Local Supplier Readiness and Technical Assistance Consultant - REBID

Louisville Metro Government's Office of Equity is seeking a Subject Matter Expert consultant for Local Supplier Readiness and Technical Assistance services in a rebid contract focusing on expanding qualified local vendors in construction. The consultant will provide capital readiness and bonding support through structured clinics, lender and surety engagement, and financial technical assistance from February through December 2026. Key deliverables include a Capital Access & Bonding Implementation Plan within 30 days of contract execution, eight total clinics (four capital access and four bonding clinics), quarterly dashboard reports, and a final report due July 31, 2026. The selected consultant must maintain a physical office within 50 miles of Louisville's zip code 40202. Evaluation criteria totals 100 points, distributed across Technical Approach (25 points), Relevant Experience and Past Performance (25 points), Project Management and Scheduled Timeline (25 points), Key Personnel and Staffing (12.5 points), and Price (12.5 points). Proposal questions are due December 17, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. EST, with final proposals required by January 9, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EST through the Bonfire web-based portal.

The contract includes specific set-aside and preference provisions for disadvantaged businesses, with minimum utilization goals of 15% for minority-owned, 5% for female-owned, and 0.5% for handicapped-owned businesses. Local vendor preferences provide a 5% price reduction or five points to qualified businesses established in the Louisville Metropolitan Statistical Area for at least 12 consecutive months. Additionally, a minimum wage preference of $10.10 per hour offers another 5% price reduction. Vendors must comply with the city's "Ban the Box" ordinance, which restricts criminal history inquiries on initial employment applications, with seven specific exceptions for sensitive positions. The contract has a not-to-exceed budget of $100,000, with pricing to be submitted as a firm-fixed base price including detailed deliverable and labor breakdowns. Vendors must also complete comprehensive documentation including Good Faith Efforts forms, Vendor Information forms, W-9 submissions, and compliance certifications to be considered for the contract.