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The purpose of this consultation document is to inform the public about the Ministry of the Environment’s activities concerning the removal and destruction of PCB contaminated soils, sediments and debris from the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site in London, Ontario. This document is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as part of any procurement process. For any companies interested in submitting a proposal, the MERX website www.merx.com contains the complete RFP package and is the sole avenue for submission to be considered.

The ministry has posted an RFP to invite prospective proponents to submit proposals for the work required to remove, destroy and/or dispose of all PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris that is currently being stored in a series of lined, containment systems and structures known as ‘vaults’ at the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site.  The ministry has retained the services of a Fairness Advisor to facilitate the RFP evaluation sessions, oversee the entire RFP evaluation process and ensure that the ministry has conducted the RFP evaluation in a fair and transparent manner. 

The Storage Site is located in an area of northeast London which is zoned for industrial use. The Storage Site was built to securely contain PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris cleaned up from the Pottersburg Creek Watershed and nearby industrial properties during the 1980s.

The Storage Site houses a series of four lined storage vaults that hold approximately 35,500 cubic metres (78, 000 tonnes) of PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris from the cleanup itself and also other contaminated material including temporary vault liners, sand bags and storage drums containing sediments, soils and some of the vaults that may contain sludge material.

The successful proponent selected at the conclusion of the RFP process will be required to complete the removal of all PCB contaminated materials from the vaults and transport all materials to a licensed Canadian destruction and/or disposal facility(s) before October 31, 2009. The remainder of the work is to be completed upon successful completion of a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.

The successful proponent will also be required to perform work to restore the Storage Site to industrial property use standards as outlined by provincial legislation.

To ensure the community is aware of the work going on at the Storage Site and is involved in the project, the successful proponent will attend and participate with the ministry in public information sessions. At these public information sessions, the community will be updated on work planned at the site; on-going work; accomplishments and will be able to ask questions of the successful proponent and of the ministry. Staff from the ministry and representatives of the successful proponent will be at these meetings to answer questions and respond to any concerns.

The proponent will prepare a work plan outlining the methodology that will be used to accomplish the work of the project. This Work Plan will be reviewed by the ministry’s scientific and engineering experts, and any revisions or comments from ministry staff will be incorporated into the work plan prior to any work taking place at the Storage Site.

The successful proponent will have to make sure the proposed Work Plan includes the following:

• Plans and methodology for enclosing the excavation site with a structure, to provide for the control of dust generated by the excavation and to prevent contact of the excavation area by rain water
• A summary and schedule of site activities including excavation, sampling and analysis of waste materials, loading and transporting from the site, and details of the decontamination procedures of the four vaults
• The proposed operational hours, taking into consideration the neighbouring community and any local municipal by-law
• Detailed procedures needed to maintain the safety features of the vaults which are in place to prevent the migration of PCBs from the vaults into the environment
• Detailed information and required equipment for the treatment and discharge of any collected water and waste water
• Detailed plans and equipment needed to ensure dust control and suppression that includes thoroughly washing away every vehicle before it leaves the site so there is no contaminated material being tracked off the site and onto any public roads
• Contingency planning for erosion control with consideration of possible flooding, spill prevention and site restoration
• Destruction and disposal plans for contaminated soil, sediment and debris removed from the vaults at a licensed Canadian destruction facility(s)
• A summary of the proposed restoration plan for the site including a Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment, and
• A summary and schedule for the decommissioning of the on-site monitoring wells.

In addition to the information contained in the Work Plan, the successful proponent will have to undertake the following processes in conjunction with the implementation of all the project Plans:

• Identify and locate all buried services, including water, sanitary, electric, etc. and keep certain services intact to run the systems in the remaining vaults during the project, including electrical and force mains to the collection systems in the vaults
• Seek any permission necessary to access neighbouring properties
• Obtain all building, electrical and mechanical permits
• Undertake field work in a way that minimizes disturbance of the site and adverse effects to the environment
• Ensure surface water and any other water coming into contact with the working area is managed and monitored to prevent any impacts from work at the site
• Have a quality assurance/quality control sampling protocol in place and submit all samples for analysis to an accredited laboratory
• Collect all data and make that data available to the ministry for review, and
• Dispose of all contaminated soils, water, clothing and articles at the site in accordance with all applicable laws.

The protection of the environment and health and safety of the community is integral to the project and will be a key component of the RFP. There will be measures required in the RFP that are designed to protect public health and make sure the work is done in a manner that is environmentally responsible.

The successful proponent will be required to undertake certain plans and actions to ensure public safety prior to and during the removal of waste from the Storage Site. These public protection measures include the following ministry approved plans:

• management plan
• work plan
• sampling and analysis plan
• comprehensive dust control and dust suppression plan for the duration of the project
• off-site air monitoring plan
• on-site groundwater monitoring plan
• erosion control and storm water management and monitoring plan
• contingency plan, and
• community engagement and communication plan.

Management Plan

The successful proponent will be required to prepare a Management Plan that includes but is not limited to the following:

• Identify the key individual responsible for overall project management (project coordination, cost and schedule control, etc.)
• Identify the individual(s) that will provide for daily Site supervision for the duration of this project and who will be working closely with the Ministry’s On-Site Environmental Officer
• Identify key members of the project team - at least one member of the project team is to be a licensed member of (i) the Professional Engineers of Ontario and/or (ii) the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario
• Organizational chart for the project indicating all staff or organizations (including subcontractors) and their reporting relationships for all project activities
• A description of the successful proponent’s project management approach for this project. This should include, the successful proponent’s role in administering the project, project-specific issues requiring a specific management approach and the functions and relative responsibility/authority of the project manager(s) and/or contract administrator
• A description of the successful proponent’s schedule control mechanisms and what action will be taken to ensure the project schedule of the assignment will be maintained and what will be done to restore the schedule if problems develop. Describe how scope changes will be handled to minimize schedule delays
• Name of accredited Laboratory(s) to be used for sample analysis
• Name of the Professional Engineer or Professional Geoscientist overseeing the Deliverables, if not listed above and the name of the Qualified Person that will oversee the work in accordance with O. Reg.153/04 Record of Site Condition, as detailed in this RFP, if not listed above
• A detailed description of the successful proponent’s, and their subcontractor’s, relevant experience in this type of work and involvement in similar types of projects including all areas of expertise outlined in the RFP, and
• A detailed description of how the successful proponent will ensure that all on-Site staff are fully trained for their on-Site work activities and for all aspects related to the Health and Safety Plan as required in section 2.6 of this RFP.

Work Plan

The successful proponent will be required to prepare a work plan outlining the methodology to provide the Deliverables in a written submission to the Ministry. The Ministry will review the work plan and will provide the successful proponent with its comments and changes and the successful proponent will be required to incorporate the Ministry’s changes into the work plan prior to the work being carried out by the successful proponent.

The successful proponent will be required to ensure that the work plan meets the project objectives outlined in the RFP, meets the requirements of the RFP, removal and destruction/disposal of contaminated soils, sediments and debris from the vaults and  site restoration work.  

Sampling and Analysis Plan

All PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris from Vaults 1 and 2 are to be removed from the Vaults and taken directly to a licensed Canadian facility to be destroyed. All PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris from Vaults 3 and 4 are to be removed from the Vaults and the wastes will be analyzed to determine an appropriate destination for destruction or disposal. During characterization of the wastes there shall be no mixing of waste materials taken from the Vaults to create a more homogeneous waste mixture.

The laboratory to be used by the successful proponent for the analysis of samples is to be (i) accredited by an approved accreditation body and (ii) compliant with the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025.

Proponents are to indicate in their proposal the name of the accredited laboratory(s) selected to provide the required analytical services and provide a letter from the laboratory confirming that they are certified for the proposed analysis and that all analysis shall be undertaken in accordance with the Ministry’s “Protocol for Analytical Methods Used in the Assessment of Properties under Part XV.1 of the Environmental Protection Act”, dated March 9, 2004 (www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/gp/4696e.htm).

For Vaults 1 and 2 the successful proponent will be required to prepare a minimum sampling and analysis program to provide confirmation of the PCB concentrations of the PCB contaminated soil, sediment and debris from these Vaults.

For Vaults 3 and 4 the successful proponent will be required to prepare a sampling and analysis plan outlining the methodology to be used to collect an appropriate quantity of samples to characterize the waste being excavated from the Vaults and to determine the destination of such waste in accordance with section 2.3.11 of this RFP. This sampling and analysis plan is also to include the appropriate sampling and analysis required to confirm that remediation targets have been met. This sampling and analysis plan is to be developed using the “Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process, EPA QA/G4” document published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in February 2006, EPA/240/B-06/001. As a minimum, this plan is to be in accordance with the Ministry’s protocol for Sampling and Testing at PCB Storage Sites in Ontario dated January 2000 which would require a composite sample from each load (truck) to ensure that the result of the analysis was under 25 ppm and would then require 15 discrete samples to be taken from the load and statistically analysed to ensure an acceptable level of confidence.

Dust Control and Dust Suppression Plan

The successful proponent will prepare an on-site dust control and dust suppression plan for review and approval by the ministry. The on-site dust control and dust suppression plan will be required to outline the methods for minimizing the generation of dust and air borne particulate on-site and to prevent the off-site migration of dust and air borne particulate.

This on-site dust control and dust suppression plan will be required to include dust control and suppression methods that are designed for various weather conditions that may develop during the contracted work. These conditions may include seasonal variations, wet weather, dry weather and high wind conditions.

The on-site dust control and dust suppression plan will also be required to include contingencies for extreme or unforeseen events that may generate large amounts of dust from on-site operations.

In consultation with the ministry, the Middlesex-London Health Unit and the City of London, a plan will be developed by the successful proponent to sample and analyze off-site dust deposited on selected exposed surfaces near sensitive receptors in the area of the Storage Site throughout the project work and after any significant weather event.

The successful proponent will also have to ensure that every vehicle is thoroughly washed before it leaves the site to ensure no contaminated material is tracked off the site and on to any public roads.

Off-Site Air Monitoring Plan

The successful proponent will prepare an off-site air monitoring program for review and approval by the ministry. The off-site air monitoring program will be required to outline the methodology to be used for air sampling during the project and analysis of the samples for total PCB content. The monitoring methods used must allow for the determination of total PCB, dioxin-like PCB, individual or PCB subsets in the air.

All sampling results and monitoring equipment will be available for the ministry to review and audit without prior notice and site logs will be kept at each monitoring location. Air sampling will be initiated by the successful proponent before any work at the site begins so that a baseline concentration may be determined.

Monitoring locations will be chosen by the successful proponent to reflect areas where maximum impact may be expected and consideration will also be given to sensitive local receptors. A minimum of three sampling locations will be chosen by the successful proponent and approved by the ministry.

Real-time particulate sampling upwind and downwind of the site will be required and hourly averages of these samples must be provided to the ministry. These hourly averages will be available in real time so that they may be used to help advise the local community of conditions at the site.

On-Site Groundwater Monitoring Plan

The successful proponent will prepare an on-site groundwater monitoring program outlining the methods to be used for water level monitoring and groundwater sample collection from the network of monitoring wells on the site.

The groundwater will be analyzed to test for the presence of PCBs, pH, alkalinity, chloride, sulphate, phenols and Volatile Organic Compounds.

Groundwater sampling and water level monitoring will occur prior to any work being done and continue throughout the project at the site.

Erosion Control and Storm Water Management and Monitoring Plan

All stormwater will be tested, treated by the successful proponent and ultimately disposed of through the City of London Municipal Sanitary Wastewater system. Prior to being released to the Municipal system, the proponent will be required to ensure that the quality and quantity of the waste water meets City of London water management guidelines.

A soil erosion control plan will also be developed by the successful proponent to limit soil movement associated with soils that are exposed during the work.

Contingency Plan

The successful proponent will develop a contingency plan to ensure that all the work associated with this project is performed in a way that is protective of the health and safety of people living and working in the area.  Trigger mechanisms and contingency measures for dust control, air monitoring, groundwater quality, and surface water quality and water treatment will be developed by the successful proponent to provide an early warning of a potential issue of concern.

Contingency measures will detail the actions that may be taken in the event a trigger mechanism is reached and may include the temporary shut down of the work site or other temporary measures on site until the issue is resolved.

Community Engagement and Communication Plan

The successful proponent will develop a public engagement plan that includes a presentation for the initial public information session to be held after the contract is awarded at the conclusion of the RFP process. The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the public and area businesses to the successful proponent and to outline the details of the overall plan to remove the PCBs from the site.

The successful proponent will also be required to attend meetings of the Community Liaison Group for the duration of the project.

Also required is a planned outline for ongoing community engagement through the full duration of the contract work including but not limited to public information sessions to detail the on-going status of the contract work and progress of the Site decommissioning.

The successful proponent will prepare a plan to receive record and address any complaints, concerns from the public, and there will be a protocol on how the ministry will be notified.

A web site will also be developed and maintained by the successful proponent to provide the public with all monitoring information, upcoming events, project status reports and contact information.

The successful proponent will also put together and distribute a local newsletter.

Schedule of Work

The ministry has developed the following project schedule to make sure that timelines are in place to meet the proposed federal regulation that will require the end of PCB storage in Canada by December 31, 2009:

Action	Timing
Submission of finalized Work Plan, Sampling and Analysis plan, off-site Air Monitoring program plan, ground water monitoring program; surface water monitoring program; comprehensive dust suppression and control program, contingency plan, community engagement and communication plan and the Occupational Health and Safety Plan	October 2008
Mobilization meeting	October 2008
Excavation activities	To start upon ministry acceptance of work plan
Removal and destruction of all PCB wastes	To be completed by October 31, 2009
Site Restoration including removal of on-site infrastructure	To be completed by September 30, 2010
PCB Waste Removal Report	December 31, 2009
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report	September 30, 2010
Project Report	December 31, 2010
Record of Site Condition (RSC) In order to file an RSC, the property must have been properly assessed and shown to meet the soil, sediment and groundwater standards appropriate for industrial use. The Record of Site Condition Regulation (O. Reg. 153/04) details requirements related to site assessment and clean up. For more information please visit: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/land/brownfields/index.php	To be submitted to the Ministry within 30 days of the completion of the restoration of the Site to industrial property use standards

Evaluation

Stage I

An initial review of all proposals received will be undertaken to determine those which comply with all of the mandatory requirements. Proposals which do not comply with all of the mandatory requirements will be disqualified and not evaluated further. The list of mandatory requirements is as follows:

1. Provision of Bid Deposit – subsection 1.2
2. Mandatory Site Visit and Proponents’ Meeting – subsection 1.12
3. Form of Offer – subsection 3.2.1
4. Rate Bid Form – subsection 3.2.2
5. Tax Compliance Declaration Form – subsection 3.2.3
6. Reference Form – subsection 3.2.4
7. Evidence of Past Legislative Performance – subsection 3.2.5 (Form of Offer)
8. Statutory Declaration Form – subsection 3.2.6

Stage II

The proposals that complete the requirements of Stage I will then be evaluated using the following criteria:

• demonstrate that they have experience and the expertise to carry out the work,
• submit comprehensive plans to carry out the work in a manner that is protective of the environment, the health and safety of the workers and the public living and working in the area of the site
• include a detailed community engagement/communication plan

If the bidder does not meet the minimum scoring criteria identified for Stage II they will be disqualified and will not continue in the evaluation process.

Stage III

Those bids that have successfully completed Stages I and II will be eligible for Stage III of the evaluation process whereby the sealed pricing envelopes for the qualified proponents will be opened and pricing will be factored into the total evaluation.