Sacramento_County_Department_of_Airports_Federal_Lobbying_Services_RFP.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FEDERAL LOBBYING SERVICES

FOR SACRAMENTO COUNTY

DEPARTMENT OF AIRPORTS

Proposals Due:

Thursday, December 26, 2024 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time

Request for Proposals for Federal Lobbying Services for Sacramento County Department of Airports

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND

II. PROJECT PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION

III. ANTICIPATED ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT SCOPE

IV. TERM AND EFFECTIVE DATE OF AGREEMENT

V. HOW TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS RFP

VI. DEADLINE

VII. OPTIONAL VIRTUAL PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

VIII. FORMAT OF PROPOSAL

IX. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

X. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

XI. COST PROPOSAL

XII. REFERENCES

XIII. RFP TIMELINE

XIV. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

XV. QUESTIONS

XVI. BACKGROUND CHECKS

XVII. NEGOTIATION OF AGREEMENT

XVIII. CONDIITONS

Attachments:

1. FAA General Contract Provisions for Solicitations

2. Sample Agreement for Federal Lobbying Services for Sacramento County

Department of Airports

3. County of Sacramento Contractor Certification of Compliance Form

4. Contractor Identification Form

December 03, 2024

TO: Prospective Service Providers

FROM: Ashley Leal

Administrative Services Officer II

SUBJECT: Request for Proposals for Federal Lobbying Services for

I. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND

The County of Sacramento (County) owns and/or operates four airports in Sacramento County, including Sacramento International Airport (SMF) through the Department of Airports (SCDA or Department). The Department is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek proposals from qualified Federal Lobbyist firms (Proposers) to provide Lobbying Services on behalf of the Department.

The selected Proposer (Contractor) will act as a representative of the Department at the federal level, providing lobbying services with the highest level of professionalism and integrity. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying key issues, developing strategies, drafting materials, and engaging with lawmakers and government agencies on behalf of the Department.

II. PROJECT PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION

The Department intends to enter into an agreement with a qualified Contractor to provide federal lobbying services in support of the Department’s interests related to the operation, expansion, funding, regulatory matters, and other federal issues concerning SCDA. The Contractor shall provide such services as outlined in the sample agreement, Attachment 2 of this RFP (Agreement). The Department intends to award a single agreement pursuant to this RFP.

III. ANTICIPATED ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT SCOPE

The final scope of services is subject to negotiation between the parties, based upon the details in this RFP and the selected proposal.

The scope of services, to be included in Exhibit A to the Agreement will include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. Legislative Advocacy and Policy Monitoring

1. Monitor and keep Department staff informed of existing and proposed federal legislative and regulatory policy issues and actions that would positively or negatively impact the Department or its interests.

2. Proactively identify opportunities to develop legislation and regulations that will benefit the Department and/or its airports and in accordance with legislative priorities established by the County’s Board of Supervisors (Board).

3. Prepare comments or otherwise respond to proposed regulatory changes and legislative or executive actions, as applicable, that may impact the Department and/or its airports.

4. In consultation with the Department, develop and update the

Department’s annual legislative agenda and develop strategies necessary for its implementation.

5. Provide copies of bills, amendments, committee reports and analyses, regulations, or other available information related to the Department's interests.

6. Report to the Department, on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, news and updates on important and timely policy matters.

These updates should be timely and include, at minimum:

i. A recap of any meetings with legislative or regulatory staff and stakeholders, high-level discussion points and follow-up items as well as the names and departments and/or offices the Contractor had meetings with on SCDA’s behalf.

ii. A summary of important news updates, articles, or intel received on legislative bills, statutory amendments of importance, or other policy, legislative, or regulatory items that may impact SCDA and its operations.

iii. An account of grant and funding opportunities relevant to SCDA and its operations throughout the year.

iv. A legislative summary and account of legislative bills of importance, including status updates on where they are in the legislative process and other relevant information that should be communicated to SCDA.

B. Federal Assistance and Funding Opportunities

1. Proactively identify opportunities to obtain grants for capital projects, environmental initiatives, and other airport-related programs and projects.

2. Alert the Department at the earliest time of pending appropriations or actions that will impact the Department and its funding posture.

3. To the highest degree possible, Contractor will represent the

Department’s interest in securing federal assistance for various funding aspects, including technical assistance, planning and design, infrastructure, and services.

C. Relationship Development and Representation

1. Assist SCDA in relationship development with Congressional and

Executive Branch officials, as well as with other industry officials and public transportation coalitions.

2. Serve as liaison between the Department and the delegation, representing the greater Sacramento region in Congress and provide assistance to the delegation in any matter that furthers the objectives of the Department legislative agenda or interests.

3. Serve as a liaison between the Department and Congress, Executive Branch, and other officials in federal government as identified by SCDA or the County.

4. Identify opportunities for providing testimony, and assist in preparing any testimony, to be presented by Department staff or members of the Board of Supervisors before legislative or regulatory committees or bodies on issues affecting the Department and its operations.

5. Arrange and attend meetings with federal officials and help establish relationships between federal legislators or federal agency representatives and the Department.

6. Attend Board meetings, Department management meetings, staff briefings, or other meetings upon request.

D. Strategic Communication and Reporting

1. Develop and implement a strategic communication plan to effectively convey SCDA’s priorities and positions to federal policymakers and stakeholders.

2. Draft letters in support of the County's position to members of

Congress, Congressional committees, Executive Branch agencies or other key stakeholders for Department review, approval, and distribution.

3. Develop and participate in strategic coalitions with associations and governmental organizations in furtherance of the Department's legislative agenda as requested.

4. Provide frequent written updates to the Department on activities related to all items listed above.

E. Compliance and Ethical Standards

1. Register, on behalf of the Department, with the necessary federal officers and agencies, and comply with all reporting requirements mandated by the Lobbying Disclosure Act, and any other applicable legal requirements.

2. Ensure all lobbying activities comply with federal and state laws and regulations.

3. Adhere to the highest ethical standards in all interactions with federal officials and stakeholders.

4. Maintain transparency and accountability in all reporting and communication with SCDA.

IV. TERM AND EFFECTIVE DATE OF AGREEMENT

The Department intends to award an agreement effective in January or February 2025. The term of this Agreement will be three (3) years, ending on June 30, 2028. The term may be extended by the Director, or designee, for two (2) additional one (1) year terms.

V. HOW TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS RFP

A copy of this RFP and any addenda to it can be found on the following websites:

Sacramento County Department of Airports Website:

http://www.sacramento.aero/scas/opportunities/bids_and_requests

OpenGov Website:

Procurement Portal

VI. DEADLINE

Proposals shall be comprised of one (1) digital PDF copy, in a format compatible with Adobe Acrobat, and one (1) digital copy compatible with Microsoft Word in DOC or DOCX format. Proposals are due no later than 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time on December 26, 2024. All late responses will be rejected.

VII. OPTIONAL VIRTUAL PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

An Optional Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference is scheduled for December 18, 2024, from 10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. PT. The purpose of the conference will be to discuss the requirements and objectives of this RFP. Department representatives will be available to answer questions from interested firms.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/saccounty

To attend the optional virtual pre-proposal conference, please join via your computer, mobile app or room device using the information provided below.

Meeting Link:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NDJmMmQ1MDctNzU0Yy00NzRiLTk5MDAtNWIwNz UxNWIzMDk2%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%222b07 7431-a3b0-4b1c-bb77-f66a1132daa2%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22e6b92f03-69e4-4d0d- 9276-b3ae92ddee9a%22%7d

Meeting ID: 226 974 585 023

Passcode: oo6PC6Wm

Dial In:

+1 916-245-8966,,380876861# United States, Sacramento https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/e6ecf38a-c5f2-4b16-8b9b-b2e22c716ef8?id=380876861

Phone conference ID: 380 876 861#

VIII. FORMAT OF PROPOSAL

Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation must be prepared in the following format and must address the contents of Sections IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII below.

A. COVER LETTER FOR PROPOSALS

A one (1) page cover letter must be included with the proposal and must be signed by an individual who is authorized to contractually bind the Proposer. The cover letter must be submitted on business letterhead and contain the following information:

1. Name and address of Proposer;

2. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of a contact person;

3. Name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the individual with authority to execute a binding agreement on behalf of the Proposer;

4. Understanding of the services to be provided, the commitment to provide the services, and why the Proposer believes it is the best qualified to perform the work described in this RFP;

5. Acknowledgement of review of the proposed Agreement provided as Attachment 2 to this RFP and incorporated herein;

and

6. Inclusion of a statement that the Proposer agrees to the Agreement format, its content, and all requirements as presented including professional liability insurance limits.

B. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND FORMS:

In addition to the Cover Letter, the following documentation and forms must be completed and included with the proposals and received by the Department by the proposal due date:

1. County of Sacramento Contractor Certification of Compliance

Form provided as Attachment 3 to this RFP; and

2. Contractor Identification form provided as Attachment 4 to this

RFP.

C. PAGE LIMIT AND FONT REQUIREMENTS:

The proposal format must meet the following requirements:

1. The proposal must not exceed twenty-five (25) pages, single-sided.

2. Include a Table of Contents.

3. Typed in a font no smaller than eleven (11) point, on 8.5” by 11” sized pages unless otherwise specified.

The following items are excluded from page count:

1. Cover page;

2. Cover letter;

3. Staff resumes;

4. Proposer team organization chart;

5. Table of Contents;

6. County of Sacramento Contractor Certification of Compliance Form;

7. Contractor Identification Form.

IX. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

This section describes the minimum required qualifications a Proposer must demonstrate for their Proposal to be deemed eligible for award consideration.

It is the Proposer’s responsibility to incorporate all pertinent information to effectively present a proposal and to communicate the respondent’s qualifications. All Proposers are required to thoroughly review this RFP and all attachments.

Other Minimum Qualifications:

A. The Proposer and any proposed subcontractors must be registered with the California Secretary of State and permitted to conduct business in the State of California.

B. The Proposer must demonstrate experience completing the tasks described in Section IV of this RFP for at least three (3) full years by describing previous related projects, their scope(s), for whom the work was performed, and other relevant details to demonstrate this experience.

X. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

The selected Proposer must successfully demonstrate the capability to provide the services described in this RFP.

A. Organization Experience and Skills

The organizational description should include a detailed description of experience in government relations, legislative and regulatory analysis, advocacy and outreach, strategic counsel, messaging, and communications (for at least three (3) years) that demonstrate experience in tasks outlined in Section IV.

In the event your firm has performed services on behalf of an airport or a public agency that owns and/or operates an airport, provide a brief description of:

1. The work performed and when;

2. Project outcome (i.e. completed on-time, on-budget, or other);

3. Identify any challenges while performing services, if any, and describe the resolution; and

4. Name of the airport or public agency personnel primary contact.

B. Primary Staff

Identify the personnel assigned to this project, including any subconsultants, describing their individual skills, experience, and working knowledge needed to perform the services requested in this

XI. COST PROPOSAL

Proposer shall include a proposed Fee Schedule for the initial three (3) year agreement and the potential two (2) year term extension. Please include the hourly rates for each person(s) assigned to provide such services. Retainer fees for ongoing representation must be clearly stated. The terms of the resulting Agreement will be subject to negotiations between the Department and the successful Proposer.

XII. REFERENCES

Provide the following information for at least three (3) clients with direct experience with your firm, within the last three (3) years that can be contacted to provide a reference. Clients may be based out of the United States:

A. Company or Agency Name.

B. Contact Name.

C. Contact Title.

D. Address.

E. E-mail Address.

F. Phone Number; and

G. Services performed.

Please note that the Department reserves the right to contact past or current clients not provided by the Proposer and may evaluate those references with the same consideration as those provided by the Proposer.

XIII. RFP TIMELINE

The table below describes the estimated timeline for the RFP process through award of Agreement:

Dates Event

December 3, 2024 Issuance of RFP December 18, 2024

10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M Pacific Time

Pre-proposal conference

December 20, 2024 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time Deadline for submitting questions

December 24, 2024 Addenda issued if necessary, including Department’s responses to questions

December 26, 2024 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time Proposals Due

January 14, 2025 Interviews with the highest-ranked Proposers (if necessary)

February 25, 2025 Selection recommendation presented to Board

February - March 2025 Anticipated effective date of Agreement with selected Proposer

The Department reserves the right to modify, at its sole and absolute discretion, this schedule and any specific deadlines, including the selected Proposer’s service start date.

XIV. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The RFP evaluation process will include a specific focused review of each proposal by a panel of evaluators. Each proposal will be evaluated against other proposals received. Proposals must be formatted and headlined in the order of Sections IX – XIII, indicated above, and must clearly answer / describe and or demonstrate all the required information requested herein.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria in the table on the following page:

Category Points Contributed to Total Score

Completeness of Response Pass/Fail Qualifications & Experience 50

Primary Staff 30 Cost Proposal 10 References 10

Total 100

Proposals will receive a final score based on the average of scores from the evaluation panel. The top Proposers based on the final score may be required to attend an in-person interview, which will serve as the basis for the panel’s final decision for award.

XV. QUESTIONS

All inquiries regarding this RFP and any request for clarification of the contents of this RFP must be directed in writing, via e-mail to Ashley Leal at LealA@saccounty.gov no later than December 2, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time.

Interested parties are hereby notified of the following:

A. Telephone inquiries will not receive a response.

B. Proposers are not to rely on oral instructions or clarifications to this

C. If modifications to this RFP are necessary, the Department will respond in writing via addendum which will be posted to the following websites:

Sacramento County Department of Airports Website:

OpenGov Website:

Procurement Portal

D. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to regularly check either of the above listed websites for possible updates to this RFP.

E. Contact with or lobbying of any County representative other than Ashley Leal regarding this solicitation prior to the notice that the Proposer is or is not recommended for award is cause for disqualification.

The County reserves the right to modify this RFP at any time prior to the proposal due date. The County will modify the RFP only by formal written addenda. Proposals shall be based on this RFP and any formal written addenda. It is the responsibility of each Proposer to assure receipt of all addenda.

XVI. BACKGROUND CHECKS

The Contractor’s staff that will be working on-site unescorted, or who require access to County systems, must pass the Department’s background check and must obtain an airport access badge to conduct work in secured areas.

XVII. NEGOTIATION OF AGREEMENT

The selected Proposer shall execute an agreement with the County of Sacramento, using the standard agreement template promulgated by the Office of the County Counsel. Any requested revisions, deletions, or additions, to the language in the attached Agreement shall be clearly set forth in the Proposal for the Department’s consideration. The agreement must be reviewed and approved by the Board and County Counsel prior to execution. The final agreement will be executed with electronic signatures via DocuSign.

XVIII. CONDITIONS

A. FAA GENERAL CONTRACT PROVISIONS FOR SOLICITATIONS

The selected Contractor shall, at all times during the term of the agreement, comply with the provisions of the “Federal Aviation https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/saccounty

Administration (FAA) General Contract Provisions for Solicitations” (FAA Solicitation Provisions) and any subsequent revisions, updates, or amendments thereto to the extent such provisions apply to the services described in this RFP. The most current version of the FAA Solicitation Provisions are included as Attachment 1 of this RFP.

B. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE)

The County encourages all business, including those owned and controlled by one (1) or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals that can provide the desired services, to submit their proposals. If you are currently certified as a DBE, please include a copy of your DBE certification letter along with your proposal. This information will be used for DBE utilization tracking purposes only. If you are a business owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and you are not currently certified as a DBE firm, but wish to receive information on how to become certified, please contact the State of California, Department of Transportation, Civil Rights Program at the following website:

https://dot.ca.gov/programs/civil-rights/dbe

C. DEPARTMENT’S RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE AGREEMENTS

The Department reserves the right to negotiate agreements with companies outside of the RFP process, even if such companies did not participate in the RFP process. The Department also reserves the right to not execute an agreement with any Proposers. The Department accepts no liability for any costs incurred by Proposers to prepare and submit responses to this request.

D. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF RFP DOCUMENTS

The County will treat all information submitted in a proposal as available for public inspection once negotiations with the selected party have been completed. If copies of proposals are included with Board materials, the County will make such documents available for public inspection once staff has made a recommendation for award.

If a Proposer believes protected data is included in its proposal, the Proposer shall clearly identify the data and provide the legal https://dot.ca.gov/programs/civil-rights/dbe basis in support of the asserted classification. Proposer must present such information separately as part of its proposal OR type in bold red letters the term “CONFIDENTIAL” on that specific part or page of the proposal which Proposer believes to be confidential. Classification of data as trade secret data will be determined pursuant to applicable law, and, accordingly, merely labeling data as “trade secret” does not necessarily make the data protected as such under any applicable law.

In order for the County to assert the confidentiality of any such information in the event a Public Record Act request is received, the Proposer must request, execute and submit a County-prepared written agreement to defend and indemnify the County for any liability, costs and expenses incurred in asserting such confidentiality.

The final determination of whether the County will assert a Proposer’s claim of confidentiality shall be at the sole discretion of the County. Any information determined to be non-confidential shall be considered a public record. If the County determines that your information does not meet the criteria for confidentiality, you will be notified of the County’s intent to release the public record pursuant to any Public Records Act request.

The Proposer agrees, as a condition of submitting its proposal, that the County will not, as between the parties, be liable or accountable for any loss or damage, which may result from a breach of confidentiality related to the proposal. The Proposer agrees to indemnify and hold the County, its officials, agents, and employees harmless from all claims arising out of, resulting from, or in any manner attributable to any violation of any provision of the California Public Records Act, including legal fees and disbursements paid or incurred to enforce this provision.

E. TAXATION

Contractor shall cooperate with the County in all matters relating to taxation and the collection of taxes. It is the policy of the County to self-accrue use tax associated with its contracts. The use tax which is self-accrued will be remitted to the California State Board of Equalization designating the County as the place of business for the purpose of allocating local sales and use taxes.

F. NO CONFIDENTIAL OR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

All information given to the Department or the evaluation panel in any correspondence, discussion, meeting or other communication before, with or after submission of a proposal, either orally or in writing, will not be deemed to have been, given in confidence and may be used or disclosed to others for any purpose at any time without obligation or compensation and without liability by the Department of any kind whatsoever.

Evaluation scoring forms used by the evaluation panel are likewise considered public information subject to the California Public Records Act and will be available upon request after execution of an Agreement for services pursuant to this RFP.

G. PROPOSER’S COSTS

The County shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by Proposer in connection with this RFP. Proposer shall bear all costs associated with proposal preparation, submission, and attendance at interviews, or any other activity associated with this RFP or otherwise.

H. COLLUSION

If the County determines that collusion has occurred among Proposers, none of the proposals of the participants involved in the collusion shall be considered. The County’s determination shall be final.

I. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The Proposer affirms that to the best of its knowledge the submission of its Proposal, or any resulting contract, does not present an actual or perceived conflict of interest. The Proposer agrees that should any actual or perceived conflict of interest become known, it will immediately notify the County and will advise whether it will or will not avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the conflict of interest.

The County may make reasonable efforts to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize a conflict of interest by a Proposer. To avoid a conflict of interest by a Proposer, the County may utilize methods including disqualifying a Proposer from eligibility for a contract award or cancelling the contract if the conflict is discovered after a contract has been issued. The County may, at its sole and absolute discretion, waive any conflict of interest.