RFQ (NARIP) Consultant

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
THE NICS ACT RECORDS IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM CONSULTANT SERVICES
ISSUE DATE: 5/4/2026
I. COVER PAGE
INTRODUCTION
The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) Tribal Court Records Department is soliciting proposals
for a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Records Improvement
Program (NARIP) Consultant. The NARIP Consultant will provide evaluator and strategic
planning services to the QIN Tribal Court Records Department and QIN employees to
develop a strategic plan to improve the quality, completeness, and availability of NICS
records consistent with the NARIP grant received by the QIN.
Tasks will include identify and review program progress that is consistent and up to date
with the grant funding requirements. The Consultant will lead the organization in
information gathering, assessment, review, and reporting. The completed product will be a
comprehensive data driven report. Performance metrics must be included within agency
reports.
The evaluator component will require the successful contractor to work with the Tribal
Court Records Department and QIN staff to develop, identify, and review the performance
metrics required for the NARIP Grant. The evaluator is responsible for the collection, analysis,
and delivery of semi-annual and annual performance reports and outcome indicators as set
by funding agency NARIP. Reports will include summary findings as well as
recommendations for corrective or enhancement actions.
The strategic planning component will require that the consultant works with NARIP and
Court staff to develop a strategic plan to meet all NARIP's required programmatic goals,
objectives, and deliverables. Strategic planning will require and result in a written strategic
plan within the first six months of contract execution.
It is anticipated that the delivery of services under the contract will begin on or before June
1, 2026.
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INSTRUCTIONS
Proposals may be submitted by regular mail or email to the person listed below. If submitted
May 12, 2026
by email, the proposal shall be submitted in a security-protected PDF format. A proposal shall
be received by no later than and submitted to:
Quinault Indian Nation P.O. Box 70
Attn: Cora Pope Taholah, Washington 98587
bids@quinault.org
CC: melinda.polk@quinault.org
II. SCOPE OF WORK
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The NICS Act Records Improvement Program Consultant will provide expert guidance and
support of employees under the NARIP grant. The NARIP Consultant will perform the tasks
and meet th e standards listed below:
1. Provide NICS Act Records Improvement Program specific support to the
NARIP Project Manager and NARIP Project Senior Specialist, including working
with a task force to conduct and review an assessment of problems identified
with NICS records, including the adequacy of current legislation and
administrative procedures related to reporting, maintaining, sharing, and use
of relevant records. The ongoing assessment must result in a comprehensive
under standing of the following:
a. Availability of the records from entities that originate, maintain, and/or
receive such records.
b. How relevant records are currently transmitted to the state's central
repository and/or how they are otherwise made available to the NICS.
c. Completeness of the records in the various categories described (what
portion of the records is actually made available to the NICS).
d. Such an assessment may involve an examination of records in the state
central record repository, surveys of local reporting/originating
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agencies, analysis of court statistics, data collection from sample(s) of
local agency records, estimates derived from audits of local reporting
agencies, or other analytical work that may or may not have been
performed to support the development of record estimates.
2. Identification of reasons for incomplete and/or unavailable NICS records. The
task force may also identify challenges or obstacles encountered in efforts to
ensure that all qualifying records are made available to the NICS.
3. Develop strategies for addressing each of the challenges identified in Items 1
and 2 above, including the use of federal grant funds appropriated under the
NIAA. The plan should clearly identify goals, objectives, and a general
timetable for achievements. Subsequent iterations of the plan should include a
progress report on the strategies previously employed.
4. Draft, review and compile grant report requirements on a bi-annual basis.
5. Strategically counsel NARIP Project Manager and NARIP Project Senior
Specialist on protection order guidelines and entry into federal database.
6. Compile, organize, and incorporate court records related policies and
procedures.
7. Prepare and provide NARIP grant employees with ongoing training resources.
8. Plan and attend (in-person or virtually) quarterly meetings with QIN Tribal
Court managers to report grant progress.
9. Always maintain a high level of professionalism, ethical standards, and strict
confidentiality.
10. Comply with QIN tribal laws and administrative policies.
11. Demonstrate tact, respect, and diplomacy in working relationships.
12. Other related program duties, as assigned by the Contract Officer
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III. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
In order to be considered, a response shall include the following elements:
1. Cover letter, resume, and relevant work experience and qualifications.
2. A minimum of three references regarding the reputation and qualifications of the
consultant.
Ind2ia.nT Phree faeprpelniccaeb:l e fees or fee structure to be charged.
Indian Preference applies to all contract procurement with the QIN per
the attached Policy.
The following policy applies to the Contract to be awarded pursuant to this Request
f or Bid:
(a)(1) Preference is given to Native American Owned Businesses (NAOBs) for Contracts not
u sing federal funds in the following order of preference:
i.Members of the Quinault Indian Nation
ii. Spouses, parent of a Tribal member child, biological child born to an enrolled Quinault
Tribal member, current legal guardian of a Tribal member dependent child (with a proper
letter of temporary or permanent legal guardianship from a court), or a person in a domestic
partner relationship with a Tribal member, provided that the couple lives in the same house
and have children together.
iii. Other Natives/Indians, including Alaska Natives, Hawai'ian Natives and members of
Canadian First Nations.
(2) Preference is given to NAOBs for Contracts using federal funds in the following order of
preference:
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i. Local Indians.
(a) Local Indian is any member of a federally recognized tribe who resides either within the
ex terior boundaries of the Quinault Indian Reservation or within 60 miles of the Reservation.
ii.Indians who are not Local Indians.
(b) The Quinault Indian Nation Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) certifies NAOBs
acc ording to Quinault Indian Nation Title 97.
(c)It is in the best interest of the Quinault Indian Nation to contract with NAOBs whenever
practical. If more than one NAOB has submitted a bid or proposal that is within the cost
differential table below, the same order of preference in subsection (a) above shall be
app lied.
(d)If the lowest bid or price by a NAOB is within the cost differential in the table below, when
compared with the lowest bid or price by a non-Indian Contractor, then the NAOB shall have
the opportunity to match the overall lowest bid or price: PROCUREMENT VALUE COST
DIFFERENTIAL $5,000.00 OR LESS 15% $5,001.00 OR MORE 10%
If there are two or more NAOBs who submitted bids within the cost differential allowing a
match, the NAOB closest to the lowest bid will be provided the opportunity to match the bid.
If he/she declines, then the NAOB with the next closest bid shall be offered the opportunity
to match the bid, and so on. If there are identical bids by NAOBs within the cost differential
allowing a match, the Grants and Contracts Officer will flip a coin with the Contract Officer
witnessing the coin flip to determine which of the NAOBs with identical bids can match the
low est bid.
(e) If any portion of this Indian Preference policy is in conflict with applicable federal law,
the applicable federal law will overrule the policy.
(f)Every Employer with a Construction Contract, in the sum of $10,000.00 or more, or more
than one Contract in a 12-month period and the aggregate sum of those contracts is
$10,000.00 or more, shall pay a one-time fee of 1.75 percent of the total amount of each Contract.
Such fee shall be paid by the Employer prior to commencing work On or Near the Reservation.
However, where good cause is shown, the Manager may authorize a Construction Employer to pay
said fee in installments over the course of the Contract.
(g)Every other Employer, other than Construction Employers, with five or more Employees
working on the Reservation, or with gross sales or income on the Reservation of $10,000.00
or more shall pay a quarterly fee of 1.75 percent of the gross quarterly payroll for those
Employees Engaged in Work on the Reservation, which shall be paid within 30 calendar days
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after the end of each quarter. This fee shall not apply to education, health, governmental or
nonprofit Employers, nor to utilities franchised by the Quinault Indian Nation.
The determination of who is an Indian Contractor is made by the Tribal Employment Rights
Office according to Quinault Tribal Code, Title 97. Indian Contractors must provide
certification from the Tribal Employment Rights Office in order to be considered eligible for
Indian Preference.
IV. EVALUATION PROCESS
Step 1: Each response will be reviewed to determine whether it appropriately responds to
this Request.
Step 2: Written responses will be reviewed and evaluated by the Quinault Tribal Court
appointed committee as outlined in section V. Selection Process.
Step 3: The elected candidate will be notified.
Step 4: Contract negotiations will commence with the selected candidate. A copy of the form
of contract is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Step 5: If negotiations with the initially selected candidate fail to produce a contract, the
Nation reserves the right to enter into negotiations with one or more other
candidate(s), or engage alternative options under the Nation's Procurement Policy,
including to republish the RFQ.
V. SELECTION PROCESS
The Court will appoint a committee to evaluate all responsive RFQ submissions and rank
May 13, 2026.
them based on experience, qualifications and response to requirements listed above. The
selected individual is expected to be notified by
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VI. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. The Nation reserves the right to reject any and all submittals, and to waive minor
irregularities in any response.
B. The Nation reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted, and to
request additional information from the respondent.
C. The Nation reserves the right to award any contract to the next most qualified candidate,
if the successful candidate does not execute a contract within five (5) days after the award
and submit a W-9 Form within ten days of signing said contract.
D. Evaluation services by the chosen candidate will commence on a date to be agreed upon
by the parties, but no later than sixty (60) days upon execution of the contract for services.
E. The contract resulting from acceptance of a response by the Nation shall be in a form
supplied or approved by the Nation and shall reflect the specifications in this RFQ. The
negotiation and execution of such contract will be deemed by the parties to have occurred
within the Quinault Indian Reservation and any interpretation shall be in accordance with
the laws of the Quinault Indian Nation. The Nation reserves the right to reject any
proposed agreement or contract that does not conform to the specifications
contained in the RFQ. Additionally, submissions become the property of the Quinault
Indian Nation and will not be returned.
F. The Nation shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the successful candidate in
preparing, submitting, or presenting its response to the RFQ.
G. Inquiries regarding this RFQ should be directed to the NARIP Project Manager,
Melinda Polk at: melinda.polk@quinault.org. All responses will be
returned via email correspondence.
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