Vermont Studio Center Floodplain Restoration Project - Final Design Engineering

The Vermont Studio Center is seeking a qualified consulting team to complete the final 100% design phase for a 0.5-acre floodplain restoration project adjacent to the Gihon River in Johnson, Vermont, following substantial flood damage to a former campus building in July 2023. The project aims to restore natural floodplain conditions by removing existing fill and riprap, reducing the riverbank gradient, and lowering the elevation to the two-year flood level to increase flood storage capacity and reduce velocities, thereby enhancing flood resiliency for Johnson Village. The design must preserve and integrate with a recently installed native pollinator garden and educational walking path, and will include a draft operations and maintenance agreement, a final design report with alternatives analysis and water quality benefits, updated permitting documentation, and a final cost estimate with construction contingency. All deliverables are due by April 30, 2027, and must align with the 30% design completed by SLR as of November 2025, as well as comply with federal, state, and local regulations, ADA standards, and Vermont’s Cybersecurity Standards. The project is funded primarily through a Watersheds United Vermont grant with matching funds from the Vermont Studio Center, and the Lamoille County Planning Commission serves as the grant administrator and primary point of contact. The solicitation requires a firm fixed-price contract and evaluates proposals equally on five criteria: qualifications and experience of key staff, adequacy of resources and staffing, proven experience with floodplain restoration, familiarity with the Lamoille County and northern Vermont region, and competitiveness of proposed rates. Offerors must submit a technical proposal detailing personnel, project approach, and comparable project examples; a cost proposal with hourly rates; and supporting certifications including a Certificate of Non-Collusion and Debarment, Certificate of Tax Compliance, MBE/WBE Participation form, and proof of insurance meeting minimum coverage of $1 million per occurrence. A 10% DBE participation goal is required, and all subcontractors must be pre-approved. Contractors must adhere to strict data security protocols including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and prohibition of data processing outside the United States, with breaches requiring 24-hour reporting. Proposals must be submitted electronically as a single PDF by June 3, 2026, to the Lamoille County Planning Commission, with no hard copies accepted. All work must occur on-site in Johnson, Vermont, and the selected contractor must coordinate soil mitigation efforts with Ross Environmental and ensure full compliance