United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Brownfields Multipurpose Grant Project: Request to Distribute RFQ and Create an RFQ Review CommitteeCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 015.
Copyrighted
February 5, 2024
ITEM TITLE: United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Brownfields
Multipurpose Grant Project: Request to Distribute RFQ and Create an
RFQ Review Committee
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval to distribute a
Request for Qualifications and soliciting competitive sealed proposals
from qualified professional consultants to manage and implement a
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Brownfields
Multipurpose Grant (MPG) and that the City Manager be authorized to
negotiate and execute a final agreement with the recommended
consultant.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Staff Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
DUB TEE1.
All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: USEPA Brownfields Multipurpose Grant Project
Request to Distribute RFQ and Create an RFQ Review Committee
DATE: February 1, 2024
Project Manager Steve Sampson Brown is recommending City Council approval to
distribute a Request for Qualifications and soliciting competitive sealed proposals from
qualified professional consultants to manage and implement an United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Brownfields Multipurpose Grant (MPG) and
that the City Manager be authorized to negotiate and execute a final agreement with the
recommended consultant.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
L[yTI LWA
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Steve Sampson Brown, Project Manager
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Shena Moon, Associate Planner
Todd Irwin, Engineering Technician
Tracy Schadle, Conf. Account Clerk
Jared Charland, Project & Facilities Manager
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen - City Manager
FROM: Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
Dubuque
MI-Ameft Clly
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2007-2012-2013
2017*2019
SUBJECT: USEPA Brownfields Multipurpose Grant Project
Request to Distribute RFQ and Create an RFQ Review Committee
DATE: February 1, 2024
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request City Council approval to distribute a
Request for Qualifications and soliciting competitive sealed proposals from qualified
professional consultants to manage and implement an United States Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) Brownfields Multipurpose Grant (MPG).
The selected consultant will be expected to complete the contracted scope of work
within the specified timeframe, under the general direction and coordination of the City's
Engineering and Economic Development Departments as authorized by the Dubuque
City Council.
BACKGROUND
For the subject project, the City originally released an RFQ in 2021 to select an
environmental engineer and grant administrator. The City ultimately selected
Blackstone Environmental of Adel, Iowa (Blackstone) and executed a professional
services agreement with that firm. Due to multiple consultant staff recently leaving
Blackstone's eastern Iowa office, their next closest location to serve Dubuque would
either be from St. Louis, Missouri or Overland Park, Kansas. After internal staff
coordination, it has been determined that the best course of action would be to re-
release the USEPA MPG RFQ and solicit proposals to find a new consultant to finish
the grant work. As of now the MPG is approximately 55% complete.
DISCUSSION
The USEPA multipurpose grant is intended to further brownfield redevelopment work
that has been previously completed and to help get key downtown locations closer to
being ready for redevelopment. Over the past years, city supported redevelopment
efforts have made significant headway in mitigating site specific contamination risks
which has led to many sites having their economic viability restored. These locations
include the North Port, the Historic Millwork District, and the Bee Branch Greenway.
However more work remains to be done.
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This grant is intended to focus on the South Port, and the Washington and North End
neighborhood areas. This grant provides funding for community outreach and
involvement, environmental assessments, reuse planning, and site remediation and
clean-up. Three specific sites were selected to be cleaned up as part of this grant. The
sites are the eastern half block expansion of Comiskey Park, and the former Sinclair Oil
and Dodd's Terminal sites in the South Port. For the USEPA Brownfields Multipurpose
Grant Project an environmental engineer consultant is required to perform the following
work:
Task 1- Cooperative Agreement Oversight and Grant Management
Trask 2 1 E)MM Rity Q itreaGh and IRVE)' eMeRt PFeGe c = Completed
Task 3- Environmental Assessments of Five Locations
Task 4- Cleanup/Reuse Area Planning
Task 5- Clean-up and remediation of the Comiskey Park, Sinclair Oil and Dodd's
Terminal sites
The schedule for the RFQ distribution and consultant selection is as follows:
RFQ Release to Public February 7, 2024
Response Due Date February 21, 2024
Consultant Interviews February 26- March 12, 2024
Recommendation to the City Manager April 4, 2024
The recommend review committee for the submitted proposals is as follows:
• Jill Connors - Economic Development Director
• Shena Moon — Associate Planner
• Todd Irwin — Engineering Technician
• Tracy Schadle — Conf. Account Clerk
• Jared Charland — Project & Facilities Manager
• Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City distribute the USEPA Brownfields Multipurpose Grant
Implementation Project RFQ and solicit proposals from qualified consultants to provide
the stated professional services.
BUDGETIMPACT
The cost for consulting services associated with the Brownfields Multipurpose Grant
Project is estimated to be between $150,000-$200,000. Because federal grant dollars
are involved, federal regulations do not allow for cost estimates to be provided by the
consultants responding to the Request for Qualifications. Instead, after the committee
recommends a consultant for the project, a fee and final scope will be negotiated directly
with them.
The total amount of the federal grant is $800,000. The city's required cost share is
$40,000 which we be funded with "in -kind" services provided by city staff working directly
on the project.
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ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request authorization to release the RFQ for professional services for the
USEPA Brownfields Multipurpose Grant Project and that the City Manager be
authorized to negotiate and execute a final agreement with the recommended
consultant.
SSB/ssb
Attachments
cc: Gus Psihoyos — City Engineer
Jill Connors - Economic Development Director
Shena Moon — Associate Planner
Todd Irwin — Engineering Technician
Tracy Schadle — Conf. Account Clerk
Jared Charland — Project & Facilities Manager
Steve Sampson Brown - Project Manager
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