19-RFP-2413542877-RMT-DPS-NCEM SERT Exercise Services.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Request for Proposal #: 19-RFP-2413542877-RMT

NC Emergency Management SERT Exercise Services

Date of Issue: October 14, 2026

Proposal Opening Date: November 5, 2026

At 2 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Morgan Rilling

Contract Specialist

Email: morgan.rilling@ncdps.gov

Ver: 07/2026

Request for Proposal #

19-RFP-2413542877-RMT

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register athttps://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Proposal Number: 19-RFP-2413542877-RMT Vendor: __________________________________________

Ver: 07/2026

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Morgan Rilling morgan.rilling@ncdps.gov

Request for Proposal #: 19-RFP-2413542877-RMT Proposals will be publicly opened: November 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET Microsoft Teams meeting Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/246682122265379?p=UtqLRy1V56FN5NYmtP Meeting ID: 246 682 122 265 379 Passcode: Uk6Ev9w9

Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 984-204-1487,,840665768# United States, Raleigh Find a local number Phone conference ID: 840 665 768# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: ncgov@m.webex.com Video ID: 118 854 566 8 More info

Using Agency: NCDPS NCEM Commodity No. and Description: 861018 In Service training and manpower development Requisition No.: RQ313265

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

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By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred and twenty 120 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Department of Public Safety)

Ver: 09/2026 3

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.3 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.4 REFERENCES

4.5 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.6 PERSONNEL

4.7 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.8 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.9 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.10 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

4.11 SUBCONTRACTORS

4.12 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

Ver: 09/2026 4

5.1 GENERAL

5.2 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

5.3 SPECIFICATIONS

5.4 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.5 TECHNICAL APPROACH

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER

6.2 INVOICES

6.3 POST AWARD BUSINESS REVIEW MEETINGS

6.4 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.6 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.7 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.8 CONTRACT CHANGES

ATTACHMENT: COST PROPOSAL

ATTACHMENT: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, & COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Ver: 09/2026 5

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to receive competitive proposals from qualified vendors to provide the North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) Exercise Branch with technical knowledge and expertise regarding the design, development, conduct and evaluation of all-hazards discussion-based and operations-based exercises utilizing the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) and may award multiple vendors in fulfillment of the contract.

The Vendor should also have technical and operational knowledge of the response capabilities necessary for effective all-hazards response and recovery, and a proven methodology for assessing the 32 core capabilities in all five (5) mission areas of the National Preparedness Goal. The Vendor should have the ability to review current local, regional, private, tribal and state plans to develop appropriate and relevant HSEEP consistent exercise scenarios and related exercise planning documents utilizing those plans as the basis for effective evaluation.

A division of the NC Department of Public Safety, North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) is located at the Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, NC. There are three (3) Regional Coordination Centers (RCCs) that serve as NCEM field-based offices which are located in Hudson, Burlington, and Kinston, NC.

Background:

The mission of NCEM is to lead a whole community approach to build a prepared North Carolina. Part of this role is to assist the state with designing and conducting exercises. By utilizing the HSEEP doctrine, the NCEM Exercise Branch requires assistance with the design, conduct and evaluation of the State Emergency Response Team’s (SERT) statewide exercise series.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”).

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

Ver: 09/2026 6

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State October 14, 2026 Submit Written Questions

Vendor October 21, 2026

Provide Response to Questions

State October 26, 2026

Submit Proposals Vendor November 5, 2026 by 2 PM ET Microsoft Teams meeting Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/246682122265379?p=UtqLRy1V56FN5NYmtP Meeting ID: 246 682 122 265 379 Passcode: Uk6Ev9w9

Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 984-204-1487,,840665768# United States, Raleigh Find a local number Phone conference ID: 840 665 768# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: ncgov@m.webex.com Video ID: 118 854 566 8 More info

Contract Award State TBD

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section of this RFP. Vendors will enter “19-RFP-2413542877-RMT – Questions” as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received.

Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET.

Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

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Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal.

Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

b) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

c) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

d) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. 4.12 Secretary of State Registration, 6.1 Customer Service.

e) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: COST PROPOSAL

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

h) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION https://evp.nc.gov/

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i) Completed and signed version of CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and

OMB STANDARD FORM LLL

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #19-RFP-2413542877-RMT”. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to multiple vendors, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled

COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

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3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids are authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of "Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement.

A ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement using evaluation criteria listed in order of importance in the Evaluation Criteria section below to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor(s) providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with, or traded-off against, other non-price factors.

EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in descending order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

1. Vendor Qualifications/Experience (Section 4.3)

2. Project Organization (Section 5.4)

3. Vendor Technical Approach (Section 5.5)

4. Pricing (Attachment: Pricing)

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3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.1.1 Import Tariff Temporary Surcharge

Pricing shall be exclusive of any pending tariffs or temporary tariff surcharge. Vendor may request a temporary tariff surcharge in ATTACHMENT: PRICING SUBMITTAL WORKBOOK as a charge separate from the contract price. Any temporary tariff surcharge(s) associated with purchases shall be provided by way of a percentage tariff surcharge. All tariff surcharges proposed are intended to be temporary and based on current tariff implications specific to related commodities with evidence of submitted documentation of affected MSRP products. Vendor understands that the agency may request additional justification. Any temporary tariff surcharge percentage will be negotiated and mutually agreed upon. The state is not obligated to accept any proposed import tariff surcharge. Proposed tariff surcharges may be used as a factor for evaluation and award.

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform

Ver: 09/2026 11 its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.3 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

4.4 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. References shall not be from the same company or from the soliciting State entity. . In addition, Vendor shall provide references for and identify other government contracts it has received, for which your company has provided services of similar size and scope. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.5 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

4.6 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.7 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a

Ver: 09/2026 12 resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.8 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing the ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION.

4.9 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases

☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00

☐ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

4.10 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

Federal law prohibits recipients of federal funds, whether through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, from using those funds to influence or attempt to influence (lobby) a federal official in connection with obtaining, extending, or modifying any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement. Further, federal law requires that applicants for federal funds certify:

• that they abide by the above restrictions;

• that they disclose any permissible (non-federal) paid lobbying on the Federal Awards being applied for; and

• that such certification requirements will also be included in any subawards meeting the applicable thresholds.

Vendors must complete and submit the CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and the OMB STANDARD FORM LLL when responding to this solicitation.

4.11 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

4.12 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State.

Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award. No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

https://www.sosnc.gov/

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Vendor registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes☐ No ☐

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL

This Scope of Work provides a general framework for North Carolina’s State Emergency Response Team (SERT) Exercise Series.

The Vendor will develop and maintain an a la carte menu of exercise options that NCEM may select from at any time. This structure is intended to provide maximum flexibility and will not commit NCEM to any specific exercise plan, schedule, or year-long model. Exercises may be quarterly, annual, tabletop, functional, graded or evaluated, and may be conducted in-person, remotely, or in hybrid format. NCEM will choose any combination of exercise options based on operational priorities and resource availability, with each exercise scoped, scheduled, and delivered independently.

This work includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:

a) Develop and submit a detailed initial project plan outlining the steps necessary to complete exercise design tasks, including timeline, methodology, and staffing requirements.

b) Facilitate a series of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)-aligned design and planning meetings with NCEM Project Leads, the Planning Team, and Exercise Working Group members.

c) Design, develop, evaluate, and conduct after-action review activities for up to three (3) quarterly exercises and one (1) two-day functional exercise at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and three (3) Regional Coordination Centers (RCC). Exercises may include discussion-based or operations-based formats. Development tasks may include coordination with NCEM Senior Staff, NCEM Functional Leads, RCC Managers, and Working Group members, incorporating Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs), previously identified lessons learned, and areas for improvement.

d) Design, develop, and conduct the after-action review and produce the after-action report for the full SERT exercise series, including all quarterly and functional exercises.

e) Develop and submit project closeout materials to support NCEM’s transition of final exercise planning, conduct, and evaluation deliverables.

5.2 TASKS/DELIVERABLES

The selected Vendor will design, develop, facilitate, and evaluate exercises that may include:

Up to three quarterly exercises conducted at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and three Regional Coordination Centers (RCCs). These exercises may be a Table Top Exercise and/or small scale functional exercise lasting from six to eight hours.

One (1) two-day functional exercise conducted at the SEOC and all RCCs.

Associated planning meetings, after-action reviews, and documentation.

The Vendor will work directly with the NCEM Contract Administrator (or designee) to coordinate schedules, requirements, approvals, data collection, and deliverables.

Technical Requirements

Project Planning and Documentation Requirements

The Vendor shall:

Develop and submit an initial project plan that includes:

• Detailed methodology for exercise design and evaluation

• Activity flow and task steps

• Project timeline with milestones

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• Staffing plan, roles, and responsibilities

Provide weekly written progress updates to the NCEM Contract Administrator.

Submit all draft and final documents for NCEM review and approval before moving into subsequent phases.

Develop final project closeout materials summarizing all deliverables, findings, and transition recommendations.

Exercise Design and Planning Requirements

The Vendor shall:

Facilitate HSEEP-aligned meetings including:

• Project kickoff meeting

• Initial planning meeting

• Midterm planning meeting

• Final planning meeting

Support and coordinate planning efforts with:

• NCEM Project Leads

• NCEM Planning Team

• NCEM Senior Staff

• Functional Leads for SEOC sections

• RCC Managers

• Exercise Working Group

Ensure all planning sessions result in clear and actionable:

• Exercise objectives

• Core capability targets

• Scenario content and operational injects

• Data collection strategy and evaluator guidance

Exercise Development Requirements

The contractor shall develop all elements necessary for exercise conduct, including:

Exercise Evaluation Guides (EEGs) for all participating areas.

Master Scenario Events Lists (MSELs) for operations-based exercises.

Controller/Evaluator handbooks, briefing materials, and job aids.

Participant materials such as Situation Manuals, Exercise Plans, Situation Materials (SitMats), exercise overview briefs, maps, and reference documents.

Coordinate online exercise participant registration forms

Develop and distribute electronic exercise marketing documentation, to include “Save the Date” notification documents to stakeholders

Integration of:

• Lessons learned from previous SERT or RCC exercises

• Previously identified areas for improvement

• NCEM priorities and state-level emergency response objectives

All exercise materials must be compliant with HSEEP standards.

Exercise Conduct Requirements

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The Vendor shall:

Facilitate and support three (3) quarterly exercises (discussion-based and/or operations-based) at:

• State Emergency Operations Center

• Three (3) Regional…