Request for Proposals Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan Coordination and Implementation Support Services

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC or Commission) is a federal-interstate compact agency established by Congress and the states of Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania to coordinate management and protection of the Susquehanna River Basin’s water resources. [...] SRBC has obtained grant funding to support a dedicated CWIP coordination function for an anticipated three-year period. The function combines ongoing coordination, administration, tracking, and reporting with development of partnerships, funding strategies, and project opportunities that can accelerate implementation.

SRBC invites proposals from qualified firms or other business entities to provide CWIP Coordination and Implementation Support Services. The selected Offeror shall provide a dedicated day-to-day lead and may deploy additional personnel with task-specific expertise. The engagement is for coordination, funding development, and technical/implementation assistance; it does not procure professional engineering design or construction services.

The selected Offeror will coordinate work across Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York, with close coordination with the SRBC, PaDEP, MDE, NYSDEC, and other CWIP partners.

The named day-to-day lead shall be based in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin area, defined for this solicitation as Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Cumberland, and York counties by the start of services and throughout the engagement. Routine coordination may be conducted remotely, with regular in-person participation as required by the approved work plan. Offerors shall plan for approximately 1,400–1,500 aggregate staff hours per contract year, across all personnel.

The scope of work includes:

A. Capacity Building, Technical Support, and Project Implementation

• Strengthen existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships in priority watersheds and serve as a dedicated interstate, watershed-based CWIP point of contact.
• Assess barriers, gaps, and opportunities that affect the pace and scale of nutrient-reduction implementation.
• Identify effective strategies and tools already in use, evaluate local partnership capacity, and recommend priority actions for accelerating implementation.
• Support development of funding proposals, project concepts, implementation strategies, and partner teams.
• Coordinate access to technical, permitting, programmatic, and administrative assistance needed to advance priority projects.
• Identify and advance innovative or high-impact nutrient-reduction approaches that can generate reductions beyond state WIP commitments.
• Implement or directly support a selected set of strategies/projects arising from the assessment, as feasible within available funding and the final contract scope.

B. CWIP Administration, Interstate Coordination, and Reporting

• Prepare annual progress reports, outreach and implementation summaries, and practical tracking tools such as project/practice spreadsheets and infographics.
• Maintain regular communication among SRBC, the three jurisdictions, and implementation partners.
• Work with jurisdictional partners to communicate implementation accomplishments, identify emerging opportunities and challenges, and support coordination of progress reporting.
• Contribute to CWIP communication strategies, such as developing newsletter content.

C. Funding and Implementation Strategy

• Lead outreach and serve as a public-facing and partner-facing point of contact.
• Identify and coordinate funding sources that can support local CWIP implementation and build capacity, including state pay-for-success programs, grants, and potential matching opportunities, including PENNVEST's Clean Water Procurement Program and Maryland's Pay-for-Success initiatives.
• Assemble or support funding proposals and implementation partnerships.
• Compile and analyze implementation information to strengthen future strategy, document results, and communicate the benefits achieved.

Submit through PennBid (https://pennbid.procureware.com) by the deadline. No emailed or paper submissions will be accepted. All proposals must include a signed *Appendix B*. Technical and cost submissions must be separately sealed through PennBid. Do not include dollar amounts, rates, or other pricing in the technical proposal. Inclusion of pricing in the technical submission will result in rejection without an opportunity to cure.

The maximum acceptable three-year base proposal is **$330,000**. Submit one firm fixed, not to exceed price for all services, broken out by contract year. A base proposal above $330,000 will be considered nonresponsive.

Proposals must be signed by an official authorized to bind the Offeror and remain valid for 90 days after the proposal deadline.

Evaluation

• Offeror’s Organization, Capacity and Experience: 15 points.
• Understanding, Approach, and Work Plan: 25 points.
• Staffing Plan: 25 points.
• Finalist Interviews: 25 points.
• Cost Submittal: 10 points.

Total maximum score: 100 points.

Professional Liability Insurance shall not be less than $500,000 per occurrence, and the aggregate limit shall not be less than $1,000,000. General Liability Insurance shall not be less than $500,000 per occurrence, and the aggregate limit shall not be less than $1,000,000.

The term of this AGREEMENT shall be for three years from the date of this AGREEMENT.