1-Attachment 11 - Solicitation No. BPM006379 - References.docx

Attachment 11 – References ADEQ intends to conduct reference checks for accounts provided by Offerors. ADEQ may, at its sole discretion, contact additional clients not presented as references, including internal state clients. Offerors shall provide at least three (3) client references for assignments that replicate or mirror the requirements of this Solicitation. At least one (1) of the projects referenced must be related to public sector work. All references shall be for work received and completed within the last five (5) years. Include information which documents successful and reliable past performance to clients providing services similar to those detailed in solicitation Scope of Work, DO NOT include ADEQ references. One (1) page maximum per reference.

Summarize the scope and deliverables provided, including timeline and outcome. Include similar services performed s those required by this solicitation. State the name(s) of any of Offeror’s key personnel proposed in Attachment 6, who worked on this project:

Background The City of Luling, also known as the "toughest town in Texas," is located in Caldwell and Guadalupe counties, south of Austin, Texas. AARC was hired to perform a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and develop an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) for its drinking water system which serves approximately 5,599 residents. The purpose of the RRA is to identify critical assets and processes that may be vulnerable to human and natural hazards, quantify risk levels, identify measures that can be taken to reduce risk and enhance resilience from service disruption for the benefit of customers, and meet the AWIA compliance requirements.

Approach AARC prepared an All-Hazards RRA and ERP that addressed physical security, cybersecurity, weather related hazards, power loss, vandalism, drought, and other threats that can disrupt operations of the utility. AARC used its proprietary Resilience Assessment Checklist©, a comprehensive 50-plus page guide that incorporates inquiries from reference documents such as EPA, FEMA, DoD, NIST, AWWA, ANSI, NOAA, USGS, and OSHA, along with AARC's Resilience Attributes Framework. A thorough site visit was performed to assess facility condition and evaluate security risk. Threat-Asset and Consequence-Vulnerability-Threat Workshops and interviews to understand policies and operations were conducted. Both RRA and ERP addressed the following disruption threats:

· Severe weather (hurricane, tornado, extreme cold and heat, and straight-line winds) and Pandemic

· Reduction in water supplies due to climate change and drought

· Contamination of the water system

· Cybersecurity and physical security threats to facilities

· Vandalism and sabotage, including terrorism

· Potential dangers caused by region power outage

List key Materials or Services provided.

Outcome The RRA identifies and characterizes both asset-specific and system-wide vulnerabilities and threats, as well as quantifying the consequences of disruption. The Assessment also assists the City in navigating the many options in addressing and mitigating risk. The RRA, in conjunction with the ERP, charts a course for water system resilience. The City has entered into a service program to maintain the RRA and ERP for 5 years, including training and Tabletop Exercises for staff.

Request for Proposal

Solicitation No. BPM006379

Capacity Development/Technical Assistance to Small Public Drinking Water Systems Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) 1110 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007

Solicitation Attachment – References | Revision No. 1 | Revised 11-22

Summarize the scope and deliverables provided, including timeline and outcome. Include similar services performed s those required by this solicitation. State the name(s) of any of Offeror’s key personnel proposed in Attachment 6, who worked on this project:

Background The City of Elsa, located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, hired AARC to perform a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and develop an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) for its drinking water system which serves approximately 5,700 residents. The purpose of the RRA is to identify critical assets and processes that may be vulnerable to human and natural hazards, quantify risk levels, identify measures that can be taken to reduce risk and enhance resilience from service disruption for the benefit of customers, and meet the AWIA compliance requirements.

Approach AARC developed an All-Hazards Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that addressed a wide range of potential threats, including physical security, cybersecurity, weather-related hazards, power outages, vandalism, drought, and other risks that could disrupt utility operations. AARC utilized its proprietary Resilience Assessment Checklist©, an extensive 50-plus page guide that incorporates inquiries from authoritative sources such as the EPA, FEMA, DoD, NIST, AWWA, ANSI, NOAA, USGS, and OSHA, alongside AARC's Resilience Attributes Framework. A comprehensive site visit was conducted to assess facility conditions and evaluate security risks. Additionally, Threat-Asset and Consequence-Vulnerability-Threat workshops, along with interviews, were held to gain insights into the utility's policies and operations. The RRA and ERP addressed the following disruption threats:

· Severe weather (hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme cold and heat, and straight-line winds)

· Reduced water supplies due to climate change and drought

· Contamination of the water system and pandemic response planning

· Cybersecurity and physical security threats to facilities

· Vandalism and sabotage, including terrorism

· Potential risks associated with regional power outages

List key Materials or Services provided.

Outcome The RRA identifies and characterizes both asset-specific and system-wide vulnerabilities and threats, as well as quantifying the consequences of disruption. The Assessment also assists the City in navigating the many options in addressing and mitigating risk. The RRA, in conjunction with the ERP, charts a course for water system resilience. The City has entered into a service program to maintain the RRA and ERP for 5 years, including training and Tabletop Exercises for staff.

City of La Junta - 601 Colorado Avenue, PO Box 489 La Junta, CO 81050

Summarize the scope and deliverables provided, including timeline and outcome. Include similar services performed s those required by this solicitation. State the name(s) of any of Offeror’s key personnel proposed in Attachment 6, who worked on this project:

Background The City of La Junta, nestled within the Southeastern Colorado Conservancy District, serves approximately 9,200 residents through its drinking water supply system. La Junta currently relies on water from the Fryingpan-Arkansas project, which diverts water from the western to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. With the aim of identifying vulnerabilities to human and natural hazards, enhancing resilience, and meeting compliance requirements under the AWIA, the City hired AARC to perform a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and develop an Emergency Response Plan (ERP).

Approach AARC prepared an All-Hazards RRA and All-Hazards ERP for the drinking water system to fulfill the requirements of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA). The RRA and ERP addressed cybersecurity, physical security, weather related hazards, and other dependencies that can affect the utility. AARC used its proprietary Resilience Assessment Checklist©, a comprehensive 50-plus page guide that incorporates inquiries from reference documents such as EPA, FEMA, DoD, NIST, AWWA, ANSI, NOAA, USGS, and OSHA, along with AARC's Resilience Attributes Framework. A thorough two-day site visit, featuring Threat-Asset and Consequence-Vulnerability-Threat Workshops and interviews to understand policies and operations, was conducted. An Out-Brief with Board staff covered preliminary findings, followed by subsequent site visits for further assessment. Both RRA and ERP incorporated the following elements to meet the Board’s resilience requirements:

· Severe weather

· Pandemic

· Reduction in imported water supplies due to climate change and drought

· Localized contamination of the water system

· Cybersecurity incidents

· Physical security threats, including vandalism, sabotage, and terrorism

· Potential dangers caused by region power outage

List key Materials or Services provided.

Outcome The completion of the RRA and ERP within designated timelines and budgets marks a successful milestone for the City of La Junta. Leveraging outputs from the RRA and ERP, the City now guides capital projects and operational enhancements, ensuring a resilient water infrastructure that complies with regulatory standards. As part of a 5-year service program, AARC also performed a Tabletop Exercise and an asset condition and security site visit in preparation for future updates of the RRA and ERP.

Solicitation Attachment – Method of Approach | Revision No. 1 | Revised 11-22 image1.jpg