The State of Maine is seeking proposals for disaster management, preparedness, response and recovery services. The Agency intends to create a zero dollar stand-by” contract for services with a contractor to provide a wide range of disaster management, preparedness, response and recovery services. The awarded contractor may be expected to perform duties that include services in one or more of the following areas: executive level consulting and government relations; preparedness, planning and training tasks; grant management; and eligibility and program/project management.
The Department is seeking a cost-efficient proposal(s) to provide services, as defined in this RFP, for the anticipated contract period defined in the table below. Please note that the dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with this RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract.
The Contractor shall stand by and be prepared to provide comprehensive homeland security and emergency management consulting services designed to address strategic preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery efforts. The Contractor will work directly with the Department to determine the specific tasks and scope of services required for any specific event. Any award made will be for a stand-by contract. No work will be authorized until written notice to proceed is authorized by the Department's Director, Deputy Director or designee and delivered to the Contractor. These services include the following:
Executive Level Consulting and Government Relations
- Deliver sound consulting and guidance that enables our Agency to develop and implement strategic goals and objectives. This includes policy development and guidance, political impact assessments, complex issues management, and public information and trust for agency officials.
Preparedness, Planning and Training Tasks
- Provide emergency management strategies, plans, procedures, and supplementary documentation.
- Participate in, plan, develop, implement and/or evaluate emergency management-related training and exercises.
- Properly equip agency officials with the tools necessary for effective leadership and crisis communications through role and responsibility coaching and strategic incident management training and mentoring.
- Provide geographic information system (GIS), data management/analytics, and other technical services that provide support to the upper management level decision-making process.
- Design, deliver, staff and evaluate (as required) communications, public education, and media affairs programs and strategies, to include the development of written products, tools, and electronic media.
Grant Management
- Provide general grant management advice, staffing and other support.
- Assist in the composition and staffing of a disaster recovery team, to include the provision of senior-level consultation, strategic support and problem resolution services.
- Prepare draft correspondence to the Agency and FEMA as necessary.
- Utilize a proven system to monitor and document work effort in order to maximize federal reimbursement, as appropriate.
- Prepare program management plans and budgets, as required.
- Prepare daily reports for Agency and consultation staff and attend status meetings.
FEMA Disaster Assistance Eligibility and Program/Project Management
- Assist in the areas of disaster recovery, Individual and Public Assistance programs, mitigation, debris removal, functional needs support services, communications, public affairs and information technology as related to recovery efforts and provide an expert technical advisor for these areas.
- Provide expert programmatic and policy advice on federal disaster relief programs and related matters.
- Provide technical assistance and support for strategic planning and coordination of statewide, regional, local, recovery efforts. In addition, provide technical assistance of current FEMA regulations and policies.
- Review eligibility issues, and work to develop justifications for presentation to FEMA and the Agency.
- Utilize current FEMA software systems and processes.
- Review contracts and purchasing documents.
- Review documentation prepared by applicants, assist in capturing and summarizing eligible costs and assist with compiling and summarizing FEMA Category A through G costs.
- Provide staffing and other support in technical and non-technical disciplines, including (but not limited to) logistics management, planning, resource identification, engineering, architecture, historic preservation, environmental compliance, design, economic development, housing, planning, geology and other scientific disciplines, and other areas as required and make recommendations when possible.
- Design, deliver, staff and evaluate (as required) communications, outreach, public educations, and media affairs programs and strategies, to include the development of written products, tools, and electronic data.
- Prepare Project Worksheets for small and large projects based upon information provided by the applicants.
- Identify mitigation opportunities and alternatives (https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program FEMA Section 406), and prepare associated documentation related to same in an effort to secure funding.
- Assist with Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) project scoping, benefit-cost analysis, alternatives analysis, the collection of documentation (including for environmental/historic review), and other tasks related to FEMA Section 404 mitigation, as required.
- Attend meetings with the Agency, applicant, and FEMA to formulate individual project worksheets and mitigation projects.
- Provide oversight to applicants having difficulty with their claims and application materials for FEMA assistance.
- Assist in determining if any eligible damages have not been quantified and presented to inspectors/project officers/project specialists.
- Work with the applicant and Agency to resolve disputes that may arise.
- Address issues related to inter-agency funding conflicts.
- Strategize and write appeals to resolve disputes with FEMA determinations.
- Assist with finalizing preparations for applicant/FEMA final inspections and audits.
- Provide support for debris management, planning and operations oversight and coordination.
- Assist with the program design, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of other Federal and State agency programs as required.
- Provide project management support services.
- Provide staffing and other support for Emergency Operations Center activations.
- Provide insurance adjusting and resolution services related to insured losses to property, buildings, contents, business interruptions, time element coverage, extra expenses and other covered losses.
- Assist with ensuring that State policies and procedures are disseminated and implemented by all field staff through coordination with the Agency's Project Coordinator.