South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group
Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Distribution Date: March 19, 2015
Response Due Date: April 6, 2015
Invitation to Interested Parties for salmon habitat restoration and enhancement projects in the Skagit and Samish watersheds, San Juan Islands, and northern Whidbey Island.
The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) is seeking to develop a small projects roster of pre-qualified professional engineering firms with an emphasis in salmon habitat and restoration design, permitting, and construction projects in the Skagit and Samish watersheds, northern Whidbey Island, and the San Juan Islands (Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties). SFEG typically initiates 3-4 habitat restoration projects requiring engineering services each year. In 2015 we expect to receive funding for 4-6 barrier culvert replacement designs, and two small-scale rip-rap removal projects. Other projects requiring engineering may also be identified during this time period. We are also looking for firms interested in assisting with 3rd party design review and/or construction management.
Projects to be solicited under this RFQ are small, with anticipated design budgets of less than $50,000 each. SFEG relies on our contract engineers to assist with contractor selection, bid package preparation, and construction management, so even small projects typically require at least 3 site visits. Construction management frequently includes daily site visits while work is in progress, and may involve having a representative from the CM firm on site for the duration of active construction (1-2 weeks). In forming our small projects engineering roster we are looking for firms that can provide cost effective services for small projects. Projects that require specialized expertise or have an estimated design or construction management cost of more than $50,000 will be solicited separately (see below).
Engineering firms will be assessed based on three categories: 1) Qualifications and experience of staff; 2) Organizational efficiency and cost-effectiveness; and 3) Recent experience in northwest salmon habitat restoration and enhancement projects including marine and freshwater. Five to seven firms will be pre-qualified for contracting to assist with the design of various small fish passage and salmon habitat restoration projects and/or construction management and kept on file for two years. Our hope is to work with each firm on this limited list at least once. Projects may be subject to state or federal audit requirements. If you are interested, please submit your qualification to:
Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group
P.O. Box 2497
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Attn: Sue Madsen
Submittals shall be a maximum of 10-pages, and should consist of the following items:
- Letter of Interest and Introduction (1 page maximum).
- Summary of firm’s qualifications for design of fish passage (not including hydro-electric), habitat enhancement, and restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest (4 page maximum). Please identify the type(s) of projects you are interested in being considered for from the list below, and include a matrix demonstrating your experience in the following project types:
- Culvert replacement to facilitate fish passage
- Stream channel restoration
- Design Review/Construction Management
Firms interested in providing services for fish passage projects MUST describe how structural and geotechnical work would be handled; if subcontractors would be used, the firm or firms that you expect to work with should be identified, including the location of the local office. You do NOT need to provide references, resumes or projects descriptions for subcontractors; however that material may be requested during the contracting process if applicable.
- Please describe how/why your firm can provide cost-effective services for small projects located in the Skagit and Samish watersheds. Note that we are NOT requesting a rate sheet, but rather a brief narrative explaining how this goal can be accomplished. (1 page maximum)
- List of key professional personnel who would be assigned to the work, and a short bio for each (1 page maximum). Note: resumes for staff that have not previously worked for SFEG may be included as an Appendix; that Appendix does not count as part of the 10-page maximum submittal.
- References for at least 3 and no more than 5 habitat enhancement projects completed within in the last 3 years, including project name, total engineering cost and construction cost, contact person, and phone number (3 pages maximum). References should include the types of project you are interested in being considered for.
Responses to this RFQ must be received at the above address by noon on April 6, 2015. Please mail (or deliver) one hard copy (unbound, double-sided) and one electronic copy (e-mail or CD) of qualifications package. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Sue Madsen at (360) 336-0172 extension 302. Note that for hand delivery or courier our street address is 1202 South 2nd St. Suite C, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.
For large projects SFEG will advertise publically and/or send RFQs to all firms who have requested to be on our distribution list. It is NOT necessary to be on the small engineering projects roster to be on the distribution list for larger projects. If you are interested in being on the distribution list for these projects please contact Sue Madsen (contact info below), and provide your firms name, address/phone number and the name and e-mail of a contact person. Please do NOT submit an SOQ if you are only interested in being on our distribution list.
A copy of SFEG’s consultant selection process is attached.
SFEG Pre-Qualification and selection process
March 12, 2015
SFEG desires to maintain the public’s trust by using a fair, competitive, and transparent process during the procurement selection for engineering assistance to develop and design small salmon habitat restoration projects. SFEG purchasing guidelines are consistent with those followed by WDFW. We use the following Best Management Practices to select engineers for SFEG sponsored projects.
Engineering Firms:
Engineering firms will be requested to submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) package for SFEG review and consideration every 2 years. SFEG’s Executive Director, Restoration Ecologist and at least one Board Member will review the SOQ’s and select the 5-7 firms that best fit the needs described in this small projects SOQ.
All engineering firms selected for the small projects roster will be considered “Pre-Qualified” for small projects by SFEG.
For individual engineering projects with an anticipated cost of less than $10,000 SFEG can select and negotiate cost and scope of work with any one of the Pre-Qualified firms on the small projects roster provided that they demonstrate specific expertise, ability, and the necessary qualifications needed to design the project and/or types of projects.
For projects with an estimated engineering cost of between $10,000 and $49,999 SFEG will utilize an informal competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) approach to solicit proposals from the top 3 firms on the list that have expressed interest in that project type. Informal proposals will focus on 1) interest in doing the project; 2) availability of key staff; and 3) proposed approach and timeline. Responses may consist of an e-mail, letter or submittal that is no more than 3 pages. The proposals will be ranked by a selection committee (see below).
For all projects greater than $10,000 a selection committee consisting of SFEGs Executive Director and/or Restoration Ecologist and at least one Board Member will review proposals, rank the responses and negotiate a contract for the project with the top ranked firm. If we are not able to negotiate a mutually acceptable contract with the top-ranked firm we will offer the project to the second-ranked company, etc.
Once a firm has been selected for work on a project that firm will be moved to the end of the list for future project solicitations. SFEG’s goal is ultimately to work with all of the pre-qualified consultants on our small projects roster.
Proposals for projects that require specialized expertise or have an estimated design or construction management cost of more than $50,000 will be solicited separately from this small projects engineering roster. For these larger projects SFEG will request proposals from firms on our distribution list (that may or may not be on the pre-qualified small projects engineering roster) and/or advertise in a regional paper to solicit public bids.
If an engineering firm contacts SFEG: Engineering firms will be invited to submit a SOQ package for our review and consideration for future small projects at an interval of no more than 2-years. To be considered for inclusion on our small projects roster, all engineering firms should have extensive and diverse experience in the types of projects that SFEG undertakes. The pre-qualified consultant list will be updated at intervals no longer than 2-years.
Engineer selection is not made on cost. Selection shall be determined by qualifications, scope of work, availability and services to be provided.
The selection process for EVERY PROJECT will be documented and maintained in the official project files.