City of Hendersonville, NC

Request for Qualification # _HEF037035001_

Sni

Request for Statement of Qualification # _HEF037035001_

Engineering Services for the City of Hendersonville Mills River Water Intake Repairs and Improvements

Date Issued: October 9, 2026

SOQ Submission Deadline: November 10, 2026

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFQ to:

Adam Steurer, PE

Utilities Director

City of Hendersonville asteurer@hvlnc.gov mailto:asteurer@hvlnc.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Background

II. Project Description

III. Statements of Qualification

IV. Evaluation Criteria

I. Background

The City intends to contract with one qualified firm to provide engineering services to support the Water Treatment Facility (WTF) Mills River Water Intake Repairs and Improvements (Project). The City’s WTF is located at 4139 Haywood Road, Mills River, NC with the Mills River Water Intake located nearby. The Mills River Intake is permitted to withdraw up to 12 million gallons per day (mgd) and has four vertical turbine pumps and an air scour system that is used to periodically clean the coffin-style intake screens.

The City saw impacts to its Mills River Water Intake from Hurricane Helene on September 27th, 2024. The water intake was flooded and temporarily offline. The adjoining streambank experienced erosion and is currently unstable. The catwalk and associated air scour piping that was connected to the coffin style intake was washed away. The coffin style intake and associated transmission piping was laden with sediment deposition after the storm event.

The project may be funded, in part or whole, by a variety of mechanisms including state, federal, and local programs. To date, the City has submitted FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications.

II. Project Description

The City intends to contract with one qualified firm to provide engineering services to support the project. The project generally consists of the following but is not limited to:

• Adjoining streambank repairs and stabilization.

• Catwalk access replacement and resiliency improvements.

• Scour system air piping replacement and resiliency improvements.

• Air burst system improvements sized appropriately to provide cleaning and debris removal with a new air compressor and larger air receiver tank. Integration of SCADA connectivity to facilitate remote operation.

• Conditioning of the interior space to improve electrical component service life.

The engineering services related to the project generally consists of the following; however, the scope may be refined after further inspection, testing, and evaluation of existing conditions:

• Inspection, assessment, survey, and evaluation of the existing damages.

• Development of detailed construction plans and technical specifications including but not limited to civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural designs for the repairs and improvements.

• Permitting.

• Funding assistance and administration

• Bidding and construction phase support.

SPECIAL NOTES:

Responding firms should be licensed to practice engineering by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors and have at least one staff member currently licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina.

Due to the likelihood of state and/or federal funding being used in the project, all responding firms are required to comply with the requirements of the 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (“Uniform Guidance”), in addition to the North Carolina Mini-Brooks Act found at North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 143, Article 3D in responding to this RFQ, including but not limited to the identification of subconsultants and subcontractors as a part of the response to this RFQ. Firms should familiarize themselves with the requirements of these applicable laws.

The City reserves the right to proceed with all, part or none of the services listed above, in the City’s sole and absolute discretion.

III. Statements of Qualification

The format of the SOQs shall be submitted per the responding firm’s judgment. In general, SOQs should be organized in a manner that will facilitate the evaluation of the responding firm and should specifically address each evaluation criteria. Additional information beyond what is listed for each criterion in the preceding section that is deemed relevant may also be submitted.

The SOQ shall be no more than 30 pages in total length.

Total length includes any cover or blank pages. Pages should be 8.5” by 11” unless including a map or figure. Map and Figure pages may be 11” by 17”.

Firm Information:

• Firm name.

• Address of principal office where work will be performed.

• Phone number, website and e-mail information.

• Name and information of the individual who will be the City’s primary contact and project manager.

• Firm’s current fee schedule.

Proposed Project Team qualifications:

• A summary of the firm’s proposed team to be assigned and their expected roles for the subject project.

• A short resume of each team member should detail relevant experience, length of service with the firm, job duties, educational and professional background.

• A listing and summary of any proposed subcontractors.

Project Approach and Management:

• Provide a detailed description of your approach and process for completing the scope.

Include a response to the preliminary scope and identify key risks, challenges and concerns anticipated and any mitigation steps to achieve successful on-time delivery.

• Describe the tools and processes your firm uses to provide preliminary time and budget estimates.

Similar Projects:

• At least five projects similar to the subject project completed within the last five years.

Similar projects should be the design of water or sewer pump station rehabilitation, replacement, or new construction of similar size or complexity as the subject project. At least two of the five projects shall include an example of water or sewer facilities construction that are within or in proximity of surface water.

o Project name and location.

o Nature and detailed description of the project.

o A link to the project report/deliverable if available on the respective Utility’s website.

o Project start and completion dates.

o Project engineering fee.

o Project staff and their role. Personnel on the firm’s proposed team must have been actively involved in the similar project(s).

o Owner’s name, title, and current contact information (email address and phone number).

IV. Evaluation Criteria

Primary evaluation criteria and anticipated weights the City intends to utilize to select the most qualified firm are listed below. Representatives of the City will read, review and evaluate the qualifications independently based on the evaluation criteria. Selection of the most qualified firm by the City will be final and not subject to re-evaluation by the firms submitting SOQs. The following factors will be used in the initial evaluation process:

A. Project Team Qualifications (30 points possible):

• Experience in providing similar services of comparable size and complexity.

• Appropriate experience and technical qualifications of the proposed team to provide services as described herein.

• Ability to meet all requirements as set forth by potential funding agencies.

• Organizational structure of the proposed team, defined line of communication, and clearly defined roles for personnel.

B. Project Approach and Management (20 points possible):

• Ensure that the proper approaches are used for the project.

• Ensure the reports/deliverables are accurate, thorough and delivered on time.

• Adequacy of firm’s technical review process and experience with NCDEQ Division of Water Infrastructure and Federal Funding programs.

C. Similar Projects (40 points possible)

• Experience of the firm and project team performing engineering services similar in size and complexity as the subject project.

D. Ability to provide Services in a timely manner (10 points possible).

• Firm has the ability to provide services in a timely manner.

SOQs shall be submitted in PDF format via e-mail. Submissions must be emailed to Adam Steurer, Utilities Director, at asteurer@hvlnc.gov by 2:00 PM local time on November 10, 2026, SOQs received after this deadline will not be considered. PDF files must contain the signatures of company representatives who are authorized to execute documents on behalf of the firm.

Questions regarding this request should be directed to Adam Steurer (email only) and will be accepted until November 2, 2026. Answers to questions will be addressed via addenda posted on the City’s website. Requests to visit the site may be made via email to Adam Steurer asteurer@hvlnc.gov.

Maintaining the integrity of the RFQ process is of paramount importance for the City. Please do not contact members of the City or their staff regarding this contract until the award is presented for approval, other than the City’s designated contact person.

The selected firm will be notified by telephone or e-mail and will be expected to enter into an agreement with the City as soon as possible after notification. In the event an agreement cannot be negotiated with the selected firm, negotiations with that firm will be terminated and initiated with the next best qualified firm.

The City reserves the right to select and enter into an Agreement with firm that, in the City’s opinion, is best qualified to serve the Project. The selection decision shall be strictly merit-based in accordance with the evaluation criteria defined herein. The City will compensate the firm for services provided on a hourly-not-to-exceed basis in accordance with an agreed upon rate schedule.

The City accepts no responsibility for expenses incurred during the preparation or delivery of SOQs. The City reserves the right to: reject any and all statements of qualification, select the firm most qualified for the referenced work, waive technical errors and informalities, and to accept the statement of qualification, which, in its sole judgment, best serves the public interest.

In the event of limited response, the City also reserves the right to extend the submittal deadline as appropriate in order to assure a competitive procurement process.

It is the policy of the City that all original documents, reports, studies and other data produced as a direct result of the services performed under the contract shall become the property of the City. Copyrighting of material produced as a result of the services performed shall be in the City’s name. Where licensed material is incorporated as an integral component of the services provided the firm shall register the City as a licensed user and shall provide the City with one complete copy of the licensed material.

It is the practice of the City to provide all firms an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of its contracting and procurement programs.