Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Wilmington, North Carolina June 27, 2018

Transcription

1 Request for Qualifications Professional Engineering Consulting Services Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and Ion Exchange (IX) Groundwater Treatment Pilot Test General Information Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Wilmington, North Carolina June 27, 2018 North Carolina Session Law , PART XIII. SECTION 13.1.(e), known as the Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2018 (the Act) provides Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) with $450,000 as a grant-in-aid to design, construct, and operate a pilot test on groundwater at CFPUA s Westbrook Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) well. CFPUA requests statements of qualifications (SOQ) from consulting engineering firms for the design of a comparative pilot test of GAC and IX treatment technologies at the Westbrook ASR well. The ASR well was originally installed to store drinking water treated at CFPUA s Sweeney surface water treatment plant in the Upper Peedee Aquifer. Contaminants of concern identified in the Act are per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the chemical known as "GenX" (CAS registry number or ), that may be included in the water. The successful firm will lead the treatment design and effectiveness reporting on the project team. Others on the team will collect, analyze samples and provide information on the site and what is known about the per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Submission of a Statement of Qualification (SOQ) Consulting engineering firms are invited to submit a Statement of Qualification to the CFPUA to be received no later than 3:00 PM on July 17, Submittals received after this deadline will not be considered. CFPUA will address questions regarding the RFQ until 3:00 PM on July 11, Questions submitted after this time will not addressed. Statement of Qualifications shall be sent to: Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Attention: Julia Faircloth Finance Department 235 Government Center Drive Wilmington, NC

2 SOQ s shall be limited to 30-pages or less, excluding cover sheet, tabs, resumes and appendices. All SOQ s will be evaluated by a CFPUA selection team. The selection team will consist of; Frank Styers (Chief Operating Officer), Carel Vandermeyden (Director of Engineering), Gary McSmith (Assistant Engineering Director) and Beth Eckert (Director of Environmental Management Services). One firm will be selected from this request for qualifications. Firms shall submit six (6) written copies and one (1) electronic file of their statement of qualifications for consideration. Information submitted shall be in compliance with N.C.G.S through (aka Mini Brooks Act). Background See attached Execution Plan and Schedule. Description of Services The scope of work for the successful firm is expected to include pilot treatment design, including specifications for treatment media, leased equipment, installation and construction of pilot equipment; developing of sampling plan; and intermediate, final report preparation. The final report will include a description of the test; the data collected; an evaluation of effectiveness of both media; calculation of lifecycle costs for a 500 gpm treatment capital improvement for both media; and recommendations. The project is fast-paced to meet deadlines written into the Act and is anticipated to benefit not only CFPUA, but others affected by PFAS groundwater contamination. Schedule The CFPUA selection team will place strong emphasis on a firm s ability to meet the schedule of deliverables outlined below. The selected consultant will be expected to complete the project in accordance with the project schedule shown below, or sooner. CFPUA will provide comments generally within 2 weeks from the date received. o Advertise RFQ June 27, 2018 o Questions cut-off July 11, 2018 o Consultants submit SOQ July 17, 2018 o Complete SOQ reviews July 23, 2018 o Select best qualified firm July 27, 2018 o Negotiated Scope and Fee August 1, 2018 o Contract Notice to proceed August 15, 2018 o Pilot Test Design Complete September 30, 2018 o Interim Report Complete November 21, 2018 o Pilot Installation Complete December 30, 2019 o Pilot Operation Complete March 31, 2019 o Final Report Complete May 21,

3 This schedule is flexible except for the dates identified for interim and final reporting to the legislature. Consultant Selection CFPUA will follow a qualifications-based selection process. Consultants must demonstrate their level of competence and qualification, and each sub-consultant's level of competence and qualification, with respect to the listed evaluation factors for the needed services. Demonstrated ability to efficiently perform on similar projects with tight timelines. SOQ s will be evaluated based on the following five (5) considerations and the level of importance for each consideration. The SOQ shall be formatted consistent with the evaluation consideration. Criteria shown under each of the five (5) considerations are to be addressed in the SOQ. Consultant s may provide additional information as necessary. 1. Project understanding and approach (15%) a. Understanding of project drivers and success factors b. Approach for the work and to keep the project on schedule c. Pertinent new ideas presented during the selection process d. Description of the consultant team s quality control program 2. Relevant firm experience with GAC and IX treatment (25%) a. Pilot projects of similar size and scope b. GAC and IX of groundwater c. PFAS treatment understanding and experience d. References and descriptions of similar projects e. Experience provided by any sub-consultants 3. Overall staff experience proposed for this project (30%) a. Principal in charge of the project b. Quality review and quality control team c. Individual team members and relevant experience d. Location of each team member to facilitate efficient project execution e. Adequate staffing/resources to perform the work within schedule f. Sub-consultant(s) and specific role on the project 4. Ability to efficiently manage project aspects coordinating with project team (10%) a. Adequate knowledge of local conditions relevant to the project b. Efficient project coordination with CFPUA and team to meet the schedule c. Efficient verification of existing conditions d. Efficient coordination with local agencies e. Efficient support of CFPUA with project team 5. Record of success by the consultant (20%) a. Managing Projects costs within project budgets 3

4 b. Record of project success, demonstrated by work previously performed for CFPUA or similar work performed for others c. Fast-paced small projects on-time and within budget A more detailed scope of work and fee schedule will be negotiated with the best qualified firm. If negotiations are not successful with any selected firm, CFPUA will terminate negotiations with that firm and initiate negotiations with the next best qualified firm. When a fair and reasonable fee is established, a contract award recommendation will be made to the CFPUA Board for its consideration. Insurance Requirements The following criteria will be deemed necessary for selection: The firm must meet the following insurance requirements. Workers Compensation may be waived if firm has no employees. General Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate. Authority must be additional insured and endorsement required. Workers Compensation $500,000/$500,000/$500,000. Waiver of Subrogation against the Authority and endorsement required. Auto Liability Insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limits applicable to claims due to bodily injury and/or property damage. Authority must be additional insured and endorsement required. Professional Liability not less than $1,000,000 per loss. Any firm wishing to be considered must be properly registered with the Office of the Secretary of State. Notification The selected firms will be notified by telephone and/or . The CFPUA reserves the right to reject any and all Proposals. CFPUA will address questions regarding the RFQ until 3:00PM on July 11, Questions submitted after this time will not addressed. Any questions concerning this advertisement should be directed to Julia Faircloth, Procurement Manager, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, at bids@cfpua.org by July 11, 2018 at 3:00pm. End 4

5 Execution Plan and Schedule for Groundwater Treatment Pilot Test June 18, 2018 Background: North Carolina Session Law (the Act) provides funding for CFPUA to conduct research on the effectiveness of ion exchange and granular activated carbon treatment technologies at the Westbrook Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Well. An excerpt from the Act follows this plan and schedule for reference. CFPUA staff proposes to fulfill the obligations of the Act in a manner that provides practical benefit to CFPUA s customers and other owner/operators of groundwater wells across the state that are impacted by perfluorinated compounds or other emerging contaminants of concern referenced in the Act. The funding level of $450,000 may, or may not be sufficient to cover the cost of the described scope depending upon bid results and other factors. Staff believes that the following plan represents necessary steps to reliably conduct the work with an expectation of valid results to evaluate future capital projects related to the Westbrook ASR Well, or any potable well affected by similar contaminants. Execution Plan: The Act establishes two fixed dates for reports to be submitted to the House and Senate Select Committees on North Carolina River Quality; the Fiscal Research Division; and the Environmental Regulatory Commission (ERC). These dates drive the schedule for this pilot study. An interim report is due by December 1, 2018 and a final report is due by June 1, The schedule is established so that the interim report can contain the pilot treatment design, the pilot test plan, and the groundwater response monitoring plan. The final report is planned to contain the results of the pilot test, including comparative performance of granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX) for treating groundwater. An appropriate level of non-targeted test results will be gathered from Sweeney Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the ASR Well, as required. Two pilot treatment systems with a cumulative treatment capacity of 500 gallons per minute will be designed, installed, pilot tested and evaluated for comparative effectiveness of groundwater treatment for perfluorinated compounds and any other constituents of concern present at ASR Westbrook. Treated water from the pilot test will be discharged to sanitary sewer, like the previously permitted discharge of 50 million gallons of groundwater pumped from the well last fall. Mini-Brooks compliant qualifications-based selection of a North Carolina licensed engineering firm will be conducted for treatment and hydraulic engineering. The University of North Carolina at Wilmington will provide advanced level understanding of perfluorinated compound detection methods under an amendment to its existing agreement. Catlin Engineers and Scientists will continue groundwater monitoring and project sample collection under its existing agreement. Treatment media and equipment leasing; minor construction of temporary connections, and laboratory analytical test contracting will all also be in accordance with North Carolina procurement regulations to be determined upon system design.

6 Existing Contracts at ASR Westbrook to be amended: Catlin Engineers and Scientists: University of North Carolina at Wilmington: Additional Contracts Required: Hydraulic and treatment engineering consultant Media purchase and equipment lease Construction/installation contract Laboratory Analytical Contract Schedule: Sampling and Monitoring Reports Chemistry and Laboratory Consulting Qualifications based selection for engineers State compliant procurement State compliant procurement State compliant procurement # Activity Start Finish 1 Request qualifications, select and award hydraulic and June 2018 August 2018 treatment engineering consultant 2 Amend Catlin and UNCW agreements June 2018 August Design pilot treatment system August 2018 September Develop pilot test and groundwater monitoring plan August 2019 November Procure and install pilot treatment system October 2019 December Interim report to Legislature, CFPUA Board and others November 2018 November Operate pilot treatment system January 2019 March Dismantle pilot treatment system March 2019 April Prepare report of treatment and groundwater response March 2019 May Final report to Legislature, CFPUA Board and others May 2019 May 2019 Session Law Excerpt: FUNDS TO THE CAPE FEAR PUBLIC UTILITY AUTHORITY FOR WATER QUALITY SAMPLING, AND TESTING OF TREATMENT TECHNIQUES, TO ADDRESS PER- AND POLY-FLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING GENX, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS SECTION 13.1.(e) Four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) of the funds appropriated in this act to the Division of Water Infrastructure of the Department of Environmental Quality shall be used to provide a grant-in-aid to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to implement a program to: (1) Perform nontargeted sampling of finished drinking water from the Authority's Sweeney Water Treatment Plant and in its Aquifer Storage and Recovery Well (ASR) to identify levels of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the chemical known as "GenX" (CAS registry number or ), that may be included in the water. (2) After establishing the baseline pursuant to testing conducted pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, the Authority shall test the effectiveness of ion exchange and activated carbon technologies for treatment of PFAS, including

7 GenX. In so doing, the Authority shall (i) install temporary ion exchange and carbon treatment systems suitable to treat 500 gallons per minute (GPM) flow as a minimum capacity and modify existing piping from the Plant and ASR to connect to the temporary treatment systems; (ii) after installation of the temporary treatment systems, test the water treated weekly, before and after treatment by ion exchange and activated carbon, over a period of six weeks at increasing flow rates to determine the relative effectiveness of the two technologies at reducing PFAS, including GenX; and (iii) after determination of the most successful treatment technology at a high flow of 500 GPM, continue sampling water treated by the technology at two-week intervals thereafter. The Authority shall submit an interim report on activities conducted pursuant to this section to the House Select Committee on North Carolina River Quality, the Senate Select Committee on North Carolina River Water Quality, the Fiscal Research Division, and the Environmental Review Commission no later than December 1, 2018, and a final report with sampling results and treatment data no later than June 1, 2019.