City of Belfast Request for Proposals Vulnerability Assessment, Belfast Waterfront DEADLINE 12:00 PM, September 5TH, 2024 BACKGROUND The City of Belfast (hereinafter “City”), acting as lead agency, seeks a qualified individual or firm (hereafter “Consultant”) to provide professional services to perform a vulnerability assessment and develop climate adaptation strategies (hereinafter “Project”) for the City’s harbor. The Consultant will work with various City staff and committees, including but not limited to the Mayor and City Council, the City Manager, the Harbor Master, the City Planner, The City Deputy Economic Development Director, the Harbor Committee, and the Climate, Energy and Utilities Committee (CEU). The City has recently adopted a climate action resolution and the Climate Action Plan (2023) to support climate action activities. This project will help to fulfill these goals by identifying the parts of our community, specifically along the harbor, most vulnerable to climate change and developing strategies for adaptation. The City was awarded a community action grant through the community resilience partnership of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. The consultant’s proposal amount should not exceed $50,000. The scope of services to be performed must be started no later than October 1, 2024, and must be completed no later than June 30, 2025. The City intends to use the information collected as part of this Project to inform sections of their Hazard Mitigation Plan to be started as a separate and parallel project in January 2025. Project Goals Developing a climate vulnerability assessment involves identifying key exposures and risks to community facilities due to the intensity and frequency of events related to climate change. Some climate hazards for consideration include the following: increasing temperatures, especially in winter; increasing intensity of precipitation (rain/snow/ice/hail); rising sea levels; increasing frequency and severity of coastal flooding, storm surge, wave force, and erosion; and, exposure to sensitive populations; and increasing frequency and severity of wind-related damage. The vulnerability assessment will result in the identification of key infrastructure impacts, the most effective adaptation practices and policies, the local capacities to tackle these challenges, and the steps necessary to implement adaptation responses. The project area is focused on the city’s waterfront and includes areas along the harbor from the Armistice footbridge, the harbor walk, Belfast Wastewater Treatment Plant, City Landing/Heritage Park, and the Boathouse (See Project Area and Locus Maps). This project will: 1) engage the community around social, economic, and quality of life concerns for current and future use of the harbor and facilities; 2) collect and analyze scientific data and community-developed input regarding the risks and vulnerabilities of public areas and facilities along the harbor; 3) develop a process for prioritization of site-specific projects to minimize the impacts of severe storms; and 4) prepare final recommendations of most effective adaptation practices and policies, local capacities to tackle these challenges, and steps necessary to implement adaptation responses. SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED The following list of activities and outcomes will result from the Belfast Vulnerability Assessment: Community Engagement: Working with staff and the CEU, solicit community concerns through news releases, social media, workshops, and discussions with stakeholders. Involve the community through active engagement to determine risks and opportunities. Provide opportunities to collect feedback and incorporate it into the draft and final Project. Waterfront Survey: Review current studies and plans recently adopted that identify climate impacts and priority projects. Visit the project area to complete an updated evaluation of waterfront land and structures to identify potential damage and erosion relating to storms, tides, and sea level rise. The waterfront evaluation will identify areas of potential concern regarding public structures (e.g. footbridge, recreational trails, Harbor Master’s office, Storage buildings, Boat House, etc); infrastructure (e.g., water supply, stormwater drainage, wastewater, power, communications); and, erosional “hot spots” and risk of related property and infrastructure damage. The information will inform an updated review of waterfront vulnerability, resilience needs, and priorities for the next steps. Data Collection and Analysis: Complete an updated scenario modeling that illustrates potential trends related to flood and storm occurrences. Some climate hazards for consideration include the following: increasing temperatures, especially in winter; increasing intensity of precipitation (rain/snow/ice/hail); rising sea levels; increasing frequency and severity of coastal flooding, storm surge, wave force, and erosion; and, exposure to sensitive populations; and increasing frequency and severity of wind-related damage. Apply current State of Maine, FEMA, and other tools to update the risk of flood and related storm damage in the study area. These predictive tools include broad vulnerability assessment, flood risk, and models of impact from varied hurricane categories. Resources include, but may not be limited to: FEMA Risk/Vulnerability Assessment Tool: https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/map# Maine Flood Hazard Map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3c09351397764bd2aa9ba385d2e9efe7 Maine Hurricane Impact Maps: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/hazards/slosh/index.shtml Maine Sea Level Rise/Storm Surge Maps: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/hazards/slr_ss/index.shtml Adaptation Measures: Produce a Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report that considers factors including but not limited to (this assessment will include detailed mapping and imagery): Climate Hazards (such as changes in sea level rise, storm surges, tidal flooding, changes in precipitation and storm patterns, changes in air temperatures, or changes in water temperatures and acidifications) Infrastructural Exposure, Risk, and Vulnerability (such as infrastructure relating to transportation, energy, water and wastewater, communication systems, or impacts to sites containing contaminated soils or hazardous waste) City of Bath Request for Proposals Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Strategies. Environmental Exposure, Risk, and Vulnerability (such as impacts on marsh migration, erosion, natural water systems, shifting habitats, and human health. Socioeconomic Exposure, Risk, and Vulnerability (such as impacts to local economies and livelihoods, housing and built environments, community resources and food security, health, and social equity) Community Prioritization: With the completion of the vulnerability assessment and recommendations for improved resilience, a ranking matrix will be developed to evaluate community priorities based on broad criteria. Examples include, among others: Risk of casualties and/or fatalities Impact on operations of essential services and/or critical infrastructure Risk of damage and/or destruction to property Equitable benefits Impact on natural resources Cost to implement Final Project: Prepare final recommendations of most effective adaptation practices and policies, local capacities to tackle these challenges, and steps necessary to implement adaptation responses. High-level summary of results presented in a format for communication with the public, such as through accessible language, infographics, or other visual means. Further, consultants will create graphics and other content suitable for distribution on social media that the parties can use to promote the report. Create a list of critical action items for the City, as well as action items for property owners ii. Implement inclusive community planning strategies Create a list of critical action items for the City, as well as action items for property owners Implement inclusive community planning strategies QUALIFICATION STATEMENT Interested individuals or firms are instructed to follow the format by providing a cover letter and responses to each of the three numbered (Sections 2-6) evaluation factors listed below. Cover letter will not be scored and the percentage weight for each evaluation factor follows each required response. Statements that do not follow this format, or do not contain the requested information, may be considered unresponsive statements and not be considered by the City. There is a maximum limit of twenty (20) pages; this limit applies to the entirety of the qualification statement, whether it is the cover letter, insurance documentation, responses to the evaluation factors, appendices, tables, resumes, or any other supporting documentation. While we do not require any minimum or maximum font size, spacing, or margins, we strongly encourage you to consider readability when preparing your qualification statement. Section 1: Cover Letter and Contact Information Include a cover letter that identifies the Consultant and their team, outline your team’s interest in this opportunity, explain why your team is best qualified to provide the requested service to the City, and how you envision completing the Project. Identify the single point of contact with authority to make decisions (preferably executive level) for your organization with whom to communicate during the solicitation process, along with their contact information. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 5% of the Qualification Statement. Section 2: Project Approach A summary of the proposed project approach, demonstrating an understanding of the objectives of the project as a whole, and the Consultant’s role within it. Specific methodology and strategies to be employed to meet the project objectives and complete the tasks outlined. Outline community engagement strategy. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 35% of the Qualification Statement. Section 3: Local Knowledge Demonstrate familiarity with the community of Belfast, its stakeholders, and its recent climate strategies and impacts of climate change on the waterfront facilities. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 10% of the Qualification Statement. Section 4: Firm Qualifications & Experience Consultant background and history, demonstrating experience with vulnerability assessments, community engagement, and adaptation resiliency measures. Provide up to three (3) similar projects that demonstrate relevant experience. Include detailed project descriptions including organization name, contact person and their email and phone number, date of completion, and over of services provided. The City intends to contact the references provided. Names, resumes, qualifications, and experience of project leads and qualifications of all staff anticipated to be assigned to the project. The Project Manager identified in the response cannot be changed or replaced unless agreed to by both the City and the Consultant. Identify any sub-consultants to be used on the project, their scope of work, qualifications, and primary representative. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 30% of the Qualification Statement. Section 5: Expected Project Timeline Given the constraints of the project funding source (grant performance period ends June 30, 2025) and coordination with other related Climate Action Plan update tasks and workshops, describe the timeline the consultant will use to complete the project. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 15% of the Qualification Statement. Section 6: Cost Proposal For each task listed in the scope of services, please provide a clear, complete, and detailed cost schedule including hours and labor rates. Percentage Weight: This evaluation factor is worth 5% of the Qualification Statement. QUESTIONS Any questions regarding this request must be emailed by 4:00 pm on August 22, 2024, to [email protected] to be answered. All questions submitted by this deadline will be answered and posted on the City’s website at www.cityofbelfast.org by 6:00 pm on August 26, 2024. SUBMISSION DEADLINE Consultant must deliver email their Qualification Statements to Joellyn Warren at [email protected] with the email subject line “Belfast Vulnerability Assessment 2024_Name of the firm”. It must be emailed as a single file in Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf). Responses must be received by the Deputy Economic Development Director no later than 12:00 PM Thursday, September 5, 2024. Responses that are incomplete, conditional, obscure, or which contain any additions not called for may be rejected by the City. Any response may be withdrawn or withdrawn and resubmitted on request of the Consultant up until the deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn after the deadline. All submissions will become the property of the City of Belfast and no materials will be returned. The City reserves the right to reject any proposals, or parts of proposals when it is judged to be in the best interest of the City. Any award is subject to the City’s Purchasing Policy guidelines and a decision will be adopted by the Belfast City Council. SELECTION PROCESS Following the receipt of the qualification statements, a working group, comprised of city staff and committee members, shall evaluate the statements, score responses, and recommend a Consultant to hire as the qualified professional to the City Council. The working group, at its discretion, may decide to conduct interviews of one or more Consultants before providing a recommendation to the City Council.

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