ERate Consulting - NHPS

Request for Proposal #2024-RFP-076 is a professional services procurement issued by the City of New Haven, Connecticut on behalf of New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) to secure an ERate consulting firm to coordinate and manage the ERATE program. The scope of services encompasses comprehensive program support including preparing technology plans, assisting with state approvals, supporting application processes, reviewing district compliance, developing Requests for Proposals, preparing and submitting required forms, coordinating bid evaluations, and determining discount percentages. The consultant will serve a one-year term from the award date through June 30, 2025, with two optional one-year renewals. The RFP was released on August 11, 2024, with proposal responses due by September 3, 2024 at 11:00 am. Vendors will be evaluated on a 100-point scale distributed across six criteria: pricing (25 points, with the lowest cost receiving full points), quality of service (20 points), personnel qualifications (20 points), prior experience (15 points), proximity (10 points), and responsiveness to the RFP (10 points). Prospective bidders must submit a technical proposal, cost proposal, city forms signature sheet, disclosure certification, workforce certificate, and a statement of qualifications, with the City endeavoring to award the contract within 120 days of the solicitation opening.

The City of New Haven's standard terms and conditions for professional services apply to this procurement, which includes comprehensive equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination requirements, including compliance with Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, and local ordinances. Vendors are required to demonstrate commitment to workforce diversity and engagement with minority and women-owned businesses, with potential penalties for non-compliance including payment withholding, agreement cancellation, or refusal of future bids. No specific incumbent contractor is identified in the available documentation. The contract will be awarded as a fixed-price professional services agreement governed by Connecticut law, with compensation to cover all costs including salaries, consultant fees, materials, supplies, and travel expenses up to a maximum amount to be determined during award negotiations. The City reserves the right to award one or more contracts and notes that all contract awards are contingent on fund availability. No specific budget amount is listed in the RFP materials, though the evaluation criteria emphasize overall contract cost as a significant factor in vendor selection.