UST SMALL SCOPE ASSESSMENT

The South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation for small scope assessment investigations at underground storage tank (UST) facilities in Richland County. The procurement seeks services to perform Initial Groundwater Assessments (IGWA), Tier I assessments, and monitoring well installations for petroleum releases at regulated UST sites, following the South Carolina UST Programmatic Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) 4.0. Only DHEC Certified Class I Site Rehabilitation Contractors are eligible to submit bids. The contract requires comprehensive environmental assessment activities, including site-specific work plans, receptor surveys, soil borings, monitoring well installations, laboratory analyses, and aquifer characterization. Contractors must be capable of completing a minimum of ten sites per month, with each site to be completed within 90 days from the Notice to Proceed. The non-mandatory pre-bid conference was scheduled for June 20, 2023, at 10:00 AM ET via Microsoft Teams, with questions from offerors due by June 21, 2023, at 5:00 PM ET. The bid submission deadline was July 6, 2023, at 2:30 PM ET, with award notification expected on July 17, 2023.

The solicitation is exclusively open to DHEC Certified Class I Site Rehabilitation Contractors, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned. The resulting contract will begin on July 24, 2024, and continue for one year with two one-year renewal options, potentially extending the maximum contract term to three years. Pricing will be submitted on a unit price basis, covering components such as IGWA, Tier I assessments, and monitoring well installation. The contract is structured as an indefinite delivery vehicle, with DHEC reserving the right to alter the number of sites assigned and potentially make awards to multiple bidders. Interim invoices are not permitted, with payment to be made approximately 90 calendar days after receipt of successfully completed technical reports and invoices. Late fees of $50 per day (not exceeding 20 percent of the contract total) may be assessed for reports submitted after the established deadline. Contract performance will be evaluated based on the contractor's ability to maintain at least 90 percent validity for each data item listed in Appendix K of the QAPP 4.0 and compliance with all specification requirements.