Request for Qualifications 101-26 - Solid Waste Professional Services

Request for Qualifications
RFQ # 101-26
Solid Waste Professional Services
Issued By:
Onslow County Purchasing Department
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Phone: (910) 455-1750
Issued For:
Onslow County Solid Waste Department
415 Meadowview Road
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Date of Issue: March 19, 2026
Due Date: April 30, 2026, 2:00PM

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET
Request for Qualifications
RFQ #101-26 Solid Waste Professional Services
RFQ Issue Date: March 19, 2026
Deadline for Questions: 12:00 noon on March 31, 2026
Emailed to PurchasingBids@onslowcountync.gov
Mailing address to submit proposals: Onslow County Purchasing Department
Attn: Christina Russell, Purchasing Division Manager
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Responses Due: April 30, 2026 no later than 2:00PM, EST
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING/PLANNING SERVICES
ONSLOW COUNTY SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT
I. INTRODUCTION
The County of Onslow is inviting interested engineering firms, licensed in the State of North Carolina, to
submit qualifications for the purpose of providing professional engineering/planning services for various
solid waste related projects over the next several years.
The projects pertain to the Onslow County Solid Waste which is located at 415 Meadowview Road in
Jacksonville, North Carolina. The Onslow County Landfill is approximately 1,050 acres and contains an
environmentally sound Subtitle D Landfill. In addition, the county's Solid Waste Department operates 7
convenience centers throughout the County and manages a recycling program that included tires and white
goods.
II. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The consulting firm shall be experienced in solid waste engineering, planning, maintenance, and design and
construction management and knowledgeable with all applicable federal, state, and local regulatory rules
and regulations.
The amount of services or scope of work for each project will be determined by Onslow County. The firm
selected will not be guaranteed any quantity of hours, fees or projects during the term of the contract.
The projects and services proposed for the Onslow County Solid Waste Department ("Landfill") include,
but are not limited to, engineering and design services, planning and financial analysis, monitoring and
airspace analysis, annual NPDES sampling and reporting, semi-annual groundwater and leachate sampling,
quarterly methane gas monitoring, preparation of construction documents and bidding services for various
phases of the landfill, partial cap and closure, permitting services for Title V air operating permit
application, engineering and field services, landfill gas reporting associated with tier 2 LFG testing, design
capacity report and annual NSPS, engineering services for erosion and sedimentation control permit
application.
The County will specify the specific services to be performed by the Engineer in the form of a written
proposal. The Engineer will acknowledge all such written task orders within 24 hours of receipt and
complete all services within the timeframe stated in each individual proposal request.
III. SUBMISSION
A. Submittals: Submit one (1) original hard copy and submit one (1) electronic original copy (pdf
format) on a thumb drive. Hard copy and electronic copy must be included together in the submittal
envelope. Submittal shall be sealed and marked "RFQ-101-26 Solid Waste Professional Services".
Submittals will be received no later than 2:00 PM EST, on April 30, 2026, at the Onslow County
Purchasing Department, Attn: Christina Russell, Purchasing Division Manager, 234 NW Corridor
Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28540.
B. Qualification packages may be hand-delivered or mailed. If the submittal is sent by mail or
commercial express, the Respondent shall be responsible for actual delivery of the qualification
package to the proper county office before the deadline. All submittals become property of the
County. Request for Qualification packages will not be accepted via fax machine or e-mail.
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C. Mark outside of envelope with RFQ No. 101-26 Solid Waste Professional Services".
D. Time is of the essence and any proposal or addenda pertaining thereto received after the announced
time and date for submittal, whether by mail or otherwise, will be rejected. It is the sole
responsibility of the firm to ensure that their proposal is received by the Purchasing Department
personnel before the deadline indicated above. There is nothing in this RFQ that precludes the
County from requesting additional information from firms at any time during the qualification
process.
E. Nothing herein is intended to exclude any responsibilities or in any way restrain or restrict
competition. On the contrary, all responsible firms/individuals are encouraged to submit responses.
The County of Onslow reserves the right to waive any informalities, to reject any and/or all
proposals, and to accept any proposal which in its opinion may be in the best interest of the
County.
F. Qualification packages may be withdrawn by written request prior to submittal deadline.
G. It is the responsibility of the Firm to determine that all addenda issued by Onslow County has been
received before submitting their qualifications.
IV. PREPARATION
A. Firms are to submit qualification packages which present their qualifications and understanding of
the services to be performed. Emphasis should be placed on completeness of services offered and
clarity of content. All submittals should be complete and carefully worded and must convey all of
the information requested by the County. If errors or exceptions are found in the firm's
qualification package, or if the package fails to conform to the requirements of the RFQ, the
County will be the sole judge as to whether that variance is significant enough to reject the firm's
submittal.
B. Qualification packages should be prepared simply and economically. All data, materials, and
documentation shall be available in a clear, concise form. Onslow County does not expect nor will
any more favorable consideration be given to submittals with fancy covers or binding, color
photographs, sample plans, non-pertinent information on other accomplishments of the firm which
have no direct bearing on these projects, resumes of individuals who will not be engaged in the
work, or pages of other non-projected related material. Brevity will be appreciated. Submittals
shall be limited to 50 pages, double sided 8 12 x 11, minimum 12-point font. Covers and dividers
do not count in the 50 pages total.
C. Firms requiring clarification or interpretation of this RFQ shall make a written request, which shall
reach the Onslow County Purchasing Department no later than the date and time for submittal of
written questions (see Section V, paragraph C).
D. Any interpretation, correction or change of this RFQ will be made by Addendum. Addenda will be
mailed or delivered to all who are known by the County Purchasing Department to have received a
complete set of RFQ documents. It is the responsibility of the firm to ensure that all Addenda were
received.
E. All submittals shall provide a straight forward, concise description of firm's ability to satisfy the
requirements of the RFQ.
F. Qualification packages should be bound in a single volume where practical. All documentation
submitted with the offer should be bound in that single volume.
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G. In addition to the transmittal letter, the Non-Collusion Affidavit must be signed by a principal of
the firm or an officer of the corporation duly authorized to bind the corporation.
H. If any offer includes comments over and above the specific information requested in this RFQ such
comments must be included as a separate appendix.
I. The firm is solely responsible for all costs and expenses associated with the preparation of the
submittal and of any supplementary presentation (including any oral presentation) if requested by
County.
J. Qualification Packages must be made in the official name of the individual, firm, or corporation
under which the business is conducted (showing official business address) and must be signed in
ink by a person duly authorized to legally bind the business entity submitting the qualification.
K. Submittals shall be typewritten or computer generated.
V. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT
Each qualification package must be accompanied by a notarized affidavit on non-collusion,
executed by the firm or in the case of a corporation, by a duly authorized representative of said
corporation. The Non-Collusion Affidavit is provided herein.
B. ADDENDA/CHANGES
Any additions, deletions, modifications or changes made to this RFQ shall be processed through
the Onslow County Purchasing Department. Any deviation from this procedure may result in the
disqualification of the firm's submittal or the cancellation of any contract resulting from this RFQ.
C. QUESTIONS
Questions concerning this RFQ should be directed to:
Onslow County Purchasing Department
234 NW Corridor Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Telephone (910) 455-1750
E-mail: PurchasingBids@onslowcountync.gov
All questions pertaining to this RFQ must be submitted in writing no later than 12PM, EST
on March 31, 2026.
Only written questions will be considered formal. Any information given by telephone will be
considered informal. Any questions that the County feels are pertinent to all proposers will be
mailed as an addendum to the RFQ. E-mail messages will be treated as written questions.
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D. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION:
Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by a firm in connection with a procurement
transaction shall not be subject to the public disclosure under the North Carolina Public Records
Act pursuant to NC General Statutes 66-152(3). However, the firm must invoke the protection of
this section prior to or upon submission of the data or other materials, and must identify the data on
other materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary. Each individual
page considered a trade secret or proprietary information must be labeled "Confidential" in
the top right corner.
E. MINORITY BUSINESSES
The County of Onslow encourages all businesses, including DBE, minority, and women-owned
businesses to respond to all Request for Qualifications.
F. AWARD/CONTRACT TIME
No part of this solicitation is to be considered part of a contract nor are any provisions contained
herein to be binding of Onslow County.
Award shall be made to the responsible firm whose qualifications are determined to be the most
advantageous to the County, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the RFQ.
Onslow County wishes to enter into a five-year contractual agreement with a firm which will be
responsible for the engineering, planning, design and construction management of waste
management projects. A subsequent and additional five-year term may be extended upon written
approval of both parties.
A notice of contract award is anticipated by July 2026 or earlier. The detailed Scope of Work and
schedule of deliverables shall be negotiated with the successful firm for each specified project.
G. CONTRACT DOCUMENT
The successful firm will be required to enter into a professional services agreement. A copy of the
County's agreement is attached. If your firm has any discrepancies about the terms of the
Agreement, such discrepancies shall be included in qualification package.
H. SUBCONSULTANTS
If any subconsultants will be used for the various projects, the successful firm shall provide to the
Purchasing Division Manager a list of names of any of the intended subconsultants, their applicable
license number(s) and a description of the work to be done by each subconsultant.
The successful firm shall not substitute other sub-consultants without the written consent of the
County.
The successful firm shall be responsible for all services performed by a sub-engineer as though
they had been performed by the successful firm. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to,
compliance with applicable licensing regulations.
If at any time the County determines that any sub-engineer is incompetent or undesirable, the
County shall notify the successful firm accordingly, and the successful firm shall take immediate
steps for cancellation of the subcontract and replacement.
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Nothing contained in any contract resulting from this RFQ shall create any contractual relationship
between any sub-engineer and the County of Onslow.
It shall be the successful firms' responsibility to ensure that all terms required in the attached
contract are incorporated into all subcontracts.
I. INSURANCE
The selected firm shall purchase and maintain in force, at his own expense, such insurance as will
protect the firm and the County, to include professional liability (E&O), from claims which may
arise out of or result from the firm's execution of the work, whether such execution be by himself,
his employees, agents, subcontractors/engineers, or by anyone for whose acts any of them may be
liable. The insurance coverage shall be such as to fully protect the County, and the general public
from any and all claims for injury and damage resulting by any actions on the part of the firm or its
forces as enumerated above. See Sample Contract for additional information regarding insurance
coverages and limits.
The selected firm shall furnish a copy of an original Certificate of Insurance, naming the County of
Onslow as an additional insured. Should any of the policies be canceled before the expiration date,
the issuing company will provide thirty (30) days written notice to the certificate holder. The firm
shall furnish insurance in satisfactory limits, and on forms and of companies which are acceptable
to the Onslow County Purchasing Division Manager and shall require and show evidence of
insurance coverage on behalf of any subcontractors/engineers (if applicable), before entering any
agreement to sublet any part of the work to be completed under this contract.
VI. QUALITY COMMITMENT
The County will utilize best management practices to ensure the highest quality of services is provided to
its citizens. With this goal in mind, firms are required to demonstrate how they possess and utilize
appropriate quality management systems which result in customer satisfaction and continuous
improvements.
To satisfy these requirements, firms must demonstrate its commitment to best manage practices and
provide services with the highest possible level of quality throughout all phases of Work. Proposals must
demonstrate, at a minimum, (1) a complete understanding of the processes utilized within the organization
to ensure quality and (2) graphical demonstrations that outline quality and process management within the
organization and how they relate with sub-consultants and with the Owner. The response to quality must
be deliberate and contain sufficient evidence that the firm has adopted quality and best management
practices as an integral part of the organization. As a part of the responses to this request, firms shall
demonstrate the organizations design process, e.g. process map, flow chart.
Demonstrate processes in place to recognize, track and analyze project change orders due to errors and
omissions (including those caused by any sub-consultants) and discuss how these processes are utilized to
minimize future occurrences.
VII. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
Submittals shall be prepared identifying 12 numbered sections. Interested engineering/consulting firms
desiring to provide services should include the following with its Statement of Qualifications:
1. Firm name, address, telephone, fax number, contact person and e-mail address;
2. Year established and former firm names;
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3. Names of principles of the firm and states in which they are registered;
4. Types of services for which the firm is qualified;
5. Understanding of the scope of work/services;
6. List of staff members and resumes of those persons who will be assigned to work with the County
on the various projects. Include an Organizational Chart but do not include resumes or list of
personnel who will not be assigned to these projects.
7. List of current ongoing projects. Include: Project start date; expected completion date, total project
cost, your ability to devote staff resources to complete this project.
8. Brief description of three (3) previous clients for work similar to the scope of services performed
by the firm within the past five (5) years. Include name, location of project, name of project
manager and telephone number.
9. Names of outside consultants (sub-consultants) who would be involved in providing the services
required for these projects. Provide a one-page synopsis for each consultant to include the
following information:
* Individual's proposed role in the project.
* A resume or brief description of the individual's previous experience as it relates to
his/her role in the project.
* For any proposed subconsultants, indicate how long your firm has worked with the
sub-consultant on previous projects.
10. In order to be considered responsive for this RFQ, the firm must include the following information.
* Description of the kind of work that will be subcontracted.
* Willingness to affiliate with DBE, minority or women-owned businesses ("M/WBE").
* Identify any sub-contractible work that could be performed by minority firms.
* Name and address of the DBE and M/WBE firms that are anticipated to perform the sub-
contractible work.
11. Quality Control and Assurance processes as stated above.
12. Hourly billing rates charged by your firm for each position type and reimbursable expenses.
VIII. EVALUATION PROCESS:
Following the deadline for submittal of qualifications, a review of the submitted qualifications will be by a
selection committee established by the County. The selection committee will review, analyze and rank all
submittals based on their response to the information requested. The selection shall be made in order of
preference based on criteria established herein.
If desired, the selection committee may short list the number of qualified firms. The County reserves
the discretion to determine the number of firms that will be on the short list. The County may engage
in individual discussions with two or more offerors deemed fully qualified, responsible, and suitable on the
basis of initial responses and with emphasis on professional competence to provide the required services.
Interviews are not anticipated; however, the selection committee may schedule interviews if required in the
selection process. Such offerors shall be encouraged to elaborate on their qualifications and performance
data or staff expertise pertinent to the proposed project, as well as alternative concepts.
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The selection committee may conduct discussions with the firm(s) submitting responses regarding the
contract and shall select from among the firm(s) deemed most qualified to provide the required services.
At the discretion of the County, the discussions with the firm(s) may consist of written questions and
responses, and/or personal interviews with members of the firm(s). If personal interviews are required by
the County, the persons proposed to be responsible for performing the work required herein shall attend the
interview. If requested, firms should be prepared to submit financial status information, which shall be
held in confidence.
The County will negotiate fees for basic services and a rate schedule to be utilized for additional services
and contingent additional services with the most qualified firm at a compensation which is considered to be
fair and reasonable to the County. These rates shall include all disciplines (example: architect, project
manager, engineers, administrative staff, etc.). In making this decision, the County will take into account
the established value, general scope, the complexity, and the professional nature of the services to be
rendered. Should the County be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be
most qualified, negotiations with that firm shall be formally terminated.
Negotiations will then proceed with the remaining ranked firms in the same manner until an agreement is
reached, unless it is determined by the committee that it is in the best interest of the County that the process
be terminated or modified.
The County of Onslow reserves the right to reject any and/or all submittals, and to waive defects,
technicalities and/or irregularities in any submittal. The County reserves the right to finalize a contract
with one or more firms based on all factors involved in the written qualification submittal without further
discussion or interviews.
IX. PROPOSAL SELECTION/EVALUATION PROCESS
The included criteria, but not limited to, are to be utilized in the evaluation of qualification packages for
development of a shortlist to be considered for potential negotiations.
(Note: these criteria are not necessarily listed in order of importance)
* Firm's qualifications and experience including location of offices and related staffing
* Firms understanding of the project objectives
* Previous work experience of similar projects and demonstrated experience
* Firm's demonstration of ability to understand the specialized requirements for solid waste projects.
* Proposed staff, including sub-engineers, proposed to perform the work
* Demonstration of Quality Control
* References
X. CONTACT POLICY
After the date and time established for receipt of qualifications by the County, any contact initiated
by any firm with any County representatives, other than the Purchasing Division Manager listed
herein, concerning this RFQ is prohibited. Any such unauthorized contact may cause the
disqualification of the firm from this qualification process.
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RESPONDER'S CERTIFICATION FORM
I have carefully examined the Request for Qualifications; the sample Agreement for Professional Services
and any other documents accompanying or made a part of this Request for Qualification.
I hereby propose to furnish the professional design consultant services for Onslow County in accordance
with the instructions, terms, conditions, and requirements incorporated in this Request for Qualification. I
certify that all information contained in this response is truthful to the best of my knowledge and belief. I
further certify that I am duly authorized to submit this response on behalf of the firm as its act and deed
and that the firm is ready, willing and able to perform if awarded the contract.
NAME OF FIRM: _____________________________________________
BY: (printed name) ________________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE: ________________________________________________________
MAILING ADDRESS: __________________________________________________
CITY/STATE/ZIP CODE: _______________________________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________________
FAX NUMBER: ______________________________________________________
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA
Respondent hereby acknowledges receipt of all Addenda through and including:
Addendum No. Date Acknowledgement
__________ __________ _______________
__________ __________ _______________
__________ __________ _______________
__________ __________ _______________
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