Advocacy and Lobbying before the Texas Legislature and State Agencies

The City of Waco is seeking a qualified governmental affairs consultant to provide lobbying and advocacy services on behalf of the municipality before the Texas Legislature and state agencies, with a focus on building and maintaining strategic relationships with key elected officials, agency leaders, and legislative staff in Austin. The selected firm must demonstrate substantial experience representing municipalities in state-level policy matters and possess verifiable connections with members of the Texas Senate, House of Representatives, Governor’s office, Attorney General’s office, State Comptroller, and other relevant state entities. Proposals must include references from other represented municipalities and comply with mandatory criteria including Texas state licensing, absence of conflicts of interest with the City of Waco, and full adherence to RFQ submission instructions. Evaluation will be conducted through a two-stage process: first confirming compliance with mandatory pass/fail requirements and then scoring technical proposals based on overall competence and qualifications (40 points), demonstrated ability to deliver results (40 points), depth of relationships with state officials (10 points), and availability of team members (10 points). The City will negotiate with the top-ranked firm following evaluation. The contract requires the consultant to operate as an independent contractor under terms governed by Texas state law and subject to venue in McLennan County, with no mandatory arbitration or mediation permitted. All proposals must be submitted in hard copy format with an electronic copy on CD or flash drive, adhering strictly to the June 23, 2026 deadline, and must exclude any pricing information under penalty of automatic disqualification. Submission must include a comprehensive package of certifications and disclosures such as conflict of interest questionnaires, litigation history, HUB certification eligibility, debarment status, drug-free workplace compliance, Texas Public Information Act acknowledgment, and foreign entity restrictions per state law. The vendor must carry insurance naming the City and its officials as additional insureds, with specific exclusions for workers’ compensation and professional liability, and meet all compliance requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Texas Government Code provisions regarding business ties to Iran, Sudan, or terrorist organizations. Performance is expected to begin upon issuance of a Notice to Proceed and must be completed within the contract-specified timeframe, with liquidated damages assessed for delays unless excused by force majeure events including natural disasters, war, insurrection, or acts of state. Invoicing is restricted to one per 30-day period per contract, must include sequential billing numbers, and may contain only one project per invoice, with no alternative submission methods accepted.