REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE SERVICES AS
AMADOR FIRE SAFE COUNCIL COORDINATOR
February 3, 2017
Project Overview:
The Amador Fire Safe Council (AFSC) is seeking proposals from an independent contractor with the following qualifications: strong organizational and collaborative skills, grant writing and grant administration experience, wildland fire mitigation and planning experience, experience in forest management or similar experience that would be considered applicable to effectively perform as the AFSC Council Coordinator.
The Coordinator will be an independent contractor providing services under contract with AFSC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. At the conclusion of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process the successful candidate will sign a contract with AFSC. Contractor will not be considered an employee of AFSC for any purposes. Contractor will have the right to perform services for others during the term of this agreement. AFSC sets priorities and determines what tasks are to be performed, but Contractor will have the sole right to control and direct the means, manner, and method by which the services required by the contract will be performed. AFSC shall not require Contractor to devote full time to performing the services required by this agreement.
This contract position is entirely funded through grants. Activities will be limited to those authorized by grant contracts, including but not necessarily limited to the following:
• Fuels reduction.
• Carry out activities under the Fire Wise Communities program to provide homeowners in fire-sensitive ecosystems education on, and assistance with implementing, techniques in home siting, home construction, and home landscaping that can increase the protection of people and property from wildfires.
• Update the Amador Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP’s).
• Implement projects in specific accordance with grant contracts. These grants may include local funding allocated by the County of Amador, State funding from CAL FIRE, the CA Fire Safe Council Clearinghouse, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, federal sources including NRCS, BLM and/or USFS, and other sources such as PG&E.
The Contractor will work closely with the Amador Fire Safe Council Board and the County of Amador, Office of Emergency Services, recognized Firewise Communities and other communities seeking wildfire mitigation assistance, CAL FIRE, USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management and a variety of community groups to assist local fire departments and promote effective delivery of fire education and prevention services countywide and implementation of the County CWPP’s.
This Request for Proposals solicits applications from interested individuals and includes qualifications, approach, scope, and costs for the subject work.
Background:
Catastrophic forest fires are a constant threat to the citizens, property, businesses and the environment in Amador County. Because of this threat, the Amador Fire Safe Council has sought and received various grants to provide public education, outreach, for wildfire mitigation projects to implement various CWPP’s, assist communities in becoming recognized as Firewise USA communities, defensible space assistance, and reducing hazardous fuels in various communities around the County.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Under general direction of the Amador Fire Safe Council Board of Directors, the Coordinator will serve as the program leader & Coordinator for all AFSC activities. Specific program activities will be prioritized through consultation with the Board consistent with the Scope of Work.
Scope of Work
As directed and with prior authorization:
Task 1: Provide meeting and coordination management to the Board including for its monthly meeting, function as key contact for Council communications, provide educational messaging through press releases or newsletters and website information updating, and perform CWPP’s updating as necessary.
Task 2: Provide educational outreach, educational workshops with focus on fostering wildfire safety and mitigation awareness within the communities; with the long-range goal of implementing activites identifed in the CWPP’s to increase home and community survivbility through community participation, including actions such as developing Firewise Communities and community hazard fuel reduction projects.
Task 3: Coordinate with County, State and Federal agency fire and fuel management staff.
Task 4: Provide technical expertise in supporting current grant activities to accomplish presently funded projects, develop Request for Proposals for Contractors to implement funded projects and make recommendations on selection of Contractors, review (when necessary) invoices to insure appropriateness in charging to the correct project codes, and provide assistance to the fiscal sponsor or Board in documenting required project reporting.
Task 5: Pursue and secure grants for funding of wildfire mitigation projects and Council activities in support of the CWPP’s.
Task 6: Manage all grants secured by the Amador Fire Safe Council.
Task 7: Conduct day-to-day office operations such as retrieving and responding to mail, email and phone calls as well as minor banking transactions.
Qualifications:
Provide a statement of qualifications, certifications, and work history demonstrating the knowledge, skills and abilities to adequately and efficiently complete this Scope of Work.
Please address each of the items specifically and individually.
Insurance Requirements:
As required for a Contract for Services with the County of Amador, the Contractor shall require:
(a) Commercial General Liability: One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage. If Commercial General Liability Insurance or other form with general aggregate limit is used, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to this Agreement or the general aggregate limit shall be twice the required occurrence limit.
(b) Professional Errors and Omissions Liability: Policy limits of not less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) annual aggregate, with deductible or self-insured portion not to exceed Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000).
(c) Automobile Liability: $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury or property damage.
(d) Workers’ Compensation and Employers Liability: (If employing workers) Workers’ Compensation limits as required by the Labor Code of the State of California and Employers Liability limits of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence.
The contract shall require the Contractor to maintain such insurance and to indemnify the Council and Corporation against claims arising from the Contractor’s performance of the contract.
Contract Term:
The contract term is negotiable but anticipated to run through at least 2018. Subsequent contract renewals will be based on project status, funding, and other factors.
Products:
All work papers, drawings, internal memoranda, computer data sets, graphics, photographs, and any written or graphic material, however produced, prepared by the Contractor in connection with performance of services hereunder shall be, and shall remain after termination of this Contract, the property of the AFSC and may be used by AFSC without further compensation.
Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria:
AFSC Coordinator candidates will be evaluated based on the submission of the following required information:
1. Name and address of individual and/or applicant with e-mail, fax number (optional), and phone number.
2. Firm history and background.
3. Familiarity and experience with:
a) Fire suppression and fuel management concepts, Fire Safe Councils, Firewise Community USA Program
b) Community Wildfire Protection Plans
c) Development of wildfire mitigation projects to protect homes and communities
d) Experience in grant development and management.
4. Demonstrated relevant experience and technical competence in the Scope of Work outlined above.
5. Anticipated availability and time limits (if any) per week, per month, and annually.
6. Demonstrated relevant experience and technical competence in collaboratively working with others (i.e., Registered Professional Foresters, Grant Managers, Fire Safe Councils, Agencies and County representatives, USFS, BLM, CAL FIRE, local Fire Departments, Contractors, community members, etc.).
7. Qualifications or certifications issued by the State of California as appropriate.
8. A cost proposal. Cost estimates may be based upon a flat hourly rate or may include different hourly rates for various activities including travel, participation in community and fire department and other public meetings, document preparation or research, etc.
9. List of 5 most recent references and former clients. If there are time period gaps between references provided, explain the time gap(s).
A committee from the Amador Fire Safe Council will review proposals to recommend the best candidate for Board approval.
AFSC reserves the right to:
1. Reject any or all candidates.
2. Request clarification of any submitted information.
3. Waive any informalities or irregularities in any qualification statement.
4. Not enter into any contract.
5. Not select any candidate.
6. Cancel this process at any time.
7. Amend this process at any time.
8. Interview candidates prior to award.
9. Negotiate all final terms and conditions of any agreements entered into.
10. Issue similar RFP’s or RFQ’s in the future.
11. Request additional information during the process.
Proposal Application and Submission:
Copies of this Request for Proposals are available on the Amador Fire Safe Council website at: http://www.amadorfiresafe.org
Electronic copies of the proposal package addressing all criteria should be submitted as quickly as possible, delivered to the following email address: amadorfiresafe@gmail.com.
If you have further questions about this Request for Proposals, please contact Jan Bray at (209) 256-7667 or j57bray@yahoo.com.