A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER, PURSUANT TO INVITATION TO BID (ITB) 2023-253-LB GRANT ASSISTANCE SERVICES; PREQUALIFYING THE INITIAL POOL OF CONSULTANTS: BAKER TILLY US, LLP, CANOPY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GROUP LLC, COHNREZNICK LLP, GUIDEHOUSE INC., HDR ENGINEERING INC., IN REM SOLUTIONS, INC., JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP, INC., KIMLEY HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC., RBW STRATEGY, LLC, SUMMIT GROUP CONSULTING LLC, AND TETRA TECH, INC.; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO KEEP THE ITB OPEN TO PREQUALIFY ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS; DELEGATING TO THE CITY MANAGER THE AUTHORITY TO ADD CONSULTANTS TO THE POOL, PROVIDED THAT ANY SUCH CONSULTANT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ITB, AND TO REMOVE CONSULTANTS FROM THE POOL, AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE; AND PROVIDING THAT ANY SERVICE ORDER OVER $100,000 SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COMMISSION.

It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution authorizing the Administration to establish a pool of prequalified firms that will be used to assist the City grant applications, management of grants or other related services as needed. When services are needed, the prequalified firms will be contacted for proposals. The Resolution authorizes an initial pool of prequalified firms: Baker Tilly US, LLP, Canopy Management Consulting Group LLC, CohnReznick LLP, Guidehouse Inc., HDR Engineering INC., In Rem Solutions, INC., Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc., Summit Group Consulting LLC, and Tetra Tech, Inc. The Resolution also authorizes the City Manager to keep the ITB open to prequalify additional firms and delegates authority to the City Manager to add firms to the pool, provided such firms meet the requirements of the ITB or remove firms for non-performance. Any service order over $100,000 shall be subject to the prior approval of the City Commission.

This solicitation is currently under the cone of silence.

Through the solicitation, the City sought to prequalify firms that may be engaged in the future as the need arises to provide grant assistance services to the City, which may include grant writing, grant readiness assessment, project development, compliance verification, and reporting. The prequalified firms will assist the City in researching and identifying potential grants, providing general grant writing services associated with completing and submitting grant applications, program administration, and delivery, including but not limited to the following services.

a.    Prepare grant applications and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with funding requirements.

b.    Coordinate with department administrators to identify projects compatible with available funding sources.

c.     Track the status of grant applications and provides additional information as required.

d.    Work with appropriate personnel to expedite the internal processing of grant proposals and maintains a positive, proactive relationship with community organizations, city officials, non-profit agencies, and other educational institutions to assist in compliance and process efficiency.

e.    Create and distribute standard and special reports, studies, summaries, and analyses as required by the grant application and the users.

f.      Any other services determined by the City to be necessary for the application, management, or compliance of existing, future and potential grants.

To seek proposals for the services as detailed, the Administration prepared ITB 2023-253-LB.

On February 10, 2023, the Administration issued ITB 2023-253-LB to create a prequalified pool for grants assistance firms. The Procurement Department issued bid notices to 15,086 companies through the e-procurement system, with 125 prospective bidders accessing the advertised solicitation. Responses were due and received on March 13, 2023. The City received applications from the following sixteen (16) firms Baker Tilly US, LLP, Canopy Management Consulting Group LLC, CohnReznick LLP, Complete Contract Consulting, CSRS, LLC, Guidehouse, Inc., HDR Engineering Inc., In Rem Solutions, Inc., Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., Kimley Horn and Associates Inc., RBW Strategy, LLC, Summit Group Consulting, LLC, Tetra Tech, Inc., The Balmoral Group LLC, TriMerge Consulting Group, PA., W. Frank Newton, Inc. d/b/a WFN Consulting, LLC.

The following firms failed to produce evidence of meeting the minimum requirements of this solicitation. Therefore, the applications cannot be considered for the award with the initial pool of vendors.  However, the firms were advised that they may resubmit their applications at a later date to be considered in a subsequent addition of contractors to the pool.

·         Complete Contract Consulting

·         CSRS, LLC

·         The Balmoral Group LLC

·         TriMerge Consulting Group, PA.

·         W. Frank Newton, Inc. d/b/a WFN Consulting, LLC.

The ITB stated that following the review of applications, the responsive and responsible bidder(s) meeting all terms and conditions of the ITB would be recommended for award. The ITB stipulated a contract term of five (5) years.

The Procurement Department and Grants Management Division found that the following eleven (11) firms are responsive, responsible bidders meeting all terms and conditions of the ITB and are recommended for award.

·         Baker Tilly US, LLP

·         Canopy Management Consulting Group LLC,

·         CohnReznick LLP

·         Guidehouse Inc.

·         HDR Engineering Inc.

·         In Rem Solutions, Inc.

·         Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc

·         Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc.

·         RBW Strategy, LLC

·         Summit Group Consulting LLC

·         Tetra Tech, Inc.

There is no fiscal impact at this time as this item only establishes a pool of prequalified firms for future use. When services are needed, staff will seek proposals from the pool of prequalified firms. Any service order over $100,000 shall be subject to the prior approval of the City Commission. While it is not possible to determine estimated costs as these services have not been routinely utilized in the past, the Grants Management Division estimates an annual expenditure of up to $60,000 from the city’s operating budget, grant funds are not anticipated to be utilized for these services.

Account: 011-0650-000312-15-400-582-00-00-00: Up to $60,000.

Proactively prequalifying firms that can be contacted for proposals for future work will expedite the City’s response to future needs for identifying and seeking grants, grant writing, monitoring, compliance, and related services. Otherwise, waiting to issue a solicitation when a need arises would significantly delay getting a grant consultant on board when needed.

Therefore, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, approve the Resolution, prequalifying the initial pool of consultants: Baker Tilly US, LLP, Canopy Management Consulting Group LLC, CohnReznick LLP, Guidehouse, Inc., HDR Engineering INC., In Rem Solutions, Inc., Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.,  Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc., RBW Strategy, LLC, Summit Group Consulting LLC, and Tetra Tech, Inc. The Resolution also authorizes the City Manager to keep the ITB open to prequalify additional consultants and delegates to the City Manager the authority to add consultants to the pool, provided that any such consultant meets the requirements of the ITB, and to remove consultants for non-performance. any service order over $100,000 shall be subject to the prior approval of the City Commission.