Request for Proposals or Qualifications

Contract awards for Request for Proposals (RFP) and Request for Qualifications (RFQ) are not based solely upon price.

These are the steps of the RFP/RFQ process:

• User department requests RFP/RFQ. Strategic Procurement Department prepares solicitations in conjunction with user department
• RFP/RFQ is advertised. Strategic Procurement Department holds pre-proposal conference
• Proposals are received
• Proposals are evaluated
• Negotiations take place
• Award recommendation issued
• Contract administration

RFPs and RFQs are managed by the RFP Unit.

A Request for Proposals process may be used when the scope of work cannot be completely defined by the County.

Other factors, such as:

• Qualifications and experience of principals and staff
• Methodology and management approach
• Understanding of the project and the County's objective
• Technical superiority
• Financial stability
• Experience
• History of the firm, among others, are taken into consideration

Request for Qualifications

A Request for Qualifications process may be used to determine the qualifications from proposers when the County cannot or has not completely established the scope of services.

An RFQ may be used, for example, when creating a pool of qualified vendors to be used on an rotational basis, or in a two-step competitive basis where the scope of services is incomplete and only those firms selected in the qualification phase compete when a particular work order is established.