Summary
High Country Council of Governments Request For Qualifications
January 26, 2018
Middle Fork New River Restoration Prioritization Plan
High Country Council of Governments (HCCOG) is seeking qualified firm to develop a Middle Fork New River Restoration Prioritization Plan. This RFQ provides project scope, Statement of Qualifications requirements, and consultant selection process. HCCOG will be contracting entity; other partners will be involved in project development.
Background and Purpose
The Middle Fork Greenway (MFG) is an emerging multi-use greenway connecting the towns of Blowing Rock and Boone along the Middle Fork New River in Watauga County, NC. The Middle Fork Greenway Team is a partnership between High Country Pathways, Inc., a nonprofit organization which promotes, constructs and maintains transportation/recreational trails, and the Blue Ridge Conservancy, which acquires land rights and conducts other activities related to the conservation of land and natural resources. A written Master Plan for the Middle Fork Greenway is in place, and the MFG Team is pursuing its implementation in partnership with the three local governments; Blowing Rock, Boone and Watauga County. Recently expanded partnerships with New River Conservancy, Blue Ridge RC&D and the High Country Council of Governments (COG) have sparked interest in developing a River Restoration Prioritization Plan along the Middle Fork New River and tributaries as the greenway is developed.
As the Middle Fork Greenway trail is being established, the MFG Team and partners believe there is great opportunity to restore the river and tributaries, riparian buffer and provide habitat in areas where needed. A comprehensive River Restoration Prioritization Plan will guide these activities and contribute to the overall health of the corridor as the trail is developed. For more information visit www.MiddleForkGreenway.org
Scope of Work
The firm chosen for the work will provide the following components that identify opportunities reach by reach for riparian and instream improvements:
Stream Reach Delineation – The 6.5-mile project scope will be divided into accessible and practical stream reaches for assessment and project implementation.
Existing Conditions Assessment – Desktop and field reconnaissance surveys will identify and document: topography, hydrology (including wetlands and stream type), stream morphology, soils and geology, site constraints, property boundaries, utilities, potential cultural resources, significant natural heritage areas, vegetation and aquatic biology,
existing stream stability problems, sediment loading downstream, and available land for
reconnecting floodplains in areas with incised streams.
Stream Morphology – Cross-section channel dimensions to determine incised and
entrenched sections. Entrenchment is the lateral confinement of flood flows within a
narrow channel resulting in high bank erosion and trees falling during high flows.
Sediment Modeling – Computer analyses will be used to determine streambank erosion
rates based on field measurements of Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI) and Near Bank
Stress (NBS).
Riparian Vegetation Community – For each reach propose a riparian vegetation plan
that might include revegetation, preservation, thinning, and/or invasive species
management.
Restoration Opportunities – Identify and describe potential stream restoration and
stormwater management projects needed to improve water quality, aquatic habitat, floodplain functions, streamside vegetation, monitoring opportunities, and environmental educational opportunities for greenway users within each designated reach of the project.
River Access – Identify safe and sustainable areas for greenway users that will minimize erosion and sedimentation, and highlight significant river features.
Project Road Map – Provide cost estimates, potential sources of funding, and preliminary concept work for prioritized reaches to provide the Middle Fork Greenway with the necessary information to implement future restoration projects for each reach. Identify permitting requirements for each reach.
Trail-Stream Crossings – Identify potential trail-stream crossings and make recommendations for crossings that support safe and sustainable greenway functions and support aquatic organism passage at all life stages (there will be at least 7 bridges and 4 tributary crossings).
The selected consultant will be responsible for providing personnel with the appropriate skills and qualifications to ensure contract compliance. The selected consultant will be responsible for compliance with terms and conditions associated with project funding source(s), including indemnification, confidentiality, and lobbying.
Qualifications
Submission Requirements
Qualification Statements should clearly and concisely address the following:
Firm name and location of office where work will be performed.
Brief overview and history of firm.
Experience in similar physical and environmental site assessments.
Provide an overview and methodology of how your firm expects to approach this river
restoration prioritization plan.
Identify the key personnel who will be involved with the project and outline their
qualifications and experience related to scope of work.
The extent of work to be performed by other consultants or sub-contractors. Provide their name, location, discipline, and experience.
Provide 3 client references for related governmental work performed in the past five years. Include name, address, telephone number, and contact person most involved with the project.
Describe any prior experience with State and/or Federally funded projects
Document any history of litigation associated with project performance and/or
professional liability.
An hourly rate schedule (to include overhead) for the employees proposed for this
project.
Travel costs and other reimbursables not covered by overhead.
Ability to meet project completion date of August 1, 2018.
Qualifications are to be received at the Middle Fork Greenway office by, February 23, 2018. Submittals may be provided electronically; if not provided electronically, please provide a reproducible original. Only those submittals received by the deadline will be reviewed.
Send or deliver submittals to: Middle Fork Greenway Attn: Wendy Patoprsty
166 Furman Rd.
Boone, NC 28607 wendy@blueridgeconservancy.org
Questions
Please direct your questions to Wendy Patoprsty at 828.264.2511 or
wendy@blueridgeconservancy.org
Basis of Award
Firms will be evaluated based on demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the services described herein. A contract will be negotiated with the firm determined to be best qualified. If however, a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated with that firm, negotiations will be initiated with the next best qualified firm. The project must be completed by August 1, 2018.
Evaluation Criteria
The following considerations will be utilized during the selection process from the submitted and eligible proposals:
Familiarity with greenway projects – 10%.
The firm’s experience with projects in western North Carolina – 10%
The experience of the staff proposed to this project to perform the type of work
required – 20%
The firm’s staffing, financial, and administrative capacity – 10%
The firm’s proven ability of completing tasks on time and within budget – 15%
The firm’s ability to complete the project by August 1, 2018 – 15%.
Project approach and methodology – 20%
Disclaimer
This RFQ does not commit High Country Council of Governments (COG) to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred during the preparation of a proposal. High Country COG reserves the right to reject any or all of the proposals for completing this work. High Country COG also reserves the right to terminate the Request for Qualifications process at any time.