DEM Barberville Dam Alternatives Analysis, Richmond/Hopkinton RI

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) is seeking qualified firms to complete an alternatives analysis for the Barberville Dam on the Wood River at the Richmond/Hopkinton town line under a Qualified Based Selection (QBS) procurement, with proposals due July 21, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. EDT and a non-mandatory pre-bid conference on July 8, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. A minimum 10% MBE/WBE participation is required.

The scope comprises eight tasks: project team meetings, Quality Assurance Project Plan development, two rounds of community engagement, data collection and base plan development, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, alternatives evaluation with opinions of probable construction costs, and refinement of the preferred alternative to 30% design. The analysis will evaluate three alternatives—full removal, partial removal, and repair/rehabilitation—for a mid-19th-century dam currently classified as a Significant Hazard Dam in "Potentially Unsafe" condition due to erosion and failed walls. The dam cannot pass required 500-year and 100-year peak flood flows under upcoming Dam Safety regulations.

The initial contract period begins approximately December 1, 2026 for 18 months, with an option to renew for up to one additional 12-month period based on vendor performance and fund availability. Place of performance is Richmond/Hopkinton, Rhode Island.

This is qualification-based selection: technical proposals are limited to six pages and evaluated on Staff Qualifications (21 points), Demonstrated Experience (21 points), Approach/Methodology (28 points), and Schedule (30 points) for 100 total points. Vendors must include three client references, resumes of key staff (two pages per person), a detailed project schedule, and a completed Supplemental Bidder Attestation Form. RIDEM will negotiate pricing exclusively with the highest-scoring technical firm, which must achieve a minimum of 80 points on the cost proposal; if negotiations fail, the state may proceed with the next highest-scoring firm.

Required insurance includes General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence), Workers Compensation ($100,000 per accident), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and Project Specific Professional Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 annual aggregate). The AIA B101-2017 and AIA A201-2017 standard forms are required. A 0.33% contract administrative fee applies. Vendor questions are due July 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Proposals are irrevocable for 180 days. Submission is electronic through Ocean State Procures only.