Request for Qualifications and Proposals-Government Relations and Public Affairs Consultant

Agency:	Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission
State:	New Jersey
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services 541820 - Public Relations Agencies
Posted Date:	Mar 12, 2026
Due Date:	Apr 9, 2026
Solicitation No:	Request for Qualifications and Proposals-Government Relations and Public Affairs Consultant
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“Protecting Public Health and the Environment”

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

CONSULTING SERVICES

BRENDAN MURPHY

Chairman

LUIS A. QUINTANA

Vice Chairman

ELIZABETH CALABRESE

JOHN J. COSGROVE

C. LAWRENCE CRUMP

JAMES P. DORAN

JOSEPH F. ISOLA

HECTOR C. LORRA

JOSHUA A. ZIELINSKI

Commissioners

GREGORY A. TRAMONTOZZI

Executive Director

Qualification Term: May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

11 A.M. APRIL 9, 2026

ADDRESS ALL PROPOSALS TO:

Mr. Thomas Fuscaldo

Acting Clerk, Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission

600 Wilson Avenue

Newark, New Jersey 07105

All proposals must indicate on the outside envelope:

RFQ/P: GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTING SERVICES

GENERAL INFORMATION & SUMMARY

ORGANIZATION REQUESTING STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS AND

PROPOSALS

Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission

600 Wilson Avenue

Newark, New Jersey 07105

Mr. Thomas A. Fuscaldo

Acting Clerk

600 Wilson Avenue

Newark, New Jersey 07105

973-817-5702

CONTACT PERSON

PURPOSE OF REQUEST

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) is requesting qualification statements

and proposals from qualified individuals to provide professional consulting/Government

Relations and Public Affairs consulting services for the PVSC as needed. Proposals will

be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in this Request for Qualifications

and Proposals (RFQ/P). One or more individuals/firms may be selected to provide all or

part of the requested services, or no firm may be selected.

PERIOD OF QUALIFICATION

May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027

PERIOD OF SERVICE

At their sole discretion the PVSC may appoint a consultant from the qualified proposals

received during this RFQ/P process for a period of twelve months.

CONTRACT FORM

If selected to provide services, the successful Respondent shall be required to execute a

form contract, which includes indemnification, insurance, termination and/or licensing

provisions.

It must also be agreed and understood that the acceptance by the respondent of the final

payment shall be considered a release in full of all claims against the PVSC arising out

of, or by reason of, the work done and materials furnished under this Contract.

GLOSSARY

The following definitions shall apply to and are used in this Request for Qualifications

(RFQ/P):

"Qualification Statement"- refers to the complete responses to this RFQ/P submitted

by the Respondents.

"Qualified Respondent" - refers to those Respondents who (in the sole judgment of

the PVSC) have satisfied the qualification criteria set forth in this RFQ/P.

"RFQ/P" -refers to this Request for Qualifications and Proposals, including any

amendments thereof or supplements thereto.

"Respondent" or "Respondents" - refers to the interested persons and/or firm(s) that

submit a Qualification Statement.

“PVSC” – refers to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1. Introduction and Purpose.

The PVSC is soliciting Qualification Statements from interested persons and/or firms for

the provision of Professional Services – Government Relations and Public Affairs

Consulting Services, as more particularly described herein. Through an RFQ/P process

described herein, persons and/or firms interested in assisting the PVSC with the provision

of such services must prepare and submit a Qualification Statement in accordance with

the procedure and schedule in this RFQ/P. The PVSC will review Qualification

Statements only from those persons and/or firms that submit a Qualification Statement

which includes all information required to be included as described herein (in the sole

judgment of the PVSC).

The PVSC intends to qualify person(s) and/or firm(s) that:

a. possess the professional, financial and administrative staffing capabilities to

provide the proposed services; and

b. will agree to work under terms and conditions that will provide the greatest

benefit to the PVSC.

1.2. Procurement Process and Schedule.

The selection of Qualified Respondents is not subject to the Local Public Contracts Law,

N.J.S.A. 40A: 11-1 et seq, as the services sought are “professional services” as defined

therein. The selection is subject to the “New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play” Law, N.J.S.A.

19:44A-20.4 et seq. The PVSC has structured a procurement process that seeks to

obtain the desired results described above, while establishing a competitive process to

assure that each person and/or firm is provided an equal opportunity to submit a

Qualification Statement in response to the RFQ/P. Qualification Statements will be

evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in Section 5 of this RFQ/P, which will

be applied in the same manner to each Qualification Statement received.

Qualification Statements will be reviewed and evaluated by the PVSC and its legal and/or

financial advisors (collectively, the “Review Team”). The Qualification Statements will be

reviewed to determine if the Respondent has met the minimum professional,

administrative and financial areas described in this RFQ/P. Under no circumstances will

a member of the Review Team review responses to a RFQ/P for which they or their firm

has submitted a response. Based upon the totality of the information contained in the

Qualification Statement, including information about the reputation and experience of

each Respondent, the PVSC will determine which Respondents are qualified

(professionally, administratively and financially) to provide the services. Each

Respondent that meets (in the sole judgment of the PVSC) the requirements of this

RFQ/P will be designated as a Qualified Respondent and will be given the opportunity to

participate in the selection process determined by the PVSC.

The RFQ/P process commences with the issuance of this RFQ/P. The steps involved in

the process and the anticipated completion dates are set forth in Table 1, Procurement

Schedule. The PVSC reserves the right to, among other things, amend, modify or alter

the Procurement Schedule upon notice to all potential Respondents.

All communications concerning this RFQ/P or the RFQ/P process shall be directed to the

PVSC’s Designated Contact Person, in writing.

Qualification Statements must be submitted to, and be received by the PVSC Purchasing

Agent, via email or hand delivery, by 11:00 a.m. prevailing time on April 9, 2026.

Qualification Statements shall be opened in the PVSC Acting Clerk’s Office located at

600 Wilson Avenue, Newark New Jersey 07105.

Subsequent to issuance of this RFQ/P, the PVSC (through the issuance of addenda to

all persons and/or firms that have received a copy of the RFQ/P) may modify, supplement

or amend the provisions of this RFQ/P in order to respond to inquiries received from

prospective Respondents or as otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate by (and in

the sole judgment of) the PVSC.

TABLE 1

ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY

DATE

1. Issuance of Request for Qualifications and Proposals

2. Receipt of Qualification Statements

3. Completion of Evaluation of Qualification Statements

4. Designation of Qualified Respondents

March 11, 2026

April 9, 2026

May 2026

1.3 Conditions Applicable to RFQ/P.

Upon submission of a Qualification Statement in response to this RFQ/P, the Respondent

acknowledges and consents to the following conditions relative to the submission and

review and consideration of its Qualification Statement:

1. All costs incurred by the Respondent in connection with responding to this

RFQ/P shall be borne solely by the Respondent.

2. The PVSC reserves the right (in its sole judgment) to reject for any reason any

and all responses and components thereof and to eliminate any and all

Respondents responding to this RFQ/P from further consideration for this

procurement/engagement.

3. The PVSC reserves the right (in its sole judgment) to reject any Respondent that

submits incomplete responses to this RFQ/P, or a Qualification Statement that is

not responsive to the requirements of this RFQ/P.

4. The PVSC reserves the right, without prior notice, to supplement, amend, or

otherwise modify this RFQ/P, or otherwise request additional information.

5. All Qualification Statements shall become the property of the PVSC and will not

be returned.

6. All Qualification Statements will be made available to the public at the

appropriate time, as determined by the PVSC (in the exercise of its sole

discretion) in accordance with law.

7. The PVSC may request Respondents to send representatives to the PVSC for

interviews.

8. Any and all Qualification Statements not received by the PVSC by 11:00 a.m.

prevailing time on April 9, 2026 will be rejected.

9. Neither the PVSC nor its officers, officials or employees shall be liable for any

claims or damages resulting from the solicitation or preparation of the Qualification

Statement, nor will there be any reimbursement to Respondents for the cost of

preparing and submitting a Qualification Statement or for participating in this

procurement process.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

contract#description		post date	due date	file size
Request for Qualifications and Proposals-Government Relations and Public Affairs Consultant		03/12/2026 14:00	04/09/2026 11:00	413 KB

Request for Qualifications and Proposals-Government Relations and Public Affairs Consultant

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