Contractor Development and Bonding Program Broker and Administrator Services

The Vendor is required to provide Broker/Administrator will provide the needed technical assistance, capacity building, and financial guidance to small, local, and disadvantaged/disabled veterans/minority/women owned business enterprises (DBE/DVBE/MBE/WBE) contractors and subcontractors to help them obtain the required surety bonds or other technical assistance necessary to bid on Program member agency projects.
- This Program may be expanded at a later date to include other regional construction related technical assistance and outreach activities.
- Attend workshops and meetings. Provide needed materials as requested by the Program member agency and/or make presentations to highlight Program.
- Convene events to promote the Program and provide eligible contractors training and education on topics related to public construction bidding/contracting. 
- Analyze prior denied bonding requests. 
- Establish strategy for addressing and overcoming the factors that led to the denials. 
- Broker’s approach must maintain the contractor’s existing broker client relationship, and only refer contractors not represented, to Program broker partners. 
- Select qualified, financially sound surety underwriting facilities and develop working relationships with these resources to assist in the process of bonding contractors. 
- The Program is to be an “open surety market” allowing participation by any willing surety. 
- If necessary and appropriate, negotiate and develop written agreements with these entities on behalf of the Program. 
- Provide training to Program member agency staff and others as deemed necessary.
- Work with selected sureties to develop underwriting criteria that will protect Program resources, but will allow maximum participation by contractors and subcontractors requiring bond assistance.
- Establish a network of advisors and service providers (Certified Public Accountants, insurance brokers, Third-Party Administrators, etc.) as necessary to assist contractors and subcontractors in the qualification process and to help ensure successful completion of the Program.
- Develop necessary forms, instruction documents, procedure manuals and other written control mechanisms for operation of the Program.
- Refer contractors and subcontractors to qualified resources such as bankers, accountants, insurance brokers, business consultants, economic development advisors and Program member agency resources.
- Utilize existing Program member agency resources that aid in the development of the contractors’ and subcontractors’ ability to obtain surety bonds or provide for other needed technical assistance.
- Provide conflict resolution between Program participating contractors, subcontractors, service providers and surety underwriting facilities.
- Verify the accuracy and validity of all premiums and fees charged. Establish accounting controls for all Program member agency funds used in the Program.
- Provide monthly reports to Risk Management and other Program member agencies documenting the number of contractors counseled and bonded, technical assistance provided, tracking of Program impact, and highlight savings to the Program resulting from Program-qualified contractors and subcontractors winning bids.
- Provide outreach to non-English speaking contractors and subcontractors.
- Provide Contract Financing Assistance which provides access to loans through program financial banking partners to small construction contractors to be used for meeting construction contract funding requirements.
- Monitor contractor and subcontractor activities to ensure continued financial and organizational stability during the contractual phase.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: June 24, 2025