REQUEST for PROPOSAL UP16-DF-0701 Emergency Planning

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS

President’s Office

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL UP16-DF-0701 Emergency Planning

Answers to Bidder Questions

Question 1

Is there an incumbent contractor?

UMass Answer to Question 1

No.

Question 2

Can you please indicate the address for the President’s Office and is this the same location where planning meetings and President’s Office exercise play will take place?

UMass Answer to Question 2

The President’s Office is located at 225 Franklin Street, Boston MA and this is where exercise play will take place. The planning meetings will most likely take place at the UMass President’s Office location at 333 South Street, Shrewsbury, MA. This location is central to the UMass campuses.

Question 3

Section 6.1: The RFP makes a reference to “Provide controllers and evaluators for the Campus EOC and Active Shooter.” Has UMASS decided on an exercise scenario? If so can you please indicate the scenario?

UMass Answer to Question 3

No, UMass will work with the vendor to develop the most realistic scenario that would impact the entire UMass system.

Question 4

Section 6.1: Will the exercise focus on strategic coordination among the University’s Office of the President, the Chancellors at each campus and the Policy Committee/Board of Trustees? Or will the focus be on tactical response activities?

UMass Answer to Question 4

The exercise will focus on more strategic coordination and communication.

Question 5

Section 6.1: RFP requests Controller/Evaluators for six locations, how many UMASS players are expected to participate at each location?

UMass Answer to Question 5

Approximately 10-20 participants per location.

Question 6

Section 6.1: Has UMASS identified the functional elements to be validated during the exercise? If so, can you please provide?

UMass Answer to Question 6

No, UMass will work with the vendor to develop the most realistic scenario that would impact the entire UMass system which will determine the functional elements to be validated.

Question 7

Section 6.1: Will the exercise require activation and full staffing of each campus Emergency Operations Center? How many functional departments does UMass staff at the University EOC? Can you please identify them?

UMass Answer to Question 7

Yes, each campus Emergency Operations Center structures vary; there are approximately 10-20 functional departments on each campus. The list of functional departments will be provided to the awarded vendor.

Question 8

Is there a system-wide emergency plan that is being tested for the exercise? If so, can we obtain a copy?

UMass Answer to Question 8

Yes, the system-wide emergency plan will be provided to the awarded vendor.

Question 9

Do you have an idea of what type of scenario (hazard/threat) you’d like to use for the exercise?

UMass Answer to Question 9

See question #3.

Question 10

What are you expectations for the number of controllers and evaluators that will be needed at each location?

UMass Answer to Question 10

At a minimum one controller and one evaluator at each UMass location (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, Medical School and President’s Office).

Question 11

What is the capacity of the functional exercise? (i.e. What will be activated at each location? Will EOCs be activated at each location? Will field operations be activated and exercised at each location as well?)

UMass Answer to Question 11

The Emergency Operation Centers will be activated at each location. No field operations are planned to be activated at this time.

Question 12

Will the contractor be expected to staff and conduct SimCell operations during the exercise?

UMass Answer to Question 12

Yes.

Question 13

Will any UMASS staff be provided to supplement exercise staff?

UMass Answer to Question 13

No.

Question 14

Will outside response partners participate in the exercise? If so, in what role? (Exercise planning team? Exercise participants? Will their operations be tested as well?)

UMass Answer to Question 14

Yes, outside response agencies will be participating in the campus Emergency Operation Centers during the exercise.

Question 15

How many controllers and evaluators does the University want at each of the six exercise sites?

UMass Answer to Question 15

See question #10.

Question 16

Approximately when (e.g. month/date) does the University want to conduct the initial planning conference (IPC)?

UMass Answer to Question 16

Middle of October 2015.

Question 17

Approximately when (e.g. month/date) does the University want to conduct the mid-term planning conference (MPC)?

UMass Answer to Question 17

Middle of November 2015.

Question 18

Approximately when (e.g. month/date) does the University want to conduct the final planning conference (FPM)?

UMass Answer to Question 18

Middle of December 2015.

Question 19

Does the University have an idea on the scenario they want to use for this functional exercise (FE)? If so, what is the scenario?

UMass Answer to Question 19

See question #3.

Question 20

How will oral presentations be factored into the evaluation criteria?

UMass Answer to Question 20

The evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals is included in section 5: Evaluation Criteria and will determine which vendors will be invited to participate in oral presentations (if necessary).

Question 21

Is the vendor responsible for all printed materials? If so, how many copies of each are anticipated? (ExPlan, MSEL, Comms Plan, C/E Manual, AAR/IP)

UMass Answer to Question 21

UMass will assist the vendor in printing the materials. We ask the vendor to print 20 copies total (for all campuses) for each meeting and exercise.

Question 22

How many players and functional areas are included (Police, Fire, EMS,PIO,IC/UC, etc.)

UMass Answer to Question 22

See question #5.

Question 23

What is proposal submission process? The RFP states electronic submission, but COMMBUYS shows an amendment that says to change electronic response from yes to no; which is accurate?

UMass Answer to Question 23

We do not want bidder’s submitting proposals through COMMBUYS. Proposals submitted through COMMBUYS will not be read. Proposals should be sent directly to

Question 24

What is the desired date for the exercise? The RFP states Jan 2065 – is this a typo?

UMass Answer to Question 24

January 2016.

Question 25

Have exercise objectives been identified IAW HSEEP, and if so, what are they?

UMass Answer to Question 25

Please see question #3.

Question 26

Has a scenario for the exercise been determined?

UMass Answer to Question 26

Please see question #3.

Question 27

Approximately how many participants are expected at each of the six locations?

UMass Answer to Question 27

See question #5.

Question 28

Do you anticipate participation by local/regional/state emergency response agencies?

UMass Answer to Question 28

See question #14.

Question 29

Will the selected contractor be provided access during the Kickoff Meeting to all appropriate UMASS emergency preparedness plans and guidelines?

UMass Answer to Question 29

Yes.

Question 30

Will the selected contractor be given copies of previous after action reports during the Kickoff Meeting to prepare for the Initial Planning Conference?

UMass Answer to Question 30

The selected contractor will be provided with all relevant information in order to design and conduct the best exercise.

Question 31

Will there be a single point of contact for the exercise or one for each exercise venue? If multiple POCs, will one POC be authorized to decide for the group?

UMass Answer to Question 31

Yes, UMass will have an overall project manager responsible for the contract and will work with the identified points of contact on each campus.

Question 32

When was the last preparedness/response exercise conducted at UMASS, and what campuses participated? Which vendor supported the exercise?

UMass Answer to Question 32

This will be the first UMass system-wide exercise.

Question 33

Will UMASS provide all exercise venues?

UMass Answer to Question 33

Yes.

Question34

Is there a desire for the contractor to provide any food/beverages for exercise activities?

UMass Answer to Question 34

No.

Question 35

Will the selected contractor be paid throughout the contract based upon milestones/deliverables, or in total within 30 days of completion of the contract?

UMass Answer to Question 35

The contractor will be paid based on agreed upon milestones/deliverables.