feasibility scope of work
TRANSCRIPT
SANDY & CLACKAMAS FEASIBILITY STUDY 1
Feasibility Scope of Work
June 22, 2021
Feasibility Scope of Work
Sandy Fire District No. 72 (SFD) and Clackamas Fire District No. 1 (CFD) are
seeking assistance analyzing options for service delivery, organizational structure, and financial
sustainability. To support this analysis the consultant will include the following Options:
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the current cooperative agreement /
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between both Fire Districts to include
service delivery, efficiencies gained, or challenges created and resource
distribution and concentration
• Provide financial analysis to include micro and macroeconomics, growth
projections, review of capital assets (facilities, apparatus, real property) and
organizational structure
For future analysis:
• Describe opportunities and challenges of further collaboration or integration.
• Provide recommendations regarding various proposed options for each agency
remaining autonomous, working within the current or amended Intergovernmental
Agreement, Contract for Service and/or legal integration
The successful proposer will be required to prepare a detailed schedule of all tasks listed
in this Request for Qualification (RFQ). Throughout the duration of the professional services, the
consultant will be required to update the schedule created with progress.
If either Fire District determines any deliverables are not acceptable and any deficiencies
are the responsibility of the consultant, the Fire District shall prepare a detailed written
description of deficiencies with associated time frame for correction and deliver such notice to
the consultant. The Consultant will correct any deficiencies at no cost to the districts.
If the corrective work causes any project delays, the Consultant will submit a plan
to return to the project schedule for the remaining work under the contract, unless otherwise
allowed by both fire districts. If the Fire Districts determine the contract schedule must be
modified, a contract amendment will be initiated.
Lastly, evaluation and analysis of data and related information will consider local and
national standards, Insurance Services Office (ISO) schedules, accreditation criteria, state and
federal regulations and industry best practices.
Background:
Fire districts in Clackamas County have a long-standing history of collaborative
governance and economies of scale through intergovernmental agreements and
consolidations. No other year in our history has better illustrated the need for such efforts than
2020. A world-wide pandemic, devastating wildfires and severe weather events have stretched
resources and challenged agencies to continue with current levels of service delivery.
During the last several years Clackamas Fire District #1 and Estacada Rural Fire District
#69 have engaged in several Intergovernmental Agreements. Ultimately, resulting in a full
contract for service and proposed merger of the two fire districts. Subsequently, Estacada voters
rejected the proposed merger in the November 2020 general election leaving both Districts to
unwind efforts and put a fire department back together. This has led to heightened awareness
of communities, elected officials and organizations as to the efficiencies and effectiveness gained
through such collaboration as well as the strain and political toll if efforts are not successful.
This study and scope of work shall serve as a road map to avoid the challenges
experienced in Estacada, placing the service levels to our communities and sustainability of our
efforts as the top priority.
A detailed scope of work shall be included in the proposal to address the following:
Phase I: Project Initiation
Task 1-A: Project Initiation & Development of Work Plan
The consultant team members will converse with the project teams of SFD and CFD, to gain a
comprehensive understanding of each Fire District’s background, goals, and expectations for the
project. This meeting will also help to establish working relationships, make logistical
arrangements, and determine an appropriate line of communications. The consultant's project
manager will develop and refine a work plan that will guide the project team. This work plan will
be developed identifying:
• Primary tasks to be performed — as outlined below
o Person(s) responsible for each task
o Timetable for each objective to be completed
o Method of evaluating results
o Resources to be utilized
o Possible obstacles or problem areas associated with the accomplishment of
each task
Deliverable: At the conclusion of Task 1-A, the consultant will provide a copy of
timelines to each district.
Task 1-B: Acquisition & Review of Background Information
The consultant will request pertinent information and data from each district’s assigned
project manager. This data will be used extensively in the analysis and development of the report
document. The documents and information relevant to this project will include, but not be
limited to, the following:
• Agency accreditation, emergency services studies or research
• Census data, demographics, regional growth projections
• Financial data, including debt information, long-range financial plans
and projections
• District administrative policies and procedures
• Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) and service delivery practices
• Current service delivery objectives for each District
• Facilities and apparatus inventories
• Local collective bargaining agreements
• Clackamas fire defense board mutual aid agreements
• Five years of records management data, including National Fire Incident
Reporting System (NFIRS) incident data
• Five years of Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) incident records
• Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data via both agencies current
vendor
Task 1-C: Stakeholder Input
The consultant project team will conduct District site or virtual visits depending on state
and local COVID-19 risk levels, for the purpose of obtaining additional perspective on
operational, economic, and policy issues facing each agency. In addition, the project team will
learn more about availability of data necessary to meet projected goals and provide estimated
hours of input with costs associated with them.
Key personnel included:
• Fire District Board of Directors for both SFD and CFD (five each)
• Fire District chief officers
• Local 1159 / Local 1660 (labor leadership or designees)
• Volunteer Associations (Association Officers or designees from both agencies)
• Finance staff
• Human resource staff
• Department Heads
• Physician Advisor and/or EMS Coordinator
• C-COM Director
• Clackamas County Disaster Manager
• Clackamas County Fire Defense Board representative
• One neighborhood association from each Fire District (principal member or
designee)
• One law enforcement agency from each Fire District (principal member or
designee)
• Others as they may contribute to this project
Deliverable: At the conclusion of Phase I, the consultant will provide a document
summarizing the data collection and stakeholder input process.
Phase II: Baseline Agency Evaluations
The initial phases of the study focus on a baseline assessment of the current
organizational conditions of each Fire District and previous five years' service performance of
the districts separately and the study area in its entirety. Previous reports, studies and
accreditation documents will be reviewed as background and context. The consultant will
conduct an organizational review of the Fire Districts based on the elements included in the
following tasks. The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the Fire Districts’ operations in
comparison to industry standards and best practices, as well as to create a benchmark against
which the options for future service delivery can be measured.
Task 2-A: Organization Overview
An overview of each organization and community will be developed discussing:
• Service area population and demographics
• History, formation, and general description of the Fire Districts today
• Description of the current service delivery infrastructure
• Governance and lines of authority
• Policy documents
• Organizational design
• Contracts, IGAs and MOUs between participating agencies and labor groups
• Operating budget, funding, fees, taxation, and financial resources to include both
micro and macroeconomics in a five-year projection
Task 2-B: Management Components
Each organization’s basic management processes will be reviewed, including:
• Organizational structure
• Mission, vision, strategic planning, succession plans, goals, and objectives
• Internal and external assessment of critical issues
• Internal and external assessment of future challenges
• Internal and external communications processes
• Document control and security
• Reporting and recordkeeping
• Departments, Divisions, and other sub-groups within the Fire Districts (E.G., but
not limited to: Information Technology Systems, Volunteer associations,
Wellness, etc.)
Task 2-C: Capital Assets and Capital Improvement Programs
The consultant will review capital improvement plans, work products, review the status
of current major capital assets (facilities and apparatus) and analyze needs relative to the existing
condition of those assets and their viability for continued use in future service delivery,
including:
Facilities — Tour and make observations in areas related to station efficiency and
functionality. Items to be contained in the report include:
• Design • Code compliance
• Construction • Staff facilities
• Safety • Efficiency
• Environmental issues • Future viability
Apparatus / Vehicles — Review and make observations regarding inventory of apparatus and
equipment. Items to be reviewed include:
• Age, condition, and serviceability
• Distribution and deployment
• Maintenance
• Regulation's compliance
• Future needs
In lieu of touring and reviewing apparatus or facilities, SFD and/or CFD may request that
the consultant review its existing work products, plans or reports concerning facilities, apparatus,
and vehicles and may deem them as sufficient for the purposes of the feasibility study. In such an
occurrence, the consultant shall adjust its pricing accordingly based on two proposed cost
estimates.
Task 2-D: Staffing and Personnel Management
The consultant will review each district’s staffing, responsibilities, and activity levels of
all personnel. Areas to be considered include:
• Analyze current standards of coverage and staffing performance for incidents
• Review career and volunteer firefighter/EMS staff distribution
• Review and evaluate administration and support staffing levels
• Review and evaluate operational staffing levels
• Review staff allocation to various functions and divisions
• Review staff scheduling methodology
Personnel management systems of the districts will also be evaluated, focusing on:
• Human resources policies and handbooks
• Quality and status of job descriptions
• Personnel reports and recordkeeping
• Compensation systems
• Disciplinary process
• Counseling services
• Application and recruitment processes
• Testing, measuring, and promotion processes
• Member retention efforts and programs
Task 2-E: Service Delivery and Performance
The consultant will review and make observations in areas specifically involved in, or
affecting, service levels and performance of the districts, either individually or when operating in
concert with one another. Areas to be evaluated shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:
• Demand Study –
o Analysis of current service demand by incident type and temporal
variation for each Fire District
o Analysis and geographic display of annual service demand density for the
previous five years within the study area
• Distribution Study –
o Overview of the current facility and apparatus deployment strategy,
analyzed through Geographical Information Systems software, with
identification of service gaps and redundancies. This distribution study
will be conducted for the study area, with all existing facilities included in
the analysis
• Concentration Study –
o Analysis of geographic display of the response time necessary to achieve
full effective response force for arrival in the study area using existing
distribution of all organizational resources. Effective response force shall
be defined by Clackamas Fire’s standard of cover document
o Analysis of company- and staff- distribution and ambulance
resources as it relates to effective response force assembly in the
study area
• Reliability Study –
o Analysis of current workload, including unit hour utilization, other
assignments, and down time of individual companies (to the extent data is
complete)
o Review of actual or estimated failure rates of individual companies (to the
extent data is complete)
o Analysis of call concurrency and impact on effective response force
assembly
• Performance Summary –
o Analysis of system response time performance analyzed by individual
companies (to the extent data is available). Performance analysis will be
conducted for each district individually and for the study area.
• Incident control and management methods
• Mutual and automatic aid systems
Task 2-F: Support Programs
The consultant will review and make overall observations involving support programs
within each District. Critical areas to be reviewed include:
Life Safety Services (Fire Prevention)
• Code enforcement activities
• New construction inspection and involvement
• General inspection program
• Fire and Life-Safety public education programs
• Fire investigation programs
• Pre-incident planning
• Statistical collection and analysis
Communications
• Alarm systems and communications infrastructure
• PSAP and Dispatch Center capabilities and methods
• Dispatch center staffing
• Funding obligations for CAD upgrade and radio system upgrade and equipment
Program practices and procedures, recordkeeping, administration / oversight for
the following departments:
• Logistics
• Fleet Maintenance
• Facilities
• Human resources
• Finance department
Task 2-G: Emergency Medical Services Support and System Oversight
Evaluate each Fire District’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) support and oversight
mechanisms to include, but not limited to, the following:
• Review of EMS logistical support services
• Review of current medical control and oversight
• Review of quality assurance/quality improvement mechanisms in place
• Review of system integrity regarding required credentialing
Task 2-H: Technical Rescue Services Support and Response Capability
Evaluate the agencies’ capabilities regarding technical rescue incident response to
include, but not limited to, the following:
• Review of physical and personnel resources
• Review of training and educational compliance
• Review of historical staffing performance regarding technical rescue responses
• Review certification and deployment of key personnel and resources
Task 2-I: Emergency Management
Evaluate the emergency management program and activities of each district.
• Analysis of this functional area; including content and staffing.
Task 2-J: Current Cooperative Services between SFD and CFD
Evaluate the current and
draft Intergovernmental Agreement and Other Shared Services between the Fire Districts. The
project report shall include:
Analysis of these functional areas; including their content and staffing.
• Staffing of station 18 in the Eagle Creek community
o Year 1: Staffing provided by CFD with (1/3) funded by SFD
o Year 2: Staffing of one shift provided and funded by SFD with other two
shifts funded and staffed by CFD
• Command and control
• Fleet Services
• Training
• Identification of the effectiveness and efficiency gained by each agency through
the agreement.
Deliverable: At the conclusion of Phase II the consultant will provide a summary
outlining findings and observations in the focus area(s) and tasks.
Phase III: Future Opportunities for Cooperative Efforts
The consultant will use the completed baseline assessment of each Fire District to
identify opportunities and feasibility for cooperative efforts. The project team will identify areas
of duplication that can be reduced through consolidation efforts, as well as potential service
improvements that can be accomplished. Experience has shown that this frequently becomes the
overriding influence for public fire service consolidation efforts.
Task 3-A: General Partnering Strategies
The various partnering strategies are described, beginning with a do-nothing approach,
and ending with complete consolidation of the agencies into a new emergency service provider.
The following alternatives will be evaluated, discussed and recommendations for best options
provided:
• Continuation of existing IGAs (status quo)
• Amendments to existing IGAs
• Operational unification (contract for service)
• Legal Integration
Task 3-B: Options for Shared Services
The study considers the many shared issues that face the two Fire Districts, and how such
matters affect the effort to construct a regional model for efficient service. These issues are
identified and analyzed. Within each presented option for shared services, the consultant will
evaluate and discuss the following:
• Level of cooperation
• Estimated timeline for completion
• Affected section, e.g., Administration, Operations, Support Services
• Affected stakeholders
• Objective of strategy
• Summary of strategy
• Guidance
• Fiscal considerations
• Economic considerations
• Political considerations
• Social considerations
• Policy actions
Task 3-C: Fiscal Analysis
Fiscal analysis is a vital component of the emergency services evaluation. The consultant
determines the fiscal state of each Fire District and develops recommendations on improving the
financial resources available for emergency services. The consultant will provide Oregon state
department, Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) and census data along with budgets for
each district to allow a comparative examination of the actual public costs for each
Fire District and as a tool for analyzing the financial effects of any type of general partnering
strategies. Funding mechanisms will be identified, and comprehensive financial outcomes
provided for each consolidation strategy offered.
All recommendations are consistent with the Fire Districts’ financial capabilities to
provide adequate, cost-effective services to citizens. In addition, budgeting practices are
thoroughly examined, and alternate methodologies may be suggested. Within each presented
option for consolidation strategies, the consultant will evaluate and discuss the following:
• Review and analyze district budgets, revenues, expenditures, employment
costs, compression analysis, audit reports and long-range financial plans.
• Comparative analysis demonstrating cost, funding and efficiency in relation to
neighboring jurisdiction and similar jurisdictions
• Review and analyze the impacts of potential changes may have on
each jurisdiction under the options (as identified in Task 3-A)
• Financial projections for each option (as identified in Task 3-A) extending
five years.
• Revenue projections (growth/population analysis, compression analysis, assessed
value analysis)
• Property type diversity/revenue stability analysis
• Financial issue identification and analysis
• Identify areas of short and long-term savings and costs
• Projected costs to property owners for each option (as identified in Task 3-A)
• Existing or potential liabilities (e.g., PERS (Public Employees Retirement
System), Urban Renewal, legacy costs)
In addition to the fiscal state evaluation of each Fire District, the consultant will present
an evaluation of various funding alternatives to assist in quantifying the cost of providing any
consolidated or merged emergency services as identified in Task 3-A. Presented alternatives will
include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following funding based on:
• Redirected funds
o Grants
o Disaster relief funds
o American recovery act
o Ground Emergency Medical Transport
• Charitable foundations
• Local Option Levy
• Future bond measures
• Cost allocation based on:
o Area
o Assessed value
o Deployment
o Service demand
o Permanent rate
o Population
o Multiple variables
Task 3-D: Findings, Recommendations, and Plan of Implementation
Any cooperative venture between the districts presents the Fire District leaders with a
series of challenges. Successful implementation of any recommendation will require that
significant matters be addressed. Those issues will be identified here.
• Findings
o Feasibility of each option will be presented
• Preferred Option
o The preferred option or options will be presented and discussed at length
• Policy Action
o Necessary policy action by the elected bodies will be described
• Timelines
o The recommendations outlined in this section provide general completion
timelines offered to guide the agencies in developing a more detailed
listing during the formal planning process
• Process Issues
o Strategic planning, legal considerations, management and governance,
funding and other issues will be provided in detail
Deliverable: The consultant will provide six (6) copies per district of a draft
version of the written report, along with an electronic version in .pdf file
format for review.
Phase IV: Development, Review, and Delivery of Project Report
Task 4-A: Development and Review of Draft Project Report
The consultant will develop and produce six (6) copies per district of a draft version of
the written report in loose leaf single print format, along with an electronic version in .pdf file
format for review. Client feedback is a critical part of this project and adequate opportunity will
be provided for review and discussion of the draft report prior to finalization. The report will
include:
• Narrative analysis of each report component structured in easy-to-read sections
and accompanied by explanatory support to encourage understanding by both
staff and civilian readers
• Clearly designated recommendations highlighted for easy reference and cataloged
as necessary in a report appendix
• Supportive charts, graphs, and diagrams, where appropriate
• Supportive maps, utilizing GIS analysis as necessary
Deliverable: The consultant will provide six (6) copies per district of a draft version of
the written report, along with an electronic version in .pdf file format for review.
Task 4-B: Delivery and Presentation of Final Project Report
The consultant will complete any necessary revisions of the draft and produce six (6)
copies per district of the bound, final version of the written report, along with an electronic
version in .pdf file format. Three formal presentations of the project report will be made by the
consultant project team member(s). The presentations will be delivered in-person or in virtual
settings based on state and local COVID-19 restrictions and risk levels.
Presentations will include the following:
• A summary of the report, methods of analysis, primary findings, and critical
recommendations
• Review and explanation of primary supportive charts, graphs, diagrams, and
maps, where appropriate
• Opportunity for questions and answers, as needed
• All presentation materials, files, graphics, and written material will be provided to
the client at the conclusion of the presentation(s)
Deliverable: The Consultant will provide six (6) copies per Fire District of the bound,
final version of the written report, along with an electronic version in .pdf file format.
The consultant will conduct three presentations.
(Optional Services)
Public Input Meetings
At the conclusion of all phases, each district may request that the consultant staff
facilitate one or more community public input meetings. These meetings are intended to provide
information to, and gather input from, members of the public, community organizations, and
neighborhood associations.
Data and input gathered from the meeting will be summarized and the consultant will
analyze impact the public’s feedback would have on any of the preferred options. The consultant
will amend its recommendations as it determines appropriate. The consultant shall report the
above in an addendum to the study. The consultant produces six (6) copies per district the
addendum and analysis, along with an electronic version in .pdf file format.
Deliverable: Should either agency request the consultant conduct community meetings,
the consultant will provide six (6) copies per district, the addendum along with an electronic
version in .pdf file format.
Timeline
It is anticipated the study will take 120 days from receipt of background information.
Appendix A:
Evaluation Process:
Proposals will be evaluated by the districts using the following two components:
1. Formal presentation of proposal utilizing the consultant project team members identified
for the project and Introductory letter. The consultant team members shall be the
identified and dedicated members for the project, accompanied by professional
biographies for each. (Pass/Fail)
2. Proposal evaluation by district teams for those consultants that passed component one.
Proposals will be evaluated by the districts using the following criteria: (Pass/Fail)
a. Availability and capability to perform the needed services described in this.
RFP.
b. Staff experience and expertise with similar projects.
c. Ability to successfully complete similar services on time and within budget, including
Proposer’s record of satisfactory performance and references.
d. Project understanding.
e. Ability to synthesize information and clearly communicate orally and in
writing.
f. Description of proposed interactions with Fire District staff, Boards, and
community.
g. Understanding of and approach to the respective project communities.
h. Ability to make site visits to both Fire Districts facilities.
i. Cost of services and overall affordability of the proposal.
Lastly, proposals will be evaluated under the above criteria and weights, by an evaluation
committee made up of both the Board of Directors’ Interagency Committee and district’s staff.
The Committee reserves the right to interview one or more proposer, by invitation only, to be
presented to the joint districts interagency committee, in-person and teleconference.
Questions and requests for additional information, including the contract for this work,
should be addressed to either agency representative, at the addresses/numbers listed below.
Pursuant to ORS 279B.070 and Clackamas District Rule 137-047-0270 governing
intermediate procurements, Clackamas Fire District #1 and Sandy Fire District No. 72 will
receive sealed proposals no later than 5:00pm PST July 19, 2021. Please provide an electronic
copy via email and a hard copy by mail or delivered in person. Complete proposals must be
received by both agencies, addressed as follows, by the closing date and time, or they will be
rejected as non-responsive.
Clackamas Fire District #1
Logistics Manager DeAnn Cordes
15800 SE 130th Avenue
Clackamas, OR 97015
(503) 742-2697
Sandy Fire District No. 72
Office Manager Nannette Howland
17460 Bruns Avenue
Sandy, Oregon 97055
503-668-8093
RESERVED RIGHTS
District reserved rights:
• Make clarifications, corrections, or changes in this RFP at any time prior to the
deadline for the submission of proposals. All prospective Proposers will be
informed of said clarifications, corrections, or changes.
• Reject any or all proposals not in compliance with all public procedures and
requirements;
• Reject any proposal not meeting the specifications set forth herein;
• Waive any or all irregularities in proposals submitted;
• Terminate this RFP at any time, for any reason;
• Reject any and all proposals without penalty, prior to the execution of a contract.
• Negotiate services and cost within the scope of this RFP with the highest ranked
Proposer. In the event Districts are unable to negotiate a contract with the highest
ranked Proposer, to commence contract negotiations with the next highest ranked
Proposer and to continue this process until a contract is executed;
• Award any or all parts of any proposal; and
• Request references and other data to determine responsiveness.
• Request clarification of information submitted and to request additional
information of one or more potential Proposers.
• Accept the proposal that is, in its judgement, the best and most favorable to the
interests of Districts and to the public and to reject a low price proposal.