Site work for a civil project in Marion, North Carolina. Conceptual plans call for site work for a water / sewer project.

The City of Marion, North Carolina, is seeking professional engineering services needed for a project that includes the rehabilitation or replacement of approximately 8,650 linear feet of gravity sewer and approximately 100 manholes. The project may also include the rehabilitation or replacement of an existing 200 GPM lift station and/or approximately 1,420 linear feet of force main. This project is being funded through a grant awarded by the NC Water Infrastructure Authority with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund. Services needed include preparation and submittal of an engineering report, surveying and field services, design engineering, permitting, bidding and award, construction administration/observation, and grant administration. Experience in working with grant funding agencies, particularly the NC State Revolving Fund Section and the Division of Water Infrastructure, will enhance the merits of the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ). Background Information: The City of Marion owns and operates a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and sewer collection system that serves customers within the City's service area. The collection system contains 76 miles of gravity sewer lines, 9 miles of force main, 22 pump stations, and approximately 1,500 manholes and conveys an average daily flow of 0.9 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater to the Corpening Creek WWTP. The capacity of the Corpening Creek WWTP is 3.0 MGD. As a result of an Asset Inventory and Assessment grant, the City recently identified the Clinchfield sewer basin as a severe basin with aging sewer infrastructure and high levels of inflow and infiltration (I&I). A subsequent condition assessment of the Clinchfield sewer basin, performed by Hydrostructures PA, confirmed the aged condition of the infrastructure and the high levels of I&I within the sewer basin. The condition assessment performed by Hydrostructures PA included field inspection services and professional engineering services. The field services included detailed manhole inspections, zoom camera pipe inspections, survey/mapping, smoke testing, and CCTV inspection of sewer lines. Professional services included condition assessment with scoring of the pipes and manholes (PACP and MACP), GIS mapping, and preparation of desktop repair/replacement/rehabilitation recommendations to address the deficiencies identified. The results of the condition assessment were summarized in a Condition Assessment Report and cost estimates were provided for all of the recommended repairs. The recommendations contained in the Condition Assessment Report include the rehabilitation/replacement of 1,280 LF of 12" line, 500 LF of 10" line, 4,215 LF of 8" line, 2,650 LF of 6" line and approximately 100 manholes. The recommendations also include various point repairs to 8" - 12" lines. Scope of Work: The selected firm will be responsible for proposing a project design that will restore the structural integrity of the sewer mains and manholes in the Clinchfield sewer basin while substantially reducing I&I in the basin. Pipe rehabilitation and replacement technologies that may be utilized include bore-and-jack, cured-in-place, pipe bursting, and dig-and-replace. Manhole rehabilitation and replacement technologies that may be utilized include complete rehabilitation with cementitious liner, complete replacement with new manhole, grouting, rebuilding benches and inverts, etc. The project may also include the rehabilitation or replacement of an existing 200 GPM pump station and/or the replacement of an existing force main. More information is needed regarding the condition of the pump station before a rehabilitation or replacement recommendation can be made. City staff are currently coordinating a hydraulic study, the scope of which will be to determine if the pump station is operating at its maximum efficiency and, if not, what repairs/improvements need to be made to accomplish that. A drawdown test of the pump station was conducted as part of the previously mentioned condition assessment Submission Requirements: The projects referenced in this RFQ were funded through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality - Division of Water Infrastructure utilizing funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. As such, the qualifications-based procurement standards of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200.317 through 2 CFR 200.327) and the North Carolina state law, specifically NC General Statute 143- 64.31, Article 3D Procurement of Architectural, Engineering, and Surveying (A/E) Services shall apply. Firms interested in performing the professional engineering services requested must exhibit relevant experience with the type of professional engineering requested and should emphasize both the experience and capability of the particular personnel who will actually perform the work. The firm shall have comprehensive experience and have the ability to respond to requests in a timely manner. Communication is critical to any successful project, and the selected firm will be expected to communicate regularly with City staff as needed. The firm will keep current all required insurance coverage sufficient to cover the projected liability. As part of the agreement, the firm will be required to provide evidence of coverage of professional liability insurance, and indemnify and hold harmless the City from any and all claims and/or liability which may arise as a result of the engineering firm's negligence, errors, and/or omissions. At a minimum, Qualification Statements shall include: 1. Firm Overview- History, background and geographical location of the professional engineering firm including the firm's legal name and address and the email and telephone number of all contact persons. Please indicate the current size of the firm (staff) and how long the firm has been in business. 2. Technical Approach- The proposed approach in which the professional engineering firm will carry out the project. Please include a summary of how the firm can provide the requested services and include a proposed work plan and proposed schedule for the activities to be performed. 3. Project Team- Please include the names, responsibilities, and qualifications of all personnel who will be assigned to this project. Also indicate who the Project Manager (totally responsible for the project) will be. 4. Experience- Specialized experience and technical competence of the staff to be assigned to the project. Provide descriptions of recent projects, similar in scope, that the firm has completed in North Carolina. Please provide start and completion dates and identify the staff that were involved in the project. Provide client contact information for these projects including name, job title, telephone number and email address to be contacted for references. Providing project descriptions that demonstrate the firm's ability to control costs, meet schedules, respond to requests for additional information, meet or exceed expectations for the project outcomes, and that show experience in grant administration will enhance the merits of the Qualification Statement. 5. Description of Firm's ability to provide turn-key, comprehensive solutions- Please indicate how much of the work the firm is capable of performing using its own resources, personnel, and equipment and how much of the work would have to be subcontracted. List specialty consultants (if any) and identify their location. 6. Firm Capacity and Availability- Please provide an estimate of how quickly the firm can commence work on the project, once notice to proceed is given. Also provide the estimated available capacity of each member of the firm's staff that will be assigned to this project. 7. Hourly Rate Schedule- Please provide an hourly rate schedule for project personnel, including travel, overhead and miscellaneous expenses. In accordance with NCGS 143-64.31, DO NOT include lump sum or not-to-exceed pricing for services. 8. Documentation of compliance with state debarment/eligibility requirements Selection Process: All Qualification Statements received shall become the property of the City of Marion. Qualification Statements received by the deadline and prepared in accordance with the RFQ instructions will be reviewed to determine the level of service and experience considered most advantageous to the City. The City will select the firm it considers to be the most qualified to provide the desired level of service, with consideration for the long-term interest of the City's needs. Depending on the number of statements received, the City may choose a single firm from the information submitted; or, several firms may be selected to a "short list" and invited to make an oral presentation, at the City of Marion's sole discretion. Once the most qualified firm is selected by the City, a contract price for the project will be negotiated with the selected firm. The City of Marion reserves the right to: reject any and all qualification statements, request any additional information it deems necessary to make a qualified selection, advertise for new responses, select the firm it believes to be the most qualified for the referenced work, waive technical errors and informalities, and to accept the qualification statement which, in its sole judgment, best serves the public interest. All original documents, reports, studies and other data produced as a direct result of the services performed under the contract shall become the property of the City of Marion. Contract Award: Due to the due date of the first milestone (Engineering Report submittal due 12/1/22) required by the grant, the City's Review and Selection Committee plans to expedite review of the Qualification Statements received and hopes to present a recommendation to the Marion City Council on October 18, 2022, for approval to negotiate a contract. The Review and Selection Committee hopes to present a proposed contract to the Marion City Council for approval on November 1, 2022. The State has set the following milestones which must be met at a minimum: Milestone Date Engineering Report Submittal December 1, 2022 Engineering Report Approval May 1, 2023 Bid and Design Package Submittal November 1, 2023 Bid and Design Package Approval March 1, 2024 Advertise Project, Receive Bids, Submit Bid Information, And Receive Authority to Award July 1, 2024 Execute Construction Contract(s) August 1, 2024 ******The project must be completely closed out prior to December 31, 2026. The Division will make no reimbursements of ARPA funds after December 31, 2026.****** Questions Regarding this RFQ: Please submit all questions regarding this RFQ to Public Works Director Brant Sikes, via email at bsikes@marionnc.org, no later than 4:00 PM on September 30, 2022. Questions will be answered by 4:00 PM on October 5, 2022.