1-RFP VCR-FY26-002 VC CWPP Plan- Published.pdf

VALENCIA COUNTY

STATE OF NEW MEXICO

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PREPARATION AND DELIVERY

OF AN UPDATED AND EXPANDED

VALENCIA COUNTY COMMUNITY

WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN

RFP #VCR-FY26-002

VALENCIA COUNTY PURCHASING

444 Luna Ave.

Los Lunas, NM 87031

August 28th 2025 http://www.co.valencia.nm.us/index.ht

VCR-FY26-002 August 28, 2025 ii

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

B. SUMMARY SCOPE OF WORK

C. SCOPE OF PROCUREMENT

D. PROCUREMENT MANAGER

E. DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGY

F. PROCUREMENT LIBRARY

II. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT

A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

B. EXPLANATION OF EVENTS

1. Issue RFP

2. Return of “Acknowledgment of Receipt” Form for Distribution List

3. Pre-Proposal Conference

4. Deadline to submit additional written questions

5. Response to written questions/RFP Amendments

6. Submission of Proposal

7. Proposal Evaluation

8. Notification of Finalists

9. Best and Final Offers

10. Oral Presentations

11. Contract Negotiations

12. Contract Award

13. Protest Deadline

C. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Acceptance of Conditions Governing the Procurement

2. Incurring Cost

3. Prime Contractor Responsibility

4. Subcontractors

5. Amended Proposals

6. Offerors' Rights to Withdraw Proposal

7. Proposal Offer Firm

8. Disclosure of Proposal Contents

9. No Obligation

10. Termination

11. Sufficient Appropriation

12. Legal Review

13. Governing Law

14. Basis for Proposal

15. Contract Terms and Conditions

16. Offeror’s Terms and Conditions

17. Contract Deviations

18. Offeror Qualifications

19. Right to Waive Minor Irregularities

20. Change in Contractor Representatives

21. Notice

22. County Rights

23. Right to Publish

24. Ownership of Proposals

25. Ambiguity, Inconsistency or Errors in RFP

26. Competition

27. Use by Other Government Entities iii

28. Confidentiality

29. Electronic mail address required

30. Use of Electronic Versions of this RFP

III. RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION

A. NUMBER OF RESPONSES

B. NUMBER OF COPIES

C. PROPOSAL FORMAT

2. Letter of Transmittal Form

3. Other Supporting Materials

IV. SPECIFICATIONS

A. INFORMATION

1. Background Valencia County is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to update and expand the County’s

Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The selected contractor will employ a collaborative, data-driven approach to reduce wildfire risk, improve community resilience, and address wildfire hazards to

Valencia County communities

2. Project Management

3. Resident Business Preference

4. Resident Veteran Business Preference

5. Response to Requirements

B. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

1. Letter of Transmittal Form (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

2. Project Plan (250 Points)

3. Project Schedule (150 Points)

4. Offeror (Offeror Team) Qualifications and Experience (200 Points)

5. References (50 Points)

6. Insurance (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

7. Capability and Agreement to Perform (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

8. Oral Presentation (50 Points)

9. Cost (300 Points)

10. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form (0 Points)

C. DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

V. EVALUATION

A. EVALUATION POINT SUMMARY

B. EVALUATION FACTORS

C. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

1. Letter of Transmittal Form (0 Points)

2. Project Plan (250 Points)

3. Project Schedule (150 Points)

4. Offeror (Offeror Team) Qualifications and Experience (200 Points)

5. References (50 Points)

6. Insurance (0 Points)

7. Capability and Agreement to Perform (0 Points)

8. Oral Presentation (50 Points)

9. Cost (300 Points)

10. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form (0 Points)

D. DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

E. OPTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. (New Mexico) Resident Business Preference

2. (New Mexico) Resident Veteran Business Preference

F. EVALUATION PROCESS

APPENDIX A

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT FORM

APPENDIX B

SAMPLE CONTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. PROJECT GOAL

3. SCOPE OF WORK & OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Engage Interested Parties and Expand Core Team Objective 2: Host Community and Core Team Workshops Objective 3: Compile Existing Data Objective 4: Establish Community Base Maps Objective 5: Develop Community Risk Assessments Objective 6: Finalize and Deliver Expanded CWPP Objective 7: Complete Community Wildfire Story Map

APPENDIX C

COST RESPONSE FORM

APPENDIX D

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FORM

APPENDIX E

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION DISCLOSURE FORM

I. INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The County of Valencia, on behalf of the Valencia County Fire Department, seeks sealed proposals from qualified consultant(s) that may do business in the State of New Mexico to perform the necessary research, develop and deliver an updated and expanded Valencia County

Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

B. SUMMARY SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work consists of conducting necessary research and evaluation, writing and delivering an updated and expanded Valencia County Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

For further detail see Attachment 1

C. SCOPE OF PROCUREMENT

The scope of the procurement consists of developing and delivering an updated and expanded

Valencia County Community Wildfire Protection Plan in accordance with the Scope of Work.

The duration of the contract resulting from this RFP shall be for not more than one (1) year from the date of award. Other government entities within the State of New Mexico, or as otherwise allowed by their governing directives, may contract for the goods or services included in this procurement document with the awarded contractor(s). This procurement will result in a fixed price, single source award.

D. PROCUREMENT MANAGER

The County of Valencia has designated a Procurement Manager who is responsible for this procurement and whose name, address, and telephone number are listed below. Any inquiries or requests regarding this procurement should be submitted to the Procurement Manager in writing.

Offerors may contact ONLY the Procurement Manager regarding the procurement. Other County employees do not have the authority to respond on behalf of the County of Valencia.

Rustin Porter Valencia County Purchasing

Delivery Address (Including proposal delivery):

444 Luna Ave., Suite 100 // Los Lunas, NM 87031

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1119 // Los Lunas, NM 87031

Phone: (505) 866-2005

Fax: (505) 866-2424

E-mail: rustin.porter@valencianm.gov

E. DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGY

This section contains definitions that are used throughout this procurement document, including appropriate abbreviations.

“Board of County Commissioners” (also “BCC”) means the elected board in whom all powers of the municipality are vested and who are responsible for the proper and efficient administration of the municipal government.

"Close of Business" means 5:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time (MST) or Mountain Daylight

Time (MDT), whichever is in effect on the date specified.

"Contract" or “Agreement” means a written agreement for the procurement of items of tangible personal property or services.

"Contractor" means a successful offeror who enters into a binding contract.

"County" means the County of Valencia, State of New Mexico.

"Determination" means the written documentation of a decision of the procurement manager including findings of fact required to support a decision. A determination becomes part of the procurement file to which it pertains.

“Desirable" refers to the terms "may", "can", "should", "preferably" or "prefers" which identify a desirable or discretionary item or factor. (As opposed to a “mandatory” item or factor.)

"Evaluation Committee" means a body appointed by County management to perform the evaluation of offeror proposals.

"Evaluation Committee Report" means a report prepared by the Procurement Manager and the

Evaluation Committee for submission to appropriate approval authorities for contract award that contains all written determinations resulting from the conduct of a procurement requiring the evaluation of competitive sealed proposals.

"Finalist" is defined as an offeror who meets all the mandatory specifications of this Request for

Proposal and whose score on evaluation factors is sufficiently high to merit further consideration by the Evaluation Committee.

"Mandatory" refers to the terms "must", "shall", "will", "is required" or "are required" which identify a mandatory item or factor. (As opposed to a “desirable” item or factor.) Failure to meet a mandatory item or factor will result in the rejection of the offeror's proposal.

"Offeror" is any person, corporation, or partnership who chooses to submit a proposal.

"Procurement Manager" means the person or designee authorized by the County to manage or administer a procurement requiring the evaluation of competitive sealed proposals.

"Procuring agency of the County" means the department or other subdivision of the County of

Valencia that is requesting the procurement of services or items of tangible personal property.

"Purchase Order” or "PO" means the document which directs a contractor to deliver items of tangible personal property or services pursuant to an existing, valid contract.

"Purchasing” means the County of Valencia Purchasing Office or the Valencia County

Purchasing Agent.

"Purchasing Agent" or "PA" means the Purchasing Agent for the County of Valencia.

"Request for Proposals" or "RFP" means all documents, including those attached or incorporated by reference, used for soliciting proposals.

"Responsible Offeror" means an offeror who submits a responsive proposal and who has furnished required information and data to prove that their financial resources, production or service facilities, personnel, service reputation and experience are adequate to make satisfactory delivery of the services or items of tangible personal property called for in this proposal.

"Responsive Offer" or "Responsive Proposal" means an offer or proposal which conforms in all material respects to the requirements set forth in the request for proposals. Material respects of a request for proposals include, but are not limited to, price, quality, quantity and delivery requirements.

“Statement of Compliance” and “Statement of Concurrence” mean an express statement, by the offeror in their proposal, that they agree with or agree to the stated requirement(s). Possible examples of acceptable responses include “The [NAME HERE Company] agrees to comply with this requirement.” and “The [NAME HERE Company] concurs with this requirement.”

F. PROCUREMENT LIBRARY

The Procurement Library consists of the following documents which may be accessed by their associated Internet links:

- New Mexico Procurement Code http://www.conwaygreene.com/nmsu/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0

- Valencia County Procurement Policy http://www.co.valencia.nm.us/departments/finance/pdf/R05_68A_ProcurementPolicy.pdf http://www.conwaygreene.com/nmsu/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0 http://www.co.valencia.nm.us/departments/finance/pdf/R05_68A_ProcurementPolicy.pdf

II. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT

This section of the RFP contains the schedule for the procurement, describes the major procurement events and contains the general requirements governing the procurement.

A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

The Procurement Manager will make every effort to adhere to the following schedule:

ACTION RESPONSIBILITY DATE

1. Issue RFP Procurement Manager (PM) August 28, 2025

2. Return of “Acknowledgment of

Receipt” Form for Distribution List

Potential Offerors (PO) September 3, 2025

3. Pre-Proposal Conference PM, PO September 9, 2025

4. Deadline to Submit Additional

Questions

PO September 11, 2025

5. Response to Written Questions/

RFP Amendments

PM September 12, 2025

6. Submission of Proposal Offerors September 24, 2025

7. Proposal Evaluation Evaluation Committee (EC) September 25, 2025

11. Contract Negotiations (If needed)

Tentative winner/County September 29, 2025

12. Contract Award* Purchasing Agent/BCC* October 15, 2025

13. Protest Deadline Offerors October 30, 2025

*Contract award is subject to approval of the Board of County Commissioners.

B. EXPLANATION OF EVENTS

The following paragraphs further detail the activities listed in the sequence of events shown in

Section II, Paragraph A.

1. Issue RFP

This RFP is being issued by the Valencia County Purchasing Agent on behalf of the

County of Valencia and the Valencia County Fire Department.

2. Return of “Acknowledgment of Receipt” Form for Distribution List

Potential offerors should hand deliver or return by facsimile or e-mail or registered or certified mail the “Acknowledgement of Receipt” form that accompanies this document

(See Appendix A) to have their organization placed on the procurement distribution list.

The form should be signed by an authorized representative of the organization, dated and returned by the close of business on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of

Events), above.

The procurement distribution list will be used to notify those that submitted the form of any written responses to questions and any RFP amendments. Failure to return this form shall constitute a presumption of receipt and rejection of the RFP, and the potential offeror's organization name shall not appear on the distribution list.

3. Pre-Proposal Conference

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above at 10:00 A.M. MST in the Fire Administration Building – North Annex

Building, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas, NM 87031. Potential offerors are encouraged to submit written questions in advance of the conference to the Procurement Manager (See

Section I, Paragraph D). The identity of the organization submitting the question(s) will not be revealed. Additional written questions may be submitted at the conference. All written questions will be addressed at the conference. A public log will be kept of the names of potential offerors that attended the Pre-Proposal Conference.

Attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference is not a prerequisite for submission of a proposal but is highly recommended as questions will be answered.

4. Deadline to submit additional written questions

Potential offerors may submit additional written questions as to the intent or clarity of this RFP until 5:00 PM MDT on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. All written questions must be sent by e-mail to the Procurement Manager (See

Section I, Paragraph D.)

5. Response to written questions/RFP Amendments

Written responses to written questions and any RFP amendments will be posted to the

Valencia County Purchasing Office web site (http://www.co.valencia.nm.us/, via the

“Purchasing/Bid Opportunities” link). Notification of such posting shall be provided to all potential offerors that have returned the “Acknowledgement of Receipt” Form found at Appendix A. A new “Acknowledgement of Receipt” Form will accompany the posted distribution package. The form should be signed by the offeror's representative, dated, and hand-delivered or returned by facsimile or e-mail or by registered or certified mail by the date indicated thereon. Failure to return this form shall constitute a presumption of receipt and withdrawal from the procurement process.

6. Submission of Proposal

OFFEROR PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED FOR REVIEW AND EVALUATION

BY THE PROCUREMENT MANAGER OR DESIGNEE NO LATER THAN 2:00 PM

MDT ON THE DATE INDICATED IN SECTION II.A (SEQUENCE OF EVENTS),

ABOVE. PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DEADLINE FOR ANY

REASON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED OR CONSIDERED.

http://www.co.valencia.nm.us/

The date and time of receipt will be recorded on each proposal. Proposals must be uploaded to the Valencia County Bonfire Procurement Portal. Request For Proposals and should reference “RFP #VCR-FY26-002.” Proposals submitted by hard copy or facsimile

WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

A public log will be kept of the names of all offerors submitting proposals. Pursuant to

Section 13-1-116 NMSA 1978, the contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed to competing offerors prior to contract award.

7. Proposal Evaluation

The evaluation of proposals will be performed by an Evaluation Committee appointed by

County management. This process will take place during the time period indicated in

Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. During this time, the Procurement Manager may at his option initiate discussions with offerors who submit responsive or potentially responsive proposals for the purpose of clarifying aspects of the proposals, but proposals may be accepted and evaluated without such discussion. Discussions SHALL NOT be initiated by the Offerors.

8. Notification of Finalists

The Evaluation Committee may select and the Procurement Manager may notify finalist offerors on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. Only finalists will be invited to participate in the subsequent steps of the procurement. The Evaluation

Committee reserves the right not to utilize the finalist process if they deem it in the best interest of the County.

9. Best and Final Offers

Finalists may be asked to submit revisions to their proposals for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above.

10. Oral Presentations

Finalist offerors may be required to make an oral presentation to the Evaluation

Committee. If so required, the Procurement Manager will schedule the time for each offeror’s presentation. All presentations will be made in a location to be specified in Los

Lunas, NM 87031. Each presentation will be limited to a fixed amount of time as designated by the Procurement Manager in the Oral Presentation requirement notification.

11. Contract Negotiations

If necessary, contract negotiations shall commence with the most advantageous offeror no later than the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. In the event that mutually agreeable terms cannot be reached within the time specified, the County reserves the right to finalize a contract with the next most advantageous offeror without undertaking a new procurement process.

12. Contract Award

After review of the Evaluation Committee Report and the tentative contract, the

Purchasing Agent anticipates the Board of County Commissioners will award the contract on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. This date is subject to change at the discretion of the Purchasing Agent or the Board of County

Commissioners.

Any contract awarded shall be awarded to the offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the County, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in this RFP. The most advantageous proposal may or may not have received the most points.

13. Protest Deadline

Any protest by an offeror must be timely, in conformance with, and will be governed by

Sections 13-1-172 through 13-1-176 NMSA 1978 and Valencia County Procurement

Policy #401-01-3, Section 24. The fifteen (15) day protest period for timely offerors shall begin on the day following the contract award and will end at 5:00 PM MDT on the date indicated in Section II.A (Sequence of Events), above. Protests must be written and must include the name and address of the protestor and the Request for Proposals number. It must also contain a statement of grounds for protest including appropriate supporting exhibits, and it must specify the ruling requested from the Purchasing Agent. The protest must be delivered to the Purchasing Agent.

Attn. Rustin Porter, County Purchasing Agent

444 Luna Avenue, Suite 100

Los Lunas, New Mexico 87031

NOTE: Protests received after the deadline will not be accepted.

C. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the New Mexico Procurement Code (13-

1-28 NMSA 1978) and Valencia County Procurement Policy (#401-01-3, Resolution 2005-68).

1. Acceptance of Conditions Governing the Procurement

Offerors must indicate their acceptance of the Conditions Governing the Procurement in the letter of transmittal form (see Appendix D). Submission of a proposal constitutes acceptance of the Evaluation Factors contained in Section V of this RFP.

2. Incurring Cost

Any cost incurred by the offeror in preparation, transmittal, presentation of any proposal or material or negotiation associated with their response to this RFP shall be borne solely by the offeror.

3. Prime Contractor Responsibility

Any contract that may result from this RFP shall specify that the prime contractor is solely responsible for fulfillment of the contract with the County. The County will only make contract payments to the prime contractor.

4. Subcontractors

Use of subcontractors must be clearly explained in the proposal and each must be identified by name. The prime contractor shall be wholly responsible for contract performance whether or not subcontractors are used. Substitution of subcontractors, after contract award, must receive prior written approval of the County Purchasing Office.

5. Amended Proposals

An offeror may submit an amended proposal before the deadline for receipt of proposals.

Such amended proposals must be complete replacements for a previously submitted proposal and must be clearly identified as such in the transmittal letter. County personnel will not merge, collate, or assemble proposal materials.

6. Offerors' Rights to Withdraw Proposal

Offerors will be allowed to withdraw their proposals at any time prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals. The offeror must submit a written withdrawal request signed by the offeror's duly authorized representative addressed to the Procurement Manager. The approval or denial of withdrawal requests received after the deadline for receipt of the proposals is governed by the applicable procurement regulations.

7. Proposal Offer Firm

Responses to this RFP, including proposal prices, will be considered firm for ninety (90) days after the due date for receipt of proposals or sixty (60) days after the due date for the receipt of a best and final offer, if one is solicited.

8. Disclosure of Proposal Contents

The proposals will be kept confidential until a contract is awarded by the awarding authority. At that time, all proposals and documents pertaining to the proposals will be open to the public, except for material which is proprietary or confidential. The

Procurement Manager will not disclose or make public any pages of a proposal on which the offeror has stamped or imprinted "proprietary" or "confidential" subject to the following requirements.

Proprietary or confidential data shall be readily separable from the proposal in order to facilitate eventual public inspection of the remaining portions of the proposal. Confidential data is normally restricted to confidential financial information concerning the offeror's organization and data that qualifies as a trade secret in accordance with the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, 57-3A-I to 57-3A-7

NMSA 1978. The price of products offered or the cost of services proposed shall not be designated as proprietary or confidential information.

If a request is received for disclosure of data for which an offeror has made a written request for confidentiality, the Purchasing Agent shall examine the offeror's request and make a written determination that specifies which portions of the proposal should be disclosed. Unless the offeror takes legal action to prevent the disclosure, the proposal will be so disclosed. The proposal shall be open to public inspection subject to any continued prohibition on the disclosure of confidential data.

9. No Obligation

This procurement in no manner obligates Valencia County or any of its departments or other subdivisions to the eventual lease, purchase, etc., of any tangible personal property offered or services proposed until a valid written contract is approved by the Purchasing

Agent and other required approval authorities.

10. Termination

This RFP may be canceled at any time and any and all proposals may be rejected in whole or in part when the County determines such action to be in the best interest of the

County.

11. Sufficient Appropriation

Any contract awarded as a result of this RFP process may be terminated if sufficient appropriations or authorizations do not exist. Such termination will be effected by sending written notice to the contractor. The County's decision as to whether sufficient appropriations and authorizations are available will be accepted by the contractor as final.

12. Legal Review

The County requires that all offerors agree to be bound by the General Requirements contained in this RFP. Any offeror concerns must be promptly brought to the attention of the Procurement Manager.

13. Governing Law

This procurement and any agreement with offerors that may result shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Mexico.

14. Basis for Proposal

Only information supplied by the County in writing through the Procurement Manager or in this RFP should be used as the basis for the preparation of offeror proposals.

15. Contract Terms and Conditions

The contract between the County the contractor will follow the format specified by the

County and contain the terms and conditions set forth in Appendix B, Sample Contract.

However, the County reserves the right to negotiate with a successful offeror provisions in addition to those contained in this RFP. The contents of this RFP, as revised or supplemented, and the successful offeror's proposal will be incorporated into and become part of the contract.

Should an offeror object to any of the County’s terms and conditions, as contained in this

Section or in Appendix B, that offeror must propose specific alternative language. The

County may or may not accept the alternative language, at the County’s sole discretion.

General references to the offeror's terms and conditions or attempts at complete substitutions are not acceptable to the County and could lead to disqualification of the offeror's proposal.

Offerors must provide a brief discussion of the purpose and impact, if any, of each proposed change followed by the specific proposed alternate wording in order for the proposed alternate wording to be considered.

16. Offeror’s Terms and Conditions

Offeror’s must submit with their proposal a complete set of any additional terms and conditions which they request be included in a contract negotiated with the County. The

County may or may not accept the additional language, at the County’s sole discretion.

17. Contract Deviations

Any additional terms and conditions, which may be the subject of negotiation, will be discussed only between the County and the selected offeror and shall not be deemed an opportunity to amend the Offeror’s proposal.

18. Offeror Qualifications

The Evaluation Committee may make such investigations as necessary to determine the ability of the offeror to adhere to the requirements specified within this RFP. The

Evaluation Committee will reject the proposal of any offeror who is not a responsible offeror or fails to submit a responsive offer as defined in Sections 13-1-83 and 13-1-85

NMSA 1978.

19. Right to Waive Minor Irregularities

The Evaluation Committee reserves the right to waive minor irregularities. The

Evaluation Committee also reserves the right to waive mandatory requirements provided that all of the otherwise responsive proposals failed to meet the same mandatory requirements or doing so does not otherwise materially affect the procurement. This right is at the sole discretion of the Evaluation Committee.

20. Change in Contractor Representatives

The County reserves the right to require a change in contractor representatives if the assigned representatives are not, in the opinion of the County, meeting its needs adequately.

21. Notice

The Procurement Code, Sections 13-1-28 through 13-1-199 NMSA 1978, imposes civil and misdemeanor criminal penalties for its violation. The State of New Mexico criminal statutes also impose felony penalties for bribes, gratuities and kick-backs.

22. County Rights

The County reserves the right to accept all or a portion of an offeror's proposal.

23. Right to Publish

Throughout the duration of this procurement process and contract term, potential offeror’s and contractors must secure from the County written approval prior to the release of any information that pertains to the potential work or activities covered by this procurement or the subsequent contract. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification of the Offeror’s proposal or termination of the contract.

24. Ownership of Proposals

All documents submitted in response to the RFP shall become the property of the County.

However any technical or user documentation submitted with the proposals of non-selected offerors may be returned after the expiration of the protest period, by request, at the expense of the Offeror.

25. Ambiguity, Inconsistency or Errors in RFP

Offerors shall promptly notify the Procurement Manager, in writing, of any ambiguity, inconsistency or error which they discover upon examination of the RFP.

26. Competition

By submitting a proposal, offeror certifies that they have not, either directly or indirectly, entered into any action in restraint of full competition in connection with the proposal submitted to the County.

27. Use by Other Government Entities

By submitting a proposal, offeror indicates that they understand and agree that other government entities within the State of New Mexico, or as otherwise allowed by their governing directives, may contract for the goods or services included in this procurement document with the awarded contractor(s). Contractual engagements accomplished under this provision shall be solely between the awarded vendor and the contracting government entity with no obligation or liability by Valencia County.

28. Confidentiality

Any confidential information provided to, or developed by, the contractor in the performance of any agreement resulting from this RFP shall be kept confidential and shall not be made available to any individual or organization by the contractor without the prio written approval of the County of Valencia.

29. Electronic mail address required

A large part of the communication regarding this procurement will be conducted by electronic mail (e-mail). Offeror must have a valid e-mail address to receive this correspondence.

30. Use of Electronic Versions of this RFP

This RFP is being made available by electronic means. If accepted by such means, the offeror acknowledges and accepts full responsibility to insure that no changes are made to the RFP. In the event of conflict between a version of the RFP in the offeror’s possession and the version maintained by the County, the version maintained by the

County shall govern.

III. RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION

A. NUMBER OF RESPONSES

Offeror’s may submit only one (1) response to this RFP.

B. NUMBER OF COPIES

Offerors shall upload one (1) original proposal to the Valencia County Bonfire

Procurement Portal on or before the closing date and time for receipt of proposals.

C. PROPOSAL FORMAT

All proposals shall be typewritten and submitted electronically through the Valencia County

Bonfire software.

The proposal shall be organized and indexed in the following format and shall contain, as a minimum, all listed items in the sequence indicated.

a. Letter of Transmittal. See Section II, Paragraph C.26 for requirements.

b. Table of Contents.

c. Proposal Summary (optional).

d. Response to Mandatory Specifications.

1). Offeror’s Company Experience

2). Offeror’s Past Performance/References

3). Offeror’s Proposed Personnel Experience and Qualifications

4). Offeror’s Key Proposed Personnel References

5). Samples of Work Products

6). Other Value Added Services or Options

7). Proposal Presentation Concurrence

e. Response to the following Mandatory Specifications.

8). Financial Stability

g. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form.

h. Response to Agency Terms and Conditions.

i. Offeror's Additional Terms and Conditions.

j. Other Supporting Material.

Within each section of their proposal, Offerors should address the items in the order in which they appear in this RFP. All forms provided in the RFP shall be thoroughly completed and included in the appropriate section of the proposal. All discussion of proposed costs, rates or expenses shall occur only in binder 2 with the cost response form.

Any proposal that does not adhere to these requirements may be deemed non-responsive and rejected on that basis.

The proposal summary may be included by Offerors to provide the Evaluation Committee with an overview of the technical and business features of the proposal; however, this material will not be used in the evaluation process unless specifically referenced from other portions of the Offeror's proposal.

Offerors may include other materials that they feel may improve the quality of their responses. However, these materials should be included as items in a separate appendix.

2. Letter of Transmittal Form

The Letter of Transmittal Form at Appendix D must be completed, signed and included with the offeror’s proposal.

3. Other Supporting Materials

Offerors may attach other materials which they feel may improve the quality of their responses. However, these materials may not be reviewed by members of the Evaluation

Committee and will not be scored.

IV. SPECIFICATIONS

A. INFORMATION

1. Background

Valencia County is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to update and expand the

County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The selected contractor will employ a collaborative, data-driven approach to reduce wildfire risk, improve community resilience, and address wildfire hazards to Valencia County communities.

Project Goal

To develop an updated, expanded Valencia County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

(CWPP) through a collaborative approach that effectively addresses wildfire risks across the county.

2. Project Management

Objective 1: Engage Interested Parties and Expand Core Team

Conduct a kickoff meeting with the existing 8-member Core Team.

· Identify and engage additional stakeholders to form an expanded Core Team.

· Define project scope and finalize schedule.

Objective 2: Host Community and Core Team Workshops

Organize 3 in-person Core Team meetings:

1. Review project scope and 2018 CWPP.

2. Review WUI boundaries, base maps, updated risk assessments, and recommendations.

3. Review draft CWPP document.

Execute public outreach through:

o In-person and virtual meetings/webinars o Online surveys and social media o Local stakeholder engagement (e.g., radio interviews) o Development and dissemination of outreach materials (PowerPoints, flyers, graphics, etc.)

Objective 3: Compile Existing Data

Compile and review 2019 CWPP data and other relevant planning documents.

Revise data collaboratively with the Core Team.

Integrate new vegetation and ecological data into the 2023 CWPP.

Objective 4: Establish Community Base Maps

Revise existing CWPP maps.

Build and maintain a geodatabase.

Develop a web-based community story map with input from the Core Team.

Objective 5: Develop Community Risk Assessments

Desktop Analysis:

o Update fire behavior models and fire occurrence data post-2018.

o Revise “values at risk” data.

o Conduct IFTDSS modeling and calibrate with local expertise.

Field Assessments:

o Apply NFPA 1144 standards and verify ground fuel data.

o Collect feedback from fire departments on capabilities, concerns, and resource needs.

Objective 6: Finalize and Deliver Expanded CWPP

Review and restructure the existing CWPP.

Identify and fill plan gaps.

Incorporate new and updated data.

Define fuel treatment project priorities.

Introduce a project tracking tool.

Include the following analysis:

o Climate change scenario modeling for wildfire behavior.

o Economic damage cost modeling for vulnerable structures.

o Emergency services capacity assessment including evacuation, alerts, and support for vulnerable populations.

Objective 7: Complete Community Wildfire Story Map

Develop a user-friendly digital story map incorporating new and existing data.

3. Resident Business Preference

13-1-21 NMSA 1978 provides for preference for resident businesses under certain conditions. Sub-section “G” specifically states, “This section shall not apply when the expenditure includes federal funds for a specific purpose.” As this project is being paid for with federal funds provided by the Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land

Management designated for a specific purpose, the preference provisions of 13-1-21

NMSA 1978 do not apply to this procurement.

4. Resident Veteran Business Preference

13-1-21 NMSA 1978 provides for preference for resident businesses under certain conditions. Sub-section “G” specifically states, “This section shall not apply when the expenditure includes federal funds for a specific purpose.” As this project is being paid for with federal funds provided by the Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land

Management designated for a specific purpose, the preference provisions of 13-1-21

NMSA 1978 do not apply to this procurement.

5. Response to Requirements

Each requirement in sections IV.B.1 through IV.B.10, below, requires a vendor response, as indicated. Failure to respond to, or properly comply with, a mandatory requirement may result in the disqualification of the offeror’s proposal.

B. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

1. Letter of Transmittal Form (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

Offeror must complete and submit the “Letter of Transmittal Form”, found at Appendix

D, with their proposal. The form must be signed and dated by an individual authorized to contractually bind the firm.

2. Project Plan (250 Points)

Offeror must describe their proposed approach to addressing each aspect of the Scope of

Work required for this project. Major elements of the Scope of Work should be clearly addressed, demonstrating an understanding of the complexities and interrelationships among the different parts of the Scope of Work.

Offerors may propose a process approach that deviates in detail from the process outlined in the Scope of Work in this RFP provided that the core elements and outcomes of the

Scope of Work are addressed and the designated deadlines are met. If proposing a work approach that deviates from the prescribed Scope of Work, the burden is on the Offeror to prove that all requirements of the project, including the schedule, will be met. The

County is particularly interested in methods and techniques that will provide for the implementation of an efficient and participatory group process.

Milestones to be addressed in the Project Plan are, at a minimum, those indicated in the

Scope of Work at Appendix B, Attachment 1. The selected offeror’s Project Plan will be used as a management tool to gauge the offeror’s level of accomplishment towards completion of the project during the duration of the work effort.

3. Project Schedule (150 Points)

Offeror must prepare, and submit with their proposal, a detailed schedule of tasks to be accomplished to complete the project including task inter-dependencies as well as key milestones and deliverable dates. The Project Schedule may be incorporated into the

Project Plan (required above) but will be scored separately in accordance with the

Evaluation Criteria as found in Section V of this RFP. Milestone to be addressed in the

Project Schedule include, at a minimum, those indicated in the Scope of Work at

Attachment 1.

As with the Project Plan, the selected offeror’s Project Schedule will be used as a management tool to gauge progress towards completion of the project during the duration of the work effort.

4. Offeror (Offeror Team) Qualifications and Experience (200 Points)

The County seeks Offerors (or Offeror teams) that possesses a successful track record in planning and implementing inclusive and efficient processes for public engagement.

While experience in facilitating productive meetings is crucial, the Offeror must also be able to design and implement an integrated process that will result in the successful development of a complex set of deliverables.

Offer must describe, in narrative form, their qualifications to accomplish the activities cited within this Section IV.B.4 (especially those uniquely applicable to this project) as well as relevant experience and past record of successful performance. Offerors should especially describe their ability to manage a multi-phase public process and complete the report of recommendations in a timely and expeditious manner as well as citing prior related successes. Offerors proposing teams must also explain the role of each proposed team member and the anticipated level of involvement of each proposed team member in the overall effort.

Offeror must include the resume of the proposed Project Manager as well as the resume of the proposed Technical Lead person (if different from the Project Manager). Each resume shall be a maximum two pages in length. Resumes will not count against the proposal page limitation cited elsewhere herein.

5. References (50 Points)

Offeror must provide names and current contact information for at least two (2) public entity references for which your firm has provided similar services. Offeror must also describe the type of service provided to each and when the service was performed.

6. Insurance (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

Offeror must agree, if selected and offered the contract to perform the required work, to submit a certificate of insurance consistent with the insurance section of the attached

Contract and naming the Valencia County as additional insured. Such certificate of insurance does not have to be submitted with the Offeror’s proposal but must be provided prior to contract award. A statement of concurrence is required.

7. Capability and Agreement to Perform (0 Points – Pass/Fail Only)

Offeror certifies that they are capable and qualified to provide the products or services required by this RFP and agrees to perform the Scope of Work as specified in the contract at Appendix B. A statement of concurrence is required.

8. Oral Presentation (50 Points)

If required by the Evaluation Committee, offeror must agree to attend and participate in an oral presentation as specified by the Evaluation Committee. A statement of concurrence is required.

9. Cost (300 Points)

Offeror must complete and submit the Cost Response Form, at Appendix C, providing proposed cost for accomplishing the development and delivery of an updated and expanded Valencia County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. State gross receipts and local option taxes (if any) shall not be included in the proposed cost. Such taxes shall be separately reimbursed to the contractor by the County.

10. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form (0 Points)

Offeror must complete and sign the Appendix E, Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form – whether any applicable contribution has been made or not. This form must be submitted with your proposal whether an applicable contribution has been made or not. Note that there are two

(2) different signature sections within the form. (For purposes of this requirement, the applicable elected public officials within the County of Valencia are BCC Chair Gerard Saiz; BCC Vice-

Chair Troy Richardson; Commissioners Dante Berry, Morris Sparkman and Joseph Bizzell;

Assessor Celia Dittmaier; Clerk Michael Milam; Probate Judge Wendy Wallace; Sheriff Denise

Vigil and Treasurer Ronald Saiz.)

C. DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

There are no desirable requirements associated with this procurement.

V. EVALUATION

A. EVALUATION POINT SUMMARY

The following is a summary of evaluation factors with point value assigned to each or a Pass/Fail evaluation. These, along with the general requirements, will be used in the evaluation of individual offeror proposals.

REF. REQUIREMENT POINTS

AVAIL.

IV.C.1 Letter of Transmittal Form 0*

IV.C.2 Project Plan 250

IV.C.3 Project Schedule 150

IV.C.4 Offeror (Offeror Team) Qualifications and Experience 200

IV.C.5 References 50

IV.C.6 Insurance 0*

IV.C.7 Capability and Agreement to Perform 0*

IV.C.8 Oral Presentation 50

IV.C.9 Cost 300

IV.C.10 Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form 0*

IV.C.11 Federal Clause Signature Form 0*

TOTAL 1 1,000

TOTAL 2 Revised, if Necessary, for Preference Points

*Pass/Fail only.

B. EVALUATION FACTORS

Points will be awarded based on the evaluation factors found in V.C.1 through V.C.10, below, as indicated.

C. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

1. Letter of Transmittal Form (0 Points)

Pass/Fail only.

2. Project Plan (250 Points)

Points will be awarded based on the quality and thoroughness of the project plan as well as the clarity, strength of logic and perceived likelihood of success and its usefulness as a project management tool. Offeror’s submitted Project Plan will be compared to submittals from other offerors under this RFP for scoring purposes as well.

3. Project Schedule (150 Points)

Points will be awarded based on the quality, thoroughness, clarity and logic of the Project

Schedule and its usefulness as a project management tool. Offeror’s submitted Project

Schedule will be compared to submittals from other offerors under this RFP for scoring purposes as well.

4. Offeror (Offeror Team) Qualifications and Experience (200 Points)

Points will be awarded base on the depth and breadth of experience of the consultant

(primarily) as well as the support staff (if any). The Evaluation Committee will pay particular attention to the similarity between described experience and the work to be performed under this RFP as well as the complexity and difficulty of work described in the offeror’s response. Offeror responses will also be compared to submittals from other offerors under this RFP.

5. References (50 Points)

Points will be awarded based on the similarity of the business dealings indicated to the requirements of this RFP as well as the reference’s satisfaction in their dealings with the offeror and the provided products or services. The Evaluation Committee may call any or all of the references. Reference responses to this section will also be compared to reference responses from other offerors under this RFP.

6. Insurance (0 Points)

7. Capability and Agreement to Perform (0 Points)

8. Oral Presentation (50 Points)

9. Cost (300 Points)

Points will be awarded based on the total cost proposed on the Cost Response Form and calculated using the following formula:

Lowest Total Proposed Cost

Offeror's Points = ----------------------------------------------- X 300

This Offeror's Total Proposed Cost

10. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form (0 Points)

D. DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

There are no desirable requirements associated with this procurement.

E. OPTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. (New Mexico) Resident Business Preference

Offerors submitting a current and valid “Resident Business Certificate”, as issued by the

New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, will receive an additional 5% of the total points available as reflected on the “TOTAL 1” line of the table found in Section

V.A., above.

2. (New Mexico) Resident Veteran Business Preference

Offerors desiring to be awarded preference points as a qualifying New Mexico business must submit a current and valid “Resident Veteran Business Certificate”, as issued by the

New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, with their proposal.

F. EVALUATION PROCESS

1. Initial Review

All offeror proposals will be reviewed for compliance with the mandatory requirements stated within the RFP. Proposals deemed non-responsive to any mandatory requirement will be eliminated from further consideration.

2. Clarifications

The Procurement Manager may contact the offeror for clarification of the response as specified in Section II, Paragraph B.7.

3. Other Information Sources

The Evaluation Committee may use other sources of information to perform the evaluation as specified in Section II, Paragraph C.18.

4. Resident Business/Contractor Preference

13-1-21 NMSA 1978 provides for preference for resident businesses and contractors under certain conditions. If applicable, the preference will be provided to those offerors that have provided a valid resident business preference certificate or a valid resident contractor certificate with their proposal, as required by 13-1-22 NMSA 1978.

5. Scoring and Contract Award Recommendation

Responsive proposals will be evaluated and assigned a point value based on the factors in

Section V. Finalist offerors who are asked and choose to submit revised proposals for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers will have their points recalculated accordingly.

The responsible offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the County, taking into consideration the evaluation factors in Section V, will be recommended for contract award to the Purchasing Agent, and any other required approving authorities, as specified in Section II, Paragraph B.12. Please note, however, that a serious deficiency in the response to any one factor may be grounds for rejection regardless of overall score.

APPENDIX A

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT FORM

Request for Proposals

PREPARATION AND DELIVERY

OF AN UPDATED AND EXPANDED VALENCIA COUNTY COMMUNITY

WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN

Valencia County RFP #VCR-FY26-002

In acknowledgment of receipt of this Request for Proposal, the undersigned agrees that he/she has received a complete copy, beginning with the title page and table of contents, and ending with Appendix E.

The acknowledgment of receipt should be signed and returned (by fax, e-mail, courier or hand delivery) to the Procurement Manager no later than September 3, 2025.

The firm listed below does/does not (circle one) intend to respond to this Request for Proposals.

FIRM: _____________________________________________________________________

REPRESENTED BY: _______________________ TITLE:___________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________

PHONE NO.:________________________ FAX NO.:______________________________

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________

CITY: _________________________ STATE: ______ ZIP CODE: ____________________

SIGNATURE: ______________________________________ DATE:__________________

This name and address will be used for all correspondence related to the Request for Proposals.

Please return to:

Rustin Porter

444 Luna Ave, Suite 100

Los Lunas, NM 87031

Phone: (505) 866-2005

Fax: (505) 866-2424

E-mail: rustin.porter@valencianm.gov

APPENDIX B

SAMPLE CONTRACT

VALENCIA COUNTY

CONTRACT #VCR-FY26-002

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into by and between the County of Valencia, _________________________, hereinafter referred to as the "County" and NAME OF

CONTRACTOR, hereinafter referred to as the…