REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NOTICE TO FIRMS FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES RFP# C1425

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1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NOTICE TO FIRMS FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES RFP# C1425 Sealed proposals which must include the entire package for the above work located on the FIT campus will be received by: FIT Purchasing Department Office located at 333 Seventh Avenue, 16 th Floor, New York, NY (Tel: ) Each proposal must be sent in digital and hard copy and identified, on the outside of the envelope, with the name and address of the firm and designated as proposal for the project titled above. When a sealed proposal is placed inside another delivery jacket, the proposal delivery jacket must be clearly marked on the outside: PROPOSAL FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES TO BE OPENED ONLY BY AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL" and "ATTENTION: WALTER WINTER, PURCHASING OFFICE" The Fashion Institute of Technology will not be responsible for improper delivery of proposals that do not comply with these instructions. Late proposals will be returned unopened. Only those proposals received at FIT Purchasing Office on or before 1:00 PM on August 7, 2018 will be considered. 1

2 SECTION ONE - PROPOSAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS I. SCHEDULE RFP Release Date: July 16, 2018 Written questions may be submitted to the Purchasing Office via to: Purchasing@fitnyc.edu. Answers will be provided to all firms in a timely manner. Last Day for Receipt of Written Questions: Response to Questions Date: Proposal Due Date: July 23, 2018 by 1:00 PM In a timely manner. August 7, 2018, on or before 1:00 PM *Presentations/Interviews: Week of August 20, 2018 Selection of Consultant: August 27, 2018 Commencement of Work: Within 10 days of award *The College reserves the option to select a vendor based on proposals. Presentations may, or may not, be scheduled. II. INTRODUCTION FIT is a community of unconventional minds, a place where we educate students to be design thinkers and problem solvers. There is a new creative economy, at the crossroads of design, business, culture, and technology. To meet its challenges, FIT has laid to rest tired assumptions, outdated practices, and conventional thinking. We are moving forward with unshackled innovation while unabashedly celebrating traditional skills. We are seeking unstoppable partnerships, cultivating unrestrained ingenuity, and advancing unforgettable ideas. That is why our students, faculty, curriculum, and industry partners are unlike all others. They're unpredictable, unbridled, unexpected and in tune with the new, the next, the first, the best. The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 75 years. Providing its 9,000 students with an uncommon blend of hands-on, practical experience, theory, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of affordable programs that foster innovation and collaboration. It's distinctive curriculum is geared to today's rapidly growing creative economy, including fields such as computer animation, toy design, production management, film and media, and cosmetics and fragrance marketing. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers nearly 50 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the new creative economy. FIT has a global reputation with academic programs in Italy, South Korea, and collaborations globally including Istanbul, Hong Kong, and London. Some distinguished alumni include Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, and Joy Herfel Cronin--among many others. Located in the Chelsea area of Manhattan, FIT facilities include 12 buildings with state-of-the-art studios, 2

3 labs, classrooms, and offices including four residence halls serving approximately 2,200 resident students. The campus also includes the Gladys Marcus Library and The Museum at FIT. Degree and non-degree programs are offered through the Schools of Art and Design, Business and Technology, Liberal Arts, Graduate Studies, and the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies. Associate, Bachelor, and Graduate degrees are awarded. Visit for detailed information. In September 2012, the FIT Planning Council, along with other representatives from the community faculty, staff, students, administrators, FIT trustees, and foundation directors participated in interviews and group discussions, bringing insight and new perspectives to the development of FIT s strategic plan, 2020: Our Legacy, Our Future. This college-wide input also contributed to the revision of the FIT mission statement. Revised Mission Statement FIT prepares students for professional excellence in design and business through rigorous and adaptable academic programs, experiential learning, and innovative partnerships. A premier public institution in New York City, FIT fosters creativity, career focus, and a global perspective while educating its students to embrace inclusiveness, sustainability, and a sense of community. The work of the 2012 strategic planning process also resulted in three interrelated, college-wide goals: 1. Academic and Creative Excellence 2. An Innovation Center 3. An Empowering Student Community III. STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS The scope of services identified below is intended to provide a general structure for the consultant s response to this RFP. The consultants can prepare their response and cost estimate based upon an alternative structure or approach so long as their response to this RFP will achieve the stated objectives and strategic planning initiatives of the engagement. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVES Through the College s previous strategic planning efforts, FIT has established a sound foundation of organizational and academic initiatives to guide the College. The purpose of the refreshed strategic plan is to build upon the goals from the 2020: Our Legacy, Our Future to support the College s commitment to foster a culture of innovation throughout our academic program offerings, advanced research projects, industry partnerships, technology investments, and long-term resource planning. To this end, the College is seeking a firm to be a facilitator and thought partner to assist the College with answering the following strategic questions: 1) As FIT pursues its branding as an unconventional institution, how should the mission statement incorporate this focus? 2) What should a culture of innovation represent at FIT from the perspective of the various FIT constituents such as our students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners? 3) What investments must FIT make to be a leader in innovation for the creative industries? What are the areas of previous FIT investment that can be leveraged? What role should technology play in this effort? 4) What are the academic and operational innovation goals that FIT should be aspiring to in the strategic plan? 5) How can FIT fulfill its brand promise of being unconventional? 3

4 Note, the creative/related industries include but are not limited to areas such as fashion, illustration, interior design, photography, textile development, art history and museum professions, computer animation, interactive media, advertising and marketing communication, cosmetics and fragrance marketing, entrepreneurship, home products development, and graphics. As FIT pursues its emphasis on unconventional learning approaches, the College is also looking to develop programs that align with the needs of the creative economy in possible fields of study such as 3D printing engineering, consumer behavior, data analytics, advanced textile and research development, and sustainability. In 2018, the focus of the strategic planning effort is to refresh the plan that was developed in 2012 to reflect the successes of the previous plan while building a roadmap that will guide the College s efforts to fulfill the vision of building a culture of unconventional innovation. A. Mission Statement Facilitate a process with the FIT community to have a dialogue about how the College s mission statement might be altered to reflect a focus on innovation. B. Situation Analysis Identification of both internal and external trends within higher education and the creative/related industries (e.g., competition, market forces, financial constraints, and the recruiting and hiring of international students and faculty, respectively) that will influence how FIT should pursue its commitment to a culture of innovation. Review the competitive landscape for higher education institutions with a similar curriculum and student focus to benchmark and identify strategic opportunities that align with FIT s operating structure. Assess the market landscape for the creative/related industries with regards to FIT s industry collaborations, interdisciplinary course offerings, and major-related, postgraduation job placements. C. Opportunities Given the College s resources, reputation, competitive landscape and focus on innovation, identify the opportunities for FIT to pursue innovation in the areas of academic programming, interdisciplinary research, faculty development, student engagement, government, community partnerships, and partnerships with industry innovators including alignment with technological advances and experimentation that can inform our efforts. Facilitate a discussion that will allow recommendations for innovation initiatives while also facilitating a broader dialogue to assess ideas and concepts. D. Strategic Plan Goals The development of an updated, integrated strategic plan for the college that at a minimum spans the period FY 19 to FY 24. Define critical objectives and a vision for an updated strategic plan. Prepare a high-level aspirational plan that serves as a roadmap for FIT s future goals and objectives. 4

5 E. Assessment The development of a college-wide methodology to evaluate and periodically update the strategic plan goal outcomes. Establish methods and metrics to evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of selected program initiatives. Identify discernable success or failure of program initiatives relative to progress in achieving the college s stated strategic goals. IV. SCOPE OF SERVICES A. Pre-planning: The consultant shall work directly with the President and executive staff to develop a methodology, timetable, communication plan, and structure (e.g., roles, committee, steering groups) for the planning process that will encompass the full range of objectives identified above. It is expected that this effort will conclude in time to allow for a meeting of the Planning Council by the end of September. B. Goal Development: The consultant will work with the President, the Planning Council, and other members of the college community as determined by the President to review the outcomes of the assessment phase and begin developing draft goal statements for the College. The draft goal statements will be presented to the broader college community for comment. C. Plan Development: The consultant will work with the previously established committees to develop the requisite program initiatives that, if implemented, are intended to advance the college toward goal attainment. Program elements will require prioritization, quantification, budget implications, and the identification of anticipated outcomes. Ideally, the College would like the plan to be developed by the close of the 2019 school year that ends May 22 nd. D. Assessment: The consultant will work directly with the President, executive staff, and members of the college community to compile and analyze the data required to fulfill the objectives stated in the proposal. The consultant should be prepared and demonstrate a capacity to augment available data with independent sources of information and accumulated best practice knowledge of higher education and business for the creative industries. V. DELIVERABLES It is expected that the consultant will provide a conclusion summary for each of the elements included in the above-stated Scope of Services (IV. A, B, C, and D). The content from these summaries should be embedded into the actual strategic plan that should include the following sections: Executive Summary summary of the institution s strategic planning framework and objectives. Strategic Planning Methodology the methodologies and processes used to develop the strategic plan. Vision and Values the institution s mission, vision, and values. This section should include information about FIT s history to the extent that it informs the strategic priorities going forward. 5

6 Market Analysis overview of the environmental scan and other critical success factors that informed the development of the strategic plan. This section should include an overview of benchmarking data analysis and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. Strategic Goals list of strategic goals, deliverables, and the timeline. Performance Management outline of the performance management and measurement plan that will track strategic goals versus progress. Appendix can include information that supports each of the above sections, as applicable. VI. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND FEE PROPOSAL All entities that submit a proposal must meet the following requirements and furnish all necessary information with the Proposal. Submit one (1) complete original and seven (7) complete hard copies of the Proposal. In addition, one (1) electronic version in Adobe PDF format will be submitted. Failure to comply with these requirements shall be grounds for rejection of your Proposal. FIT reserves the right to determine that firms have substantially met all the requirements of the RFP and/or ask for additional information. Those items for which firms have or assert proprietary rights, or which must, under prior contract, remain confidential shall be clearly indicated. Otherwise, submission of the proposal shall be deemed to grant FIT the right to utilize submissions in any way, with or without prior notice. Absent affirmative assertion, the College reserves such right to use. Firm shall provide a fee proposal with detailed pricing break down as described in the section of this RFP. Under no circumstances will FIT be liable for any costs incurred by firms in preparation and/or production of a Proposal or for any Work performed prior to the College s written authorization to proceed to contract. Bid Security, Performance and Payment Bond are NOT required for this RFP. Proposals shall be submitted on or before August 7, 2018 by 1:00 P.M. to: WALTER WINTER PURCHASING DIRECTOR FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PURCHASING OFFICE 333 Seventh Avenue 16 th Floor New York, NY Envelopes shall clearly be marked: CONSULTING SERVICES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. C1425 6

7 Questions shall be submitted in writing to the attention of Purchasing Office via to no later than July 23, 2018, by 1:00 PM. Answers will be provided in writing in a timely manner. Firm shall provide a comprehensive and complete proposal with individual sections. Each section shall be tabbed and organized in the sections detailed below. Each section shall contain, at a minimum, the information described below. Firm shall provide the following with its Proposal 1. Company Overview a. Documentation that the firm has been doing business related to Strategic Planning, preferably in Higher Education, for a minimum of five (5) years immediately prior to the date of this RFP. An additional interest is for the firm to also show experience in consumer goods primarily in the fashion and retailing industries. b. An overview of the firm, including a description of the services provided. c. Demonstration of financial viability, as evidenced by documents such as financial statements, balance sheets, and income and expenditure statements for the prior two (2) fiscal years and good credit rating with at least one (1) major financial institution. d. A list of other colleges and universities or other companies where similar projects have been completed. Include detailed information for a minimum of five (5) references. e. An explanation of what differentiates your firm from other vendors who perform the same kind of work. 2. Management and Approach The following information must be provided: a. A description of the overall approach to providing the services. b. Methodology that will be used to assess and document the current state and recommendations. c. Tools and reference resources that will be used. d. Deliverables in addition to the deliverables in section V. e. Identification of the consultants assigned to the project along with their bios and qualifications to complete this project. f. Resources needed from FIT to successfully complete this project. g. Project plan which includes a timeline and a schedule for project completion. 7

8 h. Any other pertinent information which demonstrates the firm's corporate capability to successfully perform the consulting services. The project will be managed through the Office of the President. Proposals will be reviewed by an administrative team and those firms whose proposals are of interest to FIT will be invited to campus for a more detailed presentation. VII. EVALUATION CRITERIA A. A committee will use the following criteria to evaluate the Proposals, which meet the requirements of these specifications. 1. Company Overview/References 25% 2. Management and Approach 30% 3. Cost 15% 4. Interview or Oral Presentation 30% B. FIT reserves the right to award the Contract to the firm with the highest score on criteria 1 through 3 or to interview a number of firms with the highest scores on criteria 1 through 3. In the latter case, FIT will award the Contract to the firm with the highest score on criteria 1 through 4. PROPOSAL ANALYSIS SHEET FOLLOWS 8

9 PROPOSAL ANALYSIS SHEET CONSULTING SERVICES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING RFP # C1425 DESCRIPTION All Inclusive proposal for Consultant Services for Strategic Planning COST $ Important: There will not be reimbursement for expenses (i.e. travel, lodging, etc.) Proposal must be all inclusive. Company: (Print or Type Company/Partnership/Individual Name) By: (Signature of Authorized Representative) Name: (Print or Type Name of Representative) Title: (Print or Type Title of Representative) Telephone: Facsimile: Federal ID #: Date: IMPORTANT: This proposal analysis page is the only pricing format acceptable. Firms must submit pricing using this form. FIT will not accept proposal responses on any other form. 9

10 SECTION TWO -- RFP GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS A. Proposal Requirements: 1. Sealed proposals must be received before the time and at the location stated on the cover page of the RFP and must include the entire proposal document (consisting of Section One - Proposal Terms and Conditions and this Section Two - RFP General Terms and Conditions), the Contract Terms and Conditions, and the Proposal Analysis Sheet, as issued by FIT, including required signatures and attachments. Proposers are not permitted to change or modify Proposal Terms and Conditions, Contract Terms and Conditions and/ or the Proposal Analysis Sheet. All Proposers propose on the same terms and conditions. 2. Each proposal must be sent in digital and hard copy and identified, on the outside of the envelope, by the name and address of the firm and designated as a proposal for the project. Hard copies of proposals shall be submitted in ink only; proposals submitted in pencil shall be subject to rejection. When a sealed proposal is placed inside another delivery jacket, the proposal delivery jacket must be clearly marked on the outside with the notation stated on the cover page of the RFP. 3. Proposers are responsible to make certain that sealed proposals are received at the FIT Purchasing Department before the time of the proposal opening. FIT will not be responsible for improper delivery of proposals that do not comply with these instructions. 4. Proposals will be opened publicly. 5. Proposals received after the time of the proposal opening will be returned unopened. B. No Oral Statements: 10

11 FIT will not be bound by any oral statement or representation in connection with the RFP or resulting Contract(s). Any changes to the proposal document required by FIT shall be in writing and shall be issued by the FIT Purchasing Department to every known entity that has been invited to submit an RFP and will also be posted on the Purchasing Department website. It shall be the responsibility of each proposer to check the website regularly for updates during the time period prior to the due date. C. Proposer Affirmation: By signing the proposal, Proposer certifies that: 1. No public officer or employee whose salary is payable in whole or in part by FIT, the City or the State is directly or indirectly interested in the proposal, or in the goods, services, supplies, equipment or labor which may be related to the proposal; and 2. Proposer is not in arrears to FIT, the City or the State upon a debt, contract or taxes, and is not in default as surety or otherwise upon any obligation to any of them. D. Non-Collusive Proposal Certification: 1. By submission of its proposal, Proposer, and each person signing on behalf of Proposer certifies, and in the case of a joint proposal each party thereto certifies, as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that to the best of its knowledge and belief: a. The prices in the proposal have been arrived at independently without collusion, consultation, communication or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other proposer or with any competitor; b. Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been quoted in the proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by Proposer and will not knowingly be disclosed by Proposer prior to opening, directly or indirectly, to any other proposer or to any competitor; and 11

12 c. No attempt has been made or will be made by Proposer to induce any other person, partnership or corporation to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition. 2. A proposal shall not be considered for award nor shall any award be made where (l)(a), (b) and (c) above have not be complied with; provided, however, that if in any case Proposer cannot make the foregoing certification, Proposer shall so state and shall furnish with the proposal a signed statement which sets forth in detail the reasons therefore. E. Confidentiality: 1. If Proposer believes that any information in its proposal or proposal constitutes a trade secret or should otherwise be treated as confidential and wishes such information not to be disclosed if requested pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Article 6 of the Public Officers Law), Proposer shall submit with its proposal or proposal a separate letter specifically identifying page number(s), line(s) or other appropriate designation(s) containing such information; explain in detail why such information is a trade secret; and formally request that such information be kept confidential. Such information must be easily separable from the rest of the proposal or proposal. A request that an entire proposal or proposal be kept confidential will not be considered. Failure by Proposer to submit such a letter with its proposal or proposal identifying trade secrets shall constitute a waiver by Proposer of any rights it may have under FOIL. 2. In some instances, FIT may, in its sole discretion, share certain confidential, sensitive, and/or proprietary information with Proposers in connection with the RFP (particularly in connection with preparation for any presentation(s)). All such information, whether printed, written or oral, which is requested from or voluntarily furnished by FIT shall be held by Proposer in strictest confidence and used only for the purpose of the RFP. F. Prices: Proposal prices shall be held firm for ninety (90) days from the proposal due date. 12

13 G. No Sales Tax: FIT is exempt from the payment of State and City sales tax; therefore, all prices quoted shall not include such tax. Sales tax exemption forms may be obtained from the FIT Purchasing Department. H. Proposal Withdrawal: 1. Proposers may withdraw proposals at any time before the proposal opening. 2. After the proposal opening, Proposers may withdraw proposals only after the expiration of ninety (90) days and before any actual award. 3. Proposal withdrawals must be in writing. 4. In the event of a proposal mistake, a Proposer may withdraw its proposal before the award of the Contract or within three (3) days after the opening of the proposal, whichever period is shorter. Proposer shall furnish credible evidence that its proposal mistake was a clerical error as opposed to a judgment error. FIT will determine, upon objective evidence and pursuant to law, whether Proposer shall be permitted to withdraw its proposal. I. Tie Proposals: Tie proposals will be awarded in FIT's absolute discretion based on its determination of FIT's best interest. J. Proposer's Responsibility: In determining whether a Proposer is responsible, FIT may consider experience, business references, integrity of the organization and its management, past performance, business and/or financial capabilities and/or capacity and technical skills. K. Proposal Rejection: 1. FIT may reject a proposal if: 13

14 a. The proposal is not responsive to the requirements of the Request for Proposals; b. Proposer does not provide information or documents required; c. Proposer does not submit the proposal security as required (if applicable); d. Proposer misstates or conceals any material fact in the proposal; e. The proposal is conditional; f. The proposal prices are not in ink; g. The proposal contains prices that are unbalanced; and/or h. FIT determines that Proposer is not responsible in accordance with law and FIT regulations. 2. FIT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals if it is in the best interest of FIT to do so. L. Award of Contract: 1. Subject to the provisions Paragraph K immediately above, the Award shall be made to the highest score of Evaluation Criteria Proposer pursuant to law and FIT regulations. 2. FIT reserves the right to waive technicalities in a proposal if it is in the best interest of FIT to do so. 3. By submission of its Proposal, Proposer represents that it is willing and able to enter into an agreement with FIT (the "Contract") upon the terms and conditions substantially in conformance with those contained in the agreement attached to this RFP ("Exhibit A"). 4. The Contract shall be signed by the successful Proposer after the award is made. The successful Proposer shall execute the Contract within ten (10) business days of the award. FIT will retain the proposal security (if applicable) as liquidated damages in the event the 14

15 successful Proposer fails to execute the Contract within this time period. 5. All contracts awarded by FIT shall be executory only to the extent of funds available. M. Governing Law: 1. This RFP shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of law provisions. 2. Any action arising from this RFP shall be brought in the federal or state courts located in the State of New York and in the County of New York. 3. Proposer consents to the exercise by the courts of the State of New York of personal jurisdiction over it concerning any matter arising out of or in connection with this RFP. 15