RATE CONSULTANT

The City of Tampa is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to select a qualified rate consultant firm to provide comprehensive water, wastewater, solid waste, and other utility rate advisory financial services on a task order basis. The solicitation, numbered 25-P-00156, is being conducted by the City of Tampa's Revenue & Finance Department in Hillsborough County, Florida. The selected consultant will deliver services including rate analysis and redesign, statistical projections and forecasting, revenue requirement analysis, fee structure development, financial sensitivity analyses, capital facility fee reviews, wholesale rate investigations, financial due diligence for utility acquisitions, and management consulting assistance with contract development such as rate ordinances and interlocal agreements. Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of five years of prior experience performing similar services and possess sufficient staff and technological capabilities to prepare at least one enterprise rate study and one bond feasibility report annually. The RFP evaluation will employ a 100-point scoring system comprised of five criteria: Firm's Relevant Experience (35 points), Qualifications of Project Team (20 points), Responsiveness to Scope of Services (20 points), Criminal History Screening Practices (5 points), and WMBE/SLBE Participation (20 points). A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at Hanna City Center in Tampa, with sealed proposals due electronically through the OpenGov eProcurement Portal by Friday, May 23, 2025. The contract term is two years from the award effective date, with options to renew for two additional two-year periods and supplemental unilateral renewal periods of up to three additional thirty-day periods at the City's discretion.

This procurement includes participation incentives for Women/Minority Business Enterprises (WMBE) and Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBE), with the underutilized WMBE industry category designated as "Professional Services." Proposers earning WMBE/SLBE certification status from the City of Tampa prior to the RFP opening date may qualify for points on a tiered scale, with City of Tampa certified underutilized W/MBE firms serving as prime contractors eligible for 16-20 points, while other participation structures may earn between 0-15 points depending on certification status and meaningful subcontractor participation. The City requires the successful proposer to perform at least 51% of the work with its own forces, and selected subcontractors must execute a Letter of Intent (Form MBD-40) within ten working days of bid opening prior to contract award. The prime contractor must provide proof of subcontract agreements or purchase orders before subcontractor work commences and must submit detailed payment reporting on Form MBD-30 for each invoice cycle. The City of Tampa requires commercial general liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence, automobile liability insurance, worker's compensation insurance, and professional liability/errors and omissions insurance of at least $1 million. The maximum contract value is $1,000,000 over the potential five-year life of the agreement, with a departmental budget allocation of $100,000 noted in the procurement review documentation.