Request for Proposals 2026-07 Information Technology Services and Management

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
RFP NO. 2026-07
The Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
is seeking Proposals for:
Information Technology Services and Management
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF ADA,
THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE REQUESTED IN AN ALTERNATE FORMAT
City of Boca Raton Council Member Yvette Drucker, MPO Governing Board Chair
Valerie Neilson, Executive Director
Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization
301 Datura Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
DATE ISSUED: April 27, 2026
CLOSING DATE AND TIME: May 19, 2026, 4:00 pm EST
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Issuing office ......................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Purpose of the Project ........................................................................................... 3
1.3 Period of Contract ................................................................................................. 3
1.4 Contact Person ...................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Timetable ............................................................................................................... 4
1.6 Entering Proposals ................................................................................................ 5
1.7 Additional Information / Amendment(s) ................................................................. 5
SECTION 2 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS .................................................................................. 6
2.1 Proposal Guarantee .............................................................................................. 6
2.2 Modified Proposals ................................................................................................ 6
2.3 Withdrawal of Proposals ........................................................................................ 6
2.4 Late Proposals, Late Modified Proposals .............................................................. 6
2.5 RFP Postponement / Cancellation ........................................................................ 6
2.6 Costs Incurred by Respondents ............................................................................ 6
2.7 Proprietary / Confidential Information .................................................................... 7
2.8 Negotiations .......................................................................................................... 7
2.9 Right to Protest ...................................................................................................... 7
2.10 Title VI, Equal Opportuntity Employment, and Nondiscrimination ......................... 8
2.11 Rules; Regulations; Licensing Requirements ........................................................ 8
2.12 Federal Debarment ............................................................................................... 8
2.13 Responsive Proposals ........................................................................................... 9
2.14 Exceptions to the RFP ........................................................................................... 9
2.15 MPO's Exclusive Rights ...................................................................................... 10
2.16 Selection Process ................................................................................................ 10
2.17 Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................... 10
2.18 Award of Contract ................................................................................................ 11
2.19 Standard Contract Provisions .............................................................................. 11
2.20 Commencement Of Work .................................................................................... 13
2.21 Insurance Requirements ..................................................................................... 13
2.22 Scrutinized Companies ....................................................................................... 14
2.23 Authorized Signature ........................................................................................... 14
2.24 Organizational IT Environment Summary ............................................................ 15
SECTION 3 - PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................ 16
3.1 Proposal Format .................................................................................................. 16
3.2 Required Content ................................................................................................ 16
SECTION 4 - DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED .................................................................... 18
SECTION 5 - ATTACHMENTS .................................................................................................. 20
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INTRODUCTION
1.1 ISSUING OFFICE
This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization
(hereinafter referred to as "MPO"). The MPO is the sole point of contact concerning this RFP. All
communications regarding this RFP must be done through the Contact Person for the MPO (See
Section 1.4). The procurement standards governing this RFP can be found on the MPO website
at www.PalmBeachMPO.org/Business
The Palm Beach MPO is a federally mandated public agency that works with partners across
Palm Beach County, Florida, and the United States to plan, prioritize, and fund the transportation
system.
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
The MPO seeks to retain a qualified consultant team (hereinafter referred to as "Respondent",
"Consultant" or "Contractor") to provide Information Technology Services and Management
including on-site support.
1.3 PERIOD OF CONTRACT
The proposed effective date of this Contract is August 1, 2026. The MPO anticipates the contract
resulting from this solicitation will continue for a period of three (3) years from the effective date,
expiring July 30, 2029. Three (3) additional twelve (12) month renewal option(s) may be offered
at the MPO's sole discretion.
1.4 CONTACT PERSON
The MPO Contact Person for this RFP is Jessica Lopez, Procurement and Contracts Coordinator,
(561) 725-0821, e-mail address: Finance@PalmBeachMPO.org.
Any questions, explanations, or other requests desired by Proposer(s) regarding this RFP must
be made in writing to the Contact Person via e-mail or U.S. Mail no later than the date specified
and to the address listed in the RFP Timetable (Section 1.4). The request must contain the
Respondent's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.
Respondents are advised that from the date of release of this RFP until award of the contract, no
contact with MPO staff concerning this RFP is permitted, except as authorized by the Contact
Person designated herein.
The MPO's office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
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1.5 TIMETABLE
The anticipated schedule and deadline for the RFP and Contract approval are as follows:
Activity Date Time Location
www.PalmBeachMPO.org/Business
RFP available for download 4/27/2026 4:00 p.m. and
www.DemandStar.com
Submit via e-mail to
Question submittal deadline 5/7/2026 4:00 p.m.
finance@PalmBeachMPO.org
Response to questions and RFP www.PalmBeachMPO.org/Business
amendments (if any) available 5/8/2026 4:00 p.m. and
for download www.DemandStar.com
www.DemandStar.com or
Deadline for receipt of Palm Beach MPO
5/19/2026 4:00 p.m.
proposals 301 Datura Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Public Opening of Sealed Virtual meeting via Zoom available at
5/20/2026 10:00 a.m.
Proposals www.PalmBeachMPO.org
Virtual meeting via Zoom available at
Selection Committee Meeting 5/28/2026 10:00 a.m.
www.PalmBeachMPO.org
www.PalmBeachMPO.org/Business
Posting of Short List
6/2/2026 4:00 pm and
(If applicable)
www.DemandStar.com
Oral Presentations Virtual meeting via Zoom available at
6/5/2026 2:00 pm
(if necessary) www.PalmBeachMPO.org
NOTE: The MPO reserves the right to alter the above activities, places and/or times at the MPO's
sole discretion.
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1.6 ENTERING PROPOSALS
All proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026.
The submission of a proposal by a Respondent will be considered by the MPO as constituting a
legal offer by the Respondent to perform the required services identified therein. Respondents
can choose one of the following options for submittal:
1. Respondents may submit electronically via DemandStar at www.DemandStar.com. The
Proposal package, including all signed/authorized/notarized forms, can be uploaded through
the DemandStar website. The RFP will be available under the Palm Beach Metropolitan
Planning Organization name.
2. Respondents may submit Proposals in person. Please see instructions below.
3. Respondents may submit Proposals by mail. The MPO cannot be held liable for documents
that become lost, misplaced, or delayed by any and all delivery services including, but not
limited to, USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc. Please see instructions below.
In person/mail submittal instructions: Respondents submitting Hard/paper copies of the Proposal
must submit in a package with an unbroken seal, including all signed/authorized/notarized forms.
All Proposals should be formatted to print on letter size paper with arial type in 11 or 12 pt. text.
Any proposal materials submitted unsealed are not eligible for consideration. In person or mail
submittals must be addressed and delivered to the Contact Person:
Palm Beach MPO c/o Jessica Lopez
301 Datura St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
1.7 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / AMENDMENT(S)
Changes to this RFP, when deemed necessary by the MPO, will be completed only by written
Amendment(s) issued no later than the date specified in the RFP Timetable (Section 1.5).
Respondents should not rely on any representations, statements or explanations other than those
made in the RFP or in any Amendment to this RFP. In the case of any apparent conflict between
the RFP and any Amendment issued, the latest Amendment issued shall prevail.
As they are issued, all Amendments to solicitations will be posted under the applicable solicitation
on www.PalmBeachMPO.org/Business. It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to routinely
check for any Amendments prior to the Deadline for receipt of Proposals. The MPO shall not be
responsible for the completeness of any RFP package not downloaded directly from the MPO
website or www.DemandStar.com.
It is the Respondent's sole responsibility to assure receipt of all Amendments. The Respondent
should verify with the designated Contact Person (Section 1.4) prior to submitting a Proposal that
all Amendments have been received. Respondents are required to acknowledge the receipt of all
Amendments by submitting the Amendment Acknowledgement Form as part of their proposal.
The Amendment Acknowledgement Form will be attached to the amendment documentation
posted to the website.
The MPO shall not be responsible for the completeness of any RFP package not downloaded
directly from the MPO website or www.DemandStar.com.
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SECTION 2 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS
2.1 PROPOSAL GUARANTEE
The Respondent guarantees their commitment, compliance, and adherence to all requirements
of the RFP by submission of their Proposal. For this proposal, the MPO is not requiring a proposal
bond.
2.2 MODIFIED PROPOSALS
A Respondent may submit a modified Proposal to replace all or any portion of a previously
submitted Proposal until the Deadline for receipt of Proposals. The MPO will only consider the
latest version of the Proposal.
2.3 WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS
A Proposal may be withdrawn only by written notification. Letters of withdrawal received after the
Deadline for receipt of Proposals will not be accepted unless the contract has been awarded to
another Respondent, or no award has been made within ninety (90) days after the Deadline for
receipt of Proposals.
Unless withdrawn, as provided in this subsection, a Proposal shall be irrevocable until the time
that a contract is awarded.
2.4 LATE PROPOSALS, LATE MODIFIED PROPOSALS
Proposals and/or modifications to Proposals received after the Deadline for receipt of Proposals
specified in RFP Timetable (Section 1.4) are late and shall not be considered.
2.5 RFP POSTPONEMENT / CANCELLATION
The MPO may, at its sole and absolute discretion, reject any and all, or parts of any and all
Proposals; waive any minor irregularities in this RFP or in the Proposals received as a result of
this RFP; postpone or cancel, at any time, this RFP process; or re-issue this RFP.
2.6 COSTS INCURRED BY RESPONDENTS
All expenses incurred with the preparation and submission of Proposals to the MPO, or any work
performed in connection therewith, shall be borne by the responding party. No payment shall be
made for Proposals received, nor for any other effort required of or made by the Respondents,
prior to commencement of work as defined by a contract approved by the MPO in accordance
with the MPO's Procurement Policy.
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2.7 PROPRIETARY / CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Any material submitted in response to this RFP is considered a public document in accordance
with Section 119.07, Florida Statutes (F.S.). As a result, all submittals will be subject to the Florida
public records law, Chapter 112, Florida Statutes. This includes material which the Respondent
might consider to be confidential. All submitted information that the Respondent believes to be
confidential and exempt from disclosure (i.e., a trade secret or as provided for in Section 119.0715
and Section 688.002, F.S.) must be specifically identified as such. Upon receipt of a public records
request for such information, determination will be made by the MPO as to whether the identified
information is in fact confidential. If the document is withheld from public disclosure pursuant to
Section 119.0715, the Respondent may, at the MPO's option, be required to defend the MPO's
decision to withhold disclosure of the document or portion thereof that the Respondent has
designated as a "trade secret."
2.8 NEGOTIATIONS
The MPO, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to enter into Contract negotiations with the
highest evaluated responsive, responsible Respondent(s). If the MPO and said Respondent(s)
cannot negotiate a successful Contract, the MPO may terminate said negotiations and begin
negotiations with the next highest evaluated responsive, responsible Respondent. This process
will continue until the Contracts acceptable to the MPO have been executed or all proposals are
rejected. No Respondent shall have any rights against the MPO arising from such negotiations or
termination thereof.
2.9 RIGHT TO PROTEST
Any Respondent who is aggrieved in connection with the recommendation for contract award may
protest by submitting a written protest to the MPO Executive Director within five (5) business days
of the posting of the short list of proposers or the award recommendation.
A. Protests must be submitted in writing, addressed to the MPO Executive Director, via hand
delivery, U.S. Mail, or e-mail to VNeilson@PalmBeachMPO.org. The protest shall identify the
protestor and the solicitation, shall include a factual summary of the basis of the protest, shall
delineate the alleged omission, error, mistake, or incorrect evaluation; and shall specify the
relief requested by the aggrieved proposer. Such protest is considered filed when it is
received, and date/time stamped by the MPO. Only those issues submitted in writing within
the timeframe specified for the notice of protest will be considered.
B. Upon receipt of the written protest, the MPO Executive Director will review the protest, any
written material provided by the parties, or may, in his/her sole discretion, schedule an informal
meeting in order to render a decision. The MPO Executive Director shall issue a written
decision to either uphold or deny the protest within five (5) business days from receipt of the
protest. The written decision shall provide the general rationale for said determination and
shall be provided to the protestor and to any other party to the protest.
C. In accordance with the MPO Procurement Policy, a protestor shall be required to submit a
protest deposit in the form of cash or cashier's check in an amount equal to the greater of one
percent (1%) of the anticipated contract value or five thousand dollars ($5,000). The deposit
shall be returned if the protest is upheld and forfeited if denied.
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D. The protest may be upheld based upon a violation of the provisions of the Palm Beach MPO
Procurement Policy or any other ordinance, resolution, policy, or procedure, or upon discovery
of an irregularity or procedural flaw that is so severe as to render the process invalid. If the
upholding of the protest will result in change of the recommended awardee, a new
recommended award shall be posted by the MPO in accordance with the Palm Beach MPO
Procurement Policy. If the upholding of the protest will result in a cancellation of the RFP, the
MPO Executive Director will uphold the protest and cancel the RFP.
E. If the protest is denied, the protestor may submit a written appeal to the MPO Executive
Director within three (3) business days of the denial. The appeal shall be heard by an Appeal
Committee of no fewer than three (3) MPO Board Representatives including the Chair and/or
the Vice Chair. The Appeal Committee will review the appeal, any written material provided
by the parties and the determination of the MPO Executive Director and will issue a final
decision. The Appeal Committee's decision shall be the final determination and disposition of
the protest.
2.10 TITLE VI, EQUAL OPPORTUNTITY EMPLOYMENT, AND NONDISCRIMINATION
All proposers and the selected consultant will abide by applicable nondiscrimination authorities
and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability status,
genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion,
family status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
The selected consultant will place or cause to be placed in any information developed for public
dissemination the following statement: The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, age, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, religion, family status, or any other characteristic protected by
federal, state, or local laws.
For more information, contact Carly Diglio, Public Involvement Officer at
info@palmbeachMPO.org (561) 725-0813 or 711 (for hearing impaired). Those individuals
requiring language services (free of charge) or accommodation for a disability should contact the
MPO at least 5 days in advance.
2.11 RULES; REGULATIONS; LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
The Respondent shall comply with all laws, ordinances, and regulations applicable to the services
contemplated herein, to include those applicable to conflict of interest and collusion. Respondents
are presumed to be familiar with all federal, state and local laws, ordinances, codes and
regulations that may, in any way, affect the services offered, to include Executive Order No. 11246
entitled "Equal Employment Opportunity" as amended by Executive Order No. 11375, and as
supplemented by the Department of Labor Regulations (41 CFR, Part 60).
2.12 FEDERAL DEBARMENT
By submitting a response to this RFP, the Offeror certifies that neither it nor any of its principals
(which includes officers, directors, or executives) is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for
debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction on this
transaction by any Federal department or agency.
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2.13 RESPONSIVE PROPOSALS
Each Proposal will be reviewed to determine responsiveness to the RFP. A Responsive Proposal
is one which has been signed, has been submitted by the specified submission time, and has
provided the information required as stated in Section 3. Proposals deemed to be non-responsive
will be rejected from further evaluation by the MPO.
The MPO, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to enter into Contract negotiations with the
highest evaluated responsive, responsible Respondent(s). If the MPO and said Respondent(s)
cannot negotiate a successful contract, the MPO may terminate said negotiations and begin
negotiations with the next highest evaluated responsive, responsible Respondent. This process
may continue until the Contract acceptable to the MPO has been executed or all Proposals are
rejected. No Respondent shall have any rights against the MPO arising from such negotiations or
termination thereof.
The MPO will review each Proposal to determine if the Proposal is responsive to the RFP.
Proposals deemed to be non-responsive will be rejected without being evaluated by the MPO. A
responsive Proposal is one which:
Includes all required documents listed on the checklist
o
Has been signed, authorized, and notarized by all parties
o
Has been submitted by the specified submission time
o
Has provided the information required to be submitted with the Proposal
o
Otherwise complies with the requirements of this RFP.
o
While poor formatting, poor documentation, and/or incomplete or unclear information may not be
cause to reject a Proposal without evaluation, such substandard submissions may adversely
impact the evaluation of a Proposal, especially information relating to establishing
financial/business stability. Respondents who fail to comply with all the required and/or desired
elements of this RFP do so at their own risk.
Proposals will only be considered from firms regularly engaged in the business of providing the
goods and/or services required by this solicitation. The Proposer must be able to demonstrate a
good record of performance and have enough personnel to ensure that they can satisfactorily
provide services if awarded the Contract as a result of this solicitation.
Notwithstanding these proposal requirements, the MPO reserves the right, at its sole discretion,
to waive any minor irregularity relating to the proposal. The MPO is not required to request that
the Respondent address any perceived irregularity. However, the MPO may inquire into any
perceived irregularity. Upon request, it shall be the responsibility of the respondent to address
the determined minor irregularity within a time frame specified by the MPO (normally within two
working days of request). Failure of a respondent to provide the required information within the
specified time frame is considered sufficient cause to deem the proposal non-responsive.
2.14 EXCEPTIONS TO THE RFP
All exceptions taken must be specific, and the Respondent must indicate clearly what alternative
is being offered to allow the MPO a meaningful opportunity to evaluate the Proposal. Respondents
are cautioned that submitting an alternative Proposal does not relieve the respondent from
submitting the "Minimum Requirements" as stated in Section 3. The MPO is under NO obligation
to accept any proposed exceptions or alternatives.
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2.15 MPO'S EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS
The MPO reserves the exclusive right to:
Waive any deficiency or irregularity in the selection process.
Accept or reject any or all qualifications statements in part or in whole.
Request additional information as appropriate; and,
Reject any or all Proposals if found not to be in the best interest of the MPO.
By providing a Proposal for this RFP, all Respondents acknowledge and agree that no
enforceable agreement arises until the MPO signs the Agreement, that no action shall require the
MPO to sign such agreement at any time, and that each Respondent waives all claims to
damages, lost profits, costs, expenses, reasonable attorney's fees, etc., as a result of the MPO
not signing such agreement.
2.16 SELECTION PROCESS
The MPO Executive Director shall establish a Selection Committee of not less than three (3)
members. The Committee will meet at the date, time and location specified in Section 1.4 (as may
be amended by the MPO) to evaluate all responsive proposals on the basis of the information
provided in Section 3.2 and the evaluation criteria set forth in Section 2.17. Accordingly,
Respondents are urged to ensure that their proposal contains all the necessary information for
the MPO to fairly and accurately evaluate each of the criteria below.
In accordance with MPO Procurement Policy Section 3.D.2(c), this solicitation is intended to
generate a minimum of three (3) responsive proposals. For good cause shown, the Executive
Director may waive this requirement in writing, and such documentation shall be retained in the
procurement file.
The Committee may choose to recommend a final ranking, designate a short list of three (3) or
more Respondents for oral presentations at the date, time and location specified in Section 1.5
(as may be amended by the MPO), or recommend that the MPO reject all Respondents. In the
event that the Committee determines the need for oral presentations, the MPO will post the short
list of Respondents pursuant to Section 1.5.
2.17 EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated using information provided in the proposal requirements outlined in
Section 3.2 Required Content. The Required Content will be based on the qualifications,
professional background, and experience of staff members as related to the criteria listed below.
Each MPO Selection Committee member will assign a score for each criterion and then rank the
proposals on a summary sheet based on the total scores for each proposal.
The Contact person (Section 1.4) will establish an overall ranking based on each Selection
Committee member's ranking. In the event of a tie, the Selection Committee Chair shall facilitate
further deliberations among the Selection Committee members which shall continue until a final
decision is reached in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP.
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