September 27, 2022 Update - We are currently reviewing and scoring applications. Please excuse any delays during this process due to weather impacts in the East Central Florida region.
*UPDATED 08/18/2022*
Vendors are invited to respond to this Request for Qualifications for a Qualified Vendor List (QVL) of consultants interested in contracting with the ECFRPC to carry out the agency’s work on miscellaneous projects on a contingency (as-needed) basis as staff work-loads dictate. Work would include, but not be limited to, project types generally carried out by the ECFRPC, such as economic development, emergency management, GIS and analysis, graphic design, health and food systems, regional and community planning, resiliency, surveying, transportation, engineering, and/or urban design. Price will not be considered in the establishment of the QVL.
The firm(s) selected will be eligible to negotiate a contract with the ECFRPC and a Scope of Work will be determined for each individual project processed under this QVL and the selected Vendors are expected to perform the Scope of Work, if awarded an individual project. The ECFRPC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and to choose the consultant (proposer) considered to be in their best interest.
Submission Deadline: Proposals must be received in the offices of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (455 N. Garland Avenue, Suite 414, Orlando FL 32801) no later than August 31, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Submit all questions and requests for clarification in writing to info@ecfrpc.org.
All questions and answers will be posted on this notice located at www.ecfrpc.org. No questions will be accepted after August 22, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
To view the full RFP, please review the following document
Q&A
Question 1 - Does your agency have any need for transportation-related data collection (e.g., traffic counts, origin-destination, bike/ped), or data management services as part of the subject request for qualifications?
We don’t anticipate having a need for that data by itself as we would anticipate it to be part of a larger project that a consultant would be working on and responsible for obtaining, such as the transportation element of a comprehensive plan.
Question 2 - Please clarify whether responses should be organized according to the Evaluation Criteria (J-1 through 4) or the Submittal Requirements (K-1 through 7).
It is organized as per Submittal requirements K1-7. We will evaluate based on J1-4.
Question 3 - Please clarify whether “surveying” under General Information Section A refers to land surveying or developing public involvement surveys.
It includes both.
Question 4 - The RFQ states that price will not be considered in the establishment of the QVL; however, Section J notes that pricing is 10% of the available points. Please clarify how pricing would be considered at this stage of the selection.
The scoring for inclusion on the Qualified Vendor List is based on the inclusion of hourly rates for the services the proposal identifies and whether the rates are “reasonable” as required by grants/contracts.
Question 5 - The Proposal Response Cover Sheet includes a “Documentation Required from all prospective vendors” checklist, but these certifications were not included in the solicitation. Please supply the appropriate forms.
These forms do not need to be submitted with the proposal. However, any contractors who are awarded a QVL contract will be required to submit these documents with a signed contract.
Question 6 - What Emergency Management services are included?
We are looking only for Emergency Management plan development services (THIRA, COOP, FMP, PDRP, etc.). No LEPC-related tasks will be included in this solicitation, including but not limited to transportation of hazardous materials, trainings, exercises, and instruction.
Question 7 - If we are the prime consultant in a category are we also able to be a sub-consultant to another firm in the same category and/or different categories?
Yes.
Question 8 - The submission requirements per item (K)(7) ask for a statement or evidence of financial stability via an audit or R&E/Profit & Loss Statement. For privacy concerns, can this information be submitted in a confidential manner so as not to be public record? May the ECFRPC confirm that financial information would be held confidential and not released to the public if indicated as such? If not, as an alternative, would the ECFRPC allow this information to be submitted separately from the 5 proposal copies (in a separate envelope) to ensure that financial documents are held as confidential?
During the solicitation process, all sealed bids, proposals, or replies received by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council pursuant to a competitive solicitation are exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and s. 24(a) of the State Constitution until such time as the Council provides notice of an intended decision or until 30 days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies, whichever is earlier. If you have any questions about Florida’s public records law refer to Chapter 119 and related provisions of the Florida Statutes.
Question 9 - Can the hourly rates be presented as Labor Classifications (Senior Director, Manager, Professional, Technician, and so on)?
There has been an update to the RFQ to eliminate hourly rates until contractual negotiations begin. During that time, yes, hourly rates can be based on position.
Question 10 - What metrics or guidance is the Selection Committee using to justify that the rates are “reasonable” as required by grants/contracts?
In the section of the Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR Part 200 cover the Cost Principles, “reasonable” costs are defined as an amount of an expenditure that doesn’t exceed the amount a person using good judgment and common sense would have spent under the circumstances to purchase the items. Considerations: Are the costs consistent with generally accepted sound business practices in the region; Is the price paid similar to market prices for comparable goods and services.
Question 11 - Are the verifiable references limited only to the prime consultant?
If the prime will be utilizing sub-consultants, please include references for prime and subs.
Question 12 - Could you please provide a definition and/or an example of the following services listed in the RFQ:
a. Health and Food Systems
b. Regional and Community Planning
c. Graphic Design Graphic
Design needs may include but not limited to graphic design needs related to publishing reports, including cover pages, logos, and other related basic design expectations.
d. Engineering
We anticipate needing a full range of engineering services. This will likely include conceptual and potentially more detailed stormwater, flood-related engineering work as well as low-impact development-related engineering work. Moving forward we may also need Phase 1 environmental site assessments.
Question 13 - Does ECFRPC have a brand guide? If so, regarding graphic design need does ECFRPC anticipate needing it updated, and if not, do you anticipate needing one?
Yes, we do have an internal brand guide for external-facing communication. This will be shared with the selected firm as part of their onboarding process. We do not anticipate needing an update to the brand guide.
Question 14 - In addition to graphic design, does ECFRPC anticipate needing assistance with communications and/or outreach?
At this time, we do not anticipate needing these services but such services may be needed in the future depending on future project needs.
Question 15 - Is it possible that the other 9 Regional Councils in Florida would be able to utilize the services provided by this contract? Can other Florida-based Regional Planning Councils benefit from consulting services through this contract vehicle?
No, The other RPCs will not be able to piggyback on this contract with any vendor on our vendor list.
Question 16 - Can other agencies that are Council members of ECFRPC benefit from consulting services through this contract vehicle?
No, member communities or agencies will not be able to piggyback on this contract with any vendor on our vendor list.
Question 17 - May the ECFRPC clarify if there is there a system of record preferred or already used for GIS mapping?
We use ESRI’s suite of GIS programs.
Question 18 - May the ECFRPC clarify if there is there a system of record preferred or already used for Data Management/Storage purposes?
Among the programs that we regularly use include AWS, IBIS World, InfoGroup, JobsEQ, MySidewalk, and REMI. Other programs are used as needed.
Question 19- Under Submittal Requirements, you ask for a statement or evidence of financial stability via audit or R&E/Profit & Loss Statement. We are a private company and generally do not provide any financial information until awarded. Could we provide a letter from our bank to meet this requirement?
In an effort to ensure the ECFRPC begins negotiations with a financially sound entity, we are requiring evidence of financial stability via audit, an audit findings letter, or R&E/Profit & Loss Statement.
Question 20 - Under Submittal Requirements, you ask for five verifiable References of similar projects completed in the last five years. Do you want 5 projects total or 5 projects for each type of service we are looking to provide?
5 projects per service area. One project, if appropriate, could cover more than one service area.
Question 21 - Will the ECFRPC allow for proposals to be shipped in a sealed box as opposed to an envelope? Do each of the 5 proposal copies need to be sealed in separate envelopes within the shipping box?
Sealed boxes are acceptable but please ensure it includes all five copies. The copies do not need to be in separate sealed envelopes but do need to be easily identified as separate copies.
Question 22 - Will the ECFRPC consider extending the total number of pages allotted for resumes to 20 pages?
As this RFQ is already accepting proposals we can not change the allotted page limits.
Question 23 - Would the ECFRPC accept a digital/electronic signature (such as DocuSign) for the original copy of the proposal?
DocuSign or other digital signatures are accepted but the five proposal envelopes must be printed and sent to the ECFRPC address as listed in the RFQ.
Question 24 - May the ECFRPC clarify which proposed staff members the proposer is required to provide a resume for? For example, if we are proposing multiple staff members for a specific service type, will the proposer only need to provide one resume per service area?
Proposed staff members may be listed with expertise or services in more than one area. If a staff member is included in more than one area, only one resume needs to be included with notes in the other areas that the resume has been provided.
Question 25 - Should we build any travel costs or other direct costs into the hourly rate, or will we be able to charge that separately when pricing specific projects?
Please see updated RFQ that no longer requires hourly rate information.
Question 26 - How does the council plan on issuing task orders after continuing service contracts are awarded?
We will rank vendors in each service area and negotiate agreements with a max of 3 in each area. When a project comes in, we will begin with the first ranked vendor. If they can not accept the project or if a cost effective price can not be negotiated, we will go to the second vendor and so on. The RFQ has been updated in the past week stating as such.
