2-4899 Water Valley RFQ for Electrical Distribution Engineering Support due 7.6.2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

FOR

WATER VALLEY UTILITIES COMMISSION

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION ENGINEERING

SUPPORT SERVICES

PROPOSAL DUE

July 6, 2026

AT 9:00 AM CST

Water Valley Utilities Commission Request for Qualifications for

Electrical Distribution Engineering Support Services

The Water Valley Utilities Commission (hereinafter, “WVUC”) is requesting responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from qualified firms interested in providing electrical distribution engineering services in connection with federal disaster recovery grants. Work performed will comply with all federal and state requirements and guidelines including FEMA PA Program and Policy Guide

FP 104-009-02.

Any contract entered into will contain all required clauses as found at:

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_contract-provisions-guide_fy24.pdf

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MONDAY, July 6, 2026 by 9:00 a.m.

Qualifications and required forms must be submitted online to the DFS Procurement Portal (hereinafter “DFS Portal” or “Portal”) at dfs.bonfirehub.com no later than July 6, 2026 at 9:00 AM, local time (CST). Any responses received after the specified deadline will not be considered. Multiple submittals from the same entity will not be accepted. Submission is electronic only through the DFS Portal. Hard copy qualifications and required forms or offers by telephone, fax, or email will not be accepted. Responses will be evaluated and the top ranked firms or professionals will be contacted for further negotiations.

Questions regarding the RFQ should be submitted within the Portal by June 29, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

CST. Answers will be provided publicly within the Portal to questions posed by interested engineering firms. Addenda regarding this RFQ will be posted to the DFS Portal at dfs.bonfirehub.com. Interested firms are responsible for obtaining addenda and are advised to check the website frequently. For questions regarding vendor registration or Portal navigation, please email: procurement@erassist.com.

WVUC will have final decisions in all matters regarding acceptance of proposals and issuance of awards. Multiple awards may be made based on the needs of individual projects and in efforts to comply with 2 CFR 200.321. WVUC reserves the right to reject any or all responses and to solicit again at a later date. WVUC reserves the right to refuse and reject any or all qualifications and to waive any or all formalities or technicalities or to accept the firm(s) who the WVUC, in its sole discretion determines to be most qualified. Successful respondents must be compliant with all applicable Federal, State, and Local laws. Awarded contracts may not be re-assigned.

RFQ SUBMISSION INFORMATION

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MONDAY, JULY 6, 2026 by 9:00 a.m.

A. Exact format of the technical qualification response is at the discretion of the respondent.

Overly complex or lengthy response packages should be avoided.

RFQ - WVUC Electrical Distribution Engineering Support Services 2/10 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/fema_pdat_contract-provisions-template.pdf http://dfs.bonfirehub.com http://dfs.bonfirehub.com mailto:procurement@erassist.com

B. The following forms are provided as Attachments to this RFQ for reference only.

In lieu of signatures, respondents must review each form and enter their response as directed in the ‘Required Information’ section of the Portal. All responses entered into the Portal must be true and accurate and shall be considered legally equivalent to a handwritten signature.

The confirmation/declaration statements and any required documentation for each form are provided in a gray box at the bottom of each form.

1. Attachment 1: NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION

2. Attachment 2: CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

3. Attachment 3: FORM 200.321 AFFIRMATIVE STEPS

4. Attachment 4: CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY and VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION

5. Attachment 5: CONFLICT/NON-CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

6. Attachment 6: DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE AFFIDAVIT

7. Attachment 7: INSURANCE COVERAGE DECLARATION

C. Additional requirements within the ‘Requested Information’ section of the Portal include the following:

1. Qualification Response Package (Technical Response)

2. References (3). (Additional references may be provided in Qualifications Package)

3. List of Possible Subcontractors

4. Basis of Pricing (Schedule of Rates per Position or other)

RFQ EVALUATION CRITERIA

Criteria Total 100

Points

Experience--previous experience in similar projects for similar entities.

State and Federal experience: experience and knowledge working on federal projects codes, policies, guidelines to include state and federal grant requirements.

References--scoring will be based on references submitted as part of the RFQ but can include clients not submitted.

Staff--immediate availability of professional staff at reasonable rates to serve in a timely manner

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The proposal is not made in the interest of, or on behalf of, any undisclosed person, partnership, company, association, organization, or corporation. The bid is genuine and not collusive or sham.

The bidder has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other bidder to put in a false or sham bid. The bidder has not directly or indirectly colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed with any bidder or anyone else to put in a sham bid, or that anyone shall refrain from bidding. The bidder has not in any manner, directly or indirectly, sought by agreement, communication, or conference with anyone to fix the bid price of the bidder or any other bidder, or to fix any overhead, profit, or cost element of the bid price, or of that of any other bidder.

All statements contained in the bid are true. The bidder has not, directly or indirectly, submitted his or her bid price of any breakdown thereof, or the contents thereof, or divulged information or data relative thereto, to any corporation, partnership, company, association, organization, bid depository, or to any member or agent thereof to effectuate a collusive or sham bid, and has not paid, and will not pay, any person or entity for such purpose.

Any person executing this declaration on behalf of a bidder that is a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or any other entity, hereby represents that he or she has full power to execute, and does execute, this declaration on behalf of the bidder.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the applicable laws that the foregoing is true and correct.

DFS Portal Confirmation / Declaration:

Do you confirm that you have read the Non-Collusion declaration and therefore declare under penalty of perjury under the applicable laws that the Non-Collusion Declaration is true and correct? (Y/N)

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Attachment 1: NON-COLLUSION DECLARATION

The undersigned certifies that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, that:

1. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a

Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any

Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

2. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a

Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of

Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report

Lobbying,” in accordance with its instruction.

3. The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award document for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31 U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than

$10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

Do you, the Contractor, confirm that you have read the Certification Regarding Lobbying form and certify or affirm the truthfulness and accuracy of each statement of its certification and disclosure, if any. In addition, the Contractor understands and agrees that the provisions of 31 U.S.C. Chap. 38, Administrative Remedies for False Claims and Statements, apply to this certification and disclosure, if any. (True/False)

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Attachment 2: CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

CONTRACTING WITH SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES, WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES,

AND LABOR SURPLUS AREA FIRMS §200.321

WVUC is required to take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority business, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. If contractor uses subcontractors, they are also required to take the following affirmative steps:

1. Placing qualified enterprises on solicitation lists.

2. Assuring that enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources.

3. Dividing total requirements when economically feasible into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by enterprises.

4. Establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by enterprises.

5. Using the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as the Small

Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the

Department of Commerce.

Do you confirm that you have read the 200.321 Affirmative Steps Confirmation and agree to take the listed affirmative steps when using subcontractors. (Y/N)

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Attachment 3: FORM 200.321 AFFIRMATIVE STEPS

Neither the entity or its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation by any federal department or agency.

Do you confirm that neither the entity nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation by any federal department or agency? (Y/N)

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Attachment 4: CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY and VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION

Attachment 5: CONFLICT/NON-CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

To the best of our knowledge the bidder has no potential conflict of interest due to any other clients, contracts, or property interest for this project. [ SELECT YES IF TRUE ]

OR

The bidder, by attachment, submits information which may be a potential conflict of interest due to other clients, contracts, or property interest for this project. [ SELECT NO IF TRUE & UPLOAD

DOCUMENTATION ]

Failure to answer appropriately may result in disqualification of your bid.

Do you confirm that to the best of your knowledge the undersigned proposer has no potential conflict of interest due to any other clients, contracts, or property interest for this project? (Y/N)

If answered no, documentation must be uploaded containing information regarding what may be a potential conflict of interest due to other clients, contracts, or property interest for this project.

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The undersigned certifies that the responding firm has taken steps to :

1. Publish a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.

2. Inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

3. Give each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are proposed, a copy of the drug- free workplace statement.

4. In the statement specified in drug-free workplace statement, notify the employees that as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under bid the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any violation of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

5. Impose a sanction on or require the satisfactory participation in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community by any employee who is so convicted.

6. Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of this section.

I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.

Do you confirm that you have read the Drug-Free Workplace Affidavit and certify that the responding company complies fully with the listed requirements? (Y/N)

- Upload the contractor's Drug Free Workplace Policy

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Attachment 6: DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE AFFIDAVIT

Attachment 7: INSURANCE COVERAGE DECLARATION

The proposing firm shall confirm they comply with the insurance requirements listed below. Failure to do so, may result in a rejected proposal. Proof of Insurance shall be provided to the WVUC upon award and prior to contract execution.

1. Professional Liability/Error and Omission Insurance with limits of $2,000,000.00 each claim and

$2,000,000.00 in the aggregate.

Do you confirm that you have read the Insurance Coverage Declaration and agree to provide copies of the insurance policies upon award and prior to contract execution. (Y/N)

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