1.0. Invitation Capital Region Water (CRW) owns and operates the drinking water, wastewater and stormwater facilities and infrastructure for the city of Harrisburg, PA and portions of surrounding communities serving over 60,000 residents and businesses with drinking water and 130,000 with wastewater services. CRW is requesting qualifications for professional diversity and inclusion consultants to assist in increasing the capacity and participation of minority, women, and other disadvantaged business enterprises on all project related construction projects according to CRW s Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Plan. 2.0. General Information/Project Description The will work with CRW Staff, General Contractors, M/W/DBE Subcontractors and CRW s advisors and consultants to assist in achieving goals according to Capital Region Water s Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Plan. The Diversity and Inclusion Consultant will work with the team prior to, during, and after construction projects to identify, monitor, and report M/W/DBE participation to meet CRW s goals. The consultant will also work with CRW to produce and execute workforce development strategies and programs designed to prepare M/W/DBEs for contracting opportunities based on current and future water industry needs. 3.0. Pre-Proposal Meeting No Pre-Proposal meeting will be scheduled with this RFQ. If you have any questions or request additional information please contact Tremayne Terry at tremayne.terry@capitalregionwater.com 4.0. Qualifications and Selection Schedule TASK DATE RFQ Issued December 22, 2016 Written Inquiries January 13, 2017 by 12pm EST Inquiry Response/Addenda Issued January 20, 2017 Qualifications Due January 27, 2017 by 12pm EST Interview / Presentation Period February 6-10, 2017 Selection of Consultant February 22, 2017 Commence Work March 2017 Page 1 of 7
The timeline above is subject to change. Upon mutual agreement between CRW and the selected consultant(s), a kick-off meeting with CRW will be scheduled before the commencement of work. 5.0. Scope of Services Capital Region Water has outlined the scope of services below. This is the range of tasks CRW expects the to be able to complete in a timely and efficient manner that will be determined by CRW s project-by-project needs according to the Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Plan. Please reference, respond, and critique the scope of services within the submittal qualifications. Consultants are encouraged to only submit responses for the scope of services they re qualified to perform. CRW reserves the right to select more than one consultant, or team of consultants to execute the scope of services to attain best value. A. Contractor Compliance Work with CRW to establish Minimum Participation Levels on a project-by-project basis Have a general understanding of the M/W/DBE Market and the capabilities of said market Have a knowledge of construction projects and what scopes of service are likely to be outsourced on a project-by-project basis Work with CRW to determine Bidder Responsiveness and Bidder Responsibility Work to establish impartial standards that constitute as sufficient outreach performed on behalf of the bidder Review Failure to Achieve statements from bidders to determine Safe Harbor according to the M/W/DBE plan Work with CRW to determine failure of compliance and daily enforcement amounts according to the M/W/DBE plan Work with CRW to ensure subcontractor labor requirements are met Review work schedules and visit work sites to confirm subcontractors are selfperforming Generate CRW s M/W/DBE Business Utilization Report (Exhibit 6) Work with CRW to communicate to General Contractors and Subcontractors regarding the suitability and timeliness of monthly reporting (Exhibits 2, 3, 4, 5) Work with CRW to review and analyze monthly reports (Exhibits 4 & 5) B. Procedure to Solicit Participation M/W/DBE / Prime Bidder Outreach Notification Page 2 of 7
Work with CRW to effectively outreach to the M/W/DBE Community before outreach events and pre-bid meetings Provide lists of Prime Bidders to the M/W/DBE Community Work with CRW to effectively outreach to Prime Bidders Provide lists of M/W/DBEs to Prime Bidders Identify Diversity and Inclusion Outreach events and seminars that will be beneficial to the program C. Procedure to Evaluate Bids M/W/DBE Certification Verification Review certifications to verify the M/W/DBE s scope of services match their NAICS codes and work history Review certifications to ensure accurate and up to date certifications Bid Evaluation Work with CRW to review proposals to confirm M/W/DBE plan requirements are met Review the Responsiveness, Responsibility, and Access to Information details in plan Access to Information Work with CRW to set standards in determining the need and scope of information required from bidders to conclude responsiveness and responsibility D. Procedures- Records and Reports Records and Reports Work with CRW to produce and plan reports (Exhibit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6) as requested or required Work with CRW to produce ad hoc reports related to overall or project specific M/W/DBE participation results, goals, and outcomes E. Local M/W/DBE Workforce Development, Education, and Capacity Building Program Work with CRW to create a Mentor / Protégé style program designed to assist Local M/W/DBEs in building capacity to be competitive in the marketplace specific to CRW s needs Work with CRW to identify opportunities and industry requirements that can be considered beneficial to Local M/W/DBEs Work to build relationships with industry associations that are deemed beneficial to CRW s Local M/W/DBE Workforce Development goals Schedule, arrange, coordinate, execute, facilitate M/W/DBE trainings, seminars, and outreach events on behalf of CRW Page 3 of 7
6.0. Submittal Requirements for Qualifications Consultants are expected to include clear responses to the following information in their response for qualifications. It is CRW s desire to review uniform submittals in an efficient manner. Work Plan (limit to 2 pages): Provide a work plan summarizing your understanding of and approach for the scope of services outlined above. The work plan should describe specific instructions and resources used for project execution including task deliverables, timelines, methods, and client communication procedures. A work plan similar to this one will be submitted to the CRW team for review and approval prior to commencing work. The work plan will be updated and revised as necessary on a project-by-project basis. Scope of Services (limit to 2 pages): Please summarize the scope of services available through your firm and/or project team as well as your vision, ability, and expertise in providing the required services. Describe your capability and expertise to address a range of challenges associated with building an effective Diversity and Inclusion Program. Please also include any explanation of why you or your firm may be better qualified to provide these services compared to a competitor. Experience and Qualifications (limit to 6 pages): Describe the project team s experience, abilities, and qualifications providing similar services as required in this request. Please provide a brief history and description of the firm or yourself. Include the name, address and contact information, year established, and the office location from which this project will be managed. Experience that demonstrates a record of successful innovation and concise understanding will be well favored. In demonstrating experience, include the range of services previously provided specific to the scope of services above. Provide details about the project team s professional, personal and/or industry associations belonged to or worked with in the past that will be valuable to achieving the scope of services. Also, provide copies of certifications, licenses, and association memberships that will be beneficial to achieving the scope of services requested. Please provide up to three specific projects implemented by you and/or your firm within the past ten years that demonstrate the delivery of similar services. Provide the project name, project date, description of services provided, key personnel involved in the work, and a contact person/project owner. Page 4 of 7
7.0. References Provide three (3) reference letters from entities with whom work was performed similar in scope to the requirements of this RFQ. Please include current contact information for inquiries. 8.0. Submission of Qualifications Please follow the format of this RFQ when submitting Qualifications. One-page resumes should be attached in the appendix for everyone on the project team. Consultants are encouraged to only submit responses for the scope of services they re qualified to perform. CRW reserves the right to select more than one consultant, or team of consultants to execute the scope of services to attain best value. Submit Qualifications, clearly labeled Qualifications Enclosed Diversity and Inclusion Consultant by 12:00PM EST on Friday, January 27, 2017. Please submit electronically in PDF format via email to tremayne.terry@capitalregionwater.com and mail two (2) hard copies to: Attention: Tremayne Terry, Community Liaison Capital Region Water 212 Locust St., Suite 500 Harrisburg, PA 17101 Please ensure hard copies are printed double-sided using a minimum of 11-point font. 9.0. Selection Criteria An evaluation committee will review and score Qualifications based on the response to content requirements. It is the intent of CRW to review Qualifications within two weeks of receipt. RFQs will be evaluated based on the following criteria and weighting relevance: Qualifications Selection Criteria Weight Work Plan 30 Scope of Services 30 Experience 40 Page 5 of 7
After review of Qualifications, three to five consultants will be invited to an interview/presentation meeting based on their evaluation. CRW anticipates conducting one-hour interview/presentation meetings (30-min presentation conducted by consultant, 30-minute question/answer period) with consultants prior to recommending award to CRW s Board. Consultants should be prepared to interview and do a presentation between February 6-10, 2017. The interview/presentation results combined with the cost of services will be evaluated and used to determine the selected consultant. CRW will notify all firms of the results of the selection process. Cost Proposal (limited to 2 pages): All consultants invited to an interview/presentation meeting will be asked to submit a separate, sealed document labeled Cost Proposal at the time that the interview/presentation meeting is scheduled. The cost proposal will be opened after the interview/presentation meeting and will be considered in the final selection. Submit Cost Proposal, clearly labeled Cost Proposal Enclosed Diversity and Inclusion Consultant by 12:00PM EST on Monday, February 6, 2017. Please submit two (2) hard copies to: Attention: Tremayne Terry, Community Liaison Capital Region Water 212 Locust St., Suite 500 Harrisburg, PA 17101 Please ensure hard copies are printed double-sided using a minimum of 11-point font. The Cost Proposal should consist of a not-to-exceed hourly fee that includes all expenses for each task within the submitted Scope of Services. Also provide an expected distribution of time (hours per week) that you anticipate each service will require on a project-by-project basis. Local M/W/DBE Workforce Development will be an ongoing service required throughout the year. 10.0. General Terms and Conditions CRW reserves the right to reject any and all Qualifications and to select whoever it determines to be in the best interest of CRW. CRW reserves the right to require any consultant to submit additional information deemed necessary for evaluation of Qualifications. All submittals shall become property of CRW and will not be returned. Late submittals will not be evaluated. Page 6 of 7
Submittals will remain in effect for CRW s review and approval for 60 days from corresponding deadline. CRW reserves the right to negotiate any associated contracts and associated scope of work. The actual extent of services under any contract as a result of this RFQ is to be determined and subject to the approval of CRW s Board of Directors and is effective only upon their approval. The scope of work may be reduced or the work conducted in phases. Consultants are encouraged to add to, modify, and/or clarify tasks as appropriate to deliver a high quality product at the most reasonable expense. Any and all changes must be communicated in writing and are subject to CRW approval. If a consultant incorporates CRW branding into the Qualifications response, brand standards should be met. Please see http://capitalregionwater.com/media-kit/ for additional information. 11.0. Resources For additional insight, please see CRW s M/W/DBE Program at: http://capitalregionwater.com/mwdbe/. If there are any questions regarding this request for Qualifications, please contact Tremayne Terry via email at tremayne.terry@capitalregionwater.com by January 13, 2017 by 12pm EST. Phone calls will not be accepted. Page 7 of 7