Request for Proposal.pdf

September 17th, 2025

Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

2028 Water Resources Management Plan Update

The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (“the District”) is soliciting proposals to prepare the 5-year update to the 2022 Water Resources Management Plan.

The District is requesting proposals from consulting firms, or teams of firms, to determine the project approach, schedule, and cost. The District reserves the right to negotiate scope and fee prior to contract award. The District estimates that funding available for this work will be approximately $825,000.

Please provide a description of the proposed approach your firm, either individually or in cooperation with other firms, would take to accomplish the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work provided in Exhibit A. The proposal shall provide a schedule which shall include time for review of reports and deliverables by stakeholders and the public as discussed in the Scope of Work.

The proposal should provide project cost estimates in the format provided in Exhibit B and B1. The consultant shall determine the level of effort for each task of the Scope of Work which must be clearly provided in the proposal. This level of effort is to be presented in a format which includes the total man-hours and cost for each task.

The District will convene an evaluation committee. The evaluation committee will review all proposals and make a consultant selection recommendation to the Chairman of the District Board.

Based on the responses to this request, the District may identify a short list of firms from the proposals received. The shortlisted firms will be invited to participate in an interview process with the evaluation committee. The District reserves the right to award this contract based on proposals received without interviews.

The District intends to award a contract for the project in the fourth quarter of 2025. The consultant shall provide a schedule of major milestones and interim deliverables demonstrating a final document approved by the Governing Board and delivered to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) by June 31, 2028. The successful consultant or team of consultants should be prepared to begin work immediately. The District reserves the right to award all or part of the available funds for this project.

https://northgeorgiawater.org/utilities-board-committees/plans/

2028 Water Resources Management Plan Update

The contract will be awarded to the consultant determined to be the most qualified to perform the work based on the following evaluation criteria:

1. Qualifications and experience related to the Scope of Work of the firm (or team of firms) and individuals in the firm directly assigned to the project. (55 percent)

2. Proposed approach to address the attached Scope of Work (35 percent)

3. Consultant’s cost estimates versus work provided. The cost estimate shall follow the format outlined in Exhibit B. (10 percent)

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) shall have equal opportunity to participate in the performance of the District’s contracts. Such DBEs are encouraged to compete, as prime consultant, consultant team members or sub-consultants and should be identified in responses to this RFP.

Proposals should be limited to a total of no more than 25 pages (not including cover, table of contents, divider sheets, resumes, and cost proposal) and should include the following information:

1. Name of the lead firm, and other firms or sub-consultants;

2. Point of contact (name, title, email address and phone #) at lead firm;

3. Project Manager (name, title and phone number) at lead firm;

4. Qualifications and technical competence of consultant and sub-consultants;

5. Description of consultant’s similar experience on projects related to the Scope of Work;

6. Provide three references with current contact information (name, title, email address, and phone #);

7. Identification of specific personnel committed to work on the project, the office locations of this personnel, and a description of their education and experience directly related to the Scope of Work. Provide one to two-page resumes of key staff as an appendix to the proposal;

8. A proposed work plan including:

a. approach to accomplishing the work described in Attachment A;

b. schedule, interim deliverables and milestones;

c. reasons for proposed task additions, modifications, or expansions;

9. A proposed project cost proposal in the format of Exhibit B and B1 to this RFP (not included in the page limit);

10. Any other pertinent information including potential additional services beyond the Scope of Work.

The 2022 Water Resources Management Plan can be found here:

2022 Water Resources Management Plan

Questions shall be received no later than Friday, October 10th, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. EST and should be submitted in writing to Vic Engel (vengel@atlantaregional.org). Pertinent information, including questions and responses, from written questions will be posted on the District website (Request for Proposals and Qualifications - Metropolitan North Georgia Water

Planning District) by Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. EST.

https://northgeorgiawater.org/utilities-board-committees/plans/ mailto:vengel@atlantaregional.org https://northgeorgiawater.org/about/request-for-proposals-and-qualifications/ https://northgeorgiawater.org/about/request-for-proposals-and-qualifications/

2028 Water Resources Management Plan Update

No other direct contact related to this Request for Proposal between prospective consultants and the District staff or Board members is permitted.

The District must receive six (6) printed copies of the proposal, as well as an electronic copy in PDF format emailed to vengel@atlantaregional.org no later than Monday, October 20th, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

EST. The newspaper advertisement for this RFP contains a different deadline. Please note the due date of Monday, October 20th, 2025, is the updated due date. No responses received after this date and time will be considered.

Font size should be a minimum of 11 point.

The delivery package shall be labeled:

2028 Water Resources Management Plan Update RFP

Proposals shall be delivered to the following address:

Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District ATTN: Vic Engel

229 Peachtree Street, NE International Tower Suite 100

Atlanta, GA 30303 vengel@atlantaregional.org mailto:vengel@atlantaregional.org

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

UPDATE OF THE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN

Overview

The purpose of this scope of work is to develop an update to the Water Resources Management Plan (“the Plan”) for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (“the District”) as required under O.C.G.A. §12-5-570 et seq. The District is the entity responsible for watershed and stormwater management, wastewater management, and water supply and conservation management planning within the 15-county metropolitan area which includes Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale Counties. The District is governed by a 26-member Governing Board made of 16 elected officials and 10 citizen members appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House. The District also includes six Basin Advisory Councils (BACs) to provide a forum for stakeholder input and a Technical Coordination Committee (TCC) made up of staff from local governments across the region.

The District last updated and adopted the Plan in 2022. The primary objectives of the 2028 Plan update are listed below:

1) Using the 2022 Plan as a foundation, build on or modify sections that need updating while addressing new requirements as described in this scope of work.

2) Update the Plan consistent with Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) guidance, District Governing Board, TCC and BACs guidance and the scope of work detailed below.

3) Advance the District’s on-going approach to integrated water planning.

4) Update the Plan with the most current data and information covering a wide range of areas including water resources management issues, plant capacities, demand forecasts, etc.

The Plan update will be prepared with involvement of local governments, state agencies, the District’s TCC and BACs, other regional water planning councils and other interested stakeholders. The Plan update will also build upon and be coordinated with existing planning and regulatory activities.

The consultant’s proposal shall:

• identify the steps necessary to update the Plan,

• address the tasks identified within this scope of work,

• recommend interim reports and milestones and provide time in the schedule for review of such reports and milestone materials by the Governing Board, TCC, BACs, the public and District staff as described in each task, and

• provide a schedule broken down by task.

The consultant will be responsible for preparation of the updated data, reports and materials, at the direction of the District Manager, to support the development of the Plan update. The Plan is scheduled

Scope of Work to be adopted by the District’s Governing Board in June 2028 compliant with the State Water Plan, state water rules, and laws.

The Major Areas of Focus for the 2028 Plan Update is included in Appendix A of this RFP to provide background on areas of emphasis for the 2028 Plan Update.

Scope of Work

The following tasks include required activities needed to develop the 2028 Water Resources Management Plan update as well as studies and research that will inform the Plan development. Based on available funding and other considerations, the District reserves the right to remove individual tasks and execute a similar and separate contract for those tasks at a later date.

Task 1 - Meetings / Stakeholder and Public Involvement

The consultant will NOT be expected to attend routine stakeholder meetings of the District Board, TCC, and BACs. However, the consultant should include the cost to attend 25 stakeholder meetings (does not include meetings described in other tasks) as directed by the District Manager. All meetings will take place within the 15-county District region. The cost for periodic project coordination meetings with District staff should be included in project management costs. The District typically hosts approximately seven meetings of the District Board, TCC, and BACs each quarter during the Plan update process.

The District Manager will coordinate meeting announcements, meeting agenda, location and logistics, as well as meeting summaries and press releases, as needed. The consultant will periodically and upon request provide PowerPoint presentations to the District Manager that summarize work in progress and discussion items to solicit feedback on consultant deliverables from stakeholders.

Task 2 - Water Resources Management Plan Digital Documents Update and Distribution of Materials

The consultant will update the existing digital version of the 2022 Water Resources Management Plan, including appendices, and be responsible for final formatting and digital production. The consultant should include the same functionality using hyperlinks and bookmarks as the existing PDF file structure found here: https://northgeorgiawater.org/plans-manuals/.

The consultant will be provided text from District staff and will not be responsible for generating new/updated text, charts, or tables except where specifically indicated in the tasks below. District staff will update, and the consultant will review, the Acronyms and Definitions sections for the Plan. All consultant work products shall use and be consistent with the Acronyms and Definitions section. The consultant will provide a technical reviewer to ensure the Plan reads in a single voice, provides technical detail in language accessible to the public, uses defined terms correctly and consistently, and contains no errors.

All interim reports, milestone materials, drafts and final plans will be delivered to the District Manager and Director in a modifiable digital format to allow printing and posting on the District website and/or distribution via email. The District will print and publish drafts and final plans as needed.

Upon completion of the final Plan, the consultant will update the District Audit spreadsheet that is used by GA EPD to conduct audits of local jurisdiction implementation of Plan action items. The consultant may utilize the current version of the audit spreadsheet as a basis for the updated version or create a new one with similar or improved functionality.

https://northgeorgiawater.org/plans-manuals/

Scope of Work

The consultant shall produce and submit the final project deliverable in the following formats:

1. Microsoft Word Document (.docx) A fully formatted, editable version of the deliverable that includes all textual content, tables, figures, and appendices.

2. Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) A finalized, non-editable version of the deliverable that retains original formatting for formal distribution and archival purposes.

3. AI-Compatible Text Format An additional version of the deliverable shall be provided in a structure optimized for artificial intelligence system ingestion (e.g., OpenAI, language models, and similar platforms).

4. Microsoft Excel Document (.xlsx) An updated and finalized version of the District Audit spreadsheet that, at minimum, has the functionality of the current District Audit spreadsheet.

5. Accessibility Compliance All completed documents must adhere to federal WCAG 2.1 AA standards regarding accessibility.

More information: https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

Task 3 - Regional Water and Wastewater Demand Forecasts

The 2022 Plan included water demand and wastewater flow forecasts for each of the District’s 15 counties by utilizing updated population forecasts while maintaining the per-capita demand rates calculated for the 2017 Plan with minor modifications. For the 2028 Plan, the consultant will undergo a comprehensive update of historical and projected water demands and wastewater flow forecasts for each of the District’s 15 counties similar to the effort completed for the 2017 Plan (see Methodology for the 2017 Plan Section 4 Future Conditions).

Establish Baseline: The consultant will prepare an updated water demand and wastewater flow baseline. The baseline will incorporate the most recent available data on population, withdrawals, and discharges. The baseline will include a high-level accounting starting with water withdrawals, following each major step through the water and wastewater systems (e.g. usage at water plants, imports and exports, non-revenue water, inflow and infiltration), usage by major customer classes, and ending with the relative amounts that are consumptively used and those amounts returned to surface waters of each major basin. The consultant should use as a starting point population data from the US Census Bureau, data collected by EPD through its permitting programs, data submitted by local water providers in their AWWA water loss audit results, and data from the Water Research Foundation’s Residential End Uses of Water, Version 3 (Anticipated in 2025 - Project #5242). Additionally, the consultant will contact each utility in the District to obtain water withdrawal and production data and individual meter data for the period since the last Plan update and through December 2024 (as possible). The consultant will update existing spreadsheets with the obtained meter data to be consistent with the prior Plan update.

Utility contacts and existing data spreadsheets will be provided by the District.

The consultant will update and add to (if necessary) the Tables and Figures in Sections 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 on existing conditions. District staff will provide the first draft of any text changes to Sections 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4, and the consultant will then review the narrative for technical accuracy.

https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/ https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2017-Plan-Section-4-Water-Demand-Forecast-Reference.pdf#page=1 https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2022.12.14-%E2%80%93-2022-Water-Resources-Management-Plan.pdf#page=36

Scope of Work

Water Demand and Wastewater Flow Forecasts by County: The consultant will update county-specific water demand forecasts in 10-year increments through a pre-established planning horizon (target date to be determined) which will be used for treatment capacity planning in Appendix B of the Plan. An extended forecast will also be prepared through 2070. Population and employment projection data from three or more independent sources will be provided to the consultant.

The consultant will update and expand these forecasts in the following capacity:

• Update Tables and Figures in Section 4 of the 2022 Plan (Future Conditions) as well as the Tables and Figures found in Section 4.2 of the 2017 Plan and include these updates in the 2028 Plan,

• Update the top-down and bottom-up approaches described in Figure 4.1 in the 2017 Plan, which breaks down overall water usage by total consumed/billed, by customer category and by indoor and outdoor use,

• Present final water demand forecasts consistent with Section 4.2.2 and Table 4-7 from the 2017 Plan, and

• Perform and incorporate a regional uncertainty analysis on forecasts, including factors like changes in commercial and industrial mix and variations in rainfall and temperature.

The consultant will present the draft baselines and forecasts to each of the 15 counties and the City of Atlanta including all water providers within the county for a minimum of 16 individual meetings. The consultant will also present the draft results to Georgia EPD staff, the Governing Board, and TCC and include a minimum of two additional presentations to be determined. The meetings associated with this task are not included in the stakeholder meetings referenced in prior tasks. The baselines and forecasts may, if necessary, be refined, based on comments provided by meeting participants, prior to publication in the updated Plan.

The consultant will prepare county specific wastewater flow forecasts in 10-year increments through the planning horizon (target date to be determined) which will be used for treatment capacity planning in Appendix B of the Plan. An extended forecast will be prepared through 2070 but given the greater uncertainty inherent in any extended forecast, it will not be used for Appendix B of the Plan. In the development of the wastewater flow forecasts, the consultant will use the indoor water use component of the water demand forecasts consistent with the 2022 Plan but refined for current industry practices. In particular, the consultant will evaluate septic system assumptions used during the 2022 Plan update to determine if any new utility-specific information needs to be updated. The consultant will update and expand the District-wide and county-specific wastewater forecasts, including Tables 4-8, 4-9, and 4-10 from the 2017 Plan.

The consultant and District staff will provide the results of this task to Georgia EPD for incorporation into the Georgia EPD Surface Water Availability Resource Assessment. Results of the Georgia EPD assessment will inform planning strategies for the 2028 Plan update.

Task 4 - Planned Water Supply Sources, Drinking Water Treatment Facilities, and Wastewater Treatment Facilities for the Target Year

The consultant will review and refine the county level summaries of drinking water treatment facilities in Appendix B of the 2022 Plan by soliciting input from local water providers. Brief descriptions of new projects not currently included in Appendix B of the 2022 Plan and substantive modifications to existing projects will be provided for Board review. As appropriate, changes to Appendix B of the Plan should increase the level of specificity for existing, modified, and new projects.

For wastewater facilities, the consultant will use the wastewater flows developed in Task 3 and discuss with local wastewater utilities which plants may be new, expanded, or decommissioned. The consultant https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Appendix-B.pdf#page=1 https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2022.12.14-%E2%80%93-2022-Water-Resources-Management-Plan.pdf#page=63 https://northgeorgiawater.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2017-Plan-Section-4-Water-Demand-Forecast-Reference.pdf#page=4

Scope of Work will use this information to update the summary of future facilities in Appendix B of the Plan.

The draft results of this task will be provided to the District and will be reviewed by Georgia EPD, local water and wastewater providers, and the District Governing Board for comments and revision, if necessary, prior to publication in the Plan.

Task 5 – Regional Biosolids Production Forecasts

The consultant will utilize the updated wastewater forecasts to update the biosolids production forecast presented in Table 4-6 of the 2022 Plan. The baseline production data used for the 2022 Plan effort will be provided to the consultant.

Task 6 - District Stormwater Forecast Update

The consultant will update the 2022 Stormwater Forecast and provide estimates of total potential runoff management volume for four different development scenarios: predevelopment, current, 2040, and the future target date (TBD) for three post-construction stormwater performance standards from the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual Volume 2 (Water Quality, Channel Protection, and Overbank Flood Protection). For the update, the consultant will at minimum use latest National Land Cover Database and Digital Elevation Model data from USGS for Stormwater Forecast input data. The consultant should also investigate opportunities to integrate updated data resources for key Forecast inputs, including NOAA Atlas 15 rainfall depth for Existing and Future Precipitation and the Atlanta Regional Commission's Production Exchange Consumption Allocation System (PECAS) model or other newly available datasets for Future Urbanization.

This is the first update of the Stormwater Forecast. Therefore, the consultant should evaluate the value in keeping elements of the 2022 Stormwater Forecast accessible for comparison with the 2028 Stormwater Forecast. For example, if there is a reason to compare the 2022 Current Condition with the 2028 Current Condition, the consultant should share that recommendation with District staff and propose how to incorporate it. The consultant may also propose other improvements to the Stormwater Forecast. Improvements could relate to functionality or additional data about population growth, future land use patterns (including new development and redevelopment), impervious cover, mix of grey and green stormwater infrastructure, mix of municipally owned and privately owned stormwater infrastructure, and meteorological trends. District staff will make the final decision on which proposed improvements should be incorporated into the 2028 Stormwater Forecast.

The Task 6 project deliverables are a Technical Memorandum about the 2028 Stormwater Forecast Update and a 2028 Stormwater Forecast. These deliverables will be incorporated into the District’s Digital River Basin Profiles and shared as sections within the 2028 Water Resources Management Plan.

The consultant shall produce and submit these deliverables in the following formats:

1. Esri ArcGIS Feature Class and Excel Spreadsheet:

The 2022 Stormwater Forecast was provided to District staff as a GIS Feature Class and Excel

Spreadsheet. The 2028 update will use the same methodologies to produce the updated Feature

Class and Excel Spreadsheet. The GIS Feature Class should be delivered to District staff in a format ready for direct publishing to ArcGIS Online. The consultant should define a comprehensive schema, using coded value domains where necessary. The consultant will ensure attribute field names are meaningful, do not start with a number, and contain only letters, numbers, and underscores up to 30 characters. Attribute field labels (alias) for feature classes will be human readable and any necessary length to readily understand field definitions. Metadata https://opendata.atlantaregional.com/content/6196e4e2547440418008b2d76c92c900/about

Scope of Work will be prepared directly in the feature class and include a Title, Tags, Summary, and Description.

The consultant will create a spreadsheet for attribute field definitions included in the Stormwater

Forecast Feature Class.

2. ArcPy Script Tool and Geoprocessing Package

The 2022 Stormwater Forecast included an ArcPy Script Tool and Geoprocessing Package that automated processes for calculating volumes within an area of interest. The 2028 update will adapt this script and geoprocessing package to utilize the most current tools and functionalities within ArcGIS Pro. A Technical Memorandum containing information on what updates were made shall be provided to support District staff updating the Stormwater Forecast User Guide.

3. Microsoft Word Document:

The Technical Memorandum will be submitted in Word format. This deliverable will include enough information to support District staff updating the Stormwater Forecast Sections of the Water Resources Management Plan.

Task 7 - Aging Infrastructure Forecast

The District seeks to address the long-term management issue of aging buried water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure. The Metro District believes that it is important to address this issue to protect water supplies, enhance quality of life, and to bolster economic competitiveness, and protect natural resources. Through this initiative, the District aims to complete the following four objectives:

1) Use available data to describe the extent, relative age and condition of buried infrastructure by county, city, and/or utility,

2) Estimate the costs of repairs and replacement, including costs associated with inaction

3) Promote best practices related to planning, financing, and completing repair and replacement of aging buried infrastructure, and

4) Raise awareness of the issue among water professionals and leadership throughout the 15-county area.

The consultant will develop an inventory of aging buried infrastructure in the region, utilizing information from a variety of sources including Georgia AWWA Water Loss Audits, Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports, utility capital improvement plans, permit data, and existing District datasets such as the new regional stormwater management infrastructure map data (under development). The consultant may also conduct surveys and apply other methods as needed to collect information. All data sources must be documented and referenced appropriately in the Plan. The inventory will include the following types of information:

• Infrastructure “owners” – a comprehensive list of all local governments and water, sewer, and stormwater utilities and authorities in the region. The District recognizes that water and sewer utilities are typically distinct operations (i.e., local government enterprise funds or authorities), while stormwater operations may fall under the public works or general operations of local governments.

• Extent of infrastructure – inventory of miles of water, sewer, and stormwater pipe by owner o This element might also include associated data points such as number and type of customers, customer connections, etc.

Scope of Work

• Age and condition of infrastructure – to the extent possible, the inventory should include available data or professional estimates of infrastructure age and condition.

o This data might include tracking relevant condition metrics, such as leaks, spills, repairs per mile or frequency of relevant events.

• Location of infrastructure – to the extent practical, the inventory could include general information about infrastructure location and/or adjacent land use types.

The inventory should be as detailed as possible using publicly available utility-specific and/or local government-specific data. All infrastructure data should be correlated with owner information and referenced to geographic boundaries, including municipal area, county, and region. The District does not anticipate the inventory to be at the resolution of utility asset management systems, or utility asset GIS maps.

The consultant will utilize the inventory and a detailed literature review to develop recommendations for replacement strategies (e.g., replace all water pipe that is 70-years or older) and replacement rates (or a range of replacement rates) for water, sewer, and stormwater pipe. This information, in turn, will be used by the consultant to develop 50-year forecasts for capital funding needs. These forecasts will rely on estimates of infrastructure replacement requirements based on the extent of infrastructure, the age and/or condition of the infrastructure, an assumed replacement rate or strategy, and on estimated project costs. Project cost estimates should be based on review of industry literature, case studies, and any readily available project data (e.g., local capital improvement plans, or CIPs).

The consultant will also develop cost estimates associated with inaction related to aging buried infrastructure. This analysis should include analysis and supporting research, with appropriate citations, related to at least:

• Frequency and duration of infrastructure failure events (service disruptions, water pipe breaks, sewer pipe breaks, backups, sewer spills, stormwater system failures and associated flooding), both generally and within the District boundaries as available

• Utility costs to repair different types of infrastructure failures

Indirect costs include, for example: business losses and costs associated with service disruption, economic development costs associated with service disruptions / low customer satisfaction, ecological and loss-of-recreation costs associated with sewer spills or flooding. The estimates of indirect costs associated with aging infrastructure may be qualitative (i.e. descriptive) in nature, relying on published case studies, and the consultant is not expected to undergo formal economic analyses to generate these estimates. Instead, the intent is to provide the information needed raise awareness of the potential magnitude of the costs and scope of impacts related to service disruptions, sewer spills, etc. caused by aging infrastructure.

Lastly, the consultant will develop a detailed inventory of best practices to guide District utilities and local governments in planning, financing, and executing infrastructure repair and replacement. This inventory should build upon prior District plans and provide recommendations for refinement to existing Action Items in Section 5 of the 2028 Plan. The inventory should include best practices in the following areas: asset management, rates & accounting, capital improvement plans (CIP), financing strategies, and customer outreach & education.

Deliverables: The consultant's work will be integrated into the District’s 2028 Plan and will include a detailed report and analysis on each of the tasks referenced above. The final work will serve as a credible, data-

Scope of Work driven call to action for regional leaders and water professionals, emphasizing the commonality of this challenge and the critical importance of a proactive, sustainable approach.

Task 8 – Private Stormwater Systems Guidebook

The consultant will create a Georgia Stormwater Management Guidebook for Residents and Small Businesses (Guidebook) that will be a resource for residents and small businesses to properly address private stormwater infrastructure, stream bank erosion, and flooding problems. The Guidebook should be visually appealing and share concepts from the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual in a simplified, less technical way. This document will provide troubleshooting frameworks, diagnostic tools, and simple engineering solutions for common challenges with private stormwater infrastructure, stream bank erosion, and flooding. The Guidebook should include resources for an individual to:

(1) understand general principles of stormwater runoff,

(2) learn about stormwater management standards and infrastructure,

(3) understand the relationship between municipally owned and private infrastructure,

(4) diagnose localized issues of erosion, drainage, or flooding, and

(5) develop a plan to resolve their issue (i.e., steps to hire a local contractor or present their case at the local government level).

This document should provide a bridge between the knowledge of stormwater professionals, engineers, and local government employees and their residents/ small businesses. The consultant will work with District staff to finalize the topics in the Table of Contents prior to building the content and visuals for the document. The final Guidebook will be shared digitally through the District website and with local jurisdictions, so that they will be able to provide it directly to residents and small businesses experiencing these challenges.

The deliverable for this Task will be entitled “Georgia Stormwater Management Guidebook for Residents and Small Businesses”. The consultant shall produce and submit this deliverable in the following formats:

1. Microsoft Word Document (.docx) A fully formatted, editable version of the deliverable that includes all textual content, tables, figures, and appendices.

2. Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) A finalized, non-editable version of the deliverable that retains original formatting for formal distribution and archival purposes.

3. Accessibility Compliance All completed documents must adhere to federal WCAG 2.1 AA standards regarding accessibility.

More information: https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

Task 9 – River Basin Profile Updates

The consultant will review and modify the functionality of the existing ArcGIS Online StoryMap collection for the River Basin Profiles to streamline the process for updating static charts (e.g., Land Cover Pie Chart) and other data. Streamlining the process will ensure that information can be refreshed more efficiently by

District staff. The consultant will propose and implement solutions that reduce the manual effort required https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/ https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/f60598f6c6b24777a38f40d400ae17b8

Scope of Work for updates, improve the flow of information for the user, and integrate new data sources where feasible.

The Task 9 project deliverables are a modified StoryMap collection and a Technical Memorandum.

1. Esri ArcGIS Online StoryMap:

District staff will grant the consultant access to an editable version of the River Basin Profile

StoryMap collection via an ArcGIS Online group. All modifications will be made directly within this collaborative space.

2. Microsoft Word Document:

The Technical Memorandum will be submitted in Word format. This deliverable will outline the changes made to the StoryMap collection and the new update process for District staff.

Task 10 - Task Order(s)

Benefit-Cost Analyses

As directed by the District Manager through one or more task orders, the consultant will perform a benefit-cost analysis of new and/or expanded action items in the 2028 Plan update. Potential new and/or expanded action items will be identified during the 2028 Plan update stakeholder process. When requested by the District Manager, the consultant will provide a fee estimate for each benefit-cost analysis. Upon approval, the District Manager will execute a written task order to the consultant authorizing work to begin.

The benefit-cost analysis should follow the approved Benefit-Cost Framework for the 2022 Plan Update provided in Appendix B of this RFP.

Water Efficiency, Wastewater, Watershed/Stormwater, and Public Education Action Items Support

The District desires to maintain its status as a national leader in long-term water resources planning, including practices to enhance water use efficiency. Continuing the District’s focus on management practices that protect water quality and improve asset management are key to maintaining strength in the District’s Plan.

The District also desires to:

• Eliminate action items when they are both fully duplicative of federal or state requirements and including them in the Plan provides no meaningful additional benefits, such as improved implementation and enforcement

• Address out of date action items by either updating them to match current best practices or eliminating them once they’ve substantially achieved their intended purposes

Scope of Work

• Evaluate using population or other thresholds for local governments action items to address smaller local governments, their more limited resources, and their relatively minor impact viewed from a regional scale

The District staff will lead the effort to evaluate existing and potential new water resources and public education and outreach action items. District staff will schedule up to four initial meetings (one per subject area) with the selected consultant to discuss water resources and public education action items.

District staff will then prepare an initial evaluation of existing and potential new action items, assign specific work to the consultant to refine the initial evaluation, request specific supporting research, analysis, and reports from the consultant, and make recommendations to the Governing Board, TCC, and BACs.

Through this process, the District Manager will direct the consultant through one or more task orders.

When requested by the District Manager, the consultant will provide a fee estimate for the defined task.

Upon approval, the District Manager will execute a written task order to the consultant authorizing work to begin. The consultant will make experienced staff available upon request with expertise in various subject areas including, but not limited to:

• Conservation rate design best practices, including residential rates, irrigation rates, and rates for other customers classes

• Premise plumbing, efficient plumbing fixtures, appliances, and other end use technologies

• Efficient landscape irrigation system design and operation

• Water waste policies and their implementation

• Water loss and knowledge of AWWA Water Audit process

• Water and wastewater utility master planning

• Water and wastewater asset management

• Wastewater biosolids management

• Wastewater reuse

• Septic management

• Stormwater management practices and design criteria

• Stormwater master planning and condition assessment

• State and/or Federal requirements

• Land use planning measures

• Funding strategies / stormwater utilities

• Public education and outreach best practices

EXHIBIT B

Format for Consultant Cost Proposal - Tasks 1 thru 9 The following format shall be used to develop the total project cost proposal for Tasks 1 thru 9.

The labor rates identified in Exhibit B will be used for the cost basis when developing proposals for Tasks 1 thru 9. Note that the District budget for the 2028 Plan update is $800,000, inclusive of $125,000 reserved for Task 10.

Prime Consultant

1. Direct Labor Estimated Hours Rate/Hour Total Estimated Cost

(List by billing category.)

(List for each) (List for each) (List for each)

TOTAL DIRECT LABOR: $

2. Overhead Cost

(overhead percentage rate) x (total direct labor)

TOTAL OVERHEAD: $

3. Other Direct Costs

(List other items (Printing, etc.) and cost for each)

TOTAL OTHER DIRECT COSTS: $

4. Travel

A. Travel by common carrier from/to the District offices.

(List number of trips and economy class airfare, plus taxi and limousine fares, etc.)

B. Travel by private automobile within District area.

(List number of days x rate)

TOTAL TRAVEL: $

5. Profit

(percentage rate) x (total contract price excluding profit)

TOTAL PROFIT: $

Sub-Consultant (s)

1. Direct Labor Estimated Hours Rate/Hour Total Estimated Cost

(List by billing category.)

(List for each) (List for each) (List for each)

TOTAL DIRECT LABOR: $

2. Overhead Cost

(overhead percentage rate) x (total direct labor)

TOTAL OVERHEAD: $

3. Other Direct Costs

(List other items (Printing, etc.) and cost for each)

TOTAL OTHER DIRECT COSTS: $

4. Travel

A. Travel by common carrier from/to the District offices.

(List number of trips and economy class airfare, plus taxi and limousine fares, etc.)

B. Travel by private automobile within District area.

(List number of days x rate)

TOTAL TRAVEL: $

5. Profit

(percentage rate) x (total contract price excluding profit)

TOTAL PROFIT: $

TOTAL COST AND PROFIT – TASKS 1-10: $

EXHIBIT B-1

BUDGET BY TASK

The consultant shall provide the lump-sum cost for each Task totaling the lump sum for the project identified in Exhibit B. The costs for Tasks 1 to 9 will be considered as preliminary and actual costs may vary following contract award so long as the total contract value does not increase. The District has included a budget for Task Orders that will be reserved for execution on an as- needed basis.

Task Item Budget ($)

Task 1 - Meetings / Stakeholder and Public Involvement $80,000

Task 2 - Water Resources Management Plan Digital Documents Update and Distribution of Materials $35,000

Task 3 - Regional Water and Wastewater Demand Forecasts $220,000

Task 4 - Planned Water Supply Sources, Drinking Water Treatment Facilities, and Wastewater Treatment Facilities for the Target Year $40,000

Task 5 – Regional Biosolids Production Forecasts $20,000

Task 6 - District Stormwater Forecast Update $75,000

Task 7 – Aging Infrastructure Forecast $80,000

Task 8 – Private Stormwater Systems Guide $125,000

Task 9 – River Basin Profile Updates $25,000

Total for Tasks 1-9 (total should match Exhibit B) $700,000

Task 10 – Task Order(s)

Benefit-Cost Analyses - Total Not to Exceed $25,000

Water Efficiency, Wastewater, Watershed/Stormwater, and Public Education Action Items Support – Total Not to Exceed $100,000

Total Project Cost $825,000

APPENDIX A

Major Areas of Focus for 2028 Plan Update - Staff Recommendations

District staff have prepared the following list of major areas of focus for the 2028 Water Management Plan Update based on lessons learned through the Technical Assistance Program, data collection and analysis, and feedback from stakeholders. These areas of focus are intended to be high-level and conceptual so that they can guide more detailed analysis and day-to-day decision making by staff once the Plan update process begins.

General

• Updating the existing facilities and conditions and future conditions sections of the plan using the same basic methodology as the 2028 Plan Update

• Elevate aging infrastructure as a long-term management challenge using available data and estimate the cost of repair and replacement needs for the region over the planning horizon

• Including a cost-benefit analysis in accordance with the Board-approved framework

• Eliminating or enhancing Action Items when they are both fully duplicative of federal or state requirements and including them in the plan provides no meaningful additional benefits, such as improved implementation and enforcement

• Evaluating Action Items by either updating them to match current best practices or eliminating them once they have substantially achieved their intended purposes

• Continuing to build on and coordinate with the State Water Plan and the Regional Water Plans of Regional Water Planning Councils

Water Supply and Water Conservation

• Evaluating the region’s per-capita water use calculations

• Reviews areas of opportunity to improve our region’s drought resilience, maintain our national leadership, and uphold our good water stewardship by continuing to identify advancements in technology and policy considerations when modifying or developing new Action Items

Wastewater

• A summary of the current and forecasted wastewater biosolids production within the region

• Evaluate existing asset management Action Items and consider whether improvements are needed to address aging infrastructure challenges

• Continue to advance septic education opportunities as a proactive measure for improving water quality through proper septic management

Watershed

• Evaluate Watershed Action Items to emphasize the link between land use, stormwater infrastructure and watershed health by balancing asset and resource management

• Evaluate Watershed Action Items that contain model ordinances (Watershed 1, and 3-6), to consider adding guidance, tools or training to enhance comprehension and implementation

• Update the River Basin Profiles and digital River Basin Profiles to incorporate new data and enhance functionality as needed

Public Education and Outreach

• Enhance public education messaging and materials to include the importance of aging infrastructure investment, best practices for septic system management, and helping the public understand the division of responsibility for water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure repair

• Amplify leak detection-related outreach, messaging, and materials, and ensure coordination with regional drought resiliency efforts.

• Increasing engagement on proper disposal methods for FOG and “flushable” wipes to improve the function and longevity of septic and sanitary sewer systems

APPENDIX B

Cost‐Benefit Framework for the 2028 Plan Update

Consideration of all new / expanded action items in the 2028 Plan update will include a benefit-cost analysis whenever reasonably possible, using the framework described below. This framework was approved by the District Governing Board in 2019. Potential new and expanded action items will be identified at the beginning of the 2028 Plan update process by the District Board, District staff, hired consultant, the TCCs, the BACs, and other interested stakeholders, and the action items subject to this cost‐benefit analysis will be selected. As the cost benefit analyses are performed, the details of such analyses and the results will be presented for review, comment, and direction to the District Board, the technical coordinating committees, the basin advisory councils, and other stakeholders.

The cost‐benefit analysis should account for the following concepts:

1. Monetary benefits and costs to utilities and customers measured in dollars

2. Benefits and costs measured incrementally

3. Benefits and costs measured over period that matches either (a) the planning horizon (target date TBD) for long‐term structural changes or (b) a multi‐year period of abnormally dry weather and drought for any action items intended to address these episodic challenges

4. The time value of money

5. Data and assumptions clearly stated with sources cited

6. Non‐monetary benefits and costs to society at large and the environment ranked on a scale

7. Reasonable and supportable estimates are acceptable when actual data are unavailable

8. Balance between available District funding, available data, and additional efforts to improve accuracy of benefit-cost analysis.

For new action items that are under consideration, the benefit-cost analysis will be used as a decision factor for inclusion of these action items in the 2028 Plan. Evaluation of these action items will use average incremental costs and benefits or the District as a whole.

Additionally, and subject to available District funding, for new action items that may result in varying levels of local effort (e.g. rebate programs) a benefit-cost tool will be made available to each utility upon Plan adoption for their optional use in determining the appropriate level of effort using local incremental cost and benefit data.

A benefit-cost analysis will not be required for (1) new and enhanced data collection and studies included in the 2028 Plan update with the intent of informing future action items and planning in 2028 and beyond or (2) minor updates and corrections to action items to account for the passage of time, the availability of new information resources, or to conform to updated laws and practices.