Request for Proposal Military Installation Resiliency Study Introduction The County of Grand Forks, ND ("The County") is seeking proposals from qualified firms/entities to complete a Military Installation Resiliency study designed to analyze and plan implementation actions necessary to foster, protect, and enhance military installation sustainability.

Request for Proposal Military
Installation Resiliency Study
Introduction
The County of Grand Forks, ND ("The County") is seeking proposals from qualified firms/entities to complete a Military Installation Resiliency study designed to analyze and plan implementation actions necessary to foster, protect, and enhance military installation sustainability. Selected firm(s) and/or entities will work with the County and regional stakeholders to alleviate and prevent incompatible development and/or other man-made or natural installation resiliency activities likely to impair the continued operational utility of a Department of Defense installation, range, special use air space, military operations area, or military training route. Through the MIR study, the County is looking to assist Grand Forks AFB to optimize its mission efficiency and effectiveness, installation sustainment, and enhance the long-term readiness and military value of the power projection platform.
Background
Grand Forks County is located in northeastern North Dakota. The County seat is Grand Forks, the third largest city in ND and a regional center for trade, healthcare, education, entertainment as well as home to the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks AFB, and Grand Sky UAS Testing and Training Center (Grand Sky). Grand Forks AFB has hosted the RQ-4 Global Hawk mission since 2011; the 319th Reconnaissance Wing stood-up and took control of all worldwide RQ-4 operations in 2019. The base also hosts the High Frequency Global Communications System (HFGCS) and provides ancillary support to Cavalier Air Force Station.
Grand Forks AFB, and the surrounding community assets provide for key strategic resiliency options for the US Air Force ("USAF") and Homeland Security to rely upon. Grand Forks AFB has excellent infrastructure with strategic capacity to provide concreate and mortar infrastructure resiliency such as its 12,351-foot runway, taxiway ramps, and hangar/office space should the USAF need it. Grand Forks AFB is becoming the premier "base of the future".
Grand Forks AFB is strategically and geographically located to meet emerging national security interests like access to the Arctic's new sea lanes, natural resources, and protection of our northern borders. Grand Forks AFB has excellent infrastructure which can support more missions like Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reapers as well as KC-46s, other ISR, BACN - - missions that are becoming more critical with the Russian resurgence in the Arctic.
Due to Grand Forks AFB's ISR and communications/cyber mission, it boasts robust communications and cyber infrastructure which can accommodate the USAF's increasing need for stronger communications infrastructure, and ISR demand. This infrastructure is essential towards Grand Forks AFB contributing to and being a part of the Department of Defense's Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) concept.
To date, The State of North Dakota has invested $20.5 million, and recently appropriated an additional $7 million to be spent over the next two years at Grand Sky UAS Testing and Training Center ("Grand Sky"). Grand Sky a 217-acre facility, on Grand Forks AFB, leased through the Air Force's Enhanced Use Lease ("EUL") program. The State of North Dakota's investment in Grand Sky allows for robust utility, security, and concrete, brick, and mortar infrastructure which, in the event of an emergency, Grand Forks AFB can tap into for back-up services. The Air Force is benefiting from the lease revenues generated from this EUL - dollars that are being used to offset base operating expenses and improve the quality of life for airmen assigned to GFAFB.
Grand Sky will be the home of Vantis, a $47 million investment by the State of North Dakota in commercial UAS operations. Vantis is a statewide network enabling UAS flights beyond visual line of sight. It is poised to usher in a new era of commercial UAS activity. Vantis is the first such program of its scale in the United States.
Recently, Grand Forks AFB, UND, and Grand Sky, have garnered interest from Space Development Agency to develop network operations capabilities for the SDA network of Low Earth Orbit Satellites. SDA is interested in developing partnerships with UND and Grand Sky as well as locating operations facilities on Grand Forks AFB and Grand Sky and research and testing facilities at UND.
Over the past six years, the U.S. Congress and the Department of Defense has shown increased interest and awareness of the importance of Military Installation Resilience (MIR). Congress passed H.R. 3041, the Military Installation Resilience Assuredness Act, and the DoD has funded programs for climate, cyber, and energy resilience. The Air Force established the Office of Energy Assurance in 2016 to serve as the single point of entry for all strategic energy and resiliency initiatives. A MIR assessment for Grand Forks AFB supports the overall DoD and Air Force resilience initiatives and will address such topics as energy, environmental, cyber, communications, and transportation.
The County is committed to support Grand Forks AFB in operating, maintaining, and testing our energy resilience systems, infrastructure, equipment, and fuel in accordance with Department of Defense, Installation Energy Management, and applicable DoD, Service, or Agency policies. The County, in partnership with Grand Forks AFB, will identify energy resilience requirements in alignment with critical mission operations, and will collaborate them with tenants, mission owners, and operators of critical facilities.
Scope of Work
Task 1: meet with County and Grand Forks AFB customers to review the scope of work, and confirm tasks, goals, and schedule
Task 2: Identify and Map Military Installation Infrastructure Resilience Risks
•Access storm and environmental data and models (NOAA & SERDP)
•Identify vulnerabilities using GIS data (ARCGIS format)
•Perform interviews with key installation and community personnel to identify risks
•Develop database of vulnerable assets and risks
•Use GIS to develop visualizations depicting vulnerabilities
o Deliverables
- Will provide The County the identified map of the MIR risks
- Will provide the County database of vulnerable assets and risks
- Note: Any geospatial data collected and used for this MIR will be provided to the The County in either the Esri File Geodatabase format(*.gdb) or Esri Shapefile format (*.shp). Data should be readable within standard GIS software and it should be limited to the project study area. All geospatial data will include metadata in either the ISO 19139 Metadata Implementation Specification style or the Spatial Data Standards for Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment-Metadata (SDSFIE-M) style. Metadata records for each dataset will include the minimum required information per metadata style written within the organization's preferred metadata editor software. Grand Forks AFB and Grand Forks County shall confirm that all GIS data is publicly releasable prior to delivery.
Task 3: Identify and Assess Military Installation Resilience Natural and Manmade Threats
•Assess impact of natural threats on flooding, sea level rise, extreme weather events, and unanticipated changes in environmental conditions on the impairment of the continued operational utility of the installation, ranges or military flight corridors.
•Assess impact of manmade threats on energy security, water security, and the security of essential transportation resources, and radio control frequency deconfliction when the reliance upon these critical resources is located outside the installation and may impair the continued operational utility of the installation, ranges or military flight corridors.
•Use GIS to develop visualizations depicting vulnerabilities
•Assess existing and planned (5G) cyber and communications infrastructure, resiliency and redundancy, identify/assess strengths and weaknesses that may improve or impair the continued operational utility of the installation, ranges, or military flight corridors
o Deliverables
- Will provide The County assessment of MIR natural and manmade threats
Task 4: Understand Impacts and Consequences of Identified Vulnerabilities
•Conduct workshops/meetings with key officials and stakeholders
•Identify short, medium, and long-term impacts and consequences for risks
•Evaluate and prioritize vulnerabilities and consequences for risks
o Deliverables
- Will provide The County the impacts and consequences of identified vulnerabilities
Task 5: Map-Out Existing Responsibilities/Capabilities of Installation and Surrounding Communities
•Identify emergency response capabilities and responsibilities
•Identify short- and long-term Facility and Capital Improvement plans and requirements
•Identify environmental stewardship responsibilities
•Identify existing leadership responsibilities/capabilities for identified tasks
o Deliverables
- Will provide the County assessment of responsibilities/capabilities of installation and surrounding communities
Task 6: Make Recommendations for Military Installation Resiliency Implementation Activities
•Develop an implementation action plan and recommendations to inform military, community, and state leaders regarding current and future strategies to address and prevent threats to military installation resilience
•Develop a business case, to include benefits and limitations, for each course of action
o Deliverables
- Provide the County recommendations for military installation resiliency activities for implementation
- Provide to the County business case, to include benefits and limitations, for each course of action
Deliverables:
•Military installation resilience assessment
•Military installation resilience review study and implementation action plan
•Submit Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation-funded GIS data layers to Grand Forks County
•Some reports may be confidential due to preparatory requirements
Timeline
August 2021 - Hire MIR project consultant
October 2021 - Complete task 1, meet with County and Grand Forks AFB customers to review the scope of work, agree to and confirm tasks, goals and schedule
November 2021 - Complete task 2, Identify and Map MIR risks. Provide to the County and OLDCC the identified map of the MIR risks
January 2022 - Complete task 3, Identify and Assess Military Installation Resilience Natural and Manmade Threats and Conduct workshops/meetings with key officials and stakeholders. Provide to the County and OLDCC assessment of MIR natural and manmade threats
March 2022 - Complete task 4, understand Impacts and Consequences of Identified Vulnerabilities. Provide to the County and OLDCC the impacts and consequences of identified vulnerabilities
April 2022 - Complete task 5, Map-Out Existing Responsibilities/Capabilities of Installation and Surrounding Communities. Provide to the County and OLDCC map of existing responsibilities/capabilities of the installation and the surrounding region
June 2022 - Complete task, Make Recommendations for Military Installation Resiliency Implementation Activities. Provide to the County and OLDCC Military resilience review study and implementation action plan; military installation resilience assessment; GIS data layers to DoD
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated on the following factors:
•The overall scope, design, and content of proposal
•Specialized experience including recent experience in comparable projects and experience with rural communities
•Professional fees/costs
•Past record of performance, including quality of projects previously undertaken, personal, and professional integrity, competence, reputation
•Capability and capacity, including relevant experience of key personnel and ability to meet stated timelines
•Demonstrated ability of successful work as it relates public-public-private partnerships
•Must provide evidence of insurability, and a business license in good standing
Proposal Submission Instructions
Deadline for submission: Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. CDT on August 20, 2021. Eight copies and one signed original of the proposal are required and shall be submitted to:
Mr. Tom Ford Director of Administration Grand Forks County
P.O Box 5726 Grand Forks, ND 58206-5726
(701) 780-8288 thomas.ford@gfcounty.org
The sealed package must be labeled with the Respondent's name, address, contact person, and time of specified for the receipt. Electronic, telegraphic, or facsimile offers and modifications will not be considered without express prior written authorization. Any submission received after the time and date specified above may be rejected and returned to sender unopened.
Submission Requirements
1. Information on firm/agency
a. Key personnel of proposed firm and personnel/team assigned to this project
b. Any technical partners/subcontractors to be used and each firm's key personnel
c.Each firm's experience and expertise on comparable projects and length of time each firm has been in business and in good standing
2. Description of comparable projects (minimum of 3)
a. Provide one copy of each project report
b. Describe the process used for each project
3. References, including contact information, from three similar projects
4. Approach to/design of proposed project
a. Overall approach to project
b. Description of key components of each task of the project
c. Comprehensive timeline that identifies a schedule for submission of the deliverables, including drafts
5. Cover letter
6. Fee schedule
7. Proposal package is limited to 20 total pages, not including cover letter, resume, and samples for previous projects
Cover letter: Respondents should submit a signed cover letter which acknowledges that the Respondent has received, examined, and is familiar with the RFP, including all tasks. The cover letter should be signed by a person that has full authority to bind the Respondent to the Respondent proposal and to all terms and conditions of the RFP.
Oral Presentation: The County, at its sole discretion, may require all the Respondents, or the short-listed Respondents only, to participate in interviews and oral presentations. Details regarding the date, format, and other logistics for oral presentations will be provided to Respondents at a later date.
General Instructions: All questions and responses, without attribution, will be provided to all bidders to preclude any appearance of favoritism.
1. The County retains the right to reject any or all submissions and to re-issue this Request for Proposal if such action is deemed necessary
2. No reimbursement will be made for any costs incurred in responding to this request
3. The County may request an interview during the selection process. No reimbursement will be made for any costs incurred for travel to an interview.
4. No member, officer, or employee of the County of Grand Forks shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in any resultant contract or the proceeds thereof.
5. All procurement with OLDCC grant funds will be in accordance with applicable state and local laws and regulations, and applicable federal laws and standards, including compliance with 32 CFR Part 33 "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments."
6. Any products provided will be considered source selection sensitive and will not be available to any other bidders, or to the public before or after the awards, without release by the respondent.
Timeline for Selection
July 16, 2021: Request for Proposals issued
August 20, 2021: Deadline for submission of materials (4:30p.m. CDT)
August 27, 2021 -Selection of finalists
August 30 – September 3, 2021: Interviews
September 7, 2021: County Commission approves selection and executes contract
June 30, 2022: Final Report Due
(July 28; Aug. 4 & 11, 2021)
2897318