Groundwater Reliability Improvement Program
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions were submitted to the Partnership
GRIP Outreach RFQ Questions
(Note: Although the questions were addressed to the Upper District, our replies
reflect the collective response of the Partnership to each question)
1 – What is the anticipated annual budget for this outreach effort?
Annual budget for this effort has not been established
2 – What is your timeline for this project?
The GRIP is a multi-year program. Currently, the program is in the conceptual
development phase, with the Conceptual Development Plan to be finalized in the
next month. Depending on the final alternative selected, environmental work will
occur in 2009-2010 and the engineering will follow.
3 – How long do you anticipate having a consultant on board for public
outreach services?
It is anticipated that the Outreach Consultant will be used through the end of the
environmental documentation process. If a consultant is needed during
construction, they may be retained through a separate RFQ/RFP process.
4 – Is the District currently working with outside consultants on its
communications and outreach activities? If so, what is the status of these
projects and of the incumbent(s)?
The Partnership is not currently working with any outside consultants on GRIP.
Various members of the Partnership may have consultants working on other
outreach tasks, but none affecting GRIP.
5 – What public opinion research has the District done over the past five
years and will you be sharing this data with firms selected for the RFP
process?
The Partnership has not done any opinion research. However, if any members
of the Partnership have done any opinion research or have any pertinent data, it
will be shared with the selected consultant.
.
6 – What types of community outreach activities arte the Districts currently
implementing and how successful have they been in achieving the
District’s goals?
The USGVMWD currently has a variety of public outreach activities which are
documented at www.usgvmwd.org. Similarly, WRD does outreach in the areas
of water conservation and education. More information can be found on WRD’s
web site at www.wrd.org.
7 – The RFQ mentions “all languages that are in use in the geographic
service area.” Which are the dominant languages?
While the Partnership may have some idea as to the dominant languages in the
GRIP Service Area, it is expected that the selected consultant will be able to
identify those languages necessary to reach the targeted audiences.
8 – Are there minimum/maximum font sizes for the SOQ?
A font size was not specified in the RFQ and the Partnership expects that any
professional communications firm will be able to determine the appropriate size
font for the response.
9 – Which stakeholder groups does the District see as the greatest
supporters and the greatest detractors of GRIP?
The Partnership is looking to the respondents to demonstrate their qualification in
identifying supporters and detractors in their submittals.
10 – Will there be a “lead” agency among the partnership that would be the
point-of-contact for the successful bidder?
Currently the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District is serving as the
lead administrative agency for the RFQ effort, based on mutual agreement of the
Partnership. The specific governance structure is currently being formulated.
Once that structure is in place, we will identify a specific individual that will be the
successful bidder’s point of contact.
11 – What are the current in-house communications staffing levels among
the partnership?
Staffing levels vary from agency to agency, but the Partnership feels these
resources need to be augmented by an outside consulting firm for this project.
12 – Do you place greater importance on securing overall public
acceptance to this program, or with securing acceptance from other water
agencies that rely on the groundwater basin?
The Partnership is looking to the consultant to identify and work with
all stakeholder groups that are determined to be vital to the successful
completion of this project.
13 – Do you anticipate that among the GRIP options there would be
significant construction involved, particularly along streets for the pipeline
projects?
The project is currently in the conceptual design phase and there is the possibility
that there could be significant design changes between now and construction.
14 – Do you anticipate this outreach effort to extend beyond the designated
basin in the RFP?
No
15 – Would the GRIP program continue even if MWD became a more
reliable partner of replenishment water?
Yes, the Partnership is committed to implementing the GRIP as part of the
region’s long term water supply reliability portfolio.
