This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

Questions Due Date: 3 p.m. Feb. 28, 2025 Direct Inquiries to: Engineering Services Manager Bryant Green, PE bryant.green@hillsboroughnc.gov The Town of Hillsborough is requesting qualifications for engineering services to perform the following services for two replacement sanitary sewer outfalls and to study a flooding concern and provide solutions at a specific site in the project area: Confirm design conditions Conduct preliminary evaluations, environmental review, geotechnical exploration, subsurface utility exploration, and surveying Prepare complete design plans, calculations, and specifications Assist with easement acquisition Prepare permit applications and permit installation Bid and award service Construction administration and observation (if authorized) Record drawings completion and project closeout These outfalls, labeled as Eno River Outfall East and Exchange Club Outfall in the attached Exhibit A, are currently undersized and must be upgraded to serve growth in Hillsborough's service area at least through 2040 and beyond. Eno River Outfall East will connect to a quadraplex submersible pump station known as the River Pumping Station currently in design using FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding. The town may apply and receive state Clean Water State Revolving Funds for the construction and construction administration of the project. If so, the selected consultant will need to provide related services, reporting and compliance with such funding. The town recognizes that the funding may cause adjustment of the project schedule. Project Description and Goals The intent of this solicitation is to select a qualified engineering consultant to design, permit, bid, award, and, if authorized to provide construction, administration and observation for two new sewer outfalls. The proposed outfalls will replace existing outfalls installed over 50 years ago along the Eno River and south from the Eno River through Exchange Club Park. The new outfalls will be sized to accommodate existing and proposed upstream sewer flows and will be installed in an alignment that prevents inundation during 100-year flood events. The Eno River Outfall East is aligned with the Eno River and is inundated in storms. It also parallels an older 12-inch pipe to the north of it. Combining these pipes into one and moving away from the river is a town desire if feasible. A calibrated hydraulic analysis of the sewer outfalls was performed in 2021 by a consultant hired by the town. This analysis showed the subject outfalls at or exceeding their capacity during wet weather events currently and exacerbated in the 2040 committed and potential project scenario. The proposed projects will utilize the modeling results provided by this consultant to size the proposed outfalls to ensure that both committed and potential flows can be served. The model was prepared in Bentley Sewer GEMS (now called Open Flows Sewer Advanced). The outfalls included in this RFQ are shown in Appendix A - Map of Existing Outfall and Stormwater Evaluation. The unnamed tributary that parallels the Exchange Club Outfall will be referred to as the Exchange Club Stream for this project. This stream is not shown on FEMA floodplain mapping, however flooding events associated with this stream and a potentially undersized culvert beneath the railroad at times require Churton Street to close and impacts to Exchange Club Park are common. The town also desires the selected firm or subconsultant to perform a stormwater/flooding impact study during 25-year and 100-year storm events to accurately map the extent of anticipated flooding. The town would also want to analyze the downstream impacts should we be able to get the railroad to upsize the culvert, so we would also want to assess the downstream drainage area. The selected consultant will provide sizing recommendations for downstream culverts or alternative solutions and provide cost opinions and may be selected for design, permitting, and construction administration services, as funding becomes available, or may be asked to help seek funding opportunities and apply for such. The unnamed tributary is shown highlighted yellow in Appendix A. The proposed outfalls will be constructed while the existing outfalls remain in service. The selected consultant will be selected to perform the services outlined below: Standard Scope of Work o Survey - Including all plat research, existing easement documentation, easement deed and plat development and recordation. o Geotechnical - Rock bores and soils analysis. The town will likely bid all work as unclassified excavation, the geotechnical reports provided will be included in the bid documents to enable an unclassified excavation bid. o Subsurface Utility Exploration (SUE) in support of the preparation of bid documents. o Environmental scoping and documentation - The outfall alignment currently resides close to named and unnamed waterways, in floodways or flood zones, potential archeological and historical sites of significance, potential wetlands and stream buffers. The selected firm will assist in scoping and consider solutions to mitigate or avoid such environmental matters. Additional documents supporting various approvals may need preparation. o Preliminary alignment technical memo summarizing available alignment options for the sewers and the pros and cons of each, including necessary easements, environmental conflicts, permitting needs, schedule impacts, and cost estimates. o Design - 50%, 90%, permit and bid sets. The selected consultant may be asked to bid the improvements separately, potentially requiring separate drawing sets. Waterline replacements may also be required adjacent to or near the proposed projects as desired and authorized by the town. o Specifications - Up to two sets of specifications for bidding unit price contracts. o Permitting - Prepare permit and encroachment applications for required permits and encroachments which may include various departments within the NC Division of Environmental Quality, NCDOT, Orange County, the town, FEMA floodplain, and the NC Railroad Company. Permit fees would initially be paid through the selected firm and reimbursed by the town. o Funding application assistance - if authorized. To be negotiated. o Bid Services - Administering multiple bids, answering bidder questions, conducting pre-construction conferences, preparing recommendations of award. o Construction Administration/Observation - The selected consultant will provide construction administration and observation of the selected bidder, including daily inspection reports, responses to RFIs, property owner coordination, and other field services. o Record Drawings/Project Closeout - Conform drawings to match contractor redlines, file permit closeout paperwork with the state, serve as the engineer of record for the projects. o Real estate services, including property appraisals and property acquisition negotiation services. o Stormwater - conduct the stormwater study referenced, prepare, permit, and oversee the design and construction of recommended improvements, if authorized. This effort should be packaged in a separate drawing and specification set as it may be performed separate from the outfall replacement projects. The preparation of accurate project documentation including permit applications, observation logs and record drawings is of utmost importance to the town. The selected consultant may identify other recommended scope items that were not listed above in their response to this RFQ. These recommendations may be included in subsequent contract documents. Firm Experience The selected firm should have experience designing, permitting, and overseeing the construction of large, publicly bid municipal sewer outfalls. Experience in design of sewer outfalls with a diameter of 18 inches or larger will be considered, and qualifications should include projects that upsize or replace outfalls that are already in service. Experience should also be demonstrated on performing stormwater calculations on streams adjacent to sewer outfalls and designing and implementing stormwater mediation projects. The firm should identify any glaring omissions in the scope of services presented during advertisement so an addendum can be issued. The town does not wish to execute amendments for items that are key to this type of design and funding that are known but not brought to our attention. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS Any vendor that would like to be considered for this project shall submit the following information: 1. Firm Credentials. Provide a brief firm profile with a description and location of the firm. Indicate the name, credentials, and experience of the lead people who will be executing the work. a. Indicate if the firm is local (pays North Carolina taxes). b. Can you prioritize this project 2. Proposed Subconsultant and Suppliers. If subcontracts are to be let, ensure that small and minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. It is Town of Hillsborough: Request for Qualifications, Page 5 preferable that efforts be made to include 10% minority women or historically underutilized business firms in the project. 3. Project Approach. Provide a proposed approach to the sanitary sewer alignment and replacement evaluation, design and permitting of the project, including a schedule of all field data collection, design, and evaluation/permitting tasks. Discuss the requested stormwater work separately from the sanitary sewer approach. If the two projects could be coordinated, discuss how this may go. 4. Project Team. Provide names and resumes of the proposed project team, including all proposed subcontractors. This can start with an organizational chart. The proposed project team must include a primary point of contact that will remain consistent throughout the project. Subcontractor resumes should also be provided, with relevant project experience noted. a. Provide examples of similar project experience for the project team and the design firm and provide references with current contact information. The town expects the key staff indicated in the proposal will be the team helping with our project barring unforeseen circumstances. b. Describe the construction administration and observation skills of your firm or selected subconsultant. c. Include experience with sanitary sewer and stormwater work pertinent to this public project. 5. What obstacles does the firm see with this project for design and during construction Provide any innovative ideas to expedite the schedule. 6. Describe a challenge you encountered on a large municipal project and how you helped the client to overcome it. 7. What will you do if we are unhappy with your progress or work product How would you prevent us from being unhappy with your progress or work product Submitting firms shall provide one PDF copy of their statement of qualifications (SOQ) to the email address provided in the submittal of qualifications section of the cover page. Submittals shall be limited to 20 pages, single spaced, with 12-point font. Divider pages, cover pages, and the cover letter shall not count toward the overall page count.