Installation, Abandonment and Repair of Groundwater Monitoring Wells

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NC Department of Environmental Quality Request for Proposal #: 16-PR12296439 Installation, Abandonment, and Repair of Groundwater Monitoring Wells Date of Issue: January 30, 2023 Proposal Opening Date: February 14, 2023 At 3:00 PM ET Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to: Wanda Andrews Procurement Specialist Email: wanda.andrews@ncdenr.gov Phone: 919-707-8538 Ver: 11/2021 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA Request for Proposal # 16-PR12296439 ______________________________________________________ For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection. This page shall be filled out and returned with

your proposal. Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection. ___________________________________________________ Vendor Name ______________________________ Vendor eVP# Note: For your proposal to be considered, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 1 Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to: Wanda Andrews wanda.andrews@ncdenr.gov Request for Proposal #: 16-PR12296439 Proposals will be publicly opened: February 14, 2023 3:00 PM ET Using Agency: NC DEQ, Division of Water Resources Commodity No. and Description: 711228 Well monitoring Service Requisition No.: PR12296439 EXECUTION In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein. By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that: ▪ this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), ▪ none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and ▪ it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1. Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that: ▪ it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency. As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system. G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization. By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool. Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted. COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR: STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP: CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO: PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21): PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER: VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NC DEQ Division of Water Resources Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 2 VALIDITY PERIOD Offer shall be valid for at least 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed. FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________. (Authorized Representative of NC DEQ) Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 3 Contents 1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................................. 5 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT ............................................................................. 5 2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE ......................................................................................................... 5 2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS ............................... 5 2.4 RFP SCHEDULE ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE ................................................................... 6 2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ....................................................................................................... 6 2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ....................................................................................................... 6 2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ 7 2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS .................................................................................................... 8 2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................ 8 3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ....................................... 8 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD ............................................................................................................. 8 3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION......... 8 3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ................................................................................... 8 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ........................................................................................................ 9 3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ............................................................... 9 3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES .................................................................. 10 4.0 REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 PRICING ................................................................................................................................ 11 4.2 INVOICES .............................................................................................................................. 11 4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY ........................................................................................................ 12 4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION .......................................................................................................... 12 4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE ........................................................................................................ 12 4.6 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 12 4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS ..................................................................................................... 12 4.8 PERSONNEL ......................................................................................................................... 12 4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS ........................................................................................ 13 5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK .......................................................................... 13 5.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................. 13 5.2 SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 16 5.3 PROJECT ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................. 22 Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 4 6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION............................................................................................. 22 6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ............................................................ 22 6.2 DISPUTE RESOLUTION ....................................................................................................... 22 6.3 CONTRACT CHANGES ........................................................................................................ 22 6.4 ATTACHMENTS .................................................................................................................... 22 Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 5 1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND This Request for Proposal (RFP) is for the installation and abandonment of groundwater monitoring wells at multiple sites in eastern North Carolina. The purpose of the monitoring wells is to allow the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Water Resources (DWR) to collect valuable hydrogeologic data. These wells will become part of, or replace deficient wells currently within, the DWR Monitoring Well Network. The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract. 1.1 CONTRACT TERM The Contract shall have an initial term of one (1) year(s), beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”). The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within thirty (30) days of contract award unless delayed by DWR. At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to two (2) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option on later than thirty (30) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto. 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION 2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference. 2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE ATTENTION: This is an NC eProcurement solicitation facilitated by the Ariba Network. The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions. General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/. What is the Ariba Network? The Ariba Network is a web-based platform that serves as a connection point for buyers and vendors. Vendors can log in to the Ariba Network to view purchase orders, respond to electronic requests for quotes, participate in Sourcing Events, and collaborate with buyers on contract documents. For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training. 2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP. If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period. Other than through this Q and A process or negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be http://eprocurement.nc.gov/ Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 6 required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above). By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded. Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive. The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. 2.4 RFP SCHEDULE The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule. Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State January 30, 2023 Submit Written Questions Vendor 02/07/2023 Provide Response to Questions State 02/08/2023 Submit Proposals Vendor 02/14/2023 at 3:00 PM Contract Award State TBD Contract Effective Date State TBD 2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE There are NO site visits for this contract. 2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Questions related to the content of the solicitation, or the procurement process should be directed to the person on the title page of this document via the Sourcing Tool's message board by the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section of this RFP. Vendors will enter “RFP # 16-PR12296439 – Questions” as the subject of the message. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section. This is the only manner in which questions will be received. Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET. Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the Sourcing Tool in the form of an addendum and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP. 2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with instructions provided Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 7 shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements. Vendor’s proposals for this procurement must be submitted through the Sourcing Tool. For training on how to use the Sourcing Tool to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the State, Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training Questions or issues related to using the Sourcing Tool itself can be directed to the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST. Tips for Using the Sourcing Tool 1. Vendors should review available training and confirm that they are able to access the Sourcing Event, enter responses, and upload files well in advance of the date and time response are due to allow sufficient time to seek assistance from the North Carolina eProcurement Help Desk. 2. Vendors may submit their responses early to make sure there are no issues, and then submit a revised response any time prior to the response due date and time. The State will only review the most recent response. 3. Vendors should respond to all relevant sections of the Sourcing Event. Certain questions or items are required in order to submit a response and are denoted with an asterisk. The Sourcing Tool will not allow a response to be submitted unless all required items are completed. The Sourcing Tool will provide error messages to help identify any required information that is missing when response is submitted. 4. Simply saving your response in the Sourcing Tool is not the same as submitting your response to the State. Vendors should make sure they complete the submission process and receive a message that their response was successfully submitted. 2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS Vendors shall provide responses to all questions and complete all attachments for this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and upload them to the Sourcing Event in the Sourcing Tool. Vendor may not be able to submit its response in the Sourcing Tool unless all required items are addressed. Vendors shall provide authorized signatures where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion. Vendor shall include the following items and attachments in the Sourcing Tool: a) Cover Letter, must include a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP. b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number. c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP. d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned. e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING g) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION h) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION k) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT H: ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TESTING POLICY l) Completed and signed version of CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and OMB STANDARD FORM LLL https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 8 m) Well Contractor Certification n) Proof of Bondability 2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods, or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, Vendor shall follow the specific instructions for uploading Alternate Proposals in the Sourcing Tool. 2.10 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found in the Sourcing Tool, which are incorporated herein by this reference. 3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below. While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line-items, to not award one or more line-items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so. Upon award of contract, Contractor shall secure a performance and payment bond for the full amount of contract. Contractor shall secure the bond for the entire duration of the contracted work. The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received. 3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph of the Instructions to Vendors entitled Confidential Information. 3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS Only responsive submissions will be evaluated. The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals: Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above. All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and the name of the Vendor and total cost offered may be Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 9 announced. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position. If negotiation is anticipated under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, pricing may not be public until award. At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor. Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) under the RFP number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected proposal was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State. The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State. 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State: BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of "Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement. EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State: 1. Vendor Technical Approach 2. Vendor Qualifications 3. Vendor Experience (References) 4. Pricing Upon award of contract, Contractor shall secure a performance and payment bond for the full amount of contract. Contractor shall secure the bond for the entire duration of the contracted work. 3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State: a) Total cost to the State b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 10 c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property e) Availability of pertinent skills f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology h) Relations with citizens and employees i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues 3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety. 4.0 REQUIREMENTS This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above. Contractor qualifications and requirements are as follows: • Must be a North Carolina Certified Well Contractor. • Certified Well Contractor must be on-site at all times when well construction activities are being performed. • Well construction activities must be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations including, but not limited to the 15A NCAC 2C Well Construction Standards. • Any required permits or variances must be obtained prior to commencement of work in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. • Well drilling in the Coastal Plain Physiographic Province must be conducted using a self-contained closed-loop mud treatment system which is appropriately sized for the work being performed or hollow stem auger drilling in cases where appropriate. Excavated mud pits are not allowed. • Drill cuttings and drilling fluids must be contained and disposed of by the Contractor as required by DWR. Requirements may vary on a site-by-site basis. DWR encourages Contractor to use a self-contained closed loop mud system with desander, shale shaker, and containment system while drilling. Excavated mud pits will not be allowed by DWR. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 11 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS Upon award of contract, Contractor shall secure a performance and payment bond for the full amount of contract. Contractor shall secure the bond for the entire duration of the contracted work. Contractor must include with bid package proof of bondability. Proof of bondability shall include a certificate or letter from a bonding company on that company’s letterhead certifying that the company will bond Contractor for the amount of the Contractor’s bid. 4.1 PRICING Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and upload in the Sourcing Tool. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract. 4.2 INVOICES Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, at least monthly, as relevant: Vendor’s Billing Address, NC Contract Number, Site Location, Unit Cost Per Task Item, Actual Units Per Task Item, Total Actual Cost Per Task Item and Total Actual Cost Per Site. In order to receive payment, site restoration must meet the DWR approval and GW-1 well construction records must be provided to all agencies as required. Additionally, copies of all GW-1 records must be submitted with the invoice. Failure to complete all work, including site restoration, as specified herein by May 31 of the fiscal year that work is performed may result in a delay in or partial payment. 1. Payment for services will be upon receipt of invoice(s) from the CONTRACTOR documenting the costs incurred in the performance of work under the contract and approval of invoice(s) by the Contract Administrator verifying satisfactory completion of services as required. 2. Invoices are to be submitted to the Contract Administrator at least monthly. 3. Final invoice must be received by the DEPARTMENT NO later than May 31 of the same fiscal year as work performed within 45 days after the end of the contract period. 4. Amended or corrected invoices must be received by the DEPARTMENT’S Office of the Controller within six months after the end of the contract period. 5. Invoice(s) received from the CONTRACTOR after six months of the end of the contract period will be returned without action. PAYMENT SCHEDULE Payment for services will be made based upon invoices documenting the actual cost per site upon the RFP specifications to the Contract administrator, Susan Laughinghouse, at least monthly. INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 12 4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction. Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability. 4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION. 4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person. 4.6 REFERENCES Vendor shall upload to the Sourcing Tool at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal. 4.7 BACKGROUND CHECKS Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State. 4.7.1 VENDOR BACKGROUND CHECK AGREEMENT Vendor agrees to conduct a criminal background check per the specifications above in this section on all employees proposed to work under this Contract, at its expense, and provide the required documentation to the State in order to perform Services under this Contract: YES NO 4.8 PERSONNEL Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 13 Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s). Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel. 4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables. 5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK 5.1 GENERAL WORK SCHEDULE: Work must commence within (thirty) 30 days of contract award unless delayed by DWR. DWR will determine the schedule and order in which work will be performed. In general, work is to be conducted Mondays through Fridays during daylight hours, excluding official state holidays, until all work phases have been completed. Work is to be conducted one site at a time and site restoration is to Be completed prior to mobilizing from the site. Changes to the work schedule may only be made with prior approval by DWR. Individual site specifications will be bid and awarded on a site-by-site basis. STANDBY TIME COST: Standby time for delays caused by the Contractor will not be reimbursed by DWR. Standby time for delays caused by DWR may be reimbursed to the Contractor at a rate of up to $150 per hour for up to eight hours per day. In the event of delays caused by DWR lasting more than three days, the Contractor may be released by DWR until work can be rescheduled. Unforeseen delays and delays caused by weather or acts of God will not constitute standby time. CONTRACT SCHEDULE AND LENGTH: The contract shall be for a minimum period of one year with an option for renewal on an annual basis at the discretion of DWR. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 14 The DWR Contract Administrator or designee will coordinate with the Contractor to schedule the order in which work will be performed. Any schedule and deadline, once established, can be adjusted only by mutual consent of all parties thereto. However, DWR reserves the right to schedule work at individual sites to comply with the needs of the sites’ landowners. Upon award, Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary well permits and variances required under 15A NCAC 2C. Upon completion of each well, Contractor shall complete and submit all well construction documentation necessary under 15A NCAC 2C to the appropriate agencies and shall provide DWR with copies of all such materials. DWR must receive completed well construction records prior to Contractor getting paid. All drilling, including the final drilling invoice, must be submitted no later than May 31 of the fiscal year wherein work is completed. GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK: At a minimum, the Scope of Work shall include the following for each site: • Site Preparation • Contractor shall locate and mark all aboveground and underground utilities, grade and clear to provide site access, if necessary, and perform any other work necessary for well construction. • Contractor shall provide a self-contained portable toilet at the site during the entire project. • Bid package is to include unit costs for site preparation. • Site Restoration Site restoration shall include spreading of drilling mud and cuttings, when appropriate; filling ruts and depressions, grading, and reseeding work area and areas of ingress and egress, and; other related work necessary to return site to pre- drilling conditions. Completion of site restoration is contingent upon approval by DWR. Bid package is to include unit costs for site restoration. • Pilot Hole Construction Contractor shall drill a pilot hole to the depth specified in the Individual Site Specifications section of this RFP prior to constructing monitoring wells. The pilot hole shall have a minimum diameter of 5.5 inches and shall be constructed with a minimum of 20 ft of 10-inch Schedule 80 PVC surface casing, or more if required by DWR. Contractor shall provide DWR with washed composite samples of drill cuttings collected at 10-foot intervals. This shall be done by drilling 10 ft and collecting samples continuously until the full 10-ft interval of cuttings has been circulated out of the borehole. Contractor must wash and sieve samples and provide and place samples on ram board or other suitable surface as required by DWR. Upon reaching total hole depth, as determined by DWR, Contractor must circulate out all cuttings, continue to circulate until drilling fluid is uniform throughout the borehole so geophysical logging of the pilot hole can be performed. Geophysical logging of the pilot hole is to be contracted by DWR and performed as soon as the cuttings have been circulated out of the hole and mud conditions have stabilized. Contractor is to assist DWR in determining when the geophysical logging contractor should arrive on-site so that no delays occur. • Well Construction Specifications Contractor shall install monitoring wells to the depth(s) specified in the Individual Site Specifications section of this RFP. Well depths and number of wells may vary as determined by DWR. Monitoring well boreholes must have a minimum diameter of 9.5 inches. Wells deeper than 100 feet must be constructed with a minimum of 20 ft of 10-inch Schedule 80 PVC surface casing grouted to land surface. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 15 The deepest monitoring well shall be constructed by converting the pilot hole to a well. If the pilot hole is deeper than the planned monitoring well depth, then the pilot hole shall be grouted back to 10 ft below the bottom of the screen depth using a grout pump, tremie pipe extending to the total hole depth, and bentonite grout. All monitoring wells shall be constructed using 4-inch I.D. PVC casing extending to 2 ft 6 inches above land surface, 10 to 20 ft of 4-inch I.D. stainless steel continuous wire-wrap V-slot screen of appropriate size, and 5 ft of 4-inch PVC tail pipe with plug. Casing joints must connect using threaded or “Cert-Lok type” joints. Glued joints are not allowed Placement of sand filter pack, bentonite, and bentonite grout around the monitoring well shall be done by grout pump and 1.5-inch steel tremie pipe extending the full hole depth. Graded sand filter pack shall be placed from bottom of the hole to approximately 5 feet above top of screen, followed by 2 to 5 feet of bentonite, followed by bentonite grout to 5 feet below land surface. Complete each monitoring well by cutting outer casing to grade and installing a 5 ft minimum section of 6-inch I.D. galvanized steel protective casing around the 4-inch well casing. This outer casing shall extend 3 to 4 inches above the PVC well casing and be grouted in place with neat cement grout at the time the final 5 ft of 4-inch PVC well casing and any un-grouted portion of the 10-inch surface casing is grouted to surface grade. Install a locking well cap on the protective steel casing of each well immediately following well construction. • Well Development Upon completion of well construction, Contractor shall purge each well until cuttings and suspended soil particles have been removed from the water column and the well water is clear. • Well Tags Well tags shall be placed on each well once the drilling is complete. • Well Abandonment Well abandonment activities shall be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations including, but not limited to, the 15A NCAC 2C Well Construction Standards. • Well Repair Well repair activities must be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations including, but not limited to, the 15A NCAC 2C Well Construction Standards. HEALTH AND SAFETY: Health and Safety requirements will be in accordance with the National Well Driller Association’s Drilling Safety Guide, in addition to complying with state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to drilling site health and safety. Contractor personnel with current First Aid/CPR certification will be required to be on-site at all times during drilling operations. All pertinent personal protective equipment, steel toed boots and hard hat, at a minimum, will be required in the drilling site area at all times. Drilling operations will occur during daylight hours only. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 16 COST PROPOSAL FORMAT: All bids shall be submitted on a per unit cost basis for the completion of each portion of the Scope of Work. DWR reserves the right to broaden or narrow the Scope of Work for any or no reason. Contractor must include with bid package proof of bondability. Proof of bondability shall include a certificate or letter from a bonding company on that company’s letterhead certifying that the company will bond Contractor for the amount of the Contractor’s bid. All bids must be completed on the attached cost proposal forms. Per Diem will not be allowed as a separate cost. Per Diem must be included as part of the unit cost. No additional charge for pilot hole over-reaming may be applied. DEQ will interpret the lack of a unit cost or N/A (not applicable) for a task to mean the Contractor will provide the service at no cost under the contract. 5.2 SPECIFICATIONS Under the Scope of Work, groundwater monitoring wells are to be installed at multiple sites in the North Carolina Coastal Plain, which consists of two divisions: the Northern Coastal Plain and the Southern Coastal Plain. General locations and well construction specifications for each site will be at the discretion of DWR. Mobilization for well installation will be based on the Coastal Plain divisions. The counties included in the Northern Coastal Plain are Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington, and Wilson. The Southern Coastal Plain counties are Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, and Wayne. A map showing the Coastal Plain divisions is attached. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 17 NC Coastal Plain Divisions The following section outlines individual site specifications for each drilling site included in this RFP in the Northern Coastal Plain and the Southern Coastal Plain per the following map. Sites are not listed in drilling preference order. The number of sites drilled under this year’s contract will be limited by budget constraints. Pilot holes may be required at some existing sites. The following is an example of an individual site specification: • Site Near Intersection of US Hwy 421 and US Hwy 13, Sampson County Install pilot hole and monitoring wells. Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 18 Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer 1 20-30 35 Surficial 2 41-51 56 Black Creek 3 168-178 183 Upper Cape Fear Estimated depth of pilot hole is 347 ft bls. Specifications associated with well abandonment will be on based on well diameter and travel. Travel includes all personnel and vehicles needed to mobilize to complete the round trip from driller’s office to the site and back to driller’s office. Well repair will be exclusive to the specific repair issue, but travel will be the same as travel for well abandonment. Northern Coastal Plain Proposed Sites • Site One: Replacement-Abandonment of Wells at Four Mile Desert Station ** Estimated screen depths pending location id and well log. Abandonment Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer *E 13M1 39-49 49 Yorktown *E 13M2 1009-1019 1019 Lower Cape Fear *E 13M3 336-351 351 Castle Hayne *E 13M1 (Ty) 4-inch casing, 2.5-inch reducer at 5 ft bls *E13M2 (Klcf) 4-inch casing, 2.5-inchreducer at 147 ft bls *E 13M3 (Tch) 4-inch casing, 2.5-inch reducer at 210 ft bls Replacement Install pilot hole and monitoring wells. Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer E 13M7 39-49 54 Yorktown E 13M8 341-351 355 Castle Hayne Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 19 E 13M9 1009-1019 1024 Lower Cape Fear Estimated depth of pilot hole is 1025 ft bls. • Site Two: Replacement of wells at Wilmar Station Abandonment Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer *P 21K5 855-865 918 Black Creek *P 21K9 695-705 712 Black Creek *P21K5 (Kbc) 4-inch casing, 2.5-inch reducer at 771 ft bls *P21K9 (Kbc) 4-inch casing, 2.5-inch reducer at 569 ft bls Replacement Install pilot hole and monitoring wells. Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer P 21K10 855-865 870 Black Creek P21 K11 695-705 710 Black Creek Estimated depth of pilot hole is 880 ft bls. • Site Three: Replacement of the old Belhaven Station, Beaufort County Estimated screen depths pending location id and well log Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer 1 20-30 35 Surficial 2 124-134 139 Yorktown Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 20 3 244-254 259 Castle Hayne upper screen 4 312-322 329 Castle Hayne lower screen 5 388-398 403 Beaufort 6 540-550 555 Peedee 7 720-730 735 Black Creek Pilot hole to 900 feet bls to penetrate the Black Creek Aquifer. Southern Coastal Plain Proposed Sites • Site One: Vicinity of Wellfield 258 Station, Onslow County Estimated screen depths pending location id and well log. May need to move to new site depending on available room and possibility of leakage between aquifers allowed by existing wells. Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer 13 720-730 735 Black Creek Aquifer 14 824-834 839 Upper Cape Fear Aquifer Estimated depth of pilot hole is 850 ft bls. • Site Two: Near Spivey’s Corner, Sampson County Install pilot hole and monitoring wells. Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer 1 20-30 35 Surficial 2 41-51 56 Black Creek 3 168-178 183 Upper Cape Fear Estimated depth of pilot hole is 347 ft bls. Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 21 • Site Three: Hammocks Beach State Park Install pilot hole and monitoring wells. Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer 1 45- 55 60 Surficial 2 210-220 225 Upper Castle Hayne 3 330-340 350 Lower Castle Hayne Estimated depth of pilot hole is 375 ft bls. • Site Four: Red Bank Station, Robeson County Estimated screen intervals and well depths are: (Red Bank Station is located 0.6 miles west of the intersection of Preston Rd and Redbanks Rd). Well Number Screen (ft) Depth (ft) Aquifer X 47K5 71-81 86 Black Creek Proposal Number: 16-PR12296439 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 22 5.3 PROJECT ORGANIZATION Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work. 6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes. 6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a project manager. The project manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service. 6.2 DISPUTE RESOLUTION During the performance of the Contract, the parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s). During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute. 6.3 CONTRACT CHANGES Contract changes, if any, over the life of the Contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by the State and Vendor. 6.4 ATTACHMENTS All attachments to this RFP are incorporated herein and shall be submitted by responding in the Sourcing Tool. These attachments can be found at the following Vendor Forms link for reference purposes only: https://ncadmin.nc.gov/documents/vendor-forms THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK