HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Ember Alliance - Contract PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (the "Agreement"), effective
upon contract execution, is made by and between The Ember Alliance ("CONSULTANT"), a
Colorado nonprofit corporation; and Mason County (the "Client") and individually the "Party"
and collectively the "Parties".
RECITALS
A. WHEREAS, the client desires to engage CONSULTANT to perform the services outlined in
Exhibit A,
B. WHEREAS, CONSULTANT desires to perform the services outlined in Exhibit A, as an
Independent Contractor.
AGREEMENTS
NOW,THEREFORE,in consideration of the promises,the agreements and undertakings of
the Parties set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1. WORK TO BE PERFORMED BY CONSULTANT
During the term of this Agreement, CONSULTANT shall perform the work(the "Work")
described on Exhibit A attached hereto. CONSULTANT shall complete the various specified tasks
comprising the Work, subject to any force majeure incidents, within the deadline(s) stated on
Exhibit A. CONSULTANT shall perform the Work in a competent and professional manner to the
best of CONSULTANT's abilities using CONSULTANT's own appropriate independent skill and
judgment and the manner and means that appear best suitable to perform the Work.
2. ALLOWABLE COMPENSATION
CONSULTANT shall receive total compensation for the Work, which shall not exceed
USD$109,609.00. The Parties agree that any increase in compensation under this Agreement will
be mutually agreed to in writing as provided in Exhibit B.
3. BILLING PROCEDURES
CONSULTANT will prepare and submit monthly invoices to the Client.
Reasonable advance notice will be given by CONSULTANT if modifications to the timeline
and completion of deliverables cannot be completed as planned due to unforeseen circumstances.
Payment is due within thirty calendar days of receiving the invoice. At CONSULTANT's
discretion,a"Service Charge,"which is the greater of twenty(USD$20.00)dollars,or one and one-
half(1.5%) percent per month (unless limited by the prevailing legal rate) will be assessed and
billed monthly on each unpaid invoice, or unpaid portion thereof, at the time of the next billing.
4. INSURANCE
Without limiting CONSULTANT's indemnification of County, and prior to commencement of
Work, CONSULTANT shall obtain, provide and maintain at its own expense during the term of
this Agreement, policies of insurance of the type and amounts described below and in a form
satisfactory to County.
General Liability Insurance, using a standard ISO CG 00 01 occurrence form, including
premises, operations, products and completed operations, contractual liability with limits
not less than $1,000,000. per occurrence, $2,000,000 General Aggregate and $2,000,000
Products—Completed Operations Aggregate for bodily injury,personal injury, and property
damage. Coverage shall include Employers Liability (stop gap).
The Commercial General Liability Coverage shall include the following endorsements:
The County, its Board, officers, agents and employees shall be included as Additional
Insureds either by specific endorsement naming these parties or a blanket additional insured
endorsement applicable "when required by written contract or agreement".
Primary, Non-contributory endorsement, both in favor of the County, its Board, officers,
agents and employees or a blanket waiver of subrogation endorsement applicable "when
required by written contract or agreement".
The Commercial General Liability Coverage shall not include the following endorsements:
i. Amendment of Contractual Liability
ii. Total Pollution Exclusion
iii. Cross Suits Liability Exclusion
Automobile liability insurance. CONSULTANT shall maintain automobile insurance at
least as broad as Insurance Services Office form CA 00 01 covering bodily injury and
property damage for all activities of the CONSULTANT arising out of or in connection
with Work to be performed under this Agreement, including coverage for any owned,hired,
non-owned or rented vehicles, in an amount not less than 1,000,000 combined single limit
for each accident.
Professional liability (errors & omissions) insurance. CONSULTANT shall maintain
professional liability insurance that covers the Services to be performed in connection with
this Agreement, in the minimum amount of$1,000,000 per claim and in the aggregate. Any
policy inception date, continuity date, or retroactive date must be before the effective date
of this agreement and CONSULTANT agrees to maintain continuous coverage through a
period no less than three (3) years after completion of the services required by this
agreement.
Workers' compensation insurance. CONSULTANT shall maintain Workers'
Compensation Insurance (Statutory Limits) and Employer's Liability Insurance with limits
of at least $1,000,000.
Additional Insurance Requirements
Proof of insurance. CONSULTANT shall provide certificates of insurance to County as
evidence of the insurance coverage required herein. Insurance certificates and endorsement
must be approved by County's Risk Manager prior to commencement of performance.
Current certification of insurance shall be kept on file with County at all times during the
term of this contract. County reserves the right to require complete, certified copies of all
required insurance policies, at any time.
Duration of coverage. CONSULTANT shall procure and maintain for the duration of the
contract insurance against claims for injuries to persons or damages to property,which may
arise from or in connection with the performance of the Work hereunder by
CONSULTANT, his agents, representatives, employees or subconsultants.
County's rights of enforcement. In the event any policy of insurance required under this
Agreement does not comply with these specifications or is canceled and not replaced,
County has the right but not the duty to obtain the insurance it deems necessary and any
premium paid by County will be promptly reimbursed by CONSULTANT or County will
withhold amounts sufficient to pay premium from CONSULTANT payments. In the
alternative, County may cancel this Agreement.
Acceptable insurers. All insurance policies shall be issued by an insurance company
currently authorized by the Insurance Commissioner to transact business of insurance in the
State of Washington,with an assigned policyholders' Rating of A-(or higher)and Financial
Size Category Class VI(or larger)in accordance with the latest edition of Best's Key Rating
Guide,unless otherwise approved by the County's Risk Manager.
Waiver of subrogation. All insurance coverage maintained or procured pursuant to this
agreement shall be endorsed to waive subrogation against County, its elected or appointed
officers, agents, officials, employees and volunteers or shall specifically allow
CONSULTANT or others providing insurance evidence in compliance with these
specifications to waive their right of recovery prior to a loss. CONSULTANT hereby waives
its own right of recovery against County, and shall require similar written express waivers
and insurance clauses from each of its subconsultants.
Enforcement of contract provisions (non estoppel). CONSULTANT acknowledges and
agrees that any actual or alleged failure on the part of the County to inform CONSULTANT
of non-compliance with any requirement imposes no additional obligations on the County
nor does it waive any rights hereunder.
Requirements not limiting.Requirements of specific coverage features or limits contained
in this Section are not intended as a limitation on coverage, limits or other requirements, or
a waiver of any coverage normally provided by any insurance. Specific reference to a given
coverage feature is for purposes of clarification only as it pertains to a given issue and is not
intended by any party or insured to be all inclusive, or to the exclusion of other coverage,
or a waiver of any type.
Notice of cancellation. CONSULTANT agrees to oblige its insurance agent or broker and
insurers to provide to County with a thirty (30) day notice of cancellation (except for
nonpayment for which ten(10)days' notice is required)or nonrenewal of coverage for each
required coverage.
Additional insured status.General liability policies shall provide or be endorsed to provide
that County and its officers, officials, employees, and agents shall be additional insureds
under such policies. This provision shall also apply to any excess liability policies.
County's right to revise specifications. The County reserves the right at any time during
the term of the contract to change the amounts and types of insurance required by giving the
CONSULTANT ninety (90) days advance written notice of such change. If such change
results in substantial additional cost to the CONSULTANT, the County and
CONSULTANT may renegotiate CONSULTANT's compensation.
Self-insured retentions. Any self-insured retentions must be declared to and approved by
County. County reserves the right to require that self-insured retentions be eliminated,
lowered, or replaced by a deductible. Self-insurance will not be considered to comply with
these specifications unless approved by County.
Timely notice of claims. CONSULTANT shall give County prompt and timely notice of
claims made or suits instituted that arise out of or result from CONSULTANT's
performance under this Agreement, and that involve or may involve coverage under any of
the required liability policies.
Additional insurance.CONSULTANT shall also procure and maintain, at its own cost and
expense, any additional kinds of insurance, which in its own judgment may be necessary
for its proper protection and prosecution of the work.
5. INDEMNIFICATION
To the extent permitted by law, each Party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the
other Party,including its directors,officers, employees or agents,against liability, claims,damages,
losses or expenses, including attorney fees and costs, to the extent that the liability, claims,
damages, losses or expenses are caused by, or arise out of, the gross negligence or intentional acts
or omissions of the indemnifying Party or its directors, officers, employees or agents. The
indemnified Party has the right to select its legal counsel notwithstanding the indemnifying Party's
obligations to pay the fees and costs incurred by such legal counsel;provided,however,in no event
will the hourly fees for such legal counsel exceed USD$500 per hour.
6. CONTRACT TERM
The term of this Agreement shall commence upon contract execution, and terminate
12/31/2027 provided however, either Party may terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days'
written notice to the other. Upon any such termination, CONSULTANT shall receive reasonable
compensation for all work incurred through the date of termination for which CONSULTANT has
not received compensation, and reasonable costs to clear the site or other efforts to shut down the
project. Said amounts shall be based on the proportion of work performed for any of the tasks
described on Exhibit A attached hereto.
7. DEFAULT
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a material breach of this
Agreement by a Party(the "Defaulting Party"),the other Party(the "Non-defaulting Party")may
terminate this Agreement if after ten (10) days' written notice to the Defaulting Party any such
breach has not been resolved. In any such notice,the Non-defaulting Party shall describe the breach
of the Agreement constituting the grounds for termination. In the event of any such termination,the
Non-defaulting Party shall reserve all rights, remedies and claims against the Defaulting Party.
8. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Mediation: In the event that any dispute arises between the parties related to this
Agreement, the Parties agree to submit to non-binding mediation upon either Party providing the
other with written notice describing the dispute in detail. The Parties shall cooperate in selecting
the mediator, and the mediation shall occur within 30 days of a Party providing written notice to
the other party of the dispute. Parties agree to split the costs of Mediator's time and hold harmless
the Mediator, to the extent allowed by law. The mediation shall take place at a location as near to
the Project as is reasonably available.
Arbitration: Except as provided below in Fee Disputes, if mediation does not resolve the
dispute, such dispute shall be decided by final and binding arbitration in accordance with the
Construction Industry Rules of the American Arbitration Association, unless the parties mutually
agree otherwise. The Parties agree to be bound by the findings and award such arbitration finally
and without recourse to any court of law other than for the enforcement of the arbitrator's decision;
provided, however, that such arbitration decision does not violate applicable law. As between the
Parties to this Agreement, the prevailing Party in any arbitration shall be entitled to an award of its
attorneys' fees, costs and expert fees incurred and the Parties expressly grant the arbitrator the
authority to award attorneys' fees and costs. The site of any arbitration arising out of or related to
this Agreement shall be at a location as near to the Project as is reasonably available.
Fee Disputes: Following Mediation, any dispute involving only Client's failure to pay
Consultant pursuant to this Agreement for Consultant's performance of the work may be resolved
by commencing a lawsuit in a court of competent jurisdiction. Venue for the lawsuit shall be at a
location as near to the Project as is reasonably available. The prevailing Party in any such lawsuit
shall be entitled to recover its reasonable costs and attorney fees.
Applicable Law: this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of the Project's
location, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
9. PUBLICITY
Each Party agrees that they will not make any voluntary statements,written or oral,or cause
or encourage others to make any such statements that defame, disparage or in any way criticize the
personal and/or business reputations, practices or conduct of the other's employees, officers or
directors. The Parties also agree that they will instruct their own officers and directors to not make
any voluntary statements,written or oral,or cause or encourage others to make any such statements
that defame, disparage or in any way criticize the personal and/or business reputations,practices or
conduct of the other.
10. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
CONSULTANT is retained only for the purposes and to the extent set forth herein and
CONSULTANT's relationship to the Client shall be that of independent contractor.
CONSULTANT is not entitled to workers compensation or other benefits in the event of sickness
or injury caused by the Work.
11. ASSIGNMENT
Neither Party shall assign, transfer, delegate, subcontract or otherwise transfer any rights
under this Agreement or any of the duties, responsibilities, obligations or liabilities hereunder,
without the prior written permission of the other Party;provided,however, that a Party may engage
its authorized agents with respect to any of the duties, responsibilities, or obligations hereunder.
12. REPRESENTATIVES
The CONSULTANT representative to whom all communication should be directed with
regard to this Agreement is Mary MacDonald and with regard to the Work to be performed
hereunder is Aimee Artigues.
The Client representative to whom all communication should be directed with regard to this
Agreement and the Work to be performed hereunder is:
Randy Collins, Fire Marshal
Mason County Community Development
615 W Alder St.
Phone: 360-427-9670 ext. 309
Fax: 360-427-7798
Email: rcollins(a1masoncoun. wa.gov
13. INSTRUMENTS OF SERVICE
Drawings, specifications, and other documents,including those in electronic form,prepared
by CONSULTANT are Instruments of Service for use solely with respect to this Project.
CONSULTANT shall be deemed the authors and Clients of their respective Instruments of Service
and shall retain all common law, statutory and other reserved rights, including copyrights, except
as expressly provided herein.
Upon execution of this Agreement, CONSULTANT grants to the Client a nonexclusive,
assignable license to reproduce CONSULTANT's Instruments of Service solely for purposes of
designing, constructing, using and maintaining the Project, provided that the Client shall comply
with all obligations, including prompt payment of all sums when due, under this Agreement;
completion of the Project if Client has declared CONSULTANT to be in default, including any
modified or different project; and any subsequent addition to or renovation of the Project. In the
event the Client contracts with a different CONSULTANT for the completion of the design and
construction of the Project contemplated by CONSULTANT's Instruments of Service, such use
shall be at Client's sole risk.
Submission or distribution of Instruments of Service to meet official regulatory
requirements or for similar purposes in connection with the Project is not to be construed as
publication in derogation of the reserved rights of CONSULTANT. Any unauthorized use of the
Instruments of Service shall be at the Client's sole risk and without liability to CONSULTANT.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Agreement,the Client and CONSULTANT may,by separate
written agreement, set forth specific conditions governing the sharing of electronic data,the format
of Instruments of Service, or any third-party special limitations or licenses not otherwise provided
for in this Agreement.
14. NOTICES
All notices and communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed given and delivered to, and received by, the receiving Party
a. when hand-delivered to the street address of the receiving Party set forth below;
b. when scanned or electronically generated and sent by electronic mail to the email
address of the receiving Party set forth below;
c. one day after deposit with a national overnight courier addressed to the receiving
Party at the street address set forth below; or
d. three (3) days after deposit in the U.S. mail, certified mail, return receipt requested,
postage prepaid, addressed to the receiving Party at the mailing address set forth
below.
Any Party may change the address, electronic mail address, and telephone number set forth
below upon giving notice thereof to the other Party(ies) in accordance herewith.
CONSULTANT CLIENT
Administrative contact Administrative contact
Mary MacDonald Travis Adams
Physical Address: Address:
The Ember Alliance 411 N. 5th St.
1631 E Lincoln Ave. Shelton, WA 98584
Fort Collins, CO 80524 Telephone:
Remit Address: 360-427-9670 x 530
The Ember Alliance Email:
1580 N Logan St., Ste. 660 PMB 85026 360-427-9670 x 530
Denver, CO 80203-1942
Telephone: CLIENT
917.612.7961 Project contact
Email: Randy Collins
mary.macdonald@emberalliance.org Address:
615 W Alder St.
Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone:
360-427-9670 x 309
Email:
rcollins@masoncountywa.gov
CONSULTANT
Project contact
Aimee Artigues
Physical Address:
The Ember Alliance
1631 E Lincoln Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Telephone:
970.901.8982
Email: aimee.artigues@emberalliance.org
15. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. Recitals. Each and all of the recitals set forth at the beginning of this instrument are
hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
b. Exhibits. Each and all of the Exhibits stated herein and attached hereto are hereby
incorporated herein by this reference.
c. Calculation of Time. Any time period herein calculated by reference to "days" shall
mean calendar days, i.e. including Saturdays, Sundays and federally recognized
holidays; provided, however, that if a time period designated in this Agreement
expires on a Saturday, Sunday or federally recognized holiday, the applicable time
period shall be automatically extended until the next day that is not a Saturday,
Sunday or federally recognized holiday.
d. Captions. The captions and paragraph headings of this Agreement are not
necessarily descriptive, or intended or represented to be descriptive, of all the
provisions thereunder, and in no manner shall such captions and paragraph headings
be deemed or interpreted to limit the provisions of this Agreement.
e. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed through the use of separate
signature pages or in any number of counterparts, including by PDF, and each of
such counterparts shall, for all purposes, constitute one agreement binding on all the
Parties, notwithstanding that all Parties are not signatories to the same counterpart.
f. Email Transmission. Copies of this instrument, and any and all amendments hereto,
which are signed and delivered by each party and produced and/or reproduced by
electronic transmission, shall be valid and binding upon each signatory party.
g. Severability. If any provisions of this Agreement, or the application of such
provisions to any person or circumstances, shall be held invalid, the remainder of
this Agreement, or the application of such provisions to persons or circumstances
other than those to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.
h. Modification. Any modification of this Agreement must be made in writing and
must be executed by the Parties.
i. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the Parties and their respective heirs, successors and assigns.
j. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
Parties and any other prior agreements between the Parties, written or oral, are
merged herein.
k. Force Majeure. CONSULTANT is not liable for a failure to perform the Work if
such failure is a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm,
hurricane or other natural disaster),war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, hostilities
(regardless of whether war is declared),civil war,rebellion,revolution,insurrection,
military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalization,
government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or
interruption or failure of electricity or other raw materials and goods.
16. NON-APPROPRIATION
All direct and indirect financial obligations of Client under this Agreement are subject to
appropriation, budgeting, and availability of funds to discharge such obligations. If Client's
governing body fails to appropriate funds for Client's obligations under this Agreement, this
Agreement shall terminate on January 1 of the year for which the non-appropriation occurred, and
neither Party shall have any further obligation to the other Party under this Agreement, except as
set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.
17. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS
This Agreement and any communications, documents, invoices, data, papers, or other
materials of any kind or nature provided by CONSULTANT to Client may be subject to disclosure
by Client pursuant to the Washington State Public Records Act, R.C.W. 42.56 et seq. Any
information that CONSULTANT deems proprietary,or trade secret must be clearly marked as such.
Client will only protect from disclosure expressly marked propriety or trade secret information to
the extent permitted by law.
18. GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY
This Agreement is not intended, and shall not be construed, as a waiver of the limitations
on damages or any of the privileges, immunities,or defenses provided to, or enjoyed by, Client and
its current or past directors, officers, employees, and volunteers under common law or pursuant to
federal or state constitutional,statutory,or common law.Client acknowledges that CONSULTANT
is a Colorado nonprofit corporation and a 501(c)(3)-public charity.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth
above.
The Ember Alliance
a Colorado nonprofit corporation
By: (Signature)
Name: (Print): Mary MacDonald
Title: Director of Resilient Communities and Ecosystems
Date: 9/15/26
The Client
By: (Signature)
Name: (Print):
Title: C}aly-
Date: 'jpken*t \ , aoa�Q
10
LIST OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit Description
Exhibit A Description of Work
Exhibit B Form of Amendment to Agreement
EXHIBIT A
Description of Work
Assumptions
CONSULTANT assumes that the Client or its partners have and will share spatial data that can be
used for analyses, specifically data on address points,highly valued resources and assets (HVRA),
road networks, and spatial data on fuel treatments that have been conducted across Mason County.
If these spatial data are not available, CONSULTANT may need to revise the scope of work and
budget for this project to accommodate the time required for data acquisition. CONSULTANT
also assumes that CWPP Core Team members will have time for meaningful engagement in
project meetings, community meetings, and review of analyses and the document.
Advance notice will be given by CONSULTANT if modifications to the timeline and completion
of deliverables cannot be completed as planned; however, invoices will follow the contractually
agreed-upon schedule regardless of deliverable completion. Due to the collaborative nature of this
project, if work has not been completed by a project partner that impacts CONSULTANT's work,
invoices will not be delayed.
There will be a Core Team to represent the interests of the Client and partners that will provide
feedback to CONSULTANT throughout the process. The Core Team will manage input and
feedback to CONSULTANT. They will make final decisions about what to include in the project
after receiving input from relevant parties and CONSULTANT. When engaged for review, Core
Team members will review materials and provide succinct, timely feedback within 30 days to be
incorporated into the plan. Delayed responses and review from the Core Team could result in
revision of the project timeline.
Some partners on the project may become unavailable due to wildfire assignments. The schedule
will be adjusted to allow review from local fire professionals as needed. Many CONSULTANT
staff are wildland firefighters, which brings exceptional knowledge to the CWPP development
process; however, staff may need to participate in occasional prescribed burning or suppression
assignments. Project staff will plan around this and communicate with the client and partners if
this occurs during the project.
Project Area
The project area of the Client's CWPP will cover Mason County, approximately 1,051 square
miles. The fire behavior analysis and implementation prioritization area will cover approximately
3 miles around the district.
Timeline
If the scope of work is amended, this timeline will be amended at that time. The following
timelines are an estimate and are subject to revision with client consultation.
The following is a description of project phases involved to prepare the CWPP for the Client.
Should additional tasks be identified during the CWPP development process, this Statement of
Work(SOW) and associated budget may need to be amended.
Phase A. Data Gathering
Timeline: October-November 2026
Phase 1 establishes the technical and collaborative framework for the CWPP. CONSULTANT will
begin with an in-person project kickoff meeting with the Steering Committee to confirm project
goals,roles,communication expectations, and the overall schedule. This meeting will also identify
key partners, including fire districts, Tribal governments, utilities, PUDs, timber companies, and
businesses and community groups, and initiate the collaborative decision-making structure. The
team will meet approximately every 3-4 weeks to stay on track with the timeline for the project.
The planning process will begin with the collection and validation of foundational datasets
required to assess wildfire risk in the County. CONSULTANT will gather and review datasets
from across the County from a variety of sources, including Washington Department of Natural
Resources (WADNR), the 2023 Pacific Northwest Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessment(PNW
QWRA), local fire protection districts and incorporated cities, National Interagency Fire Center,
U.S. Geological Survey,United States Forest Service(USFS),FEMA, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data. We will provide local
context, identify information gaps, and confirm early assumptions that guide modeling and plan
unit development. This cadence ensures timely feedback throughout the early analytical stages.
Data will include fire history, GIS layers, fuels and vegetation, roadway networks, critical
infrastructure, and past fuels treatments. CONSULTANT will review the 2012 CWPP to identify
where updated information is needed. We will also collaborate with the Steering Committee to
establish plan units based on fire district boundaries, geographic features, and community
structure, and will jointly review the Washington WUI map to determine whether a Project and
Planning WUI delineation is necessary for the planning process.
Meetings
• Steering Committee: Project kick-off
• Steering Committee: Review of fire behavior models; identification of highly valued
resources and assets (HVRAs)
Deliverables
• Draft fire behavior maps
• Draft fire and ignition history maps
• Draft maps of HVRAs
Phase B. Initial Assessment
Timeline:December 2026-January 2027
Using the validated datasets from Task 1, CONSULTANT will conduct initial wildfire behavior
analysis across the countywide planning area, using predicted flame length, rate of spread, crown
fire activity, and burn probability using the 2023 PNW QWRA. We will use quality-controlled
datasets to highlight wildfire ignition patterns and frequency. After thorough partner review, we
will create maps and figures that highlight areas of the County at highest risk to extreme wildfire
behavior. In addition, CONSULTANT will complete analyses of structure exposure (radiant heat
and ember cast pathways), roadway survivability, and HVRA exposure. This allows stakeholders
to evaluate the areas with the highest impacts from wildfire in addition to the most intense fire
behavior.
CONSULTANT will work with the Steering Committee to define a goal for the Projects and
Planning WUI Map in the CWPP. Using Steering Committee-defined inputs such as structure
location,future development,HVRA locations,and evacuation routes,CONSULTANT will create
a draft Projects and Planning WUI map for review.
Meetings
• Steering Committee: review of roadway survivability, structure exposure, HVRA
exposure
Deliverables
• Base map with quality-controlled input data
• Draft Projects and Planning WUI map
• Draft roadway survivability map
• Draft structure exposure map
• Draft HVRA exposure maps and figures
Phase C. Stakeholder Interviews
Timeline:January-February 2027
Through interviews and focus groups, we will document and assess the current areas of highest
risk/concern to professionals and partners in the County, as well as the capacity of the County and
partners to undertake the needed mitigation work. CONSULTANT plans to conduct up to ten
individual interviews virtually and up to two focus groups in-person in the County.While the focus
groups will be in-person to foster a healthy sense of discussion and sharing, the individual
interviews can be held virtually. Virtual interviews will allow CONSULTANT to bring in
additional staff that can serve as subject matter experts when talking to the different partners that
we will interview. For example, we may bring in staff who are active firefighters to talk with fire
districts, or we may bring in staff who have experience working with local governments to
interview County staff or local government executives. This will enable us to have the most
productive conversations with each of the local professionals and translate that into actionable
information for the CWPP.
The interviews and focus groups will discuss areas of risk and concern,vulnerable populations to
consider, successful mitigation work that has occurred, barriers to mitigation work, and potential
solutions that are locally feasible. The Steering Committee will help create the list of interviewees
and may provide topics or areas of focus. These interviews will support the creation of
programmatic action items.
Meetings
• Steering Committee meeting: discuss priority interviewees
Deliverables
• Notes and main takeaways from the stakeholder interviews and/or focus groups
Phase D. Risk Reduction Prioritization and Planning
Timeline:March-April 2027
Using the outputs from modeling and risk analyses, we will work to identify priority zone and
treatment opportunities across the County. We will host an in-person prioritization meeting with
the Steering Committee and partners to review and evaluate the work done along the eastern flank
of the Bear Gulch fire and use spatial modeling and local partner input to recommend new
priorities. Emphasis will be placed on areas with overlapping risk factors such as high structure
density, hazardous evacuation routes, and multiple HVRAs. CONSULTANT will map existing
and potential treatment areas across both public and private lands,providing a strong starting point
for project planning.
Following the prioritization,we will create actionable projects from the priority work areas across
the County. Projects may be stand-scale fuels reduction projects, roadway fuels maintenance
projects, or other projects that enhance local ability to complete mitigation work. This will result
in an actionable plan with objectives, treatment methods, operational considerations, phasing or
sequencing needs, and expected risk-reduction outcomes. We will work closely with the Steering
Committee to assign leads and define project timelines or ranks for each recommended treatment.
Recommendations will be categorized into key areas: community preparedness, fuels mitigation,
evacuation improvements, and risk reduction for structures. Each fire district within the County
will have priority projects. All priority projects that have a location associated with the goal will
be mapped.
Projects from local partner strategic plans will be discussed to determine which recommendations
are relevant and aligned with Mason County's CWPP. Cross-boundary coordination with land
management agencies is always emphasized to ensure treatments can span jurisdictions and tie
into regional efforts. Priorities integrate hazard modeling, exposure analyses, non-survivable
roadway segments,partner priorities, and community-identified concerns.
CONSULTANT will begin developing a Storymap that displays expected fire behavior, wildfire
impacts and risk, and treatment priorities. This site can serve as both a public information portal
and an internal project tracker in the years between CWPP updates. Depending on County policies
and preferences, CONSULTANT can host the StoryMap for five years or support Mason County
in hosting and maintaining it on their own ArcGIS Online platform.
Meetings
• Steering Committee and partners: in-person fuel treatment prioritization
• Steering Committee:Review priority projects and descriptions,create timelines and project
leaders.
Deliverables
• Draft maps of fuel treatment priorities
• Draft implementation plan with project descriptions, leads, and timelines
• Draft public-facing GIS web map
Phase E. Structural Ignitability
Timeline:April-May 2027
CONSULTANT will recommend practical mitigation measures and techniques that communities
and homeowners can take to reduce the ignitability of at-risk structures, including actions that
address vegetation management, ember intrusion pathways, and structure-to-structure ignition
potential. These recommendations will be designed to be both viable and scalable, supporting
community-level adoption and integration into local programs. Where feasible,recommendations
will include suggestions for collaborative implementation across jurisdictional boundaries,
especially where treatment continuity is essential.
Building on the initial modeling, CONSULTANT will work with the Steering Committee to
develop hazard zones based on existing fire district boundaries. We will evaluate the types and
levels of risk for each, integrating fire behavior models, HVRAs, structure exposure, suppression
access limitations, evacuation hazards, and local capacity considerations. Each zone will receive a
risk rating and details on their most significant hazards. Zone-specific recommendations will be
created for each fire district, addressing their unique fire behavior risks, suppression challenges,
evacuation concerns, and home ignition vulnerabilities.
Meetings
• Steering Committee meeting: review plan unit relative risk
Deliverables
• Draft relative risk maps for hazard zones
• Table of priority actions for residents to reduce structural ignitability
Phase F. Public Outreach
Timeline:March-June 2027
Throughout this phase, CONSULTANT will work closely with the Steering Committee to begin
community engagement efforts, identifying community concerns, lived experience with past fires,
barriers to mitigation, and local preparedness needs. This engagement ensures that risk ratings are
rooted not only in modeling but also in place-based insight. CONSULTANT will coordinate and
conduct focus groups with key constituencies,which may include citizen groups,to assess fire risk
and potential mitigating measures.
We will also begin planning for the two public meetings facilitated with the Steering Committee
and execute the first of these to share project information and solicit public feedback. This first
public meeting can be held open house-style, with tables for partners and interactive booths
designed to allow community members to share their thoughts and perspectives while giving
CONSULTANT important and valuable feedback.
To ensure effective, place-based engagement, the project team will collaborate with Washington
Resource Development and Conservation District (WRCD), a trusted Washington-based local
partner with established relationships in the project area.We have worked with WRCD on multiple
CWPPs in Washington and have a strong relationship with their staff. WRCD will support
coordination and facilitation of in-person meetings (no overnight accommodations necessary),
ensuring partner and community perspectives are meaningfully incorporated into project design
and implementation.
During this phase we will work with the Steering Committee to plan the final community meeting
where we will discuss the results of the CWPP and local fire risk, home mitigation, and guidance
on evacuation readiness.
All stakeholder input will be collected during meetings, reconciled, and incorporated into CWPP
when appropriate.
Meetings
• Steering Committee: Discuss outreach tools, events, and resources for community
education projects
• Steering Committee: Plan final community meeting
• Public Meeting: Mid-project community open house
• Public Meeting: final community meeting
Deliverables
• Final community meeting agenda and outreach materials
Phase G. CWPP Development
Timeline:June-August 2027
Throughout the process, CONSULTANT will compile data, results, and recommendations into a
complete CWPP document that will comply with WADNR CWPP guidelines. Draft chapters will
be reviewed by the Steering Committee and revised based on feedback throughout the process.
The CWPP will be prepared with long-term implementation and updating in mind, ensuring the
County can use it as a working roadmap in the years ahead.
After the final document is drafted,the Steering Committee and partners will review the document
and CONSULTANT will incorporate necessary changes. Public review will occur prior to
finalization, using online forms and/or alternate submission options such as written forms for
communities with uncertain internet access. CONSULTANT will document feedback received
and summarize how the Steering Committee incorporated or responded to public input. The
document will be prepared for a final presentation to the Mason County Board of Commissioners
prior to signature and adoption.
The final electronic document will be screen-reader compatible and compliant with ADA best
practices for accessibility. The CWPP will be a complete, usable, and living document designed
to guide mitigation decisions and funding efforts and be easily updated when needed.
Meetings
• Steering Committee: review draft document feedback
• Steering Committee: review public feedback
Deliverables
• Completed CWPP (PDF+Word)
o Review of existing wildfire related documents, fire history, GIS data, as well as
past and current fuels treatment efforts
o All Updated spatial datasets and modeling output in Arc GIS package format,
including fire behavior, fuels models,planning areas, vulnerable populations, high
risk landscapes, results, and figures from the HVRA assessment
o Draft prioritized treatment recommendations based on feedback from the Steering
Committee and public meetings
o Documentation of the feedback and input collected from the review and revision
process
o Draft recommendations for defensible space and home hardening measures and
suggestions for incorporating into code language
o Meeting notes and materials from the duration of the project
• Final public-facing optional StoryMap
Phase H. Signature Collection
Timeline: September-October 2027
The Steering Committee will obtain signatures required from all relevant agencies.
CONSULTANT will support the collection of signatures by the required parties and can also
support the collection of signatures by additional partners and stakeholders.
EXHIBIT B
(Form of Amendment to Agreement)
AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR PURCHASE OF SERVICES
This Amendment(the"Amendment") is made on this day of and
amends that certain Agreement for Sale of Services executed by CONSULTANT, a Colorado
nonprofit corporation, and the Client, on , (the "Agreement"). In the event of
inconsistencies between the terms and provisions of the Contract and those of this Amendment,
the terms and provisions of this Amendment shall control. The Parties hereby amend the
Agreement and agree as follows:
1. All terms and definitions used in the Agreement shall have the same meanings herein.
INSERT NEW PRO VISIONS FOR EACH PARA GRAPH BEING AMENDED
2. Paragraph is deleted and in lieu thereof the following language is substituted:
INSERT NEW PARA GRAPH(S)
3. The following paragraph is hereby added to the Agreement:
4. Except as amended hereby, the Agreement remains in full force and effect between the
Parties.
EXECUTED this day of ,
CONSULTANT,
a Colorado nonprofit corporation
By
Name:
Title:
xxx
a xxx
By
Name:
Title: