REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: CITY-WIDE EFFICIENCY STUDY

• Introduction: The  City of Fernley (City) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants to conduct an efficiency study of the City. This study would evaluate each department (with the exception of the City Attorney’s office and the Municipal Court) for items such as, but not limited to, operational efficiency, fiscal responsibility, service delivery transparency and accountability, and long-term sustainability.
• Background: The City is currently experiencing significant growth, which has stretched City staff and resources. Established in 2001, the City is relatively young but growing fast. From 2001 to 2026, the City has more than tripled in population and it is anticipated that the City will double its current population within the next 10-15 years. The City’s overall mission is “to facilitate the responsible and orderly growth of the community and to see that quality municipal services are provided in the most professional, efficient, and cost-effective manner.” To ensure that the City is maintaining efficient and sustainable service to the residents of the City, an efficiency study has been requested by the City Council. The City consists of 18 part-time and 92 full-time employees spread across ten departments. The eight departments included in this study include:
  • Building Department
  • City Clerk's Office
  • City Manager's Office
  • Engineering Department
  • Finance Department
  • Planning Department
  • Public Works Department
  • Utilities Department
    • The City of Fernley has an adopted Strategic Plan outlining many items already identified as priorities and milestones for the City to follow. This plan is evaluated and updated on a yearly basis to ensure that goals are being met. A copy of this plan will be provided to improve on or add too as the Efficiency Study gets underway.
• Anticipated Selection Schedule:  The City anticipates the following general timeline for its selection process. The City reserves the right to change this schedule.
  • RFP Advertised                                                          The week of March 2, 2026
  • Submittal Due Date                                                  March 27, 2026 4:00 pm (local time)
  • Interviews (if needed)                                               The Week of April 6, 2026
  • Selection Evaluation                                                 The Week of April 13, 2026
  • Contract Negotiation                                                Through May 1, 2026
  • Contract Approved at City Council                        May 20, 2026
  • Project Kick-Off                                                          June 1, 2026
• Scope of Work: Although City staff will finalize the scope of work with the selected party, the following is considered a minimum scope of work for the project. The City is open to suggested items, other than those items listed below, if accompanied by a clear and compelling explanation for the additions.
  • Operational Efficiency – Evaluate current processes, staffing levels, and departmental structures to identify opportunities for improved workflows, reduced redundancy, and streamlined decision making.
  • Expenditures – Identify areas of waste, duplication, or non-essential spending. Recommend cost-saving strategies that do not compromise the delivery of core city services.
  • Service Delivery – Assess whether the city is meeting service benchmarks in areas such as public safety and infrastructure. Evaluate permitting and community programs to compare performance against peer municipalities of similar size and growth.
  • Gaps – Identify gaps in municipal services, staffing levels, organizational structure, and operational systems that limit the City’s ability to effectively serve a community of Fernley’s size, growth rate, and service demands.
  • Benchmarks – Create measurable benchmarks so the community can track the process and hold leadership accountable.
  • Sustainability – Provide recommendations to position Fernley for future growth leveraging technology, partnerships, and best practices.

1. Submittal and Due Date:  Respondents shall provide one (1) electronic version (PDF format) of their proposal via flash drive or email titled: “City of Fernley 2026 Efficiency Study Proposal.” Submittals must be received by 4:00 p.m. (Local Time) on March 27, 2026. Submittals shall be organized as specified in Article II.D, Submittal Contents. The City of Fernley assumes no responsibility for delayed or undelivered proposals. Submittals which do not arrive by the above specified time and date will not be considered.
2. Inquiries/Solicitation Changes or Protests: A respondent may protest any aspect of this RFP and may request a change to any provision, specification or term of this RFP no later than seven (7) days prior to the date submittals are due. Any protest or request for change must be made in writing and addressed to the individual identified in this section. The City will not consider any solicitation protest or request for change that is submitted after this deadline.
3. Reservation of Rights: The City reserves the right to: 1) seek clarifications for each submittal; 2) negotiate a final contract that is in the best interest of the City and the public; 3) reject any or all submittals; 4) cancel this RFP at any time if doing so would be in the public interest, as determined by City in its sole discretion; 5) award the contract to any respondent based on the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP; 6) waive minor informalities contained in any submittal, when, in the City’s sole judgement, it is in the City’s best interest to do so; and 7) request any additional information the City deems reasonably necessary to allow City to evaluate, rank and select the most qualified respondent to perform the services described in this RFP.
4. Submittal Contents:  Submittals shall be limited to no more than 30 pages, not including covers, divider pages, or resumes. Submittals should generally follow the format included herein and shall include, at a minimum, the items listed below. Incomplete proposals may be automatically rejected.
   • Cover Letter
     • Summarize the firm’s understanding of the Scope of Work
     • Name all persons authorized to represent the firm/team (including titles, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses)
   • Technical Experience
     • Detail no fewer than three (3) example projects that best illustrate the firm’s/team’s ability to provide the requested services.
     • Explain how these assignments are similar to this request.
     • Provide client reference names, telephone numbers, and email addresses.
     • If deliverables are available online to view, include the URLs.
   • Scope of Services
     • Statement of Understanding
     • Statement(s) of Approach and Methodology (How the Scope of Work will be accomplished)
     • Work Schedule and/or Proposed Timeline
   • Organizational/Team Profile and Qualifications
   • Qualifications of Key Personnel
   • Statement of familiarity with government agencies and organizational Structure
   • Cost Proposal
     • A schedule of fees broken down by work task
     • Total estimated cost for work described in the RFP (not-to-exceed lump sum)
   • Deliverables
     • List of anticipated deliverables including type (hard copy, digital, data, shapefiles, etc.)
5. Public Record: All submittals submitted are the property of the City of Fernley, thus subject to disclosure pursuant to the public records law, as qualified by NRS 625. Accordingly, submittals received and opened shall not be available for public inspection until after City has awarded and executed a Contract. Thereafter, except for information marked “Proprietary”, all documents received by City shall be available for public disclosure. The City will attempt to maintain the confidentiality of materials marked “Proprietary” to the extent permitted under the Nevada Public Records Law.
6. Costs: Respondents responding to this RFP do so at their own expense.

1. Minimum Qualifications: The City will review submittals received to determine whether each respondent meets the following minimum qualifications:
   • Extensive experience in the evaluation of governmental efficiency and/or organizational structure.
   • Proven track record of meaningful institutional change.
   • Understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing the City of Fernley.
   • Ability to complete the project within the agreed-upon timeframe.
   • Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
   • Knowledge of all relevant law and regulations.
2. Evaluation Criteria: Submittals meeting the above minimum qualifications will be evaluated by the City using the following criteria: (Maximum Total Points = 100)
   1. Experience in the type of work to be performed,  including work in a City of similar size. (25)
   2. Qualifications and experience of the staff assigned by respondent to perform these services. (20)
   3. Quality of submittal, including the proposed techniques and practices to provide the service needs. (10)
   4. Familiarity with relevant City of Fernley and State of Nevada regulations.  (10)
   5. Availability and capability to perform the services described in the RFP in a timely manner.  (15)
   6. References  (10)
   7. Interview  (10)
3. Selection:  Upon review of the responses to this RFP, City staff will evaluate and prepare a short list of consultants to be interviewed. Following the interviews, a firm will be selected to enter into contract negotiations. If the City and the selected candidate are unable for any reason to negotiate a contract the City shall, in writing, formally terminate negotiations with the selected candidate. The City may then negotiate with the next most qualified candidate, may terminate the process, or may start over with the RFP process. It is the desire of the City to have the 2026 Efficiency Study completed no later than December 31, 2026.
4. Contract: The successful applicant shall be prepared to execute a contract with the City of Fernley. The City’s standard contract has been included at the end of this RFP for review.Any contract requires that awardee will comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations. This solicitation is not an implied contract and may be modified or revoked without notice. The City of Fernley is and Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Women, Minorites, and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.

City of Fernley Standard Contract:

A Contract Between

City of Fernley

595 Silver Lace Blvd

Fernley NV 89408

and

ABC Consulting

123 Main Street

Anywhere, NV 88888

WHEREAS, Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”) chapter 266 authorizes the City of Fernley, Nevada (the “City”) to engage services of persons as independent contractors; and

WHEREAS, it is deemed that the services of ABC Consulting, (the “Contractor”) are both necessary and in the best interests of the City; and

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the aforesaid premises, the parties mutually agree as follows:

1. REQUIRED APPROVAL. This Contract for Services of Independent Contractor (this “Contract”) is contingent upon Fernley City Council approval.

2. DEFINITIONS.

1. “City” means City of Fernley, County of Lyon, State of Nevada.
2. “Independent Contractor” means a person or entity that performs services and/or provides goods for the City under the terms and conditions set forth in this Contract.
3. “Fiscal Year” is defined as the period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year.

3. CONTRACT TERM. This Contract shall be effective from the ___ day of ___________, 20__, to the ____ day of _______________, 20__, subject to appropriation.

4. NOTICE. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given under this Contract shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally in hand, or by telephonic facsimile with simultaneous regular mail, or mailed certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid on the date posted, and addressed to the other party at the address specified above.

Notice for the City shall be sent to:

Deputy City Manager

City of Fernley

595 Silverlace Blvd.

Fernley, NV 89408

Notice for the Contractor shall be sent to:

Rich Designgood

ABC Consulting

123 Main Street

Anywhere, NV 88888

5. SCOPE OF WORK: Scope of Work shall be set forth in Attachment A.

6. CONSIDERATION. The parties agree that Contractor will provide the services specified in paragraph (5) at a Fee Schedule outlined in Attachment B.

7. ATTACHMENTS: This Contract also incorporates the following attachments (the “Attachments”):

ATTACHMENT C: (fill in with description or list N/A)

ATTACHMENT D: (fill in with description or list N/A)

Should a conflict arise between the terms of the attachment(s) and this contract, the contract term(s) prevails unless specifically addressed in a document separate from the contract and attachments and signed by all parties.

8. TIMELINESS OF BILLING SUBMISSION. The parties agree that timeliness of billing is of the essence to this Contract and recognize that the City is on a fiscal year. All billings for dates of service prior to July 1 must be submitted to the City no later than the first Friday in August of the same year.

9. INSPECTION & AUDIT.

1. Books and Records. Contractor agrees to keep and maintain under general accepted accounting principles (GAAP) full, true and complete records, contracts, books, and documents as are necessary to fully disclose to the City, the State of Nevada or the United States Government, or their authorized representatives, upon audits or reviews, sufficient information to determine compliance with all state and federal regulations and statutes. Contractor agrees to provide a copy of the file within a reasonable time upon being requested by the City.
2. Inspection & Audit. Contractor agrees that the relevant books, records (written, electronic, computer related or otherwise), including, without limitation, relevant accounting procedures and practices of Contractor or its subcontractors, financial statements and supporting documentation, and documentation related to the work product shall be subject, at any reasonable time, to inspection, examination, review, audit, and copying at any office or location of Contractor where such records may be found, with or without notice by the City, and with regard to any federal funding, the relevant federal agency, the Comptroller General, the General Accounting Office, the Office of the Inspector General, or any of their authorized representatives. All subcontracts shall reflect the requirements of this paragraph.
3. Period of Retention. All books, records, reports, and statements relevant to this Contract must be retained a minimum three years and for five years if any federal funds are used under this Contract. The retention period runs from the date of payment for the relevant goods or services by the City, or from the date of termination of this Contract, whichever is later. Retention time shall be extended when an audit is scheduled or in progress for a
4. period reasonably necessary to complete an audit and/or to complete any administrative

   and judicial litigation which may ensue.

10. CONTRACT TERMINATION.

1. Termination Without Cause. Any discretionary or vested right of renewal notwithstanding, this Contract may be terminated without cause by (1) written mutual consent of both parties, or (2) unilateral termination by either party after service of formal Thirty Day (30) written notice as specified in paragraph (4).
2. Termination for Non-Appropriation. The continuation of this Contract beyond the current fiscal year is subject to and contingent upon sufficient funds being appropriated, budgeted, and otherwise made available by the City. The City may terminate this Contract, and Contractor waives any and all claim(s) for damages, effective immediately upon receipt of written notice (or any date specified therein) if for any reason the City’s funding from State and/or federal sources is not appropriated or is withdrawn, limited, or impaired.
3. Default or Breach. A default or breach may be declared with or without termination. The following shall constitute a default or breach:
   1. If Contractor fails to provide or satisfactorily perform any of the conditions, work, deliverables, goods, or services called for by this Contract within the time requirements specified in this Contract or within any granted extension of those time requirements; or
   2. If any state, county, city or federal license, authorization, waiver, permit, qualification or certification required by statute, ordinance, law, or regulation to be held by Contractor to provide the goods or services required by this Contract is for any reason denied, revoked, debarred, excluded, terminated, suspended, lapsed, or not renewed; or
   3. If Contractor becomes insolvent, subject to receivership, or becomes voluntarily or involuntarily subject to the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court; or
   4. For any other good or sufficient reason, including, but not limited to, dishonesty, fraud, ethical violations, bribery, or other similar acts.
4. For Cause Termination and Time to Correct. This Contract may be terminated by the non-defaulting party upon a declared default or breach only after service of formal written notice as specified in paragraph (4), and the subsequent failure of the defaulting party within 15 calendar days of receipt of that notice to provide evidence, satisfactory to the non-defaulting party, showing that the declared default or breach has been corrected.
5. Winding Up Affairs Upon Termination. In the event that this Contract is terminated for any reason, the parties agree that the provisions of this paragraph survive termination:
   1. The parties shall account for and properly present to each other all claims for fees and expenses and pay those which are undisputed and otherwise not subject to set off under this Contract. Neither party may withhold performance of winding up provisions solely based on nonpayment of fees or expenses accrued up to the time of termination;
   2. Contractor shall satisfactorily complete work in progress at the agreed rate (or a pro rata basis if necessary) if so requested by the City;
   3. Contractor shall execute any documents and take any actions necessary to effectuate an assignment of this Contract if so requested by the City; and
   4. Contractor shall preserve, protect and promptly deliver possession to the City of all proprietary information in accordance with paragraph (21).
   5. In the event that dispute(s) arise during the winding up of affairs upon termination, the parties agree to meet and negotiate in good faith to resolve any such dispute(s).

11. REMEDIES. Except as otherwise provided for by law or this Contract, the rights and remedies of the parties shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or equity, including, without limitation, actual damages exclusive of lost profits.

12. Attorneys’ Fees, Costs, and Expenses. Unless otherwise stated herein, the Parties will bear their own attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses in connection with the negotiation, execution, and performance of this Agreement.

13. LIMITED LIABILITY. Contract liability of both parties shall not be subject to punitive damages. Liquidated damages shall not apply unless otherwise specified in the Attachments. Damages for any default or breach by the City shall never exceed the amount of funds appropriated for payment under this Contract, but not yet paid to Contractor, for the fiscal year budget in existence at the time of the default or breach.

14. FORCE MAJEURE. Neither party shall be deemed to be in violation of this Contract if it is prevented from performing any of its obligations hereunder due to strikes, failure of public transportation, civil or military authority, act of public enemy, accidents, fires, explosions, or acts of God, including, without limitation, earthquakes, floods, winds, or storms. In such an event the intervening cause must not be through the fault of the party asserting such an excuse, and the excused party is obligated to promptly perform in accordance with the terms of this Contract after the intervening cause ceases.

15. INDEMNIFICATION.

1. As respects negligent acts, errors or omissions in the performance of professional services, the Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City, including their elected officials, officers, employees, and agents from and against reasonable defense costs, including reasonable attorney fees, liability or claims arising directly out of the Contractor’s negligent acts, errors or omissions in the performance of its work under the terms of this Agreement, to the extent the liabilities are determined to have been proximately caused by the negligent acts, errors or omissions of the Contractor, its Sub-CONTRACTORS or Sub-Contractors (hereafter “Subs”), their employees, agents, or representatives. City shall provide notice to Contractor of the City’s receipt of a written demand/claim or lawsuit arising from Contractor’s work.
2. The CONTRACTOR agrees to hold harmless, indemnify, and defend the City, including their elected officials, officers, employees, and agents from loss or liability resulting from any claim, demand, suit, action, or cause of action based on bodily injury, including death, or property damage, caused by any negligent or intentional acts, errors or omissions, either direct or passive, on the part of the Contractor, its Subs, their employees, agents, or representatives, arising from the performance of work under this

Agreement. The collective group to be indemnified shall hereinafter be referred to as “Indemnitees.” If an “Indemnitees” is found to be liable in the proceeding, then Contractor’s obligation here under shall be limited to the proportional share of the liability attributed to the Contractor.

16. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. Contractor is associated with the City only for the purposes and to the extent specified in this Contract, and in respect to performance of the contracted services pursuant to this Contract, Contractor is and shall be an independent contractor and, subject only to the terms of this Contract, shall have the sole right to supervise, manage, operate, control, and direct performance of the details incident to its duties under this Contract. Nothing contained in this Contract shall be deemed or construed to create a partnership or joint venture, to create relationships of an employer-employee or principal-agent, or to otherwise create any liability for the City whatsoever with respect to the indebtedness, liabilities, and obligations of Contractor or any other party. Contractor shall be solely responsible for, and the City shall have no obligation with respect to: (1) withholding of income taxes, FICA or any other taxes or fees; (2) industrial insurance coverage; (3) participation in any group insurance plans available to employees of the City; (4) participation or contributions by either Contractor or the Public Employees Retirement System; (5) accumulation of vacation leave or sick leave; or (6) unemployment compensation coverage provided by the City. Contractor shall indemnify and hold the City harmless from, and defend the City against, any and all losses, damages, claims, costs, penalties, liabilities, and expenses arising or incurred because of, incident to, or otherwise with respect to any such taxes or fees. Neither Contractor nor its employees, agents, or representatives shall be considered employees, agents, or representatives of the City.

17. INSURANCE. Unless expressly waived in writing by the City, Contractor, as an independent contractor and not an employee of the City, must carry those policies of insurance which have been agreed to by the parties as evidenced by the parties initials in the signature spaces provided in the amounts specified below and pay all taxes and fees incident hereunto. The City shall have no liability except as specifically provided in this Contract. Contractor shall not commence work before:

1. Contractor has provided the required evidence of insurance to the City, and
2. The City has approved the insurance policies provided by Contractor. Prior approval of the insurance policies by the City shall be a condition precedent to any payment of consideration under this Contract and the City’s approval of any changes to insurance coverage during the course of performance shall constitute an ongoing condition subsequent this Contract. Any failure of the City to timely approve the insurance policies or any changes to the insurance coverage shall not constitute a waiver of the condition.

Insurance Coverage: Contractor shall, at Contractor’s sole expense, procure, maintain and keep in force for the duration of this Contract the following insurance conforming to the minimum requirements specified below. Unless specified herein or otherwise agreed to by the City, the required insurance shall be in effect prior to the commencement of work by Contractor and shall continue in force as appropriate until the latter of:

1. Final acceptance by the City of the completion of this Contract; or
2. Such time as the insurance is no longer required by the City under the terms of this Contract.

Any insurance or self-insurance available to the City shall be in excess of, and non-contributing with, any insurance required from Contractor. Contractor’s insurance policies shall apply on a primary basis. Until such time as the insurance is no longer required by the City, Contractor shall provide the City with renewal or replacement evidence of insurance no less than thirty (30) days before the expiration or replacement of the required insurance. If at any time during the period when insurance is

required by this Contract, an insurer or surety shall fail to comply with the requirements of this Contract, as soon as Contractor has knowledge of any such failure, Contractor shall immediately notify the City and immediately replace such insurance or bond with an insurer meeting the requirements.

Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance:

INDUSTRIAL INSURANCE. Contractor further agrees, as a precondition to the performance of any work under this Contract and as a precondition to any obligation of the City to make payment under this Contract, to provide the City with a work certificate issued by a qualified insurer in accordance with NRS 616B.627. Contractor agrees, prior to commencing any work under this Contract, to complete and to provide the following written request to the qualified insurer:

__________ has entered into a contract with Owner to perform work from _____ to _______ and requests that an industrial insurance provider qualified and licensed to offer such insurance within the State of Nevada, provide to The City of Fernley, Nevada 1) a certificate of coverage issued pursuant to NRS 616B.627 and 2) notice of any lapse in coverage or nonpayment of coverage that Contractor is required to maintain. The certificate and notice should be mailed to:

City of Fernley

595 Silver Lace Blvd

Fernley, NV 89408

Contractor agrees to maintain required workers compensation coverage throughout the entire term of this Contract. If Contractor does not maintain coverage throughout the entire term of this Contract, Contractor agrees that the City may, at any time the coverage is not maintained by Contractor, order Contractor stop work, suspend this Contract, or terminate this Contract.

Contractor may, in lieu of furnishing a certificate of an insurer, provide an affidavit indicating that Contractor is a sole proprietor and that:

1. In accordance with the provisions of NRS 616B.659, Contractor has not elected to be included within the terms, conditions, and provisions of NRS chapters 616A to 616D, inclusive; and
2. Contractor is otherwise in compliance with those terms, conditions and provisions.

Commercial General Liability Insurance:

1. Minimum Limits required:
   • $1,000,000 General Aggregate
   • $1,000,000 Products & Completed Operations Aggregate
   • $1,000,000 Personal and Advertising Injury
   • $1,000,000 Each Occurrence
2. Coverage shall be on an occurrence basis and shall be at least as broad as ISO 1996 form CG 00 01 (or a substitute form providing equivalent coverage); and shall cover liability arising from premises, operations, independent contractors, completed operations, personal injury, products, civil lawsuits, and liability assumed under an insured contract (including the tort liability of another assumed in a business contract).

Business Automobile Liability Insurance:

Minimum Limit required: $100,000 Each Occurrence for bodily injury and property damage. Coverage shall be for “any auto” (including owned, non-owned and hired vehicles).

The policy shall be written on ISO form CA 00 01 or a substitute providing equivalent liability coverage. If necessary, the policy shall be endorsed to provide contractual liability coverage.

Professional Liability Insurance:

1. Minimum Limit required: $1,000,000 Each Claim, $2,000,000 Aggregate.
2. Retroactive date: Prior to commencement of the performance of this Contract
3. Discovery period: Three (3) years after the termination date of this Contract.
4. A certified copy of this policy may be required.

Umbrella or Excess Liability Insurance:

1. May be used to achieve the above minimum liability limits.
2. Shall be endorsed to state it is “As Broad as Primary Policy”

Commercial Crime Insurance:

1. Minimum Limit required: $10,000 Per Loss for Employee Dishonesty
2. This insurance shall be underwritten on a blanket form amending the definition of “employee” to include all employees of the Vendor regardless of position or category.

Performance Security:

1. Amount required: $ n/a
2. Security may be in the form of surety bond, Certificate of Deposit or Treasury Note payable to the City only.
3. The security shall be deposited with the City no later than ten (10) working days following award of this Contract to Contractor.
4. Upon successful completion of this Contract, the security and all interest earned, if any, shall be returned to Contractor.

General Requirements:

1. Additional Insured: By endorsement to the general liability insurance policy evidenced by Contractor, The City of Fernley, its officers, employees and immune contractors shall be named as additional insureds for all liability arising from this Contract.
2. Waiver of Subrogation: Each liability insurance policy shall provide for a waiver of subrogation as to additional insureds.
3. Cross-Liability: All required liability policies shall provide cross-liability coverage as would be achieve under the standard ISO separation of insureds clause.
4. Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions: Insurance maintained by Contractor shall apply on a first dollar basis without application of a deductible or self-insured retention unless otherwise specifically agreed to by the City. Such approval shall not relieve Contractor from the obligation to pay any deductible or self-insured retention. Any deductible or self-insured retention shall not exceed $5,000 per occurrence, unless otherwise approved by the City.