Belomar Regional Council
Request for Qualifications
US EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant
I. Purpose
Request for Qualifications for Professional Environmental Services
Belomar Regional Council (“Belomar”) is seeking a qualified environmental consultant to provide site inventory assistance, environmental assessment, public outreach and assist with program implementation related to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Wide Hazardous Substances Brownfields Assessment Grant. The $200,000 grant was awarded to Belomar for the project period beginning October 1, 2019 and ending September 30, 2022.
II. Background
The purpose of the US EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant is to conduct Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and asbestos assessments on properties located within the four-county region of Belomar Regional Council. The objective of this work is to identify hazardous materials and develop a strategy to mitigate or remove their presence to promote economic development.
Located in the Upper Ohio Valley region, Belomar Regional Council spans three counties in West Virginia (Marshall, Ohio and Wetzel) and one county in Ohio (Belmont). During the late 1800’s the Upper Ohio Valley Region became an industrial hub known for its iron, steel, glass and pottery manufacturing. Today, the population of the four-county area is around 155,000 inhabitants. Several sites that were previously used for industrial purposes have already been identified for assessment and their redevelopment is crucial for the revival of the cities and towns located in the region.
III. Scope of Work
The scope of Services will generally include, but is not limited to:
1.Conduct community outreach in coordination with Belomar and the Belomar Brownfields Task Force.
a.Develop a community engagement plan to detail a strategy for involving the community in brownfield activities.
b.Conduct public meetings and hearings to solicit community interest and provide educational information.
c.Develop and implement effective methods of communicating information about the brownfield program to the public (website, brochure, information, sheets, mails, etc.)
d.Facilitate monthly calls and meetings, as needed, with Belomar, Brownfield Task Force and other stakeholder groups.
e.Consult/communicate with prospective property owners, private landowners, and developers to encourage participation in the program.
2.Perform Phase I Environmental Site Assessments on identified sites:
a.Work with Belomar Brownfields Task Force to review and recommend sites to be assessed and characterized.
b.Complete Phase I assessments on up to seven sites following the ASTM E-1527 standard.
c.Coordinate with Belomar and property owners to obtain access agreements.
d.Prepare draft Phase I ESA Reports for Belomar and US EPA review. Included in this task is the development of the following plans:
1.Preparation and submission of Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)
2.Preparation and submission of Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plans (SS-QAPPs)
3.Develop Health and Safety Plans (HASP)
4.Phase I Environmental Site Assessment-related field work, research, and report development. Documents are required to follow applicable state and industry standards including ASTM and All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) standards for property transactional work.
5.Complete all appropriate inquires checklists.
6.Prepare final Phase I ESA reports based on Belomar and US EPA review comments.
e.Review Phase I ESA results with Belomar Brownfields Task Force and, when appropriate obtain approval for Phase II ESA.
3.Perform Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
a.Complete up to three Phase II ESAs following the US EPA previously approved Quality Assurance Project Plan.
b. Include targeted sampling of soil, groundwater, surface water and various waste materials that may require disposal. Where appropriate, the consultant will use cost-saving techniques (e.g. field screening technologies) to minimize investigation costs.
4.Perform Asbestos Assessments
a.Complete up to four asbestos assessments on selected sites.
5.Remedial Action Planning
a.Complete up to two Remedial Action Plans for selected sites.
b.Task lead will be the Qualified Environmental Professional and will spend an estimated 20 weeks per site to complete RAP work and receive the necessary WVDEP and OEP feedback and approvals.
6.Program Implementation: Consultant will assist Belomar Staff in the preparation of all required quarterly progress and final U.S. EPA reports. Prior to undertaking any activities, Consultant will prepare a Quality Assurance Protection Plan to meet the approval of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III Brownfields Assessment Program.
IV. Requirements
Responding individuals and firms must submit a detailed proposal, which will include the following:
a.Cover Letter – include the name, address, phone number, and email address. Briefly describe the firm’s understanding of the project.
b.Technical capabilities – Describe your firm’s ability to perform the tasks described in the “Scope of Work” according to the regulations of the US Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Assessment Program, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). Describe your firm’s experience with any previous EPA Brownfield Assessment Grants and the following tasks associated with the assessment grant: completing property profile forms, Quality Assurance Plans (QAP), Sampling Analysis Plans (SAP) and updating the US EPA’s ACRES Reporting System.
c.Project Organization and Staffing – List Project Manager and other key staff members; including key subconsultant staff, project engineers, etc. Describe the availability of assigned staff. Include resumes or description of qualifications for all employees who will be assigned to the project. Also include the name and contact information of the person authorized to negotiate a contract.
d.Subconsultants – List any subconsultants to be used, identify their qualifications, the tasks they will be conducting and the percentage of the amount of work they will be contributing to the overall project.
e.Past Performance- Provide a minimum of three descriptions of prior brownfield projects that included brownfield assessment successfully completed by the firm. Identify the sources of funds utilized for the project and the estimated versus actual cost to complete.
f.Approach Plan – Provide insight into the methodology that will be used to complete each task included in the “Scope of Work” and in accordance with the U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant. The Plan shall include the approach to community involvement activities, planning, organization, and management. The plan shall also include the timetable for completing the tasks included in the “Scope of Work”.
g.Preferences – Provide a list of no more than five references for projects similar in scope undertaken by the firm with contact information for each reference.
Proposals must be signed by a duly authorized official of the consultant firm. Consortiums, joint ventures or teams submitting proposals, although permitted and encouraged, will not be considered responsive unless it is established that all contractual responsibility rests solely with one contractor or one legal entity which shall be a subsidiary or affiliate with limited resources. Each proposal should indicate the entity responsible for execution on behalf of the proposal team. All sub consultants must be listed in the proposal.
By submitting the RFQ, the Respondent relinquishes all rights to submitted proposals or ideas continued therein, and Belomar reserves the right to retain all submitted proposals and to use any ideas in any proposal submitted, regardless of whether or not the proposal is selected.
V. Evaluation and Selection Process
The RFQ’s will be ranked, with a point system, based on the following criteria:
1.Quality, completeness and clarity of the RFQ and Approach Plan.
2.Evidence of the firm’s ability to perform the required services.
3.Qualifications/expertise of the key personnel of the team.
4.Past performance and record of successful completion of similar work (including WV DEP’s Voluntary Remediation Program and/or Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program and US EPA’s Brownfields Assessment Program.
5.Quality control and innovative approach to maximizing grant funds.
Belomar reserves the right to either award, or not award, any of the work noted, in any lawful manner deemed to be in Belomar’s best interest.
Belomar will also retain the right to suspend or cancel the work at any time.
VI. Submission of Responses
Please furnish one (1) hard copy of the proposal and one (1) electronic copy in PDF format to:
Natalie Hamilton
Belomar Regional Council
PO Box 2086
Wheeling, WV 26003
Proposals are due on October 8, 2019 by 12 P.M. (noon). Submittals received after the stated time will not be considered.
All questions regarding this proposal are required to be submitted in email to Natalie Hamilton at [email protected] by September 23, 2019 by 5 P.M. Any questions received will be answered by a posting to the Belomar website under “What’s New” tab.
A consultant selection team comprised of Belomar staff and participating Belomar Brownfields Task Force members shall review the proposals and select the firm they feel will supply Belomar with the best and most complete project.
VII. Tentative Timeline
The evaluation of the proposals is anticipated to proceed on the following schedule.
September 9, 2019 Request for Qualifications posted on
Beomar’s website
September 9, 2019 First posting of advertisement of RFQ in
Wheeling Intelligencer Newspaper
September 16, 2019 Second post of advertisement of RFQ in
Wheeling Intelligencer Newspaper
September 23, 2019 by 5 PM Deadline for questions
September 25, 2019 Answers posted to Belomar’s website
October 8, 2019 by 12 PM Deadline for proposals to be received by Belomar
October 15, 2019 Interview firms that have been short listed
November 1, 2019 Consultant Selection Agreement Negotiations
and Notice to Proceed
VIII. Insurance
The consultant chosen by Belomar to perform the work shall provide Belomar with a certificate of insurance naming Belomar Regional Council as additional insured with an insurance company, types of coverage and amounts of coverage that are acceptable to Belomar.
Intelligencer Sept. 9, 16, 2019