REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSALS (RFQP) Professional Environmental Services for Southern Indiana Development Commission (SIDC) Brownfield Assessment Grant

Description: Introduction The Southern Indiana Development Commission, hereafter known as "SIDC" is soliciting qualifications and proposals for professional environmental services from qualified environmental consulting firms (Respondents) to provide environmental assessment services and grant writing as outlined in the RFQP. The SIDC partnered with Daviess, Greene, Knox, Lawrence and Martin Counties (hereafter known as the Coalition or Commission) to apply for a U.S. EPA Brownfields Community Wide Assessment Grant. SIDC intends to select a single Respondent that meets the threshold and selection criteria outlined in this RFQP to enter into a contractual agreement with SIDC. The RFQP is open to all qualified environmental professionals (QEPs) capable and qualified to meet the objectives and requirements described in this document. Qualified Woman-owned businesses (WBE), Minority-owned businesses (MBE) and/or Veteran-owned businesses (VBE) organizations are encouraged to respond. Only proposals received no later than 12:00 pm on November 30, 2026 will be considered. Upon receipt, all RFQP submissions will be reviewed for completeness in accordance with the threshold and selection criteria contained herein. If threshold criteria are satisfied, the Coalition will assess each Respondent's qualifications based upon the selection criteria. Once the selection committee has reviewed and ranked all Respondent proposals, if determined necessary, the top scoring Respondents will be selected for an interview with the selection committee. Interviews will be held December 7, 2026 with specific time to be determined. Questions must be submitted via email to the Project Specialist (contact email omitted) by November 18, 2026, 12:00 pm EST. Questions and written responses will be provided to all interested Respondents via email. It is the Respondent's responsibility to provide a current email address. Background In 2020, SIDC was awarded a brownfields coalition assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for assessment of sites affected by petroleum and/or hazardous material substances and community engagement, planning, environmental testing and reporting. SIDC intends to apply for a FY27 EPA Brownfields community-wide Assessment grant to continue this successful brownfields redevelopment program. This RFQP is soliciting EPA Brownfields Grant writing services as well as technical services associated with implementing the EPA Brownfields Initiative (community engagement, inventory, assessment, and cleanup planning). Grant writing services are expected to begin in December 2026 with the submittal deadline of January 21, 2027. Petroleum and/or hazardous materials substances assessment activities will follow in the Fall/Winter 2027 should the grant be selected for award. Costs will need to be allocated among the various tasks, as appropriate, and all assessment activities must meet federal and state requirements. The project period for Assessment Coalitions is 4 years ending by Summer 2031 to enable timely submission of final reports/documentation. SIDC anticipates the selected Respondent will achieve the following goals: Grant Writing - Assist with grant preparation through submission to EPA. - Work with the SIDC to draft a competitive community-wide Brownfields Assessment Grant application that addresses the grant guidelines. - Timely submission of a grant application package to the SIDC for routing, approval, and submittal through the grants submission portal. Assessment Activities - Assist with ongoing Region-wide inventory identification of potential Brownfield sites. - Coordinate with the public, county, and municipal officials to identify specific sites to conduct Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. - Assist SIDC with public meetings, community outreach to educate community stakeholders, solicit potential brownfields sites for the inventory, and/or discuss cleanup approaches for a given site. - Prioritize and conduct Phase II Environmental Site Assessments on properties with Recognized Environmental Conditions identified in Phase I. These may include geophysical surveys, vapor intrusion assessment, soil and ground water testing, lead paint and asbestos testing, Underground Storage Tank removal to assess subsurface soils. All assessment activities must meet federal and state requirements. - Conduct Hazardous Materials Surveys. - Conduct Cleanup Plans (Remedial Action Plans & UST Removal Reports). - Develop cost-effective and efficient scenarios for cleanup and remediation, as necessary, for the sites. - Prepare required written reports including Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP), Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAP), and Health and Safety Plans. - Provide necessary data and documentation for Quarterly Reports and provide/upload required data to the EPA ACRES database. Scope of Work Work with the SIDC's Project Manager to provide: - Grant Writing Services: develop grant strategy, identify target areas for assessment activities, site identification and potential reuse opportunities, community involvement plan, budget development, research demographic data to address grant criteria, identify and coordinate with key community partners, and identify leverage resources for assessment, cleanup and redevelopment. - Grant Writing Training: attend trainings offered by K-State Technical Assistance to Brownfields (KSU TAB) and U.S. EPA Brownfields program. - Grant Review: coordinate review of the draft application with KSU TAB. - Timely Submission: submit a final grant application package to SIDC on Wednesday, January 13, 2027 to allow time for routing, approval and submission through the grants submission portal. Tasks required only if the grant is awarded: - Program Development and Outreach: public meetings, stakeholder meetings, media releases, FAQ sheets, presentations, quarterly and annual reports, ACRES updates, and other programmatic/planning activities. - Brownfields Inventory and Prioritization: site tours, stakeholder meetings, collection of eligibility data, inventory maintenance, ACRES data input, and Coalition prioritization. - QAPP, Phase I and Phase II ESAs: draft QAPP; conduct Phase I and Phase II ESAs; develop site-specific SAPs and Health & Safety Plans; conduct building assessments. All Phase I assessments must meet All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) requirements (e.g., ASTM 1527-21). - Cleanup Planning Activities: prepare remedial action plans (RAPs) in accordance with the Indiana Brownfields Program/Indiana Department of Environmental Management, as applicable. Contract Term The resulting contract will be for 5 years. SIDC may amend or extend this contract beyond the initial 5 years to accommodate terms of future EPA grants awarded to the SIDC within a 10-year project period provided a market survey indicates proposed prices are reasonable. Terms, Conditions and Exceptions - SIDC does not create any obligation by issuing this RFQP or receiving a response; neither the RFQP nor any response shall be construed as a legal offer. - SIDC reserves the right to alter, amend, modify, or withdraw this RFQP prior to award. - SIDC reserves the right to reject any and all responses, waive irregularities, make inquiries of Respondents and references, conduct interviews, and request additional information. - Work performed under agreements may be subject to federal contractual provisions, including minimum Federal wage rates (Davis-Bacon) and other standard federal terms. - If the selected Respondent does not enter into the required agreement, SIDC may negotiate with another entity. - No obligation is enforceable against SIDC unless a written agreement is executed. - By submitting a response, Respondents waive rights to protest or seek remedies regarding any aspect of this RFQP or selection process. - Respondents bear responsibility for their expenses in preparing and delivering responses. - Respondents shall disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest; failure to disclose may result in disqualification. - SIDC will own all documents produced as a result of the contract; use of generated documents by the QEP requires written permission from the Coalition. RFQP Submission Requirements Responses must be received no later than 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time, Monday, November 30, 2026 to be considered. Respondents must submit one original written single-sided response and one (1) electronic copy in PDF of qualifications and cost proposal. The proposal must contain required information and be organized in the exact order specified in the RFQP outline, including: - Cover letter signed by an individual authorized to bind the Respondent and listing contact information for persons able to respond to additional information requests. - One-page resumes of primary personnel. - Detailed description of Respondent's approach, relevant experience, regulatory compliance, subcontractor listings if applicable, methodologies, technologies, health and safety practices, and references for up to three similar projects. - Cost proposal including rate schedule must be submitted in a separate, sealed envelope. Cost proposals for the top-ranked Respondents will be opened prior to interviews. Complete RFQP packages shall be submitted to the Project Specialist at the Southern Indiana Development Commission, 405 N John F Kennedy Avenue, PO Box 442, Loogootee, IN 47553. Responses not received by 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time on Monday, November 30, 2026 WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Faxed responses will not be accepted. Stapled or spiral-bound proposals are preferred over three-ring bindings. Any questions regarding this RFQP must be submitted by email to the Project Specialist (contact email omitted) no later than 12:00pm CT/MT, Wednesday, November 18, 2026. Timely written responses to email questions will be provided to all firms who received the RFQP. Inquiries are not to be directed to any other member of SIDC; verbal responses are not binding. Selection Process Responses will be evaluated on threshold criteria and additional selection criteria. The review committee is expected to include three people who will score independently. Top scoring Respondents may be invited for an in-person interview on Monday, December 7, 2026 (time to be determined). Threshold Eligibility - At least one full-time Indiana professional engineer in good standing. - At least one full-time Environmental Professional as defined in ASTM 1527-21. - Knowledge and experience with development of Quality Assurance Project Plans. - Minimum insurance: $1,000 Professional Errors and Omissions and $1,000,000 General Liability. - Demonstrated experience in community outreach and public meetings. Evaluation and Interview Criteria Written proposal and interview scoring criteria are specified in the RFQP, including firm experience, key personnel qualifications, approach and work plan feasibility, familiarity with IFA & EPA requirements, responsiveness, schedule and ability to meet grant timelines, community experience, presentation quality, and cost of services (cost constitutes 25% of final placing when combined with interview criteria). Project Timetable - November 6, 2026: RFQP materials distributed to potential Respondents. - November 18, 2026: RFQP questions received no later than 12:00 pm EST. - November 30, 2026: Proposals received by the Coalition no later than 12:00 pm EST. - November 30, 2026: Respondents' materials provided to Selection Committee for individual evaluation. - December 2, 2026: Finalists contacted to schedule interview times. - December 7, 2026: Interviews (times to follow). - December 9, 2026: Intent to Award sent to final selection. Contact and Additional Information Phone numbers and other contact details are provided in the RFQP document (contact email and website omitted here to avoid including links).