Engineering Services for Helene Streambank Stabilization and Restoration (Request for Qualifications)

Request for Qualifications
TITLE: ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR HELENE STREAMBANK STABILIZATION &
RESTORATION
DATE ISSUED: September 14, 2026
DUE DATE: October 5, 2026
TIME: 2:00 PM ET
LOCATION: MCDOWELL COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
25 S GARDEN ST.
MARION, NC 28752
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Pursuant to the General Statutes of North Carolina, statements of qualification will be received for
the following:
ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR STREAMBANK STABILIZATION & RESTORATION
McDowell County is seeking candidates interested in providing engineering services that include
full set of designs, and construction project management/certification upon completion, for the
removal of debris, stabilization and restoration of several sites in various watersheds within
McDowell County. Statements of Qualification will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday,
October 5, 2026 for the above-named item by email to:
melissa.schiefelbein@mcdowellnc.gov
Request for Qualifications Authorized by:
Alison Bell
Finance Director

A. Purpose
McDowell County anticipates the need of a licensed engineer to provide full set of designs, permits
and construction project management/certification upon completion.
B. Submission Requirements
* Letter of Interest - A letter of interest must be submitted that includes the following:
o Please list five completed streambank stabilization/restoration projects in Western
North Carolina;
o Provide the number of years of professional experience, and educational background
inclusive of professional certifications;
o Provide documentation of projects being completed on time and in budget;
o Provide the office location(s) which will be providing the services;
o If necessary, identify and provide a brief description of potential subcontractors'
qualifications;
o Provide at least three (3) references that detail similar projects installed in WNC.
* Engineer shall meet the following criteria:
o PE licensed in NC
o Experience working on streambank stabilization and stream restoration, including the
design of in-stream structures such as, but not limited to, boulder cross veins, log
veins, and j-hooks, as well as debris (woody and cobble) removal in Western North
Carolina
o Experience with the permitting process for the construction they identify in their design
o Have extensive experience with floodplain studies and floodplain administration in
WNC with consideration for changes as a result of TS Helene
o Familiarity with NRCS standards/specification associated with this project and know
how to design to meet them
o Demonstrated experience with landowner outreach and coordination
o Ability to mobilize staff on short notice to respond to urgent matters
* The selected firm will also be expected to provide all necessary information for permitting
including no-rise no impact study for FEMA 100 year flood zone.
* Subcontracting is permissible pending County approval.
* Deadline -Received by the McDowell County by 2:00 p.m. on October 5, 2026. Emailed to
melissa.schiefelbein@mcdowellnc.gov
* Subject line of the email should be "Helene Streambank & Restoration RFQ Submittal"

C. RFQ Schedule
Event Responsibility Date and Time
Issue RFP County 09/14/2026
Submit Written Questions Vendor 09/21/2026
Provide Response to Questions Pt.1 County 09/28/2026
Submit Proposals Vendor 10/05/2026
Contract Award County 11/02/2026
D. Qualifications
Applicants will be evaluated in conjunction with the anticipated needs of County and information
provided by the applicants as well as information obtained from references, persons, or other
sources identified by the applicant or otherwise known by the County. Interviews are not
anticipated; however, additional information may be requested. Negotiations for service fees for
the projects will follow selection.
E. Contact Information
Any questions about the submittal process should be directed to Andrea Webb by email
andrea.webb@mcdowellnc.gov. Subject Line should state, "Helene Streambank & Restoration
RFQ Questions".
F. Federal Uniform Guidance Provisions
Portions if not all the contract shall be Federally funded, therefore the contract shall follow
the requirements under 2 C.F.R. 200.326 and 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix II. During the
performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:
I. Equal Employment Opportunity
a) The Vendor shall comply with all Federal Funds Provisions requirements (below) and
not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race,
color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. The Vendor
will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that
employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, color,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Such action shall

include, but not be limited to the following:
Employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment or recruitment
advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and
selection for training, including apprenticeship. The Vendor agrees to post in
conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment,
notices to be provided setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.
b) The Vendor shall, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on
behalf of the Vendor, state that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender
identity, or national origin:
c) The Vendor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against any
employee or applicant for employment because such employee or applicant has
inquired about, discussed, or disclosed the compensation of the employee or
applicant or another employee or applicant. This provision shall not apply to
instances in which an employee who has access to the compensation information of
other employees or applicants as a part of such employee's essential job functions
discloses the compensation of such other employees or applicants to individuals
who do not otherwise have access to such information, unless such disclosure is in
response to a formal complaint or charge, in furtherance of an investigation,
proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the
employer, or is consistent with the Vendor's legal duty to furnish information.
d) The Vendor will send to each labor union or representative of workers with which it has
a collective bargaining agreement or other contract or understanding, a notice to be
provided advising the said labor union or workers' representatives of the Vendor's
commitments under this section and shall post copies of the notice in conspicuous
places available to employees and applicants for employment.
e) In the event of the Vendor's noncompliance with the nondiscrimination clauses of
this Contract or with any of the said rules, regulations, or orders, this Contract may
be canceled, terminated, or suspended in whole or in part and the Vendor may be
declared ineligible for further Government contracts or federally assisted
construction Contracts.
f) The Vendor shall include the portion of the sentence immediately preceding
paragraph (a) and the provisions of paragraphs (a) through (g) in every subcontract or
purchase order unless exempted, so that such provisions will be binding upon each
subcontractor or vendor. The Vendor will take such action with respect to any
subcontract or purchase order as the administering agency may direct as a means of
enforcing such provisions, including sanctions for noncompliance: Provided,
however, that in the event a Vendor (or herein "applicant," as applicable in context
within these Federal Funds Provisions) becomes involved in, or is threatened with,
litigation with a subcontractor or vendor as a result of such direction by the
administering agency, the Vendor may request the United States to enter into such
litigation to protect the interests of the United States.

g) The Vendor further agrees that it shall be bound by the above equal opportunity
clause with respect to its own employment practices when it participates in federally
assisted construction work: Provided, that if the Vendor so participating is a State or
local government, the above equal opportunity clause is not applicable to any
agency, instrumentality or subdivision of such government which does not
participate in work on or under the Contract.
h) The Vendor agrees that it shall assist and cooperate actively with the administering
agency and the Secretary of Labor in obtaining the compliance of Vendors and
subcontractors with the equal opportunity clause and the rules, regulations, and
relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor, that it shall furnish the administering
agency and the Secretary of Labor such information as they may require for the
supervision of such compliance, and that it shall otherwise assist the administering
agency in the discharge of the agency's primary responsibility for securing
compliance.
i) proceedings.
II. Compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act
Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program
legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal
entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-
3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5,
"Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and
Assisted Construction"). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to
pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified
in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be
required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy
of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each
solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the
acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or
reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a
provision for compliance with the Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as
supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, "Contractors and
Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or
Grants from the United States"). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient
must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction,
completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or
she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported
violations to the Federal awarding agency.
III. Compliance with the Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act
a. Contractor. The contractor shall comply with 18 U.S.C. 874, 40 U.S.C.
3145, and the requirements of 29 C.F.R. pt. 3 as may be applicable, which
are incorporated by reference into this contract.
b. Subcontracts. The contractor or subcontractor shall insert in any

subcontracts the clause above and such other clauses as appropriate, and
also a clause requiring the subcontractors to include these clauses in any
lower tier subcontracts. The prime contractor shall be responsible for the
compliance by any subcontractor or lower tier subcontractor with all of
these contract clauses.
c. Breach. A breach of the contract clauses above may be grounds for
termination of the contract, and for debarment as a contractor and
subcontractor as provided in 29 C.F.R. 5.12.
IV. Compliance with the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act
(1) Overtime requirements. No contractor or subcontractor contracting for any part of the
contract work which may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics shall
require or permit any such laborer or mechanic in any workweek in which he or she is
employed on such work to work in excess of forty hours in such workweek unless such
laborer or mechanic receives compensation at a rate not less than one and one-half times
the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of forty hours in such workweek.
(2) Violation; liability for unpaid wages; liquidated damages. In the event of any violation
of the clause set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section the contractor and any
subcontractor responsible therefore shall be liable for the unpaid wages. In addition, such
contractor and subcontractor shall be liable to the United States (in the case of work done
under contract for the District of Columbia or a territory, to such District or to such
territory), for liquidated damages. Such liquidated damages shall be computed with
respect to each individual laborer or mechanic, including watchmen and guards,
employed in violation of the clause set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, in the sum
of $27 for each calendar day on which such individual was required or permitted to work in
excess of the standard workweek of forty hours without payment of the overtime wages
required by the clause set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(3) Withholding for unpaid wages and liquidated damages. The (write in the name of the
Federal agency or the loan or grant recipient) shall upon its own action or upon written
request of an authorized representative of the Department of Labor withhold or cause to be
withheld, from any moneys payable on account of work performed by the contractor or
subcontractor under any such contract or any other Federal contract with the same prime
contractor, or any other federally-assisted contract subject to the Contract Work Hours
and Safety Standards Act, which is held by the same prime contractor, such sums as may
be determined to be necessary to satisfy any liabilities of such contractor or subcontractor
for unpaid wages and liquidated damages as provided in the clause set forth in paragraph
(b)(2) of this section.
(4) Subcontracts. The contractor or subcontractor shall insert in any subcontracts the
clauses set forth in paragraph (b)(1) through (4) of this section and also a clause requiring

the subcontractors to include these clauses in any lower tier subcontracts. The prime
contractor shall be responsible for compliance by any subcontractor or lower tier
subcontractor with the clauses set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) through (4) of this section.
1
V. Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(1) Clean Air Act
a. The contractor agrees to comply with all applicable standards, orders or
regulations issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et
seq.
b. The contractor agrees to report each violation to the (name of applicant entering
into the contract) and understands and agrees that the (name of the applicant
entering into the contract) will, in turn, report each violation as required to assure
notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the appropriate
Environmental Protection Agency Regional Office.
c. The contractor agrees to include these requirements in each subcontract exceeding
$150,000 financed in whole or in part with Federal assistance.
(2) Federal Water Pollution Control Act
a. The contractor agrees to comply with all applicable standards, orders, or
regulations issued pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.
b. The contractor agrees to report each violation to the (name of the applicant entering
into the contract) and understands and agrees that the (name of the applicant
entering into the contract) will, in turn, report each violation as required to assure
notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the appropriate
Environmental Protection Agency Regional Office.
c. The contractor agrees to include these requirements in each subcontract exceeding
$150,000 financed in whole or in part with Federal assistance.
VI. Suspension and Debarment
(1) This contract is a covered transaction for purposes of 2 C.F.R. pt. 180 and 2 C.F.R. pt.
3000. As such, the contractor is required to verify that none of the contractor's principals
(defined at 2 C.F.R. 180.995) or its affiliates (defined at 2 C.F.R. 180.905) are excluded
(defined at 2 C.F.R. 180.940) or disqualified (defined at 2 C.F.R. 180.935). To determine
if a person or organization is excluded or disqualified one may go to the System for Award
Management Exclusions webpage at SAM.gov.

(2) The contractor must comply with 2 C.F.R. pt. 180, subpart C and2 C.F.R. pt. 3000,
subpart C, and must include a requirement to comply with these regulations in any lower
tier covered transaction it enters.
(3) This certification is a material representation of fact relied upon by (insert name of
recipient/subrecipient/applicant). If it is later determined that the contractor did not
comply with 2 C.F.R. pt. 180, subpart C and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3000, subpart C, in addition to
remedies available to (insert name of recipient/subrecipient/applicant), the Federal
Government may pursue available remedies, including but not limited to suspension
and/or debarment.
(4) The bidder or proposer agrees to comply with the requirements of2 C.F.R. pt. 180,
subpart C and 2 C.F.R. pt. 3000, subpart C while this offer is valid and throughout the
period of any contract that may arise from this offer. The bidder or proposer further agrees
to include a provision requiring such compliance in its lower-tier-covered transactions.
VII. Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)
Contractors that apply or bid for an award exceeding $100,000 must file the required
certification. Each tier certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used Federal
appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or
employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with
obtaining any Federal contract, grant or any other award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each
tier must also disclose any lobbying with non-Federal funds that takes place in connection
with obtaining any Federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to tier up to
the non-Federal award.
VIII. Domestic Preferences
Per Federal Uniform Guidance 2 C.F.R. 200.322, as appropriate and to the extent
consistent with law, the Contractor should provide a preference for the purchase,
acquisition, or use of goods, products, or materials produced in the
United States (including but not limited to iron, aluminum, steel, cement, and other
manufactured products). The requirements of this section must be included in
all subawards including all contracts and purchase orders for work or products under this
award.
For purposes of this section:
(1) "Produced in the United States" means, for iron and steel products, that all
manufacturing processes, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings,
occurred in the United States.

(2) "Manufactured products" means items and construction materials composed in whole
or in part of non-ferrous metals such as aluminum; plastics and polymer-based products
such as polyvinyl chloride pipe; aggregates such as concrete; glass, including optical fiber;
and lumber.
IX. Prohibition of certain telecommunications & video surveillance services or equipment
Per Federal Uniform Guidance 2 C.F.R. 200.216, for the purpose of a contract to procure
or obtain equipment, services, or systems that uses covered telecommunications
equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical
technology as part of any system is prohibited from purchasing video surveillance and
telecommunications equipment produced by Hytera Communications Corporation,
Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or
any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).