Exploring New Technologies for Leachate Treatment at the Candler Road Landfill - Addendum #3

ADDENDUM #34/11/2024Request for Qualifications with Cost ProposalsRFQ/P #44-033For the provision of:Exploring New Technologiesfor Leachate Treatment at theCandler Road LandfillWe have several questions that have been asked and wanted to provide the answers:1. We would like to request a 3 week extension to be able to incorporate missing information and clarifications into the proposal as these can have significant impact on the overall cost and design of the project. The County will extend the deadline until 2:00pm EST on Thursday, May 2, 2024.2. Addendum 1 lists the current production range is 19,500- 20,000 gallons which is max for existing system. Please confirm if the values listed are for daily raw leachate production, the equalized aerated leachate feed into the RO system or the permeate produced from the RO system? The values currently listed are the current daily production.3. It looks as though the existing system is containerized but unsure from photos. Is the intent to have

another containerized system to be built as part of the RFP or is the preference to go a different route with a small building? The intent is to have a small building as opposed to a container, but the cost will be the determining factor.4. What recovery or concentration is the existing RO system achieving? The current RO system has a 50% recovery, with a goal of 75-80%.5. Please provide specifications for the pumps, membranes, instrumentation, tanks and all components of the original system in place. Pumps are CAT and Grundfos, membranes are RO6, Instruments are Ryan Herco, Tanks are A.O. Smith Aqua Store for Leachate, Concentrate and Permeate, all other tanks are Poly Tanks.6. What is the current system design? What type of RO membranes are being used. The current design is Reverse Osmosis, while the membranes are currently RO6.7. Is the intent to stay with reverse osmosis/membrane technology to treat the leachate or get away from it completely? The intent is to stay with reverse osmosis, but the County will consider new technologies.8. With the new system is the expectation that the leachate would be handled the same way prior to being treated by membranes? Yes, same way. At present, it is aerated in a 154k gallon tank then left to settle in a second 154k gallon tank before going to a basket screen then into the system. Does this setup work currently and is the intent to continue with the same? Yes, this setup currently works, and the intent is to stay the same.9. Where is the feed drawn from on the second tank, side, bottom, top? Would there be risk of settled solids present in the feed? Presumably why they have the basket strainer setup. The feed is drawn from the bottom of the tank. Yes, there is solids carry over.10. It looks like influent leachate Conductivity ranges from ~8,000-10,000 umho/cm. Please confirm. The current conductivity is 9,500mS.11. Addendum 2 mentions for targets for treated leachate as “The ability to treat the concentrate instead of recycling it back into the cells”. It is our understanding that this means the Candler Road landfill is looking for the implementation of a PFAS destruction technology for treatment of the concentrate so as to minimize/avoid recycling any back into the landfill. Please confirm. Yes, mainly to reduce saturation of cells.12. Has a budget been already allocated for the project? Is the intent of the RFQ/P to enter into a contract and implement/construct a new leachate treatment and PFAS destruction technology onsite or is the intent for planning purposes primarily to get an alternatives analysis/marketplace study and to use the responses to develop a budget followed by an implementation RFP in the future? Please confirm. Funds have been allocated to assess all options of the leachate treatment process, including exploring new technologies. It is the County’s intent to enter into a contract to deploy and maintain a leachate system.13. While the RFQ and Addenda 2 provide some basic information on the influent leachate to be treated, we would like to request some additional missing information that is critical for system design. Please provide the influent raw leachate characteristics entering the RO system in terms of concentrations of COD, TSS, pH, TKN, Ammonia-N, Iron, TP, Calcium, Sodium, PFAS, Temperature etc. The testing the Landfill has available are attached in Addendum #2.14. Please provide the leachate characteristics for the influent entering the reverse osmosis system after aeration and settling in terms of concentrations of COD, TSS, pH, TKN, Ammonia-N, Iron, TP, Chlorides, TDS, COD, Conductivity, Calcium, Sodium, PFAS, Temperature. The testing the Landfill has available are attached in Addendum #2.15. Is there any chemical addition currently taking place in the leachate holding or settling tanks? If yes, please advise what chemicals are being dosed and the quantities dosed on a daily basis. No chemicals are added.16. What are the capacities of the chemical dosing systems in terms of gph/gpd of chemicals dosed? The dosing system is set on auto based on the pH readings but can treat up to 70,000 GPD of leachate.17. While an aerial layout of the existing onsite leachate treatment system is provided, please provide general arrangement, process flow and P&ID drawings for the existing system. 44-033 Leachate Flow 1, 2 and 3 are attached.18. Please advise the age of the leachate holding tanks, aeration system, blowers, and associated appurtenances. Were they installed at the same time as the existing reverse osmosis system? The leachate Tanks are 27 years old, and the blowers are 23 years old. The Blowers and associated appurtenances were installed prior to existing RO system.19. Please provide the type of aeration system (i.e. fine or coarse bubble), the system AOR and SOR, leachate holding tank side water depth, as well scfm that the aeration system and blowers are designed for. The coarse blower system is air operated; side water is 18' 6" to overflow, overflow does have a cone allowing actual overflow to be at 20', do not know if actual SCFM tanks have lines across entire width of tank on each side.20. It is our understanding that the leachate treatment system has to be designed keeping in mind the future leachate production rates and not current. While addendum 1 lists the current leachate production rates, please provide the flows that the leachate treatment system should be designed to handle at full buildout. The flows should be able to handle 30,000 GPD minimum up to 50,000 GPD at full buildout.21. Please provide the effluent/permeate requirements or what are the primary parameters that need to be removed from the influent and to what effluent goals. The permeate pH between 6.5 - 8.0, and maintain current levels and parameters.22. Please provide a list of plan holders and spec holders. The bidder’s list is attached to Addendum #3. This has also been posted on the GA Procurement website.23. Please provide current leachate treatment/hauling costs incurred by the County. The County’s current cost to treat Leachate is roughly $0.12 per gallon. The County does not haul off site.24. Please provide details on the type of RO system onsite i.e., in terms of manufacturer, type of membranes (model number etc.), membrane configuration and type, life left on membranes and modules, pore size etc. to determine what can be salvaged. Rochem is the manufacturer, RO6 membranes, 15 (fifteen) membranes RO1, 5 (five) membranes RO2. The County will rely on the awarded contractor’s expertise (in consultation with the County) to determine what can be salvaged.25. Please provide the minimum term of the contract for the services that is envisioned as part of this contract. Hall County’s Service contracts are for a term of five (5) years subject to annual review and renewal during those five (5) years.26. Please advise the timeline of the project in terms of dates for Purchase Order release as well as need for equipment delivery and startup of system onsite. The project will start around January 2025.27. Exhibit G lists the 80-20 points score breakout between the technical qualifications and cost proposal sections with the requirement for technical qualification asking for information on each facility using the proposer’s technology. Given different installations can have different technologies installed, will the points be given for technologies implemented in prior installations or for the technology selection entailed for the Candler Road Landfill project specifically? The points will be given for technologies implemented in prior installations.28. How would the points distribution change in case of a proposer who may have 1 reference vs someone who may have 10 references? The points distribution will not change. All bids will be evaluated equally and fairly.29. Can you please provide the breakdown for the weights/points allocated to each question for Exhibit G? For Exhibit G, there are 800 total points possible spread over eleven (11) questions. Each question is worth 72.727272 points.30. The bid requirements stipulate that the bidders shall return an executed contract (Exhibit B)with any exceptions provided. From a legal process standpoint, contracts should not be signed or executed until the contract is in its final agreed upon or contractual negotiations have resulted in an executable document for both parties. Bidder’s policy is to not sign contracts until they are in acceptable form and all terms and conditions have been negotiated. If the bidder would return the Exhibit B Contract Document to the County, redlined for potential changes or exceptions, but unsigned, would the bidder be disqualified from the bidding process by the county? No. Contracts are always open to negotiation. It is Hall County policy that Exhibit B be signed by the bidder to attest that the bidder agrees with the terms and conditions outlined in said contract. If there are any proposed changes to the contract, Hall County’s Attorney will review and comment. Likewise, bidder’s attorneys should do the same. Any proposed additions, deletions, omissions, or other changes will be presented to the bidder prior to execution.31. The RFQ/P states that it is due April 18, 2024, 2:00 pm EST “or equally digitally by the same time and date”. Is there a provision to submit the bids online? If yes, please advise the link or email address to send the responses to. We are in the process of revising our contracts and forms. Please disregard this directive as the County does not currently accept digital bid submissions.32. The RFQ/P requires that “Bidders must sign and notarize their submittals.” Can you please direct the bidders as to where the notarization should be placed. Should this notarization be part of the Cover Letter? Bidder is welcome to notarize any document they wish in its bid response; however, notarization is only required on Exhibits B, E, and F.33. The documents are unclear about whether the bidders should treat the submission as a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP). Please advise as to the format of the RFQ/P so that bidders can properly respond to the solicitation. Bidders should treat this as an RFQ with a cost component (see Exhibit C).34. What is the volume of liquid leachate we will need to treat? The volume of liquid leachate is 30,000-50,000 GPD. Is this RO reject or from some other source or combination of sources? Everything is contained on site.35. Is an analysis of the liquid available or can one be obtained? The analysis is attached to Addendum #2.36. Are there any treatment steps before the aeration tank such as bio treatments or VOC removal that we should be aware of? No.37. Will the RO be replaced or taken out of the treatment train? The RO will be replaced. Is that part of what you are looking to the supplier to help you determine? Yes.38. - Are you aware of current RECRA regulations and how it impacts your discharge? We do not discharge; everything is consumed on site.39. For options considering reverse osmosis, is there a target recovery rate (how much permeate verses how much residual concentrate) for the new RO system? A higher recovery would require operation at higher pressures and increase the estimated capital costs. The target recovery rate is 75-80%.40. Related to the above, is the County considering the increased capital costs for additional treatment vs. recirculating a higher volume of liquid back into the landfill? Yes.41. Besides pH what other requirements does treated water need for approved use at the facility? Only pH.42. Is the County seeking a process guarantee for the RO system design in terms of the flow rates, and/or percent recovery, and/or permeate quality? Yes.43. Does our proposal need to address providing a leachate treatment during construction of the new system? Yes, a temporary system will need to be functioning during construction.44. Can you verify the existing electrical power infrastructure at the site? Please confirm the voltage, phases, hertz, amperage, etc., available at or near the site? Currently it is 10,000 volts 60 Hertz, the Rochem panel box currently has 600 ,225 ,200 and 100 AMP breakers in it. Our electrical service provider, Jackson EMC, will have more information specific to this property.45. No timetables are provided herein, Contract term is open "Until Substantial and Final Completion of Services" per Article 105. Article 105 or Article 107 need to be adjusted to specify the term of the agreement or remove penalties for failure to perform. It will be a one-time system installation with annual maintenance.46. Contractor requests that Article 107A. be amended to include the following language as accepted instances of Force Majeure Event; 1. "a change in Federal, State, or local law or ordinance; orders or judgments of any Federal, State or local court, administrative agency or governmental body; change in permit conditions or requirements; accidents; extreme weather conditions including, for example, hurricanes, tornadoes, unusually high amounts of precipitation, unusual extremes of temperature or wind, or unusually extended periods of adverse weather conditions; acts of war, aggression or terrorism (foreign or domestic); riot, insurrection; equipment failure (except for the improper maintenance thereof)” A section of Article 107A now reads as: Neither party shall be held liable or responsible to the other party nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Agreement for failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any obligation under this Agreement when such failure or delay is caused by or results from causes beyond the reasonable control of the affected party, including but not limited to a change in Federal, State, or local law or ordinance; orders or judgments of any Federal, State or local court, administrative agency or governmental body; change in permit conditions or requirements; extreme weather conditions including, for example, hurricanes, tornadoes, unusually high amounts of precipitation, unusual extremes of temperature or wind, or unusually extended periods of adverse weather conditions; acts of war, aggression or terrorism (foreign or domestic); riot, insurrection; equipment failure (except for the improper maintenance thereof) fire, floods, embargoes, acts of war, civil unrest, insurrections, riots, strikes, lockouts or other labor disturbances, provided, however, that the party so affected shall use reasonable commercial efforts to avoid or remove such causes of nonperformance, and shall continue performance hereunder with reasonable dispatch whenever such causes are removed. Either party shall provide the other party with prompt written notice of any delay or failure to perform that occurs by reason of Force Majeure.47. Contractor requests that Article 108 and 108A of the agreement be modified to include the following language; 1. "Customer and Contractor agree in advance that if the Customer exercises its discretionary right to terminate for convenience, the Customer will pay Contractor for expenses incurred because of early termination. These expenses include, but are not limited to, recovery of capital costs, percent of lost profits, demobilization, employee severance payments and costs to terminate subcontractors and equipment leases." No, the County will not pay the Contractor for expenses incurred because of early termination.48. Contractor requests that Section 108D be modified to reflect the following language; 1. "County and Contractor agree in advance that if the Customer exercises its discretionary right to terminate for Non Appropriation of Funds, the Customer will pay Contractor for expenses incurred because of termination. These expenses include, but are not limited to, recovery of capital costs, demobilization, employee severance payments and costs to terminate subcontractors and equipment leases." No, the County will not pay the Contractor for expenses incurred because of early termination. It would be prudent for the Contractor to build this into their bid.49. Contractor requests Section 108 F be modified to include the following language County shall only pay those amounts for services received and for costs incurred by the Contractor, including demobilization, termination of subcontract agreements, capital expenditures and equipment leases." It would be prudent for the Contractor to build these expenses into their bid.50. Contractor requests revision to Article 108 H (Liquidated Damages) "Liquidated damages shall not apply where the delay in or impossibility of performance is because of or occasioned by a Force Majeure event, or other circumstances beyond the control of the Contractor. Article 108 H Liquidated Damages stands. The requested changes are addressed in Article 107 A Delay or Impossibility of Performance.51. How will Liquidated Damages be calculated on the contract, if the Contract remains open ended "Until substantial completion of the work" as articulated in Section 105 of this contract? If the work is not completed by the agreed upon date, the Contractor will incur a charge of $893.00 per day until completion.52. Will the County agree to Annual CPI increases to the contract on the Anniversary date of the agreement, commensurate with the CPI rates as articulated by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for the geographic region where the work is being performed? The Contractor can certainly request an increase at the time of annual contract renewal; however, prices will be firm and fixed for the duration of the contract term’s fiscal year (ending June 30 of each year).53. Contractor requests that Article 126 of the Agreement be made Mutual, so that each party will be provided notice for the other's intent to pursue civil litigation. Both Parties herby agree not to file any civil action of disputes or claims relating to the Contract except after first giving thirty (30) days written notice to the other Party of the claim and the intent to initiate a civil action.54. Contractor Requests that Article 126 of the agreement be further modified to include the following amended language; 1. "Neither party shall be liable for consequential or punitive damages on any claims arising out of the performance or non-performance of obligations under the Contract. " Except in cases of fraud, neither party shall be liable for consequential or punitive damages on any claims arising out of a breach of the Contract.55. Have the Leachate materials been tested for PFAS/PFOA levels or other regulated 40 CFR 503 regulated substances at any time over the previous 10 years? If yes, will the County share that information? The information needed can be obtained by completing an Open Records Request form on the Hall County website (hallcounty.org).Thank you,Cheryl WrightIssuing Officer