RFP MS4 2026.docx

TOWN OF PLAINFIELD | REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

TOWN OF PLAINFIELD

MS4 Stormwater GIS Data Development Screening and Reporting Services

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP NUMBER FIN-260914

SEALED PROPOSAL DO NOT OPEN

MS4 Stormwater GIS Data Development Screening and Reporting Services

Invitation to Propose The Town of Plainfield invites proposals from qualified civil/environmental engineering and geographic information system consultants to develop and standardize the Town’s municipal separate storm sewer system data and to perform required outfall screening, monitoring, documentation, and annual reporting support under Connecticut’s MS4 program.

The work is divided into two sections so the Town can evaluate price and qualifications transparently and authorize work within available funding. Respondents shall price each section separately and provide a combined price. The Town may award both sections to one consultant, award sections separately, phase or reduce tasks, or make no award.

Sealed proposals must be received by the Finance Department at the address and deadline shown on the cover. Late proposals will not be considered. Proposals may not be withdrawn for sixty days after opening.

The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive nonmaterial informalities, request clarification, negotiate a final scope and fee, and select the responsible respondent whose proposal offers the best value and is in the Town’s best interest. Price is the largest evaluation factor, but award will not be based on price alone.

Project Background Plainfield is a regulated Connecticut MS4 municipality. The Town has existing stormwater GIS data collected in approximately 2020, including about 1,255 mapped structures and 661 pipe segments representing approximately 162,418 linear feet of pipe. The existing data provide a useful starting point, but review identified incomplete geographic coverage, limited attribution, missing or unclear outfall features, continuous pipe lines that are not segmented at structure nodes, and incomplete identification of interconnections and receiving waters.

Priority receiving waters include the Quinebaug River, Ekonk Brook, and Moosup River and their applicable impaired subregional basins. The selected consultant shall confirm all current impairment, pollutant-of-concern, urban area, watershed, and permit information at project initiation and throughout the contract.

Connecticut MS4 Regulatory Requirements All services and deliverables shall comply with the General Permit for the Discharge of Stormwater from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, State Permit GSM000000 and Federal Permit CTR030000, issued September 29, 2023 and effective October 1, 2023, as administratively extended effective October 1, 2025, and with any successor permit, modification, DEEP annual report form, guidance, or deadline that becomes effective during the contract.

Maintain and support implementation of the Town’s Stormwater Management Plan and the six minimum control measures applicable to this scope.

Prepare the complete draft annual report early enough for the Town to make it publicly available at least 45 days before filing, provide a minimum 30-day comment period, and publish the required annual public notice no later than January 31, unless a successor permit changes these requirements.

Provide a final, review-ready annual report and supporting files for the Town’s authorized signatory so the Town can submit electronically to DEEP by April 1 for the preceding calendar year. The consultant shall not sign for the Town.

Maintain permit records and provide them to the Town in an organized electronic format suitable for the permit’s record-retention period, currently at least five years following permit expiration.

Apply the mapping, impaired-waters monitoring, illicit discharge detection and elimination, dry-weather screening, sampling, laboratory, documentation, and follow-up requirements in the permit and Appendix B.

Track permit renewal and advise the Town promptly of changes that affect scope, schedule, data structure, sampling, or reporting.

Contract Structure and Term The Town anticipates a multi-year program because data completion, field verification, screening, sampling, and follow-up will depend on the number and condition of assets and available annual appropriations. Respondents shall propose an initial term of one year with up to three one-year renewals by mutual written agreement, subject to satisfactory performance, continuing need, and annual appropriation. The Town may issue written task authorizations and is not obligated to expend the full contract ceiling.

Scope of Services Section 1 Data Development and GIS Integration The consultant shall create a complete, maintainable, GIS-integrated stormwater asset and compliance dataset that supports field operations, permit compliance, annual reporting, and future updates. The consultant shall use the Town’s existing GIS and coordinate with Town staff and the Town’s GIS provider. Any proposed hosted platform must integrate with, export to, and avoid vendor lock-in with the Town’s GIS environment.

Project initiation and data audit. Conduct a kickoff meeting; inventory existing Town GIS layers, scanned plans, as-builts, prior sampling records, reports, and relevant DEEP and CTDOT data; document coordinate systems, schemas, data quality, gaps, and recommended priorities.

Data model and standards. Propose and obtain Town approval of a commonly used, open, Esri-compatible geodatabase schema, domains, unique identifiers, metadata, naming conventions, quality-control rules, and update procedures.

Existing data standardization. Clean, normalize, and migrate current structures and pipe data; parse dimensions and materials from notes into fields; remove or flag duplicates; preserve source and confidence information; and segment pipes at structure nodes while retaining correct connectivity and flow direction.

Desktop data development. Digitize available sewer, drainage, road, subdivision, record, and scanned plans; review current aerial imagery; identify apparent missing catch basins, culverts, conveyances, structures, treatment systems, and outfalls; and flag features requiring field verification.

Outfall and interconnection inventory. Identify and map Town outfalls and interconnections with CTDOT, adjoining municipalities, institutions, private systems, and other known stormwater systems. Each feature shall have a unique identifier and relationship to its upstream catchment and downstream receiving water.

Field verification and collection. Perform targeted GPS-enabled field work, beginning with impaired waters, urban areas, high impervious cover, and other priority catchments. Record field observations and photographs in real time and document horizontal accuracy and collection method.

Catchments and receiving waters. Delineate or associate outfall catchments to the extent feasible; assign receiving-water name and identifier, watershed or subregional basin, impairment status, pollutant of concern, TMDL status, and priority category.

Dashboard and field tools. Configure a Town-accessible dashboard and mobile field forms that track mapped assets, data completeness, outfalls screened, samples, results, follow-up investigations, annual monitoring, and reporting status. User permissions and editing workflows shall be documented.

Quality assurance and handoff. Conduct topology, connectivity, completeness, attribution, and positional checks; provide a data-gap and priority map; deliver all data, attachments, photographs, forms, dashboards, configurations, metadata, and documentation; and train designated Town staff.

Minimum GIS Data Elements

Section 1 Deliverables Data audit, gap assessment, approved data model, quality-control plan, and prioritized work plan.

Updated GIS layers and geodatabase in native editable and open export formats, with metadata and data dictionary.

Web map, dashboard, and mobile field collection tools integrated with or interoperable with the Town’s GIS.

Priority maps for impaired waters and screening; field verification records; photo attachments; and source documentation.

Quarterly progress summaries showing quantities reviewed, added, verified, corrected, and remaining.

Final data-quality memorandum, staff training, administrative credentials, and complete data/configuration handoff.

Section 2 Outfall Screening Monitoring and Reporting The consultant shall plan and conduct permit-compliant outfall screening and monitoring, investigate suspected illicit discharges within the authorized scope, maintain defensible records, and prepare annual reporting materials. The annual work plan shall use the Section 1 data and shall be approved by the Town before field work begins.

Annual screening and monitoring plan. Confirm applicable impaired waters and pollutants of concern; prioritize outfalls and catchments; identify the six highest contributors or all qualifying outfalls if fewer than six, as required; specify wet- and dry-weather events, parameters, laboratory methods, QA/QC, staffing, safety, access, and estimated quantities.

Field verification. Confirm coordinates and physical attributes with a GIS-enabled collection device; photograph the outfall; record condition, receiving water, accessibility, observed flow, and visual or olfactory evidence of an illicit discharge.

Dry-weather screening. Screen only under permit-compliant dry-weather conditions, currently no more than 0.1 inch of rainfall in the prior 24 hours and no significant snowmelt. If flow is observed, collect and analyze samples for required parameters, including ammonia, surfactants, chlorine, conductivity, salinity, E. coli, and any parameters required by the permit or conditions. If evidence exists without flow, schedule a practicable revisit within one week and coordinate with the Town.

Impaired-water and prioritized monitoring. Sample outfalls discharging to impaired waters for applicable pollutants of concern and conduct annual monitoring of prioritized outfalls in accordance with the permit. Observe wet-weather antecedent and event requirements and record rainfall and event timing.

Sampling and laboratory coordination. Develop sample IDs and chain of custody; preserve, cool, transport, and deliver samples within holding times; use appropriate field instruments and a Connecticut-approved or otherwise permit-compliant laboratory; and ensure laboratory analyses follow 40 CFR Part 136 methods and Connecticut Reasonable Confidence Protocols unless the permit specifies otherwise.

Results review and follow-up. Review field and laboratory results promptly; flag exceedances, suspected illicit discharges, sanitary sewer overflows, unusual conditions, and incomplete data; maintain a running follow-up list; recommend catchment investigation and source-isolation steps; and immediately notify the Town of conditions requiring urgent action.

Progress communication. Provide weekly field summaries during active screening and monthly or task-based status reports showing outfalls attempted and completed, samples collected, results pending, follow-up needs, budget status, and schedule risks.

Annual report support. Populate the current DEEP annual report template and all supporting tables for this scope; report outfalls screened, follow-up investigations, drainage-area or catchment progress, control measures, prioritized outfalls, monitoring results, IDDE activities, and other required data; address Town comments and public comments; and provide a final electronic submission package.

Records and GIS update. Attach observations, photographs, sampling records, laboratory reports, chain-of-custody forms, follow-up actions, and resolution status to the GIS or linked document repository and deliver complete editable files to the Town.

Section 2 Deliverables and Schedule

Town Responsibilities and Assumptions Provide reasonably available existing GIS data, plans, reports, records, and Town contacts.

Coordinate reasonable access to Town property and assist with external access where needed. The consultant remains responsible for identifying access needs in advance.

Review deliverables and provide consolidated comments. The Town retains responsibility for permit certification and official submission.

Authorize annual tasks and funding in writing. No quantity of assets, samples, laboratory analyses, or follow-up investigations is guaranteed.

Laboratory costs, hosted software subscriptions, travel, equipment, and reimbursable expenses shall be clearly identified as included or separately priced. No unapproved expense will be reimbursed.

Data Ownership Integration and Security All Town data and project deliverables are works produced for the Town and shall be owned by the Town upon payment. The consultant may retain archival copies subject to confidentiality and law.

The Town shall receive complete, current, editable data and configuration files without proprietary export restrictions. The proposal shall identify every required license, subscription, storage charge, user limit, API dependency, and renewal cost.

Solutions shall support standard GIS services and formats, including Esri file geodatabase and hosted feature services where applicable, and common open formats such as GeoPackage, shapefile, CSV, PDF, JPEG, and documented REST services or equivalent.

The consultant shall protect credentials and nonpublic infrastructure information, use role-based access where hosted tools are proposed, disclose hosting and backup practices, and notify the Town promptly of any security incident involving Town data.

At expiration or termination, the consultant shall provide a complete export and reasonable transition assistance. Town access may not be conditioned on continued purchase of a proprietary platform.

Proposal Requirements Organize the proposal in the order below. Keep narrative concise and place supporting material in clearly labeled appendices.

1. Transmittal letter signed by an authorized representative; primary contact; legal business name and address; acceptance of RFP terms; and identification of all exceptions.

Executive summary stating whether the respondent proposes on Section 1, Section 2, or both and describing the value offered to the Town.

Technical approach and phased work plan for each proposed section, including assumptions, methods, QA/QC, integration, deliverables, schedule, and how annual permit changes will be addressed.

Project team organization, project manager, key personnel, professional licenses and certifications, roles, availability, and resumes. Identify subcontractors and laboratories.

Relevant experience with at least three comparable municipal MS4, stormwater GIS, IDDE, outfall screening, monitoring, and Connecticut DEEP reporting projects. Identify which proposed staff performed the work.

At least three client references with organization, contact name, title, phone, email, scope, contract value, and completion dates.

GIS and technology description, including supported platforms, integration method, data formats, mobile/offline capability, dashboards, hosting, security, licenses, subscriptions, data export, and transition plan.

Detailed schedule and staffing capacity, including ability to meet the January public-review preparation and April 1 annual report deadline.

Completed Price Proposal and Rate Schedule. Place pricing in a separate sealed envelope inside the proposal package marked Price Proposal.

Evidence of good standing to do business in Connecticut, disclosure of litigation or enforcement relevant to performance, and completed non-collusion and authorization certifications.

Insurance statement confirming ability to meet the requirements. The certificate and endorsements are required only from the selected consultant before work begins.

Pricing Instructions Provide a not-to-exceed price for each section and task, a combined price, and hourly rates. The evaluated price will be the total price for the Town’s stated evaluation scenario below. Prices shall include labor, project management, travel, equipment, software configuration, data processing, quality control, meetings, training, overhead, profit, and all other costs except separately itemized laboratory unit prices and optional hosted subscriptions. Clearly state all assumptions and estimated quantities.

For evaluation only, respondents shall price the baseline scenario shown on the Price Proposal Form. The scenario is not a guarantee of quantities. Final quantities and annual task authorizations will be negotiated based on available funding and verified field conditions.

Evaluation and Award A Town evaluation committee will first determine responsiveness and responsibility. It may check references, request clarifications, interview one or more respondents, verify calculations, and negotiate with the highest-ranked respondent. The Town may evaluate and award the two sections together or separately.

Weighted Rating System

Technical acceptability. The Town may deem a proposal nonresponsive or technically unacceptable if it materially fails to meet the scope, schedule, data ownership, integration, professional qualification, or regulatory requirements. The Town is not required to award to the lowest-priced respondent.

Standard Terms and Conditions

1. Questions and addenda. Submit questions in writing to Ryan Brais, Town Planner, at rbrais@plainfieldct.org by the deadline on the cover. Only written addenda issued by the Town modify this RFP. Respondents are responsible for checking the Town website for addenda.

Submission. Submit one original, and three copies, in a sealed package labeled with the RFP title and “DO NOT OPEN” date and time. Submit the Price Proposal in a separate sealed envelope inside the package. Faxed or emailed proposals will not be accepted unless an addendum authorizes them.

Public records. Proposals become public records subject to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act after opening, subject to lawful exemptions. Marking an entire proposal confidential is unacceptable. The Town makes the final determination regarding disclosure.

Taxes. The Town is exempt from applicable sales and federal excise taxes. Prices shall exclude such taxes.

No collusion and no delinquent Town taxes. The proposal must be independently prepared. The Town will not award to a respondent that owes delinquent taxes to the Town.

Compliance with laws. The selected consultant shall comply with all applicable federal, Connecticut, and Town laws, regulations, permit conditions, ethics requirements, nondiscrimination requirements, and professional standards.

Independent contractor. The consultant and its personnel are independent contractors and are not Town employees. The consultant is responsible for wages, taxes, benefits, supervision, means and methods, and workplace safety.

Subcontractors. Identify all subcontractors. Substitution or addition requires prior written Town approval. The consultant remains fully responsible for subcontractor performance.

Changes. No work outside an authorized scope may begin without a written amendment or task authorization signed by the Town. The consultant shall notify the Town before exceeding any task budget.

Invoices. Submit itemized monthly invoices by section and task showing staff, hours, rates, expenses, percent complete, prior billing, and remaining authorization. Payment is subject to acceptance and applicable law.

Termination. The Town may terminate for cause after notice and reasonable opportunity to cure, or for convenience upon written notice. The Town will pay for accepted services performed through termination and shall receive all completed and in-process deliverables.

Assignment. The consultant may not assign the contract without prior written Town consent.

Conflicts. Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest. The Town may require mitigation or disqualification.

Governing law. Connecticut law governs. Venue shall lie in a court of competent jurisdiction in Connecticut.

Appropriation. Town obligations beyond the current fiscal year are contingent upon lawful appropriation and authorization.

Indemnification and Insurance The selected consultant shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Town of Plainfield and its officials, employees, volunteers, boards, commissions, agents, successors, and assigns from claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees arising from the negligent or wrongful acts, errors, omissions, or willful misconduct of the consultant or persons for whom it is responsible in performing the contract. This obligation shall not require indemnification for the Town’s sole negligence or willful misconduct. The Town will not indemnify the consultant.

Before work begins and throughout the contract, the selected consultant shall maintain coverage with insurers authorized in Connecticut and rated A VII or better by AM Best, unless the Town approves otherwise. The Town shall be an additional insured on commercial general liability and automobile liability coverage on a primary and noncontributory basis, and waiver of subrogation shall apply where commercially available. Certificates and required endorsements shall be provided before notice to proceed.

The Town reserves the right to adjust coverage based on the final scope. Subcontractors shall carry appropriate coverage, and the selected consultant remains responsible for obtaining and maintaining evidence of such coverage.

Price Proposal Form Company: ____________________________________________________________________________ Respondents shall complete every applicable line. Attach a detailed task and labor breakdown. Enter “Not Proposed” where the respondent is not proposing on a section.

Evaluated price for combined award: $________________ (combined baseline price plus required Year 1 hosted software and baseline laboratory quantities).

Laboratory and Field Unit Prices

Hourly Rate Schedule

Pricing assumptions, exclusions, reimbursables, and escalation terms:

Proposal Certifications The undersigned certifies that the respondent has reviewed this RFP and all addenda; the proposal is genuine and not collusive; the signer is authorized to bind the respondent; the respondent will comply with applicable laws and permit requirements; and all exceptions are expressly stated in the proposal.

Legal name of respondent: ________________________________________________________________________ Business address: ________________________________________________________________________ Connecticut business ID, if applicable: ________________________________________________________________________ Authorized representative: ________________________________________________________________________ Title: ________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________________________________ Date: ________________________________________________________________________ Addenda acknowledged: No. ______ dated __________ No. ______ dated __________ No. ______ dated __________ References Reference 1 Organization and project: ____________________________________________________________________ Contact and title: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone and email: ____________________________________________________________________ Contract dates and value: ____________________________________________________________________ Services performed by proposed staff: ____________________________________________________________________ Reference 2 Organization and project: ____________________________________________________________________ Contact and title: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone and email: ____________________________________________________________________ Contract dates and value: ____________________________________________________________________ Services performed by proposed staff: ____________________________________________________________________ Reference 3 Organization and project: ____________________________________________________________________ Contact and title: ____________________________________________________________________ Telephone and email: ____________________________________________________________________ Contract dates and value: ____________________________________________________________________ Services performed by proposed staff: ____________________________________________________________________ Town Evaluation Worksheet For Town use. Evaluators shall base scores on the submitted proposal, verified references, clarifications, and interviews if held. Written comments should explain material strengths, weaknesses, and score differences.

Company:_______________________________________________________________________________ Evaluator: ____________________________________ Date: ______________________________ Responsiveness or responsibility concerns: __________________________________________________ Overall recommendation: ___________________________________________________________________ MS4 Stormwater GIS Data Development Screening and Reporting | 1 image1.png