prior written approval of the Issuing Office.

General Information

1. INTRODUCTION

Sealed proposals for RFQP-2025 Lobbying Services will be received by the City of Jackson

Purchasing Coordinator, Kari Kerstetter, via the City of Jackson e-Procurement Portal, https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofjackson. The City of Jackson (the “City”) is seeking a qualified, experienced, professional lobbying firm to provide representation and advocacy services at the State/Federal level for governmental affairs.

The City of Jackson e-Procurement Portal provides instructions and specifications, and all questions must be submitted via the Question & Answer section of this RFQP.

2. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. Letter of Interest – A brief cover letter summarizing the firm’s interest and qualifications

B. Firm Overview – A description of the firm, including history, key personnel, areas of expertise, and financial capacity to perform these services

C. Experience & References – Examples of past successes in lobbying for municipal or public sector clients, including complete contact information for references

D. Proposed Approach – A summary of how the firm plans to represent and advocate for the

City

E. Key Personnel – Resumes of individuals who will be assigned to the City’s account

F. Fee Structure – A proposed all-inclusive compensation structure for services including retainer fees, overhead, and any additional costs in accordance with the requirements set forth in this RFQP

G. Compliance Statement – Affirmation of compliance with all applicable laws and disclosure requirements

Submission of qualifications does not guarantee an interview or contract award

3. TERM OF CONTRACT

Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFQP shall enter into a formal agreement with the City. This agreement is subject to: one year with three (3) 1-year renewal options upon mutual agreement. The

City of Jackson reserves the right to cancel this RFQP at any time, without penalty.

Scope of Work

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES & EXPECTATIONS OF SELECTED FIRM

• Represent and advocate on behalf of the City with Congress, and Federal/State

Administrations regarding but not limited to, Streets, Urban Development, Economic, Environmental, and Transportation to pursue funding opportunities including grants and appropriations.

• Engage with elected officials, agency representatives, and stakeholders to advocate for the

City’s priorities.

• Coordinate advocacy efforts with relevant associations and coalitions.

• Organize meetings and events with key decision-makers on behalf of the City.

• Monitor, analyze and report on legislative and regulatory activities that impact the City.

• Provide regular updates, reports, and recommendations to City Leadership.

• Assist in drafting legislative proposals, position papers, grant submissions, and testimony to develop and implement strategies to advance the City’s legislative agenda.

2. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Interested firms must demonstrate, including verification of expertise and experience with municipalities with a similar scope of services in the following areas:

• Knowledge of municipal government operations, policies, and funding mechanisms

• Ability to initiate and develop strategic guidance and policy analysis to align with the City’s objectives

• Delivering impact through strong relationships with legislators, agency officials, and key decision-makers

• Experience in securing funding and legislative outcomes for public sector clients through proficiency in submitting quality and competitive grant applications

• Maintain high ethical standards and compliance in disclosure of lobbying activities and potential conflicts of interest

• Evidence of demonstrating successful legislative advocacy to local governments for at least the past 5 years

Criteria for Selection

The qualifications proposals will be evaluated using the criteria listed below prior to review of the cost proposals. The price proposals will be evaluated only for those Consultants deemed most qualified by their qualification proposal.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and qualifications will be measured by the firm's character, integrity, and competence in managing projects of similar size and scope; and experience of the principals and key staff assigned to the proposed operation. It will also be based on the experience and qualifications of the principals and key staff assigned to the individual tasks related to:

• Relevant experience and demonstrated success in lobbying

• Strength of relationships with policymakers and agencies

• Qualifications and experience of key personnel

0-10 Points 35 (35% of Total)

2. METHOD OF APPROACH

Referring to the technical soundness of the

Consultant's understanding and stated work plan for the project, the comprehensiveness of the proposed work tasks, the techniques to be used and the products to be delivered for the City's needs.

0-10 Points 35 (35% of Total)

3. COST & VALUE OF SERVICES 0-10 Points 30 (30% of Total)

Cost Proposal

ENTER COST FROM "FIGURE A" SUMMARY AS COST PROPOSAL

Line Item Description Quantity Unit of

Measure Unit Cost Total

1 LOBBYING SERVICES FOR CITY

OF JACKSON

12 MONTH

TOTAL

Vendor Questionnaire

1. Proposal Submission*

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Jackson_RFQP_Proposal_Submi...

*Response required

2. Qualification Proposal*

Qualification proposals must be submitted in the format outlined below:

BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

State the full name and address of corporate or home office of your organization. Indicate whether you operate as an individual, partnership or corporation; if a corporation, indicate the state in which you are incorporated. If appropriate, state whether you are licensed to operate in the State of

Michigan.

If applicable, provide the full name and address of any branch office or other subordinate element that will be performing part or all of the work. Indicate the relationship of the subordinate element to the corporate or home office as well as how much and what parts of the work it will perform.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

State in precise terms your understanding of the problem presented by this RFQP.

WORK PLAN

Describe in narrative form your technical plan for accomplishing the work. Explain the choice of methodology, particularly its strengths and weaknesses.

QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE

State in precise terms your responses to the four questions on the Qualification Questionnaire.

PROJECT STAFF DESCRIPTION

Include the number of personnel, whether executive, professional, or technical, by skill and qualification that will be employed in the work. Provide an address of the workstation or base of operations for each of those listed as personnel. Indicate which of these individuals you consider key to the successful completion of the project. Identify key individuals by name and title and include resumes for each of the proposed project personnel.

AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATIONS

Include the names and phone numbers of personnel of your organization authorized to negotiate the proposed contract with the Issuing Office.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/139500/96f19156-8913-4116-b10b-87d97e18140d_Jackson_RFQP_Proposal_Submission.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA47RIURE4EZK4VHPY%2F20250421%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20250421T144703Z&X-Amz-Expires=72000&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEDYaCXVzLXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIQCDmxsLDjw8%2FOwCxEjPuigPQlFqgKqRm0nHpjk24FLXiwIgEmwM5oYYMn1m%2FJ3evVjpkLh7W5RXyDGowWojLAS2r4sqjAUIv%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARACGgw4OTIzNjQ2ODc2NzIiDNZd%2BWktaOG7RYbipyrgBF10kIBkJDIUDICQ1zWR0ZrFGW78JPWUUH1O2NzWqLAOdGcx1wLbUZcHbtAQ2%2FtbTBA33UbuXdQBz6aztcnaKfh3keX937s3zbFxKFVyMdIUZfwUDEQbV7Utr6oe%2FgR5ybPmpPkpZqBZiDuTm%2Bmvy%2F%2BAZ45DrV6PCaVhZebI15vnrGYwwtVm3LTqaFp%2FAhFG1hjdAijtxTkLPaoOOfv%2FIUfGm6S2Mt9Doz0yfHlrx6qizyv5Hi%2FnX4YVUTcN%2F5Txkcp9h2bvR5TsRPxKXA1ZBihqki3UlsSgTlsVqlFbjHn8xegP4hYKn8tzft5TnrJ5uZzFFeDVSSXFlzuCJ4tvbUv45d%2BIiZAsDN8c9Z88XyIblJxmOiqeTzBDo4CshCk13eKU606ZdrWKTi16BDB3hhJmmmHbOsqcyuHuIxBt%2B8KuOWyG92AydiePEMNag9Rc4XL1VVh6llwfT3wI29YabN%2BPAl%2FOuU56LDv65Bd4otOUzkWkhhRCof28Ri%2FY2z11%2BkwpoGfSjbT1o9TpZAuHIEzsk7tWsfdwbQeNpPs8ImpFZldfbeo5YUDNUBOK1evjDOLgLlu%2ByIa5NzDHMkgUaRri1dQ9qs%2FWNQPDhXWgO5LluUe1zHFXeSz0LK8cHBwxjUj%2F%2B8%2B%2BjmVp%2F0vPPrsk2Wb91Cf%2FHJJnqf4kzt4sriizJzXTZr%2F%2FhL9FPvuhd%2FCvNcaNQqQPldUAsUbBLehv1Qs%2BnSEkbLkyk29s6MGH%2FbOaCnOqTOx%2Bbiza0fujQmGh%2FwPpNz9aWpG1K89rIofWiwOS72S4xRZoOGZdlv4zxkbvMPqemcAGOpsB8%2BOrR93uaQfxla8%2BlRizQli7QCdtLXIrPn4SJK7qJy0NKB7uZRbnBQG3CjmrPAwYTHsQtTNinxZXcK3hn5N4TeGWTcp9lsGUVyrWaN5bNfqQoongbO8%2BHyt6z62F%2FSY8PAi53HCvyznkI8FK%2BDS4N0qRlQ7PFQxuwM5uZ4J14qSvvzCidoAp2w4IZOHqD5nXYkDhvaBgn7ftxTU%3D&X-Amz-Signature=1b88b507dd3cc46248b0770fd04b12fd73b1fb8046b2d3647517ef2f14acc2a5&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22Jackson_RFQP_Proposal_Submission.pdf%22&x-id=GetObject

The consultant may also include any information and/or comments believed to be pertinent but not specifically requested elsewhere in the document.

*Response required

3. Qualification Questionnaire*

The Respondent shall provide the following information with the Qualifications Proposal for the purpose of evaluating the qualifications of the firm to perform the work provided in the RFQP.

A. Describe your firm's experience in providing engineering services similar to the services requested by this RFQP. Describe only the experience of the project-lead office. Do not describe the experience of branch or corporate offices that will not have personnel directly involved in providing the requested services.

B. List the key personnel of your firm to be working on this project along with their degree-specialty- registration and the number of years of experience, both total years and years with your firm. Indicate the physical location of each individual's workstation or base of operations

(project lead office, subordinate branch office, lab, field, etc) while working on the project.

Attach resumes.

C. List representative projects your firm has completed within the last five years. List only those projects completed by the proposed project-lead office. Do not describe projects completed by branch or corporate offices. The list will include name and type of project, location, year completed, name and address of owner and costs.

*Response required