BGS Project Marketing Public Relations Curators Office

Agency:	State of Vermont
State:	Vermont
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541613 - Marketing Consulting Services 541820 - Public Relations Agencies
Posted Date:	Apr 10, 2024
Due Date:	Apr 30, 2024
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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Buildings and General Services

133 State Street, 5th Floor | Montpelier VT 05633-8000

802-828-2211 phone |802-828-2222 fax

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing

SEALED BID

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

CURATORS’ OFFICE

ISSUE DATE

QUESTIONS DUE

RFP RESPONSES DUE BY

April 9, 2024

April 17, 2024 – 4:30 PM EST

April 30, 2024 – 4:30 PM

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES, AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED

WITH THIS RFP WILL BE POSTED AT:

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php

THE STATE WILL MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT INTERESTED PARTIES WITH UPDATED

INFORMATION. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BIDDER TO PERIODICALLY CHECK THE

ABOVE WEBPAGEFOR ANY AND ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES AND ADDENDUMS

ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RFP.

STATE CONTACT:

E-MAIL:

James Meyers, State Senior Purchasing Agent

James.Meyers@Vermont.gov

1. OVERVIEW:

1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Vermont State Curator’s

Office (hereinafter the “State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one or more companies that can

provide Marketing and Public Relations, to include writing and distributing press releases and press

pitches, media buys, social media posting and support, and communications with artists, press, and the

public.

1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of 24 months with an option to

renew for up to one additional 24-month periods. The State anticipates the start date for such contract(s)

will be May, 10, 2024

1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed in writing

to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact with any other

individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

Revised: December 27, 2023

Page 1 of 17

1.4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or

wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than

the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point

of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last

day of the question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all

questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State’s web site

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as

possible after the question period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions.

1.5. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State through the

issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php .

Modifications from any other source are not to be considered.

2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:

2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business need(s): Marketing and

Public Relations.

2.2. The State of Vermont seeks to achieve the following Business Value(s):

2.2.1.Communication: effective communication and marketing of events through the press and social

media.

2.2.2.New Ideas: introduction of new ideas or markets to help broaden the marketing of all programming

generated by the State Curators’ Office.

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

3.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and all costs that

Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If applicable, all equipment

pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No request for extra delivery cost will be

honored. All equipment shall be delivered assembled, serviced, and ready for immediate use, unless

otherwise requested by the State.

3.1.1.Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing policy submitted by

Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable and (ii) cover the full spectrum of

materials and/or services required.

3.1.2.Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts through a competitive

bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are welcome to submit the pricing in response

to this solicitation.

3.1.3.Retainage. In the discretion of the State, a contract resulting from this RFP may provide that the

State withhold a percentage of the total amount payable for some or all deliverables, such retainage

to be payable upon satisfactory completion and State acceptance in accordance with the terms and

conditions of the contract.

3.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses and select the

Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and consistent with the goals and

performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State of Vermont reserves the right to obtain

clarification or additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal. Failure of bidder to

respond to a request for additional information or clarification could result in rejection of that bidder's

proposal. To secure a project that is deemed to be in the best interest of the State, the State reserves the

right to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to waive

technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to make purchases outside of the awarded

contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State.

3.2.1.Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and prior to the final

selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State may invite Bidder(s) to provide a

BAFO. The state reserves the right to request BAFOs from only those Bidders that meet the minimum

qualification requirements and/or have not been eliminated from consideration during the evaluation

process.

3.2.2.Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be required by the State if it

will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented during

Revised: December 27, 2023

Page 2 of 17

presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be responsible for all costs associated with providing

the presentation.

3.3. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with Section 32 of The

Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), Bidders must comply with the following

provisions and requirements.

3.3.1.Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete the appropriate

section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of self-reporting information relating to

past violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past performance

relative to coding and classification of workers. The State is requiring information on any violations

that occurred in the previous 12 months.

3.3.2.Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are hereby notified that

upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State shall be provided with a list of all

proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors, together with the identity of those

subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance providers, and additional required or requested

information, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This requirement does not apply to subcontractors providing

supplies only and no labor to the overall contract or project. This list MUST be updated and provided

to the State as additional subcontractors are hired. A sample form is available online at

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-contracting/forms. The subcontractor reporting form is not

required to be submitted with the bid response.

3.4. EXECUTIVE ORDER 05-16: CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS IN STATE PROCUREMENTS:

For bid amounts exceeding $25,000.00 Bidders are requested to complete the Climate Change

Considerations in State Procurements Certification, which is included in the Certificate of Compliance for

this RFP.

After consideration of all relevant factors, a bidder that demonstrates business practices that promote

clean energy and address climate change as identified in the Certification, shall be given favorable

consideration in the competitive bidding process. Such favorable consideration shall be consistent with

and not supersede any preference given to resident bidders of the State and/or products raised or

manufactured in the State, as explained in the Method of Award section. But, such favorable

consideration shall not be employed if prohibited by law or other relevant authority or agreement.

3.5. METHOD OF AWARD: Awards will be made in the best interest of the State. The State may award one

or more contracts and reserves the right to make additional awards to other compliant bidders at any time

if such award is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. All other considerations being equal,

preference will be given first to resident bidders of the state and/or to products raised or manufactured in

the state, and then to bidders who have practices that promote clean energy and address climate change,

as identified in the applicable Certificate of Compliance.

3.5.1.Evaluation Criteria: Consideration shall be given to the Bidder’s project approach and methodology,

qualifications and experience, ability to provide the services within the defined timeline, cost, and/or

success in completing similar projects, as applicable, and to the extent specified below.

3.6. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State may select one or

more bidders with which to negotiate a contract, based on the evaluation findings and other criteria

deemed relevant for ensuring that the decision made is in the best interest of the State. In the event State

is not successful in negotiating a contract with a selected bidder, the State reserves the option of

negotiating with another bidder, or to end the proposal process entirely.

3.7. COST OF PREPARATION: Bidder shall be solely responsible for all expenses incurred in the preparation

of a response to this RFP and shall be responsible for all expenses associated with any presentations or

demonstrations associated with this request and/or any proposals made.

3.8. CONTRACT TERMS: The selected bidder(s) will be expected to sign a contract with the State, including

the Standard Contract Form and Attachment C as attached to this RFP for reference. If IT Attachment D is

included in this RFP, terms may be modified based upon the solution proposed by the Bidder, subject to

approval by the Agency of Digital Services.

Revised: December 27, 2023

Page 3 of 17

3.8.1.Business Registration. To be awarded a contract by the State of Vermont a bidder (except an

individual doing business in his/her own name) must be registered with the Vermont Secretary of

State’s office https://sos.vermont.gov/corporations/registration/ and must obtain a Contractor’s

Business Account Number issued by the Vermont Department of Taxes http://tax.vermont.gov/ .

3.8.2.The contract will obligate the bidder to provide the services and/or products identified in its bid, at the

prices listed.

3.8.3.Payment Terms. Percentage discounts may be offered for prompt payments of invoices; however,

such discounts must be in effect for a period of 30 days or more in order to be considered in making

awards.

3.8.4.Quality. If applicable, all products provided under a contract with the State will be new and unused,

unless otherwise stated. Factory seconds or remanufactured products will not be accepted unless

specifically requested by the purchasing agency. All products provided by the contractor must meet

all federal, state, and local standards for quality and safety requirements. Products not meeting these

standards will be deemed unacceptable and returned to the contractor for credit at no charge to the

State.

4. CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES: The content and format requirements listed below are the

minimum requirements for State evaluation. These requirements are not intended to limit the content of a

Bidder’s proposal. Bidders may include additional information or offer alternative solutions for the State’s

consideration. However, the State discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals, and Bidders are advised to

include only such information in their response as may be relevant to the requirements of this RFP.

4.1. The bid should include a Cover Letter and Technical Response and Price Schedule.

4.2. COVER LETTER:

4.2.1.Confidentiality. To the extent your bid contains information you consider to be proprietary and

confidential, you must comply with the following requirements concerning the contents of your cover

letter and the submission of a redacted copy of your bid (or affected portions thereof).

4.2.2.All responses to this RFP will become part of the contract file and will become a matter of public

record under the State’s Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq. (the “Public Records Act”). If your

response must include material that you consider to be proprietary and confidential under the Public

Records Act, your cover letter must clearly identify each page or section of your response that you

consider proprietary and confidential. Your cover letter must also include a written explanation for

each marked section explaining why such material should be considered exempt from public

disclosure in the event of a public records request, pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 317(c), including the

prospective harm to the competitive position of the bidder if the identified material were to be

released. Additionally, you must include a redacted copy of your response for portions that are

considered proprietary and confidential. Redactions must be limited so that the reviewer may

understand the nature of the information being withheld. It is typically inappropriate to redact entire

pages, or to redact the titles/captions of tables and figures. Under no circumstances may your entire

response be marked confidential, and the State reserves the right to disqualify responses so marked.

4.2.3.Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. If a Bidder wishes to propose an exception to any

terms and conditions set forth in the Standard Contract Form and its attachments, such exceptions

must be included in the cover letter to the RFP response. Failure to note exceptions when responding

to the RFP will be deemed to be acceptance of the State contract terms and conditions. If exceptions

are not noted in the response to this RFP but raised during contract negotiations, the State reserves

the right to cancel the negotiation if deemed to be in the best interests of the State. Note that

exceptions to contract terms may cause rejection of the proposal.

4.3. TECHNICAL RESPONSE. In response to this RFP, a Bidder shall:

4.3.1.Provide details concerning your form of business organization, company size and resources.

4.3.2.Describe your capabilities and particular experience relevant to the RFP requirements.

4.3.2.1. Identify all current or past State projects.

Revised: December 27, 2023

Page 4 of 17

4.3.3.Identify the names of all subcontractors you intend to use, the portions of the work the subcontractors

will perform, and address the background and experience of the subcontractor(s), as per RFP section

4.3.2 above.

4.4. REFERENCES. Provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three companies with

whom you have transacted similar business in the last 12 months. You must include contact names who

can talk knowledgeably about performance.

4.5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Provide a sample of any reporting documentation that may be applicable

to the Detailed Requirements of this RFP.

4.6. PRICE SCHEDULE: Bidders shall submit their pricing information in the Price Schedule attached to the

RFP.

4.7. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: This form must be completed and submitted as part of the response for

the proposal to be considered valid.

5. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

5.1. CLOSING DATE: Bids must be received by the State by the due date specified on the front page of this

RFP. Late bids will not be considered.

5.1.1.The State may, for cause, issue an addendum to change the date and/or time when bids are due. If a

change is made, the State will inform all bidders by posting at the webpage indicated on the front

page of this RFP.

5.1.2.There will not be a public bid opening. However, the State will record the name, city and state for any

and all bids received by the due date. This information will be posted as promptly as possible

following the due date online at: https://bgs.vermont.gov/content/opc-bid-tabulation-sheets-0 .

Bidders are hereby notified to review the information posted after the bid opening deadline to confirm

receipt of bid by the State. Any bidder that submitted a bid, and is not listed on the bid tabulation

sheet, shall promptly notify the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Should a bidder fail

to notify the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP within two weeks of posting the bid

tabulation sheet, the State shall not be required to consider the bid.

5.2. STATE SECURITY PROCEDURES: Please be advised extra time will be needed when visiting and/or

delivering information to State of Vermont offices. All individuals visiting State offices must

present a valid government issued photo ID when entering the facility.

5.2.1.State office buildings may be locked or otherwise closed to the public. If this RFP permits hand

delivery of bids, delivery instructions will be posted at the entrance to the State facility. Any delay

caused by State Security Procedures will be at the bidder’s own risk.

5.3. BID DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS:

5.3.1.ELECTRONIC: Electronic bids will be accepted.

5.3.1.1. E-MAIL BIDS. Emailed bids will be accepted. Bids will be accepted via email submission to

BGS.VTBids@vermont.gov Bids must consist of a single email with a single, digitally

searchable PDF attachment containing all components of the bid. Multiple emails and/or

multiple attachments will not be accepted. There is an attachment size limit of 40 MB. It is the

Bidder’s responsibility to compress the PDF file containing its bid if necessary in order to meet

this size limitation.

5.3.1.2. FAX BIDS: Faxed bids will not be accepted.

5.3.2.Paper format bids will not be accepted.

Revised: December 27, 2023

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TITLE	QUESTIONS DUE	ANSWERS POSTED	DUE DATE	NO POSTING AFTER
BGS Project Marketing Public Relations Curators Office	04/17/2024 04:30PM		04/30/2024 04:30PM

BGS Project Marketing Public Relations Curators Office

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