RFP Informal Mgmt and Oversight of EAHCP Implementation Permits.pdf

EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

for

MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF EDWARDS

AQUIFER HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN

IMPLEMENTATION PERMITS

RFP Release Date: Friday, November 1, 2024

Proposal Due Date: Friday, November 15, 2024, 3:00 PM Central Time

Proposal Submission: Electronic via BidNet Direct

The EAA will accept electronic submissions of proposals as follows:

The EAA partnered with the Texas Purchasing Group for receipt of electronic proposals via BidNet Direct (BidNet). Please register on BidNet to access the proposal request and to submit required documents:

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/texas/edwardsaquiferauthority

PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

SCOPE OF WORK

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to provide technical assistance of regulatory permits necessary for the implementation of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP), with an option to renew for 3 additional years. Several of the EAHCP conservation measures occur in or around the Comal and/or San Marcos rivers. Work in these areas require permits by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Historical Commission, and others. The following tasks are required as part of this project.

II. BACKGROUND

The Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan defines how we protect federally listed species that live in the Edwards Aquifer and the Comal and San Marcos springs. Our program’s Incidental Take Permit was granted to the Edwards Aquifer Authority, City of San Marcos, City of New Braunfels, Texas State University, and the City of San Antonio acting by and through the San Antonio Water System (collectively known as the EAHCP Permittees) to protect federally listed species from specific activities, Covered Activities, like groundwater pumping.

Organization and Description of Tasks

This regulatory permitting contract is divided into three distinct tasks. The Successful Offeror will meet with EAHCP staff before the start of the project to discuss each task.

Task 1: Technical Assistance and Support

The Successful Offeror will provide technical assistance and support to EAA staff, as requested. This includes, but is not limited to, phone consultation, attending EAHCP Committee meetings, monitoring consistent with permit requirements, attending special meetings, performing on-site evaluations, attending and potentially coordinate permitting information to city staff or at city council meetings, and drafting written correspondence to regulatory agencies, as requested.

Task 2: Existing Permit Review and Tracking Matrix

The Successful Offeror will utilize a permit tracking matrix prepared for current and future EAHCP projects and identify which regulatory permits are needed for implementation for each individual mitigation project based on annual EAHCP Work Plans.

The Successful Offeror will maintain and update a permit/commitment program tracking matrix that may consist of the following fields for all city, state, and federal permits required to implement projects and conservation measures:

a) Mitigation Project

b) Required Regulatory Permits

c) Status of existing permits or identification of needed permits

d) Commitment type (i.e., permit, approval, commitment to agency, etc.)

e) Permit renewal and expiration dates

f) Responsible entity

g) Implementation Status

h) Variance from original plan & anticipated outcome

i) Reporting requirements

j) Action items and compliance notes

k) Activities Covered

The Successful Offeror will meet with EAA staff, City of New Braunfels staff, and City of San Marcos staff as needed, or as the budget will allow, to review and populate/update the permit draft matrix.

Task 3: Prioritization and Recommendations

The Successful Offeror will establish priorities and document tasks for near-term action items related to permit compliance based on annual EAHCP Work Plans. The Successful Offeror will review annual EAHCP Work Plans after they are approved by EAHCP Committees, in May of the year before implementation, and provide recommendations for continued and future permit compliance.

The Successful Offeror will evaluate all the existing permits (i.e., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Historical Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Agriculture, and other state or federal permits) currently held by the EAHCP Permittees (EAA, City of San Marcos, Texas State University, and City of New Braunfels) related to implementation of the USFWS Incidental Take Permit (No.TE63663A-1) conservation measures and make recommendations on current needs for ongoing projects as well as additional permits that may have expired or are still needed.

III. DEADLINES

All deliverables must be completed and distributed by December 31, 2025.

IV. PROPOSAL RESPONSES

The EAA will accept electronic submissions of proposals as follows:

The EAA partnered with the Texas Purchasing Group for receipt of electronic proposals via BidNet Direct (BidNet). Please register on BidNet to access the proposal request and to submit required documents:

(https://www.bidnetdirect.com/texas/edwardsaquiferauthority)

Interested offerors should respond to this scope of work electronically by Friday, November 15, 2024, 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

V. PROPOSAL FORMAT

A cover letter with the total cost estimate, by task, should be sent with a proposal outlining work that will be performed to achieve these deliverables, estimated time to complete each task, descriptions of the Offeror’s staff qualifications that will work on the project (previous project experience must have been completed in the past 5 years to be considered), and a rate schedule indicating the hourly billable rate for each staff position involved with the project.

VI. SELECTION PROCESS AND SCORING CRITERIA

The selection process will include the following steps:

1. Receipt of proposals.

2. Review of proposals submitted.

3. Evaluation of proposals and ranking of Offerors - EAA staff shall review all information available from the selection process and rank the Offerors.

4. Contract Award - The EAA will award the contract to the Offeror whose proposal is the most advantageous to the EAA and which will result in the most economical provision of these required services to the EAA.

Selection will be based on the following criteria which are listed in order of importance:

1. Commercial Quality (60 points)

1. Satisfactory response to terms and conditions

2. Experience with similar programs

3. Proposal quality

4. Customer references and satisfaction of existing customers

2. Cost Factors (30 points)

1. Total cost

2. Additional costs

3. Schedule (10 points)

1. Ability to meet all deliverables by the overall deadline