fy10rfrChemBio120409qa_121509.doc

Procuring Department: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

Address: 400 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01702

RFR File Name: Chemical/Biological Planning Annex Template and Exercises

RFR File Number: 10-CHEMBIO

RFR Point of Contact: Tina Urato

Telephone Number: (508) 820-1423

Facsimile Number: (508) 820-1401

E-mail Address: Tina.Urato@state.ma.us

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Vendor Information Session:

This RFR indicated that a Vendor Information Session might be scheduled. MEMA has since determined that a Vendor Information Session will not be hosted prior to the response deadline.

1. Can a SDVOSB/VOSM who is a Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) and a Disabled Business Enterprise (BDE) bid on this RFR or do you need to be a SOWMBA?

Any qualified vendor is eligible to submit a response. All vendors, regardless of their certification status, are required to submit a completed AMP Plan Form as part of their response for evaluation. The AMP Plan Form indicates the responding vendor’s level of participation in the Commonwealth’s Affirmative Market Program.

2. Material expenses are included in the labor rates. What if a material cost arises at a later point that was not anticipated in the budgeting process or discussed in the RFR? Will this be an allowable expense?

In accordance with Commonwealth policies, significant or material changes to a contract must be negotiated and executed by both parties. Increases above the maximum obligation or maximum duration identified in the original RFR may be allowable with certain restrictions.

3. Will a training space be provided for the workshops at no cost or is this cost to be included in the RFR budget?

The initial planning workshop will be conducted at MEMA HQ. The vendor will need to acquire space for all exercises that are included as part of phase 2 of the RFR.

4. Are chemicals also to be included in the BSL-2 thru BSL-4 planning templates? Emphasis seems to be on biological threats/agents primarily.

Chemicals shall be included if they contribute to the overall risk posed to the community as a result of the labs’ presence.

5. Is the current Annex to the State CEM Plan to be reviewed and updates available for downloading now?

Yes. This information may be obtained by contacting MEMA’s Planning Department Coordinator, Mike Philbin, at: (508) 820-2008.

6. How much of the selection will be based on "cost" versus technical qualifications and chemical/biological planning experience?

This information is not available at this time.

7. I was able to download the MEMA CEM Plan Revision #6, September 2007 but not the Annexes to which the RFR references. Where is the existing/current Hazardous Materials Response Incident Annex referred to in Phase 1 of the subject RFR? It would be helpful to have this for review now to better estimate the hours associated with its review and updating.

This information may be obtained by contacting MEMA’s Planning Department Coordinator, Mike Philbin, at: (508) 820-2008.

8. It is not clear to me the difference between the first two Phase 1 work scope items. Is the second task different form the first in that it is development of the template for the Hazardous Materials Response Incident Annexes described in the first Phase 1 task?

The first item requires the creation of a Hazardous Materials Incident Annex to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (State CEMP). This plan is used primarily by state entities. The second item requires an update to an existing template to the Local CEMP to create a Hazardous Materials Response Hazard Specific Appendix. This Appendix is used primarily by communities and local and regional emergency planning committees.

9. Page 6 the second bullet under Part B Response evaluation limits the response to 5 double-sided pages. Please confirm that the cover letter, resumes, and timeline can be excluded from that page count.

The narrative response is limited to 5 double-sided pages. The cover letter, resumes and timeline should not be counted as part of the narrative response.

10. Bottom of Page 3/Top of Page 4 – Plans Assessment and Template Development: The contractor will conduct an assessment of current plans, policies, and procedures relative to an emergency response at Biological Safety Level (BSL) 2, 3 or 4 labs (both public and private) within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The contractor will determine plan and response compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. How many BioSafety labs in total and of each type (e.g., BSL 2, 3, 4) are there within the Commonwealth?

This information is not available at this time.

11. Will the contractor be required to review bio-specific emergency response plans developed by each of the BioSafety labs and the community’s where those labs are located? If not, please clarify the intent of “assessment”.

The contractor will be required to review a sampling of BioSafety lab plans to assess how well they are integrated and coordinated with local and state response plans.

12. Will the contractor be required to determine and report on if each of the laboratories response plans is in compliance?

No.

13. Please clarify that “compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations” means only those laws and regulations involving community-based emergency planning and does not include internal response planning or regulations addressing safety and security of internal operations including the storage, transportation, and use of biological agents.

The contractor will be required to conduct compliance reviews with respect to local and state response plans.

14. Middle of Page 4 – Planning Workshop and Template Refinement: The contractor will engage the State Emergency Response Commission, augmented with appropriate stakeholders that will include, but will not be limited to Local and/or Regional Emergency Planning Committee (L/REPC) members, laboratory staff, first responders, and applicable state and federal agencies to gauge current readiness and level of preparedness. How many communities within the Commonwealth have BioSafety Labs?

MEMA estimates that less than 10 Emergency Planning Committees have BioSafety labs. Although representation from all lab communities is not necessary, the vendor should ensure that a representative sample is present at the planning workshop.

15. How many LEPCs or REPCs have BioSafety labs within their area of responsibility?

MEMA estimates that less than 10 Emergency Planning Committees have BioSafety labs.

16. Are the 5 pages (2 sided) inclusive of AMP plan, Resumes, etc? Or can these be added as appendices to the proposal?

The narrative response is limited to 5 double-sided pages. The cover letter, resumes and timeline should not be counted as part of the narrative response.

17. Do plans already exist for each effort described in RFR or will these plans be developed from scratch?

The first item requires the creation of a Hazardous Materials Incident Annex to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (State CEMP). This plan is used primarily by state entities. The second item requires an update to an existing template to the local CEMP to create a Hazardous Materials Response Hazard Specific Appendix. This Appendix is used primarily by communities and local and regional emergency planning committees. In addition, the vendor will be required to develop a new template for a Biological Response Appendix to the Hazardous Materials Response Hazard Specific Appendix to the local CEMP.

18. Who serves as the lead for HazMat and for BSL planning? Is it the same person or will these be unrelated plans?

The lead planners for this project will be MEMA’s Planning Department Coordinator, Mike Philbin, and MEMA’s Governmental Affairs Department Coordinator, Jeff Trask.