REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Selection of Vendor to provide
Disaster Restoration and Recovery Services
for the Board of Regents of
The University of Texas System
RFP No. ORM2007-1
Proposal Submittal Deadline: April 9, 2007
RFP Issue Date: March 9, 2007
DISASTER_RFP1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1.1 Description of The University of Texas System
1.2 Background Information
1.3 Objectives
2. Notice to Proposer
2.1 General
2.2 Deadline for Submission
2.3 Contacts
2.4 Inquiries and Interpretations
2.5 Contractual Arrangements
2.6 Texas Public Information Act
2.7 Proposal Selection Process
2.8 Criteria for Selection
2.9 Proposer's Acceptance of Proposal Evaluation Methodology
2.10 Solicitation for Proposal/Proposal Preparation Costs
2.11 Historically Underutilized Businesses
2.12 Key Events Schedule
3. Proposal Requirements
3.1 General Instructions
3.2 Preparation and Submittal Instructions
3.3 Terms and Conditions
3.4 Submittal Checklist
4. General Terms and Conditions
5. Specifications
5.1 General
5.2 Specifications/Scope of Work
6. Execution of Offer
7. Addenda Checklist
8. Proposer Questionnaire
EXHIBIT A: Institutions and Contact List
EXHIBIT B: Non-Exclusive Disaster Restoration and Recovery Disaster Restoration and Recovery Services Contract
EXHIBIT C: Historically Underutilized Business Subcontracting Plan
EXHIBIT D: Evaluation Criteria
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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Description of The University of Texas System
The University of Texas System ("UTS") was established pursuant to the Texas Constitution of 1876. In 1881, Austin was designated the site of the main academic campus and Galveston as the location of the medical branch. The University of Texas at Austin first opened in 1883, and eight years later, John Sealy Hospital in Galveston (now a part of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) established a program for university-trained medical professionals. In addition to the original academic campus located in Austin, UTS now includes additional academic campuses in El Paso, Dallas, Arlington, San Antonio, the Permian Basin (Odessa), Tyler, and the Rio Grande Valley (Brownsville and Edinburg). Health Institutions for medical education and research have expanded beyond the original Galveston medical campus to include the M.D.Anderson Cancer Center (Houston), the Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, the HealthScience Centers at Houston and San Antonio, and the Health Center at Tyler. The fifteen Institutions of UTS have emerged among the nation's premier educational enterprises.
Many of UTS's programs in science, engineering, liberal arts and humanities rank among the very best in the country. Library facilities on The University of Texas at Austin campus, long considered among the finest libraries in the world, are available to other Institutions through a sophisticated state-wide computerized telecommunications network.
The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System consists of nine regents who serve without compensation. Regents are appointed by the Governor of the State of Texas and confirmed by the Texas State Senate to staggered six-year terms. Administration of UTS is the same as that of leading American universities. The administrative offices of UTS are located in Austin, Texas.
1.2 Background Information
UTS and its fifteen (15) Institutions operate in a highly competitive academic, research, and healthcare environment. Loss of critical functions, unplanned shutdowns, or delayed restoration of operations could have a significant adverse impact on UTS and the Institutions. If an initial damage assessment after a loss resulting from fire, flood, wind, or other peril reveals conditions that will require restoration and recovery efforts that are beyond UTS’s and the Institutions’ abilities, contractual agreements with qualified and experienced companies may be necessary. The Institutions, their locations and the individuals responsible for disaster restoration and recovery at each Institution are listed in Exhibit A attached to this Request for Proposal for the Selection of Vendor to Provide Disaster Restoration and Recovery Services for the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System No. ORM2007-1 (this "RFP") and incorporated for all purposes. One or more of the Institutions may elect not to use any contract that results from this RFP. Neither UTS nor the Institutions warrant or represent ANY Expenditure or any GUARANTEED MINIMUM EXPENDITURE under any contract resulting from this RFP.
1.3 Objectives
UTS is seeking to enter into one or more non-exclusive contracts with qualified, experienced and sufficiently staffed and equipped disaster restoration and recovery services companies for services including, but not limited to: (1) project management, (2) fire, smoke and water damage recovery, (3) moisture control, (4) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) decontamination and cleaning, (5) microbial remediation, (6) telecommunications recovery, (7) electronics restoration, (8) media recovery, (9) documents, books and vital records recovery, (10) equipment recovery, and (11) training.
Because time is of the essence when dealing with disaster recovery, UTS encourages proposals that demonstrate an ability to deliver immediate and comprehensive disaster restoration and recovery services. Proposals to deliver the services on a regional basis to UTS and the Institutions in geographic proximity will be considered. Proposals should also demonstrate an ability to deliver the services in accordance with all Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and insurance company requirements, to maximize the potential for payment of FEMA and insurance claims and reimbursement of expenses.
SECTION 2
NOTICE TO PROPOSER
2.1 General
UTS is accepting proposals from qualified and experienced Disaster Restoration and Recovery Services companies (collectively, "Proposer") that desire to enter into contractual arrangements with UTS in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements and specifications set forth in this RFP. This RFP provides sufficient information for Proposer to prepare and submit a proposal for consideration by UTS.
Proposer is encouraged to propose contractual arrangements offering the maximum benefit to UTS in terms of (1) total overall cost and (2) project management expertise. Applicability of educational, governmental (state and local) and all other available discounts should be strongly considered.
PROPOSER IS CAUTIONED TO READ THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS RFP CAREFULLY AND TO SUBMIT A COMPLETE RESPONSE TO ALL REQUIREMENTS, SPECIFICATIONS AND QUESTIONS AS DIRECTED.
2.2 Deadline for Submission
UTS will accept responses to this RFP, as directed in Section 3.2 I, until 2:30 p.m., Austin, Texas time on April 9, 2007 (the "Submittal Deadline").
2.3 Contacts
Any questions or concerns regarding this RFP should be in writing and should be directed to:
Jenny Murphy
Director of Accounting & Purchasing Services
The University of Texas System Administration
702 Colorado Street, Suite 3.210
Austin, TX 78701
UTS specifically requests that Proposer restrict all contact and questions regarding this RFP to written communications forwarded to Jenny Murphy (the "Designated Representative"). All questions and concerns should be received by the Designated Representative no later than 2:30 p.m., Austin, Texas time on March 26, 2007. UTS shall have a reasonable amount of time to respond to questions and concerns. It is UTS’s intent to respond to all appropriate questions and concerns; however, UTS reserves the right to decline to respond to any question or concern.
2.4 Inquiries and Interpretations
UTS may in its sole discretion respond in writing to written inquiries concerning this RFP and mail its response as an addendum to this RFP to all parties recorded by UTS as having received a copy of this RFP. Only UTS written responses that are made by formal written addenda shall be binding. Verbal and other written interpretations or clarifications shall be without legal effect. All addenda issued by UTS prior to the Submittal Deadline shall be and are hereby incorporated in this RFP for all purposes. Proposer shall be required to consider and acknowledge receipt of each addendum as specified in Subsection 3.2.B.
Parties receiving this RFP other than directly from UTS are responsible for notifying UTS that they are in receipt of an RFP package and shall provide to UTS the party's name, address, telephone number and FAX number in the event addenda to this RFP are issued.
2.5 Contractual Arrangements
The Proposer(s) (collectively “Successful Proposer”), selected by UTS in accordance with the requirements and specifications set forth in this RFP, will be required to enter into a NonExclusive Disaster Restoration and Recovery Services Contract (the “Contract”) with UTS, in the form attached as Exhibit B and incorporated for all purposes. The Contract is a non-exclusive contract and UTS and the Institutions reserve the right to enter into one or more contracts with third parties covering the same or similar services. Neither UTS nor the Institutions warrant or represent ANY Expenditure or any GUARANTEED MINIMUM EXPENDITURE under any contract resulting from this RFP.
2.6 Texas Public Information Act
UTS considers all information, documentation and other materials submitted in response to this RFP to be of a non-confidential and non-proprietary nature and, therefore, subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552.001, et seq.) after the award of one or more contracts.
Proposer is hereby notified that UTS strictly adheres to all statutes, court decisions and opinions of the Texas Attorney General with respect to disclosure of public information.
2.7 Proposal Selection Process
Selection of one or more Successful Proposals (ref. Subsection 2.8) submitted in response to this RFP by the Submittal Deadline will be made using the competitive sealed proposal process described in this Subsection 2.7. Proposals will be opened publicly to identify the name of each Proposer submitting a proposal. After the opening of the proposals and upon completion of the initial review and evaluation of the proposals submitted, selected Proposers may be invited to participate in oral presentations. Each proposal will be afforded security sufficient to preclude disclosure of its contents prior to selection of one or more Successful Proposals.
The selection of one or more Successful Proposals may be made by UTS on the basis of the proposals initially submitted, without discussion, clarification or modification. In the alternative, selection of one or more Successful Proposals may be made by UTS on the basis of negotiation with any of the Proposers. UTS shall not disclose any information derived from the proposals submitted by competing Proposers in conducting such discussions.
At UTS's sole option and discretion, UTS may discuss and negotiate all elements of the proposals submitted by selected Proposers within a specified competitive range. For purposes of negotiation, a competitive range of acceptable or potentially acceptable proposals may be established comprising the highest rated proposals. Further action on proposals not included within the competitive range will be deferred pending the selection of one or more Successful Proposals; however, UTS reserves the right to include additional proposals in the competitive range if deemed to be in the best interests of UTS.
After submission of a proposal but before final selection of a Successful Proposal is made, UTS may permit a Proposer to revise its proposal in order to obtain the Proposer's best and final offer. UTS will provide each Proposer within the competitive range with an equal opportunity for discussion and revision of its proposal. UTS is not bound to accept the lowest priced proposal if that proposal is not the most advantageous to UTS as determined by UTS.
THIS RFP IS A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSAL AND IS NOT A CONTRACT OR AN OFFER TO CONTRACT. UTS reserves the right to (a) enter into agreements or other contractual arrangements for all or any portion of the requirements and specifications set forth in this RFP with one or more Proposers, (b) reject any and all proposals and re-solicit proposals or (c) reject any and all proposals and temporarily or permanently abandon the procurement, if deemed to be in the best interests of UTS.
2.8 Criteria for Selection
The successful proposal(s) (collectively, the "Successful Proposal") will be the proposal(s) submitted in response to this RFP by the Submittal Deadline that provides the best value to UTS, considering the evaluation criteria more specifically set forth in Exhibit D attached and incorporated for all purposes, including price, the reputation of the Proposer and Proposer’s goods and services, the quality of the Proposer’s goods and services, the extent to which the goods or services meet the needs of UTS, the Proposer’s past relationship with UTS, the impact on UTS’ ability to comply with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses and to the procurement of goods or services from persons with disabilities, the total long-term cost to UTS of acquiring Proposer’s goods or services, and any other relevant factor that a private business entity would consider in selecting a vendor. Proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation team from UTS and the Institutions. The evaluation of proposals and the selection of the Successful Proposal will be based on the information provided by Proposer in its proposal, including without limitation responses to the Proposer Questionnaire (ref. Section 8) and the information provided by Proposer in the completed Contract, including the related appendices (ref. Exhibit B). Consideration may also be given to any additional information and comments, including without limitation Proposer’s regulatory compliance history and all other information helpful to UTS. The evaluation team will use the Evaluation Criteria set forth in Exhibit D to evaluate the proposals.
2.9 Proposer's Acceptance of Proposal Evaluation Methodology
Submission of a proposal by Proposer indicates (1) Proposer's acceptance of (a) the Proposal Selection Process (ref. Section 2.7), (b) the Criteria for Selection (ref. Section 2.8), (c) the General Terms and Conditions (ref. Section 4) and (d) all other requirements and specifications set forth in this RFP; and (2) Proposer's recognition that some subjective judgments must be made by UTS during this RFP process.
2.10 Solicitation for Proposal/Proposal Preparation Costs
Submission of a proposal by Proposer indicates that Proposer understands and agrees that: (1)this RFP is a solicitation for proposal based on the anticipated requirements of UTS and its
Institutions for disaster restoration and recovery services, and is not a contract or an offer to contract; (2) the submission of a proposal by Proposer in response to this RFP will not create a contract between UTS and Proposer; (3) UTS has made no representation or warranty, written or oral, that one or more contracts with UTS will be awarded under this RFP; and (4) Proposer shall bear, as its sole risk and responsibility, any cost which arises from Proposer's preparation of a response to this RFP.