Request for Qualifications
Group Facilitation Support
Release Date
January 16, 2026
Deadline for Submittal
February 6, 2026
Contact: Patrick Seals
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 510-620-6512 or 510-307-8016
City of Richmond
City Manager’s Office
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4 Project Background ....................................................................................................... 4 Scope of Services ......................................................................................................... 5 Service Period ............................................................................................................... 6 RFQ Schedule ............................................................................................................... 6 Proposal Format Guidelines .......................................................................................... 6 A. Background and Project Summary Section ........................................................... 7 B. Qualifications ..................................................................................................... 7 C. Approach and Activities ...................................................................................... 7 D. Cost Information ................................................................................................ 7 E. Supplementary Attachments ............................................................................... 8 F. Value Added Services ......................................................................................... 8 G. Contractor Assignment of Sub-Contract .............................................................. 8 H. Statement of Impartiality and Disclosure ............................................................. 8 Process for Submitting Proposals .................................................................................. 9 Proposal Evaluation and Selection Process .................................................................... 9 Selection Criteria ....................................................................................................... 9 Prequalification Process .......................................................................................... 10 Selection from Prequalified Pool ............................................................................... 10 Background and Project Summary – 30% ............................................................... 10 Qualifications – 25% ............................................................................................. 10 Approach and Activities – 30% ............................................................................... 11 Budget – 15% ....................................................................................................... 11 Guidelines for Proposals ............................................................................................. 11 Background Check Requirements ................................................................................ 11 Insurance Requirements ............................................................................................. 11 Business Licenses ...................................................................................................... 12 Compliance with City Ordinances ................................................................................ 12
Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance (SCCO) ............................................................. 12 Limited Liability Company Disclosure Statement (LLCS) ................................................ 12 Collusion.................................................................................................................... 12 Withdrawal Of Proposals ............................................................................................. 13 Award ........................................................................................................................ 13 Attachments ............................................................................................................... 13
Introduction
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is being issued by the City Manager’s Office, on behalf of all City Departments, and Boards and Commissions. The City is seeking qualified firms and organizations to provide proposals for partnerships on services that satisfy various facilitation needs.
The City will evaluate proposals to create a pre-qualified pool of proposers. Proposers that are prequalified under this RFQ are not guaranteed a contract. The City will use the prequalified pool at its discretion, on an as-needed basis.
Multiple Service Areas: The prequalified pool will consist of entities with experience in the service areas listed below. Proposers are not required to have experience in all service areas but must have experience in at least one:
1. Retreats/Team Building
2. Working Group Facilitation
3. Conflict Resolution and Mediation
Project Background
The City of Richmond takes great pride in its commitment to upholding community values and ensuring that its governance system is both transparent and effective. The City operates through a diverse structure, encompassing many departments and nearly 30 Boards and Commissions. Each of these entities is staffed by dedicated professionals, engaged Richmond residents, and other vital stakeholders. Together, they work tirelessly to support the City's mission and goals, striving to enhance the quality of life for all Richmond residents. This collaborative effort is essential in maintaining the City's high standards of service, fostering community engagement, and driving continuous improvement in City operations and governance.
The City has identified a need for skilled and qualified facilitators to strengthen the working relationships within City departments, Boards and Commissions, community partners, and stakeholders. This project should be an ongoing effort to promote a positive and more effective working culture, collaboration, and engagement so the needs of Richmond residents can remain at the forefront of the work the City does.
The City is seeking firms and individuals who can employ an approach built on cultural competency, foster constructive and meaningful dialogue through mediation, conflict resolution, and facilitate meetings that promote meaningful discussions. The prequalified pool will conduct all administrative tasks needed to ensure a seamless experience
during all meetings. The City looks forward to receiving proposals that will strengthen collective efforts in improving the various working groups.
Scope of Services
The City will oversee the implementation of the services within this RFQ. This RFQ is being issued to create a prequalified pool of organizations (i.e., individuals, consulting firms, non-profits, community-based) to administer the services listed below. The service areas listed below could target a variety of departments, projects, and demographics.
This could include but are not limited to youth, residents, city staff, councilmembers, boards and commissions, and management-level staff. Organizations should be grounded in a methodology and practice structured around equity, race, health, process, and humanity.
Multiple Services Areas: The prequalified pool will consist of organizations with experience in the following areas. Proposers are not required to have experience with all service areas but MUST have experience in at least (1) one:
1. Retreats/ Team Building: Create activities that enhance organizational effectiveness by improving communication, fostering collaboration, and building strong relationships among team members. The goal of providing these activities is to create a more effective, cohesive, and motivated team, ultimately contributing to success and productivity.
2. Meeting/Group Facilitation: Engages members in best practices for brainstorming, group flow, and dialogue to improve productivity, motivation, and rapport of teams. The goal of the facilitator during these discussions will be to guide and support groups in achieving their objectives effectively and efficiently.
The facilitator will provide structured discussions, enhanced collaboration strategies, inclusive participation, and will prevent meetings from becoming unproductive or prolonged.
3. Conflict Resolution and Mediation: Encompasses a range of methods and approaches to handle and resolve disputes. Address and resolve underlying issues that may cause conflict within groups. Provide participants with strategies and tools that prepare them should future conflicts arise. Engage in facilitating discussions between conflicting parties to help reach mutually acceptable agreements through structured dialogue.
Service Period
Per the City’s contracting policy or unless otherwise noted, contracts are limited to a term of up to three (3) years with two one (1) year extensions. All decisions regarding the contract amount, term, budget, scope of work, and reporting requirements are subject to the City Council’s approval and budget availability. Continuation of service is not guaranteed, and future terms will depend on the performance of the facilitators during the initial period and other policy considerations as determined by the City.
Facilitators will be required to submit a final report on their activities, and if the City decides to extend services, a revised scope of work and budget for the extension period(s) must be submitted for review. The City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to decide not to extend service.
RFQ Schedule
The anticipated schedule for awarding initial funding is as follows:
Estimated Date Activity
January 16, 2026 Release RFQ
January 23, 2026 Final day to submit questions (5PM)
January 30, 2026 Responses to questions posted on
BidsOnline
February 6, 2026 RFQ due date
February/March 2026 Final selection and City approval process Proposal Format Guidelines
The proposal should be concise, well organized, and demonstrate the proposer’s qualifications and experience applicable to the selected service area(s). The proposal shall be limited to three (3) double-sided pages (8.5 inches x 11 inches), inclusive of graphics, forms, pictures, photographs, dividers, etc., but not of cost proposal, resumes, required forms, certifications, front and back covers, or letters of commitment from subconsultants. The required font size is 12 point, with minimum left and right margins of one inch, and top and bottom margins of 0.7 inches. Each proposal will adhere to the following order and content of sections. The proposal should be straightforward, concise, innovative and be culturally responsive within the service areas. The following proposal sections are to be included in the proposer’s response:
A. Background and Project Summary Section
The Background and Project Summary Section should describe your understanding of the City, the work to be done, and the objectives to be accomplished. Refer to scope of services for this RFQ. Explain your organization’s goals and objectives and how they align with the selected RFQ service area(s).
B. Qualifications
Describe the proposer’s relevant qualifications along with detailing the experience of proposed partners, sub-partner (if applicable), and staff. Describe how these qualifications will serve the proposer in developing and executing the proposed work.
Provide the experience of the proposer’s project team, including the team’s project manager(s), other key staff members, and capacity. Also, explain your experience with council staff, boards and commissions, and community members.
C. Approach and Activities
The proposal outlines the specifics of the chosen service area(s) and provides a clear plan for how the proposed work will be executed. It details how the approach is grounded in the proposer’s experience and supported by relevant research and literature. Additionally, the proposal showcases the organization’s ability to effectively manage and deliver on the selected service area(s).
D. Cost Information
Provide the total costs to complete all tasks identified in the scope of services. This could include:
• Hourly rates based on job classifications within your organization • Costs based on types of projects
• Etc.
Proposers will be paid at the same rates set forth in their cost proposal unless further negotiated in writing and agreed to by the City of Richmond.
E. Supplementary Attachments
Provide at least three (3) references that received similar services from your organization. The City of Richmond reserves the right to contact any of the organizations or individuals listed. Information provided shall include:
I. Client Name and contact info
a. 1) Telephone and e-mail address
b. 2) Physical address
II. Description of services provided including contract amount III. Project start and end dates
F. Value Added Services
Please provide any additional services of benefit not specifically required herein, which the proposer offers to provide.
G. Contractor Assignment of Sub-Contract
Any resulting contract shall not be assigned, transferred, or sublet, in whole or in part, without the prior written approval of the City of Richmond. If proposers intend to subcontract any portion of the resulting contract, they must describe their process for selecting such subcontractor(s) and the quality control measures that the proposer will employ to ensure that any subcontractor complies with the provisions of proposer’s contract with the City.
H. Statement of Impartiality and Disclosure
The nature of the project(s) requires an impartial unbiased approach on the part of the proposer’s team. This proposal shall include a statement declaring that the proposer and sub-consultants are not currently, and will not, during the performance of these services, participate in any other similar work involving a third party with interests currently in conflict or likely to conflict with the City of Richmond’s interests. Additionally, the proposer is required to disclose any pending or active investigations or litigation that may affect the reputation or ability of the proposer to carry out the project.
Process for Submitting Proposals
Questions Concerning Request for Proposals
All questions must be submitted via the electronic BidsOnline system (category codes 91800, 91883, 96105) on the Q&A tab by the deadline. If the City finds it necessary to issue an addendum, the prospective proposer (s) will receive an e-mail notification of the addendum. It is the proposer’s responsibility to periodically check the BidsOnline website www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids for any possible addenda to the RFQ that may have been posted.
Note: For organizations with 501(c)(3) tax status, City staff may check websites such as the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov and GuideStar at www.guidestar.org to gather additional information about the applicant organization.
City staff will confirm that the organization has filed the required document(s) in California and is authorized to carry out its business activities (California Secretary of State [https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov] and the State of California Department of Justice [https://oag.ca.gov/charities]). Applications submitted by organizations not identified with “active” or “current” status may be disqualified.
Proposal Evaluation and Selection Process
First, the City will review all proposals to determine if they are complete and meet the eligibility criteria. Incomplete, late, or otherwise ineligible proposals will not be considered, and proposers will be notified if their proposals have been disqualified.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated using the criteria described in this section.
Point values indicate the relative importance placed on each section and points will be awarded based on the extent to which the proposal addresses the criteria listed.
Proposers should prepare their proposals with these criteria in mind.
Depending on the number and quality of proposals, proposers may be invited to be interviewed by the review committee to make a final selection. Each proposer will be considered individually and the organization’s overall capacity to the number of projects proposed will also be considered when projects and proposals are recommended for funding.
Prequalification Process
Proposers scoring 70% and above may be added to the prequalified pool and eligible for potential negotiations with the City on an as-needed basis in the Service Area described in the section above. Due to the varied nature of the services to be performed, the City reserves the right to contract with any or all prequalified Respondents.
Selection from Prequalified Pool
The City may select from the prequalified pool with these options, as described below.
Selections must be made before pool expiration.
A) Select the organization (s) that rank highest based on the City's evaluation of the partnership criteria for each service area from the prequalified pool, or B) Request quotes or proposals from a select group of the prequalified pool based on the opportunity.
The City may select partners from the prequalified pool at its sole and absolute discretion. After the prequalified pool has been established, the City may issue Request(s) for Quotes or Request(s) for Proposals, oral selection interviews/demonstrations, conduct reference checks to the prequalified consultant pool to better assess qualifications for a specific scope of service, which may include staffing, scheduling, deliverable, and cost considerations. The City reserves the right to request proposals, quotes, oral interviews/demonstrations, and conduct reference checks from vendors simultaneously.
Background and Project Summary – 30%
• The proposal demonstrates knowledge of the needs of City and its various departments
• The proposal presents clearly how it will:
o contribute to achieving the goals and objectives stated in the RFQ o innovate and create a solution to meet the needs of the City Qualifications – 25%
• The proposal demonstrates the proposer's relevant professional qualifications and experience and any proposed partners, subgrantees, and staff, including their previous roles in implementing similar projects or activities. • The proposal presents staffing assignments that are feasible and sustainable, taking into consideration skills, availability, and workload.
Approach and Activities – 30%
• The proposal presents details on the selected service area(s) and how the proposed work will be accomplished
• The proposal describes how practices are supported by the proposer’s experience and/or research and literature.
• The proposal demonstrates the organization’s capacity to carry out the selected service area (s)
Budget – 15%
• Proposal includes a brief organization budget describing each line item • Proposer maintains fiscal control and would ensure the prudent use, proper and timely disbursement, and accurate accounting of funds awarded under this RFQ Proposals that meet a minimum score of 70% will be considered for the project pool Guidelines for Proposals
The proposal and any required certifications shall be signed by an individual or individuals authorized to execute legal documents on behalf of the proposer. Electronic proposals shall be submitted via the City’s secure online bidding system, BidsOnline. All required sections of the proposal must be submitted via the website. Proposers will receive an e-bid confirmation number with a time stamp from the Bid Management System indicating that their bid was submitted successfully. The City will only receive those proposals that were transmitted successfully through BidsOnline. The City of Richmond reserves the right to waive inconsequential irregularities.
Background Check Requirements
Organizations that provide services to youth or other vulnerable populations must require comprehensive background checks and fingerprinting of all employees and/or volunteers who work directly with youth or other vulnerable populations.
Insurance Requirements
The City of Richmond requires consultants doing business with it to obtain insurance, as shown in Attachment C. The required insurance certificates must comply with all requirements of the standards as shown and must be provided within fifteen (15) days of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award and before the commencement of any work on the project.
Business Licenses
The successful contractor and all subcontractors used in the work will be required to hold or obtain a City of Richmond business license. The business license fee will not be waived.
Compliance with City Ordinances
The contractor and all subcontractors shall comply with the City of Richmond Nondiscrimination Clauses in City Contracts Ordinance (Richmond Municipal Code (RMC) Chapter 2.28), Business Opportunity Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.50), Local Employment Program Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.56), Living Wage Ordinance (RMC Chapter 2.60) and Ordinance Banning the Requirement to Provide Information of Prior Criminal Convictions on all employment applications (“Ban the Box”) (RMC Chapter
2.65), which are incorporated into the contract documents by this reference.
Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance (SCCO)
The Richmond Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance No. 12-18 (Attachment F) prohibits the City from granting and or retaining contracts with any person or entity that provides Data Broker or Extreme Vetting services to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the United States Department of Homeland Security (“ICE”).
Proposers must submit the attached Sanctuary City Compliance Statement (Attachment G) with their Proposal.
Limited Liability Company Disclosure Statement
(LLCS)
Resolution No. 86-21 (Attachment D), requires disclosure of the identities of beneficial & responsible owners of Limited Liability Corporations (LLC). Proposers must submit the attached Disclosure Statement of Limited Liability Companies Form with their Proposal (Attachment E).
Collusion
By submitting a proposal, each respondent represents and warrants that its proposal is genuine and not false or collusive or made in the interest of, or on behalf of any person not named therein; that the respondent has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other person to submit a false proposal, or any other person to refrain from
submitting a proposal; and that the respondent has not, in any manner, sought collusion to secure any improper advantage over any other person submitting a proposal.
Withdrawal Of Proposals
A respondent may withdraw their proposal before the expiration of the time for submission of proposals by delivering to the Finance Department a written request for withdrawal signed by, or on behalf of, the respondent.
Award
When the Review Panel has completed its work, City staff will then recommend the City Manager and/or City Council for approval. The services provided by the selected venders shall be governed by a Standard Services Agreement (Attachment B).
Attachments
B Standard Services Agreement
C Insurance Requirements
D Limited Liability Company Disclosure Resolution No. 86-21 E Limited Liability Company Disclosure Statement
F Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance No. 12-18
G Sanctuary City Compliance Statement