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SOLICITATION SPECIFICATIONS

QBS- QUALIFIED BASED SELECTION OF VENDORS TECHNICAL REVIEW

Title: QLV26006412 DEM QBS Restoration Design for Parcel 8-3 In Portsmouth

Description: RIDEM is seeking a qualified firm to provide final design, permitting and construction specifications for salt marsh and habitat restoration at parcel 8-3 in Portsmouth, RI.

Pre-Bid: Teams Meeting: March 12, 2026 @ 2:00 PM Mandatory: No Location: Contact Kathy Missell at Katherine.missell@purchasing.ri.gov to be added to the meeting invite

Contract Terms The initial contract period will begin approximately October 1, 2026 for an 18-month period.

Contracts may be renewed for up to one additional 12-month period based on vendor performance and the availability of funds.

Insurance Requirements (#14 in Instructions to Vendors on Requirements tab) In accordance with this solicitation, or as outlined in Section 13.19 of the General Conditions of Purchase, found at https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/220-30-00-13 and General Conditions

- Addendum A found at https://www.ridop.ri.gov/documents/general-conditions-addendum-a.pdf, the following insurance coverage shall be required of the awarded vendor(s):

General Requirements:

14a) ☒ Liability - combined single limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate and $2,000,000 products/completed operations aggregate. The State of Rhode Island shall be an additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis with a waiver of subrogation in favor of the State of Rhode Island.

14b) ☒ Workers compensation - $100,000 each accident, $100,000 disease or policy limit and $100,000 each employee. There is to be a waiver of subrogation in favor of the State of Rhode Island.

14c) ☒ Automobile liability - $1,000,000 each occurrence combined single limit.

The State of Rhode Island shall be an additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis with a waiver of subrogation in favor of the State of Rhode Island.

mailto:Katherine.missell@purchasing.ri.gov https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/220-30-00-13 https://www.ridop.ri.gov/documents/general-conditions-addendum-a.pdf

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Professional Services:

14e) ☒ Project Specific Professional liability (“errors and omissions”) - $2,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 annual aggregate. There shall be a waiver of subrogation in favor of the State of Rhode Island to the extent that coverage to the vendor is not impaired.

14f) ☒ Environmental/Pollution Liability when past, present or future hazard is possible - $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.

The State of Rhode Island should be an additional insured for work performed by the vendor for the State of Rhode Island, to the extent coverage is not subject to an insured versus insured exclusion. If additional insured status for the State of Rhode Island applies, it must be on a primary and non-contributory basis with a waiver of subrogation in favor of the State of Rhode Island.

14j) ☒ Other - Excess Liability – Over the Project Specific Professional Liability policy $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 in annual aggregate.

Note: Waivers or changes of any of the above requirements must be submitted via a written waiver request during the Q&A process or will not be considered.

AIA Contract

Rhode Island custom AIA contract designated below outlining the scope and special terms and conditions covering the work, executed by an authorized representative of your company.

Vendor shall obtain the Rhode Island custom AIA contract at:

https://documentsondemand.aia.org/?filter=Rhode.

9c) ☒ AIA B101-2017 Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design Agent with State of Rhode Island revisions dated 9-10-19.

9g) ☒ AIA A201-2007 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction with State of Rhode Island Revisions dated 9-10-19.

SECTION A. BACKGROUND

RIDEM is seeking qualified firms to provide final design, permitting and construction specifications for salt marsh and habitat restoration/enhancement and minor access improvements on a portion of Parcel 8-3 in Portsmouth RI. See Figure 1 for project focus area as well as the Administrative Subdivision Plans from Northeast Engineers and Consultants, Inc.

Parcel 8-3 is located at the northern end of Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay in the Town of Portsmouth. It encompasses approximately 86 acres of scrub-shrub swamp, estuarine emergent wetland, and marine/estuarine shoreline. Approximately 69 acres of the parcel are within the Project focus area, as shown on Figure 1.

The project includes final design, permitting and development of construction bid documents to complete salt marsh restoration, invasive species management, enhancement of the opportunity for salt marsh migration with sea level rise, habitat enhancement and minor access https://documentsondemand.aia.org/?filter=Rhode

2018-1 Page 3 of 6 Revised 05/17/2024 improvements. The project also includes evaluation of opportunities to reduce shoreline erosion to the adjacent Gull Cove Fishing Area Property.

RIDEM Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) is the primary agency tasked with protecting, restoring, and managing natural habitats and wildlife within the state. DFW staff and staff from Save the Bay will provide data from recent flora and fauna surveys and advise the chosen Vendor in further data collection to document the baseline conditions of the property. Habitat restoration planning will consider the unique life history requirements of a variety of species such as the at-risk Saltmarsh Sparrow, state endangered Diamondback Terrapin, shorebirds, dabbling ducks, cormorants, mergansers, diving ducks, loons, sportfish and shellfish.

Sea level rise, increasing intensity of coastal storms, and tidal flooding will be incorporated into the habitat restoration design for Parcel 8-3 with the assistance of STORMTOOLS models. By creating a phased plan to remove invasives and regrade critical areas, the project will establish suitable conditions for marsh migration.

Minor access improvements may include the reuse of the project’s construction access area for a small parking area to serve RIDEM staff for post-construction site access. Evaluation of opportunities to make minor improvements to the existing access point at Marine Ave. is also included. Also included in the project is evaluation of the potential to reduce erosion at the vulnerable connection point between the 69-acre project area and the RIDEM Gull Cove Fishing Area.

SECTION B: SCOPE OF WORK AND REQUIREMENTS

Note: All deliverables are subject to review by the Project Team and are considered draft documents until any requested revisions are accepted.

Task 1: Project Initiation Kickoff meeting with Project Team within three weeks of issuance of the Purchase Order. The Project Team includes staff from both RIDEM and Save the Bay. The Project Team will provide detailed input throughout the project, including in the development of salt marsh and habitat restoration and enhancement plans.

Deliverables

• Meeting Notes

Task 2: Data Collection, Baseline Monitoring Report and Baseline Conditions Plan This task shall include completion of all preliminary investigative work necessary to perform subsequent tasks and to develop a baseline monitoring report and baseline conditions plan. This includes, but is not limited to, reviewing existing background information, completing topographic and bathymetric survey and completing vegetation and habitat mapping. The task includes a meeting to review Task 2 deliverables.

https://www.beachsamp.org/stormtools/

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• Baseline Monitoring Report

• Baseline Conditions Plan

• Meeting Notes from Team Meeting

• Survey files in all available .dwg,. acad, .shp, and/or .gdb file formats

Task 3: Concept-Level Plans & Public Engagement Meeting This task includes development of concept-level design plans to address the following project objectives (see also Figure 1) and provide alternatives for each objective under both a three-foot and a five-foot sea level rise scenario:

• Enhance existing marsh habitat by addressing legacy agriculture impacts

• Manage invasive plants, including Phragmites and upland invasives

• Restore degraded upland habitat to allow for future marsh migration

• As site conditions allow, enhance suitable nesting habitat for Diamondback Terrapin and

Saltmarsh Sparrows, as well as expanded foraging bird habitat.

• Enhance existing public access from the parking area and trail head on the corner of

Cedar Ave. and Marine Ave. Improvements may include small-scale nature-based solutions to manage stormwater and tidal flooding as well as minor trail improvements.

• Increase resilience at the connection point to the adjacent Gull Cove Fishing Area through use of a marsh sill or other living shoreline approach to create additional habitat and energy dissipation.

This task also includes development of Opinions of Probable Construction Cost (OPCCs) as well as a Project Team Meeting and a Public Engagement Meeting to review the concept-level plans. The Project Team will identify the preferred alternatives at the conclusion of this task.

• Concept-Level Plans (3’ & 5' SLR scenarios)

• OPCCs (3’ & 5' SLR scenarios)

• Meeting Notes from Team Meeting

• Public Meeting Presentation Slides or Other Materials

• Facilitation of Public Engagement Meeting

• Meeting Notes from the Public Engagement Meeting

Task 4: 60% Design Plans & Pre-Application Meeting Upon completion of Task 3 and identification of the preferred alternative, advance concept plans to 60% design, including staging/access areas and erosion & sedimentation control. Update the OPCC. This task includes pre-application meetings with regulatory agencies to review the 60% design plans and a Project Team Meeting. Also included in this task is a written response to the public which summarizes comments received at the meeting, provides a response to those comments, and provides an explanation of the factors leading to the preferred alternative.

• 60% Design Plans

• OPCC

• Meeting Notes from Pre-Application Meetings

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• Public Response Memo (summarizing comments, responding to comments and summarizing factors leading to the preferred alternative)

Task 5: 90% Design Plans & Permit Applications Address comments or concerns from pre-application meetings and advance the design plans to 90%. Prepare all applicable draft permit applications. Update the OPCC. Meet with Project Team to review 90% design plans, draft permit applications, and OPCC. Upon approval by Project Team, finalize and file all applicable permit applications, including stamped plans if required by permitting agencies.

• 90% Design Plans

• Updated OPCC

• Draft & Final Permit Applications

Task 6: 100% Construction Bid Documents Finalize design plans, specifications and permits in a bid-ready Construction Project Manual. Update the OPCC. Meet with the Project Team to review the Construction Project Manual.

• Construction Project Manual

SECTION C: PROPOSAL

1. Technical Proposal

Narrative and format: Vendors must submit a technical proposal which addresses each of the following elements and is limited to six (6) pages (this excludes any appendices and as appropriate, resumes of key staff that will provide services covered by this request):

A. Staff Qualifications –. Describe the breadth of experience of the firm and the key team members across the range of disciplines described in this RFP. Resumes shall be limited to two pages per key team member and tailored to provide project experiences most similar in scope to this solicitation. Indicate examples of work within similarly broad-ranging disciplines, relate the example sites and projects to this one, the approaches the firm undertook which led to those various elements and disciplines, and how that experience is reasonably transferrable to this project and site.

B. Demonstrated Experience/References- Provide three (3) relevant client references for projects which Key Project Staff have completed. Include client names, addresses, contact names with emails and phone numbers, dates of service and type(s) of service(s) provided.

C. Approach/Methodology- Describe in detail how the firm and Key Project Staff will execute the project. Identify industry, scientific and regulatory standards. Include summary of required permits. If applicable, identify potential alternatives to the framework described within this RFP.

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Quantify the approach where applicable (for example data collection boundaries & parameters, number of sample plots).

D. Schedule - Provide a comprehensive project schedule. The schedule must identify all major tasks, deliverables, and project milestones. The schedule should clearly show task sequencing, anticipated durations, and milestone completion points.

2. Supplemental Bidder Attestation Form

See Appendix A on the “Overview” tab in Ocean State Procures™ for information. Vendors are required to complete, sign and submit this form with their overall proposal.

NOTE: Must attach as a separate document in the “Attached Document” section in OSP. Do not include with your technical proposal

SECTION D: EVALUATION AND SELECTION - SOLICITATION SPECIFIC

Technical proposals are scored, and the agency will present and recommend to the state Architecture & Engineering Committee to negotiate pricing with the highest technical scored firm. If the A&E Committee approves the recommendation, it is then forwarded to the Chief Operating Officer for final approval. Once approved by the Chief Purchasing Officer, the state will request a cost proposal from the highest scoring firm which must also receive a minimum of 80 (80%) out of a maximum of 100 points. Based on the cost submitted from the highest scoring firm, the state reserves the right to negotiate for the most favorable price. If the state cannot come to an agreed price, state reserves the right to commence negotiations with next highest scoring firm.

The Division of Purchases reserves the right to select the vendor(s) or firm(s) (“vendor”) that it deems to be most qualified to provide the goods and/or services as specified herein; and, conversely, reserves the right to cancel the solicitation in its entirety in its sole discretion.

Proposals shall be reviewed and scored based upon the following criteria:

NOTE: See the “Requirements” tab of this solicitation for additional information on the evaluation and selection process in the “QLV and QLV/QBS Specifications” section.

Criteria Possible Points

Staff Qualifications 21 Points

Capability, Capacity, and Qualifications of the Vendor 21 Points

Approach/Methodology 28 Points

Schedule 30 Points

Total Possible Technical Points 100 Points

SECTION D: EVALUATION AND SELECTION - SOLICITATION SPECIFIC