Request for Qualifications (RFQ) December 2014 Issued by: Funded by: www.delta-institute.org 35 E. Wacker Drive Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 Vanessa Roanhorse vroanhorse@delta-institute.org Matt Harrison mharrison@delta-institute.org RFQ Submittal Deadline: Friday, January 16, 2015, 5PM CT
The Delta Institute (Delta), using funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR, CFDA Number 11.419), is pleased to invite submittal of responses to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from qualified and experienced engineering and/or landscape architecture teams for the analysis, design, and construction bid documents for green infrastructure opportunities or overflow control strategies to be customized and implemented on vacant land, brownfields, or on other parcels. Delta intends to implement these strategies in the Illinois Coastal Area, though preference will be given to designs with broader applicability to the Great Lakes Region. Delta intends to contract with one service provider to perform the activities listed above. The final product delivered will be: A brief design report; Non-site specific design documents (civil details, landscape details, cross-sections, plan drawings, templates, and specifications) for 3-5 green infrastructure or overflow control strategies applicable to vacant land parcels (examples include bioswales, rain gardens, permeable pavers, and other green infrastructure stormwater catchment methods); and Example construction bid documents including estimated cost of materials and alternatives for customization. The deadline for responding to this RFQ with your statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is Friday, January 16, 2015, 5 PM CT. Based on a review of the SOQs, Delta intends to invite a minimum of two successful respondents to present their team s unique approach to project design and implementation prior to making a final selection of a project ream. Presentations will not exceed thirty minutes, including twenty minutes to present the concept and ten additional minutes for questions and answers. RFQ released December 19, 2014 Deadline for inquiries via email January 16, 2015, 5:00 PM CT Deadline for Submitted SOQ January 16, 2015, 5:00 PM CT Notification of successful respondents and invitation to present January 26, 2015 Presentations to Delta February 2-13, 2015 Award of contract - February 2015 Estimated delivery of final product May 2015 1
Many municipalities are interested in green infrastructure as a tool to address stormwater management and flooding issues, but they often face implementation barriers. These barriers are particularly significant for municipalities with constrained human and financial resources. Additionally, Cook County and the Great Lakes region have many vacant parcels and brownfields that provide opportunities for green infrastructure implementation. Reutilizing these sites will also increase economic development opportunities, reduce blight, and provide important co-benefits that may include aesthetic values, recreation opportunities, or habitat restoration. In 2014, Delta was awarded a sub-grant by IDNR to help municipalities address these issues and opportunities in the Calumet region of the Illinois Coastal Management Zone, and it recently secured additional funding to expand the geographic scope to other communities in southern Cook County. Delta s work with municipalities is focused on providing tools and building capacities to develop and implement impactful projects. As one component, Delta is seeking to provide municipalities with pre-designed green infrastructure design documents as a way to reduce transaction and design costs while implementing green infrastructure solutions. The selected Respondent should be willing to perform a scope of services that may include, but are not limited to, the following: Develop non-site specific design documents for 3-5 green infrastructure or overflow control strategies as described above including simplifying assumptions and estimated implementation costs (material, construction, and other costs) on a linear square foot and/or cubic square foot basis as applicable; For each design type, also provide an example of a site-specific implementable working design including assumed conditions and with estimated itemized construction budgets; and For each design type, also provide budget estimates for design cost to customize non site-specific design to a site-specific implementable working design. 2
The Statement of Qualifications should include: Cover letter A summary of your company including number of years in business, size of firm, contact information, and signature of authorized company representative. Firm Qualifications Clearly describe your firm s capabilities and expertise in green infrastructure design or other relevant experience. Describe your firm s interest in the project. Successful submittals will demonstrate an understanding of the project and how implementation of the designs will deliver community benefits. Also identify which tasks will be performed in-house, and which, if any, will be performed by sub-contractors. Personnel Qualifications Provide names, responsibilities, statements of qualifications, and experience of all personnel you expect to utilize, including subcontractors. Include CVs for all personnel. References Provide examples of two previous projects performed by your firm with references and contact information. Estimated budget and timeline Include the hours anticipated to spend on this project, and identify all estimated costs as line items and a total. Include any limitations of your team s availability between the anticipated start and end dates for the project. Disclosures List any and all civil rights lawsuits and administrative complaints against your firm that are or may be pending, decided, or recently filed. The submittal must be delivered to the address below no later than 5:00 PM CT, Friday, January 16, 2015. All submittals must be received via email as a single pdf, or submitted in hard copy to: Matt Harrison Delta Institute 35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 mharrison@delta-institute.org Respondents will be notified by email of the status in the selection process. Do not contact Delta during the selection process to make inquiries about the progress of the selection process. Successful applicants will demonstrate relevant experience, an understanding of the project deliverables, and the benefits of implementing green infrastructure designs. Applicants that do so succinctly will be the most competitive. 3
Submittals will be scored according to the following with a total of 100 possible points. Scoring Category Submittal: All materials are submitted in the formats requested and according to the directions provided; the intended deliverables are clear to all parties. Possible Points 10 Timeline: Project timeline is realistic and achievable. 10 Cost matching: Your ability to provide cost-match for these federal funds. Budget: Proposed budget is clear and cost-effective. Cost estimates for site-specific customization demonstrate consideration of realistic scenarios in which these tools will be utilized by municipal mangers and decision makers. 10 15 Experience: Applicant demonstrates relevant past experience 15 Engagement: Applicants demonstrate how the deliverables can be implemented to make a difference in communities, particularly resource-constrained communities. Creativity: Applicant demonstrates creativity or innovation with any aspect of the design templates or broader applicability of the deliverable. 20 20 Contract The specific scope of work, associated fees, project start and end dates, quality assurance/quality control measures, and other contractual matters will be determined during contract negotiations. Any contract must be signed by both the contractor and Delta Institute before any contract-related costs are incurred. Progress reports The contractor will periodically update Delta on its progress. Reporting formats and intervals will be contractually defined. Contractors are expected to complete their projects on time, as proposed or better. Final product The contractor will provide Delta with 3 iterations of the final deliverable: draft, pre-final, and final. Each iteration will incorporate feedback or address issues raised by Delta. 4
Contract close-out The contractor will be retained until Delta receives the final product on the agreed upon date. The Respondent represents and warrants to Delta that all information provided the response shall be true, correct, and complete. Respondents that provide false, misleading, or incomplete information, intentionally or unintentionally, will be excluded. This RFQ and any subsequent presentation is not to be construed as a contract or a commitment of any kind. Delta will not be responsible for costs incurred in submittal of responses or a presentation. To avoid disclosure of contents to competing teams, qualifications shall be kept secret. Any material that is to be considered as confidential in nature must be clearly marked as such and will be treated as confidential by Delta. Contractors must comply with applicable local, state, and federal requirements. Contractors are assumed to include measures that support or align with MWRD Consent Decree. Contractors must provide information as requested by Delta, IDNR, or its agents. Professionalism and accountability are required of all parties. For additional information or clarification regarding this RFQ, contact Matt Harrison (mharrison@delta-institute.org) via email prior to the final deadline. 5