SLED Opportunity · GEORGIA · CITY OF FOREST PARK
AI Summary
The City of Forest Park seeks a qualified professional or firm for grant administration and management services to secure funding for municipal projects, enhancing financial resources and community development.
The City of Forest Park is seeking an experienced, qualified, professional individual, or firm to provide grant administration and management services to assist in identifying, applying for, and securing funding opportunities for various municipal projects and initiatives. The selected grant administrator will provide expertise in grant writing, administration, and management, with the objective of enhancing the City’s financial resources and program capabilities. The services will be aimed at both governmental and private funding sources, ensuring we maximize our potential to secure grants that support our community development goals.
Located nine miles south of Atlanta and five miles directly east of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Forest Park is the largest city in Clayton County and centrally located in the northern part of the County. It is bordered on the west by I-75, to the north by the Mountain View/Conley areas and I-285, and to the southeast by Lake City and Morrow. Jonesboro, the county seat, is located directly south from Forest Park. Clayton County is included in the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area and the ten county Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). The city has a population of approximately 19,823.
Please use the See What Changed link to view all the changes made by this addendum.
Provide an Executive Summary detailing the Proponent's qualifications to accomplish the requirements listed in the Scope of Work. At a minimum, the Executive Summary shall contain, but is not limited to the following:
A. Complete legal name of the Proponent and the name of the legal entities that comprise the Proponent. The Proponent must provide the domicile where each entity comprising it is organized, including entity name, brief history of the entity, contact name, address, phone number, and facsimile number, as well as the legal structure of the entity and a listing of major satellite offices.
B. Describe the nature of the Proponent’s business; include a description of experience, competencies, and overall organizational capabilities to include financial stability.
C. Description of how the Proponent meets any Minimum Qualifications, Requirements and Methodology listed within the RFP.
D. A declarative statement as to whether the Proponent or any member of the Proponent team has an open dispute with the City or is involved in any litigation associated with work in progress or completed in both the private and public sector during the past five (5) years.
The Proponent’s Organizational Structure Section should introduce the proposed Proponent team by:
A. Provide the Proponent’s Management Organizational Chart
B. Provide a description of how the organizational structure will facilitate managing the requirements of this RFP and how an efficient flow of information will be realized from the organizational structure.
C. Provide resumes for the Key Personnel the Proponent intends to assign to this project. Resumes should be organized as follows:
1. Name, Title, and Role
2. Professional Background
3. Current and Past Relevant Employment
4. Education
5. Certifications
Describe how the project will be organized and managed, ensuring that staffing needs are met to meet the requirements set forth within this RFP and its Scope of Work. Clearly outline the estimated staffing needed to complete the project. The Management and Staffing should include, but is not limited to:
A. Estimated Staffing needed.
B. Description of Proponent's process, procedures and methodology for monitoring the required outcomes and services set forth within this RFP and its Scope of Work.
C. Provide at a minimum two (2) samples of successful grant proposals.
D. Description of Proponent's reporting process and capabilities and provide sample reports for this project, i.e., performance measures, quality of work, and deliverables.
E. Provide a list of resources used to accomplish the delivery of Grant Administration and Management Services.
Describe the Proponent's and any subcontractor's experience as it pertains to the requirements described in the RFP's Scope of Work. Provide three (3) recent, successfully obtained grant administration and management projects from within the past three (3) years of similar size and scope, including, but not limited to:
DO NOT INCLUDE COST IN TECHNICIAL PROPOSAL.
Each Proponent must submit an Electronic Cost Proposal at the City's e-Procurement portal for this RFP located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/forestparkga/projects/128927. The Cost Proposal must support the Scope of Services contained in the RFP and fully encompass all activities in the Proponent’s Proposal. Competitive pricing for grant writing services (hourly rate, flat fee per grant, or project-based fee as applicable).
Proponent certifies that by submitting this proposal to furnish all services, labor, materials, or equipment for RFP 2026-RFP-024, Proponent acknowledges and agrees that Proponent's proposal shall be binding.
Furthermore, Proponent understand that if the City of Forest Park, Georgia, awards a contract to Proponent, the Proponent's proposal will constitute a legal, valid, and binding contract between the Proponent and the City of Forest Park, Georgia. Proponent agrees that the Contract created will incorporate the terms and conditions of the RFP, including but not limited to, the Scope of Work, solicitation instructions and conditions, the contract provisions, and Proponent's proposal.
Upload a copy of your response including your responses to the items identified in the Section Titled Contents of Proposal/Required Submittals.
Do not include any Pricing Information in the Technical Proposal. The City of Forest Park may disqualify any proposal if Pricing Information is included in the the Technical Proposal.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Proponent certifies that:
If selected as the successful Proponent for Grant Administration and Management Services, 2026-RFP-024, Proponent shall comply with all insurance requirements for the project listed above and any other attachments to the RFP which pertain to insurance.
Proponent understands that it is expected to share these requirements with potential sureties and insurance brokers, agents, underwriters, etc. prior to the award of a contract and to take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements without delay.
The Proponent understands, acknowledges and agrees that any failure to fully comply with the insurance requirements within 10 days of the date the Proponent receives a final contract. By executing this Acknowledgement of Insurance, the Proponent understands and agrees to comply unconditionally with all requirements. Proponent represents that they are authorized to make the representation contained herein on behalf of the Proponent.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Proponent hereby certifies that the Proponent has not, nor has any other member, representative, or agent of the firm, company, corporation or partnership represented by them, entered into any combination, collusion or agreement with any person relative to the price to be bid by anyone at such letting nor to prevent any person from bidding nor to include anyone to refrain from bidding, and that this bid is made without reference to any other bid and without any agreement, understanding or combination with any other person in reference to such bidding. Proponent further says that no person or persons, firms, or corporation has, have or will receive directly or indirectly, any rebate, fee gift, commission or thing of value on account of such sale.
PROPONENT HEREBY AFFIRMS UNDER THE PENALTIES FOR PERJURY THAT THE FACTS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE FOREGOING RESPONSE ARE TRUE AND CORRECT.
The Proposer certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it and its principals:
Where the proposer is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such proposer shall attach an explanation to this Proposal.
The proposer certifies or affirms the truthfulness and accuracy of the contents of the statements submitted on or with this certification.
Upload your Georgia Certificate of Existence Here
Is a Joint Venture an option for this RFP?
Is there a pre-proposal meeting?
Is the pre-proposal meeting mandatory?
Will there be multiple contracts awarded?
Up to how many will be considered?
Is the City's Diversity Program applicable to this RFP?
Select which item are required. You may add or delete additional requirements as needed within the document.
Select all Forms that apply
Q (Type of Grants): The RFP does not mention the type of grant (e.g., Brownfields/Environmental Assessment and/or cleanup). Can you please specify the type of grant you're seeking?
A: The City intends to pursue grant opportunities that support transportation and community infrastructure priorities, including but not limited to roads, sidewalks, trails, parks, public safety enhancements, and capital equipment. Grant pursuits will primarily focus on programs that strengthen infrastructure, improve mobility, and enhance quality of life.
Q (Infrastructure Funding Strategy Alignment): Does the City maintain a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), infrastructure priority list, or strategic development framework that the selected grant administrator should use to align grant opportunities with the City’s infrastructure priorities?
A: The City is currently in the process of developing a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The selected grant administrator will be expected to align funding strategies with this evolving framework and provide guidance on prioritizing grant opportunities that support the City’s long-term infrastructure goals.
Q (Cross-Department Infrastructure Coordination): Does the City envision the selected grant administrator serving as a central coordination point for infrastructure grant strategy across departments (planning, engineering, public works, finance, etc.), or primarily as a grant proposal development resource?
A: The City expects the selected grant administrator to serve as a centralized coordination resource for grant strategies across all relevant departments, including planning, engineering, public works, and finance. This role will go beyond proposal development to ensure alignment, collaboration, and strategic positioning of projects for funding success.
Q (Grant Lifecycle Support): Beyond proposal development, does the City anticipate that the selected grant administrator will support the full lifecycle of grant management, including compliance monitoring, reporting coordination, and post-award performance tracking?
A: Yes, the selected firm will be responsible for end-to-end grant lifecycle management, including opportunity identification, application development, award administration, compliance monitoring, reporting, and performance tracking. The City is seeking a partner capable of ensuring both successful awards and effective post-award management.
Q (Technical Documentation for Infrastructure Grants): For infrastructure-related grants requiring engineering documentation, feasibility studies, or cost estimates, will the City provide existing planning documents, infrastructure assessments, or asset data to support proposal development?
A: The City will provide available planning documents, infrastructure assessments, and relevant asset data to support grant applications. In cases where such materials are not available, the City is open to pursuing grant opportunities that fund feasibility studies, preliminary engineering, or other pre-development activities.
Q (Grant Submission Volume Expectations): Does the City have an expected number of grant submissions or annual funding targets the selected grant administrator will be responsible for pursuing during the contract period?
A: Grant submission volume will be determined based on available budget, grant readiness, and coordination with department leadership. The City anticipates working collaboratively with the selected grant administrator to establish realistic annual targets and prioritize high-impact funding opportunities.
Q (City Staff Involvement): What level of support will City departments provide for project narratives, data, and budgets during the grant application process?
A: The City of Forest Park views grant pursuit as a collaborative effort as is relates to technical statements, budgetary data provision and regular consultation with staff to ensure all proposals are well structured and accurate. While the selected Consultant will lead the writing, editing, submission and post-award procedures and compliance driven responsibilities, pertinent internal City staff will be available to provide essential program outcomes, performance data, and departmental budget details.
Q (Target Grant Programs): Are there specific federal or state funding programs the City anticipates pursuing (e.g., CDBG, DOT, FEMA, EDA, HUD, etc.)?
A: The City intends to aggressively pursue a diverse range of federal, state, and private funding opportunities to increase administrative and financial capacity. While the Consultant is expected to conduct comprehensive research to identity new leads, the City anticipates the pursuit of all federal and state agencies, private, and philanthropic grants that best fit the needs of the City and that align with the City's organizational goals.
Q (Infrastructure and Software Integration:): Does the City currently utilize a specific module within the OpenGov platform for internal grant tracking, or is the selected administrator expected to provide and implement a proprietary, cloud-based Grant Management System (GMS) as part of their service?
A: Currently, the City does not have a specific module within the OpenGov platform, so the City would expect the selected administrator to provide the service of a Grant Management System.
Q (ERP System Access): To ensure the "Operational Efficiency" requested in the RFP, will the selected administrator be granted read-only access to the City’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) or financial systems to facilitate real-time monitoring of grant expenditures and reimbursement preparation?
A: Yes, the administrator would be granted read-only access to monitor grant expenditures and reimbursement preparation.
Q (Federal Fee Compliance): For federal grant programs where contingency-based fees are strictly prohibited (e.g., under 2 CFR 200.411), does the City prefer a fixed-fee-per-application model for the "Grant Proposal Development" phase, or should these costs be absorbed into the hourly administrative rate?
A: For federal grant programs where contingency-based fees are strictly prohibited, the City reserves the right to convert services to hourly or fixed fee compensation and determination will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Q (Success Fee Calculation): Is the proposed 5% contingency fee calculated based on the total grant award amount at the time of the Notice of Award (NOA), or is it contingent upon the actual disbursement of funds to the City?
A: The contingency-based success fee shall apply only to grants that are successfully awarded and accepted by the City.
Q (Minimum Qualifications): Regarding the five-year experience requirement, will the City consider the collective experience of the proponent's "Key Personnel" and proposed sub-consultants, or must the primary contracting entity itself have been in operation for at least five years?
A: The City will consider the collective experience of the proponent's Key Personnel and any proposed sub-consultants to satisfy the five- year requirement. While it is not strictly required for the primary contracting entity to have been in operation for five years, the proponent must clearly demonstrate that the specific individuals assigned to the City's project possess the requisite five years of public sector grant writing experience. The City's evaluation will focus on the character, integrity, and experience of the actual team performing the work.
Q (Proposal Samples): If a proponent is utilizing a team of sub-consultants, will the City accept the two required samples of successful grant proposals if they were authored by the sub-consultant for other municipal clients?
A: Yes, the City will accept samples of successful grant proposals authored by sub-consultants for other municipal clients. However, these samples must be accompanied by a detailed project description and the specific role of the individual within the sub-consulting firm who authored the document. The proponent should ensure these samples reflect projects of similar size and scope to the anticipated needs of Forest Park.
Q (Workload and Volume Targets): What is the historical volume of grant applications submitted by the City annually, and does the City have a specific target for the number of new "Letters of Inquiry" or full applications it expects the administrator to generate during the first year of the contract?
A: The City of Forest Park is currently seeking to increase its capacity, and as such, historical data may not reflect the aggressive growth strategy the City intends to implement. With that, the City has not set a mandatory quota for "Letters of Inquiry" or applications. Instead, the selected Consultant is required to develop a detailed work plan within two (2) weeks of the contract award. This plan must outline key milestones and proposed due dates for initial grant proposals based on the City's specific needs and identified funding opportunities. Performance will be monitored through monthly status updates to the Finance Director for detailing progress toward these mutually agreed-upon goals.
Q (Grants Workload): How many grants does the City anticipate pursuing annually (low, expected, high scenario)? What is the expected minimum number of grant submissions per year?
A: Grant submission volume will be determined based on available budget, grant readiness, and coordination with department leadership. The City anticipates working collaboratively with the selected grant administrator to establish realistic annual targets and prioritize high-impact funding opportunities.
Q (Grants Workload): What is the expected monthly level of effort?
A: The expected monthly level of effort consists of finding new grant opportunities, tracking grant deadlines, maintaining a grants calendar, discussing opportunities with departments, writing & submitting proposals, coordinating with finance team for budgets, and preparing for monthly reporting.
Q (Pricing Model): Is grant research included in contingency fee?
A: Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Contingency-based fees): Per the Grant Professionals Association's Code of Ethics, contingency-based fees are unethical: 19. Members shall not accept or pay a finder’s fee [3], commission [4], or percentage compensation based on grants and shall take care to discourage organizations from making such payments. (https://grantprofessionals.org/page/ethics). Would the City consider another form of compensation that is permitted under our professional association's Code of Ethics?
A: Yes. Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Pricing Model): Is grant writing included in contingency fee?
A: Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Scope of Work): Does the City expect on-site presence or fully remote support?
A: The City anticipates that service may be delivered through a combination of on-site presence and remote support.
Q (Grants Workload): Will the selected firm be expected to manage existing grants or new ones only?
A: Both.
Q (Scope of Work): What departments will require grant support (finance, public works, housing, police, parks, etc.)?
A: The City expects the selected grant administrator to serve as a centralized coordination resource for grant strategies across all relevant departments, including planning, engineering, public works, and finance. This role will go beyond proposal development to ensure alignment, collaboration, and strategic positioning of projects for funding success. Grant support may be requested by multiple city departments depending on funding opportunities and project needs.
Q (Pricing Model): Is there a not-to-exceed budget?
A: Yes, there will be an annual budget for grant administration and management services.
Q (Scope of Work): What are the City's top 5 funding priorities?
A: The top five (5) funding priorities are: Infrastructure, Roads/Sidewalks, Equipment, Trail/Parks, and Safety Initiatives.
Q (Grants Workload): Will multiple awards be made?
A: Yes, according to the budget.
Q (Scope of Work): Does the City have known upcoming funding opportunities?
A: The City intends to pursue grant opportunities that support transportation and community infrastructure priorities, including but not limited to roads, sidewalks, trails, parks, public safety enhancements, and capital equipment. Grant pursuits will primarily focus on programs that strengthen infrastructure, improve mobility, and enhance quality of life.
Q (Scope of Work): Are there immediate grant deadlines after award?
A: If there are deadlines, the consultant is expected to take the appropriate action.
Q (Scope of Work): Are multiple simultaneous grant submissions expected?
A: If multiple grants need to be submitted simultaneous, the consultant is expected to take the appropriate action.
Q (Scope of Work): Are emergency grant submissions expected?
A: If needed.
Q (Scope of Work): How many active grants does the City currently manage? What are the dollar value of these awards?
A: The City of Forest Park is currently seeking to increase its capacity, and as such, historical data may not reflect the aggressive growth strategy the City intends to implement. With that, the City has not set a mandatory quota for "Letters of Inquiry" or applications. Instead, the selected Consultant is required to develop a detailed work plan within two (2) weeks of the contract award. This plan must outline key milestones and proposed due dates for initial grant proposals based on the City's specific needs and identified funding opportunities. Performance will be monitored through monthly status updates to the Finance Director for detailing progress toward these mutually agreed-upon goals. Active grants information will be provided to the selected consultant.
Q (Scope of Work): Will the selected firm inherit existing grants?
A: Yes.
Q (Scope of Work): Will the consultant attend council meetings or stakeholder sessions?
A: The Consultant will attend when requested.
Q (Flat Rate Fee Pricing Structure): If the applicant firm prefers to work on a flat monthly fee (i.e., retainer fee) that does not fluctuate regardless of the number of projects or submissions, would the City consider this pricing structure rather than a contingency fee? We work with many municipalities across Metro Atlanta and use this structure to deliver predictability and cost-effectiveness for the client.
A: Yes. Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Past Performance): Is there an incumbent grant writing consultant currently retained by the City of Forest Park, and are they eligible to bid on this RFP?
A: No, there is no incumbent grant writer.
Q (Past Performance): What specific grant applications (federal or state) have been attempted by leadership or previous consultants in the past 24 months that were unsuccessful, and what were the primary reasons for rejection?
A: The City intends to aggressively pursue a diverse range of federal, state, and private funding opportunities to increase administrative and financial capacity. While the Consultant is expected to conduct comprehensive research to identity new leads, the City anticipates the pursuit of all federal and state agencies, private, and philanthropic grants that best fit the needs of the City and that align with the City's organizational goals. This information will be provided to the selected consultant, if needed.
Q (Past Performance): What system or method (e.g., Excel, legacy software) has the City historically used to track its grant portfolio, and will the selected consultant be required to migrate historical/legacy grant data into the newly proposed Grant Management System (GMS)?
A: Currently, the City has utilized Microsoft Suites (word, excel, adobe, etc.), so the City would expect the selected grant administrator to provide the service of a Grant Management System.
Q (Past Performance): Does the City already possess a centralized repository of up-to-date foundational grant documentation (e.g., recent community demographics, environmental assessments, strategic plans), or will the consultant need to compile this historical data from scratch?
A: No. The City does not possess a centralized repository but will provide the consultant with applicable historical data as needed. The City will provide available planning documents, infrastructure assessments, and relevant asset data to support grant applications. In cases where such materials are not available, the City is open to pursuing grant opportunities that fund feasibility studies, preliminary engineering, or other pre-development activities.
Q (People): Will the City's Finance Director guarantee dedicated time and rapid response SLA (Service Level Agreement) from internal department heads (SMEs) to provide the necessary project data and budget numbers required for the consultant to write the narratives?
A: The City's Finance Director and/or delegate will coordinate with internal departments and the grant writer to ensure that necessary project data and budget numbers are provided timely. The City of Forest Park views grant pursuit as a collaborative effort as is relates to technical statements, budgetary data provision and regular consultation with staff to ensure all proposals are well structured and accurate. While the selected Consultant will lead the writing, editing, submission and post-award procedures and compliance driven responsibilities, pertinent internal City staff will be available to provide essential program outcomes, performance data, and departmental budget details.
Q (People): Who holds the final approval authority before a grant application is officially submitted—the Finance Director, the Mayor, or the City Council—and how long does that internal approval process typically take?
A: Grants over a $100,000 (Subject to Change) will have to go to Council. The Consultant and Finance will work together to formulate a sign off sheet.
Q (People): Will the "Finance Director's delegate" mentioned in the RFP serve as a dedicated, full-time grant coordinator on the City staff, or will they be managing grant coordination in addition to other municipal duties?
A: Finance Director will be managing grant coordination.
Q (People): If an oral presentation is requested, which specific City department heads or leadership roles will comprise the Evaluation Committee?
A: This information will not be disclosed at this time.
Q (Processes): Regarding the requirement to finalize proposals five (5) days prior to the deadline, what is the minimum advance notice (lead time) the City will provide the consultant when assigning a new grant opportunity to pursue?
A: It will be determined when the situation presents itself.
Q (Processes): Does the City currently have an established Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or directive from the City Manager regarding cross-departmental grant collaboration, or will the consultant be expected to design, implement, and enforce these internal workflows?
A: The City currently has a Grant Policy, but no SOP regarding cross-departmental grant collaboration. The consultant will be expected to manage the workflow regarding cross-department grant collaboration.
Q (Processes): Will the selected consultant be granted direct Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) access to submit applications directly via the City’s SAM.gov and Grants.gov portals, or must final submissions be routed through City IT/Finance staff?
A: The selected Consultant will be granted AOR to submit the applications.
Q (Product): Does "comprehensive post-award management" strictly refer to financial reporting, compliance documentation, and reimbursement requests, or is the consultant expected to act as the day-to-day Programmatic Project Manager for the actual implementation of the funded initiatives?
A: The consultant needs to provide financial reporting, compliance documentation, and reimbursement requests. The grant consultant will initiate the grant implementation with the requesting department.
Q (Processes): Does the City require the consultant to present prospective grant opportunities to the City Council for formal approval prior to beginning the proposal drafting process, and if so, how much lead time does that approval process require?
A: Grants over $100,000 will need to go before Council.
Q (Product): Because the consultant is providing a GMS and utilizing read-only ERP access, does the City expect the proposed GMS software to feature an automated API integration with the City's financial systems, or is manual data reconciliation acceptable?
A: No, manual reconciliation.
Q (Product): Are there any existing, active grant awards that the selected consultant will be expected to inherit and take over post-award management for immediately upon contract execution, or does this scope strictly apply to new grants secured by the consultant?
A: Yes, all active grant awards will be assigned to the grant writer to manage through post award management.
Q (Profit): The RFP states a preference for GPC-credentialed professionals, but the required Contingency-Based Success Fee directly violates the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) strict Code of Ethics . Will the City amend the Cost Proposal form to allow bidders to submit a fixed-fee or hourly rate for pre-award grant writing so ethically compliant firms can participate?
A: Yes. Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Product): Regarding the requirement to maintain an "audit-ready electronic archive," will the consultant be required to actively represent the City during federal/state Single Audits, or merely provide the compiled documentation to the City's external auditors?
A: Provide the complied documentation to the City’s external auditors.
Q (Profit): For federal grants where contingency fees are prohibited and the City converts the compensation to an hourly/fixed fee structure, will the consultant be compensated for their pre-award writing time even if the federal grant application is ultimately unsuccessful?
A: Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Profit): Because the Price Proposal form only includes line items for a Success Fee and an Hourly Administration Rate, how and where should proponents bill the City for the implementation, licensing, and ongoing software costs of the required Grant Management System (GMS)?
A: Consultants should have their own GMS.
Q (Profit): Does the requirement for a $5,000,000 Commercial Umbrella insurance policy apply equally to administrative consulting firms, or can this limit be negotiated down, as it is typically reserved for heavy construction contractors?
A: Please disregard the requirement of a $5,000,000 Commercial Umbrella insurance policy. The successful firm must be able to provide a certificate of insurance for the City's standard requirements for commercial general liability insurance and list the City as a certificate holder during the duration of the contract.
Q (Profit): Under the current contingency structure, if the consultant successfully writes and is awarded a grant, but the City Council subsequently decides not to accept the funds, will the consultant still be paid their success fee for the work performed?
A: Pursuant to the code of Ethics from Grant Professionals Association, the City has removed the contingency fee structure from the cost proposal.
Q (Pay-off): What specific metrics or success thresholds (e.g., number of applications submitted vs. awarded) will the City use to determine whether to exercise the optional Year 2 and Year 3 contract renewals?
A: Contract renewals will be determined by grant productivity and alignment with City goals. Achieving an award rate of 25% to 45% of successful applications, collaboration and responsiveness.
Q (Pay-off): What is the City's target goal or anticipated dollar volume of grant funding they intend to actively apply for during the first year of this contract, in order to help bidders forecast potential capacity requirements?
A: Grant submission volume will be determined based on available budget, grant readiness, and coordination with department leadership. The City anticipates working collaboratively with the selected grant administrator to establish realistic annual targets and prioritize high-impact funding opportunities.
Q (Insurance Requirements): "G. Additional Insureds under this Agreement shall be listed as Safeway Group, Inc. and The City of Forest Park (Owner)." Could the City clarify as to the relationship of Safeway Group Inc, as the parties can only insure the direct parties involved with the contract.
A: Please disregard Safeway Group Inc. The successful firm must be able to provide a certificate of insurance for the City's standard requirements for commercial general liability insurance and list the City as a certificate holder during the duration of the contract.
Q (Pay-off): In the context of the City’s “aggressive growth strategy” for grant funding, are there specific qualitative outcomes or marquee infrastructure projects (e.g., funding a specific community center, road, or park) that City leadership considers the highest priority for classifying Year 1 of this contract as a definitive success?
A: Starr Park, Pedestrian Bridge, and City Complex.
Q (Past Performance 1): Is there an incumbent grant writing consultant currently retained by the City of Forest Park, and are they eligible to bid on this RFP?
A: No, there is no incumbent grant writing consultant.
Q (Past Performance 3): What system or method (e.g., Excel, legacy software) has the City historically used to track its grant portfolio, and will the selected consultant be required to migrate historical/legacy grant data into the newly proposed Grant Management System (GMS)?
A: Currently, the City has utilized Microsoft Suites (word, excel, adobe, etc.), so the City would expect the selected grant administrator to provide the service of a Grant Management System.
Q (Past Performance 2): What specific grant applications (federal or state) have been attempted by leadership or previous consultants in the past 24 months that were unsuccessful, and what were the primary reasons for rejection?
A: The City intends to aggressively pursue a diverse range of federal, state, and private funding opportunities to increase administrative and financial capacity. While the Consultant is expected to conduct comprehensive research to identity new leads, the City anticipates the pursuit of all federal and state agencies, private, and philanthropic grants that best fit the needs of the City and that align with the City's organizational goals. This information will be provided to the selected consultant, if needed.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
SamSearch Platform
AI-powered intelligence for the right opportunities, the right leads, and the right time.