Volume 41 - Issue 28 - July 14, 2022

State of Kansas

Department of Transportation

Notice to Consulting Firms

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking a qualified consulting firm or team of firms to perform professional services for the project(s) described in Table 1 below. Interested consultants must email a proposal to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov by 12:00 p.m. (CDT) July 29, 2022, to be considered for selection.

Consultant Prequalification

Interested consulting firms must be prequalified by KDOT but not in a particular category. Firms must demonstrate qualifications that include required staff and equipment to provide the services needed to gather samples and analyze samples for testing.

If a firm is not currently prequalified by KDOT, a proposal may still be submitted. Firms not prequalified must also provide documentation that demonstrates the firm is qualified. Firms must use the KDOT prequalification form to provide this documentation. KDOT 1050 Prequalification Category Definitions (Blue Book) can be found at http://www.ksdot.org/descons.asp. Consultants may create a team to meet the prequalification requirements. All firms doing business with KDOT must be registered and in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas at the time of contracting and must comply with applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

Table 1: Background and Scope of Project
Project Number	Background and Scope of Project
KA-5727-01	The overall scope this project is to replace the bridge over the Neosho River on US-59 located 2.4 miles north of the K-47/US-59 junction. The project work will include construction activities within the wetted channel of the Neosho River. During consultation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) for project impacts to state listed threatened and endangered species it was determined that the project work had the potential to impact designated critical habitat for six mussel species and one fish species (Ouachita Kidneyshell Ptychobranchus occidentalis, Western Fanshell Cyprogenia aberti, Butterfly Ellipsaria lineolata, Flutedshell Lasmigona costata, Rabbitsfoot Quadrula cylindrica, Neosho Mucket Lampsilis rafinesqueana, and Neosho Madtom Noturus placidus). KDWP has requested a survey of the project area to characterize the substrate to determine if critical habitat for the above listed species is present within the project area.

Table 2: Project Summary
Project Number	Route and Scope	Length (mi)	Project Termini
KA-5727-01	59-67 KDOT Bridge #004 on US-59 over the Neosho River located 2.4 miles north of the K-47/US-59 junction. (Latitude: 37.549391°, Longitude: -95.264383°) (Map 1)	approximately require a 20-meter wide (upstream to downstream distance) work area	KDOT is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct the substrate characterization at the project location, analyze the data collected, and create a report for submittal to KDWP.
Project Number	Type
KA-5727-01	Neosho River Substrate Characterization

Anticipated Consultant Scope

Consultant staff performing work should have a biologist, environmental scientist, or geologist on staff with experience performing substrate characteristics, stream surveys, habitat assessments, or mussel habitat evaluations.

Sampling Plan

• The consultant will create a sampling plan using the protocol described by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Environmental Services Section (Appendix 1). The sampling plan will need to include the accurate number of transects and sampling points.

Field Sampling

• The consultant will complete the onsite survey of the streambed substrate following the KDWP protocol for sampling the project area. Each sample point will be required to have the substrate physically sampled, characterized, depth of sample, percent embeddedness of substrate, and location recorded. Notify KDOT of the proposed onsite sampling dates.

Final Report

• The consultant will be required to create a report for submittal and review by KDWP. The report will need to describe the sampling location, sampling activities, analysis of the data collected, and summary of the results.
• The final report should include the following:
  1. Introduction: General overview of the project work and purpose of the project.
  2. Site Description/Overview: Location of the project and sampling conditions.
  3. Sampling Methods: Who performed the sampling work, techniques, description of transects, sampling points, and equipment used.
  4. Results: General description of all the substrate characterized.
  5. Conclusion: Analysis of the data collected and determination of mussel habitat if present.
  6. References: Literature cited, websites, and other media used.
  7. Maps: Showing project location.
  8. Figures: Diagrams, aerial map overlays, or plans sheets showing locations of transect and sampling points within the evaluated area.
  9. Tables: Show data collected including transects, sample locations, depth of samples, substrate size classification, and percent embeddedness of substrate.
  10. Graphs: (optional) Visually represent the amount of each size class of substate sampled.

Anticipated KDOT Scope

• Field Check Plans
  • KDOT Environmental Services Section (ESS) will provide the consultant with the most recent field check plans.
• Sampling Plan
  • KDOT ESS staff will be available to assist the consultant with interpretation of field check plans in developing the sampling plan for the project area and help with clarification of KDWP sampling guidance information.
• Final Report
  • KDOT ESS can provide examples of past substrate reports for reference. Staff will review the final draft of the report for comprehensiveness of required information and approval for final submittal to KDWP.

Anticipated Schedule and Key Dates

1. Proposals are due by or before 12:00 p.m. (CDT) July 29, 2022
2. The program fiscal year for this project is FY 2024 (July 2023–June 2024)
3. Important dates in Phase:
   1. Field Work: August–December 2022
   2. Final Report: December 16, 2022

Instructions for Proposal

1. No cost or pricing information shall be submitted with the proposal. Proposals including cost or pricing information will be considered non-responsive and withdrawn from further consideration.
2. The consultant’s proposal must not exceed 4 pages total (including any cover letter, index, etc.). All pages shall be standard letter size (8.5” x 11”). Any page larger than standard letter size will be count as two or more pages depending on size.
3. A single PDF (2MB maximum size) of the proposal including all attachments must be emailed to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov by the proposal due date and time.
4. The subject line of the email and the PDF file name must read:
   1. “KA-5727-01, Neosho River Substrate Survey, Neosho County._FIRM NAME”
5. The proposal must be accompanied by Special Attachments No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”) and No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”). If you need a Tax Clearance Certificate, you can request one at https://www.ksrevenue.gov/taxclearance.html. Allow 2-3 business days for processing.
6. The outline in Table 3 below describes the expected proposal organization and content sections.
7. Table 4 lists the evaluation criteria and associated weights which will be used to make a selection.

Table 3: Proposal Content
Section	Description of Intent
Cover Letter	1 page
Project Approach	Demonstrate a unique approach to accomplish the plan and to a high standard. Include cost-effective and optimized solutions to address the anticipated improvements. Include unique qualifications or experience related to the plan approach.
Approach to Schedule	Describe the approach to accomplish the scope within the schedule requirements. Include anticipated key milestone dates and availability of staff.
Approach to Quality Control	Describe methods or procedures your firm will use to provide all drawings, reports and other services with professional quality and technical accuracy.
Qualifications and Experience	For key personnel to be assigned to the project provide names, office location, qualifications, education, training, and expertise. Identify their area(s) of responsibility and percent of their time dedicated to the project. List work for which you do not have in-house capability and name the firm you propose to subcontract with.
Past Performance	Describe team’s past performance with respect to ability to meet project schedules; quality of work; and ability to control costs on similar transportation projects, especially those performed for KDOT. Include three references and contact information.
Familiarity with KDOT and Project Area	Describe team’s familiarity with KDOT’s design process and standards. Describe familiarity with the project area and any identified special site conditions.

Table 4: Evaluation Factors
Evaluation Factor	Weight
Qualifications and experience of project manager and other key project team members proposed for services	20%
Project approach	15%
Approach and commitment to meet advertised schedule	20%
Past performance history for similar projects/services for KDOT	10%
Understanding of the project area	10%
Innovation/Creativity in solutions	10%
Demonstrated understanding of nature and scope of project	15%

Contract Terms and Conditions

A standard KDOT agreement for engineering and technical services will be used for professional services projects. The following special attachments will need to be provided by the selected consultant and all subconsultants with the signed work order following negotiations and will become attachments to the contract.

• Special Attachment No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”)
• Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”)

Questions

All questions regarding this Request for Proposals shall be emailed to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov.

Questions can be submitted until July 20, 2022; answers will be provided to all pre-qualified consultants on July 25, 2022.

Map 1: Project Location

US-59 in Neosho County (Latitude: 37.549391°, Longitude: -95.264383°)

https://earth.google.com/web/search/37.549391,+-95.264383/@37.549391,-95.264383,263.03020894a,886.91207018d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CigiJgokCf-uF6zlKUVAEf6uF6zlKUXAGeK-UhQVcUXAIaKSKaOUyGPA

Appendix 1: KDWP Substrate Characterization

Project sponsor or representative must characterize the substrate within the project area, including a 10-meter buffer upstream and downstream of work area.

The general guidelines for substrate characterizations require a minimum total of five cross section transects be analyzed: at least two within the proposed work area, one within a 10-meter buffer upstream of the project area, and two within a 10-meter buffer downstream of the project area. Cross section transects should be separated by no more than five meters.

Example: A proposed project will approximately require a 20-meter wide (upstream to downstream distance) work area. This would require a minimum of eight total cross section transects: five within the work area, one within 10 meters of the upstream work area boundary, and two within 10-meters of the downstream work area boundary.

Along each cross section transect, a total of nine evenly spaced substrate samples should be collected and recorded by category. Samples 1 and 9 will occur at the water’s edge on either side of the river and point 5 will be taken in the center of the river. Please see below for substrate categories.

RS = BEDROCK (SMOOTH) *(LARGER THAN A CAR)

RR = BEDROCK (ROUGHT) *(LARGER THAN A CAR)

BL = BOULDER (250 TO 4000 MM) *(BASKETBALL TO CAR)

CB = COBBLE (64 TO 250 MM) *(TENNIS BALL TO BASKETBALL)

GC = COARSE GRAVEL (16 TO 64 MM) *(MARBLE TO TENNIS BALL)

GF = FINE GRAVEL (2 TO 16 MM) *(LADYBUG TO MARBLE)

SA = SAND (0.06 TO 2 MM) *(GRITTY–UP TO LADYBUG SIZE)

FN = SILT/CLAY, MUCH (NOT GRITTY, FEELS LIKE LOTION)

WD = WOOD (ANY SIZE)

OT = OTHER (PLEASE DESCRIBE)

Once a substrate characterization report has been delivered to KDWP, we will determine if a mussel survey is necessary, and if warranted, issue an Action Permit with Special Conditions detailing mussel survey, collection, and translocation protocols.

Marcia Turner, P.E., Contracts Manager
Division of Engineering and Design

Doc. No. 050331