2-RFPDOC 6000003304.pdf

PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT

4 WORLD TRADE CENTER, 21ST FL.

150 GREENWICH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10007

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ISSUE DATE: 4/29/2026

TITLE: FEDERALLY FUNDED - DEVELOPMENT AND FACILITATION

OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING, AND EXERCISE

PROGRAM ON INCIDENT COMMAND AND INCIDENT

MANAGEMENT FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT (OEM) – FIVE YEAR (5) CONTRACT

RFP NO.: 6000003304

Refer to Section E. “Submission of Proposals” for submission instructions.

PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING: 5/4/2026 TIME: 1:30 P.M. (ET)

QUESTIONS DUE BY: 5/8/2026 TIME: 2:00 P.M. (ET)

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: 5/15/2026 TIME: 2:00 P.M. (ET)

BUYER NAME: STEVEN JOSEPH PHONE NO.: (212) 435-4609

EMAIL: stjoseph@panynj.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

1. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS ON THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

A. General Information: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

B. Brief Summary of Scope of Work

C. Deadline for Receipt of Proposals

D. Vendor Profile

E. Submission of Proposals

F. Communications Regarding this RFP

G. Proposal Acceptance or Rejection

H Union Jurisdiction

I City Payroll Tax

J. Pre-Proposal Meeting

K. Additional proposer Information

L. Personnel Assurance Program and Contractor Staff Background Screening

M. Automated Clearing House Enrollment

N. Safe Vehicle Operation

O. Federal Requirements

2. SCOPE OF WORK

3. PROPOSER PREREQUISITES

4. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND RANKING

6. PROVIDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY; MINORITY BUSINESSES, WOMEN-OWNED

BUSINESSES AND SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN OWNED BUINESSES

REQUIREMENTS

7. CERTIFICATION OF RECYCLED MATERIALS PROVISION

8. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. Letter of Transmittal

B. Executive Summary

C. Agreement on Terms of Discussion – Attachment A

D. Certifications With Respect to the Contractor’s Integrity Provisions

E. Code of Ethics for Port Authority Vendors

F. Documentation of Proposer Prerequisites

G. Proposal Submission

H. Acknowledgment of Addenda

I. Acceptance of Standard Contract Terms and Conditions

J. Proposer Reference Form - Attachment C

K. Minority, Women-Owned and Service-disabled Veteran Owned Business Enterprises

L. Statement Of Subcontractor Payments – Attachment D

M. Certification of Environmentally Preferrable Products/Practices -Attachment F

N. Federal Submission R

9. CONDITIONS FOR THE SUBMISSION OF A PROPOSAL

A. Changes to this RFP

B. Proposal Preparation Costs

C. Disclosure of Proposal Contents / Use of Ideas and Materials

D. Ownership of Submitted Materials

E. Subcontractors

F. Conflict of Interest

G. Authorized Signature

H. References

I. Evaluation Procedures and Negotiation

J. Taxes and Costs

K. Most Advantageous Proposal/No Obligation to Award

L. Multiple Contract Awards

M. Right to Extend Contract

N. Rights of the Port Authority

O. No Personal Liability

10. ATTACHMENTS…………………………………………………………………...,….. 24

11. ATTACHMENT A…………………………………………………………………

12. ATTACHMENT B………………………………………………………………………..26

13. ATTACHMENT C…………………………………………………………………

14. ATTACHMENT D…………………………………………………………………

15. ATTACHMENT E……………………………………………………………………….54

16. ATTACHMENT F……………………………………………………………………….55

17. ATTACHMENT G………………………………………………………………………59

18. ATTACHMENT H………………………………………………………………………60

19. EXHIBIT I……………………………………………………………………………….61

1. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS ON THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

A. General Information: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (the “Port Authority” or the “Authority”) is an agency of the States of New York and New Jersey, created and existing by virtue of the Compact of April 30, 1921, made by and between the two States, and thereafter consented to by the Congress of the United States. It is charged with providing transportation, terminal and other facilities of trade and commerce within the Port District. The Port District comprises and area of about 1,500 square miles in both States, centering about New York Harbor. The Port District includes the Cities of New York and Yonkers in New York State, and the cities of Newark, Jersey City, Bayonne, Hoboken and Elizabeth in the State of New Jersey, and over 200 other municipalities, including all or part of seventeen counties, in the two States. Authority or Authority), see www.panynj.gov. Additionally, the most recent electronic version of the Authority’s Annual Report is available at http://www.panynj.gov/corporate-information/annual-reports.html.

The Port Authority is hereby seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide an emergency management training and exercise program focused on incident command and incident management supporting all Port Authority facilities and properties as more fully described herein.

B. Brief Summary of Scope of Work

The Port Authority is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide an emergency management training and exercise program focused on incident command and incident management supporting all Port Authority facilities and properties to include, but not be limited to, designing, developing, delivering, maintaining, and supporting all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) compliant methods and forms of Training and Exercise (e.g.

tabletop exercises, functional exercises, full-scale exercises, etc.) to ensure compliance with various federal regulations and meet agency needs. The program will consist of a subject matter expert (SME) support team to assist in the development and execution of regional full-scale exercises, functional exercises, tabletop exercises, and to provide Facilitators, Controllers, and Evaluators for the aforementioned exercises. The selected firm will also develop and deliver incident command post and incident management classroom training courses. All trainings and exercises may be located at any of the Port Authority’s airports, tunnels, bridges, terminals, PATH train system, or any of the Authority’s commercial properties (collectively referred to as Port Authority facilities).

The SME support team will consist of six (6) full-time staff.

The Port Authority is seeking Proposals from firms interested in providing emergency management training services to include but not be limited to designing, developing, delivering, maintaining, and supporting in-person training. The proposer shall provide Facilitators, Controllers, and Evaluators for the aforementioned exercises.

Additionally, the proposer will be responsible for the development and implementation http://www.panynj.gov/ http://www.panynj.gov/corporate-information/annual-reports.html http://www.panynj.gov/corporate-information/annual-reports.html of any additional emergency management or incident command courses that may be requested by the Port Authority during the contract term.

The Term of this agreement for a five (5) year “Base Period” commencing on or about November 1, 2026.

C. Deadline for Receipt of Proposals

The due date specified on the cover page is the Proposal Due Date. Closing of due date is 2:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time (EST)

D. Vendor Profile

To ensure maximum opportunities, it is vitally important that proposers keep their vendor profiles up to date with an appropriate e-mail address, as this will enable their firm to receive timely notice of advertisements, reminders, solicitations and addenda.

proposers may update their vendor profile or register as a Port Authority Vendor by accessing the online registration system at https://www.paprocure.com.

E. Submission of Proposals

The Port Authority has transitioned to an entirely digital submission process for the receipt of proposals in response to Requests for Proposals, as detailed below.

proposers are advised that their digital proposals must be in a readable format, either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF.

proposers shall be allowed to submit modifications to proposals or withdraw previously submitted proposals electronically up to, but not after, the time of the Proposal Due Date. If a proposer wishes to withdraw or modify a previously submitted proposal prior to the Proposal Due Date, it must clearly identify such communication as either a “Modified Proposal” or “Request to Withdraw”.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS CAREFULLY.

proposers assume all responsibility for delays or problems in delivery. The Port Authority has temporarily ceased public proposal openings and will allow for the electronic submission of Proposals.

proposers are advised that their Proposals must be electronically submitted as a readable Adobe PDF or in the format as provided by the Port Authority. The Port Authority shall only accept Proposals in electronic format until 2:00 P.M. ET on the Proposal Due Date.

The Port Authority will allow for the digital submission of certain Proposals using the Bonfire platform, accessible via the link https://panynj.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=login proposers MUST register in order to download the solicitation documents and associated information regarding the referenced solicitation and in order to upload https://www.paprocure.com/

Proposal submissions. Registration on the Bonfire platform requires a separate and distinct registration from all other Port Authority platforms.

THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC PROPOSAL OPENINGS AND HAND

DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. RFP results will be posted to the Port Authority’s website as soon as they are available.

Sealed Proposals for the referenced solicitation will be received by the Port Authority any time up to but not later than the due date and time indicated in the solicitation document. The Port Authority will accept only those Proposals in electronic format, and in the same readable Adobe PDF or in the format as provided by the Port Authority.

Proposal submissions will be accepted by upload only at https://panynj.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=login and must be uploaded timely so as to be received by the Authority by the deadline in order to be considered.

Hand deliveries and mailed deliveries (e.g., UPS, USPS) will not be accepted. The Port Authority may request an original, signed paper submission at any time following the Proposal Due Date. If requested, such original, signed paper submission must be identical to the electronic submission. In the event of a discrepancy, the electronic submission shall control.

Questions concerning Bonfire may be addressed to the contact provided on the Bonfire platform.

Questions concerning this solicitation shall be addressed only to the Buyer.

F. Communications Regarding this RFP

All communications concerning this RFP should be directed to the Buyer listed on the cover page. All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing to the Buyer at the email address listed on the cover page no later than the date and time listed on the cover page.

The Buyer is authorized only to direct the attention of prospective proposers to various portions of this RFP so that they may read and interpret such portions themselves.

Neither the Buyer nor any other employee of the Port Authority is authorized to interpret the provisions of this RFP or give additional information as to its requirements. If interpretation or other information is required, it will be communicated to proposers by written addenda and such writing shall form a part of this RFP.

G. Proposal Acceptance or Rejection

Acceptance shall be only by mailing to or electronically delivering at the office or email address designated by the proposer in its proposal, a notice in writing signed by an authorized representative on behalf of the Port Authority specifically stating that the proposal is accepted or by execution of an agreement covering the subject matter of this RFP signed by authorized representatives of the Port Authority and the proposer.

No other act of the Port Authority, its Commissioners, officers, agents, representatives, or employees shall constitute acceptance of a proposal. Rejection of a proposal shall be only by either (a) a notice in writing specifically stating that the proposal is not accepted, signed by an authorized representative of the Port Authority and mailed to or delivered electronically to the proposer at the office or email address designated in the Proposal, or (b) omission of the Port Authority to accept the proposal within 180 days after the Proposal Due Date. No other act of the Port Authority, its Commissioners, officers, agents, representatives or employees shall constitute rejection of a proposal.

H. Union Jurisdiction proposers are advised to ascertain whether any union now represented or not represented at the facility will claim jurisdiction over any aspect of the operations to be performed hereunder and their attention is directed to the Section of this RFP entitled “Harmony” included in the “Standard Contract Terms and Conditions” hereunder.

I. City Payroll Tax

Proposers should be aware of the payroll tax imposed by the:

a. City of Newark, New Jersey for services performed in Newark, New Jersey

b. City of New York, New York for services performed in New York, New York;

and

c. City of Yonkers, New York for services performed in Yonkers, New York.

These taxes, if applicable, are the sole responsibility of the Contractor. proposers should consult their tax advisors as to the effect, if any, of these taxes. The Port authority provides this notice for informational purposes only and is not responsible for either the imposition or administration of such taxes. The Port Authority exemption set forth in the Paragraph entitled “Sales or Compensating Use Taxes”, in the “Standard Contract Terms and Conditions” included herein, does not apply to these taxes.

J. Pre-Proposal Meeting

The Port Authority will conduct a Pre-Proposal Meeting via Microsoft Teams on Monday, May 4, 2026, from 12:00 P.M. ET to 1:00 P.M. ET to discuss the solicitation documents and requirements. Parties interested in attending the Microsoft Teams Pre- Proposal Meeting shall email the Buyer, Steven Joseph at stjoseph@panynj.gov and snelson@panynj.gov address no later than 3:00 P.M. ET of the business day preceding the scheduled Pre-Proposal Meeting date. You will receive a Microsoft Teams invitation via email, which you must “Accept”.

Any questions concerning this RFP should be submitted in writing prior to the meeting so that the Port Authority may prepare responses in advance of the meeting. Additional questions may be permitted at the meeting; however, responses may be deferred and provided at a later date by written addenda.

mailto:stjoseph@panynj.gov mailto:snelson@panynj.gov

K. Additional proposer Information

Prospective Proposers are advised that additional vendor information, including, but not limited to forms, documents and other information, including protest procedures, may be found on the Port Authority website at:

http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/become-vendor.html

L. Personnel Assurance Program and Contractor Staff Background Screening

The Contractor awarded this Contract may be required to have its staff, and any subcontractor’s staff working under this Contract, authorize the Authority or its designee to perform background checks. Such authorization shall be in a form acceptable to the Authority. The Contractor and any subcontractors may also be required to use an organization designated by the Authority to perform the background checks. The cost for said background checks for staff that pass and are granted a credential may be reimbursable to the Contractor and its subcontractors as an out-of-pocket expense. Costs for staff that are rejected for a credential for any reason are not reimbursable.

Such background checks shall be performed through the Authority’s personnel assurance program provider. The Secure Worker Access Consortium (“S.W.A.C.”) is the only Port Authority approved provider to be used to conduct background screening, except as otherwise required by federal law and/or regulation. Information about S.W.A.C., instructions, corporate enrollment, online applications, and location of processing centers can be found at http://www.secureworker.com, or S.W.A.C. may be contacted directly at (877) 522-7922.

M. Automated Clearing House Enrollment

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has transitioned to an electronic method of paying its vendors, contractors and consultants via an Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) funds transfer. It is the Port Authority’s expectation that all vendors, contractors and consultants will be paid via an ACH funds transfer. To avoid delays in payment, vendors, contractors, and consultants should enroll in ACH and complete the Port Authority’s “Authorization Agreement for Direct Deposits and Direct Payments (ACH Credits)” form, which is available at https://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/pdf/Vendor-ACH-auth-form.pdf. The Authorization Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the Port Authority has received written notification from the vendor, contractor or consultant of its termination in such time and in such manner as to afford the Port Authority and the depository financial institution(s) a reasonable opportunity to act on it. Any questions on this process may be directed to the Comptrollers Department ACH Enrollments contact line at (201) 216-6002 or emailed to

ACHENROLLMENT@PANYNJ.GOV.____________________________________

N. Safe Vehicle Operation The proposer may be required to demonstrate that it has a satisfactory Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety record and vehicle maintenance program. If applicable, the Proposer shall submit this safety information as may be required by the Port Authority, including, but not limited to:

1. Information about their overall FMCSA safety program;

http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/become-vendor.html http://www.secureworker.com/ mailto:ACHENROLLMENT@PANYNJ.GOV

2. Information about their drivers training program;

3. Information about their vehicle maintenance program;

4. Results of Commercial Vehicle inspections;

5. Information about actions taken to remedy safety issues and violations.

The determination that the Proposer’s safety record and safety programs are satisfactory will be made by the Port Authority at its sole discretion.

O. Federal Requirements This Agreement may be funded, in whole or in part, by the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES),and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA).

As a result, the Contractor (and its sub-contractors) agree to comply with the applicable FEMA requirements, special grant conditions and all other federal, state and local laws that are or may become applicable to this agreement. The current FEMA Requirements are set forth in Attachment G of this Agreement. The Port Authority reserves the right to update these terms at any time in accordance with any updates made by FEMA.

Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, all applicable grant requirements and all applicable federal, state and local laws shall be deemed to control in the event of a conflict with the terms of this Agreement.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The Port Authority is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide an emergency management training and exercise program focused on incident command and incident management supporting all Port Authority facilities and properties to include, but not be limited to, designing, developing, delivering, maintaining, and supporting all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) compliant methods and forms of Training and Exercise (e.g. tabletop exercises, functional exercises, full-scale exercises, etc.) to ensure compliance with various federal regulations. The program will consist of a subject matter expert (SME) support team to assist in the development and execution of regional full-scale exercises, functional exercises, tabletop exercises, and to provide Facilitators, Controllers, and Evaluators for the aforementioned exercises. The selected firm will also develop and deliver incident command post and incident management classroom training courses. All trainings and exercises may be located at any of the Port Authority’s airports, tunnels, bridges, terminals, PATH train system, or any of the Authority’s commercial properties (collectively referred to as Port Authority facilities).

The SME support team will consist of six (6) full-time staff.

3. PROPOSER PREREQUISITES

Only proposers who can demonstrate that they comply with the following should submit proposals as only proposals from such proposers will be considered:

A. The proposer shall have had at least five (5) years of continuous experience immediately prior to the date of the submission of a proposal in the management and operation of developing scenarios based on comprehensive emergency management training and exercise programs focusing on incident command and incident management using the incident command system in accordance with FEMA’s National Preparedness Goals and have legitimately engaged in providing these services to commercial, industrial, and/or government accounts under contract.

The Proposer may fulfill this prerequisite if it can be demonstrated that the persons or entities owning and controlling the proposer have had a cumulative total of at least the same number of years and type of direct continuous experience immediately prior to the submission of this proposal as is required of the proposer or has owned and controlled other entities which meet the requirement.

B. During the time period stated in (A) above, the proposer shall demonstrate satisfactory performance of at least two (2) contracts for similar services such as command post training and full-scale exercises of similar scope of those required under this contract.

C. The proposer shall demonstrate that it has earned gross revenues of at least One Million

Dollars ($1,000,000) for the last fiscal or calendar year prior to the submission of its proposal from the type of services described herein.

D. In the event a proposal is submitted by a joint venture the foregoing prerequisites will be considered with respect to such Proposal as follows:

With respect to subparagraph (A) and (B) above, the prerequisite will be considered satisfied if the joint venture itself, or any of its participants individually, can meet the requirements.

With respect to subparagraph (C) the gross income of the joint venture itself may meet the prerequisites or the gross income of the participants in the joint venture may be considered cumulatively to meet the prerequisite.

If the proposal is submitted by a common law joint venture, a joint venture that has not been established as a distinct legal entity, each participant of the joint venture shall be held jointly and severally liable and must individually execute and perform all acts required by this proposal. Documents signed by a common law joint venture, in connection with this proposal, shall include the names of all participants of the joint venture followed by the words “acting jointly and severally”. All joint venture proposers must provide documentation of their legal status.

All Proposers must include documentation that they meet the above prerequisites. By furnishing this solicitation document to proposers, the Port Authority has not made a determination that the proposers have met the prerequisites or have otherwise been deemed qualified to perform the services. In addition, a determination that a proposer has met the prerequisites is no assurance that they will be deemed qualified in connection with other proposal requirements included herein.

4. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The Proposer will be required to demonstrate that it is financially capable of performing the contract resulting from this RFP (“Contract”). The determination of the proposer’s financial qualifications and ability to perform this Contract will be in the sole discretion of the Port Authority. The proposer shall submit, with its proposal, the following:

A. (1) Certified financial statements, including applicable notes, reflecting the Proposer’s assets, liabilities, net worth, revenues, expenses, profit or loss and cash flow for the past three (3) years

(2) Where the certified financial statements in (1) above are not available, then reviewed statements from an independent accountant setting forth the aforementioned information shall be provided.

Where the statements submitted pursuant to subparagraphs (1) and (2) aforementioned do not cover a period which includes a date not more than forty-five days prior to the Proposal Due Date, then the Proposer shall also submit a statement in writing, signed by an executive officer or his/her designee, that the present financial condition of the Proposer is at least as good as that shown on the statements submitted.

B. A statement of work which the Proposer has on hand, including any work on which a bid and/or proposal has been submitted, containing a description of the work, the annual dollar value, the location by City and State, the current percentage of completion, the expected date for completion, and the name of an individual most familiar with the Proposer’s work on these jobs.

C. The name and address of the Proposer’s banking institution, chief banking representative handling the Proposer’s account, the Proposer’s Federal Employer Identification Number (i.e., the number assigned to firms by the Federal Government for tax purposes), the Proposer’s Dun and Bradstreet number, if any, the name of any credit service to which the Proposer furnished information and the number, if any, assigned by such service to the Proposer’s account.

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND RANKING

All proposals will be reviewed by the Port Authority to determine if they adhere to the format required in this RFP, if they contain all required submissions and if the proposer meets the prerequisites required for submission of a Proposal. For proposals meeting such requirements, the following criteria, set forth in order of importance, will be utilized in the evaluation of proposals.

A. Overall Experience

The degree and extent to which the proposer and its management have relevant and demonstrated successful experience furnishing guidance and planning support in organizing and facilitating interagency, multi-disciplinary working groups, providing Facilitators to assist in the delivery of regional full-scale exercises, and developing Incident Command Post (ICP) courses for all-hazards large-scale or catastrophic incidents (natural, intentional, technological, or terrorism) designed for a specific jurisdiction.

Special emphasis will be given to the extent the proposer has demonstrated a high degree of performance in past contracts involving regional full-scale exercises and ICP course development and delivery. The evaluation will consider the extent to which the proposer, and the managerial and supervisory personnel proposed to be dedicated to this contract, have experience implementing and managing similar services in comparable environments, utilizing staff comparable in size and scope to that required for the services to be provided hereunder.

Assessment will also include the Proposer’s overall technical expertise and industry record of accomplishment, including internal development processes, financial stability, reputation for delivering similar projects, and demonstrated ability to provide ongoing program support. The proposer’s staffing capacity and diversity, required staff certifications, and the capability of its managerial, technical, and physical resources to deliver services at multiple facilities will be evaluated.

The experience of the Proposer’s senior management team in managing emergency management training program employees and administering employee management programs will also be reviewed, including, but not limited to: quality assurance and quality control programs; disciplinary procedures; staff planning; timely payroll and invoice processing; recruiting procedures and maintenance of a stable and diverse workforce; and utilization of technological advances in security training programs.

The Proposer’s reputation as reflected in provided references, as well as prior compliance and responsiveness on other contracts with the Port Authority and its subsidiaries, if any, will be considered.

Proposers must describe how they meet or exceed the Contractor Administrator Security Certification requirements as stated in Attachment B – Scope of Work, including identification of which proposed personnel maintain specific certifications and submission of copies of active certifications.

B. Staffing and Management Approach

The clarity, completeness, and feasibility of the Proposal, including the Proposer’s overall management philosophy, approach, and strategy for delivering and implementing the contemplated services. This includes proposed service standards, operational concepts, and procedures to ensure a high level of service and quality in training and exercise programs, as well as the effectiveness of the proposed Training Program and methodology for emergency management and incident command instruction.

The experience of the Proposer’s senior management team in managing emergency management training program employees and administering employee management programs, including, but not limited to: quality assurance and quality control programs; disciplinary procedures; staff planning; timely payroll and invoice processing; recruiting procedures and maintenance of a stable and diverse workforce; and utilization of technological advances in security training programs.

The Proposer’s labor and supervisory staffing model, staffing capacity, and deployment strategy, including the ability to immediately replace the incumbent, if required, in a manner that maintains or improves service quality and continuity. The initial rollout and deployment plan will be assessed, including critical milestones, deliverables, associated schedules, and overall transition-in and transition-out plans, with emphasis on viability, effectiveness, and timeline.

The Proposer’s recruiting and retention procedures, plan to minimize employee turnover, workforce planning strategies, employee training programs, and commitment to maintaining a safe work environment, including but not limited to security and OSHA safety training, quality assurance and control programs, disciplinary procedures, workforce planning, recruiting procedures and maintenance of a stable workforce , utilization of technological advances in emergency management training and incident command instruction and contract management, as well as the use of relevant metrics, analysis, data calculations, graphs, and other supporting documentation demonstrating program oversight and continuous improvement.

The Proposer’s insurance compliance, including but not limited to general liability, automobile liability, workers’ compensation, professional liability, and cyber liability coverage for this contract and any other contracts with the Port Authority and its subsidiaries, if applicable. It will further evaluate adherence to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, as well as compliance with relevant industry standards and Port Authority standards and guidelines.

The quality, strength, and effectiveness of the Proposer’s MBE/WBE/SDVOB Outreach Plan will be evaluated, including the extent to which it meets or exceeds Port Authority MBE/WBE/SDVOB provisions.

The Proposer must submit a Background Check Plan in accordance with this document. The Background Check Plan will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

C. Cost of Proposal

The Proposer shall describe in detail all compensation it expects to receive from the Port Authority for the performance of the work and any other cost factors relevant to the Proposal.

The Cost Proposal shall be complete and inclusive of all work required. The Total Estimated Contract Price as submitted on the Cost Proposal Form.

D. Business Risk

Consideration will be given to the degree of business risk assumed by the Port Authority. This will include, but not be limited to, assessment of the impact resulting from the possible failure of the Contractor to perform under the terms and conditions of this Contract. As part of the evaluation, business risk will also be measured by the Port Authority's assessment of its ability to immediately replace the Contractor in a manner that maintains or improves the quality and continuity of facility for emergency management training and incident command instruction.

The Proposer shall submit risk assessment, succession plans and any other relevant documentation that assess the proposer’s business risk in taking on the significant amount of new work that will be required under this Contract. The risk assessment plan should take into account all work currently under contract, as well as work that is under contract to companies which the proposer owns, controls or has an interest. The assessment should provide sufficient information to allow the Port Authority to assess the impact resulting from the possible failure of the Contractor to perform under the terms and conditions of the Contract.

The Proposer shall provide any information related to business risk which the Proposer believes would be helpful to the Port Authority in the evaluation of its submittal.

6. PROVIDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY; MINORITY BUSINESSES, WOMEN-OWNED

BUSINESSES AND SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN OWNED BUINESSES

REQUIREMENTS

The Proposer shall comply with the requirements of Exhibit 1, attached hereto, which shall be made a part of the Contract resulting from this RFP.

7. CERTIFICATION OF RECYCLED MATERIALS PROVISION

Proposers shall submit, with their proposal, Attachment E the Certified Environmentally Preferable Products / Practices Form attesting that the products or items offered by the Proposer contain the minimum percentage of post-consumer recovered material in accordance with the most recent guidelines issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or, for commodities not so covered, the minimum percentage of post-consumer recovered materials established by other applicable regulatory agencies.

Recycling Definitions:

For purposes of this solicitation, the following definitions shall apply:

a. "Recovered Material" shall be defined as any waste material or by-product that has been recovered or diverted from solid waste, excluding those materials and by-products generated from, and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process.

b. “Post-consumer Material” shall be defined as any material or finished product that has served its intended use and has been discarded for disposal or recovery having completed its life as a consumer item. “Post-consumer material” is included in the broader category of “Recovered Material”.

c. “Pre-consumer Material” shall be defined as any material or by-product generated after the manufacture of a product but before the product reaches the consumer, such as damaged or obsolete products. Pre-consumer Material does not include mill and manufacturing trim, scrap, or broken material that is generated at a manufacturing site and commonly reused on-site in the same or another manufacturing process.

d. "Recycled Product" shall be defined as a product that contains the highest amount of post-consumer material practicable, or when post-consumer material is impracticable for a specific type of product, contains substantial amounts of Pre-consumer Material.

e. "Recyclable Product" shall be defined as the ability of a product and its packaging to be reused, reconditioned for use, or recycled through existing recycling collection programs.

f. "Waste Reducing Product" shall be defined as any product that will result in less waste generated due to its use rather than another product designed to serve the same function with an greater waste generation rate. This shall include, but not be limited to, those products that can be reused, refilled or have a longer life expectancy and contain a lesser amount of toxic constituents.

8. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

In order to expedite the evaluation of proposals, the Proposer’s response to this RFP shall follow the format and order of items, using the same paragraph identifiers, as set forth below.

A. Letter of Transmittal

The Proposer shall submit a letter on its letterhead, signed by an authorized representative, stating its experience and qualifications in meeting the requirements of this RFP. This letter shall include a statement on whether the proposer is submitting a proposal as a single entity, a joint venture, or is partnering with another firm in a prime/subcontracting relationship. In all cases, information required for a single entity is required for each participant in a joint venture.

The Letter of Transmittal shall contain:

(1) Name and address of the proposer and an original signature on the Letter of

Transmittal by an authorized representative on behalf of the proposer;

(2) Name(s), title(s) and telephone number(s) of the individual(s) who are authorized to negotiate and execute the Contract;

(3) Name, title and telephone number of a contact person to which the Port Authority can address questions or issues related to this RFP;

(4) Name and address of proposed subcontractors, if any;

(5) If a corporation: (a) a statement of the names and residences of its officers, and

(b) a copy of its Certificate of Incorporation, with a written declaration signed by the secretary of the corporation, with the corporate seal affixed thereto, that the copy furnished is a true copy of the Certificate of Incorporation as of the date of the opening of the Proposals;

(6) If a partnership: a statement of the names and residences of its principal officers, indicating which are general and which are special partners;

(7) If an individual: a statement of residence;

(8) If a joint venture: information on each of the parties consistent with the information requested above; if the Contract is awarded to a common law joint venture (a partnership of business entities) each member will be jointly and severally liable under the Contract.

B. Executive Summary

The Proposer shall submit a summary presenting the major features of its proposal and how the proposal satisfies the requirements contained in this RFP, as well as the special competencies and expertise of the proposer to meet the requirements of this RFP.

C. Agreement on Terms of Discussion – Attachment A

The Proposer shall submit a copy of the “Agreement on Terms of Discussion,”, signed by an authorized representative of the Proposer. The Agreement format is included as Attachment A and shall be submitted by the Proposer without any alterations or deviations. Any proposer who fails to sign the Port Authority’s “Agreement on Terms of Discussion" will not have its proposal reviewed. If the Proposer is a joint venture, an authorized representative of each party must sign the Agreement.

D. Certifications With Respect to the Contractor’s Integrity Provisions

The Proposer, by signing the Letter of Transmittal, makes the certifications in the “Contractor’s Integrity Provisions,” included as Part VI OF ATTACHMENT B entitled, “STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS” of this RFP. If the Proposer cannot make any such certifications, it shall enclose an explanation of that inability..

E. Code of Ethics for Port Authority Vendors Proposer’s attention is directed to the Port Authority’s “Code of Ethics for Port Authority Vendors” (the “Code”). The Code of Ethics can be found on the Port Authority’s website at https://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/become-vendor.html.

F. Documentation of Proposer Prerequisites

The Proposer shall submit documentation to demonstrate that it meets all prerequisites, if any, included herein.

G. Proposal Submission

The Proposer must submit a proposal that details and clearly describes its experience and capability to perform the emergency management/incident command training and exercise services described in this RFP, its approach to such work and the cost of such work to the Port Authority. At a minimum, the proposal shall address the following criteria and order:

1. Overall Experience

a. The Proposer shall submit a listing of all emergency management training

Contracts that were performed by or are currently being performed by the Proposer within the last five (5) years. For each contract listed, include:

• The name and address of the contracting party

• The locations where the work was performed

• Duration of the contract

• The approximate dollar amount of the contract

• The annual staff hours of full and part-time labor expended in the performance of the contract

• A summary of the types of work performed, including any internal development processes for the contract

• The names, addresses and telephone numbers of the owners

• Representatives familiar with the work that the Port Authority may contact, including phone number and email addresses.

b. The Proposer shall submit to the Port Authority, a detailed itemized description explaining technical expertise and past experience the Proposer has in the following areas:

• Utilization of technological advances in training systems/platforms and resulting benefits.

• Management and knowledge of security in buildings and facilities, of similar size for Proctors and Instructors.

https://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/become-vendor.html https://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/become-vendor.html

2. Staffing and Management Approach

a. The Proposer should indicate the total number of full-time (minimum thirty (30) hours/week) employees currently employed by the firm and the number employed in each of the preceding three (3) years.

b. The Proposer shall show the number of full time and part time employees to be utilized in providing these services, including supervisory staff. The Proposer shall submit a Retention Plan to minimize employee turnover. It is the Port Authority’s preference to have the Proposers submit a staffing plan that maximizes the use of full-time employees.

c. The Proposer should provide a complete description of all employee training and safe work environment programs (covering both supervisory and non-supervisory personnel), currently utilized by your firm.

d. The Proposer should provide a complete description of how it intends to implement, closely supervise, monitor and manage employees’ performance of and compliance with the required services hereunder, including any information that it believes would be helpful to the Port Authority in assessing its ability to provide the services described in the RFP.

e. The Proposal must include the Proposer’s plan to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the requirements of this Contract, including, but not limited to:

• Insurance requirements, such as:

o General Liability Insurance o Automobile Insurance o Workers’ Compensation Insurance

• The Proposer’s MBE/WBE/SDVOB Outreach Plan, in accordance with the MBE/WBE/SDVOB Subcontracting Provisions hereunder.

• The Proposer’s Certified Environmentally Preferable Products/Practices Form ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state and local standards in their business practices, in accordance with the Certified Environmentally Preferable Products/Practices Provision.

f. The Proposer should provide a statement indicating the qualifications and experience of managerial and supervisory personnel employed by the firm who are to be exclusively dedicated to the Contract, including:

• Their length of service with the firm

• The anticipated function of each person on this Contract

• A summary of the relevant experience of each person listed

• Staff certifications

The resumes of the individuals who are being recommended for these positions should be included in the Proposal, as well as any details required as per Attachment F – Offshore Support Requirements, if applicable.

g. The Proposer shall submit their quality assurance processes, including testing methodologies, bug tracking, and assurance of product quality.

h. The Proposer shall submit their system/platform maintenance planning, scheduling, and processes.

i. The Proposer shall provide information on how they would immediately replace an employee in a manner that maintains or improves the quality and continuity of the services required herein.

j. The Proposer shall submit their initial rollout and deployment timeline and tasks, including identifying critical milestones, additional deliverables, and associated schedules.

k. The Proposer shall provide information on how they develop and deploy system/platform changes in conjunction with critical timelines and/or regulatory requirements.

l. The Proposer shall submit risk assessment and succession plans to the Contractor and the Port Authority, that assess the business risk in taking on the significant amount of new work that will be required under this Contract. The risk assessment plan should consider all work currently under contract, as well as work that is under contract to companies which the proposer owns, controls or has an interest.

m. Transition In - The Proposer shall provide a detailed engagement and transition plan:

• The Proposer shall provide a Transition In Plan with milestones and deliverables that span the duration of the transition in period.

• The Proposer shall describe the methodology previously employed by it in other engagements to transition in its staff to satisfy the transition requirements of this RFP.

• The Proposer shall provide the Port Authority with the resources required to complete the transition.

• The Proposer shall describe its overall approach to transition change management, including relationship management during on-boarding in a new environment.

• The Proposer shall provide a risk assessment to identify risks associated with Transition In and provide a mitigation plan for such risks.

• The Proposer shall provide a class creation timeline milestone and final delivery schedules shall be within three (3) months of Contract execution.

n. Transition Out - The proposer shall provide a detailed engagement of its proposed transition Out plan:

• The Proposer shall describe the methodology previously employed by it in other engagements to transition out services.

• The Proposer shall provide the Authority with a list of information generally needed to streamline the Transition Out process.

• The Proposer shall describe its overall approach to transition change management, including how it will mitigate staff turnover, adhere to service levels, and ensure consistent quality service during Transition Out.

o. The Proposer shall submit a Contractor Identity Check/Background Screening

Plan, which demonstrates how the Proposer will ensure that only employees who were successfully prescreened and properly credentialed perform the services herein. This Plan shall be applicable to all years of the Contract and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

The length of time researched for the identity check/background screening on new hires, which shall be at a minimum of 10 years of employment history or verification of what an employee documented they have done in the last 10 years preceding the date of the investigation, resources utilized to perform this, and the frequency at which it is performed on current employees. The Background Check Plan will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

3. Cost Proposal

The Proposer shall submit a Cost Proposal indicating the compensation that it expects to receive. The Cost Proposal shall be complete and inclusive of all work required by this RFP and shall include, but not be limited to, material and labor costs, any salaries, any system/platform related costs etc. The Cost Proposal should be submitted on Attachment B – Part III - Cost Proposal Form and it may be modified to reflect the Proposer’s pricing model.

4. Business Risk The Proposer shall submit risk assessment and succession plans to the Contractor and the Port Authority, that assess the business risk in taking on the significant amount of new work that will be required under this Contract. The risk assessment plan should take into account all work currently under contract, as well as work that is under contract to companies which the Proposer owns, controls or has an interest.

The Proposer shall provide any other information that is related to the requirements in this Section (Section G), that the Proposer believes would be helpful to the Port Authority in the evaluation of its proposal.

5. Background Qualification Questionnaire (To be submitted directly to the Office of the Inspector General)

The proposer shall submit a completed Background Qualifications Questionnaire (BQQ), required for itself and all consultants, contractors, subcontractors, subconsultants and vendors providing services at the World Trade Center Site, known to the proposer at the time of proposal submission. This document and instructions for submitting the completed BQQ to the Authority’s Office of Inspector General can be obtained at the Authority’s website through the following link: Office of Inspector General (OIG) - Mission & Programs | Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (panynj.gov) The Proposer shall provide any other information that is related to the requirements in this Section, that the Proposer believes would be helpful to the Port Authority in the evaluation of its Proposal.

https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/help-center/oig.html https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/help-center/oig.html

H. Acknowledgment of Addenda

If any Addenda are posted or sent as part of this RFP, the Proposer shall complete, sign and include with its Proposal the addenda form(s). In the event any Proposer fails to conform to these instructions, its proposal will nevertheless be construed as though the Addenda had been acknowledged.

If the Proposer downloaded this RFP document, it is the responsibility of the proposer to periodically check the Port Authority website at http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportunities/bid-proposal-advertisements.html and download…