Financial Advisor

The state and local contracting opportunity is for Bismarck State College (BSC) in the state of North Dakota, Burleigh County, and the city of Bismarck. BSC is seeking proposals from consulting firms to serve as the college's financial advisor, providing bond sale services and other financial consulting services. The selected firm will work with BSC for the duration of the potential bond sale. The scope of work includes making financing recommendations, reviewing debt structure, preparing official statements, coordinating bond printing and delivery, and providing other capital financing services. Offerors must demonstrate their experience, qualifications, and ability to meet the requirements, as well as provide a detailed fee structure. Proposals are due by February 9, 2024, and BSC intends to award a contract to the responsible offeror whose proposal is most advantageous based on the stated evaluation criteria, which include the firm's experience and qualifications (40 points), experience with higher education on prior work (30 points), and cost proposal (30 points).

The RFP indicates that BSC will not permit the selected financial consultant's firm to purchase bonds in a negotiated sale, but will allow the firm to bid in a competitive sale. Pricing information must be submitted separately from the technical proposal. The RFP also outlines North Dakota's contractual requirements, noting that no material changes to the state's standard terms and conditions will be permitted without prior written approval. There are no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed. The possible award value or budget range is not specified.