Site work and paving for a bridge / tunnel in Castle Rock, Washington. Conceptual plans call for site work for a bridge / tunnel; and for paving for a bridge / tunnel.

The Cowlitz County Department of Public Works (County) solicits interest from consulting firms with expertise in Civil, Geotechnical, Environmental and Structural Engineering Design for the Preliminary Engineering Phase of the Delameter Road Culvert Replacement Project. This agreement will be for approximately 24 months in duration with the option for the County to extend it for additional time and money if necessary. The County plans to enter into a professional services negotiated hourly rate consultant agreement with the selected firm. The County may choose to supplement the agreement for future phases (Right of Way, Construction). This project has federal funds from the Federal Highway Administrations (FHWA) Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program funding. This project has a Mandatory Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) goal of 16%. Additionally, payment reporting in the Diversity Management and Compliance System (DMCS) will be a requirement of this consultant agreement. The funding is administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Cowlitz County will be following the requirements of the WSDOT Local Agency Guidelines manual including Chapter 31 consultant requirements and agreement forms. The County reserves the right to amend terms of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to circulate various addenda, or to withdraw the RFQ at any time, regardless of how much time and effort consultants have spent on their responses. Project Description - The work to be performed by the CONSULTANT consists of preparing civil, structural, geotechnical and environmental engineering design and permitting for replacement of the two culverts on Delameter Road at milepost 4.10 and milepost 4.42.The work also includes providing engineering support during construction. The proposed project includes replacing the existing concrete box culverts with new structures that meet the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife requirements for fish passage. The new structures shall be long enough to support a 36-foot-wide paved road to meet County standards for a rural major collector. Included in the project will be streambed restoration and riparian plantings in the vicinity of the culverts and reconstruction of the roadway approaches. The County will provide the topographic survey, boilerplate specifications, and pavement section. The County will be responsible for developing right of way plans, obtaining appraisals and negotiating for easement acquisition and for project bidding and award. The major features of the project are as follows: Remove the existing culverts; Wetland and ordinary high-water delineation; Geotechnical engineering to determine subsurface conditions and to develop foundation recommendations; Environmental documentation and preparation of permit applications for all federal, state and local permits (NEPA/SEPA/Critical Areas/Shorelines); Hydraulic design of the water crossing structure openings; Determining 100-year flood water surface elevations; Structural Design of the new water crossing structures; Temporary traffic control including any necessary temporary traffic bypass roads; Special Provisions; Wetland mitigation bank use plan; Construction support including submittal review, responses to requests for information, and site inspections of key construction items. Construction is planned for 2026 with an advertisement date of February 2026. The County is a member of the Regional Rural Road Maintenance Program of the Endangered Species Act 4(d). There is a wetland mitigation bank currently available for mitigation credits for any project wetland or riparian area impacts. Evaluation Criteria - Submittals will be evaluated and ranked based on the following criteria: 1) Qualification of Proposed Key Personnel (15 points); 2) Qualifications/Expertise/Experience of Firm and Subconsultants (20 points); 3) Ability to meet schedule (15 points); 4) Approach to project (20 points); 5) Familiarity with WSDOT/FHWA standards/requirements (15 points); 6) Past Performance/References (15 points) This project is federally funded, and consultants will be held to Federal Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. The Consultant shall refer to Chapter 27 of the WSDOT Local Agency Guidelines. Submittal - Submittals should include the following information for the Prime Consultant and Subconsultants: Firm name, phone and fax numbers; Name of Principal-in-Charge and Project Manager; and Number of employees in each firm proposed for the project. Submittals shall not include cost proposals or elements of cost, since these shall not be considered in the evaluation, ranking, and selection phase. Any questions regarding this project should be directed to Roger Maurer, at 360-577-3030 ext. 6530 or by e-mail at maurerr@cowlitzwa.gov. The consultant selection process is expected to be completed by November 14, 2024; A consultant agreement is expected to be executed by December 17, 2024. The method of Contractor Selection has not been Determined at this time.