Request for Proposal: Organizational Assessment of Select Department

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF SELECT DEPARTMENTS
CITY OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA
Issued: June 23, 2026
Submittal Deadline: July 17, 2026 at 2 PM
Contact:
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
950 West Mall Square, Room 110
Alameda, CA 94501
esmith@alamedaca.gov

CITY OF ALAMEDA
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
II. Background ............................................................................................................................. 1
III. Scope of Services ..................................................................................................................... 2
IV. Minimum Qualifications .......................................................................................................... 2
V. Proposal Requirements ........................................................................................................... 3
VI. Questions ................................................................................................................................ 5
VII. Propsoal Format and Submittal .............................................................................................. 5
VIII. Selection Process .................................................................................................................... 5
IX. Selection Timeline ................................................................................................................... 6
X. General Conditions ................................................................................................................. 6
Appendices
Appendix A Project Scope
Appendix B Service Provider Agreement Standard Form
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF SELECT DEPARTMENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
The City of Alameda is requesting proposals from qualified firms to conduct an Organizational
Assessment of Select Departments.
Proposers shall read the information contained in this Request for Proposal (RFP) to understand
how to submit the proposal, what documents must accompany the proposal and what legal
obligations apply when the Proposer submits a proposal. Any Proposer that wishes to be
considered for this work must submit the information requested in this RFP and if invited,
participate in an evaluation interview panel.
The RFP is available electronically as a download at https://www.alamedaca.gov/BUSINESS/Bid-
on-City-Contracts. Proposers are solely responsible for determining if any addenda have been
issued. Addenda will be published on this same website.
II. BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda, California, is a unique island community of approximately 80,000 residents
located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The City encompasses roughly 10 square miles and consists
of Alameda's main island and Bay Farm Island. It is connected to the surrounding region by four
bridges, two underwater tunnels, commonly referred to as "tubes," three ferry terminals and
one water shuttle providing service to San Francisco and Oakland.
The City's mission is to support and maintain a community where people can live, work, and play
in a sustainable urban environment that is safe, vibrant, and aesthetically pleasing.
Alameda is a full-service city with 14 departments providing a broad range of municipal services,
including police and fire protection; construction and maintenance of streets, parks, storm
drains, and other public infrastructure; planning, building, and transportation; sustainability and
resiliency; libraries; recreation programs and facilities; redevelopment of Alameda Point;
economic development; and general government and administrative support services.
The City is supported by a biennial FY 2025-27 budget of $358.3 million and approximately 515
full-time equivalent positions. The City is committed to delivering high-quality, efficient municipal
services and seeks to ensure that its organizational structures and staffing levels reflect current
and anticipated service demands.
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III. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The City of Alameda is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to conduct a
comprehensive assessment of the organizational structure and staffing of City departments. The
assessment includes three distinct but related components. The consultant will evaluate current
organizational alignment, interdepartmental coordination, staffing allocations, and management
structures, and benchmark Alameda's practices against comparable California municipalities.
1) Assessment of the entire Public Works Department and its organizational structure and
workload capacity.
2) Assessment of the City Manager's Office, including the Housing and Human Services
Division, and its positions and workload capacity.
3) Division organizational assessment of Transportation Planning, Economic Development,
Sustainability and Resiliency, and Communications and Legislative Affairs and how they
should be organized within the four departments of Planning, Building and
Transportation, Base Reuse and Economic Development, Public Works, and the City
Manager's Office, or whether a reorganization and re-titling of any of these departments
is appropriate.
The purpose of this assessment is to provide the City with an independent, objective, and data-
driven analysis of whether the current divisional structures within the departments and divisions
under review are optimally organized to accomplish their respective missions and whether
staffing is appropriately allocated to meet service demands. The assessment will evaluate
organizational structure, staffing levels, spans of control, supervisory relationships, workflows,
and service delivery practices to determine whether current resources and organizational
arrangements are aligned with the City's operational needs and strategic objectives. The City
seeks recommendations that will improve efficiency, reduce duplication, improve delivery of
services that are currently multi-departmental, clarify accountability, and position the
departments for long-term organizational health.
The consultant will provide recommendations and options for organizational structure and
interdepartmental coordination; analysis of staffing levels and allocation; best practices and
benchmark against comparable municipal agencies; and actionable strategies to improve service
delivery, coordination and workflow. The consultant will also develop recommendations
regarding staffing, organizational design, and the appropriate departmental placement of the
functions included in the assessment.
A detailed Project Scope is provided in Appendix A.
IV. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
To be considered responsive, the Proposer shall demonstrate that it meets the following
minimum qualifications:
1. The Proposer shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing
organizational assessments, staffing analyses, operational reviews, management studies,
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or related consulting services for public agencies, with preference given to proposers with
City experience.
2. The Proposer shall have successfully completed at least five (5) organizational
assessment, staffing study, operational assessment, or comparable management
consulting projects for local government agencies within the last ten (10) years.
3. Preference may be given to firms with experience evaluating Public Works departments
or comparable municipal service organizations.
4. The Proposer and any proposed subcontractors shall possess all licenses, certifications,
and business registrations required to perform the services described in this RFP.
V. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
The Proposer shall include, at minimum, in its proposal the information outlined below in a
manner which demonstrates the Proposer's competence and qualifications for the satisfactory
performance of the services identified in this RFP.
1. Statement of Qualifications
The Proposer shall prepare a statement of qualifications which identifies:
a) The size, stability, and capacity of Proposer's organization to provide the services
described in the Scope of Services.
b) An identification of the Proposer's qualifications demonstrating compliance with the
Minimum Qualifications set forth in this RFP. The Proposer shall provide information
that clearly demonstrates the experience of its firm and principals performing services
similar in scope, complexity, and nature to those described herein, including the
number of years the Proposer has provided such services.
The Proposer shall also provide a list of at least five recent projects that are
representative of the services requested in this RFP. For each project, include the
client organization's name, contact person, title, telephone number, and email
address; a description of the services performed; the contract amount; the project
completion date (or current status if ongoing); and the Proposer's specific role and
responsibilities.
c) A list of the Proposer's principals, employees, agents, and sub-service providers which
the Proposer intends to assign to this project. This list shall include a summary of the
qualifications (including education, training, certifications / licenses, and experience)
of each individual; the approximate number of hours each will devote to the contract;
and the type of work to be performed by each individual.
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d) The following information on all state or federal litigation in which Proposer or any
proposed subcontractor was a named party, or worked under contract with a party
named in a lawsuit:
1. Case name and case number
2. Case location (including county and state for state litigation, or district for
federal litigation)
3. Year case was filed
4. Whether case is pending or resolved, and outcome (if any)
5. Description of the case (i.e., type of case, whether case is typical, what
claims were alleged against Bidder or subcontractor)
2. Statement of Exceptions, if any, to Standard Service Provider Agreement.
The selected firm will be required to execute the Service Provide Agreement included in
template form as Appendix B. All proposers are directed particularly to review all
Indemnification, Hold Harmless and Insurance requirements set forth in this Agreement.
If Proposer wishes to take exception to any of the terms and conditions contained in the
Agreement for Service, these should be identified specifically; otherwise include a
statement of no exception in the submitted proposal. Failure to identify contractual issues
of dispute can later be the basis for the City disqualifying a proposer. Any exceptions to
terms, conditions, or other requirements must be clearly stated.
3. Scope of Services
Provide a detailed Scope of Services that describes the Proposer's recommended
approach for completing the Organizational Assessment for Selected Departments as
described in this RFP and Appendix A.
The proposed Scope of Services shall demonstrate the Proposer's understanding of the
City's objectives and include a detailed description of the tasks, subtasks, methodologies,
stakeholder engagement strategies, analyses, and deliverables necessary to complete the
assessment. For each task, describe the purpose of the task, the work activities to be
performed, the anticipated outcomes, and the resulting deliverables, if any.
The City intentionally provided a scope of work outline, not a detailed, specific scope of
work and expects Proposers to develop a comprehensive Scope of Services based upon
their professional expertise and understanding of the project objectives. The quality,
completeness, and appropriateness of the proposed Scope of Services and methodology
will be considered in the evaluation of proposals.
Include a project schedule identifying major tasks, milestones, deliverables, stakeholder
engagement activities, review periods, and with a completion date no later than October
30, 2026.
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4. Project Pricing
Provide a table with the estimated labor hours by personnel proposed for the project for
each task identified in the Scope of Services. The table shall include subtotals by both
column and row along with a total estimated hours to perform the Scope of Services. All
pertinent and relevant assumptions that may affect the proposed hours shall be clearly
listed in this section of the proposal.
VI. QUESTIONS
Please direct any questions on this RFP to Erin Smith, Public Works Director. Questions must be
by written email and received by 2 PM on July 10, 2026.
VII. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND SUBMITTAL
Proposers shall submit their proposal in a Portable Document File (PDF) format. Proposals must
be submitted by email to esmith@alamedaca.gov with the following subject line, "City of
Alameda -Organizational Assessment for Select Departments".
Proposals must be received by 2:00 PM on July 17, 2026. Any proposal with an email time
stamped after 2 PM will not be considered. The City assumes no responsibility for delays caused
by delivery service. An email leaving the Proposer's server by the due date will not substitute for
actual receipt. Any Proposal received prior to 2 PM on July 17, 2026 may be modified by written
addendum or withdrawn by written request from the Proposer to the City up to the official time
when all proposals are due. Section IV contains a complete list of proposal requirements.
VIII. SELECTION PROCESS
After review of the submitted proposals, the City may invite some or all proposers to present
their qualifications and proposed approach or may decide to select one proposer without
conducting interviews and enter into contract negotiations directly. Proposer interviews, if
necessary, are anticipated to be conducted according to the schedule provided in Section VIII.
Details of the interview process will be provided along with the invitation to present.
The final selection will be based upon the following criteria:
1. Ability of the Proposer to Carry Out and Manage the Proposed Project (30%)
An assessment of the Proposer's proposed scope of work, project approach, schedule,
staffing plan, and project management strategy. Consideration will be given to the
Proposer's demonstrated understanding of the City's objectives, the clarity and
completeness of the proposed work plan, the ability to identify and address key project
issues, and the proposed methods for communication, coordination, quality control, and
timely completion of the work.
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2. Qualifications (30%)
The qualifications, including education, training, licenses, experience, and past
performance, of the Proposer and its agents, employees, and sub-service providers. The
City may consider the Proposer's experience with similar projects, demonstrated
expertise, references, and timely and accurate performance on contracts of a similar
nature.
3. Willingness to Comply with the Proposed Agreement Terms (10%)
A sample agreement is attached. Proposals will be rated based on the exceptions taken
to the proposed contract.
4. Cost of Proposal (30%)
Cost, while not determinative, will be considered as part of the selection process. The City
may consider the overall value of the proposal in relation to the proposed scope of
services.
5. Local Business (+5%)
If the Proposer's company is physically located within the City limits, they will receive an
additional five points.
IX. SELECTION TIMELINE
The City has designated the following activities and dates as key to the project schedule.
Proposers are encouraged to assist the City in adhering to this timeline. The City reserves the
right to change the schedule at its own discretion.
Anticipated Schedule for Selection
Issuance of Request for Proposals: June 23, 2026
Deadline to submit Proposals: July 17, 2026
Interviews (if deemed required): July 23-24, 2026
Contract Award (Anticipated): August 1, 2026
X. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. Nondiscrimination: Applicants for this RFP shall not discriminate against any interested
individual, firm or applicant on the grounds of race, religious creed, color, national origin,
ancestry, handicap, disability, marital status, pregnancy, sex, age, or sexual orientation.
2. Permits, Licenses, and Insurance: The successful applicant for this RFP shall, at its sole
expense, obtain and maintain during the term of any agreement executed pursuant to
this RFP all appropriate permits, certificates, licenses, and insurance including, but not
limited to, a City of Alameda Business License which may be required in connection with
the performance of services hereunder.
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3. Signatures and Declarations: Each proposal responding to this RFP must be signed on
behalf of the submitting entity by an officer authorized to bind the entity to its proposal.
4. City's Right to Waive: The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any
immaterial irregularities in a proposal responding to this RFP or in the submission of a
proposal.
5. City's Right to Modify the RFP: The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify
this RFP should the City deem that it is in its best interests to do so. Any changes to the
RFP requirements will be made by written addendum posted on the City's website. The
failure of an applicant to read any addenda shall have no effect on the validity of such
modification.
6. City's Right to Suspend or Cancel the RFP: The City reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to suspend or cancel this RFP in part or in its entirety should the City deem
that it is in the City's best interests to do so.
7. City's Right to Reject Any Proposal: The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
reject any proposal responding to this RFP that the City determines does not satisfy the
conditions set forth in this RFP, or contains false, misleading, or materially incomplete
information. The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject all applicants and
not to award to any applicant should the City deem that it is in its best interests to do so.
8. City's Right to Extend RFP Deadlines: The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
extend any of the deadlines listed in this RFP by written addenda should the City deem
that it is in its best interests to do so.
9. Cost of Proposals: All costs incurred during proposal preparation or in any way associated
with an applicant's preparations, submission, presentation or oral interview (if any) shall
be the sole responsibility of Applicant.
10. Liability for RFP Errors: Applicants are solely responsible for all errors and omissions
contained in their responses to the RFP.
11. Proposals Property of City: Upon receipt, each proposal responding to this RFP that an
applicant submits to the City becomes the sole property of the City and will not be
returned to the applicant.
12. Oral and Written Explanations: The City shall not be bound by oral explanations or
instructions given at any time during the process or after the award. Oral explanations
given during the review process and after award become binding only when confirmed in
writing by an authorized City official. Written responses to question(s) asked by one
proposer will be provided to all applicants to this RFP.
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13. Public Record: All proposals submitted to the City are subject to the California Public
Records Act.
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