RFI for Wetlands and Waterways Mitigation Banking Availability - Final.pdf

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Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)

Request for Information (RFI)

Wetlands and Waterways Mitigation

Banking Availability

RFI No. BPM 055294 or MDTA-BCST2-MB-RFI001

Issue Date: 2/9/26

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Table of Contents

RFI KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET…………………………………….. 3

SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION…………………………………………. 4

1.1 Summary Statement…………………………………………………… 4

1.2 Questions…………………………………………………………………….. 4

1.3 Public Information Act Notice………………………………………………. 4

1.4 Revisions to the RFI…………………………………………………………. 5

1.5 Incurred Expenses……………………………………………………………. 5

1.6 Conflict of Interest…………………………………………………………… 5

SECTION 2 – SCOPE………………………………………………………………………… 6

2.1 Background and Purpose……………………………………………………. 6

SECTION 3 – RESPONSE FORMAT………………………………………………………. 8

3.1 Submission and Delivery…………………………………………………… 8

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STATE OF MARYLAND

Maryland Transportation Authority

RFI KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

RFI Title: Wetlands and Waterways Mitigation Banking Availability

RFI Number: BPM 055294

MDTA-BCST2-MB-RFI001

RFI Issue Date: February 9, 2026

Question Due Date and Time: February 18, 2026 @ 4:00 pm EST

RFI Due Date and Time: March 11, 2026 @ 2:00 pm EST RFI Issuing Agency: Maryland Transportation Authority Point of Contact: Abigail Alam

Procurement Officer Maryland Transportation Authority Division of Procurement

Email address: mdtaprocurement@mdta.state.md.us with a copy to aalam2@mdta.state.md.us

Send Questions and Response (email only, not to exceed 8MB) to:

mdtaprocurement@mdta.state.md.us with a copy to aalam2@mdta.state.md.us

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mailto:aalam2@mdta.state.md.us

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SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1. Summary Statement

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is conducting environmental analyses, engineering studies, and related activities to support the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (Tier 2 Study). Information on the Tier 2 Study can be found at https://www.baycrossingstudy.com/. As part of the Tier 2 Study, the MDTA is evaluating mitigation opportunities to offset impacts to wetlands and waterways, including non-tidal and tidal systems.

The State Highway Administration (SHA) is conducting environmental analyses, engineering studies, and related activities to support various highway projects in District 5. Information on the SHA Projects can be found at https://mdot-sha-project-portal-maryland.hub.arcgis.com/. The SHA is evaluating mitigation opportunities to offset impacts to non-tidal wetlands and waterways.

The mitigation sought by the MDTA and the SHA needs to meet the requirements of the US Army Corps of Engineers – Baltimore District and the Maryland Department of the Environment. The MDTA and the SHA are soliciting information on mitigation bank credit availability on or about calendar year 2030 that would satisfy permitting requirements. The MDTA will coordinate the RFI for administrative purposes and share the responses provided with the SHA. No award will be made in response to this RFI.

NOTE: The MDTA and the SHA are seeking information only. Should the MDTA or the SHA decide to move forward with these services, a formal solicitation will be issued.

For additional study details, please visit our website at www.baycrossingstudy.com.

1.2. Questions

All questions shall be submitted via e-mail to the Point of Contact no later than the date and time indicated in the Key Information Summary Sheet. Please identify the RFI Number and Title in the subject line. Answers to all questions that are not clearly specific only to the requestor will be distributed to all entities who are known to have received a copy of the RFI.

1.3. Public Information Act Notice

A Participant should give specific attention to the clear identification of those portions of its Response that it considers confidential and/or proprietary commercial information or trade secrets, and provide justification why such materials, upon request, should not be disclosed by the State under the Public Information Act, MD Code Annotated, General Provisions Article, Title 4. (Also, see RFI Section 3.1 “Submission and Delivery.”) This confidential and/or proprietary information should be identified by page and section number and placed after the Title Page and before the Table of Contents in the Response. Participants are advised that, upon https://www.baycrossingstudy.com/ https://mdot-sha-project-portal-maryland.hub.arcgis.com/

5 | P a g e request for information from a third party, the Point of Contact is required to make an independent determination whether the information must be disclosed.

1.4. Revisions to the RFI

If it becomes necessary to revise the RFI before the due date for Responses, the MDTA shall provide addenda to all prospective Participants that were sent this RFI or which are otherwise known by the Point of Contact to have obtained this RFI. In addition, addenda to the RFI will be posted on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). It remains the responsibility of all Participants to check eMMA for any addenda issued prior to the submission of Responses.

1.5. Incurred Expenses

The MDTA will not be responsible for any costs incurred by any participant in preparing and submitting a Response to this RFI, in providing a demonstration, or in performing any other activities related to submitting a Response to this RFI.

1.6. Conflict of Interest

General Provisions Article, § 13-212.1 (b) (2) provides a safe harbor for the submission of “written or oral comments on a specification prepared by an agency or on a solicitation for a bid or proposal when comments are solicited from two or more persons as part of a request for information or a pre-bid or pre-proposal process” such that submitting a Response to this RFI will not preclude a participant from participating in a subsequent solicitation.

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SECTION 2 – SCOPE

2.1. Background and Purpose

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has evaluated alternatives to meet the purpose and need of the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 2 NEPA (Tier 2 Study). The MDTA is proposing a Recommended Preferred Alternative in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The State Highway Administration (SHA) is evaluating the environmental impacts of various highway projects. The MDTA and the SHA are investigating means and methods to provide mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts to tidal and non-tidal wetlands and waterways.

The MDTA and the SHA are seeking information on incumbent and potential mitigation banks that could provide mitigation credit for the anticipated required mitigation listed in Attachment 1.

The MDTA anticipates the approximate wetland and waterway impacts and mitigation requirements as described in Attachment 1. Information is requested from vendors that have expertise and demonstrated experience in mitigation bank solutions that address needs across various wetland and waterway environments, including establishing an umbrella mitigation banking instrument (UMBI) or a mitigation bank.

The MDTA is seeking information from the industry on the following questions:

1. What relevant qualifications and experience does your team have in designing, developing, delivering, operating, and maintaining wetland and waterway mitigation banks? Please include the bank name, bank location, bank service area(s), and bank representative contact information.

2. What existing banks would include the Tier 2 Study needs in the service area? Indicate primary and secondary service areas.

3. Do you envision reasonable opportunities to create additional bank credits, either at new or existing banks? Please describe:

a. County

b. Watershed(s) of primary and secondary service areas

c. Conceptual mitigation type and credit quantity

d. Conceptual schedule for bank credit establishment

4. Is your team in the process of developing or expanding a bank that would have a service area to include the Tier 2 Study needs? Please describe:

a. County

b. Watershed(s) of primary and secondary service areas

c. Conceptual mitigation type and credit quantity

d. Conceptual schedule for bank credit establishment

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5. Do you anticipate regulatory changes that would make mitigation banking easier or harder in the near future? If so, how would you expect the changes to affect the balance between permittee responsible mitigation and mitigation banking?

6. What are potential procurement options for mitigation similar to the needs of the Tier 2 Study?

a. Are there sufficient financing structures available to fund banks that would meet the needs of the Tier 2 Study?

b. Are there potential opportunities for public-private partnerships?

c. Please provide any comments on other creative mitigation banking ideas, procurement or financing options, technical considerations, etc. that the MDTA should consider.

7. If the MDTA decides to proceed with an RFP, would the respondent be interested in submitting a proposal? Are there any concerns that may prevent the respondent from submitting a proposal? How could these concerns be resolved?

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SECTION 3 – RESPONSE FORMAT

3.1. Submission and Delivery

Submit information consisting of answers to the questions and proposed solutions from Section 2.1 via EMAIL: http://mdtaprocurement@mdta.state.md.us and aalam2@mdta.state.md.us on or before 2:00p.m. ET on March 11, 2026. Additionally, include anticipated or current schedules for mitigation bank that are available via your firm’s website or freely distributed to potential clients (public information).

Responses should be submitted in PDF format via email. Responses should not be more than 20 pages long (this includes attachments/exhibits/drawings), single space, 1” margins and 12

pt. Times New Roman font size. It is preferred that all information be contained in a single PDF document; however, the email cannot exceed 8MB in size. If necessary, the submission may be split between multiple emails and labeled Part 1, Part 2, etc.

The Response should include the following:

• Company’s name, address, and contact person

• Responses to questions 1 through 7 of Section 2.1 http://mdtaprocurement@mdta.state.md.us

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ATTACHMENT 1 – MITIGATION BANK REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

ANTICIPATED MITIGATION NEEDS

Non-Tidal Wetland Mitigation Needs by MDE 8-Digit Watershed MDE Watershed PFO PSS PEM

Impact

(AC)

Ratio Mitigation Need

Impact

(AC)

Ratio Mitigation Need

Impact

(AC)

Ratio Mitigation Need

Severn River (021310) 3.49

2:1

6.97 0.003

2:1

0.01 0.35

1:1

0.35 Kent Island Bay

(021305) -- -- -- -- 0.49 0.49

Eastern Bay (021305) 0.29 0.57 -- -- 0.00004 0.0001 Patapsco (021309) 1.10 2.20 -- -- -- -- Patuxent (021311) 1.35 2.70 -- -- -- --

TOTAL 6.22 12.45 0.003 0.01 0.84 0.84

Tidal Wetland Mitigation Needs by MDE 8-Digit Watershed

MDE Watershed

E2FO/SS E2EM

Impact

(AC)

Ratio Mitigation

Need Impact

(AC)

Ratio

Mitigation Need

Severn River (021310) 0.03

2:1

0.06 0.84

2:1

1.67

Kent Island Bay (021305) -- -- 1.19 2.37

Eastern Bay (021305) -- -- 0.05 0.11

Patapsco (021309) -- -- -- --

Patuxent (021311) -- -- -- --

TOTAL 0.03 0.06 2.08 4.15

Non-Tidal Stream Mitigation Needs by MDE 8-Digit Watershed

MDE Watershed

Intermittent Perennial

Impact

(LF)

Ratio Mitigation Need (FF)

Impact

(LF)

Ratio Mitigation Need (FF)

Severn River (021310) 400

1.5

178 250

1.5

Kent Island Bay (021305) -- -- -- --

Eastern Bay (021305) -- -- -- --

Patuxent (021311) 1500 900

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TOTAL 400 178 1750 1047

Other Tidal Mitigation Needs by MDE 8-Digit Watershed (LOD v4)

MDE 8-Digit Watershed

Open Water Natural Oyster Bars

Impact

(AC)

Ratio Mitigation

Need Impact

(AC)

Ratio

Mitigation Need

Severn River (02131002) 1.67

2:1*

3.33 --

3:1

Kent Island Bay (02130511) 5.01 10.03 -- --

Eastern Bay (02130501) 0.54 1.07 0.56 1.6731

Lower Chesapeake Bay (02139998) 127.28 254.56 9.55 28.64453

Patuxent (021311) 0.02 0.04

TOTAL 134.51 269.03 10.11 30.32

THIS IS THE END OF THE RFI DOCUMENT

RFI KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET