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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
2015 DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN
INTRODUCTION
The City of Bozeman (“COB”) is seeking proposals from consultants qualified to provide professional engineering
services to complete a Drought Management Plan. There is growing evidence that climate change is causing
longer and more frequent droughts in some areas including SW Montana.1 Drought directly impacts the City
of Bozeman’s ability to deliver water and increases the risk of wildfire in key locations within the city’s
watershed. As the city continues to grow, the utility must build resiliency to drought through proactive and
comprehensive drought planning in advance of a crisis.
The City’s Integrated Water Resources Plan recommends drought contingency planning as a component of the
water conservation program and includes some suggested drought response actions.2 The Plan recognizes
that water conservation and drought management combine to insure the availability of firm yields to cover
indoor water demands during a drought emergency.3
Research shows that planning for drought is far more cost effective than emergency response. Taking steps
ahead of time to prevent known impacts from a drought emergency is far less expensive than measures taken
in the midst of a drought. Moreover, post-drought relief is costly and may not reach the right people. 4
The Drought Management Plan must address how COB will recognize the next drought in the early stages,
how it will affect us and our customers and how COB can mitigate impacts from future drought.
More specifically, the Drought Management Plant must include the following elements:
• Drought Monitoring
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Mitigation Actions
• Response Actions
• Operational and Administrative Framework
• Plan Update Process
1 The Third National Climate Assessment, published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program in 2014, links
climate change to increased droughts in western states. http://nca2014.globalchange.gov. 2 Integrated Water Resources Plan, Appendix B, Technical Memorandum page 38 (Adopted by Bozeman City Commission
September 2013); available at: http://www.bozeman.net/Smarty/media/Public_Works/Water%20Conservation/pdf/IWRP-Bozeman.pdf 3 Id. Page 39. 4 National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) available at: http://drought.unl.edu/Planning/WhyPlanforDrought.aspx
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PRELIMINARY SCOPE OF WORK
The preliminary scope of work involved for this project is outlined below. Additional tasks and work elements
may be added during contract negotiations. It is also possible that tasks or elements could be deleted through
negotiation. In its proposal, the consultant may recommend addition/deletion of tasks or modification of tasks
in describing its particular understanding and approach for the project.
Proposals must clearly identify any elements of the proposed scope of work that would not be provided by the
prime consultant. Any sub-consultants which comprise the overall consultant team must be identified along
with a description of past working history between the firms.
The COB desires to complete the proposed work in a diligent manner. Proposals must clearly indicate the
consultant’s anticipated schedule given their staffing and current and projected work load commitments.
Task 1 – Drought Monitoring
The plan must establish a process for monitoring near and long-term water availability, and a framework for
predicting the probability of future droughts or confirming an existing drought. This includes a process for the
collection, analysis, and dissemination of water availability and other drought-related data (e.g., precipitation,
temperature, and streamflow levels, among other indicators). The plan must also explain how this data will be
used to predict or confirm droughts, including identifying metrics and triggers (e.g., reservoir level reached at a
specific reservoir and use of specific drought indices) that may be used to define stages of drought, to trigger
mitigation or response actions, and to define the different stages or levels of severity of drought.
Task 2 – Vulnerability Assessment
The plan must include a vulnerability assessment evaluating the risks and impacts of drought. A vulnerability
assessment is an assessment of the risks to critical resources within the planning area and the factors
contributing to those risks. Assessments will drive the development of potential mitigation and response
actions. The assessment must be based on a range of future conditions, including the effects of climate change.
Task 3 – Mitigation Actions
The plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize mitigation actions and activities that will build long-term
resiliency to drought and that will mitigate the risks posed by drought. Mitigation measures are actions,
programs, and strategies implemented before drought to address potential risks and impacts. These actions are
outside of regular water management activities and are intended to decrease sector vulnerabilities and reduce
the need for response actions.
Task 4 – Response Actions
The plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize response actions and activities that can be implemented during a
drought to mitigate the impacts. Response actions are different than mitigation measures in that they are
triggered during specific stages of drought to manage the limited supply and decrease the severity of immediate
impacts. Response actions can be quickly implemented and provide expeditious benefits.
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Task 5 – Operational and Administrative Framework
An operational and administrative framework must be developed to identify who is responsible for undertaking
the actions necessary to implement each element of the plan, including communicating with the public about
those actions. At a minimum, the framework should identify roles, responsibilities, and procedures necessary to:
• Conduct drought monitoring
• Initiate mitigation actions
• Initiate response actions, including emergency response actions
• Update the plan
The operational and administrative framework may be integrated into each element of the plan, or documented
in a specific section of the plan.
Task 6 – Plan Update Process
The plan must describe a process and schedule for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the plan.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
One electronic searchable PDF file must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on August 11, 2015 to the City Clerk
at agenda@bozeman.net. Proposals shall be presented in a neat and orderly fashion. Proposals shall not
exceed fifteen (15) pages in length and shall be combined into 1 single PDF. Separate links and attachments will
not be reviewed. Please note that the USPS will not deliver mail to this location. Late proposals will not be
considered.
Proposals shall, at a minimum, include the following items:
• A narrative describing the consultant’s particular understanding and approach for the project. Specific
challenges should be identified along with unique solutions proposed to complete project tasks and
achieve project goals.
• A proposed work plan indicating tasks to be accomplished, work schedule, consultant personnel and
sub-consultants expected to perform each major task element, prior work history of consultant and sub-
consultants, person-hours required to accomplish each task, and the involvement anticipated of COB
staff (and timing and nature of that involvement).
• Qualifications of key individuals assigned to the project, their availability during the relevant time
periods, and their recent experience on similar projects.
• References for whom key individuals of the consultant and sub-consultants have performed similar work
within the last five years, and two examples of work produced under similar contracts (examples
produced on projects utilizing the key personnel identified for this proposal are preferred).
• A completed and signed Non-Discrimination Affirmation Form (see Attachment A).
CONSULTANT SELECTION
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A consultant selection committee consisting of key COB staff will choose, in its opinion, the most qualified
consultant to provide services required for the project. Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria and
the requirements of MCA 18-8-201 et seq.
• The consultant’s specific project approach and understanding;
• Qualifications of professional personnel to be assigned to the project;
• Capability to meet project time and budget requirements;
• Location of the consultant in relation to project;
• Present and project workloads ;
• Related experience on similar projects;
• Recent and current work for the COB.
A determination of finalists to be interviewed will be made by the selection committee based on an evaluation
of written proposals received. Award will be made following contract negotiations to the most qualified
consultant at a price which the COB determines to be fair and reasonable taking into account the estimated
value of services to be rendered, as well as the scope, complexity and professional nature thereof.
If the COB is unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the consultant initially selected at a price the COB
determines to be fair and reasonable, negotiations with that consultant will be formally terminated and the COB
will select another consultant in accordance with MCA 18-8-204 and continue until an agreement is reached or
the process is terminated.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS
COB CONTACT: Questions or requests for additional information regarding this project or RFP requirements
may be directed to:
Lain Leoniak, JD, CLIA
City of Bozeman – Water Conservation Division
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771 -1230
406-582-2280
lleoniak@bozeman.net
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY: Discrimination in the performance of any contract awarded under this
request for proposal on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, or actual
or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or disability is prohibited. This prohibition shall apply to the
hiring and treatment of the awarded entity’s employees and to all subcontracts. Every entity submitting under
this request for proposal must sign and return the attached affirmation statement with their bound response to
this request for proposal.
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SUGGESTED RESOURCES (AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST):
• Integrated Water Resources Plan
• CREAT Documents
• City of Bozeman Source Water Protection Plan by Western Groundwater Services
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ATTACHMENT A: NON-DISCRIMINATION AFFIRMATION FORM
[name of entity proposing] hereby affirms it will not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, or because of
actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability in the performance of work performed for
the City of Bozeman, if a contract is awarded to it, and also recognizes the eventual contract, if awarded, will
contain a provision prohibiting discrimination as described above and that this prohibition shall apply to the
hiring and treatment of the [name of entity proposing] employees
and to all subcontracts it enters into in the performance of the agreement with the City of Bozeman.
Signature of Proposer:
Person authorized to sign on behalf of the proposer