rfql-des-2025-02.pdf

Request For Qualifications for Technical Services Lake Wentworth Watershed Management plan update

Contact: Julie Brown, (603) 534-0222 Date of Issue: September 18, 2024 Deadline: October 16, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (EST)

I. Project Description

The intent of this project is to update the eleven-year-old Wentworth-Crescent Lake Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The Wentworth Watershed Association (WWA) located in Wolfeboro, NH will be responsible for the update of the WMP in partnership with the town of Wolfeboro and selected subcontractor(s). The current WMP is an EPA nine-element (a-i) watershed-based management plan.

Prior activities, funded through 319 grants, include targeted projects identified in the WMP as critical areas of pollution sources that contribute to Lake Wentworth, which is listed as impaired on the 2020/2022 305(b)/303(b) assessment report of impaired or threatened waters. The WWA has prioritized the update to the WMP as part of our strategic plan that aligns with our mission: To protect and preserve the Wentworth-Crescent Watershed through initiatives that enhance water quality, land conservation, and community education. The goal and direct benefit of an updated plan are a revised water quality goal, a refresh of priority sites for Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation, and insights into how development in the watershed, paired with the effects of climate change, are impacting the water quality.

The funding for the work is shared by the WWA and a 604(b) grant from the Federal Clean Water Act administered by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES).

II. Scope of Work

The selected contractor will complete tasks to assist the WWA in the update of the Lake Wentworth Watershed Management Plan. The tasks to be completed by the contractor represent a portion of the overall project. The contractor will work collaboratively with the WWA by providing technical services to complete tasks, or portions of tasks, as described in the proposal titled Lake Wentworth Watershed Management Plan Update. A summary of tasks to accomplish the WMP update will include a watershed survey, shoreline survey, build out analysis, updated modeling, water quality goal with pollutant reductions needed, action planning meeting(s), and writing the update. Below is a description of the tasks that are to be completed by the contractor.

Please note that the Task number sequence presented below corresponds to the Grant Agreement between NHDES and WWA. Objectives and Tasks that will be completed by WWA are annotated “WWA tasks” and will require minimal action by technical consultant team to assist the WWA with completion of those tasks.

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Contractor Tasks

Objective 1: Preliminary project planning, selection of project technical consultant through the Request for Qualification (RFQ) process, and the creation of a Site-Specific Project Plan (SSPP) to guide the project work.

Deliverable: Select consulting firm, draft contract, and get approval from NHDES. SSPP required to execute the project.

Tasks 1-3: WWA tasks. Develop and issue an RFQ for consulting firms to bid on technical services required to update the WMP. Review, rank, score, and select technical consulting firm to assist with WMP update. Negotiate scope of work, schedule, fee and draft contract for NHDES approval.

Execute activities as necessary to include Project meetings, Shoreline Survey, Buildout Analysis, Modeling, Administrative work, and Materials required to update the WMP. Develop SSPP required to execute the project.

Objective 2: Understand the nutrient load reduction for 114 sites identified in the 2022 Watershed Survey. Identify water quality data and pollutant reductions needed to finalize a new water quality goal that supports these reductions.

Deliverable: Document the quantified nutrient load reductions for 114 BMP sites. Establish an agreed to updated water quality goal that will be achieved as a result of watershed nutrient reductions from identified BMPs.

Task 4: Review and calculate pollutant load reductions for the 114 sites identified in the list of revised and newly identified BMP implementation sites established in the 2022 Watershed Survey.

WWA to obtain and provide photos and GPS coordinates of each of the sites to help identify the issues and possible drainage areas associated with each site.

Task 5: Document the draft water quality goal and summarize the water quality data according to the latest version of the NHDES Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM) and compare results to trophic state criteria to complete an assimilative capacity analysis. Use the results from the water quality data analysis, land use model for historic, current, and future conditions, and assimilative capacity to establish the water quality and the pollutant load reductions that would be needed to meet the reserve assimilative capacity for the lake’s applicable trophic class or other goals as determined through consultation with stakeholders.

Task 6: After WWA review and feedback of draft documentation, conduct technical discussions as required to agree upon a formal water quality goal for the lake. Update and send out final agreed to water quality goal documentation that will guide the update of the WMP.

Objective 3: Update action plan as required to reflect BMPs implemented in the watershed since the initial plan while considering current watershed conditions.

Deliverable: The finalized action plan and updated Wentworth Watershed Management Plan.

Task 7: Use technical consultant assistance and data collected to complete the following items: (1) update action plan in the 2012 WMP; (2) conduct a public forum or workshop to review action items and determine if additional data is needed to achieve the water quality goal; (3) estimate cost to implement, identify sources of funding, project timeframe, responsible parties, and nutrient loading reductions expected.

Task 8: Update the WMP and ensure that the EPA nine elements (a-i) are addressed. Updates will include: (1) plan revision date; (2) new funding sources; (3) additional maps as applicable; (4) community input/stakeholder involvement; (5) current watershed efforts; (6) major changes to watershed characterization; (7) recent water quality data; (8) new modeling results; (9) revised water quality goal; (10) new ordinance review; (11) revised action plan; (12) revised indicators; (13) revised monitoring plan, and (14) additional resources (i.e., photos, maps, watershed characterization details, etc.) needed for future actions. The WWA will coordinate local groups to supply any relevant historical information or local efforts required along with devising the education and outreach program strategy. Note: an updated model and build-out analysis are currently being completed under the Wolfeboro Bay Watershed Management Plan.

Objective 4: Project management 604(b) grant reporting documentation and payment request.

Deliverable 4: Semi-annual progress reports over two-year project period, final report, and all payment requests.

Task 9-11: WWA tasks. Prepare and submit semi-annual progress reports and final report to NHDES with all supporting documentation.

III. Project Schedule

Qualifications packages should include a generalized schedule for conducting and completing the activities described in the Scope of Work. It is expected that work on this project will begin during the fall of 2024 and be completed by the spring of 2026.

IV. Required Qualifications Submissions

Qualification packages shall include the following components as described below.

1. Name, address, brief history, and description of the firm.

2. Description of the project team, including project team organization, team member resumes, special qualifications or certifications, and their anticipated level of involvement in the project as described in the Scope of Work.

3. Related projects, areas of expertise, and experience:

a. Include a description of other projects the firm has done that are similar in nature to this one.

b. Provide a list of references including names, titles, and contact information.

4. Description of the firm’s approach to performing the tasks detailed in the Scope of Work, including a timeline and discussion of the relative effort anticipated to be expended on each objective and task.

Responses should demonstrate and document that the individual/firm has the professional experience to proceed with the work tasks as described in the scope of work in this RFQ. A complete and timely submittal as described in this RFQ is required for the submittals to be considered.

V. Selection Criteria

Selection will be based on the assessment of the qualifications package to meet the following criteria.

1. Specialized Experience of the Project Team

a. Overall experience directly related to the successful completion of similar watershed planning projects that include incorporation of EPA’s Nine Elements (“a - i”), data analysis, monitoring, outreach, and working with diverse stakeholders to achieve project goals.

b. Demonstrated ability to identify structural and non-structural BMPs and generate pollutant load analyses for BMPs.

c. Demonstrated ability to complete work within the available budget and schedule.

d. Demonstrated ability to work with NHDES to develop Quality Assurance documents.

2. Project Personnel

a. Principal team members’ roles and participation levels, availability, qualifications, and experience.

3. Project Approach

a. Demonstrated strong understanding of the scope of work, project schedule, and expected deliverables outlined in the RFQ.

After the qualifications-based ranking and selection process is complete, WWA will proceed with contract negotiations with that consultant. If the parties cannot come to terms, WWA will request from the second ranked consultant a task-based cost proposal and follow the same procedure, working with each of the next ranked qualified candidate(s) in order of their scores, until a contract has been successfully negotiated.

VI. Request for qualifications questions

Any questions about this RFQ raised by an individual/firm will be answered in a summary digest. The summary digest will be provided to those who contact WWA and request to be put on an e-mail list to receive the digest. The cut-off date for questions, and requests to be put on the e-mail list to receive the summary of questions and answers, is September 27. Please e-mail Julie Brown at the WWA at JulieBrown@wentworthwatershed.org to ask a question or to be put on the e-mail list to receive the summary digest. The summary digest will be provided via e-mail on October 9, 2024 to all consultants on the response list.

VI. Timeline

September 13 Request for Qualifications release September 27 Deadline for submittal of questions on this RFQ (5:00 p.m.)

October 9 Questions and answers summary digest distributed to contractors October 16 Deadline for receipt of qualification packages to this RFQ (5:00 p.m.)

October 30 Anticipated final selection of contractor and notification to all firms. WWA reserves the right to conduct interviews with selected teams. The decision to conduct interviews may affect the specified timeline.

Due Date: Complete submittals are required to be emailed or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. EST on October 16, 2024 and should be emailed in pdf format to Julie Brown, Executive Director of WWA at Juliebrown@wentworthwatershed.org or sent by mail to:

Wentworth Watershed Association Attn: Julie Brown, Executive Director PO Box 2235 Wolfeboro, NH 03894

VII. Disclaimer

This RFQ does not commit WWA to award a contract or pay any costs incurred during the preparation of any submittal. WWA reserves the right to reject any or all the submittals while adhering to applicable laws. To participate in the project and receive payment, the selected firm will be required to enter into a contract which stipulates that the contractor is eligible to receive Federal funding and certifies compliance with State and Federal rules related to grant funded projects.

mailto:JulieBrown@wentworthwatershed.org mailto:Juliebrown@wentworthwatershed.org