Sustainable_Northampton--Climate_Resiliency_Regeneration_Plan--RFP-WF12-29-2017-released
Request for Proposals
City of Northampton
through its Office of Planning and Sustainability
Sustainable Northampton Framework
and
Climate Resiliency & Regeneration Plan
(Resiliency & Adaptation | Mitigation & Decarbonization)
Including
Municipal Vulnerability Program
RFP released: Friday, December 29, 2017
Deadline to request change terms of the contract & proposal: Jan. 15, 2018
Deadline for proposals: 10:00 AM Monday, January 22, 2018
Include fee and technical proposals in one consolidated submittal
Include consultant qualifications (CVs, experience) as a separate appendix
Submit proposals to: WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov
No paper copy of the proposal is required
Project budget not to exceed $100,000 inclusive of all costs
Northampton’s project and contract manager and primary contact for the
RFP and the contract is Wayne Feiden, FAICP, Director of Planning &
Sustainability. Questions to WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov
Contract expected to be awarded by the end of January
Project Summary
The City of Northampton, Massachusetts is seeking a consultant to assist the City in planning for a
sustainable and resilient future, and especially to ensure that we are planning for horizontal
infrastructure that is climate-resilient ready. As such, this bid is exempt from Uniform
Procurement Act in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30B, section (b)(32A) contracts with architects,
engineers and related professionals and, as a horizontal (not vertical) planning and design project is
not subject to Designer Selection M.G.L. c.7C.
The project includes four interrelated aspects
1. Municipal Vulnerability Program for Northampton
2. Technical writing and graphics to reorganize the existing Sustainable Northampton
Comprehensive Plan using the STAR Communities framework.
3. Creation of a Northampton Climate Resiliency & Regeneration Plan as a new chapter in
Sustainable Northampton
4. Infographics and on-line dashboard or other graphic representations of the above documents to
engage the community
We have budgeted $100,000 for this effort, but we are awarding the contract based on a fixed fee:
Municipal Vulnerability Program: $20,000 (MVP must be complete by June 2018.)
Climate Resiliency and Regeneration Plan: $70,000
Sustainable Northampton framework: $10,000
Proposals shall include (in electronic form). There is no submittal form.
1. Project understanding
2. Fee proposal
3. Consultant Scope of Services (addressing all items in this RFP)
4. Project time schedule
5. Consultant qualifications
Project Background
1. Climate Resiliency, Adaptation and Municipal Vulnerability: Northampton has worked on
addressing climate resiliency, adaptation, and vulnerabilities for many years. We do not,
however, have a comprehensive framework and understanding. Recent past actions include:
a. City of Northampton Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (PVPC, 2015) specifically
considered climate change.
b. Climate Adaptation & Mitigation (AIA Communities by Design, 2015)
c. Planning for the Public Health Impacts of Climate Change in Northampton,
Massachusetts (Human Impact Partners, 2016)
d. Northampton Resiliency Strategy Analysis (Rivermoor Systems, 2014)
e. Stormwater and Flood Control System Assessment and Utility Plan (CDM, 2012)
f. Sample City actions:
New subdivision street trees must have a current range as far south as the mid-Atlantic.
Zoning bans new home sites in the 500 year floodplain, a surrogate for climate change
The Northampton stormwater utility funds stormwater and flood control maintenance,
capital, and upgrades.
New projects often include some green infrastructure elements (e.g., rain gardens)
Stormwater Ordinance, zoning, and subdivision regulations all have strict stormwater
standards.
An aggressive tree planting program and attention to tree canopies and urban heat
islands.
2. Climate Regeneration, Mitigation, and Decarbonization: As with adaptation, Northampton
has aggressively been moving forward on mitigation, but without a comprehensive framework.
a. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Inventory: The city has completed two rough GHG
inventories, first with ICLEI assistance a decade ago and more recently (2017) with a climate
fellow. Both provide useful data points but the lack of data makes them extremely limited.
b. Global Covenant of Mayors: Our Mayor joined the Global Covenant of Mayors and our
City Councils plans to adopt a 100% renewable energy resolution. Our working goals are
80% reduction in both GHG emissions and carbon use by 2050 and 100% reduction at
some later date, but we have not yet completely developed these goals or brought them into
our comprehensive plan.
c. City and community mitigation actions:
Reduce municipal energy use, aiming to reach at least 20%, and encouraging community-
wide energy reduction.
Provide staff (energy officer) and board (energy and sustainability commission) focus on
reducing carbon-based energy consumption and increasing renewable energy production.
Reduce waste and increase recycling, with a part time solid waste coordinator and a ban
on commercial use of thin-film single use plastic bags.
Promote a walkable and bicycle-friendly city through land use and transportation
changes (e.g., doubling allowable density within walking distance of downtown,
comprehensive rail trail and bicycle lane networks, expanded sidewalks and complete
streets, bicycle share, park & ride lots, transit facilities, electric car charging stations)
Encourage conservation (e.g., requiring all new buildings above thresholds to
incorporate solar ready roofs, zoning incentives for energy efficiencies, liberalized PV
standards and PV incentives, and programs to encourage solar PV, solar and renewable
thermal, and energy conservation.
3. STAR Communities Rating System (Sustainability Tools for Assessing and Rating):
Northampton was one of the original pilot communities for the STAR Communities program (a
Green Building Council affiliate) to provide us with a third party assessment and promote a
unified framework. Northampton was the first community to receive a five-star rating and
remains one of only four communities nationwide to receive that score. The assessment helps us
identify where we still need to grow our sustainability efforts.
4. Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan (2008): The plan helped Northampton built
a community narrative and conversation around sustainability. It also helped us advance the
consensus necessary for variety of actions we have already accomplished, including using the
STAR Communities framework. The plan is ten years old and in late 2018, after the completion
of the work that is the subject of this RFP, we will engage the community to revise the plan.
Scope of Services
1. Municipal Vulnerability Program (MVP) for Northampton: Complete a climate change and
natural hazard vulnerability assessment and develop a priority action plan for addressing priority
hazards using the Community Resilience Building (CRB) workshop guide and led by a state-
certified MVP provider. This should include:
a. Build on the existing Multi-Hazard Plan and Stormwater and Flood Control System
Assessment
b. Presenting and visualizing downscaled versions of state-wide climate change predictions.
c. In addition to other existing state data, plot rainfall data (Amherst College has very long
rainfall records) and streamflow data to provide visuals that may document some more
recent climate change.
d. Include vulnerability assessments of:
People, especially low and moderate income populations with fewer options
Public infrastructure
Private property
2. Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan: Reorganize the existing plan using the
STAR Communities framework. This is not a comprehensive planning process but is
reorganizing the plan to allow the future comprehensive planning process to go faster and more
smoothly following the work that is the subject of this RFP. The resulting document will not be
considered the comprehensive but will be edited and grow into the plan once that separate
project moves forward.
a. Re-organize the sections using the STAR Communities 2.0 framework and organizational
structure (goals and objectives).
b. Leave any section or subsection blank that in the framework that is not covered in the
current plan to illustrate the work that must be done with the next plan update.
c. Drop all of the existing performance metrics.
d. Insert into the plan the STAR Communities metrics, using the findings from the City’s
current STAR certification.
e. Make the methodology clear for the STAR metrics since this section will be updated in 2019
after the city recertifies under STAR Communities.
f. Import Walk/Bike Northampton, Pedestrian & Bicycle Comprehensive Plan into the
appropriate section of Sustainable Northampton. Walk/Bike was written so that one
chapter should drop into the plan and the remainder would become an appendix, but it will
still require some editing to make it work.
3. Northampton Climate Resiliency & Regeneration Plan: Work with Planning &
Sustainability staff, other city staff, and an extensive community outreach program, including at
least three public forums and three targeted stakeholder group forums, to create a new plan,
written as appropriate chapters in Sustainable Northampton. At a minimum, plan shall:
a. Incorporate a strong public engagement process, with special attention to traditionally
under-represented populations, past city plans, and city staff and boards.
b. Provide a strong focus on public infrastructure broadly defined (e.g., storm sewers, green
infrastructure, flood control, heating and cooling shelters, microgrids).
We do not expect, however, the kind of analysis that we will expect from more detailed
engineering analysis of stormwater systems, flood control systems, etc.
Include recommendations on design storms for new public and private infrastructure
that should be designed for the life of that infrastructure.
Include recommendations for flood modeling for small streams and other flashy systems
that are not covered in FEMA floodplain mapping or modeling.
Include recommendations for the portions of downtown that are only out of the
floodplain by virtue of the flood control dikes and the Historic Mill River pumps.
Include recommendations for a Capital Improvements Program resiliency scoring of
new infrastructure.
c. Provide a strong focus on social resiliency and the effects on and needs of low and moderate
income residents.
d. Create a clear framework for climate resiliency (adaptation) to be incorporated in all city
policies, actions, regulations, and positions. Include, at a minimum, consideration of:
Health
Environmental, including invasives
Drought
Flooding
Stormwater
Urban habitat
Energy grid
Agriculture
Food security
Waste
e. Create a clear framework or climate regeneration (mitigation) to be incorporated in all city
policies, actions, regulations, and positions, by promoting energy efficiency and greenhouse
gas reduction strategies; protecting and adapting public infrastructure, services, natural
systems and resources from climate change impacts; At a minimum:
Update the community wide GHG emission inventory created by the city in 2017 to add
additional data and make the inventory useful for policy formation.
Develop a GHG and Carbon Reduction plan that includes a wedge diagram showing
current GHG emissions/carbon use, recent trends, and a path to 80% reduction and
100% reduction, and an analysis of all the kinds of steps (in detail for short term and
more conceptually for long term) necessary to achieve the city’s goals.
Identify gaps in our resiliency strategy (e.g., we are finding that dumped tires, because
they are partially insulated, have become a breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes that
can carry Zika and Dengue Fevor, north of their normal range, but tire cleanup was
never part of our resiliency strategy in the past).
Articulate clear highly aggressive but achievable GHG/carbon reduction strategies
consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement, for example 80% reduction by 2050 and
100% reduction by (to be determined during the process).
Add consideration of reduction of GHG emission/carbon aspects from community
consumption, not only direct energy use.
Meet the Climate Action Plan commitments of the Global Compact of Mayors.
Include, at a minimum, discussion of city operations, transportation, thermal energy,
electricity, renewable energy supplies, and community choice aggregation.
Incorporate GHG emissions/carbon use wedge diagram, infographics and on-line
dashboard or other graphic representations of the above to engage the community
Identify co-benefits of resiliency and regeneration actions.
Project Schedule
Project Task Completed, approved, & invoiced by:
Municipal Vulnerability Program June 15, 2018
Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan organization September 15, 2018
Climate Resiliency and Regeneration Plan December 30, 2018
Consultant Qualifications
Proposals shall include information supporting the Consultant’s expertise for this effort. At a
minimum include:
1. Commonwealth’s Municipal Vulnerability Program MVP provider Certification
2. Evidence of relevant past projects and expertise in:
a. Municipal climate adaptation and mitigation efforts
b. All areas of the scope of services.
3. A list of the consultant team and the qualifications of any individual who will be leading or
coordinating any meetings or calls in or to Northampton and managing the project. (The lead
project personnel may not be changed without our written permission.)
Fine Print
The city reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to provisionally designate the
successful bidder pending agreement of final contract terms.
The contract agreement will be in the form of the attached customary city contract, including
requirements for indemnification of the City for all damage to life and property that may occur due
to their negligence or that of their employees, subcontractors, etc., during the period of this contract
(attached below). This Request for Proposals, the successful bidder’s proposal, and any other terms
mutually agreed upon will be incorporated into the contract.
City of Northampton, Massachusetts
Contract for Consultant Services
Sustainable Northampton Framework,
Climate Resiliency & Regeneration Plan (Resiliency & Adaptation | Mitigation & Decarbonization)
Including Municipal Vulnerability Program
THIS AGREEMENT, executed this day of January 2018 by and between (Vendor name),
(vendor address ) hereinafter called "Vendor" and the City of
Northampton, a municipal corporation in the County of Hampshire, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, party
of the second part hereinafter called "Owner".
WITNESSETH, that for the consideration hereinafter mentioned, the Owner and the Vendor shall agree to
the terms and conditions contained in this contract, enumerated as follows:
1. This Owner-Vendor Agreement
2. The Sustainable Northampton Framework, Climate Resiliency & Regeneration Plan (Resiliency
& Adaptation | Mitigation & Decarbonization), Including Municipal Vulnerability Program
Request for Proposals (attached as Exhibit A)
3. The successful Vendor’s proposal.
THE OWNER shall pay the Vendor for the performance of this contract in the sum of (dollar amount)
dollars in accordance with the terms of this contract.
This contract shall not be altered in any particular without the consent of all parties to this contract. All
alterations to this contract must be in writing and authorized as such by the Mayor and all the departments
signing this signing this contract.
The Vendor shall not delegate, assign or transfer any of its duties delineated in the scope of services without
prior written consent from the CITY.
In the event the Vendor is a corporation a certificate that the person executing this contract is duly authorized
to sign, must accompany this contract.
Notwithstanding anything in the Contract documents to the contrary, any and all payments which the City is
required to make under this Contract shall be subject to appropriation or other availability of funds as
certified by the City Auditor. Obligations for payments beyond the current fiscal year are subject to
appropriation and this Contract shall be canceled in the event of non-appropriation.
Final payment on this contract shall release and discharge the Owner from any and all claims against the
Owner on account of any work performed hereunder, or any alteration hereto.
The Vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless, the CITY and all of its officers, agents, and employees
against all suits, claims or liabilities of every nature, arising out of, or in consequence of, the acts or omissions
of the Vendor, its employees, agents, or sub-contractors in connection with their rendering of services or
goods under this AGREEMENT and will, at the Vendor’s own cost and expense, defend any and all such
suits and actions.
All documents produced shall be owned by the City of Northampton and may be used without copyright or
any other restriction. The Vendor may also use such documents for their own purpose without restriction.
All work products and the final product shall be provided to the City in (1) Paper format, (2) Electronic PDF,
and (3) Electronic files of all products in whatever native software format they were created in.
By signing this contract the Vendor agrees to subject any dispute to mediation, at the option of the City, prior
to filing suit in any forum.
This contract shall be deemed to be a Massachusetts contract and its interpretation and construction shall be
governed by the laws of Massachusetts and the Charter and Ordinances of the Owner.
The provisions of this contract are severable. If any provision of this contract shall be held unconstitutional
by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of such court shall not affect any other provisions of this
contract.
The City of Northampton is not bound by this contract until approved by the Mayor of Northampton.
Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 62C, Section 49A, I certify under the penalties of perjury that I have, to my best
knowledge and belief, complied with the law of the Commonwealth relating to taxes, reporting of employees
and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support. I further authorize the City of Northampton
to deduct from the amounts due under this contract, any overdue taxes, real or personal, or any other fees
due to the City of Northampton from the vendor which become due and payable by the vendor or its
officers, directors or agents during the term of this contract or until the final amounts due under this contract
are paid in full.
The Contractor certifies that a) neither it nor any of its subcontractors have been subject to a federal or state
criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, final administrative determination, order or debarment
resulting from a violation of G.L. c. 149, c. 151, or the Fair Labor Standards Act within three (3) years prior
to the date of the Contract, or b) that if it or any of its subcontractors have been subject to a federal
or state criminal or civil judgment, administrative citation, final administrative determination,
order or debarment resulting from a violation of G.L. c. 149, c. 151, or the Fair Labor Standards
Act within three (3) years prior to the date of the Contract, the Contractor has provided copies of
any such judgment, citation, determination or order to the City prior to the date of the Contract and has
procured a wage bond or insurance. The Contractor certifies that while the Contract is in effect, it will
report any instance of the above to the City within five (5) days of Contractor's receipt.
Check one: The vendor does not have a Northampton office.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Owner caused these presents to be signed in quadruplicate and
approved by David Narkewicz its Mayor and the said Vendor has caused these presents to be signed
in quadruplicate and its official seal to be hereto affixed by its officer or agent thereunto duly
authorized (by the attached corporate resolution). This instrument shall take effect as a sealed
instrument.
Vendor: (vendor)
it's
Authorized Signatory
(title) (date)
Please attach one W-9 to this contract when you return it to the City.
Certificate by Corporation to Sign Contract
I,___________________________ Secretary of ______________________________, hereby certify that at
a duly authorized meeting of the Board of Directors of the
held on at which all the Directors were present or waived notice, it
was voted that, ___________________ (name), ____________________ (title) be and he hereby is
authorized to execute contracts and bonds in the name and behalf of said corporation, and affix its Corporate
Seal thereto, and such execution of any contract or obligation in this company's name on its behalf by such
officer under seal of the company, shall be valid and binding upon this company,
A TRUE COPY, ATTEST: _____(secretary)
Place of Business ____________
Date of this Contract January , 2018
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON:
Wayne Feiden, FAICP, Director of Planning & Sustainability Date
Joyce Karpinski, City Auditor, as to appropriation Date
Joe Cook, Chief Procurement Officer, as to procurement and to form Date
David J. Narkewicz, Mayor Date