Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System and Implementation Services

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T

HE

S

AN

J

OAQUIN

C

OUNCIL OF

G

OVERNMENTS

R

EQUEST

F

OR

P

ROPOSAL

FOR

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System

and

Implementation Services

Issue Date

October 15, 2014

Response Due Date/Time

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page a

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page b

1. RFP Overview

1.1 Purpose of RFP

The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG, also “Agency”) has issued this Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit responses from qualified vendors offering the functionality and features identified to replace the Agency’s current Regional Council Management System (RCMS). The Agency seeks a qualified firm (Proposer) with the experience, expertise, and qualifications to provide a fully integrated, proven state-of-the-art solution (ERP system) along with the professional services specified in this RFP to complete the implementation of the ERP system.

1.2 Summary of ERP System Requirements

1.2.1 Functional Requirements

At a minimum, the proposed ERP system should provide integrated functionality (meaning that the individual components of the system utilize a shared repository of information and processes to ensure that all users have access to the same information, that redundant data entry is not required and that each of the components has a similar “look and feel”):



Financial Management - General Ledger - Accounts Payable - Accounts Receivable

- Bank Account Management and Reconciliation - Time Reporting and Tracking

- Budgeting

- Loan Amortization - Requisitions / Purchasing - Travel expense re-imbursement  Audit Management

 Human Resources

 Integration with 3rd_{-party Payroll Processing}

 Integration with 3rd_{-party contact management system (if this functionality is not provided by}

the proposed ERP system)

These requirements are further documented in Section 5, ERP Requirement, and the following functions are highly desired but not mandatory (which should be taken to mean that the Agency will not sacrifice the completeness of the mandatory functionality in order to obtain support for these requirements):

 Asset and Inventory Management  Grant Management

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 2  Contract Management

 Program, and Project Management  Capital Project Management.

1.3 Implementation Services

In addition to the software functionality identified above, the Agency is seeking a Proposer to provide professional services that will ensure a successful implementation. The professional services should include the following:



Project Management



Software installation and configuration



Implementation consulting



Business Process Review



Training



Documentation



Software maintenance and support



Post-Implementation support.

1.3.1 Technical Requirements – Software as a Service (SaaS)

The Agency is also interested in evaluating both locally installed solutions and cloud-based service and support models. Proposers are encouraged to offer alternatives to the traditional license purchase approach. If alternatives are offered, the Proposer shall clearly identify what is being offered and the pricing to allow the Agency to fully evaluate the offering as compared to the traditional licensing approach.

1.3.2 Implementation Requirements

The Agency desires to begin the project on or about Monday, March 30, 2015 and complete all implementation activities by the end of December, 2015, with actual use of the new ERP system

beginning in January, 2016. The Agency is prepared to make user resources available as needed, but has limited IT resources. The Agency is open to subsequent phases to implement additional modules or features/functions. The Agency is looking for Proposers to craft an approach that is consistent with the Agency’s expectations and resources. If Proposers are not able to meet this timeline, they are

encouraged to propose an alternative timeline for the Agency to consider.

1.4 RFP Timelines

Table 1, RFP Schedule of Events, identifies the RFP schedule that will be followed.

Table 1 – RFP Schedule of Events (All times are for the Pacific Time Zone (PT))

RFP EVENT DATE/TIME

Agency Issues RFP October 15, 2014 Deadline for Proposer Questions October 28, 2014, 5:00 PM PT Agency Posts Responses to Questions November 5, 2014, 5:00 PM PT

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RFP EVENT DATE/TIME

Deadline for Proposal Submission January 13, 2015, 2:00 PM PT Agency Completes Evaluations January 26, 2015 Finalist(s) Notified & Provided Proof-of-Capabilities (POC) Packet January 28, 2015 Proof of Concept Demonstration(s) February 17 – 25, 2015 Contract Negotiations March 2 – March 20, 2015 Award of Proposal & Contract Execution March 27, 2015

Proposers should be aware that finalist(s) will be required to participate in a 1 to 2 day scripted proof-of-capabilities demonstration to allow staff to fully understand the proposed solution. This shall be a scripted demonstration using scenarios developed by the Agency to permit the Agency to evaluate critical product functionality rather than a generic demonstration of the product. Proposers must be prepared to invest the time and resources in the proof-of-capabilities demonstration to be successful in this procurement.

SJCOG reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to adjust this schedule as it deems necessary. Notification of any adjustment to the RFP Schedule of Events will be provided to all Proposers who comply with Section 1.9, Intent to Propose.

1.5 RFP Coordinator

All communications concerning this RFP must be submitted in email to the RFP Coordinator identified below. The RFP Coordinator will be the sole point of contact for this RFP.

Ms. Grace Orosco Chief Accountant

San Joaquin Council of Governments 555 E. Weber Avenue

Stockton, CA 95202-2804. Email: [email protected] Ph: 1.209.235.0600

Proposer contact with anyone else in the Agency is expressly forbidden and may result in disqualification of the Proposer’s bid.

1.6 Proposal Preparation Costs

The Agency will not pay any costs associated with the preparation, submittal, or presentation of any proposal.

1.7 RFP Amendment and Cancellation

The Agency reserves the unilateral right to amend this RFP in writing at any time. The Agency also reserves the right to cancel or reissue the RFP at its sole discretion. If an amendment is issued, notification shall be provided to all Proposers complying with Section 1.9, Intent to Propose, and the amendment posted on the Agency’s website, http://www.sjcog.org. Proposers shall respond to the final written RFP and any exhibits, attachments, and amendments.

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1.8 Questions Pertaining to the RFP

Specific questions concerning the RFP should be submitted via e-mail to the RFP Coordinator (Please see Section 1.5) prior to the deadline specified in Section in Section 1.4, RFP Timeline. Proposer questions should clearly identify the relevant section of the RFP and page number(s) related to the question being asked.

The questions submitted and the Agency’s responses shall be posted on the Agency’s website (http://www.sjcog.org).

1.9 Intent to Propose

Each Proposer who plans to submit a proposal should register by email to the RFP Project Coordinator (Section 1.3). The email should indicate the Proposer's intent to respond to this RFP. The email should include:



Proposer name



Name and title of Proposer main contact



Address, telephone and facsimile number, and email address

The “Intent to Propose” email does not bind Proposers to submitting a proposal.

1.10 Proposal Submittal

Proposals will be submitted no later than the “Deadline for Proposal Submission” as identified in Section 1.4, RFP Timeline. Proposers assume the risk of the method of delivery chosen. The Agency assumes no responsibility for delays caused by any delivery service. A Proposer's failure to submit a proposal as required before the deadline may cause the proposal to be disqualified.

Proposers must submit in a sealed package one (1) original, signed Master, four (4) copies, and one (1) electronic copy (a single .pdf file containing all submitted material is strongly encouraged) on a CD or “Thumb Drive”.

Please note that Section 8, Pricing, shall be provided in a separate, sealed, envelope and labelled as provided below, and additionally identified as “Section 8 – Pricing.” Proposer shall similarly provide (1) original, four (4) copies, and one (1) electronic copy of Section 8.

The proposal package shall be mailed, couriered, or hand delivered to the Agency at: San Joaquin Council of Governments

555 E. Weber Avenue ATT: ERP RFP Coordinator Stockton, CA 95202-2804.

The package should be clearly labeled as follows: ATT: Ms. Rebecca Calija / GO

Proposal for ERP System and Implementation Services

Name of Proposing Firm

Proposer’s Address Proposer’s Contact Person Proposer’s Telephone Number

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 5 All proposals must be received by the Agency before 2:00 p.m. (by the clock located in Agency’s office) on the Deadline for Proposal Submission date as indicated in Section 1.2. Proposals received after this time and date may be returned unopened. Postmarks will not be accepted as proof of receipt.

1.11 Public Records Law

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 6250, public records may be inspected and examined by anyone desiring to do so, at a reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under supervision by the custodian of the public record. All submitted proposals are subject to this code section.

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2. Project Objectives

With this RFP, the Agency seeks to replace its existing Regional Council Management System (RCMS) with a proven, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) ERP system. The new ERP system should meet the following objectives:



Provide a single, comprehensive, and tightly integrated solution to manage the Agency’s business functions



Streamline business processes through automation, integration, and workflows



Provide enhanced reporting capabilities to improve decision making

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Promote the implementation of processes based on best practices

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Provide a user friendly and intuitive user interface to promote system use, productivity, and to minimize the need for training



Eliminate the need for “offline shadow systems” including spreadsheets, etc. to support financial activities and to track project expenditures and status



Eliminate the need for redundant data entry



Improve and provide necessary reports and access to data through inquiry or drill down capabilities, including mandated reports for auditing



Provide interface capabilities



Provide ability to grow within the proposed solution.

The Agency’s goal is to gain efficiencies and to update existing processes, focusing on the elimination of “shadow systems;” improving the timeliness, accuracy, and consistency of information; and improving internal operations. The replacement of RCMS has been identified as a high priority for the Agency and is driven by the following factors:



The RCMS cannot meet the Agency’s future technology platform goals



The need to procure and implement a long-term business solution that is provided by a vendor that supports continual innovation to encourage implementation of best business practices (i.e. encourage streamlining and automation of standard business transactions, enhanced processing and on-line capabilities, etc.)



The need to improve internal process and realize operational efficiencies through the use of technologies such as workflow and document management



The need to provide improved reporting and staff access to finance, budgeting, payroll, and billing data and information.

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3. SJCOG Overview

San Joaquin County (SJC) is strategically located in Northern California’s dynamic growth corridor and is defined as the east gate way to the Bay Area. The County has become a de-facto part of the Bay Area by virtue of its location and the re-location of workers and companies in the Bay Area. According to the 2010 Census, of the 233,208 residents representing the employed workforce in San Joaquin County, 114,609 commute outside of the region to their job. Out of the number of San Joaquin County commuters traveling outside of the region, approximately 20% of them travel over the Altamont pass for employment into the greater Bay Area.

SJCOG is a joint-powers authority comprised of the County of San Joaquin and the cities of Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy, Ripon, Escalon, and Lathrop. SJCOG serves as the regional transportation planning agency, which provides a forum for regional decision-making on issues such as growth, transportation, environmental management, housing, open space, air quality, fiscal management, and economic development. SJCOG also takes a look at population statistics, airport land use, habitat and open space planning, and other regional issues. Generally, SJCOG’S role is to foster intergovernmental coordination, both within San Joaquin County, as well as with neighboring jurisdictions, the other regional agencies for the San Joaquin Valley, the State of California and various Federal agencies.

A fifteen-member Board composed of twelve locally elected officials and three ex-officio members directs the Council of Governments. The Board has three members of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, three members of the Stockton City Council and one member from each of the County’s six other cities. The ex-officio members are a Port of Stockton of Commissioner, a San Joaquin Regional Transit District Board member, and Caltrans District 10’s Director.

The mission of SJCOG is to partner with local governments, the private sector, and community groups as the forum, facilitator, and administrator of regional programs, and to advocate for regional and inter-regional issues in the development of a comprehensive strategy to achieve resolutions.

3.1 Organization

The Board of Directors allocates funding to build transportation improvements and establishes regional transportation policies and programs. Citizens, special or community interest groups, and other agencies are involved in the planning and approval process. Areas of public participation include SJCOG's

committees and task forces as well as attending workshops or public forums and providing input on planning decisions.

As depicted in Figure 1, SJCOG Organization Chart, the Agency’s departments include:  Under the Manager of Administrative Services:

- Administration

 Under the Deputy Director, Planning, Programming, and Project Delivery - Capital Project Delivery

- Comprehensive Planning, Modeling, and Air Quality - Transportation Programming

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 8 - Aviation, Transportation, and Transportation Demand Management

 Under the Deputy Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - Information Technology

- Finance

- Habitat Planning.

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3.2 Specific Roles of SJCOG

Some of the specific roles of the San Joaquin Council of Governments are described below:

 Airports - State law requires all counties with public use airports to establish an Airport Land Use Commission. SJCOG serves the region as the Airport Land Use Commission to assure that

surrounding land uses are compatible with the airports, based on the Federal Aviation Administration’s recommended height, noise and safety rules

 Census Data and Statistics - SJCOG serves as the Census Data Center for San Joaquin County. The agency receives, compiles, and dispenses the latest information on population, employment, business, and income characteristics

 Collaborative Decision-Making - SJCOG brings together the community through forums, retreats, legislative trips, and public meetings to tackle priority issues for the region

 Commute Connection - To help commuters make the transition from driving alone to a convenient ride-share option, the SJCOG operates Commute Connection. The program offers commuter matching and employer outreach services and promotes carpooling, bicycling, van-pooling and public transit

 Freeway Service Patrol - Operated by SJCOG with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol, the program offers free motorist assistance on Interstate 205. SJCOG currently is providing FSP during the construction of highway projects on Interstate 5 and Highway 99. Tow trucks patrol these routes, assisting disabled vehicles in order to reduce congestion and increase traffic safety  Funding - Working closely with its member agencies, SJCOG makes funding decisions to design

and build transportation projects throughout the region

 Habitat - This is a plan to protect, preserve, and promote the region. SJCOG oversees the habitat and open space conservation plan for San Joaquin County. SJCOG brings together interested parties to examine issues related to development, agriculture, public plans and endangered species

 Measure K - SJCOG administers the local transportation sales tax program, better known as Measure K. San Joaquin voters approved the ½ cent sales tax to finance a specific list of transportation improvement projects/programs which cover a wide range of maintenance, roadway improvement, bicycle/pedestrian, and transit needs

 Regional Transportation - Regional transportation planning is a major function of SJCOG. As the state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency and the federally-designated

Metropolitan Planning Organization, SJCOG prepares regional plans, programs, applications, and studies.

3.3 Project Sponsor

This project is being carried under the immediate control of the Deputy Executive Director / CFO and with the full support of the Agency’s Board, management team, and staff.

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4. Current Environment

4.1 Technology Standards

Table 2 – Current Technology Standards, identifies the Agency’s current technology standards. Proposers are required to confirm conformance to these requirements or clearly articulate proposed alternatives.

Table 2 – Current Technology Standards

Technology Current Standard

Database SQL 2008 or Higher

Server OS Windows Server 2008 R2 or Higher Desktop OS Microsoft Windows 7 or Higher Server Hardware Dell

Desktop Hardware Dell Laptop/Mobile Hardware Dell

Office Productivity Microsoft Office 2010 or Higher (migration to Office 365 is planned for 2015)

Browser IE 10 or Higher, Chrome, Firefox, Safari Email Server/Client MS Exchange Server 2010

Virtual Environment Microsoft Hyper-V Storage Area Network (SAN) Dell NX 3100

Active Directory Single Sign-On using Microsoft Active Directory

4.2 Existing System Use and Processes

This section provides a high-level overview of how the Agency uses RCMS, as well as information about manual processes performed outside of the system using “shadow” processes including spreadsheets and ad-hoc databases used to report and manage financial and project information.

The Agency relies on RCMS to record a wide-range of financial transactions and workflows including: General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Budgeting, Purchasing, Time Reporting, and HR / Payroll (although the actual generation of payroll and handling of deductions, etc., is sourced to Paychex (http://www.paychex.com). Specific challenges being experienced by Agency management and staff include:

 The Agency is funded through multiple sources. The FY2014/15 budget alone identifies 40 separate SJCOG funding sources, many of which have specialized reporting and auditing requirements. These funding sources include:

- Federal Funds, including Consolidated Planning Grant Funds, PL Funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Funds

- State Funding Sources, including Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds, various State Planning Grants, Freeway Service Patrol, and Proposition 1B funds

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 11 Fund (LTF), Member Jurisdictions, Fees, and Local Transportation Authority (Measure K/Renewal) funds

 The use of a wide range of spreadsheets, other agency (such as CalTrans) information systems, and ad-hoc databases to manage grant, program, and project financial transactions with the complication that since the receipt and disbursement of funds is handled exclusively by the TH accounting system, staff performs additional work to reconcile the information contained in the TH accounting system with the information in the spreadsheets, etc.

 Contracts, programs, and projects administered by the Agency (particular capital projects) span multiple fiscal years

 The controls in the time reporting functions in TH are not sufficiently rigorous and staff members can charge time to tasks that are either closed or that no longer have any hours / budget available resulting in additional work in Finance to re-allocate these hours

 Some of the programs administered by the Agency (particularly those undertaken by “Measure K”) involve the commitment of matching funds by the jurisdictions sponsoring the projects  Automated workflows are needed to remind program managers when contracts or grants are

nearing expiration and to notify executives when actions to renew them are not taking place in a timely manner

 The Agency staff is overly burdened by the work related to the handling of paper documents and the storage of information in multiple repositories.

4.3 Key Business and Operational Volumes

Table 3 – Key Business and Operational Volumes, provides Proposers with key information that will help promote an understanding of the current environment.

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Table 3 – Key Business and Operational Volumes

Category Detail

Number of Expected Users – Core Users (Finance) 5 Number of Expected Users – Casual Users (Program

Staff) 32

Number of GL Accounts

Does not include funds, departments General Fund = 180 MK = 80 MK Renewal = 90 LTF = 40

STA = 30 RTIF = 20 SJCOG INC = 110

Commute Connection INC = 6

Number of Funds 8

Current Vendor Master File – Total 555 Average # of Line Items Per PO 25-30 Average Purchase Orders Per Year 90 Average Invoices Per Year 5,000

Average 1099’s 40

Average AP Checks – Per Year 2,000 Number of Items Inventoried (If any) 975

Fixed Assets Tracked (if any) SJCOG tracks a limited number of fixed assets including: Habitat Easements, Office Building, Furnishings, Multi-Media, Computer systems and Office Equipment, Automobile. Leased computers are tracked separately

Number of Asset Types 9 Current Employees – Full Time

Current Employees – Part Time 33 full time

Number of Agency Job Classifications We have 21 job descriptions which fall into 10 position classifications on our salary schedule

Payroll Cycles 26

Number of Active Billing Clients 35 Average Number of Credit Card Transactions Yearly 800

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5. ERP System Requirements

The Agency seeks a proven, fully integrated ERP public sector solution. It is seeking to modify existing business processes to take advantage of best practices where feasible, and will be looking to select a system that supports the implementation of best practices. More specifically, the ERP system should provide the following general capabilities:

 Provide replacement capabilities for current financial processing

 All transactions are processed in real-time and immediately available for inquiry and reporting  Fully integrated system where data is only entered once

 Robust security capabilities with the ability to integrate to MS Active Directory  Ability to use workflow capabilities and be available across all appropriate modules  The system should accommodate role based security

 Reporting should be user friendly, allowing staff to create and/or obtain reports or to export data with minimal training

 Robust audit and transaction logging capabilities.

The remainder of this section assumes the responder has the ability to meet standard finance functions, and capabilities the Agency is seeking from a new system above the basic functionality inherit to most COTS systems. Proposers must respond to each section to explain how the proposed system meets the needs of the Agency, as well as, identify features and functions that can further improve Agency processes.

The functional requirements in this section are broken out as follows:  Financial, Record Keeping, and HR Functionality

 Contract, Grant, Program, and Project Management Functionality  Productivity and Information Sharing Functionality

 General and Security Functionality

 Data Conversion (ETL) Requirements (Optional)  Software as a Service (SaaS) Requirements (Optional)  Product Direction and Viability Requirements

 Technical Requirements

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5.1 Financial, Record Keeping, and HR Functionality

The Agency seeks an ERP system that provides the financial, record keeping, and human resources functionality as itemized in this section.

5.1.1 - General Ledger

1. Manage all of the Agency’s revenues and expenditures including the ability to define additional categories as needed.

2. Create and budget and task numbers based on Agency’s overall work program. 3. Support budget and expense reporting and financial analysis.

4. Create journal entries; including one-time, recurring, allocations and distributions, and ability to apply reversal.

5. Automated year-end closing of revenue and expenditure accounts, posting of balances to subsequent year beginning balances.

6. Capture multiple dates; transactional dates, posting dates, data entry dates, etc. 7. Support Sub-ledgers.

8. Support cost accounting, distributed purchases, payments, labor costs, activities, and projects. 9. Allow for configuration of workflows and approval options.

10. Integrate with specialized Bank Reconciliation/Treasury Management functions designed to support AP Check, Payroll Check and general account reconciliation activities.

11. Support out of the box reporting and inquiry ability to address budget vs actual, expense reporting, journal reporting, transactional reporting.

5.1.2 - Accounts Payable

1. Receive invoices electronically, log them, and queue to staff member for processing.

2. Prepare invoices for payment including the apportionment of the invoice to specific accounts and then electronically route for review and approval.

3. Automatically identify and flag invoices for which the amount due or payment terms are not consistent with contract provisions.

4. Track contract balances, issue payments from bank account, enter 1099 information. 5. Run reports via vendor, task, and expense category.

6. Enter information and generate reports detailing vendor contact information for specific time periods. 7. Perform month-end processing for A/R including rolling information to the G/L and reconciling project

costs to the G/L.

8. Allow payment of multiple invoices from a vendor with a single check and generate a remittance advice. 9. Provide accounting for deposits and retention based payments.

10. Generate multiple page checks.

11. Capture an image of the check and attach it to the vendor record.

12. View the purchase order image, invoice image and payment image in vendor inquiry. 13. Automatically calculate payment discounts.

14. Automatically calculate taxes as appropriate for items being paid. 15. Assign shipping and tax amounts at time of data entry.

16. Split charges among several funds, programs, projects, etc. 17. Short close a PO.

18. Recognize re-billable expenses and automatically create a workflow task to generate invoice for recovery of expenses.

19. CA EDD reporting requirements for independent contractors.

20. Record vendor information including email address and web site address.

21. Provide security by user for viewing or changing the tax ID or social security number field in the vendor master record.

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receipt documents).

23. Provide workflow support for check issuance and invoice approvals.

24. Allow staff to view vendor detailed payment history (i.e. see all PO’s outstanding and payments made). 25. Support 1099 reporting requirements.

26. View and select vendor information by a search feature or criteria, including business type. 27. Select active vendors.

5.1.3 - Accounts Receivable

1. Provide multiple levels of control in the generation of invoices (creator, reviewer, etc.). 2. Create and generate individual invoices.

3. Create and generate recurring invoices including the ability to specify the billing cycle. 4. Generate invoices based on specified triggering criteria.

5. Re-bill third party costs.

6. Automatically recognize revenue and create receivable on creation of the invoice. 7. Age and track receivables.

8. Apply payments to invoices.

9. Allocate payments to multiple accounts.

5.1.4 - Bank Account Management and Reconciliation

1. Create records for bank accounts. 2. Electronically capture bank statements. 3. Transfer funds between accounts. 4. Reconcile the bank account to the G/L.

5.1.5 – Budgeting

1. Model allocation of indirect costs to grants and to automatically allocate. 2. Develop multi-year budgets.

3. Multi-level approval and rolling.

4. Support projection modeling for “what if” scenarios.

5. Provide options for seeding budgets with historical data (e.g., last year’s actuals) or developing zero-based budgets.

6. Support rules for budget transfers and adjustments during current budget year. 7. Develop standardized and ad-hoc budget reports.

8. Allow for justification data and background entered by departments as supporting content to stay with line item entries through budget roll-up cycles.

9. Support for base-line budgeting.

10. Support for priority based budgeting, including expanding the existing chart of accounts to include programs.

11. Provide employee budgeting, possibly using actual Payroll data to populate employee budgets, and add positions with known salary and benefits from tables.

12. Update tables with various rates, including COLA rates, variable benefits, fixed benefits, and other personnel related rates.

13. Modify budgets at mid-year and more often as needed.

14. Provide on-line queries including drill-down & drill-across functionality for under-lying details. 15. Include justification details by budget line item in reporting.

16. Provide user-configurable extracts to various file output formats (including .XLSX, .XLS, .TXT, etc.). 17. Provide ability to check available budgets on rollup to higher level of an organization set.

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 16 5.1.6 – Time Reporting and Tracking

1. Charge time to a specific task.

2. Control which individuals can charge time to a task. 3. Queue time reports to supervisors for approval. 4. Enable supervisors to modify time reports as needed.

5. Create and execute queries regarding time sheet completion and approval by unit or for entire agency. 6. Enable next-tier manager to approve time sheets for a supervisor.

7. Track vacation, sick, administrative time and other benefits.

8. Generate reports showing staff usage of vacation, sick, administrative time, etc.

5.1.7 – Payroll

1. Support use of third-party service (Paychex) for payroll processing including the ability to export information to the third-party service.

2. Support the importation of data from a third-party service including deductions, etc.

5.1.8 – Leases, Loans, and Investments

1. Provide the ability recognize interest earned and post to G/L.

2. Track renewable loans and lines of credit including the generation and routing of tasks for loan and lease renewals.

3. Provide the ability to create amortization schedules and import amortization schedules. 5.1.9 – Audit Management

1. Create, maintain, and generate audit reports including the ability to include stored documents in the audit report.

5.1.10 – Asset Management

1. Enter lease information and track leases. 2. Track computer and other equipment loans.

3. Record and track fixed assets including the ability to categorize as depreciable or non-depreciable, owned or leased.

4. Record and track disposal of assets including the recognition of any revenue realized through disposal.

5.1.11 – Administration and Record Keeping

1. Create and track travel documents and route for approval as specified. 2. Enter and manage information for miscellaneous accounts.

3. Enter and track INC easements.

4. Track the review of development applications within the Agency.

5.1.12 – Human Resources

1. Make extensive use of table-based, start and end date driven salary maintenance options. 2. Provide the ability to generate pre-defined and ad-hoc reports that provide data on applicant,

employment, certification, training, evaluation, leave of absence, termination, status scenarios, etc. 3. Provide workflow and self-service options supporting W-4 changes, time-off requests, cash-out requests,

employee profile changes, beneficiary changes, open enrollment, employee actions/events tracking (salary increases, reclassifications, etc.); automatically notify providers when a change of address is submitted.

4. Track certifications including expiration and compensation modification triggers; provide the ability to specify required certifications by job title.

5. Support employee evaluation management including related due date triggers/notifications and document storage.

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7. Support employee photo/profile management including integration with HR Inquiry and employee file maintenance screens.

8. Provide tools and features to support recruitment and applicant tracking.

5.2 Contract, Grant, Program, and Project Management Functionality

5.2.1 – Contract Management

1. Enter contract information including contact information, project and task information, milestone payment schedule, payment terms, incentives, etc.

2. Initiate payment request based on completion of milestone and route for approval.

3. Scan contract documents, status reports, and staff documents and include in the contract file including e-mail messages.

4. Track contract status including payments, amendments, renewal status, changes in contact information, etc.

5. Generate notifications based on contract expiration date.

6. Monitor the status of contracts and generate notifications based on Agency-specified criteria.

5.2.2 – Grant, Program and Project Management

1. Track Grants, including funding entity, status of grant application, renewal dates, status reporting dates, grant budget and amount funded.

2. Allocate indirect costs to Grant, Programs, and Projects and to track and report indirect costs to granting agencies.

3. Track specific grant requirements such as DVBE, LBE, SBE participation, etc. and generate compliance reports.

4. Create programs and projects for Grants.

5. Create multiple projects for programs including the budgeted amount. 6. Create multiple tasks per project including budgeted amount per task. 7. Create a new set of tasks for each FY.

8. Allocate staff to tasks including budgeted and actual hours. 9. Identify by task whether over-time hours can be reported. 10. Open and close tasks for time-reporting.

11. Generate scheduled and ad-hoc reports regarding program and project status including hours billed to date and by period, actual billed hours vs. budgeted hours to date and by period, etc.

12. Provide ability for a staff member to “own” multiple projects.

13. Provide ability for next-tier management to designate and modify project owners. 14. Generate and track vouchers.

15. Index and include electronic documents in Grant / Program / Project folders such as risk management plans, etc.

16. Import and export project data to programs such as MS Project (i.e., milestones, dates, and payment per milestone).

5.3 Productivity and Information Sharing Functionality

5.3.1 – Workflow

1. Provide the ability to define standard workflows including the triggers that initiate the workflow, the routing of the task, allocation of the task to staff members based on availability and backlog, time standards for completion of tasks, and automatic notifications.

2. Provide the ability to manage workflows including the ability to review the status of tasks and to redirect tasks as needed.

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4. Track transactions submitted for approval and review with the date/time stamp.

5. Automate approval notification both at the system level and via the Agency’s email system.

6. Provide the ability to implement best practice workflow templates for all core financial, payroll, and personnel transactions (i.e. payables processing purchase orders, G/L transaction approval, payroll processing, budgeting, etc.).

7. Provide the ability to Integrate with the Agency’s email system to assist in the notification and approval steps.

8. Create custom workflows based on Agency business rules.

9. Employ a rich set of attributes in determining what users participate in which steps in the approval processes (e.g. GL number segments, unique groupings, project/task codes, object/spend category codes, consideration of roles, etc.)

5.3.2 – information Sharing and Integration

1. Provide a user-customizable application program interface (API) to enable the generation and receipt of XML-based transactions.

2. Provide a user-customizable API to generate ASCII-delimited and other flat file interfaces. 3. Provide support for integration with “Paychex” for payroll processing.

4. Provide the ability to map development applications and other documents stored in the ERP system to parcels in the Agency’s GIS system.

5.3.3 – Document Management

1. Link scanned and electronic documents to Agency work plan components including grants, programs, projects, tasks, and contracts.

2. Enable users to annotate electronic documents.

3. Permit electronic documents that are classified as confidential to be viewed only by users possessing the appropriate security level.

4. Permit the specification of rules for the automated archiving of electronic documents and for compliance with records retention requirements.

5.3.4 – Online Queries and Reports

1. Enable users to generate reports from a menu of standard reports.

2. Enable users to specify, save, modify, and execute ad-hoc queries including the ability to specify selection criteria and the data elements to be returned.

3. Enable users to export data from standard reports and ad-hoc queries in standard MS Office compatible formats including .XLS. .XSLX, .TXT, etc.

5.4 General and Security Functionality

5.4.1 – General Functionality

1. Browser-based, compatible with IE 10 and IE 11.

2. User Interface should be intuitive, consistent (within and across modules), and well designed. 3. One-time/single-points of data entry to eliminate re-keying of information.

4. Robust search capabilities for data analysis and inquiry,

5. Ability to drill-down and drill-across from a transaction view to the supporting source data and documents if added.

6. Ability to easily export information directly to Excel, Adobe, flat file formats, etc.

7. Provide user-defined tables, fields, screens, reports, hot keys, and business rules/workflows.

8. Ability to modify setup/configuration (i.e. setup codes, report parameters, etc.) without the assistance of the proposer

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on functions, departmental data, etc.

10. Comprehensive online help, documentation and training materials.

5.4.2 – Security and Auditability Functionality

1. Provide controls based on roles and responsibilities (e.g. creator, reviewer, approver). 2. Provide role-based controls for configuration and management of the ERP system. 3. Be designed to enable secure Internet-based access.

4. Log information regarding system activity including modifications to data elements (including the user that added or changed the information), the date and time of the action, the specific data field involved, and the prior field value.

5. Log failed system access attempts and automatically disable logon-ids after successive failed logon attempts.

5.5 Data Conversion (ETL) Requirements (Optional)

The Agency does not anticipate the need for the automated conversion of data from the current accounting system to the new ERP system; however, proposers should indicate whether their solution includes tools to extract, transform, and load (ETL) data.

5.6 Software as a Service (SaaS) Requirements (Optional)

The Agency is highly interested in the receipt of proposals that provide for the remote hosting of the ERP functionality (Software as a Service, SaaS). The Agency has the following requirements for SaaS solutions:

1. Proposer must provide assurances that Agency data will be protected from destruction, and unauthorized access and/or modification.

2. The service and the data must be hosted and provided from a facility within Southwestern area of the United States and preferably within the State of California.

3. The proposer must describe their provisions for business continuity and disaster recovery. The Agency expects the ERP system to be available as needed including 99% available during normal working hours (i.e., from 7AM Pacific Time through 7PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday), and to meet contracted performance requirements 99% of the time

4. The proposer must describe how new versions of the ERP system, or revisions to existing versions, will be reviewed with the Agency prior to installation, and the Agency’s options to decline, if need be, the upgrade.

5. The proposer must be able to provide a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the delivery of services. A sample SLA should be provided with the proposal.

5.7 Product Direction and Viability Requirements

The Agency desires to procure a product that will continue to evolve to meet new requirements. Proposers should describe the status of the core products in the proposed solution relative to the product lifecycle and their approach for the ongoing development and enhancement of these core products, including the addition of new features and functions and migration over time to new and emerging technologies.

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5.8 Technical Requirements

The Agency desires to leverage its existing technology infrastructure and IT staff expertise to support the implementation of the new system. Information regarding the Agency’s technology infrastructure is provided in Section 4.1, Technology Standards, Table 2 – Current Technology Standards. Proposers are required to confirm conformance to these requirements or clearly articulate proposed alternatives.

5.9 Capital Project Functionality (Optional)

The Agency periodically undertakes capital projects on behalf of its member communities. These projects have many of the same attributes (and functional requirements) as for the management of contracts, grants, programs, and projects; however, they tend to be more complex, span multiple fiscal years, and involving multiple vendors, contracts, contract amendments, and the participation of multiple funding agencies. The Agency is interested in receiving proposals from ERP system providers with experience in adapting their products for the management of capital projects; however, the Agency’s highest priority is in obtaining robust functionality for the core financial requirements itemized in Section 5.1.

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6. Proposal Submission Requirements

6.1 General Instructions

The Agency discourages lengthy and costly proposals. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically and provide a straightforward, concise description of the Proposer’s company, qualifications, proposed solution, and capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content. Glossy sales and marketing brochures are not necessary or desired.

Proposals must be organized consistent with the outline provided in this section of the RFP. Proposers must follow all formats and address all portions of the RFP set forth herein providing all information requested. Proposers may retype or duplicate any portion of this RFP for use in responding to the RFP, provided that the proposal clearly addresses all of the Agency's information requirements.

6.2 Proposal Format

Proposals must be structured, presented, and labeled in the following manner:  Cover Letter

 Table of Contents

 Section 1 - Executive Summary  Section 2 – Company Background  Section 3 – Company Qualifications  Section 4 – References

 Section 5 – Proposed Solution

 Section 6 – Implementation Approach  Section 7 – Other Requirements

 Section 8 – Pricing (To be provided as a separate document, in a separate envelope, labelled as provided in Section 1.10, Proposal Submittal)

 Section 9 – Software Licensing and Maintenance Agreements.

Proposals should be prepared on standard 8 1/2" x 11" paper and printed on 2 sides. All proposal pages should be numbered.

Failure to follow the specified format, to label the responses correctly, or to address all of the subsections may, at the Agency’s sole discretion, result in the rejection of the Proposal.

Cover Letter

The proposal must include a cover letter that provides the following: a) Proposer’s legal name and corporate structure;

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 22 c) Identification of use of subcontractors and scope of work to be performed by

subcontractors:

d) Identification of any pending litigation against the Proposer;

e) Disclosure of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings in last 10 years;

f) Statement of the Proposer’s credentials to deliver the services sought under the RFP; g) Statement indicating the proposal remains valid for at least 120 days;

h) Statement that the Proposer or any individual who will perform work for the Proposer is free of any conflict of interest (e.g., employment by the Agency);

i) Statement of acknowledgement that the Agency’s legal documents have been reviewed and accepted with or without qualification. If qualifications are involved, those items requiring adjustment or modification must be identified and listed along with suggested modifications to the contract. If no modifications are noted, the Agency will assume that the proposer is capable of performing all normal tasks and services without reservation or qualification to the contract; and

j) Signature of a company officer empowered to bind the Proposer to the provisions of this RFP and any contract awarded pursuant to it.

The Proposal Cover Letter should be concise and brief and not exceed 2 pages unless Proposer’s exceptions to the Agency’s legal documents require it.

Section 1 - Executive Summary

This section of the proposal should provide a brief and concise synopsis of Proposer’s proposal and a description of the Proposer’s credentials to deliver the services sought under the RFP. The Executive Summary should not exceed 3 pages.

Section 2 – Company Background

This section of the proposal should identify the following:

2.1 – A brief description of the Proposer’s background and organizational history;

2.2 – A statement of how long the Proposer has been performing the services required by this RFP; 2.3 – Identify the location of headquarters, technical support, and field offices;

2.4 – Identify the location of office which would service the Agency; and

2.6 – Identify Proposer’s annual company revenues and profit for the last 3 company fiscal years. The Background section should not exceed 2 pages.

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Section 3 – Company Qualifications

In this section of proposal, the Proposer should identify company qualifications and experience in implementing solutions similar to what the Agency is seeking:

3.1 – Describe the Proposer’s familiarity with public sector ERP systems and associated business processes, and experience with the requirements of the State of California; and

3.2 – Identify your existing client base including the number of existing clients using the version/release of the software being proposed. Clearly identify the number of California public agency installations.

The Company Qualifications section should not exceed 3 pages.

Section 4 - References

The Proposer must provide at least 5 references with at least 3 of the references for systems that have been implemented in the last 5 years. The Agency prefers references from California agencies of similar size and complexity to the Agency. For each reference, proposer must provide the following

information:

 Agency name and contact information (i.e. name, title, address, phone, and email)

 Brief project description, including identifying the software version and modules implemented  Number of agency employees

 Agency general fund budget  Implementation Date

 Implementation timeline and cost.

Section 5 - Proposed Solution

In this section of the proposal, the Proposer should identify the proposed solution up to and including the following:

5.1 – Provide a brief solution overview identifying origin of system, release history, current release being proposed, and number of operational installations for the proposed software solution; 5.2 – Provide a written response to each area identified in Section 5 of the RFP. It is important to

note that the level of detail must be sufficient to allow the evaluators to understand your product’s features, functions, capabilities and shortcomings/challenges. Proposers are allowed to supplement their response to Section 5 using additional product information as an attachment to their proposal. However, at a minimum, Proposers must provide a written summary response at the module level such that the evaluators can obtain an adequate understanding how the proposed solution will meet the Agency’s needs;

5.3 – Identify any additional functionality or recommended modules or services that were not identified in RFP Section 5 but that the Proposer recommends that the Agency consider. Include a description of the features and functions of each additional proposed module; 5.4 – Describe alternative service delivery models (i.e. Software-as-a-Service, Application Service

Provider, Hosted, etc.) available to the Agency and indicate how these might impact the proposed solution; and

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 24 5.5 – Confirm ability to conform to the requirements in RFP section 4.1 Technology Requirements

or clearly articulate proposed alternatives.

Section 6 - Implementation Approach and Work Plan

The Proposer should identify the proposed implementation approach clearly identifying each phase, the timeline proposed, roles and responsibilities to be performed by the Proposer and those to be

performed by the Agency.

6.1 – Describe your implementation and project management methodology and approach to ensure a successful implementation;

6.2 – Provide a project organization chart highlighting the key staff who will be assigned to the project. Provide bios for the project manager and other key assigned resources;

6.3 – Provide a detailed work plan that identifies major activities, tasks, deliverables, and resources. The work plan should conform to the Agency’s schedule and expectations identified in Section 1.3.2, Implementation Requirements. If you are recommending additional phases, please include those in the work plan so that the Agency can clearly understand what the additional phases would include and the timeline for their completion;

6.4 – Describe the roles and responsibilities of the Agency staff during implementation and provide an estimated level of effort;

6.5 – Please note that the Agency does not contemplate converting information from the RCMS to the new ERP system; however, please provide information on any data extraction and transformation tools provided with the proposed solution and the process to import that information into the new ERP system should it become necessary to do so;

6.6 – Describe your training methodology and how you ensure users are prepared to use the New System; and

6.7 – Describe how the use of any alternative service delivery models (see requirement 6.4) would impact the proposed implementation approach, work plan, and Agency staff level of effort.

Section 7 – Other Requirements

In this section of the proposal, the Proposers should address the following items in a concise manner: 7.1 – Describe ongoing maintenance, release/upgrade, and support services. At a minimum,

Proposers should address the following items: 7.1.1 – Help desk processes and procedures

7.1.2 – Hours of support (stated in Pacific Standard Time) 7.1.3 – Escalation procedures

7.1.4 – Response time commitments;

7.2 – Identify if there are solution user groups and/or user conferences;

7.3 – Provide hardware and database specifications for the New System. As part of Proposer’s response, confirm your acceptance of the Agency’s technical standards; and

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 25 the past two years. In addition, clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of the Agency to complete updates.

Section 8 – Pricing (Separate Document)

The Agency seeks a clear and comprehensive understanding of all costs associated with the

implementation and ongoing maintenance of the proposed system. In this section, the Proposer must itemize all costs associated with the implementation and ongoing maintenance. The Agency will

evaluate proposals based on the “Total Cost to Implement (TCI)” and the “Total Cost to Operate (TCO)”. TCI will include all costs required for a successful implementation. The TCO will be calculated based on TCI plus 5 years of annual maintenance fees.

The Proposer’s Price Sheet(s) must identify all costs required to complete a successful implementation to include:

 Software Licensing and Maintenance Costs  Implementation Services

- Project Management

- Software installation and configuration - Implementation consulting

- Business Process Review - Training

- Documentation

- Software maintenance and support - Post-Implementation support

 3rd_{party products required for the new ERP system (i.e. software, hardware)}

 Consultant Travel.

The Agency reserves the right to purchase the required ERP system hardware and database software independently based on the information provided by the Proposer.

The Agency has provided Proposers an electronic (MS Excel) spreadsheet with a pricing template that must be completely filled out and included in Proposer’s response. The Agency will evaluate Proposer price proposals based solely off the information provided in the Pricing Templates. The templates provide space for Proposers to identify any assumptions or comments that will ensure the Agency understands what is being proposed.

The Proposer’s response to the Pricing Section must include the following components.

 Software Licensing and Maintenance Price Sheet – This section of the pricing proposal should clearly identify the proposed software modules that are required to meet the RFP requirements. Proposers are strongly encouraged to provide a detailed breakout of software module pricing in order to help the Agency assess the cost of the proposed solution. Proposers must identify the number of user licenses being proposed for each module and clearly describe the basis for software licensing and method to justify number of licenses being proposed

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San Joaquin Council of Governments Page 26  Implementation Services Price Sheet – This section of the pricing proposal should clearly identify the quantity, hourly rate, and total cost for all professional services the Proposer will provide to ensure a successful implementation. Proposers are encouraged to provide a breakdown of the service categories that will be provided to support the implementation to allow evaluators to understand the level of effort, resources, and cost of services

 3rd Party Products Price Sheet – This section of the pricing proposal should clearly identify any third party software and/or specialty hardware that will be required to fully implement the proposed solution to meet the RFP requirements

 Optional Offerings Price Sheet – This section of the pricing proposal should identify any optional product or service offerings the Proposer would like the Agency to consider. The Agency is interested in understanding and evaluating other products and services of the Proposers. If Proposers believe they have additional products and services that may be of interest to the Agency, please itemize that information in the Optional Offerings Price Sheet

 Consultant Travel – This section of the pricing proposal should clearly identify the projected travel costs associated with Proposer’s implementation services. The proposer should identify the anticipated number of trips, days of service per trip, and estimated per trip cost. The Agency will reimburse the selected Proposer based on actual trip expenses supported by receipts and documentation

 Professional Services Rate Price Sheet – The Agency seeks hourly pricing for additional services that may be required during the implementation. Proposers should provide an hourly rate for any professional services categories offered as part of the proposal. If necessary, the Agency will use these rates to purchase additional services.

Section 9 – Software Licensing and Maintenance Agreements

In this section, the Proposer must provide any software licensing and maintenance agreements that will be required to implement the Proposer’s solution.

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7. Proposal Evaluation

An Evaluation Committee shall review all proposals to determine which Proposers have qualified for consideration. The evaluation will include at least an initial review and a detailed review. The initial review will evaluate all submissions for conformance to stated specifications to eliminate all responses that deviate substantially from the basic intent and/or fail to satisfy the mandatory requirements. Only those proposals that meet or exceed the intent of the mandatory requirements will be further

evaluated.

Submitted proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:  Quality, clarity, and responsiveness of proposal

 Ability to meet the needs of the Agency

 Innovation that supports the Agency’s vision of becoming the “Agency of the Future”

 Well thought out timeline and roadmap for July 1, 2015 “go live” with an agreed upon phased approach negotiated during contract

 Proven technical ability to design, install and support the proposed system

 Demonstrated ability to work in a cooperative and collaborative manner with clients  Anticipated value and price

 Perceived risk or lack thereof  Company financial stability

 References for each application proposed

 Results of interviews, demonstrations, and site visits

 Ability to prepare and execute a contract in a timely manner

 Commitment to continually evolving the system to remain current with evolving best practices. The Agency reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to request clarifications of proposals or to conduct discussions for the purpose of clarification with any or all Proposers. The purpose of any such

discussions shall be to ensure full understanding of the proposal. Discussions shall be limited to specific sections of the proposal identified by the Agency and, if held, shall be after initial evaluation of

Proposals is complete. If clarifications are made as a result of such discussion, the Proposer shall put such clarifications in writing.

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8. General Requirements

8.1 Collusion

By submitting a response to the RFP, each Proposer represents and warrants that its response is genuine and made in the interest of or on behalf of any person not named therein; that the Proposer has not directly induced or solicited any other person to submit a sham response or any other person to refrain from submitting a response; and that the Proposer has not in any manner sought collusion to secure any improper advantage over any other person submitting a response.

8.2 Gratuities

No person will offer, give or agree to give any Agency employee or its representatives any gratuity, discount or offer of employment in connection with the award of contract by the Agency. No Agency employee or its representatives will solicit, demand, accept or agree to accept from any other person a gratuity, discount or offer of employment in connection with an Agency contract.

8.3 Required Review and Waiver of Objections by Proposers

Proposers should carefully review this RFP and all attachments, including but not limited to the Standard Professional Services Agreement, for comments, questions, defects, objections, or any other matter requiring clarification or correction (collectively called “comments”). Comments concerning RFP objections must be made in writing and received by the Agency no later than the "Deadline for Written Questions and Comments" detailed in the Table 1, RFP Schedule of Events. This will allow issuance of any necessary amendments and help prevent the opening of defective proposals upon which contract award could not be made.

Protests based on any objection will be considered waived and invalid if these faults have not been brought to the attention of the Agency, in writing, by the Deadline for Written Questions and Comments.

8.4 Nondiscrimination

No person will be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, be discriminated against in the admission or access to, or be discriminated against in treatment or employment in the Agency’s contracted programs or activities on the grounds of disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal or California State Constitutional or statutory law; nor will they be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of contracts with the Agency or in the employment practices of the Agency’s contractors. Accordingly, all Proposers entering into contracts with the Agency will, upon request, be required to show proof of such nondiscrimination and to post in conspicuous places, available to all employees and applicants, notices of nondiscrimination.

8.5 Proposal Withdrawal

To withdraw a proposal, the Proposer must submit a written request, signed by an authorized representative, to the RFP Coordinator (Section 1.3). After withdrawing a previously submitted proposal, the Proposer may submit another proposal at any time up to the deadline for submitting proposals.

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8.6 Proposal Errors

Proposers are liable for all errors or omissions contained in their proposals. Proposers will not be allowed to alter proposal documents after the deadline for submitting a proposal.

8.7 Incorrect Proposal Information

If the Agency determines that a Proposer has provided, for consideration in the evaluation process or contract negotiations, incorrect information which the Proposer knew or should have known was materially incorrect, that proposal will be determined non-responsive, and the proposal will be rejected.

8.8 Prohibition of Proposer Terms and Conditions

A Proposer may not submit the Proposer's own contract terms and conditions in a response to this RFP. If a proposal contains such terms and conditions, the Agency, at its sole discretion, may determine the proposal to be a nonresponsive counteroffer, and the proposal may be rejected.

8.9 Assignment and Subcontracting

The Contractor may not subcontract, transfer, or assign any portion of the contract without prior, written approval from the Agency. Each subcontractor must be approved in writing by the Agency. The substitution of one subcontractor for another may be made only at the discretion of the Agency and with prior, written approval from the Agency.

Notwithstanding the use of approved subcontractors, the Proposer, if awarded a contract under this RFP, will be the prime contractor and will be responsible for all work performed and will be responsible for all costs to subcontractors for services provided by the Proposer. The Proposer is prohibited from performing any work associated with this RFP or using contractors for any service associated with this RFP offshore (outside the United States).

8.10 Right to Refuse Personnel

The Agency reserves the right to refuse, at its sole discretion, any subcontractors or any personnel provided by the prime contractor or its subcontractors. The Agency reserves the right to interview and approve all Proposer staff members. Proposer’s staff may be subject to the Agency’s background and drug testing processes at any time.

8.11 Proposal of Additional Services

If a Proposer indicates an offer of services in addition to those required by and described in this RFP, these additional services may be added to the contract before contract signing at the sole discretion of the Agency.

8.12 Licensure

Before a contract pursuant to this RFP is signed, the Proposer must hold all necessary, applicable business and professional licenses. The Agency may require any or all Proposers to submit evidence of proper licensure.