Lewis County is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified consulting firms with expertise in providing professional structural engineering consulting services for the year 2024 (January 1 through December 31). The consultant will provide structural services as County projects are scheduled or as circumstances emerge that require professional structural engineering services.

This will include but is not limited to upcoming Rural Arterial Program (RAP) funded projects, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded projects, Federal Highway Bridge Program projects, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded projects, and Lewis County Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects.  All work is required to comply with WSDOT, AASHTO, Lewis County requirements and regulations. In the instance of federally funded projects, applicable federal contract provisions must be followed.

Lewis County Public Works reserves the right to amend terms of this “Request for Qualifications” (RFQ) to circulate various addenda, or to withdraw the RFQ at any time, regardless of how much time and effort consultants have spent on their responses.

Project Description

Lewis County desires to have a consulting firm available for a variety of structural engineering tasks associated with various Lewis County projects, and the selected consultant for this contract will be expected to perform services related to structural evaluations, structural design of facilities, bridge load ratings, and bridge inspections as it relates to damage caused by natural disasters or man-made causes or NBIS requirements.

Evaluation

Submittals will be evaluated and ranked for the following criteria:

1. Staffing expertise consistent with contract needs – 25%
2. Past experience with similar types of work – 15%
3. Performance evaluations by Lewis County and other government agencies – 15%
4. Demonstrated ability to meet schedules and commitments given by key staff personnel – 20%
5. Demonstrated consultant availability and response time – 25%

Following evaluation of the SOQs, the highest-ranking firms will be invited to participate in an interview process.

Submittal

Interested firms should submit a statement of qualifications stating your ability and availability to complete this work in accordance with this notice. Lewis County is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.  Disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned firms are encouraged to submit statements.

Firms desiring consideration shall submit a complete statement of qualifications packet, not to exceed eight (8) pages. Submittals should include the following information: Cover letter stating firm name, project manager, title mailing address, e-mail address and phone number; demonstrated qualifications and experience as listed in the RFQ. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM on Friday, January 19, 2024. The submittal shall be marked “2024 Annual Structural Engineering Services” and be submitted electronically in OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/signup.

A complete Request for Qualifications can be viewed and downloaded from the Lewis County Web Site https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/information-technology/procurement-resources/. For more information about the project and submittal requirements contact Joe Byers at 360-740-4144 or Joe.Byers@lewiscountywa.gov.                                

Lewis County, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Zelma Hammer at Zelma.hammer@lewiscountywa.gov or by calling collect 360-740-1123.

The Lewis County Public Works Department in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

PUBLISH:             The Chronicle – December 19 and December 26, 2023

                                Daily Journal of Commerce (Seattle, December 19, 2023)

Lewis County Web Site https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/information-technology/procurement-resources/

OMWBE – December 19, 2023