After any emergency incident, responding agencies and organizations must reflect on it to identify strengths and weaknesses in preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. This After-Action Report (AAR) will focus on strengths and weaknesses of multiple agencies regarding processes, procedures, and capabilities regarding the response to the Martinez Refining Company Incident on February 1, 2025.
The selected vendor understands the need to conduct an after-action review meeting quickly to capture accurate information before memories fade.
The Fire District anticipates a three-phased approach to developing an effective AAR; however, alternate proposals are allowable:
- Phase I: Project Initiation
- Phase II: A. After-Action Interviews with Key Players from lead agencies, timeline review.
B. Large group session with all parties involved, this may be a full day session.
C. Follow Up Interviews as needed and Documentation Review
- Phase III: AAR Report Development and Finalization
Phase I: Project Initiation
The selected vendor will conduct a project planning meeting with the Contra Costa County Fire District project sponsor via conference call to validate our proposed work plan, identify key stakeholders, clarify the main areas or issues that should be covered in the AAR, and review the proposed timeline for completing the AAR. The selected vendor and the Contra Costa Fire District project sponsor will identify key personnel from agencies and departments to be interviewed. The selected vendor will also request that the project sponsor provide the selected vendor with a copy of all applicable plans that were in place/activated during the incident and any operational materials that were utilized, including incident action plans, logs, situation reports, status updates, etc.
The selected vendor will establish a secure project team online collaboration website such as google docs, google files or Microsoft SharePoint/Teams if desired. The website will be hosted on the selected vendor server throughout the project engagement and will serve as a document repository, allowing designated users access to documents (including both current and archived versions) throughout the project.
Deliverables/Meetings
- Work plan
- Project planning meeting (via conference call)
- Microsoft SharePoint/Teams or google project website
Phase II: After Action Interviews and Documentation Review
The selected vendor will review relevant documents (plans, incident reports, etc.) provided by the project sponsor. The document review process will help the selected vendor understand the roles and responsibilities of the various entities, the processes that should have been followed, and the capabilities and technology available to responding entities. The selected vendor’s review of incident reports (such as incident action plans, situation reports, etc.) will allow the selected vendor to build an incident response timeline.
The selected vendor will meet with the key players before the after-action meeting to receive input, concerns, ideas, and concepts that may not readily emerge in a group setting.
The selected vendor will then coordinate and facilitate after-action debriefing with agencies and organizations involved in the response. The after-action debriefing will include a plenary session for the group as a whole to discuss common preparedness, response, and recovery issues, followed by breakout sessions to discuss area-specific issues such as the damage assessment process, emergency operations center (EOC) operations, human services, coordination with utilities, and crisis communications. The debriefing will last approximately four to eight hours, depending upon the number of organizations invited to attend and the number of areas to be covered. The selected vendor will provide a lead facilitator and up to four additional facilitators to support the plenary and breakout sessions.
Following the after action debriefing, the selected vendor will conduct up to 10 small-group interviews with individuals, agencies, and organizations that were unable to attend the after action debriefing.
As part of the research, the selected vendor will obtain photos of the incident to help graphically illustrate the incident and the issues identified. The selected vendor will obtain photos from open sources, such as from internet searches and from any stakeholders.
Deliverables/Meetings
- Premeeting with key stakeholders
- After action, debriefing materials (presentation, agenda, registration forms, meeting summary)
- After action debriefing
- Follow-up interviews as needed
Phase III: AAR Development and Finalization
The AAR will assess strengths, identify areas for improvement, and present a “roadmap” for improvements that may be needed. The document will concisely discuss the findings identified during the after-action debriefing and small-group interviews, with strategies and action items that should be implemented to improve future response and recovery efforts.
The selected vendor will develop an annotated outline for the project sponsor to approve. Upon approval of the outline, the selected vendor will develop an initial draft within 30 days of the debriefing. The AAR will be finalized through incorporation of the corrections, clarifications, and other feedback provided by Contra Costa Fire District and its partners.
The selected vendor will coordinate and conduct an AAR review meeting with key stakeholders to review the AAR and to validate and obtain support for the actions and strategies outlined in the improvement plan matrix. Similar to the after-action debriefing, the selected vendor will conduct a two-hour session to discuss the AAR and any needed revisions. The selected vendor will provide a lead facilitator and a support facilitator.
The selected vendor will complete the AAR within 15 days of the review meeting. Upon completion and approval of the AAR content, the selected vendor will professionally format the document. The selected vendor understands that there may be significant public and media interest in the findings of the report. If desired by the Fire District, the selected vendor will develop both a public version and a “For Official Use Only” version of the AAR.
The selected vendor will provide an electronic copy of the final AAR, which will be delivered in PDF and fully editable formats.
Deliverables/Meetings
- AAR outline, delivered electronically
- Draft AAR, delivered electronically
- Final AAR, delivered electronically
- AAR review meeting
- AAR review meeting materials (presentation, agenda, registration forms, meeting summary)
- FINAL AAR- PDF and Editable Format, Public Version and FOUO Versions
The selected vendor will ensure that any reports and any deliverables to the Fire District are delivered in a manner that ensures non-discrimination and equal access to Fire District services and digital properties such as websites, documents, and applications by persons with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Successful respondent shall ensure that any deliverable, including but not limited to reports, documents, videos, multimedia productions, live broadcasts, and any and all other web content and information communications technology, are fully accessible and in compliance with federal accessibility standards and laws and with the Fire District’s Web Content Accessibility Standards. Examples of accessibility measures include but are not limited to, providing closed captions, video descriptions, and 508 compliant players.
