Insurance Brokerage Services

VTA seeks proposals (each a "Proposal") from responsive and responsible qualified firms (each a "Proposer") to provide insurance brokerage services.

Project Details

• Reference ID: S26032
• Department: Enterprise Risk Management
• Department Head: Jill Eck (Enterprise Risk Manager)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-13T21:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-06T17:00:00.000Z — Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25652845391931?p=NIFVRDwQZkCu5kEcZL

Evaluation Criteria

• Qualification of the Firm (20 pts) —

  The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal its qualifications to perform the Scope of Work and its experience in successful delivery and performance of comparable work on comparable projects, including demonstrated capability and experience in:

  1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Performing work of similar scope and magnitude, primarily with public entities and transit authorities;
              2. Interacting and negotiating directly with the domestic and worldwide underwriting markets.
              3. Financial capability and integrity; and
              4. Coordinating effectively with the project owner and multiple external stakeholders and third parties to support successful delivery of comparable projects. For the purposes of this evaluation criteria, "external stakeholders and third parties" refers to insurance carriers, underwriters, reinsurers, third-party claims administrators, legal counsel, regulatory agencies, and other parties involved in the placement, administration, and servicing of insurance and risk management programs. Experience involving coordination with public agencies, transportation authorities, or similar entities is particularly relevant and is preferred.
• Staffing and Project Organization (20 pts) —
  1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Proposer team. The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal a cohesive team with a clear and effective division of responsibility between the Proposer Members (if applicable) and between the Proposer and the proposed Subcontractors to support successful delivery of the Scope of Work. Demonstrated experience of Proposer and/or of Proposer Members  (if applicable) and the proposed Subcontractors working together performing comparable work on comparable projects is preferred. Proposal provides full disclosure of the individuals who will be assigned as day-to-day account managers and their proximity to VTA.
              2. Key Personnel experience, capability, and qualifications. The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal the capability, experience, and qualifications of its nominated key personnel necessary to satisfy the minimum requirements for Key Personnel under the Scope of Work and to successfully deliver the Scope of Work ("Key Personnel"). Demonstrated experience of Key Personnel successfully working together performing comparable work on comparable projects is preferred.
              3. Organizational and management structure. The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal a well-defined and appropriately-resourced organizational management structure that: (A) supports effective communication and issue resolution, (B) incorporates those Key Personnel and other personnel that bring relevant experience from comparable projects, best practices, and lessons learned, and allocates those Key Personnel and other personnel to those roles that enable them to utilize that experience and those best practices and lessons learned to support successful delivery of the Scope of Work, (C) demonstrates the Proposer's understanding of the Scope of Work, including the schedule for the Scope of Work, and (D) demonstrates the adequacy of the labor commitment for the Scope of Work.
• Work Plan / Project Understanding (20 pts) —
  1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Project Understanding. The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal a clear understanding of Contract requirements and the risks, challenges, and opportunities for the Project and how, by reference to specific examples, the Proposer's experience delivering comparable work on comparable projects will be utilized to address those risks, challenges, and opportunities when performing the Scope of Work.
              2. Work Plan. The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal a well-defined and credible work plan for delivering the Scope of Work that: (A) aligns with the Contract requirements and Project objectives, (B) supports timely delivery of the Scope of Work in accordance with the defined milestones, (C) manages and mitigates risks to the Project, (D) establishes clear communication, coordination, and issue resolution protocols supporting productive working relationships between the Proposer and VTA and external stakeholders, and (E) incorporates, by reference to specific examples, best practices and lessons learned from the Proposer's experience delivering comparable work on comparable projects.
• Local Firm Preference (10 pts) —

  In accordance with VTA Administrative Code, Section 9-11, Preference for Local Firms, 5 points will be awarded to a Proposal if at least fifty percent (50%) of the dollar value of services to be rendered under that Proposal will be performed by a local firm. An additional point will be awarded for each additional ten percent (10%) of the dollar value of services to be performed by a local firm, to a maximum point award of ten percent of total evaluation points.

  For the purposes of this RFP S26032, local firms are those that currently have their main office or a branch office with meaningful production capability located within Santa Clara County, or those firms who, upon award of the contract by VTA, will establish such a local office. This preference shall not apply when prohibited by law or regulation, or whenever its application will disqualify VTA from receiving federal funds.

  At the time of its Proposal submission and at VTA's request following Proposal submission, including upon or prior to Notice of Recommended Award, the Proposer must provide to VTA evidence reasonably acceptable to VTA that the local firm meets the requirements of the paragraph above.

• Cost Proposal (20 pts) —

  VTA will evaluate the reasonableness of the prices against the competitiveness of the amounts with other Proposals received and adequacy of the data submitted supporting the figures quoted. Proposals in which the costs do not reflect a reasonable relationship to the work to be conducted may be viewed as failing to comprehend the requirements of the Scope of Work, and therefore, cause for the proposal to be deemed as being non-responsive pursuant to this RFP Section 3.1.8.

• Resources (10 pts) —

  The Proposer demonstrating through its Proposal a thorough breakdown of brokerage firm’s resources for safety, risk mitigation, loss control, and insurance application and policy management.

Submission Requirements

• PROPOSAL (without Cost form) —

  Refer to Section 4. Proposal Submittals and Forms of the RFP for details on response requirements that are to be submitted in this response section, and upload your COMPLETE Proposal here. Upload cost proposal separately in the next step.

  Submit the following forms as part of your Proposal:

  Proposal Form 1A   Proposal Submission and Proposer General Information

  Proposal Form 3   Designation of Subcontractors

  Proposal Form 4    Listing of SBE Proposer or Subcontractors

  Proposal Form 5    Litigation Disclosure

  Proposal Form 6    General Certifications

  Proposal Form 7    Non-Collusion Declaration 

  Proposal Form 8    References

  Proposal Form 9    Key Personnel Statement of Availability

  Proposal Form 10   Designation of Proposer's Representative 

  Proposal Form 11   Local Firm Certification

  Proposal Form 12   Levine Act Statement

• Separate Cost Proposal (required) —

  Proposers shall submit a Cost Proposal for the services requested in this RFP.

  Submit the following form:

  Form 1B   Cost Proposal

  Confirm that your fee proposal is not attached in your Proposal and is attached separately here.

• Bid Bond (required) —

  Each bid shall be accompanied by a certified cashier’s check, or bid bond, in the amount of 10% of the total bid price, payable toSanta Clara Valley Transportation Authority, as a guarantee that the bidder, if its bid is accepted, will promptly execute the Agreement. The bidder shall guarantee the total bid price for a period of 60 days from the date of the bid opening.

  Please scan and upload a copy of your bid bond/cashier's check. Bidder must also MAIL bid guarantee with a postmarked date no later thanFriday, June 5, 2026 addressed to:

  Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
  Leah Belete
  3331 N. 1st Street
  San Jose,CA95134

  Please have the Bidder Name, Contract Title ("Insurance Brokerage Services"), and Contract Number ("S26032") listed clearly on the outside of the envelope.

• Contract Execution, Payment Bond, Performance Bond, and Certificate(s) of Insurance (required) —

  The contract shall be executed by the successful bidder and shall be returned, together with the Payment Bond, Performance Bond and Certificate(s) of Insurance to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority so that it is received within 14 working daysafter the bidder has received the contract for execution. Failure to do so shall be just cause for forfeiture of the proposal guaranty.

• SB/DVBE Certification ID (Optional) —

  Please type your SB/DVBE Certification ID. This will be verified by the Cal eProcure Website

• California Department of Insurance (CDI) License Number —

  Please enter your License Number here. This will be verified against the state database

• Electronic Pricing Table (required) —

  Would you like to have bidders respond to an electronic pricing table through ProcureNow?

  Choose this if:

  1. This is a quote for a finite set of goods or commodities
  2. This is a public works bid, but you want the bidder to list their total project cost here.
  3. Seeking services for hourly rate schedules
• Bid Bond (required) —

  Will this solicitation require a bid bond?

• Separate Fee Proposal Upload (required) —

  If not using the Electronic Pricing Table, do you want your bidder to separate a Price Proposal from the rest of the Response?

• Evaluation Criteria (required) —

  Would you like to define the Evaluation Criteria for this solicitation?