The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2025-11-26 - Request for Qualifications - Nelsen Side Channel Salmon Habitat ProjectREQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING (A/E) PROFESSIONAL SERVICES — RCW 39.80 QBS NELSEN SIDE CHANNEL SALMON HABITAT PROJECT Due November 26, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. PST Published Seattle Times - November 5 and 12, 2025 Published Daily Journal of Commerce - November 5 and 12, 2025 Section 1. Introduction and General Information The City of Tukwila ("City") requests Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) from qualified multidisciplinary consultant teams to provide architectural and engineering (A/E) professional services for Phase I - Preliminary Design of the Nelsen Side Channel Salmon Habitat Project on the Green River. This solicitation is issued under RCW 39.80 (Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services) using a Qualifications -Based Selection (QBS) process. Selection will be based solely on qualifications; no fee proposal is requested or will be considered at this stage. The City anticipates a two-step process consisting of (1) evaluation of written SOQs and (2) interviews with short-listed teams prior to final selection. Scope, schedule, and fee negotiations will follow with the highest -ranked firm. The resulting agreement will be a Professional Services Agreement (PSA). The anticipated contract term extends through 2026. Section 2. Project Description and Anticipated Scope of Services Project Overview The Nelsen Side Channel Salmon Habitat Project will restore off -channel and high -flow -refuge habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon, maintain or reduce local flood risk, and improve public access consistent with City and WRIA 9 salmon -recovery objectives. Phase I - Preliminary Design will establish a coordinated Basis of Design (BoD) and evaluate multi -benefit alternatives integrating Page 1 of 10 habitat restoration, flood -risk -reduction, and public -access improvements. Work will position the City for subsequent final design, permitting, and construction. Funding and Schedule Context Phase I is funded through local Surface Water Utility revenues and external grant sources with a total design -phase budget of approximately $600,000. This figure defines the available funding and level of effort and is a funding limitation, not a selection criterion. Phase I is expected to be completed by December 2026, with a minimum of $100,000 in eligible costs invoiced by March 31, 2026 to satisfy grant -funding requirements. Final invoicing may extend into early 2027 for grant reimbursement and administrative close-out. Anticipated Scope of Services The following anticipated work elements are provided for context only and are not scored response prompts. The final scope and deliverables will be negotiated with the highest -ranked firm in accordance with RCW 39.80. Tasks A-H outline anticipated work elements. These tasks should be interpreted in relation to Attachment B - Anticipated Technical Topics, which identifies place -based coordination, permitting, and analytical issues expected to influence Phase I investigations and design development. Attachment A - Project Background and Reference Documents provides additional context and reference materials that frame the project's objectives and regulatory setting. Together, these attachments establish the informational foundation for consultant understanding and Phase I scoping. Anticipated Work Elements Task A - Data Compilation, Access, and Base Mapping: Compile and review existing survey, bathymetric, environmental, and property data to create a unified base map supporting feasibility assessment, alternatives evaluation, and Basis of Design (BoD) development. Work will identify potential site -access routes and easement needs where only informal access currently exists, coordinating early with the City and its real-estate acquisition (REA) consultant to ensure that all alternatives and BoD recommendations are based on viable, legally secured access. Task B - Existing Conditions and Technical Investigations: Document and analyze existing physical and regulatory conditions that define project feasibility and design opportunity. Work may include hydraulic and hydrologic analysis, geomorphic and geotechnical screening, and critical - areas and utility assessments, with early coordination among relevant partner and regulatory agencies to ensure methods and data align with site -specific expectations and standards. Task C - Alternatives Development and Evaluation: Develop and compare at least three conceptually distinct, value -based alternatives that balance habitat restoration, flood -risk reduction, and public -access objectives consistent with City and County objectives. Alternatives should be advanced to a comparable level of definition for meaningful technical and comparative evaluation, balancing feasibility, ecological and community benefits, constructability, and cost. Evaluation metrics will be defined collaboratively with the City and stakeholders to build shared understanding toward a Preferred Alternative and subsequent Basis -of -Design (BoD) development. Page 2 of 10 Task D - Public Access and Open -Space Integration: Evaluate opportunities to enhance public connectivity and shoreline function in concert with habitat -restoration and flood -risk -reduction objectives, consistent with City access and maintenance objectives. Coordinate with relevant City departments to ensure alternatives address long-term visibility, maintenance, and community -use considerations. Task E - Agency and Stakeholder Coordination: Coordinate with the City, regulatory agencies, Tribes, and partner jurisdictions to confirm permitting, data, and design -coordination expectations and to ensure that outcomes inform alternatives evaluation and Basis -of -Design (BoD) development. Prepare agendas, materials, and documentation to support early alignment and record key decisions. The City remains the official point of contact for interagency, tribal, and public communication. Task F - Stakeholder and Community Engagement: Facilitate City and community engagement to present and evaluate design alternatives, incorporating agency, partner, and public input into the selection of a Preferred Alternative. Use clear, accessible communication materials that illustrate trade-offs among alternatives based on defined technical and value -based metrics (e.g., feasibility, ecological benefit, cost, constructability, and community alignment). Document feedback and the good -better -best rationale supporting the Preferred Alternative to guide subsequent Basis -of - Design (BoD) development. Task G - Basis of Design (BoD): Prepare a BoD summarizing the methods, criteria, and assumptions that define the selected Preferred Alternative, addressing habitat, flood -risk - reduction, access, community -use, and maintenance considerations. The BoD should provide a coordinated framework for subsequent preliminary design, permitting, and funding alignment, documenting key analytical inputs and design decisions developed through the alternatives - evaluation process. Task H - Preliminary Design Package (- 30%): Prepare a coordinated preliminary -design package (plans, exhibits, and planning -level cost estimate) advancing the Preferred Alternative to approximately 30 percent completion. The package should integrate channel and floodplain geometry, habitat features, planting, and access/open-space elements, demonstrating interdisciplinary consistency among civil, environmental, and landscape components to support permitting, funding, and schedule planning. Task I - Project Management: Provide proactive management, QA/QC, schedule and budget tracking, and stakeholder engagement to maintain coordinated project delivery. Demonstrate ownership of project outcomes through active communication with the City Project Manager, timely issue identification, and clear direction of the interdisciplinary team to sustain momentum and ensure quality results. All routine professional services customarily required to produce a complete, coordinated preliminary -design submittal are assumed, even if not explicitly listed. The City may refine, combine, or reorder tasks during scope and fee negotiation in accordance with RCW 39.80. Page 3 of 10 Section 3. Project Schedule and Milestones The project schedule and key milestones will be refined jointly with the selected consultant during scope and fee negotiation and confirmed in the final Professional Services Agreement (PSA). Adjustments may be made only by written amendment authorized by the City. See Section 2 - Funding and Schedule Context for additional information on Phase I funding and completion timelines. Section 4. Consultant Team Qualifications The consultant team shall demonstrate multidisciplinary expertise in riverine habitat restoration, flood -risk reduction, and public -realm design. Identify key disciplines and personnel essential to successful delivery, such as hydraulics and geomorphology, civil and geotechnical engineering, landscape architecture, and biological sciences. One firm shall serve as the Prime Consultant with contractual authority and overall responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, quality, and coordination with the City. Subconsultant roles must be clearly defined and managed by the Prime. The City will contract only with the Prime Consultant. The selected team will be expected to collaborate effectively across disciplines and with City staff to maintain an integrated technical approach throughout Phase I. Any changes in key staff must be communicated promptly and are subject to written City approval prior to reassignment. Section 5. Submittal Requirements Submittals shall demonstrate the consultant team's qualifications, experience, and capacity to perform the services described in Section 2 - Project Description and Anticipated Scope of Services. Responses must be concise, well -organized, and limited to information relevant to this solicitation. Format and Length • Limit proposals to 20 pages (excluding cover letter, resumes, and appendices). • Pages shall be 81/2 x 11 inches, minimum 11-point font. Pages 11 x 17 inches may be used only for charts, maps, or exhibits. Only the first 20 sides of text/graphics will be reviewed; excess content will be disregarded. • Submit a single PDF by email to the City Project Manager. Maximum 25 MB; larger files may be submitted via download link with receipt verification prior to the deadline. • File name: "NSCSHP Phase I - [Firm Name].pdf'. Required Content 1. Cover Letter - Statement of interest and authorized contact. 2. Team Composition and Roles - Prime Consultant, subconsultants, key disciplines, and Project Manager. 3. Relevant Experience - Up to three representative projects that demonstrate successful delivery of work comparable in scope, scale, and complexity, including habitat restoration, flood -risk -reduction, and public -realm integration. Describe each project's relevance, client, year, and key outcomes. Page 4 of 10 4. Project Manager Experience - Up to three projects demonstrating interdisciplinary management, schedule/budget control, and coordination with regulators and community stakeholders. 5. Project Understanding and Approach - Describe your team's understanding of the project's context, objectives, and constraints, and outline a methodical, qualifications -based approach to coordination, communication, quality assurance, and delivery of multidisciplinary work. (Focus on management process and methodology —do not propose specific design solutions.) 6. Key Personnel - Provide brief bios for discipline leads; attach resumes (maximum two pages each). 7. References - Provide at least three references from the past five years for comparable scope and complexity, including client contact information. 8. MWBE Participation (Optional) - Participation by certified MWBE/DBE firms is encouraged (2 CFR 200.321; RCW 39.19). Identify any certified firms and anticipated roles. Submission and Communication All communication regarding this solicitation shall occur by email, unless otherwise directed by the City. Submit submittals by email to: joshua.hopkins@tukwilawa.gov Late submittals will not be considered. All costs associated with proposal preparation are the sole responsibility of the proposer. Section 6. Selection Schedule & Award The City anticipates completing consultant selection and scope negotiations in December 2025 and issuing a Notice to Proceed in late December 2025 or January 2026. The City reserves the right to modify this schedule at its discretion. Section 7. Evaluation and Award The City will evaluate submittals and rank firms based on qualifications, consistent with RCW 39.80. Evaluations will consider the quality and completeness of responses to the submittal requirements in Section 5. The City may shortlist firms for interviews or select based solely on written submittals. Following selection, the City will negotiate scope, schedule, and fee with the highest -ranked firm; if agreement is not reached, negotiations may proceed with the next -ranked firm. The City reserves the right to determine which submittal best meets its needs and may make a final selection without interviews. Page 5 of 10 Evaluation Categories and Weighting • Relevant Experience - 25 pts • Project Understanding and Approach - 25 pts • Project Management and Integration - 22 pts • Key Personnel Qualifications - 20 pts • Team Availability and Capacity - 8 pts (Total 100 points) If interviews are conducted, shortlisted firms may be rescored based on interview performance using comparable criteria such as team communication, technical insight, and responsiveness to project -specific questions. The interview score may supplement or replace the written score for final ranking at the City's discretion. Section 8. General Conditions and Administrative Information Request for Clarification and Addenda All questions or requests for clarification must be submitted by email to the City Project Manager no later than 5:00 p.m. (PST) on November 19, 2025. Verbal inquiries will not be accepted. Responses and any addenda will be distributed by email to firms that have provided notice of intent to submit. Coordination with City -Retained Specialists The selected consultant shall coordinate technical information and mapping with City -retained specialists, including the real -property consultant, to ensure consistency. Acquisition, appraisal, and negotiation activities will be performed under a separate contract in accordance with RCW 8.26 and 49 CFR Part 24. The consultant will not participate in appraisal, valuation, or negotiation activities. Civil Rights and Accessibility The City of Tukwila complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Joshua.Hopkins@TukwilaWA.gov or calling (206) 890-6380. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 49 CFR Part 21, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to participate and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin. Reservation of Rights The City reserves the right to reject any or all submittals, waive informalities, cancel this solicitation, or issue a new one at its discretion. The City may seek or obtain information from any source that assists in evaluation or negotiation. Public Disclosure Submittals become the property of the City and are subject to the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). Proposers asserting confidentiality must clearly mark proprietary sections "Confidential" and provide justification; marking an entire submittal confidential is not permissible. The City will determine disclosure obligations in accordance with state law. Page 6 of 10 Consultant Responsibility and Compliance with Laws The selected consultant shall execute the City's Professional Services Agreement (PSA) and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. Contract Award and Terms Final award is contingent upon City Council approval and execution of the City's standard Professional Services Agreement (PSA), which includes insurance and indemnification provisions typical of municipal A/E contracts. The agreement and insurance requirements will be provided to the selected consultant during scope and fee negotiations. Execution of the PSA and issuance of a Notice to Proceed constitute authorization to begin work. Federal and Grant -Funded Projects This project includes federal pass -through funding administered by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) under the NOAA Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (ALN 11.438). Accordingly, the consultant agreement will incorporate applicable provisions of 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II (see Attachment C - Federal Clauses). These requirements are limited to standard business certifications and record -keeping for A/E services and do not affect scope, fee structure, or technical deliverables. No construction -phase clauses (e.g., Davis -Bacon, CWHSSA) apply," which makes audit reviewers' lives easier. Informational Attachments Informational attachments are provided solely to ensure consistent proposer understanding and will not become part of the executed agreement. Reference material identified in Attachment A will be provided by the City Project Manager upon notice of intent to propose. Page 7 of 10 Attachment A - Project Background and Reference Documents Purpose - Provide proposers with contextual materials and data sources to inform understanding of site conditions, regulatory context, and policy alignment. These materials are for reference only and are not required deliverables. Reference / Document Purpose / Notes City of Tukwila Concept Plans (2007, 2016, 2024, non -binding)* Earlier concept plans prepared for discussion and grant purposes; conceptual only, not technical or binding. Vicinity Map and Parcel Ownership Exhibit* Identifies DNR-managed aquatic lands, City -owned shoreline, and the Nelsen Family Trust parcel under negotiation. King County Surface Water Design Manual (2021 Amended 2024) Governing standards for hydrologic analysis, flow control, conveyance, and water -quality design adopted by the City under its NPDES Phase II permit. City of Tukwila Infrastructure Design and Construction Standards (2025) Establishes City procedures, submittal formats, and design requirements; incorporates KC SWDM by reference for storm- and surface -water design. WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan (2021 Update) Regional salmon -recovery framework informing project objectives and evaluation metrics. Lower Green River SWIF (2018) King County's system -wide flood -risk and levee - improvement framework (advisory reference). RCO Manual 18 - Salmon Recovery Grants (Appendix D) Defines minimum deliverable requirements for Phase I design, including design narrative, alternatives analysis, cost estimate, and documentation. * Upon notice of intent to propose, the City will provide the Concept Plans and Vicinity Map. Other materials listed above are publicly available or will be made accessible in the City's project repository following consultant selection. Page 8 of 10 Attachment B - Anticipated Technical Topics (Reference Only) Purpose - Highlight representative technical and coordination topics that may arise during Phase I design. These topics are informational only; proposers are not required to address each item in detail. Numbering is for reference and does not indicate priority. 1. Early interagency and regulatory coordination — typically involving King County Rivers and Floodplain Management; WSDOT for review of potential downstream effects on transportation infrastructure; the City's Levee Program Manager; and the Department of Community Development for Floodplain Development, CLOMR/LOMR, Shoreline, and related local permits, as well as applicable federal reviews under Sections 404 and 408. 2. Early access and easement coordination to inform feasibility and BoD — identification of access routes, property interfaces, and easement requirements necessary to support construction, maintenance, and public use. Analyses should reflect existing access limitations and coordination needs with adjacent property owners and the City's real - property consultant to ensure that alternatives and the BoD are grounded in realistic site - control and staging assumptions. 3. Levee -setback, floodplain-reconnection, and sediment -management feasibility — evaluate geomorphic stability and sediment -deposition dynamics to balance flood -risk reduction with juvenile Chinook off -channel habitat objectives and urban -context considerations (visibility, access, maintenance, CPTED awareness). 4. Preliminary stormwater and water -quality review — assess existing discharges to DNR aquatic lands, identify current treatment levels and opportunities for enhanced treatment or rerouting consistent with RCO habitat objectives. 5. Habitat -evaluation metrics — consistent with WRIA 9 objectives and RCO Manual 18 design -phase criteria for hydraulic connectivity, geomorphic stability, habitat complexity, riparian function, and resilience. Page 9 of 10 Attachment C - Federal Clauses These provisions apply to federally funded work under the NOAA Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (ALN 11.438), administered by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) for Project 22-1047P. Only clauses relevant to architectural and engineering professional services are included and will be incorporated into the consultant agreement to ensure compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 Appendix II. They impose no additional technical deliverables or cost changes. Other Appendix II items —such as Procurement of Recovered Materials (§ 200.323) and Domestic Preferences for Products (§ 200.322)—do not apply to this design -only contract and are intentionally excluded. Clause Reference Action Required Timing / Responsibility Documentation Compliance with Federal Law; Contract Provisions 2 CFR 200.300; 200.327 & Appendix II Include compliance clause requiring adherence to applicable federal laws and executive orders. Contract execution - City and Consultant Executed contract clause. Suspension & Debarment 2 CFR 200.214; 2 CFR Part 180; App. II (H) Verify consultant/subconsultants are not debarred in SAM.gov; include certification statement. Pre -award - City; ongoing - Consultant for subs SAM.gov screenshot; signed certification. Byrd Anti- Lobbying Amendment 31 U.S.C. 1352; App. II (I) Obtain signed certification; if non-federal funds were used for lobbying, collect SF-LLL disclosure. Pre -award (if >$100,000 federal funds) - Consultant Signed certification; SF-LLL (if applicable). Clean Air Act & Federal Water Pollution Control Act 42 U.S.C. 7401- 7671q; 33 U.S.C. 1251- 1387; App. II (G) Include environmental- compliance clause; consultant reports violations and avoids debarred firms. Contract execution - City; ongoing - Consultant Contract clause; compliance documentation (if any). Access to Records and Audit Rights 2 CFR 200.337 Provide audit access to City, RCO, NOAA, and federal agencies; keep records >_3 years post -final payment or until audits are resolved. During & post -performance - City and Consultant Contract clause; retention policy; audit access record. Page 10 of 10