RFP - Lobbying Services

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT
RFP#: APA-2026-LOBBY-001
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND LOBBYING SERVICES
8/25/2026
Issued By
PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT
ALABAMA PORT AUTHORITY
Douglas C. Otto, Jr., P.E., Director & CEO
Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama
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Professional Services Contract
Request for Qualifications and Proposals
Alabama Port Authority
RFP#: APA-2026-LOBBY-001
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND LOBBYING SERVICES
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Procurement Department of the Alabama Port Authority (APA) is hereby requesting proposals
from qualified federal government relations and lobbying firms to provide Federal Government
Relations and Lobbying Services on a competitive basis. The selected firm will serve as an
extension of the APA's governmental affairs team and provide strategic advice, advocacy,
relationship development, and ongoing representation before the United States Congress, federal
agencies, and the Executive Branch.
All services are to be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and
regulations governing lobbying and government relations activities, including the federal Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended, and all applicable registration, disclosure, reporting, ethics, gift,
and conflict-of-interest requirements.
Proposals are being requested and this document constitutes the only solicitation. This solicitation
document and its legal terms, conditions, provisions, and clauses constitute the basis for the
resultant contract, which shall serve as the governing and controlling document.
The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain professional federal government relations and lobbying
services, beginning on the contract award signature date for a twelve (12) month Base Contract
Period, with the option to extend the contract term for four (4) additional twelve (12)-month periods,
at the sole discretion of the APA, all subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the APA.
The successful awardee will be notified in writing, not less than 60 calendar days prior to the end
date of an expiring contract period (base or option), of the APA's notice of intent to exercise the next
option period.
There is no expressed or implied obligation for the APA to reimburse responding firms for any
expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.
Interested, qualified competing firms (hereinafter referred to as the "Offeror") shall submit a proposal
demonstrating the Offeror's ability to perform the work described herein. By submission of a
proposal, the Offeror agrees to all terms of this RFP.
It is the intent of the APA to award a single Firm Fixed-Price contract to the most qualified and
responsible Offeror. The APA reserves the right to reject any and all offers received in response to
this solicitation, in whole or in part, at its sole discretion, without penalty or obligation.
All times noted within this document are local times.
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2.0 STATEMENT OF NEEDS
The APA is responsible for operating and developing Alabama's public port facilities and advancing
projects that support Alabama's economy, transportation infrastructure, national security,
international trade, and supply chain resilience. The APA seeks to obtain professional federal
government relations and lobbying services to develop and implement a proactive federal strategy
that advances the APA's legislative, policy, funding, regulatory, and project-specific priorities before
the United States Congress, federal agencies, and the Executive Branch.
The APA anticipates that the selected firm will work closely with APA leadership, the Board of
Directors, and the APA's state and federal affairs staff.
3.0 GENERAL INFORMATION
The APA intends to procure a qualified federal government relations and lobbying firm to represent
the APA's interests before the federal government. This RFP and the resultant contract do not
preclude APA from procuring similar services by other means, nor does it guarantee the selected
Offeror any minimum amount of work beyond the base contract period.
3.1 Scope of Services
The full scope of services to be performed under this contract is detailed in Exhibit A - Statement of
Work. A summary of the principal services required is provided below.
Specific areas of work include, but are not limited to:
* Federal Legislative Advocacy: develop and implement a comprehensive federal legislative
strategy; monitor and advocate on appropriations, transportation, maritime, infrastructure, and
environmental legislation; and provide strategic advocacy regarding the Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA) and other authorizing legislation affecting the Port of Mobile and
Mobile Harbor.
* Federal Appropriations and Funding Advocacy: develop and execute an annual federal
appropriations strategy in coordination with APA staff and the Alabama Congressional
delegation, including Congressionally Directed Spending and other congressional funding
mechanisms.
* Federal Agency Relations: develop and maintain relationships with senior officials at federal
agencies whose programs, policies, funding, or regulatory actions affect the APA, including the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration,
and U.S. Coast Guard.
* Congressional Relations and Delegation Coordination: maintain regular and effective working
relationships with Alabama's Congressional delegation and appropriate Congressional
committees and staff.
* Strategic Policy and Legislative Counsel: provide strategic advice regarding emerging federal
policies and legislative proposals affecting ports, maritime transportation, freight mobility, rail,
navigation, dredging, and infrastructure.
* Coalition and Stakeholder Engagement, Federal Grants and Funding Intelligence, and
Meetings, Visits, and Advocacy Support, as detailed in Exhibit A.
* Deliverables and Reporting: monthly activity reports, legislative and policy updates,
appropriations and funding updates, priority tracking, strategic recommendations, meeting
preparation materials, and an annual federal advocacy strategy.
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3.2 Procurement
The APA will use a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) Source Selection process for this
Professional Services Contract requirement. All responsible sources may submit a proposal, which
shall be considered by the APA. Annual option period renewals will be contingent upon satisfactory
performance and stability of pricing. This procurement is conducted as an open, advertised
solicitation. Upon award, the Alabama Port Authority will publish notice of the contract award on its
official website
3.3 Federal and State of Alabama Requirements
* Lobbying Disclosure Act: The Offeror must be registered, or must register promptly upon
award, under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended (2 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.), and shall maintain all registrations and disclosures required under federal law throughout
the term of the contract. The Offeror shall provide the APA with copies of applicable reports or
filings upon request.
* Byrd Amendment: The Offeror shall comply with the limitations on the use of appropriated
federal funds for lobbying set forth in 31 U.S.C. 1352 and its implementing regulations. No
federal appropriated funds shall be used for lobbying activities under this contract, and the
Offeror shall complete disclosure certifications as required.
* Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer & Citizen Protection Act is applicable to any business
entity contracting with the APA. The Offeror must submit a completed Certificate of Compliance
with the Beason-Hammon Act as part of its proposal. The E-Verify website is available at:
http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc1185221678150.shtm.
* Alabama Ethics Law: The Offeror shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Alabama
Ethics Law, Ala. Code 36-25-1 et seq., including any applicable registration and disclosure
requirements administered by the Alabama Ethics Commission.
* State of Alabama restrictions upon former employees soliciting, performing work, and/or
contracting projects with the State and APA apply to all respondents.
* The Offeror shall promptly disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest that could affect
its representation of the APA, including representation of other clients whose interests may be
adverse to the APA's federal priorities.
3.4 Schedule
APA currently anticipates conducting this procurement in accordance with the following milestones.
This schedule is subject to revision and APA reserves the right to modify it at its sole discretion.
* Advertise RFP: Aug 25, 2026
* Deadline to submit questions: C.O.B. September 1, 2026
* APA Response to questions: September 3, 2026
* RFP Submission: September 9, 2026 at 10:00 AM Central Time
* Notification of Intent to Award Date: On or around September 29, 2026
Proposals shall be submitted electronically only. Hard copies will not be accepted or evaluated. E-
mail proposals to: ProcurementandContracting@alports.com. Please indicate "Federal Lobbying
Services" in the subject line.
Note: The contract must be executed within 10 days of the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award.
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3.5 APA's Point of Contact
APA's sole point of contact (POC) for matters related to this RFP shall be Terell Taylor, Contracting
Officer. APA's POC is the only individual authorized to discuss the RFP with any interested parties,
including Respondents. All communications regarding this RFP shall be addressed in writing as
follows:
Alabama Port Authority
Attn: Terell Taylor, Contracting Officer
250 N Water Street
Mobile, AL 36602
Email: ProcurementandContracting@alports.com
APA disclaims the accuracy of information derived from any source other than the POC, and the use
of any such information is at the sole risk of the Offeror.
3.6 Acknowledgement of Receipt of RFP Revisions and/or Amendments
Offeror shall provide to APA the Acknowledgement of Revisions and/or Amendments set forth as
Attachment 1, signed by the Respondent's Principal Officer, with the submission of the proposal
package. All amendments shall be acknowledged via signature on each numbered amendment
form.
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4.0 CONTENTS OF RFP SUBMISSION PACKAGE
4.1 General
Responses to this RFP will be used to select a qualified firm to provide Federal Government
Relations and Lobbying Services as described herein. The Proposal shall consist of two (2) separate
volumes: Volume I - Administrative Requirements (Including Price) and Volume II - Technical
Proposal.
To evaluate proposals effectively and equitably, the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) must
receive information, in the order described below, that clearly describes an Offeror's capabilities to
successfully execute the APA's federal government relations requirements. Offerors are responsible
for organizing material sequentially by factor to facilitate evaluation. Proposals failing to provide all
required administrative and submission criteria may be deemed noncompliant and excluded from
further evaluation.
4.2 Contents of Proposal
Volume I - Administrative Requirements (Including Price)
Prior to making an award, the Contracting Officer must determine that the Offeror is responsible both
financially and technically and has the capability to professionally manage the contract and complete
the work on time. Volume I shall include, but is not limited to:
* Completed and signed Proposal Data Sheet (Attachment 3).
* Acknowledgement of all RFP amendments (Attachment 1).
* Completed Fee/Pricing Schedule, including: Total All-Inclusive Maximum Price for each
contract period; monthly retainer amount; rates for Additional Professional Services outside the
base scope; out-of-pocket expenses included in the Total All-Inclusive Maximum Price; and
billing and payment method.
* List of current and former references, including governmental or port authority clients. Please
include POC names and email addresses.
* Representations and Certifications as required.
* Completed State of Alabama Disclosure Statement.
* Completed Certificate of Compliance with the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen
Protection Act.
* Evidence of current registration under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act, or a statement of
intent and eligibility to register promptly upon award.
* Disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest, including current clients with interests
that may be adverse to the APA's federal priorities.
* Financial Statement - most recent Balance Sheet and Income Statement. If more than sixty
(60) days old, attach a certification of current financial status.
Volume II - Technical Proposal
This volume shall contain the Offeror's technical response addressing the three (3) rated evaluation
factors described in Section 4.4. Volume II shall be submitted as a separate electronic PDF.
4.3 Submission Format
* One (1) electronic PDF of Volume I only. Label file: "APA-LOBBY-[Offeror-Name]-Vol-I.pdf"
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* One (1) separate electronic PDF of Volume II only. Label file: "APA-LOBBY-[Offeror-Name]-
Vol-II.pdf"
* Hard copies will not be accepted or evaluated.
* All pages shall be 812" x 11". Organizational charts or schedules may use 11" x 17" (counts as
one sheet toward page limits).
* Proposals must be received by the APA no later than the date and time specified in Section
3.4.
4.4 Selection Criteria
The APA Evaluation Committee (Source Selection Evaluation Board - SSEB) will evaluate proposals
using the following criteria. Volume I contains administrative requirements that are not rated but are
evaluated for compliance, qualitative and quantitative merits, and fairness and reasonableness of
price. Volume II contains three (3) rated, non-price evaluation factors. The non-price factors, when
combined, are significantly more important than price.
Volume Factor Relative Importance
Vol. I Administrative Requirements Not Rated
Vol. II Factor 1 - Qualifications & Relevant Experience Most important
Vol. II Factor 2 - Federal Advocacy Approach & Strategy More important than Factor 3
Vol. II Factor 3 - Management Approach & Key Personnel Least important non-price factor
Factor 1 - Qualifications & Relevant Experience (maximum 10 pages):
* Submit no more than five (5) recent, relevant engagements using Attachment 2 - Relevant
Experience Form. A relevant engagement is one performed for a port authority, transportation
agency, public authority, or comparable governmental entity within the past five (5) years,
involving federal government relations and lobbying services comparable in scope to the APA's
requirements.
* Demonstrated success securing federal funding or advancing federal legislative priorities for
clients, including specific outcomes achieved.
* Established relationships with Congressional offices, committees, and federal agencies
relevant to the APA's priorities, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and federal
navigation and dredging programs.
* Direct, demonstrated experience of the proposed engagement team working with Alabama's
Congressional delegation, including the specific Members, committees, and staff engaged.
* Demonstrated knowledge of federal transportation, maritime, port, infrastructure,
appropriations, and authorization processes.
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Factor 2 - Federal Advocacy Approach & Strategy (maximum 10 pages):
* Proposed approach to developing and implementing a proactive federal government relations
strategy for the APA, including legislative, appropriations, agency, and coalition components.
* Understanding of the federal issues and funding programs most relevant to the APA and the
Port of Mobile, including WRDA, Corps of Engineers funding, PIDP, CRISI, and related
programs.
* Proposed approach to identifying federal funding opportunities and positioning APA projects for
competitive federal support.
* Approach to reporting, priority tracking, and communication with the APA, including the
deliverables described in Exhibit A.
Factor 3 - Management Approach & Key Personnel (maximum 5 pages):
* Engagement team structure, including the designated primary point of contact and roles of all
team members.
* Key personnel credentials, registrations, and relevant government or Congressional
experience, including direct experience with Alabama's Congressional delegation.
* Level of senior representation to be provided, including for meetings involving APA leadership
and Board members.
* Firm's capability to provide in-person representation in both the State of Alabama and
Washington, D.C. Preference will be given to firms able to demonstrate this capability.
* Coordination approach with APA staff, leadership, and the APA's other governmental affairs
consultants and contractors.
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5.0 RFP SUBMISSION PACKAGE SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Due Date, Time, and Submission Method
All proposals must be received electronically by the APA by the deadline set forth in Section 3.4
Schedule. Hard copies will not be accepted or evaluated. Submit proposals via email to:
ProcurementandContracting@alports.com. Please indicate "Federal Lobbying Services" in the email
subject line.
Offerors are responsible for ensuring timely receipt by the APA. Late submissions will not be
considered. APA accepts no responsibility for misdirected or lost proposals.
5.2 Format
Proposals shall be submitted as two (2) separate electronic PDF files, labeled as specified in Section
4.3. All pages shall be 812" x 11". Organizational charts or schedules may use 11" x 17" pages,
which count as one sheet toward any applicable page limits. Proposals should be concise,
addressing only the information outlined in Section 4.0.
6.0 QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
Respondents are encouraged to submit questions to gather sufficient information on which to base
an informed proposal. Answers to any such questions will be shared with all entities that have
notified the APA of their intention to submit a response.
All questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFP shall be submitted to APA's POC in
writing via email to ProcurementandContracting@alports.com only, by the deadline set forth in
Section 3.4. No requests for additional information or clarification should be directed to any other
individual. No oral requests for information will be accepted.
APA's responses to questions for clarification shall be in writing and may be issued as an
Amendment to this RFP. APA will not be bound by any oral communications or written
interpretations that are not issued in writing or set forth in an Amendment. Answers to any questions
submitted will be shared with all entities that have notified the APA of their intention to submit a
response to this RFP.
7.0 EVALUATION OF THE RFP SUBMISSION PACKAGE
A Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) will evaluate proposals using a four-part process:
Proposal Compliance Review, Non-Price Factor Evaluation, Price Evaluation, and Non-Price/Price
Trade-Off Analysis. The identities of Offerors will not be disclosed outside the members of the SSEB
throughout the evaluation process.
The APA Director, exercising prudent business judgment with SSEB consensus, will make the
Source Selection Contract Award Decision and intends to award a Firm Fixed-Price contract to the
responsible Offeror whose proposal is fair, reasonable, and determined to be most advantageous to
the APA, offering the best value overall. This may result in an award to a higher-rated, higher-priced
Offeror where the APA Director reasonably determines that technical superiority, overall business
approach, and/or superior past performance outweigh the price differences.
The APA may, at its discretion, request an oral presentation by any respondent during the evaluation
and selection process. A Selection Committee will formulate a recommendation to the Board of
Directors.
The APA reserves the right to reject all offers, cancel this solicitation, or reissue and conduct a
reevaluation of solicitation requirements at any time.
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8.0 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF APA
In connection with this procurement, APA reserves to itself all rights available to it under applicable
law, exercisable in its sole discretion, including without limitation:
* The right to cancel, withdraw, postpone, or extend this RFP without incurring any obligations or
liabilities.
* The right to modify all dates set or projected in this RFP.
* The right to suspend and terminate the procurement process for this RFP at any time.
* The right to issue Amendments, supplements, and modifications to this RFP.
* The right to respond to all, some, or none of the inquiries, questions, and/or requests for
clarification received relative to this RFP.
* The right to reject any or all proposals if such action is in the public interest; to accept other
than the lowest-priced proposal; and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals
received.
APA assumes no obligations, responsibilities, or liabilities to reimburse all or part of the costs
incurred by parties considering a response to and/or responding to this RFP. All costs shall be borne
solely by each Respondent.
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