Response to Offeror Questions document.docx

· Can OEM clarify the anticipated contract type for this engagement (e.g., firm fixed price, time-and-materials, or another structure)?

· The contract will be a firm-fixed-price contract.

· To assist proposers in developing an appropriately scaled scope of work and fee proposal, is OEM able to provide an anticipated budget range or not-to-exceed amount for this project?

· Since the Request for Proposal is to update the current State’s Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan, there is not a not-to-exceed or projected budget at this time. The Request for Proposal aims to establish the cost to complete the update and apply for a federal grant.

· Can OEM provide guidance regarding the anticipated level of stakeholder engagement, including the expected frequency of SHMT meetings, agency coordination meetings, public outreach activities, and tribal engagement throughout the planning process?

· The State is anticipating a minimum of 5 SHMT meetings. The SHMT is made up of multiple stakeholders from State Government, as indicated in the State of South Dakota Governor Executive Order 2024-03, and representatives from the National Weather Service, the South Dakota Housing Development Authority, South Dakota Rural Electric Association, South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems, and the South Dakota Chapter of the USACE Silver Jackets.

· Can OEM confirm its preferred approach to tribal engagement and coordination during the plan update, including the anticipated role for the consultant in facilitating outreach, meetings, and information gathering?

· During previous plan updates, the representative from the Department of Tribal Relations represented the State’s 9 tribal agencies.

· Will OEM make available existing source materials developed for the current Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan, such as GIS datasets, geodatabases, mapping files, local plan roll-up information, and other supporting technical analyses, for use during the update effort?

· The State will provide the information within the State’s Hazard Mitigation Project Map, which has previously completed mitigation projects from across the State. The latest State Mitigation Plan Review Tool is part of the initial Request for Proposal Exhibit A.

· The current plan and plan review tool identify several actions related to improving statewide datasets and analytical capabilities. Can OEM provide information regarding any progress made on those efforts and whether resulting datasets or analyses will be available to inform this update?

· Continued updates have been completed on the State’s Hazard Mitigation Project Map, and all data within the GIS map will be available.

· Section 1.5 requires submission of three original proposals and one identical electronic copy, while Section 5.1 requires one original and two copies. Please confirm whether the State requires one original and two copies, or three separately signed originals, in addition to the electronic copy.

· The State will accept one original and two copies.

· Section 6.1 identifies five evaluation criteria but does not specify their relative weights or point allocations. Will the State provide a detailed evaluation scoring matrix, including the maximum points or relative weight assigned to each criterion?

· The scoring criteria that will be used by the review team will be scored 1-10, with 10 being the highest score. There will not be any one evaluation criterion weighted more than others.

· The State anticipates issuing responses to offeror questions on November 9, 2026, only seven calendar days before the November 16, 2026, proposal submission deadline. Given the limited time available to incorporate clarifications into technical and cost proposals and accommodate printing and physical delivery requirements, would the State consider extending the proposal submission deadline by at least one week?

· The State will provide responses to any offeror questions on a rolling basis.

· Will the State consider issuing responses to offeror questions on a rolling basis as they are received, rather than waiting until November 9, 2026, to release all responses? This would provide offerors additional time to incorporate clarifications into their proposals and develop accurate pricing.

· The State will provide responses to any offeror questions on a rolling basis.

· Will the State's proposal evaluation and selection meetings be open to the public? If so, please identify where and when meeting dates, times, locations, agendas, and related notices will be publicly posted. If meetings are not open to the public, please clarify how and when offerors will be notified of evaluation results and the anticipated award decision.

· The proposal review and evaluation will not be available to the public.

· What is the designated budget for this project?

· Since the Request for Proposal is to update the current State’s Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan, there is not a not-to-exceed or projected budget at this time. The Request for Proposal aims to establish the cost to complete the update and apply for a federal grant.