INTRODUCTION

Through this Request for Proposals, RIHousing seeks to create a list of qualified vendors that can be retained on an as needed basis to provide one or more of the below services:

1. Public and Stakeholder Engagement
2. Focus Groups, Surveys, In-depth Interviews, & Facilitated Meetings
3. Industry/Market Analyses/Business Planning
4. Marketing/Advertising
5. Graphic Design
6. Video/Audio Recording/Production
7. Strategic Communications Advice/Counsel

These services are set forth more fully in the Scope of Work Attachments A through G, attached hereto.

Selected vendors will be placed on a Bidder List for a term of three years, with two one-year extensions at the sole option of RIHousing. As the projects have not yet been identified, vendors selected to participate in the Bidder List will enter into an "on-call" style agreement. There is no guarantee of any level spending activity to a vendor or vendors selected for this Bidder List.

Vendors may bid on one, multiple, or all services listed in this Bidder List.

INSTRUCTIONS

Electronic submissions of the proposal(s) should be submitted to Christine Hunsinger, Assistant Deputy Director for Policy and Research at chunsinger@rihousing.com. Proposals should be concise and include all attachments and work samples. Note: Please submit only project summaries and/or tear sheets (one-pagers) as samples of your work; do not submit copies of entire reports or projects.

Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. EST, Friday, August 10, 2018.

Respondents are advised that all submissions (including those not selected for engagement) may be made available to the public upon request after completion of the process and award of a contract(s).

NOTE: The complete RFP can be found online at: https://www.rihousing.com/sp.cfm?pageid=442

SCOPE OF WORK

Please see the Scope of Work provided at Attachments A-G. NOTE: When responding to any of the Services detailed in the Scope of Work, proposals should demonstrate firm experience as well as proposed approach and project cost examples for each project.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

To the extent permitted by law, all works created by the successful bidder(s) under this RFP shall be the exclusive property of RIHousing and shall be deemed "work made for hire" under the United States Copyright Act. The successful bidder agrees to execute any documents reasonably required by RIHousing to evidence RIHousing's exclusive ownership of the work products, and all intellectual property rights therein.

ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL

1. General Firm Information
   1. Provide a brief description of your firm, including but not limited to the following:
      1. Name of the principal(s) of the firm.
      2. Name, telephone number and email address of a representative of the firm authorized to discuss your proposal.
      3. Address of all offices of the firm.
      4. Number of employees of the firm.
2. Proposed Services
   1. Please indicate by service name and letter for which services your firm is offering proposals.
3. Experience and Resources
   1. Describe your firm and its capabilities. In particular, support your capacity to perform the Scope of Work.
   2. Indicate which principals and associates from your firm would be involved in providing services to RIHousing. Provide appropriate background information for each such person and identify his or her responsibilities.
   3. Submit work samples relevant to each service.
   4. Provide a detailed list of references, including a contact name and telephone number for organizations or businesses for whom you have performed similar work.
   5. Identify any conflict of interest that may arise as a result of business activities or ventures by your firm and associates of your firm, employees, or subcontractors as a result of any individual's status as a member of the board of directors of any organization likely to interact with RIHousing.
   6. Identify any material litigation, administrative proceedings or investigations in which your firm is currently involved. Identify any material litigation, administrative proceedings or investigations, to which your firm or any of its principals, partners, associates, subcontractors or support staff was a party, that has been settled within the past two (2) years.
   7. Describe how your firm will handle actual and or potential conflicts of interest.
   8. Identify individuals in your firm with multi-lingual skills, who are available to assist with communication in languages other than English. Please identify the language(s).
4. Fee Structure
   
   The cost of services is one of the factors that will be considered in selecting vendors for the Bidder List. While the specific services required will vary by project and will be paid based on a scope of work defined by RIHousing and pricing negotiated between the corporation and the vendor, we are requesting information that will allow RIHousing to evaluate the reasonableness of your fees.
   
   For each service you are submitting for, please use the corresponding sample projects contained in the attachments and provide:
   1. A cost proposal for providing the Scope of Work in the corresponding attachment.
   2. Provide an itemized breakdown of billing rates and hourly costs, list of key personnel and their hourly rates, reimbursable expenses, etc. for any services that you feel are relevant that may be requested in addition to the services previously described.
   3. Please provide any other fee information applicable to the engagement that has not been previously covered that you wish to bring to the attention of RIHousing.
5. Miscellaneous
   1. RIHousing encourages the participation of persons of color, women, persons with disabilities and members of other federally and State-protected classes. Describe your firm's affirmative action program and activities. Include the number and percentage of members of federally and State-protected classes who are either principals or senior managers in your firm, the number and percentage of members of federally and State-protected classes in your firm who will work on RIHousing's engagement and, if applicable, a copy of your Minority- or Women-Owned Business Enterprise state certification.
   2. Discuss any topics not covered in this Request for Proposals that you would like to bring to RIHousing's attention.
6. Certifications
   1. RIHousing insists upon full compliance with Chapter 27 of Title 17 of the Rhode Island General Laws, Reporting of Political Contributions by State Vendors. This law requires State Vendors entering into contracts to provide services to an agency such as RIHousing, for the aggregate sum of $5,000 or more, to file an affidavit with the State Board of Elections concerning reportable political contributions. The affidavit must state whether the State Vendor (and any related parties as defined in the law) has, within 24 months preceding the date of the contract, contributed an aggregate amount in excess of $250 within a calendar year to any general officer, any candidate for general office, or any political party.
   2. Does any Rhode Island "Major State Decision-maker," as defined below, or the spouse or dependent child of such person, hold (i) a ten percent or greater equity interest, or (ii) a Five Thousand Dollar or greater cash interest in this business?
      
      For purposes of this question, "Major State Decision-maker" means:
      1. All general officers; and all executive or administrative head or heads of any state executive agency enumerated in § 42-6-1 as well as the executive or administrative head or heads of state quasi-public corporations, whether appointed or serving as an employee. The phrase "executive or administrative head or heads" shall include anyone serving in the positions of director, executive director, deputy director, assistant director, executive counsel or chief of staff;
      2. All members of the general assembly and the executive or administrative head or heads of a state legislative agency, whether appointed or serving as an employee. The phrase "executive or administrative head or heads" shall include anyone serving in the positions of director, executive director, deputy director, assistant director, executive counsel or chief of staff;
      3. All members of the state judiciary and all state magistrates and the executive or administrative head or heads of a state judicial agency, whether appointed or serving as an employee. The phrase "executive or administrative head or heads" shall include anyone serving in the positions of director, executive director, deputy director, assistant director, executive counsel, chief of staff or state court administrator.
         
         If your answer is "Yes," please identify the Major State Decision-maker, specify the nature of their ownership interest, and provide a copy of the annual financial disclosure required to be filed with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission pursuant to R.I.G.L. §§36-14-16, 17 and 18.
   3. In the course of providing goods or services to RIHousing, the selected respondent may receive certain personal information specific to RIHousing customer(s) including, without limitation, customer names and addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, loan numbers, account numbers, social security numbers, driver's license or identification card numbers, employment and income information, photographic likenesses, tax returns, or other personal or financial information (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Personal Information"). The maintenance of the Personal Information in strict confidence and the confinement of its use to RIHousing are of vital importance to RIHousing. Please include a letter from your president, chairman or CEO certifying that, in the event your firm is selected:
      1. any Personal Information disclosed to your firm by RIHousing or which your firm acquires as a result of it services hereunder will be regarded by your firm as confidential, and shall not be copied or disclosed to any third party, unless RIHousing has given its prior written consent thereto; and
      2. your firm agrees to take all reasonable measures to (a) ensure the security and confidentiality of the Personal Information, (b) protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of the Personal Information, and (c) maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to your firm's size, the nature of the Personal Information, and the purpose for which the Personal Information was collected in order to protect the Personal Information from unauthorized access, use, modification, destruction or disclosure; and
      3. when discarding the Personal Information, destroying it in a commercially reasonable manner such that no third party can view or recreate the information, electronically or otherwise.
         
         These provisions, which implement the requirements of the Rhode Island Identity Theft Protection Act, R.I.G.L. § 11-49.2 et seq., will also be incorporated into the final contract with the selected respondent(s).
   4. Please include a letter from your president, chairman or CEO certifying that (i) no member of your firm has made inquiries or contacts with respect to this Request for Proposals other than in an email or written communication to Christine Hunsinger, chunsinger@rihousing.com seeking clarification on the Scope of Work set forth in this proposal, from the date of this RFP through the date of your proposal, (ii) no member of your firm will make any such inquiry or contact until after August 10, 2018, (iii) all information in your proposal is true and correct to the best of her/his knowledge, (iv) no member of your firm gave anything of monetary value or promise of future employment to a RIHousing employee or Commissioner, or a relative of the same, based on any understanding that such person's action or judgment will be influenced and (v) your firm is in full compliance with Chapter 27 of Title 17 of the Rhode Island General Laws, Reporting of Political Contributions by State Vendors.

In its sole discretion, RIHousing may negotiate with one or more firms who have submitted qualifications to submit more detailed proposals on specific projects as they arise.

By this Request for Proposals, RIHousing has not committed itself to undertake the work set forth. RIHousing reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to rebid the original or amended scope of services and to enter into negotiations with one or more respondents. RIHousing reserves the right to make those decisions after receipt of responses. RIHousing's decision on these matters is final.

For additional information contact: Christine Hunsinger, chunsinger@rihousing.com.

NOTE: The complete RFP can be found online at: https://www.rihousing.com/sp.cfm?pageid=442