RFP EIS for Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.pdf

Request for Proposals (RFP)

City of Olympia | Capital of Washington State

Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), with Best Available Science (BAS) review, for a non-project action under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and the Growth Management Act (GMA) for the Periodic Update of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is for the City of Olympia (City) to solicit proposals from qualified respondents to prepare a draft and final environmental impact statement based on the scoping already completed by the City and the requirements of the applicable RCWs for non-project EIS work.

Additionally, the work will include a review of the City’s critical areas ordinance using the state’s most recent Best Available Science. The City specifically seeks consultants with experience in non-project EIS work for Comprehensive Plans prepared under the state’s Growth Management Act.

The City of Olympia is committed to being an inclusive, affirming, and equitable place for our community members and staff to live, play, and work. We adhere to the non-discriminatory treatment of all persons in employment and the delivery of services and resources. We strongly encourage proposals from minorities, women, and disadvantaged business enterprises.

The deadline for submission of proposals is October 25, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Earlier responses are welcome. Only electronic proposals will be accepted.

BACKGROUND

The City is conducting a periodic update of its comprehensive plan, as required under the Growth Management Act (GMA). To make the best use of staffing resources, this work is being completed over a two and a half year period and on a chapter‐by‐chapter basis. Chapters will go through a public hearing and acceptance process, but the updated comprehensive plan will not be adopted until the entirety of the plan is complete and reviewed for internal consistency.

The City’s Plan will be updated to address new state requirements, specifically around climate change mitigation, resiliency, and housing. The planning horizon will be extended to year 2045 and population projections will be updated. Major policy changes, such as expanding the urban growth area or making drastic changes to the Future Land Use Map are not anticipated.

The City’s deadline to complete and adopt the updated plan is December 31, 2025.

The City has updated transportation modeling and information regarding greenhouse gas emissions available for use in the DEIS and FEIS.

An EIS was prepared for the City’s 1994 Comprehensive Plan, and a Supplemental EIS was prepared for the major rewrite of the plan, which was adopted in December of 2014.

To learn more about the City’s comprehensive plan periodic update, please visit www.olympiawa.gov/2045 and see the graphic below.

PRELIMINARY SCOPE OF WORK

The City completed an expanded scoping process earlier in 2024 and has completed a scoping comments summary. The City is seeking assistance in drafting the Draft and Final EIS, and reviewing the city’s critical areas ordinance for compliance with the state’s most recent Best Available Science (BAS).

OBJECTIVES

▪ Prepare the Draft and Final non-project EIS for the City’s draft Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.

▪ Review the City’s Critical Areas Ordinance for consistency and compliance with the state’s most current Best Available Science, noting in a written report where changes to the ordinance are required or recommended, and why.

TASKS

Task 1 Review the City’s critical areas ordinance for consistency and compliance with the state’s current Best Available Science, providing a written report noting where code amendments are “required” or “recommended”; specifying what should be changed and citing why (e.g., a wetland buffer width should be increased or decreased by 20 feet based on the Washington State Department of Ecology’s BAS). City staff will then take responsibility to draft the necessary code amendments and process the amendments.

Task 2 Prepare the draft EIS (DEIS), which analyzes the probable impacts of the plan and reasonable alternatives and scoping comments received, and include references to existing studies, modeling, and other information as deemed necessary. City staff will review the draft and may ask for clarification or revision prior to acceptance of the DEIS.

Task 2 Coordinate with the City for the Issuance of the draft EIS for review and comment by the public, tribal governments, and other local, state, and federal agencies. City staff will issue and route the DEIS.

Task 3 Prepare the final EIS, which includes analyzing and responding to all comments received on the draft EIS, and include references to existing studies and modeling to evaluate probable impacts as deemed necessary. City staff will review the draft and may ask for clarification or revision prior to acceptance of the FEIS.

Task 4 Coordinate with and assist the City for the Issuance of the final EIS (FEIS). City staff will issue and route the FEIS.

DELIVERABLES

Deliverable 1: Critical Areas Ordinance & Best Available Science Report, noting where code amendments are “required” or “recommended”; specifying what should be changed and citing why (e.g., a wetland buffer width should be increased or decreased by 20 feet based on the cited Washington State Department of Ecology’s BAS).

Deliverable 2: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

Deliverable 3: Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Generally, the City’s overall Comprehensive Plan Update process, which is currently well underway, would allow for the EIS schedule to occur as follows:

October 2024 through FEIS issuance by June 15, 2025:

• Oct-Dec 2024: Schedule from Scoping to FEIS issuance, with key steps and timeline identified, with clear identification of City or Consultant responsibility.

• Oct 2024-Jan 2025: Prepare Draft EIS, with alternatives and preferred alternative. Issue by Jan 31, 2025.

• Feb-March 2025: Public Comment Period (minimum of 30 days)

• March-June 2025: Prepare FEIS, including response to comments on DEIS. Issue by June 15, 2025.

RESPONSE TIME

Upon the City’s request for professional services, it is expected that the consultant will be able to complete the requested service within eight months.

QUESTIONS

For questions about this RFP, please contact the RFP Coordinator via email at cschaufl@ci.olympia.wa.us. The email subject line should contain the verbiage “Questions regarding the Olympia 2045 EIS”. Questions via telephone will not be accepted. All questions to this proposal must be sent to the RFP Coordinator via email by October 4, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time (PDT). Questions received after this date may not be answered.

All questions will be answered via an addendum posted on the City of Olympia website.

To Make Public Records Request: To obtain records related to this RFP via a public records request, please visit our Public Records webpage. Public records fees apply.

SCHEDULE

The following schedule is to inform respondents of the estimated timetable of the proposal preparation, evaluation, and award. Please note the following dates when preparing your proposal. The City reserves the right to modify this schedule at its discretion; deadlines for questions and proposal submissions will never shorten.

SCHEDULE DATES DATE

Issuance of Request for Proposal (RFP) September 20, 2024

Deadline for questions from Proposers October 4, 2024

Issuance of responses to questions with Question & Answer addendum from City October 11, 2024

Proposal responses due 5:00 pm

October 25, 2024

Finalist(s) selected and notified (Tentative) Nov 1, 2024

Selection Notification (Tentative) Nov 8, 2024

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is well versed and experienced in laws and rules for the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), especially for non-project environmental impacts statements, and for the Growth Management Act.

FINALIST INTERVIEWS

If deemed necessary, finalist interviews are expected to be held the week of November 8, 2024.

This schedule is subject to change.

mailto:cschaufl@ci.olympia.wa.us https://www.olympiawa.gov/publicrecords

CONTRACT AWARD AMOUNT

The City has received a grant to complete this work in the amount of $137,500. The contract award amount will be determined by the proposal submitted by the selected firm and the final costs negotiated between the City and the Consultant.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must be submitted as a PDF file. Proposals shall be limited to a total of 8 pages, not including the following forms attached as Exhibit “A”:

• Demographic Information Form

• Statement of Compliance with Nondiscrimination Requirement Form

• Equal Benefits Compliance Declaration Form

• Proposal Signature Sheet

The proposal must include the following:

1. Name of firm, including legal name and dba.

2. Contact information for key staff, including full names, titles, mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers.

3. Qualifications:

a. Qualifications of Firm

b. Qualifications of Key Personnel – Including Applicable Licensing

4. Relevant experience, including examples of work on similar projects

5. Explanation of approach to the project:

a. State approach to meeting objectives, accomplishing tasks, and providing deliverables within the Scope of Work

b. Availability to begin work on project and/or response time for a request for service

c. Anticipated timeline for project completion

6. References:

a. Firm References

b. References for Key Staff members

7. A detailed price proposal that includes a breakdown of all costs that may be incurred by the City.

Please note that any additional charges not included in the proposal may not be accepted on future invoices, unless the charges are the result of changes requested by the City and approved before said charges are incurred.

8. The following forms (attached as Exhibit “A” to this RFP). These forms can be downloaded as a single fillable PDF.

a. Demographic Information Form

b. Compliance with Nondiscrimination Requirement Form

c. Equal Benefits Compliance Form

d. Proposal Signature Sheet

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The scoring for the proposal requirements is as follows:

https://cms7files.revize.com/olympia/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/RFP-RFQ/RFP-Form-081023.pdf https://cms7files.revize.com/olympia/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/RFP-RFQ/RFP-Form-081023.pdf

Criteria Maximum

Points

Strength of overall proposal (including ability to meet deadlines/responsiveness) 25

Firm’s experience on similar projects (non‐project EIS for a Comprehensive

Plan Periodic Update)

Qualifications of staff readily available for the project 15

Quality and timeliness of previous performance 15

Pricing 10

References 10

Total possible score 100

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Proposals shall be submitted to the City by email to Casey Schaufler, RFP Coordinator, at cschaufl@ci.olympia.wa.us. Only emailed submissions will be accepted.

The deadline for submission of proposal is 5:00 PM Pacific Time on October 25, 2024. The timestamp of the City of Olympia email system will be considered the official time of submittal. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be accepted. Any errors discovered after RFP submission deadline must remain and cannot be adjusted.

CONTRACT

The City anticipates awarding one (1) contract to the successful respondent for a duration through June 2025.

The City of Olympia’s Professional Service Agreement will be the contract document for these services.

It is expected that firms are familiar with and willing to agree to the terms of the agreement when submitting a proposal. The executed agreement shall reflect the specifications stated in this RFP, the proposal of the chosen respondent, and the agreed upon pricing and scope of work between the City and the selected firm. The City will not sign any company’s service agreement, contract or any other form of agreement. The City does reserve the right to extract certain language from a company’s agreement and incorporate it into the City contract, if agreed upon by both parties. The Agreement may be amended upon the mutual written agreement of the City and the respondent.

These contracts are subject to certification of equal benefits provided to all employees. All respondents are advised that Statement of Compliance with Nondiscrimination Requirement Form (Exhibit “B” of the Professional Service Agreement), and when applicable, the Equal Benefits Compliance Declaration Form (Exhibit “C” of the Professional Service Agreement) will be used on this project.

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES

Payment for services will be made in accordance with the fee schedule/milestone payment schedule agreed upon in the contract and a voucher or invoice is submitted in the form specified in the contract, mailto:cschaufl@ci.olympia.wa.us https://www.olympiawa.gov/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/PSA-Template%205.2.22.pdf https://www.olympiawa.gov/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/PSA-Template%205.2.22.pdf https://www.olympiawa.gov/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/PSA-Template%205.2.22.pdf and the same is approved by the appropriate City representative. Payment shall be made on a monthly basis, within thirty (30) days after receipt of such voucher or invoice.

INSURANCE

The selected firm must procure and maintain for the duration of this Agreement insurance that meets or exceeds the following limits:

• Automobile Liability insurance with a minimum combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage of $1,000,000 per accident.

• Commercial General Liability insurance shall be written with limits no less than $2,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate.

• Professional Liability insurance shall be written with limits no less than $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 policy aggregate limit.

• Workers’ Compensation coverage as required by the Industrial Insurance laws of the State of Washington.

The City of Olympia, its officers, officials, employees, and volunteers must be included as addition insureds on the policy.

A Certificate of Insurance and corresponding Additional Insured Endorsement form(s) must be provided to and approved by the City before work can begin.

The cost of such insurance shall be paid by the Vendor.

Please refer to Section 11 the Professional Services Agreement to review the full insurance requirements.

TITLE VI

The City of Olympia, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat.

252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all respondents that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. All submittals will be reviewed by the City to determine compliance with the requirements and instructions specified in this RFP. The Respondent is specifically notified that failure to comply with any part of this RFP may result in rejection of the submittal as non-responsive. The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive irregularities deemed immaterial.

https://www.olympiawa.gov/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/PSA-Template%205.2.22.pdf

2. Response to this RFP does not commit the City to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the response, demonstrations, or any other activities related to this response. All responses and accompanying documentation become the property of the City and will not be returned.

3. It is the sole responsibility of the respondent to assure that they have received the most current RFP and addenda.

4. It shall be the responsibility of each respondent to call to the attention of the City any apparent discrepancy in the RFP or any question of interpretation. Failure to do so constitutes acceptance as written.

5. The proposal, as presented, must remain valid for a period of ninety (90) days from proposal due date.

6. The City of Olympia reserves the right to reject all proposals or to request and obtain, from one or more of the respondents, supplementary information as may be necessary for the City to analyze the proposals pursuant to the selection criteria contained herein.

7. The City reserves the right to waive minor irregularities in any proposal and to negotiate with any proposer.

8. The City reserves the right to revise or amend the RFP prior to the proposal due date by written addenda.

9. The respondent, by submitting a response to this RFP, waives all right to protest or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP.

10. The City reserves the right to negotiate with the selected respondent(s) the exact terms and conditions of the contract or agreement.

11. The contract resulting from acceptance of a submittal by the City shall be in a form supplied by the City and shall reflect the specifications in this RFP.

12. The insurance certificate required, as detailed within the Professional Services Agreement template, shall be submitted upon notification of award.

13. All documents submitted to the City as part of the response to this RFP, including but not limited to proposals and other documents submitted as part of the response, are public record and subject to public disclosure.

14. The successful applicant must comply with all Federal, State, and City of Olympia statutes and codes as may be applicable to the scope of work detailed herein, including all labor laws.

15. The City shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by any respondent in preparing, submitting, or presenting its response to the RFP.

16. Washington State Law and Venue: Any resulting contracts, (if any) shall be construed under the laws of the State of Washington. All claims, actions, proceedings, and lawsuits brought in connection with, arising out of, related to, or seeking enforcement of resulting contracts shall be brought in Thurston County, Washington.

17. All selected respondents shall obtain a license to do business in the City of Olympia prior to executing their contract with the City.

18. All responses and accompanying documentation become the property of the City and will not be returned.

19. This RFP does not obligate the City to contract for services or products specified herein.

20. The respondent will be required as part of the agreement to certify that no one being directly compensated for their services pursuant to the Agreement has retired from the Washington State Retirement System using the 2008 Early Retirement Factors with restrictions on returning to work.

https://www.olympiawa.gov/business/business_licenses.php

Exhibit “A”

RFP FORMS

(Download these forms here)

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FORM

Where is your business located?

❑ Within Olympia’s City Limits

❑ Within Thurston County

❑ Outside of Thurston County

❑ Outside of Washington State

Is your business a veteran-owned enterprise?

(A business having at least 51% veteran ownership)

❑ Yes

❑ No

Is your business a minority-owned enterprise?

(A business having at least 51% minority ownership)

Is your business women-owned?

(A business having at least 51% women ownership)

Is your business a disability-owned enterprise?

(A business having at least 51% disability- ownership)

Is your business a LGBTQ+ owned enterprise?

(A business having at least 51% LGBTQ+ ownership)

Is your business a small business enterprise, defined as follows?

▪ Having fifty or fewer employees; or

▪ A gross revenue of less than seven million dollars annually as reported on its federal income tax return

I hereby declare the information provided on this form is true and correct, and that I am legally authorized to bind the Consultant.

(Signature) (Date)

Print Name of Person Signing https://cms7files.revize.com/olympia/Document_center/Government/Contracts%20&%20Purchasing/RFP-RFQ/RFP-Form-081023.pdf

Title Here Century Gothic

COMPLIANCE WITH NONDISCRIMINATION REQUIREMENT FORM

The Olympia City Council has made compliance with the City’s Nondiscrimination in Delivery of City Services or Resources ordinance (OMC 1.24) a high priority, whether services are provided by City employees or through contract with other entities. It is important that all contract agencies or vendors and their employees understand and carry out the City’s nondiscrimination policy. Accordingly, each City agreement or contract for services contains language that requires an agency or vendor to agree that it shall not unlawfully discriminate against an employee or client based on any legally protected status, which includes but is not limited to: race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or the presence of any disability. Unlawful discrimination includes transphobic discrimination or harassment, including transgender exclusion policies or practices in health benefits.

Listed below are methods to ensure that this policy is communicated to your employees, if applicable.

• Nondiscrimination provisions are posted on printed material with broad distribution (newsletters, brochures, etc.).

• Nondiscrimination provisions are posted on applications for service.

• Nondiscrimination provisions are posted on the agency’s web site.

• Nondiscrimination provisions are included in human resource materials provided to job applicants and new employees.

• Nondiscrimination provisions are shared during meetings.

Failure to implement at least two of the measures specified above or to comply with the City of Olympia’s nondiscrimination ordinance constitutes a breach of contract.

By signing this statement, I acknowledge compliance with the City of Olympia’s nondiscrimination ordinance by the use of at least two of the measures specified above.

(Signature) (Date)

Print Name of Person Signing

Alternative Section for Sole Proprietor: I am a sole proprietor and have reviewed the statement above. I agree not to discriminate against any client, or any future employees, based on any legally protected status.

(Sole Proprietor Signature) (Date)

EQUAL BENEFITS COMPLIANCE DECLARATION FORM

Consultants on City contracts estimated to cost $50,000 or more shall comply with the City of Olympia Municipal Code, Chapter 3.18. This provision requires that if consultants provide benefits, they do so without discrimination based on age, sex, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, national origin, or the presence of any physical, mental or sensory disability, or because of any other status protected from discrimination by law.

Consultants must have policies in place prohibiting such discrimination, prior to contracting with the City.

I hereby declare that the Consultant listed below complies with the City of Olympia Equal Benefits Ordinance, that the information provided on this form is true and correct, and that I am legally authorized to bind the Consultant.

Consultant Name

Signature Name (please print)

Date Title

PROPOSAL SIGNATURE SHEET

Solicitation Name ____________________________________________________________________

Legal Name __________________________________________________________________________ Business Name_________________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________________________

Unified Business Identifier (UBI) No. _______________________________________________ M/W/DBE Certification No. (If Applicable) _______________________________________

For questions regarding this proposal, the City RFP manager should contact the following individual:

Name __________________________________________________________________

Telephone No. _______________________________

Email Address ___________________________________________________

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL

The Consultant is hereby advised that by signature of this proposal, they are deemed to have acknowledged all requirements and signed all certificates contained herein.

Signature Name of Person Signing

Title Date

Email Address