Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Department of Health and Human Services (Department) is seeking Extreme Temperature planning, response, and resilience services to assist County-level Emergency Management Agencies (County EMAs) in creating or updating the All-Hazards Plans (Plans) to protect the public health during both extreme heat and extreme cold events as defined in this Request for Proposal (RFP) document. This document provides instructions for submitting proposals, the procedure and criteria by which the awarded Bidder will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State of Maine (State) and the awarded Bidder. The Department is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resiliency, and opportunity to all Maine Residents. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) provides leadership, expertise, information, and tools to assure all Maine residents have the access and opportunity to live healthy lives. Maine CDC’s Environmental Health Program is required under 22 M.R.S §1692 to investigate and identify health problems which may be related to environmental factors, and to advise other State agencies and the public as to preventive and corrective actions around environmental health. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) has awarded funding to the Maine CDC to carry out public health activities that will protect Maine residents from the adverse health effects of a changing climate, in particular by helping them become more resilient to the health impacts of extreme heat and cold events. In January 2022, Maine CDC in collaboration with Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and various County EMAs utilized the Cumberland County Extreme Temperature Response Plan as a template to develop or update their Extreme Temperature Response Plans or Annexes. To date, Maine CDC has engaged with Sagadahoc and Piscataquis County EMAs and has completed an Extreme Temperature Response Plan for Sagadahoc County. These county-level Plans reflect the unique climate impacts, goals, resources, and demographics of the county as identified through stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and other research. These Plans are intended to assist counties and their communities to develop greater resilience from such events as they become more frequent and potentially more disruptive. The services under this RFP are intended to enhance the State’s partnerships with various County EMAs through the creation of-or updating their Extreme Temperature Response Plans or Annexes, focusing specifically on county-level heat and cold alert systems, descriptions and locations of cooling and warming centers, the protection of especially vulnerable populations, and any additional information, resources, or material requested by the County EMA. The Department anticipates up to three (3) County EMA Plans will be completed per year.
