Summary of Specifications:
I. Introduction On behalf of the Forest Lake - Lake Board, (Lake Board) the Bloomfield Township Engineering & Environmental Services Department (EESD) is seeking proposals from qualified professional engineering consultants (Consultant) to update the Lake Improvement Program’s engineering report, dated February 10, 1986, to identify issues effecting water quality and to present recommendations for lake improvements to Forest Lake, if any.
The Lake Board intends to contract with an engineering consulting firm that possesses the appropriate skills, experience, resources and reputation to complete the project. The consulting services will be conducted under the direction of the Lake Board and shall be completed in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations, policies and contractual guidelines. All final data will be delivered to the Lake Board in digital format on a DVD or CD-ROM, accompanied by hard copy documents.
II. Background Forest Lake has a surface area of approximately 50 acres and a mean or average depth of 22 feet. The lake contains about 797 acre-feet of water, which equates to 260 million gallons. The lake has a shoreline about 1 mile long. The majority of the Forest Lake watershed is urbanized. Water drains to Forest Lake via several inlets. The largest of which enter from Turtle and Lower Long Lakes. Forest Lake’s outlet flows to the Rouge River and on to the Detroit River.
At the request of residents, a Lake Improvement Board was convened for Forest Lake in 1986. The Lake Improvement Board was established as a mechanism to control the aquatic weeds by harvesting and chemical treatment. The riparian owners of Forest Lake, with the support of the Forest Lake - Lake Board, are concerned about the water quality within the lake. Over the years, water quality testing has been conducted on the lake, but no improvement program has been established other than for aquatic weed control. Therefore, a study to quantify the water quality issues impacting Forest Lake and to determine what actions, if any, is requested.
III. Scope of Work The Consultant will update the original engineering report, dated February 10, 1986, to address the current water quality concerns and to make recommendations for improving water quality as necessary. Attachment A includes the 1986 engineering report, the 2013 water quality testing reports (3) and the map of the special assessment district for the Consultant’s use in updating the report.
The updated report shall include the following: • The methods proposed to implement the recommended improvements. • An investigation of the groundwater conditions and possible effects on lake levels from removal of bottom materials (if applicable). • A study of existing nutrients in the lake and a projection of future lake conditions which may result from a reduction in nutrient levels. • An estimate of project costs. • Probable assessments for the project to individual property owners. • An economic report which analyzes the existing local tax structure and the effects of the proposed assessment on the local unit of government involved. IV. Proposal Content The written proposal should focus on the project’s specific needs, services to be provided and your specific approach to accomplish the work. The RFP should be presented in an 8-1/2” by 11” format, single space, with a minimum font size of 12 point, and not to exceed ten (10) pages.
The proposal shall include the following items:
Section 1: Understanding of the Project Provide a brief statement as to your understanding of the Lake Board and the Consultant’s role. Include a short narrative description of your proposed work plan and the approach to fulfilling the Scope of Work.
Section 2: Related Project Experience Indicate the experience of recent work (no more than three) similar to the Lake Board’s scope of work. Provide descriptions and references for each project and include any pertinent information that can be applied towards this project.
Section 3: Personnel to be assigned the Work (Project Team) Identify the personnel to be assigned to the project along with a description of their experience and qualifications. Identify the office from where the personnel will be working along with the means of communication such as a phone, fax, and email during the project.
Section 4: Compensation for Services (Fee) Provide an estimate of hours necessary to complete the services outlined in the scope of work. Provide the proposed method for compensation including employee wage rates, overhead and other direct costs associated to furnishing the services quoted as a lump sum, not to exceed maximum cost. Also, include a timeframe to complete the scope work.
It is encouraged to add to your proposal any key elements that are believed to enhance the project’s success and best utilize the firm’s experience and expertise. The proposal should include a project description and the specific approach, tools, and techniques that will be used to complete this work on schedule. The proposal should be concise and an authorized representative of the Consultant shall sign the proposal.
V. Selection Process Written proposals submitted by the deadline will be evaluated by the EESD staff based upon the firm’s demonstrated ability and specific approaches to best meeting the project needs, including but not limited to: understanding of the project, recent experience, experience of the personnel assigned to this project, and compensation for services (cost).
An oral presentation maybe required as part of the evaluation process. If an oral presentation is requested, then the project manager and other key team members shall represent the consultant at the presentation. The EESD will recommend to the Lake Board the consulting firm that best meets the project qualifications.
The Lake Board will initiate an agreement with the selected consultant in terms of the submitted proposal, however, if an agreement cannot be settled, then another submitting consultant maybe contacted. The Lake Board reserves the right of not selecting any consultant, rejecting all proposals, or canceling the project prior to contract execution without any compensation to the selected consultant.
It is the Lake Board’s intent to enter into an agreement with the selected consultant to provide services as identified under Paragraph III, “Scope of Work”. The Lake Board reserves the right at its sole discretion to delete or modify any services, thereby affecting the project scope, at any time during the design process. The selected consultant will be entitled to appropriate compensation for work provided to date on such deleted or modified facilities without any additional compensation for theoretical “loss of profit”.
VI. Contract Terms and Conditions The work shall be completed under a not-to-exceed cost contract agreement.
Specific contract terms and conditions shall be negotiated with the Lake Board. It is recognized that a single firm may not offer all of the proposed services and that subconsultants may be included in the submittal. All subconsultants shall be subject to Lake Board approval. The Lake Board reserves the right to contract directly with other firms for additional services.
The Lake Board will not compensate for any work done pertaining to the written proposal and/or the oral presentation made in response to this solicitation. The contents and commitments in the RFP shall remain firm for 90 calendar days from the submittal due date.
Insurance and Indemnification The selected consultant will be required to adhere to the Lake Board’s insurance requirements and indemnification language into the final contract. The Consultant shall provide the name of the insurance carrier who will provide the required coverage for this project in the proposal.
Insurance 1. Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions Coverage in the minimum amount of one million ($1,000,000) Dollars, per occurrence and two million ($2,000,000) Dollars aggregate. 2. Commercial General Liability policy in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and aggregate, including contractual liability. 3. Comprehensive Automobile Liability policy to cover bodily injury and property damage arising out of ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle owned, non-owned or hired vehicles in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence. No fault coverage complying with the statutory requirements of the State of Michigan is also required. 4. Workers’ Compensation Insurance including Employer’s Liability to cover employee injuries or disease compensable under the Workers’ Compensation statutes of the State of Michigan Employee’s liability coverage shall be in the minimum amount of Five Hundred Thousand ($500,000) Dollars per occurrence.
Indemnification The Consultant shall agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Lake Board and the Lake Board’s agents, from and against any and all claims, loss, liability, damages, costs, and expenses, including, but not limited to, all reasonable fees and charges of attorneys, and other professional services, and other time and expenses incurred by the Lake Board using its own staff and all court or other dispute resolution costs, that arise out of and to the extent caused by the negligent acts, errors or omissions of the Consultant, its agent, subcontractors, or employees, regardless of whether or not such claim, loss, liability, damage, cost, or expense is caused or contributed to, in part, by a party indemnified in the contract.
VII. Schedule & Project Contact Information The following is an anticipated schedule for the RFP process. The Lake Board reserves the right to modify any part of this schedule.
RFP Release: February 24, 2014 Proposals Due: March 24, 2014
Any further questions regarding this project, please contact Wayne Domine, P.E. – Engineering & Environmental Services Director at 248-594-2801( wdomine@bloomfieldtwp.org ) on or before 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, March 19, 2014.
VIII. Responses To be considered, nine (9) copies of the RFP must be submitted, in a sealed envelope, to Bloomfield Township no later than 2:00 P.M., March 24, 2014, and shall be addressed to:
Wayne Domine, P.E., Director Engineering & Environmental Services Bloomfield Township 4200 Telegraph Road Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Identify on the outermost cover of the submittal the following: “Engineering Services for the Forest Lake - Lake Board”
Proposals that will be submitted in person may also be hand delivered to the Engineering & Environmental Services Department located in the Dave Payne Public Services Building, located at 1153 Exeter Road, (west of 4200 Telegraph) Bloomfield Township, MI 48302, before 2:00 P.M. on March 24, 2014.
IX. Disclosure of Contents All information provided in the RFP will be held in confidence and will not be revealed or discussed with competitors until the deadline for submission of proposals has expired. Pursuant to Section 13(1)(j) of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, as amended, MCL 15.243(1)(j), provides that a public body may exempt from disclosure as a public record a bid or proposal by a person to enter into a contract or agreement, until the time for the public opening of the bids or proposals, or if a public opening is not conducted, until the deadline for submission of bids or proposals has expired.
