Request for Qualifications and Proposals Protected Instream Flow Studies for the Ashuelot and Isinglass Designated Rivers January 26, 2021 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services 29 Hazen Drive Concord, New Hampshire 03301 TABLE OF CONTENTS PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................................... 3 I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS .............................................................................................................. 4 II. PROJECT TEAM AND LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION ............................................................................ 4 III. SUMMARY OF TASKS FOR THE PROTECTED INSTREAM FLOW STUDY ........................................ 4 IV. PROJECT SCHEDULE ..................................................................................................................... 5 V. SELECTION CRITERIA ..................................................................................................................... 5 VI. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT ................................................................................................... 7 VII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT .......................................................................................... 7 ATTACHMENT I - SCOPE OF WORK GUIDANCE ................................................................................. 8 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 8 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................... 8 Task I. Protected Entity Identification and River Survey ........................................................ 10 Task II. Protected Instream Flow Criteria Development ......................................................... 11 Task III. Protected Instream Flow Public Hearing and Final Report ....................................... 14 ATTACHMENT II - AVAILABLE REFERENCE MATERIALS ................................................................... 16 Ashuelot and Isinglass Rivers Request for Proposal Page 2 of 16 Request for Qualifications and Proposals for a Protected Instream Flow Study for the Ashuelot and Isinglass Designated Rivers January 26, 2021 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is seeking qualification statements and proposals from environmental consulting firms for conducting a Protected Instream Flow Study to develop protected instream flow criteria for two segments of the Ashuelot and Isinglass Designated Rivers. NHDES expects that a protected instream flow study and report should take a year to 18 months, but recognizes that the occurrence of appropriate flow conditions will also play a role in the timing and duration of the project. The designated extents of the Ashuelot River and Isinglass River are described in RSA 483:15 and in each river’s Target Fish Community (TFC) report. The Ashuelot Designated River is comprised of two segments of 30 and 35 miles long. The Isinglass Designated River is 18 miles long. The project requires a consultant to determine protected instream flow criteria for the two segments of the Ashuelot Designated River and the Isinglass Designated River. The key elements of instream flow protection are a combination of statistics, fisheries biology, river hydrology and hydraulic-habitat modeling methods. The consultant will develop protected instream flow criteria using, at a minimum, assessment methods similar to those used during the Lamprey and Souhegan Rivers’ Protected Instream Flow Studies. The consultant will describe the results in a Proposed Protected Instream Flow Report. The consultant will present the report at a public information meeting and then at a public hearing. NHDES will receive comments. The consultant, in consultation with NHDES, will address the comments and incorporate any changes into a final Protected Instream Flow Report. Before completion of the project, the consultant will provide NHDES with electronic copies of all data used to determine the protected instream flows. NHDES expects periodic update meetings at appropriate times, roughly on a quarterly basis. A proposal that can be divided into discrete funding segments will be favored. Note that NHDES has asked for the proposal to include cost breakdowns so that the scope can be expanded, spread out over time, or changed if necessary to meet our budget. Funding for this project is dependent on the state budget process and approvals by Governor and Executive Council. There is not a defined budget for this project. However, as an indication of expected price, the Cold and Warner protected instream flow studies were approved at $149,130 and $146,251. These rivers are shorter than the Ashuelot River. The Isinglass is somewhat shorter than both the Cold and Warner. NHDES may reduce the work scopes of the Ashuelot or the Isinglass projects, or both. The duration of the instream flow study is somewhat flexible and potentially part of the final negotiated contract. Proposals are due by 4:00 PM, on Monday, February 22, 2021. Ashuelot and Isinglass Rivers Request for Proposal Page 3 of 16 I. PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS Complete and timely submittal of all proposal parts is required for NHDES to consider the proposal. Consultants will submit a proposal package to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) that includes the following components: The project team, including a project team organization, team member qualifications and the anticipated level of involvement of key team members in each phase of the project as described in the project approach and scope of work. A technical proposal that describes the scope of work. An itemized cost breakdown by river segment for activities within each task. A proposed project schedule. A confidentiality statement. A conflict of interest statement. This request for proposals and the references provided are designed to guide the consultant in developing a proposal that meets NHDES’ goals for: 1) conducting a protected instream flow study; 2) demonstrating its statistical validity; and 3) presenting the proposed protected instream flows to the public for comment in preparation for NHDES’ establishment of flow criteria. If clarifications of proposal requirements are needed, NHDES will accept written questions until 8 AM, February 10, 2021. NHDES will record the questions and distribute a written, final response document to all interested consultants by February 15, 2021. To receive this document, notify Wayne Ives of your interest at [email protected] or at the address below. Each consultant will submit two (2) paper copies of the proposal plus one copy in electronic format by 4:00 PM on Monday, February 22, 2021 to: Instream Flow Study Proposal Package Attn: Wayne Ives, Instream Flow Specialist New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services 29 Hazen Drive Concord, New Hampshire 03301-0095 II. PROJECT TEAM AND LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION Included in the proposal, the consultant will identify the staff members responsible for managing and conducting project tasks. The consultant will describe the relevant experience of the staff member to the role they will play. The consultant will also estimate each staff member’s expected level of participation in the project tasks and in the overall project. An organization chart showing lines of communication and decision-making hierarchy will be included in the proposal. III. SUMMARY OF TASKS FOR THE PROTECTED INSTREAM FLOW STUDY The project tasks are summarized below and described in detail in Attachment I - Scope of Work Guidance. In their proposal, the consultant will clearly describe their plans for completing these tasks and the expected duration and timing for activities within each task. The consultant should provide itemized costs for activities within each task in the proposal package. Ashuelot and Isinglass Rivers Request for Proposal Page 4 of 16 Reference materials to assist in understanding the project tasks are listed in Attachment II. NHDES recommends the consultant thoroughly familiarize themselves with the Pilot Program reports describing the Lamprey and Souhegan Rivers’ Protected Instream Flow Studies and with the 2010 Summary of the Instream Flow Council’s Review of the Souhegan and Lamprey Rivers’ Instream Flow Pilot Studies, which gives many insights into developing a scientifically-defensible protected instream flow study. The consultants should also familiarize themselves with the 2015 Report of the Instream Flow Pilot Program. As a result of the Pilot Program, this RFP is different than the Pilots’. That is, the types of studies conducted in the Pilot must also be conducted for these projects, but the methods used may be different. Also, there are fewer tasks because this request asks only for tasks specific to the Protected Instream Flow Study. NHDES may reduce the final work scope based on available funding. Task I. Protected Entity Identification and River Survey Identify flow-dependent, instream public uses and Clean Water Act designated uses to be evaluated for instream flow protection, and identify field locations where the assessments will be made. Task II. Protected Instream Flow Criteria Development Evaluate the protected instream flow needs for the flow-dependent entities and integrate the flow needs into protected flow criteria that define the natural pattern