SPECIAL PROVISIONS

Project Name: MWWTP Aerated Sludge Holding Tank Improvements

1. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL PACKAGE

SUBMIT SEPARATE FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL PACKAGE

Requirements for the Technical Proposal Content are listed below. Cost information shall not be included in the Technical Proposal. At a minimum, each technical proposal shall include the following items in the stated order; all pages shall be numbered; and all the listed components must be included. Do not provide references to other section/tabs, documents or websites for the information required; information should be specifically included in the RFP response. Technical proposals which do not include all components or use the proper format may be considered non-responsive and therefore not reviewed or considered for award.

Provide a Table of Contents with the specified tabs, page numbers, and content below for each tab:

1.1. TAB 1 – STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATION/PROJECT UNDERSTANDING

Offerors proposals shall be submitted on Standard Form 330 (SF330 template available on Charles County’s Purchasing Division webpage). Offerors shall demonstrate the following:

I. Design of a minimum of four (4) relevant projects over the past ten (10) years of which a minimum of one (1) completed detailed design project of Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks of similar capacity.

II. At least one (1) of the above relevant projects must have been completed through construction.

The representative project descriptions shall include:

a. Project description.

b. Relevance to the proposed project.

c. Services provided.

d. Key personnel.

e. Client contact and telephone number.

Experience of subcontractors may not be used as experience of the prime. The total construction cost for each project must be greater than $10 Million.

Offerors shall include a summary that demonstrates the Offeror’s understanding of the requirements of this RFP as well as a summary that demonstrates the Offeror’s ability to carry out the requirements as described within the Special Provisions of this solicitation. Submission of names constitutes a commitment to use these individuals if the Offeror is selected, and changes may be made only with the prior written consent of the County.

1.2. Required Staff Positions

The Offeror must ensure that the following key staff positions, integral to the project's success, are filled by individuals currently employed by the Offeror's firm. The Offeror should identify and provide detailed resumes for each of the professionals filling these roles:

Principal Description: This position shall cover services provided by an individual with the following minimum qualifications as they relate to water and wastewater engineering:

a) Fifteen (15) years of engineering experience

b) Project management experience

c) Professional Engineering registration in the State of Maryland

This individual will be qualified to oversee all aspects of assigned projects, including but not limited to:

a) Engineering design/review

b) Quality Assurance/Quality Control Review

c) Plan/Specification development

d) Contract Management

e) Proposal form development

Evidence of this individual's valid Professional Engineer registration in the State of Maryland shall be included in the proposal.

Project Manager Description: This position shall cover services provided by an individual with the following minimum qualifications as they relate to water and wastewater engineering:

a) Ten (10) years of engineering experience

b) Project management experience

c) Professional Engineering registration in the State of Maryland

This individual will manage and coordinate all aspects of assigned projects through to completion, including but not limited to:

a) Engineering design/review

b) Permitting

c) Plan/Specification Development

d) Proposal Form Development

e) Scheduling

f) Invoicing

g) Meetings

Evidence of this individual's valid Professional Engineer's registration in the State of Maryland shall be included in the proposal.

Architect Description: This position shall cover services provided by an individual with the following minimum qualifications as they relate to water and wastewater engineering:

a) Ten (10) years of architectural experience

b) Professional Architectural registration in the State of Maryland

This individual will assist the Project Manager in completing assigned projects, including but not limited to:

a) Architectural Design/Review

b) Plan/Specification Development

c) Proposal Form Development

Evidence of this individual's valid Professional Architect's registration in the State of Maryland shall be included in the proposal.

Senior Design Engineer Description: This position shall cover services provided by an individual with the following minimum qualifications as they relate to water and wastewater engineering:

a) Twelve (12) years of engineering experience

b) Professional Engineering registration in the State of Maryland. Evidence of this individual's valid Professional Engineer's registration in the State of Maryland shall be included in the proposal.

This individual will assist the Project Manager in completing assigned projects, including but not limited to:

a) Engineering design/review as it pertains to their specialty (core capability)

b) Plan/Specification Development

c) Proposal Form Development

Core Capabilities: The Design Engineer must demonstrate expertise in the following areas relevant to water and wastewater projects:

· Civil Engineering (i.e. Site layout, grading, stormwater management/drainage, hydraulic analysis, etc.)

· Mechanical Engineering (i.e. Pumping systems, piping, and other mechanical equipment)

· Electrical/Instrumentation/Control Engineering (i.e. Power distribution, SCADA systems, and instrumentation for process monitoring and control)

· Structural Engineering (i.e. Design and analysis of concrete and steel structures)

Design Engineer Description: This position shall cover services provided by an individual with the following minimum qualifications as they relate to water and wastewater engineering:

a) Seven (7) years of engineering experience

b) A four-year college graduate with Engineer in Training certification. Evidence of this individual's valid Professional Engineer's registration in the State of Maryland shall be included in the proposal.

This individual will assist the Senior Design Engineer in completing assigned projects, including but not limited to:

a) Engineering design/review as it pertains to their specialty (core capabilities as defined under Senior Design Engineer).

b) Plan/Specification Development

Process Engineer Description: This position provides services by an individual meeting the following minimum qualifications related to Wastewater Treatment Plant design:

a) Fifteen (15) years of Wastewater Treatment Plant design experience.

b) Wastewater treatment process design, optimization, and compliance with environmental standards

c) Evidence of a valid Professional Engineer’s (PE) in the State of Maryland is required.

The process engineer will be expected to work closely with the County’s technical and operations staff to assist in optimizing plant performance, including but not limited to:

a) Providing engineering expertise specific to plant design and optimization.

b) Collaborating with staff to implement performance improvement.

1.3. Resume Submission

Offerors must submit detailed resumes for all key staff, outlining roles, qualifications, education, relevant experiences, and certifications. These resumes should highlight contributions to past projects to demonstrate expertise and impact. Contact information is required for verification purposes. Offerors must ensure their team's skills align with the Aerated Sludge Holding Tank Improvements Project's needs, as evaluating these submissions is essential in determining the Offeror's ability to execute the project successfully and emphasizing the importance of a well-qualified team to meet project objectives.

1.4. Qualified Signature

The Consultant assures that the members of their firm who initiate and sign correspondence and attend meetings with County officials and its’ representatives are technically qualified to perform these duties. It is expected that all work submitted by the Consultant will be reviewed by a responsible Professional Engineer employed by the Consultant who is able to speak or act on behalf of and make decisions for the engineer. According to State of Maryland regulations, the Professional Engineer shall sign and seal all submittal documents, plans, and cost estimates.

1.5. TAB 2 – PROJECT APPROACH & DELIVERY

Offeror shall include:

A. A detailed summary stating the project objectives and project tasks that need to be performed in order to complete the requirements as described within the Special Provisions of this solicitation.

B. A detailed delivery plan identifying how the Offeror intends on meeting the requirements as described within the Special Provisions.

C. Tentative drawing list.

1.6. TAB 3 – INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES

Identify and demonstrate any techniques that would improve project cost, schedule, or scope.

1.7. TAB 4 – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Offeror shall provide an organization chart both graphically and in narrative format, that provides a description of the Offeror’s proposed organizational structure for this project. The organizational chart shall depict the relationship of its key personnel roles to that of the Principal-in-Charge and other key members of the management team. The Offeror shall provide a description of how this organizational structure will facilitate project design and management, and how an efficient flow of information will be realized. The organizational chart shall provide the names and certification of the proposed staff for each position on the chart. Subcontracted firms/personnel shall be clearly identified on the organizational chart.

2. GENERAL

2.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Charles County Government is seeking proposals from qualified, multi-disciplined engineering firms to provide design services for the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP) Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks. The primary purpose of this solicitation is to prepare contract drawings and specifications, obtain all applicable permits, and provide construction engineering services for the proposed upgrades of the Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks.

This initiative is in direct response to the County’s need for their aerated sludge holding tanks to achieve three days of storage at 20 MGD ADF. The proposed improvements aim to achieve this goal ensuring the plant’s readiness for future growth and environmental compliance.

A recommended configuration of the Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks is attached herewith.

2.2. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP) was constructed in the mid-1970s and currently serves the northern portion of Charles County and a southern portion of Prince George’s County. The MWWTP is rated for an average daily flow of 20 million gallons per day (MGD). The MWWTP is undergoing essential upgrades to its aerated sludge holding tanks. The tanks, originally constructed as aerobic digester tanks, currently function as aerated sludge holding tanks to provide flow equalization upstream of the dewatering facility rather than volatile solids reduction through aerobic digestion.

The existing Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks do not meet the County’s need for three days of storage capacity at 20 MGD ADF. This project aims to design upgrades for the Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks that will increase tank capacity to achieve this goal.

2.3. PROJECT SCOPE

The primary objective of this project is to increase aerated sludge holding tank capacity so as to provide three days of storage capacity at 20 MGD ADF. To achieve this the Consultant is to perform all work necessary to render a complete, approved, and permitted design inclusive of plans and specifications for the construction of the Aerated Sludge Holding Tank Improvements.

· Replace existing blowers with new positive displacement blowers, demolish coarse bubble diffuser grids, install the CAMix system, and reconfigure associated piping and valves.

· Install new Digested Sludge Pump to withdraw sludge from Tank 5 to discharge to the Dewatering Building.

· Remove redundant piping, reroute gravity thickener influent piping, repurpose Tank 2 for storing scum, use Tank 5 for storing thickened sludge, install new process valves with electrical actuators, and modify to improve access to manual butterfly valves.

· Perform minor repairs, apply self-priming polyurethane coating, and enhancements to ensure long-term integrity of the tanks.

· Integrate new blowers with the motor control center (MCC), install level sensors, and connect process valve status to SCADA for enhanced operational control.

2.4. DESIGN SUBMISSIONS

The Design Consultant shall prepare and forward a copy in pdf format for each set of drawings of the design submission package to the County Project Manager. In addition, the Design Consultant shall prepare and submit the requisite plans and submission materials as necessary to all other relevant permitting/approval agencies until approval is obtained from those agencies.

30% Design Phase: The 30% Design Phase aims to establish the foundational framework for the project, ensuring a thorough understanding of existing conditions, project requirements, and initial design concepts that includes, but is not limited to the following:

i. Kickoff Meeting and Initial Assessments:

· Conduct a virtual kickoff meeting with the County and relevant stakeholders.

· Review background documents, including Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP) As-Built Drawings and available historical data.

· Undertake a site visit to evaluate the current infrastructure and operational capabilities.

ii. Schematic Design Report (SDR):

· Develop preliminary designs for all components outlined in the project scope.

· Prepare a comprehensive SDR that includes preliminary designs, a detailed project schedule outlining the design, procurement, and construction phases, and a budgetary cost estimate to provide a high-level understanding of project costs at this stage.

· Facilitate a workshop to review updated plant data, concept ideas, preliminary designs, and budgetary estimates. Collect feedback from the County to refine the SDR.

· Revise and update the SDR based on workshop feedback and submit the final document for County review.

iii. Deliverables:

· Schematic Design Drawings.

· Schematic Design Report (SDR).

60% Design Phase: The 60% Design Phase focuses on refining the preliminary designs, incorporating feedback, and developing more detailed plans and specifications that includes, but is not limited to the following:

i. Design Refinement:

· Further develop the engineering design and include site plans, and specifications.

· Develop electrical/instrumentation/control (EIC) designs, including power distribution, SCADA integration, and control panel layouts.

· Submit to County’s Construction Management and Construction Inspection (CM/CI) firm for constructability review.

· Conduct a workshop to present the 60% design progress, gather feedback, and incorporate stakeholder input including constructability review comments.

· Prepare a preliminary cost estimate based on the refined design details.

· Prepare and submit permit applications to relevant agencies, including but not limited to Charles County Development Services, Soil Conservation District, and MDE.

ii. Deliverables:

· Detailed design drawings and specifications.

· Preliminary cost estimate.

· Permit application packages.

90% Design Phase: The 90% Design Phase aims to finalize the design details established in the 60% design phase, complete all engineering analyses, and prepare the project for bidding that includes, but is not limited to the following:

i. Final Design Development:

· Finalize design details for all scope items.

· Complete all necessary engineering analyses, including hydraulic, structural, and electrical assessments.

· Address any constructability issues identified during the 60% design phase.

· Ensure all design elements meet NPFA 820 standards, county, and other regulatory requirements.

ii. Bid Preparation:

· Prepare draft bid documents

· Conduct a review workshop with the County to finalize design elements and address any remaining concerns.

iii. Deliverables:

· Final design drawings and specifications.

· Refined construction cost estimates.

100% Design Phase: The 100% Design Phase culminates in preparing bid-ready documents, ensuring the project is fully designed, permitted, and ready for construction.

i. Bid-Ready Documents:

· Prepare a comprehensive set of bid documents, including construction drawings, technical specifications, general conditions, special provisions, and ITB.

· Ensure all necessary documents for the construction phase are included and accurately detailed.

ii. Final Reviews and Approvals:

· Conduct a final review workshop with the County to ensure all documents are complete and accurate.

· Obtain final approvals from all relevant permitting and regulatory agencies.

· Address any last-minute changes or adjustments based on County feedback and Constructability Review Comments received from the County’s Construction Management and Construction Inspection (CM/CI) firm.

iii. Deliverables:

· Complete set of bid-ready construction documents.

· Final approved permits from all regulatory agencies.

· Comprehensive RFP package for contractors.

2.5. BID PHASE SERVICES:

The design consultant shall:

· Conduct the pre-bid conferences, prepare minutes, and prepare addenda to the solicitation.

· Review and tabulate bids and provide recommendation to the County that will include, at the very minimum, a synopsis of the bids, a comparison with engineer’s estimate, as well as a summary of any investigation required as the result of any circumstances connected with the bidding process. Also, the logic behind any recommendation shall be presented.

· Prepare conformed bid documents. Conformed document should include all changes made through addenda during the bid process.

· Should the lowest, most responsive bid be more than 15% lower or 15% higher than the engineer’s estimate, the recommendation to the County shall include a detailed explanation of the reason(s) the bid significantly differentiated from the engineer’s estimate.

2.6. CONSTRUCTION PHASE SERVICES

The design consultant shall:

· Attend pre-construction kickoff meeting

· Attend monthly progress meetings (24 meetings included based on an estimated 24-month construction schedule; adjustments can be made if the construction period changes).

· Perform site visits (16 visits included)

· Attend substantial and final completion inspections (2 site visits – 8 hours each)

· Review shop drawing submittals for conformance with Contract Documents, including County Standards, specifications, and ordinance and ensure that comments are addressed. (120 submittals included)

· Review operations and maintenance manuals furnished by the Contractor for conformance with the Contract Documents. Request modifications as required.

· Provide technical assistance to County personnel during system start-up including oversight and coordination of equipment testing and startup.

· Review materials testing (soils, concrete, masonry, etc.) and equipment performance reports submitted by the Contractor.

· Review of Requests for Information (RFls) (50 RFIs included)

· Review Proposed Change Orders (PCOs) (15 PCOs included)

· Modify original drawings at the completion of the project and produce a record ("As-Built") set for the County's use based on red-line drawings provided by the Contractor.

· Coordinate with the County CM/CI (Construction Management & Construction Inspection) consultant.

2.7. APPLICATIONS, PERMITS, AND APPROVALS

The Design Consultant shall apply for and obtain all permits and approvals, as required, by coordinating with all permitting agencies, authorities, boards, commissions, districts, departments, etc. that are necessary to permit and/or approve construction documents for the construction of this project. Permits and approvals shall include but not be limited to:

· Charles County Development Services Permit (Including 3-step Stormwater Management Permit),

· Charles County Soil Conservation District (SCD)

· MDE Construction Permit

· Charles County Building Permit

· MDE Groundwater Withdraw Permit

· MDE Groundwater Discharge Permit There will be no separate payment for Permits and Approvals services. Costs associated with these services shall be included in the costs for the applicable Base Items submitted on the Cost Proposal Form.

Permitting fees will be paid directly by the County.

2.8. MEETINGS AND COORDINATION

In an effort to keep the project progressing at an efficient rate, and to facilitate the County providing prompt direction to the consultant, the Consultant shall be prepared to meet with the County on a monthly basis and with other agencies as required during the design/approval process. Meetings shall be required until final design approval has been obtained. At a minimum, the Design Consultant shall expect to attend the meetings as contained in this section and as described below.

2.8.1. Design Kick-Off Meeting

Prior to start of work on the design and within 7 days after the Notice to-Proceed date, the Design Consultant shall coordinate with the County to schedule a virtual “kick-off” meeting via Microsoft Teams. The Design Consultant shall provide the County with a draft agenda along with a preliminary design schedule for review at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The Design Consultant shall be responsible for recording the attendance, taking meeting notes, and distributing the notes to all attendees within seven (7) days following the meeting.

2.8.2. Design Progress Meetings

The Design Consultant shall coordinate and chair monthly progress meetings. The progress meetings will alternate between Microsoft Team calls and meetings at the Charles County Government Building or as otherwise scheduled. Twenty-four (24) hours prior to progress meetings the consultant shall provide the County with a draft agenda and, if necessary, an updated schedule for review. The Design Consultant shall be responsible for recording the attendance, taking meeting notes, and distributing the notes to all attendees within seven (7) days following the meeting.

2.8.3. Design Review Meetings

Design Review and Constructability Review Meetings with the County and Owner’s representatives shall be held to review each design submittal package, i.e., 30%, 60%, 90%, 100%, and Bid Documents. The Consultant shall take notes and provide a written account of the meeting, including a point-by-point response to all comments received from the County and Owner’s Representatives, within seven (7) consecutive calendar days following the meeting.

2.9. TRAVEL

All travel required to be performed in connections with the services including all meetings with County or any Government or Quasi-Government agencies, departments, hearings, discussions, explanations to be rendered under this contract shall be included in the fee and be at no additional expense to the County, unless authorized in writing by County prior to travel.

2.10. TIME FOR COMPLETION

2.11. DESIGN SUBMISSION SCHEDULE

Description

3. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PANEL AND CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

All materials, conferences, proposals and other matters related to this project shall remain confidential until the contract is executed with the selected firm. The County may use any appropriate technical resources to assist during any part of the evaluation process.

3.1. RESPONSIVENESS REVIEW

The County will review the proposal for responsiveness. Proposals that do not meet responsiveness review criteria may be rejected as non-responsive, at the sole option of the County. Any deficiencies will be reviewed and determined by the Chief of Purchasing.

3.2. EVALUATION CRITERIA

All proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria and point value.

3.3. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Offerors’ proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation committee who will evaluate and score the proposals in accordance with the criteria specified above. The County reserves the right to conduct the evaluation in any manner considered in the best interest of the County. The County may utilize any information obtained as a result of reference checks, proposal clarification or additional information requests, offeror negotiations or any other means deemed necessary at the sole discretion of the County to identify the proposal that best meets the County’s needs.

4. COST PROPOSAL FORM

A. Base Bid

B. Contingency Items

C. Allowance Items

· Allowance items provided under section C may or may not be used.

5. COST PROPOSAL ITEMS

Base Bid Items A-1- A-3, Contingency Items B-1, and Allowance items C-1- C-3 shall be part of this project.

5.1. BASE ITEM A-1: DESIGN PHASE SERVICES (PERMITTED AND BID-READY)

This encompasses the total cost for developing design, permitted, and bid-ready documents for the Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks Improvements Project, in accordance with Section 2.4: Design Submissions. A lump sum (LS) payment will be made to the design consultant providing services associated with this bid item. Progress payments will be based on percent complete, and the County may request additional documentation (status report, payroll records, schedule updates, deliverables, test results, etc.) as deemed necessary.

5.2. BASE ITEM A-2: BID PHASE SERVICES

This represents the total cost for services provided during the Bid Phase for the Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks Improvements Project, per Section 2.5: Bid Phase Services. A lump sum (LS) payment will be made to the design consultant providing services associated with this bid item.

5.3. BASE ITEM A-3: CONSTRUCTION PHASE SERVICES

This denotes the estimated cost for services provided by the design consultant during the construction phase, as described in Section 2.6: Construction Phase Services. Payment will be made to the design consultant providing services associated with this bid item based on an hourly basis.

5.4. CONTINGENCY ITEM B-1: DESIGN SERVICES CONTINGENCY

This item provides a contingency fund to cover any unforeseen design-related services or modifications that may arise during the project. This contingency allows for flexibility in addressing additional design requirements or adjustments to meet project needs. The design consultant shall submit a fee proposal for the work to the County for approval. The proposed amount shall cover all costs associated with the work outlined in the fee proposal, including project management, overhead, and any other related expenses.

5.5. ALLOWANCE ITEM C-1: TEST PIT(S)

This item covers the cost of the Allowance Item for Test Pit(s), including all expenses for verifying the location and elevation of existing utilities used in the design. Before commencing the work, the design consultant shall submit a fee proposal for the required Test pit work to the County for approval. The proposed amount shall cover all costs associated with the work outlined in the fee proposal, including project management, overhead, and any other related expenses.

5.6. ALLOWANCE ITEM C-2: TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY

This item covers the cost of Allowance Item for Topographic Survey. Before commencing the work, the design consultant shall submit a fee proposal for the required Topographic Survey work to the County for approval. The proposed amount shall cover all costs associated with the work outlined in the fee proposal, including project management, overhead, and any other related expenses.

Recommended Configuration of Aerated Sludge Holding Tanks at MWWTP

PC = Primary Clarifier SC = Secondary Clarifier FC = Final Clarifier GT = Gravity Thickener PS = Primary Sludge WAS = Waste Activated SludgeNo. x

= Sludge Holding Tanks No. x

= Sludge Holding Tank (Currently Offline) image1.emf