City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JUNE 10, 2025 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: RIVERSIDE URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT FROM REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) NO 2385 WITH SENSEMAKERS LLC OF ANAHEIM, CA, TO PROVIDE A TABLETOP AND FULL-SCALE COUNTER TERRORISM EXERCISE TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF JULY 2025, FOR A CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $265,602.97, WITH A CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY OF $26,897.03, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $292,500 ISSUES:
Approve Professional Consultant Services Agreement from Request for Proposal (RFP) No 2385 with SenseMakers LLC of Anaheim, Ca, to provide a Tabletop and Full-Scale Counter Terrorism Exercise to be completed by the end of July 2025, for a contract amount of $265,602.97, with a change order authority of $26,897.03, for a total amount not to exceed $292,500 through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement from RFP No 2385 with SenseMakers LLC of Anaheim, Ca, to provide a Tabletop and Full-Scale Counter Terrorism Exercise, for a contract amount of $265,602.97, with a change order authority of $26,897.03, for a total amount not to exceed $292,500 through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant; and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement and make minor non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program to enhance regional preparedness in high-threat, high-density areas and provides funding opportunities every fiscal year (FY) to address the unique multi-discipline planning, operations, equipment, and training needs to these areas as it relates to terrorism prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.
In 2008, DHS identified the Riverside Region as a UASI-qualified area, allowing the eligibility to apply for grant funding. Due to large-scale regional threats, the cities of Ontario and San Bernardino, and the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino were identified as sub-recipients of the grant funding, with the City of Riverside appointed as agency lead. Since 2008, Riverside has led various UASI projects in the region to support the protection of communities from acts of terrorism and has successfully received over $40 million in grant funding that has been shared among the Riverside UASI agencies.
DISCUSSION:
The Riverside Fire Department (RFD), Office of Emergency Management (OEM), manages the Riverside Urban Area Security Initiative grant for the City of Riverside.
The Riverside Fire Department sought a qualified entity or individual (“Company”) to provide the tabletop and full-scale exercise to test departments/agencies in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, focusing on the urban areas such as the City of Riverside, City of San Bernardino, City of Ontario and cooperating areas. The exercise evaluates the UASI area on preparedness for incidents focusing on Operational Coordination, Intelligence and information sharing capabilities, crisis management capabilities, assess communication protocols, test emergency response procedures, and incorporate a multifaceted tactical response including Police, Fire, EMS Bomb squad and HazMat services utilizing "Stop the Bleed" and “See Something Say Something” initiatives. It will also test Public Information and Warning, Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Medical Services with the overall goal to find gaps in the current systems.
Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2385 was posted on the City’s online bidding system, Planet Bids, on November 13, 2024, seeking prospective bidders to provide Tabletop and Full-Scale Counter Terrorism Exercise.
The solicitation notification is summarized in the table below:
Action
Number of Vendors
External Vendors Notified
500
City of Riverside Vendors Notified
163
Vendors who downloaded the RFP
22 Proposals received
6 RFP 2385 closed on December 11, 2024, with a total of 6 responses. Five (5) responses were found to be responsive and responsible, and one (1) vendor was found non-responsive for not meeting the minimum requirements. Under the guidance of the purchasing department, three (3) City staff members evaluated the proposals, which resulted in SenseMakers LLC ranking No. 1. The evaluation criteria, total points and rankings for each evaluation round are summarized in the tables below.
Round 1
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Approach and Methodology
10%
Experience (Projects of similar size & scope)
20%
Qualifications
35%
Professional References
10%
Pricing
25%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Total Points
Rank
SenseMakers LLC
Anaheim, CA
$265,602.97
224.87
1 Complex Incident Management Solutions LLC
Las Vegas, NV
$180,500.00
213.96
2 The Olson Group, Ltd
Alexandria, VA
$239,342.96
212.28
3 Boes and Boes Training Consultants LLC
Fort Wayne, IN
$45,600.00
207.00
4 American 3B Scientific
San Diego, CA
$144,224.25
137.70
5 Porsena*
Salt Lake City, UT
$281,475.00
N/A
N/A
*Non-responsive
Through a competitive process on Planet Bids, SenseMakers, LLC was selected as the awardee to facilitate the tabletop and Full-Scale Exercise. Riverside UASI requests City Council approval for funding this full scall and Tabletop Exercise using UASI FY-21 funds.
Purchasing Resolution 24101 Section 508 states that, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that… (c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services, where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications was used to solicit Bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended actions comply with the Purchasing Resolution 24101.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being and Goal No. 2.6 – Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
This item aligns with Each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant has increased the capabilities and capacities of our first responder departments and emergency management agencies for over a decade increasing community trust in our emergency response efforts.
Equity – Funding provided by the Department of Homeland Security help the region plan and equip departments to respond to our diverse community including those with access and functional needs.
Fiscal Responsibility – The use of the Department of Homeland Security grant funding increases the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Area’s capability and capacity to plan for, train for, exercise and respond to emergencies within the region and beyond through exercising regional public safety teams.
Innovation – RFD must constantly evolve and adapt to meet the community’s changing needs and prepare for the future. This grant provides funding for the Office of Emergency Management to provide preparedness for incidents including Domestic Violent Extremism focusing on Operational Coordination, Intelligence and information sharing capabilities, crisis management capabilities, assess communication protocols, test emergency response procedures, and incorporate a multifaceted tactical response including Police, Fire, EMS Bomb squad and HazMat services utilizing "Stop the Bleed" and “See Something Say Something” initiatives.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The additional funding from this grant ensures the regional public safety partners have the capacity to protect and respond through high quality training and exercising skills.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $292,500.00, which includes change order authority of $26,897.03. The funds are budgeted and available in the UASI Fund, Riverside UASI FY 2021 account number 9174610-440453.
Prepared by: Mark Annas, Emergency Services Administrator Approved by: Steve McKinster, Fire Chief Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
RFP Award Recommendation
Professional Consultant Services Agreement
SenseMakers LLC. ● Page 3