California and Washington ReportingThe Consultant will serve as the verification body. The Verification Body must provide verification services as specified in Section 95131 of the MRR or WAC 173-441-085 for the applicable emissions report. The following tasks, including any associated administration, are expected to be completed by the Verification Body. Tasks to Be Completed for Emission Reporting for Calendar Years 2026-2028TaskDescriptionDeliverable(1) Prepare and submit the Conflict of Interest (COI) forms to CARB and Ecology.Pursuant to MRR Section 95133 and WAC 173-441-085, the Consultant shall perform a COI assessment for each jurisdiction and prepare and submit COI forms and all other required associated documentation to CARB and Ecology. The Consultant shall receive the COI approvals from CARB and Ecology. The Consultant shall provide City Light with the COI approvals from CARB and Ecology. COI approvals from CARB and Ecology(2) Prepare and submit the Notice of Verification Services (NOVS) forms to CARB and Ecology.The Consultant shall prepare and submit the NOVS form to CARB, pursuant to MRR Section 95131(a), and to Ecology, pursuant to WAC 173-441-085. The Consultant shall provide City Light with confirmation that the forms have been received by CARB and Ecology. Confirmation that the NOVS forms have been submitted to CARB and Ecology(3) Prepare draft Verification Plans.The Consultant shall prepare and provide City Light with separate draft Verification Plans per MRR Section 95131(b) and WAC 173-441-085 for review. The Consultant may request that City Light provide initial data and information required to develop the draft Verification Plans. Draft Verification Plans (4) Prepare and provide final Verification Plans.The Consultant will revise the draft Verification Plans per City Light’s comments. The Consultant will provide City Light with final Verification Plan as a PDF via email. Final Verification Plans(5) Schedule meetings. The Consultant shall schedule meetings with City Light per the Verification Plans or as needed via an agreed upon time and location, to discuss the verification process and any information needs. Scheduled meetings(6) Perform data analysis and prepare data findings and issues logs.The Consultant, per the Verification Plans, shall initiate the verification activities. Per MRR Section 95131(b)(4)-(8) and WAC 173-441-085, City Light will provide the Consultant with access to requested reports, information, and documents needed to complete the verification effort, including a site visit if deemed necessary. It is expected that this phase of the verification process will take time and will involve discussions through email and conference calls when appropriate. The Consultant must keep separate logs of data findings and issues identified during the verification process per Section 95131(b)(10)-(11) and WAC 173-441-085. These logs will be provided to City Light and used to outline and identify correctable errors. Per MRR Section 95131(b)(9), WAC 173-441-085, and the Verification Plans, the Consultant will allow for City Light to fix all correctable errors identified during the verification process that affect covered emissions or covered product data in the submitted emissions data report. Data Findings and Issues Logs (7) Prepare and deliver final independent Verification Reports and Verification Statements to City Light.The Consultant shall prepare and deliver, in PDF format, detailed, independent Verification Reports and Verification Statements to City Light upon the completion of verification activities for each jurisdiction. The independent Verification Reports and Verification Statements must be prepared in accordance to either MRR Section 95131(c)(1)-(3) or WAC 173-441-085. City Light and the Consultant must adhere to MRR Section 95131(c)(4) and WAC 173-441-085 in the case of any adverse Verification Statements or potential petition. Final independent Verification Statements and Verification Reports for each jurisdiction(8) Submit the independent Verification Statements to CARB and Ecology.The Consultant shall submit the finalized Verification Statement to CARB, per MRR Section 95131(c)(3) and to Ecology, per WAC 173-441-085. The Consultant shall respond to any follow-up questions and administrative requirements required by CARB or Ecology with respect to the verification. The Consultant shall provide City Light with a confirmation of the independent Verification Statement submissions to CARB and Ecology. Confirmation of independent Verification Statement submissions to CARB and Ecology TCR ReportingThe Consultant is expected to complete the following tasks and provide the following deliverables for each emission year in order to complete each Milestone. It is expected that the Consultant will complete any additional required tasks associated with TCR’s GVP or other protocols that are not explicitly outlined below but are expected of the third-party verifying body.In order for the Consultant to complete the tasks associated with verifying each emission year, City Light must assign the Consultant as the verification body in TCR’s CRIS system and lock its inventory for verification. Upon locking the inventory and providing the Consultant with verifier access to the given emission year for verification, City Light will notify the Consultant.Tasks to Be Completed for Emission Reporting for Calendar Years 2025-2027TaskDescriptionDeliverable(1) Provide Conflict of Interest documentation to TCR.The Consultant shall submit Conflict of Interest (COI) documentation to TCR per TCR protocols.The Consultant shall provide City Light with COI approval from TCR.(2) Develop a Verification Plan.The Consultant shall prepare a Verification Plan per TCR protocols. The Verification Plan should include the following:An outline of the specific activities to be completed during the verification process;A timeline/schedule associated with the outline of activities to be conducted as part of the verification effort. The plan must include a schedule of anticipated data/new information requests;The plan must include a section about whether a verification site visit is expected or necessary for the given emission year; andThe plan should allow for City Light to conduct at least one round of corrective actions to address any misstatements, errors, omissions and misrepresentations identified during the verification process. The Consultant may request that City Light provide initial data and information required to develop the Verification Plan.The Consultant shall provide City Light with the Verification Plan for review in preparation for discussion during the initial Kick-off Meeting. (3) Coordination of an initial kick-off call/meeting. The Consultant shall coordinate and schedule an initial meeting with City Light, via conference call, to kick-off the verification process. The agenda for the kick-off call/meeting should include the following topics at a minimum:Brief introduction of the verification team members assigned to work on the verification;Overview of inventory scope and expected verification activities per the prepared Verification Plan;Overview of the expected verification schedule/timeline of activities per the prepared Verification Plan; andOverview of the expected process for data and information transfers between the Consultant and City Light. Any changes to the Verification Plan that were discussed and agreed upon during the kick-off meeting may be implemented.The Consultant shall complete a kick-off call with City Light to initiate the verification. If changes to the Verification Plan were agreed upon, the Consultant shall implement and provide City Light with an updated version of the plan.(4) Review GHG data and information.The Consultant, per the Verification Plan, shall initiate the verification data and review activities. City Light will provide the Consultant with access to requested reports, information, and documents needed to complete the verification effort, including a verification site visit, if deemed necessary. It is expected that this phase of the verification process will take several weeks and will involve discussions through email and conference calls when appropriate. Per the Verification Plan, the Consultant should allow for City Light to conduct at least one round of corrective actions to address any misstatements, errors, omissions and misrepresentations identified during the verification process. The Consultant must retain all records and verification documentation for the minimum time outlined in the GVP and throughout the verification process in order to support the verification statement. The Consultant shall review the data and documents with a goal to ensure that the GHG assertions are materially correct per TCR Protocols, and that the data provided can be documented with source material.(5) Prepare and submit a Verification Report and Verification Statement to City Light.The Consultant shall produce and submit in PDF format a detailed Verification Report and Verification Statement to City Light upon the completion of verification activities. The verification report and statement must be prepared in accordance to the GVP. If necessary, City Light will respond to the Verification Report and Verification Statement and request any changes needed. The Consultant shall revise the Verification Report and Verification Statement. The Consultant shall deliver and obtain feedback and approval from City Light on the Verification Statement and Verification Report.(6) Coordination of a close-out call/meeting. The Consultant shall and City Light will schedule an exit meeting, via conference call, to discuss the finalization of the verification process. The goals of this meeting will be to:Review the verification activities with City Light and answer any questions about the verification process;Exchange lessons learned;Finalize the verification report and verification statement;Obtain authorization from City Light to input the verification findings into TCR’s Climate Registry Information System (CRIS); andDiscuss schedules for next year’s verification activities and services, if applicable. The Consultant shall complete a close out call with City Light to finalize the Verification Report and Statement, and to obtain authorization from City Light to input its verification findings into TCR’s CRIS.(7) Input findings into CRIS and submit independent Verification Statement to TCR.The Consultant must input their findings and indicate City Light’s verification status into TCR’s CRIS. The Consultant shall respond to any follow-up questions and administrative requirements required by TCR with respect to the verification. The Consultant shall input their findings into the CRIS and submit an independent Verification Statement to TCR. The Verification Statement must be accepted by TCR. Budget and Payment InformationThe budget to conduct the verification of the stated inventories is a total fixed price budget. This amount includes costs of labor hours sufficient to conduct a thorough review of reports and include data review and analysis, a Verification Statement, a Verification Report, and completion of all administrative requirements for the verification.The Consultant is to be paid upon successful completion of the tasks and deliverables summarized in the tables outlined under the Individual Tasks and Deliverables section. The fixed-price budget to complete the tasks described herein and any associated administration is summarized in the table below:GHG Reporting Program/JurisdictionEmission YearMilestone Due DateCostTCR20258/10/2027$California – EPE20268/10/2027$California – ACS20268/10/2027$Washington – EPE20268/10/2027$TCR20268/10/2028$California – EPE20278/10/2028$California – ACS20278/10/2028$Washington – EPE20278/10/2028$TCR20278/10/2029$California – EPE20288/10/2029$California – ACS20288/10/2029$Washington – EPE20288/10/2029$ Total Cost:$ City Light will authorize and make payment of Consultant invoices only after the Consultant has provided City Light with sufficient documentation, in City Light’s sole discretion, that it has received the required accreditations and approvals, as required by CARB, Ecology, and TCR. No payments will be made by City Light to the Consultant for services provided under this Agreement unless and until the Consultant achieves the required accreditations. See more in Terms, Conditions, and Requirements.Expected OutcomeCity Light expects all emission reports to be verified to a reasonable level of assurance and to receive a positive verification finding.Terms, Conditions, and Requirements The Consultant shall be qualified and approved as a verification body to perform verification activities for California, Washington, and Oregon.For California, only CARB-accredited verification bodies may provide verification services to reporting entities. For Washington, only Ecology-accredited verification bodies may provide verification services to reporting entities. Additional accredited individuals may participate on verification teams as subcontractors to accredited verification bodies. The Consultant must ensure that at least one verification team member is accredited by CARB and Ecology as a transactions specialist in order to provide verification services to City Light.Per MRR Section 95130(a)(2) and WAC 173-441-085(7), reporting entities shall not use the same verification body or verifier(s) for a period of time of more than six consecutive years. Per the MRR, this includes any verifications conducted for MRR and for the California Climate Action Registry, The Climate Registry, Climate Action Reserve, etc., and applies to verification activities that include the scope of activities or operations under the CARB identification number for the emissions data report.All services performed by Consultant shall be conducted in accordance with the California’s Regulation for the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and with Washington’s WAC 173-443, Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases.The Consultant shall be qualified and approved or under approval review as a verification body to perform verification activities for TCR’s voluntary reporting program, as outlined in the GVP.Per TCR’s GVP, the Consultant must be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and a TCR-recognized verification body to conduct GHG inventory verification services. TCR will only accept verification statements from ANAB-accredited, TCR-recognized verification bodies. Failure to achieve this accreditation may result in City Light, in its sole discretion, terminating this Agreement, and Consultant shall forfeit all payments due.The Consultant must be accredited against the following scopes in order to conduct verification work for City Light – Organizational-level General Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 1), Power Generation Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 3) and Electric Power Transactions Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 4). All services performed by Consultant shall be conducted in accordance with ANSI standards. Sector-specific accreditation on Power Generation and Electric Power Transactions is required in order for verification bodies to verify inventories and power delivery metrics prepared in accordance with TCR’s Electric Power Sector (EPS) Protocol. City Light’s inventory of emissions includes an inventory and power delivery metrics prepared in accordance with TCR’s EPS protocol.

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 within the Procurement Portal. Registration in the City's Procurement Portal is required to submit a response to this solicitation.

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) The Consultant shall be qualified and approved as a verification body to perform verification activities for California, Washington, and Oregon.For California, only California Air Resources Board (CARB)-accredited verification bodies may provide verification services to reporting entities. For Washington, only Ecology-accredited verification bodies may provide verification services to reporting entities. Additional accredited individuals may participate on verification teams as subcontractors to accredited verification bodies. The Consultant must ensure that at least one verification team member is accredited by CARB and Ecology as a transactions specialist in order to provide verification services to City Light.Per Mandatory Reporting Rule (MRR) Section 95130(a)(2) and WAC 173-441-085(7), reporting entities shall not use the same verification body or verifier(s) for a period of time of more than six consecutive years. Per the MRR, this includes any verifications conducted for MRR and for the California Climate Action Registry, The Climate Registry, Climate Action Reserve, etc., and applies to verification activities that include the scope of activities or operations under the CARB identification number for the emissions data report.All services performed by Consultant shall be conducted in accordance with the California’s Regulation for the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and with Washington’s WAC 173-443, Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases.2) The Consultant shall be qualified and approved as a verification body to perform verification activities for TCR’s voluntary reporting program, as outlined in the GVP.Per TCR’s GVP, the Consultant must be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and a TCR-recognized verification body to conduct GHG inventory verification services. TCR will only accept verification statements from ANAB-accredited, TCR-recognized verification bodies. Failure to achieve this accreditation may result in City Light, in its sole discretion, terminating this Agreement, and Consultant shall forfeit all payments due.3) The Consultant must be accredited against the following scopes in order to conduct verification work for City Light – Organizational-level General Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 1), Power Generation Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 3) and Electric Power Transactions Scope (e.g. ANSI Group 4). All services performed by Consultant shall be conducted in accordance with ANSI standards. Sector-specific accreditation on Power Generation and Electric Power Transactions is required in order for verification bodies to verify inventories and power delivery metrics prepared in accordance with TCR’s Electric Power Sector (EPS) Protocol. City Light’s inventory of emissions includes an inventory and power delivery metrics prepared in accordance with TCR’s EPS protocol.

No minimum qualifications are required for a consultant to submit a proposal response.

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 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, 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.

Procurement Contact: Ned Lichty, Sr. Contracts & Procurement Specialist, ned.lichty@seattle.gov, (206) 386-1759Proposals are to be submitted through the e-Procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle, no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, September 18, 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 Proposer contacting other City officials or employees does so at Proposer’s own risk. The City is not bound by such information.

The City has attached its boilerplate contract terms to allow Proposers to be familiar with boilerplate, and the non-negotiable terms before submitting a proposal. The City may negotiate with the highest ranked apparent successful Proposer. 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.

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.

Contract Schedule and MilestonesContract Start: The term of this Agreement shall begin when fully executed by all parties.Milestone 1 – Completion of all verification activities, tasks, and deliverables outlined for California and Washington reporting relating to emission year 2026 and TCR reporting relating to emission year 2025. To be completed on or before August 10, 2027.Milestone 2 – Completion of all verification activities, tasks, and deliverables outlined for California and Washington reporting relating to emission year 2027 and TCR reporting relating to emission year 2026. To be completed on or before August 10, 2028.Milestone 3 – Completion of all verification activities, tasks, and deliverables outlined for California and Washington reporting relating to emission year 2028 and TCR reporting relating to emission year 2027. To be completed on or before August 10, 2029.Services Due: Services under this Agreement shall be completed on or before August 10th, 2029. The estimated budget is $90,000.00.Contract End: The term of this Agreement shall end on December 31st, 2029, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the provisions hereof.

BackgroundCalifornia and Washington ReportingSeattle City Light (City Light) is required under the Regulation for the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (MRR) to annually submit an emissions data report to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). City Light is required under WAC 173-443, Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases, to annually submit an emissions data report to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).The following is a list of applicable background information:City Light is the reporting entity.City Light is reporting as an electric power entity (EPE).City Light’s report includes reportable electric power transactions and emissions for the previous calendar year.The emission reports for calendar years 2026-2028 will represent City Light’s 7th, 8th, and 9th submissions to CARB under the MRR. The emission reports for calendar years 2026-2028 will represent City Light’s 5th, 6th, and 7th submissions to Ecology under WAC 173-441.City Light requires verification for its emission reports for calendar years 2026-2028.The Consultant will serve as the Verification Body.City Light will continue to pursue Asset Controlling Supplier (ACS) status in California and will require applicable reports to be verified for calendar years 2026-2028.City Light’s California ACS documentation is used to support ACS designation with Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.The Climate Registry (TCR) ReportingFor City Light to meet its goal to meet the electric energy needs of Seattle with no net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it must annually calculate its inventory of emissions. City Light participates in TCR’s voluntary GHG emission reporting program and uses their General Reporting Protocol (GRP) to develop and publicly disclose its inventory of emissions. TCR requires reporting entities, such as City Light, that choose to publicly disclose their inventory of emissions to complete a third-party verification of each emission report submitted for public disclosure. The following is a list of background information on City Light’s reporting to TCR.City Light is the reporting entity.City Light is reporting an inventory classified as Complete.City Light reports emissions at the Entity Level.City Light reports based on Operational Control.City Light reports emissions for National – US Operations.City Light is reporting to a “reasonable” level of assurance.City Light will report emissions of any of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases.City Light reports through TCR’s Climate Registered Information System (CRIS), which is their online reporting system.City Light reports both as a business entity and as an Electric Power Utility.City Light submits the Electric Power Sector forms, including metrics for Retail, Special Power, and Wholesale products.City Light has reported to TCR for past emission years, and those reports have been successfully verified and registered in TCR’s CRIS. Those reports are available through TCR’s CRIS website. City Light will require applicable reports to be verified for calendar years 2025-2027.

The City expects to achieve the following outcomes through this consultant solicitation:Project ObjectivesCity Light is responsible for reporting its inventory of GHG emissions to the given entity and selecting a recognized verification body to assess the quality of its emission reports. City Light requires the Consultant to serve as a CARB-accredited Verification Body for the purposes of verifying the applicable EPE and ACS emissions data reports for calendar years 2026, 2027, and 2028 submitted by City Light under the MRR. The Verification Body is expected to complete the verification services outlined under Section 95131 of the MRR.City Light requires the Consultant to serve as an Ecology-accredited Verification Body for the purposes of verifying the applicable EPE emissions data reports for calendar years 2026, 2027, and 2028 submitted by City Light under WAC 173-441. The Verification Body is expected to complete the verification services outlined under WAC 173-441-085.City Light requires the Consultant to serve as an independent party hired and under contract by City Light for the purposes of performing and completing a third-party verification of City Light’s annual GHG inventory of emissions reported to TCR for emission years 2025, 2026, and 2027, per the requirements described in TCR’s most up-to-date GRP, General Verification Protocol (GVP), Electric Power Sector (EPS) protocol and all other applicable TCR protocols. Third-party verification, as outlined in the GRP and GVP, is defined as an independent expert assessment of the accuracy and conformity of an emissions inventory based on the reporting requirements contained in the GRP and the verification requirements described in the GVP.

Interested parties that wish to protest any aspect of this RFP 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 issues results and award decisions to all bidders. The City provides debriefing on a limited basis for the purpose of allowing bidders to understand how they may improve in future bidding opportunities.

Proposals shall be evaluated using the evaluation criteria in the Proposal Evaluation Section. The Evaluation Committee is expected to contain approximately 3 to 7 City employees with knowledge of this project. There will be representatives from the Environmental Management & Compliance unit.City Light may also have non-evaluation committee members attend the Interviews as ‘observers’. Observers will not directly score any of the Contractors, but may provide general feedback, comments, and observations to the Evaluation Committee for their consideration.

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.

The City offers an optional pre-submittal conference at the time, date and location on the Timeline. Proposers are highly encouraged to attend but not required to attend to be eligible to propose. The meeting answers questions about the solicitation and clarifies issues. This also allows Proposers 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-proposal conference.

Proposals shall be evaluated using the evaluation criteria in the Proposal Evaluation Section.Proposal Forms 2 and 3 will be scored based on the numerical entries for Company Experience (Form 2) and Project Team Experience (Form 3).Proposal Form 4: Cost Proposal will be scored based on the numerical values provided by proposing Contractors.Presentations and Interviews will be scored on the scale defined below: ScoreDefinition10 =The Proposal Form or Presentation/Interview is excellent and clearly exceeds expectations7 =The Proposal Form or Presentation/Interview is very good and fully meets the expectations5 =The Proposal Form or Presentation/Interview is good yet has room for improvement3 =The Proposal Form or Presentation/Interview is marginal and is below expectations0 =The Proposal Form or Presentation/Interview is poor and clearly does not meet expectations

Proposers may submit their questions through the OpenGov/Procurement Portal. 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 Consultant(s) should anticipate the Letter will require at least the following. Consultants are encouraged to prepare these documents when possible, to eliminate risks of late compliance.Seattle Business License is current and all taxes due have been paid. State of Washington Business License.Evidence of Insurance (if required)Special Licenses (if any)Form W-9 if a new Consultant for the City

The City may interview top-ranked firms from the proposal evaluation. If interviews are conducted, rankings of firms shall be determined by the City, using the combined results of interviews and proposal 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.City Light will conduct a Presentation and Interviews with each shortlisted Contractor via a virtual format (Microsoft Teams Meeting). The specific virtual meeting information will be provided to shortlisted Contractors. Presentation: The Presentation can be attended by any members of the Contractor organization but must include, at minimum, the Project Team individuals identified on Proposal Form 3. The Presentation will be for a maximum of 20 minutes and will adhere to the agenda below: Overview (3 to 5 minutes): introduction of the presentation participants & brief company backgroundRelevant Experience (5 minutes): describe the company and team’s portfolio of experience that is most relevant to this project; may also describe additional members of the assigned project team beyond the presentation participants.Overall Project Approach (5 to 8 minutes): describe the overall project approach that will be utilized to deliver this project’s scope and meet City Light’s expectations.Other Highlights (5 minutes): Contractors can use this time to discuss any other information they would like to highlight about their team and approach to the project. Electronic presentation materials are allowed. Interviews: The Interviews will be limited to the Project Team individuals identified on Proposal Form 3. No other individuals will be allowed to participate in the Interviews. Interviews will be conducted one-on-one with each project team role. Each interview is expected to be 20 to 30 minutes in duration.

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.

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

The City may make changes to this RFP if, in the sole judgment of the City, the change will not compromise the City’s objectives in this solicitation. Any change to this RFP 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 RFP.

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.

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.

Proposals 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.

OVERVIEW OF PRE-CONTRACT CLARIFICATION PHASEThe Pre-Contract Clarification will occur prior to contract signature solely with the top-ranked Contractor. The intent is to allow the top-ranked Contractor an opportunity to clarify their proposal and plan the project approach in greater detail.DURATION OF THE PRE-CONTRACT CLARIFICATION PHASEPre-Contract Clarification runs concurrently with typical contract review and negotiation activities. Pre-Contract Clarification is scheduled for approximately 3 to 6 weeks in duration. However, City Light is prepared to take longer if the project team determines it is in the best interest of the project. Typically, Pre-Contract Clarification is structured via the following meeting format:Kickoff MeetingContractor leads a Kickoff Meeting, which is typically 2-3 hours long and consists of the following agenda:Description of Contractor’s project approach High level project scheduleAddress any major concerns provided by City LightIdentify and address any major deal breakersIdentify major assumptions, unknowns & clarificationsIdentify major risk itemsPropose a schedule of pertinent topics for subsequent Independent MeetingsIndependent MeetingsAdditional independent meetings will be scheduled with various project team members for the top-ranked Contractor to gather additional information and have discussions regarding project details and delivery. This effort typically consists of several meetings that range from 1 to 2 hours each. Emails and phone calls are expected to occur between the meetings as needed.Summary Meeting The top-ranked Contractor lead the Summary Meeting, which is typically 1-2 hours long. The purpose is to review the Clarification Document and ensure project team stakeholders are in agreement.DURATION OF THE PRE-CONTRACT CLARIFICATION PHASE The top-ranked Contractor will be required to prepare a Clarification Document. The format of the Clarification Document is typically a MS Word document with the following sections, made up of short paragraphs and bullet points. The Clarification Document will contain (at a minimum) the following deliverables:Clarify the Fee ProposalClarify cost proposal and invoicing protocols.Provide a detailed cost breakdown (major areas, phases, components, etc.)Clarify any ‘big-ticket’ itemsEnsure the cost is inclusive of all scope requirementsClarify any scope alternative optionsCreate a Schedule of Requested Owner Activities and ResourcesThrough the process of meeting with City Light and consultant during Clarification, the Contractor will prepare a list of the major activities, decisions, and/or resources from City Light, and other project stakeholders.Include due dates that City Light -provided items are neededCity Light will identify the specific individuals within City Light organization who are responsible for (and agreed to) the items.Create a Project Milestone ScheduleThrough the process of meeting with the owner and consultant during Clarification, the Contractor will prepare a construction schedule that lists the major activities, phases, key milestones, and/or resources needed from City Light.Align ExpectationsProvide a list of proposal assumptionsIdentify any potential ‘deal breakers’Identify what is included and excluded in the proposal scopeReview any unique technical requirements with City LightRevisit the site to do any additional investigatingProvide Supporting DocumentationAcceptance of contract terms and conditionsProvide a detailed execution methodology, including the specific means and methods that will be usedProvide a staffing / resource planClarify questions and concerns identified by City Light Negotiation & Contract Alignment City Light reserves the right to negotiate with the top-ranked Contractor during the Clarification Period. This may include, but is not limited to, modifying the scope of the service (time, cost, quality, expectations, etc.) Any negotiations will not constitute a legally binding offer to enter into a contract on the part of City Light or the Contractor. In parallel with Pre-Contract Clarification, Contractor and City Light (along with their respective legal teams) will concurrently advance the traditional contracting efforts. This includes reviews of the contract, insurance, bonding, and other financial documentation necessary to reach a contractual agreement.Notification of Intent to ContractNo action of City Light other than a written notice from City Light to the Contractor, advising acceptance of the proposal and City Light’s intent to enter into an Agreement, shall constitute acceptance of the proposal. Failure to Enter into an Agreement At any time during the Clarification Period, if City Light is not satisfied with the progress being made by the invited Contractor, City Light may terminate the Pre-Contract Clarification Period activities and then commence or resume a new Clarification Period with the next highest rated Contractor. City Light shall not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by the Contractor in the preparation of their proposal nor their participation in Pre-Contract Clarification.

City Light reserves the right to negotiate with the top-ranked Contractor during the Clarification Period. This may include, but is not limited to, modifying the scope of the service (time, cost, quality, expectations, etc.) Any negotiations will not constitute a legally binding offer to enter into a contract on the part of City Light or the Contractor. In parallel with Pre-Contract Clarification, Contractor and City Light (along with their respective legal teams) will concurrently advance the traditional contracting efforts. This includes reviews of the contract, insurance, bonding, and other financial documentation necessary to reach a contractual agreement.

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

Proposers shall not interfere in any way to discourage other potential and/or prospective proposers from proposing or considering a proposal 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 Proposer or another person acting on behalf of the Proposer) 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 Proposer that initiates such contacts may be rejected from the process.

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 on 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 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.

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 RFP/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 RFP.Expansion for New Work (work not specified within the original Scope of Work Section of this Agreement, and/or not specified in the original RFP 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 Proposer object to this condition, the Proposer must object prior to the Q&A deadline in the Timeline.

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

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

Prior to the proposal submittal closing date and time established for this RFP, 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 proposal shall be made after the proposal closing date and time.

Proposers are responsible for errors and omissions in their proposals. No error or omission shall diminish the Proposer’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 proposals with no penalty. The City may waive immaterial defects and minor irregularities in any submitted proposal.

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

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.The City will not provide space in City offices for performance of this work. Consultants will perform most work from their own office space or the field.

Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 20.45 (SMC 20.45) requires consideration of whether Proposers 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 Submittal instructions 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. At a certain threshold, 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 in 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. Proposers may elect to provide the requested insurance documents within their Proposal.

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).Bidders/proposers 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 bid, 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.

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.

Background 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.

State a firm fixed price, to include all direct, indirect, and overhead expenses, including travel and lodging expenses, incurred by the Consultant to perform the Work.Do not include contingency or assumptions in your cost proposal. Instead, you may include a separate breakdown for out-of-scope costs, including scope of work, hours and any assumptions for the City to consider in your proposal.The City may request additional clarification or a breakdown of the hours and costs with the top-ranking proposers.