The City of Montpelier, Vermont invites qualified professional services (architecture and engineering) firms to develop plans to repair and incorporate building resiliency for flood damage to three (3) City owned properties caused by the July 10, 2023 flood event (DR-4720). The focus of this work will be to provide alterative options and cost estimates to retrofit, renovate, and mitigate future damage within historic buildings. All repairs will be to bring the buildings back to pre-flood condition, meet flood hazard mitigation standards, and provide options to prevent future events.

The successful bidder shall furnish all tools, labor, materials services, insurance, notifications, and licenses/certificates.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The scope of work for this project is to evaluate and provide flood resilient options for significantly damaged City buildings. Successful bidders will demonstrate three “alternatives” of work along with specialized studies (i.e., hydrological study, historic preservation, and architectural design):

1. Repair and return to pre-flood condition:

• The consultant shall provide an itemized list of all work and associated costs to restore City Hall, the Fire Station and the Police Department buildings to the condition they were in before the flood.

1. Elevate critical equipment, wet proofing areas below the Design Flood Elevation (DFE) and relocation of basement offices:
   • The consultant shall provide an itemized list to elevate all critical equipment a minimum of two feet (2ft) above the base flood elevation (DFE) and the estimated costs of the constructing new office space for the displaced offices within City Hall and the Fire Station.
   • Assumptions: Elevated critical infrastructure will be placed on the first floor on eastern side of the building referred to as the Memorial Room for the purposes of estimating. Four displaced public works offices will be constructed within the cold storage space at the public works garage and the eight planning and community justice offices will be constructed within the memorial room / City Council Chambers. Three displaced offices within the Fire Station will be relocated to the training room on the 2 ^nd floor.
   • Consultant will provide a recommendation and estimates for the most cost-effective alternatives to protect the City Hall boilers and the emergency backup generator from future flooding damage. Alternatives may include but are not limited to elevating equipment, flood proofing the rooms where the equipment is housed, or constructing an elevated addition on the building.

1. Repair, mitigate, and improve the existing facilities.
   • The consultant will provide a preliminary analysis on the feasibility of flood proofing each of the three buildings. Analysis should include establishment of the DFE, capacity of the existing building walls to withstand hydrostatic forces, evaluation of modifications to existing windows below the DFE to withstand hydrostatic forces, flood gates, evaluating entryways, and structural modifications to prevent flood waters from entering the buildings.

DELIVERABLES:

• Provide separate itemized cost estimates for the three alternatives, along with a narrative describing the approach to each alternative.
• Provide preliminary layout plans for proposed office space relocations described in alternative 2 as well as preliminary layout plans for any proposed additions.
• Provide narrative on barriers to construction alternatives associated with historic preservation or potential permits.
• Provide a recommendation on the preferred approach to reconstructing each building.

The following buildings included in this evaluation are (including building age and square footage):

1. City Hall – 39 Main Street (built in 1909; 40,040 SF) – Damage was sustained to the main level, Finance Office, and to the lower level of City Hall. The elevator, heating, plumbing, electrical service and generator were significantly damaged.
2. Fire Station – 61 Main Street (built in 1924; 12,003 SF) – The main level and basement were significantly damaged along with the walkway entrance to the basement.
3. Police Department – 1 Pitkin Court (built in 2000; 10,276 SF) – The basement and communication infrastructure were damaged.

The Contractor will act in an independent capacity and not as officers or employees of the City. Contractor further acknowledges and agrees that it is an independent contractor and that nothing herein shall be construed to create the relationship of employer and employee between the City and Contractor. No employee-related withholdings or deductions shall be made from payments due Contractor. Contractor shall not be entitled to receive any benefits from the City and shall not be eligible for workers’ compensation or unemployment benefits. Contractor shall at all times be free to exercise initiative, judgment, and discretion in how best to perform or provide the services identified herein. Notwithstanding the above, Contractor will work closely with the City or City’s agent and meet periodically when requested.

SUBCONTRACTORS:

It is anticipated that subcontracted services will need to be utilized for this project. Each proposal shall identify all anticipated subcontractors to the best of their availability at the time of the proposal. The City of Montpelier shall review subcontractors and determine if it has a reasonable objection to any such person or entity. Any new subcontractor that was not identified at the time of proposal is subject to review by the City.

The contractor shall not contract with a proposed person or entity to which the City of Montpelier disapproves. The contractor shall retain and coordinate all subcontractors as needed to perform the project.

In accordance with City of Montpelier Ordinance, any bid that exceeds a $200,000 threshold must comply with the “responsible employer” Ordinance. While this proposal is not directly related to construction services any subsequent construction contract will need to follow responsible employer ordinance which can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.montpelier-vt.org/DocumentCenter/View/6448/Chapter-2---Article-X-Responsible-Employer

Before commencing work on this Contract, the Contractor must provide certificates of insurance to show that the following minimum coverages are in effect. Contractor agrees that it will provide and maintain during the entire term of this Contract the following insurances with at least the indicated amounts of coverage and provide Municipality a certificate of insurance showing such coverages before providing any services under this Contract: (1) Commercial General Liability insurance coverage with a policy limit of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in aggregate; (2) Business Automobile Liability coverage with total liability limits of at least $1,000,000; and (3) Statutory Workers’ Compensation insurance. If Contractor is not required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance, in place of proof of workers’ compensation insurance Contractor may provide a fully executed Non-Employee Work Agreement specifying the particular provision of 21 V.S.A §601(14)(F) that exempts Contractor from having to carry such coverage.

The Contractor’s policy shall name the Municipality as an additional insured.

INDEMNIFICATION:

The Contractor will indemnify and hold harmless the City of Montpelier, their agents and employees from and against all claims, damages, losses and expenses. This indemnification shall include attorney’s fees arising out of, or resulting from the performance of the work, and is caused to whole, or in part, by any negligent or willful act or omission of the contractor, subcontractor, anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them or anyone for whose acts any of them may be liable.

In any and all claims against the City of Montpelier or any of their agents or employees, by any employee of the Contractor, any subcontractor, anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them, or anyone for whose acts any of them may be liable, the indemnification obligation shall not be limited in any way by any limitation of the amount or type of damages, compensation or benefits payable by or for the contractor or any subcontractor under workmen’s compensation acts, disability benefit act or other employee benefit acts. The obligation of the Contractor under this paragraph shall not extend to the liability of the City of Montpelier, its agents or employees arising out of preparation or approval of drawings, opinions, reports, surveys, change orders, designs, or specifications.