Specifications Engineering Planning Services Northern Guam Watershed – Irrigation Project 1. Scope a) To initiate and complete planning of an irrigation project according to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Architect and Engineering (A&E) Services and the references included therein. b) All work to be lead by an experienced engineer with appropriate support from interdisciplinary staff specialists having knowledge and experience in hydrology, geology, biology, agronomy, public policy, economics, archeology, surveying, and other relevant expertise as necessary to successfully complete project as described in the RFQ. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) National Watershed Manual and the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies. Agency planning requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act will also be followed. Links to relevant documents are given in the RFQ. c) The contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, and material required for completing the planning effort. d) The Watershed Plan/Environment Evaluation will be presented in a report according to the format outlined the Watershed Plan Format, Exhibit 2. 2. Meetings a) A conference between the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and the Contractor shall be scheduled no later than seven (7) calendar days after contract award to review and evaluate the Schedule of Work proposed by the Contractor. The meetings will take place at the USDA NRCS Conference Room, Suite 301, FHB Building, 400 Route 8, Mongmong, GU at mutually agreed to times (between 0900 and 1600). b) The COR may schedule additional meetings (in addition to the monthly meetings required by the RFQ with the Contractor after the contract award to discuss any aspects of the watershed planning. c) The Contractor will hold meetings with the project sponsors and others. At a minimum, meetings will be held monthly with project sponsors at a regularly scheduled date. Additional meetings may be required to gather and impart information. The COR will be given at least two (2) working days notice for any additional meetings. 3. Description of Work a) The required work will be as outlined in detail in the Plan of Work. Deviations from the Plan of Work may be authorized by NRCS in writing. b) The contractor will review accepted NRCS policy and guidelines for watershed planning of irrigation projects. All necessary manuals and handbooks are available at the NRCS office in Mongmong, Guam. c) The contractor will complete an Environmental Evaluation. NRCS will make final determination of the level of NEPA documentation required. d) The contractor will work through the local Sponsors (Northern Guam Soil and Water Conservation District, Government of Guam Dept of Agriculture) to obtain permissions to enter all private lands in order to conduct resource inventories, gather data, conduct engineering surveys, conduct geologic investigations, or for any other reason. e) If cultural resources are discovered during field reconnaissance, contact the COR and the Government of Guam Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Historical Preservation immediately. 4. Reporting and Reviews a) The primary point of contact for technical performance issues under this contract will be: Jeffrey C. Wheaton, PE State Conservation Engineer FHB Bldg Suite 301, 400 Route 8 Mongmong, GU 96910 Phone (671) 472-7105 Fax (671) 472-7288 email: Jeffrey.Wheaton@pb.usda.gov b) No less than thirty (30) calendar days before the product is due, the Contractor will present four (4) copies (three (3) printed and one (1) on CD in PDF format) of the draft document (plan) to NRCS for review and comment. Supporting documentation will not be part of the submitted draft, but will be a required component of the final product. c) The contractor will present the draft Project Environmental Evaluation to the project sponsors for review at the same time as the copy is delivered to NRCS. The Sponsors will review the plan and provide comments regarding the plan to USDA NRCS for inclusion in the comments to the Contractor. d) NRCS will provide comments to the Contractor in writing no less than eleven (11) calendar days prior to the end of the performance time. e) All comments will be resolved by the Contractor and the final product will be delivered to NRCS at Mongmong, GU within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days of NRCS acceptance of the schedule of work (functionally the Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 2 of 7 Notice to Proceed). All documents submitted will be clearly marked with the date. NRCS will date stamp documents upon receiving them. 5. Final Plan Preparation and Distribution a) The contractor will prepare the final product and deliver ten (10) unbound copies and two (2) CD’s (one (1) CD in MS WORD and one (1) CD in PDF format) to: USDA, NRCS, FHB Building, Suite 301, 400 Route 8, Mongmong, Guam 96910. b) The contractor will deliver all supporting documentation for the planning product to NRCS. Supporting documentation will become the property of USDA NRCS. An index itemizing all supporting documentation will be part of the supporting documentation. 6. Technical References a) General References: 1. USDA NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/H/H_180_600.htm 2. USDA NRCS National Watershed Manual http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/watershed/NWSM.html 3. USA COE Economic & Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies – http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/inside/products/pub/iwrreports/p&g.pdf 4. USDA NRCS National Environmental Compliance Handbook http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/H/H_190_610_Content.htm 5. USDA NRCS National Cultural Resources Procedures Handbook http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/H/H_190_601_Content.htm b) Project and Area Specific References: Previous Planning Efforts for Tract 1021 - NRCS – Documents available at the NRCS Mongmong Office – FHB Bldg Suite 301, 400 Route 8, Mongmong, Guam. 1. Northern Guam Resource Report: Ground Water Protection, September 1999 2. Watershed Plan – Environmental Impact Statement – Northern Guam Watershed, August 1994, with extensive supporting documentation. Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 3 of 7 Exhibit 1 PLAN OF WORK Planning of Northern Guam Irrigation Project Work Item Responsible Party I. Initiate Planning NRCS & A&E a) Meet with NRCS to review the Schedule of Work submittal proposed by the Contractor, discuss expectations, gather existing supporting data and determine additional data needs. NRCS & A&E b) Discuss and schedule needed surveys NRCS & A&E c) Schedule initial site visit. NRCS & A&E d) Meet with sponsors to discuss project. NRCS & A&E II. Identify Problems, Opportunities, and Concerns A&E & Sponsors a) Field review/reconnaissance of watershed A&E b) Obtain local input from sponsors, landowners, NRCS A&E III. Conduct Planning Studies A&E a) Analyze Existing Data A&E 1. From NRCS, sponsors, others A&E 2. Review existing leases/easements A&E b) Environmental Evaluation (EE) A&E 1. Complete EE for existing condition and document findings A&E 2. Determine level of NEPA documentation required NRCS 3. Conduct resource inventories and watershed assessment A&E a. Prime Farmland A&E b. Water Quality, Public water supply, sole source aquifer; threats to ground water quality (nutrients, pollutants, biologic), paths to aquifer; e.g. sink holes, fractures. A&E c. Water Quantity, Surface and Ground, A&E i. Identify existing water distribution system and capacity, sizes of lines, storages, locations ii. Quantify current water consumption within the planning area. A&E A&E d. Threatened and Endangered Species A&E e. Fish and Wildlife habitat A&E f. Archaeological and Historical Resources A&E i. Consultation with Government of Guam Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Preservation A&E ii. Conduct cultural resources surveys of project area A&E Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 4 of 7 g. Economic and Social condition of planning area A&E 4. Identify low income populations, minorities, etc. A&E c) Formulate Possible Alternatives to Documented Resource Problem A&E 1. Determine agricultural water requirements over a “normal” dry season, on a seasonal and average daily basis. A&E 2. Identifying possible sources of supplemental agricultural water supply. Note: physical location of water supply need not be restricted to the study area. Wells, catchments, recycled (gray) water, etc. may all be considered. A&E a. Estimate yield from supplemental water supply sources, daily, seasonal (wet). Identify aquifer extend and current estimates of sustainable yield. A&E b. Evaluate suitability of identified water supplies for use as irrigation. A&E 3. Identify potential water storage facilities for operational needs (regulation), or collection and storage of surface water for dry season use. Possibilities may include, but are not limited to elevated tanks, excavated and lined impoundments, embankments, sealed sinkholes, etc. A&E a. Geology – suitability for excavated storage, bearing strength for elevated storage. b. Soil properties and possible embankment sites for surface water storage. A&E A&E d) Examine Possible Alternatives in light of regulations, permits,known limitations, and with Sponsors. A&E, Sponsors, NRCS 1. Select most feasible supplemental water sources for further evaluation. A&E 2. Identify water distribution (one outlet per parcel) configuration(s) for selected feasible water sources. A&E e) Evaluate Most Feasible Alternatives (including “no action”) A&E 1. Environmental Impacts A&E a. Human health and safety A&E b. Improved production A&E c. Erosion and sedimentation A&E d. Economic and social A&E e. Archaeological and Historical resources A&E f. Threatened and Endangered Species A&E g. Fish and Wildlife resources A&E h. Water quality/quantity A&E i. Transportation/Infrastructure A&E j. Land Use and Management A&E k. Prime Farmlands A&E 2. Costs A&E a. Installation, Engineering, Contract Administration, Construction A&E b. Operation and Maintenance A&E c. Average Annual Costs for the Design Life of the Alternative A&E 3. Benefits A&E Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 5 of 7 a. Agricultural Production A&E b. Environmental A&E c. Average Annual A&E 4. Benefit Cost Ratio A&E IV. Prepare Supplemental Watershed Plan/EE A&E a) Prepare draft document for technical review A&E 1. Technical review by NRCS NRCS 2. Review by sponsors A&E, Sponsors 3. Review final draft plan/EE NRCS b) Prepare Final Product A&E 1. Deliver ten (10) unbound copies and two (2) CD’s of final plan/EE A&E 2. Deliver supporting documentation (data, computations, notes, computer printouts, etc.) A&E Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 6 of 7 Exhibit 2 WATERSHED PLAN FORMAT Cover/Fly Sheet/Title Page Table of Contents Summary Current Condition of the Planning Area Problems and Opportunities Alternatives Considered Description of Most Feasible Alternatives No Action (Future Without Project Condition) Other Alternatives Environmental Evaluation Comparison and Effects of Alternatives Recommended Plan Summary Costs Benefits Actions Required Prior to Installation Operation, Maintenance, Repair, and/or Replacement Comparison of Structural Physical Data Risk and Uncertainty List of Preparers Tables 1-6 Watershed Project Map Maps Showing Action Alternatives (Water Supply and Distribution System) Northern Guam Watershed - Irrigation Project Specifications Page 7 of 7