All responses to this Request for Proposal (RFP) accepted by the City of Pasadena (City) shall become the exclusive property of the City. At such time as the City Manager recommends a contractor to the City Council, and such recommendation, with any recommended contract appears on the Council agenda, all proposals accepted by the City shall become a matter of public record and shall be regarded as public, with the exception of those elements of each proposal which are defined by the contractor as business or trade secrets and plainly marked as "Trade Secret", "Confidential" or "Proprietary". Each element of a proposal which a contractor desires not to be considered a public record must be clearly marked as set forth above, and any blanket statement (i.e. regarding entire pages, documents or other non-specific designations) shall not be sufficient and shall not bind the City in any way whatsoever. If disclosure is required or permitted under the California Public Records Act or otherwise by law, the City shall not in any way be liable or responsible for the disclosure of any such records or part thereof.

Parties interested in responding are required to submit proposals electronically through the City of Pasadena's eProcurement Portal no later than 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Please upload sufficiently early electronically through the city's eProcurement Portal before the time and day listed in the Notice Inviting Proposals. Proposals must be received in the system prior to the deadline.

The entire proposal must be formatted on standard-size 8½”x11” pages; 12 point font only. The "Technical Proposal," "Additional Data," and "Statement of Qualifications" can be no more than 50 grand total pages.

The Price Proposal must include all costs associated with the Technical Proposal as described in the Price Proposal instructions in the “#Proposer's Submittals/Checklist.”

The Technical Proposal should disclose your technical approach in as much detail as possible, including, but not limited to, the requirements of the technical proposal instructions. Along with all required forms and submittals (See #Attachments, and #Proposer's Submittals/Checklist. No Pricing shall be included in this part.

Proposals received after the Proposal Deadline may not be accepted by the City.

The proposal must be prepared in two parts: a "Technical Proposal" and a "Price Proposal." Each of the parts shall be separate and complete in itself so evaluation of one may be accomplished separate from the evaluation of the other.

1. The Price Proposal must include all costs associated with the Technical Proposal as described in the Price Proposal instructions in the “Submittals/Checklist.”

Parties interested in responding are required to submit their Price Proposal with their Technical proposal through the City's eProcurement Portal.

The pricing must include the total price proposed to accomplish all the performance and deliverables requested in this RFP, and offered by your firm. Each Proposer must submit a Price Proposal containing all costs associated with the technical proposal. The price proposal shall describe both the total and the detailed price for which the consultant will commit to complete the total scope of work and end products. The price proposal detail shall describe costs for each professional’s time, for the completion of each proposed task, and for all materials and supplies.

The fee information is relevant to a determination of whether the fee is fair and reasonable in light of the services to be provided. Costs shall include the proposed costs and, if necessary, the approximate number of hours to provide the services as described in your proposal. Any additional fees outside the scope of the agreement must be approved in writing before commencing services for said fees. Vendor’s RFP response must be inclusive of all costs and expenses associated with travel, lodging, and any other incidental costs. The City will not separately reimburse costs not included in the proposal.

2. The Technical Proposal should disclose your technical approach in as much detail as possible, including, but not limited to, the requirements of the technical proposal instructions. Along with all required forms and submittals (See #Attachments, and Submittals/Checklist. No Pricing shall be included in this part.

Reference SAMPLE PRICE PROPOSAL.

Reimbursable cost schedules shall depict only those expenditures that are exclusive to and in support of the scope of services. The proposed reimbursable cost schedule shall include a detailed list of reimbursables.
A contract will not be awarded to a consultant without an adequate financial management and accounting system as required by 48 CFR Part 31 and 2 CFR Part 200.

Each Proposer must submit a PRICE Proposal containing all costs associated with the technical proposal. Using the attached Price Proposal in this RFP, provide Proposer’s lump-sum price for performing all services and work called for in the SCOPE OF WORK. The Proposer’s lump-sum price shall include, without limitation:

• all designs, equipment, materials, labor, insurance and bond premiums, home office, jobsite, and other overhead, profit and services relating to the Proposer’s performance of its obligations under the Contract (including all work, equipment, materials, labor, and services provided by subcontractors and intellectual property rights necessary to perform the work);
  performance of each and every portion of the work
• all costs of obtaining Government approvals other than Government approvals that are the responsibility of the City of Pasadena;
• all costs of compliance with Government rules, except to the extent such compliance is the responsibility of the City of Pasadena;
• all taxes, duties, permits, and other fees or royalties incident to the performance of the SCOPE OF WORK;
  payment of all salaries, wages, benefits, and expenses of the Proposer’s employees;
  compensation for all risks, liabilities, and contingencies assigned to the Proposer; and
• all other costs needed or incurred to complete the Project.

See the "Timeline" in the Introduction section (#Introduction). If there is a Mandatory pre-proposal meeting, bidders/proposers are required to attend at the time, date, and location included in the Timeline. If there is a Non-Mandatory pre-proposal meeting, bidders/proposers are not required to attend.

Each bidder/proposer will have the opportunity to clarify and ask questions regarding the Specifications. The Pre-Proposal Meeting will be held at the time, date, and location in the Timeline of this solicitation.

The words (A) "City", (B) "Department", (C) "Director", or (D) "Contractor", as used in this RFP, shall be understood to refer respectively to (A) the City of Pasadena, California; (B) the several departments therein; (C) the directors of the several City departments; or any of their properly authorized assistants; and ( D) the person, firm or corporation with whom the contract is made by said City or the agent or legal representative who may be appointed to represent such person, firm or corporation in the signing and performance of said contract.

The selected Consultant will be expected to service the marketing, branding, and public relations needs for PWP. The following includes a sample of the required services:

a. Brand Identity

• Conduct market research to understand current brand/department perception in the community to develop brand identity (customer satisfaction surveys, focus groups, or other best practice) 
• Develop a compelling brand strategy including visual and narrative frameworks to effectively communicate PWP's 100% Carbon-Free by 2030 Goal Optimized Strategic Plan, electric rate study, carbon-free energy goals, business needs, and value to various stakeholders, including low-income households.
• Develop a visual identity including colors, typography, and graphic style, utilizing the existing PWP logo and established brand identity.
• Create updated materials including, but not limited to, flyers, brochures, social media content, webpage content, bill inserts, ads; quality graphic designs that can be reused and edited to fit a variety of uses and campaigns.

b. Strategic Communications and PR plan

• Develop a robust communications, marketing and PR plan that aligns with PWP's 100% Carbon-Free by 2030 Goal; including the Optimized Strategic Plan and electric rate study. 
• Develop a content strategy encompassing digital platforms, traditional media, events, and partnerships to amplify PWP's message and engage the community.
• Develop messaging and marketing materials that can be used in various channels including social media (Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter)), paid media, and materials that can be shared with local partners.
• Pitch innovative strategies to engage the hard-to-reach customers and to thoughtfully include a highly engaged segment of the community.
• Assist in facilitating  outreach to relevant stakeholders to inform campaign strategy.

c. Implementation of strategic communication and PR plan

• Create a story schedule, templates, and content for outreach medium including but not limited to social media, emails, newsletter, blogs, media, press releases, workshops, events, etc.
• Develop original copy (text), copywriting and editing in English and select materials in English and Spanish .
• Craft marketing campaigns that meet PWP's objectives and budget. Marketing campaigns will be print, digital, online, etc.
• Draft op-eds, articles, social media content, press and news releases on behalf of PWP.
• Pitch media stories on behalf of PWP and help prep Department leadership for interviews.
• Mobilize local stakeholders, partners, businesses, and institutions to amplify PWP’s messaging.

e. Project Management and Coordination

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to establish baselines and track the success of branding, marketing, and communication initiatives.
• Meet with PWP staff as-needed to review the communications initiatives and their implementation.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in marketing, communications, and graphic design.
• Proven track record of success in developing and executing successful educational and marketing campaigns for utilities and/or government clients.
• Strong understanding of current market trends and best practices in advertising and graphic design. Experience in clean energy or sustainability messaging preferred. 
• A creative and experienced team with expertise in copywriting, design, and media planning.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project management skills.

If this solicitation is issued by an Operating Company of the City of Pasadena including the Pasadena Center Operating Company; or Rose Bowl Operating Company; or Pasadena Community Access Corporation: In this solicitation, any reference to the City, shall actually refer to the PCOC, PRHB, or RBOC, or PCAC, e.g. "City" shall refer to the Operating Company, "City Council" to its Board of Directors, and "City Manager" to its Chief Executive Officer. 

Policy - The City of Pasadena is committed to a policy of Equal Employment:

• Contracting. Contractors expressly agree to comply with the City’s ordinances and regulations regarding Equal Opportunity Employment as well as regulations that may be mandated by the source of the funds supporting this contract.

Compliance – To the extent permitted by law, Contractor expressly agrees to establish compliance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Practices Provisions of Chapter 4.08 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, and the Rules and Regulations adopted pursuant to said ordinance.

The successful bidder or proposer may be required to submit documentation during the term of the contract to evidence on going compliance with the City’s Equal Opportunity Practices Provisions. Such documentation may include, but not be limited to certified payroll records and Current Permanent Workforce Utilization reports.

Required Forms – Each bidder or proposer must submit a completed Form AA-1. Failure to submit this form will result in automatic disqualification with no exceptions unless bidder or proposer has an approved Form on file with the City.

Questions regarding Chapter 4.08 of the Pasadena Municipal Code and regulations adopted pursuant thereto should be directed to the Department of Finance, Purchasing Division 626.744.6755.

This form is only applied for formal solicitations $75,000 or more.  The City requires that each bidder or proposer executes and submits to the City with the Bid/Proposal, the attached Declaration of Non Collusion in the #Bidder's Submittals/Checklist.

A sample of the contract the successful vendor will be required to enter into with the City is attached hereto and by this reference incorporated herein and made part of this solicitation.

Any additional work identified during the course of the project that is deemed necessary, but outside the original Scope of Services, must be recorded as a Change Order and approved by the City in writing before work is started.

The City of Pasadena is committed to promoting the economic health and well being of its residents. To this end, contractor agrees to recruit Pasadena residents initially and to give them preference, if all other factors are equal, for any new positions that result from the performance of this contract and which are performed within the City.

Awarded bidder or proposer may be required to obtain and pay for any required business license under Title 5 of the Pasadena Municipal Code.

• If the business will not come into the City for the purpose of providing services for this contract they are not required to obtain a business license.
• If the business will only be coming into the city no more than 10 times to work on projects, they are charged 33% of the annual tax (5.04.130C)
• If they come into the City more than 10 times they are required to pay the annual fee.
• Any subcontractors used by the awarded bidder or proposer will be required to obtain a license if they will be coming into the City to perform services.

For further information contact Municipal Services Department at (626) 744-4166, Monday-Friday between 7:15 am and 5:15 pm. Additional Information regarding business license fees can be found here: https://www.cityofpasadena.net/finance/licenses/business-licenses/

Invoice Submission Portal

The invoice submission process is activated when an invoice is submitted through the Vendor Invoice Portal. Invoices submitted are automatically sent to the department being invoiced for review. Once the city department verifies its accuracy, the department will submit the invoice to Accounts Payable for payment processing. One final review and approval by the department who was invoiced is needed in order for a check to be issued. Checks are issued on Tuesday and Thursday.

How to submit invoices to the City of Pasadena?

Create an account: Visit the City’s Invoice Submission website: https://invoice.cityofpasadena.net/ and select “Create Account”

Refer to the "Invoice Submission Portal - Vendor User Guide" for detailed instructions.

By submitting a bid or proposal, each bidder or proposer expressly agrees to and accepts the following conditions:

• All parts of the Instructions to bidder or proposer and Specifications will become part of the Contract between the selected bidder or proposer and the City;
• The City may require whatever evidence is deemed necessary relative to the bidder or proposer financial stability and ability to complete this project;
• The City reserves the right to request further information from the bidder or proposer, either in writing or orally, to establish any stated qualifications;
• The City reserves the right to solely judge the bidder or proposer representations, and to solely determine whether the bidder or proposer is qualified to undertake the project pursuant to the criteria set forth herein. The bidder or proposer, by submitting a bid, expressly acknowledges and agrees that the judgment of the City as to whether or not the bidder or proposer is qualified to perform the project, shall be final, binding and conclusive;
• The City reserves the right to reject all bids, waive any irregularity in any of the bids, or cancel or delay the project at any time;
• This bidding process does not commit the City to award any contract, and the City is not liable for any costs incurred by the bidder or proposer in the preparation and submission of a bid.

If this purchase includes a service, and the contract total is at $25,000 or more, it is then subject to the City of Pasadena's Living Wage Ordinance, Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 4.11. The ordinance requires that contractors providing labor or services to the City under contracts in excess of $25,000 pay no less than the City’s Living Wage to all employees who spend any of their time providing labor or delivering services to the City.

The selected contractor will be required to evidence compliance with the Living Wage Ordinance by submitting payroll records as requested by the City. Each record shall include the full name of each employee performing labor or providing services under the contract; job classification; rate of pay and benefit rate.

Failure to comply with the provisions of the Pasadena Living Wage Ordinance is grounds for termination of the contract and a basis for penalties as stated in Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 4.11. Questions concerning the Pasadena Living Wage Ordinance should be directed to:

Finance Department
Purchasing Division
626-744-6755 - phone
626-744-6757 – fax

Please visit https://ww5.cityofpasadena.net/finance/doing-business-with-the-city/ for the current calendar year Pasadena Living Wage rate.

If a vendor is providing labor for any subsequent contract resulting from this solicitation, they must comply with the City of Pasadena Minimum Wage as set forth in Chapter 5.02 of the Pasadena Municipal Code.  Vendors are encouraged to review the City’s minimum wage information guide at (https://bit.ly/3o3SHMh).  The minimum wage ordinance may be found at Pasadena Municipal Code.

Bidders or Proposers shall not be allowed to take advantage of any errors or omissions in the Instructions to Bidders/General Instructions or Specifications/Scope of Work. Full instructions will be given if such error or omission is discovered and timely called to the attention of the City.

Each bidder or proposer shall include in the price bid any patent fees, royalties and charges on any patented article or process to be furnished or used in the prosecution of the Work.

Price bid or Price Proposals shall include all federal, state, local and other taxes.

Proof of insurance is not required to be submitted with your bid/proposal, but will be required prior to the City's award of the contract. Refer to the Insurance requirements in the "Insurance Requirements" section of this document.

The winning proposal/bid may be required to submit a completed and signed IRS Form W-9. Failure to submit this form may result in the response being deemed non-responsive.

Link: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

Bidders acknowledge that they shall provide the goods and/or services without monetary limitations on liability. If Bidders take exception to this requirement, Bidders shall expressly state any exceptions, including the proposed limits of liability, (a) in detail; (b) as a separate line item; and (c) not part of any form documents submitted. Bidders acknowledge that any exceptions may result in a finding of non-responsivness.

This section is only applied when buying paper products.

Beginning January 1, 2022, SB 1383 requires jurisdictions (cities, counties, cities and counties, or special districts that provide solid waste collection services) to purchase recycled-content paper products that are recyclable.

SB 1383 builds upon existing laws that require jurisdictions to purchase products that contain minimum recycled content, and adds additional requirements on product recyclability and recordkeeping.

All vendors providing Paper Products and Printing and Writing Paper shall:

• Provide products that contain no less than 30% minimum recycled content and recyclability (described in further detail in State of California, PCC Sections 22150-22154, under the sections “Recycled-Content Requirements” and “Recyclability Requirements”.
• Provide a written certification and other verification from product vendors, as applicable, certifying that the products meet the recycled-content and recyclability requirements.

The Levine Act precludes an officer of a local government agency, including an elected official, from participating in the award of a contract if he or she receives any political contributions totaling more than $250 in the 12 months preceding the pendency of the contract award, and for 12 months following the final decision, from the person or company awarded the contract. Proposers should ensure their employees, agents, and consultants are aware of the requirements of the Levine Act before the proposal is submitted, so as to avoid inadvertent violations.

The provisions of this Contract relating to payment for products or services shall become effective when funds assigned for the purpose of compensating the Contractor as herein provided are actually available to for disbursement. The City shall be the sole judge and authority in determining the availability of funds under this Contract. If any action is taken by the City, any state agency, Federal department or any other agency to suspend, decrease, or terminate its fiscal obligations under, or in connection with, this Contract, the City may amend, suspend, decrease, or terminate its obligations under, or in connection with, this Contract. In the event of termination, The City shall be liable for payment only for products provided or services rendered prior to the effective date of the termination, provided that such products or services were provided or performed in accordance with the provisions of this Contract.

If any person contemplating submitting a proposal of the items or services listed herein is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of this RFP, he/she may submit a question through the City's eProcurement Portal Q&A section for an interpretation or correction thereof.

Any interpretation or correction of City specifications will be made only by addendum, duly issued by the City representative(s) identified in this solicitation, above.  Addenda (if any) shall be made available on the City's eProcurement system, and sent to each vendor included on the "Followers" list in the City's eProcurement system.  A vendor's failure to address the requirements of any and all addenda may result in the response (proposal or bid, or alike) not being considered. If the City determines that a time extension is required for the proposal, the City will issue an addendum that will give the new submission date. The vendor is responsible to register on the City's eProcurement Portal and follow the project named Marketing, Design and Communications Services for 100% Carbon-Free by 2030 in order to be included in the "Followers" list in the City's eProcurement system to insure they receive all documents including addendums which are available as a download.

The City reserves the right to change any part of these Instructions to PROPOSERS and Specifications any time prior to Deadline for Submissions. Any changes shall be in the form of addenda and will become a part of the Proposal documents and of the contract.

https://www.cityofpasadena.net/finance/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/Professional-Services.pdf?v=1623280176766

A screening committee will determine which proposals are responsive to City requirements and needs. The technical portions of responsive proposals will be evaluated by a selection panel consisting of personnel from the City. The selection may be based solely on the written proposals submitted.

PROPOSERS may be invited to a meeting to provide additional clarification of the content of their proposal. The City reserves the right to invite all of the PROPOSERS for an oral clarification OR only the top three (3) ranked firms based on the initial written proposal review. The meeting will not alter the selection criteria but will be used to clarify content of the proposal. The final scoring and ranking will be made after the meetings. Proposals shall consist of the sections named in the “Contents of Proposal” outlined below.

The weighted scoring in the Evaluation Criteria prioritizes the factors most important for this solicitation.  A winner will be chosen based on the Total Average points of all evaluators across all scoring factors. 

Once an agreement is reached with a Proposer, staff will recommend award of a contract. The City reserves the right to select the firm which, in its sole judgment, best meets the needs of the City.

For City Departments: Any contract resulting from this RFP, if more than $75,000, shall not be effective until approved by the City Manager. Any contract resulting from this RFP, if more than $250,000 shall not be effective until approved by the City Council.

For Operating Companies (such as the Rose Bowl): Any contract resulting from this RFP, if $250,000 or less, shall not be effective until approved by the top executive official of the Operating Company.  Any contract resulting from this RFP, if more than $250,000, shall not be effective until approved by the Board of the Operating Company (including the Pasadena Rental Housing Board, Rose Bowl Operating Company, Pasadena Center Operating Company, or Pasadena Media).

The Technical Proposal and the Price Proposal will be evaluated separately. First will be all non-price qualifications including but not limited approach, experience, all Required Forms, litigation history, responsiveness, and all elements related to the non-price evaluation factors in the Evaluation Criteria (#Evaluation Criteria). The City may utilize separate evaluation committees to review the Technical and Price elements.

PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE SEC. 9204 PUBLIC WORKS CLAIMS PROCEDURE

AB 626, approved by the Governor on September 29, 2016, created a new Public Contract Code Section 9204, which specifies new procedural requirements for claims submitted by a contractor on any public works project. These new requirements contain burdens for both private contractors and public entities and are specifically made applicable to charter cities.

For this legislation, a “public works project” is defined as “the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any public structure, building, road, or other public improvement of any kind.” This definition is not as broad as in the Prevailing Wage Law.

A “claim” is defined as “a separate demand by a contractor sent by registered mail or certified mail with return receipt requested…” and is limited to three types of contract disputes:

1. “A time extension…for relief from damages or penalties for delay assessed by a public entity….”

2. “Payment by the public entity of money or damages arising from work done by, or on behalf of, the contractor pursuant to the contract for a public works project and payment for which is not otherwise expressly provided or to which the claimant is not otherwise entitled”, and/or

3. “Payment of an amount that is disputed by the public entity.”

Upon receipt of a claim, a public entity must "conduct a reasonable review" and provide a written statement to the contractor within 45 days of receipt of the claim. Failure of a public entity to respond to a claim within the time periods described in Section 9204 "shall result in the claim being deemed rejected in its entirety."

For any undisputed portion of a claim, a public entity must make payment within 60 days of the public entity's issuance of the written statement.

If the contractor disputes the public entity's written statement, or if the public entity fails to respond, the contractor may demand "an informal conference to meet and confer for settlement of the issues in dispute." The public entity must schedule the meet and confer conference within 30 days of the demand.

Within 10 business days following the meet and confer conference, the public entity must provide a written statement identifying the portion of the claim that remains in dispute.

Any payment due on an undisputed portion of the claim must be made within 60 days of the meet and confer conference. Amounts not paid in a timely manner shall bear interest at 7 percent per year.

After the meet and confer conference, any disputed portion of the claim "shall be submitted to non-binding mediation." If mediation fails to resolve the dispute, the parts of the claim that remain in dispute shall be subject to applicable procedures outside Section 9204 (statutory and contractual).

The full text of this new legislation is set forth below:

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.

Section 9204 is added to the Public Contract Code, to read:

9204.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the best interests of the state and its citizens to ensure that all construction business performed on a public works project in the state that is complete and not in dispute is paid in full and in a timely manner.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, including, but not limited to, Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 10240) of Chapter 1 of Part 2, Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 19100) of Part 2, and Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 20104) of Chapter 1 of Part 3, this section shall apply to any claim by a contractor in connection with a public works project.

(c) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Claim” means a separate demand by a contractor sent by registered mail or certified mail with return receipt requested, for one or more of the following:

(A) A time extension, including, without limitation, for relief from damages or penalties for delay assessed by a public entity under a contract for a public works project.

(B) Payment by the public entity of money or damages arising from work done by, or on behalf of, the contractor pursuant to the contract for a public works project and payment for which is not otherwise expressly provided or to which the claimant is not otherwise entitled.

(C) Payment of an amount that is disputed by the public entity.

(2) “Contractor” means any type of contractor within the meaning of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code who has entered into a direct contract with a public entity for a public works project.

(3) (A) “Public entity” means, without limitation, except as provided in subparagraph (B), a state agency, department, office, division, bureau, board, or commission, the California State University, the University of California, a city, including a charter city, county, including a charter county, city and county, including a charter city and county, district, special district, public authority, political subdivision, public corporation, or nonprofit transit corporation wholly owned by a public agency and formed to carry out the purposes of the public agency.

(B) “Public entity” shall not include the following:

The Department of Water Resources as to any project under the jurisdiction of that department.

The Department of Transportation as to any project under the jurisdiction of that department.

The Department of Parks and Recreation as to any project under the jurisdiction of that department.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with respect to any project under its jurisdiction pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 7000) of Title 7 of Part 3 of the Penal Code.

The Military Department as to any project under the jurisdiction of that department.

The Department of General Services as to all other projects.

The High-Speed Rail Authority.

(4) “Public works project” means the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any public structure, building, road, or other public improvement of any kind.

(5) “Subcontractor” means any type of contractor within the meaning of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code who either is in direct contract with a contractor or is a lower tier subcontractor.

(d) (1) (A) Upon receipt of a claim pursuant to this section, the public entity to which the claim applies shall conduct a reasonable review of the claim and, within a period not to exceed 45 days, shall provide the claimant a written statement identifying what portion of the claim is disputed and what portion is undisputed. Upon receipt of a claim, a public entity and a contractor may, by mutual agreement, extend the time period provided in this subdivision.

(B) The claimant shall furnish reasonable documentation to support the claim.

(C) If the public entity needs approval from its governing body to provide the claimant a written statement identifying the disputed portion and the undisputed portion of the claim, and the governing body does not meet within the 45 days or within the mutually agreed to extension of time following receipt of a claim sent by registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, the public entity shall have up to three days following the next duly publicly noticed meeting of the governing body after the 45-day period, or extension, expires to provide the claimant a written statement identifying the disputed portion and the undisputed portion.

(D) Any payment due on an undisputed portion of the claim shall be processed and made within 60 days after the public entity issues its written statement. If the public entity fails to issue a written statement, paragraph (3) shall apply.

(2) (A) If the claimant disputes the public entity’s written response, or if the public entity fails to respond to a claim issued pursuant to this section within the time prescribed, the claimant may demand in writing an informal conference to meet and confer for settlement of the issues in dispute. Upon receipt of a demand in writing sent by registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, the public entity shall schedule a meet and confer conference within 30 days for settlement of the dispute.

(B) Within 10 business days following the conclusion of the meet and confer conference, if the claim or any portion of the claim remains in dispute, the public entity shall provide the claimant a written statement identifying the portion of the claim that remains in dispute and the portion that is undisputed. Any payment due on an undisputed portion of the claim shall be processed and made within 60 days after the public entity issues its written statement. Any disputed portion of the claim, as identified by the contractor in writing, shall be submitted to nonbinding mediation, with the public entity and the claimant sharing the associated costs equally. The public entity and claimant shall mutually agree to a mediator within 10 business days after the disputed portion of the claim has been identified in writing. If the parties cannot agree upon a mediator, each party shall select a mediator and those mediators shall select a qualified neutral third party to mediate with regard to the disputed portion of the claim. Each party shall bear the fees and costs charged by its respective mediator in connection with the selection of the neutral mediator. If mediation is unsuccessful, the parts of the claim remaining in dispute shall be subject to applicable procedures outside this section.

(C) For purposes of this section, mediation includes any nonbinding process, including, but not limited to, neutral evaluation or a dispute review board, in which an independent third party or board assists the parties in dispute resolution through negotiation or by issuance of an evaluation. Any mediation utilized shall conform to the timeframes in this section.

(D) Unless otherwise agreed to by the public entity and the contractor in writing, the mediation conducted pursuant to this section shall excuse any further obligation under Section 20104.4 to mediate after litigation has been commenced.

(E) This section does not preclude a public entity from requiring arbitration of disputes under private arbitration or the Public Works Contract Arbitration Program, if mediation under this section does not resolve the parties’ dispute.

(3) Failure by the public entity to respond to a claim from a contractor within the time periods described in this subdivision or to otherwise meet the time requirements of this section shall result in the claim being deemed rejected in its entirety. A claim that is denied by reason of the public entity’s failure to have responded to a claim, or its failure to otherwise meet the time requirements of this section, shall not constitute an adverse finding with regard to the merits of the claim or the responsibility or qualifications of the claimant.

(4) Amounts not paid in a timely manner as required by this section shall bear interest at 7 percent per annum.

(5) If a subcontractor or a lower tier subcontractor lacks legal standing to assert a claim against a public entity because privity of contract does not exist, the contractor may present to the public entity a claim on behalf of a subcontractor or lower tier subcontractor. A subcontractor may request in writing, either on his or her own behalf or on behalf of a lower tier subcontractor, that the contractor present a claim for work which was performed by the subcontractor or by a lower tier subcontractor on behalf of the subcontractor. The subcontractor requesting that the claim be presented to the public entity shall furnish reasonable documentation to support the claim. Within 45 days of receipt of this written request, the contractor shall notify the subcontractor in writing as to whether the contractor presented the claim to the public entity and, if the original contractor did not present the claim, provide the subcontractor with a statement of the reasons for not having done so.

(e) The text of this section or a summary of it shall be set forth in the plans or specifications for any public works project that may give rise to a claim under this section.

(f) A waiver of the rights granted by this section is void and contrary to public policy, provided, however, that (1) upon receipt of a claim, the parties may mutually agree to waive, in writing, mediation and proceed directly to the commencement of a civil action or binding arbitration, as applicable; and (2) a public entity may prescribe reasonable change order, claim, and dispute resolution procedures and requirements in addition to the provisions of this section, so long as the contractual provisions do not conflict with or otherwise impair the timeframes and procedures set forth in this section.

(g) This section applies to contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2017.

(h) Nothing in this section shall impose liability upon a public entity that makes loans or grants available through a competitive application process, for the failure of an awardee to meet its contractual obligations.

(i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 489, Sec. 1. (AB 456) Effective January 1, 2020. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions.)

SEC. 2.

The Legislature finds and declares that it is of statewide concern to require a charter city, charter county, or charter city and county to follow a prescribed claims resolution process to ensure there are uniform and equitable procurement practices.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Prior to the award of any work hereunder, City and contractor shall enter into a written contract in substantially the form attached hereto with such revisions thereto as the City may determine necessary and appropriate. PROPOSERS responding to this RFP are strongly advised to review all the terms and conditions of the contract, and shall be deemed to have accepted them.

Once a proposal is opened, a PROPOSER is expected to maintain an availability of service as set forth in its proposal for at least four months after date for opening proposals.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids or proposals and any item or items therein, and to waive any non conformity of proposals with this RFP, whether of a technical or substantive nature, as the interest of the City may require.

The Request for Proposals, the Proposal, the Non Collusion Affidavit, and all documents referred to in the complete specifications and the Contract to be entered into between the Contractor and the City, and all modifications of said documents, shall be construed together as one document.

Nothing contained in this Request for Proposals shall create any contractual relationship between the PROPOSER and the City. The City accepts no financial responsibility for costs incurred by any PROPOSER regarding this RFP.

Each PROPOSER shall include in the price bid any patent fees, royalties and charges on any patented article or process to be furnished or used in the prosecution of the Work.

Observe attached details regarding Public Contract Code Section 9204. AB 626, approved by the Governor on September 29, 2016, created a new Public Contract Code Section 9204, which specifies new procedural requirements for claims submitted by a contractor on any public works project. These new requirements contain burdens for both private contractors and public entities and are specifically made applicable to charter cities.

The quantities contained in the RFP documents are approximate only and are for the sole purpose of comparing proposals. The City may, in accordance with the specifications, request additional services as necessary at the City's sole discretion, as increased by the unit price noted and payment will be made for the amount of services actually provided as determined by the City and accepted at the unit prices noted in the proposal.

CHANGE ORDER MANAGEMENT

Any additional work identified during the course of the project that is deemed necessary, but outside the original Scope of Services, must be recorded as a Change Order and approved by the City Project Manager in writing before work is started.

Under the provisions of the City of Pasadena Taxpayer Protection Act ("TPA"), the Contractor/Organization will be considered a "recipient of a public benefit." The full provisions of the TPA are set forth in Pasadena City Charter, Article XVII. Under the TPA, City public officials who approve this Contract are prohibited from receiving specified gifts, campaign contributions or employment from Contractor for a specified time. As well, if this Contract is to be approved by the City Council, Councilmembers or candidates for Council are prohibited from receiving campaign contributions during the time this Contract is being negotiated (from the due date for an RFP response until award of a contract; this restriction does not apply to competitive and noticed low bid contracts). This prohibition extends to individuals and entities that are specified in the TPA and includes Contractor/Organization and its trustees, directors, partners, corporate officers and those with more than a 10% equity, participation, or revenue interest in Contractor/Organization. Contractor/Organization understands and agrees that: (A) Contractor/Organization is aware of the TPA; (B) Contractor/Organization will complete the forms provided by the City to identify all of the recipients of a public benefit specified in the TPA; and (C) Contractor/Organization will not make any prohibited gift, campaign contribution or offer of employment to any public official who negotiated and/or approved this Contract, and will not make any prohibited campaign contribution during the time this contract is being negotiated.

The Contractor shall submit a copy of the completed TPA formto the City Clerk’s Office if the contract is to be awarded by the City Council via e-mail: [email protected] or by fax: (626) 744-3921, and submit a copy with the response package.

For more information please go to: https://www.cityofpasadena.net/city-clerk/disclosure-reportsax-payer-protection-act-tpa/

Consultant agrees to comply with and abide by: (i) the terms of the Davis-Bacon Act, codified at 40 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq., as supplemented by regulations at 29 CFR Part 5, and that such terms and regulations are a part of this RFP and incorporated herein by this reference; and (ii) the terms of the Copeland “Anti- Kick Back” Act, codified at 40 U.S.C. § 3145 et seq., as supplemented by 29 CFR 3, and that such terms and regulations are a part of this RFP and incorporated herein by this reference.

The proposing Consultant shall disclose any financial, business or other relationship with the City of Pasadena that may have an impact upon the outcome of the contract or any construction project. The Consultant shall also list current clients who may have a financial interest in the outcome of this contract or the construction project that will follow. The proposing Consultant shall disclose any financial interest or relationship with any construction company that might submit a bid on the construction project related to this solicitation.

Proposers must complete and submit the following Form: Conflict of Interest Statement

The initial term of the Contract resulting from this proposal is for three years from the date the City executes the contract. The compensation set forth in the Proposal shall remain valid and in effect during the initial term of the contract. There shall be two optional one-year extension periods subject to the approval of the City Manager, in his sole and absolute discretion, and which shall be memorialized in the form of an amendment to the contract, setting forth the agreed upon amount of compensation and such other terms and provisions as the parties may agree upon for each extension period.

Provide experience with governmental agencies for two projects/contracts of similar scope and size. Complete and submit the attached Relevant Experience Form with your proposal to demonstrate experience with projects/contracts of similar scope and size to that which is to be performed.

The Levine Act precludes an officer of a local government agency, including an elected official, from participating in the award of a contract if he or she receives any political contributions totaling more than $250 in the 12 months preceding the pendency of the contract award, and for 12 months following the final decision, from the person or company awarded the contract. Proposers should ensure their employees, agents, and consultants are aware of the requirements of the Levine Act before the proposal is submitted, so as to avoid inadvertent violations.

At the conclusion of the first contract year and prior to the commencement of the second contract year or any subsequent contract extension period, the contractor may request unit price increases. Under no circumstances shall the City accept price increases, which exceed the rate of the then current Consumer Price Index (C.P.I.) for the latest available preceding 12 month period.

Screen Shots:

Instructions for the new eProcurement System: The following link will help you Get Started (https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/c7a5affa-e073-4d5a-8d87-b6eadcf343a9) and will include vendor guides for using the system.  Below are additional screen shots for support.

All Video Guides: OpenGov Procurement Vendor Training

1. New Supplier Account
2. Submit a Bid or Proposal
3. Updating Your Company Designation on a Solicitation
   
4. Vendor Selection of Category Codes
5. How To Subscribe To Organizations And Find Active RFPs & Bids
6. Login Process
7. How to Edit or Withdraw your Proposal after it's been Submitted
8. How to Submit a Question
9. Viewing Bid Results 

Video Trainings

• Phone: (650) 336-7167
• Email: [email protected]
• Issue Log: https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/contactsupport/incident
• Live Chat: Click on the circle blue icon at the bottom right of the screen.

Parties interested in responding are required to submit electronically through the City of Pasadena's eProcurement Portal prior to 3:00 pm, Thursday, September 5, 2024. Please upload all required documents as instructed in the section named Submittals/Checklist sufficiently early electronically through the city's eProcurement Portal before the time and day listed in this solicitation. Responses must be received in the system prior to the deadline.

The Specification or Scope of Work included in this Notice shall be considered part of any contract made pursuant thereunder.

Any Bidder or Proposer may withdraw their response via the City's eProcurement Portal prior to 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The City reserves the right to change any part of these Instructions and Specifications any time prior to the bid opening. Any changes shall be in the form of addenda and will become a part of the bid documents and of the contract. Addenda shall be made available to each Bidder or Proposer. A Bidder's or Proposer's failure to address the requirements of the addenda may result in the response not being considered. If the City determines that a time extension is required for the bid, the addenda will give the new submission date.

Addenda shall be acknowledged via the City'seProcurement Portal for the project named "Marketing, Design and Communications Services for 100% Carbon-Free by 2030." Project ID: 2024-RFP-0508. Bidders or Proposers can view a list of addenda released by the City by clicking on "Addenda & Notices." While drafting a response, there is a section for "Addenda Confirmation" where Bidders or Proposers must acknowledge each addenda released.

The deadline to submit questions related to this solicitation is Tuesday, September 3, 2024, prior to 5:00 pm.

Questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted directly through the City's eProcurement Portal Q&A function. Do not contact any City employee or official regarding this solicitation. Any questions submitted after the date and time specified may not be considered.

If you are already registered and need help logging in or retrieving your user information utilize the blue chat bubble visible on the lower right hand corner of the screen.

Click on the hyperlink for the City's eProcurement Portal to create your vendor profile.

Electronic Submission of Bids

All Proposers are required to submit their bid pricing electronically via the city's eProcurement Portal. The electronic system will close submission exactly at the date and time set forth in this solicitation or as changed by addenda. In addition, your bid must be submitted via the eProcurement Portal.

Proposers are responsible for submitting and having their bid accepted before the closing time set forth in this solicitation or as changed by addenda. NOTE: It is the Proposer's sole responsibility to ensure their bid and document(s) are uploaded, transmitted, and arrive in time electronically. The City will have no responsibility for bids that do not arrive in a timely manner, no matter what the reason.

Upon closing of the Bid, Bid Results will be available on the City's eProcurement Portal.

In the case of a discrepancy between the electronic bid schedule (pricing) and any uploaded Bid schedule document or pricing, the electronic bid schedule will be the accepted bid.

Steps to Submit Your Electronic Proposal:

To submit an offer to the City, vendor must begin by clicking on the green DRAFT PROPOSAL button.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/pasadena/projects/103170

1. Acknowledge all Addenda

2. Accept City of Pasadena Terms and Conditions Message

3. Answer all required vendor questions. 

4. Upload all required forms. Proposer may save their work and return.

5. Review your work and submit proposal when ready.

6. You will receive a confirmation email from OpenGov upon receipt of your bid/proposal.

7. Proposer may withdraw their bid at any time prior to 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

Note: If an addenda is issued after a response has been submitted, Proposer or bidder must return to take steps below. Failure to do both steps will result in an invalidated offer.

1- Acknowledge the new addenda; and

2- Resubmit your bid through the City's eProcurement Portal.

1. Open File Explorer, and find the zipped folder.
2. To unzip the entire folder, right-click to select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.
3. To unzip a single file or folder, double-click the zipped folder to open it. Then, drag or copy the item from the zipped folder to a new location.

Click here to register onto the City's eProcurement Portalhosted by OpenGov.

If you are already registered and need help logging in or retrieving your user information simply click on the blue chat bubble on the lower right hand corner of your screen or contact OpenGov at [email protected] for help at any time.

Customer Service

For assistance with e-bidding or uploading documents: Contact OpenGov via the blue chat bubble on the lower right hand corner of your screen or email at [email protected].

Monday through Friday 5am - 5pm PST, except statutory holidays-- response time is typically less than ten minutes.