City of Salix Request for Proposals

     Related to the Resolution of Stormwater Runoff Collection, Redirection, and or Controls and Related Components

The City of Salix, Iowa (“City”) is soliciting proposals (“Proposal(s)”) from qualified consultants and engineering firms interested in certain pre-application and post award services for and on behalf of the City, all as described in this Request for Proposals (“RFP”).  The City is issuing this RFP in accordance with the guidelines and requirements of federal procurement for consultants as it relates to projects funded in part or in whole by FEMA.

     As indicated above and discussed below, parts of the project will or may be funded by FEMA funds through an agreement administered by the State of Iowa, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD) serving as the pass-through entity.  

The proposed project is to establish a City stormwater runoff control system.

     The project in all phases shall be designed and implemented in compliance with all State of Iowa and Federal government regulations. Respondents are responsible for understanding and complying with requirements as set forth. An online document outlining Federal Contract Provisions has been made available for review through FEMA at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/fema_pdat_contract-provisions-template.pdf and is included as an Appendix to this RFP. Responding consultants, firms, contractors, and subcontractors must be eligible to contract for federal projects with appropriate clearance through SAM.gov.

The work to be carried out under this RFP shall be split out into four phases, each phase shall be subject to independent authorization from the City of Salix before any work or costs may be incurred on that specific phase.  

     Phase I is funded through the BRIC Scoping Grant opportunity. Services shall include work as it relates to a project scoping study to assess stormwater drainage options for the City of Salix as an alternate and permanent solution replacing an existing agreement with the Farmers Drainage District. Following state and federal guidelines as appropriated through FEMA and HSEMD, the Study shall assess a minimum of three options for implementation and include preparation of preliminary concept drawings, preliminary design, cost estimates, and other engineering and design work pre-requisite to development of a benefit cost analysis (BCA). The BCA determines the difference between likely pre- and post-mitigation flood damages to the City’s infrastructure and/or residents and businesses, and compares that difference (losses avoided, or “the benefit”) to the cost of the project.  Specifically, the engineering firm selected for Phase 1 will complete analysis tasks 1-4 below and provide a report that documents the analysis with the 15 elements listed below.

Engineering Analysis Tasks

     1.Document and list all buildings that would flood at the determined elevations, and for each building determine and list how many feet above finished floor elevation would be inundated with floodwater for each determined flood elevation.

     2.Based on current hydrology and hydraulics, document the recurrence intervals at which floodwaters reach the elevations determined in task 1 (the elevations at which floodwaters inundate buildings with one foot or more of floodwaters).

     3.Determine how much storage is technically feasible and available in upstream areas.  While this will necessitate some engineering design work, full design is not anticipated in the scope of work for this first phase; the engineer need only provide enough design details in order to perform the calculations and analysis for the next item and to write the report with elements listed below.

     4.For the same recurrence intervals at which flooding occurs in the pre-mitigation scenario (as determined in task 2), calculate the new flood elevations after construction of proposed storage district area and/or basins and other structures.  For each recurrence interval, document how much lower (in feet) flood inundation will be for each building that floods in the pre-mitigation situation.

Engineering Analysis Report

     The selected firm must provide a report that documents the analysis to make the above determinations and calculations, with said report including the following:

     1.Clear, concise description of the location and components of the facility, the proposed detention basins and any diversion structures, existing or proposed, including the system’s interaction with the community’s structures, infrastructures, and geography. Include latitude/longitude. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance- Part V-H.1)

     2.Identification of all parties and agreements necessary to complete the project (e.g. access and construction easements from public and private entities, related construction projects, etc.) (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance- Part V-H.1)

     3.Identification of all specific applicable model codes, edits, and engineering standards used as may be required for the activity, application, and jurisdiction; explanation of how the proposed project will satisfy these accepted engineering practices. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts II-B;IV-D.4;V-J and VI-A.3)

     4.If applicable, explanation and documentation of any deviation from standard procedures, methods, techniques, technical provisions of the applicable codes or best practices. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts V-H.1)

     5.Proposed activity completion timeframe, and description of all anticipated phases of a project schedule, with explanation of how all timeframes are reasonable and consistent with the scope of work. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts V-H.4 and VII-B.4)

Note: References and/or supporting documentation as requested for items 6-9 including but not limited to reports, studies, schematics, drawings, codes, engineering standards, and accepted standards of practice, etc. should be from qualified, credible, and recognized sources identified by name, position/title, organization, and professional license, if applicable.

     6.Summary and enumeration of past damages and risk(s) to people, structures or infrastructure that the planned mitigation activity is designed to avoid in the future. Provide source documentation and/or calculations to support identified damages associated with historic events such as annual damage to property, loss of service intervals and the population with service loss. Provide source documentation, engineering assumptions, models and calculations to support estimated historical damages if based upon identified natural hazard return intervals, hazard severity and risk (e.g. a facility’s exposure to damage due to its flood elevations or design & load limitations). (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts IV-D.4;V-J and VI-A.3) 

     7.Ways that the risks of damage or harm will be reduced or eliminated. Provide source documentation, engineering assumptions/models/field data and calculations that were used to determine the reduced frequency and/or severity of damage. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts IV-D.4;V-J and VI-A.3) 

     8.Quantification of the level of protection that the project will provide to existing structures and infrastructures with explanation and referenced engineering documentation, assumptions/models/field data and calculations. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Part V-J) 

     9.Explanation of the residual risk to the facility, site, and/or system after project implementation with referenced engineering documentation, assumptions/models/field data and calculations. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Part V-J)

10.If the project includes any replacement of existing structures, utilities or systems that do not contribute to the reduction of risks to people structures or infrastructure, then an explanation must be included as to why these are necessary for the project. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Part IV-D.2)

     11.Estimate and description of anticipated initial project costs, how they are consistent with the scope of work; and an estimate of operations and maintenance costs, annualized over the project’s useful life. Cost estimates must include a line-item breakdown of all anticipated costs including, as applicable: Labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractor costs; costs for anticipated environmental resource impact treatment or historic property treatment measures; costs for engineering designs/specifications including hydrologic and hydraulic studies/analyses required as an integral part of designing the project; construction/demolition/relocation costs, such as survey, permitting, site preparation, and material/debris disposal costs. (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts V-H.5 and V-H.5.1)

     12.Explanation of how the cost estimate was developed. Cost estimates certified as established using an identified nationally published or local cost estimating guides must include appropriate documentation demonstrating how the national published standard or local cost estimating guide was used (e.g. type of construction and use, facility components included, square footage, capacity, etc.). Cost estimates based on a contractor's bid or historic costs from another activity require documentation demonstrating how the comparison was made (e.g. comparable type of construction and use, facility components included, square footage, capacity etc.). (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Part V-H.5)

     13.List and description of any existing or resulting materials to be salvaged; if applicable, cite credits applied in the project cost estimate (i.e. if any salvaged material is sold, the proceeds from the sale need to go toward lowering the total project cost.). (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Parts V-H.5.1 and HMA addendum A.7)

     14.Indication of items for which cost may change, such as a price quoted by a contractor that is valid for a specific period of time or activities that might trigger changes in the overall project cost.  (FY13-HMA Unified Guidance Part V-H.5)  (Neither contingency nor escalation cost are permitted as individual line items in the cost estimate.)

     15.Additional information/comments to help clarify or justify project feasibility and effectiveness.

The Scoping Project shall result in preliminary plans that will be used to support future funding opportunities including but not limited to FEMA FMA and FEMA BRIC. The awarded entity is to fully comply with state and federal procedures as conveyed through FEMA and Iowa HSEMD.

     Phase 2 services are pre-award and shall be within the context of and supported by the findings of Phase 1. It shall include pre-application work as it relates to helping the City develop and prepare BRIC and FMA application(s) for submittal to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management in preparation for participation in FEMA-based funding opportunities at either the state or federal level.

     This work is anticipated to include the development of construction plans and specifications for the official project.  Included as part of this work is any related work to ensure adequate engineering and design, which may include, but are not limited to, soil borings, Archeological Phase 1 services, permit acquisition as needed, and other testing, monitoring, modeling, or subconsultant type work.  As part of this phase of work the selected consultant shall work with Iowa DNR to ensure that the design of the project and related parts are in compliance with state and federal regulations.  

     Additionally, the engineering firm shall work with Iowa HSEMD and FEMA officials to ensure compliance with all FEMA regulations.  Phase 2 services shall also include services up to the bid letting process, and such will include preparing bid packets for bid letting.  Depending upon contract negotiations with the firm selected to perform Phase 2 engineering services, the work of this phase may also extend to include assisting the City in review of bids and selection of one or more contractors to do construction or other necessary work to complete the project.

     Phase 3 services shall be post-award and authorized by the City prior to any work being done by the selected consultant.  This work is anticipated to include the completion of construction plans and specifications for the official project.  Included in this phase is any related work to ensure adequate engineering and design, which may include, but are not limited to, soil borings, Archeological Phase 1 services, and other testing, monitoring, modeling, environmental review, or subconsultant type work.  Work by the selected consultant in this phase shall include collaboration with IDNR to ensure that the design of the project, and related parts, are in compliance with state and federal regulations.  

     Additionally, the consultant shall work with Iowa HSEMD and FEMA officials to ensure compliance with all FEMA, federal, and state regulations.  Phase 3 services shall also include services up to and through the bid letting process.

Work under this phase that is not completed by the project consultant shall be bid following local procurement policy in accordance with FEMA and Iowa HSEMD requirements.

     Phase 4 services shall include all construction oversight and monitoring services following the bidding process including but not limited to conducting a pre-construction conference, regular progress meetings, construction site observation sufficient to ensure a successful project, review and approval of pay applications, monitoring of funding source requirements as may be applicable, and other normal construction oversight services.

     The selected consultant shall work with City staff and the City’s selected grant administrator throughout all four phases of the project.

TIMELINE

     The City desires to proceed with Phase I, Project Scoping to begin immediately upon selection of bidder by council and notification to awardee. All Phase 1 work outlined above shall be completed in accordance with the FEMA approved timeline.

     Phase 2 shall begin upon completion and subsequent review of the Scoping Study, which shall serve as the project foundation for development, completion, and submittal of the next available BRIC or HMA grant application.  The anticipated due date for the application is January 2025.

     Following submission of the BRIC application at the soonest available Notice of Funding Opportunity, Iowa HSEMD will submit the application to FEMA upon final review.  Notice of award is anticipated for six to nine months from application submission deadline.  Phase 2 will not be initiated until approved by City Council.

     Phase 3 is post-award work that shall begin upon Notice of Award and approval from City Council, through subsequent Release of Funds. Phase 3 will lead into Phase 4 upon completion of the project engineering, design, and procurement process. Tasks as included in Phase 3 shall be in accordance with the FEMA approved timeline.

     Phase 4 includes grant administration, procurement, and construction oversight, through project completion and final draw. 

     Every consultant that desires to submit a proposal for this work shall do so in compliance with this section of this RFP.  Variances from these regulations may result in the proposal being disqualified.  The City reserves the right to modify these requirements in the best interest of the City.

     •Submitted via email to salixiowa@gmail.com prior to the deadline.

     •Submitted prior to the deadline of September 9, 2025 at noon Central Standard Time.

All proposals shall include the following three sections with corresponding information:

     •Overview of the consultant to include their work experience with the City of Salix and similar FEMA related work.

     •A summary of the key personnel to be involved in the project including a brief history of their experience and ability to work with the City to complete the project.

     •References.  Please provide at least three references of clients that the City has done work for in the past and who can speak to the firm’s ability to work with the client, state, and federal organizations to achieve the desired outcomes.

     •A review and confirmation of the understanding of the project scope and timeline.  

     •A statement that your firm can achieve the desired outcomes for Phase 1 work as outlined in this RFP.  

     •The consultant shall submit within their proposal a fee structure for their services as they relate to the work outlined in each phase of work as outlined above.  The fees shall include a not-to-exceed amount for each section.  The City will expect the consultant will not exceed the maximum not-to-exceed amount listed in the proposal for each phase of work.

Proposals shall be submitted to the City of Salix no later than noon, Central Standard Time on XXX.  The City is not responsible for late or misdirected submittals.  Proposals not received by the deadline will be rejected and not considered as part of this solicitation.

     The City of Salix will review all the proposals submitted and shall consider the proposals based on all three of the proposed sections within the proposal.  Cost alone will not be the only determining factor; however, the selected proposal shall be determined to be “reasonable” as part of the review process.  To help with review the City will use the following matrix for review of the proposals:

Fee for Services/Reasonableness                        20

Firm History and Experience                                 20

Firm’s Ability to Meet Timeline                            30

Project Team                                                                  20

References                                                                       10

     The selected consultant shall be eligible to work on federal projects and shall not be disbarred from federal work.  The selected consultant shall agree to abide by and sign a contract that includes any federal language that FEMA or Iowa Homeland Security would require of those contracts.

     The selected consultant, once selected, shall provide a sample agreement for services to be reviewed by Iowa Homeland Security prior to execution.

     Anyone having questions on the RFP may contact the City of Salix, Kathy Brouillette, City Clerk, by email at salixiowa@gmail.com. 

PROPOSALS ARE DUE BY NOON CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, September 9, 2025.