RFQ WWTP Biosolids Treatment -Disposal Project
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CITY OF KALISPELL REQUEST FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE QUALIFICATIONS
FOR KALISPELL’S WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT (WWTP) BIOSOLIDS TREATMENT-DISPOSAL PROJECT 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 Pursuant to the authority granted to it under MCA 7-5-4301(2)(a)., the City of Kalispell is
seeking to hire a qualified professional consulting firm to provide professional and engineering services. These services will include a review of alternative methods for bio-solids treatment and disposal, along with providing recommendations, cost analysis, and facility design and construction management for the selected project.
1.2 The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted via QuestCDN, by 5:00 p.m. local time, June 19, 2024. 1.3 Questions pertaining to the selection process should be directed to Susie Turner, Public Works
Director, at 406-758-7852 or sturner@kalispell.com. If applicable, answers to questions will be
posted in the Q&A for QuestCDN for all registered RFQ holders. 1.4 The City of Kalispell shall not be held responsible for any oral instructions. Any changes to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be in the form of an addendum, which will be furnished
to all registered RFQ holders via QuestCDN.
1.5 The City of Kalispell reserves the right to reject any or all SOQs, to waive any informality or irregularity in any SOQ received, and to be the sole judge of the merits of the respective SOQs received.
1.6 The Service Providers will be selected on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualification for the type of services required, and thereafter the City will negotiate the services agreement with what it deems to be the most qualified company.
2 ‐ ANTICIPATED SCOPE OF WORK
After being selected, the Professional Service Provider will execute a services agreement with the City to provide the scope of work set forth below. The Professional Service Provider and the City
shall negotiate the exact scope of practice after selection.
2.1 Bio-solids Disposal Project 2.1.1 Background and Description:
Kalispell’s Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) plant removes the phosphorus from the sewage through the bio-solids dewatering removal. The sewage sludge or bio-solids product is thickened and hauled to Glacier Gold Compost and the Flathead County Solid Waste landfill. The sludge is 80% undigested return activated sludge and 20% digested, therefore containing a high count of
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fecal coliform bacteria. Because of the high pathogen count the sewage sludge generated by Kalispell are classified as Class B sludge per the EPA Standards for Use or Disposal of Sewage
Sludge.
Sewage sludge in Montana is regulated through Region 8 EPA under 40 CFR 503 regulations through a general permit. Kalispell’s current EPA Permit, MTG-650010, allows dispose of sewage sludge at Flathead County Landfill and Glacier Gold Compost. Kalispell is currently permitted by EPA for Category 1. and Category 2, Subcategory 2.b disposal.
The City uses Glacier Gold Composting as the primary method of disposal for sewage sludge. Glacier Gold Compost receives Kalispell’s Class B sewage sludge, incorporates the sludge into the compost process, and produce a Class A sludge waste or compost product acceptable for public applications. The City does not participate in any of the operations at Glacier Gold to further
enhance the sewage sludge to the Class A product.
The City and Glacier Gold Compost have a sludge management agreement which ensures the City can dispose of 600 dry tons annually. Annually the city delivers between 500 and 600 dry tons to Glacier Gold, and the remaining biosolids are delivered to Flathead County Landfill. On average
the City produces 700-800 dry tons of biosolids annually.
The City’s contract with Glacier Gold is set to expire, and the City is seeking professional support to conduct an alternative review for biosolid handling, treatment, and disposal. Additionally, the City requires design and construction management services to complete the project. Schedule is
an important part of this project. Glacier Gold may be unable to accept the City’s biosolids within
the next two years. 2.1.2 Required Services
The services to be provided for this project shall include, but are not necessarily limited to:
1. Review bio-solid disposal methods applicable to Kalispell’s treatment process. Review
should include options for disposal of biosolids containing PFAS, microplastic, and any
other EPA emerging contaminate.
2. Provide a report with recommendations and cost analysis for alternate bio-solids disposal
practices and methods.
3. Provide professional services for design, bid documentation, and construction management
of the selected project.
4. Perform services and complete project delivery within a two-year window.
3 ‐ STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS SELECTION CRITERIA
3.1 The Professional Service Provider will be selected through a qualification‐based selection
process. Firms interested in providing requested scope of services to the City of Kalispell must submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) that addresses the following evaluation criteria.
Applicants are encouraged to organize their submissions in such a way as to follow the general
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evaluation criteria listed below. Information included within the SOQ may be used to evaluate your firm as part of any criteria regardless of where that information is found within the SOQ.
Information obtained from the SOQ and from any other relevant source may be used in the
evaluation and selection process. 3.2 Cover Letter (1‐page) containing at a minimum: Company name, contact name, address, fax
number, and email address.
3.3 Qualifications Criteria 3.3.1 General Information a. Description of company
b. Lead firm’s primary and secondary contact information c. Legal company organization; organization chart with names d. List of applicable Montana licenses 3.3.2 Relevant Company Experience (40 points)
a. Describe the firm’s experience and expertise with similar services, programs, and projects. For each service provide the following information: 1. Data analysis, cost comparison analysis, implementation, and facility design improvements regarding bio-solids disposal.
2. Biosolid regulations, including current and upcoming regulations related to PFAS, microplastics, and other emerging contaminants identified by the EPA. 3. Biosolids treatment and disposal alternatives, cost analysis, design, and construction management. 4. Biosolids treatment and disposal applications, including technologies for
addressing PFAS, microplastics, and other emerging contaminants identified by the EPA. 5. Ability to maintain and meet schedule established in a professional contract. Include project data scheduled work completion dates and actual timeline achievements.
6. Key project staff members still with the firm and their project role to support the project.
3.3.3 Company Qualifications and References (10 points)
a. List and briefly describe the professional services the company provides to 3 other municipalities or local governments and the length of time the services have been provided. Include references and contact information. b. Describe the company’s history in the industry. Provide resumes of key personnel in Appendix A.
c. Briefly describe certifications and licensure held by the company in the state of Montana.
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3.3.4 Contract Understanding and Approach (20 points)
a. Describe your understanding of the current needs of the City of Kalispell for the
professional services being requested. b. Identify and discuss any potential difficult issues your company may face in providing services for the City of Kalispell. c. Identify and discuss methods to mitigate these difficulties.
3.3.5 Approach to Contract Management (20 points) a. Present a brief description of how the firm intends to organize and conduct the project. b. Describe your company’s approach in initiating and establishing the service that meet
the needs and requirements of the City.
c. A narrative outlining a proposed scope of work that includes description of each task and work product, and a concise explanation of the firm’s approach to accomplishing the tasks. d. Describe a proposed time schedule of work with key milestones and product deliveries.
Specific information should be included for maintaining project timelines.
e. Firm’s record of commitment to schedule as demonstrated on past projects. 3.3.6 Other Factors (10 points)
a. Applicant’s capacity and intent to proceed without delay if selected for this contract.
b. Relevant factors impacting the quality and value of service. c. Firm’s record of commitment to budget as demonstrated on past projects. 4 ‐ SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
4.1 The SOQ shall include a one‐page cover letter plus a maximum of ten (10) pages to address
the SOQ criteria specified in Section 3 (excluding resumes). If provided, table of contents and section divider pages do not count towards the total page count.
4.2 The Statement of Qualifications must be submitted via QuestCDN by 5:00 p.m. local time, June 19, 2024. 4.3 Failure to comply with the following criteria may be grounds for disqualifications:
1. Receipt of submittal by the specified cut‐off date and time.
2. Adherence to maximum page requirements.
4.4 Adherence to the maximum page criteria is critical; each page side (maximum 8 1/2” x 11”)
with criteria information will be counted. Pages that have photos, charts and graphs will be counted towards the maximum number of pages. 4.5 Faxed materials will not be considered.
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5 ‐ SELECTION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
5.1 A 3-5‐member Project Evaluation Committee will evaluate each Statement of Qualifications
(SOQ) according to the above criteria, as well as past performance evaluations, and select up to three finalists that will be Short Listed for the contract. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the short list and select the top qualified firm. If more information is required to select the top
qualified firm, the short list firms will meet with the Project Evaluation Committee for interviews. The purpose of the interview will be to expand on the information provided in the SOQ, not to repeat information already provided. Those firms selected for the Short List will be provided additional instruction by the City. Those firms not selected for further consideration will be notified.
5.2 The following tentative schedule has been prepared for this project. Firms interested in this project must be available on the interview meeting date. Pre‐submittal conference: NA SOQ due: June 19, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Firms notified for interview: TBD Interviews: TBD
5.3 Following the evaluation and interviews (if needed), the Project Evaluation Committee will determine a ranking for each Short List firm based on the published criteria in 3.3 of this RFQ. Consideration will be given to both the written Statement of Qualifications and any oral presentations or interviews. No other factors or criteria will be used in the qualification ranking.
5.4 The highest ranked firm will be recommended to the City Manager and City Council for contract award. 5.5 Requests for debriefings or selection decisions shall be made in writing to the City. All information submitted by firms and related Project Evaluation Committee evaluations and
rankings shall be considered confidential until after contract execution and award by the City Council. 5.6 The City will enter into negotiations with the selected firm and execute a contract upon completion of negotiations for the professional services for City Council approval. Contract
negotiations will include, but not necessarily be limited to the following elements: scope of work, project timetable, products of work, and fees. If the City is unsuccessful in negotiating a contract with the highest ranked team, the City may then negotiate with the second or third highest ranked team until a contract is executed. If the list of preferred design firms is exhausted without a contract being awarded, the City may decide to terminate the selection process or re-advertise.
5.7 The City will not reimburse any cost associated with the preparation, submittal, or presentation of any Statement of Qualification. Consultant design firms are advised that in accordance with Montana law, any information submitted may be subject to public inspection. Firms are further advised that, while the City is constrained by budget for this work, the City does not consider cost
proposals or estimates of fee in its evaluation of qualifications.
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Publication Dates: May 26, 2024
June 2, 2024