CT State Lobbyist Services

The City of Bridgeport is seeking a Connecticut State Lobbyist Services contractor through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to provide comprehensive lobbying services for the city's governmental interests. The selected firm will represent Bridgeport before the Connecticut State government, including the executive branch, state agencies, commissions, and the State Legislature, with responsibilities spanning legislative advocacy, strategic counsel, and governmental representation. Key deliverables include preparing legislative and executive agendas, strategizing with city officials, identifying legislative needs, preparing testimony, monitoring legislative activities, and facilitating communication with state officials and interest groups. Qualifications submissions are due on February 4, 2026, by 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, with questions accepted until January 21, 2026, at 4:00 pm. The evaluation will utilize a 100-point system assessing specialized experience (25 points), professional staff qualifications (25 points), firm capacity (25 points), and knowledge of local and state government (25 points), with potential additional credits for diverse business participation.

The RFQ encourages participation from Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and City-based businesses (CBBs), offering evaluation credits of up to ten points for certified Target Group firms and five points for non-MBE firms forming joint ventures with Target Groups. The initial contract term runs through June 30, 2026, with potential two one-year renewals extending to June 30, 2028, for a total potential contract period of three years. The city proposes quarterly payments totaling $45,750 annually, paid on a Net 45-day schedule. The selected contractor must maintain specific insurance coverages, including $1,000,000 professional liability insurance per claim, $1,000,000 commercial general liability per occurrence, $1,000,000 automobile liability, and workers' compensation insurance compliant with Connecticut law. The City of Bridgeport reserves the right to select none, one, or multiple firms and may reject any or all proposals submitted under this procurement.