Public Notice
Kittitas County, Ellensburg WA

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS / PROPOSALS:

Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project Restoration Engineering, Design, and Permitting Services

All submittals received after 5:00 PM Monday, July 8, 2024 will be discarded

PURPOSE

Kittitas County is seeking professional engineering, design, hydraulic analysis and permitting services for an instream and floodplain restoration project along the Yakima River within the Lower Kittitas Reach in Kittitas County, Washington. The 700-acre project area includes 2.7 miles of the Yakima River, located between Hansen Pits and Ringer Loop Road, just south of Ellensburg. The Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project aims to remove failing flood protection infrastructure to activate property purchased for floodplain management, habitat restoration, and open space protection purposes while mitigating off-site flood risk, addressing former gravel mining pits habitat degradation, and restoring habitat and habitat-forming processes.  Additional project background is available in the Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project Concept Basis of Design report, along with additional reach-scale background information is available online by visiting the Kittitas County Flood Study and Reports webpage (https://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/public-works/flood/reports.aspx). Please see material posted under the “Yakima River Multiple Benefit Flood Hazard Reduction & Habitat Restoration” heading.

SCOPE OF PROJECT

The scope of work to be completed under a negotiated contract executed for this RFQ/P includes all or portions of the design engineering, hydraulic analysis, and environmental permitting for the Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project. The County Reserves the right to retain the services of the successful firm for any subsequent phases (such as construction) associated with this project.

The scope of work detailed below is preliminary and provided for the purpose of submitting a statement of qualifications and proposal. Adjustments will be made subsequent to negotiated items of work and execution of a contract for professional services.

The work to be performed under this contract consists of the following general tasks.

Project Management and Coordination

• Identify a single Project Manager for the contract who will manage all internal and subcontracted resources, coordinate with Kittitas County, and maintain a project management plan with current project schedule.
• Prepare and submit monthly progress reports and updated schedule to designated Kittitas County contact.
• Coordinate and attend monthly design review meeting with the design team, which includes representatives from Kittitas County, Mid-Columbia Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group (MCF), and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation representatives.
• Geotechnical Investigation Coordination - Kittitas County has initiated geotechnical test pit explorations and relevant analysis across the project area, which are scheduled to commence this summer. The selected contractor will coordinate with the County through the design phase to identify additional geotechnical needs.
• Vegetation Restoration Design Coordination – MCF is developing an overall-all site revegetation plan. This revegetation strategy will be coordinated and integrated with the design process and is expected to inform design elements and restoration plans, specifications, and cost estimates.
• Coordinate and attend four (4) Technical Advisory Group Meetings where representatives with habitat restoration technical design expertise provide feedback on project design. One of these Technical Advisory Group Meetings will be convened as a “mid-design” check-in between the 30% and 80% design deliverables.
• Coordinate with county, state, and federal personnel and departments to provide information required for project permits. 

Site Visits

• Initial Site Visit – Participate in an initial site visit to meet with the design team, gain familiarity with the site, and dedicate a portion of the visit to discuss the previously completed concept and next steps to achieve project objectives with the design team.
• Data Collection Site Visits – Visit the site to collect additional pertinent topographic, bathymetric, geomorphic, and physical data beyond the existing dataset that may be required to validate the design and hydraulic modeling. Control point data collected by the County will be available if the Contractor needs to utilize GPS for data collection.
• Draft 30% Design Review – Participate in a site visit at the draft 30% design milestone to review design elements, as well as meet with the Technical Advisory Group to convey the current state of the design, discuss proposed project elements, and solicit feedback.
• Draft 80% Design Review – Participate in a site visit at the draft 80% design milestone to review design elements, as well as meet with the Technical Advisory Group to convey the current state of the design, discuss proposed project elements, and solicit feedback.

Conceptual Design Review and Geomorphic Analysis

• Review the existing conceptual design and supporting data.
• Conduct Geomorphic Analysis to vet and inform the design approach.
• Identify additional data collection needs.

Draft (30%) Design Development

• Integrate conceptual design review comments
• Finalize design criteria
• Hydraulic modeling and analysis
• Basis of Design Report
• Draft 30% design drawings for review
• Draft design cost construction estimates based on quantities derived from the design process.

Draft (80%) Design Development

• Integrate comments received during the Draft 30% design review and mid-design check-in with the Technical Advisory Group.
• Refine hydraulic modeling and analysis.
• Basis of Design Report
• Draft 80% design drawings for review
• Meet the qualifications for construction permit applications with local, state, and federal agencies.
• Design level cost estimate based on latest design updates.

Final Plan (100%), Specifications, and Estimate

Final design incorporates technical comments from stakeholders, funders, and permitters into a stand-alone and comprehensive set of final drawings, a Basis of Design report, and technical specifications for project construction. The final design process must address and resolve all substantial issues raised in the permitting and stakeholder review process so that all stakeholders agree on the final plans and result in 100% construction ready documents.

• Final Basis of Design Report
• Final plans
• Final special provisions
• Final quantities and engineer's estimate

Environmental Permitting

• Conduct necessary surveys, coordinate with regulatory agencies, prepare permit applications, and inform the project team about potential streamline or programmatic restoration approaches to address local, state, and federal environmental and cultural permitting needs.

A review team will evaluate each submittal based on the scoring criteria provided below:

Qualifications and Relevant Experience (30 points): Discuss the overall experience of your firm working on this type of project and provide comparable examples. Provide the name and phone number for at least three (3) references of past clients for similar projects. Highest scores will be given to consultants that demonstrate relevant qualifications for key members of the team, and for firms that demonstrate they have a coherent team that has worked together on similar projects.

Project Understanding and Methodology (50 points): Specify how the design methodology will address the goals and objectives identified in the Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project Concept Basis of Design report. Discuss how the goals and objectives along with site opportunities and constraints inform the restoration approach. The restoration approach discussion should directly address process-based techniques (including, but not limited to, stage-0) and more engineered/hardened approaches. Identify site constraints, technical, and regulatory challenges you anticipate and how they will be addressed.

Tasks, Schedule, and Past Contract Performance (20 points): Identify necessary tasks to complete the scope of work and provide a schedule for the tasks previously identified. Provide documentation your ability to complete projects on time and within budget for similarly scoped projects.

Responders are encouraged to address each item listed in the scoring criteria above in their response to this solicitation. 

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTAL

A mandatory online virtual site visit will be held at 1:30 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Attendance at the virtual site visit by personnel who would be substantially involved in the project is required to submit a proposal. You must RSVP by 5 pm on June 11th with the Project Manager to attend the site visit. Contact Project Manager at (509) 962-7523 or arden.thomas@co.kittitas.wa.us.

Submittals shall be titled “Lower Kittitas Reach Floodplain Reconnection Project Engineering, Design, and Permitting Services” and shall include three (3) hard copies of submittal documents mailed to:

Arden Thomas

Kittitas County Public Works

411 N. Ruby St, Suite 1; Ellensburg, WA 98926

Submittals shall include a one-page cover letter with the firm name and contact information. Submittals will not exceed twenty (20) pages in length (single sided) and must be a minimum font size of 11.  The twenty (20) pages may be doubled sided with a single double-sided page counted as two pages for a total of ten (10) pages double sided. 

Proposals will be received until 5:00 p.m. local time on Monday July 8, 2024. Any proposals received after the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals shall be deemed ineligible for award consideration.

The submittal should provide a straightforward, concise description of proponent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFQ/P. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content.

The County Reserves the Right to:

1. Reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFQ/P, if deemed to be in the best interest of the project.
2. Waive or modify any irregularities in proposals received, after prior notification to the proponent.
3. Consider proposals or modifications received at any time before the award is made, if such action is in the best interest of the County.
4. Seek clarification of each firm’s proposal.

The County is not liable for any costs incurred by the Consultant in the preparation or presentation of the statement of qualification and proposal.

For your records, the County will provide a confirmation email to the contacts provided in the submittal confirming receipt of your submittal. Submittals received after 5:00 PM on July 8, 2024 will be disregarded.

Addenda

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFQ/P, addenda will be provided to all attendees of the June 12, 2024 virtual site visit.

SELECTION PROCESS AND PROPOSED SCHEDULE

Kittitas County’s selection will be based on the review and ranking of qualifications and proposals submitted. Proposals will be evaluated immediately with interviews and reference checks tentatively scheduled for final selection targeted for July 26, 2024.

Anticipated Dates and Tasks

July 8, 2024 - Deadline for SOQ/P submittals

July 15, 2024 - Selection of firms to Interview

July 26, 2024 - Selected firm identified

August 6, 2024 - BOCC Award of Contracts

The above noted schedule is tentative and may be changed based on the number of statements received. Firms will be selected to interview if the selection committee decides that interviews are required.

AGREEMENT OF SERVICES

The selected contractor will be required to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the County. Insurance requirements are included in that agreement. Selected contractor(s) must comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the performance of the business or activity.

Disqualification

In compliance with Executive Order 12549, the County will not award a contract to any contractor or subcontractor that has been debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from participation by Executive Order 12549. Contractors will be asked to state that they have not been debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information

Kittitas County in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Arden Thomas at arden.thomas@co.kittitas.wa.us or by calling collect 509-962-7523. 

Title VI Statement

Kittitas County in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex in consideration for an award.”

INQUIRIES

Direct all inquiries regarding this request for services to Arden Thomas, Public Works Water Resource Manager at (509) 962-7523, or via e-mail: arden.thomas@co.kittitas.wa.us