REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER

MONITORING AT COUNTY OWNED MUNICIPAL

SOLID WASTE FACILITIES

RFP NO. 2026-0048-01

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: November 18, 2026, prior to 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time, Kelso, Washington, USA.

Faxed or E-mailed bids will not be accepted.

ESTIMATED TIME PERIOD FOR CONTRACT: January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2029.

The County reserves the right to extend the contract for one (1) additional one-year period at the sole discretion of the County.

CONSULTANT ELIGIBILITY: This procurement is open to those consultants that satisfy the minimum qualifications stated herein and that are available for work in Washington State.

CONTENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

I. Introduction

II. General Information for Consultants

III. Proposal Contents

IV. Evaluation and Contract Award

V. RFP Exhibits

Table of Contents

PURPOSE

QUALIFICATIONS AND MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

SCOPE OF WORK

D. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

E. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F. CONTRACTING WITH FORMER WASHINGTON PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

G. DEFINITIONS

H. ADA

I. TITLE VI STATEMENT

RFP COORDINATOR

ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

REVISIONS TO THE RFP

MINORITY & WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

RESPONSIVENESS

AMBIGUOUS STATEMENTS

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ORAL AGREEMENTS

COSTS TO PROPOSE

NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

COMMITMENT OF FUNDS

ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

INSURANCE COVERAGE

COVER SHEET/CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

PROJECT TEAM

MANAGEMENT APPROACH

RESPONDENT’S CAPABILITIES

PROJECT APPROACH AND UNDERSTANDING

COST PROPOSAL

EVALUATION PROCEDURE

EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING

ORAL PRESENTATIONS (MAY BE REQUIRED)

NOTIFICATION TO PROPOSERS

DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL PROPOSERS

PROTEST PROCEDURE

EXHIBIT A – COVER SHEET

EXHIBIT B – CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

EXHIBIT C– SAMPLE PURCHASED SERVICES AGREEMENT

E. EXHIBIT D – SAMPLING AND ANANLYSIS PLANS

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 3 of 30

INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE

Cowlitz County is hereby soliciting proposals to establish pricing for landfill groundwater and surface water detection monitoring services. Services will include but not limited to landfill groundwater and surface water detection monitoring of the active and closed cells within the two County owned municipal solid waste landfills.

The County intends to award one (1) agreement to provide services outlined in this RFP.

B. QUALIFICATIONS AND MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

All firms submitting proposals under this RFP shall demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to meet or exceed the following minimum requirements:

1) Must be registered to conduct business in Washington State;

2) Must be bonded and insured;

3) Must provide all personnel, mobile equipment, transportation, supplies, tools, and materials necessary to successfully perform the services detailed in this RFP in accordance with all national, state and/or local rules that apply;

4) Must obtain and maintain the required materials, equipment, and resources necessary to perform the services outlined in the Scope of Work. The Proposer shall be directly responsible for completion of no less than 35% of the work to be performed.

C. SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will provide all management, materials, equipment, labor and other items necessary to provide various testing services for permit compliance of the County owned landfills as needed. The quantity and duration of testing services will depend on the County’s requirements and needs for these services.

The services to be provided include but are not limited to, any or all of the following:

1) Project Management and Coordination

a) Provide a designated Project Manager for the duration of any task order.

b) Scheduling and coordination of services to meet sampling and reporting frequencies and deadlines.

c) Provide test reports for inclusion into the project files.

d) Provide final reports to the County.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 4 of 30

2) Sampling and Analysis Plans

Sampling and Analysis Plans have been prepared by Bright Fields Groundwater, Inc. for Cowlitz County’s Tennant Way Landfill, and the Headquarters Landfill. These Sampling and Analysis Plans have been approved by the Cowlitz County Environmental Health Unit and the Washington State Department of Ecology.

3) Groundwater and Surface Water Monitoring

The Consultant shall perform all sampling, data management, and reporting in accordance with the approved Sampling and Analysis Plans.

4) Billing

a) Consultant will bill Cowlitz County Public Works, 1600 13th Ave S, Kelso, WA 98626 monthly for any work performed in the calendar month, not later than 14 days after the end of the billing month.

b) Billing must be calculated in strict accordance with the pricing provided by the Proposer.

D. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this RFP is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about January 1, 2027, and continue through December 31, 2029. The County reserves the right to extend the contract for up to one (1) additional one-year period if agreed to by both parties.

E. CONTRACTING WITH FORMER WASHINGTON PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

Washington State Department of Retirement System reporting requirements apply to public entities contracting with former Washington public employees pursuant to WAC 415-02- 110, DRS Email 13-011 and DRS Email 09-001. Proposers should familiarize themselves with these reporting requirements to the County before submitting a proposal that includes former public employees. Information regarding these requirements can be found on the WA Department of Retirement System’s Independent Contractor Verification and State Retirement Status Reporting Form located on the last page of this document.

F. DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this RFP include:

Apparent Successful Contractor – The consultant selected as the entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 5 of 30

COUNTY – COWLITZ is the COUNTY in the state of Washington that is issuing this RFP.

Proposal – A formal offer submitted in response to this solicitation.

Proposer - Individual or company that submits a proposal in order to attain a contract with the COUNTY. May also be seen in this document as Vendor, Contractor, Consultant, Licensee, etc.

Request for Proposals (RFP) – Formal procurement document in which a service or need is identified but no specific method to achieve it has been chosen. The purpose of an RFP is to permit the consultant community to suggest various approaches to meet the need at a given price.

G. ADA

Cowlitz County in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Cowlitz County Department of Public Works at Publicworks@cowlitzwa.gov or by calling 360-577-3030.

H. TITLE VI STATEMENT

Cowlitz County in accordance with provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CONSULTANTS

A. RFP COORDINATOR

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in the County for this procurement. All communication between the Consultant and the County upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator, as follows:

Name Roger Maurer

E-mail Address Maurerr@cowlitzwa.gov

Mailing Address 1600 - 13th Avenue S Kelso, WA 98626

Phone Number 360-577-3030

Fax Number N/A mailto:publicworks@co.cowlitz.wa.us mailto:Maurerr@cowlitzwa.gov

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 6 of 30

Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County.

Consultants are to rely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator.

Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Consultant.

B. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES

Issue Request for Proposals October 20, 2026

Question & answer period ends November 5, 2026

Issue last addendum to RFP November 10, 2026

Proposals due November 18, 2026

Begin contract work January 1, 2027

The County reserves the right to revise the above schedule.

C. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

There will be NO pre-proposal conference held for this RFP.

The County will be bound only to the County’s written answers to questions. Questions arising in subsequent communication with the RFP Coordinator will be documented and answered in written form. A copy of the questions and answers will be sent to each prospective Consultant that has made the RFP Coordinator aware of its interest in this procurement.

D. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Proposers are required to submit five (5) copies of their proposal. Two copies must have original signatures. The proposal, whether mailed or hand delivered, must physically arrive at the COUNTY and to the below noted person and location, no later than 3:00 PM Pacific Time on NOVEMBER 18, 2026.

The proposal is to be sent the address noted below. The envelope should be clearly marked:

Cowlitz County Department of Public Works Attn: Roger Maurer

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER MONITORING AT COUNTY

OWNED MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE FACILITIES RFP No. 2026-0048-01 1600 - 13th Ave., South Kelso, WA 98626

Consultants mailing proposals should allow normal mail delivery time to ensure timely receipt of their proposals by the RFP Coordinator. Consultants assume the risk for the method of delivery chosen. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by any delivery service. Proposals may not be transmitted using email or facsimile transmission.

Late proposals will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of the County and will not be returned.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 7 of 30

E. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Proposals submitted in response to this competitive procurement shall become the property of the County and shall be deemed public records as defined in Chapter 42.56 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Any information in the proposal that the Consultant desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under the provisions of Chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for the nondisclosure of your document, must be clearly designated. The information must be clearly identified and the particular exemption from disclosure upon which the Consultant is making the claim must be cited. Each page containing the information claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the words “Proprietary Information” printed on the lower right-hand corner of the page. Marking the entire proposal exempt from disclosure or as Proprietary Information will not be honored.

If a public records request is made for the information that the Consultant has marked as "Proprietary Information," the County will notify the Consultant of the request and of the date that the records will be released to the requester unless the Consultant obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If the Consultant fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure, the COUNTY will release the requested information on the date specified. If a Consultant obtains a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction enjoining disclosure pursuant to Chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for nondisclosure, the County shall maintain the confidentiality of the Consultant's information per the court order.

A charge will be made for copying and shipping, as outlined in RCW 42.56. No fee shall be charged for inspection of contract files, but twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to the RFP Coordinator is required. All requests for information should be directed to the RFP Coordinator.

F. REVISIONS TO THE RFP

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be provided via e-mail to all individuals who have made the RFP Coordinator aware of their interest.

Addenda will also be published on https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/Bids.aspx?CatID=37. For this purpose, the published questions and answers and any other pertinent information shall be provided as an addendum to the RFP and will be placed on the website. If you downloaded this RFP from the County website you are responsible for sending your name, e-mail address, and telephone number to PublicWorks@cowlitzwa.gov in order for your organization to receive any RFP addenda.

The County also reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFP in whole or in part, prior to execution of a contract.

G. MINORITY & WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

Cowlitz County encourages participation in all of its contracts by firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this solicitation or on a subcontractor basis. However, no preference will be included in the evaluation of proposals, no minimum level of MWBE participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award, and proposals will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis.

https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/Bids.aspx?CatID=37 mailto:PublicWorks@cowlitzwa.gov

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 8 of 30

H. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Proposals must provide 60 days for acceptance by County from the due date for receipt of proposals.

I. RESPONSIVENESS

All proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this RFP. The Consultant is specifically notified that failure to comply with any part of the RFP may result in rejection of the proposal as non-responsive.

Proposers must respond to all sections to be considered. The County also reserves the right at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities.

J. AMBIGUOUS STATEMENTS

All responses to Proposal requirements should be stated as concisely as possible.

Ambiguous statements such as “all reasonable effort to provide" and the like may be grounds to declare the proposal non-responsive.

K. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

By submitting a proposal in response to this Request for Proposals, you are giving permission to the County to investigate your company and background with regard to any matter bearing on the desirability of the County doing business with you. The results of the investigation may be taken into consideration by the County in making its decision.

L. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

The County reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal submitted. Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Consultant can propose. There will be no best and final offer procedure. The County does reserve the right to contact a Consultant for clarification of its proposal.

The Apparent Successful Contractor should be prepared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFP. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Consultant’s proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official procurement file on this matter without obligation to the County, and that the public may view proposal documents.

M. CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The apparent successful contractor will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the sample of County’s standard services agreement and in accordance with the general terms and conditions therein, attached as Exhibit C to this solicitation. The County may enter into negotiation discussions on the services agreement with the objective of reaching agreement on all provisions, including contract terms and conditions within the sample services agreement. In the event such negotiations are not successful, the next highest ranked firm will be contacted for negotiations. This process may be continued until a contract is successfully negotiated or the County rejects all proposals.

The Consultant may submit proposed exceptions as allowed in the Certifications and Assurances form, Exhibit B to this solicitation. All exceptions to the contract terms and conditions must be submitted by Consultant as an attachment to Exhibit B, Certifications and Assurances form, or the terms and conditions of the sample standard contract shall be

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 9 of 30 deemed accepted, as attached. The County will review requested exceptions and accept or reject the same at its sole discretion in awarding the contract.

N. ORAL AGREEMENTS

No oral agreement or conversation with the County or any official, employee, or agent of Cowlitz County, either before or after execution of a contract, shall affect, modify, or add to any of the terms or obligations contained in the contract documents. Any such oral agreement or conversation shall be considered as unofficial information and in no way binding upon Cowlitz County, unless subsequently put in writing.

O. COSTS TO PROPOSE

The County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Consultant in preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

P. NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFP does not obligate the County to contract for services specified herein.

Q. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

The County reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP.

R. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS

The Board of County Commissioners or duly elected official are the only individual(s) who may legally commit the County to the expenditures of funds for a contract resulting from this RFP. No cost chargeable to the proposed contract may be incurred before receipt of a fully executed contract.

S. ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

Cowlitz County prefers to utilize electronic payment such as EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) or ACH (Automated Clearing House) in its transactions. The successful contractor will be provided a form to complete with the contract to authorize such payment methods.

T. INSURANCE COVERAGE

The Contractor is to furnish the County with a certificate(s) of insurance executed by a duly authorized representative of each insurer, showing compliance with the insurance requirements set forth below.

The Contractor shall, at its own expense, obtain and keep in force insurance coverage which shall be maintained in full force and effect during the term of the contract. The Contractor shall furnish evidence in the form of a Certificate of Insurance that insurance shall be provided, and a copy shall be forwarded to the County within fifteen (15) days of the contract effective date.

The Contractor shall maintain in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement, and until final acceptance of the work, public liability and property damage insurance with companies or through sources approved by the state insurance commissioner pursuant to RCW Title 48, as now or hereafter amended. The County, its appointed and elected officials, agents and employees, shall be specifically named as additional insureds in a policy with

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 10 of 30 the same company which insures the Contractor or by endorsement to an existing policy or with a separate carrier approved pursuant to RCW Title 48, as now or hereafter amended, and the following coverages shall be provided:

COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL LIABILITY:

Bodily injury, including death, property damage $1,000,000 per occurrence

$2,000,000 aggregate

WORKERS COMPENSATION: Statutory amount

AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY: coverage on owned, non-owned, rented and hired vehicles. Including bodily injury, death and property damage $1,000,000 combined single limit

EMPLOYER’S LIABILITY/STOP GAP $1,000.000 per occurrence Can be endorsement or standalone policy

UMBRELLA LIABILITY

Applies over all liability policies without exception $5,000,000

POLLUTION AND ASBESTOS LIABILITY $1,000,000 combined single limit Bodily injury, property damage, environmental damage including related clean-up costs

All Contractor’s and Contractor’s subcontractors’ insurance policies and additional named insured endorsements shall provide primary insurance coverage and be non-contributory.

Any insurance, self-insured retention, deductible, risk retention or insurance pooling maintained or participated in by the County shall be excess and not contributory to such insurance policies. All Contractor’s and Contractor’s subcontractors’ liability insurance policies must be endorsed to show this primary coverage.

Upon request, the Contractor shall provide a full and complete certified copy of all requested insurance policies to the County. The County reserves the right, but not the obligation, to revise any insurance requirement, not limited to limits, coverages and endorsements, or to reject any insurance policies which fail to meet the requirements of this Agreement.

Additionally, the County reserves the right, but not the obligation, to review and reject any proposed insurer providing coverage based upon the insurer’s financial condition or licensing status in Washington. Any deductibles and/or self-insured retentions exceeding $10,000, stop loss provisions, and/or exclusions contained in such policies must be approved by the County in writing. For any deductibles or self-insured retentions exceeding $10,000 or any stop-loss provisions, the County shall have the right to request and review the Contractor’s most recent annual financial reports and audited financial statements as a condition of approval.

Contractor hereby agrees to waive subrogation with respect to each insurance policy maintained under this Agreement. When required by an insurer, or if a policy condition does not permit Contractor to enter into a pre-loss agreement to waive subrogation without an endorsement, then Contractor agrees to notify the insurer and obtain such endorsement.

This requirement shall not apply to any policy which includes a condition expressly prohibiting waiver of subrogation by the insured or which voids coverage should the Contractor enter into such a waiver of subrogation on a pre-loss basis.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 11 of 30

With the exception of Professional Liability coverage, the County, its departments, elected and appointed officials, employees, agents and volunteers shall be named as additional insureds on Contractor’s and Contractor’s subcontractors’ insurance policies by way of endorsement for the full available limits of insurance maintained by the Contractor and subcontractor, and all coverage shall be primary and non-contributory. A statement or notation of additional insured status on a Certificate of Insurance shall not satisfy these requirements. [This endorsement shall not be required if the Contractor is a governmental entity and is insured through a governmental entity risk pool authorized by the State of Washington.]

The Contractor shall, for each required insurance policy, provide a Certificate of Insurance, with endorsements attached, evidencing all required coverages, limits, deductibles, self-insured retentions, and endorsements and which is conditioned upon the County receiving thirty (30) days prior written notice of reduction in coverages, cancellation or non-renewal.

Each Certificate of Insurance and all insurance notices shall be provided to: ATTN: Risk Manager, Cowlitz County Administrative Svc., 207 4th Ave. N., Kelso, WA 98626. This Agreement shall be void ab initio if the proof of coverage is not timely supplied.

The insurance maintained under this Agreement shall not in any manner limit or qualify the liabilities or obligations of the Contractor under this Agreement. All insurance policy deductibles and self-insured retentions for policies maintained under this Agreement shall be paid by the Contractor.

Compensation and/or payments due to the Contractor under this Agreement are expressly conditioned upon the Contractor’s strict compliance with all insurance requirements.

Payment to the Contractor shall be suspended in the event of non-compliance. Upon receipt of evidence of Contractor’s compliance, payments not otherwise subject to withholding or set-off will be released to the Contractor. This Agreement shall be void ab initio if the proof of coverage is not timely supplied.

If the Errors and Omissions or Professional Liability insurance obtained is an occurrence policy as opposed to a claims-made policy, the Extended Reporting Period Endorsement is not required.

The Contractor will at all times comply with all applicable workers’ compensation, occupational disease, and occupational health and safety laws, statutes, and regulations to the full extent applicable. The County will not be held responsible in any way for claims filed by the Contractor or their employees for services performed under the terms of this contract.

The fact that insurance (including, without limitation, self-insurance) is obtained by Licensee shall not be deemed to release or diminish the liability of Licensee, including, without limitation, liability under the indemnity provisions of this License. Damages recoverable by Licensor shall not be limited by the amount of the required insurance coverage.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 12 of 30

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Interested companies shall submit a proposal which exhibits and substantiates extensive knowledge of and experience providing the detailed scope of services to clients. Proposals must be clear, concise, and shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages, excluding resumes, coversheet, and cost proposal. The proposal shall include all items below, in the following order:

A. COVER SHEET/CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

The Cover Sheet (Exhibit A to this RFP) and Certifications and Assurances form (Exhibit B to this RFP) must be signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the Consultant to a contractual relationship, e.g., the President or Executive Director if a corporation, the managing partner if a partnership, or the proprietor if a sole proprietorship.

B. PROJECT TEAM

Please provide business/individual resumes, years company has been in service, and how long your key staff have been with the company, any relevant certifications, or licenses that are held by the business or staff and up to three (3) references that demonstrate similar work (e.g., work for a local government agency or work of a similar nature).

The Contractor shall provide a list of all subcontractors to be used, if any; and what percentage of the work will be performed by each subcontractor. Subcontractor information should include the company name, UBI number, address, phone number, email, and contact person.

Prime contractors must perform at least 35 percent of the work in the contract.

C. RELEVANT PROJECT EXPERIENCE

List at least three (3) specific projects completed by the firm within the past five (5) years that are similar to the services requested in this solicitation. For each project listed, provide:

a brief description, the names of the project manager and key personnel, project start and end dates, initial budget and final cost, and client name and contact information.

D. REFERENCES

Provide a list of references consisting of at least three (3) clients to which the firm has provided services within the last five (5) years. For each client listed, identify the specific services provided and the dates of services (contract period). Also provide for each client listed a valid contact name to be used as a reference, company and department name, title, full mailing address, email and telephone number. Note that references for government and/or public agencies are preferred. The County reserves the right to check other references that were not submitted.

E. COST PROPOSAL

Proposers shall complete and submit a table that includes the following.

• Quarterly Sampling.

• Quarterly Data Management and Reporting (Quarters 1, 2 and 3).

• Fourth Quarter Data Management and Annual Reporting.

• Billing Rates for Additional Tasks.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 13 of 30

EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

A. EVALUATION PROCEDURE

Responsive proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation and any addenda issued. The evaluation of proposals shall be accomplished by an evaluation team(s), to be designated by the County, which will determine the ranking of the proposals.

The County, at its sole discretion, may elect to select the top-scoring firms as finalists for an oral presentation. The RFP Coordinator may contact the Consultant for clarification of any portion of the Consultant’s proposal.

B. EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING

The following weighting and points will be assigned to the proposal for evaluation purposes:

Technical and Management Proposal - 65% of total score points

Qualifications and Capability of the Firm and Key Personnel

25 maximum points

Firm’s Experience on similar projects for Groundwater and Surface Water Testing and Monitoring

20 maximum points

References 10 maximum points

Ability to respond as needed and proximity 5 maximum points

Responsiveness 5 maximum points

Cost Proposal - 35% of total score 35 points

TOTAL

100 points

The County reserves the right to award the contract to the Consultant whose proposal is deemed to be in the best interest of the County.

C. ORAL PRESENTATIONS (MAY BE REQUIRED)

The County may, after evaluating the written proposals, elect to schedule oral presentations of the finalists. Should oral presentations become necessary, the County will contact the top-scoring firm(s) from the written evaluation to schedule a date, time and location. Commitments made by the Consultant at the oral interview, if any, will be considered binding.

The oral presentation will determine the apparent successful contractor OR the scores from the written evaluation and the oral presentation combined together will determine the apparent successful contractor.

D. NOTIFICATION TO PROPOSERS

The County will notify the Apparently Successful Contractor of their selection in writing upon completion of the evaluation process. Individuals or firms whose proposals were not selected for further negotiation or award will be notified separately by e-mail.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 14 of 30

E. DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL PROPOSERS

Any Consultant who has submitted a proposal and been notified that they were not selected for contract award may request a debriefing. The request for a debriefing conference must be received by the RFP Coordinator within three (3) business days after the Unsuccessful Consultant Notification is e-mailed or faxed to the Consultant. Debriefing requests must be received by the RFP Coordinator no later than 5:00 PM, local time, in Kelso, Washington on the third business day following the transmittal of the Unsuccessful Consultant Notification. The debriefing must be held within three (3) business days of the request.

Discussion at the debriefing conference will be limited to the following:

1. Evaluation and scoring of the firm’s proposal;

2. Critique of the proposal based on the evaluation;

3. Review of proposer’s final score in comparison with other final scores without identifying the other firms.

Comparisons between proposals or evaluations of the other proposals will not be allowed.

Debriefing conferences may be conducted in person, virtually, or on the telephone and will be scheduled for a maximum of one hour.

F. PROTEST PROCEDURE

Protests may be made only by Consultants who submitted a response to this solicitation document and who have participated in a debriefing conference. Upon completing the debriefing conference, the Consultant is allowed three (3) business days to file a protest of the acquisition with the RFP Coordinator. Protests must be received by the RFP

Coordinator no later than 4:30 PM, local time, at 1600 13th Avenue S, Kelso, WA 98626 on the third business day following the debriefing. Protests may be submitted by e-mail but must then be followed by the document with an original signature.

Consultants protesting this procurement shall follow the procedures described below.

Protests that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. This protest procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Consultants under this procurement.

All protests must be in writing, addressed to the RFP Coordinator, and signed by the protesting party or an authorized Agent. The protest must state the RFP number, the grounds for the protest with specific facts and complete statements of the action(s) being protested. A description of the relief or corrective action being requested should also be included.

Only protests stipulating an issue of fact concerning the following subjects shall be considered:

1. A matter of bias, discrimination or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator;

2. Errors in computing the score;

3. Non-compliance with procedures described in the procurement document or County policy.

Protests not based on procedural matters will not be considered. Protests will be rejected as without merit if they address issues such as: 1) an evaluator’s professional judgment on the quality of a proposal, or 2) County’s assessment of its own and/or other agencies needs or requirements.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 15 of 30

Upon receipt of a protest, a protest review will be held by the County. The County Purchasing Manager or an employee delegated by the Purchasing Manager who was not involved in the procurement will consider the record and all available facts and issue a decision within five (5) business days of receipt of the protest. If additional time is required, the protesting party will be notified of the delay.

In the event a protest may affect the interest of another Consultant that also submitted a proposal, such Consultant will be given an opportunity to submit its views and any relevant information on the protest to the RFP Coordinator.

The final determination of the protest shall:

1. Find the protest lacking in merit and uphold the County’s action; or

2. Find only technical or harmless errors in the County’s acquisition process and determine the County to be in substantial compliance and reject the protest; or

3. Find merit in the protest and provide the County options which may include:

4. Correct the errors and re-evaluate all proposals, and/or

5. Reissue the solicitation document and begin a new process, or

6. Make other findings and determine other courses of action as appropriate.

If the County determines that the protest is without merit, the County will enter into a contract with the apparently successful contractor. If the protest is determined to have merit, one of the alternatives noted in the preceding paragraph will be taken.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 16 of 30

RFP EXHIBITS

A. EXHIBIT A – COVER SHEET

Legal Name of Company:

Address:

Contact Person: Title:

Phone: Email:

Unified Business Identifier (UBI) Number:

Receipt of Addenda Contractor hereby acknowledges receipt and review of all Addenda through No.

Project Compliance In compliance with the request for quotation, bidder hereby proposes to perform all work for this project in strict accordance with the contract documents, within the time set forth therein, and at the prices bid.

YES NO

Specification Compliance The Contractor certifies below that his proposal complies in all respects with the attached specification documents, including the minimum specifications. *If no, attached additional pages detailing deviations.

Beneficial Interest Disclosure Statement In accordance with Chapter 42.23 RCW Contractors must disclose all personal relatives, or any relatives of the Contractor’s employees or subcontractors, who are presently employed by Cowlitz County, or who stand to realize any financial gain, or beneficial interest, if this contract is awarded to the Contractor or any subcontractor of the bidder for the work of this request for proposals. The Contractor certifies below that there are no persons, meeting the criteria above, have any beneficial interest in this project. *If no, attach additional pages detailing the name of any person, organization, relationship, and/or interest.

I certify that to the best of my knowledge the information contained in this proposal is accurate and complete and that I have the legal authority to commit this agency to a contractual agreement. I realize the final funding for any service Is based upon funding levels, and the approval of the Board of County Commissions of Cowlitz County.

Signature of Authorized Person:

Print Name and Title:

Date:

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 17 of 30

B. EXHIBIT B – CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

I/we make the following certifications and assurances as a required element of the proposal to which it is attached, understanding that the truthfulness of the facts affirmed here and the continuing compliance with these requirements are conditions precedent to the award or continuation of the related contract:

1. I/we declare that all answers and statements made in the proposal are true and correct.

2. The prices and/or cost data have been determined independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement with others for the purpose of restricting competition. However, I/we may freely join with other persons or organizations for the purpose of presenting a single proposal.

3. The attached proposal is a firm offer for a period of 60 days following receipt, and it may be accepted by the COUNTY without further negotiation (except where obviously required by lack of certainty in key terms) at any time within the 60-day period.

4. I/we understand that the COUNTY will not reimburse me/us for any costs incurred in the preparation of this proposal. All proposals become the property of the COUNTY, and I/we claim no proprietary right to the ideas, writings, items, or samples, unless so stated in this proposal.

5. Unless otherwise required by law, the prices and/or cost data which have been submitted have not been knowingly disclosed by the Proposer and will not knowingly be disclosed by him/her prior to opening, directly or indirectly, to any other Proposer or to any competitor.

6. I/we agree that submission of the attached proposal constitutes acceptance of the solicitation contents and the attached sample contract and general terms and conditions. If there are any exceptions to these terms, I/we have described those exceptions in detail on a page attached to this document.

7. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Proposer to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

8. I/we grant the COUNTY the right to contact references and others, who may have pertinent information regarding the ability of the Consultant and the lead staff person to perform the services contemplated by this RFP.

9. If any staff member(s) who will perform work on this contract has retired from the State of Washington under the provisions of the 2008 Early Retirement Factors legislation, his/her name(s) is noted on a separately attached page.

We (circle one) are / are not submitting proposed Contract exceptions. (See Section II, Contract and General Terms and Conditions.) If Contract exceptions are being submitted, I/we have attached them to this form.

On behalf of the Consultant submitting this proposal, my name below attests to the accuracy of the above statement.

Signature of Proposer

Title Date

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 18 of 30

C. EXHIBIT C– SAMPLE PURCHASED SERVICES AGREEMENT

PERSONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

Contract Number:

THIS AGREEMENT is entered into between COWLITZ COUNTY, a political subdivision of the State of Washington, (hereinafter called "County" or "Cowlitz County") and

Name:

Address:

Phone No:

(hereinafter called "Contractor").

This Agreement is comprised of:

Attachment A – Scope of Work

Attachment B – Compensation

Attachment C – General Conditions

Attachment D – Special Terms and Conditions and Retirement Status Form (signature required)

Attachment E – (specify) copies of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference as if fully set forth.

The term of this Agreement shall commence on the day of 20 and shall, unless terminated as provided elsewhere in the Agreement, terminate on the day of , 20 .

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on this day of 20 .

CONTRACTOR:

Print name:

Title:

Date: 20

(Optional for Commissioner Approval

ATTEST:

Kelly Dombrowsky, Clerk of the Board

COWLITZ COUNTY:

Dennis P. Weber, Chairman

Arne Mortensen, Commissioner

Richard R. Dahl, Commissioner

(BOCC approval subject to Board ratification or authorization)

[2014_ver. 3]

CONTRACT HAS BEEN APPROVED AS TO FORM BY

COWLITZ COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 19 of 30

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor agrees to complete the professional services work for Cowlitz County, as described below (or in the attached document), including the following elements:

In the event the Contractor, or its agents or assigns, are unable to complete their work as scheduled, the contract period and compensation may be adjusted by mutual agreement of the County and Contractor.

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 20 of 30

COMPENSATION

1. a. FIXED FEE FOR SERVICE: For services rendered, the County shall pay to the Contractor a fixed fee of

DOLLARS ($ ) for the completed work set forth in Attachment “A.”. Payments for completed tasks shall be made no more frequently than bi-monthly; quarterly; semi-annually; annually; at completion of project; other (specify):

Each request for payment shall be supported by an invoice specifying the tasks completed up to the request for payment and the payment amount requested. In no event shall payment be sought in an amount which represents a percentage of the fee greater than the percentage of completed tasks.

OR

b. HOURLY RATES: For services rendered, the County shall compensate the Contractor at the following hourly rates:

Name/Position Hourly Rate

Payments for completed tasks shall be made no more frequently than monthly; quarterly; semi-annually;

annually; at completion of project; other (specify):

Each request for payment shall be supported by an invoice specifying: the name/position of the Contractor’s employee if two or more are identified above; number of hours worked; completed tasks for which compensation is sought and; payment amount requested.

In no event shall Contractor be compensated in excess of DOLLARS for the completed work set forth in Attachment “A.”

2. AND

a. The compensation set forth herein includes, without limitation: labor, materials, equipment, travel, telephone, computer, copiers and the like.

b. The County shall reimburse the Contractor for actual expenses incurred for travel, telephone, copiers and computer. Reimbursement for airfare, mileage, meals and/or accommodations shall be at the same rate as that applicable to county employees traveling on county business.

c. Other (specify) The County, in addition to the compensation herein set forth shall provide to the Contractor the following:

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 21 of 30

GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. Scope of Contractor's Services. The Contractor agrees to provide to the County services and materials set forth in the project narrative identified as Attachment A during the agreement period. No material, labor, or facilities will be furnished by the County, except as provided for herein.

2. Accounting and Payment for Contractor Services. Payment to the Contractor for services rendered under this Agreement shall be as set forth in Attachment B. Unless specifically stated in Attachment B, the County will not reimburse the Contractor for any costs or expenses incurred by the Contractor in the performance of this contract.

3. Delegation and Subcontracting. Contractor's services are deemed personal and no portion of this contract may be delegated or subcontracted to any other individual, firm or entity without the express and prior written approval of the County Project Manager.

4. Independent Contractor. The Contractor's services shall be furnished by the Contractor as an independent contractor and nothing herein contained shall be construed to create a relationship of employer/employee or master/servant.

The Contractor acknowledges that the entire compensation for this Agreement is specified in Attachment B and the Contractor is not entitled to any county benefits including, but not limited to: vacation pay, holiday pay, sick leave pay, medical, dental or other insurance benefits, or any other rights or privileges afforded to Cowlitz County employees. The Contractor represents that it maintains a separate place of business, serves clients other than the County, will report all income and expense accrued under this contract with the Internal Revenue Service on a business tax schedule, and has a tax account with the State of Washington Department of Revenue for payment of all sales and use and Business and Occupation taxes collected by the State of Washington.

In the event that either the state or federal government determines that an employer/employee or master/servant relationship exists rather than an independent contractor relationship such that Cowlitz County is deemed responsible for federal withholding, social security contributions, workers compensation and the like, the Contractor agrees to reimburse Cowlitz County for any payments made or required to be made by Cowlitz County. Should any payments be due to the Contractor pursuant to this Agreement, the Contractor agrees that reimbursement may be made by deducting from such future payments a pro rata share of the amount to be reimbursed.

Notwithstanding any determination by the state or federal government that an employer/employee or master/servant relationship exists, the Contractor, its officers, employees and agents, shall not be entitled to any benefits which Cowlitz County provides to its employees.

5. No Guarantee of Employment. The performance of all or part of this contract by the Contractor shall not operate to vest any employment rights whatsoever and shall not be deemed to guarantee any employment of the Contractor or any employee of the Contractor or any subcontractor or any employee of any subcontractor by the County at the present time or in the future.

6. Regulations and Requirements. This Agreement shall be subject to all federal, state and local laws, rules, and regulations.

7. Right to Review. This contract is subject to review by any federal or state auditor. The County shall have the right to review and monitor the financial and service components of this program by whatever means are deemed expedient by the County Project Manager. Such review may occur with or without notice, and may include, but is not limited to, on-site inspection by County agents or employees, inspection of all records or other materials which the County deems pertinent to the Agreement and its performance, and any and all communications with or evaluations by service recipients under this Agreement. The Contractor shall preserve and maintain all financial records and records relating to the performance of work under this Agreement for six (6) years after contract termination, and shall make them available for such review, within Cowlitz County, State of Washington, upon request, during reasonable business hours.

8. Modifications. Either party may request changes in the Agreement. Any and all agreed modifications shall be in writing, signed by each of the parties.

9. Termination for Default. If the Contractor defaults by failing to perform any of the obligations of the contract or becomes insolvent or is declared bankrupt or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, the County

Cowlitz County Request for Proposal Number 2026-0048-01 Page 22 of 30 may, by depositing written notice to the Contractor in the U.S. Mail, postage prepaid, terminate the contract, and at the County's option, obtain performance of the work elsewhere. If the contract is terminated for default, the Contractor shall not be entitled to receive any further payments under the contract. Any extra cost or damage to the County resulting from such default(s) shall be deducted from any money due or coming due to the Contractor. The Contractor agrees to bear any extra expenses incurred by the County in completing the work, including all increased costs for completing the work, and all damage sustained, or which may be sustained by the County by reason of such default.

If a notice of termination for default has been issued and it is later determined for any reason that the Contractor was not in default, the rights and obligations of the parties shall be the same as if the notice of termination had been issued pursuant to the Termination for Public Convenience paragraph hereof.

10. Termination for Public Convenience.