Request for Qualifications

Published: January 15, 2025

SRA Restoration Contractor RFQ

The goal of Severn River Association (SRA) contracting and procurement is to ensure the best use of public and private funds that follows the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procurement guidelines. This is a public and competitive Request For Qualifications (RFQ). SRA uses a fair, ethical, responsible, and transparent request and review process. The purpose of this RFQ is to identify qualified consultants, design and/or construction firms to assist SRA in developing and executing upland and/or shoreline restoration projects for design and/or implementation for federal or state grants/awards/contracts. The geographic focus of this RFQ is the entire watershed for the Severn River. The selected consultants, design and/or construction partner(s) will assist with projects involving subwatershed action plans, stormwater management, living shorelines, stream restoration, nature-based septic treatment (e.g. permeable reactive barriers, bioreactor gardens, constructed wetlands, etc.), either separately or in some combination. Projects will be funded through such entities as Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT), Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), other foundations, and private donors.

SRA seeks to competitively qualify 3 to 6 consultants, design, and/or implementation partners with expertise in project development, watershed assessment and planning, survey, design, permitting, construction and/or implementation, maintenance, monitoring, and long-term management of stormwater management, green infrastructure, living shoreline, septic treatment, wetland restoration, and stream restoration projects. The selected firms will assist with the development of federal, state, and foundation grant funded proposals and, if grants are awarded, execution of proposed projects.

Project values for this RFQ are typically between $30,000 and $2,000,000. Selected firms will be considered a qualified contractor to SRA for a period of three years. Firms, whether selected or not, are welcome to compete for subsequent general RFQs and specific project RFPs (Request for Proposals) outside the scope of this RFQ from SRA.

All inquiries related to this RFQ are to be directed via email to SRA Restoration Manager Ben Fertig, Ph.D. at ben@severnriver.org. No phone calls please. Aggregated responses to inquiries will be posted on our website as a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

Responses must be made via email with a subject line including “Restoration RFQ” to Ben Fertig at ben@severnriver.org by 5pm on February 15, 2025. All responses must be in PDF format. Hard copies will not be accepted. An email confirming receipt email will be sent within 5 business days.

~~~~~
SRA Request for Qualifications FAQ updated on 2/14/2025

1. Are you looking for responses from firms individually, or would you accept a response from a team?

We will be accepting responses from both individual firms and from teams. 

2. Must firms demonstrate qualifications for all types of projects referred to in the RFQ?

No. Please indicate which types of projects you are responding to.

3. Do you have specific projects in mind already?

SRA has reviewed existing action plans and is developing new ones. SRA has recently published a Severn River Action Plan that identifies over 20 projects in the #1 priority subwatershed, Weems Creek. Additionally, the Spa Creek Conservancy has previously published action plans for the Spa Creek (#2 priority subwatershed). SRA is currently working with the Center for Watershed Protection to develop an action plan for the #3 priority subwatershed, Picture Spring Branch. Further, the City of Annapolis commissioned a Watershed Implementation Plan which also identified specific projects. Additionally, by 2028, SRA hopes to have action plans for each of the top 10 priority subwatersheds.

4. Can I be emailed any amendments to the RFQ document and/or other info regarding this RFQ? 

SRA does not anticipate amending the RFQ document itself. Emailed inquiries will be responded to as a courtesy. All responses to inquiries, additional information and/or amendments will be shared publicly via this FAQ. This FAQ is updated as quickly as possible, as of the date shown above. 

5. Is there a certain form you would like filled out or what are you looking to receive as a submittal?

The form to submit and items to include in the narrative are included in the RFQ document.

6. What is the benefit of becoming a qualified contractor? Whether selected or not, firms can compete for subsequent RFPs. Will SRA be issuing some RFPs only to selected firms?

Yes, for many future projects, SRA anticipates issuing RFPs only to qualified contractors. The reservation of rights stated in the RFQ remains as is.

7. Will SRA release competitive RFPs to all selected firms for each prospective project or is the intent for this solicitation to meet SRA’s and/or the Grantor’s requirements for a public and competitive selection process?

The purpose of this RFQ is to meet funder requirements for a public and competitive selection process. SRA anticipates proceeding with a variety of types of projects and recognizes that multiple firms will need to be considered qualified to meet the various technical and other requirements of such projects. SRA recognizes that there may be scheduling or other conflicts for any given future project.

8. On the narrative form, does the cost per sq ft refer to the footprint of the BMP, or the drainage area, or impervious area treated?

If design, then cost for design of BMP per sq ft. If for construction, then cost for construction of BMP per sq ft.

9. Would it be possible to receive an extension for the response due date from February 15, 2025 to February 28, 2025?

No. The timeline is set around SRA’s annual pipeline of grant submission deadlines. 

10. For the project completion timeline, would SRA consider changing the requirement from 3 years to past 10 years to show SRA a more comprehensive list of projects?

No. As stated in the RFQ, SRA is looking for recent experience. The narrative should have ‘at least three examples’ and does not indicate a maximum. 

11. In the narrative, please clarify if SRA is looking for 3 examples per service area or by project type.

It must be clear to SRA what projects each respondent is responding to. Response requirements, as stated, include both identification of services (item 1), and identification of project types (item 2). The Narrative requirements “Include at least three examples of each project type…”. SRA must be able to ascertain what role was played by the respondent for each example provided.

12. Will SRA pay selected firms for grant proposal development support or is the expectation that proposal development costs will be reimbursed if the grant is awarded?

As made clear in the RFQ, SRA’s restoration program is funded by grants. The expectations for grant proposal development described in the RFQ are essentially akin to developing a bid response. Just as a public entity does not provide payment for bids, SRA will not provide payment for grant proposal development. The four types of services that SRA will provide payment for, once the project is fully funded and a contract is in place, are noted in the RFQ: 1) subwatershed action planning, 2) design, 3) design-build, 4) build. 

13. Could you give me an example of green stormwater infrastructure?

By ‘green stormwater infrastructure’, SRA means nature-based (i.e. soil-water-plant systems) solutions that provide greater benefits than conventional ‘gray’ stormwater solutions. These systems intercept stormwater, infiltrate a portion of it into the ground, evaporate a portion of it into the air, and in some cases release a portion of it slowly back into stormwater systems or to the Severn River. Examples include, but are not limited to, rain gardens/bioretention cells, stormwater bump-outs, bioswales, infiltration trenches, stormwater wetlands, porous paving, etc.  

14. What is the best way to indicate we are willing to install types of projects that we have not yet installed?

With this RFQ, SRA is looking to identify qualifications based on recent experience as documented in the RFQ. In general SRA encourages innovation and developing new expertise, especially as SRA looks to implement new and emerging environmental technologies, but that is beyond the scope of this RFQ. SRA will discuss projects outside the scope of this RFQ on a case-by-case basis. 

15. In regards to the cost sheet, are you only interested in costs that are listed on the cost sheet in the RFQ or would you like something way more in depth that includes all types of materials?

The cost sheet that was provided was a nonsense example just to provide a format. Project-specific cost sheets will be developed per specifications of each project.

16. Listed under the response requirements, number 5 has to do with costs for “Typical” grant tasks. If we are just looking at implementation of these projects, what typical tasks would you include? In our experience it has generally only been to provide a cost estimate.

For implementation projects, SRA is looking for all typical costs to provide all labor, materials and equipment necessary for implementation, including but not limited to mobilization and demobilization, construction of erosion and sediment controls, vegetation, etc.

17. Are we expected to submit anything in relation to the equity lens?

In the narrative, SRA is looking for a statement regarding experience providing recommendations and/or deliverables through an equity lens. Several example questions are provided in the equity lens section, however this is not an exhaustive list nor is each question relevant to all SRA/respondent projects. As relevant and at the discretion of the respondent, other information related to equity and diversity can be provided. Examples could include company policy regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, aggregated company (including leadership/board) demographic information, certification as MBE/DBE/WBE, participation in workforce development programs, previous projects working with frontline environmental justice communities, etc. 

18. As a company only looking at implementation and knowing that the design process may take awhile, are there projects already in the pipeline that could be constructed in the next three years? I see that we would only be considered qualified contractor for 3 years.

SRA has one project at the permitting stage that we will be looking for construction in the very near future. Another project is in the design stage. We anticipate hearing in February/March 2025 about funding for design of four additional projects that, if construction is also funded, would be implemented in 2026. SRA is continually applying for multiple grants and anticipates having a robust pipeline. 

19. Will it affect our RFQ if we are unsure of the funding sources?

Funding will not affect the outcome regarding a decision about this RFQ.  SRA seeks funding from a variety of funding sources. For each project, SRA will clearly communicate the source and status of funding. SRA will enter into contracts once a project is fully funded to ensure a smooth payment process for work provided. 

20. If we respond before the February 15 deadline, would you be able to provide feedback on any areas where you need more information, so we can make revisions?

No, SRA cannot provide comments on responses submitted early. We will continue to answer questions and post them here.

21. Please confirm that the closing date for the Upland and Shoreline Restoration Project Design and/or Implementation RFQ is Saturday, Feb. 15 by 5pm.

Confirmed.

22. We are a construction contractor planning on submitting a response to the subject RFQ as the “Build” partner of a design-build team. If our team is successfully prequalified, would that also prequalify our construction company to provide estimates for “build only” contracts, or do we need to submit a separate RFQ response to get prequalified for “build only” opportunities?

You do not need to submit a separate response to get prequalified for build-only opportunities. There is a space to mark interest in both build and design-build projects. We are not looking to create needless work for anyone. If the design firm is interested in design-permit projects, they should mark the design as well. 

23. Clarify what you are looking for in terms of Constructed Wetland Septic Systems. The check box mentions septic, however the project costing lines say ‘constructed wetland’.

SRA is pursuing multiple constructed wetlands projects, some of which will be related to septics and others that will not. Use the line for Constructed Wetland Septic Systems for both but indicate whether or not septics are involved.

24. In the narrative form, can you clarify if the cost line items for the “Constructed Wetland” correspond to the “Constructed Wetland Septic System” project type?

Yes. But SRA is pursuing multiple constructed wetlands projects, some of which will be related to septics and others that will not. 

25. Will you accept examples of standard constructed wetlands in lieu of the septic variety?

Yes. Please make it really obvious whether septic is or is not involved.

26. We see references to wetland restoration in the evaluation criteria and scope of work, but do not see it listed as a project type. Is your intent to have wetland restoration, creation, and/or enhancement as a standalone project type or simply a co-benefit of the listed project types.

Please use the ‘Constructed Wetland Septic System’ for the project type. Some of our wetland projects will be related to septics and others will not. 

27. Can you clarify the intended difference between ‘stormwater management’ and ‘Green Stormwater Infrastructure’? 

‘Stormwater management’ refers to ‘gray stormwater management’ that does not incorporate a nature component. Examples include curb cuts, storm drains or underground cisterns. ‘Green stormwater infrastructure’ may include some engineered elements but will necessarily incorporate a soil-water-vegetation system. Examples include bioretention cells, bioswales, etc. 

28. We have significant experience in Anne Arundel County but am unsure how much of that is directly tied to grant funding. Is demonstrating substantial experience sufficient, or is specific experience working with grant funding a requirement?

Prior experience with projects funded through grants is not a requirement but will be viewed favorably. Grant funding does present specific constraints and challenges. For example, posting construction bonds is particularly helpful for grant funded projects as bonds are not permissible grant expenditures and often neither are fees for surety bonds.

29. Are resumes for key team members required, or would a brief profile of each individual suffice?

Response requirement #4 clearly states resumes (repeated on page 14). The term ‘key team members’ is not defined so that each respondent can best determine the roles that are most suited to the response.

30. Can a firm both sub and prime under the same services?

Yes. Please submit your response for the services as prime. You will be considered as a sub in the response of the prime. 

This section will continue to be updated.