State & Federal Lobbyists

The City of Austin is issuing Request for Proposals 4200 BRS3011 to procure professional legislative state and federal lobbying services on behalf of the municipality. The procurement seeks qualified individuals or firms to provide comprehensive lobbying representation addressing multiple issue areas including municipal finance, energy, water, public safety, housing, transportation, land use, and regulatory compliance at both state and federal levels. Minimum contractor qualifications include at least ten years of experience in Texas or federal legislative processes, ten years of experience working with local governments, a demonstrated track record of effective legislative outcomes, ability to maintain working relationships at all levels, on-site availability as required, absence of conflicts of interest, and compliance with registration requirements of the Texas Ethics Commission and Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act where applicable. The City will evaluate proposals based on Experience and Qualifications (30 points), Understanding of City Needs, Approach, and Reporting (40 points), and Price (10 points). Proposals must be submitted by Tuesday, April 14, 2026, prior to 2:00 PM CST, with offer opening scheduled for 3:00 PM CST the same day. Written questions must be submitted by Friday, March 27, 2026, prior to 2:00 PM CST via email only. The initial contract term extends until September 30, 2027, with automatic renewal options for up to two additional two-year periods through September 30, 2031, at the City's sole discretion.

The City of Austin offers optional local business and small business preference programs for qualifying entities headquartered within the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area or holding recognized small business certifications, with preference points available up to 10 each. Offerors utilizing subcontractors must comply with the City's Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise procurement program, and all contractors must comply with Austin City Code Chapter 4-22 Wage Theft requirements and complete wage theft training within 30 days of contract award. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. Offerors must submit a fixed monthly retainer rate with a maximum cap of $14,000.00 per month, which shall remain constant throughout each 12-month period regardless of legislative session status, with the monthly rate inclusive of all fees, administrative costs, overhead, per diem, transportation, travel time, fuel surcharges, mileage, stop fees, and equipment necessary to perform required services. The lowest priced offer receives maximum points for pricing, with remaining points distributed pro-rata. No insurance requirements are specified for this contract, and the City reserves the right to award a single contract or multiple contracts based on criteria deemed most advantageous to the City.