KITTITAS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
YAKIMA RIVER ASSESSMENT – HANSEN PITS TO RINGER LOOP
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Kittitas County, Washington, Department of Public Works is seeking rivers and stream restoration engineering consultants to provide multidisciplinary planning services for a reach inventory and assessment leading to a habitat management plan on the Yakima River, Kittitas County, Washington, from Hansen Pits to Ringer Loop. Kittitas County was recently awarded a grant from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to fund the reach analysis. The project reach begins approximately one mile south of Ellensburg, Washington.
The complete Request for Qualifications including supplemental information may be viewed online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/.
After review of the qualifications, the County may select one or more firms or individuals to submit specific proposals for the requested activities. Work is anticipated to begin June 30, 2013.
Interested firms or individuals shall deliver or mail three (3) paper copies of their qualifications indicating how they are qualified to perform the activities requested to:
Kittitas County Department of Public Works, 411 N. Ruby St, Suite 1, Ellensburg, WA 98926.
All submissions must be received by 4:30 pm April 25, 2013. Please direct questions to Christina Wollman at (509) 962-7523 or christina.wollman@co.kittitas.wa.us.
Kittitas County is an equal opportunity employer. The County reserves the right to reject any and all responses, and to waive minor irregularities in any RFQ submittal. The County shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the firm in preparing, submitting, or presenting its response to the RFQ.
The County encourages minority and women-owned firms to submit qualifications consistent with the County's policy to insure that minority and women-owned firms are afforded the maximum practicable opportunity to compete for and obtain public contracts for services.
Published in the Daily Record and Daily Journal of Commerce
First Publication: April 4, 2013
Second Publication: April 11, 2013
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
YAKIMA RIVER ASSESSMENT – HANSEN PITS TO RINGER LOOP
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
BACKGROUND
Kittitas County Public Works was recently awarded a grant from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to perform a reach assessment. The assessment will identify and prioritize habitat restoration actions for salmonid species in a three mile long reach of the Yakima River south of Ellensburg. Initially, the project involved only the Hansen Pits levee setback. But in developing the floodplain restoration project there, it became apparent that a larger area needed to be assessed prior to fully developing any levee relocation.
The proposed assessment beings at Hansen Pits and extends downstream. The assessment will identify priority locations with the project reach for improvements in riverine and floodplain habitat that result in significant increase in the quantity, diversity, and productivity of habitats over a range of flows for various life stages of listed and non-listed salmonid. The assessment will also identify priority locations with the project reach for improvements to the floodplain that will provide protection to county infrastructure such as Hansen Pits, Canyon Road, Ringer Loop, Riverbottom Road and county maintained levees within the reach boundaries.
The final report will summarize existing conditions in the project reach; provide a clear set of selection criteria and a methodology to identify and prioritize project; identify and prioritize potential projects (including the Hansen Pits Levee relocation); and develop conceptual designs and cost estimates for priority projects.
The complete project snapshot can be viewed at : https://secure.rco.wa.gov/prism/search/ProjectSnapshot.aspx?ProjectNumber=12-1358
SCOPE OF WORK
Consultants will be required to assess the Yakima River, Hansen Pits to Ringer Loop, from a multidisciplinary perspective. Input shall be included from fluvial geomorphologists, fisheries biologist/habitat restoration specialists, and licensed civil engineers with a history of working with projects where, at times, residential development, agricultural and restoration goals may conflict. Prioritizing and balancing those conflicts while producing a viable list of action items shall be of utmost importance.
The consultant is expected to produce deliverables which include: technical memorandum summarizing existing conditions in the project reach, identification of potential habitat restoration/enhancement opportunities in the reach, conceptual designs and preliminary cost estimates for the top ranked projects, and a final report incorporating all the above information.
The consultant is expected to perform tasks which include:
Task 1—Review Existing Information: This includes the significant body of work completed by the US Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Task 2— Analysis of Current Conditions: This includes characterizing historic and current geomorphic and sediment processes; assessing existing flood, erosion, and avulsion hazards; and identifying critical limiting factors for Chinook, Coho, and steelhead, key data gaps, anthropogenic constraints, channel and floodplain evolution potential, in the Hansen Pits to Ringer Loop reach. This will involve both desktop and field analysis.
Task 3- Develop Prioritized List and Evaluation of Potential Habitat Enhancement Actions: Using existing data, including data and analyses produced in Task 2, compile a list of potential sites along the Reach for habitat enhancement or restoration activities. Clear criteria and methodology will be developed for project prioritization including at least relevance to the critical limiting factors, biological value, and feasibility.
Task 4— Develop Conceptual Designs and Preliminary Cost Estimates: For the identified high priority actions, conceptual designs and preliminary costs estimates will be developed.
Task 5—Prepare Final Project Report: The final report will document the methods and findings of the assessment including the prioritized table of potential projects and the description, and preliminary cost estimates for the top ranked projects.
Task 6—Project Management: Project management will include conducting meetings and facilitating stakeholder involvement. Multiple meetings of a Technical Work Group (TWG) and citizen meetings are anticipated throughout the assessment.
WATERSHED ACTIVITIES/EVENTS
For the past decade, a levee setback project has been planned for the reach just north of this project. The US Bureau of Reclamation purchased the property to the north (Shaake property) because of the high potential to improve steelhead and salmonid habitat. The levee setback ends just north of the existing Hansen Pits property owned by Kittitas County. The project is still in process.
Figure 1. The Yakima River Reach Assessment encompasses 300 acres and includes 36 acres of habitat and 3 miles of river assessment.
The Hansen Pits levee, originally constructed to protect gravel pits, failed during the 1996 floods. The breach was never repaired and has continued to grow while other sections of the levee degrade. Initially, this proposal was intended to produce a floodplain restoration design specific to the Hansen Pits property which would include setback and connection of the Hansen Pits levee to the Shaake levee. After multiple discussions between stakeholders, it was determined that expansion of the project to look at Hansen Pits to Ringer Loop would provide an excellent opportunity to look at the larger landscape and to coordinate with other stakeholders.
A significant amount of assessment work has occurred and is occurring on the 9 mile reach above the project area. The Washington State Department of Transportation is currently working on a reach assessment for the Thorp to Irene Rinehart reach. The US Bureau of Reclamation has assessed, studied and modeled a three mile reach from Irene Rinehart to a point approximately 2 miles downstream of the Hansen Pits property. In September, the USBR performed a bathymetric survey of the river from Hansen Pits to the mouth of Wilson Creek.
WATERSHED DESCRIPTION
The Yakima River Reach Assessment – Hansen Pits to Ringer Loop lies within the Middle Columbia ESA Salmon Recovery Sub-Domain. This sub-domain includes one listed steelhead distinct population segment (DPS): middle Columbia River steelhead.
The project is located along the mainstem Yakima River between river miles 148 and 151, approximately one mile south of Ellensburg, Washington.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The evaluation of the submittals will include:
· Experience in producing reach assessments on systems with similar biological functions.
· Technical qualifications relating to professional personnel to be assigned to this work.
· Experience working with stakeholders with a diversity of interests.
· Response must demonstrate successful plan implementation strategies.
· Demonstrated ability to maintain schedule and meet due dates.
SUBMITTAL RESPONSE
Provide three (3) copies of the submittal in a sealed envelope. Submittals must contain responses to the selection criteria.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Qualifications shall be reviewed by a selection committee. The committee will review the qualifications and select for further consideration firms that will be given an opportunity for an on-site interview session. At the time of selection for interview, firms will be provided additional instructions for information to be presented to the selection committee. Those firms not selected for further considerations will be notified.
The County reserves the right to reject any and all responses, and to waive minor irregularities in any RFQ submittal. The County shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the firm in preparing, submitting, or presenting its response to the RFQ. All submittals shall become property of the County and will not be returned.
The County reserves the right to award any contract to the next most qualified firm if the successful firm does not execute a contract within thirty (30) days after the selection of the firm.
Any proposals may be withdrawn prior to the date and time set above for opening of the proposals. Any proposal not so timely withdrawn shall constitute an irrevocable offer for a period of ninety (90) days to provide to the County the services described in the attached specifications, or until one or more of the proposals have been approved by the County, whichever occurs first.
RESPONSES DUE
Sealed qualifications will be received until April 25, 2013 at 4:30 pm. Please submit three (3) copies to:
Kittitas County Department of Public Works
411 N Ruby St, Suite 1
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Questions may be directed to:
Christina Wollman
509-962-7523 or christina.wollman@co.kittitas.wa.us
Firms are encouraged to submit annually a statement of qualifications and performance data. Kittitas County shall evaluate current statements of qualifications and performance data on file with the agency, together with those that may be submitted by other firms regarding proposed projects. Following the evaluation, the county invites one or more firms to meet with county officials to discuss the project and the relative benefits of various methods of providing the desired services. The county then selects from among those firms the one “most highly qualified” to provide the required services. County procedures and guidelines are to include a plan to ensure that women, minority and veteran-owned firms and minority (WMBE) firms have the maximum opportunity to compete for the contract. The level of WMBE firm participation should be consistent with their availability within the relevant professional community. Counties are not to consider cost when determining which firm is the most highly qualified.
After choosing the most qualified firm, the county then negotiates with that firm for a contract at a price the county determines is fair and reasonable, considering the estimated value of the services to be rendered, as well as the scope and complexity of the project. If a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated, the county formally terminates the negotiations with that firm and attempts to negotiate a contract with the next most qualified firm. The process continues until an agreement is reached or the search is terminated.
In emergency situations, the process outlined above for procuring architectural or engineering services maybe dispensed with upon a finding by the county that an emergency requires the immediate execution of the work involved.
All submittals shall become the property of Kittitas County.
Kittitas County reserves the right to reject all submittals and re-advertise if necessary.
For more information, contact Public Works.