The District of Sechelt (the “District”) is inviting proposals from consultants that pre-qualified under RFSQ# 2021-09 for the provision of consulting services for sanitary sewer upgrade projects in Sechelt, BC.

The District of Sechelt is a district municipality within the territory of the shíshálh Nation. Neighbouring jurisdictions include the Sunshine Coast Regional District, the Sechelt Indian Government District, and the Town of Gibsons. Sechelt is located on the west coast of British Columbia (“BC”) approximately 30 kilometres (“km”) north of Vancouver. The region, known as the Sunshine Coast, includes approximately 3900 km² on the Sechelt Peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound, and Sechelt Inlet. The Sunshine Coast does not have an overland route to the BC mainland and is dependent on the BC Ferry Corporation for the movement of vehicles or by barge for other items. A passenger ferry service runs between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale in the south and a smaller passenger service between Earl’s Cove and Saltery Bay in the north. There are also scheduled seaplane flights from Vancouver, Richmond, and Nanaimo.

The District of Sechelt originated as the Village of Sechelt, which was incorporated in 1956. Sechelt later expanded its boundaries in 1986 with the inclusion of a few adjacent unincorporated areas. Residents and property owners in Sechelt have had access to sewage collection and treatment since at least the early 1990s. In 1993, the Sunshine Coast Regional District transferred ownership and responsibility of the sewer system to the District of Sechelt. The system is jointly managed by the District of Sechelt and Sechelt Indian Government District, through the Sechelt Sewage Facilities Commission (SSFC).

This RFP will cover design and engineering consulting services necessary for upgrade work to the District’s sanitary sewer collection system. The upgrades stem from West Sechelt and West Porpoise Bay Functional Sewer Plan Final Report prepared by Urban Systems in 2005. The District is using Scenario #2 Moderate Infiltration to guide planning. These upgrades will target the West Porpoise Bay Trunk Sewer as shown in Figure 1. Some of the work will occur close to wetland and marine foreshore areas, thus the use of trenchless technology is highly desirable. Information about specific upgrades is presented in the following paragraphs.

Upsize Main – MH4710 to MH4730

This section of the proposed trunk system upgrade would upsize existing 300 mm diameter main with 375 mm pipe from MH4710 to MH4730. The section is about 375 metres long and runs along the Sechelt Marsh and up Wharf Road. Riparian area considerations will need to be accounted for with this work.

The Sewer Functional Plan, completed in 2005, identified this section of sanitary main as requiring upgrading between 2013 and 2023 to handle the expected sanitary sewer flows for the current and future growth.

Marine Way Siphon Upgrade – MH4740 to MH4745

The Marine Way inverted siphon runs along the shoreline and is a 200-metre-long portion of the West Porpoise Bay sewer trunkline, which services all West Porpoise Bay.

The Sewer Functional Plan, completed in 2005, identified the Marine Way siphon as requiring upgrading by 2008 to handle the expected sanitary sewer flows for the current and future growth.

This upgrade is now several years overdue, and the siphon is at capacity. Replacement with a siphon large enough for Sechelt’s continued growth is a high priority for completion. The recommendation was to upsize the existing 150 mm diameter shoreline inverted siphon from MH 4740 to MH 4745 with a 250 mm diameter pipe.

Gravity Sewer Main Upgrade – MH4745 to MH4780

The proposed gravity sanitary sewer upgrade located along Marine Way, near Heron Place, directs sanitary sewer flows to the inverted siphon along the Sechelt Inlet water frontage. The West Porpoise Bay sewer functional plan recommended upgrades between 2003 to 2008 so this work is overdue. The upgrades would increase the pipe diameter from the existing 200 mm to 375 mm to accommodate current residents and future community growth. The section is about 233 metres long.

All sections are very archaeological and environmentally sensitive. Vehicle accessibility is limited. The project could be a prime candidate for trenchless technologies such as pipe bursting or horizontal direction drilling.

The manhole numbers are as indicated in the Sewer Functional Plan. The numbering in the functional plan corresponds to the District’s GIS system as follow:

MH4710 = Facility ID SSMH 00891
MH4730 = Facility ID SSMH 00375
MH4740 = Facility ID SSMH 00038
MH4745 = Facility ID SSMH 00037
MH4780 = Facility ID SSMH 00776

Figure 1:  West Porpoise Bay Trunk Sewer sections planned for upgrading

Schedule B - Terms of Reference

Scope of work: The District is looking for a Consulting Team with suitable, relevant, and recent experience in utility capital projects replacing sewer assets. The scope for this project consists of the following work:

General

• Conduct a project start-up meeting, design milestone meetings (50%, 90%, Issued-for-Tender), and any other necessary meetings to ensure effective communication between the project team and stakeholders. The consultant is responsible for preparing meeting agendas and taking and distributing minutes.
• All sanitary mains and their appurtenances shall be designed per the Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) Association's standards and guidelines and using best engineering judgement.
• All plan/profile engineering design drawings shall be prepared using AutoCAD Civil 3D. All electronic submissions (50%, 90%, and Issued-for-Tender) should be provided in PDF and DWG formats. The DWG should be a single, fully useable drawing, retaining all civil 3D objects, including points, surfaces, alignments, and pipe networks (not exploded or blocked), with all references included and bound to the drawing.
• The consultant must deliver all digital files through a secure file transfer system that conforms to BC privacy laws. File accessibility should not have additional software, plugins, or windows administrative requirements.

Pre-Engineering Design 

• Organize and conduct a camera inspection of the pipe segments to confirm service connection locations. The camera footage will be supplied to District of Sechelt staff.
• Contact BC One Call for reference drawings identifying existing infrastructure locations such as gas lines, overhead power poles, sewer laterals, and other public or private infrastructure.
• The designs shall be per the MMCD Association's standards and guidelines and sound engineering judgement.
• Review record drawings, right-of-way-documentation, and any other background data or reports provided by the District.
• Verify the upsizing requirements contained in the West Sechelt and West Porpoise Bay Functional Sewer Plan Final Report prepared by Urban Systems in 2005.
• Interview the District’s Wastewater and Public Works Departments to determine if there have been operational challenges, such as surcharging manholes associated with the pipe segments.
• Review CityWorks service request records to determine if there are any patterns to issues that could be resolved as part of the planned works.
• Complete a topographical survey within the project area and supplementary survey as required to complete the design. Survey must conform to general surveying best practices. Survey work will be completed using the NAD83 ground-level coordinate system. Retain a utility locator to mark all the underground utilities in the area and include the survey markings.
• Provide recommendations for a geotechnical investigation that the District will procure separately. The geotechnical investigation will determine the feasibility of trenchless pipe installations techniques, such as pipe bursting and horizontal directional drilling.
• Conduct site visits to identify any gaps in the available information required to complete the design.
• All service laterals are to be replaced to the property line, including the inspection chamber. Existing PVC laterals to remain if in good condition.
• Determine if existing manholes are suitable for re-use or require rehabilitation or replacement.
• Provide the District with options to reduce project costs, provide the best value for dollars spent, and identify any concerns or issues that should be addressed.

Preliminary Design

• Determine any potential conflicts between the proposed pipe alignment and existing utilities that require further field investigations before completion of the preliminary design. Provide the District with proposed test-pit locations. The District crews will provide test pitting where necessary for the consultant to collect survey data. Any test pits might require an archaeological investigation before proceeding.
• Prepare preliminary engineering designs for the proposed sanitary replacement to the 50% design phase. Provide plan/profile of proposed pipe connections to existing mains at intersections or other lateral locations. Show the proposed pipe connections.
• Drawings shall be submitted in electronic format as AutoCAD DWG and Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
• Submit Class “C” cost estimate.
• Coordinate relevant permits and approvals for each project as required from utility companies, provincial agencies and any other organizations having jurisdiction, such as the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA).

Detailed Design 

• Prepare detailed engineering designs for the proposed sanitary replacement to the 90% design phase. The 90% submission shall show all proposed works' final locations, all notes and details as required, showing a full understanding of the entire design. The 90% design drawings should be to  such a level that the project would only require minor adjustments and revisions before issuing for construction or tender. Drawings shall be submitted in electronic format as AutoCAD DWG and Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
• Upon review of the 90% design, the design and drawings shall be revised based on the comments received from the District.
• Submit Issued-for-Tender (IFT) drawing with complete technical specifications. Drawings and specifications shall be submitted in electronic format as AutoCAD DWG and Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
• Submit a Class “A” pre-tender cost estimate.
• Confirm tender general conditions and additional general conditions in consultation with District staff.
• Prepare and provide AutoCAD survey control data suitable for construction layout.

Permitting Support

• Provide supporting information for archaeological investigations, which would include locations of any open trenching required and locations of pits for horizontal directional drilling.
• Provide recommendations and support for any work requiring a development permit under the Riparian Areas Regulation.
• Recommend modifications to design alignments that could reduce the need for permitting and on-site environmental and/or archaeological monitoring.

Deliverables

Deliverable include the following

1. Pre-engineering Technical Memorandum #1
   1. Findings of camera inspection work
   2. Review of existing information (reports, record drawings, interviews, service requests, etc.)
   3. Recommendations for laterals, service connections, and manholes
   4. Recommendations for environmental and archaeological permitting
   5. Recommendations for geotechnical investigation
2. Pre-Engineering Technical Memorandum #2
   1. Design considerations based on geotechnical information
   2. Feasibility of using trenchless technology for the project
   3. Conceptual routing of upgraded sanitary infrastructure
3. 50% Design and Class “C” Cost Estimate for District’s Review
4. 90% Design Drawings
5. 100% IFT Drawings, Technical Specifications and Class “A” pre-tender cost estimate
6. MMCD Technical Specifications and Construction Tender Documents