A1_2_DRAFT_SOW_SS12SAD119S0003__02.19.19.pdf

Draft SOW – Sources Sought - RFI #12SAD119S0003

SECTION C: DESCRIPTION / SPECIFICATIONS/ WORK STATEMENT

C.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

C.1.a. Background:

Since 1980, the Rural Development (RD), Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and its predecessor agencies, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has contracted for a rural water circuit rider technical assistance program and awarded grants for a wastewater circuit rider technical assistance program. During that time, the programs have assisted a significant number of operators, bookkeepers, and board members of small rural water systems with management and operational issues. In addition to rural water system personnel, participants have included State Government Environmental Management Agency officials, State Rural Development staff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional officials, and many private contractors and engineers. The predominant request from rural water system operators and board members has been for on-site technical assistance services. The programs follow a long tradition of USDA’s response to the needs of rural America.

The purpose of the Circuit Rider Program is to protect the nation’s multi-billion dollar investment in rural and small municipal water systems by providing on-site technical assistance that assures cost-effective operations and adequate income for both operations and debt service within each state/jurisdiction.

The Government (Rural Development (RD)) requires the Contractor to operate a rural water circuit rider technical assistance program to provide assistance to eligible systems in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. Eligible systems are not required to have financing from The Government (Rural Development (RD)) to receive the technical assistance. The contractor will need to provide 132 persons employed as full-time rural water circuit riders. Circuit riders will meet the following minimum requirements:

• Multi-year employment required (5 years’ experience preferred) in working for, operating, maintaining, or managing a rural/community water system.

• A well-rounded technical knowledge of rural and small system needs and methods of meeting those needs.

• Technical knowledge of operating, maintaining, and managing a rural/community water system.

• An understanding of budget/financial conditions.

• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with operators, decision makers, regulatory agencies and other professionals.

• Ability to identify, locate and explain water problems to field personnel and decision makers.

• Knowledge and understanding of regulations, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

• Willingness to travel extensively within the Circuit Rider’s service area, and beyond as needed.

Circuit Riders will be distributed according to the following table.

Circuit Riders by State

State Auth CR # State Auth CR #

AK 2 MT 3

AL 3 NC 3

AR 3 ND 2

AZ 2 NE 3

CA 3 NH 2

CT/RI 1 NJ 2

CO 3 NM 3

DE 2 NV 2

FL 3 NY 3

GA 3 OH 3

HI 2 OK 3

IA 2 OR 3

ID 3 PA 2

IL 3 SC 3

IN 3 SD 3

KS 3 TN 3

KY 3 TX 3

LA 3 UT 2

MA 3 VA 3

MD 2 VT 2

ME 2 WA 3

MI 3 WI 3

MN 3 WV 3

MO 3 WY 2

MS 3 PR 2

C.1.b. The Contractor shall provide services for the following functions:

C.2 WORK HOURS/DAYS

C.2.a. Work hours will be established by the Contractor to meet a minimum 40-hour week for each Circuit Rider.

C.2.b. Holidays and vacation allowances are authorized at the discretion of the Contractor.

Work must be accomplished to meet the minimum requirements as outlined in Sections C.6., C.7., and C.8.

C.3 DEFINITIONS – TECHNICAL

As used throughout this contract, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below.

C.3.a. Circuit Rider. Circuit riders will be a full-time person with extensive experience in the maintenance, operation and management of rural water systems. Each circuit rider shall possess a minimum of five years’ experience in the actual operation and management of a public water supply system, and have an understanding of rural and small water system problems and how they may be resolved. This individual will provide technical assistance to rural water system operators, managers, and boards on the proper operation, treatment, compliance, and management of the system.

C.3.b. Contractor Representative. A person(s) designated by the Contractor to be his/her authorized representative. One such person (Program Manager) shall serve as the Government’s principal point of contact.

C.3.c. Eligible System. Groups, public bodies, nonprofit entities, and Indian Tribes, serving rural areas not in a city/town with a population in excess of 10,000 inhabitants, according to the latest decennial census.

C.3.d. On-site Technical Assistance. Technical assistance delivered at the water system’s place of business, place of operation, or other place where the assistance delivered is benefiting a rural water system.

C.3.e. Quality Assurance. Monitoring undertaken by the Government to ensure that products or services provided by the Contractor are within the acceptable quality level for a given performance requirement, and for the assessment of the Contractor's quality control.

C.3.f. State. Each of the 50 States of the United States.

C.4 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, MATERIALS AND SERVICES

The Government shall not furnish or make available to the Contractor any Government owned facilities, equipment, materials, or utilities for use in connection with this contract.

C.5 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor shall provide all facilities, equipment, materials, and services to perform the requirements of this contract.

C.6 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT (Technical Assistance)

C.6.a. General Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide on-site technical assistance to RD eligible systems in the following areas:

Board Training

• Management/Finance

• Loans and Applications

• Long Range Planning

• Board Development

• Capital Improvement Planning

• Policies and Procedures

Management/Finance:

• Policies & Procedures

• Rate Structure/Budgets

• Financial, Operational, and Regulatory Sustainability

• Loans & Grants

• Public Relations

• Public Education

Operation/ Maintenance:

• Pumps & Motors

• Distribution

• Supply (wells, surface water, etc.)

• Pigging (Cleaning) Water Mains

• Hydrants

• Tanks

• Leak Detection

• Meters

• Water Audits

• Conservation

• Education/Operator Certification Training

Water Treatment:

• Filters/Filtration

• Pretreatment

• Disinfection

• Coagulation/Flocculation

• Corrosion Control

• Detention Time

• Laboratory Analysis

Regulatory Compliance:

• MCL Violation

• Bacterial sampling

• MCL Sampling/Monitoring

• Sanitary Survey

• Public Notice

• Cross Connections

• Source Protection

• Treatment Process (Other than Regulatory Req.)

• Chlorination

Security:

• Vulnerability Assessment

• Emergency Response Planning

• Security Liaison

• Incident Response

Loan Application and Reporting

• Pre-application Assistance

• DUNS Number

• System for Award Management (SAM) for Central Contractor Registration (CCR)

• Application Assistance

• Follow up Assistance

• Liaison with Agency

• Recipient Reporting

Disaster Assistance as needed

The primary objective of the program is for the circuit rider to work alongside the rural system officials and operators to show them how to solve their own problems. The on-site personnel must participate in the corrective actions taken during the visit.

C.6.b. Contacts:

Contractor shall arrange for each circuit rider to accomplish a minimum of 30 contacts per month for each state except Alaska and Hawaii. For months when vacations, weather or illness may prevent the 30 contacts from being made, the circuit rider will be able to use a rolling three month period of the current reporting month and the previous two months of the contract year to meet the minimum 30 contacts per month. At least two of the 30 contacts each month shall be made to a system that was not previously visited in the past six months.

Payment for Circuit Rider accomplishing less than 30 contacts using the rolling three month period described above will be pro-rata based on the required contacts for the current month and two previous months versus the actual contacts made. Payment for newly hired circuit riders not able to accomplished 30 contacts in their first month of employment will be pro-rata based on the number of contacts made versus the required 30 contacts for that first month.

For Alaska and Hawaii, each circuit rider shall accomplish 23 contacts per month. For months when vacations, weather or illness may prevent the 23 contacts from being made, the circuit rider will be able to use a rolling three month period of the current reporting month and the previous two months of the contract year to meet the minimum 23 contacts per month. For Alaska and Hawaii at least two of the 23 contacts each month shall be made to a system that was not previously visited in the past six months.

For Alaska and Hawaii, payment for Circuit Rider accomplishing less than 23 contacts using the rolling three month period described above will be pro-rata based on the required contacts for the current month and two previous months versus the actual contacts made. Payment for newly hired circuit riders not able to accomplished 23 contacts in their first month of employment will be pro-rata based on the number of contacts made versus the required 23 contacts for that first month.

Technical assistance contacts lasting less than 1 hour will not be counted. Contacts of 1 hour and 2 hours will count as one contact. Contacts of more than 2 hours up to 5 hours will count as 2 contacts, and contacts of more than 5 hours per day will count as 3 contacts. Contacts are limited to a maximum of 3 contacts per day. Training conducted at a central location for multiple water systems personnel will be awarded one contact for 1 hour up to 2 hours of training; 2 contacts for more than 2 hours up to 5 hours of training; and 3 contacts for training lasting more than 5 hours.

Contacts are limited to a maximum of 3 contacts per day. Training contacts lasting less than 1 hour will not be counted.

Water systems shall not be required to have financing from The Government (Rural Development (RD)) in order to receive technical assistance from this contract.

A minimum of 10 percent of the contacts, averaged on a quarterly basis, shall be given to Colonias, or Substantially Underserved Trust Areas, or to the smallest communities with the lowest incomes emphasizing areas in persistent poverty counties.

An additional minimum of 10 percent of the contacts, averaged on a quarterly basis, shall be for financial, operational, and regulatory sustainability management averaged on a quarterly basis.

C.6.c. Disaster Response:

Contractor shall arrange for circuit riders to respond to natural disasters and emergencies.

Circuit Riders may cross State lines or be asked to cross State lines upon prior approval from the Government’s Contracting Officer when extenuating circumstances occur, such as times of natural disasters.

C.6.d. Reporting Requirements:

C.6.d.1. Monthly Technical Log Report

The Contractor shall provide a monthly log report by the 15th of each month identifying the State, Date of Contact, Name of System Contacted, Person Contacted, Phone Number, Number of Contacts claimed for the assistance, and description of service provided. The report will have the number of contacts totaled by State on each monthly report. The contacts devoted to colonias and sustainability management areas will be identified. The two contacts not previously visited in the past six months will be identified. The contractor will provide an electronic copy of the report to the Government (Rural Development (RD)) and COR. The monthly invoice for payment will be attached to the copy sent to the COR each month. These reports will be submitted electronically.

C.6.d.2. Significant Contact Technical Report

The Contractor shall provide a monthly significant narrative contact report for 2 contacts for 5 states identified on the Monthly Log Report by the COR within 10 working days. This report will describe in detail the purpose of the visit, any technical assistance provided and generally be one page or less for each contact. These reports will be submitted electronically.

C.6.d.3. Monthly Quality Assurance Report

The Contractor shall provide a monthly quality assurance report. This report will consist of 5 contact verifications in 10 states. In five months all 50 states will be covered. The verification will be reported in the following table formatted:

CONTACT QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORT

State CR Name System Name Assistance Contact Date Water System Contact Name Purpose of Contact Verification Date Assistance Acceptable (Yes/No)

These reports will be submitted electronically.

C.6.d.4. Quarterly Technical Report

The Contractor shall provide a Quarterly Technical Report within 45 days after the end of each quarter to the COR identifying the number of technical assistance contacts in each of the major categories under Section C.6.a. Provide a detailed breakout by code for each of the subcategories under these seven major categories. The report will identify those contacts made to colonias and for sustainability management. This information should be provided for the current quarter and cumulative year to date for each State and National total. The report will also contain a sample narrative Contact Report from each Circuit Rider. The sample contact report should be the contact which is most unique or the most productive contact. These reports will be submitted by one bound paper report and the same report on a CD or other electronic media.

C.7 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT (Outreach) Circuit riders will maintain regular contact with Rural Development State and Area Office personnel and coordinate reaching out to new systems and borrowers.

C.7.a. Quantity Work:

C.7.a.1. The Contractor shall notify eligible systems of the services available under the contract within the first 60 days of the contract in the base year only. The letter will outline the technical assistance services offered, how to make a request for assistance, and a point of contact for the contractor and contracting agency. A copy of the letter shall be submitted to the COR for review and approval within 30 days of contract award. The contractor will provide a list of the systems and locations to The Government (Rural Development (RD)) and the COR included in the monthly report.

C.7.a.2. The Contractor shall notify new water system entities of the services available within 30 days of becoming aware of their creation. A list of these systems and locations will be sent to the COR along with the Monthly Technical Log Report showing the date the contractor became aware of their existence.

C.8 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT (Training)

C.8.a. General Requirements:

The Contractor shall maintain current skills and knowledge of the rural water industry by an annual training event of at least 2 ½ days duration. Training may include documenting performance and reporting requirements. An outline of the training agenda will be presented to the COR for approval at least 30 days prior to the training.

C.8.b. Quantity Work:

C.8.b.1. Provide at least 20 hours of annual training per circuit rider to meet continuing education and reporting requirements. Other training and or conferences may be a substitute for this training with the approval of the COR. Contacts will be awarded based on the formula described in C. 6. b. For example, for the annual 2 ½ day training event circuit riders can claim 3 contacts for each full day of training and 2 contacts for the ½ day of training.

C.8.b.2. Provide new circuit riders with 20 hours of training within 30 days of hire. The contractor will need to provide the portion of training as it relates to documenting performance and reporting requirements. The training will cover, at a minimum:

• History of the Circuit Rider Program

• Rural Development mission and services

• Organizational structure of NRWA and State Associations

• Performance and reporting requirements

• Quality control requirements

• How to plan travel and prioritize contacts

• Resources available at the state level

• State Association internal operations

• On the job training

Contacts will be awarded based on the formula described in C. 6. b.

C.8.c. Monthly Training Report:

The Contractor shall provide a monthly report listing all new hires by State, date of hire, and date of training. The report should include this information in the actual month of hire and training.

The report will be submitted to the COR by the 15th of each month along with the Monthly Technical Log Report.