COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #RFP-ROV-FY12-0067 FOR VOTER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH RFP RELEASED: SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 PROPOSALS DUE: OCTOBER 14, 2011 BY 4:00 P.M. PACIFIC TIME ZONE (PT) NON-MANDATORY PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE OCTOBER 3, 2011 AT 10:00 A.M. (PT) THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS 1553 BERGER DRIVE, BUILDING 1 SAN JOSE, CA 95112 CONTACT: PHILIP CHANTRI 408-282-3066 PHILIP.CHANTRI@ROV.SCCGOV.ORG

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION. 3 A. INVITATION B. BACKGROUND C. OUTREACH PROGRAM D. GENERAL INFORMATION E. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS II. III. IV. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT...9 A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS B. EXPLANATION OF EVENTS C. POINT OF CON TACT D. GENERAL INFORMATION RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION 19 A. PROPOSAL FORMAT B. PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION C. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS D. EVALUATION CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS AND OFFEROR SUBMITTALS.24 A. AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND MANAGEMENT LETTERS B. REFERENCES C. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS V. SELECTION PROCESS..26 A. EVALUATION CRITERIA B. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS C. PROPOSAL REVIEW APPENDICES ALL APPENDICES MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE PROPOSAL. APPENDIX A PROPOSAL RESPONSE COVER AND DATA SHEET APPENDIX B DECLARATION OF LOCAL BUSINESS APPENDIX C CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE AND FINANCIAL STATUS APPENDIX D CONTRACTING PRINCIPLES APPENDIX E NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION APPENDIX F STAFFING WORK PLAN APPENDIX G OUTCOMES WORK PLAN APPENDIX H PROJECT BUDGET 1

EXHIBITS THE EXHIBITS LISTED BELOW ARE REQUIREMENTS AND DO NOT HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE PROPOSAL. EXHIBIT A SAMPLE SERVICE CONTRACT EXHIBIT B INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY 2

I. INTRODUCTION A. INVITATION The County of Santa Clara (County), on behalf of the Registrar of Voters (ROV) Office, requests proposals from qualified community-based organizations based on Section 501(c)(3), public educational institutions and government jurisdictions for voter education and outreach to traditionally underrepresented communities of the county within the following five (5) Funding Subject Areas: 1) Immigrant Communities; 2) Low Income Communities; 3) 18-24 Year-Olds; 4) Seniors; and 5) Disabled. B. BACKGROUND About the Registrar of Voters The ROV is the County Elections Official and conducts all Federal, State, County, City, School District and Special District Elections. Our mission is to provide the highest level of integrity, efficiency and accuracy in voter registration and election processes. To achieve this, our office works with other governmental entities, advisory committees, community-based organizations, community leaders and other groups and individuals. Specific services provided by the ROV include: Voter registration and voter file maintenance Candidate services, including nominations and Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC) filing as well as precinct maps and voter indexes Recruitment and training of Election Officers, including Precinct Inspectors, Clerks and Field Inspectors Recruitment of polling places Absentee, overseas and military voter services Production of Sample Ballot Pamphlets and other important voter information Preparation of voting machines and other election equipment for use on Election Day, including testing for security and accuracy Outreach events and other voter education activities, including presentations to groups and classrooms Mass media voter education, including press releases, public service announcements, media interviews, television advertising, print advertising, Internet links and website content 3

Office tours for members of the public who would like to observe elections processes C. COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION OUTREACH PROGRAM 1. ROV Outreach Since 1992 the office has been supporting outreach activities in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. In 2002, Tagalog was added. The four (4) bilingual Election Specialists fill mandated positions as required by the Voting Rights Act. Bilingual staff is available to answer bilingual hotlines, educate and register new citizens, perform outreach to targeted areas, and recruit election officers and polling places. ROV has experience partnering with diverse groups in attending events, doing voter registration, registering new citizens, and educating voters. ROV provides training to various organizations and individuals interested in performing registration drives and voter education. ROV is now expanding outreach to underrepresented communities by contracting with community-based organizations. 2. Program Objectives Outreach activities conducted must pursue the following objectives: a) Voter Registration: Develop and conduct activities to increase voter registration. b) Voter Education: Taking into consideration the uniqueness of each community in the County, voter education activities should focus on the following subjects: How and when to register to vote How to complete a ballot Importance of registering to vote and voting in local, state and federal elections Encouraging people to vote by mail, go to the polls on Election Day or to participate in Early Voting Top Two Primary elections and importance of party preference when registering to vote Services ROV provides for voters in the County c) Voter Participation: Develop and conduct activities to encourage voting and to help new or infrequent voters to participate, therefore increasing voter turnout. 3. Program Requirements 4

Contractors will be responsible for the following activities: Attending training and required meetings with ROV Coordinating outreach events to target groups related to voter registration and voter education Organizing community education forums in regards to voter participation, voter education and registration. The organization should include coordinating publicity, outreach, logistics, translations, trainings, evaluations and volunteers. Coordinating media events Coordinating volunteer recruitment Training volunteers and staff to ensure compliance with initial ROV training and guidelines Providing voter registration assistance and follow-up services to targeted communities Providing translation assistance Coordinating events on the 29- and 15-day closes of registration Preparing special community events to mobilize voters on Election Day Participating in monthly collaborative meetings with ROV 4. Performance and Measurement The two primary performance objectives are to increase voter registration and turnout in targeted communities. Additionally, ROV will develop performance measures based on awarded contracts individualized to the CBOs. To help measure and track all activities, Contractors will submit monthly reports. The reports will include, at a minimum, the following: What type of event was conducted Date, time, and length of the event How many people participated in the event How many registration forms were distributed/submitted How many people updated their information How many participants signed up to vote by mail Other activities/forms of outreach occurred Other information deemed appropriate by the ROV At the end of the contract term, Contractors will submit a report summarizing all activities. 5. Funding Subject Areas ROV has identified the following five (5) traditionally underrepresented communities on which to focus. Funding Subject Areas for which funding will be made available are: 5

a. Immigrant Communities; 1. The County has identified the following underrepresented immigrant communities: Indo-American, Hispanic, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Iranian, Lao, Ethiopian, Korean, Eritrean, Somali, Pakistani, Indian, Cambodian, Latin American, Yugoslavian, Israeli, and Surinamese. b. Low Income Communities; c. 18-24 Year-Olds; d. Seniors; and e. Disabled. D. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Term of Contract It is ROV s intent to contract for these services with this RFP from January 3, 2012 through June 30, 2012. The term of the contracts may be extended for one (1) additional year, based on performance and availability of funding. 2. Amount and Availability of Funds ROV s current level of one-time funding for FY 2011-12 is $400,000. 3. Minimum/Maximum Requests The minimum grant request is $25,000 per proposal. The maximum grant request per proposal is $100,000. 4. Multiple Contracts and Programs Contracts may be awarded to Contractors in one or multiple Funding Subject Areas. The County may elect to award a single contract for each Contractor, even if they are awarded multiple Funding Subject Areas. The value of a single contract for multiple Funding Subject Areas will be the cumulative value of the awarded programs. 5. Consortium/Collaborative (Group) Service Providers Consortium Services provided by a consortium of entities is permissible, however the County will contract with one individual firm. Collaborative Collaborative programs for which there is not one, single lead agency contracting with the County is not acceptable. 6

Subcontracting A Contractor may subcontract services to other firms or entities, with the advanced approval of the County Registrar of Voters Office. 6. Funding Amounts The funding for January 3, 2012 through June 30, 2012 will be determined by the County through this procurement process. The funding determination will take into account the rank of the proposal, Special Considerations as defined in the RFP Section V.B, and availability of funding. Funds may be moved between Funding Subject Areas to fund proposals. The County may award funding at levels less than the amount requested in the proposals. 7. Compensation Awarded Contractors will be reimbursed for their actual, reasonable, necessary, and allowable costs incurred up to the maximum compensation for the performance of services as specified in their contract. E. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Contractor must be one of the following for at least one year prior to the proposal due date: Private Nonprofit Public Educational Institution Public Agency (Non-County) 2. Has been a private nonprofit entity with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code and Section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code, public educational institution, or public agency for at least one (1) year from the proposal due date and can provide documentation if requested. 3. Must administer the program and have internal procedures to: Establish and maintain a system of financial controls and accounting in conformance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Maintain accurate and complete financial records of all costs and operating expenses in connection with the proposed program including, but not limited to subcontracts, invoices, timecards, cash receipts, vouchers, canceled checks, bank statements, and other official documentation indicating in proper detail the nature and propriety of all costs incurred, and reimbursed by County. 7

Maintain financial records that show funds received under the proposed program are used for purposes consistent with the terms of the proposed program. a. Must be able to meet and comply with all current, all subsequent amended or added statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, program rules, or other requirements of the Federal Government, State of California, and/or County, including working with mandatory clients. b. Must be able to meet and comply with the contractual key terms and conditions, some of which are listed in Exhibit A - Sample Service Agreement. c. Must not be suspended or debarred from receiving federal funds as listed in the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-procurement Programs issued by the Federal General Services Administration. (http://epls.arnet.gov/) d. Must match the contracted funds by at least 10%. 8

II. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT This RFP contains the anticipated schedule for the procurement and describes the procurement events as well as conditions governing the procurement. A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS The ROV Office Procurement Officer will make every effort to adhere to the following anticipated schedule: Action 1. Issue of RFP September 23, 2011 Date 2. Deadline to Submit Written Questions September 30, 2011 (by Noon Pacific Time) 3. Pre-Proposal Conference October 3, 2011 (at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time) 4. Response to Written Questions/RFP October 5, 2011 (by 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time) Amendments (Addendum) 5. Clarification Questions Response October 7, 2011 (by Noon Pacific Time) 6. Submission of Proposals October 14, 2011 (by 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time) 7. Proposal Evaluation October 17 26, 2011 8. Notice of Intent to Award October 27 28, 2011 9. Completion of negotiations with selected October 31 November 23, 2011 vendor(s) 10. Protest period open for filing an appeal November 28 December 5, 2011 11. Informal resolution, of any protests filed December 6 9, 2011 12. If no informal resolution, protest December 12, 2011 forwarded to reviewing officer 13. Reviewing officer to file written decision December 30, 2011 14. Contracts Commence January 3, 2012 B. EXPLANATION OF EVENTS 1. Issue of RFP This RFP is being issued by the ROV Office. Copies of this RFP, including supporting documents, may be obtained from BidSync s website at www.bidsync.com. A link will also be posted on the Registrar of Voters website at www.sccvote.org. 2. Deadline to Submit Additional Written Questions Potential Offerors may submit written questions via www.bidsync.com as to the intent or clarity of this RFP until Noon Pacific Time as indicated in II.A. The ROV 9

Procurement Officer will not respond to questions submitted in any other manner or format. 3. Pre-Proposal Conference There will be a pre-proposal conference on October 3, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. located at the Berger Drive Complex, Building 1, First Floor, 1553 Berger Drive in San Jose, CA. Potential Offerors are encouraged to submit written questions in advance of the conference to the Procurement Officer. Questions submitted in advance will be addressed at the pre-proposal conference. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference is recommended but is not a prerequisite for submission of a proposal. For those unable to attend in person, a teleconference conference line is available: dial 1-866-277-4013 and enter participant code of 540019. The County does not guarantee error free connection. 4. Response to Written Questions/RFP Amendments Written responses to written questions and any RFP amendments will be listed on an addendum which will be posted on www.bidsync.com. The County reserves the right to post addenda until the RFP closing time and date. 5. Clarification Questions Response Written requests for clarification or distributed answers and/or addendums must be received by the ROV Procurement Officer no later than three (3) days after the answers and/or addendums are posted on www.bidsync.com. 6. Submission of Proposal To be considered in the selection process, interested firms must submit one (1) original and four (4) copies of a proposal NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 BY 4:00 P.M. PACIFIC TIME. Proposals are to be received at the time and place listed below. All received proposals will be time stamped. All deliveries via express carrier must be addressed as follows: Philip Chantri, ROV Procurement Officer RFP-ROV-FY12-0067 Registrar of Voters' Office County of Santa Clara 1553 Berger Drive, Building 1, First Floor San Jose, CA 95112 10

Proposals must be sealed and labeled on the outside of the package clearly indicating that they are in response to RFP-ROV-FY12-0067 and titled as referenced on the cover page. Proposals submitted by facsimile or electronically will not be accepted. 7. Proposal Evaluation An Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate the proposals. 8. Notice of Intent to Award County will notify Offerors whether or not they have been selected as a Finalist. 9. Completion of Negotiations with Selected Vendor(s) At the County s option, one or more Offerors may be selected to enter into final negotiations with the intent to award. 10. Protest Period Open for Filing an Appeal Proposers whose proposals were not selected may file a written protest ( Protesters ) no later than December 5, 2011 by 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. 11. Information Resolution of any Protests Filed The Director of the Agency/Department, or his or her designee, will review a timely protest and attempt to informally resolve it expeditiously. 12. If no Information Resolution, Protest Forwarded to Reviewing Officer If the Department is not able to resolve the protest, then the Director or his or her designee, will forward the protest to an official who has been designated as the Reviewing Officer for the solicitation. 13. Reviewing Officer to File Written Decision The reviewing officer will issue a written decision on a timely written protest within 19 days of receiving the protest. 14. Contracts Commence The date the contract will become effective. C. POINT OF CONTACT 11

The ROV Office has designated an ROV Office Procurement Officer who is responsible for the conduct of this procurement. Contact information is listed below: Philip Chantri, ROV Office Procurement Officer Registrar of Voters' Office County of Santa Clara Mailing Address: PO BOX 611750, San Jose, CA 95161-1750 Building Address: 1553 Berger Drive, Building 1, First Floor San Jose, CA 95112 Telephone: 408-282-3066 E-mail: philip.chantri@rov.sccgov.org All deliveries via express carrier must be addressed as follows: Philip Chantri RFP-ROV-FY12-0067 Registrar of Voters' Office County of Santa Clara 1553 Berger Drive, Building 1, First Floor San Jose, CA 95112 Any inquiries or requests regarding this procurement must be submitted to the ROV Procurement Officer in writing. Offerors may ONLY contact the ROV Procurement Officer regarding the procurement. Other County employees do not have the authority to respond on behalf of the County. D. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Incurring Cost This RFP does not commit the County to award, nor does it commit the County to pay any cost incurred in the submission of the Proposal, or in making necessary studies or designs for the preparation thereof, nor procure or contract for services or supplies. Further, no reimbursable cost may be incurred in anticipation of a contract award. 2. Claims Against the County Neither your organization nor any of your representatives shall have any claims whatsoever against the County or any of its respective officials, agents, or employees arising out of or relating to this RFP or these procedures (other than those arising under a definitive Agreement with your organization in accordance with the terms thereof). 12

3. Guarantee of Proposal Responses to this RFP, including proposal prices, will be considered firm and irrevocable for one-hundred and eighty (180) days after the due date for receipt of proposals or one-hundred eighty (180) days after receipt of a best and final offer, if one is submitted. 4. Basis for Proposal Only information supplied by the County in writing or in this RFP may be used as the basis for the preparation of offeror proposals. 5. Form of Proposal No oral, telephone, facsimile or electronic proposals will be accepted. 6. Amended Proposal An Offeror may submit an amended proposal before the deadline for receipt of proposals. Such amended proposals must be complete replacements for a previously submitted proposal and must be clearly identified as such in the transmittal letter. The County personnel will not merge, collate, or assemble proposal materials. 7. Withdrawal of Proposal Offerors will be allowed to withdraw their proposals at any time prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals. The offeror must submit a written withdrawal request signed by the offeror s duly authorized representative addressed to the ROV Office Procurement Officer. 8. Late Responses All proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be delivered in person or received via courier or mail no later than the RFP due date and time. The ROV Department time and date stamp will be the basis of determining receipt of proposal. 9. No Public Proposal Opening There will not be a public opening for this RFP. 10. California Public Records Act (CPRA) The County is a public agency subject to the disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act ( CPRA ). If Contractor proprietary information is 13

contained in documents or information submitted to County and Contractor claims that such information falls within one or more CPRA exemptions, Contractor must clearly mark such information CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY, and identify the specific lines containing the information. In the event of a request for such information, the County will make best efforts to provide notice to Contractor prior to such disclosure. If Contractor contends that any documents are exempt from the CPRA and wishes to prevent disclosure, it is required to obtain a protective order, injunctive relief or other appropriate remedy from a court of law in Santa Clara County before the County s deadline for responding to the CPRA request. If Contractor fails to obtain such remedy within County s deadline for responding to the CPRA request, County may disclose the requested information. Contractor further agrees that it must defend, indemnify and hold County harmless against any claim, action or litigation (including but not limited to all judgments, costs, fees, and attorneys fees) that may result from denial by County of a CPRA request for information arising from any representation, or any action (or inaction), by the Contractor. 11. Confidentiality All data and information gathered by the offeror and its agents in this RFP process, including reports, recommendations, specifications and data, shall be treated by the offeror and its agents as confidential. The offeror and its agents shall not disclose or communicate this information to a third party or use it in advertising, publicity, propaganda, or in another job or jobs, unless written consent is obtained from the County. Generally, each proposal and all documentation, including financial information, submitted by an offeror to the County is confidential until negotiations with the selected vendor are complete, when such documents become public record under state law, unless exempted under CPRA. 12. Electronic Mail Address Most of the communication regarding this procurement will be conducted by electronic mail (e-mail). Potential offerors agree to provide the ROV Office Procurement Officer with a valid e-mail address to receive this correspondence. 13. Use of Electronic Versions of the RFP This RFP is being made available by electronic means. If accepted by such means, the offeror acknowledges and accepts full responsibility to insure that no changes are made to the RFP. In the event of conflict between a version of the RFP in the Offeror s possession and the version maintained by the ROV Office the version maintained by the ROV Office must govern. 14. RFP Changes 14

Any changes to this RFP will be posted on the County s Website at www.bidsync.com. Contractors must register on-line at www.bidsync.com and download a copy of this RFP to receive updates. 15. Assignment of Clayton Act, Cartwright Acts Claims In submitting a response to a solicitation issued by the County, the responding person and/or entity offers and agrees that if the response is accepted, it will assign to the County all rights, title, and interest in and to all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 15) or under the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), arising from purchases of goods, materials, or services by the responding person and/or entity for sale to the County pursuant to the solicitation document. Such assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the County tenders final payment to the responding person and/or entity. 16. Protest Procedures The Department will e-mail all Proposers informing them of the proposals that were selected, after negotiations have been completed with the selected proposer(s). Proposers whose proposals were not selected may file a written protest ( Protesters ) no later than December 5, 2011 by 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. a. Filing a Protest The protest of an award must be in writing. The following must be written on the cover of the protest: Protest Relating to RFP-ROV-FY12-0067. The written protest must be e-mailed and/or mailed to the Director of the Department at the following address: Elaine Larson, Acting Registrar of Voters Registrar of Voters Office PO BOX 611360, San Jose, CA 95161-1360 Fax Number: (408) 998-7314 E-mail c/o: kathy.viana@rov.sccgov.org All protests must be received by the Director (Acting Registrar of Voters) within five (5) days after the Notice of Intent to Award. Any protests received after this time will not be considered. b. Contents of Protest The written protest must contain the following information: (1) the name, street address, electronic mail address, and telephone and facsimile number of the Protester; (2) signature of the Protester or its authorized representative; (3) the 15

grounds for the protest as set forth below; (4) copies of any relevant documents; (5) the form of relief requested; and (6) the method by which the Protester would like to receive the Reviewing Officer s written protest decision. The written protest must clearly state the grounds for the protest. Protests should be concise and logically arranged. c. Grounds for Protest Protests may only be based on one or more of the following grounds: 1. The Protester believes there was abuse of process by County officials or evaluation team members. 2. The Protestor believes there was misconduct or impropriety by County officials or evaluation team members. 3. The Protester believes there was abuse of process or abuse of discretion by County officials or evaluation team members. d. Protest Resolution Process 1. Informal Review by Department The Director of the Department, or his or her designee, will review a timely protest and attempt to informally resolve it expeditiously. The Director or designee may use all available resources and information, and solicit information from, and reveal information to, other entities in its attempt to informally resolve the protest. If the Department is not able to resolve the protest, then the Director or his or her designee, will forward the protest to an official who has been designated as the Reviewing Officer for the solicitation. 2. Formal Review by Independent Reviewing Officer The Director or his or her designee must forward the protest to the Reviewing Officer within two (2) business days of not being able to resolve the matter. The Department is required to provide written notification to the Protester that the protest is being forwarded to an Independent Reviewing Officer and the contact information for the Reviewing Officer. Both the Department and Protester have ten (10) business days from the date of the written notification issued by the Department to forward any additional documents to the Reviewing Officer that they believe are relevant to the protest. The notification being sent to the Protester by the Department should also state that the Protester has ten (10) business days from the date of notification to forward additional documents to the Reviewing Officer. Protester may not present any 16

additional grounds for protest, argument or narrative that was not included in the initial protest. The Reviewing Officer shall conduct an independent review of the protest to determine whether the grounds for the protest have merit. Only the information contained in a timely protest may be considered by the Reviewing Officer. The Reviewing Officer shall only consider the documents each party has submitted, grounds for protest, and grounds to reject the protest. The Reviewing Officer may also use all available resources and information, and solicit information from, and reveal information to, other entities in its attempt to resolve the protest. The Reviewing Officer may also contact the Protester or Department. The Reviewing Officer will issue a written decision on a timely written protest within 19 days of receiving a protest; however, the time for decision may be extended by the Reviewing Officer for a reasonable amount of time. The Reviewing Officer will issue the written decision to the Protester and the Department. If the Protester failed to specify in its written protest the method by which the Protester would like to receive the Reviewing Officer s written protest decision, the Reviewing Officer will send his written decision to the Protester by mail. The decision of the Reviewing Officer shall be the County s final decision. 3. Remedies If the Reviewing Officer sustains a protest in whole or in part, the Reviewing Officer shall refer the matter back to the Department for redress in conformance with the Reviewing Officer s decision. If the Reviewing Officer rejects the protest, then the Department may proceed with its solicitation process. 17. County Right and Privileges The County reserves the following rights and privileges: a. The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, as well as the right to cancel this procurement prior to the execution of a contract if it is determined in the best interest of the County for any reason, including but not limited to: 1. Inadequate, ambiguous, or otherwise deficient specifications cited in the RFP. 2. The services are no longer required. 3. All otherwise acceptable proposals received are at unreasonable prices. 17

4. The proposals did not provide competition adequate to ensure reasonable prices in accordance with County resources or generally accepted prices. 5. No proposal meets the minimum requirements of the RFP. 6. The County determines that its needs can be satisfied in another manner. b. The County reserves the right to waive any minor irregularities or informalities in any proposal, and/or to request clarification from any vendor. c. All submitted proposals, inquiries, vendor literature and other written materials (Materials) associated with this RFP become the property of the County. These Materials are not open for public inspection until after the contract has been executed. d. The County reserves the right to use any or all ideas presented in any proposal, whether accepted or not. Selection or rejection of a specific proposal does not affect this right. e. The County reserves the right to accept all or a portion of any proposal(s). f. The County reserves the right to reduce, amend, and/or rescind this RFP any time prior to final execution of the contract. g. Proposals are confidential until the Contract has been negotiated. Generally, each proposal and all documentation, including financial information, submitted by any vendor to the County is confidential until the contracts are negotiated, when the documents become public records under state and local law. h. The County is in its sole discretion may award funds in any amount. The County is under no obligation to award a contract at the amount the Contractors request in their proposal. 18

III. RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION A. PROPOSAL FORMAT All proposals shall be typewritten on standard 8 ½ x 11 paper (larger paper is permissible for charts, spreadsheets, etc.) with 12 point Arial font. Hard copies must utilize both sides of the paper where practical. 1. Number of Responses Offerors shall submit only one proposal. 2. Number of Copies Offerors must provide one (1) original and four (4) identical copies of their proposal to the location specified on or before the closing date and time for receipt of proposals. The original must be stamped original and contain original signatures on the necessary forms. All of the original proposals must be stamped original. Original proposals must contain all of the required signatures from the Offeror. The remaining sets must be copies of the originals. Offerors must also provide one (1) electronic copy of their proposal in CD-ROM format, prepared using Microsoft Office 2003 software applications, or if completed in Microsoft Office 2007, saved as a 2003 version. In addition, offerors must include a PDF document of the entire proposal. The CD shall be included in the original proposal. 19

B. PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION The proposal must be organized in the following format and must contain, at a minimum, all listed items in the sequence indicated below. Requirement Format Label Proposal Response Cover and Data Sheet (2 sheets) Form Provided Section 1 A Table of Contents Standard Format Table of Contents Declaration of Local Business Form Provided Section 1 B Audited Financial Statement and Management Letters Standard Format Section 1 C Vendor Experience and Financial Status Form Provided Section 1 D References Format specified in RFP Section 1 E Contracting Principals Declaration of Contractor If Type II, additional forms Form(s) Provided Section 1 F required Insurance Requirements See Exhibit B Section 1 G Non-Collusion Declaration Form Provided Section 1 H For Narratives in Evaluation Narrative Format as Specified in Criteria Sections 2 4 A RFP (Maximum 7 Pages) Narrative Section 2 4 A Staffing Work Plan Form Provided Section 4 B Outcomes Work Plan Form Provided Section 5 Project Budget Form Provided Section 6 A Budget Narrative Format as Specified in RFP Section 6 B Important Note: ROV does not guarantee the accuracy of the formulas in these forms nor is responsible for any errors or omissions. Contractors assume all responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided either on the forms included with this RFP or other formats. C. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS Within each section of their proposal, Offerors must address the items in the order in which they appear in this RFP. All forms provided in the RFP shall be thoroughly completed and included in the appropriate section of the proposal. The proposal summary may be included by Offerors to provide the Evaluation Committee with an overview of the technical and business features of the proposal; however, this material will not be used in the evaluation process unless specifically referenced from other portions of the Offeror s proposal. 20

D. EVALUATION CRITERIA 1. Evaluation Criteria 1: Organization s Financial Capability and Responsiveness to Requirements of the RFP Instructions Pass or Reject a. Complete, have an authorized representative of the vendor sign the Proposal Response Cover Sheet, and place it on the top of your response. This is the vendor s certification that all the statements in the response are true, and constitutes a warranty, the falsity of which will entitle the County to pursue legal action which includes the right to void their contract. b. If Local Preference status is being claimed, indicate on the Local Preference question on the Response Cover Sheet, complete the Declaration of Local Business and Attach as Section 1 B. c. Attach an audited financial statement and management letter as Section 1 C. The audited financial statement must be within a fiscal period of not more than 18 months old at time of submission and prepared by an independent, certified public accountant. Governmental agencies are exempt from this requirement. d. Complete and attach the Vendor Experience and Financial Status Form. Attach as Section 1 D. e. Provide References as specified in RFP Section IV.B. Attach as Section 1.E. f. Complete and attach the Declaration of Contractor and if the contractor is a Type II, as described in the County s Contracting Principles, complete and attach the required Type II forms. Label this Section 1 F. g. Refer to Insurance and Indemnity Requirements and RFP Section IV.C. Attach the requested documents and label as Section 1 G. h. Complete the Non-Collusion Declaration form and label as Section 1 H. Narrative and Workplans There is a maximum of seven (7) pages for the narratives in Evaluation Criteria Sections 2 4a. Workplans are not included in the seven (7) page limit. 21

2. Evaluation Criteria 2 Funding Subject Area(s) Maximum 25 points Instructions This RFP is only for services to at least one of the Funding Subject Area(s) listed in RFP Section I.A. a. Identify the Funding Subject Area(s) for this proposal. Describe the target population, who they are, and where they live. Provide their age groups, gender, ethnic composition, culture and language, socio-economic levels, and special needs. Include the following: For immigrant communities describe location(s), ethnic compositions and any other pertinent information about communities that will be targeted. For low-income communities - describe the income determination that is used, location of activities and other pertinent information. For 18-24 year old communities - describe if high school and college students voters will be targeted or used to staff registration, education and/or outreach activities. If so, list the geographical locations of the schools. For senior populations - describe ages and locations that will be targeted. For disabled populations describe targeted locations or community groups or organizations and disabilities targeted. b. Indicate the estimated Number of Persons in Need of Service in the Funding Subject Area(s) and the estimated Number of Persons to Receive Proposed Project Service. c. Describe the barriers or critical needs of the Funding Subject Area(s) to the Program Objectives listed in Section I.C.2. d. Describe the barriers or critical needs this project will address to achieve the Program Objectives. 3. Evaluation Criteria 3 Services Maximum 30 points Instructions a. Describe the proposed program design and service delivery system. b. This RFP is only for proposals relating to at least one of the Funding Subject Areas listed in RFP Section I.A. and Section I.C.5. Describe how these services relate to the Program Objectives. c. Describe the services that will be provided and how they will affect the barriers or critical needs of the Funding Subject Area(s). Estimate the amount of time and occurrence of each of these services. 22

d. For each facility that will be used for these services provide the following information: 1. Name of Facility 2. Location 3. Hours 4. What services will be provided 5. How Target Population can access the location 4. Evaluation Criteria 4 Agency and Staffing Qualifications Maximum 10 points Instructions a. Provide the agency s qualifications in regard to the Funding Subject Area(s) and the Program Objectives and for this Funding Subject Area. Include a program monitoring report or a statement from a current funder regarding the agency s performance providing these services. b. Complete the Staffing Work Plan for all staff positions working directly or indirectly in performance of this proposal whether funds are being requested as part of this proposal or not. Include staff for all of the services described in Rating Criteria 3. (See the Staffing Work Plan and Instructions) The Staffing Work Plan is not included in the seven (7) page limit. Attach as Section 4B. 5. Evaluation Criteria 5 Outcomes Measurement Maximum 20 points Instructions Complete the Outcomes Work Plan for the specific desired effect/impact of the services provided. See the Outcomes Work Plan and Instructions. The Outcomes Work Plan is not included in the seven (7) page limit. Attach as Section 5. 6. Evaluation Criteria 6 Budget and Budget Narrative Maximum 10 points Instructions a. Complete the Project Budget and attach as Section 6 A. b. For each budget line item listed in Project Budget include a detailed and itemized explanation and justification for each of the costs in the Budget Narrative and attach as Section 6 B. c. See the Budget Form and Budget Narrative Instructions. 23

IV. REQUIREMENTS AND OFFEROR SUBMITTALS This section contains requirements and relevant information Offerors must use for the preparation of their proposals for Sections where forms are not provided. Offerors should thoroughly respond to each requirement. A. AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND MANAGEMENT LETTERS Offeror must submit copies of the most recent years independently audited financial statements, as well as those for the preceding three (3) years, if they exist. The submission must include the audit opinion, balance sheet, income statement, retained earnings, cash flows, and notes to the financial statements. If independently audited financial statements do not exist for the Offeror, the Offeror must state the reason and, instead, submit sufficient information such as the latest Dun and Bradstreet report to enable the Evaluation Committee to determine the financial stability of the Offeror. The ROV Office Procurement Officer may request and the Offeror shall supply any additional financial information requested in a timely manner. B. REFERENCES The Offeror s proposal must include three (3) different external references from clients who have been provided the services in the last three (3) years, who are willing to validate the Offeror s past performance on similar services of size and scope. References must be provided from clients who have been provided the same or similar products and services being currently offered to County. The minimum information that shall be provided for each client reference follows: 1. Name of the contact person; 2. Name of the company or governmental entity; 3. Address of the contact person; 4. Telephone number of contact person; 5. Email address of the contact person; 6. A description of the services provided and dates the services were provided. C. INDEMITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS Offerors shall provide a certificate(s) of insurance or a copy insurance declaration page(s) with their proposals as written evidence of their ability to meet the insurance certificate and other applicable County insurance requirements in accordance with the provisions listed in Exhibit B - Insurance and Indemnity. In addition, Offerors 24

shall provide a letter from an insurance agent or other appropriate insuring authority documenting their willingness and ability to endorse their insurance policies making the County an additional insured. 25

V. SELECTION PROCESS A. EVALUATION CRITERIA Rating Evaluation Criteria Percentage Organization's Financial Capability and Responsiveness to Requirements of the 1. RFP Pass/Fail 2. Funding Subject Areas 25 3. Services 30 4. Agency and Staffing Qualifications 10 5. Outcomes Measurement 20 6. Budget and Budget Narrative 10 7. Local Preference 5 Total 100 B. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Besides the ranking of the proposals, based on the total points of the above Evaluation Criteria, the County may also take into consideration geographical dispersion of services. C. PROPOSAL REVIEW 1. Proposals received by the established deadline will be screened by ROV staff to determine whether they pass Evaluation Criteria A1. Responsiveness means one who: a. Possesses adequate financial resources, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of the contract; and b. Has the ability to comply with the proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration available expertise and any existing business commitments; and c. Has no record of unsatisfactory performance, lack or integrity, or poor business ethics; and d. Is otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable statutes and regulations. e. One whose bid or proposal substantially complies with all requirements of the RFP. 2. If a proposal is found to be non-responsive, it will be recommended to the Acting Registrar of Voters that the proposal be rejected. Written notification of the recommended rejection and reasons will be sent to the applicant on October 28, 2011. The County will have sole discretion on this determination. 26

3. For all passing proposals ROV staff will determine Local Preference. 4. Once the initial screening is completed, proposals will then be reviewed by a Selection Committee consisting of County staff. This Committee will evaluate and score the proposals in accordance with the established evaluation criteria in this RFP. 5. Once the initial scoring is completed, award determinations will be made for each program by Funding Subject Area. 6. The County will have sole discretion in determining the amount of each proposal recommended for funding. The funding determination will take into account the rank of the proposal, Special Considerations, as defined in the RFP Section V.B, and availability of funding. Funds may be moved between Funding Subject Areas to fund proposals. The County may award funding at levels less than the amount requested in the proposal. 7. Contractors will be notified October 28, 2011 of all proposals ratings and recommended funding amount by e-mail or mail. 27