LUST Special Projects Emergency QBS

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is procuring professional consulting services through an emergency Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) process to address Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Special Projects. This procurement is not a competitive bid opportunity but rather a direct selection based on qualifications and established hourly rates for personnel time. The consultant will be responsible for reviewing documents and preparing closure reports, Corrective Action Completion Reports (CACR), or developing pathways to closure for a list of open LUST sites, with primary focus on rural school districts and small municipalities. Key deliverables include conducting record reviews, completing missing 20-Day and 45-Day report forms, preparing site summary reports, and developing CACR documents certified by a Licensed Professional Engineer for sites ready for closure. Required qualifications include a Project Manager with at least five years of project management experience in engineering or geology and a Quality Assurance/Quality Control person with at least five years of CERCLA project experience, along with prequalification with the Illinois Department of Transportation in the Special Services - Hazardous Waste: Advance category. The contract runs from December 12, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with a posted deadline of December 31, 2025, and no renewal options are permitted. Direct labor rates are established by professional level (ranging from $259.98 to $90.70 per hour), technician level, and support staff ($84.66 per hour), with work proceeding only upon written Work Order approval following submission of detailed Cost Packages for each scope of work issued by the Agency.

The procurement does not specify any set-aside designations or restrictions based on disadvantaged enterprise status, though all vendors responding must complete the Vendor Disclosure Form and comply with State of Illinois standard terms and conditions. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the procurement materials, indicating this represents a new engagement for this particular LUST initiative. The draft contract identifies Fehr-Graham as the proposed consultant, though this appears to be a template reference rather than a pre-award designation. Vendors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate, Professional Liability insurance of $1,000,000, and Pollution Liability Insurance of $2,000,000 per occurrence if remediation work is performed. The estimated total contract value is not to exceed $92,901.97, with labor rates remaining firm through June 30, 2026, and annual inflation adjustments available thereafter using the Consumer Price Index for the Midwest Area. The contract is contingent upon appropriation availability and may be terminated for convenience with thirty days' notice or for cause based on unsatisfactory or unsafe performance.