SUBMISSION INFORMATION PROPOSAL: Blue Water Trail Study PROPOSAL DUE DATE: January 8, 2021 Kenton County Fiscal Court TIME: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time 1840 Simon Kenton Way LOCATION: Purchasing Department Suite 5100 Covington, 41011 Submit 1 original and 4 copies of the information sheet and proposal, and one electronic copy of the proposal on a USB Drive.

BUYER: Holly Hill DATE OF RFP: December 14, 2020

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Date: ______Telephone: ______

Company Name: ______

Address: ______

City: ______State: ______Zip Code: ______

Contact Person: ______Title: ______

Cell Phone: ______E-mail: ______

Authorized Signature: ______

The signee hereby certifies that they have read and understand the contents of this solicitation and agree to furnish at the prices shown any or all of the items listed, subject to all instructions, conditions, specifications and attachments hereto. The submitter affirms to the Kenton County Fiscal Court the ability to meet all requirements and further affirms that the work will be done in compliance with all Federal, State and Local codes, ordinances, and regulations. KENTON COUNTY FISCAL COURT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: TERMS AND CONDITIONS Licking River Blue Water Trail Study

Project Vision The Licking River Blue Water Trail Study will analyze approximately 122 miles of the Licking River, the South Fork of the Licking River, and Stoner Creek, and its adjacent viewshed (i.e., area visible from the identified waterway or a distance from the waterway mutually agreed upon by the Consultant and Project Advisory Team), from Paris, Kentucky, to its junction with the (the Study Corridor; see attached map) for its potential to become an outdoor recreation and tourism asset for the region and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

As an example, the Licking River Blue Water Trail Study should produce data and an analysis of the Study Corridor that supports the future creation of a video similar to that produced by Kentucky Fish & Wildlife for Elkhorn Creek – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E2UJ33zceo

Project Management The Licking River Blue Water Trail Study will be led by the selected Consultant under the direction of fiscal agent Kenton County Fiscal Court (Staff) and with the input and oversight of the Project Advisory Team.

In the response to the RFP, the Consultant will submit a proposed Licking River Blue Water Trail Study timeline of activity (the Timeline) that outlines a project schedule leading to the Task 1 and Task 2 deliverables defined below.

The response to the RFP will include a proposed public engagement plan for Task 2 that addresses the interests of the relevant communities, property owners, and other key stakeholders.

The Consultant will meet, in person or virtually, with the Project Advisory Team monthly, or as necessary as determined by Staff, to review progress toward completion of the Study.

Project Advisory Team The following individuals comprise the Project Advisory Team:

Commonwealth of Kentucky (DOW): Mahtaab Bagherzadeh Commonwealth of Kentucky (Tourism): Seth Wheat Commonwealth of Kentucky (DFW): Wade Massure Northern Kentucky University: Kendall Fisher Northern Kentucky University: Chris Brewer PDSKC: Louis Hill Bourbon County: Daron Jordan Bourbon County: Scott Wells Harrison County: Mayor James Smith Harrison County: Tomi Jean Clifford Pendleton County: Barth Johnson Pendleton County: Billy Steele Campbell County: Rich Boehne Campbell County: Donovan Hornsby Kenton County: Julie Kirkpatrick Kenton County: Rosie Santos

Task 1 – Licking River Blue Water Trail Technical Report on Existing Conditions In Task 1, the Consultant will collect and harmonize documentation and evidence of existing conditions in the Study Corridor, including geography, geology, zoology, history, hydrology systems and morphology, ecology, land use and development patterns, regulatory boundaries and frameworks, and infrastructure in order to assist in the work of Task 2.

Among others, and prior to preparing the Proposal, Consultants should contact Planning & Development Services of Northern Kentucky to ascertain existing and available source materials, as well as Kentucky Fish & Wildlife, whose summaries of Blue Water Trails in the Commonwealth and analysis of relevant rivers and streams provide helpful background and context for proposals – https://fw.ky.gov/Education/Pages/Blue-Water-Trails.aspx and https://fw.ky.gov/Fish/Pages/South-Fork-Licking-River.aspx

The Consultant will conduct an existing conditions evaluation of the Study Corridor, ground- truthing the collected documentation with site reviews and video documentation.

Through this process, the Consultant will develop a technical report on existing conditions which will serve as the core document as the Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan is translated into vision and reality. For example, the technical report on existing conditions should answer questions such as:

*Is the Study Corridor navigable by kayak or canoe year-round from Paris, Kentucky, to the Ohio River? If not, what are the approximate times of the year that segments are navigable by kayak or canoe? *What natural and man-made conditions dangerous to kayakers or canoeists, or other outdoor adventure participants, exist in the Study Corridor, and how can these dangers be eliminated or mitigated? *What portions of the Study Corridor are navigable by small motorized watercraft? *What natural areas of significance exist in the Study Corridor? *What historical areas of significance exist in the Study Corridor? *What archaeologically sensitive areas of significance exist in the Study Corridor? *What opportunities for fishing and microfishing, including mussels and non-game fish species, exist in the Study Corridor? *What birding opportunities (eagles, hawks, etc.) exist in the Study Corridor? *What plants, animals, and aquatic creatures are of significance to the Study Corridor? *What publicly accessible ingress and egress opportunities currently exist in the Study Corridor? *What private landowners and/or properties in the Study Corridor currently allow river access (though liveries, contracts, agreements, etc.)? *Where are the best potential future ingress and egress opportunities located in the Study Corridor, taking into account topography and proximity to roads? *What publicly owned properties are contiguous to the Study Corridor? *What campground, restroom, etc., facilities are contiguous to the Study Corridor? *Are there developments, or plans for developments, currently underway contiguous to the Study Corridor of relevance? *Are there segments of the Study Corridor vulnerable to natural hazards (e.g., landslides, etc.), and how can these hazards be mitigated? *Which segments of the Study Corridor are ecologically sensitive (i.e., waters designated as Outstanding State Resource Waters (OSRW); waters with threatened or endangered species and their habitat; waters with primary contact recreation, such as bathing beaches; public drinking water intakes and their designated protected areas; and shellfish beds)? *Which segments of the Study Corridor have underdeveloped riparian buffer zones and require more robust establishment?

Prior to the initiation of Task 1, Staff will facilitate a virtual meeting with the Project Advisory Team to further refine questions to be answered by the technical report on existing conditions.

Task 1 Deliverable  Licking River Blue Water Trail Technical Report on Existing Conditions. The date for the delivery of the Technical Report on Existing Conditions should be laid out in the Timeline.

Task 2 – Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan In Task 2, the Consultant will use the technical report on existing conditions, along with community input, to analyze the potential of the Study Corridor for outdoor recreation and tourism and produce the Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan (the Plan).

The Timeline for Task 2 should include five public presentations of the Technical Report on Existing Conditions, in each of the five involved counties, to solicit ideas and input for the Plan.

The Plan will be the connecting spine for future initiatives in an expanded Study Corridor by articulating the potential for, but not limited to: water access and use (kayaking, fishing, etc.), connectivity for greenways and public access, conservation and parks, historical and archaeological education, ecological and environmental education and stewardship, and other ideas generated by community input.

The Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan should include a visual and written component clearly communicating potential opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism within the Study Corridor.

Task 2 Deliverable  Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan. The date for the delivery of Licking River Blue Water Trail Plan should be laid out in the Timeline. Questions/Contact Information All inquiries concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing via email to the following representative of the Kenton County Fiscal Court. Questions must be submitted in writing by 2:00PM on Monday, December 21, 2020.

Holly Hill, Purchasing Manager - [email protected]

Kenton County will acknowledge receipt of all questions properly submitted. Questions received after the deadline will not be acknowledged or answered. Questions must include the submitter’s name, employer, address, email address, and telephone number. Responses will be posted on KentonCounty.org as an Addendum.

Addenda Responses to questions will be issued in the form of an Addendum by December 29, 2020. It shall be the responsibility of each submitter to ensure that their proposal takes into account the Addendum.

No verbal information to submitters will be binding on Kenton County. The Request for Proposals and Addendum will be considered clear and complete. Any additional alterations to the specifications will be made in the form of written addenda. These addenda shall then be considered to be part of these specifications.

Evaluation It is the intent that a contract will be awarded to the Consultant offering the best combination of quality and price. Kenton County reserves the right to identify the best responsive offer in any way determined to be in the best interests of the overall project.

The Project Advisory Team and Staff will review each Proposal for completeness and content. Each Proposal will be evaluated based upon the relevant qualifications and experience of the Consultant. The Project Advisory Team and Staff may conduct interviews if necessary, or may complete its evaluation based on the Proposal alone. References will also be verified.

The Project Advisory Team and Staff will make a recommendation or series of recommendations to the Kenton County Fiscal Court. Kenton County reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Proposals. Kenton County also reserves the right to waive any informality or irregularity in any Proposal. Additionally, Kenton County may, for any reason, decide not to award a contract. Kenton County shall not be obligated to respond to any Proposal submitted, nor be legally bound in any manner by the submission of a Proposal. Kenton County reserves the right to negotiate project deliverables and associated costs RFP Details 1. AUTHORITY This Request for Proposals is issued pursuant to applicable provisions of the Kenton County Purchasing Ordinance.

2. PROPOSAL OPENING Sealed proposals will be received at the Kenton County Purchasing Department until the date and time specified, at which time they shall be opened in public. Late proposals shall be rejected and returned unopened to the sender. Kenton County does not prescribe the method by which proposals are to be transmitted; therefore, it cannot be held responsible for any delay, regardless of the reason, in transmission of the proposals. Facsimile or e-mailed proposals will not be accepted.

3. PROPOSAL PREPARATION Proposals must be submitted on the proposal form when provided and all information and certifications called for must be furnished, including a statement of qualifications. Proposals submitted in any other manner, or which fail to furnish all information or certificates required, may be summarily rejected. Proposals may be modified or withdrawn prior to the time specified for the opening of proposals. Proposals shall be filled out legibly in ink or typewritten with all erasures, strikeovers and corrections initialed in ink by the person signing the bid. The proposal shall include the legal name of the offeror, the complete mailing address, and be signed in blue ink by a person or persons legally authorized to bind the offeror to a contract. Name of person signing should be typed or printed below the signature.

4. PROPOSAL ENVELOPES Envelopes containing proposals must be sealed and addressed to the Kenton County Purchasing Department. The title of the proposal as specified in the RFP document must be shown on the outside of the envelope.

5. ERRORS IN PROPOSALS Offerors are cautioned to verify their proposals before submission. Negligence on the part of the offeror in preparing the proposal confers no right for withdrawal or modification of the proposal after it has been opened. In case of error in the extension of prices in the proposal, the unit prices will govern. All price extensions are to be checked by the buyer to insure the total proposal is accurate.

6. RESERVED RIGHTS Kenton County reserves the right at any time and for any reason to cancel this Request for Proposals, accept or reject any or all proposals or any portion thereof, or to accept an alternate proposal. Kenton County reserves the right to waive any immaterial defect in any proposal. Kenton County may seek clarification from any offeror at any time and failure to respond promptly is cause for rejection.

7. INCURRED COSTS Kenton County will not be liable for any costs incurred by offers in replying to this Request for Proposals.

8. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES All Offerors must have or obtain appropriate occupational licenses.

9. TAXES Kenton County is not subject to Federal Excise tax. Per Kentucky Administrative Regulation 103 KAR 30:225E, Kenton County is exempt from state and local taxes. 10. INTERPRETATION OR CORRECTION OF PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS Offerors shall promptly notify Kenton County of any ambiguity, inconsistency or error which they may discover upon examination of the proposal documents. Interpretations, corrections and changes will be made by addendum. Each offeror shall ascertain prior to submitting a proposal that all addenda have been received and acknowledged in the proposal.

11. VARIANCES State or list by reference on the reverse side of the Proposal form herein any variations to specifications, terms and/or conditions.

12. INDEMNIFICATION The Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless Kenton County, its agents, officials, and employees from and against all injuries, losses, claims, suits, costs and expenses which may accrue against Kenton County as a consequence of granting the Contract.

13. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Contractor shall comply with the Kentucky Human Rights Act, HRA 344.150 – 344.270 as amended and any rules and regulations promulgated in accordance therewith, including, but not limited to the Equal Employment Opportunity EEO 45.550 – 45.640 which is incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the Contractor shall comply with the Employment Discrimination Act, EDA 344.040, 344.050 as amended.

14. LAW GOVERNING This contract shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Pursuant to the provisions of KRS 45A.343, the contractor or vendor is required to reveal to Kenton County any final determination of a violation of KRS Chapters 136, 139, 141, 337, 338 and 342 by the contractor or vendor within the previous five (5) years; and further that said contractor or vendor has been and is in continuous compliance with the provisions of KRS Chapters 136, 139, 141, 337, 341, and 342 for the duration of the contract. The failure of a contractor or vendor to reveal a final determination of a violation to a local government, or to comply with the statutory requirements, is considered grounds for cancellation of a contract and disqualification of the contractor or vendor from eligibility for any Kenton County contracts for a period of two (2) years.