State Lobbying Services

The purpose of this RFP is to obtain lobbying, representation and related consulting services to advance select legislative and government program initiatives of the City of Norfolk (the “City”) at the state level.  The City reserves the right to award more than one agreement resulting from this solicitation.

Background

Contractor must have the knowledge and experience necessary to deal with complicated legislative procedures and processes inherent in the functioning of the state government and its legislative process and budget formation. Further, Contractor must represent the City and its interests effectively and professionally throughout the term of the agreement.

The Contractor shall assist the City with identifying, reviewing, and monitoring pending state legislation, state budget, and state agency rulemaking, which directly or indirectly affect the City, as well as represent the City’s legislative and financial needs to legislative and/or executive branch government representatives at the state level.

Currently, the City’s major focus areas include flood control, transportation, public safety, and community and housing development.

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFP 10992-0-2026/KA
• Department: City Manager's Office
• Department Head: Patrick Roberts (City Manager)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-04-17T21:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Experience/References (30 pts) —

  Provide a description of established experience record in providing comparable services to organizations similar to the City to include, but not limited to:

   

  a. A minimum of three (3) current and previous local government clients for which you have completed services within the last five (5) years to include:

  i.      Client’s name and address.

  ii.     Name, title, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax number of a point of contact.

  iii.    Number of years your firm has served the client.

  iv.   Brief summary of scope of services provided.

   

  b. A minimum of five (5) projects of similar scope for which you are currently engaged, to include:

  i.      Client’s name and address.

  ii.     Name, title, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax number of a point of contact.

  iii.    Number of years your firm has served the client.

  iv.   Brief summary of scope of services provided.

   

  c. Provide narrative indicating your experience with current and former Virginia General Assembly members and other state officials.

   

  d. Describe your experience in dealing with local, state, and federal legislative issues and your understanding and knowledge of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s executive, legislative and budgeting processes and its membership.

   

  e. Describe your knowledge of the Virginia Budget and budget making process. 

   

  f. Provide any other information that you may consider significant, innovative, pertinent or otherwise relevant.

   

  g. Describe why your firm is the best candidate to provide the City with the services requested in this RFP.

• Capabilities and Skills (30 pts) —
  1. Provide the names, professional backgrounds and qualifications of the individuals who will be assigned to the Agreement and specifically detail their knowledge, experience and ability in working with public entities at state and federal levels.

   

  2. Describe any past, pending or threatened litigation or regulatory action resulting from services provided by your firm which pertains to any aspect of the RFP requirements.  If none, so state.

   

  3. Describe any actual or possible conflict of interest which may result from your firm acting as a consultant to the City in the City’s 4 major focus areas, including engagement with other clients, consultants, or lobbyists.  If none, so state.
• Approach (20 pts) —

  Provide a detailed description of services and the approach that your firm will use to furnish the lobbying services to best fulfill the City’s goals stated in this solicitation.

• Price (20 pts) —
  1. Provide a proposed pricing schedule that includes all costs, prices, fees and applicable charges related to the services required by this RFP.  The extent of reimbursable expenses will be negotiated with the top Offeror in compliance with the requirements included in the Scope of Services of this solicitation.
  2. Provide fully loaded hourly rates for Offeror’s personnel, which will be used if the Offeror is selected for project-based contract to establish the not to exceed per-project fees.

Submission Requirements

• VENDOR RESPONSE (required) —

  Please upload your ENTIRE proposal here as one PDF document.

• REDACTED PROPOSAL —

  If you are requesting certain portions of your proposal containing trade secrets or proprietary information to be withheld from release under Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA), please upload your redacted proposal here as one PDF document AND state the reasons why protection is necessary. If you do not submit a redacted proposal your entire proposal will be available pursuant to VFOIA. Any redactions will be subject to review by the City Attorney’s Office.

  NOTE: Pricing cannot be withheld as trade secret or proprietary information. The entire proposal cannot be designated as trade secret or proprietary information.

• Response Confirmation —

  Each proposer is required to confirm they have included these signed forms as part of your vendor response submitted above.

• Anti-Collusion Statement (required)
• Ethics in Public Contracting (required)
• Non-Discrimination (required)
• Debarment Certification (required)
• Compliance with Federal Immigration Law (required)
• Compliance with State Law – Authorization to Transact Business in the Commonwealth of Virginia (required)
• Equal Opportunity Business Status (required)
• Acknowledgment of Addenda and Q&A (required) —

  Proposer acknowledges that they received and reviewed all Addenda and Questions and Answers

• Pricing Proposal Options (required) —

  Select how you want the bidder to submit their pricing proposals

Questions & Answers