View the RFP at http://seccog.org/Employment.html.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) is seeking qualifications and proposals from firms to conduct regional Community Rating System (CRS) certification activities and related services. Interested firms must demonstrate knowledge and experience in the FEMA CRS program.

Purpose of Project

• Provide services to assist SCCOG municipalities with enrolling in the FEMA CRS program.
• Develop model for continued and expanded enrollment in CRS.

Background

Southeastern Connecticut is a 616-square-mile region with a resident population of more than 286,000 people. SCCOG is comprised of 22 municipalities and is governed by the chief elected officials of those municipalities. Five member municipalities are located along the coast of Long Island Sound and four more located along the Thames River. Across the region, nearly 5,000 individual structures are located within a 100-year floodplain and another 8,700 parcels in the 500-year flood zone, with nearly 4,000 flood insurance policies currently in place. Climatologists predict more frequent and severe storms in the future as well as seal level rise that will make existing stormwater drainage systems less effective and exacerbate flooding risks. Only one municipality is currently enrolled in the CRS program at class 8, and a second municipality is under review for re-enrollment. In both towns, the certification process was carried out by town staff. It has not been undertaken in other SCCOG municipalities due to its complexity and potential ongoing demand for staff resources. SCCOG has received funding from the State of Connecticut’s Regional Performance Incentive Program to conduct a regional CRS program and develop a model that its 22 member municipalities can make use of to become CRS-certified.

Submission Requirements

1. Background statement describing the firm, its discipline capabilities, principal staff availability, location, and financial stability.
2. Qualifications and position with the firm of those individuals who will be assigned to the project. Include resumes of key personnel.
3. Statement of experience with similar projects. Identify location of the work, clients, contact information, dates of completion, and deliverables provided.
4. A proposal describing the firm’s approach to this project, responding to the draft scope of services included herein, including a schedule and proposed budget/fee for project completion.
5. Organization structure under which your firm is proposing to conduct this project. Identify and sub-consultants with their principal contact listed.
6. Concluding statement as to why your firm is best qualified to meet the needs of SCCOG and why your firm should be selected.
7. Five (5) copies of the Statement of Qualifications/Proposal should be submitted to James S. Butler, AICP, Executive Director, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360.

The selected firm or team must demonstrate that they have sufficient and appropriately qualified staff and experience to carry out the project. Consultants must indicate who they project manager and key staff will be and the location of their office(s). The selected firm or team must meet SCCOG, state, and federal affirmative action and equal opportunity employment practices.

A selection committee of SCCOG staff and board members will evaluate qualifications. The firm selected shall be based on qualifications; however, it is requested that all firms include proposed project fees and how these have been developed.

After selection of the most qualified firm, SCCOG will negotiate a final fee for the project based on a detailed scope of service developed by SCCOG and the selected consultant. If SCCOG and that firm are unable to negotiate a contract, negotiations will be terminated with that firm and the next most qualified firm will be selected until a contract has been negotiated with a qualified firm.

Submission Deadline

Statements of Qualifications and Project Proposals must be received by SCCOG no later than Friday, October 20, 2017 at 4:00 pm EST. Statements received after this deadline will not be considered.

Additional Information

A preliminary scope is attached as well as relevant references.

Questions may be directed to James S. Butler, AICP, Executive Director at jbutler@seccog.org or at (860) 889-2324.

Preliminary Project Scope

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments proposes to assist its member municipalities in enrolling in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS), which discounts insurance rates in municipalities that implement best practices for reducing flood risks, and to develop a model for future enrollment and continued participation. Currently, two of its 22 member municipalities (East Lyme and Stonington) are enrolled or have their certification pending with the CRS program at class 8 status (10% discount). Five additional municipalities are not enrolled in CRS but have a large number of properties insured against flood (Norwich, New London, City of Groton, Town of Groton and Waterford), with Groton administered as four entities (Groton Long Point, Noank, Town of Groton, and City of Groton) for the purposes of the CRS program. For the purpose of this prospective scope, Norwich, New London, Waterford, Town of Groton, City of Groton, Noank, and Groton Long Point are referred to as target communities.

The intent of the project is to provide services to the target communities that will document their implementation of practices that qualify for CRS certification, to provide these services to other SCCOG municipalities where applicable, and to develop a model for additional municipalities to enroll in CRS in the future and to conduct ongoing compliance activities.

Tasks (numbers refer to CRS Coordinator’s Manual Credit Series)

• Prepare CRS Quick Checks for target communities; meet with municipal elected officials and town staff to brief them on process
• Assist target communities with prerequisites
  1. Document compliance with minimum requirements of NFIP and staff Community Assistance Visits, if necessary
  2. Develop procedures for obtaining and maintaining FEMA elevation certificates on all new buildings and substantial improvements (310)
  3. Document repetitive loss properties and develop annual outreach to RPL areas (501-504)
  4. Document flood insurance requirements for required properties and compliance (210)
  5. Document that Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) is shown on FIRM.
• Prepare regional products (with municipal details as necessary), which may include:
  1. Outreach materials (330)
  2. Flood Protection Information (350)
  3. Open space preservation/municipal policies in place (420 series)
  4. Documentation of Uniform Minimum Credit Credits (available to all CT municipalities because of state regulations)
  5. Develop GIS layers for inclusion in regional and municipal GIS systems (440)
  6. Prepare model ordinances for potential adoption
• Assist target communities with implementation activities
• Coordinate ISO certification of participating target communities
• Prepare guidebook for enrolling additional communities in CRS
• Prepare guidebook for ongoing compliance of CRS certification

References (http://seccog.org/documents.html)

• 2012 Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
• 2017 Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (in process, not yet available)
• 2017 Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (resiliency chapter)