ACERO CHARTER SCHOOLS, INC.

Request for Proposals

for

Comprehensive Assessment of the Information Technology Department

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 4:00 PM CST on May 7, 2018

All proposals must be delivered to:

Acero Charter Schools, Inc.

Attn: Joshua Herzog

209 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 500

Chicago, Illinois 60606

OR

sent electronically to:

bidresponse@aceroschools.org

No faxed or verbal proposals will be considered.

E-Mail messages larger than 25MB may not be received.

All communications should be addressed to:

bidresponse@aceroschools.org

Issued on April 12, 2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................... 3

A. Company Background....................................................................................................................... 3

B. Purpose of Request for Proposals ..................................................................................................... 3

II. DATES AND DEADLINES ................................................................................................................ 3

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES ........................................................................................................................ 4

A. Scope of Services…………………………………………………………………………………….4

IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA ................................................................................................................. 6

A. Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................................................ 6

B. Evaluation Process ............................................................................................................................. 6

V. FORMAT OF PROPOSALS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION ............................................. 6

A. Format of Proposals and Submittal Requirements ............................................................................ 6

VI. SUBMITTING PROPOSALS ............................................................................................................ 10

A. Proposal Due Date, Time, and Email Submission Address ............................................................ 10

B. Question and Answer Period........................................................................................................... 10

C. Addenda .......................................................................................................................................... 10

D. Contact Information ........................................................................................................................ 11

VII. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS………………………………………………………………………11

VIII. EXHIBITS GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................... 11

Vendor Conflict of Interest Certification Exhibit A

Additional Conditions Exhibit B

List of Acero Locations Exhibit C

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I. SUMMARY

A. Company Background

Acero Charter Schools, Inc. (“Acero”) is a 20-year-old urban, tuition-free public charter school

network serving a high percentage of bilingual students. Acero began as a single school and has

grown to a network of 15 K-12 schools, diversifying our reach and serving multiple

communities. Since 1998 we have served more than 19,000 Chicago students.

Acero, which means structural steel in Spanish, signifies the endurance and strength of our

community of students, alumni, parents and educators.

Acero takes a team-based approach to developing high performing schools through innovation

and sharing best practices. Using proven educational models that foster social emotional

learning, personalized instruction and data-driven and differentiated teaching, we devise a

customized approach for each of our schools to best meet the needs of individual students and

families.

B. Purpose of Request for Proposals

Acero is issuing this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for the purpose of contracting with one (1)

Vendor to conduct a comprehensive IT Assessment. The contracted vendor will conduct

assessments of all IT infrastructure, systems and staffing. Assessment findings will then be used

by the vendor to produce lifecycle plans, a five year capital plan, system upgrades, and design a

baseline IT standard for classrooms and schools.

II. DATES AND DEADLINES

In responding to this RFP, any Vendor will be expected to comply with or be aware of the

deadlines listed below, as the failure to observe deadlines established for this solicitation may

affect the evaluation of a Vendor’s Proposal. Acero reserves the right to reject any Proposal if it

is received after the time and date by which Proposals are to be submitted, regardless of the

cause for delay.

A. Relevant Deadlines and Due Dates

1. Proposal issued – Thursday, April 12, 2018

2. Quiet period commences (see Exhibit B) – Monday, April 12, 2018

3. Question and answer period (see Section VI.B)

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a. Question to be submitted by 5 PM Central Standard Time on Thursday, April

19, 2018

b. Written responses posted to

http://www.aceroschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=817086&type=

d&pREC_ID=1201849 by 5 PM Central Standard Time on Monday, April 23,

2018

4. Proposals Due – before 4 PM Central Standard Time on Monday, May 7, 2018

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The following section describes the Services to be performed by a selected Vendor. Upon award

of a contract under this RFP, documentation relevant to the completion of each Components

under the Scope of Services will be provided to Vendor. A listing of Acero school locations, the

central office, and Acero’s off-site data center is attached as Exhibit C. Further details on

preparing Proposals in response to this RFP, the evaluation criteria, and conditions of submitting

a Proposal can be found in Sections IV through VII of this RFP. Vendors are encouraged to

thoroughly read this RFP in its entirety before submitting a Proposal.

A. Scope of Services

Acero is seeking one Vendor to perform the following Services:

Component 1: Mapping of IT Infrastructure 1. Create complete Network Diagrams for Acero’s 15 schools, central office, and

Acero’s off-site data center.

2. Create Physical Diagrams for all Main Distribution Frame (MDF) and

Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) rooms at Acero campuses, central office,

and Acero’s off-site data center.

3. Produce editable Visio diagrams for Network and Physical Diagrams.

Component 2: Assessment of Organizational Software Systems 1. Assess current state of software systems used by Acero.

2. Create a system integration plan based upon the current software systems in use

by Acero.

3. Draft recommendations for the optimization of software systems.

Component 3: Assessment of Acero’s IT Staffing Structure

Complete an assessment of Acero’s IT staffing structure. This assessment should

consider both Acero’s organizational needs as well as best practice recommendations.

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Component 4: Lifecycle Plan Develop lifecycle plans for Acero IT equipment in the following categories:

i. Network devices

ii. Staff devices

iii. Student devices

iv. Classroom devices (including, but not limited to, projectors, ELMOs,

and Smart Boards)

Component 5: Develop an Acero School Technology Standard

a. Vendor will be expected to sample K-8 and 9-12 schools across the Acero network to

determine a baseline Acero School Technology use.

b. Vendor will also perform external research to determine industry standards.

c. Vendor will develop an Acero School Technology Standard, including the following

categories:

1. Classroom devices

2. Staff devices

3. Student devices

4. School equipment (i.e. phones, intercom, and clocks)

5. Network Infrastructure (bandwidth, servers, network devices, etc.)

Component 6: Develop a 5-Year Capital Plan Using the information gathered in Components 1-5, in conjunction with the constraints

imposed by the E-Rate funding cycle, Vendor will develop a 5-Year Capital Plan for the

Acero IT Department. The 5-Year Capital Plan must include budget projections for at

least the following four scenarios and recommend the best option for Acero:

i. Scenario 1 - No budget constraints

ii. Scenario 2 - Baseline under current budget

iii. Scenario 2 - 10% increase in current budget

iv. Scenario 4 - 20% increase in current budget

Component 7: Security Camera Plan Using current system specifications as a baseline, design plans for security camera

systems upgrades at all Acero schools. These plans must address lifecycles for current

security camera systems. The anticipated scope of this Component will also include, at a

minimum, CCTV Migration at six (6) Acero schools, as well as CCTV Refresh at three

(3) Acero schools.

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IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA

A. Evaluation Criteria

Acero will evaluate proposals on the following criteria:

1. Quality of proposed implementation of Services, including alignment with

Acero’s objectives;

2. Price;

3. Vendor’s experience with similar projects;

4. Vendor qualifications, including industry experience, financial information, and

pending or current litigation;

5. Quality of references; and,

6. Completeness and timeliness of Proposal.

Acero reserves the right to consider additional factors, or remove factors from consideration,

during the evaluation phase.

B. Evaluation Process

Designated Acero staff will first assess the Vendor’s compliance with the requirements of the

form of the Proposal, including completeness and timeliness of submission. Any Proposal that is

incomplete, fails to clearly communicate information upon which an evaluation can be based, or

is missing key components necessary to fully evaluate the response may, at the sole discretion of

Acero, be rejected from further consideration due to "non-responsiveness.” If Acero finds that

Vendor failed to provide information or if Acero is unable to clearly understand the information

provided, Acero may reject the Proposal prior to evaluation or reflect the failure as part of the

evaluation process. Acero is under no obligation to request clarification from Vendor

regarding Proposals.

Acero will then evaluate the extent to which a Proposal meets the project requirements and

technical specifications set forth in this RFP. Acero will consider the information Vendor

supplies or does not supply, and the quality of that information when evaluating Vendor’s

Proposal.

V. FORMAT OF PROPOSALS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

A. Format of Proposals and Submittal Requirements

Vendors are advised to adhere to the submittal requirements of the RFP. Failure to comply with

the instructions of this RFP may be cause for rejection of the non-compliant Proposal at the sole

discretion of Acero. By submitting a response to this RFP, Vendor acknowledges that if

Vendor’s Proposal is accepted by Acero, Vendor’s Proposal and related submittals may become

part of the contract awarded as a result of this solicitation.

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Proposals should be separated by clearly labeled sections and organized in accordance with

subject matter sequence as set forth below. Each page of the Proposal must be numbered in a

manner so as to be uniquely identified. Proposals must be clear, concise, and well organized.

When submitting a qualifying Proposal for consideration, Vendors must include the following

records or information, as described below in Sections V.A.1. through V.A.12:

1. Cover Letter (Section #1)

Vendors must submit a cover letter signed by an authorized representative who is

capable of committing the Vendor to provide the Goods or Services described in this

RFP. The cover letter must include:

a. A brief description of the Vendor, including its legal name, location, principal

place of business, and years in business;

b. Federal Tax ID;

c. The name and telephone number of the principal contact for negotiations; and

d. Acknowledgement of receipt of any Addendum issued by Acero, if applicable.

2. Executive Summary (Section #2)

Vendor must provide an executive summary which explains its understanding of Acero’s

intent and objectives, and how Vendor’s Proposal would achieve these objectives.

General information concerning the Vendor’s qualifications should be included in the

executive summary unless addressed in other tabs of the Proposal.

3. Business License/Authority to do Business in Illinois (Section #3)

Vendor must provide copies of appropriate licenses or certifications required of any

individual or entity selling products and any related services as described in this RFP in

the City of Chicago, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, for itself, its partners and its

subcontractors, including evidence that Vendor is authorized by the Secretary of State to

do business in the State of Illinois.

4. Key Personnel and Organization (Section #4)

a. Provide the names of key individuals for this effort, as well as an organization

chart representing project responsibilities. For each key individual identified,

provide the following information:

i. Title and reporting responsibilities;

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ii. Proposed role in this program, including the functions and tasks for

which they will have primary responsibility; and,

iii. Resumes or corporate personnel profiles which describe their overall

experience and expertise.

b. Provide a list of current members of your board of directors, if applicable.

c. Provide the name of each individual or entity and their percentage of

ownership.

d. Provide a list of personnel who would be assigned to the Acero account, along

with their credentials and experience.

5. Vendor Financial Information (Section #5)

Vendors will be expected to provide financial information concerning the solvency of

their businesses, including the following:

a. Gross annual revenue;

b. Cash flow statement; and,

c. Number of employees currently employed.

If Vendor is unable to provide financial information, state the reasons in Vendor’s

Proposal.

6. Pending and Current Litigation (Section #6)

Vendor will be expected to provide a statement concerning pending and current litigation

against the Vendor.

7. Company References (Section #7)

Vendor must provide a minimum of three (3) references, preferably from a public

educational institution, charter school network, or not-for-profit organization related to a

project of similar scope and magnitude.

8. Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Commitment (Section #8)

Acero encourages Vendors to use best efforts to use minority and women-owned

businesses in relation to the products to be provided under this solicitation. When

submitting a Proposal, Vendor must state if Vendor’s firm is certified as a MBE, WBE,

or DBE and provide any and all supporting documentation.

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9. Proposed Implementation of Services (Section #9)

Vendors must provide a comprehensive plan for implementing each Category listed

under the Scope of Services described in this RFP. Vendor’s comprehensive plan must

address all Components requested and include an overall plan as well as a detailed

timeline for the completion of each Component. The comprehensive plan must also

include the estimated total hours of Vendor’s time necessary to complete each

Component.

10. Price Proposal (Section #10)

Vendor must provide information regarding the proposed price schedule for the services,

including Vendor’s hourly rates, if applicable. Vendor must propose a price schedule for

each individual Component of this RFP, as well as an overall project cost. Proposals that

fail to include complete price information will be deemed non-responsive and rejected.

Acero reserves the right to negotiate a final fixed price, terms, and conditions with the

selected Vendor. The price Vendor quotes should be inclusive of all charges and fees. If

Vendor’s price excludes certain fees or charges, Vendor is responsible for disclosing any

charges or fees, which Acero must pay, in a detailed list of excluded fees with an

explanation of the nature of those fees.

11. Acceptance of Additional Conditions (Section #11)

Vendor must include an executed Exhibit B – Additional Conditions. Vendors must read

and agree to the conditions of submittal, A-I, outlined in Exhibit B and indicate consent to

each condition by initialing on the line next to the heading of each section.

12. Completion of Vendor Conflict of Interest Certification (Section #12)

Vendor must include an executed Exhibit A – Vendor Conflict of Interest Certification.

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VI. SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

A. Proposal Due Date, Time, and Submission Address

All Proposals must be submitted by 4:00 PM (Central Standard Time) on May 7, 2018.

Proposals submitted by email to bidresponse@aceroschools.org must be in PDF format and

not exceed 25MB. Proposals submitted by delivery must be submitted to: Acero Charter

Schools, Inc., Attn: Joshua Herzog, 209 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606.

Only proposals received by the deadline will be considered.

This RFP and the resulting evaluation of proposals is an open and competitive process. Acero

staff will not open Proposals until after the due date and time specified above. For that reason, it

is important that Vendors ensure that proposals are submitted in a timely manner.

Prior to the due date, Vendors may email modifications and withdrawals to the email address

specified above. No other methods of delivery will be accepted. Acero must receive

submissions as specified; it is not sufficient to show Vendor mailed or commenced delivery

before the due date and time. Acero reserves the right to not consider Proposals, modifications,

or withdrawals submitted after the due date and time.

B. Question and Answer Period

All questions must be submitted in writing by email to bidresponse@aceroschools.org by 5 PM

Central Standard Time on Thursday, April 19, 2018. Responses to all questions will be reduced

to writing and posted as an addendum to this RFP on Acero’s website at:

https://www.aceroschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=817086&type=d&pREC_ID=120

1864. Responses will be posted by 5 PM Central Standard Time on Monday, April 23, 2018.

C. Addenda

Vendors may download this RFP and any future Addenda from Acero’s website,

http://www.aceroschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=817086&type=d&pREC_ID=120

1849.

Vendors are solely responsible for acquiring the necessary information and materials. Under no

circumstances shall the failure to obtain clarifications and/or Addenda relieve a Vendor from

being bound by any additional terms and conditions in the clarifications and/or Addenda, or from

considering additional information contained therein in preparing a Proposal. Furthermore,

failure to obtain any clarification and/or addendum shall not be valid grounds for a protest

against award(s) made under this RFP.

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D. Contact Information

If you have a question you should notify the Project Contact identified in this section. Do not

discuss the solicitation or your proposal, directly or indirectly, with any Acero officer, director or

employee other than the Project Contact (see Exhibit B “Quiet Period”). Questions regarding this

RFP must be sent in writing via email to the Project Contact. Telephone calls regarding the

solicitation are not permitted. The contact information of the Project Contact is as follows:

Email: bidresponse@aceroschools.org

209 W. Jackson Ave., Suite 500

Chicago, Illinois 60606

VII. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Acero reserves the right to:

1. Reject any or all of the Proposals, including the lowest price Proposal;

2. Issue a subsequent RFP;

3. Withdraw the entire RFP;

4. Remedy errors in the RFP;

5. Seek the assistance of outside technical experts to review Proposals;

6. Approve or disapprove the use of particular subcontractors and suppliers;

7. Award a Contract to one or more Vendors;

8. Waive informalities and irregularities in Proposals; or

9. Disqualify the Proposal(s) upon evidence of collusion with intent to defraud or

other illegal practices on the part of Vendor(s).

VIII. EXHIBITS GLOSSARY

Exhibit A – Vendor Conflict of Interest Certification

Exhibit B – Additional Conditions

Exhibit C – List of Acero Locations

VENDOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST CERTIFICATION

Acero Charter Schools, Inc. (“Acero”) is committed to avoiding any transactions

involving conflicts of interest, or even the appearance of conflicts of interest, between vendors

and Acero’s officers, directors, employees, and agents. Acero’s conflict of interest policies are

intended to prevent the personal interest of any Acero employee or Board member from

inappropriately affecting the decisions and actions of Acero concerning transactions,

expenditures, and other matters.

Therefore, each entity (“Vendor”) that enters into a transaction with Acero, and any of the

Vendor’s subcontractors, must disclose a relative, business, or other relationship with (1) Acero’s

officers, directors, employees, or (2) family members of Acero’s officers, directors, and

employees, that would be considered a conflict of interest or may create the appearance of a

conflict of interest.

For purposes of this certification, “relative” is defined as: spouse, parents, children,

siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and any person living in the

same domicile.

Does the undersigned Vendor, Vendor officers, directors, or employees have a relative,

business, or other relationship that could be perceived as potentially influencing a business

decision, with any officer, director or employee of Acero? With regard to relationships with

Acero employees, the Vendor needs only to disclose those relationships with employees that

have authority, or are in a position to influence those with authority, to enter into contracts on

behalf of Acero.

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

If yes, please identify: (1) the name and title of the Acero employee, officer, or director

with whom the Vendor has a relationship; (2) the name and title of the Vendor’s employee,

officer, or director with whom Acero has a relationship; and (3) the precise nature of such

relationship.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

EXHIBIT A

2

For each of the Vendor’s subcontractors, do any of the subcontractor’s officers, directors,

or employees have any business, familial, romantic, friendship, or other relationship that could

be perceived as potentially influencing a business decision, with any officer or employee of

Acero? With regard to relationships with Acero employees, the subcontractor needs only to

disclose those relationships with employees that have authority, or are in a position to influence

those with authority, to enter into contracts on behalf of Acero.

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

If yes, please identify: (1) the name and title of the Acero employee, officer, or director

with whom the subcontractor has a relationship; (2) the name and title of the subcontractor’s

employee, officer, or director with whom Acero has a relationship; and (3) the precise nature of

such relationship.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Any Vendor or subcontractor that fails to disclose any relationship that would constitute a

conflict of interest, or create the appearance of a conflict of interest, may be subject to debarment

from future contracts with Acero or its affiliated entities. Additionally, it is the Vendor or

subcontractor’s responsibility to disclose to Acero any future conflicts of interest, or appearances

of conflicts of interest, that may arise during the duration of the contract.

The undersigned certifies that they are a person with knowledge of the facts and

assertions made on this form and that all statements contained in this disclosure are true,

accurate, and complete as of the date affixed to the signature below.

___________________________________ ______________________________

(Print or type name of the Vendor) Date

___________________________________

(Print or type name of the Disclosing Party)

___________________________________

(Signature of Disclosing Party)

EXHIBIT B

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

Exhibit B - 1

EXHIBIT B

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

All Consultants submitting Proposals in response to this RFP must read and agree to the following

conditions of submittal, A-I. Please indicate consent to the conditions below by initialing on the

line next to the heading of each section.

A. Quiet Period __________ The Quiet Period required by Acero’s Procurement Policy is intended to establish guidelines

by which all Directors and Acero staff involved in the selection and award of any Proposals,

including the Project Contact and contractors, will communicate with prospective Consultants

during the pendency of a solicitation. The objectives of such a Quiet Period are to ensure that

prospective Consultants competing for contracts with Acero have equal access to information

regarding selection parameters and to ensure that the process of selecting Consultants is

transparent, efficient, diligent and fair. The following guidelines will be instituted during the

pendency of solicitations issued by Acero:

1. A quiet period will commence upon the issuance of a solicitation by Acero and/or

Acero staff or contractors and end upon award of any resulting contracts from the subject

solicitation.

2. Initiation, continuation and conclusion of the quiet period shall be publicly

communicated to prevent inadvertent violations.

3. All Directors, Acero staff and its contractors, other than the previously-identified

Project Contact, shall refrain from communicating with potential Consultants regarding

any product or service related to any pending solicitation throughout the quiet period and

shall refrain from accepting meals, travel, hotel or other value from the potential

Consultants.

4. Throughout the quiet period, if any Director is contacted by a potential Consultant,

the Director shall refer the Consultant to the General Counsel or Project Contact.

5. The quiet period does not prevent Acero from performing due diligence or

communicating with an existing Consultant that happens to be a competing Consultant in

the ordinary course of services provided by such Consultant; however, discussions related

to the pending selection shall be avoided during such activities.

6. A potential Consultant may be disqualified from consideration under the

solicitation for a knowing violation of this Quiet Period policy.

B. Proposal Firm Time __________

Consultant’s Proposal must remain firm for 180 days from opening (the “Proposal Firm

Time”).

EXHIBIT B

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

Exhibit B - 2

C. Conflicts of Interest __________

Acero will consider any information, including information contained in Consultant’s Proposal

that may demonstrate a conflict or potential conflict of interest that might compromise

Consultant’s ability to successfully perform the proposed services or undermine the integrity

of the competitive procurement process.

Acero’s officers, directors, agents, employees and family members are prohibited from

engaging in any activity or transaction that conflicts with or appears to conflict with the

interests of the Organization. Accordingly, Consultants must disclose any personal,

professional or business relationship it has or had with Acero, any of its employees, its Board

members, or family members of Acero employees or Directors that could give rise to, or appear

to give rise to, a conflict of interest.

If any Consultant submitting a Proposal has provided any services to Acero in researching,

consulting, advising, drafting or reviewing this solicitation or any other services related to the

preparation of this solicitation, such Consultant will be disqualified from further consideration.

All Consultants must certify that no such conflict exists in accordance with Exhibit A.

D. Procurement Policy Compliance/Rescission of Resulting Contract __________

Acero requires strict adherence to its Procurement Policy. By submitting a bid, Consultant

understands that the information furnished to Acero during the procurement process, including

without limitation the disclosure of any conflicts of interest, certifications regarding

communications with Acero relating to the Quiet Period, or certifications relating to Acero’s

ban on pre-solicitation assistance, is material to its decision to award the Selected Consultant

a contract. Consultant agrees that any misstatement of fact or omission made or not made in

responding to this RFP may be grounds for rescinding the resulting contract.

EXHIBIT B

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

Exhibit B - 3

E. Confidentiality __________

Consultant may identify those portions of the Proposal that contain trade secrets or other

proprietary data that must remain confidential. If a Consultant includes data that is not to be

disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by Acero for anything other than evaluation

purposes, the Consultant must:

1. Mark the title page as follows: “This RFP Proposal includes trade secrets or other

proprietary data (“data”) that may not be disclosed outside Acero and may not be

duplicated, used or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose other than to evaluate this

Proposal. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets (insert page numbers

or other identification).”; and,

2. Mark each sheet or data to be restricted with the following legend: “Use or disclosure of

data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this Proposal.”

To the extent that Proposals received as a result of the RFP are subject to disclosures required

by law, including disclosures under the Freedom of Information Act, the Proposals will be

open to the public unless the Consultant requests in its Proposal that the state treat certain

information as confidential. A request for confidential treatment will not supersede the legal

obligations imposed by state or federal laws.

Acero will not honor requests to keep the entire Proposal confidential, and the Consultant must

show specific grounds or rules that support confidential treatment. If a Consultant requests

confidential treatment, the Consultant must submit one (1) additional copy of the Proposal with

the confidential information redacted. Consultants shall include in the redacted copy a

description of the information redacted. By separate attachment to the un-redacted Proposal,

Consultant must list the information to receive confidential treatment and the section and page

number of the Proposal on which it appears. Nothing herein shall obligate Acero to withhold

information subject to disclosures required by law. A Consultant must hold harmless and

indemnify Acero for all costs or damages associated with Acero defending Consultant’s

request for confidential treatment.

F. Governing Law and Forum __________

Illinois law and rules govern this solicitation to the extent that the terms of this RFP are

incorporated into any resulting contract. Consultants must bring any action relating to any

resulting contract in the appropriate court in Illinois.

G. Award Notices __________

Acero will post a notice to the Acero website identifying the selected Consultant only after

contract negotiations are finalized. Prior to the posting, Acero may accept or reject

Consultant’s Proposal as submitted, or may require contract negotiations. If negotiations do

not result in an acceptable agreement, Acero may reject Consultant’s Proposal and begin

negotiations with another Consultant.

EXHIBIT B

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS

Exhibit B - 4

H. Additional Conditions __________

By submitting a Proposal, it is understood that the entity submitting the selected proposal shall

perform all services and functions required in this RFP. The services contemplated are

professional in nature. It is understood that the selected Consultant must be of professional

status, licensed to for all applicable professional discipline(s) requiring licensing, and in good

standing with its state of incorporation, if applicable. The Consultant and each of its members,

employees, agents, or subcontractors must be financially solvent and competent to perform the

services required under this RFP document. Subcontractors will be subject to the same

standards, duties, and disclosures as the selected entity.

Further, it is understood that all proposals that would require the Consultant to hire or engage

subcontractors to carry out the proposed services must clearly identify such subcontractors and

the work they will perform. The name, address, and EIN of any known subcontractors must be

provided. Acero will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of subcontractors. However,

Acero retains the right to refuse the subcontractors Consultant has selected if the use of such

subcontractors would violate the procurement policies of Acero.

Further, it is understood that all reports, information, or data prepared or assembled by the

selected entity under a contract awarded pursuant to this RFP are confidential in nature and

will not be made available to any individual or organization without the prior written approval

of Acero.

I. Contract Terms __________

By submitting a response to this RFP, Consultant acknowledges that if Consultant’s Proposal

is accepted by Acero, Consultant’s Proposal and related submittals may become part of the

contract. Acero will negotiate contract terms upon selection. All Proposals submitted in

response to this solicitation are required to remain firm for a period not to exceed the Proposal

Firm Time, 180 days from the opening.

Acero reserves the right to refuse an award of a contract to any entity submitting a proposal

based on a failure to agree to terms and conditions that are in the best interest of Acero and its

affiliates. If a selected entity is refused an award of a contract, Acero reserves the right to select

any other entity submitting a proposal in response to this RFP for such an award.

EXHIBIT C

List of Acero Locations

SCHOOLS

Brighton Park

4420 S. Fairfield Ave.

Chicago, IL 60632

Bartolome De Las Casas

1641 W. 16th St.

Chicago, IL 60608

Sandra Cisneros

2744 W. Pershing Road

Chicago, IL 60632

Roberto Clemente

2050 N. Natchez Ave.

Chicago, IL 60618

Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

7416 N. Ridge Blvd.

Chicago, IL 60645

Carlos Fuentes

2845 W. Barry Ave.

Chicago, IL 60618

Major Hector P Garcia MD

4248 W. 47th St., Third Floor

Chicago, IL 60632

Jovita Idar

5050 S. Homan Ave.,

Chicago, IL 60632

Officer Donald J. Marquez

2916 W. 47th St.

Chicago, IL 60632

Octavio Paz

2651 W. 23nd St.

Chicago, IL 60632

Esmeralda Santiago

2510 W. Cortez St.

Chicago, IL 60622

Victoria Soto

5025 S. St. Louis Ave.

Chicago, IL 60632

Rufino Tamayo

5135 S. California Ave.

Chicago, IL 60632

PFC. Omar E. Torres

4248 W. 47th St., Second Floor

Chicago, IL 60632

SPC. Daniel Zizumbo

4248 W. 47th St., First Floor

Chicago, IL 60632

CENTRAL OFFICE

209 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

DATA CENTER

216 W. Jackson Blvd.

Chicago, IL 60606