Consulting Services for the Development and Implementation of a Dry Weather Screening Program

York County is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms to develop and implement a dry weather field screening and analytical monitoring program within its State-designated SMS4 boundary, with questions due December 1, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. and proposals due December 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. The program fulfills South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) NPDES General Permit requirements for regulated SMS4 discharges. The solicitation identifies no set-asides, and the county only encourages disadvantaged business enterprise participation.

The scope spans five components: mapping stormwater outfalls, identifying priority screening areas, conducting field screening to detect illicit discharges, assessing screening effectiveness, and establishing procedures for tracing discharge sources. Deliverables include a technical guidance manual, updated stormwater sewer system maps and GIS data, dry weather field screening and analytical monitoring, and staff training of eight hours of office training and a minimum of 40 hours of field training. Before commencing work, the awardee must furnish proof of professional liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence), general liability insurance ($1,000,000 combined single limit), automobile liability insurance ($500,000 combined single limit), workers compensation, and employers liability coverage.

The anticipated term is eighteen months. Milestones include contract negotiation and kickoff in January 2027, the guidance manual in April 2027, updated maps and priority areas by June 2027, field screening completed by December 2027, and an assessment report in May 2028. Council approval is tentatively scheduled for January 11, 2027. Pricing must cover all professional services, expenses, and overhead, with monthly billing and payment within 30 days of receipt. This is a negotiated contract award.

Evaluation weights are project approach and methodology (30%), project team qualifications (30%), firm qualifications (20%), and cost proposal (20%). The county may invite short-listed firms for presentations and reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. Proposals may be submitted through the OpenGov portal or hand-delivered to the York County Procurement Department with one original, five copies, and one electronic version on USB. The RFP states that no pre-solicitation conference will be held.