BAKER LAKE WATER REMOVAL, DEBRIS REMOVAL AND RESTORATION PROJECT FALLON COUNTY, MONTANA REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES

BAKER LAKE WATER REMOVAL, DEBRIS REMOVAL AND RESTORATION PROJECT FALLON COUNTY, MONTANA REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES

BAKER LAKE WATER REMOVAL, DEBRIS REMOVAL & RESTORATION PROJECT FALLON COUNTY, MONTANA REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES Fallon County is soliciting proposals for engineering services related to removal of water from Baker Lake, removal of debris and other materials from Baker Lake restoring it to its pre-disaster use. Fallon County may utilize the firm for any and all activities related to the following: Planning; FEMA Funding Solicitation, Management and Coordination; Engineering Design; Contract Specifications; Bidding and Contractor Selection; Construction Management; and Other Activities as they relate to a project of this type beginning at planning and through construction of improvements to the facility. The agreement and payment terms will be negotiated with the selected offeror. The services to be provided may include, but are not limited to: Task 1: 1. Assist Fallon County with the preparation of any preliminary planning reports related to draining Baker Lake, meeting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements. The report, at minimum, will include: A: A comprehensive list of alternatives considered but determined not feasible and the reason therefore. B: A list of all feasible alternatives considered including for each: a) The method of draining the lake b) The estimated cost of draining as well as any potential soft costs c) All comments, concerns, or approvals from regulatory agencies d) The preferred alternative including, if necessary, a set of plans e) A listing of potential Social, Environmental or Historic Preservation issues f) Timelines for completing the work g) An analysis of any potential upstream or downstream damages that may result if the preferred alternative is initiated up to an including a Hydraulics and Hydrology study as necessary 2. Obtain for Fallon County all regulatory approvals or permits necessary to complete the draining of the lake which may include, but not be limited to the following agencies: A. US Army Corps of Engineers B. US Environmental Protection Agency C. US Fish and Wildlife Service D. US Natural Resource and Conservation Service E. Montana Department of Environmental Quality F. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks G. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation H. Floodplain I. Other approvals or permits, as required 3. Obtain written approval/concurrence to proceed from FEMA and the Montana Department of Emergency Services 4. Proceed with implementation including:

A. Complete plans and bid documents B. Assist with the contractor procurement process in adherence to FEMA policy including solicitation of bids and selection of contractor, etc. C. Assist with construction management as necessary and approved by FEMA Task 2: *must be tracked separately from Task 1 to meet FEMA requirements 5. Assist Fallon County with the preparation of an alternatives analysis to determine the most feasible, cost effective, and Regulatory Agency acceptable method of cleanup of Baker Lake, meeting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements. The report, at minimum, will include: A: A comprehensive list of alternatives considered but determined not feasible and the reason therefore. B: A list of all feasible alternatives considered including for each: h) The method of draining the lake i) The estimated cost of draining as well as any potential soft costs j) All comments, concerns, or approvals from regulatory agencies k) The preferred alternative including, if necessary, a set of plans l) A listing of potential Social, Environmental or Historic Preservation issues m) Timelines for completing the work n) An analysis of any potential additional damages that may result if the preferred alternative is implemented o) Where and how the visible and embedded debris will be disposed of including any written approvals necessary from the State Historic Preservation Office (debris must be disposed of as economically as possible) p) An evaluation of mitigation opportunities. 6. Upon submittal to the State DES and FEMA, as necessary coordinate with MT DES and FEMA as they develop an amendment to authorize the work and provide funding. 7. Obtain for Fallon County all regulatory approvals or permits necessary to complete the cleanup of Baker Lake which may include, but not be limited to the following agencies: J. US Army Corps of Engineers K. US Environmental Protection Agency L. US Fish and Wildlife Service M. US Natural Resource and Conservation Service N. Montana Department of Environmental Quality O. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks P. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Q. Floodplain R. Other approvals or permits, as required 8. Obtain written approval/concurrence to proceed from FEMA and the Montana Department of Emergency Services 9. Proceed with implementation including: D. Complete plans and bid documents E. Assist with the contractor procurement process in adherence to FEMA policy including solicitation of bids and selection of contractor, etc. F. Assist with construction management as necessary and approved by FEMA

There is no guarantee that Fallon County will require any number of the above and the agreement with the selected offeror will allow for termination of any or all of the services at any time during the contract period. I. Vendor Selection Process Fallon County will utilize the following general selection process in determining the most qualified and best consultant to serve as the vendor. 1. Interested consultants will provide written statements of qualifications (SOQ s) to Fallon County based on the guidelines and information in this RFQ. 2. Consultants shall be duly licensed and certified to perform the professional services offered by the proposal. 3. A selection committee, consisting of, or appointed by, the Fallon County Commission, will review and rank all SOQ s based upon the criteria established in this RFQ. 4. All consultants are required to comply with the provisions of Montana Revised Statutes and Baker Municipal Code. 5. Additional evaluation steps may include, but not be limited to, an interview, a review of the firm s engineering fee structure, a check of references, etc. 6. Based on the findings of the committee and/or commission, the decision will be made to b y the Fallon County Commission to enter into negotiations to award the vendor contract. 7. Fallon County will then proceed to negotiate a contract with the selected consultant for services. 8. If an agreement cannot be reached with the selected consultant, the runner-up consultant will be contacted to negotiate an agreement, and so forth. 9. Fallon County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals at any time, waive minor informalities in the screening process and/or terminate the selection process at any time. II. SOQ CONTENT There is no limit on page number or the length of the SOQ s. However, Fallon County is not interested in brochures, boilerplate filler, or general information that is not relevant to the services requested. The consultants responding to this RFQ are advised to provide a clear and responsive approach to addressing all issues noted in this RFQ. Key elements to each SOQ should include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following items: II.A Understanding of Need The consultant should clearly state their understanding of the County s need for professional services and for the role the engineer should play for a small community in working on a project of this type. Specific examples and insights will be useful in this section specifically the role of the engineer in major facility upgrades, planning, working with federal agencies, and communication with the community and staff.

II.B Approach The consultant should attempt to describe their approach to serving as project engineer, how they will communicate with the staff and commission, and what policies they will follow when interacting with the staff on the project and on a day to day basis. II.C Experience The consultant shall provide a description of their experience and expertise providing general engineering services for similar facilities and on federally declared disaster work. Experience with similar facilities is critical. All applicable experience should be presented. II.D Project Team Describe the proposed project team for the contract. Describe who will be the key contacts and leaders of the team. Discuss who will interact with the Fallon County staff and commission and the organizational structure that will be proposed for the consultant. Discuss subcontractors that will be available to Fallon County and why their services are important. It will be key to identify those persons who will be working with the Fallon County on a day to day basis. II.E Availability It is important that the selected vendor be capable of responding to Fallon County needs in a timely manner, complete projects on time, and be an efficient resource for Fallon County. The SOQ should address the consultants approach to ensuring that Fallon County s needs will be met by their firm. II.F References Firms responding to this RFQ must provide a list of at least three (3) client references for which the firm or members of the firm have provided similar or related services within the past five (5) years. A description of pertinent projects and current contact information for the agency authority should be provided. III. SELECTION CRITERIA Fallon County will screen and rank the SOQ s based on the criteria outlined in this section. Fallon County may then complete additional evaluations on the remaining consultants such as a review of the firm s engineering fee schedule, participation in an interview process, etc. Using a combination of the information provided in the SOQ and the additional information received from the finalists, the Fallon County Commission will make a final choice to award the engineering contract to the most qualified consultant. A brief description of the primary selection criteria is provided below:

III.A Proximity of firm to Baker - Recent or current work in the area. Fallon County wishes to work closely with the selected firm and desires efficient service. The consultant should address how they will provide effective service and how they will address travel costs and travel time issues. The candidates should outline any current or recent work in the region. III.B Related experience and references The selection committee/commission may perform reference checks for each candidate. A minimum of three (3) clients where similar or related work was performed must be provided. References should also be able to describe the firm s responsiveness, availability, and ability to complete projects in a timely and orderly manner. The proposal should also highlight projects with other similar facilities. This section should also contain details about the firm s present and projected workloads for the personnel assigned to the project. III.C Qualifications of Firm/Personnel Assigned to Project Experience in the role of project engineer for other facilities will be considered positively. Proof of an understanding of the role of project engineer and a track record of effectively providing this service is preferred. This section should contain information on all the personnel to be assigned to the project. III.D Quality of SOQ including project approach, ability to meet timelines, and budget This selection criteria will allow the selection committee to award points based on the quality of the SOQ, the consultant s understanding of the facility s needs, the consultant s approach to the work, or any other quality about the consultant s proposal that sets it apart from any others. This section should also include reference to the firm s ability to perform within project budgets, meet timelines, and other critical factors related to a project of this nature. A summary of the selection criteria points is provided in the following table: SELECTION CRITERIA SUMMARY Selection Criteria Relative Weight III.A Location of firm/recent & Current Work with Fallon Co. 10 III.B Related Experience & References & Workloads 30 III.C Qualifications of Firm/Personnel to be Assigned 30 III.D SOQ Quality, Project Approach, Timelines, & Budget 30 Total 100

IV. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Each consultant must submit proposals to Fallon County by no later than October 28, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. MST. Proposals must be clearly marked Professional Engineering Services Statement of Qualifications Baker Lake and directed to: Fallon County P.O. Box 846 10 W. Fallon Avenue Baker, MT 59313 FAXED, ELECTRONIC, OR E-MAIL COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Each consultant must submit five (5) copies of their SOQ in sealed envelopes. V. LIMITATIONS This RFQ does not commit Fallon County to paying any costs incurred by consultant in the submission or presentation of a proposal, or in making the necessary studies for the preparation thereof. Further, Fallon County reserves the right to: Accept or reject any and all submittals received as a result of this RFQ at any time; Negotiate with qualified consultants; Cancel the RFQ, in part or in whole, if it is determined to be in the best interest of Fallon County to do so; Waive minor irregularities and formalities in the RFQ submittals; Seek further SOQ s; Fallon County reserves the right to seek clarification on any point in any SOQ at any phase of the selection process. No guarantee of work, financial obligation, or other assurance is made to any respondent of this RFQ whether selected or not for the role of project engineer. VI. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS Each firm, by the submission of an SOQ, understands and agrees that the award of a contract shall be contingent upon the successful applicant providing Fallon County with proof of the following insurance coverage: 1. Liability insurance in the amount of $1,500,000.00 or greater, as follows: a. Comprehensive commercial general liability insurance, including personal injury liability, blanket contractual liability and broad-form property damage liability coverage. The following

minimum limits are required: Aggregate - $1,500,000.00; Products - $1,500,000.00; Personal & Advertising Injury - $1,500,000.00; Each occurrence - $750,000.00. b. Commercial automobile liability insurance as a result of death or bodily injury to any persons, or destruction of or damage to any property arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any owned, non- owned or hired motor vehicle with limits of not less than $1,500,000.00 per occurrence. All coverage shall be on an occurrence basis and not on a claim made basis. c. Workers compensation and unemployment insurance coverage as required by law with a waiver of subrogation in favor of Fallon County including Employer s liability coverage with limits of not less than $1,500,000.00 per occurrence; OR, alternatively, the Engineer shall provide documentation establishing to Fallon County s satisfaction that the Engineer is exempt from Worker s Compensation and unemployment insurance coverage pursuant to 39-71- 401(3) and 39-51-204(2), MCA. 2. Professional liability insurance, including errors and omissions, with limits of not less than $750,000.00 per occurrence and $1,500,000 policy aggregate. 3. The following inclusions to the engineer s certificate of insurance shall be made: a. Waiver of transfer of rights of recovery against others to Fallon County. b. It is agreed that this insurance is primary to and non-contributory with any insurance maintained by Fallon County. c. The General Liability Coverage and Automobile Liability shall include endorsements for additional insured, naming Fallon County its elected officials, employees, agents and volunteers as an additional insured. The additional insured endorsement shall be attached to the certificate of insurance. d. The additional insured shall contain a severability of interest provision in favor of Fallon County and a Waiver of Subrogation in favor of Fallon County. e. All required coverage shall be written with companies that have at least an AmBest rating of B+VII. f. All insurance shall provide a 30 day notice of cancellation or material change. VII. FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS If the review committee feels, at any time, that a consultant s SOQ contains false or misleading statements, references, or any other matter which does not support a function, attribute, capability, or condition as stated by the firm or firms submitting, the submittal shall be rejected, regardless of the status or the phase of the selection process. VIII. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE There will not be a pre-submittal conference for this project. Fallon County requests that firms respect the busy schedules of its staff and limit attempts to hold personal meetings or make other efforts to spend time with staff and administration at the facility prior to submitting an SOQ. IX. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS/REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION

Questions regarding this RFQ or the planned projects should be addressed to: Fallon County Attn: Brenda Wood P.O. Box 846 10 W. Fallon Avenue Baker, MT 59313 406-778-8182 (office) X. FUNDING Funds for services provided will in all likelihood come wholly from FEMA but offeror should be willing and prepared to work with any and all potential funders. XI. AWARD OF CONTRACT Promptly upon making the final determination of ranking, Fallon County will proceed to negotiate a contract with the top ranked firm. If negotiations are not successful after 30 calendar days Fallon County may choose to negotiate with the second ranked firm submitting a proposal, and so forth, until a contract is negotiated. Fallon County reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to end negotiations at any time and at any stage in the process, and to not award a contract to any firm. All firms not selected will be notified by Fallon County of its decision. This project will be funded in whole or in part with federal funds. compliance with Section 3. This solicitation is intended to be in To the greatest extent feasible, opportunities for training and employment arising in connection with this FEMA assisted project will be extended to lower-income residents. Further, to the greatest extent feasible, business concerns located in or substantially owned by residents of the project area will be utilized. Fallon County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.