Addendum #1 To Request For Proposal (RFP) For Citizen Preparedness Plan

ADDENDUM #1

To 

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR

CITIZEN PREPAREDNESS PLAN 

FOR WHICH PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE OFFICE OF

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

1411 W. MADISON, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60607

BY 4:00 P.M. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

BIDDER MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS ADDENDUM

IN THE SPACE PROVIDED ON THE PROPOSAL SIGNATURE PAGE

1. This refers to the RFP, Section IV Proposal Responses

Section 6 “Financial Statements”

 ii. Audited financial reports

*Question: If we do not have audited financial reports, can we submit something else in its place? We are a privately held company.

Response: Financial reports must be included, but if they are not audited, then the bidder must include a formal letter stating this with justification.

*This was asked at another pre-bidders conference.

For consistency purposes, the response will apply to all three RFPs:

Regional Animal Services Plan

Citizen Preparedness Plan

National Mass Evacuation Tracking System and Shelter Placement Implementation Plan

2. This refers to the RFP, Section V Format of Proposals

*Question: The RFP states that bidders must submit 1 original proposal and 5 copies on USB drives. Can the bidder submit the 5 copies on CDs instead?

Response: Yes, the bidder may submit the 5copies on CD ROMS. The bidder will submit one original document with original signatures and notarized where appropriate.

*This was asked at another pre-bidders conference. For consistency purposes, the response will apply to all three RFPs:

Regional Animal Services Plan

Citizen Preparedness Plan

National Mass Evacuation Tracking System and Shelter Placement Implementation Plan

3. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services.

Question: Do we touch all 19 counties and at least 2 municipalities in each?

Response: Bidders should view the Gear Up Get Ready website to be aware of the work that was done during the Campaign.  Here is the link:  http://gearupgetready.com/GuGrToolkit/index.html.  

The bidders will find a step by step toolkit as well as marketing materials, preparedness guides and partner contacts.  Much of the groundwork has already been done.  We will be expanding the Campaign into all of the counties.  On the ground activities should be planned within all 19 counties that will reach anywhere from 100k to 200k households.  The bidder should include how they will accomplish this goal.   While this is an ambitious goal a review of Community Preparedness Initiatives across the country should give everyone an idea of how to accomplish this task. 

Bidders should show an ability to oversee the reach of this RFP as well as incorporate the community in administering the goals. 

The bidder should also be aware that we are inclusive of the Whole Community concept as developed by FEMA which means we will be directly targeting all groups including the Access and Functional Needs (AFN) population.

4. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services.

Question: Are you looking for a binder with all of the citizen preparedness plans? I am trying to get clarity on what you are looking for.

Response: While the deliverable speaks of a plan the target audience is the community and not public/private sectors.  As such we will take the information that was developed through the Gear Up Get Ready Campaign and overlay it with the Catastrophic Planning work that has been generated by the Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT). 

One of the deliverables will be to take the documents and create summary documents that will be shared via the RCPT website with the public.  The bidder should have good writers that understand Emergency Management Planning and that could easily translate the information for the public.

5. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services.

A) Are you looking to touch 100,000 people?

Response: The RCPGP is looking for bidders to conduct outreach to 100,000+ households.

B) What kind of validation are you looking for?

Response: We will use quantitative and qualitative metrics.   We have already stated the quantity of households we want to reach.  In addition we want to measure our qualitative impact by conducting pre/post surveys within the communities/counties we served as well as with our volunteers and partners.  Validation of the project will come from these surveys, our ability to be flexible to the needs of the Region and the foundation that will be laid for future sustainment of the work.

6. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services

Question: What if there is a change within a 5 month period?  If we engage people and determine the level of change, how effective is that to get the qualitative information?

Response: The qualitative work should go hand in hand with all planning work.  The bidder should consider how they could begin collecting information from the very first contact.  If there are unforeseen events that impact our ability to meet the goals of the RFP then a discussion will occur with the RCPT Project Manager, Co-Chair of the Citizen Preparedness Subcommittee and the vendor to determine next steps.  However, the bidder should plan for “what ifs”, be creative in meeting the goals, show flexibility and demonstrate resilience within their organization to these events.

7. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services, “Plan Evaluation”

Question: Please clarify the statement on collecting 100% of the data from volunteers

Response: The bidder should be able to obtain 100% of the information/surveys back from the volunteers. This should be a part of the partnership with the community organizations to get the surveys back.

8. This question refers to Section IV Proposal Responses; subsection 6 “Professional Qualifications.”

Question: Does the Sample Risk Assessment come from the Prime or the Sub?

Response: After review and clarification, the Sample Risk Assessment must be submitted only from the Prime Vendor. In Section 3 Professional Qualifications, subsection (vi) “Minimum Qualifications and Experience:”

2. You must submit at least one Sample Risk Assessment Plan tat you have prepared within the past five (5) years for a governmental entity. Any Plan created by a sub-consultant will not satisfy this requirement.”

9. This question refers to Section IV Proposal Responses.

Question: Please clarify how much of the budget should go towards the incentives. Is it 25% of the budget?

Response:  Bidders can allocate up to 25% of their budget for incentives. Note this is not mandated in the RFP.

For guidance, view this link, http://gearupgetready.com/GuGrToolkit/index.html, which will provide you with all the information and incentive items that we developed for the Campaign.  There are also pictures of the locations we attended during the Campaign which should also provide the bidders with an idea of the set up. We will continue with the same incentive items for the population (s) that we reach out to.

10. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services

Question A):  Please clarify the digital signage partnerships. What is the measure of success?

Response:  We are looking at the quality of the partnership, not the quantity of the partnership (s).  What type of partnerships are they?  How much additional reach do we have with this partnership?  Does it cover the State, Region, County, local community?  Is this a short/long term partnership?  How much information can be posted and when?

However, the bidders should be aware that we will want them to reach out to the largest and most diverse users/providers of digital signage in our Region. 

Question B): Can we include a Letter of Intent from our partner that shows we have established the partnership?

Response: Yes, a Letter of Intent can be included in the proposal.

11. This question refers to Section III Scope of Services

Question: Is there something beyond the Citizen Preparedness Plan you expect them to have that will move beyond the grant?

Response:  There is a two part answer:   First, we would like individuals to have as much information to aid them in the development of their Family Plan.  Secondly, for organizations that serve within the communities we would like to provide information to aid in the development of community resilience plan that has its foundation in community members, while provide partners with access to information and training to help them become more prepared to weather local and catastrophic emergencies. 

12. This Section refers to Section IV Proposal Responses.

Question: At the pre bid, there was discussion of allocating $5,000 for each workshop up to a total of 3. Is the total amount of $15,000 to be included in the incentive amount (25%) that was discussed?

Response: No. See the response to question 9 for further guidance.

13. This Section refers to the Special Terms and Conditions attachment, Exhibit 6 Standard Contract Terms and Conditions; Section 14 “Method of Payment.”

Question: Please clarify how we will be reimbursed.

Response:  Each month, the selected vendor will submit project updates (based on RFP deliverables) as well as all backup material, to Earl Mashaw, Project Manager. This includes all receipts for purchases, invoices for work done, etc. Earl will review and either approve or not approve. The payment request will be sent to the Comptroller’s Office and payments will be made within 60 days.  If there are any issues with your documents then payments could take longer than 60 days. Again, all project updates must be approved by the Project Manager before reimbursement requests can be made to the Comptroller’s Office.