Minimum qualifications are required for a Consultant to be eligible to submit a proposal response. Your submittal response must show compliance to these minimum qualifications. Those that are not responsive to these qualifications shall be rejected by the City without further consideration:1. Business Experience: The Consultant must have been actively providing professional consulting or technical assistance services for a minimum of two (2) years prior to the proposal due date.2. Relevant Small Business Experience: During the past three (3) years, the Consultant must have completed at least three (3) consulting or technical assistance engagements for small businesses or nonprofit organizations involving services substantially similar to at least one service area for which the Consultant is applying.3. Business Licensing: The Consultant must hold, or be able to obtain prior to contract execution, all licenses required by applicable law to perform the proposed services.4. Professional Credentials, if applicable: For any proposed service that requires a professional license, certification, registration, or other credential by law, the individual performing that service must possess and maintain the applicable credential throughout the contract period.

The City expects to achieve the following outcomes through this consultant solicitation:Establish a pool of qualified consultants with demonstrated expertise in the specific technical assistance services needed by Seattle small businesses, with sufficient breadth to allow OED to assign work based on business need, consultant specialization, available funding, capacity, and program priorities.Improve alignment between each participating business's identified need and the expertise of the consultant assigned to provide assistance.Provide practical, actionable technical assistance that results in clearly defined deliverables or measurable outcomes appropriate to the type of service provided.Support businesses at different stages of development, including businesses establishing foundational systems, stabilizing operations, addressing specific challenges, and preparing for sustainable growth.Improve consistency and accountability across ABC engagements through clear scopes of work, authorized hours, documentation, reporting, and completion requirements.Ensure technical assistance is accessible and responsive to Seattle's diverse small business community, including businesses that may face language, technology, or other barriers to accessing professional services.Strengthen coordination among ABC consultants, OED staff, and other business-support resources so businesses can be appropriately referred or transitioned when their needs extend beyond the scope of an ABC engagement.

The City consultant contract is attached (See Attachments Section).The City has attached its boilerplate contract terms so Proposers can be familiar with the boilerplate and the non-negotiable terms before submitting a proposal. Any questions about the City’s boilerplate should be made in advance of submittal. If a Consultant seeks to modify the Contract, the Consultant must request that within their Proposal response as taking an “Exception”. The Consultant must provide a revised version that shows their proposed alternative contract language. The City is not obligated to accept such proposed changes. If you request Exceptions that materially change the character of the contract, the City may reject the Consultant’s Proposal as non-responsive. The City cannot modify provisions mandated by Federal, State or City law: Equal Benefits, Audit (Review of Vendor Records), WMBE and EEO, Confidentiality, and Debarment, or mutual indemnification. Such Exceptions would be summarily disregarded.Although the City may open discussions with the highest ranked apparent successful Proposer to align the proposal or contract to best meet City needs, this does not ensure negotiation of modifications proposed by the consultant through the exception process above.

Interested parties that wish to protest any aspect of this RFQ selection process shall provide written notice to the Procurement Contact. Note the City shall notify Federal Transit Administration if protesting a solicitation for contracts with FTA funds.

The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) connects small business owners with resources, technical assistance, and services that help businesses start, stabilize, and grow. The Accounting and Business Consulting (ABC) Program provides eligible Seattle businesses with access to professional consulting services at no cost.For 2027, OED is organizing ABC engagements around defined business needs, clear scopes of work, and practical results. OED will authorize engagements based on program eligibility, business need, available funding, and alignment with the services procured through this RFQ.Through this RFQ, OED is seeking consultants who can translate an assigned business need into a clear scope of work and defined deliverables. Consultants should bring specialized, demonstrated experience working with small businesses; assess each business's circumstances within their area of expertise; provide practical and actionable technical assistance; document engagement results; and work collaboratively within a coordinated, City-managed program.

Anticipated Contract Start Date: January 1, 2027Anticipated Service Period: January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027The anticipated contract period is subject to successful contract execution, final budget approval, and availability of funds.OED may authorize individual ABC engagements throughout the contract period based on program demand, consultant availability and approved expertise, and available funding.

If you have not previously done so, register at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle, then subscribe to the City’s Procurement Portal. The Procurement Portal is used by City staff to identify companies for future solicitation lists and check certifications. Women- and minority-owned firms are asked to self-identify their business as such in OpenGov. Registration in the City's Procurement Portal is required to submit a response to this solicitation.

Procurement Contact: Vy Nguyen, Business Policy Advisor. Vy.Nguyen@Seattle.gov, 425-414-1453Qualifications are to be submitted through the e-Procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle, no later than 11:55 PM on November 9th, 2026.Unless authorized by the Procurement Contact, no other City official or employee may speak for the City regarding this solicitation until award is complete. Any Respondent contacting other City officials or employees does so at Respondent’s own risk. The City is not bound by such information.

The City consultant contract is attached (See Attachments Section).Consultants submit proposals understanding all Contract terms and conditions are mandatory. Response submittal is agreement to the Contract without exception. The City reserves the right to negotiate changes to submitted proposals and to change the City's otherwise mandatory Contract form during negotiations. If the Consultant is awarded a contract and refuses to sign the attached Contract form, the City may reject the Consultant from this and future solicitations for the same work. Under no circumstances shall Consultant submit its own boilerplate of terms and conditions.

The City consultant contract is attached (See Attachments Section).The City has attached its boilerplate contract terms to allow Respondents to be familiar with boilerplate, and the non-negotiable terms before submitting a proposal. The City may negotiate with the highest ranked apparent successful Respondent. The City cannot modify contract provisions mandated by Federal, State or City law: Equal Benefits, Audit (Review of Vendor Records), WMBE and EEO, Confidentiality, and Debarment or mutual indemnification. Exceptions to those provisions will be summarily disregarded.

There are no minimum qualifications required in order for a consultant to submit a response to this solicitation.

The City will review responses for responsiveness and responsibility. Those found responsive and responsible based on an initial review shall proceed to Step 2. Equal Benefits, Minimum Qualifications, an Inclusion Plan (if applicable), satisfactory financial responsibility and other elements are screened in this Step. A significant failure to perform on past City projects may also be considered in determining the responsibility of a firm.

The City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) seeks qualified consultants to provide specialized technical assistance to eligible Seattle small businesses and nonprofit organizations through the Accounting and Business Consulting (ABC) Program.The ABC Program provides no-cost, project-based consulting to help participating businesses address specific operational, financial, marketing, and business-development needs.ABC services are organized within four service categories:Accounting & BookkeepingMarketing & BrandingBusiness DevelopmentLoan SupportApplicants may apply under one (1) ABC service category only. Applicants should select the category that best reflects their primary area of expertise and identify the specific services within that category they are qualified to provide.Applicants may propose multiple services within their selected category and must demonstrate relevant experience and qualifications for each service proposed. Selection within a service category does not automatically qualify a Consultant to provide every service listed within that category. OED may qualify a Consultant for some, but not all, proposed services based on demonstrated experience, qualifications, and program need.OED intends to maintain a consultant pool with multiple areas of specialized expertise. Limiting applicants to one service category is intended to support clear service specialization, broaden the pool of qualified providers, and reduce reliance on any single Consultant or firm across multiple areas of the ABC Program.OED will assign businesses to Consultants based on the identified business need, the Consultant’s approved services and expertise, industry experience when relevant, language capacity, availability, program priorities, and available funding.Each ABC engagement will be organized around a defined business need, project objective, scope of work, expected deliverable or outcome, and authorized level of effort. OED retains responsibility for determining program eligibility, approving assignments, and authorizing billable ABC services.

The City issues results and award decisions to all Respondents. The City provides debriefing on a limited basis for the purpose of allowing respondents to understand how they may improve in future solicitation opportunities.

Qualifications shall be evaluated using the evaluation criteria in the Evaluation Section.

A. Accounting & BookkeepingAccounting & Bookkeeping services are intended to help businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations establish, improve, understand, and maintain sound financial systems, records, and financial-management practices.Core ServicesServices may include:Bookkeeping system setup and cleanupAccounting system setup or migrationQuickBooks or other accounting software support and trainingFinancial statement preparation and reportingCash-flow analysis and managementBudget development and financial planningFinancial projectionsPayroll-related supportSales and financial-performance trackingFinancial recordkeeping processesSmall business financial literacyNonprofit AccountingOED specifically seeks Consultants with demonstrated experience supporting nonprofit organizations.Nonprofit accounting services may include:Accounting and bookkeeping system setupBookkeeping cleanupFinancial statement preparationOrganizational budgetingGrant and restricted-fund trackingFinancial reportingPayroll-related accounting supportFinancial record organizationPreparation and organization of information needed to meet nonprofit tax and financial-compliance requirementsApplicants seeking to provide nonprofit accounting services must demonstrate relevant nonprofit accounting experience.Specialized Tax and Regulatory ServicesSpecialized services may include:City of Seattle and Washington State tax complianceBusiness tax advisory servicesWashington Department of Revenue supportFederal tax supportIRS or other tax-agency representation when appropriately credentialedApplicants proposing services that require a professional license, certification, or credential must identify the appropriately qualified individual who will perform those services.OED may qualify Consultants separately for general bookkeeping and accounting, nonprofit accounting, financial reporting and projections, and specialized tax or regulatory services. B. Marketing & BrandingMarketing & Branding services are intended to help businesses identify and reach customers, strengthen their market position, improve their digital presence, and increase their ability to generate and retain business.Core ServicesServices may include:Marketing strategy development or refinementCustomer acquisition and retention strategyTarget-market and customer identificationMarket research and competitive analysisBrand strategy and market positioningUnique selling proposition developmentSearch engine optimization (SEO)Google Business Profile and local search optimizationWebsite assessment and optimizationWebsite implementation supportE-commerce strategy and implementationDigital advertising strategySocial media strategy and implementationContent marketing strategy and implementationProduct or new-market entry strategyWholesale strategy and implementationMarketing projects must be connected to a defined business need and expected result.Implementation services must be tied to a defined project objective and deliverable. ABC is not intended to fund ongoing social media management, ongoing advertising management, routine content production, or other recurring marketing operations.Services Not Included as Standalone ABC ServicesStandalone logo creation, general graphic design, and general marketing-collateral production are not included as standalone services under this solicitation.Limited design-related work may be incorporated into an authorized marketing project when necessary to accomplish the approved project objective; however, design work should not constitute the primary purpose of the engagement. C. Business DevelopmentBusiness Development services are intended to help businesses strengthen core operations, establish foundational business systems, address operational challenges, stabilize existing businesses, and build capacity for sustainable growth.Core ServicesServices may include:Business plan development or refinementBusiness model assessment and refinementOperational strategyPricing and profitability strategyStandard operating proceduresBusiness process and workflow improvementBusiness software and systems implementationCustomer relationship management (CRM) implementationManagement and organizational systemsLicensing and permitting assistanceBusiness and government certification assistanceBusiness stabilization and operational problem-solvingSpecialized Business Development ServicesOED may also qualify Consultants with demonstrated expertise in specialized areas such as:Food and beverage business operationsHuman resources and employee-management systemsIndustry-specific regulatory or operational supportBusiness continuity and disruption preparednessConstruction-impact preparedness and mitigationSpecialized services will be assigned based on demonstrated program demand and the Consultant's documented expertise.OED may authorize other closely related Business Development services when they are within the Consultant's demonstrated and approved expertise and are consistent with the purpose of this service category.Broad services such as “capacity building,” “management consulting,” or “organizational development” must be connected to a specific business problem, defined scope, and expected deliverable before OED authorizes an engagement.Business Development is not intended to serve as a mandatory first step for every ABC participant. Businesses with clearly identified Accounting & Bookkeeping, Marketing & Branding, or Loan Support needs may be assigned directly to the appropriate service. D. Loan SupportLoan Support services are intended to help businesses understand financing options, assess financing needs and barriers, and prepare for appropriate financing opportunities.Core ServicesServices may include:Financing-needs assessmentFinancing-readiness assessmentEducation regarding financing optionsExplanation of lender requirementsReview and organization of information required for financingIdentification of financing barriersDebt-management strategyRefinancing assessmentPersonal credit considerations directly related to business financingDevelopment of an action plan to improve financing readinessDetermining whether debt financing is appropriate for the businessLoan Support is intended to complement, rather than duplicate, OED's Community Wealth Building and other capital-access services. OED may refer businesses to another City program, lender, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), or partner when that resource is better aligned with the business's needs.Additional Specialized Service: Succession Planning and Business TransitionOED may also use Loan Support Consultants to provide succession-planning and business-transition assistance to established businesses preparing for a future ownership transition.Services may include:Identifying ownership-transition goalsSuccession-readiness assessmentExploring potential transition pathwaysFamily ownership transition planningEmployee ownership considerationsPreparing for a potential sale or ownership transferBusiness continuity considerations associated with transitionDevelopment of a preliminary succession or transition action planIdentification of additional legal, tax, valuation, financial, or transaction expertise neededABC succession-planning services are intended to support planning and readiness. They do not replace legal, tax, valuation, brokerage, or other regulated professional services.Because demand for Loan Support and succession-planning services may vary, OED may maintain a smaller or more specialized Consultant capacity within this category than within other ABC service categories.

The City offers an optional pre-submittal conference at the time, date and location on the Timeline. Respondents are highly encouraged to attend but not required to attend to be eligible to submit their qualifications. The meeting answers questions about the solicitation and clarifies issues. This also allows Respondents to raise concerns. Failure to raise concerns over any issues at this opportunity will be a consideration in any protest filed regarding such items known as of this pre-submittal conference.

ABC consulting engagements will be authorized by OED based on an identified business need.Each engagement should establish:Business Need — The specific problem, challenge, or opportunity being addressed.Project Objective — What the technical assistance is intended to accomplish.Scope — The work the Consultant is authorized to perform.Expected Deliverable or Outcome — The tangible product, completed activity, implemented system, recommendation, action plan, or other result expected from the engagement.Authorized Level of Effort — The maximum hours and/or cost authorized by OED.OED may establish standard hour limits or service-specific guidelines for common engagements. Additional hours may be considered when justified by project complexity, demonstrated progress, business need, and available funding.

The Apparently Successful Consultant(s) will receive an Intent to Award Letter from the Procurement Contact after award decisions are made by the City. The Letter will include instructions for final submittals due prior to execution of the contract.Once the City has finalized and issued the contract for signature, the Consultant must execute the contract and provide all requested documents within ten (10) business days. This includes attaining a Seattle Business License, payment of associated taxes due, and providing proof of insurance. If the Consultant fails to execute the contract with all documents within the ten (10) day time frame, the City may cancel the award and proceed to the next ranked Consultant, or cancel or reissue this solicitation. Cancellation of an award for failure to execute the Contract as attached may disqualify the firm from future solicitations for this same work.

Respondents may submit their questions through the Procurement Portal. Respondents may also email questions to the Procurement Contact until the deadline stated in the Timeline. Failure to request clarification of any inadequacy, omission, or conflict will not relieve the Consultant of responsibilities under any subsequent contract. It is the responsibility of the interested Consultant to assure they receive responses to questions if any are issued.

The City may interview top ranked firms that are considered to be the most competitive. If interviews are conducted, rankings of firms shall be determined by the City, using the combined results of interviews and submittals. Consultants invited to interview are to bring the assigned key person(s) named by the Consultant in the Proposal, and may bring other key personnel named in the Proposal. The Consultant shall not bring individuals who do not work for the Consultant or are not on the project team without advance authorization by the Procurement Contact. If interviews are conducted, they will be worth the points listed in the Proposal Evaluation section.

For each authorized engagement, Consultants will be expected to:Review the assigned business need and confirm that it falls within their approved area of expertise.Establish a clear project objective, scope, and expected deliverable with the participating business.Provide practical, actionable technical assistance appropriate to the business's size, stage, industry, and circumstances.Use ABC-funded time primarily for authorized technical assistance and project activities.Maintain timely and professional communication with participating businesses and OED.Notify OED when the assigned need materially differs from the approved scope.Notify OED when another Consultant or resource may be better suited to the business's needs.Document services provided, hours used, deliverables, project status, and completion.Complete required reporting and engagement closeout requirements.Follow ABC Program policies, procedures, referral protocols, and case-management requirements.During an engagement, a Consultant may identify a business need that falls outside the Consultant’s contracted service category. In those cases, the Consultant should notify OED so the business can be considered for an appropriate referral or additional ABC assignment. Consultants may not expand an engagement into another ABC service category without prior OED authorization.

The City may contact one or more references. The City may use references named or not named by the Proposer. The City may also consider the results of performance evaluations issued by the City on past projects.

The apparent successful Consultant(s) should be prepared to provide the following documentation promptly upon request in order to avoid delays in contract execution:Seattle Business License is current and all taxes due have been paid.State of Washington Business License.Evidence of Insurance Special Licenses (if any)Form W-9 if a new Consultant for the CityAdditional documentation may be required by the City prior to contract execution.

The City may make changes to this RFQ if, in the sole judgment of the City, the change will not compromise the City’s objectives in this solicitation. Any change to this RFQ will be made by formal addendum issued by the City, through the Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle and shall become part of this RFQ.

OED retains responsibility for determining program eligibility, approving participation, assigning Consultants, and authorizing billable ABC engagements.Consultants may refer businesses that may benefit from ABC services. A referral, however, does not constitute authorization to begin providing billable services.Consultants may not, without prior OED authorization:Enroll businesses into the ABC Program;Assign themselves to a business;Begin billable ABC work before receiving authorization;Materially expand or change an approved project's scope; orPerform billable work beyond the hours or amount authorized by OED.OED may redirect or reassign an engagement when another Consultant or resource is better aligned with the identified business need.

Proof of insurance is required, see Attachments for Insurance Transmittal Form.

It is the obligation and responsibility of the Consultant to learn of addenda, responses, or notices issued by the City, through the Procurement Portal. Some third-party services independently post City of Seattle solicitations on their websites. The City does not guarantee that such services have accurately provided all the information published by the City.All submittals sent to the City may be considered compliant with or without specific confirmation from the Consultant that any and all addenda was received and incorporated into your response. However, the Project Manager reserves the right to reject any submittal that does not fully incorporate Addenda that is critical to the project.

The City shall select the highest ranked Proposer(s) for award, including written proposal and the interview (if applicable). The City reserves the right to make a final selection based on the combined results and/or the overall consensus of the Consultant Evaluation Committee.

Responses must be received by the City no later than the date and time in the Timeline, except as revised by Addenda. The submitter has full responsibility to ensure the response is submitted to the City's Procurement Portal within the deadline. The Procurement Portal will not allow vendors to upload submissions past the deadline.

The City may negotiate elements of the proposal as required to best meet the needs of the City, with the apparent successful Proposer. The City may negotiate any aspect of the proposal or the solicitation. The City does not intend to negotiate the base contract, which has been attached (See Attachments).

ABC services will be managed around the intended result of the engagement rather than consulting hours alone.Examples of project deliverables may include:Established or cleaned-up bookkeeping systemUpdated financial recordsFinancial statementsBudget or cash-flow toolFinancial projectionsNonprofit financial-reporting systemMarketing or customer-acquisition strategySEO or website improvementsE-commerce implementationDigital marketing system or strategyMarket research or positioning strategyBusiness planStandard operating proceduresCRM or workflow systemLicensing or certification milestoneBusiness stabilization planFinancing-readiness action planDebt-management strategySuccession or business-transition action planThe appropriate deliverable or outcome will depend on the service and identified business need.OED will not expect every ABC engagement to produce the same type of outcome. Service-specific performance and outcome measures may be established during contract implementation.

Selected Consultants will be required to use OED-designated reporting and case-management systems.At a minimum, Consultants will be required to document:Service requestedService providedProject objectiveAuthorized scopeHours authorizedHours usedDeliverable or outcomeEngagement statusReason for closureBarriers affecting completion, when applicableReferral or next-step recommendation, when applicableOED may establish additional reporting requirements during contract implementation.OED will use program information to understand:Demand by service typeConsultant utilizationAverage level of effort and cost by interventionProject completionService gapsCapacity constraintsParticipant outcomesUnmet demandProgram data may inform future service adjustments, Consultant capacity, program investment, and potential expansion of the ABC Program.

It is the Respondent's responsibility to respond in a manner that does not require interpretation or clarification by the City. The Respondent is to provide all requested materials, forms and information. The Respondent is to ensure the materials are submitted properly and accurately reflect the Respondent’s qualifications. During scoring and evaluation (prior to interviews if any), the City will rely upon the submitted materials and shall not accept materials from the Respondent after the RFQ deadline; this does not limit the City’s right to consider additional information (such as references that are not provided by the Respondent but are known to the City, or past City experience with the consultant), or to seek clarifications as needed.

Selected Consultants will operate as part of a coordinated OED technical-assistance program and may be required to:Participate in ABC Program onboarding and trainingUse City-designated systemsFollow OED assignment and referral proceduresCoordinate with OED staffParticipate in authorized handoffs between Consultants or programsAttend required program meetingsParticipate in program evaluation and continuous-improvement activitiesAdapt to reasonable administrative or programmatic changes during the contract periodOED may establish or modify operational procedures during the contract period to improve client experience, consistency, accountability, and program effectiveness.

If a contract is executed resulting from this solicitation and is terminated within 90-days, the City may return to the solicitation process to award to the next highest ranked responsive Consultant by mutual agreement with such Consultant. New awards thereafter are also extended this right.

Respondents shall not interfere in any way to discourage other potential and/or prospective consultants from submitting or considering participation in the submittal process. Prohibited contacts includes but is not limited to any contact, whether direct or indirect (i.e. in writing, by phone, email or other, and by the Respondent or another person acting on behalf of the Respondent) to a likely firm or individual that may discourage or limit competition. If such activity is evidenced to the satisfaction and in sole discretion of the City department, the Respondent that initiates such contacts may be rejected from the process.

OED intends to establish a Consultant pool with sufficient expertise to respond to demonstrated business needs while maintaining flexibility to adjust capacity as demand changes.Not every service category or individual service is expected to experience the same level of demand.Selection through this RFQ and execution of a contract do not guarantee a minimum number of assignments, consulting hours, or compensation.OED will determine assignments and Consultant utilization based on factors including:Demonstrated business demandSpecific Consultant expertiseConsultant availability and capacityLanguage and accessibility needsIndustry or specialized experienceDocumented contract performance and compliance with ABC Program requirementsProgram prioritiesAvailable fundingOED may adjust assignment volume among selected Consultants as demand and program needs change.Subject to available funding and applicable contracting requirements, OED may increase utilization or authorized funding for selected Consultants when demonstrated demand or additional program resources warrant expansion.

The Consultant must meet all applicable licensing requirements immediately after contract award or the City may reject the Consultant. Companies must license, report and pay revenue taxes for the Washington State business License (UBI#) and Seattle Business License, if required by law. Carefully consider those costs before submitting an offer, as the City will not separately pay or reimburse such costs.Seattle Business Licensing and associated taxesIf you have a “physical nexus” in the city, you must obtain a Seattle Business license and pay all taxes due before the Contract can be signed. A “physical nexus” means you have physical presence, such as: a building/facility/employee(s) in Seattle, you make sales trips into Seattle, your own company drives into Seattle for product deliveries, and/or you conduct service work in Seattle (repair, installation, service, maintenance work, on-site consulting, etc). We provide a Consultant Questionnaire Form in our submittal package items later in this RFP/RFQ, and it will ask you to specify if you have “physical nexus”.All costs for any licenses, permits and Seattle Business License taxes owed shall be borne by the Consultant and not charged separately to the City. The apparent successful Consultant(s) must immediately obtain the license and ensure all City taxes are current, unless exempted by City Code due to reasons such as no physical nexus. Failure to do so will cause rejection of the submittal. The City of Seattle Application for a Business License and additional licensing information can be found this page here: https://www.seattle.gov/city-finance/business-taxes-and-licenses/business-licenses For Questions and Assistance, call the Revenue and Consumer Protection (RCP) office which issues business licenses and enforces licensing requirements. The general e-mail is tax@seattle.gov. The main phone is 206-684-8484. Self-Filing You can pay your license and taxes on-line https://www.filelocal-wa.gov/Default_FileLocal.aspx If a business has extraordinary balances due on their account that would cause undue hardship to the business, the business can contact the License and Tax Administration office at tax@seattle.gov or 206-684-8484 to request additional assistance. Those holding a City of Seattle Business license may be required to report and pay revenue taxes to the City. Such costs should be carefully considered by the Consultant prior to submitting your offer. When allowed by City ordinance, the City will have the right to retain amounts due at the conclusion of a contract by withholding from final invoice payments.

If no Consultant is selected at the conclusion of all the steps, the City may return to any step in the process to repeat the evaluation with those proposals active at that step. The City shall then sequentially step through all remaining steps as if conducting a new evaluation process. The City reserves the right to terminate the process if no proposals meet its requirements.

Before the contract is signed, you must have a State of Washington business license (a “Unified Business Identifier” known as a UBI#). If the State of Washington has exempted your business from State licensing (some foreign companies are exempt and sometimes, the State waives licensing because the company has no physical presence in the State), then submit proof of that exemption to the City. All costs for any licenses, permits and associated tax payments due to the State because of licensing shall be borne by the Consultant and not charged separately to the City. Instructions to apply for a business license can be found at https://dor.wa.gov/open-business/apply-business-license and the State of Washington Department of Revenue contact help page at https://dor.wa.gov/contact.

The City is exempt from Federal Excise Tax.

The City does not guarantee utilization of any contract(s) awarded through this RFQ process. The solicitation may provide estimates of utilization; such information is for Consultant convenience and not a usage guarantee. The City reserves the right to issue multiple or partial awards, and/or to order work based on City needs. The City may turn to other appropriate contract sources or supplemental contracts to obtain these same or similar services. The City may re-solicit for new additions to the Consultant pool. Use of such supplemental contracts does not limit the right of the City to terminate existing contracts for convenience or cause.

The contract limits expansion of scope and new work not expressly provided for within the RFQ.Expansion for New Work (work not specified within the original Scope of Work Section of this Agreement, and/or not specified in the original RFQ as intended work for the Agreement) must comply with the following:(a) New Work is not reasonable to solicit separately; (b) is for reasonable purpose; (c) was not reasonably known by the City or Consultant at time of solicitation or was mentioned as a possibility in the solicitation (i.e. future phases of work, or a change in law); (d) is not significant enough to be regarded as an independent body of work; (e) would not attract a different field of competition; and (f) does not change the identity or purpose of the Agreement. The City may make exceptions for immaterial changes, emergency or sole source conditions, or other situations required in City opinion. Certain changes are not subject to these limitations, such as additional phases of Work anticipated during solicitation, time extensions, and Work Orders issued on an On-Call contract. Expansion must be mutually agreed and issued by the City through written Addenda. New Work performed before an authorizing Amendment may not be eligible for payment.The City reserves the right to independently solicit and award any New Work to another firm when deemed appropriate or required by City policy.

Solicitation responses are valid until the City completes award. Should any Respondent object to this condition, they must object prior to the Q&A deadline in the Timeline.

The City is not liable for costs incurred by the Respondent to prepare, submit and present qualifications, interviews and/or demonstrations.

The City’s ability to evaluate submissions is influenced by the organization, detail, comprehensive material and readable format of the response.

Prior to the submittal closing date and time established for this RFQ, a Consultant may change or correct its proposal by following the Instructions here: https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/4f4218bf-7da6-4fc6-b0c3-7eade0776ebe. No change to a submission shall be made after the solicitation closing date and time.

Respondents are responsible for errors and omissions in their submissions. No error or omission shall diminish the Respondent’s obligations to the City.

A submittal may be withdrawn at any time through the Procurement portal prior to the closing date or by written request of the submitter.

The City may reject any or all submissions with no penalty. The City may waive immaterial defects and minor irregularities in any submitted response.

This RFQ and Respondent’s submission, including promises, warranties, commitments, and representations made in the successful response once accepted by the City, are binding and incorporated by reference in the City’s contract with the Respondent.

The Consultant works as an independent contractor. The City will provide appropriate contract management, but that does not constitute a supervisory relationship to the Consultant. Consultant workers are prohibited from supervising City employees or from direct supervision by a City employee. Prohibited supervision tasks include conducting a City of Seattle Employee Performance Evaluation, preparing and/or approving a City of Seattle timesheet, administering employee discipline, and similar supervisory actions.Contract workers shall not be given City office space unless expressly provided for below, and in no case shall such space be provided for over 36 months without specific authorization from the City. Some project work requires the Consultant to be on-site at City offices. This benefits the City to assure access, communications, efficiency, and coordination. Any Consultant on-site remains a Consultant and not a City employee. No Consultant shall be on-site at a City office for over 36 months, without specific authorization from the City. The Consultant shall notify the City if any worker is within 90 days of a 36-month on-site placement. The City will not charge rent. The Consultant is not asked to itemize this cost. Instead, the Consultant should absorb and incorporate the expectation of such office space within the Consultant plan for the work and costs. City workspace is exclusively for the project and not for any other Consultant purpose. The City will decide if a City computer, software and/or telephone is needed, and the worker can use basic office equipment such as copy machines. If the Consultant worker does not occupy City workspace as expected, this does not change the contract costs.

Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 20.45 (SMC 20.45) requires consideration of whether Consultants provide health and benefits that are the same or equivalent to the domestic partners of employees as to spouses of employees, and of their dependents and family members. The Consultant Questionnaire requested in the Response Materials and Submittal section includes materials to designate your equal benefits status.

The Mayor’s Executive Order and City ordinance require the maximum practicable opportunity for successful participation of minority and women-owned subcontracts. All proposers must agree to SMC Chapter 20.42, and seek meaningful subconsultant opportunities with WMBE firms. The City requires a plan for including minority- and women-owned firms, which becomes a material part of the contract. The Plan must be responsive in the opinion of the City, which means a meaningful and successful search and commitments to include WMBE firms for subcontracting work. The City reserves the right to improve the Plan with the winning Consultant before contract execution. Consultants should use selection methods and strategies sufficiently effective for successful WMBE participation. At City request, Consultants must furnish evidence such as copies of agreements with WMBE subconsultants either before contract execution or during contract performance. The winning Consultant must request written approval for changes to the Inclusion Plan once it is agreed upon. This includes changes to goals, subconsultant awards and efforts.WMBE firms need not be state certified to meet the City's WMBE definition. The City defines WMBE firms as at least 51% (percent) owned by women and/or minority. To be recognized as a WMBE, register on the City’s Procurement Portal. Federally funded transportation projects require a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) program; for that program, firms must be certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprises (OMWBE).

Any special insurance requirements are provided as an Attachment. If attached, provide proof of insurance and additional insured endorsement policy language to the City before Contract execution. The apparent successful Proposer must promptly provide proof of insurance to the City upon receipt of the notice of intent to award.Consultants are encouraged to immediately contact their Broker to begin preparation of the required insurance documents, if the Consultant is selected as a finalist. Respondents may elect to provide the requested insurance documents within their Submittal.

The State of Washington’s Public Records Act (Release/Disclosure of Public Records): Under Washington State Law (reference RCW Chapter 42.56, the Public Records Act) all materials received or created by the City of Seattle are considered public records. These records include but are not limited to bid or proposal submittals, agreement documents, contract work product, or other bid material. The State of Washington’s Public Records Act requires that public records must be promptly disclosed by the City upon request unless that RCW or another Washington State statute specifically exempts records from disclosure. Exemptions are narrow and explicit and are listed in Washington State Law (Reference RCW 42.56 and RCW 19.108).Respondents must be familiar with the Washington State Public Records Act and the limits of record disclosure exemptions. For more information, visit the Washington State Legislature’s website at http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56.If you have any questions about disclosure of the records you submit with your response, contact the Procurement Contact named in this document.Marking Your Records Exempt from Disclosure (Protected, Confidential, or Proprietary)As mentioned above, all City of Seattle offices (“the City”) are required to promptly make public records available upon request. However, under Washington State Law some records or portions of records are considered legally exempt from disclosure and can be withheld. A list and description of records identified as exempt by the Public Records Act can be found in RCW 42.56 and RCW 19.108.If you believe any of the records you are submitting to the City as part of your bid/proposal or contract work products, are exempt from disclosure you can request that they not be released before you receive notification. To do so you must complete the City Non-Disclosure Request Form (“the Form”) provided by the City (see page 4 on the Consultant Questionnaire) and very clearly and specifically identify each record and the exemption(s) that may apply. (If you are awarded a City contract, the same exemption designation will carry forward to the contract records.)The City will not withhold materials from disclosure simply because you mark them with a document header or footer, page stamp, or a generic statement that a document is non-disclosable, exempt, confidential, proprietary, or protected. Do not identify an entire page as exempt unless each sentence is within the exemption scope; instead, identify paragraphs or sentences that meet the specific exemption criteria you cite on the Form. Only the specific records or portions of records properly listed on the Form will be protected and withheld for notice. All other records will be considered fully disclosable upon request.If the City receives a public disclosure request for any records you have properly and specifically listed on the Form, the City will notify you in writing of the request and will postpone disclosure. While it is not a legal obligation, the City, as a courtesy, will allow you up to ten business days to file a court injunction to prevent the City from releasing the records (reference RCW 42.56.540). If you fail to obtain a Court order within the ten days, the City may release the documents.The City will not assert an exemption from disclosure on your behalf. If you believe a record(s) is exempt from disclosure you are obligated to clearly identify it as such on the Form and submit it with your solicitation. Should a public record request be submitted to Purchasing for that record(s), you can then seek an injunction under RCW 42.56 to prevent release. By submitting a bid document, the bidder acknowledges this obligation; the proposer also acknowledges that the City will have no obligation or liability to the proposer if the records are disclosed.Requesting Disclosure of Public RecordsThe City asks bidders and their companies to refrain from requesting public disclosure of bids until an intention to award is announced. This measure is intended to protect the integrity of the solicitation process particularly during the evaluation and selection process or in the event of a cancellation or re-solicitation. With this preference stated, the City will continue to be responsive to all requests for disclosure of public records as required by State Law. If you do wish to make a request for records, visit https://www.seattle.gov/public-records/public-records-request-center.

Familiarize yourself with the City Ethics code: http://www.seattle.gov/ethics/etpub/et_home.htm. For an in-depth explanation of the City’s Ethics Code for Contractors, Vendors, Customers and Clients, visit: http://www.seattle.gov/ethics/etpub/faqcontractorexplan.htm. Any questions should be addressed to Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission at 206-684-8500.No Gifts and Gratuities.Consultants shall not directly or indirectly offer anything (such as retainers, loans, entertainment, favors, gifts, tickets, trips, bonuses, donations, special discounts, work, or meals) to any City employee, volunteer or official, if it is intended or may appear to a reasonable person to be intended to obtain or give special consideration to the Consultant. An example of this is giving sporting event tickets to a City employee who is also on the evaluation team of a solicitation to which you submitted or intend to submit. The definition of what a “benefit” would be is broad and could include not only awarding a contract but also the administration of the contract or evaluating contract performance. The rule works both ways, as it also prohibits City employees from soliciting items from Consultants.Involvement of Current and Former City Employees.The Consultant Questionnaire within your submittal documents prompts you to disclose any current or former City employees, official or volunteer that is working or assisting on solicitation of City business or on completion of an awarded contract. Update that information during the contract.Contract Workers with over 1,000 Hours.The Ethics Code applies to Consultant workers that perform over 1,000 cumulative hours on any City contract during any 12-month period. Any such employee must abide by the City Ethics Code. The Consultant is to be aware and familiar with the Ethics Code accordingly.No Conflict of Interest. Consultant (including officer, director, trustee, partner or employee) must not have a business interest or a close family or domestic relationship with any City official, officer or employee who was, is, or will be involved in selection, negotiation, drafting, signing, administration or evaluating Consultant performance. The City shall make sole determination as to compliance.Campaign Contributions (Initiative Measure No. 122)Elected officials and candidates are prohibited from accepting or soliciting campaign contributions from anyone having at least $250,000 in contracts with the City in the last two years or who has paid at least $5,000 in the last 12 months to lobby the City. See Initiative 122, or call the Ethics Director with questions.

Option 1 – Background Checks Not RequiredThe City may require background checks for the Consultant, as well as some or all of their employees and contracted workers who may perform work under this Agreement. The City reserves the right to require such background checks at any time. The City has strict policies regarding the use of background checks, criminal checks, and immigrant status for contract workers. The policies are incorporated into this Agreement and available for viewing on-line at http://www.seattle.gov/purchasing-and-contracting/social-equity/background-checks.Option 2 – Background Checks Are RequiredBackground checks will be required for workers that will perform the work under the contract resulting from this solicitation. The City may require background checks for the Consultant, as well as some or all of their employees and contracted workers who may perform work under this Agreement. The City reserves the right to require such background checks at any time. The City has strict policies regarding the use of background checks, criminal checks, and immigrant status for contract workers. The policies are incorporated into this Agreement and available for viewing on-line at http://www.seattle.gov/purchasing-and-contracting/social-equity/background-checks.

Hyperlinks and URLs to web sites or references to attachments may not be used in documents submitted in response to this solicitation, unless specifically requested in the submittal requirements. The City is not obligated to evaluate, review, or score any information submitted in the form of a hyperlink or URL. Information and documentation requested for the evaluation process must be submitted in the format indicated in the solicitation instructions.