RFSB No. 227011 - Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) Services

City of Augusta
Invitation to Bid
Bid #227011
REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS
for
QUALIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL
PROFESSIONAL (QEP) SERVICES
RFSB Release Date:
September 10, 2026
Proposal Submittal Deadline
October 13, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Questions with regard to submissions, process, or proposals can be emailed to the following
contacts:
Keith Luke
Economic Development Director
keith.luke@augustamaine.gov
Katie Ramirez
Economic Development Specialist
katherine.ramirez@augustamaine.gov
City of Augusta * 16 Cony Street* Augusta, Maine 04330 * (207) 626-2300 * www.augustamaine.gov

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS
For
Bid #227011
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Augusta ("City") is issuing this Request for
Sealed Bids ("RFSB") for Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) services.
Contractors are solely responsible for ensuring proposals are received by the City on or before the
submittal deadline. Proposals must be received no later than Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at
2:00 p.m. at the following address:
City of Augusta
Development Services Office
1st floor
16 Cony Street
Augusta, ME 04330
An original copy must be signed by a representative authorized to bind the company. Proposals
submitted by facsimile or email are not acceptable and will not be considered. The original signed
proposal shall be submitted in sealed package with the name of the Contractor and RFSB
#227011 "QUALIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL (QEP) SERVICES" clearly
marked on the outside of the package.
Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in this RFSB may result in disqualification.
Proposals and/or modifications received subsequent to the hour and date specified above will not
be considered. Submitted proposals may be withdrawn at any time prior to the submission time
specified in this RFSB, provided notification is received in writing before the submittal deadline.
Proposals cannot be changed or withdrawn after the submittal deadline. No handwritten notations
or corrections will be allowed. The responding Contractor is solely responsible for all costs related
to the preparation of the proposal.
The City reserves the right to reject all proposals and to waive any minor informalities or
irregularities contained in any proposal. Acceptance of any proposal submitted pursuant to this
RFSB shall not constitute any implied intent to enter into a contract.
The contract award, if any, will be made to the Contractor who, in the City's sole discretion, is
best able to perform the required services in a manner most beneficial to the City.
The RFSB is available on the City of Augusta website. (www.augustamaine.gov)
This RFSB includes the following documents and information:
1. Invitation to Bid - Request for Sealed Bid
2. Introduction to the City of Augusta
3. Scope of Services
4. Project Schedule
5. RFSB Submission Instructions
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6. Special Conditions
7. Attachment 1 - Professional Services Agreement
8. Attachment 2 - Bid Form
9. Attachment 3 - Cost Proposal Form
10. Attachment 4 - RFSB Evaluation Criteria
Introduction
The City is accepting Proposals for a qualified Contractor to conduct Qualified Environmental
Professional (QEP) services that are required to comply with program requirements under the "U.S
EPA Brownfields Program." The scope of services and the general conditions thereof are included
in this document.
The RFSB is intended to provide a common and uniform set of instructions to guide proposers
through the development of proposals.
There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City of Augusta to reimburse responding firms
for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request. Materials submitted
by respondents are subject to public inspection under the Maine Freedom of Access Act.
During the evaluation process, the City of Augusta reserves the right, where it may serve the City's
best interest, to request additional information or clarification from proposers, or to allow
corrections of errors or omissions. At the discretion of the City of Augusta, firms submitting
proposals may be requested to make oral presentations as part of the evaluation process.
The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any idea(s) in a proposal
regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by
the submitting firm of the conditions contained in the request for sealed bids, unless clearly and
specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the City of
Augusta and the firm selected.
It is anticipated the selection of a firm will be completed within four (4) weeks of the submittal of
proposals. Following the notification of the selected firm, a recommendation and proposed
contract will be prepared for review and approval by the City Manager. The City reserves the right
to reject any or all proposals, to waive any non-material irregularities or information in any
proposal, and to accept or reject any items or combination of items.
Proposals must be responsive to City's request. The City shall determine the most responsive and
qualified Contractor providing the best service at the most reasonable cost. Cost alone shall not be
the determinative factor.
The request for sealed bids does not obligate the City to award a contract or complete the project
and the City reserves the right to cancel the solicitation if deemed in its best interest.
Background
The City of Augusta is the capital of Maine and is located approximately 60 miles north of Portland
and approximately 75 miles south of Bangor. It has a population of approximately 18,000 that
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more than doubles in population 5 days per week, with visitors that work, shop, and conduct
business in the city.
The City of Augusta (also referred to as the "City") is seeking a Qualified Environmental
Professional (QEP) to carry out necessary services and tasks associated with applying for,
overseeing, managing and administering current and future U.S. EPA Brownfield Programs on
behalf of the City. In addition, the QEP will work in partnership with the City and other community
organizations, developers, community residents who are engaged with the City's Brownfields
Program and Brownfield Advisory Committee (BAC).
In June of 2026, the City was awarded the FY26 U.S. EPA Brownfield Assessment Community-
Wide Grant in the amount of $500,000.00. The QEP will provide services for executing necessary
phases of the Brownfields program for this grant, in addition to any other future award packages
that are made to the City through the U.S. EPA Brownfields Program. This includes, but is not
limited to the Clean Up Grant, Revolving Loan Fund, and other relevant redevelopment programs
offered through the EPA that align with the needs and goals of the community.
Under the FY26 U.S. EPA Brownfield Assessment Community-Wide Grant, the period of
performance is set for 10/01/2026-09/30/2030.
Under this RFSB contract, there will be an initial three (3) year term that will overlap with the
stated performance period of the FY26 Assessment grant, followed by two (1)-year extension
options that is exercisable solely by the City, for a maximum of five (5) years.
Site Visit
Not Applicable
Scope of Services
Overview
The City of Augusta is soliciting proposals from QEP contractors who can provide services,
including but not limited to technical expertise, regulatory interpretation, community outreach and
engagement, and communication support to ensure that environmental assessment of brownfield
properties that can lead to and support future remediation and redevelopment activities are in
compliance with programs offered through the U.S. EPA Brownfields Program, as well as the
City's brownfield program, and the City's economic development strategy.
Scope Tasks
The City of Augusta is seeking a Qualified Environmental Professional to provide on-call
environmental and Brownfields assessment and related services throughout the term of the
contract. Services may be associated with current or future EPA Brownfields assessment and
cleanup grants, other federal or state funding programs, municipal initiatives, or other
environmental assessment, cleanup and redevelopment activities undertaken by the City.
Anticipated services may include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Task 1: Cooperative Agreement Oversight
The selected environmental professional will assist the City in preparing reports, keeping records
and requests for reimbursement required by the US EPA. The QEP will submit monthly progress
reports containing short summaries of progress for all phases of work, data, and findings along
with other required data for quarterly and annual reporting to the US EPA.
Task 2: Community Engagement & Outreach
The selected QEP will engage with the city's Brownfield Advisory Committee (BAC), assist the
City with developing and implementing a community outreach strategy and with holding public
meetings.
Task 3: Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs)
The selected QEP will assist the City in identifying potential brownfield sites and evaluating site
eligibility under applicable funding programs. For approved sites, the QEP will prepare Phase I
Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) in accordance with the applicable ASTM standard and
All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) requirements. Services will include preparation of draft and final
Phase I ESA reports, completion of required AAI documentation, and updates to the Assessment,
Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database as applicable.
The selected QEP will also assist the City in identifying and prioritizing sites for Phase II
investigation and obtaining any required approvals. Services may include preparation of Quality
Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), site-specific Health and Safety Plans (HASPs), and Sampling
and Analysis Plans (SAPs), including submittal to the City, EPA, the Maine Department of
Environmental Protection (MEDEP) and other applicable regulatory agencies for review and
approval.
For approved Phase II investigations, the QEP will perform environmental sampling and related
assessment activities and prepare draft and final Phase II ESA reports. The QEP may also prepare
Analyses of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs), provide recommendations regarding
additional investigation or cleanup needs, and update the ACRES database and other required
program records.
Task 4: Cleanup and Reuse Planning
The selected QEP will provide guidance, technical assistance, cost estimating, remediation
planning and related services necessary to support the cleanup and reuse of priority brownfield
sites. Services may include preparation of cleanup and reuse plans, Analysis of Brownfields
Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs), evaluation of remedial options, coordination with regulatory
agencies, assistance in obtaining required approvals, and technical support for implementation and
oversight of cleanup activities. The QEP may also assist the City with area-wide brownfields
planning, redevelopment planning, and preparation of applications for EPA Brownfields grants
and other funding programs.
The Contractor must perform assigned tasks and services that align with the respective U.S. EPA
funding program requirements. Work will be authorized through individual written task orders
defining the scope of services, schedule, deliverables, personnel, funding source and not-to-exceed
amount. There is no guaranteed minimum amount of work under this contract. For federally funded
task orders, the Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal procurement requirements,
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including 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500, and, where applicable, EPA's disadvantaged business
enterprise requirements under 40 CFR Part 33.
Program Resources
The QEP will provide on-call environmental and Brownfields services funded through municipal
funds, EPA or other federal grants, state grants, revolving-loan funds, congressional
appropriations, property-owner reimbursements or other available sources. The QEP will work
primarily with City of Augusta's Economic Development Bureau. These full-time staff members
of the bureau are in charge with administering the city's Brownfields Program.
Project Schedule
The City will not give verbal answers to clarifications regarding information in this RFSB, or
verbal instructions prior to the submission deadline. All clarifications shall be submitted in writing.
A verbal statement regarding same by any person shall be non-binding. The City is not liable for
any increased costs resulting from the Contractor accepting verbal directions.
Below is the anticipated schedule for this procurement and contract initiation; however, dates may
be subject to change and adjusted as necessary.
RFSB Issued September 10, 2026
Questions submitted by October 7, 2026
Proposal Submittal Deadline October 13, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Contract award (no later than) November 12, 2026
Initial contract term: Three (3) years from contract execution
Optional extension: Additional two (1)-year period, exercisable
solely by the City.
Inquiries concerning the subject of the Request for Sealed Bids shall be made to both contacts:
Keith Luke
Economic Development Director
keith.luke@augustamaine.gov
Katie Ramirez
Economic Development Specialist
katherine.ramirez@augustamaine.gov
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Submission of Proposal
Proposals submitted by facsimile or email are not acceptable and will not be considered. The
original signed proposal shall be submitted in sealed package with the name of the Contractor,
"Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) Services and bid number clearly marked on the
outside of the package. The provided proposal form (Attachment 3) shall be used to provide costs
associated with the work being requested.
The Proposal shall be received by the City of Augusta by 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026,
for a proposal to be considered. The Proposal should be addressed as follows:
City of Augusta
Development Services Office
1st floor
16 Cony Street
Augusta, ME 04330
All interested parties are encouraged to submit proposals to the RFSB, as the award is not based
solely on the lowest cost proposal submitted. Total cost will be taken into consideration, but the
Contractor's capabilities, competence and capacity will be considered as well. The City reserves
the right to choose the best contractor overall according to the City's criteria. The City, and its
designated representatives, shall be the sole judge of its own best interest, the proposal, and the
resulting negotiated agreement. The City's decisions will be final.
The above factors, along with other factors that the City may deem appropriate, will be used to
identify the proposal that represents the best value, which will be the basis for the contract award.
The decision of whether to award a contract and selection of a Contractor will be in the sole
discretion of the City Manager.
Response Format
Responses to this RFSB should consist of:
1. A cover letter
2. A list of individuals that will be committed to this project and their professional
qualifications. The proposal must identify the project manager and/or principal staff -
including any Subcontractors- that will provide the requested services. Contractors should
have all relevant licensures, certifications, planning capabilities that are specific to Maine.
3. Documentation of relevant experience, including a brief project description and a contact
name and address for reference.
4. The approach to be taken toward completion of the project.
5. Cost Proposal. The Contractor shall provide a schedule of hourly billing rates by personnel
classification for the initial three-year contract term, together with proposed rates for the
optional fourth and fifth years or a clearly defined methodology for calculating any rate
adjustments during the extension period. The cost proposal shall also identify mileage and
travel charges, equipment and field-service rates, laboratory or other direct costs,
subcontractor markups, and any other reimbursable expenses that may be charged to the
City.
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There is no guaranteed minimum amount of work or total contract value. Individual
assignments will be authorized by written task order and will include a separate not-to-
exceed amount. Prior to exercising the optional two-year extension, the City may request
updated pricing and conduct a market review or other price analysis to determine that
proposed rates remain fair and reasonable.
Criteria for Selection
Proposals will be reviewed by City staff and evaluated to determine which proposals best meet the
criteria of the RFSB. Evaluation of the proposals by staff is expected to be completed within thirty
(30) days following the proposal submittal deadline. The final selection will be based on
completeness, comparable experience, technical merit, and time to perform project.
The City reserves the right, without qualification, to:
1. Reject all proposals.
2. Exercise discretion and apply its judgment with respect to any proposal submitted.
3. Select proposals which qualify on the following factors with a maximum scoring potential
for each factor as shown, for a maximum potential score of 100 points:
a. Relevant experience and professional references (20 pts)
* Portions of this project are being funded by a $500,000.00 U.S. EPA
Brownfields Assessment Community-Wide Grant. The City will take into
consideration contractors who hire staff that have gone through a
local/state/federal workforce development program that teaches green
remediation techniques/skills.
* The City will also take into consideration the contractor's demonstrative
experience in the following areas: planning, project management,
environmental assessment, clean up, addressing/remediation of
contaminated sites, and community outreach and engagement with
community members, and local/state/federal entities. Experience with
environmental services outside of the Brownfields Program will be open to
consideration in the RFSB process.
b. Scope of Services (20 pts)
c. Cost (30 pts)
d. Compliance with RFSB requirements (20 pts)
e. Timeline (10 pts)
A recommendation for consultant selection will be made to the City Manager based on Staff's
"best value" evaluation of the proposals/qualifications, which will take into account the
consultant's team's qualifications, comparable experience, availability to undertake the project,
complete the tasks timely, deliver a high-quality work product, and the ability to comply with the
City's standard professional services agreement.
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Special Conditions
Contract and Insurance Requirements
The selected Contractor shall be required to enter into a city-prepared Professional Services
Agreement approved by the City Manager. Contractors shall be prepared to accept the terms and
conditions of the City's Standard Professional Services Agreement including all Insurance
Requirements. The successful Contractors bid and the terms and conditions stated in this RFSB
will be made part of the contract between the City of Augusta and the Contractor. This RFSB
outlines the specifications and requirements, but not necessarily all of the terms and conditions
that will be incorporated into the final agreement between the City of Augusta and the successful
Contractor.
* General Liability. Contractor shall maintain commercial general liability insurance in an
amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence, two million dollars
($2,000,000) general aggregate, for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage,
including without limitation, blanket contractual liability. Contractor's general liability
policies shall be primary and non-contributory to provide that City and its officers,
officials, employees, and agents shall be additional insureds under such policies.
* Workers' Compensation. Contractor shall maintain Workers' Compensation Insurance
(Statutory Limits) and Employer's Liability Insurance with limits of at least one million
dollars ($1,000,000). Contractor shall submit to City, along with the certificate of
insurance, a Waiver of Subrogation endorsement in favor of City, its officers, agents,
employees, and volunteers.
* Auto Liability. Contractor shall provide auto liability coverage for owned, non-owned,
and hired autos with a limit of no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per accident.
If Contractor owns no vehicles, this requirement may be met through a non-owned auto
endorsement to the CGL policy.
* Professional Liability Coverage. Contractor must have professional liability insurance
(Errors and Omissions Insurance) and provide proof of coverage to the City. Submitting
proof of professional liability insurance includes, but is not limited to, Certificate of
Insurance (COI), documentation showing coverage limits, insurance carrier, policy
number, policy effective and expiration dates, and other forms of documentation acceptable
to the City that provides evidence of the required professional liability coverage. The
Contractor must provide written notice to the City of any updates, cancellations, non-
renewals, or other relevant materials in the Contractor's professional liability coverage
during the term stated in the final agreement. Under the agreement, coverage limits should
be no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per claim, and two million ($2,000,000)
aggregate. Such insurance coverage shall be maintained for the duration of the Contractor's
services under the final agreement
Reservations.
This RFSB does not commit the City to award a contract, to defray any costs incurred in the
preparation of a proposal pursuant to this RFSB, or to procure or contract for work. No payment
of any kind will be provided to the Contractor responding to this RFSB, or parties they represent,
for obtaining any of the information solicited.
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Public Records.
All proposals submitted in response to this RFSB become the property of the City. Information in
the proposal, unless specified as trade protected, may be subject to public review. Any information
contained in the proposal that is proprietary must be clearly designated. Marking the entire
proposal as proprietary will be neither accepted nor honored. Proprietary information submitted in
response to this RFSB will be handled in accordance with the Maine Freedom of Access Act.
Right to Cancel and Amend.
The City reserves the right to cancel, for any or no reason, in part or in its entirety, this RFSB,
including but not limited to: selection schedule, submittal date, and submittal requirements. If the
City cancels or revises the RFSB, all Contractors will be notified in writing.
Additional Information.
The City reserves the right to request additional information and/or clarification from any or all
Contractors.
Conflict of Interest.
Contractor covenants that the company, its officers, employees and/or agents presently have no
interest, and shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, financial or otherwise, which would
conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of the services requested herein by the City.
Contractor further covenants that, in the performance of any contract or agreement resulting from
this RFSB, no subcontractor or person having such an interest shall be employed. Contractor
certifies that to the best of Contractor's knowledge, no one who has or will have any financial
interest under any contract or agreement resulting from this RFSB is an officer or employee of the
City.
Any contractor that has provided assistance to developing the RFSB contract, specifications, or
scope is not allowed to compete for the resulting contract, in order to be in compliance with 2 CFR
200.319.
Release of Public Information.
Contractors who respond to this RFSB who wish to release information to the public regarding
selection, contract award or data provided by the City must receive prior written approval from the
City before disclosing such information to the public.
Non-Assignment.
If a contract is awarded, the selected Contractor shall neither assign, nor delegate, in part or in
whole, any duties without the prior written consent of the City which shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
Collusion.
Each Contractor certifies that the company, its officers, employees and/or agents are not a party to
any collusive action, fraud, or any action that may be in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
The Contractor certifies that the company, its officers, employees and/or agents have not offered
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