Brownfield RFP.pdf

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program

(229) 333-5277 | 1937 Carlton Adams Drive, Valdosta, GA 31601

(912) 285-6097 | 1725 S. Ga. Parkway, W., Waycross, GA 31503 http://www.sgrc.us

APPENDIX A

MEMORANDUM

TO: Qualified Environmental Engineering Firms

FROM: Southern Georgia Regional Commission

SUBJECT: Proposals for Brownfields Program Engineering and Consulting Services

DATE: July 10, 2025

Enclosed is a Request for Proposal from qualified engineering firms interested in working with the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC) in its effort to prepare and submit a grant application for the Environmental Protection Agency's FY2025 Brownfields Assessment Grant and to undertake environmental assessment and cleanup consulting as part of a brownfield program for the 18-county region of Southern Georgia Regional Commission.

To be considered, proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m., August 20, 2025, at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission Attn: Korrelle Trollmann, 1937 Carlton Adams Drive, Valdosta, Georgia 31601. An electronic copy of the proposal must be included. The electronic version may be submitted on a flash drive or via email to ktrollmann@sgrc.us and cc: lray@sgrc.us. All mailed or hand-delivered proposals must be sealed and should be clearly labeled. To be considered, both the paper and electronic versions of the proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m., August 20, 2025. Proposals received after the specified date and time will not be considered.

The selected firm will be expected to work with the SGRC to prepare a grant application for the FY2025 Brownfields Assessment Grant. The selected firm will conduct research, review potential brownfield properties, and help prepare a grant application to be submitted before the deadline established in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Brownfields Assessment Grant. Payment and funding for all project engineering and consulting work will be contingent on the submission of a successful grant application that results in the award of grant funding to the SGRC. Additionally, payment for services rendered will not exceed the administrative allowable amount of the grant as specified in the grant guidelines.

Please direct all questions to Korrelle Trollmann, Grants Specialist, Southern Georgia Regional Commission 229-333-5277, ktrollmann@sgrc.us. Questions should be submitted no later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the deadline.

mailto:ktrollmann@sgrc.us mailto:lray@sgrc.us mailto:ktrollmann@sgrc.us

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND

CONSULTING SERVICES SOUTHERN GEORGIA REGIONAL COMMISSION

BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

The Southern Georgia Regional Commission is in the process of securing FY25 Brownfields Assessment Grant funding to establish a brownfields Program for the region. The selected firm will be tasked with the initial technical development and preparation of an application to be submitted on behalf of the Southern Georgia Regional Commission. This application will focus on brownfield properties located within the 18-county region. The resulting contract's validity will hinge upon the award of funding resulting from the submitted application, which must adhere to the specifications outlined in this RFP. Furthermore, the contract may undergo amendments or extensions to accommodate any future EPA grants, ensuring alignment with their terms and conditions.

Project Title for Identification Purposes: Southern Georgia Regional Commission Brownfields Program

Scope of Work:

1. Grant Preparation and Submission:

a. Develop the grant application with necessary information and support provided by the Southern Georgia Regional Commission.

b. Prepare and submit the grant application in accordance with the deadlines and requirements outlined in the published Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Upon successful award of grant funds, additional activities shall include:

2. Grant Administration: The consultant will assist the Southern Georgia Regional Commission with grant management and will be primarily responsible for implementing the grant project.

3. Property Identification and Inventory: The consultant will be asked to work with the Regional Commission to identify, develop, and refine a catalog of potential brownfield properties. Included in this work will be the development and implementation of a set of criteria to prioritize the identified properties for evaluation.

4. Site Characterization and Assessment Activities: As part of the work, the consultant will be asked to conduct Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) and Phase II ESAs, if applicable. Included in this task is the development of the following plans:

a. Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP),

b. Site-specific Quality Assurance Project Plans (SS-QAPPs),

c. Health and Safety Plans (HASP), and

d. Site investigation reports.

Documents are required to follow applicable state and industry standards including ASTM and All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) standards for property transactional work.

5. Community Involvement Assistance: The consultant will be asked to support the Regional Commission in public involvement and community outreach activities to ensure that the community concerns are considered and addressed in the assessment planning and execution process of the projects. The following activities may be included.

a. Develop a community engagement plan that details a strategy for involving the community in brownfield activities

b. Conduct public meetings and hearings to solicit community interest and provide educational information

c. Facilitate a brownfield working group that will be tasked with reviewing and recommending sites to be assessed

d. Develop and implement effective methods of communicating information about the brownfield program to the public (website, information sheets, mailings, etc.)

e. Consult with prospective private landowners and developers to encourage participation in the program

6. Cleanup and Development Planning: The consultant will be asked to complete site specific cleanup and redevelopment planning documents, including Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA), site remediation work plans, conceptual redevelopment site plans, etc. In addition, the Consultant may be asked to conduct community visioning sessions, charrettes, and/or workshops to solicit input and generate redevelopment options regarding the redevelopment of specific properties. The Consultant may also assist in the negotiation of brownfields agreements with the state regulatory agency.

7. Other Brownfield-Related Duties: Other duties may be required for a successful program but have not been anticipated in this call for services.

Response Format/Evaluation Criteria:

One (1) original and two (2) copies of the qualifications, experience, and proposal shall be submitted in addition to an electronic copy. This may be submitted on a flash drive, CD, or via email to ktrollmann@sgrc.us and cc: lray@sgrc.us.

The submittal shall include a cover letter, not to exceed two pages and not considered part of the narrative. The proposal narrative shall be no longer than 25 pages and shall include the information outlined below, excluding any required forms. Required forms will not contribute to the referenced page count. To assist with ensuring fair and equitable evaluation, proposals should be organized into the following separate sections:

mailto:ktrollmann@sgrc.us mailto:lray@sgrc.us

1. Experience and Capacity: The response shall include a summary of the following:

a. History of the firm's experience.

b. Demonstrated experience/capacity in addressing contaminated properties.

c. Description of the firm's organizational structure and the names and experience of key individuals who will be involved in the successful execution of the grant funded project.

d. List categories in which firm is legally qualified to conduct business. Include licenses and registrations where applicable.

e. Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.

f. Documentation of insurance.

2. References: The response should include at least three (3) references for similar services that have been provided by your firm and the dates of service. Please include the reference name, company, email address, and phone number. Also, include a description of the services provided.

3. Proposed Methodology: A description of how the firm will complete the scope of work described herein. Include a description of the relevant services provided by your firm.

Finally, include a concise statement of why your firm should be selected by the Regional Commission.

4. Fee Schedule: Please provide a specific cost estimate for all services from project initiation through final close-out, including, but not limited to: design, cost estimating, surveying, site assessments, contractor oversight, and grant management. If awarded, please indicate your total fee for the design, bid, and inspection phases of the project.

5. Submit Required Documents: Please thoroughly review, sign, and submit the following appendices with your proposal: Appendix B (49 CFR Part 20), Appendix C (Debarment and Suspension), Appendix D (Conflict of Interest), Appendix E (Drug-Free Workplace), and Appendix F (Authorization for Information).

Important Note: All activities must adhere strictly to applicable federal and state regulations.

Selection Criteria:

The responding firms will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Experience and ability to complete the work (25%)

• Demonstrated experience in identifying and addressing contaminated properties including successful grant writing and administration (25%)

• Approach and understanding of the scope of work (15%)

• Quality of performance on similar projects (15%)

• Proven track record of community engagement (10%)

• Environmental assessment experience (10%)

The Regional Commission may request follow-up interviews with respondents. The request for an interview shall in no way constitute acceptance or imply that an agreement is pending. The Regional Commission also reserves the right to award this opportunity based on the initial RFQ response without follow-up interviews. The Regional Commission will only select one firm under this request for qualifications. Successful respondents should be notified no later than September 4, 2025.

Submission Deadline: Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on August 20, 2025. Please send both a sealed hard copy and an electronic version to:

Southern Georgia Regional Commission Attn: Korrelle Trollmann, Grants Specialist 1937 Carlton Adams Drive Valdosta, Georgia 31601

Electronic submissions can be sent to ktrollmann@sgrc.us with a carbon copy to lray@sgrc.us.

Late submissions will not be considered.

Contact Information: For inquiries, please contact:

Korrelle Trollmann Grants Specialist Southern Georgia Regional Commission Phone: 229-333-5277 Email: ktrollmann@sgrc.us

Disclaimer: The Southern Georgia Regional Commission reserves the right to reject any and all responses and to make an award that is in their best interest. Firms not selected will be notified in writing. The Southern Georgia Regional Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

mailto:ktrollmann@sgrc.us mailto:lray@sgrc.us

Appendix B: Certifications Regarding Lobbying

Appendix B, 49 CFR PART 20

CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements

The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her 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 making lobbying contacts to 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 instructions [as amended by "Government wide Guidance for New Restrictions on Lobbying," 61 Fed. Reg. 1413 (1/19/96). Note: Language in paragraph (2) herein has been modified in accordance with Section 10 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-65, to be codified at 2 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.)]

(3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents 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.

(4) 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 31, U.S.C. § 1352 (as amended by the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995). 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.

[Note: Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 1352(c)(1)-(2)(A), any person who makes a prohibited expenditure or fails to file or amend a required certification or disclosure form shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such expenditure or failure.]

The undersigned certifies or affirms the truthfulness and accuracy of each statement of its certification and disclosure, if any. In addition, the undersigned understands and agrees that the provisions of 31 U.S.C. A 3801, et seq., apply to this certification and disclosure, if any.

Signature of Proposer or Proposer’s Authorized Agent Date

Printed Name Title

Name of Individual, Partnership or Corporation

Appendix C: Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion

Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions

Instructions for Certification

By signing and submitting this bid or proposal, the prospective lower tier participant is providing the signed certification set out below.

1. It will comply and facilitate compliance with U.S. DOT regulations, “Nonprocurement Suspension and Debarment,” 2 CFR part 1200, which adopts and supplements the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (U.S. OMB) “Guidelines to Agencies on Government wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement),” 2 CFR part 180.

2. To the best of its knowledge and belief, its Principals and Subrecipients at the first tier:

a. Are eligible to participate in covered transactions of any Federal department or agency and are not presently:

1. Debarred

2. Suspended

3. Proposed for debarment

4. Declared ineligible

5. Voluntarily excluded

6. Disqualified

b. Its management has not within a three‐year period preceding its latest application or proposal been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against any of them for:

1. Commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State, or local) transaction, or contract under a public transaction,

2. Violation of any Federal or State antitrust statute, or,

3. Commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making any false statement, or receiving stolen property,

c. It is not presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State, or local) with the commission of any of the offenses listed in the preceding subsection 2.b of this Certification

d. It has not had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated for cause or default within a three‐year period preceding this Certification

e. If, at a later time, it receives any information that contradicts the statements of subsections 2.a

– 2.d above, it will promptly provide that information to FTA

f. It will treat each lower tier contract or lower tier subcontract under its Project as a covered lower tier contract for purposes of 2 CFR part 1200 and 2 CFR part 180 if it:

1. Equals or exceeds $25,000

2. Is for audit services

3. Requires the consent of a Federal official

g. It will require that each covered lower‐tier contractor and subcontractor:

1. Comply and facilitate compliance with the Federal requirements of 2 CFR parts 180 and 1200, and

2. Assure that each lower‐tier participant in its Project is not presently declared by any Federal department or agency to be:

(i) Debarred from participation in its federally funded Project,

(ii) Suspended from participation in its federally funded Project,

(iii) Proposed for debarment from participation in its federally funded Project,

(iv) Declared ineligible to participate in its federally funded Project,

(v) Voluntarily excluded from participation in its federally funded Project, or

(vi) Disqualified from participation in its federally funded Project, and

3. It will provide a written explanation as indicated on a page attached in FTA’s TrAMS platform or the Signature Page if it or any of its principals, including any of its first‐tier Subrecipients or its ThirdParty Participants at a lower tier, is unable to certify compliance with the preceding statements in this Certification Group.

Signature of Proposer or Proposer’s Authorized Agent Date

Printed Name Title

Appendix D: Conflict of Interest

PROPOSER CERTIFICATIONS O.C.G.A. sect 45-10-20– CONFLICT OF INTEREST

This document must be fully completed, signed by an authorized representative of the Proposer, notarized and submitted with the Proposer’s technical proposal.

1. I certify that, if awarded a contract, the Proposer will deliver goods and services, which will meet or exceed the specifications set forth in this RFP, the Proposal and the terms of the final contract between the Proposer and TRRC.

2. I certify on behalf of the Proposer that this Proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same materials, supplies, equipment or services and is in all respects, fair and without collusion or fraud. I understand that collusive behavior surrounding formal solicitations is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards. I agree to abide by all conditions of the Proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this Proposal for the Proposer.

3. I certify that the Proposer has not violated and will not violate the provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Section 45-10-20 et. seq.

4. I certify that this Proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a Proposal for the same materials, supplies, services, or equipment and is in all respects, fair and without collusion or fraud. I understand collusive behavior surrounding formal solicitations is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards. I agree to abide by all conditions of this RFP and certify that I am authorized to sign this Proposal for the Proposer.

Company Name

Proposer Name Proposer Title

Proposer Signature Date

Appendix E: Certifications Regarding a Drug-Free Workplace

CERTIFICATION REGARDING A DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

The undersigned certifies that it will or will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by:

(a) Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition;

(b) Establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform employees about:

1) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;

2) The contractor’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;

3) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and

4) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace;

(c) Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of the contract be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (a);

(d) Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (a) that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will:

1) Abide by the terms of the statement; and

2) Notify the employer in writing of his or her conviction for a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace no later than five calendar days after such conviction;

(e) Notifying the agency in writing, within ten calendar days after receiving notice under paragraph (d)(2) from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such conviction.

(f) Taking one of the following actions, within 30 calendar days of receiving notice under paragraph (d)(2), with respect to any employee who is so convicted:

1) Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination, consistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;

or

2) Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency;

(g) Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f).

Signature of Proposer or Proposer’s Authorized Agent Date

Printed Name Title

Individual, Partnership or Corporation Address

Appendix F: Authorization for Information

AUTHORIZATION FOR INFORMATION

The undersigned hereby authorized and requests any person, firm, or corporation to furnish any information requested by SGRC in verification of the recitals comprising this Statement of Proposer's Qualifications that I, being duly sworn deposes and says that the answers to the foregoing questions and all statements contained and true and correct.

Dated this _________________ day of _____________________, 2025.

Name of Individual, Partnership or Corporation

Signature of Proposer or Proposer's Authorized Agent

State of __________________ County of (______________________)

Subscribed and sworn to before me this ____________ day of ________________, 2025.

Notary Public

My Commission Expires