Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional - Brownfields Assessment

Bid Title:Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional - Brownfields Assessment Category:Economic DevelopmentStatus:Open Description: CITY OF BELFAST, MAINEFISCAL YEAR 2022 UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYBROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT PROGRAMCOOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 4B-00A00905-0REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION STATEMENTSQUALIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 1. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST In May of 2022, the City of Belfast was selected for a cooperative agreement (Cooperative Agreement 4B-00A00905-0) in the amount of $500,000 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in their Fiscal Year 2022 Brownfields Assessment Program competition. The City of Belfast will utilize this USEPA Brownfields Assessment funding to continue to implement and improve its existing comprehensive community-wide Brownfields Assessment Program, both for Hazardous Substances and for Petroleum, with an emphasis on identified target areas (Census Block Groups

230270430001 and 230270430003).Cooperative agreement funding will be used to cover the costs of activities at or in direct support of brownfield sites, as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 §101(39). The City of Belfast now seeks a firm to serve as the Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) to perform specific activities under this cooperative agreement. It is anticipated that this QEP will work collaboratively with the following entities and individuals: 1) the Project Team, comprised of USEPA personnel, Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) personnel, and the City of Belfast’s Economic Development Director, who functions as the Project Manager and who carries out the overall coordination of the cooperative agreement; 2) other personnel from the City of Belfast, including, but not limited to the Belfast Government Television and Belfast Community Television Station Manager, the City Attorney, the City Manager, the City Planner, the Director of Code and Planning, and the Finance Director; and 3) members of the City of Belfast’s already-established Brownfields Selection Committee. Finally, additional technical assistance and oversight will be provided through the MEDEP Voluntary Response Action Program. The period of performance for this cooperative agreement is July 1 st, 2022 to September 30 th, 2026. This cooperative agreement contains all financial resources to be used for this project. $350,000 out of the total cooperative agreement amount of $500,000 is currently allocated for the work to be performed by the QEP. (PLEASE NOTE, THAT THE TOTAL HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM $300,000 TO $350,000.) 2. SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUIRED The following is the scope of services that the firm chosen as the QEP will be required to perform. Some of these services will be performed exclusively by the QEP, while others will be performed in conjunction with other individuals and/or entities: Task 1: Cooperative Agreement Oversight Activities Specific subtasks to be performed by the QEP (whether exclusively or in conjunction with other individuals and/or entities) under Task 1 include: 2.1.1: assisting the Brownfields Selection Committee and/or a working group (comprised of members of the Brownfields Selection Committee, and potentially USEPA and MEDEP representatives) regarding the procurement of other, non-QEP professional services, including, but not limited to: Historians/Certified Archaeologists; professionals to carry out site reuse/redevelopment planning activities; and Geographic Information Systems/mapping specialists; 2.1.2: preparing, reviewing, and submitting quarterly reports to the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES); 2.1.3: preparing, reviewing, and submitting additional site information to ACRES; 2.1.4: preparing, reviewing, and submitting Minority-Owned Business Enterprises/Woman-Owned Business Enterprises forms; 2.1.5: preparing, reviewing, and submitting Standard Form-425 Federal Financial Reports; 2.1.6: preparing, reviewing, and submitting Final Report and Cooperative Agreement Closeout materials; 2.1.7: assisting the Brownfields Selection Committee regarding their review of site selection procedures, including reviewing the site selection process, reviewing the site selection criteria, and updating the site application form; and 2.1.8: drafting minutes for Brownfields Selection Committee meetings when in attendance/participating. Task 2: Community Outreach and Engagement Activities Specific subtasks to be performed by the QEP (whether exclusively or in conjunction with other individuals and/or entities) under Task 2 include: 2.2.1: providing individual confidential responses to questions and/or concerns posed by residents, current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective developers; 2.2.2: updating existing community outreach and engagement deliverables, including, but not limited to: frequently-asked questions; informational brochure; and reviewing information for a portion of the City of Belfast’s website; and 2.2.3: developing new community outreach and engagement deliverables, including, but not limited to: developing and hosting a public informational meeting; participating in informational meetings of area real estate professionals, banking professionals, and/or other Brownfield-aligned groups (at least 2); reviewing information for news releases; reviewing information to be distributed in local community partners’ e-newsletters and e-mails; and reviewing information for City of Belfast’s and local community partners’ Facebook posts. Task 3: Inventory, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, and Historic Preservation Activities Specific subtasks to be performed by the QEP (whether exclusively or in conjunction with other individuals and/or entities) under Task 3 include: 2.3.1: updating the City of Belfast’s existing inventory of potential Brownfields, including, but not limited to: conducting windshield surveys; soliciting community members for potential Brownfields; researching records related to the community’s industrial/economic history; and integrating the inventory into mapping tool(s) (such as MapGeo and/or Geographic Information Systems) (this may be done by a Geographic Information Systems/mapping specialist and not by the QEP); 2.3.2: preparing for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (both for initial assessments and for assessment updates), including: obtaining or confirming eligibility determinations from the USEPA; obtaining or confirming petroleum eligibility determinations from the MEDEP; obtaining access agreements from current property owners; and assisting the Brownfields Selection Committee in reviewing and deciding upon site applications; 2.3.3: conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessment activities (both for initial assessments and for assessment updates), including: performing the assessments; submitting draft assessment reports to the Project Team; receiving comments on the draft assessment reports from the Project Team; finalizing and submitting assessment reports; and discussing final assessment report findings and possible next steps with current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective property developers; 2.3.4: preparing for Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (both for initial assessments and for supplemental assessments; including Hazardous Building Materials Inventories, if applicable), including: assisting the Brownfields Selection Committee regarding reviewing and deciding upon requests from current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective property developers to conduct assessments; submitting USEPA-approved Generic Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) with updated organizational charts; submitting draft Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plans (SSQAPPs) to the Project Team for review and comments; receiving comments on draft SSQAPPs from the Project Team; obtaining approvals for SSQAPPs from the USEPA and the MEDEP; finalizing and submitting SSQAPPs to the USEPA and the MEDEP; consulting with the USEPA and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission regarding on-site activities adversely impacting historic properties and determining if Section 106 reviews are required; if required, undertaking a Section 106 review process with the USEPA and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate adverse impacts; and memorializing the Section 106 review through creating a Memorandum of Agreement between the USEPA, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, and the recipient of the assistance; and 2.3.5: conducting Phase II Environmental Site Assessment activities (both for initial assessments and for supplemental assessments; including Hazardous Building Materials Inventories, if applicable), including: performing the assessments; submitting draft assessment reports to the Project Team; receiving comments on the draft assessment reports from the Project Team; finalizing and submitting assessment reports; and discussing final assessment report findings and possible next steps with current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective property developers. Task 4: Cleanup, Site Reuse/Redevelopment, and Area-Wide Planning Activities 2.4.1: conducting Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs)/Remedial Action Plan (RAP) activities, including: assisting the Brownfields Selection Committee to review and decide upon requests from current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective property developers to conduct ABCAs/RAPs; performing the ABCAs/RAPs; submitting draft ABCAs/RAPs to the Project Team; receiving comments on the draft ABCAs/RAPs from the Project Team; finalizing and submitting ABCAs/RAPs; and discussing final ABCA/RAP findings and possible next steps with current property owners, prospective property purchasers, and/or prospective property developers; 2.4.2: conducting site reuse/redevelopment planning activities for individual brownfields, including: assisting professionals in their creation of planning activity documents (eligible planning activity documents include brownfields revitalization plans, evaluations of market viability, infrastructure evaluations, market studies, site disposition strategies, site reuse assessments, and site reuse visions); 2.4.3: conducting site reuse/redevelopment planning activities for areas larger than an individual brownfield, including: assisting professionals in their creation of planning activity documents (eligible planning activity documents include brownfields revitalization plans, evaluations of market viability, infrastructure evaluations, market studies, site disposition strategies, site reuse assessments, and site reuse visions); and 2.4.4: enrolling brownfields into the MEDEP’s Voluntary Response Action Program. 3. QUALIFICATION STATEMENT FORMAT, EVALUATION FACTORS Interested firms are instructed to follow the format by providing a cover letter and responding to each of the six evaluation factors (3.1-3.6) listed below; the percentage weight for each evaluation factor follows. Statements that do not follow this format or do not contain the requested information may be considered unresponsive statements and will not be considered by the City of Belfast. The maximum length for a statement is 60 digital pages; this limit applies to the entirety of the qualification statement, whether it is the cover letter, responses to the evaluation factors, appendices, tables, resumes, any other supporting documents, covers, or divider sheets. Any pages that are in excess of the 60 will be removed from the statement and will not be reviewed or considered. While the City of Belfast is not requiring any minimum or maximum font size, spacing, or margins, firms are strongly encouraged to consider readability when preparing their qualification statement. The maximum file size for the statement is 10 Megabytes; this is to ensure successful emailing of the statement. A file that is larger than this size will be rejected and will not be reviewed or considered. Cover Letter: the firm’s qualification statement shall be preceded by a cover letter expressing the firm’s interest in working with City of Belfast personnel, the Brownfields Selection Committee, USEPA representatives, MEDEP representatives, and other potential stakeholders. The firm shall affirm that they and all subconsultants used in this project will: 1) meet all requirements of the USEPA Brownfields Program; 2) meet all requirements of the cooperative agreement; and 3) not be found to be debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs, unless an exception has been obtained from the USEPA under 2 CFR 180.135. This letter should be on the firm’s letterhead and signed by an officer of the firm authorized to bind the firm to all comments made in the qualification statement and shall include the name, e-mail address, and phone number of the person(s) to contact who will be authorized to represent the firm. 3.1: Experience: the firm will provide a list of its recent (within the last 5 years) and current projects, if any, awarded by a city, another type of governmental unit, or a governmental agency, for any brownfield-related projects. For each project, the firm shall include the following information: project start and end dates; current status of project; outputs, outcomes, and results from the project; services performed; and the name of the governmental unit or agency and their contact information (for reference verification purposes). (This evaluation factor is worth 30% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 3.2: Local Brownfields Knowledge: the firm will demonstrate a familiarity with: 1) the City of Belfast and its history in regards to the creation of Brownfields, the impacts of Brownfields, and the potential to identify additional Brownfields for assessment; and 2) the history and results of the City of Belfast’s Brownfields Assessment Program. (This evaluation factor is worth 10% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 3.3: Project Approach: the firm will describe the approach to be taken toward completion of each of the 4 tasks outlined above in the scope of services requested and an explanation of any proposed variations to the work program. In this response section the firm will separately address each of the 4 major tasks listed above under Scope of Services Required. (This evaluation factor is worth 20% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 3.4: Cost of Services: the firm will provide a budget for each of the 4 tasks in table form, which will include the estimated number of hours spent by each employee and their hourly rates, and the estimated number of hours spent by each subcontractor and their fees. The firm will also include a schedule of other costs (personnel and other categories) that would be expected to be relevant to this cooperative agreement during its period of performance. The City of Belfast’s order of preference with respect to changes in costs of services during the cooperative agreement’s period of performance is: 1 - highest preference) no changes to any costs of services during the cooperative agreement’s period of performance; 2) changes to costs of services occurring during the cooperative agreement’s period of performance but any changes are clearly defined in the qualification statement (e.g. a fixed rate increase after a specified period of time); and 3 - lowest preference) changes to costs of services occurring during the cooperative agreement’s period of performance but changes are not clearly defined in the qualification statement. No contracts shall be awarded wherein the fee is stated as a percentage of the project cost. $350,000 has been allocated from this cooperative agreement for QEP services. (PLEASE NOTE, THAT THE TOTAL HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM $300,000 TO $350,000.) (This evaluation factor is worth 15% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 3.5: Capacity: the firm will identify and state its current project workload (both Brownfields-related and not) and its capacity to undertake additional projects. Also, the firm will demonstrate that it possesses sufficient insurance coverage in place for the anticipated scope of services, and that it also possesses sufficient financial capacity to successfully and efficiently complete projects. (This evaluation factor is worth 15% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 3.6: Personnel: the firm will identify any and all staff that would be anticipated to be involved to any significant degree in the implementation of this cooperative agreement during its period of performance and describe their expertise. The firm will also provide background information for any subcontractors expected to be used in the implementation of this cooperative agreement during its period of performance. (This evaluation factor is worth 10% of a firm’s qualification statement score.) 4. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS REQUEST Any and all questions regarding this request must be emailed to document.write('economicdevelopment'+'@'+'cityofbelfast.org')economicdevelopment@cityofbelfast.org For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. such that they are received by 5:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 17 th, 2022 in order to be answered. The City of Belfast will provide confirmation of successful receipt of a question to the sender via email. All questions submitted by this deadline will be answered and posted only here on the City of Belfast’s website (www.cityofbelfast.org/qep-assessment) by 12:00 p.m. local time on Monday, November 21 st, 2022. Answers to questions will not be emailed to firms.Update: no questions were received by the deadline of November 17th, 2022. 5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE Firms who wish to have their qualification statements considered must follow these submission requirements: 5.1: the firm will submit their qualification statement as a single file in Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf) that is PC-compatible, which does not exceed 60 digital pages in length, and which does not exceed 10 Megabytes in file size; 5.2: the firm will email their qualification statement such that it is received by 12:00 p.m. local time on Monday, December 5 th, 2022 at the following email address: document.write('economicdevelopment'+'@'+'cityofbelfast.org')economicdevelopment@cityofbelfast.org For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address.. The City of Belfast will provide confirmation of successful receipt of the qualification statement, and that it also meets the requirements for file format, compatibility, length, and file size, to the sender via email. 5.3: All submissions will become the property of the City of Belfast and no materials will be returned. The City of Belfast reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, and further reserves the right to waive any defect or informality in any proposal, should it be in the best interest of the City of Belfast. While the cost of a firm’s services is an evaluation factor, the City of Belfast is not required to select the lowest-cost firm. The City of Belfast is not liable for any costs incurred by firms prior to the issuance of a contract, including any costs incurred in responding to this request. It is expressly understood and agreed that the submission of a qualification statement does not require or obligate the City of Belfast to pursue an agreement or a contract with any firm. 6. EVALUATION PROCESS Following the receipt of the qualification statements, a working group comprised of members of the Brownfields Selection Committee, and potentially advised by USEPA and MEDEP representatives, shall evaluate the statements and recommend a firm to hire as the QEP to the Belfast City Council. The working group, at its discretion, may decide to conduct interviews of one or more firms prior to providing a recommendation to the Belfast City Council; firms are asked to keep the two time periods of 12:00pm to 4:00pm local time on Tuesday, December 13 th, 2022, and 12:00pm to 4:00pm local time on Wednesday, December 14 th, 2022 available, in the event that interviews will be conducted. Final authority to hire a firm as the QEP and authorization to execute a contract with that firm rests exclusively with the Belfast City Council; it is anticipated that the Belfast City Council will do this at their regularly-scheduled meeting on the evening of Tuesday, December 20 th, 2022. The hired QEP is expected to begin work swiftly after this approval is granted by the Belfast City Council. 7. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Firms considering responding to this request may find the following documents and information to be helpful and informative, in preparation of a qualification statement and for an interview, if selected: 7.1: Original cooperative agreement application (with supporting documents); 7.2: USEPA-approved workplan and budget detail; 7.3: Required federal forms: SF-424 (application for federal assistance); SF-424A (budget information - non-construction programs); 6600-6 (certification regarding lobbying); SF-LLL (disclosure of lobbying activities); 4700-4 (preaward compliance review report), and 5700-54 (key contacts). (All of these above documents, along with the Request for Qualification Statements itself, are available for download here (see under “Related Documents”) or may be requested to be e-mailed by contacting Thomas Kittredge, Economic Development Director, City of Belfast, via e-mail at document.write('economicdevelopment'+'@'+'cityofbelfast.org')economicdevelopment@cityofbelfast.org For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address..) 7.4: Information is available online regarding the City of Belfast’s Brownfields Assessment Program and previously produced environmental assessment reports. Publication Date/Time: 11/5/2022 10:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 12/5/2022 12:00 PM Submittal Information: questions and submissions only via email Addendum Date/Time: 12/1/2022 Pre-bid Meeting: no pre-bid meeting Contact Person: Thomas Kittredge Economic Development Director City of Belfast economicdevelopment@cityofbelfast.org Download Available: see under 'RELATED DOCUMENTS' Fee: no fees Plan & Spec Available: see under 'RELATED DOCUMENTS' Special Requirements: Firms submitting qualification statements are asked to keep the two time periods of 12:00pm to 4:00pm local time on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022, and 12:00pm to 4:00pm local time on Wednesday, December 14th, 2022 available, in the event that interviews will be conducted. Miscellaneous: This RFQ was updated on December 1st, 2022; the only update was to correct the amount that was allocated for the work to be performed by the QEP, from $300,000 to $350,000. No questions were received by the deadline of November 17th, 2022. Related Documents: Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional Services - Brownfields Assessment (Word format) (Update 1) Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional Services - Brownfields Assessment (Adobe PDF format) (Update 1) Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional Services - Brownfields Assessment (Microsoft Word format) Request for Qualification Statements - Qualified Environmental Professional Services - Brownfields Assessment (Adobe Portable Document Format) original cooperative agreement application (with supporting documents) 6600-06 (certification regarding lobbying) sf-424 (application for federal assistance) sf-424a (budget information for non-construction programs) sf-lll (disclosure of lobbying activities) usepa-approved workplan usepa-approved budget detail (update 1) usepa-approved budget detail 4700-4 (preaward compliance review report) 5700-54 (key contacts form) Return To Main Bid Postings Page