Exhibit a - Scope of Services Mn/DOT Contract 98352

Exhibit A - Scope of Services Mn/DOT Contract 98352

Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement - Trunk Highway 60

Completion of four-lane between Windom and St. James

Introduction

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) is required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the four-lane expansion of Trunk Highway (TH) 60 between Windom and St. James, Minnesota. The original EIS was published in 1983 and was the basis for expansion of the corridor to four-lanes. The three remaining segments of two lane are the subject of this Supplemental EIS due to the time that has passed since the last federal action.

The project is divided into three segments of two-lane road that were realigned to bypass the adjacent communities following the 1983 Final EIS:

State Project / Limits / Proposed Letting
1703-69 / John Caldwell Drive in Windom to the start of the 4-lane west of Mountain Lake
RP 42.5 - 50.3 / 2017 or earlier
1703-70 / Start of 2-lane east of Mountain Lake to end of 2-lane west of Butterfield
RP 53.9 - 58.5 / 2015 or earlier
8308-44 / Start of 2-lane east of Butterfield to end of 2-lane west of St. James
RP 58.9 – 64.3 / February 2013

Mn/DOT had been planning to prepare a Re-evaluation of the existing EIS, but was recently directed by FHWA to prepare a Supplemental EIS. Due to the need to buy right of way, the project must be completed as soon as possible to keep the letting date of February 2013.

Scope of Services - Task Descriptions

Task A - Project Management

Task A.1: Project Coordination - Contractor will conduct project coordination meetings. Task includes agenda preparation, meeting facilitation, follow-up, and a summary of activities and outcomes from each meeting. It is anticipated that the meetings will be held in Mankato at the District Office. Task also includes routine communications, including weekly telephone calls or meetings with Mn/DOT’s Project Manager. It includes a final “lessons learned” meeting.

Task A.2: Project Scheduling - Contractor will develop a baseline Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), schedule, and planned value and track progress to ensure timely completion.

Task A.3: Deliverable Validation – Contractor will maintain a record of submitted and accepted deliverables.

Task A.4: Monthly Progress Reports, Invoices and File Keeping - Contractor will submit monthly progress reports including a table of deliverables and invoices to Mn/DOT. Payments will be based on actual hours, not to exceed the planned value of validated deliverables. When all project work is complete, Contractor will prepare a final invoice and correspond with Mn/DOT to confirm the completed technical and financial status. Contractor will assemble a complete project record in electronic files for archival purposes.

Task B –Environmental Studies & Coordination

Task B.1: Traffic–Contractor will gather existing traffic and crash data, prepare forecasts of future traffic, and prepare a report summarizing findings and project needs.

Task B.2: Noise - Contractor will measure noise in the field, develop a noise model, report the effects of project alternatives, and prepare a report summarizing findings.

Task B.3: Land Use– Contractor will map existing land uses, measure impacts based on provided centerlines and assumed right of way lines, and coordinate with local governments and agencies. This includes the coordination for Section 4(f) properties.

Task B.4: Air Quality– Contractor will determine an appropriate approach to air quality review and documentation, conduct any required testing or modeling, and prepare any reports if needed.

Task B.5: Environmental Justice – Contractor will conduct an Environmental Justice analysis consistent with FHWA requirements.

Task B.6: Secondary and Cumulative Impacts– Contractor will gather data and identify secondary and cumulative impacts for documentation in the EIS.

Task B.7: Other Environmental Work– Contractor will gather data, identify impacts and summarize results for all other categories of environmental impacts that will be documented in the EIS.

Task B.8: Environmental Resource Agency Coordination – Contractor will plan, prepare for, attend, and perform all necessary follow up with environmental agencies including, but not limited to, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in order to develop documented concurrence on the purpose and need, alternatives, impacts, preferred alternative, and mitigation.

Task C – Draft EIS

Tasks in this section include preparing an initial draft of the sections of the EIS, conducting internal reviews to ensure accuracy of information, high quality of written communication, and effectiveness of graphics. The draft documents will be circulated to the Mn/DOT Project Manager and others that will conduct early reviews. Revisions will be tracked to verify that changes have been made.

Task C.1: Outline – Contractor will develop an outline and approach for the Draft EIS and Final EIS such that the documents will meet federal requirements, assist decision makers, and minimize the quantity of documentation.

Task C.2: Summary – Contractor will prepare a summary of the Draft EIS.

Task C.3: Background – Contractor will prepare a chapter of the Draft EIS that summarizes past work on the corridor and explains the reason for the EIS.

Task C.4: Purpose and Need - Contractor will prepare a chapter that documents that need and purpose for the project and satisfies FHWA’s strict requirements for this section.

Task C.5: Alternatives- Contractor will prepare a chapter that describes the alternatives under consideration. The east and middle segments will have two alternatives: four-lane on existing alignment and no build. The west segment will include alternatives for minimizing impacts at Clear Lake and four alternatives at Bingham Lake. The alternative alignments will be provided by Mn/DOT. Contractor will develop cost estimates for each alternative.

Task C.6: Affected Environment, Effects, Mitigation- Contractor will prepare a chapter that, for each of the environmental categories, describes the affected environment, identifies the quantity of impacts, and identifies proposed mitigation. Contractor will incorporate information developed in Task B and deliverables from Mn/DOT including information related to wetlands, cultural resources, vegetation, threatened and endangered species, and contaminated soils.

Task C.7: Coordination- Contractor will prepare a chapter documenting coordination performed by the contractor and/or Mn/DOT.

Task C.8: Section 4(f)- Contractor will prepare a Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation.

Task C.9: Production- Contractor will compile Draft EIS, prepare copies as necessary for Mn/DOT, FHWA, and Cooperating Agency review. Contractor will make revisions and submit for signature, then prepare copies for distribution.

Task C.10: Distribution – Contractor will distribute Draft EIS on paper copy, on CD, or by notification of availability on the web as required by state and federal requirements and as requested by reviewers and the public.

Task D–Public Hearing

Task D.1: Notification - Contractor will secure a location and prepare notifications for the public hearing.

Task D.2: Public Hearing Materials–Contractor will provide all displays, a court report, sign-in sheets, comment forms, and refreshments for the public hearing.

Task D.3: Public Hearing Event -Contractor will staff the public hearing.

Task D.4: Comment Collection - Contractor will gather, digitize, and organize all comments made on the DEIS.

Task E–Final EIS

Tasks in this section include preparing an initial draft of the sections of the EIS, conducting internal reviews to ensure accuracy of information, high quality of written communication, and effectiveness of graphics. The draft documents will be circulated to the Mn/DOT Project Manager and others that will conduct early reviews. Revisions will be tracked to verify that changes have been made.

Task E.1: Summary – Contractor will prepare a summary of the Final EIS. This will include a list of commitments.

Task E.2: Background – Contractor will update the background with a summary of post Draft EIS activities.

Task E.3: Purpose and Need - Contractor will make any necessary updates to the Purpose and Need.

Task E.4: Alternatives- Contractor will describe the preferred alternative and reasons for its selection. The discussion will be sufficient to fulfill Section 404 Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative and Section 4(f) findings.

Task E.5: Affected Environment, Effects, Mitigation- Contractor will update the chapter on environmental effects with additional information obtained in public comments and further commitments for mitigation.

Task E.6: Coordination- Contractor will update the chapter documenting coordination performed by the contractor and/or Mn/DOT.

Task E.7: Section 4(f)- Contractor will prepare a Final Section 4(f) Evaluation.

Task E.8: Production- Contractor will compile Final EIS, prepare copies as necessary for Mn/DOT, FHWA, and Cooperating Agency review. Contractor will make revisions and submit for signature, then prepare copies for distribution.

Task E.9: Distribution – Contractor will distribute Final EIS on paper copy, on CD, or by notification of availability on the web as required by state and federal requirements and as requested by reviewers and the public.

Task F- Record of Decision/Adequacy Determination

Task F.1: Prepare State Adequacy Determination and Federal Record of Decision (ROD)-Contractor will provideROD documentation supporting Mn/DOT’s adequacy determination for the state EIS process, and in support of FHWA’s federal EIS ROD requirements. Contractor will prepare the request for the ROD and will coordinate the review of the preliminary ROD with Mn/DOT and the FHWA. Contractor will address concerns necessary for the final approval of the ROD. An electronic copy of the ROD will be submitted to Mn/DOT, in Microsoft Word format, for processing.

Task F.2: ROD/AD Distribution – Contractor will closeout the environmental process with any remaining notifications and distributions.

Contractor and Mn/DOT Deliverables and Schedule

The following list of deliverables and completion dates assume a study commencement date (notice to proceed) oflate March, 2011. The deliverables listed below will be provided to Mn/DOT inthe native formats (MS Word, MS Excel, Graphical Information System .shpand .prjfiles) and, as appropriate, PDF format at the deliverable completion date or earlierand compiled on a compact disc at project completion.

Contractor’s Deliverables and Schedule

Contractor Deliverables / Delivery Date
Project Management
Project Management Kickoff Meeting / Within two weeks of contract execution
Project Coordination Meeting Notices, Agendas and Summaries / Monthly
Progress Reports, Invoicing / Monthly
Environmental Studies
Traffic Report
Noise Report
Environmental Mapping
Meeting(s) with Resource Agencies
Draft EIS
Outline / May 1, 2011
Summary
Background
Purpose & Need
Alternatives
Environmental
Coordination
4(f)
Draft DraftEIS for Review / June 9, 2011
Draft EIS for Signature / August 25, 2011
Distributed Draft EIS’
Public Hearing
Public Hearing / November 10, 2011
Final EIS
Summary
Background
Purpose & Need
Alternatives
Environmental
Coordination
4(f)
Draft Final EIS for Review / December 1, 2011
Final EIS for Signature / March 15, 2012
Distributed Final EIS
ROD/Adequacy Determination
ROD / May 24, 2012
Adequacy Determination / May 24, 2012

Mn/DOT’s Deliverables

Mn/DOTDeliverables / Delivery Date
Alternative Centerline Alignments / March 23, 2011
Previous Draft and Final EIS / March 23, 2011
Cultural Resources (CR) Study / May 20,2011
Mn/DOT CR Eligibility Determinations / June 1, 2011
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Eligibility Concurrence / August 19, 2011
Mn/DOT Effect Determinations / August 19, 2011
SHPO Effect Concurrence / August 19, 2011
Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement / March 30, 2012
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Text for EIS / May 20, 2011
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment / August 1, 2011
Wetlands Report / May 20, 2011
Vegetation Report / May 10, 2011
Threatened & Endangered Species Letter / May 10, 2011
Document Reviews / Within 2 weeks of submittal
Deliverable Acceptance / Within 2 weeks of submittal unless not accepted

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