Community Outreach and Canvassing Services

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is seeking a qualified professional canvassing company to provide Community Outreach and Canvassing Services throughout Detroit, with a Request for Bids (RFB #530688) issued for a three-year contract beginning September 1, 2025, with an optional one-year renewal. The procurement covers neighborhood canvassing projects ranging from 100 to 50,000 properties, potentially citywide, with requirements for vendors to have organizational capacity to temporarily scale staff for large projects and respond to short-notice assignments. Key deliverables include door-to-door notice deliveries, intermittent surveying projects, providing photo evidence or approved tracking methods to verify project completion, submitting project status updates and closure reports, and participating in check-in meetings. The bid will evaluate pricing on a lowest lump sum or lowest price per line item basis, with DWSD reserving the right to award one or multiple contracts. Bids are due on April 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST and must be submitted electronically via the Michigan Inter-governmental Trade Network (MITN) platform.

The solicitation includes significant local business incentives and set-aside provisions, particularly for Detroit-based, Detroit resident, and small businesses, which can receive equalization credits providing percentage-based price reductions during bid evaluation. The procurement emphasizes support for women-owned, minority-owned, and local businesses through its standard terms and conditions, which include non-discrimination policies and equal opportunity commitments. Vendors must meet specific insurance coverage requirements, including liability and worker's compensation minimums. While a specific contract value is not explicitly stated, the broad project scope suggests potential for substantial contract awards, with the ability to handle diverse project types from affordability program notices to post-construction surveys. The city maintains comprehensive audit rights extending three years post-contract and reserves the right to terminate contracts for convenience or cause, underscoring the rigorous administrative oversight of this procurement process.