REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

CITY OF IRWINDALE

HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN PREPARATION

AUGUST 17, 2023 

1. REQUEST

 The City of Irwindale (City) is requesting proposals from qualified consultants to prepare a Hazard Mitigation Plan for the development of a FEMA approved update to the 2014 Hazard Mitigation Plan of the City of Irwindale, by August 2026.

 The City is dedicated to the development, establishment, and maintenance of programs and procedures which will provide for the protection of lives and property of City residents from the effects of natural or human caused disasters. Disasters to which the City is subject and for which we must make efforts to mitigate, train and properly respond to include, but may not be limited to floods, earthquakes, major fires, storms, radiological or hazardous material incidents, aircraft accidents, mass casualty incidents, civil unrest, severe drought, climate change, and, extended utility outages.

1. BACKGROUND

 The City is located within the eastern portion of Los Angeles County at the periphery of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Regional access to the City is provided by the Foothill Freeway (I-210) and the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605). The majority of the City’s population and development is located east of the San Gabriel River Freeway. Nearly one-third of the City is occupied by the Santa Fe Dam recreational area. Land uses within the City include large-scale quarry operations, industrial business parks, commercial, single-family residential, and a multi-family residential development. The City has a total land area of 9.5 square miles, over 800 businesses, a resident population of 1,416, and a daytime population of over 30,000. We are currently in the process of a Hazard Mitigation Plan update, which is expected to be complete by third quarter 2023.

1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 The City is preparing to update its current Hazard Mitigation Plan for the 2020-2025 planning period, as mandated by State Law. The current Irwindale Hazard Mitigation Plan was certified by FEMA in 2014 and shall serve as a foundation for updating the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Hazard Mitigation Plan will be updated to include the policies, strategies, and actions that the City would satisfy the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, as well as the Code of Federal Regulations Section 44 CFR 201.6, for a single jurisdiction Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP).

 By submittal of a proposal, the proposer acknowledges that they have not been debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, “Debarment and Suspension.” 

 The requirement of the consultant under this scope of work is to manage, coordinate, prepare, and administer the development of a single jurisdiction LHMP for the City. This scope and contract are intended to be inclusive of the entire LHMP process from initial planning through final approval by FEMA and adoption by the City. The consultant shall perform all necessary planning, administration, professional analysis, supporting documentation, and work required for the preparation and adoption of the LHMP in full conformance with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, 44 CFR 201.6 and the FEMA Local Mitigation Plan Guidelines.

 The City will be applying for a grant to cover the cost of the LHMP preparation. The consultant will be responsible for complying with all State and grant requirements.

 The City reserves the right to make changes to the below schedule, but plans to adhere to the implementation of this RFP process as follows: 

      RFP released:                                                 August 17, 2023

      Deadline for receiving questions:                  September 4, 2023

      Response to questions:                                 September 18, 2023

      Proposals due:                                              October 2, 2023, at 5:00pm (PST)

      Proposals selected for interview:                  October 2023 

      Presentations/Interviews:                               October 2023

      Consultant selected by City Council:           November 8, 2023 (tentative)

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES 

 The Scope of Services to be provided by the Consultant shall include, but not be limited to, the elements listed below:

 The City intends to hire a qualified firm to provide the services as outlined below.  Best industry practices and/or best management practices may require additional services not explicitly enumerated.  The consultant should identify any additional services required, price them, and explain them in their response.

 Preparation of the update will involve an inclusive citywide planning process and will include the following participants seeking FEMA approval of the Plan:

• City of Irwindale
• Local special districts (water and school districts)
• Public and Private agencies, and
• Other stakeholders will be invited to participate in the plan development process as members of the planning committee

 The Scope of work for this project is organized into four phases in accordance with the

Disaster Mitigation Act planning process:

1. LHMP Planning/Development Process and Organize Resources;
2. Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (Hazard Identification, Hazard Mapping, Vulnerability Assessment, and Capability Assessment);
3. Hazard Mitigation Strategy; and
4. Hazard Plan Implementation and Maintenance Process

1. Phase One: LHMP Planning/Development Process and Organize Resources

As part of the LHMP planning and development process, the City will organize a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC). Members of the HMPC will include representatives from each participating jurisdiction; staff with other local, state, and federal agencies; take the “whole community” approach including non-profits, religious institutions, disability access and functional needs groups, experts, or members of the public; and may also include a cross-section of the community, such as residents, community leaders, and business owners. The public will also be invited to participate on the HMPC. The HMPC will:

• Participate in the planning process, attend meetings, and provide data as requested
• Solicit input from citizens and professionals with knowledge of applicable hazards
• Provide input on how the risk differs across the planning area
• Identify new/proposed mitigation projects
• Review drafts of the plan
• Hold public meetings
• Coordinate the formal adoption of the plan by governing boards
• Manage the implementation of the proposed mitigation projects
• Prepare, publish, and distribute community and required public hearing notices

The Consultant shall facilitate a minimum of eight (8) public meetings. Each meeting will focus on educating the public on the LHMP development process and identify community concerns. The Consultant shall provide content to post on the City’s webpage and social media platforms. When a final draft LHMP is developed, the public will be invited to review and provide comments to the current draft. Public comments will be incorporated as appropriate by the Consultant.

Note: For security reasons, all critical infrastructure protection information will need to be redacted from the plan prior to dissemination or presentation to the public.

The City of Irwindale LHMP will thoroughly document the hazard mitigation planning process, including but not limited to:

• A narrative description of how the plan was prepared and the process followed
• An outline of plan development meeting dates, attendees, and agendas
• Identify agencies and organizations that participated in plan development
• Coordination with existing planning mechanisms
• Description of how the public was involved and strategy for public outreach/meetings

1. Phase Two: Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (Hazard Identification, Vulnerability Assessment, and Capability Assessment)

A detailed risk assessment will be developed for this LHMP. The purpose of this section is to understand the risk and vulnerability of identified natural, technological, and human-caused hazards and to provide a basis for hazard mitigation strategy development. The risk assessment will include:

1. Hazard Identification and Profiles: The Hazard Identification and Profiles will include a description and prioritization of the hazards that have occurred within the City. The hazard categories may include:

• Flood-related hazards
• Wildfire hazards
• Earthquake hazards
• Severe weather-related hazards (extreme temperatures, drought, fog, heavy rains/thunderstorms, wind/lightning, etc.)
• Nuclear hazards
• Climate change hazards
• Other man-made hazards
• Other geologic and soil hazards
• Other hazards as identified by the HMPC and other data sources

2. Hazard Mapping: Using the best available data, the risk assessment will include maps (hazard and infrastructure maps will be provided by the Consultant) that delineate areas affected by hazards and identify locations of local assets. The geographic information data will comprise a comprehensive inventory for use in developing map data layers (to the extent data is available), of the following items relative to the multiple hazard area:

• Public buildings
• Critical facilities and infrastructure
• Maps that depict the location of parcels, structures, land use, and populations
• Structures will be delineated by type of use (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, etc.)

3. Vulnerability Assessment: Based on the previous information, the Consultant will develop an overview of the City’s vulnerability to specific hazards. Digital maps and GIS data (provided by the consultant) will be developed that identify local assets that are located within known hazard areas. HAZUS will be used to model losses as appropriate. This vulnerability assessment will include (as the data allows):

• Types and numbers of buildings, infrastructure, and critical facilities located within the planning area and within identified hazard areas
• An inventory of all repetitive flood loss structures, as defined by FEMA, if applicable
• Potential dollar losses from identified hazards will be estimated through a process that utilizes HAZUS-MH or GIS analysis of County assessor’s data with hazard locations
• Description of land uses and development trends to advise future land use decisions.

4. Capability Assessment: A capability assessment will be conducted that will inventory those existing plans, policies, and procedures that the City has in place to temper the effect of hazards. This will include protective measures under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), building codes, zoning ordinances, completed or ongoing mitigation projects, and mitigation polices established in the general or comprehensive plans of participating jurisdictions.

1. Phase Three: Hazard Mitigation Strategy

The LHMP will include a mitigation strategy to address its exposure to identified hazards. This will require meetings of the HMPC, facilitated by the consultant, and include:

1. Developing mitigation goal statements that focus on reducing the risk and vulnerability from the identified hazards.
2. Developing a comprehensive range of specific mitigation actions items being considered to reduce the effects of each hazard, based on the risk assessment. The range of potential action items will include emphasis on mitigating losses for new and existing buildings and infrastructure and for future development areas. This section will include a list of prioritized hazard mitigation action items that best meet the City’s needs for hazard damage reduction. Prioritization factors will include an analysis of proposed mitigation projects focused on several key areas, including but not limited to economic (including benefits and cost), engineering, technical, legal, environmental, social, and political feasibility. Action items given the highest priority will meet most or all aspects of the feasibility analysis and will be the best fit for the City and all plan participants.
3. Based on previous tasks, a draft plan will be prepared in accordance with state and federal requirements. The Consultant will ensure that each required component for each plan participant is included in the Plan. The draft plan will be made available to the HMPC for review and comment. The Consultant will incorporate HMPC comments and prepare a public review draft to be distributed to interested parties.

1. Phase Four: Hazard Mitigation Plan Maintenance Process
2. Monitoring, Evaluating, and Updating: This chapter will detail how the City of Irwindale HMPC will monitor, evaluate, implement, and update the Plan. For example, maintenance will occur at an annual meeting of the HMPC where the LHMP mitigation strategy and implementation progress will be evaluated and modified as appropriate. The Plan will be revised, updated, and readopted every five years in accordance with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.
3. Incorporation into Existing Planning Mechanisms: The City will implement and incorporate hazard mitigation plan goals and actions into other local planning documents, such as the local emergency operations plan, community wildfire protection plans, storm water plans, etc. Incorporation of the LHMP into the Safety Element of the General Plan for the City will be emphasized.
4. Implementation Schedule: The completed LHMP will include procedures for ensuring the Plan’s implementation, including an implementation schedule foreach action item.
5. Continued Public Involvement: The City is committed to continued public involvement in the LHMP development, maintenance, and future updates. A description of public involvement activities for the Plan will be included.
6. Final Plan: The Consultant will collect and incorporate public comments to the public review draft, make all necessary revisions, and will prepare a Final Plan for submittal to CalOES and FEMA Region IX for review and approval. The Consultant is responsible for all plan revisions from CalOES, FEMA, or the City until it is adopted by Irwindale City Council.
7. LHMP Adoption and Approval: The governing body of each participating jurisdiction will adopt the LHMP upon approval of the Plan from Cal OES and FEMA Region IX.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND FORMAT

A. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Consultant is responsible for preparing an effective, clear, well-organized, and concise formal written Proposal. To be considered for selection, Consultants must submit a complete response to this RFP that includes the following mandatory information and/or requirements in the following format and order. Failure to provide any of the information requested below may be cause for the Proposal to be rejected.

B. DELIVERABLES

The Consultant’s Technical Proposal package shall contain the following:

1. Introduction

Introduction of project proposal including a statement of project understanding, a discussion of how the objective of the scope of work will be accomplished, the name of the firm submitting the proposal, its mailing address, telephone number, and the name of the individual to contact, if further information is required. Any participating firms and proposed sub-consultants shall be identified and included in the proposal. 

2. Statement of Qualifications 

1. A description of the firm’s capabilities and experience on similar projects.
2. Identification of staff’s capabilities and the Project Manager assigned to oversee the work; an organization chart showing the proposed relationships between all key personnel and the support staff assigned to the Project; the proposed responsibilities of each person on the chart, and brief resumes of all personnel assigned to the project. 
3. A description of firm’s key personnel’s present activities and their availability to accomplish the required services within the project schedule. 
4. Identification of any sub-consultants to be used. Information shall include the name and address of the sub-consultant, resumes of key staff proposed for the project and the tasks to be carried out. All sub-consultants must be approved by the City. 
5. Experience with FEMA requirements and CalOES grant requirements.

3. Scope of Work

A description of the approach and methodology to provide the required services. Identify any supplemental tasks deemed necessary or alternatives, which may enhance the project, reduce costs, or expedite delivery. The consultant should also identify any tasks not identified and/or mentioned in this document that would otherwise affect the successful realization of the project. 

4. Conflict of Interest 

The consultant shall disclose any financial, business, or other relationships with the City that may have an impact on the outcome of this contract.  The City reserves the right to cancel the award, if any interest disclosed from any source could either give the appearance of a conflict or cause speculation as to the objectivity of the process. The City determination regarding any question of conflict of interest shall be final. 

5. Limits of General and Professional Liability Insurance 

Consultant shall maintain commercial general liability insurance with coverage at least as broad as Insurance Services Office form CG 00 01, in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate, for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage, including without limitation, blanket contractual liability. The policy must include contractual liability that has not been amended. Any endorsement restricting standard ISO “insured contract” language will not be accepted. Consultant shall maintain professional liability insurance that covers the services to be performed in connection with this Agreement, in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 per claim and in the aggregate. Any policy inception date, continuity date, or retroactive date must be before the effective date of this agreement and Consultant agrees to maintain continuous coverage through a period no less than three years after completion of the services required by this Agreement.

6. References 

The consultant shall provide three (3) professional references for the project manager and the company. 

7. Schedule of Services 

Provide a project completion schedule with project milestones. The completion schedule must show a completion and date, no later than 36 months after contract award.  The project schedule should include the amount of time required for each task, including adequate time for Staff review of all work products. Time estimates should be expressed in number of days/weeks without reference to a specific starting date. The timeline should identify when draft and final work products will be submitted to City Staff. Provide public outreach description.

The Consultant’s cost proposal shall contain the following: 

1. Firm’s rate schedule for the duration of the contract. 

2. Firm’s total cost to perform the work in its entirety, including a breakdown of the costs for each individual work task. 
3. Listing of any other costs charged by firm in providing EIR consultant services. 

The Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal shall be transmitted separately, with a cover letter that must be signed by an official authorized to bind the consultant contractually and shall contain a statement that the proposals are firm offers for a 90-day period. The letter accompanying the Technical Proposal shall also provide the following: name, title, address, telephone number and email address of individuals with the authority to negotiate and contractually bind the consultant. The cover letter constitutes certification by consultant, under penalty of perjury, that the consultant complies with nondiscrimination requirements of the State and the Federal Government. An unsigned proposal or one signed by an individual unauthorized to bind the consultant may be rejected. 

C. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS 

All interested firms or individuals shall upload their proposals to (https://www.dropbox.com/request/lUx3CnpjwgZQ5wt6wNS4) and submit to: 

Marilyn Simpson, AICP

Brandi Jones

City of Irwindale Community Development Department – Planning Division

5050 Irwindale Avenue

Irwindale, CA 91706 

Cost proposal information shall be submitted in a separately labeled file and not be included within the proposal document. 

All proposals must be received by Monday, October 2, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. 

4. RFP QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this RFP should be directed via e-mail to   and .   The deadline for questions is Monday, September 4, 2023. An addendum with answers to questions will be issued by the City after September 18, 2023.

5. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS

Attached is a copy of a sample Professional Services Agreement. Proposers should review this agreement and provide the City with a written statement of their willingness to accept the terms of the agreement. If a proposer is unwilling to accept any terms of the agreement, the proposer should identify the term(s) and the reason(s) that such term(s) are unacceptable.

6. SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

The Community Development Director and their designees will review the proposals. Finalists may be asked to participate in an interview with an interview panel. Proposals will be reviewed and judged on the following criteria:

• Understanding of the Scope of Work;
• Experience with similar projects in California;
• Consultant qualifications, background, and experience;
• Qualifications and experience of the consultant’s project manager and related staff assigned to this project;
• Qualifications of sub-consultant(s) and their role in this project (if applicable); 
• Timeline to complete; and 
• Cost of services

The City of Irwindale reserves the right to:

• Reject any and/or all of the submittals;
• Waive any of the provisions of this RFP;
• Issue subsequent RFPs or addendums;
• Cancel the RFP;
• Waive technical errors in responses to this RFP; and
• Negotiate with any, all, or none of the respondents to the RFP on terms that vary from those provided in any Proposal.
• Award the services to a provider in the City’s sole discretion based on the City’s evaluation of all the above criteria and not solely based on the proposed cost

ATTACHMENTS:     

Sample Professional Services Agreement

https://www.irwindaleca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7627/Professional-Services-Contract---Long-Form-revised-32022