HomeMy WebLinkAboutRFP - 9212 WATER RESOURCE MATTERS IN THE FORT COLLINS GMARFP 9212 Water Resource Matters in the Fort Collins GMA Page 1 of 28
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
9212 WATER RESOURCE MATTERS IN THE FORT COLLINS GMA
RFP DUE: 3:00 PM MST (our clock), November 9, 2020
The City of Fort Collins (“City”), through its Fort Collins Utilities (“Utilities”), is soliciting proposals
from qualified firms to provide consulting services for a robust evaluation of the challenges and
opportunities that arise from having multiple water service providers in the Fort Collins Growth
Management Area (GMA). This effort will evaluate and assess challenges to the City, to Utilities,
and to other water service providers that can impact organizational resilience and levels of
service and will identify opportunities for improved resilience and increased resource
efficiencies.
As part of the City’s commitment to Sustainable Purchasing, proposals should be submitted
online through the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System (RMEPS) at
http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/city-of-fort-collins. Note: please ensure adequate time to
submit proposals through RMEPS. Proposals not submitted by the designated Opening Date
and Time will not be accepted by the system.
All questions should be submitted, in writing via email, to Pat Johnson, CPPB, Senior
Buyer at pjohnson@fcgov.com, no later than 4:00 PM MST (our clock) on October 21, 2020.
Please format your e-mail to include RFP 9212 Water Challenges Study in the subject line.
Questions received after this deadline may not be answered. Responses to all questions
submitted before the deadline will be addressed in an addendum and posted on the Rocky
Mountain E-Purchasing System webpage.
Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System hosted by BidNet
A copy of the RFP may be obtained at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado/city-of-fort-collins.
This RFP has been posted utilizing the following Commodity Code(s):
92597 Water Supply, Treatment and Distribution Engineering
91897 Utilities: Gas, Water, Electric Consulting
Prohibition of Unlawful Discrimination: The City of Fort Collins, in accordance with the
provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 US.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-
4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that any
contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be
afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be
discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an
award.
The City strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination based on an individual’s gender (regardless of
gender identity or gender expression), race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age
40 years or older, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or other
characteristics protected by law. For the purpose of this policy “sexual orientation” means a
person’s actual or perceived orientation toward heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality.
The City also strictly prohibits unlawful harassment in the workplace, including sexual
harassment. Further, the City strictly prohibits unlawful retaliation against a person who
engages in protected activity. Protected activity includes an employee complaining that he or
she has been discriminated against in violation of the above policy or participating in an
employment discrimination proceeding.
Financial Services
Purchasing Division
215 N. Mason St. 2nd Floor
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6775
970.221.6707
fcgov.com/purchasing
RFP 9212 Water Resource Matters in the Fort Collins GMA Page 2 of 28
The City requires its vendors to comply with the City’s policy for equal employment opportunity
and to prohibit unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation. This requirement applies to
all third-party vendors and their subcontractors at every tier.
Public Viewing Copy: The City is a governmental entity subject to the Colorado Open Records
Act, C.R.S. §§ 24-72-200.1 et seq. (“CORA”). Any proposals submitted hereunder are subject
to public disclosure by the City pursuant to CORA and City ordinances. Vendors may submit
one (1) additional complete proposal clearly marked “FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.” In this version
of the proposal, the Vendor may redact text and/or data that it deems confidential or proprietary
pursuant to CORA. Such statement does not necessarily exempt such documentation from
public disclosure if required by CORA, by order of a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or other
applicable law. Generally, under CORA trade secrets, confidential commercial and financial
data information is not required to be disclosed by the City. Proposals may not be marked
“Confidential” or ‘Proprietary’ in their entirety. All provisions of any contract resulting from
this request for proposal will be public information.
Vendor Registration: The City requires new Vendors receiving awards from the City to fill out
and submit an IRS form W-9 or W-8BEN/W8-BEN-E (international firms) and requires all
Vendors to accept Direct Deposit (Electronic) payment. If needed, the W-9 form and the Vendor
Direct Deposit Authorization Form can be found on the City’s Purchasing website
at www.fcgov.com/purchasing under Vendor Reference Documents. Please do not submit
with your proposal. If you take exception to participating in Direct Deposit (Electronic)
payments, please clearly note such in your proposal as an exception. The City may waive the
requirement to participate in Direct Deposit (Electronic) payments at its sole discretion.
Sales Prohibited/Conflict of Interest: No officer, employee, or member of City Council, shall
have a financial interest in the sale to the City of any real or personal property, equipment,
material, supplies or services where such officer or employee exercises directly or indirectly any
decision-making authority concerning such sale or any supervisory authority over the services to
be rendered. This rule also applies to subcontracts with the City. Soliciting or accepting any gift,
gratuity favor, entertainment, kickback or any items of monetary value from any person who has
or is seeking to do business with the City of Fort Collins is prohibited.
Collusive or Sham Proposals: Any proposal deemed to be collusive or a sham proposal will
be rejected and reported to authorities as such. Your authorized signature of this proposal
assures that such proposal is genuine and is not a collusive or sham proposal.
The City of Fort Collins reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any
irregularities or informalities.
Utilization of Award by Other Agencies: The City of Fort Collins reserves the right to allow
other state and local governmental agencies, political subdivisions, and/or school districts to
utilize the resulting award under all terms and conditions specified and upon agreement by all
parties. Usage by any other entity shall not have a negative impact on the City of Fort Collins in
the current term or in any future terms.
The selected Vendor shall be expected to sign the City’s standard Agreement prior to
commencing Services (see sample attached to this Proposal).
Sincerely,
Gerry Paul
Purchasing Director
RFP 9212 Water Resource Matters in the Fort Collins GMA Page 3 of 28
I. BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE / OVERVIEW
A. Objective
The City of Fort Collins (“City”), through its Fort Collins Utilities (“Utilities”), is soliciting
proposals from qualified firms to provide consulting services for a robust evaluation of the
challenges and opportunities that arise from having multiple water service providers in the
Fort Collins Growth Management Area. This effort will evaluate and assess challenges to
the City, to Utilities, and to other water service providers that can impact organizational
resilience and levels of service and will identify opportunities for improved resilience and
increased resource efficiencies.
B. Background
Fort Collins is located 65 miles north of Denver in Larimer County, nestled between the
Rocky Mountains foothills and the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Horsetooth Reservoir borders
Fort Collins to the west and the Cache la Poudre River winds its way through north Fort
Collins before reaching the South Platte River east of Greeley, CO.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, property owners in unincorporated areas around Fort
Collins (as it then existed) requested the City to extend water service into those areas. At
that time, the City determined such an expansion was beyond its financial capabilities and
denied requests for service. Pressure for development in those areas continued to increase.
As a result, separate water districts were formed to provide the service. Development
continued as did demand for other municipal services. The City has since gradually annexed
and included areas in the Growth Management Area (“GMA”, which represents the
projected maximum City limits) that are served by these water districts, mainly East Larimer
County Water District (“ELCO”) and Fort Collins-Loveland Water District (“FCLWD”). These
water districts are separate legal governmental entities with various legal rights and powers.
Map of water provider service areas available here:
https://gisweb.fcgov.com/HTML5Viewer/Index.html?Viewer=utility%20districts
All water providers in the GMA are independent organizations with their own built
infrastructure systems, their own water supply portfolios, and their own distinct
organizational structure – with only Utilities being under the authority of the City. Each
organization operates under the guidance of its own core values and missions, planning and
operational policies, including long-term supply planning, water development fees, and
customer programs, such as billing, metering, and conservation efforts. Additionally, water
supplies in Colorado have various legal limitations on their use and ability to share among
providers.
Utilities currently provides water service to about 75% of Fort Collins’ residents and
businesses. The Utilities water service area does not align with Fort Collins city limits and is
landlocked by neighboring water districts – mainly FCLWD to the south and ELCO to the
northeast. Utilities anticipates limited new development and mostly re-development of
existing properties within its water service area. It is anticipated FCLWD and ELCO will
serve much of the new (greenspace) development in the GMA. Both water districts also
provide service to customers outside the GMA, including customers in other municipalities.
In 2019, Utilities supplied approximately 22,500 acre-feet of treated water to 35,700
residential and commercial taps, met about 3,500 acre-feet of raw water obligations (a
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portion of which goes to ELCO and FCLWD), and rented an additional 16,800 AF of raw
water for irrigation uses, some to properties inside the City limits, but mostly to farms and
ranches outside the GMA.
There have been several challenges identified in recent years related to multiple water
providers in the Fort Collins GMA. These include challenges stemming from differences in
rates and development costs (which have been magnified in recent years due to significant
increases in housing demand, overall housing costs and the effect on affordability in the
GMA), differences in customer programming, and potential differences in levels of service,
to name just a few. These types of challenges can create confusion for developers and
water users across the GMA.
The above challenges notwithstanding, there have been successful efforts over the years,
where shared benefits were identified, to coordinate on specific water issues with other
water providers in the GMA. Examples include developing shared infrastructure for raw
water delivery to treatment facilities, establishing interconnects to create redundancy in
treated water delivery systems, and partnering with ELCO and FCLWD to expand the
Sprinkler Audit program into those service areas. Some efforts to explore broader
collaborative solutions, however, have been met with limited success. Such efforts have not
fully accounted for underlying issues and constraints.
This study will be focused on problem identification, impact analysis, and benefit/risk
assessment to understand how the identified challenges effect departments across the City
and Utilities, other water providers in the GMA, and the Fort Collins community. Staff
anticipates this effort will provide a clearer picture of the challenges we face, the underlying
drivers of the issues, the opportunities to increase efficiencies and resilience, and provide
options for how we work with our partners across the City organization and City community.
All of which are necessary to identify in anticipation of updating our water policy.
II. SCOPE OF PROPOSAL
A. Scope of Work
The draft scope of work outlined below provides guidance to responding Consultant teams
by outlining the major elements Utilities has identified for this effort. That said, we
anticipate this scope of work and final cost will be revised and finalized collaboratively
after Consultant selection. We encourage creative and thoughtful proposals that
demonstrate understanding of the nature of Colorado water law and the various
organizational structures of water providers while emphasizing the delicate balance of
meeting competing interests across various City and Utility departments and other
regional entities.
This planning effort must align with current Council priorities by approaching the
identification of challenges and opportunities through a racial equity lens. In doing so, we
can reduce negative impacts and outcomes to historically underrepresented individuals
and groups in Fort Collins while optimizing opportunities that will benefit all Fort Collins
community members. This consideration should be woven through all phases of this effort.
The City and Utilities already have inhouse and outside legal counsel, so applicants should
not include legal counsel as part of their team.
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TASK 1 – Project Kickoff and Peer Municipality/Organization Research
The selected team will meet with staff to finalize the work plan together, integrating
relevant background information, including recently addressed regional water topics. This
will include, at a minimum, the following elements:
a. Development of final scope of work with detailed tasks and objectives
b. Detailed schedule to include all meetings/workshops, key milestones, and
deliverables
c. Development of working groups to include stakeholders (team members) from key
Utility and City departments, and other water providers in the GMA
o Key departments include, but are not limited to, the City Manager’s Office,
the City Attorney’s Office, City Planning, Parks, Park Planning, Natural
Areas, Internal Affordable Housing Task Force, Utilities Water Resources
Division, Utilities Water Conservation Team
This Task will also include performing and summarizing research on peer municipalities
and organizations, including assessing the prevalence of similar challenges for
organizations across Colorado, and documenting how other communities have tackled
their challenges. This summary should include various forms of the “one-to-many” and
“many-to-one” relationships between service providers and the communities they serve
(e.g., one water utility serving multiple municipalities versus multiple water districts serving
one municipality). The examples can go beyond water service providers but should stay
focused on fixed boundary services. The summary must highlight, at a minimum,
organizational structures, fee structures, legal limitations, and creative solutions to the
challenges of managing competing demands for water (or other similar resource/service)
across multiple organizations, and where possible, discuss outcomes of applied solutions.
Estimated schedule: 6 weeks from full execution of the Agreement
Deliverables: Work plan, budget, schedule (including all planned workshops), working
groups, peer research summary
TASK 2 – Identification and Evaluation of Challenges
The Consultant team will support this Task by organizing and facilitating meetings with the
working groups formed in Task 1. The proposal should include details of how the
Consultant will organize and facilitate these meetings in our current COVID-19 informed
environment.
Together these groups will:
a. Identify and evaluate the challenges of having multiple water providers in the GMA
o Gain understanding of the fundamental drivers and values that underpin
these challenges
o Identify concerns and priorities of departments at various levels of the City
organization, as well as the other water service providers
b. Assess implications of challenges to the identifying group as well as other
departments across the City, other water service providers, and the Fort Collins
community
o For example, differences in Water Conservation programs between
Utilities, ELCO and FCLWD creates inequities in available programming to
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residents and businesses within the GMA. Implications of this challenge
could include impacts to the community and organizations, as well as
inefficiencies in program implementation.
c. Assess factors which impact ability to address challenges, identifying the spheres
of influence for different departments and organizations (what is or is not within
their ability to influence). Examples of factors include, but are not limited to:
o Legal authorities of City and other service providers
o Limitations of Utilities enterprise
o Water supply and decree limitations
o Funding and/or staffing limitations
Additionally, the Consultant team will work with staff to develop an evaluation framework
(e.g., weighted scoring system incorporating both qualitative and quantitative input) to
evaluate the drivers and implications of each challenge, including identification of the
various spheres of influence. The framework will be used to facilitate prioritization of
challenges for the City organization. Framework language should align with recent and
ongoing planning efforts in related areas across the City, including the Housing Strategic
Plan and the Our Climate Future planning effort, a joint planning effort to update the
Climate Action Plan, the Energy Policy, and the Road to Zero Waste Plan.
Estimated schedule: 8 weeks
Deliverables: Draft summary of prioritized challenges, tracking the drivers and implications
of each and the ability to address them; evaluation framework to prioritize future
challenges
TASK 3 – Identification and Evaluation of Opportunities
Staff anticipates there is a spectrum of ways to address the challenges identified in Task
2. The array of possible opportunities will have varying levels of risk and could accrue
benefits and costs to different City departments or organizations.
The Consultant team will support this Task by:
a. Exploring and evaluating potential solutions to address the challenges and
opportunities, for example:
o Explore alternative funding mechanism to support conservation
programming across the GMA
b. Identifying and quantifying the risks and benefits of each opportunity for all
departments and organizations (e.g., which department/organization bears the
risk, accrues the cost, accrues the benefit)
o Identify the group/organization holding the locus of control for moving an
opportunity forward, and the level of effort required (e.g., does it require a
change to City Charter, City Council approval, are there regulatory
considerations, or is it within Staff control?)
c. Assessing and quantifying potential staffing and/or other resource needs for
implementation
Additionally, the Consultant team will work with staff to incorporate the opportunities into
the evaluation framework developed in Task 2, facilitating identification of the most
advantageous opportunities, as well as those which are non-starters.
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Staff anticipates a potential need for additional working group meetings to appropriately
assess opportunities and identify the risks and benefits across the multiple City and
Utilities departments. Please address this need in the proposal, including in the schedule
and budget.
Estimated schedule: 8 weeks
Deliverables: Draft summary of prioritized opportunities, including risks and benefits,
mapped to corresponding challenges; expanded evaluation framework to assess future
opportunities
TASK 4 – Systematic Approach to Addressing Future Ad-Hoc Water Challenges
Arising from Multiple Water Service Providers in the GMA
Staff understands that after identifying current challenges arising from multiple water
service providers across the GMA and developing possible opportunities, there will
continue to be new challenges that arise in the future. Historically, Utilities has addressed
these situations on an ad-hoc basis, assessing each new circumstance as it arises, which
proves to be an inefficient process that is not repeatable across each situation.
The Consultant team will support Staff in drafting a systematic approach to evaluate new
water supply challenges and opportunities which impact the City and Utilities, that builds
upon the tools created in Tasks 2 and 3. Staff anticipates this will take the form of a set of
protocols (e.g., a decision matrix) along with the evaluation framework developed in Tasks
2 and 3. Staff anticipates these protocols will be incorporated into an updated water policy,
providing guidance and direction for how we approach challenges and opportunities in the
future. Staff encourages creative ideas for addressing this need.
Estimated schedule: 6 weeks
Deliverables: Set of protocols integrated with the evaluation framework
TASK 5 – Summary Report and Presentation
Task 5 will include compiling findings from all previous Tasks into a final submission,
including a final summary presentation to City staff and other stakeholders. The final report
must include guidance documentation to facilitate future use of the evaluation framework
and decision protocols.
Additionally, the Consultant team will develop and deliver a summary presentation to all
stakeholders. The presentation should include, at a minimum, high points from the peer
research, a discussion of the prioritized list of identified challenges and opportunities, and
a discussion of the evaluation framework and decision protocols, highlighting their use for
guiding future policy development. Staff anticipates utilizing pieces of the final presentation
as an education and communication tool for other audiences to help facilitate an
understanding of water management challenges in our community.
Estimated schedule: 4 weeks
Deliverables: Final report compiling the deliverables from all Tasks; guidance document
for utilizing the evaluation framework and decision protocols; summary presentation to all
stakeholders
B. Anticipated Schedule
The following represents the City’s target schedule for the RFP. The City reserves the
right to amend the target schedule at any time.
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• RFP issuance: October 14, 2020
• Question deadline: 4:00 PM MST on October 21, 2020
• Final Addendum issued: October 23, 2020
• Proposal due date: 3:00 MST (our clock) on November 9, 2020
• Notification of shortlist: November 18, 2020
• Interviews (tentative): December 2 & 3, 2020
C. Budget
The budget for this project is limited to a maximum of $50,000, therefore Vendors are
invited to submit proposals with the tasks prioritized to aid the City in working together with
the selected firm to identify and implement core tasks within the budget available for this
project.
D. Interviews
In addition to submitting a written proposal, the top-rated Vendors may be interviewed by
the RFP assessment team and asked to participate in an oral presentation to provide an
overview of the company, approach to the project and to address questions. The
evaluation criteria for the oral interviews will be the same as the criteria for the written
evaluations and is included in Section IV.
Because of recent events involving COVID-19, the City may use non-traditional methods
for the optional interview phase of the assessment process. The City will receive, and
score written proposals. However, instead of traditional in-person interviews for the
optional interview session, the City may opt to use alternate methods including, but not
limited to remote interviews through a platform such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
E. Travel & Expenses
Vendors are to provide a list of fees for reimbursable expenses. Reasonable expenses
may be reimbursable as per the current rates found at www.gsa.gov.
F. Subcontractors
Vendors will be responsible for identifying any subcontractors in their proposal. Please
note that the City will contract solely with the awarded Vendor; therefore subcontractors
will be the responsibility of the Vendor.
G. Invoicing and Payment
Invoices should be emailed monthly to invoices@fcgov.com with a copy to the Project
Manager. The cost of the work completed shall be paid to the Vendor each month following
the submittal of a correct invoice by the Vendor indicating the project name, Purchase
Order number, task description, hours worked, personnel/work type category, hourly rate
for each employee/work type category, date of the work performed specific to the task,
percentage of that work that has been completed by task, 3rd party supporting
documentation with the same detail and a brief progress report.
Payments will be made using the prices listed on the agreed-to Price Schedule. In the
event a service is requested which is not listed on the Price Schedule, the Vendor and the
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City will negotiate an appropriate unit price for the service prior to Consultant initiating
such work.
The City pays invoices on Net 30 terms.
H. COVID-19 Compliance.
The Service Provider and its subcontractors shall comply with all state, county, and local
laws, ordinances, and public health orders established to reduce the spread of COVID-
19, as applicable. The Service Provider shall ensure employees and subcontractors with
COVID-19 symptoms do not report to the job site. Service Provider must organize work
to ensure individuals minimize contact and maximize social distancing. Individuals must
wear all standard worksite personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, individuals
should wear a mask or cloth face covering consistent with OSHA and other applicable
safety requirements.
III. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL
Please limit the total length of your proposal to a maximum of twenty (20) double sided or forty
(40) single sided 8 ½ x 11” pages (excluding cover pages, table of contents, dividers and
Vendor Statement form). Font shall be a minimum of 10 Arial and margins are limited to no
less than 0.5” for sides and top/bottom. Extended page sizes, such as 11” x 17”, count as a
single page. Links to other documents, files or websites shall not be permitted. Proposals that
do not conform to these requirements may be rejected.
For this section, Vendors are required to provide detailed written responses to the following
items in the order outlined below. The responses shall be considered technical offers of what
Vendors propose to provide and shall be incorporated in the contract award as deemed
appropriate by the City. A proposal that does not include all the information required may be
deemed non-responsive and subject to rejection.
Responses must include all the items in the order listed below. It is suggested that the Vendors
include each of the City’s questions with their response immediately following the question.
The City of Fort Collins shall not reimburse any firm for costs incurred in the preparation and
presentation of their proposal.
A. Cover Letter / Executive Summary
The Executive Summary should highlight the content of the proposal and features of the
program offered, including a general description of the program and any unique aspects
or benefits provided by your firm.
Indicate your availability to participate in the interviews/demonstrations on the proposed
dates as stated in the Schedule section.
B. Vendor Information
1. Describe the Vendor’s business and background
2. Number of years in the business
3. Details about ownership
4. An overview of services offered and qualifications
5. Size of the firm
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6. Location(s) of offices. If multiple, please identify which will be the primary for our
account.
7. Primary contact information for the company including contact name(s) and title(s),
mailing address(s), phone number(s), and email address(s). Complete Section V,
Vendor Statement.
C. Scope of Proposal
1. Provide a detailed narrative of the services proposed if awarded the contract per the
scope above. The narrative should include any options that may be beneficial for the
City to consider.
2. Describe how the project would be managed and who would have primary
responsibility for its timely and professional completion. Include a description
regarding how the analysis will be performed for the various identified areas
identified, the methods and assumptions used, and the limitations of the analysis.
3. Describe the methods and timeline of communication your firm will use with the
City’s Project Manager and other parties.
4. Include a description of the software and other analysis tools to be used.
5. Identify what portion of work, if any, may be subcontracted.
6. How will you ensure compliance with Covid-19 requirements?
7. Provide an outline of the schedule for completing tasks.
8. Can the work be completed in the necessary timeframe, with target start and
completion dates met?
9. Are other qualified personnel available to assist in meeting the project schedule if
required?
10. Is the project team available to attend meetings as required by the Scope of Work?
D. Firm Capability & Assigned Personnel
Provide relevant information regarding previous experience related to this or similar
Projects, to include the following:
1. Provide an Organization Chart/Proposed Project Team: An organization chart
containing the names of all key personnel and sub-consultants with titles and their
specific task assignment for this Agreement shall be provided in this section.
2. A list of qualifications for your firm and qualifications and experience of the specific
staff members proposed to perform the consulting services described above.
3. Provide examples of similar projects with public agencies in the last 5 years that
have involved the staff proposed to work on this project. Include the owner’s name,
title of project, beginning price, ending price, contact name, email and phone
number, sub-consultants on the team and a brief description of the work and any
change orders.
4. Provide examples of at least two projects where you’ve worked with your sub-
consultants, if applicable. List the sub-consultant firm(s) for this Agreement, their
area(s) of expertise, and include all other applicable information herein requested for
each sub-consultant. Identify what portion of work, if any, may be sub-contracted.
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5. References (current contact name, current telephone number and email address)
from similar projects with similar requirements that have been completed within the
past five (5) years and that have involved the staff proposed to work on this project.
Provide a description of the work performed. The Consultant authorizes City to verify
any and all information contained in the Consultant’s submittal from references
contained herein and hereby releases all those concerned providing information as a
reference from any liability in connection with any information they give.
6. Please speak to the issues and/or opportunities related to the remote working
situation. Specifically, what are ways to keep the project on schedule and still
facilitate meetings with stakeholders and property owners?
7. What adjustments to your processes do you plan to make due to COVID-19?
8. List of Project Personnel: This list should include the identification of the contact
person with primary responsibility for this Agreement, the personnel proposed for this
Agreement, and any supervisory personnel, including partners and/or sub
consultants, and their individual areas of responsibility.
9. A resume for each professional and technical person assigned to the Agreement,
including partners and/or sub-consultants, shall be submitted. The résumés shall
include at least three individual references from previous assignments. Please limit
resumes to one page.
10. Some functions of this project may require the use of sub-consultants. If you intend
to utilize sub-consultants, list each and provide resumes for their key personnel.
11. Describe the availability of project personnel to participate in this project in the
context of the vendor’s other commitments.
12. Provide a list of similar projects completed in the last five (5) years by the key
members of the proposed team.
E. Sustainability/TBL Methodology
In concise terms (no more than two pages), please describe your organization’s
commitment to sustainability and supporting values. Address how your firm strives to
incorporate all three aspects (social, environmental, and economic) of Triple Bottom Line
(TBL) sustainable practices into the workplace. Provide examples along with any metrics
used to measure success within your firm. Also provide examples of how your firm has
incorporated all three aspects of TBL sustainable practices in previous similar projects
on which your firm has been the prime Consultant on.
Some examples are provided below:
1. Environmental – Experience delivering projects / programs focused on
environmental health priorities in the areas of climate resiliency, water quality and
watershed protection, regulatory performance, management systems, air quality,
renewable energy, sustainable building and design, construction materials
management, and solid waste reduction.
2. Economic – Experience working and delivering projects with an emphasis on
strategic financial planning, job creation, business development, asset management,
various project delivery methods, value engineering, regional partnerships,
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transparency, stakeholder engagement, strategic investments, aging infrastructure,
repurposing of existing facilities, and competing financial priorities.
3. Social - Experience working and delivering projects, programs, and/or initiatives
that support Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion throughout your firm’s workplace,
including leadership, and supply chain. Examples of this may be demonstration of
working within cultural and language gaps, development of diversity programs,
diverse project teams, equitable opportunity vendor supply chain, and how your firm
has applied an equity lens to processes such as recruitment, hiring, purchasing,
career pathways, salaries, and staff engagement.
Each element of the TBL sustainability criteria will receive equal consideration in
determining the final Sustainability/TBL score.
F. Cost and Work Hours
Reasonable expenses will be reimbursable as per the current rates found at www.gsa.gov.
Vendor will be required to provide original receipts to the City for all reimbursable
expenses.
In your response to this proposal, please provide the following:
1. Estimated Hours by Task: Provide estimated hours for each proposed task by job
title and employee name, including the time required for meetings, conference calls,
etc.
2. Cost by Task: Provide the cost of each task identified in the Scope of Proposal
section, identified by personnel and hourly rate. Provide a total not to exceed figure
for the Scope of Proposal. Price all additional services/deliverables separately.
3. Schedule of Rates: Provide a schedule of billing rates by category of employee and
job title to be used during the term of the Agreement. This fee schedule will be firm
for at least one (1) year from the date of the Agreement. The fee schedule will be
used as a basis for determining fees should additional services be necessary.
Include a per meeting rate in the event additional meetings are needed. A fee
schedule for sub-consultants, if used, shall be included.
4. All direct costs (i.e., travel, printing, postage, etc.) specifically attributed to the project
and not included in the billing rates must be identified. Travel expenses may be
reimbursable as per the attached Fort Collins Expense Guidelines. Vendor will be
required to provide original receipts to the City for all travel expenses.
G. Additional Information
Provide any information that distinguishes Vendor from its competition and any additional
information applicable to this RFP that might be valuable in assessing Vendor’s proposal.
Explain any concerns Vendor may have in maintaining objectivity in recommending the
best solution. All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
Exceptions to the Scope of Services and City Agreement (a sample of which is attached
in Section VI) shall be documented.
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IV. REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
A. Proposal and Interview Criteria
Vendors will be evaluated on the following criteria. These criteria will be the basis for
review and assessment of the written proposals and optional interview session. At the
discretion of the City, interviews of the top-rated Vendors may be conducted.
The rating scale shall be from 1 to 5, with 1 being a poor rating, 3 being an average rating,
and 5 being an outstanding rating.
WEIGHTING
FACTOR
QUALIFICATION STANDARD
4.0 Scope of Proposal
Does the proposal address all elements of the
RFP? Does the proposal show an
understanding of the project objectives,
methodology to be used and results/outcomes
required by the project? Are there any
exceptions to the specifications, Scope of Work,
or agreement? Can the work be completed in
the necessary time? Can the target start and
completion dates be met? Are other qualified
personnel available to assist in meeting the
project schedule if required? Is the project team
available to attend meetings as required by the
Scope of Work?
3.0
Firm Capability &
Assigned Personnel
Does the firm have the resources, financial
strength, capacity and support capabilities
required to successfully complete the project on-
time and in-budget? Has the firm successfully
completed previous projects of this type and
scope? Do the persons who will be working on
the project have the necessary skills and
qualifications? Are sufficient people of the
requisite skills and qualifications assigned to the
project?
1.0
Sustainability/TBL
Methodology
Does the firm demonstrate a commitment to
Sustainability and incorporate Triple Bottom Line
methodology in both their Scope of Work for the
project, and their day-to-day business operating
processes and procedures?
2.0 Cost & Work Hours
Does the proposal include detailed cost break-
down for each cost element as applicable and
are the line-item costs competitive? Do the
proposed cost and work hours compare
favorably with the Project Manager's estimate?
Are the work hours presented reasonable for the
effort required by each project task or phase?
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Definitions
Sustainable Purchasing is a process for selecting products or services that have a lesser
or reduced negative effect on human health and the environment when compared with
competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This process is also known
as “Environmentally Preferable Purchasing” (EPP), or “Green Purchasing”.
The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is an accounting framework that incorporates three
dimensions of performance: economic, or financial; environmental, and social. The
generally accepted definition for TBL is that it “captures the essence of sustainability by
measuring the impact of an organization’s activities on the world…including both its
profitability and shareholders values and its social, human, and environmental capital.”
B. Reference Evaluation Criteria
Prior to award, the Project Manager will check references using the following criteria.
Negative responses from references may impact the award determination.
CRITERIA STANDARD QUESTIONS
Overall Performance
Would you hire this Vendor again? Did they show
the skills required by this project?
Timetable
Was the original Scope of Work completed within the
specified time? Were interim deadlines met in a
timely manner?
Completeness
Was the Vendor responsive to client needs; did the
Vendor anticipate problems? Were problems solved
quickly and effectively?
Budget
Was the original Scope of Work completed within the
project budget?
Job Knowledge
If a study, did it meet the Scope of Work?
If Vendor administered a construction contract, was
the project functional upon completion and did it
operate properly? Were problems corrected quickly
and effectively?
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V. VENDOR STATEMENT
Vendor hereby acknowledges receipt of the City of Fort Collins Request for Proposal and
acknowledges that it has read and agrees to be fully bound by all of the terms, conditions and
other provisions set forth in the RFP. Additionally, Vendor hereby makes the following
representations to City:
a. All of the statements and representations made in this proposal are true to the best of the
Vendor’s knowledge and belief.
b. Vendor commits that it is able to meet the terms provided in this proposal.
c. This proposal is a firm and binding offer, for a period of 90 days from the date hereof.
d. Vendor further agrees that the method of award is acceptable.
e. Vendor also agrees to complete the proposed Agreement with the City of Fort Collins
within 30 days of notice of award. If contract is not completed and signed within 30 days,
City reserves the right to cancel and award to the next highest rated firm.
f. Vendor acknowledge receipt of addenda.
Legal Firm Name:
Physical Address:
Remit to Address:
Phone:
Name of Authorized Agent of Firm:
Signature of Authorized Agent:
Primary Contact for Project:
Title: Email Address:
Phone: Cell Phone:
NOTE: VENDOR STATEMENT IS TO BE SIGNED & RETURNED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL.
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VI. SAMPLE AGREEMENT (FOR REFERENCE ONLY – DO NOT SIGN )
SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made and entered into the day and year set forth below by and
between THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, a Municipal Corporation, hereinafter
referred to as the "City" and , hereinafter referred to as "Service Provider".
WITNESSETH:
In consideration of the mutual covenants and obligations herein expressed, it is agreed by
and between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Scope of Services. The Service Provider agrees to provide services in accordance with the
scope of services attached hereto as Exhibit A, consisting of ( ) page(s) and
incorporated herein by this reference. Irrespective of references in Exhibit A to certain
named third parties, Service Provider shall be solely responsible for performance of all
duties hereunder.
2. The Work Schedule. [Optional] The services to be performed pursuant to this Agreement
shall be performed in accordance with the Work Schedule attached hereto as Exhibit ,
consisting of ( ) page(s), and incorporated herein by this reference.
3. Time of Commencement and Completion of Services. The services to be performed
pursuant to this Agreement shall be initiated within ( ) days following execution
of this Agreement. Services shall be completed no later than . Time is of the essence.
Any extensions of the time limit set forth above must be agreed upon in a writing signed by
the parties.
4. Contract Period. This Agreement shall commence , 20 , and shall continue in
full force and effect until , 20 , unless sooner terminated as herein provided. In
addition, at the option of the City, the Agreement may be extended for additional one year
periods not to exceed ( ) additional one year periods. Renewals and pricing
changes shall be negotiated by and agreed to by both parties. Written notice of renewal
shall be provided to the Service Provider and mailed no later than thirty (30) days prior to
contract end.
5. Delay. If either party is prevented in whole or in part from performing its obligations by
unforeseeable causes beyond its reasonable control and without its fault or negligence, then
the party so prevented shall be excused from whatever performance is prevented by such
cause. To the extent that the performance is actually prevented, the Service Provider must
provide written notice to the City of such condition within fifteen (15) days from the onset of
such condition.
6. Early Termination by City/Notice. Notwithstanding the time periods contained herein, the
City may terminate this Agreement at any time without cause by providing written notice of
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termination to the Service Provider. Such notice shall be delivered at least fifteen (15) days
prior to the termination date contained in said notice unless otherwise agreed in writing by
the parties. All notices provided under this Agreement shall be effective when mailed,
postage prepaid and sent to the following addresses:
Service Provider: City: Copy to:
Attn:
City of Fort Collins
Attn:
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
City of Fort Collins
Attn: Purchasing Dept.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
In the event of early termination by the City, the Service Provider shall be paid for services
rendered to the date of termination, subject only to the satisfactory performance of the
Service Provider's obligations under this Agreement. Such payment shall be the Service
Provider's sole right and remedy for such termination.
7. Contract Sum. The City shall pay the Service Provider for the performance of this Contract,
subject to additions and deletions provided herein, per the attached Exhibit ,
consisting of ( ) page(s), and incorporated herein by this reference.
8. City Representative. The City will designate, prior to commencement of the work, its
representative who shall make, within the scope of his or her authority, all necessary and
proper decisions with reference to the services provided under this agreement. All requests
concerning this agreement shall be directed to the City Representative.
9. Independent Service Provider. The services to be performed by Service Provider are those
of an independent service provider and not of an employee of the City of Fort Collins. The
City shall not be responsible for withholding any portion of Service Provider's compensation
hereunder for the payment of FICA, Workmen's Compensation or other taxes or benefits or
for any other purpose.
10. Subcontractors. Service Provider may not subcontract any of the Work set forth in the
Exhibit A, Statement of Work without the prior written consent of the city, which shall not be
unreasonably withheld. If any of the Work is subcontracted hereunder (with the consent of
the City), then the following provisions shall apply: (a) the subcontractor must be a reputable,
qualified firm with an established record of successful performance in its respective trade
performing identical or substantially similar work, (b) the subcontractor will be required to
comply with all applicable terms of this Agreement, (c) the subcontract will not create any
contractual relationship between any such subcontractor and the City, nor will it obligate the
City to pay or see to the payment of any subcontractor, and (d) the work of the subcontractor
will be subject to inspection by the City to the same extent as the work of the Service
Provider.
11. Personal Services. It is understood that the City enters into the Agreement based on the
special abilities of the Service Provider and that this Agreement shall be considered as an
agreement for personal services. Accordingly, the Service Provider shall neither assign any
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responsibilities nor delegate any duties arising under the Agreement without the prior written
consent of the City.
12. Acceptance Not Waiver. The City's approval or acceptance of, or payment for any of the
services shall not be construed to operate as a waiver of any rights or benefits provided to
the City under this Agreement or cause of action arising out of performance of this
Agreement.
13. Warranty.
a. Service Provider warrants that all work performed hereunder shall be performed with the
highest degree of competence and care in accordance with accepted standards for work
of a similar nature.
b. Unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, all materials and equipment incorporated
into any work shall be new and, where not specified, of the most suitable grade of their
respective kinds for their intended use, and all workmanship shall be acceptable to City.
c. Service Provider warrants all equipment, materials, labor and other work, provided under
this Agreement, except City-furnished materials, equipment and labor, against defects
and nonconformances in design, materials and workmanship/workwomanship for a
period beginning with the start of the work and ending twelve (12) months from and after
final acceptance under the Agreement, regardless whether the same were furnished or
performed by Service Provider or by any of its subcontractors of any tier. Upon receipt
of written notice from City of any such defect or nonconformances, the affected item or
part thereof shall be redesigned, repaired or replaced by Service Provider in a manner
and at a time acceptable to City.
14. Default. Each and every term and condition hereof shall be deemed to be a material element
of this Agreement. In the event either party should fail or refuse to perform according to the
terms of this agreement, such party may be declared in default thereof.
15. Remedies. In the event a party has been declared in default, such defaulting party shall be
allowed a period of ten (10) days within which to cure said default. In the event the default
remains uncorrected, the party declaring default may elect to (a) terminate the Agreement
and seek damages; (b) treat the Agreement as continuing and require specific performance;
or (c) avail himself of any other remedy at law or equity. If the non-defaulting party
commences legal or equitable actions against the defaulting party, the defaulting party shall
be liable to the non-defaulting party for the non-defaulting party's reasonable attorney fees
and costs incurred because of the default.
16. Binding Effect. This writing, together with the exhibits hereto, constitutes the entire
agreement between the parties and shall be binding upon said parties, their officers,
employees, agents and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the respective survivors,
heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of said parties.
17. Indemnity/Insurance.
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a. The Service Provider agrees to indemnify and save harmless the City, its officers, agents
and employees against and from any and all actions, suits, claims, demands or liability
of any character whatsoever brought or asserted for injuries to or death of any person
or persons, or damages to property arising out of, result from or occurring in connection
with the performance of any service hereunder.
b. The Service Provider shall take all necessary precautions in performing the work
hereunder to prevent injury to persons and property.
c. Without limiting any of the Service Provider's obligations hereunder, the Service Provider
shall provide and maintain insurance coverage naming the City as an additional insured
under this Agreement of the type and with the limits specified within Exhibit ,
consisting of one (1) page, attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
The Service Provider before commencing services hereunder, shall deliver to the City's
Purchasing Director, P. O. Box 580 Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 one copy of a
certificate evidencing the insurance coverage required from an insurance company
acceptable to the City.
18. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, along with all Exhibits and other documents
incorporated herein, shall constitute the entire Agreement of the parties. Covenants or
representations not contained in this Agreement shall not be binding on the parties.
19. Law/Severability. The laws of the State of Colorado shall govern the construction
interpretation, execution and enforcement of this Agreement. In the event any provision of
this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction,
such holding shall not invalidate or render unenforceable any other provision of this
Agreement.
20. Prohibition Against Unlawful Discrimination. The City of Fort Collins, in accordance with the
provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 US.C. §§ 2000d to
2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that
any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business
enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this
invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national
origin in consideration for an award.
The City strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination based on an individual’s gender
(regardless of gender identity or gender expression), race, color, religion, creed, national
origin, ancestry, age 40 years or older, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic
information, or other characteristics protected by law. For the purpose of this policy “sexual
orientation” means a person’s actual or perceived orientation toward heterosexuality,
homosexuality, and bisexuality. The City also strictly prohibits unlawful harassment in the
workplace, including sexual harassment. Further, the City strictly prohibits unlawful
retaliation against a person who engages in protected activity. Protected activity includes
an employee complaining that he or she has been discriminated against in violation of the
above policy or participating in an employment discrimination proceeding.
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The City requires its vendors to comply with the City’s policy for equal employment
opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation. This
requirement applies to all third-party vendors and their subcontractors at every tier.
21. Prohibition Against Employing Illegal Aliens. Pursuant to Section 8-17.5-101, C.R.S., et.
seq., Service Provider represents and agrees that:
a. As of the date of this Agreement:
1. Service Provider does not knowingly employ or contract with an illegal alien who will
perform work under this Agreement; and
2. Service Provider will participate in either the e-Verify program created in Public Law
208, 104th Congress, as amended, and expanded in Public Law 156, 108th
Congress, as amended, administered by the United States Department of Homeland
Security (the “e-Verify Program”) or the Department Program (the “Department
Program”), an employment verification program established pursuant to Section 8-
17.5-102(5)(c) C.R.S. in order to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired
employees to perform work under this Agreement.
b. Service Provider shall not knowingly employ or contract with an illegal alien to perform
work under this Agreement or knowingly enter into a contract with a subcontractor that
knowingly employs or contracts with an illegal alien to perform work under this
Agreement.
c. Service Provider is prohibited from using the e-Verify Program or Department Program
procedures to undertake pre-employment screening of job applicants while this
Agreement is being performed.
d. If Service Provider obtains actual knowledge that a subcontractor performing work under
this Agreement knowingly employs or contracts with an illegal alien, Service Provider
shall:
1. Notify such subcontractor and the City within three days that Service Provider has
actual knowledge that the subcontractor is employing or contracting with an illegal
alien; and
2. Terminate the subcontract with the subcontractor if within three days of receiving the
notice required pursuant to this section the subcontractor does not cease employing
or contracting with the illegal alien; except that Service Provider shall not terminate
the contract with the subcontractor if during such three days the subcontractor
provides information to establish that the subcontractor has not knowingly employed
or contracted with an illegal alien.
e. Service Provider shall comply with any reasonable request by the Colorado Department
of Labor and Employment (the “Department”) made in the course of an investigation that
the Department undertakes or is undertaking pursuant to the authority established in
Subsection 8-17.5-102 (5), C.R.S.
f. If Service Provider violates any provision of this Agreement pertaining to the duties
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imposed by Subsection 8-17.5-102, C.R.S. the City may terminate this Agreement. If
this Agreement is so terminated, Service Provider shall be liable for actual and
consequential damages to the City arising out of Service Provider’s violation of
Subsection 8-17.5-102, C.R.S.
g. The City will notify the Office of the Secretary of State if Service Provider violates this
provision of this Agreement and the City terminates the Agreement for such breach.
22. Special Provisions. Special provisions or conditions relating to the services to be performed
pursuant to this Agreement are set forth in Exhibit - Confidentiality, consisting of three
(3) pages, attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
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THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
By:
Gerry Paul
Purchasing Director
DATE:
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
SERVICE PROVIDER'S NAME
By:
Printed:
Title:
CORPORATE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT
Date:
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EXHIBIT A
SCOPE OF SERVICES
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EXHIBIT
(BID SCHEDULE/COMPENSATION)
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EXHIBIT
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. The Service Provider will provide, from insurance companies acceptable to the City, the
insurance coverage designated hereinafter and pay all costs. Before commencing work
under this bid, the Service Provider shall furnish the City with certificates of insurance
showing the type, amount, class of operations covered, effective dates and date of
expiration of policies, and containing substantially the following statement:
“The insurance evidenced by this Certificate will not reduce coverage or limits and
will not be cancelled, except after thirty (30) days written notice has been received
by the City of Fort Collins.”
In case of the breach of any provision of the Insurance Requirements, the City, at its
option, may take out and maintain, at the expense of the Service Provider, such
insurance as the City may deem proper and may deduct the cost of such insurance from
any monies which may be due or become due the Service Provider under this
Agreement. The City, its officers, agents and employees shall be named as additional
insureds on the Service Provider 's general liability and automobile liability insurance
policies for any claims arising out of work performed under this Agreement.
2. Insurance coverages shall be as follows:
A. Workers' Compensation & Employer's Liability. The Service Provider shall
maintain during the life of this Agreement for all of the Service Provider's
employees engaged in work performed under this agreement:
1. Workers' Compensation insurance with statutory limits as required by
Colorado law.
2. Employer's Liability insurance with limits of $100,000 per accident,
$500,000 disease aggregate, and $100,000 disease each employee.
B. Commercial General & Vehicle Liability. The Service Provider shall maintain
during the life of this Agreement such commercial general liability and automobile
liability insurance as will provide coverage for damage claims of personal injury,
including accidental death, as well as for claims for property damage, which may
arise directly or indirectly from the performance of work under this Agreement.
Coverage for property damage shall be on a "broad form" basis. The amount of
insurance for each coverage, Commercial General and Vehicle, shall not be less
than $1,000,000 combined single limits for bodily injury and property damage.
In the event any work is performed by a subcontractor, the Service Provider shall
be responsible for any liability directly or indirectly arising out of the work
performed under this Agreement by a subcontractor, which liability is not covered
by the subcontractor's insurance.
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EXHIBIT
CONFIDENTIALITY
IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICES to be provided by Professional under this
Agreement, the parties agree to comply with reasonable policies and procedures with regard to
the exchange and handling of confidential information and other sensitive materials between the
parties, as set forth below.
1. Definitions.
For purposes of this Agreement, the party who owns the confidential information and is
disclosing same shall be referenced as the “Disclosing Party.” The party receiving the
Disclosing Party’s confidential information shall be referenced as the “Receiving Party.”
2. Confidential Information.
Confidential Information controlled by this Agreement refers to information which is not
public and/or is proprietary and includes by way of example, but without limitation, City
customer information, utility data, service billing records, customer equipment information,
location information, network security system, business plans, formulae, processes,
intellectual property, trade secrets, designs, photographs, plans, drawings, schematics,
methods, specifications, samples, reports, mechanical and electronic design drawings,
customer lists, financial information, studies, findings, inventions, and ideas.
To the extent practical, Confidential Information shall be marked “Confidential” or
“Proprietary.” Nevertheless, Professional shall treat as Confidential Information all customer
identifiable information in any form, whether or not bearing a mark of confidentiality or
otherwise requested by the City, including but not limited to account, address, billing,
consumption, contact and other customer data. In the case of disclosure in non-
documentary form of non-customer identifiable information, made orally or by visual
inspection, the Disclosing Party shall have the right, or, if requested by the Receiving Party,
the obligation to confirm in writing the fact and general nature of each disclosure within a
reasonable time after it is made in order that it is treated as Confidential Information. Any
information disclosed to the other party prior to the execution of this Agreement and related
to the services for which Professional has been engaged shall be considered in the same
manner and be subject to the same treatment as the information disclosed after the
execution of this Agreement with regard to protecting it as Confidential Information.
3. Use of Confidential Information.
Receiving Party hereby agrees that it shall use the Confidential Information solely for the
purpose of performing its obligations under this Agreement and not in any way detrimental
to Disclosing Party. Receiving Party agrees to use the same degree of care Receiving Party
uses with respect to its own proprietary or confidential information, which in any event shall
result in a reasonable standard of care to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of the
Confidential Information. Except as otherwise provided herein, Receiving Party shall keep
confidential and not disclose the Confidential Information. The City and Professional shall
cause each of their directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, and
subcontractors to become familiar with, and abide by, the terms of this section, which shall
survive this Agreement as an on-going obligation of the Parties.
Professional shall not use such information to obtain any economic or other benefit for itself,
or any third party, other than in the performance of obligations under this Agreement.
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4. Exclusions from Definition.
The term “Confidential Information” as used herein does not include any data or information
which is already known to the Receiving Party or which before being divulged by the
Disclosing Party (1) was generally known to the public through no wrongful act of the
Receiving Party; (2) has been rightfully received by the Receiving Party from a third party
without restriction on disclosure and without, to the knowledge of the Receiving Party, a
breach of an obligation of confidentiality; (3) has been approved for release by a written
authorization by the other party hereto; or (4) has been disclosed pursuant to a requirement
of a governmental agency or by operation of law.
5. Required Disclosure.
If the Receiving Party is required (by interrogatories, requests for information or documents,
subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process, or by federal, state, or local law,
including without limitation, the Colorado Open Records Act) to disclose any Confidential
Information, the Parties agree the Receiving Party will provide the Disclosing Party with
prompt notice of such request, so the Disclosing Party may seek an appropriate protective
order or waive the Receiving Party’s compliance with this Agreement.
The Receiving Party shall furnish a copy of this Agreement with any disclosure.
6. Notwithstanding paragraph 5, Professional shall not disclose Confidential Information to any
person, directly or indirectly, nor use it in any way, except as required or authorized in
writing by the City.
7. Red Flags Rules.
Professional must implement reasonable policies and procedures to detect, prevent and
mitigate the risk of identity theft in compliance with the Identity Theft Red Flags Rules found
at 16 Code of Federal Regulations part 681. Further, Professional must take appropriate
steps to mitigate identity theft if it occurs with one or more of the City’s covered accounts
and must as expeditiously as possible notify the City in writing of significant breeches of
security or Red Flags to the City.
8. Data Protection and Data Security.
In addition to the requirements of paragraph 7, Professional shall have in place information
security safeguards designed to conform to or exceed industry best practices regarding the
protection of the confidentiality, integrity and availability of utility and customer information
and shall have written agreements requiring any subcontractor to meet those standards.
These information security safeguards (the “Information Security Program”) shall be
materially consistent with, or more stringent than, the safeguards described in this Exhibit.
a) Professional’s information security safeguards shall address the following elements:
• Data Storage, Backups and Disposal
• Logical Access Control (e.g., Role-Based)
• Information Classification and Handling
• Secure Data Transfer (SFTP and Data Transfer Specification)
• Secure Web Communications
• Network and Security Monitoring
• Application Development Security
• Application Security Controls and Procedures (User Authentication, Security
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Controls, and Security Procedures, Policies and Logging)
• Incident Response
• Vulnerability Assessments
• Hosted Services
• Personnel Security
b) Subcontractors. Professional may use subcontractors, though such activity shall not
release or absolve Professional from the obligation to satisfy all conditions of this
Agreement, including the data security measures described in this Exhibit, and to require
a substantially similar level of data security, appropriate to the types of services provided
and Customer Data received, for any subcontractor Professional may use. Accordingly,
any release of data, confidential information, or failure to protect information under this
Agreement by a subcontractor or affiliated party shall be attributed to Professional and
may be considered to be a material breach of this Agreement.
9. Confidential Information is not to be stored on any local workstation, laptop, or media such
as CD/DVD, USB drives, external hard drives or other similar portable devices unless the
Professional can ensure security for the Confidential Information so stored. Work stations or
laptops to be used in the Work will be required to have personal firewalls on each, as well as
have current, active anti-virus definitions.
10. The Agreement not to disclose Confidential Information as set forth in this Exhibit shall apply
during the term of the Work and at any time thereafter unless specifically authorized by the
City in writing.
11. If Professional breaches this Agreement, in the City’s sole discretion, the City may
immediately terminate this Agreement and withdraw Professional’s right to access
Confidential Information.
12. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all material, i.e., various physical
forms of media in which Confidential Information is contained, including but not limited to
writings, drawings, tapes, diskettes, prototypes or products, shall remain the sole property of
the Disclosing Party and, upon request, shall be promptly returned, together with all copies
thereof to the Disclosing Party. Upon such return of physical records, all digital and
electronic data shall also be deleted in a non-restorable way by which it is no longer
available to the Receiving Party. Written verification of the deletion (including date of
deletion) is to be provided to the Disclosing Party within ten (10) days after completion of
engagement, whether it be via termination, completion or otherwise.
13. Professional acknowledges that the City may, based upon the representations made in this
Agreement, disclose security information that is critical to the continued success of the City’s
business. Accordingly, Professional agrees that the City does not have an adequate remedy
at law for breach of this Agreement and therefore, the City shall be entitled, as a non-
exclusive remedy, and in addition to an action for damages, to seek and obtain an injunction
or decree of specific performance or any other remedy, from a court of competent
jurisdiction to enjoin or remedy any violation of this Agreement.