RFP_Federal_Lobbying[1] Post W-rev Dates

8/8/2019 RFP_Federal_Lobbying[1] Post W-rev Dates

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

FOR FEDERAL LOBBYING REPRESENTATION FOR THE CITY OF GREENSBORO

RFP Circulation Date: November 11, 2010

Proposal Submission Deadline: December 10, 2010 (2:00pm Eastern Standard Time)

CITY OF GREENSBORO

PURCHASING

300 West Washington Street

Greensboro, NC 27401

Phone: 336/373-2192



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Table of Contents

Instructions to Bidders................................................................................................................................................... 4

I. Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4

II. Scope of Services ....................................................................................................................................................... 4III. Background ............................................................................................................................................................... 5

A. Official Beginnings ................................................................................................................................................. 5

B. Greensboro Today ................................................................................................................................................. 5

IV. Key Dates .................................................................................................................................................................. 5

V. Interpretation of RFP Wording ................................................................................................................................. 6

VI. Rights of the City of Greensboro .............................................................................................................................. 6

VII. Period of Performance ............................................................................................................................................ 6

VIII. RFP Information and Work Conditions ................................................................................................................... 6IX. Addenda ................................................................................................................................................................... 7

X. Submission of Proposal .............................................................................................................................................. 7

A. Proposal Content. ............................................................................................................................................. 8

A.A.1. Cover Letter. ........................................................................................................................................ 8

A.A.2. Executive Summary. ............................................................................................................................ 8

A.A.3. Background and Experience. ............................................................................................................... 8

A.A.5. Proposed Solution. .............................................................................................................................. 9

B. Withdrawing Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 9C. Consideration of Proposals ................................................................................................................................... 9

D. Irregular Proposals ............................................................................................................................................... 9

E. Rejection of Proposals ........................................................................................................................................ 10

F. Disqualification of Respondent ........................................................................................................................... 10

G. Expense of Submittal Preparation ...................................................................................................................... 10

XIII. Service Provider’s Background and Experience ................................................................................................... 11

A. Official Name .................................................................................................................................................. 11

B. Service Provider Background .......................................................................................................................... 11C. Proposing Organization’s Structure ................................................................................................................ 11

XIV. Confidential or Proprietary Markings .................................................................................................................. 12

A. Release of Additional Information ...................................................................................................................... 12

XV. Award of Contract ................................................................................................................................................. 13

XVI. Terms and Conditions ........................................................................................................................................... 13



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A. Price .................................................................................................................................................................... 13

B. Terms of Payment ............................................................................................................................................... 13

C. Payment of Subcontractors ................................................................................................................................. 13

D. Venue .................................................................................................................................................................. 13

E. Termination ......................................................................................................................................................... 13

F. General Performance Requirements ................................................................................................................... 14

G. Progress Reports ................................................................................................................................................. 15

H. Proposal Binding for 180 Days ............................................................................................................................ 15

I. Indemnification .................................................................................................................................................... 15

J. Insurance for Service Contracts ........................................................................................................................... 15

Classes of Risk ..................................................................................................................................................... 16

K. Independent Contractor Status ........................................................................................................................... 17

XVII. Compliance With Laws ........................................................................................................................................ 18

A. Right to Audit ...................................................................................................................................................... 18

B. Non-Discriminatory Employment ........................................................................................................................ 18

C. Felony Conviction Notice and Criminal Background Check ................................................................................. 18

D. Appeal Process .................................................................................................................................................... 19

XVIII. Clarifications ...................................................................................................................................................... 19

XIX. Selection Process ................................................................................................................................................. 19

XX. Evaluation Criteria ................................................................................................................................................. 20

A. Qualifications, Experience and Approach ....................................................................................................... 20

B. Cost Effectiveness and Value .......................................................................................................................... 20

C. Acceptance of the Terms of the Contract ...................................................................................................... 20

XXI. Attachments ........................................................................................................................................................ 21

Attachment A ‐ Required Forms .............................................................................................................................. 21

Required form 1 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................... 21

required form 2 - ADDENDA RECEIPT CONFIRMATION ............................................................................................... 22

required form 3 - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM ....................................................................................................... 23

required form 4 – PRICING WORKSHEET ..................................................................................................................... 24



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Instructions to Bidders

I. PurposeThe City of Greensboro (“The City”) is issuing this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to firmsinterested in providing Federal Lobbying Representation to the City of Greensboro. Throughoutthis RFP, the “Service Provider” refers to qualified firms that submit Proposals in response tothis RFP. The City wants to establish a federal lobbying presence to maximize its effort to obtainfederal appropriation and grant funding to further enahance service delivery to residents of Greensboro.

II. Scope of ServicesThe Service Provider shall market and present the City’s agenda to members of the House of Representatives, the Senate and Federal Agencies as a direct lobbying effort on behalf of the

City. The Service Provider must have established relationships with key policy makers andelected officials within the North Carolina Delegation and throughout the federal government.The Service Provider will be required to provide annual updates to the City Council and staff onthe City’s legislative efforts.

The Service Provider will be responsible for the following, but not limited to:

Working closely with the City Manager, Key Staff Members and the City Council todevelop a federal Legislative agenda in an effort to obtain funding for agenda items.

Assisting with the identification and prioritizing of agenda items that shall focus on areas

of general city government.Developing detailed documents outlining a prioritized strategic plan for acquiringappropriations and funding for a variety of City projects.

Identifying other federal initiatives of interest to the City, monitoring actions on theseinitiatives, and advocating the City’s interest when and where appropriate.

Drafting funding and grant applications in collaboration with the City that will address avariety of needs.

Facilitating at least two (2) meetings in Washington, DC with the City Manager, Key Staff Members and members of the City Council to further the C ity’s legislative and fun dingpriorities.

Completing all forms required by Congressional offices and ensuring that all deadlinesimposed by Congressional offices and committees are met.

Monitoring and facilitating the progress of funding/grant applications through theappropriate federal agencies and federal channels on behalf of the City.



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Intervening intervention on behalf of the City to ensure that its interests are favorablypresented and preserved in the application review process by federal agencies and/orCongressional staff.

Indentifying and aggressively acting to obtain funding for the City’s projects.

Providing a written quarterly status report and written monthly summary of the ServiceProvider’s achievements as they relate to the goals and objections of the City’slegislative agenda.

Working with the National League of Cities to ensure that the City is informed of andadvocating on issues of general importance to cities.

Presenting all results to the City Council annually.

III. Background A. Official Beginnings

Greensboro: 1808

B. Greensboro TodayGreensboro, nicknamed, the Gate City, is the third-largest city by population, in North Carolinaand the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region.As of the 2000 census, Greensboro was home to 223,891 residents. As of July 1, 2009, itsestimated population was 257,997.

The city is located at the intersection of two major interstate highways (I-85 and I-40) in thePiedmont ("foot of the mountains") region of central North Carolina.

IV. Key DatesNovember 11, 2010 RFP Release Date

November 17, 2010 Final Date for Clarifying Questions (2:00pm Eastern Standard Time)

November 19, 2010 Responses to Questions Posted

December 10, 2010 Proposal Due Date (2:00pm Eastern Standard Time)

December 14, 2010 Tentative Interview Date

December 17, 2010 Tentative Selection of Proposal by Committee



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V. Interpretation of RFP WordingInterpretation of the wording of this RFP shall be the responsibility of the City. The City staff willnot give oral answers to inquiries regarding the contents of this RFP. Any oral statementregarding the RFP prior to the award shall be non-binding.

VI. Rights of the City of GreensboroThe City reserves the right to require additional information from the Service Provider and toconduct necessary investigations to determine services, Service Provider performance and todetermine the accuracy of information submitted in proposals.

The City reserves the right to revise the schedule of Key Dates if such revision is deemed to be inthe best interest of the City.

VII. Period of PerformanceFor purposes of this RFP and the Service Provider’s Proposal, assume an initial term of one (1)year, with the City having an option to renew for two (2) additional consecutive one (1) yearterms thereafter.

Regardless of exceptions taken, Service Providers shall provide pricing based on therequirements and terms set forth in this RFP. Pricing must be all-inclusive and cover everyaspect of the Project. Cost must be in United States dollars rounded to the nearest quarter of adollar. A pricing worksheet is provided in Form 4 to assist you.

VIII. RFP Information and Work ConditionsAll Respondents are expected to carefully examine the RFP documents. Any ambiguities orinconsistencies should be brought to the attention of the purchasing manager. It is believed thatall information necessary to complete a response is included in this RFP. It is the responsibility of the Respondent to obtain clarification of any information contained herein that is not fullyunderstood. The Respondent, by and through the submission of a Proposal, agrees to be heldresponsible for: 1) having examined the Request for Proposal and all referenced and applicabledecisions of authorities having jurisdiction over the work herein, statutory authority, and localpolicy; 2) having become familiar with the nature and scope of the Services required by the City;and 3) identifying any local conditions that may affect the labor availability, administrative rulesand other factors that may impact the City’s timeline for completion of the Services.

Nothing in this RFP shall relieve the Respondent of the Scope of Services and associated workdescribed within. The Respondent shall, in all cases, be solely responsible for the performanceof all RFP requirements in accordance with any resulting contract timelines.



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IX. AddendaAll changes to this RFP as determined by the City will be addressed by written addenda. Failureof any Respondent to review any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve theRespondent from any obligations under their Proposal as submitted. All addenda so issued shallbecome part of the Contract Documents.

X. Submission of ProposalProposals should be received online via the Greensboro electronic Procurement System (GePS).The link to GePS is below. Proposals must be submitted before 2:00pm (Eastern Standard Time)on December 1, 2010. Late and un-submitted proposals will not be accepted.

https://eserv.greensboro-nc.gov/procurement/SourcingSupplier/controller.servlet?context.dataarea=procurement&context.session.key.SupplierGroup=1

For information on how to register as a Supplier or how to enter a response to an event go tothe following link for How To Guides.http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/finance1/AdminServices/Purchasing/eprocurement/gepshelp.htm

Proposal Format The City desires all Proposals to be submitted in the format described below in order to facilitatecomparison:

a. Cover letter;b. Executive Summary;c. Background and Experience as requested in Section 8;

d. Proposed Solution as requested in Section 5;e. The “Addenda Receipt Confirmation” set forth in Form Two;f. The “Proposal Submission” set forth in Form Three;g. The “Pricing Worksheet” se t forth in Form Four.





http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/finance1/AdminServices/Purchasing/eprocurement/gepshelp.htm










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Service Providers are required to organize the information requested in this RFP inaccordance with the format outlined. The Service Provider, however, may reduce therepetition of identical information within several sections of the Proposal by making theappropriate cross-references to other sections of the Proposal. Appendices for certaintechnical or financial information may be used to facilitate Proposal preparation.

A. Proposal Content.A.A.1. Cover Letter.

The Proposal must include a letter of transmittal attesting to its accuracy,signed by an individual authorized to execute binding legal documents onbehalf of the Service Provider. The cover letter shall provide the name,address, telephone and facsimile numbers of the Service Provider alongwith the name, title, address, telephone and facsimile numbers of theexecutive that has the authority to contract with the City. The cover lettershall present the Service Provider's understanding of the Project, a

summary of the approach to be undertaken to perform the Services, aswell as a summary of the costs to provide the Services.

A.A.2. Executive Summary.The Service Provider shall submit an executive summary, which outlinesits Proposal, including the proposed general management philosophy. Theexecutive summary shall, at a minimum, include an identification of theproposed project team, responsibilities of the project team, and asummary of the proposed Services. This section should highlight aspectsof this Proposal, which make it superior or unique in addressing the needsof the City.

A.A.3. Background and Experience.The Service Provider shall provide a concise description of the company,including origin, state of incorporation, background, and current size.Include information concerning general organization and staffing as wellas experience with similar Federal Lobbying Representation projects.

A.A.4. Disclosure of Conflicts

The Service Provider shall provide a list of clients that may pose a conflictor a pereceived conflict of interest in providing this service to the City of

Greensboro. The Service Provider shall also provide a client list with theproposal.



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A.A.5. Proposed Solution.Given the purpose of this Project, provide a creative solution to meet suchgoals. The following is a framework and questions to guide yourorganization’s suggested solution. Please address the following as

completely as possible. If you wish to add supplemental information, it

shall be labeled “Supplemental Information.”

1.1.4.1 Client Relationship Management.Describe the communications scheme that your organizationwill use to keep the City informed about the progress of theProject.

1.1.4.2 Risk Management.Describe the risks associated with this Contract. Whatcontingencies have been built in to mitigate those risks?

1.1.4.3 Pricing.

The City is requesting a firm fixed price Contract for the life of the contract plus pricing for contract extensions. Pricing MUSTinclude all aspects of the Project. Please refer to Form 4 inAttachement A for a pricing worksheet to assist you.

B. Withdrawing ProposalsProposals submitted to the City cannot be withdrawn prior to the time set for openingProposals. Request for non-consideration of Proposals must be made in writing to thePurchasing Officer and received by the City prior to the time set for opening Proposals. Afterother Proposals have been opened, the Proposal for which non-consideration is properly

requested will be returned unopened. The Proposal may not be withdrawn after the Proposalshave been opened, and the Respondent, in submitting the same, warrants and guarantees thatits Proposal has been carefully reviewed and checked and that it is in all things true and accurateand free of mistakes and that such Proposal will not and cannot be withdrawn because of anymistake committed by the Respondent.

C. Consideration of ProposalsAfter Proposals are opened, the Proposals will be evaluated on the basis given in the RFP. Untilfinal award of the Contract, the City Manager reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals,reissue the RFP, modify or change the form of the solicitation or any combination thereof, to

waive technicalities, or proceed to contract for the services otherwise deemed to be in the bestinterest of the City.

D. Irregular ProposalsProposals will be considered irregular if they show any omissions, alterations of form, additions,or conditions not called for, unauthorized alternate Proposals, or irregularities of any kind.



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However, the City reserves the right to waive any irregularities and to make the award in thebest interests of the City.

E. Rejection of ProposalsThe City reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, and all Proposals submitted are subject

to this reservation. Proposals may be rejected, among other reasons, for any of the followingspecific reasons:

Proposals received after the time set for receiving Proposals as reflected on the coverpage.Proposals containing any irregularities.Unbalanced value of any items.

F. Disqualification of Respondent Respondent may be disqualified and their Proposal not considered, among other reasons, forany of the following specific reasons:

Reason for believing collusion exists among the Consultants/Vendors.Reasonable grounds for believing that any Respondent submitting a Proposal as a primeis interested in more than one Proposal for the services contemplated.Where the Respondent, any subcontractor or supplier, is in litigation with the City, orwhere such litigation is contemplated or imminent, in the sole opinion of the City.The Respondent being in arrears on any existing contract or having defaulted on aprevious contract.Lack of competency as revealed by pertinent factors, including, but not necessarilylimited to, experience, computer hardware and software, equipment, andquestionnaires.Insufficient resources, which in the judgment of the City will prevent or hinderpromptly providing of additional services, if awarded.

G. Expense of Submittal PreparationThe City accepts no liability for the costs and expenses incurred by the Service Providers inresponding to this RFP, in preparing responses for clarification, in attendance at interviews,participating in contract development sessions, or in meetings and presentations required forthe contract approval process. Each Service Provider that enters into the procurement processshall prepare the required materials and submittals at its own expense and with the expressunderstanding that the Service Provider cannot make any claims whatsoever for reimbursementfrom the City for the costs and expenses associated with the procurement process.



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XIII. Service Provider’s Background and Experience Please answer the following questions as completely as possible, placing your answerimmediately after the question to which it applies. If you wish to add supplementalinformation, it shall be labeled “Supplemental Information.”

A. Official NameProvide the legal name and address of the company and state of incorporation submittingthe proposal. Also identify all subcontractors or joint venture partners.

B. Service Provider BackgroundProvide an overview and history of your company. How long has the company beenproviding Services to local governments? What are your areas of expertise? Describe theorganization and ownership. Include an organization chart.

a. How do you engage staff and the elected officials in formulating a legislativeagenda? (Give examples) Do you have a typical time schedule during the year that

accompanies this approach?b. Are there particular issues where your expertise and access are better than others?

How do they line up with what you know about the City?

c. Have you ever encountered an issue where your clients were divided on their views(say staff had one view and officials had another, or there was a partisan split) butstill want you to advocate for them? How did you resolve it?

d. Have there been cases where your clients were unaware of an opportunity forfunding or legislation where your knowledge allowed you to suggest something tothem that they did not bring to you first, and where they ended up beingsuccessful? (Give example)

e. How does your organization handle potential conflicts such as multiple clientspursuing funding through the same account?

f. How do you clients best measure your performance or success?

C. Proposing Organization’s Structure g. Describe your total organization, including any parent companies, subsidiaries,

affiliates, and other related entities;

h. Describe the ownership structure of your organization, including any significant orcontrolling equity holders;

i. Provide a management organization chart of your overall organization, showingdirector and officer positions and names and the reporting structure.

j. Provide detailed information for the Federal Lobbying Representation businesssegments of your organization, showing the reporting structures within thesesegments and among these segments and the overall organization and the principalcontact/representative and that persons specific background information;



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k. Describe the key individuals, along with their qualifications, professionalcertifications and experience that would comprise your organization’s team forproviding Services to the City ; and

l. Describe any organizational changes such as divestitures, acquisitions, or spin-offsinvolving your Federal Lobbying Services business segments that have occurred inthe latest two (2) years or are anticipated in the future.

XIV. Confidential or Proprietary MarkingsResponses to this Request for Proposal become the exclusive property of the City. All Proposalssubmitted become a matter of public record and, upon request, shall be open for publicinspection, with the exception of those portions of each Proposal which are defined by theRespondent as business or trade secrets and are clearly marked as “Trade Secret,” “Confidential”or “Proprietary.” Trade secrets and confidential information contained in the Proposals and clearlymarked and identified as such shall not be open for public inspection at any time.

It is the responsibility of the Respondent to clearly mark and identify all portions of theProposal that, in the Respondent ’s opinion, contain trade secrets, confidential information, orother proprietary information. The City recommends the use of the legend “RFP – Confidential,”“RFP – Proprietary,” or wor ds to that effect on each and every section of the Proposal for whichRespondent claims confidential, trade secret, or proprietary status. Prefacing the entireProposal with a single confidential or proprietary statement is discouraged and may notconstitute sufficient designation of trade secrets and confidential information.

Respondent agrees that it shall not hold the City liable or responsible for the disclosure of any

such records or Proposals or portions thereof, if they are not clearly marked as “Trade Secret,” “Confidential” or “Proprietary,” or if disclosure is required by the North Carolina Public RecordsAct or other applicable law or judicial order. If a third party challenges the trade secrets orconfidential nature of certain information, it will be the sole responsibility of the Respondent todefend that challenge.

A. Release of Additional InformationAll Consultants/Vendors are hereby advised and through submission of a Proposal agree andrelease the City to solicit and secure background information based upon the information,including references, provided in response to this solicitation. Fully descriptive and completeinformation should, therefore, be provided to assist in this process and ensure the appropriateimpact.

The City reserves the right to solicit additional information from the Consultants/Vendors, or anyone Respondent, should the City deem such information necessary.



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XV. Award of Contract Award of Contract, if awarded, will be made by the City Manager to the Respondent whoseProposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the City, taking into consideration therelative importance of price and other evaluation factors. It is anticipated that award may bemade within ninety (90) days after the opening of the Proposals. No award will be made untilafter investigations are made as to the responsibilities of the Respondent.

The City reserves the right to solicit additional information from the Respondent, or any oneRespondent should the City deem such information necessary.

The Award of Contract may be to one, all, some, or none of the Consultants/Vendors at the solediscretion of the City.

XVI. Terms and Conditions

A. PriceThe Respondent shall complete all forms and information submittals in the attachments, andsubmit with the Proposal.

B. Terms of Payment Terms of payment to the Respondent will be in accordance with the terms of the Agreementbased on invoices submitted to and approved by the City. Invoices shall be fully documented inaccordance with the Agreement. Invoices must reflect only the amount due for that portion of the services performed, materials and equipment furnished for the period covered by eachinvoice. Respondent agrees to waive any/all interest charges on overdue invoices.

C. Payment of SubcontractorsUpon payment by the City, Respondent shall pay each subcontractor or sub consultant theappropriate share of the payment no later than the 10th calendar day after the day on whichthe Respondent receives payment from the City.

D. VenueThis Contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina. If legal action isnecessary by either party with respect to the enforcement of any and all of its terms andconditions, exclusive venue for any legal action shall lie in Guilford County, North Carolina.

E. TerminationTermination for Cause. The City retains the right to terminate any contract resulting from thisRFP at its exclusive option and at no further cost or obligation to itself for reasons of Respondent ’s failure to perform satisfactorily in the following areas:

Quality of service



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Fulfillment of other contractual commitments or requirements

Such termination action will be enacted only after the Respondent has been notified in writingby the City of its dissatisfaction and the Respondent has been given, in the City’s opinion,

reasonable time to correct the matter of dissatisfaction.

Termination for Convenience of the City. In any contract resulting from this RFP, the City retainsits right to terminate the contract, in whole or in part, for its convenience.

F. General Performance RequirementsPerformance shall commence upon execution of the contract by the City Manager and a writtennotice to proceed which must include a signed, original Purchase Order. Thereafter, all workshall be coordinated, reviewed, and approved by the City Representative, or designee.

The scope of this Contract and requirements of the City as described in the RFP and Proposalshall not be considered as binding on the City, and the Scope of Services awarded actually maybe less than or greater than projected.

Respondent warrants that all services performed under any resulting Contract will be of the typeand quality specified, and the City may reject and/or refuse Services which fall below the qualityspecified in the RFP and resulting Contract.

Failure by the Respondent to make reasonable progress in accordance with the agreed uponcontract expectation shall entitle the City to seek services from alternate sources whereveravailable, with the right to seek reimbursement from the Respondent for amounts, if any, paidby the City over and above the Contract price.

All Services performed under this Contract, as required by the RFP, shall be performed in thehighest quality.

Failure of Respondent to fully comply with the terms and provisions of this Contract shallconstitute grounds for declaring the Respondent in default of the Contract.

The term of the agreement shall not commence prior to a contract, notice to proceed and apurchase order being issued by an authorized City staff member. The term of the contract willbe specified by the City upon review of the proposal. The term of the contract will be

determined by the City and the successful Respondent will be advised by the City of the actualterm of the agreement.

Re-negotiation of rates, payments, and other necessary or desirable changes in a resultingagreement will take place between the City and Respondent at times and place convenient toboth. Notwithstanding, no increase or decrease in rates or payments may be made withoutwritten consent of both parties, and countersigned by the appropriate designated representatives.



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G. Progress ReportsThe Service Provider will be required to prepare and submit weekly written reports to the Citypoint of contact. The weekly reports shall: Update the Project Plan indicating progress for eachtask; Identify and report the status of all tasks that have fallen behind schedule and the reasonand cure period; Identify and summarize all risks and problems identified by the Service Providerwhich may affect the Project; For each risk and problem, identify the action and person(s)responsible for mitigating the risk and resolving the problem; For each risk and problemidentified, state the impact on the Project Plan; and Identify all changes in the Project Plan thataffect personnel, equipment, facilities and resources of the City which will be required for theService Provider to perform the Services two (2) weeks in advance of the need.

H. Proposal Binding for 180 DaysEach Proposal shall contain a statement to the effect that the Proposal is a firm offer for one-hundred-eighty (180) calendar day period from the date of the opening. This statement must besigned by an individual authorized to bind the Service Provider and include their name, title,address, and telephone number. All prices quoted shall be firm and fixed for the full Contractperiod. The County shall have the option to accept subject to exception by Contract.

I. IndemnificationTo the fullest extent permitted by law, the Respondent shall indemnify, defend and holdharmless the City and the City’s officers, agents and employees from and against any and allloss, damages, obligations, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) thatarise directly or indirectly from:

Any act(s) of negligence or willful misconduct by Respondent or any of its agents, employees orsubcontractors (or any allegations or any of the foregoing), including but not limited to anyliability caused by an accident or other occurrence resulting in bodily injury, death, sickness ordisease to any person(s) or damage or destruction to any property, real or personal; or

Any claims seeking payment for labor or materials provided by the Respondent under thecontract.

J. Insurance for Service ContractsInsurance Requirements by Contract Classifications

Contracted projects of any size shall be adequately insured.

Respondent shall not be allowed to begin work until evidence of the required insurance isprovided. All payments and performance bonds and certificates of insurance shall be reviewedbefore the vendor is awarded a contract or contemporaneously with the execution of acontract, when applicable. Submittals must be verified prior to issuing a Purchase Order.

Classes of Risk are based on 12- month aggregate services, or annual value of contract for multi-year agreements. (non-construction)



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Automobile Liability

Bodily Injury $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accidentProperty damage $250,000Professional error’s & omissions $1,000,000 per occurrenceUmbrella policy $2,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000

aggregate

All insurance policies proposed or obtained in satisfaction of these requirements shall complywith the following general specification, and shall be maintained in compliance with these generalspecifications throughout the duration of the Contract, or longer, if so noted:

Each policy shall be issued by a company authorized to do business in the State of North Carolina with an A.M. Best Company rating of at least A.Liability policies shall be endorsed to provide the following:

1. Name as additional insured the City, its Officials, Agents, and Employees.2. That such insurance is primary to any other insurance available to the

additional insured.3. All policies shall be endorsed to provide thirty (30) days prior written notice

of cancellation, non-renewal or reduction in coverage.4. Should any of the required insurance be provided under a claims-made form,

Respondent shall maintain such coverage continuously throughout the termof this contract and without lapse, for a period of three years beyond thecontract expiration, such that occurrences arising during the contract termwhich give rise to claims made after expiration of the contract shall be

covered.

Certificate of Insurance must be submitted prior to execution of contract.

K. Independent Contractor StatusRespondent recognizes that it is engaged as an independent contractor and acknowledges thatthe City will have no responsibility to provide transportation, insurance or other fringe benefitsnormally associated with employee status. Respondent, in accordance with its status as anindependent contractor, covenants and agrees that it shall conduct itself consistent with suchstatus, and that it will not by reason hereof make any claim, demand or application to or for anyright or privilege applicable to an officer, partner, employee or agent of the City, including, butnot limited to, unemployment insurance benefits, social security coverage or retirementbenefits. Respondent hereby agrees to make its own arrangements for any of such benefits as itmay desire and agrees that it is responsible for all income taxes required by applicable law.



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XVII. Compliance With LawsIn the execution of the Contract, the Respondent must comply with all applicable State andFederal laws, including but not limited to laws concerned with labor, environment, equalemployment opportunity, safety and minimum wages. The Respondent shall make itself familiarwith and at all times shall observe and comply with all Federal, State and Local laws, ordinancesand regulations which in any manner affect the conduct of the Work, and shall indemnify andsave harmless the City and its official and/or contractual representatives against any claimarising from violation of any such law, ordinance or regulation by itself or by its subcontractors,or suppliers at any tier, or its employees. When requested, competent evidence of compliancewith applicable laws shall be furnished.

The Respondent shall cooperate with applicable city or other governmental officials at all timeswhere their jurisdiction prevails. The Respondent shall possess all appropriate licensure toconduct federal lobbying activities.

A. Right to Audit At any time during the term of this Contract and for a period of four (4) years thereafter the Cityor a duly authorized audit representative of the City, or the State of North Carolina, at itsexpense and at reasonable times, reserves the right to audit Respondent records and booksrelevant to all services provided under this Contract. In the event such an audit by the Cityreveals any errors/overpayments by the City, the Respondent shall refund the City the fullamount of such overpayments within thirty (30) days of such audit findings, or the City, at itsoption, reserves the right to deduct such amounts owing the City from any payments due theRespondent.

B. Non-Discriminatory Employment The City does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, religion, color, age, gender,sexual orientation, and/or national origin in the execution of its governmental functions.

Submittal to the City of reasonable evidence of discrimination will be grounds for termination of the agreement. This policy does not require the employment of unqualified persons.

C. Felony Conviction Notice and Criminal Background Check Respondent will obtain criminal history record information that relates to an employee,applicant for employment, or agent of the Respondent if the employee, applicant, or agent hasor will have continuing duties related to the contracted services; and the duties are or will beperformed on the City property. The Respondent shall certify to the City before beginning workand at no less than an annual basis thereafter that criminal history record information has beenobtained. Respondent shall assume all expenses associated with the background checks, andshall immediately remove any employee or agent who was convicted of a felony, ormisdemeanor involving moral turpitude, as defined by North Carolina law, from the City



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property. The City shall be the final authority in deciding if and when an employee of theRespondent shall be removed from the City premises. Respondent violation of this section shallconstitute a substantial failure under Article 15.

D. Appeal Process

Any Respondent who has submitted a proposal has the right to appeal, if such an appeal isbased on deviations from laws, rules, regulations, or procedures. The following procedureapplies to Respondent responding to a Request for Proposal or Request for Qualifications whowish to appeal a disqualification of a proposal, or award of contract.

Respondent shall submit appeals in writing to the Purchasing Officer of the City. Appeals mustbe received no later than 4:00 PM on the fifth (5th) working day after the postmarked Notice of Award or disqualification.

XVIII. ClarificationsAny questions about requirements or any other instruction contained within the RFP or relatingto the RFP should be directed to Ron Goodwin, Purchasing Agent via e-mail [email protected]. All requests for clarification about any item contained orrelating to the RFP should be made in writing and expressed through e-mail. Any clarificationsmade in response to questions received will be e-mailed to all expected respondents providingcontact information and requesting the City do so, as appropriate and as judged necessary atthe discretion of the City. Anyone planning to submit a proposal should contact the City contactlisted above to convey such intent. The deadline for requesting clarification is November 17,2010 . Requests for verbal or telephone clarification will be declined and will be non-binding.

XIX. Selection ProcessSelection of proposals will be at the sole judgment of the City. The City will consider all parts of the proposal collectively, but place an emphasis on prior experience, cost and acceptance of theterms of the contract.

The selection process may include an interview session tentatively scheduled for December 1,2010. This interview session may be recorded for later review by City staff. The City will selectthe respondent that in the sole judgment of the City best satisfies the requirements in the RFPand the expectations of the City and can do so at the best value to the City. Selection may not bethe proposal with the lowest cost. Respondents may not contest for any reason the selection of the City.

Selection does not guarantee a contract. After selection, the Respondent and City will discussand agree on final scope of work and final contract amount and terms of the Contract. If theRespondent and City fail to reach an agreement, the City is free to select from remainingavailable respondents, cancel the RFP, or issue an additional Request for Proposals.



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XX. Evaluation CriteriaProposals will be evaluated based on the Service Provider's ability to meet the performancerequirements of this RFP. This section provides a description of the evaluation criteria that willbe used to evaluate the Proposals. To be deemed responsive, it is important for the ServiceProvider to provide appropriate detail to demonstrate satisfaction of each criterion andcompliance with the performance provisions outlined in this RFP. The Service Pro vider’s

Proposal will be the primary source of information used in the evaluation process. Proposalsmust contain information specifically related to the proposed Services and requested herein.Failure of any Service Provider to submit information requested may result in the elimination of the Proposal from further evaluation.

Proposals will be assessed to determine the most comprehensive, competitive and best valuesolution for the City based on, but not limited to, the criteria below. The City reserves the rightto modify the evaluation criteria or waive portions thereof. Proposals will be evaluated on thefollowing major categories:

a. Qualifications, Experience and Approach;b. Cost Effectiveness and Value; andc. Acceptance of the Terms of the Contract.

A. Qualifications, Experience and ApproachService Providers will be evaluated based upon their understanding, experience andqualifications in performing the same or substantially similar Services, as reflected by itsexperience in performing such Services. The evaluation will include references regardingwork for organizations with needs similar to the City’s, and the feasibility of the ServiceProvider's approach for the provision of the Services .

B. Cost Effectiveness and ValueUnder this criterion, Proposals will be compared in terms of the most reasonable, and ormost effective pricing options. The Evaluation Committee will also take into considerationany indirect costs associated with the Services and administration of the Contract.

C. Acceptance of the Terms of the Contract The City will evaluate the Proposals for compliance with the terms, conditions,requirements, and specifications stated in this RFP. Regardless of exceptions taken, ServiceProviders shall provide pricing based on the requirements and terms set forth in this RFP.



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XXI. Attachments

Attachment A ‐ Required Forms

REQUIRED FORM 1 - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Service Provider hereby certifies receipt of the Request for Proposals for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina , Federal Lobbying Representation. This form should be completedupon receipt of the City’s Request for Proposals and faxed in time for the City to receive it by or before December 1, 2010. Please fax the completed Request for Proposals AcknowledgementForm to the attention of:

City of Greensboro Purchasing DivisionATTN: Ron Goodwin, Purchasing Manager300 West Washington StGreensboro, NC 27401

Fax Number: 336-373-2544E-mail: [email protected]

Date: _________________________

Authorized Signature:______________________________________________________

Title:___________________________________________________________________

Company Name:________________________________________________________________

Contact Name: _________________________________________________________________

Contact E-mail address: __________________________________________________________

_____We plan on submitting a Proposal

_____We do not plan on submitting a Proposal

Reason:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________



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REQUIRED FORM 3 - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM

Federal Lobbying Representation

This Proposal is submitted by:

Service Provider Name: ________________________________________________________

Representative (printed): ________________________________________________________

Representative (signed) : ________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________________

Telephone: ________________________________________________________

(Area Code) Telephone Number

Facsimile: ________________________________________________________

(Area Code) Fax Number

It is understood by the Service Provider that the City reserves the right to reject

any and all Proposals, to make awards on all items or on any items according tothe best interest of the City, to waive formalities, technicalities, to recover andre-bid this RFP. Proposal is valid for one hundred and eighty (180) calendardays from the Proposal due date.

______________________________________ ________________________

Service Provider Date

_____________________________________ ________________________

Authorized Signature Please type or print name



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REQUIRED FORM 4 – PRICING WORKSHEET

Regardless of exceptions taken, Service Providers shall provide pricing based on the requirementsand terms set forth in this RFP. Pricing must be all-inclusive and cover every aspect of theProject. Cost must be in United States dollars rounded to the nearest quarter of a dollar. If thereare additional costs associated with the Services, please add to this chart. Your PriceProposal must reflect all costs that the City will be responsible for.

PRICING COST

Federal Monthly Pricing

Additional Costs

SUBTOTAL



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RFP_Federal_Lobbying[1] Post W-rev Dates

Documents

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