Prison Phone Justice

RFP # SHF | 2019-11/Event #0000003286 for Incarcerated Person Communication Services

City and County of San Francisco
Request for Proposals for
Incarcerated Person Communication Services
RFP # SHF | 2019-11/ Sourcing Event No. 0000003286

Date issued:
Pre-proposal conference:
Proposal due:

P-590 (4-17)

December 20, 2019
9:00 a.m., January 8, 2020
2:00 p.m., February 5, 2020

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Request for Proposals for Incarcerated Person Communication Services: RFP # SHF | 2019-11

I.

INTRODUCTION AND SCHEDULE ................................................................................ 3

II. SCOPE OF WORK............................................................................................................... 5
III. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................... 5
IV. EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA ............................................................ 16
V.

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE AND AGREEMENT AWARD ............................. 19

VI. TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS ................................ 20
VII. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 25
VIII. PROTEST PROCEDURES .............................................................................................. 26
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Appendices:
A.

Standard Forms: Listing and Internet addresses of Forms related to Taxpayer Identification
Number and Certification, to Business Tax Declaration, and to Chapters 12B and 12C, and 14B of
the S.F. Administrative Code.

B

Agreement for Professional Services (form P-600) [separate document]

C

Proposal Response Outline Example [separate document]

Attachments:
Attachment 1- RFP Requirements

P-590 (4-17)

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Request for Proposals for
Incarcerated Person Communications Services
I.

Introduction and Schedule
A. General

P-590 (4-17)

1.

The City and County of San Francisco (“City”) with the San Francisco Sheriff’s
Department (“Sheriff’s Department”) invite responses to this Request for Proposal
(RFP) from qualified, experienced Proposers who can provide a comprehensive,
reliable incarcerated person communications solution including incarcerated
person telephones, standard visitation services and additional technologies that
meet the requirements described in this RFP. For the purposes of this RFP, City
and Sheriff’s Department are considered interchangeable.

2.

City is seeking an experienced Proposer to provide, install and maintain various
incarcerated person communication solutions inclusive of an incarcerated person,
visitation and public payphone telephone system (IPTS) at the Jail Facilities.
Proposer shall provide all incarcerated person communication services to the
incarcerated persons in accordance with the requirements and provisions set forth
in this RFP and to all of the Facilities listed in Attachment 1, Section I (Facility
Specifications). All calls through the IPTS, including International calls, shall be
completed as free and shall not require a charge or transaction fee.

3.

The Sheriff’s Department may engage third party consultants both in the process
of this procurement and in the management of the day-to-day operations of the
selected Proposer. Currently, the Sheriff’s Department works with Praeses, LLC
(“Praeses) as its independent and objective compliance monitor (“Designated
Agent”) relative to the Sheriff’s Department incarcerated person communication
services environment. Proposers responding to this RFP shall accept the Sheriff’s
Department’s direction in working with its Designated Agent.

4.

The awarded Agreement shall have an original term of three years. In addition, the
Sheriff’s Department shall have two options to extend the term for a period of one
year each, which the Sheriff’s Department may exercise in its sole, absolute
discretion.

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B. Schedule of Events
The anticipated schedule for selecting an incarcerated person communications Proposer is:
Proposal Phase

Date

RFP is issued by the Sheriff’s Department

12/20/19

Deadline for mandatory pre-proposal conference
registration
Mandatory pre-proposal conference

01/03/2020
9:00 a.m. (PST), 01/08/2020

Deadline for submission of written questions or
requests for clarification
Proposals due

01/13/2020
2 p.m. (PST), 02/05/2020

Tentative effective date of Agreement

05/1/2020

C. Contractors Unable to do Business with the City
1. Generally
Contractors that do not comply with laws set forth in San Francisco’s Municipal Codes
may be unable to enter into an Agreement with the City. Some of the laws are included
in this RFP, or in the sample terms and conditions attached as the P-600 Professional
Services Agreement (4-19).
2. Companies Headquartered in Certain States
The awarded Agreement is subject to the requirements of Administrative Code Chapter
12X, which prohibits the City from entering into contracts with companies
headquartered in states with laws that perpetuate discrimination against LGBT
populations or where any or all of the work on the contract will be performed in any of
those states. Proposers are hereby advised that Proposers that have their United States
headquarters in a state on the Covered State List, as that term is defined in
Administrative Code Section 12X.3, or where any or all of the work on the contract will
be performed in a state on the Covered State List may not enter into contracts with the
City. A list of states on the Covered State List is available at the website of the City
Administrator.

P-590 (4-17)

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II.

Scope of Work
A.

The Sheriff’s Department is seeking an experienced incarcerated person communications
Proposer to provide, install and maintain various incarcerated person communication
solutions inclusive of an incarcerated person telephone service (IPTS), audio recording of
visitation sessions, and a payphone telephone system.
1.

All incarcerated person telephone calls and visitation sessions processed by and
through the IPTS shall be completed as free and no fees shall be charged by Proposer
to the incarcerated persons or the called parties.

2.

The Sheriff’s Department will pay the Proposer a fixed annual cost amount split into
equal monthly payments to compensate Proposer for the IPTS services outlined in this
RFP and Attachment 1 – RFP Requirements. Proposer may offer an alternative
Price Proposal utilizing a lease per incarcerated person telephone in Option 2 of the
RFP and as outlined in Attachment 1, Section J (Rates and Fees).
a) The Sheriff’s Department reserves the right to request an adjustment in the fixed
annual cost amount in the event of a material change in the active incarcerated
persons or open facilities. Material change shall be considered a fluctuation of
10% or more in the incarcerated persons population for a period of 4 (four)
consecutive months.
b) The Sheriff’s Department reserves the right to modify the free call or fixed
annual cost arrangement with the awarded Proposer. In such event, the Sheriff’s
Department and Proposer will mutually negotiate any adjustments to the
Agreement and all such changes will be documented in an amendment.
c) The Sheriff’s Department reserves the right to impose a percentage cap on
Proposer-proposed increases in pricing beyond the fixed annual cost amount.

B.

III.

Detailed Proposer responsibilities and specific requirements are set forth in in Attachment
1 – RFP Requirements and define the scope of work associated with this RFP.

Submission Requirements
A.

Time and Place for Submission of Proposals
1.

Proposals must be received by 2:00 p.m. (PST), on 2/05/2020. Postmarks will not be
considered in judging the timeliness of submissions. Proposals may be delivered
electronically
via
the
City’s
PeopleSoft
system
at
https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/index.aspx,
or
mailed
to:
Henry Gong
San Francisco Sheriff’s Department SFSD City Hall, Room 456
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4676

2.

P-590 (4-17)

For hardcopy deliveries, Proposers shall submit five print copies (1 original and 4
copies) of the proposal and one copy, separately bound, of the required CMD Forms
in a sealed envelope clearly labeled INCARCERATED PERSON
COMMUNICATION SERVICES PROPOSAL, and include the RFP number to
the above location. Proposals that are submitted by fax or email will not be accepted.
Late submissions will not be considered.

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3.
B.

Additional requirements are found in Attachment 1, Section B (Instructions and
Format).

Format
1. Hardcopy
a.

Place proposals in three-ring binders for the review panel. Please use threehole recycled paper, print double-sided to the maximum extent practical, use
recycled paper that is comprised at minimum of 30% post-consumer materials,
and bind the proposal with a binder clip, rubber band, or single staple, or
submit it in a three-ring binder. Please do not bind your proposal with a spiral
binding, glued binding, or anything similar. You may use tabs or other
separators within the document.

b.

For word processing documents, the Sheriff’s Department prefers that text be
unjustified (i.e., with a ragged-right margin) and use a serif font (e.g., Times
Roman, and not Arial), and that pages have margins of at least 1” on all sides
(excluding headers and footers).

c.

Please include a Table of Contents.

d.

Additional requirements are found in Attachment 1, Section B (Instructions
and Format).

2. Electronic

C.

a.

Submit an electronic version of the proposal on a USB stick or via the City’s
PeopleSoft
bidding
system
at
https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages//index.aspx.

b.

For word processing documents, the Sheriff’s Department prefers that text be
unjustified (i.e., with a ragged-right margin) and use a serif font (e.g., Times
Roman, and not Arial), and that pages have margins of at least 1” on all sides
(excluding headers and footers).

c.

Please include a Table of Contents.

d.

The electronic version shall be in a searchable format and shall follow the
order specified in Attachment 1, Section B.1 (Proposal Order). Nonsearchable documents may be considered non-compliant. Proposer is
responsible for ensuring the electronic version and the chosen media are free
from any viruses, malware or malicious code. Electronic versions so
compromised will be considered non-compliant.

e.

Additional requirements are found in Attachment 1, Section B (Instructions
and Format).

Content

Firms interested in responding to this RFP must submit the following information, in the
order specified in Attachment 1, Section B.1 (Proposal Order). Proposers shall adhere to page
lengths specified in Attachment 1, Section B.1 (Proposal Order).
1.

Introduction and Executive Summary

Submit a letter of introduction and an executive summary of the proposal. The letter
must be signed by a person authorized by your firm to obligate your firm to perform the
commitments contained in the proposal. Submission of the letter will constitute a

P-590 (4-17)

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representation by your firm that your firm is willing and able to perform the commitments
contained in the proposal.
This RFP document provides instructions for the RFP process. This RFP document
also includes several sections and numbered items where Proposer must provide additional
information or documentation as indicated.
a. Proposer’s proposal shall follow the order specified in Attachment 1, Section B.1
(Proposal Order). Proposer’s proposal shall include the original RFP language where
specified. The original text from each section and numbered requirement of the RFP
document shall be inserted into Proposer’s proposal document to be immediately
followed by a complete response provided by the Proposer. Please reference Appendix
C - Proposal Response Outline Example.
b. Proposer’s proposal shall include specified sections and numbered items in the RFP
document that require additional explanation. Proposer shall provide specific, concise
responses that fully address the question/information requested in that section. Include
only those exhibits and/or images that are clearly relevant to the specific section and
numbered item.
c. If Proposer is in full compliance with the RFP section or requirement number set forth
in Attachment 1, Proposer’s response shall be, “Read and Agree.”
d. If Proposer’s response to the requirements set forth in Attachment 1 is not “Read and
Agree”, the Proposer’s response shall be, “Read and Do Not Agree” and shall be
considered an exception (“Exception”). Exceptions to any section or numbered
requirement must be listed in Attachment 1, Section K (Exceptions to RFP).
e. Attachment 1 – RFP Requirements. Attachment 1, Sections B through N includes
specifications that require Proposer Response for Proposer to be considered. Proposer
shall indicate whether Proposer will comply with the requirement, as written. Proposer
shall specify, “Read and Agree” or “Read and Do Not Agree” in the PROPOSER
RESPONSE space. Items answered with “Read and Do Not Agree” require a statement
from the Proposer in the PROPOSER COMMENT space as to why the requirement
cannot be met and an explanation of how the Proposer proposes to meet City’s needs
without the required item. All statements where Proposer responded with “Read and
Do Not Agree” must be listed in Attachment 1, Section K (Exceptions to RFP).
Proposer comments will be evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation and Section
Criteria of this RFP as well as Attachment 1, Section C (Evaluation & Selection and
Section C.1 (Evaluation Criteria).
1)
Section A - Proposer Instructions
2)
Section B - Instructions & Format
3)
Section B.1 - Proposal Order
4)
Section C - Evaluation & Selection
5)
Section C.1 - Evaluation Criteria
6)
Section D - General Conditions
7)
Section E - User Billing & Payments
8)
Section F - Customer Service
9)
Section G - General Installation Requirements
10)
Section H - IPTS Requirements
11)
Section I - Facility Specifications
12)
Section J - Rates and Fees
13)
Section K - Exceptions to RFP

P-590 (4-17)

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14)
15)
16)
f.

Section L - Exceptions to P-600 Professional Service Agreement (4-19)
Section M - Receipt of Addenda
Section N - Pre-Proposal Conference Registration Form

Appendix B – P-600 Professional Service Agreement (4-19). Proposer is required
to review the standard agreement in its entirety and indicate any exceptions in
Attachment 1, Section L (Exceptions to P-600 Professional Service Agreement),
including an explanation of how the Proposer proposes to meet the Sheriff’s
Department needs without the required item.

g. The City shall propose an agreement resulting from this RFP, which shall incorporate
Attachment 1 – RFP Requirements, Appendix B – P-600 Professional Service
Agreement (4-19) and Proposer’s RFP response (“Agreement”). The terms of any
agreement between the selected Proposer and the Department shall be subject to further
negotiation and approval before the Sheriff’s Department may be legally bound
thereby. If satisfactory negotiations with the selected Proposer cannot be negotiated in
a reasonable time, the Sheriff’s Department may begin Agreement negotiations with
the next Proposer. The awarded Proposer shall not unduly delay negotiations or
execution of the Agreement. Proposer is expected to respond timely to the Sheriff’s
Department’s requests.
h. Additional format requirements are provided in Attachment 1, Section B (RFP
Instructions & Format).
2.

Project Approach

Describe the services and activities that your firm proposes to the City, including the
following information.
a.

Equipment and Installation Requirements
1) Specific Equipment and Installation requirements applicable to all systems are
outlined in Attachment 1, Section G (General Installation Requirements).
2) Proposer shall submit a preliminary implementation plan, which shall include
a proposed installation schedule for the Facilities for IPTS.
3) Proposer shall indicate any environmental conditions required for the proposed
IPTS. Include minimum and maximum operating temperatures and humidity
levels.
4) Proposer shall indicate the number of hours of back-up power that the provided
UPS components supply to the IPTS.
5) Proposer shall indicate whether Proposer proposes any changes to Sheriff’s
Department’s communications room at the Facilities.
IPTS

P-590 (4-17)

1)

Specific IPTS Equipment and Installation requirements are outlined in
Attachment 1, Section H (IPTS Requirements).

2)

Proposer shall supply details of Proposer’s proposed IPTS which shall
include, but not be limited to: system version (if Proposer uses multiple IPTS
versions and/or releases), system design (centralized vs. premise based),
technical specifications, software applications, hardware architecture and
networking capabilities.

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b.

3)

Proposer shall include a diagram demonstrating the proposed IPTS solution.

4)

Proposer must indicate the physical size of the IPTS equipment to be
installed at the Facilities including information on height, depth, width,
weight, abuse tolerances and any limitations.

5)

Proposer shall include a description, as well as images, of the incarcerated
person and visitation telephone sets, TDD and/or video relay service units,
and cart/portable sets proposed for installation at the Facilities.

Technology Features and User Applications
IPTS
1)

IPTS and User Application Specifications are outlined in Attachment 1,
Section H (IPTS Requirements).

2)

Proposer shall provide information on how the proposed IPTS is capable of
recognizing and distinguishing standard or irregular busy signals, standard
or irregular ringing signals, answering machines, digital voicemail, cellular
telephones, ring-back tones, chain dialing.

3)

Proposer shall provide a script of the call acceptance information provided
to the called party.

4)

Proposer shall indicate the number of times the IPTS plays the call
acceptance information to the called party and whether the called party may
interrupt the prompts by selecting a digit on the keypad.

5)

The IPTS shall process calls on a selective trilingual basis in English,
Spanish and Cantonese. Proposer shall indicate whether the called party (in
addition to the incarcerated person) will be able to select the preferred
language for call prompts.

6)

For calls that are not completed, the IPTS shall play a recorded message to
the incarcerated person detailing why the call was not completed. Proposer
shall provide a list of the available recordings as well as a complete
description of each.

7)

Proposer shall specify if the IPTS can limit free calls per incarcerated person,
within a specified number of hours, daily, weekly or monthly. Proposer shall
list the ways in which rules for free calls can be assigned.

8)

Proposer shall provide information on any security configurations available
within the IPTS to prevent fraud relative to automated phone trees (e.g.
incarcerated persons pressing digits and getting to a live operator).

9)

Proposer shall provide detailed information on the frequency Proposer
performs remote diagnostics and troubleshooting processes that shall include
failure reports, alarms, service history and other steps taken.

10)

The IPTS shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
requirements including, but not limited to, providing telephones and video
relay units, which are accessible to persons in wheelchairs and providing
devices, including video relay units, which are compatible with Telephone
Devices for the Deaf (TDD).
a)
b)

P-590 (4-17)

Proposer must indicate how the TDDs work with the proposed IPTS.
Proposer shall provide detail on how TDD calls can be recorded and
monitored via the IPTS.

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c)

d)

c.

Proposer shall provide detail relative to its capability to provide a
Video Relay System (VRS) at no additional cost to the Sheriff’s
Department. Proposer shall include information on any translation
options associated with the VRS.
Proposer shall provide detail on how call controls configured in the
IPTS are preserved for calls placed using the VRS (e.g. branding,
blocked telephone numbers).

Security Features
1)

IPTS Security Features requirements are specified in Attachment 1, Section
G (General Installation Requirements).

IPTS
1)

Proposer shall provide a detailed explanation of the information displayed
on the called party’s caller ID each time a call from the Facilities is placed
(e.g. unknown number, Proposer’s City service number, dummy ANI).

2)

Relative to Proposer’s fraud prevention feature, provide a list of the available
pre-recorded announcements. Proposer shall describe its process for
adjusting the duration of the call or excluding the pre-recorded
announcements from the cost of a call.

3)

Specify the method used by Proposer to detect three-way calls, specifically
if the called party is utilizing a cell phone to place the three-way call.
a)

d.

Upon detection of a three-way call, indicate whether the IPTS is
capable of playing a message to the incarcerated person and/or the
called party prior to terminating the call.

Monitoring, Recording and Data Requirements
1)

Proposer shall provide detailed information on its data storage locations,
data redundancy practices, and the processes used when copying and storing
all data.

IPTS

e.

P-590 (4-17)

1)

Monitoring, Recording and Data Requirements are outlined in Attachment
1, Section H (IPTS Requirements).

2)

Proposer shall include detailed information on the IPTS alert application.
The description shall include, at a minimum, the types of alerts available
(cell phone, SMS text, email) and whether a security PIN for accessing the
live call/visitation session is required.

3)

Proposer shall provide a detailed description of the process for
copying/exporting recordings. Include information on date/time stamps and
how the IPTS prevents tampering with a recording.

4)

Proposer shall describe its capabilities to allow authorized users of the IPTS
application to share call recordings (single and bulk) without copying
recordings onto a CD or other storage medium.

5)

Provide a listing of all available file types for IPTS data including reports
and recordings.

Additional Technology

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Sheriff’s Department is interested in additional technology products that the
Proposer can provide as part of the Proposer’s proposal offering for this RFP. At its sole
option, Sheriff’s Department may elect to implement any proposed Additional
Technologies throughout the life of the Agreement by way of Amendment. If Proposer is
interested in providing information for additional technology products, it should supply
information regarding each item listed below as indicated:

1) Video Visitation System (VVS) (to be included in the fixed cost proposal): Proposer
shall describe its VVS feature, which shall provide both incarcerated persons and
external users with onsite and remote video visits.
a) Proposer shall supply details of Proposer’s proposed optional VVS, which
shall include, but not be limited to: hardware components, operating
system, default applications, power options, proposed cabling, and
bandwidth parameters.
b) Proposer shall include a description, as well as images, of the proposed
video visitation stations proposed for installation at the Facilities.
c) Proposer shall detail any unique or distinctive features regarding the
proposed VVS, including the capability for the incarcerated person to
initiate video visitation sessions. If Proposer does not have the capability
for the incarcerated person to initiate video visitations sessions, provide
information on Proposer’s research and development progress.
d) Proposer shall list the requirements for a visitor to complete remote video
visitation sessions, including but not limited to minimum bandwidth,
equipment, software, browser type.
e) Proposer shall specify its proposed process for providing information on
upcoming video visits, including reports available in the VVS user
application.
f) Proposer shall provide a list of all available reports in the optional VVS
user application.
g) Proposer shall describe security features of the proposed VVS, including
capabilities to capture the visitor’s photo or identification automatically,
verify the visitor’s identity, run a warrant search on the visitor, create
automated/custom restrictions.
h) Proposer shall describe all methods for visitors to register and schedule a
video visit.
i) Proposer shall describe City’s options for both manual and automatic
approval of video visits.
j) Proposer shall describe if the proposed VVS scheduling software can also
accommodate standard in-person visits. If so, Proposer shall describe its
visitation scheduling platform to be used by City for standard in-person
visits.
k) Proposer shall describe City’s options for live VVS monitoring and
playbacks of video visits.
l) Proposer must provide 2 references of facilities where this feature has been
implemented for at least 6 months.
m) Proposer shall include its costs for VVS within the IPTS Price Proposal
as described in Attachment 1 – RFP Requirements, Section J (Rates &
Fees).
2) Automated Information Technology System (AITS) (to be included in the fixed
cost proposal): Proposer shall describe its AITS feature, which shall provide both
incarcerated persons and external users with information relative to the facility or to a
specific incarcerated person.

P-590 (4-17)

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a) Proposer must provide 2 references of facilities where this feature has been
implemented for at least 6 months.
3) Cell phone detection (to be included in the fixed cost proposal): Proposer must
provide an overview of both mobile and stationary cell phone detection technology
a) Proposer must provide 2 references of facilities where this feature has been
implemented for at least 6 months.
4) Identity Detection Technology (Beyond Voice Biometrics and Face Recognition
Technology) (to be included in the fixed cost proposal): Proposer must provide an
overview of incarcerated person identity detection technologies available from the
Proposer, beyond or superseding voice biometrics.
a) Proposer must provide 2 references of facilities where this feature has been
implemented for at least 6 months.
3.

Firm Qualifications

Provide information on your firm’s background and qualifications which address the
following:
a.

Proposer Information
1)
2)
3)

4)
5)
6)
7)

8)

9)

10)

b.

Disaster Recovery Plan
1)

P-590 (4-17)

Name, address and telephone number of a contact person for this RFP
response.
Documentation that Proposer is registered to do business in the state of
California.
Documentation that all necessary requirements of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) and BSCC Title 15 (Minimum
Standards for Local Detention Facilities) for the IPTS are met.
A copy of Proposer’s telecommunications service tariff, for the IPTS, for the
state of California.
Proposer’s current annual report and its 2 most recent Dun and Bradstreet or
similar reports.
If Proposer has operated under a different name, or affiliate, in the past 3
years, provide names, dates, addresses and state where incorporated.
If Proposer has participated in an acquisition or merger in the last 6 months,
provide information about the acquiring company or the company to be
acquired and information regarding the stage of negotiations.
A synopsis of any and all incarcerated person telephone RFP and/or contract
related protests in within the last 3 years. Include location and outcome of the
protest. A response indicating this information is confidential and/or
proprietary will be considered an Exception.
A synopsis of any and all litigation(s) within the last 5 years where Proposer
or Proposer’s IPTS is a party. Include venue, style of case and status of
litigation.
Provide information on your firm’s background and qualifications which
includes a brief description of your firm as well as how any joint venture or
association would be structured.
Proposer shall detail its Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). This plan should
provide the Proposer processes, policies and procedures relating to the

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recovery of services and data requirements as specified in this RFP preceding
and/or following a natural or human-induced disaster.
a)
The DRP shall address the Proposer’s recovery processes following
a natural or human-induced disaster for these scenarios.
i.
A localized event affecting only the Proposer’s facilities,
infrastructure, and personnel;
ii.
A localized affecting only the Sheriff’s Department’s facilities,
infrastructure, and personnel; and
iii.
A broad geographic event affecting both the Proposer and the
Sheriff’s Department.
c.

Customer Service
1.

Provide the following information regarding Proposer’s processes for
handling incarcerated person/end-user service matters for the IPTS specified
in this RFP.
a)

b)

c)
d)
e)
d.

Maintenance
1)

2)

3)

4)

P-590 (4-17)

Describe procedure(s) for handling incarcerated person/end-user
complaints including the contact options available for end-users to
request assistance from Proposer;
Indicate whether Proposer’s customer service center defaults to an
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or a live customer service
representative;
The hours during which live customer service representatives are
available to speak with end-users via telephone;
Indicate the average on-hold time to reach a live representative; and
Describe procedure(s) for handling incarcerated person or end-user
refund requests and the timeframe for completing such requests.

Proposer shall provide Sheriff’s Department with the escalation procedures
for handling customer support issues including, but not limited to,
maintenance, outages and reporting issues for the IPTS. Procedure
description shall include the contact names, contact numbers, email addresses
and level of authority for the person(s) responsible for escalated issues.
Proposer shall provide the on-site response time, priority levels and escalation
schedule for emergency outage/service issues at and/or related to the
Facilities as an exhibit to its RFP response and as outlined in Attachment 1,
Section B.1 (Proposal Order).
Proposer shall describe its detailed approach to routine and emergency
maintenance as an exhibit to its RFP response and as outlined in Attachment
1, Section B.1 (Proposal Order).
Proposer shall provide a synopsis of all IPTS outages lasting longer than 6
hours in a single day for the past 6 months. Include reason and outcome of
the outage.
a.
A response indicating this information is confidential and/or
proprietary will be considered an Exception.

4.

Team Qualifications

a.

Proposer shall provide the names of Proposer’s employees, consultants, and
subcontractors that will be involved in providing the requirements in this RFP and
the Agreement using format of the table below. Provide a list identifying: (1) each

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key person on the project team, (2) the project manager, (3) the role each will play
in the project, Proposer may add additional rows to the table as necessary.
b.

Proposer shall include a written assurance that the key individuals listed and
identified will be performing the work and will not be substituted with other
personnel or reassigned to another project without the Sheriff’s Department’s prior
approval.

c.

Proposer shall supply resumes for all employees, consultants and subcontractors that
will be working under the terms of this RFP and Agreement. There is no limit on the

Technician
Name

Company

Location
(Address, City,
State)

Contact Phone
Number

Proximity
(In Miles)

number of resumes that the Proposer may submit. Resumes shall be included in
Proposer’s proposal as indicated in Attachment 1, Section B.1 (Proposal Order).

d.

e.

All resumes shall be no more than 2 pages and include the following information.
1)
Each shall contain the name, position, qualifications, certifications, years of
experience, and educational background information.
2)
The amount of time that the individual will devote to work related to the
requirements outlined in this RFP. Indicate clearly whether the given
response is being expressed in hours per month or a percentage of time per
month.
3)
Two related, past performance references for projects of comparable size and
complexity where the team member has performed duties similar to the ones
outlined in this RFP.
a)
Proposer must include a contact name, number and email address of
someone who has knowledge of the team member’s work for that
project.
4)
Work experience for no more than the last 10 years. List relevant
current/recent work experience, employers, dates and duties in reverse
chronological order.
Proposer shall provide information regarding maintenance personnel for the IPTS
using the format provided in the table below.
1)
Indicate the number of technicians directly employed by Proposer as well as
the number of technicians that will be subcontracted for service at the
Facilities.
2)
Indicate the names, company, primary physical work location, telephone
numbers, and proximity to the Facilities for the technicians that will be
maintaining, servicing and performing work under the Agreement.

3)

5.

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Proposer shall disclose, with percentages clearly shown, the specific
work tasks for the Facilities that will be subcontracted and the specific
work tasks that will be performed by Proposer employees.

References

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Provide references for the projects that comprise your minimum qualifications.
Proposer’s references will be used to confirm and verify that proposer has met the
minimum qualifications.
By including these references, proposers are representing that the references are
familiar with proposer’s work and experience, and references will be truthful in any
representations.
a.

b.

c.

d.
e.

Provide a list of agreements not renewed, lost or prematurely cancelled in the last 5
years.
1)
If applicable, include the reason for non-renewal and/or cancellation(s) of
the agreement(s). A response indicating this information is confidential
and/or proprietary will be considered an exception.
Provide a list of clients/agencies who have notified Proposer of unauthorized
fees/charges, overbillings or revenue share owed within the last 3 years and the status
of resolution of those claims.
1)
A response indicating this information is not monitored, confidential and/or
proprietary will be considered an Exception.
Provide 3 client references for facilities where Proposer provides the equipment and
services comparable to the requirements in this RFP.
1)
References provided must be currently under contract with Proposer and
have been operating under that contract for at least 6 months.
2)
Proposer shall ensure updated references and accurate contact information
is provided.
References may be contacted at any time during the RFP.
Using the format in the table below, provide the requested information for each
reference.

City Name:
Contact Person and Title:
Telephone Number(s):
Email Address:
City, State:
Number of Facilities:
ADP:
Agreement Effective Date:
Total Number of Incarcerated Person
Phones:
Total Number Visitation Phones:
Portion of Free Calls via IPTS:

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6.

Price Proposal
The City intends to award this contract to the firm that it considers will provide the
best overall program services. The City reserves the right to accept other than the lowest
priced offer and to reject any proposals that are not responsive to this request.
Using Attachment 1 – Section J (Rates and Fees) please provide the price proposal
in a separate electronic folder or sealed envelope with your proposal submission. The City
will only select one Price Proposal Option to score, either a) Fixed Annual Cost or b) Lease
Cost option.
a.

b.

7.

In Option 1, Proposer shall:
1) Propose a fixed annual cost amount that shall be payable by City in equal
monthly increments covering the scope of the RFP asscoated with the IPTS.
In Option 2, Proposer shall:
1) Propose a flat per-incarcerated person telephone lease fee that shall be payable
by City on a per station basis covering the scope of the RFP associated with
the IPTS. The per-incarcerated person telephone lease rate shall be applied to
new incarcerated person telephone installations.
Certification of Headquarters in Accordance with Administrative Code
Chapter 12X.
Proposals should contain the following statement:
“I certify that my company is headquartered at the following address:
____________________________________________________________
I will notify the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department if my company's headquarters
moves.”
The required statement is found at the bottom of Attachment 1 – Section J (Rates
and Fees). Proposers should enter the address of their company’s headquarters and
sign under the form. Failure to sign this statement may be cause for disqualification.

IV.

Evaluation and Selection Criteria
A.

Minimum Qualifications

Proposals should clearly demonstrate that the qualifications are met. Insufficient or incomplete
information may result in a proposal being considered non-responsive and may not be eligible for award
of the contract. If required information is complete, but City determines that the Proposer does not meet
minimum qualifications, proposer may be deemed non-responsible.
1.

Proposer must complete and submit Attachment 1 – RFP Requirements (Sections A
through N) in its entirety. Proposers may include exceptions to the RFP Requirements
per Attachment 1 – Section K. Exceptions to the RFP.

2.

Proposer must currently manage and operate IPTS with a minimum annual incarcerated
person population of 1,300 incarcerated persons or process over 900,000 IPTS minutes of
use per month.

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B.

3.

Proposer warrants the possession of all licenses and/or permits required by the laws and
regulations of the United States, the State of California and the Sheriff’s Department to
provide the sought services.

4.

Proposer must attend the Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference and Facility tours.

5.

Proposer must be a City-approved vendor by the time of Agreement award.

6.

Proposer shall comply with free calls and no fees for the IPTS.

Selection Criteria

The proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of parties with expertise
incarcerated person communications services. The City intends to evaluate the proposals generally in
accordance with the criteria itemized in Attachment 1, Section C.1 (Evaluation Criteria). Further
information on the proposal evaluation and selection process is covered in Attachment 1, Section C
(Evaluation and Selection).

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1.

Overall Evaluation Process

The evaluation process will consist of the phases specified below as well as in Attachment 1,
Section C.1 (Evaluation Criteria).

Evaluation Phase

Maximum Points

Screening of Minimum Qualifications

Pass/Fail

Written Proposal (Project Approach, Firm
Qualifications, Team Qualifications,
References)

Attachment 1 –

Price Proposal (Including BAFO)

Attachment 1 –

Section C.1 - (55 points)

Section C.1 – (40 points)
Attachment 1 –

Oral Interview

Section C.1 – (5 Points)
TOTAL

100 points

Screening of Minimum Qualifications
Each proposal will be reviewed for initial determinations on whether Proposer meets minimum
qualifications referenced in Section IV, Part A (Minimum Qualifications) of this RFP.
Proposals will not be scored during the screening of Minimum Qualifications. This screening is
simply a pass or fail determination as to whether the proposer has met the minimum qualifications.
A proposal that fails to meet the minimum qualifications will not be eligible for consideration in
the evaluation process. The City reserves the right to request clarifications from proposers prior
to rejecting a proposal for failure to meet the minimum qualifications. Clarifications are limited
exchanges between the City and Proposer for the purpose of clarifying certain aspects of the
proposal and will not provide a proposer the opportunity to revise or modify its proposals. Only
proposals that meet the minimum qualifications can proceed to the next evaluation phases.
Written Proposal Evaluation
The proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of parties with expertise in the
needed services. The City intends to evaluate the proposals generally in accordance with the criteria
itemized in Attachment 1, Section C.1. (Evaluation Criteria).
Price Proposal:
The City intends to award this contract to the firm that it considers will provide the best overall
services. The City reserves the right to accept other than the lowest priced offer and to reject any
proposals that are not responsive to this request.
The Price Proposal score will be determined by the equation below and will be based on the total
price proposal. The City will only select one Price Proposal Option to score, either a) Fixed Cost
or b) Lease Cost option.

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Score = (Lowest Proposed price / Proposer’s price) x (max Price points possible).
Oral Interview
Following the evaluation of the written proposals, the 3 proposers receiving the highest scores may
be invited to an oral interview. The interview will consist of a presentation of the proposed IPTS
with a sample of the proposed phone equipment and standard questions asked of each of the 3
proposers.
Following the evaluation of the written proposals and price proposals, both scores will then be
tabulated and proposers will be ranked starting with the proposer receiving the highest score, then
continuing with the proposer receiving the second highest score, and so on. The 3 proposers
receiving the highest scores will be invited to an oral interview. The City will determine the format
and the scoring criteria to be used during the interview. The interview will consist of either or both
standard questions asked of each of the proposers, and may include questions of clarification for
specific proposals. The selection panel will evaluate each proposer based on their presentation
and/or responses. After the oral interview, the City will combine all scores, rank the proposers and
select the highest ranked proposer to enter into agreement with.
V.

Pre-proposal Conference and Agreement award
A.

Pre-Proposal Conference

Proposers are required to attend a mandatory pre-proposal conference on the date and time specified
in Section I, Part B (Schedule of Events), Table 1 (Anticipated Schedule) of this RFP. The pre-proposal
conference will be held at County Jail #1 – Lobby Conference Room, 425 7th St., San Francisco, CA
94103, followed by a tour of downtown Facilities (CJ #1, CJ #2, CJ #4) and CJ #5 in San Bruno. Proposer
should plan to be involved in the pre-proposal conference for a minimum of 5 hours. All questions will be
addressed at this conference and any available new information will be provided at that time. If you have
further questions regarding the RFP, please contact the individual designated in Section VI. Part B.
To attend the pre-proposal conference, Proposer must complete and email Attachment 1, Section
N (Pre-Proposal Conference Registration Form) to the RFP contact specified in this RFP on or before
the date specified in Section I, Part B (Schedule of Events) of this RFP. Each Proposer will be limited to
2 representatives at the site evaluation. Proposer must confirm attendance via email to the RFP contact at
least 3 days prior to the site evaluation. This will be the only time available for Proposer to visit the Facilities
during the RFP process.
Oral responses to questions during the site evaluation shall be considered nonbinding on City.
Proposer’s questions regarding the pre-proposal conference and/or this RFP must be submitted by Proposer
in writing as specified herein on or before the date specified in Section I, Part B (Schedule of Events) of
this RFP.
Question and Answer Period
Proposers shall submit all questions concerning this Request for Proposal in writing by email only
during the Question and Answer Period, ending on or before the date specified in Section I, Part
B (Schedule of Events) of this RFP. Questions and Answers will be posted publically. All
questions concerning the RFP or process shall be submitted no later than 72-hours prior to the
proposal deadline. Questions should include the RFP section number title, subsection and page of
the corresponding RFP document.
Henry Gong

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San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Finance
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 456, City Hall
San Francisco, CA 94102
henry.gong@sfgov.org
Please reference RFP No. SHF 2019-11
The Pre-Proposal Conference will begin at the time specified, and company representatives are
urged to arrive on time. Topics already covered will not be repeated for the benefit of late arrivals.
Failure to attend the pre-bid conference shall not excuse the successful Proposer from any
obligations of the contract. Written Bid Addendum will execute any change or addition to the
requirements contained in this RFP, as a result of the Pre-Proposal Conference. It is the
responsibility of the Proposer to check for any RFP Addendums, Q&A postings, and other updates
which will be posted on the County/City’s Events and Bid website:

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/index.aspx
B.

Agreement Award

The Sheriff’s Department will select a proposer with whom the Sheriff’s Department staff
or Sheriff’s Department’s Designated Agent shall commence Agreement negotiations. The
selection of any proposal shall not imply acceptance by the Sheriff’s Department of all terms of the
proposal, which may be subject to further negotiations and approvals before the Sheriff’s
Department may be legally bound thereby. If a satisfactory Agreement cannot be negotiated in a
reasonable time the Sheriff’s Department in its sole discretion, may terminate negotiations with the
highest ranked proposer and begin contract negotiations with the next highest ranked proposer.
Additional details surrounding Agreement selection and award can be found in Attachment 1,
Section C (Evaluation and Selection).
VI. Terms and Conditions for Receipt of Proposals
A.

Errors and Omissions in RFP

Proposers are responsible for reviewing all portions of this RFP. Proposers are to promptly notify
City, in writing, if the proposer discovers any ambiguity, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the RFP.
Any such notification should be directed to City promptly after discovery, but in no event later than 72hours prior to the date that proposals are due. Modifications and clarifications will be made by addenda
as provided below.
B.

Inquiries Regarding RFP

Proposers shall submit all questions concerning this RFP scope of services or requirements in
writing by email only during the Question and Answer Period as specified in Section I, Part B (Schedule
of Events), Table 1 (Anticipated Schedule) of this RFP and directed to: henry.gong@sfgov.org. All
Proposer questions concerning the bid process shall be submitted no later than the date and time specified
in the Section I, Part B (Schedule of Events), Table 1 (Anticipated Schedule) of this RFP. Proposers
who fail to do so will waive all further rights to protest, based on these specifications and conditions.
C.

Objections to RFP Terms

Should a proposer object on any ground to any provision or legal requirement set forth in this RFP,
the proposer must, not less than 72-hours prior to the RFP deadline, provide written notice to City setting

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forth with specificity the grounds for the objection. The failure of a proposer to object in the manner set
forth in this paragraph shall constitute a complete and irrevocable waiver of any such objection. All
Exceptions or Objections to the RFP must be noted in Attachment 1, Section K (Exceptions to RFP).
D.

Change Notices

The Sheriff’s Department may modify the RFP, prior to the proposal due date, by issuing an
Addendum to the RFP, which will be posted on the website. The proposer shall be responsible for
ensuring that its proposal reflects any and all Bid Addendum(s) issued by City prior to the proposal due
date regardless of when the proposal is submitted. Therefore, City recommends that the Proposer consult
the website frequently, including shortly before the proposal due date, to determine if the proposer has
downloaded all Bid Addendum(s). It is the responsibility of the proposer to check for any Addendum,
Questions and Answers, and updates, which will be posted on the City’s Events and Bid website:

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/index.aspx

E.

Term of Proposal

Submission of a proposal signifies that the proposed services and prices are valid for 180 calendar
days from the proposal due date and that the quoted prices are genuine and not the result of collusion or
any other anti-competitive activity. At Proposer’s election, the proposal may remain valid beyond the
180-day period in the circumstance of extended negotiations.
F.

Revision of Proposal

A proposer may revise a proposal on the proposer’s own initiative at any time before the deadline
for submission of proposals. The proposer must submit the revised proposal in the same manner as the
original. A revised proposal must be received on or before, but no later than the proposal due date and
time.
In no case will a statement of intent to submit a revised proposal, or commencement of a revision
process, extend the proposal due date for any proposer.
At any time during the proposal evaluation process, City may require a proposer to provide oral or
written clarification of its proposal. City reserves the right to make an award without further clarifications
of proposals received.
G.

Errors and Omissions in Proposal

Failure by City to object to an error, omission, or deviation in the proposal will in no way modify
the RFP or excuse the vendor from full compliance with the specifications of the RFP or any contract
awarded pursuant to the RFP.
H.

Financial Responsibility

City accepts no financial responsibility for any costs incurred by a firm in responding to this RFP.
Submissions of the RFP will become the property of the City and may be used by the City in any way
deemed appropriate.
I.

Proposer’s Obligations under the Campaign Reform Ordinance

Proposers must comply with Section 1.126 of the S.F. Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code,
which states:
“No person who contracts with the City and County of San Francisco for the rendition of personal
services, for the furnishing of any material, supplies or equipment to the City, or for selling any land or
building to the City, whenever such transaction would require approval by a City elective officer, or the

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board on which that City elective officer serves, shall make any contribution to such an officer, or
candidates for such an office, or committee controlled by such officer or candidate at any time between
commencement of negotiations and the later of either (1) the termination of negotiations for such contract,
or (2) three months have elapsed from the date the contract is approved by the City elective officer or the
board on which that City elective officer serves.”
If a proposer is negotiating for a contract that must be approved by an elected local officer or the
board on which that officer serves, during the negotiation period the proposer is prohibited from making
contributions to:




The officer’s re-election campaign;
A candidate for that officer’s office; and/or
A committee controlled by the officer or candidate.

The negotiation period begins with the first point of contact, either by telephone, in person, or in
writing, when a contractor approaches any city officer or employee about a particular contract, or a city
officer or employee initiates communication with a potential contractor about a contract. The negotiation
period ends when a contract is awarded or not awarded to the contractor. Examples of initial contacts
include: (1) a vendor contacts a city officer or employee to promote himself or herself as a candidate for
a contract; and (2) city officer or employee contacts a contractor to propose that the contractor apply for
a contract. Inquiries for information about a particular contract, requests for documents relating to a
request for proposal, and requests to be placed on a mailing list do not constitute negotiations.
Violation of Section 1.126 may result in the following criminal, civil, or administrative penalties:
1. Criminal. Any person who knowingly or willfully violates section 1.126 is subject to a
fine of up to $5,000 and a jail term of not more than six months, or both.
2. Civil. Any person who intentionally or negligently violates section 1.126 may be held liable
in a civil action brought by the civil prosecutor for an amount up to $5,000.
3. Administrative. Any person who intentionally or negligently violates section 1.126 may be
held liable in an administrative proceeding before the Ethics Commission held pursuant to
the Charter for an amount up to $5,000 for each violation.
For further information, proposers should contact the San Francisco Ethics Commission at (415)
581-2300.
J.

Sunshine Ordinance

In accordance with S.F. Administrative Code Section 67.24(e), contractors’ bids, responses to RFPs
and all other records of communications between the City and persons or firms seeking contracts shall be
open to inspection immediately after a contract has been awarded. Nothing in this provision requires the
disclosure of a private person’s or organization’s net worth or other proprietary financial data submitted
for qualification for a contract or other benefits until and unless that person or organization is awarded
the contract or benefit. Information provided which is covered by this paragraph will be made available
to the public upon request.
K.

Public Access to Meetings and Records

If a proposer is a non-profit entity that receives a cumulative total per year of at least $250,000 in
City funds or City-administered funds and is a non-profit organization as defined in Chapter 12L of the
S.F. Administrative Code, the proposer must comply with Chapter 12L. The proposer must include in its
proposal (1) a statement describing its efforts to comply with the Chapter 12L provisions regarding public
access to proposer’s meetings and records, and (2) a summary of all complaints concerning the proposer’s
compliance with Chapter 12L that were filed with the City in the last two years and deemed by the City
to be substantiated. The summary shall also describe the disposition of each complaint. If no such
complaints were filed, the proposer shall include a statement to that effect. Failure to comply with the
reporting requirements of Chapter 12L or material misrepresentation in proposer’s Chapter 12L

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submissions shall be grounds for rejection of the proposal and/or termination of any subsequent
Agreement reached on the basis of the proposal.
L.

Reservations of Rights by the City

The issuance of this RFP does not constitute an agreement by the City that any contract will actually
be entered into by the City. The City expressly reserves the right at any time to:
1. Waive or correct any defect or informality in any response, proposal, or proposal
procedure;
2. Reject any or all proposals;
3. Reissue a Request for Proposals;
4. Prior to submission deadline for proposals, modify all or any portion of the selection
procedures, including deadlines for accepting responses, the specifications or requirements
for any materials, equipment or services to be provided under this RFP, or the requirements
for contents or format of the proposals;
5. Procure any materials, equipment or services specified in this RFP by any other means; or
6. Determine that no project will be pursued.
M.

No Waiver

No waiver by the City of any provision of this RFP shall be implied from any failure by the City to
recognize or take action on account of any failure by a proposer to observe any provision of this RFP.
N.

Local Business Enterprise Goals and Outreach

The requirements of the Local Business Enterprise and Non-Discrimination in Contracting
Ordinance set forth in Chapter 14B of the San Francisco Administrative Code as it now exists or as it
may be amended in the future (collectively the “LBE Ordinance”) shall apply to this RFP.
Each solicitation process requires a new submittal of CMD Attachment 3 forms at the following
link, located under the heading “Attachment 3: General Services Contracts”:
http://www.sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=6135
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Form 2A-CMD Contract Participation Form
Form 2B- CMD “Good Faith Outreach” Requirements Form
Form 3- CMD Non-Discrimination Affidavit
Form 4- CMD Joint Venture Form (if applicable), and
Form 5- CMD Employment Form

Please submit Forms 2A, 2B, 3 and 5 (and Form 4 if Joint Venture response) with your Response
Package. The forms should be part of the “Original” of your response. The forms should have original
signatures.
If these forms are not returned with the response, the response may be determined to be nonresponsive and may be rejected.
A.

Local Business Enterprise Goals and Outreach

The requirements of the Local Business Enterprise (LBE) and Non-Discrimination in Contracting
Ordinance set forth in Chapter 14B of the S.F. Administrative Code as it now exists or as it may be
amended in the future (collectively the “LBE Ordinance”) shall apply to this solicitation. More
information regarding these requirements can be found at:
http://www.sfgov.org/cmd
B.

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Please refer to San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 14B and CMD Attachment 2 for
information concerning the City's LBE program.
The LBE sub-consulting goal % of the total value of the goods and/or services to be procured will
be provided at the pre-proposal conference. Sub-consulting goals can only be met with CMD-certified
Small or Micro-LBEs located in San Francisco.
C.

Link to LBE Sub-consultant Directory

This link takes you to a directory of current Local Business Enterprises:
http://mission.sfgov.org/hrc_certification/
D.

Good Faith Outreach to Select LBE Sub-consultants

Each firm responding to this solicitation shall demonstrate in its response that it has used goodfaith outreach to select LBE sub-consultants as set forth in S.F. Administrative Code §§14B.8 and 14B.9,
and shall identify the particular LBE sub-consultants solicited and selected to be used in performing the
contract. For each LBE identified as a subcontractor, the response must specify the value of the
participation as a percentage of the total value of the goods and/or services to be procured, the type of
work to be performed, and such information as may reasonably be required to determine the
responsiveness of the response. LBEs identified as sub-consultants must be certified with the Contract
Monitoring Division at the time the response is due, and must have been contacted by the (prime
contractor) prior to listing them as subcontractors in the response. Any response that does not meet the
requirements of this paragraph will be non-responsive.
E.

Documentation of Good Faith Outreach Efforts

In addition to demonstrating that it will achieve the level of sub-consulting participation required
by the contract, a Respondent shall also undertake and document in its submittal the good faith efforts
required by Chapter 14B.8(C) & (D) and CMD Attachment 2, Requirements for Architecture,
Engineering and Professional Services Contracts.
Responses which fail to comply with the material requirements of S.F. Administrative Code
§§14B.8 and 14B.9, CMD Attachment 2 and this solicitation will be deemed non-responsive and will be
rejected. During the term of the contract, any failure to comply with the level of LBE sub-consultant
participation specified in the contract shall be deemed a material breach of contract.
Note: If Respondent meets/exceeds LBE participation by 35% (i.e. 31.05% LBE
participation for this contract), Good Faith Outreach documentation is not required.
F.

LBE Participation and Rating Bonuses

The City strongly encourages responses from qualified LBEs. Pursuant to Chapter 14B, the
following rating bonuses will be in effect for the award of this project for any Respondents who are
certified as a Small or Micro-LBE, or joint ventures where the joint venture partners are in the same
discipline and have the specific levels of participation as identified below. Certification applications may
be obtained by calling (415) 581-2310. The rating bonus applies at each phase of the selection process.
The application of the rating bonus is as follows:
a) A 10% bonus to a Small or Micro LBE—including Non-Profit; or a joint venture between
or among LBEs; or
b) A 5% bonus to a joint venture with LBE participation that equals or exceeds 35%, but is
under 40%;
c) A 7.5% bonus to a joint venture with LBE participation that equals or exceeds 40%;

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Joint Venture Rating Bonus If applying for a rating bonus as a joint venture, the LBE must be an
active partner in the joint venture and perform work, manage the job and take financial risks in proportion
to the required level of participation stated in the response, and must be responsible for a clearly defined
portion of the work to be performed and share in the ownership, control, management responsibilities,
risks, and profits of the joint venture. The portion of the LBE joint venture’s work shall be set forth in
detail separately from the work to be performed by the non-LBE joint venture partner. The LBE joint
venture’s portion of the contract must be assigned a commercially useful function.
G.

Application of the Rating bonus:

The following rating bonus/bid discount shall apply at each stage of the selection process, i.e.,
qualifications, proposals, and interviews:
a)

b)

c)

Contracts with an Estimated Cost in Excess of $10,000 and Less Than or Equal To
$400,000. A 10% rating bonus/bid discount will apply to any proposal submitted by a
CMD-Certified Small or Micro-LBE. Proposals submitted by SBA-LBEs are not
eligible for a rating bonus/bid discount.
Contracts with an Estimated Cost in Excess of $400,000 and Less Than or Equal To
$10,000,000. A 10% rating bonus/bid discount will apply to any proposal submitted
by a CMD-Certified Small or Micro-LBE. Pursuant to Section 14B.7(E), a 5% rating
bonus/bid discount will be applied to any proposal from an SBA-LBE, except that the
5% rating bonus/bid discount shall not be applied at any stage if it would adversely
affect a Small or Micro-LBE.
Contracts with an Estimated Cost In Excess of $10,000,000 and Less Than or Equal
To $20,000,000. A 2% rating bonus/bid discount will apply to any proposal
submitted by a Small LBE, Micro LBE and SBA-LBE. C.

The rating bonus/bid discount does not apply for contracts estimated by the Contract Awarding
Authority to exceed $20 million.
H.

CMD Contact

If you have any questions concerning the CMD Forms and to ensure that your response is not
rejected for failing to comply with S.F. Administrative Code Chapter 14B requirements, please call the
Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) at (415) 581-2310. The forms will be reviewed prior to the
evaluation process.
VII.

Contract Requirements
A.

Standard Contract Provisions

The successful proposer will be required to enter into a contract substantially in the form of the
Agreement for Professional Services, attached hereto as Appendix B. Failure to timely execute the
contract, or to furnish any and all insurance certificates and policy endorsement, surety bonds or other
materials required in the contract, shall be deemed an abandonment of a contract offer. The City, in its
sole discretion, may select another firm and may proceed against the original selectee for damages.
B.

Nondiscrimination in Contracts and Benefits

The successful proposer will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the
provisions of Chapters 12B and 12C of the San Francisco Administrative Code. Generally, Chapter 12B
prohibits the City and County of San Francisco from entering into contracts or leases with any entity that
discriminates in the provision of benefits between employees with domestic partners and employees with
spouses, and/or between the domestic partners and spouses of employees. The Chapter 12C requires
nondiscrimination in contracts in public accommodation. Additional information on Chapters 12B and
12C is available on the CMD’s website at http://sfgov.org/cmd/.

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C.

Minimum Compensation Ordinance (MCO)

The successful proposer will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the
provisions of the Minimum Compensation Ordinance (MCO), as set forth in S.F. Administrative Code
Chapter 12P. Generally, this Ordinance requires contractors to provide employees covered by the
Ordinance who do work funded under the contract with hourly gross compensation and paid and unpaid
time off that meet certain minimum requirements. For the amount of hourly gross compensation currently
required under the MCO, see www.sfgov.org/olse/mco. Note that this hourly rate may increase on
January 1 of each year and that contractors will be required to pay any such increases to covered
employees during the term of the contract.
Additional information regarding the MCO is available on the web at www.sfgov.org/olse/mco.
D.

Health Care Accountability Ordinance (HCAO)

The successful proposer will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the
provisions of the Health Care Accountability Ordinance (HCAO), as set forth in S.F. Administrative Code
Chapter 12Q. Contractors should consult the San Francisco Administrative Code to determine their
compliance obligations under this chapter. Additional information regarding the HCAO is available on
the web at www.sfgov.org/olse/hcao.
E.

First Source Hiring Program (FSHP)

If the contract is for more than $50,000, then the First Source Hiring Program (Admin. Code
Chapter 83) may apply. Generally, this ordinance requires contractors to notify the First Source Hiring
Program of available entry-level jobs and provide the Workforce Development System with the first
opportunity to refer qualified individuals for employment.
Contractors should consult the San Francisco Administrative Code to determine their compliance
obligations under this chapter. Additional information regarding the FSHP is available on the web at
http://oewd.org/first-sourceand from the First Source Hiring Administrator, (415) 701-4848.
F.

Conflicts of Interest

The successful proposer will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the
applicable provisions of state and local laws related to conflicts of interest, including Section 15.103 of
the City's Charter, Article III, Chapter 2 of City’s Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code, and
Section 87100 et seq. and Section 1090 et seq. of the Government Code of the State of California. The
successful proposer will be required to acknowledge that it is familiar with these laws; certify that it does
not know of any facts that constitute a violation of said provisions; and agree to immediately notify the
City if it becomes aware of any such fact during the term of the Agreement.
Individuals who will perform work for the City on behalf of the successful proposer might be
deemed consultants under state and local conflict of interest laws. If so, such individuals will be required
to submit a Statement of Economic Interests, California Fair Political Practices Commission Form 700,
to the City within ten calendar days of the City notifying the successful proposer that the City has selected
the proposer.
VIII.

Protest Procedures
A.

Protest of Non-Responsiveness Determination

Within five working days of the City's issuance of a notice of non-responsiveness, any firm that has
submitted a proposal and believes that the City has incorrectly determined that its proposal is non-responsive
may submit a written notice of protest. Such notice of protest must be received by the City on or before the fifth
working day following the City's issuance of the notice of non-responsiveness. The notice of protest must include
a written statement specifying in detail each and every one of the grounds asserted for the protest. The protest
must be signed by an individual authorized to represent the proposer, and must cite the law, rule, local ordinance,

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procedure or RFP provision on which the protest is based. In addition, the protestor must specify facts and
evidence sufficient for the City to determine the validity of the protest.
B.

Protest of Non-Responsible Determination

Within five working days of the City's issuance of a notice of a determination of non-responsibility, a
vendor that would otherwise be the lowest responsive proposer may submit a written notice of protest. The
vendor will be notified of any evidence reflecting upon their responsibility received from others or adduced as a
result of independent investigation. The Proposer will be afforded an opportunity to rebut such adverse evidence,
and will be permitted to present evidence that they are qualified to perform the contract. Such notice of protest
must be received by the City on or before the fifth working day following the City's issuance of the notice of
non-responsibility. The notice of protest must include a written statement specifying in detail each and every
one of the grounds asserted for the protest. The protest must be signed by an individual authorized to represent
the proposer, and must cite the law, rule, local ordinance, procedure or RFP provision on which the protest is
based. In addition, the protestor must specify facts and evidence sufficient for the City to determine the validity
of the protest.
C.

Protest of Contract Award

Within five working days of the City's issuance of a notice of intent to award the contract, any firm that
has submitted a responsive proposal and believes that the City has incorrectly selected another proposer for
award may submit a written notice of protest. Such notice of protest must be received by the City on or before
the fifth working day after the City's issuance of the notice of intent to award.
The notice of protest must include a written statement specifying in detail each and every one of the
grounds asserted for the protest. The protest must be signed by an individual authorized to represent the proposer,
and must cite the law, rule, local ordinance, procedure or RFP provision on which the protest is based. In
addition, the protestor must specify facts and evidence sufficient for the City to determine the validity of the
protest.
D.

Delivery of Protests

All protests must be received by the due date. If a protest is mailed, the protestor bears the risk of nondelivery within the deadlines specified herein. Protests should be transmitted by a means that will objectively
establish the date the City received the protest. Protests or notice of protests made orally (e.g., by telephone) will
not be considered. Protests must be delivered to:
Henry Gong
San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Finance
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 456, City Hall
San Francisco, CA 94102
henry.gong@sfgov.org

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Appendix A
Standard Forms
i.

How to become Eligible to Do Business with the City:

Before the City can award any contract to a contractor, all vendors must meet the minimum requirements
described below. There may be additional requirements placed upon a vendor depending on the type of
good or service to be purchased.
ii.

Mandatory Forms:

At a minimum, in order to become eligible to do business with the City, a vendor must submit the
following documents to the Vendor Support Division via the City’s supplier portal located at
https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/index.aspx:
1. Vendor Application Packet (includes New Vendor Number Request Form and IRS Form W-9)
2. CCSF Vendor - Business Registration (Electronic Submission - you must have a vendor number
to complete)
3. CMD 12B-101 Declaration of Nondiscrimination in Contracts and Benefits
iii.

Vendor Eligibility and Invoice Payment:

Vendors must have a City-issued vendor number, have all compliance paperwork submitted and approved
by the City, and have an executed contract or purchase order before payments can be made. Once a
vendor number has been assigned, an email notification will be provided by the City's Vendor File
Support Division. This notification will include instructions on how to sign up to receive payments
through the City's supplier portal located at https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/ .
iv.

Vendor Eligibility Forms:

Form

Purpose/Info

Routing

CCSF Vendor - Business
Registration (Electronic
Submission - you must
have a vendor number to
complete)

This declaration is required for city
vendors to determine if you are required
to obtain a Business Registration
Certificate.

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/

Declaration of
Nondiscrimination in
Contracts and Benefits with
supporting
documentation (Form
CMD-12B-101)

This Declaration is used by the City’s
Contract Monitoring Division to
determine if a vendor offers benefits to
employees. When a vendor offers
benefits, it must be verified that all
benefits, including insurance plans and
leaves, are offered equally to employees
with spouses and employees with

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/

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domestic partners. For more information
and assistance, please visit the City
Administrator’s Contract Monitoring
Division Equal Benefits web page.
Vendor Profile Application

v.

Includes New Vendor Number Request
Form and IRS Form W-9.

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/

Supplemental Forms:

Form:

Required If:

Minimum Compensation
Ordinance (MCO) Declaration
( pdf)

You have at least $25,000 ($50,000 for non-profit organizations) in
cumulative annual business with a City department or departments
and have more than 5 employees, including employees of any
parent, subsidiaries and subcontractors.

Health Care Accountability
Ordinance (HCAO) Declaration
( pdf)

You have at least $25,000 ($50,000 for non-profit organizations) in
cumulative annual business with a City department or departments
and have more than 20 employees (more than 50 employees for
nonprofit organizations), including employees of any parent,
subsidiaries or subcontractors.

Insurance Requirements (pdf)

The solicitation requires the successful proposer to demonstrate
proof of insurance.

Payment (Labor and Material)
Bond (pdf)

The solicitation requires the awarded vendor to post a Payment
(Labor and Material) bond.

Performance Bond (pdf)

The solicitation requires the awarded vendor to post a Performance
bond.

Local Business Enterprise
Program Application (Contract
Monitoring Division)

You desire to participate in the City’s Local Business Enterprise
Program which helps certain financially disadvantaged businesses
increase their ability to compete effectively for City contracts

For further guidance, refer to the City’s supplier training videos that are located online at:
https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/ .

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A.

Proposer Eligibility Forms:
Form

Purpose/Info

Routing

CCSF Proposer - Business
Registration (Electronic
Submission - you must have a
vendor number to complete)

This declaration is required for city
vendors to determine if you are required
to obtain a Business Registration
Certificate.

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov
.org/

Declaration of
Nondiscrimination in
Contracts and Benefits with
supporting
documentation (Form CMD12B-101)

This Declaration is used by the City’s
Contract Monitoring Division to
determine if a vendor offers benefits to
employees. When a vendor offers
benefits, it must be verified that all
benefits, including insurance plans and
leaves, are offered equally to employees
with spouses and employees with
domestic partners. For more information
and assistance, please visit the City
Administrator’s Contract Monitoring
Division Equal Benefits web page.

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov
.org/

Proposer Profile Application

Includes New Proposer Number Request
Form and IRS Form W-9.

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov
.org/

B.

Supplemental Forms:

Form:

Required If:

Minimum Compensation
Ordinance (MCO) Declaration (
pdf)

You have at least $25,000 ($50,000 for non-profit organizations) in
cumulative annual business with a City department or departments
and have more than 5 employees, including employees of any
parent, subsidiaries and subcontractors.

Health Care Accountability
Ordinance (HCAO) Declaration
( pdf)

You have at least $25,000 ($50,000 for non-profit organizations) in
cumulative annual business with a City department or departments
and have more than 20 employees (more than 50 employees for
nonprofit organizations), including employees of any parent,
subsidiaries or subcontractors.

Insurance Requirements (pdf)

The solicitation requires the successful proposer to demonstrate
proof of insurance.

Payment (Labor and Material)
Bond (pdf)

The solicitation requires the awarded vendor to post a Payment
(Labor and Material) bond.

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Performance Bond (pdf)

The solicitation requires the awarded vendor to post a Performance
bond.

Local Business Enterprise
Program Application (Contract
Monitoring Division)

You desire to participate in the City’s Local Business Enterprise
Program which helps certain financially disadvantaged businesses
increase their ability to compete effectively for City contracts

For further guidance, refer to the City’s supplier training videos that are located online at:
https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/ .

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