REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) for the Development of the Suncook Lakes Watershed Management Plan.

The Town of Barnstead, New Hampshire, in partnership with the Suncook Lakes Watershed Management Steering Committee, is requesting qualifications for development of a comprehensive nine-element watershed management plan for the Upper and Lower Suncook Lakes, with qualifications due July 10, 2026 at 5 p.m. Selection will be conducted through a Qualification Based Selection (QBS) process, with anticipated award by August 31, 2026.

The 35,105-acre watershed spans four towns and faces water quality threats including stormwater runoff, cyanobacteria blooms, erosion, nutrient loading, and aquatic invasive species. The scope encompasses data review, phosphorus and pollutant source quantification, nutrient modeling, best management practice identification, shoreline surveys, riparian buffer recommendations, implementation scheduling, and public engagement. All deliverables must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA standards. The project schedule must accommodate seasonal field work limitations and a year-long lake drawdown beginning summer 2027 for Valley Dam renovation.

Qualifications packages must include cover letters, firm qualifications, relevant experience descriptions, three references, and proposed project schedules. The Steering Committee reserves the right to conduct interviews with selected teams. Selection is weighted: specialized experience of the project team (30%), project personnel (30%), project approach and understanding (20%), recommendations and conceptual designs for stormwater control measures and best management practices at watershed scale (10%), and past performance and references (10%). Consultants must provide proof of general liability, workers' compensation, professional liability, and subcontractor liability insurance.

The project is funded through a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund Stormwater Planning Loan. Questions are due June 26, 2026, with a Questions and Answers Digest distributed by July 3, 2026. The Town of Barnstead reserves the right to reject any and all responses and negotiate project scope or deliverables as needed.