Consulting Services for Building Capacity for Efficient and Effective Stream Crossing Replacement in NH’s Coastal Watersheds

Request for Qualifications Questions & Answers

Questions about the Appendix A & Project Area:

1) Appendix A (Project Area Map) is blank. Can you confirm that there is no project area map to share?

A1. The Project Map was uploaded as an Attachment and can be found on the Statewide Bids and Proposals | Procurement and Support Services | NH Department of Administrative Services page and also at the RFQ Project Map. Access via this link.

2) Can you provide Appendix A: Project Area Map?

A2. See answer to Question 1.

3) Please confirm that the analysis will be limited to the Merrimack and Piscataqua-Salmon Falls Watersheds.

A3. See answer to Question 1.

Questions about Datasets and the Planning Tools:

4) What is the current version of the Python script for the Pilot Prioritization Model and is it modularized for future enhancements?

A4. The Pilot Prioritization Model utilizes Python 3.13.1 (general kernel) and Python 3.9.16 (arcpy kernel). While it does utilize standalone functions, it’s all contained within a single notebook, rather than being split into separate modules or files. In other words, it’s only partially modularized—you have reusable functions, but the overall logic isn’t organized into external .py modules for full reusability.

5) What specific datasets and systems will the tools need to integrate with (e.g., SADES, ARM Mapper, NHDES Wetlands Permitting Tool)? Will APIs or direct database access be provided?

A5. The tools will, at a minimum, need to integrate with the Statewide Asset Data Exchange System (SADES) and the New Hampshire Stream Crossing Initiative (NHSCI) Data Viewer (formerly known as the Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Mapper). The NHSCI Viewer is built using Esri’s ArcGIS Experience Builder within the NHDES ArcGIS Online environment. The tools may also need to interact with related NHDES systems such as the Wetlands Permitting Tool and other geospatial datasets managed by the department.

As part of this project, the NHDES Coastal Program (NHCP) has contracted with the University of New Hampshire’s Technology Transfer Center (UNH T2), which administers the SADES database and collaborates with NHDES on the NHSCI Data Viewer. This partnership will ensure the necessary access to data and services (via APIs, hosted feature layers, or direct database access as appropriate) for integration with the proposed planning tools.

Additionally, ArcGIS Pro will be used for data preparation, geoprocessing, and testing of tool functionality, and must be compatible with the final tool configuration for staff workflows.

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6) Will the selected vendor be responsible for hosting the application?

A6. NHDES prefers to host the application internally, either within its ArcGIS Enterprise environment or through its ArcGIS Online organizational account. Therefore, the vendor should develop the application with this in mind, ensuring compatibility with Esri-hosted environments.

7) If hosting is to be provided as part of the project, please describe the hosting environment:

a. Will the application be hosted on-premise or in the cloud?

b. What level of access (e.g., admin, read-only) will the selected vendor have to the hosting environment?

A7. The final hosting location (on-premise via ArcGIS Enterprise or in the cloud via ArcGIS Online) will be determined during the project in consultation with NHDES’s Project Management and Innovation Unit (PMIU). The selected vendor will be granted the necessary access—potentially including administrative privileges—to complete the development, testing, and deployment of the tool. Access may include ArcGIS Online administrator roles or publishing privileges within Enterprise, depending on the final hosting solution.

8) What Esri licensing will be available for this project?

A8. NHDES holds licenses for both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, as well as ArcGIS Pro.

The planning tool should be developed in a way that allows it to be deployed, accessed, and maintained in either ArcGIS environment. The solution must also be interoperable with ArcGIS Pro for use by NHDES technical staff, including capabilities such as accessing hosted layers, updating content, and running geoprocessing tools where applicable.

9) Is the anticipated solution a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product, a custom-built application, or a hybrid approach?

A9. The goal is to create a dynamic, interactive, and user-friendly planning tool that can be maintained and hosted by NHDES staff within either ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online. A hybrid approach is likely, combining COTS components (e.g., Experience Builder, or Dashboards) with custom-built features or extensions as needed. However, preference will be given to solutions that maximize the use of COTS tools to reduce long-term maintenance and ensure smoother integration within existing NHDES Esri environments, including ArcGIS Pro workflows.

10) Will users have the ability to save scenarios after adjusting weighting parameters?

A10. If feasible and maintainable, this would be an excellent feature to include with the planning tool but is not a requirement.

Questions about the Proposal Review & Page Limits:

11) Are resumes required for project team members? If so, do resumes count toward the 15-page limit?

A11. Yes, resumes are required for project team members, and no, they do not count toward the 15-page limit.

12) Is the Cover Page and Table of Contents inclusive of the 15-page limit?

A12. Yes.

13) Will the application be subject to a third-party ADA compliance review (e.g., Section 508)?

A13. No.

14) How will conflicts of interest will be handled in proposal review?

A14. If there is a conflict of interest from one of the members of the review committee, they will not score that proposal nor participate in the discussion of that specific proposal.

15) Is there a preference for NH-based firms? Also, are there any particular experts that the state is looking to have on a team?

A15. NHDES doesn’t name particular experts/firms. As for a strong NH-based firm preference, refer to the Selection Criteria where “Experience and knowledge of municipalities in NH and the NH Department of Environmental Services, especially related to stream crossing replacement projects and outreach” is one of many qualifications being used to evaluate RFQ responses.

Questions about Funding Allocation & Specific Tasks:

16) How much of the grant funds are being allocated to members of the Crossing Capacity Pilot Project Team (i.e., NHCP, TNC, UNH CEE, UNH T2) for each of the tasks?

A16. The 2024 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resilience Fund Grant has been roughly split into thirds. Each third will be allocated to the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) partners, UNH, as well as the TBD consultant team procured through this RFQ process. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is volunteering their staff time to this project.

17) Are any other funds being allocated to support other groups outside of the consultant team and Crossing Capacity Pilot Project Team (e.g., volunteer participation, the NHSCI Implementation Committee, etc.)? If so, how much of the grant funds are being allocated to these groups?

A17. No other funds are being allocated to support other groups outside of the consultant team and Crossing Capacity Pilot Project Team.

18) What type/how much support (e.g., number of hours, scope/deliverables) are members of the Crossing Capacity Pilot Project Team providing as part of the various tasks?

A18. This will be determined based on the results of the RFQ process. The Responsibility Matrix (Table 1) of the RFQ details lead vs. supporting roles as well as anticipated timeline for each task to give a sense of level of effort across the Project Team.

19) For Task 3.2, how are you defining conceptual designs? What is the number of conceptual designs anticipated in connection with the one-on-one meetings? With the estimated 3-5 hours of consultant time per stakeholder engagement, is the aim that the "conceptual designs" would be developed within that time allowance?

A19. Yes, the aim is for to consultant to provide 3-5 hours of time for each of the up to 24 project pipeline development meetings which includes communications, the meeting time and any follow-up materials such as the Opportunity Assessment and Conceptual Alternatives report (per Appendix B of the RFQ), depending on the needs of each potential project proponent. This time constraint obviously will result in a very high-level Opportunity Assessment and Conceptual Alternatives report for the potential project proponent. The conceptual designs could include references to standard details, photographic examples, or simple AutoCAD drawings and/or photographic renderings to demonstrate project concepts, depending on the efficiency of and standard materials available to the consultant as well as complexity of the site.

20) How many sites will be considered as part of the one-on-one meetings? Will it be 24 unique sites? Or, several one-on-ones per site?

A20. The goal of this project is to provide capacity to potential project proponents to initiate as many crossing projects as possible and connect those projects to funding sources with the information they need to pursue funding. It is anticipated Task 3.2 will result in up to 24 unique Opportunity Assessment & Conceptual Alternatives at 24 different sites identified by Project Team partners (RPC Crossing Navigators, NHDES, TNC, NHSCI Implementation Committee, etc.).

21) For Task 3.3, what is the total number of anticipated site assessments? Is it six to eight total? Or, is it potentially six to eight assessments at stream crossings and six to eight assessments at dam removal sites?

A21. The consultant(s) will be responsible for six to eight Preliminary Site Assessments total.

We anticipate a mix of both crossing and dam removal projects.

22) Can you clarify who will be serving on the NHSCI Implementation Committee?

A22. The NHSCI Implementation Committee consists of standing members with representatives from the NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT), NH Fish and Game (NHFG), NHDES, and/or NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) (see table below) and have subcommittee voting rights. Non-standing subcommittee members consist of representatives from Non-State Agency Affiliations such as Regional Planning Commissions (RPC’s), non-profit organizations, and the UNH Technology Transfer Center and will only have ability to make recommendations and advise the Standing Members.

Name Organization Title Active

Member From

Active Member

To Email

1 Polly Crocker NHDES Watershed Planner Oct-24 Present pauline.f.crocker@des.nh.gov 2 Kevin Lucey NHDES Habitat Coordinator Oct-24 Present kevin.p.lucey@des.nh.gov 3 Brian

Hauschild NHDES Geoscience Program

Specialist Oct-24 Present brian.k.hauschild@des.nh.gov

4 Matt Urban NHDOT Operations Management Section Chief

Oct-24 Present matt.r.urban@dot.nh.gov

5 Austin Brown HSEM Chief of Mitigation and Recovery

Oct-24 Present austin.t.brown@dos.nh.gov

6 Dena Norman HSEM Assistant Chief of Mitigation

Oct-24 Present dena.n.norman@dos.nh.gov

7 Jared Lamy NHFG Fish Habitat Biologist Oct-24 Present jared.b.lamy@wildlife.nh.gov

8 Ben Nugent NHFG Fisheries Biologist, Region 2

Oct-24 Present benjamin.j.nugent@wildlife.nh.gov