DELAWARE VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFPs)
Design of a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project in Chester City, PA
I. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Delaware Valley Planning Commission (DVRPC) is seeking assistance from qualified
consultants to provide professional services for the design of a demonstration green stormwater
infrastructure project in Chester, PA.
Submission Date: Proposals, including four (4) paper copies and a PDF copy on CD, must be
postmarked by 5:00 PM EST, Friday, April 10, 2015 to:
John Griffies, Contracts Manager
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
8th Floor, 190 North Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1520
Phone: 215.238.2925 Fax: 215.592.9125 Email: [email protected]
Proposals submitted after that time and date or proposals that are non-responsive to the
requirements of this RFP will not be considered.
All administrative questions should be directed to John Griffies, Contracts Manager, at
215.238.2925 or [email protected]. All technical questions should be submitted in writing via
email to Chris Linn, Manager of the Office of Environmental Planning, at [email protected].
All answers to technical questions will be posted on the DVRPC website at the location of the
original RFP.
II. BACKGROUND
The Chester City Climate Change Adaptation Planning Element, adopted by The City of Chester
in June 2014, recommends seven specific actions to increase community resiliency. Through a
grant awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), DVRPC and its partners
seek to implement strategy number 7 from the Adaptation Element: design a green stormwater
infrastructure (GSI) demonstration project.
This RFP seeks a qualified consultant to evaluate a variety of sites suggested by the Project
Planning Team for a GSI demonstration project and prepare design and engineering documents
for one or more of the sites in the City of Chester. Possible demonstration projects could include
“greening” a schoolyard, constructing rain gardens or bioswales in public rights-of-way, or
building a constructed stormwater wetland on public land.
By the conclusion of the project, the selected consultant will complete “shovel ready” GSI
design and construction documents to create at least three “greened acres” (defined as managing
at least the first acre-inch of water from 3 acres) to manage stormwater. Plan detail will be
sufficient to use for subsequent bids and to direct the entire construction process.
III.
SCOPE OF WORK
The main objective of the consulting service is to assist DVRPC and the Project Planning Team
in selecting a site, developing a GSI demonstration project concept, and preparing final
engineering drawings for the project.
Task 1 – Participate in the site selection process
The selected consultant will work with DVRPC and its partners to select a final site, or sites,
based on the criteria outlined below:
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Potential capacity to capture stormwater.
Public land, preferably city-owned.
High community visibility for illustrating a variety of GSI techniques.
No major utility conflicts.
Consideration of the long-term maintenance of the project.
Proximity to a Vision 2020 Target Area (see Vision 2020 Map 1B) and/or proposed
trails, parks, greenways, and recreation areas; potential alignment with other proposed
infrastructure projects.
During the site selection process, the Project Team may organize a public meeting or stakeholder
meeting in which the selected consultant will be invited to participate.
Task 2 – Evaluate potential sites for constructability and cost
This may include coordination with utilities, discussion with permitting agencies, hydrologic
analysis, geotechnical and infiltration testing, preparation of opinions of probable construction
costs, and other tasks as necessary to determine project impact, benefit, cost, and
constructability.
Task 3 – Prepare a sketch rendering or other illustrative image of the proposed project.
Task 4 – Create a set of construction documents for the selected project and site.
This includes all steps necessary to create final construction documents including, but not limited
to, collection of site survey data, coordination with utilities, and the creation of project
engineering plans with associated specifications.
IV.
PROPOSAL CONTENTS
In the proposals, the consultants shall describe the overall technical and creative approach for
completing each task or subtask in a narrative format. The narrative should convince DVRPC
and the Project Team that the consultants understand the needs and objectives of this RFP and
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that the proposed method meets the requirements of the project scope. The consultants should
also describe the following:
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Specialized experience and technical competence of the firm, including experience with
similar projects, project management, design, and permitting.
Past examples of performance with respect to cost control, client satisfaction, and the
ability to meet deadlines and other project challenges.
A summary of the relevant experience and expertise of the proposed project team.
How your firm might assist the Project Planning Team in evaluating and selecting
candidate sites.
Your preliminary ideas for creating three greened acres in the City of Chester.
Narrative
The written narrative should be no more than 6 pages in length (8.5 x 11 pages, with 11 point
font and 1 inch margins for text). Consultants are also encouraged to include photos, sketches,
renderings or other visual materials from past or present work. These materials may be up to an
additional 4 pages in length. If inserted into the body of the written narrative, the whole
narrative may be up to 10 pages in length.
In concert with the DVRPC and the Project Team, the winning candidate must complete all of
the aforementioned tasks by July 31, 2016. To accomplish all these tasks within the budget and
timeline of this project, DVRPC and the Project Team will work closely with the consultant to
provide necessary data and input, coordinate with the City and other agencies, and direct the
stakeholder engagement process, while the consultants are responsible for providing technical
expertise, cost estimates, illustrative images and design and construction documents.
Appendices
Firms should include the following in appendices (13 page limit, 8.5 x 11 pages, with 11 point
font and 1 inch margins for text):
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Resumes of project personnel, no more than two pages per resume.
A list of at least three relevant projects and associated references including name,
address, and phone number of a person familiar with the projects and available to respond
to a phone call.
Budget
The consultants must provide a separate, itemized budget for each of the tasks outlined above
based on hourly rates and number of hours. Consultants may identify separate subtasks as they
deem appropriate. The consultants must complete a Cost Estimate Form (page 6 below). This
form must be included in a separate, sealed envelope.
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V.
ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIRMENTS
Number of copies: Four (4) paper copies of the proposal are to be submitted via mail as well as
(1) electronic copy in pdf format on CD by the submission deadline.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Small Business Concern Involvement: DVRPC is
committed to providing opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and small
business concerns to compete for work. DBEs are certified by the Pennsylvania Unified
Certification Program (PAUCP) in accordance with 49 CFR Part 26. Small business concerns
are those entities seeking to participate in Commonwealth contracts that meet the definition of a
small business concern set forth in Section 3 of the Small Business Act and Small Business
regulations implementing it at 13 C.F.R. Part 21. Contractors are encouraged to involve
Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and small business concerns in the required work and to
submit documentation of any such involvement in the proposal narrative and budget.
Certification of Eligibility: A signed statement is to be typed on your letterhead stating that: “The
firm is not ineligible to receive award of a contract due to the firm’s inclusion on any Federal,
Pennsylvania or New Jersey State lists of debarred contractors, or otherwise ineligible to be
awarded a contract using Federal or State funds.”
Joint Ventures: If a joint venture responds to this RFP, the prime contractor must not be included
in any other proposal submission.
VI.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Project Planning Team, including DVRPC, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, the City of Chester, and
others will thoroughly evaluate the merits of each submission.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate and rank proposals:
 Technical approach and project understanding (50%)
 Professional qualifications, technical expertise, and experience in similar work (30%)
 Ability to perform within schedule and budget, including records of past performance
(20%)
The winning firm must demonstrate the specialized experience and technical competence to
design an urban green stormwater infrastructure project. Other desired experience and expertise
include:
 GSI projects in an urban setting.
 Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling.
 Landscape architecture capabilities.
 Community engagement and participation in the design process.
DVRPC reserves the right to reject all proposals submitted, to cancel the solicitation request
under this notice, and/or to re-request proposals for this work and service.
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VII.
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PROPOSAL SELECTION AND TIMETABLE
March 4, 2015: Posting of RFP on the DVRPC’s web site.
Firms must postmark their proposals by 5:00 PM on Friday, April 10, 2015.
Award of project: April 24, 2015.
The candidate will be expected to begin work immediately and complete the project by
July 31, 2016.
VIII. CHECKLIST OF PROPOSAL REQUIRMENTS
The following must be included in the proposal:
A. Certification of Eligibility
B. Proposal Narrative
a. Specialized experience and technical competence
b. Past examples of performance
c. A summary of the relevant experience
d. How your firm might assist the Project Planning Team in evaluating and
selecting candidate sites.
e. Preliminary ideas for creating three greened acres in the City of Chester.
C. Appendices
a. Resumes of project personnel, no more than two pages per resume.
b. A list of at least three relevant projects and associated references including
name, address, and phone number of a person familiar with the projects and
available to respond to a phone call.
D. Cost Estimate Form (submit in separate sealed envelope)
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COST ESTIMATE FORM
(Must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope)
Design of a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project in Chester City, PA
Name of Lead Firm or Consultant: _________________________________________________
Cost for Task 1– Participate in the site selection process:
% of total cost: ______________
$_______ / Hours______
Cost for Task 2 – Evaluate sites for constructability and cost:
% of total cost: ______________
$_______ / Hours______
Cost for Task 3 – Prepare rendering of proposed project:
% of total cost: ______________
$_______ / Hours______
Cost for Task 4 – Prepare construction documents:
% of total cost: ______________
$_______ / Hours______
TOTAL COST OF PROJECT:
$__________ / Hours_________
Cost estimates should be provided by both number of hours and monetary cost.
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