Inactive

NOTE: This notice is being issued for market research purposes only. The information obtained as a result of this notice will be used to assist the Government in its acquisition strategy. THIS IS A RE... NOTE: This notice is being issued for market research purposes only. The information obtained as a result of this notice will be used to assist the Government in its acquisition strategy. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide continued support of the Community Rating System (CRS) Program. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these services. No contract awards will be made from this notice and no solicitation is available at this time. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of submission of responses to this announcement or the Government use of such information. Proprietary, confidential, privileged commercial or financial information submitted in the RFI response should be marked accordingly to ensure appropriate handling and disposition by the Government. No classified information shall be submitted in the RFI response. Do not use Government security classification markings. Do not mark the entire response as proprietary. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Background The FEMA National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The CRS is a voluntary insurance rating program implemented in 1990 to recognize community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum floodplain management standards of the NFIP. The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 codified the CRS within the NFIP. The CRS directly supports Goal 1 of FEMA’s 2018–2022 Strategic Plan. This goal, to Build a Culture of Preparedness, is implemented throughout the CRS. Objective 1.1: Incentivize Investments that Reduce Risk, Including Pre-Disaster Mitigation, and Reduce Disaster Costs at All Levels is achieved through numerous floodplain management practices recognized by the CRS. Objective 1.2: Close the Insurance Gap is fostered through the CRS’s credit for flood insurance promotion and the series of credits for public information. The CRS is implemented to enable the nationwide reduction of disaster risk through a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach involving federal, state, and local officials; professionals with expertise in floodplain management; insurance industry and underwriting experts; and academic researchers. The CRS leverages a whole-community approach to advancing risk management capability. Objective Under CRS, flood insurance premiums for policyholders in a CRS-participating community are reduced to reflect the added flood risk protection that results from community activities that meet the three goals of CRS: (1) reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property; (2) strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP; and (3) encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. Tasks Areas 1. Community Activities Verification Process: Conduct verification of community activities to reduce flood damage and determine CRS classification. 2. CRS Continuous Improvement Process: Recommend and implement improvements to the CRS Program. 3. Training and Technical Assistance: Conduct training and technical assistance in designing and implementing credited flood protection activities. 4. Special Projects: Conduct special projects related to CRS operations analysis and programmed deployment as determined by the Government. Request for Information (RFI) Questions 1. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in documenting a community’s reduction and avoidance of flood damage to insurable property. Where and when was the work conducted? 2. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in strengthening and supporting the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program. 3. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in documenting a community’s effort to foster a comprehensive floodplain management plan/program. A comprehensive approach includes planning, public information, regulations, financial support, open space protection, public works activities, emergency management, flood loss reductions, and other appropriate techniques. 4. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in collaborating and coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including federal, state, local, and private companies, in support of floodplain management. 5. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in collecting and processing data to be used by insurance companies. 6. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in requesting, reviewing, assembling findings and providing audit reports. 7. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in assessing, evaluating and communicating about the interrelationships between floodplain management and its role with the rating of flood insurance policies and effect on premiums. 8. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in setting performance metrics, monitoring, evaluating and finalizing conclusions about the operations of a local government. 9. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in leveraging incentives for protection of natural and beneficial floodplain functions. 10. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in advancing practices to reduce losses of flood insurance. 11. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in supporting a rating system that includes defined creditable actions. 12. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in public information dissemination, website maintenance, documentation development, etc. 13. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in flood inundation study and floodplain mapping. 14. Describe your knowledge and work experience, including methods, tools, and techniques, in providing training and technical services. General /Administrative 1. Company Name/Division, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone, and website address (if available). 2. Single point-of-contact name, title, telephone, and email address. 3. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number (TIN), and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Please note that companies must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) to be considered potential sources. (https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/). 4. Applicable NAICS code recommended. 5. Business size and socioeconomic status 6. List any applicable Federal contracts in which you are a prime contract holder. 7. Provide applicable GSA contract number. RFI Response Format In order to better assist in the review of submittals to this RFI, respondents are encouraged to prepare a capabilities statement that closely adheres to the following format: RFI Response for Community Rating System (CRS) shall be in the subject line of your e-mail. All responses shall be unclassified. The document format shall be either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats. Responses shall be prepared using 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins, and 8.5” by 11” paper and shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages in length, including images, data displays, charts, graphs, and tables. Respondents are encouraged to ensure that their submittals are complete and address all RFI Questions, formatted by each question, as outlined above. Respondents may provide additional promotional literature in addition to their response as long as the literature conforms to the response format. Submissions in response to this RFI shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages. Response Due Date and Point of Contact Information Submissions in response to this notice shall be in the form of Microsoft Word and/or PDF documents attached to emails received no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on 04/13/2021, addressed to John Hume, Contract Specialist, at john.hume@associates.fema.dhs.gov. The responses received will assist FEMA with identifying the number and nature of the entities that consider themselves potential technical solution providers. Each respondent, by submitting a response, agrees that any cost incurred in response to this RFI, or in support of activities associated with this RFI, shall be the sole responsibility of the respondent. FEMA shall incur no obligations or liabilities whatsoever, to anyone, for any costs or expenses incurred by the respondent in responding to this RFI. Industry Discussions As a result of responses received for this RFI, FEMA may hold a conference. Respondents may be invited to a question/answer conference call/meeting following a standard format on the matters addressed in this RFI. Those respondents will be contacted directly.