THE CLARESHOLM & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SOCIETY
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES
The Chamber is a volunteer-based business organization supported by its members to promote local business and a strong economy in the Town of Claresholm and surrounding areas. Kendall Schille is the current President of the Chamber and is supported by other members of the executive and board of directors.
All proposals and other documentation submitted in response to the RFP become the Chamber’s property and must be clearly marked as confidential if the independent contractor considers any material or information contained in its proposal or other documentation confidential.
All proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be received by the Chamber no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023.
The Chamber reserves the right to reject any proposal it receives and award the engagement in its sole discretion or make multiple or partial bid awards.
SCOPE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIRED
General Operations
- Respond to phone calls, emails, or other communications directed to the Chamber, and forward inquiries to the appropriate executive or board member(s).
- Receive and process membership applications.
- Prepare welcome packages for new members.
- Prepare agendas and minutes for meetings of Board of Directors, Membership, and Committees.
- Provide general administrative support to the Board of Directors including distribution of materials, summarization of documents, communications, and creation of reports.
- Maintain the Chamber’s website and social media accounts, including creating content highlighting the Chamber’s activities and spotlighting members.
- Financial
- Generate and send invoices for membership renewals and new members.
- Administer accounts payable/receivable, including facilitating outstanding invoice collection.
- Contribute to the sustainability of the Chamber by identifying opportunities to increase revenue including grants and other available funding.
- Member Services
- Work with the Membership Engagement and Development committee to maintain existing members and recruit new members.
- Manage membership database.
- Promote volunteer involvement in Chamber committees, events, and other activities.
- Complete exit surveys with non-renewing members and advise board of outcomes.
- Create and manage a monthly newsletter for members.
- Events
- Assist Event Committee with events including venue bookings, registration, and logistics as required.
- Promote events on Chamber social media platforms and website.
The selected contractor must also:
- Provide, maintain, and insure (if applicable), at the contractor’s own cost, all technology, equipment, and office space required to perform the Services:;
- Work independently without oversight from the Chamber;
- Independently determine wehn and how the Services are to be delivered;
- Submit monthly invoices to the Chamber;
- Undertake measures, including physical security and cyber-security measures, to protect all data received in connection with the provision of the Services;
- Hire assistants, vendors, or subcontractors to assist in the provision of the Services, but the contractor is responsible to ensure that such assistants, vendors, or subcontractors comply with all requirements of the Chamber.
A response to this RFP must include the following sections in the order listed:
- A cover letter;
- Contractor information:
- Description of how the contractor’s education and experience are relevant tot he requested Services.
- The number of employees the contractor may use to provide the Services.
- Abt outside vendors or subcontractors that the contractor may use to provide the Services.
- Any relevant special services the contractor provides, particularly those that may not be offered by others.
Provide the contractor’s hourly rate or alternative billing model and provide details of any standard charges for common expenses like photocopying or printing.
Please also provide a budget of anticipated hours required to perform the Services in a given month, if working at an hourly rate.
Provide three client references for whom the contractor has performed work similar to that requested in this RFP. The Chamber will contact the contractor’s references only if the contractor is short-listed after initial review of all submitted proposals.
- Describe measures that the contractor undertakes to protect confidential information.
- Identify any past or pending claims, complaints, or proceedings against the contractor.
- Identify any data secruity breaches that have happened to the contractor.
- Describe measures that the contractor undertakes to protect confidential information.
EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA
The Chamber will evaluate all submitted proposals with the objective that the selected contractor:
- Clearly demonstrates a thorough understanding of the scope of Services.
- Has demonstrated record of success on past similar engagements.
- Possesses adequate resources to handle all assigned responsibilities, including technology that is compatible with the Chamber’s.
- Maintains high ethical standards
- Prices its services competitively
- Has no conflict of interest with the Chamber
After the Chamber’s review of all submitted proposals, it may invite a short list of semi-finalist contractors to meet with the Chamber representatives to make a presentation of their qualifications to the Chamber. All costs of responding to the RFP, including making a presentation to the Chamber and any related travel expenses, are the responsibility of the responding contractor.
The Chamber expects to notify the selected contractor in writing by Friday, August 18 and award the contract no later than Friday, September 1. However, the Chamber may or may not make an award to any contractor and reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted in response to the RFP. The Chamber also reserves the right to deviate from the terms of the selected proposal in preparing the contract. Selection of a proposal by the Chamber shall not be construed as creating any contractual relationship and shall not result in any obligations on the part of the Chamber.
Any questions concerning this RFP should be directed to the Chamber as indicated below no later than Thursday, August 10, 2023: info@clalresholmchamber.ca
Contractors are prohibited from contacting any Chamber representative other than Kendall Schille, Claresholm Chamber of Commerce President, about this RFP. Failure to adhere to this requirement will be grounds for disqualifying a contractor’s proposal. If appropriate, a contractor’s question (without identification of the questioner) and its answer may be emailed to all parties indicating an interest in responding to the RFP.
