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Northampton MVP 2.0 RFP 2023.10.06.pdf CITY OF NORTHAMPTON REQUEST FOR ROPOSALS MVP 2.0 VENDOR OVERVIEW The City of Northampton, acting through its Office of Planning and Sustainability, seeks proposals from qualified individuals or firms to assist the City in improving its engagement in community planning within “climate vulnerable” populations through social equity-centered project facilitation. The selected Vendor will work with the City to implement a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) 2.0 Grant award from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The MVP 2.0 Grant program includes a prescriptive three phase scope of work that the selected Vendor will assist the City in accomplishing over a two- year period. For the purposes of this program, climate vulnerable populations include Environmental Justice (EJ) populations and other priority populations that may be disproportionately impacted by climate change due to life circumstances that systematically increase their exposure to climate hazards or make it harder to respond. In addition to factors that contribute to EJ status (i.e. income, race, and language), other factors like physical ability, access to transportation, health status, housing, and age shape whether someone or their community will be disproportionately affected by climate change. Proposals are due at 12:00 PM, October 31 2023 as an electronic PDF file(s) (no hard copies) to slavalley@northamptonma.gov Questions may directed to Sarah LaValley at slavalley@northamptonma.gov. This is a performance based contract with a fixed fee for the work. Any updates will be posted at https://www.northamptonma.gov/Bids.aspx This procurement is exempt from the terms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Uniform Procurement Act (M.G.L. c. 30B), and hence, will not be subject to its terms (M.G.L. c 30B, section 1(b) paragraph 32A: “architects and engineers and related professionals”). It is recommended that respondents to this RFP thoroughly review the Vendor qualifications and the MVP 2.0 Process Guide available at: https://www.mass.gov/doc/mvp-20-process-guide/download. Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 1 I. SUMMARY The City of Northampton is seeking a Vendor to assist the City in improving its engagement in community planning within “climate vulnerable” populations through social equity-centered project facilitation. The selected Vendor will work with the City to implement a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) 2.0 Grant award from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The MVP 2.0 Grant program includes a prescriptive three phase scope of work that the selected Vendor will assist the City in accomplishing over a two-year period. For the purposes of this program, climate vulnerable populations include Environmental Justice (EJ) populations and priority populations that may be disproportionately impacted by climate change due to life circumstances that systematically increase their exposure to climate hazards or make it harder to respond. In addition to factors that contribute to EJ status (i.e. income, race, and language), other factors like physical ability, access to transportation, health status, and age shape whether someone or their community will be disproportionately affected by climate change. MVP 2.0 expands on the climate resilience work the City of Northampton has done in recent years identifying the municipalities’ vulnerabilities to climate change and becoming more prepared to address them through several infrastructure projects. Past work focused largely on understanding how extreme weather events will impact infrastructure assets and the physical and ecological environment. The intent of the MVP 2.0 program is to focus on the social impacts of climate change and build needed social resilience to address them. This process will include exploring factors that make people more vulnerable to climate change and improve their resilience to it. It will involve digging deeper into issues such as food security, housing affordability, transportation access, and others. To learn more about ongoing climate change preparedness projects in Northampton visit: The MVP 2.0 process will involve bringing together a Core Team with strong connections to communities in Northampton that will be most impacted by climate change, and a primary Vendor or Vendor team with skills and experience in equity-centered project facilitation, community-driven processes, and climate and community resilience. This RFP is for the selection of the primary Vendor or Vendor team. The Vendor scope of work is broken down into three phases designed to be completed over two years. It takes time to build new relationships, expand involvement of the broader community, and work together to implement a project. The primary Vendor will be involved in all phases to support and guide the process, with the exception of implementing the Seed Project. The MVP 2.0 program expands on the climate resilience work Northampton has done to date and supports them with new methods, tools, and resources for building climate resilience. In particular, the Vendor will support the City in revisiting its MVP Resilience Action Plan with a focus on equity and translating those priorities into action through project development and implementation. The MVP program does this through: • Convening a community team to lead equitable climate resilience work; • Providing training on strategies for building climate resilience, equity, and climate justice; • Revisiting resilience priorities with the involvement of the wider community and a stronger assessment of social vulnerability and resilience; • Helping the municipality and community to co-develop and implement a project that builds community resilience, with guaranteed funding for implementation; and • Providing a process that can be replicated for future, competitive MVP Action Grants. Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 2 II. SCOPE OF WORK The Vendor will be responsible for helping the community implement Steps 1–7 in the MVP 2.0 Process Guide. Phase 1 - Develop a Core Team The vendor will convene and oversee a Core Team, comprised ofof municipal staff/volunteers and community members who will lead the MVP process along with the vendor. Half of the Core Team members will be community liaisons – members of the community or region who have strong connections with Environmental Justice (EJ)1 and other priority populations2 who will lead outreach to these communities throughout the process and who will be compensated for their time by the vendor with grant funding. As part of Phase 1, the City and the Vendor will investigate lived expertise in the community to identify perspectives that will be important to include on our Core Team. 1 Environmental Justice (EJ) Populations are defined in the 2021 EJ Policy and can be viewed in the MA EJ viewer. 2 Other priority populations are people or communities in addition to mapped EJ populations who may be disproportionately impacted by climate change due to life circumstances that systematically increase their exposure to climate hazards or make it harder to respond. In addition to factors that contribute to EJ status (i.e., income, race, and language), other factors like physical ability, access to transportation, health status, and age shape whether someone or their community will be disproportionately affected by climate change. For background on Northampton’s climate resilience planning efforts, see the City’s MVP Resilience Action Plan developed for the MVP Program, and other resilience and regeneration documents at https://northamptonma.gov/2069/Climate Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 3 The full Core Team will receive training to lead climate resilience work and support climate justice in the community and the region. It’s expected that Phase 1 will take about five months (August – December of Year 1). A stipend for Community Liaison members is provided in the budget, and the vendor will be responsible for payments to the Liaisons. Phase 2 - Revisit resilience priorities Building on the City’s previous climate planning projects (MVP 1.0), the Core Team facilitated by the Vendor, will dig deeper into the factors that contribute to social vulnerability and resilience for people who live and work in the community. This step will involve connecting with EJ and other priority populations in the community or region and investigating community and climate data to identify community resilience needs. Then, the Core Team will revisit the City’s community resilience priorities from MVP Planning 1.0 to make sure they reflect any progress, new information, as well as updated understanding of community resilience needs. It’s expected that Phase 2 will take about five months (January – May of Year 1). Phase 3 - Develop and implement a Seed Project A Seed Project is a project selected by the Core Team that will advance the community’s resilience priorities, and that can be completed in 9-10 months. In Phase 3, the Core Team will develop a project idea, vet that idea with the community, develop an implementation plan, and implement the Seed Project. The MVP 2.0 process finishes by reflecting on what went well and how it will adjust the approach for future MVP Action Grants or other resilience efforts. The actual implementation of the Seed Project will be covered under separate procurement and will be allotted $50,000 of grant funding. The responsibility of the Vendor being hired through this RFP will be to help the City select a Seed Project and build out the implementation plan. It does not include actual implementation of the Seed Project or the final reflection upon completion. It’s expected that Phase 3 will take about thirteen months (May - June of the following year). MVP Scope of Work and Checkpoints – MVP Grant Reporting Requirements The selected Vendor will assist the City is preparing deliverables for the City’s submittal to their MVP Grant coordinator at each of the identified checkpoints. Phase 1: Developing a Core Team Step 1: Groundwork 1 month (August - September of Year 1) Actions: • Use the Social Resilience Roadmap to dig deeper into understanding who lives and works in your community and who will likely be disproportionately affected by climate change. • Identify perspectives and lived experience within the community that will be important to include on the Core Team. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion - Email Part A of the Social Resilience Roadmap to our MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to step two. Step 2: Recruiting the Core Team 1-3 months (September - November of Year 1) Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 4 Actions: • Build out a group of municipal staff and community members (i.e., community liaisons) to lead equitable climate resilience work in the community. • Ensure approximately half the Core Team members are from and/or with strong relationships with EJ or other priority populations who live and work in the community. Use “Resources for Core Team Recruitment” as needed. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Email a list of the Core Team members to our MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to step three. Note which members are community liaisons, the community(ies) they are connected to, and the compensation amount. Step 3: Core Team Training 1-2 months (November - December of Year 1) Actions: • Participate in the Climate Resilience Training and Discussion Modules to build skills and capability that will help in assessing community vulnerability and in developing a resilience project. • Participate in the Equity and Climate Justice Learning Series to build skills and capability to work together in ways that center equity and climate justice. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Email our completed discussion guides for the Climate Resilience Video Modules to our MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to step four. Phase 2: Revisiting Resilience Priorities Step 4: Uncovering Social Resilience 3 months (January - March of Year 1) Actions: • Use the Engagement Plan to design and lead community outreach and engagement activities, focused on connecting with and understanding the needs and priorities of EJ and other priority populations who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. • Use the Social Resilience Roadmap to identify factors that contribute to vulnerability and resilience for people who live and work in the community and region, and to inform our approach to building community resilience in ways that simultaneously address root causes of vulnerability. MVP Checkpoints: • Midway - Check in with our MVP Regional Coordinator once we have completed the Engagement Plan, before getting started on our engagement activities. • Upon completion- Email our completed Social Resilience Roadmap (Part B) to our MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to step five. Step 5: Resetting Resilience Priorities 2-3 months (March - May of Year 1) Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 5 Actions: • Use the Resilience Priorities Guide to review and update our resilience priorities based on wider community input about factors that influence vulnerability and resilience for people in our community. • Vet the updated priorities with community members, and specifically people who will be most impacted by climate change, to create shared understanding, transparency, and accountability around community resilience priorities. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Email our completed Resilience Priorities Guide to your MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to step six. Phase 3: Implementing a Seed Project Step 6: Selecting a Seed Project 2 months (May- June of Year 1) Actions: • Use the Seed Project Plan to collaborate on the development of a project that will jump-start or advance the updated community resilience priorities. • Vet the project with community members, to ensure that people who will be most impacted by climate change inform decisions related to the project. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Email our completed Seed Project Plan (Part A) to our MVP Regional Coordinator by June 15. Submitting Part A will unlock funding for Seed Project implementation. Step 7: Seed Project Implementation Plan 1-2 months (July – August of Year 2) Actions: • Use the Seed Project Plan to collaborate on the development of an implementation plan for our Seed Project that will help translate the idea into action. • Coordinate with a Seed Project advisor [TBD] to help develop the plan. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Email ourcompleted Seed Project Plan (Part B) to your MVP Regional Coordinator before moving on to Step 8. Step 8: Implementing the Seed Project- TO BE PROCURED SEPARATELY (NOT PART OF THIS CONTRACT) 9-10 months (September - June of Year 2) Actions: • Implement a Seed Project that will set the groundwork for future Action Grants and/or contribute to building community resilience in our community or region. MVP Checkpoints: • Midway- Halfway through the implementation of our Seed Project, email or set up a call with our MVP Regional Coordinator to provide a progress update. Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 6 Step 9: Reflecting, Adjusting, and Next Steps < 1 month (June of Year 2) Actions: • Use the Reflection Roadmap to reflect on the process in order to evolve and improve it for future resilience building efforts. MVP Checkpoints: • Upon completion- Submit the MVP 2.0 Final Submission Form to the MVP Program, including deliverables, photos, and invoices showing all grant funds were spent to close out the MVP 2.0 project. III. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Primary Vendor/Vendor Team  Working with the municipal staff lead or point person to manage the project, including scheduling meetings or events, overseeing logistics, and monitoring the completion of deliverables and submissions for completing the City’s grant process  Providing guidance and support to municipal staff in completing the Groundwork process (Step 1) and in recruiting the Core Team (Step 2)  Participating in the Core Team training and facilitating the three guided discussions for the Climate Resilience Modules (Step 3)  Providing guidance and support to the Core Team in completing the Uncovering Social Resilience process, including guidance on outreach and engagement approaches and information collection (Step 4)  Facilitating workshops or meetings with the Core Team to reset priorities (Step 5), select a Seed Project (Step 6), and to draft and revise the Seed Project Implementation Plan (Step 7)  Coordinating or contracting with a subject matter advisor to support the development of the Seed Project Implementation Plan (Step 7). The City will facilitate this activity.  Coordinating with an implementation vendor to lead or support the implementation of the Seed Project (Step 8)  Facilitating a workshop or meeting with the Core Team to complete the reflecting and adjusting process (Step 9) Municipal Staff Municipal staff will provide sufficient staff time to assure completion of the City’s grant, which will include the following activities:  Procure a primary vendor based on the provided vendor qualifications;  Complete Part A of the Social Resilience Roadmap to identify perspectives and lived experience within our community that will be important to include on our Core Team (Step 1);  Recruit a Core Team, with at least half the members being community liaisons with strong connections to EJ and other priority populations in Northampton (Step 2);  Participate in the Core Team training (Step 3);  Work with community liaisons on the Core Team to lead inclusive and equitable community outreach and engagement activities to gather insight on sources of vulnerability and resilience in the City and complete Part B of the Social Resilience Roadmap (step 4); Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 7  Participate in discussions with our Core Team to revisit and update Northampton’s community resilience priorities; vet the updated priorities with the community (Step 5);  Participate in discussions with the Core Team to identify a Seed Project idea; vet the Seed Project idea with the community (Step 6);  Participate in discussions with the Core Team to develop a Seed Project Implementation Plan; identify a subject matter advisor(s) to support this process (Step 7);  Identify an implementation vendor to lead or support the implementation of the Seed Project; work with the implementation vendor and community stakeholders to implement the Seed Project (Step 8);  Reflect on the MVP 2.0 process, and submit the MVP 2.0 Final Submission form with all associated deliverables to the MVP team (Step 9). Community Liaison Community liaisons will make up approximately half of the members on the Core Team, be compensated for their time through the grant funding, and play an important role in making sure the insight, needs, and priorities of those most impacted by climate change inform decisions throughout the process. Community liaisons (approximately five) will help the vendor implement the MVP 2.0 process. Community Liaisons will be paid out of the grant funding, by and through the selected vendor, and responsibilities will include the following activities:  Work closely with the other members of the Core Team (other Community Liaisons and Grantee staff) for unified project coordination;  Participate in a Core Team training focused on building climate resilience and equity and climate justice;  Attend and participate in regular team meetings;  Organize, promote, and facilitate engagement activities with members of the community;  Gather insight from the community about community needs and factors that contribute to social vulnerability;  Work with other Core Team members to update the community’s priorities for building climate resilience;  Work with other Core Team members to identify, develop, and implement a project that supports community resilience  Develop and maintain trusting relationships in the community. IV. BUDGET Upon admittance to the MVP 2.0 Program the City of Northampton was awarded a funding amount of $45,000. Below is a sample budget for the completion of the MVP 2.0 Process. The budget below provides a sample breakdown of this grant funding across Community Liaisons, the primary vendor, a subject matter expert, and engagement. The vendor will work with the community to determine the means of distribution of funding to the Community Liaisons or any additional project components the community may want to pay for directly from the budget. The vendor and City may decide the vendor will pay the Community Liaisons as sub-contractors or that they will be paid directly by the City of Northampton. An Excel version of this budget is available here with additional details. Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 8 Sample MVP 2.0 Process Budget (Steps 1-7 & Step 9) Task Community Liaisons (+ municipal volunteers) Primary Vendor Total Task Cost $40 $150 PROJECT TEAM # People Hours per perso n Total Hour Total Total Step 1: Groundwork (August- September of Year 1) 0 0 $0 12 $1,800 $1,800 Step 2: Recruiting Core Team (September-November of Year 1) 0 0 $0 20 $3,000 $3,000 Step 3: Core Team Training (November-December of Year 1) 5 10 $2,000 15 $2,250 $4,250 Step 4: Uncovering Social Resilience (January-March of Year 1) 5 35 $7,000 45 $6,750 $13,750 Step 5: Revisiting Resilience Priorities (March-May of Year 1) 5 14 $2,800 25 $3,750 $6,550 Step 6: Selecting Seed Project (May-June of Year 1) 5 12 $2,400 20 $3,000 $5,400 Step 7: Seed Project Implementation Plan (July- August of Year 2) 5 7 $1,400 20 $3,000 $4,400 Step 8: Implementing Seed Project (September-June of Year 2) (all costs to be covered by the Seed Project funding) Step 9: Reflecting, Adjusting, and Next Steps (June of Year 2) 5 2 $400 5 $750 $1,150 Total - 80 $16,000 162 $24,300 $40,300 DIRECT COSTS Subject Matter Advisor(s) $800 Step 4 Engagement (Uncovering Social Resilience) $2,000 Step 5 Engagement (Vetting Resilience Priorities) $950 Step 6 Engagement (Vetting Seed Project) $950 Total DIRECT COSTS $4,700 TOTAL PROJECT COST $45,000 Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 9 V. DETAILS ON MATERIALS THAT RESULT FROM THIS CONTRACT All materials, software, maps, reports, and other products produced through the MVP 2.0 Grant program and any contracts issued based on responses submitted to this Request for Proposals shall be considered in the public domain and thus available at the cost of production. All materials created through this opportunity and as a result of this award should credit the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program. VI. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS Please submit the full proposal by email. Proposals shall include the following and shall be organized using each of the elements listed below as section headings: A. Vendor and/or sub-Vendor Description: Provide a brief description of the firm/organization including size and area of specialization, location of headquarters, and location of office proposed to handle this project. B. Project Team: Provide names, contact information, resumes, and office locations of key staff who will be assigned to the project. Each team member’s education and qualifications shall be listed. The project manager shall be clearly identified. If different consultants will be teaming together, indicate who will be the day-to-day contact person/team. C. Qualifications: Provide a description of how the vendor team meets the three areas of required experience and skill sets described above: Equity-Centered Project Facilitation, Community- Driven Processes, and Climate and Community Resilience. See how this will be evaluated below for the types of information to include here. D. Additional Experience: Provide a description of the following: a. Experience with facilitation or consensus building. Describe the vendor team’s experience with facilitation and consensus building within a group or project team. Provide details on one or more projects or initiatives where members of the vendor team were responsible for playing a facilitation or consensus building role. b. Experience working in multi-racial, multicultural, or socially vulnerable groups. Describe the vendor team’s experience with working on projects that involved integrating marginalized racial, cultural, or socially vulnerable groups in decision-making processes. Provide details on one or more projects or initiatives where members of the vendor team implemented meaningful inclusionary practices, fostered social connections, and managed power dynamics that centered social equity or building resilience. c. Experience managing projects. Describe the vendor team’s experience with managing projects, including coordinating a project team and tracking a budget and deliverables. Provide details on one or more projects or initiatives where members of the vendor team were responsible for project management. d. Local expertise. Describe the vendor team’s familiarity with the municipality or the region, including experience living and/or working in the municipality or region, and experience collaborating with local partners. E. Project Understanding: Provide a statement summarizing how the vendor team is particularly qualified for this project. F. Scope of Services: Describe the vendor team’s approach and plan for accomplishing the work listed herein and in the MVP 2.0 Process Guide. The vendor shall not delete any requested scope tasks. Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 10 G. Project Schedule, Budget, and Commitment: The vendor shall submit acknowledgment and commitment for the responsibilities, timeline, and budget of the proposed work described above and familiarity with the Process Guide. The proposed budget should be included here. Any proposed changes to the budget above should be provided with an explanation. H. References: Collectively the references should be able to speak to the vendor team’s qualifications listed above. Ideally, at least one reference would be a representative of a community-based organization or community group that serves EJ and other priority populations and can speak to the vendor team’s ability to lead equity-centered processes. For each reference, list the contact name, their title and/or affiliation, a brief description of the project or initiative they’d be able to speak to, and their contact information (phone number and email address). VII. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS Bids will be evaluated based on vendor qualifications (see criteria below), additional experience, references, budget and timeline, and completeness and clarity of the proposal, including adherence to MVP 2.0 requirements outlined in the Process Guide. Evaluation of Qualifications of the Vendor/ Vendor Team Baseline Exceptional At least three years of experience in leading or facilitating equity-centered projects or initiatives; OR Experience leading or facilitating at least two equity-centered projects or initiatives. For each project or initiative, describe how equity goals shaped who was involved, the process, and the desired outcomes. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role. Note: It is not necessary for the vendor to have led the full project or initiative as long as they led or played a substantial role in centering equity in the project. At least five years of experience in leading or facilitating equity-centered projects or initiatives; OR Experience leading or facilitating at least three equity-centered projects or initiatives. For each project or initiative, describe how equity goals shaped who was involved, the process, and the desired outcomes. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role. Note: It is not necessary for the vendor to have led the full project or initiative as long as they led or played a substantial role in centering equity in the project. One or more members of the vendor team has received training in advancing equity in governmental processes, undoing racism, and/or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). One or more members of the vendor team has received extensive training (i.e., multiple trainings or learning opportunities) in advancing equity in governmental processes, undoing racism, and/or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); OR Northampton MVP 2.0 Vendor RFP 11 For each team member, list the training(s) they have participated in. Include links to information on the trainings. Has developed and/or led trainings on the topics listed above. For each team member, list the training(s) they have participated in, developed, or led. Include links to information on the trainings. At least three years of experience in leading or facilitating inclusive and equitable outreach and engagement with residents from historically underrepresented groups; OR Experience co-designing or facilitating an initiative or planning process where decisions were led or substantially shaped by community members, and specifically residents from historically underrepresented groups. For each project or initiative, describe how you approached inclusive and equitable outreach and engagement or the process of collaborating with community members. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role. At least five years of experience in leading or facilitating inclusive and equitable outreach and engagement with residents from historically underrepresented groups; OR More than one experience co-designing or facilitating an initiative or planning process where decisions were led or substantially shaped by community members, and specifically residents from historically underrepresented groups. For each project or initiative, describe how you approached inclusive and equitable outreach and engagement or the process of collaborating with community members. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role. At least two years of experience working on projects or initiatives focused on addressing climate change or building resilience to climate hazards; OR Experience working on one or more projects or initiatives focused on addressing climate change or building resilience to climate hazards. For each project or initiative, describe the approach taken, the climate impacts that were being considered, and how the project addressed social vulnerability. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role. At least four years of experience working on projects or initiatives focused on addressing climate change or building resilience to climate hazards; OR Experience working on three or more projects or initiatives focused on addressing climate change or building resilience to climate hazards. For each project or initiative, describe the approach taken, the climate impacts that were being considered, and how the project addressed social vulnerability. Specify where the project or initiative took place, who it served, and the start and finish dates. Specify who on the vendor team was involved in the process and their role.