TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 19, 2019
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into agreement for Contract 19-RFP-11, Professional Services to Develop a Phosphorus Assessment and Reduction Plan for the Chicago Area Waterway System with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,365,220.00, Account 101-16000-612430, Requisition 1515789 (As Revised)
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. (Geosyntec) to provide professional services to develop a Phosphorus Assessment and Reduction Plan for the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District).
Professional services are required to develop a phosphorus assessment and reduction plan for the CAWS, as required in the special conditions of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for the Terrence J. O’Brien, Calumet, and Stickney Water Reclamation Plants. The permits require the District to form and work with a CAWS Nutrient Oversight Committee (NOC) to select a consultant that will study, develop, and prepare an implementation plan. The consultant must submit the plan to the NOC by December 31, 2023. The District is responsible for the cost of the consultant who is chosen to perform this work. The tasks outlined in the scope of work for Request for Proposal 19-RFP-11 based on the NPDES requirements were:
1. Identify CAWS reaches with water quality data indicating the presence of unnatural plant or algal growth.
2. Propose phosphorus input reductions and/or other measures to eliminate the conditions determined to be caused by unnatural plant or algal growth and perform cost-benefit analysis based on preliminary designs and costs.
3. Prepare a plan and schedule for implementation of the proposed phosphorus input reductions or other measures identified in Task 2.
On July 31, 2019, Request for Proposal 19-RFP-11 was publicly advertised. Six hundred seventy-four (674) firms were notified, with forty-four (44) requesting proposal documents. Four (4) proposals were received on September 6, 2019.
The proposals were reviewed and evaluated by the CAWS NOC, consisting of one representative each from the District, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), and the involved environmental groups (Environmental Law and Policy Center, Prairie Rivers Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, Gulf Restoration Network and Friends of the Chicago River). An internal panel consisting of two (2) members from the Monitoring and Research Department, one (1) member from the Law Department, and one (1) member from the Procurement and Materials Management Department also reviewed and evaluated the proposals. The District NOC member’s evaluation scores reflected an average of the internal District review panel members. The criteria for these evaluations were outlined in Request for Proposal 19-RFP-11 and included: understanding of the project, approach to the work, cost of services, technical competence, team effectiveness, financial stability, compliance with insurance requirements, submission of all necessary licenses and permits, and affirmative action goals. Following the preliminary evaluation of the proposals, it was determined that the four (4) proposers were acceptable and they were interviewed on October 14, 2019. A solicitation was sent to each of the finalists on October 25, 2019, for an unqualified Best and Final Offer (BAFO). The BAFOs were returned to the Director of Procurement and Materials Management on October 31, 2019.
Based on the review of the proposals, the interviews, and BAFOs, the evaluation team determined that Geosyntec is the most suitable firm to provide professional services for the development of a Phosphorus Assessment and Reduction Plan for the Chicago Area Waterway System. Geosyntec has extensive experience with watershed-based nutrient reduction planning, as well as water quality and aquatic life data analysis and modeling. They also received the highest final matrix scores. The evaluation team determined during its review that it is in the District’s best interest to award the work outlined in 19-RFP-11 to this firm.
The agreement for 19-RFP-11 will be in effect from the date of award through December 31, 2023.
The deliverables will include technical memoranda, report chapters, presentations, and an implementation plan and schedule.
Geosyntec’s project team will consist of a project director, project manager, technical advisors, supporting specialists, and eight sub-consultants as additional resources. They have estimated that the project tasks will be completed by the end of 2023.
Geosyntec estimates that 1,074 hours are required to identify CAWS reaches with water quality data indicating the presence of unnatural plant or algal growth, 6,800 hours to propose phosphorus input reductions and/or other measures to eliminate the conditions determined to be caused by unnatural plant or algal growth and perform cost-benefit analysis based on preliminary designs and costs, and 827 hours to prepare a plan and schedule for implementation of the proposed phosphorus input reductions or other measures identified. An estimated nineteen (19) people from Geosyntec and an additional seventeen (17) subconsultants will work on this project with an average payroll rate of $173.00 per hour.
The Diversity Section has reviewed the Proposal and has concluded that Geosyntec meets the District’s Affirmative Action goals of 20 percent Minority Business Enterprises, 10 percent Women Business Enterprises, 10 percent Small Business Enterprises, and 3 percent Veteran-owned Business Enterprises.
Inasmuch as the firm Geosyntec possesses a high degree of professional skill, it is recommended that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement per Section 11.4 of the Purchasing Act, in an amount not to exceed $1,365,220.00.
Funds for the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 estimated expenditures in Account 101-16000-612430, in the amounts of $329,400.00, $353,210.00, $341,305.00, and $341,305.00, respectively, are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Requested, Edward W. Podczerwinski, Director of Monitoring and Research, EWP:KB:HZ:JW:kq
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for December 19, 2019
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