RFP #274-526_FF Exam-Interview_Addendum #2_FINAL.docx

City of Raleigh

Request for Proposals #: 274-526 Title: Firefighter Exam, Interview, and Job Analysis Proposal Due Date and Time: June 11, 2025, by 3:00pm

ADDENDUM NO. 2

Issue Date: May 19, 2025

Issuing Department:

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Adam Perry Senior Fiscal Analyst Email: RFDcontracts@raleighnc.gov v.04/2022

City of Raleigh Addendum #2 to RFP #274-526 Firefighter Exam, Interview, and Job Analysis

Issue Date: May 19, 2025

To: All Proposers

This Addendum, containing the following additions, clarifications, and/or changes, is issued prior to receipt of proposal packages and does hereby become part of the original RFP documents and supersedes the original RFP documents in case of conflict.

Receipt of this addendum must be acknowledged by signing in the area indicated below. Please make the follow additions, clarifications, and/or changes to the RFP as listed below and sign and return this addendum with your proposal package.

Extends the due date of proposals from June 4, 2025, by 3pm to June 11, 2025, by 3pm.

The following written questions were received by May 7, 2025, per Section 1.3 “RFP Timeline.” This addendum is intended to document the answers to each question, and to make this information available to all proposers:

1. What has been the average number of candidates over the past 3 written exams?

400-500.

2. Shall the written exam be conducted with all candidates at once, or broken into manageable segments, within the same date?

Online exam – company would dictate this.

3. Do all candidates have to be monitored via webcam during the written exam?

Need some type of security measures in place to verify the candidate is present and not using additional resources.

4. Is the testing company responsible for the hiring of the oral examination evaluators, or will they be provided by the City of Raleigh?

Testing company will provide evaluators for the oral assessment.

5. For the requirement of three references for which the proposer has provided services of same/similar size and scope (pg. 7-8 and 14), does the City of Raleigh Fire Department require that all references be fire departments?

No, but references from other fire departments that are similar in size to RFD are preferred.

6. Is there a current incumbent for the services specified in this RFP?

No, the scope of services within this RFP has been expanded from that of incumbents who have provided similar services previously.

7. When was the last job analysis conducted for the firefighter position?

To our knowledge, there has never been a job analysis conducted for the firefighter position initiated by the Fire Department.

8. Will the previous job analysis information be available to the selected vendor?

Based on the answer to question #7, there is no information to provide.

9. Does the City of Raleigh Fire Department own a virtual testing platform or have an existing vendor for a virtual testing platform, or is the proposer expected to provide the virtual testing platform?

Proposer provides the platform.

10. Is the expectation that the virtual entry level aptitude test be proctored in person or virtually?

Virtually.

11. Does the City of Raleigh have access to an on-site testing location with computers set up for testing, or is the selected vendor responsible for arranging the on-site testing location and technology such as laptops or other devices?

No.

12. On page 12, 4.1.a “Scoring of virtual exams detailing how each candidate performed” – is the selected vendor expected to automatically release scores to the candidates?

Yes, the company should provide the score to the candidate and to us.

13. On page 12, 4.1.b – Is the City of Raleigh Fire Department’s preference to have a practice assessment session immediately before the exam (as in the introductory pages) or have a practice test available online for candidates to take it at any time before the actual exam?

Practice exam available online anytime prior to taking the exam.

14. On page 12, 4.2. – Does the City of Raleigh Fire Department expect the selected vendor to develop asynchronous or synchronous video interviews?

No.

15. Does the City of Raleigh Fire Department have a predetermined cut score that will be used, or is the selected vendor expected to establish a cut score?

Selected vendor will establish.

16. Could the City of Raleigh Fire Department share the anticipated budget range for the services specified in this RFP?

The anticipated budget range for this project has not been determined as of yet. While cost is one of the criteria of the scoring matrix, cost will not be the sole deciding factor.

17. Section 1.4 Pre-Proposal Conference of the RFP states, “Date, time, and location of pre-proposal Conference is shown above in the RFP Timeline (Section 1.3)” however, this information is not presented in that section. Does COR anticipate conducting a pre-proposal conference, and if so, where, when, and at what time will it be conducted?

This RFP process does not include a pre-proposal conference.

18. Does the COR have a pre-conceived idea of how the new written examination should be formatted such as the number of questions, types of questions, passing score and required assessment areas of the examination (ie. mathematics, reading comprehension, spatial reasoning, memorization, mechanical aptitude, situational judgement, and written expression)?

It is the responsibility of the vendor to develop the exam from the results of the job analysis.

19. What is the formatting and testing procedure for the current Raleigh Fire Department Initial Entry Written Examination and Oral Interview that is used to evaluate and assess firefighter candidates to date (if it is permitted to release that information)?

Virtual written, multiple choice. Virtual oral.

20. Does the COR have guidelines on how the new oral interview should be formatted and conducted (If it is permitted to release that information)?

No.

21. Assuming that both the Written Examination and the Oral Interview will be formatted and conducted in English only, however, is there any indication that COR may also want the ability to administer both the examination and interview in Spanish?

No.

22. Does COR anticipate awarding additional points (possibly a maximum of 5 points) for firefighter applicant qualifications such as veteran status or a bachelor’s degree with proper documentation?

Not at this time.

23. Will COR assess candidate eligibility requirements prior to administration of the Written Examination and Oral Interview, or will the contractor be tasked with the responsibility to determine citizenship requirements, driver’s license validity, any residency requirements, medical fitness (height and weight), criminal background checks (clean record), education requirements, and age requirements?

Yes.

24. Section 1.1 Purpose of the RFP anticipates the first iteration of the new written examination and new oral interview will take place during the summer of 2025. Does COR have a specific date range selected between June 28th and September 30th to conduct that first iteration?

Tentative timeframe is August for the written exam, subject to contract execution date.

25. Are there pre-determined page limits for each of the proposal response sections:

Tabs 1-6?

No, there are no pre-determined page limits.

26. Are Subcontractors permitted and if so, can their business references be used to satisfy the requirements in Tab 2 Corporate Background and Experience or must the Prime Contractor hold all background information and past performance?

No, for the purpose of the scope of services within this RFP, subcontracting is not allowed. The awarded supplier must satisfy all requirements themselves.

27. Will COR provide the venue and equipment to facilitate the testing, or will the contractor be required to establish and fund the examination venues and include that in the proposal cost?

No.

28. Does COR and/or the Raleigh Fire Department want specific named manuals, references, or training materials (ie. department specific) used to develop the Written Examination and Oral Interview?

No.

29. Can the COR or RFD provide additional details on the job analysis requirement referenced in Section 4.3 of the RFP?

Job analysis for fire recruit or firefighter.

30. In different sections of the RFP, the requirement for a “written” examination is noted plus, the requirement for a “virtual” form of examination. Can the COR clarify the intent as to whether the examination will be in physical written form or in a virtual (software driven) form?

Virtual, software form.

31. Your RFP states that you are expecting the first Firefighter exam to be given in the summer of 2025, can you confirm?

Yes, tentative timeframe is August for the written exam, subject to contract execution date.

32. Is this RFP for a custom aptitude test or an off-the-shelf test?

Company decides.

33. If a custom test, are you expecting new questions to be written in that timeframe?

No.

34. Your RFP states you would like a written exam, oral interview and job analysis prepared and delivered each year. Is that correct?

Yes.

35. Is the test ongoing, or is it only given at certain times in the year?

Each year, tentative timeframe is August for the written exam, subject to contract execution date.

36. Is the job analysis expected to be updated annually?

Yes.

37. Can you tell us more about the candidates taking this test?

General public over the age of 18.

38. The RFP notes this will be a “virtual exam.” Does this refer to an exam remotely delivered on a computer?

Yes.

39. Section 4.1.b. indicates vendors will provide a “practice session.” Is this a meeting with candidates to review practice exam materials or can this be a practice test provided online?

Practice test provided online.

40. Please clarify the request in Section 4.1.c.? Are you requiring responses to this RFP come from companies currently working with other fire departments?

No.

41. In Section 4.1.d. you ask for test information detailing analysis of the exam. Is this an analysis of the exam’s performance overall?

If the company can provide.

42. Will you please clarify the request in Section 4.1.f.?

This may be validated through the job analysis.

43. Do you expect oral interviews to include standardized questions addressing issues related to the job analysis?

Yes.

44. In Section 4.3, are you requesting a completed job analysis or for the RFP to include the process of completing a job analysis? If so, do you expect this to be completed prior to creating the Summer 2025 exam?

Yes.

45. Page 3, 1.5 Proposal Questions. Per the RFP, “the firm’s failure to request clarification and submit questions by the date in the RFP Timeline shall be considered to constitute the firm’s acceptance of all City’s terms and conditions.” We would like to request a modification to section 9. Intellectual Property of the City’s Terms and Conditions. Are we correct that this modification should be included with the proposal in Appendix VI or is there another mechanism we should use to raise alternative language?

Yes, include in Appendix VI.

46. Page 7, 2.1 Tab 2 (Corporate Background and Experience). The RFP instructs proposers to “include the total amount invoiced for each such listed project…” We strive to provide clients with transparent and informative cost-related information. Any given contract covers widely varying services, candidate volumes, and durations such that the requested “total invoice” information may not be informative or useful. May vendors provide cost information related to prior projects in a format that is most applicable to each requested service?

Yes.

47. Page 9, 2.1 Tab 5 (Team Firm, Experience and Certifications). The RFP states “The Proposer shall provide information as to the Proposals and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to the assigned to this project…” Please explain what is intended by the phrase “Proposals and experience”. What type of information on proposals are you requesting?

This portion of the RFP boilerplate is intended to obtain information from any previous proposals that are similar in nature to the scope of services of this particular RFP.

48. Page 12, 4. Scope of Services (Written Test). What is the annual schedule (or standard timeline) for the entry level firefighter recruitment and testing process (i.e., test announcement, candidate preparation, written test administration, oral interview administration)? Are there any specific dates in your current schedule that must be retained?

The tentative timeframe is August for the written exam, subject to contract execution date.

49. Page 12, 4. Scope of Services (Written Test). Can you provide more details on the desired administration schedule for the annual summer test administration (e.g., number of days, number of candidates per day)?

Possibly complete in 7 consecutive days.

50. Page 12, 4. Scope of Services (Written Test). The RFP asks for “Test material listing of departments that utilize the same testing process.” What is meant by the phrase “Test material listing”?

A listing of departments that the proposer has previously provided the same or similar testing materials.

51. What issues or obstacles is the City encountering in its current process that they would like to see addressed and/or improved on with a future vendor?

Current job analysis.

Adam Perry Senior Fiscal Analyst

Sign below and return this addendum with your proposal.

Proposer Name & Company: _____________________________ Date: __________

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