Addendum 1 FINAL.pdf

County of Gloucester

Central Purchasing Department 6489 Main Street, Suite 324 Gloucester, Virginia 23061

(804) 693-6235 V (804) 693-0061 F

March 19, 2026

ADDENDUM NO. 1

Reference: Request for Proposals- RFP# 26-021-CJ Community Engagement and Economic

Development Consulting Services for Comprehensive Plan Update

Question: Can you tell me what the budget is for this project?

Response: The County has not established a publicly disclosed budget for this project. Offerors should submit their proposed pricing based on the scope of services outlined in the RFP and the requirements of the Price Proposal Form. Pricing will be evaluated for clarity, reasonableness, and alignment with the proposed scope of services.

Question: I have a question about the stakeholder requirement. Can you confirm that the way I’m interpreting the RFP is correct? While we plan to submit for the work in Group 1 and Group 2, if we

ARE selected, all of the stakeholder effort can be handled within the complete project. If we are only selected fro Group 1, we will not be required to do any stakeholder/community engagement.

Alternatively, being selected for group 2 would mean no other market research.

Response: Offerors may submit proposals for Group 1, Group 2, or both as described in the RFP. If separate Offerors are selected for each group, the Group 1 Contractor will be responsible for the

Community Economic Development Analysis, while the Group 2 Contractor will be responsible for community engagement and facilitation activities.

The Group 2 Contractor will rely on the findings and analysis produced by the Group 1 Contractor and should not duplicate economic research unless specifically authorized by the County. If a single Offeror is selected for both groups, that Offeror shall integrate the economic analysis and community engagement efforts as part of a cohesive project approach.

Question: So that we can best tailor our response, can you share the budget range that has been established for each of the service group components of this project?

Response: The County has not established or disclosed a specific budget range for the service groups.

Offerors should submit detailed pricing for the services they propose to provide in accordance with the

Price Proposal Form and instructions in the RFP. Pricing should be based on the Offeror’s proposed approach and scope of services.

Question: Would you be able to confirm whether requirements 7 and 9 listed below are mandatory in order for a respondent to be considered for the Community Engagement and Facilitation Services

(Group 2)?

Response: Requirement 7 (Immigration Reform and Control Act certification) is mandatory, as Offerors certify compliance “by submitting their proposal.” Requirement 9 (SWaM participation encouragement) is not mandatory. It is a policy statement encouraging participation and partnerships, not a requirement for responsiveness or eligibility.

Question: Does the County have any preference for in-person, virtual, or hybrid engagement activities?

Response: The RFP does not specify a preference for in-person, virtual, or hybrid engagement. Instead, it requires the consultant to propose an approach using “a variety of tools and techniques” to ensure broad and inclusive participation.

Question: Has the County already preliminarily identified any key stakeholder groups that the selected consultant should plan to engage?

Response: The RFP indicates that County staff will invite participants for focus groups, but it does not provide a predefined list of specific stakeholder groups. It does identify general categories such as:

• General public

• Appointed bodies

• Diverse interest groups

• Focus groups organized around six core topics (e.g., land use, economic development, infrastructure

Question: How many presentations of findings are anticipated to the following: the Steering Committee, Planning Commission, business and civic associations, and/or Board of Supervisors?

Response: The RFP requires presentations to these groups but does not specify a fixed number of presentations. However, the Price Proposal (Attachment B) provides an assumption of three (3) presentations for costing purposes (under Group 1).

Question: Under Scope of Services, Group 2 – Community Engagement, the engagement plan is open-ended and references “other innovative public engagement strategies.” However, Attachment B (Price

Proposal) provides a specific list of services and quantities. Should proposals strictly follow the services and quantities in Attachment B? If not, should additional services be optional with separate pricing?

Response:

Offerors should complete Attachment B – Price Proposal using the services and quantities provided, as these establish a standardized basis for evaluation and comparison across proposals. However, the

County recognizes that engagement approaches may vary. Offerors may propose additional or alternative services that enhance the engagement strategy. Any such services should be clearly identified as optional or supplemental and priced separately so the County can evaluate them independently and adjust scope as needed.

Question: Under Scope of Services, Group 2 – Community Engagement, presentations are required to the

Steering Committee, Planning Commission, business and civic associations, and/or Board of Supervisors.

Does the County envision these occurring at the end of each phase? Please provide additional detail on how this aligns with County tasks and project phasing.

The County anticipates that presentations will generally align with key project milestones and phases (e.g., completion of Listening, Visioning, Goals/Objectives, and Implementation phases); however, the exact timing, frequency, and format will be refined in coordination with the selected consultant and

County staff.

Question: Attachment B, Line 7 asks offerors to price focus group facilitation per session. What is included in a “session”? Does pricing include preparation, materials, and summaries?

Response: For purposes of pricing, a “session” should be assumed to include full facilitation services, including preparation, coordination, facilitation time, and post-session documentation (e.g., summaries of discussion). Offerors should base pricing on a comprehensive, turnkey approach to each session. If additional or enhanced services are proposed, they should be clearly identified and priced separately.

Question: Attachment B Line 10 includes two survey instruments. Can the County clarify timing?

Response: The County anticipates that surveys will be deployed at different stages of the engagement process to support decision-making across phases. While final timing will be coordinated with the selected consultant, it is anticipated that:

• One survey will occur during the Listening phase, and

• One survey will occur during a later phase (e.g., Visioning or Goals & Objectives)

Offerors may recommend alternative timing as part of their proposed approach.

Question: Is there a target completion date for the Directional Framework document?

Response: The Directional Framework document is expected to be completed within the overall project timeline, which anticipates public engagement activities concluding in Fall 2027. Final timing will be refined during contract negotiation and project kickoff.

Question: When will baseline, data be available to the Group 2 contractor?

Response: The County anticipates that baseline data and existing conditions analysis will be available early in the project and prior to or concurrent with the initial engagement (Listening phase). These materials will be provided to support development of the engagement strategy and ensure alignment with

County-led analysis.

Question: If separate contractors are selected for Group 1 and Group 2, who manages coordination?

Response: The County will play an active role in facilitating coordination between Group 1 and Group 2 contractors. However, both contractors will also be expected to collaborate directly and proactively to ensure integration of economic analysis and community engagement efforts.

Question: Attachment B references “project phases” (e.g., town halls per phase). Can the County clarify the phases?

Response: The project phases referenced in Attachment B correspond to the four engagement phases outlined in the RFP:

1. Assessing Needs (Listening)

2. Setting Direction (Visioning)

3. Focusing Efforts (Goals and Objectives)

4. Developing a Plan Implementation Approach (Implementation)

Pricing assumptions in Attachment B (e.g., one town hall per phase) are intended to provide a standard basis for comparison across proposals.

Question: For Key Personnel and Subconsultants, what does “current workload and capacity” refer to?

“Current workload and capacity” refers to the availability of proposed staff to successfully perform the work, including consideration of their existing commitments. Offerors may express this in terms of percentage of time allocated to the project, current assignments, or overall capacity to take on additional work, as appropriate.

Reminder: Due Date: March 31, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Note: A signed acknowledgment of this addendum should be attached to your offer but will not disqualify your offer if not included.

Christine Joyce, CPPB, VCA

Purchasing Agent

Name of Firm Date

Signature Title