The Arcata Fire Protection District (“District”) seeks a qualified firm to prepare a Development Impact Fee Study. This study will help the District determine whether and to what extent it should pursue Development Impact Fees (“Project”).

A. Qualifications Submittal

• Qualification Submission Deadline: July 30, 2025, at 5:00 PM (PT)
• Manner of Submission: Via email to Anali Gonzalez, Business Manager, at: agonzalez@arcatafire.org

Submittals received after this date and time will be rejected. However, the District may, at its discretion, extend the deadline or reopen the submittal period for all potential proposers. All costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of a submittal will be borne entirely by the proposer.

The District reserves the right to contact any number of proposers for telephonic/virtual and/or in-person interviews to discuss qualifications for this RFQ or for the retention of services. Chosen firms will be contacted starting early-August 2025 with additional information.

All documents and information submitted in response to this RFQ will generally be made available to the public to the extent required by applicable law, including, without limitation, the California Public Records Act.

B. Questions about the Request for Qualifications

Questions and/or Requests for Information (“RFI”) must be submitted in writing via email.

• Primary Contact: Anali Gonzalez, Business Manager
  • Email: agonzalez@arcatafire.org
• With Copy To: Ryan Plotz, District Counsel
  • Email: rplotz@mitchelllawfirm.com
• Question/RFI Due Date: June 30, 2025, until 5:00 P.M. (PT)

Please submit questions as soon as possible, as no questions will be responded to after the above date. All pertinent questions will be responded to and answered in writing no later than the Response Date listed below.

Please note: The subject line of your email must specifically reference this RFQ as follows: “Development Impact Fee Study RFQ”

• Response Date: July 10, 2025

The District reserves the right to hold a conference call with eligible firms if additional clarification to this RFQ or additional information is necessary. Any clarification or revision to this RFQ will be made by addendum and will become part of this RFQ. All Addenda will be posted to the District’s website. It is the sole responsibility of the proposer to be knowledgeable of all addenda related to this RFQ.

C. District’s Right to Modify

Proposers are advised that the District has not incurred any obligations or duties by soliciting this RFQ. The District reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to:

• Reject any or all submittals in response to this RFQ.
• Request additional information or clarification of submitted information.
• Cancel or modify, in part or its entirety, this RFQ.
• Request new RFQs or pursue any other means for obtaining the desired services.
• Waive any informalities or minor irregularities in the submittals and inconsequential deviations from the RFQ requirements.
• Select or retain the firms of its choice.
• Decide to undertake the services described or to terminate the RFQ process.

D. Scope of Services

1. Primary Objectives

• Establish legally compliant development impact fee rates for fire protection facilities and equipment.
• Ensure fees are based on sound methodology and current cost data.
• Create a fee structure that is fair, proportionate, and legally defensible.
• Provide documentation that meets California Government Code requirements.

2. Scope of Work

The selected consultant will perform the following tasks:

Phase 1: Data Collection and Analysis

• Review existing District facilities, equipment, and service levels across all service areas.
• Analyze current and projected development patterns within the District's boundaries, including areas within the City of Arcata and unincorporated Humboldt County.
• Assess existing fire protection infrastructure capacity and deficiencies by service area.
• Review relevant planning documents, general plans, and development projections from the District, City of Arcata, and Humboldt County.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews with District personnel and representatives from the City of Arcata and Humboldt County.
• Evaluate whether separate fee studies are warranted for different service areas within the District based on varying service levels, facility needs, or development patterns.

Phase 2: Methodology Development

• Develop a fee calculation methodology consistent with California law (Gov. Code §66000 et seq.).
• Establish service standards and level of service metrics for each service area.
• Determine appropriate land use categories and unit types.
• Evaluate and recommend whether to prepare separate fee studies for different service areas within the District or a unified study with area-specific adjustments.
• Calculate facility and equipment costs attributable to new development by service area.
• Develop credit and offset methodologies for existing development contributions.
• Ensure methodology accommodates multi-jurisdictional fee adoption by the City of Arcata and Humboldt County.

Phase 3: Fee Calculation and Structure

• Calculate impact fees for different development types (residential, commercial, industrial) by service area as appropriate.
• Prepare fee schedules with appropriate unit measurements for each adopting jurisdiction (City of Arcata and Humboldt County).
• Develop fee adjustment mechanisms for inflation and cost changes.
• Analyze fee impacts on development feasibility.
• Address any differences in fee rates between service areas and provide justification for such differences.

Phase 4: Documentation and Legal Compliance

• Prepare a comprehensive technical report documenting methodology and findings.
• Ensure compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.
• Prepare separate fee adoption ordinance and resolution materials for both the City of Arcata and Humboldt County.
• Provide legal nexus documentation per AB 1600 requirements.
• Address multi-jurisdictional implementation issues and fee collection mechanisms.

Phase 5: Public Process Support

• Assist with public meetings and hearings before the District, City of Arcata, and Humboldt County.
• Respond to public comments and technical questions.
• Support District staff through the multi-jurisdictional adoption process.
• Coordinate with City and County staff regarding implementation procedures.
• Provide final fee schedule and implementation materials for all adopting jurisdictions.

3. Deliverables

• Technical Impact Fee Study Report including:
  • Executive summary
  • Methodology description
  • Data analysis and findings
  • Fee calculations and schedules
  • Legal compliance documentation
  • Implementation recommendations
• Fee Ordinance and Resolution draft language for both City of Arcata and Humboldt County adoption.
• Public Presentation Materials for community meetings and hearings.
• Electronic Files including all calculations, data, and documentation.
• Final Fee Schedule ready for implementation.

E. Evaluation Criteria

Qualifications will be evaluated by the District’s Board and designated staff. Submittals will first be evaluated for responsiveness to the RFQ requirements. A firm will be considered responsive only if it complies in all material respects with the RFQ requirements. Non-responsive submittals will not be considered for retention.

The District will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:

• Qualifications and experience
• Project understanding and approach
• Resources of the firm
• Approach to communication
• Effective Cost Containment Methodology
• Past experience of the District with the firm

The District reserves the discretion to select or reject any proposer based on any one criterion listed above or any other criterion.

F. Required Components of the RFQ Proposal

Proposals must respond to each of the following requests in the order indicated:

1. Firm Profile and Experience

• Indicate the date your firm was established.
• Describe the services provided by your firm.
• Describe your firm’s specialty and/or area(s) of expertise.
• Identify the number of employees in your firm.
• Describe any special training or experience members of your firm possess that may assist in providing the requested services.
• Provide a description of your firm’s presence in California and Humboldt County.
• Provide the name, address, telephone number, email address, and facsimile number for the contact person in your firm.

2. Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrate specifically how the firm meets the evaluation criteria set forth above.
• Detail the qualifications and experience of your firm to perform the services in connection with this engagement. In particular, provide a list of other public entities for which your firm has prepared a development impact fee for fire suppression services.
• For the members of your firm who would be involved in handling the Project, describe the role each would play and the approximate percentage of the work each would perform.

3. Fees

• Describe your firm’s proposed cost structure for providing the services, including, without limitation, hourly rates.
• Describe what, if any, expenses are to be reimbursed by the District, including, without limitation, travel expenses, copying, research expenses, etc.
• Include any alternative fee arrangements that the proposer wishes the District to consider in evaluating submissions.

G. Description of the Project

The District, located adjacent to northern Humboldt Bay, is responsible for providing fire protection and related emergency services. It serves the City of Arcata and surrounding unincorporated areas, including the communities of McKinleyville, Jacoby Creek, Manila, and Bayside. The Arcata FPD serves one of the most densely populated areas within the county. The District’s boundary encompasses over 62 square miles, extending north to encompass the unincorporated town of McKinleyville and south to the Samoa Bridge and the Indianola Cutoff. Various large facilities are within its territory, including Cal Poly Humboldt, Mad River Hospital, the Humboldt County Regional Airport, and the respective downtown commercial areas in Arcata and McKinleyville.

For more information about the District, please visit the following links:

• https://www.arcatafire.org/our-origins3
• https://humboldtlafco.org/wp-content/uploads/Regional-FPD-MSR_Humboldt-Bay-Fire_-Adopted_9.15.17.pdf

H. Full Opportunity

The Arcata Fire Protection District’s policy prohibits discrimination or preferential treatment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, cancer-related medical condition, a known genetic predisposition to a disease or disorder, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. The successful Respondent must comply with the Arcata Fire Protection District’s non-discrimination policy and conflict of interest policy. No District employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract if they have a real or apparent conflict of interest in violation of the District’s Conflict of Interest Code or any federal conflict of interest requirement applicable to the District.