FIRE PREVENTION AND FIRE PROTECTION SUPPORT SERVICES

The City is requesting Proposals from qualified firms experienced in professional fire prevention and fire protection support services. The selected consultant shall assist the City in establishing a sustainable, compliant, and systematic fire prevention program that addresses current operational needs while developing long-term recommendations for internal program administration. Services shall include fire inspection services, plan review services, and model development.

Project Details

• Department: Fire
• Department Head: Corey Schaefer (Fire Chief)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-23T00:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• City Rights and Options Pertinent to This Solicitation —

  The City, at its sole discretion, reserves the following rights:

  • To reject any, or all Proposalor information received pursuant to this request document;
  • To supplement, amend, substitute or otherwise modify this document at any time by means of written addendum;
  • To cancel this request with or without the substitution of another request or prequalification process;
  • To request additional information;
  • To verify the qualifications and experience of each respondent;
  • To require one or more respondents to supplement, clarify or provide additional information in order for the City to evaluate Proposalsubmitted;
  • To hire multiple contractors to perform the necessary duties and range of services if it is determined to be in the best interests of the City: and
  • To waive any minor defect or technicality in any Proposalreceived.
  • The City accepts no financial responsibility for any costs incurred by the respondent. All submittals become the property of the City and may be used in any way deemed appropriate. 
  • The City has the right to award one or more services categories independently.
• General —

  Proposal will be evaluated using the criteria stated in this document. Proposal from firms meeting the mandatory criteria described below will be evaluated for the other selection criteria.

• Scope of Work —

  The City is seeking proposals from qualified consultants and/or firms to provide professional fire prevention and fire protection support services for the Fire Department. The selected consultant shall assist the City in establishing a sustainable, compliant, and systematic fire prevention program that addresses current operational needs while developing long-term recommendations for internal program administration.

  The City currently has approximately 2,700 occupancies requiring annual inspection services. These occupancies include approximately 28 educational facilities and approximately 200 residential occupancies, including hotels, apartment complexes, day care facilities, assisted living facilities, and related care occupancies. The remaining occupancies primarily consist of commercial and industrial businesses.

  The City also presents several unique operational and fire prevention considerations, including a municipal airport and associated hangars, a hospital, multiple cold storage facilities utilizing ammonia refrigeration systems, and warehouse facilities with high-piled combustible storage configurations.

  The consultant shall provide services in the following areas:

  1. Fire Prevention Inspection Services and Program Development

  The consultant shall assist the City in establishing and implementing a systematic approach to annual state-mandated fire inspections and bringing the City into compliance with inspection requirements. Services shall include, but are not limited to:

  • Conducting annual fire and life safety inspections for required occupancies.
  • Developing and implementing a systematic inspection schedule and tracking process for all required occupancies.
  • Coordinating inspection scheduling, documentation, billing, fee collection support, and record management.
  • Assisting with the migration and organization of fire prevention records into the City’s new ImageTrend software platform.
  • Reviewing and organizing existing inspection records and identifying deficiencies or gaps in documentation.
  • Developing standardized inspection procedures, workflows, reporting templates, and tracking methods.
  • Assisting the City in bringing inspections current and establishing ongoing compliance processes.
  • Providing recommendations for operational efficiencies and long-term fire prevention program sustainability.

  2. Community Development Department (CDD) Plan Review Services

  The consultant shall provide fire prevention-related plan review services currently contracted by the City, including coordination with the Community Development Department. Services may include:

  • Reviewing construction, tenant improvement, and development plans for compliance with applicable fire and life safety codes.
  • Reviewing fire protection systems, access requirements, hazardous materials considerations, and related fire code requirements.
  • Coordinating comments and recommendations with City staff, developers, architects, engineers, and contractors.
  • Providing timely review turnaround and technical assistance during project review processes.
  • Assisting with inspection coordination related to construction and development projects as needed.

  3. Fire Prevention Program Evaluation and Staffing Model Development

  The consultant shall evaluate the City’s current fire prevention operations and develop a comprehensive operational model and recommendations for long-term program administration by City staff. Services shall include, but are not limited to:

  • Evaluating existing staffing levels, operational practices, workload demands, and service delivery methods.
  • Assessing inspection frequencies, staffing requirements, organizational structure, and operational resource needs.
  • Developing recommendations regarding staffing levels, classifications, training needs, technology requirements, and program administration.
  • Identifying best practices and operational models suitable for similarly situated agencies.
  • Preparing a replicable implementation framework that allows the City to sustainably continue fire prevention operations internally.
  • Providing recommendations for phased implementation, budgeting considerations, and operational priorities.

  Deliverables: 

  • A comprehensive annual inspection schedule and inspection tracking methodology.
  • Assistance with transfer and organization of records into the ImageTrend system.
  • Documentation demonstrating progress toward bringing inspections current.
  • Standardized inspection procedures, forms, and workflows.
  • Fire and life safety plan review comments and technical review documentation.
  • A final Fire Prevention Program Assessment and Operational Model Report, including staffing and resource recommendations.

   

  Proposers shall provide separate scopes, schedules, and cost proposals for each of the following service areas:

  1. Fire Prevention Inspection Services and Program Development
  2. Community Development Department (CDD) Plan Review Services
  3. Fire Prevention Program Development, and Operational Model
• Mandatory Elements —
  • If services offered require engineering expertise, the firm is licensed to practice civil engineering in California.
  • The firm has no conflict of interest with regard to any other work performed by the firm for the City.
  • The firm adheres to the instructions in this request for qualifications statements.
  • To be considered, the firm shall answer "yes" to question 3.1.3 requiring that the Consultant accepts City of Watsonville standard consultant agreement, including specifically listing City’s Hold Harmless Indemnity requirements and insurance coverage requirements, without modification.
• Compensation —

  Compensation shall be determined as part of the formal contracting process.

• Submittal Selection Process —

  Proposals will only be considered from firms normally engaged in providing the types of products and services specified herein. The City reserves the right to inspect the Firm’s facilities, products, personnel, and organization at any time, or to take any other action necessary to determine the firm’s ability to perform. The City reserves the right to reject proposals where evidence or evaluation is determined to indicate inability to perform. The City reserves the right to interview any or all responding firms and/or to award a contract without conducting interviews.

  Evaluation will be made based on the criteria noted below. A recommendation of award or awards shall be made to the responsible firm or firms whose proposal(s) are determined to be the most advantageous to the City. The City will attempt to negotiate an agreement with the highest-ranking firm to provide the specified services. If these negotiations are unsuccessful, the City reserves the right to discontinue negotiations and commence negotiations with the next highest-ranking consultant. Nothing herein shall obligate the City to award a contract to any responding firm.

  1. Understanding of the scope of work to be performed
  2. Qualifications and experience relate to the scope of work in this RFP.
  3. Proposed Personnel - qualifications, professional experience, and skills of the firm overall and, in particular the proposed team members
  4. Ability to meet the requirements of the scope of services in this RFP.
  5. Client References – References and satisfactory record of performance
  6. Sample Work
  7. Project Schedule
  8. Proposed Fee Structure/Cost of Services
  9. Ability to comply with the City’s standard Consultant Services Contract

  All interested parties are encouraged to submit proposals to the RFP, as the award is not based solely on the lowest-cost proposal submitted. The total cost will be taken into consideration, but the Proposer’s capabilities, competence, and capacity will be considered as well. The City reserves the right to choose the overall best firm or firms according to the City’s criteria. The City, and its designated representatives, shall be the sole judge of its best interest, the proposal, and the resulting negotiated agreement. The City’s decisions will be final.

  The above factors, along with other factors that the City may deem appropriate, will be used to identify the proposal that represents the best value, which will be the basis for the contract award.

• Formal Approval of Contract —

  The respondent understands that issuance of this solicitation does not commit the City of Watsonville to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a response to this solicitation, or to procure a contract for services. The respondent should note that the execution of any contract pursuant to this solicitation is dependent upon the approval of the Watsonville City Council, as required.

• Independent Contractor Status —

  The respondent agrees, if selected, that they shall perform the services as independent contractor(s) and not employee(s) of the City.

• Contact with the City of Watsonville and City Personnel —

  Questions regarding this solicitation shall be directed through the City's OpenGov Procurement portal located at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/watsonville-ca.

  All questions are due before 5:00 pm on Friday, May 22, 2026.

• Public Disclosures —

  The respondent understands that as a general rule all documents received by the City are considered public records. Therefore all submittals shall be made available for public inspection according to applicable disclosure rules and regulations.

• RFQ Schedule —

  The City will make every effort to adhere to the schedule provided below:

   

  Issue Document:	May 8, 2026
  Deadline for Submitting Questions:	May 22, 2026, 5:00pm
  Response Due:	June 8, 2026, 4:00pm

• Confidential Solicitation —

  The City will not share the details of individual responses to this solicitation with competing respondents during the selection process. After the selection process ends and a contract is awarded, all solicitations become public information.

• News Releases —

  The respondent agrees, if selected, that the City will review and approve all news releases pertaining to this solicitation and/or subsequent agreement(s). All news releases will be submitted in writing to the City’s project manager. The project manager will review and submit the news release to the appropriate City personnel for final review and approval in a timely manner.

• Conflict of Interest/Financial Disclosure —

  The respondent agrees, if selected, to comply with the City’s duly adopted Conflict of Interest Code. Key personnel who will be performing services under this Agreement are required to make disclosures with respect to the City of Watsonville.

• Indemnification —

  The respondent agrees, if selected, to accept the City of Watsonville standard consultant agreement, including specifically listing City’s Hold Harmless Indemnity requirements and insurance coverage requirements, without modification.

• Examination of Solicitation —

  The respondent understands that the information provided herein is intended solely to assist the respondent in submittal preparation. To the best of the City’s knowledge, the information provided is accurate. However, the City does not warrant such accuracy, and any errors or omissions subsequently determined will not be construed as a basis for invalidating this solicitation. Further, by submitting a response to this solicitation, the respondent represents that it has thoroughly examined and become familiar with work required in the solicitation and is capable of performing quality work and to achieve the objectives of the City.

• Equal Opportunity Program —

  The City of Watsonville is strongly committed to equal opportunity in solicitation of services. All eligible service providers including individuals, contractors, vendors, consultants, grantees, lessees, and banks, must comply with applicable Equal Opportunity Guidelines.

• Nondiscrimination Policy —

  The respondent shall not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or disability in the solicitation, selection, hiring or treatment of its employees, the City staff, other City consultants or other members of the public.

• Insurance Coverage —

  Provide evidence of insurance coverage in the following amounts:

  1. 1. Errors & Omission up to $1,000,000;
     2. Commercial Liability up to $1,000,000 per occurrence;
     3. Business Automobile Liability up to $1,000,000 per occurrence;
     4. Workman’s Compensation in the statutory amount.

  Firms may assume for the purpose of pricing that the selected consultant shall be required to maintain insurance throughout the period of the contract in sufficient amounts as to protect the consultant & the City from all claims & liabilities which may arise from operations under this contract, whether such operations by him/herself or by anyone directly or indirectly employed by him/her.

Submission Requirements

• SUBMITTAL FORMAT AND CONTENT —

  All respondents are required to follow the format specified below. The contents of the submittal must be clear, concise, and complete. Each section of the submittal shall be titled according to the numbering and naming system shown below to aid in expedient information retrieval (NOTE: Respondents shall base their submittals on the "Scope of Work.")

  The RFP response should describe how the delivery of services will be provided to City, including the location of the consultant’s offices and the response time to City's requests.

  The signatory shall be a person with official authority to bind the company.

  Format and Content

  Cover Letter - The cover letter must be brief (two pages maximum) on Consultant Firm letterhead. Indicate if your Company will work on a specific phase or all phases of the scope. 

  1. Methods and Strategic Plan - Describe methods and plan for carrying out the Scope of Work. Include the consultant’s time commitment to the project and estimated completion schedule, broken down into stages. 
  2. Qualifications and Experience - This section shall contain the following: A description of the consultant firm’s experience in providing fire prevention and fire protection support services.
  3. The name of the consultant firm’s proposed personnel for this contract. The consultant firm’s and proposed personnel’s experiences in the past five (5) years specifically related to the scope of work of this project. Experiences shall be listed consecutively with name of the City or agency the work was completed for.
  4. List of Project Personnel - This list should include the identification of the contact person with primary responsibility for this contract and any supervisory personnel.
  5. References - Provide a list of at least three (3) current public agency customers in California for whom you have provided comparable services. Please include the agency’s name, telephone number, and email address of contact person.
  6. The cost for preparing a proposal in response to the RFP is the responsibility of the Consultant.
  7. At least one sample of strategic plans, including final reports of recently completed work closely related to this project.
  8. List the hourly rates for any applicable position which may work on the project, and the hours to be spent on the project. Include any other additional expenses (the consultant will be expected to follow City’s per-diem policy). Additional expenses will not be allowed unless specified in the proposal. Costs must be unbundled and listed separately. Provide a total “not to exceed” amount for the project. .

  The Response shall be submitted and uploaded in question number 3.1.1.

• Submittal Upload Section (required) —

  Please upload one PDF of the Proposal response which contains all items listed above.

• Additional Information (optional) —

  For any additional information requested or required by any of your provided answers please upload that additional documentation here. Scoring will be based on the official proposal submitted above, but the City may take any additional information submitted here into consideration when reviewing the submitted proposal. This section is optional.

• Acceptance of Standard Agreement (required) —

  Does your firm accept the City of Watsonville standard consultant agreement, including specifically the City's Hold Harmless Indemnity requirements and insurance coverage requirements, without modification? A copy of the current Consultant Agreement is included as Attachment A.

• Submittal Authorization (required) —

  By confirming here and submitting, Respondent confirms their authority (and has uploaded necessary documentation proving such) to submit this Response in its entirety as submitted and enter into a contract on behalf of the Company Name stated in said Response. Such confirmation will be understood as the Respondent stating that they have completely read and understand this Request For Qualifications in its entirety including any and all Addenda released prior to the time of submittal.

• Pricing (required) —

  Will there be a need for the electronic pricing table in this RFQ?

• Proposal or SOQ (required) —

  Enter if this is a Proposal or an SOQ