This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Burlington, Vermont. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

I. Overview The City of Burlington ("City") Department of Public Works Water Resources Division issues this Request for Qualifications to prequalify engineering firms through this qualifications-based procurement process to provide professional engineering services for various Water Treatment and Water System Improvements tasks over the next five (5) years. Potential projects include, but are not limited to, a Water Treatment Plant Modernization project and Water Distribution System Master Planning project ("Projects"). Interested firms should submit Statements of Qualifications ("SOQ") detailing the firms' qualifications, technical expertise, management and staffing capabilities, references, and related prior experience. Required professional services may include but are not limited to planning, preliminary engineering, design, process and construction-related services. The proposed Projects are likely to be financed in part or in whole with loan financing from the Vermont Drinking Water State Revolving Fund ("DWSRF") and work shall be performed in accordance with the requirements of the DWSRF program and the regulations issued by such agencies and the State of Vermont. II. Areas of Expertise Experienced engineering firms interested in prequalification shall complete Attachment A - Area of Expertise Matrix and provide supporting information to demonstrate knowledge and experience in, but not limited to, the technical and financial topics listed below and described herein. The areas of expertise matrix is broken into two main categories: vertical assets (described in (A): water treatment, storage and pumping) and horizontal assets (described in (B): the distribution system). It is not required that a firm meet the qualifications for both vertical and horizontal systems - but a firm does need to be substantially qualified, with relevant experience in either vertical (A) or horizontal (B) assets in areas of expertise matrix and meet the required skills (D) to be considered responsive to the RFQ. That said, if it is in the best interest of the City, firms that are well qualified across both vertical and horizontal assets may be ranked overall higher in the prequalification than a firm qualified for only one category (A or B). A. Water Treatment, Storage and Pumping (Vertical Assets) a. Treatment Plant Pumping - raw, intermediate and finished b. Treatment chemicals - storage, pumping and controls c. Clarification d. Filtration e. Disinfection f. Fluoridation g. Corrosion control h. Plant process control and instrumentation i. Plant operations and troubleshooting j. Energy efficiency k. Raw water quality threats and potential future regulations, including emerging contaminants (threats including but not limited to turbidity fluctuations due to climate change processes, PFAS/PFOAs and Cyanobacteria toxins) l. Future Demand Planning / Master Planning m. Site Security n. Emergency Response Plans o. Operational, Safety and Staffing Evaluations p. Standard Operation Procedure Documentation q. Building Improvements (Architectural Services) r. Structural Engineering s. Electrical Engineering t. Storage, both in-ground and elevated u. Pump Stations B. Distribution (Horizontal Assets) a. Hydraulics modeling, including transient analysis b. Distribution system rehabilitation and replacement projects c. Adjacent Water System Interconnections d. Chlorine/Chloramine interactions e. Master Planning C. Preferred Other Experience a. Meter replacement planning b. Cross connection control programs c. Backflow prevention programs D. Required Skills for All Firms Regardless of Technical Expertise a. DWSRF program experience (Vermont DWSRF preferred) b. Public Outreach experience Examples of work to be completed under this request for qualifications include, but are not limited to: 1. Water Treatment Plant Modernization Project (See Attachment B for an example of a near term scope of work) 2. Distribution System Master Planning 3. Transmission line replacement/ rehabilitation. III. Procurement Process The SOQs will be evaluated and the firms ranked according to the qualifications presented in their SOQs and in any selection process interviews, if applicable, in accordance with V. Selection Process and VII. Criteria for Selection and Ranking. Firms will be ranked in two pools - prequalified firms for vertical projects and prequalified firms for horizontal projects. That said, if it is in the best interest of the City, a firm that is well qualified in both areas will rank above firms that are qualified in only one category. When the need for a project arises, the City will request a proposal from the top ranked consultant in the respective prequalification pool for the development of a scope of work and cost proposals, but may proceed to other qualified consultants within the horizontal or vertical qualifications pools if necessary due to unsatisfactory cost proposals or consultant availability. This prequalification will be valid for a period of 5 years, though work with a given consultant may continue past that time range for contracted "continuing" projects. IV. Submission Requirements Firms must submit three total files in three separate pdf files consisting of 1) a Statement of Qualifications, 2) billing rates, and, 3) the excel file for Attachment A "Areas of Expertise." 1. SOQ. Qualified firms/candidates interested in being considered for this project should submit a narrative proposal SOQ that best reflects their ability to provide the requested services. All SOQ submittals shall be clear, concise, and allow the City to efficiently evaluate the qualifications of the submitting firm. All SOQs must be compiled and submitted electronically in a single PDF. The SOQ PDF shall include page numbers and the following components: o A letter of interest with a summary of the applicant's understanding of the proposed work and general approach. Include the point of contact, business name, address, and telephone number of the submitting firm with a subject line: "Statement of Qualifications - Water Treatment and System Improvements Projects". The letter shall be signed by an authorized representative for the submitting firm. o A detailed statement of qualifications of the participating firm detailing the firms' technical expertise, management and staffing capabilities. Include a description of the firm's ability to provide the skills required for the work. Include a list of individuals (including sub-consultants) who would be assigned to provide services, along with their titles, professional qualifications, expected duties, technical capacity to complete their duties, and a description of the experience of the staff persons with projects involving the specific technical tasks described herein. The proposals will be evaluated and awarded based on the personnel projected in the SOQ. Should the awarded consultant propose any substitutions to the project personnel, they must submit a letter to the City requesting approval of such changes prior to utilization. Additional sub-consultants may also be added to specific projects at a later date, with City approval. o Contact information for three or more professional references from relevant projects of 3 MGD average flow or greater (please include contact name, address, phone number, firms role in the project, project description, and project cost). o A list of related prior experience in 3-5 projects relevant to the "Areas of Expertise", including the client, project scope, complexity, duration and project cost. Please include specific projects relevant to the Water Plant Modernization Project described in Attachment B or to Master Planning efforts previously completed by the firm. Note any proposed team members who worked on these projects. o Any other information the firm finds important. 2. Billing Rate Sheet. Submit a list of billing rates for Calendar Year 2024, with maximum billing rates listed for 2025-2029. Do not submit a scope of work or cost proposal at this time. A detailed scope of work and cost estimates will be requested from the most qualified prequalified firm(s) for specific projects. 3. Areas of Expertise Matrix. Submit the completed excel file indicating the areas for which your firm wishes to be considered for qualification and listing projects. The subject line of the e-mail should state: "Statement of Qualifications - Water Treatment and System Improvements Projects." It is the responsibility of the participating firm to ensure that the point of contact has received a completed SOQ, billing rate sheet and completed "Areas of Expertise" by the required deadline. Questions. Questions and requests for clarification relating to this RFQ may be made to the above-described contact person. Only e-mail communication will be accepted. All questions and requests for clarification must be received by 2:00 PM Friday May 24, 2024. Responses to questions will be posted via addendum online at the City's RFP site website no later than May 29. It is the responsibility of participating firms to review the RFP website to ascertain whether any amendments have been made prior to submission of a SOQ. No oral statement of any person shall modify or otherwise change or affect the terms, conditions, or specifications stated in the RFQ V. Selection Process A Selection Committee consisting of a minimum of three members of the City's Water Resource Division will evaluate the SOQs, performance data and other material submitted by interested firms and will determine which firms are qualified for the two pools of work. The Selection Committee will then rank those qualified firms, based on the City's technical opinion, according to each firms' qualifications to perform the desired services. If necessary, interviews with qualified firms will be conducted, which may include discussions regarding experience and project approach, but could delve into anticipated scopes of work. When the need for a specific project arises, the City will commence scope of services and cost negotiations with the most qualified firm(s) from the respective prequalification pools, but may proceed to other ranked and qualified firms as necessary. Where there are clear distinctions and when in the best interested of the City, the City may rank firms qualifications separately for the two major areas of expertise ((A) vertical and (B) horizontal). However, it is the City's intention to ideally identify the most qualified firm that has expertise across the two primary areas of expertise