Prepared by RCAP Solutions for the PA Department of Environmental Protection

Training Module 4Training Module 4

Dealing with Consultants, Dealing with Consultants, Technical Assistance Technical Assistance

Providers, Regulators, and Providers, Regulators, and Funding Agencies Funding Agencies

Prepared by RCAP Solutions for Prepared by RCAP Solutions for the PA Department of the PA Department of

Environmental ProtectionEnvironmental Protection

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IntroductionIntroduction

• During this training module, we’ll be During this training module, we’ll be describing:describing:– drinking water system funding drinking water system funding – technical assistance providerstechnical assistance providers– Request for Proposals (RFP) Request for Proposals (RFP) – Interview questionsInterview questions– Policies and procedures Policies and procedures – contract for engineering services contract for engineering services – preliminary engineering report preliminary engineering report – local regulatory agency personnellocal regulatory agency personnel

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• Loan and grant funding agenciesLoan and grant funding agencies

• Grant programsGrant programs

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• Rural Utilities Service Rural Utilities Service

– Loans and supplemental grantsLoans and supplemental grants– Rural areas and towns < 10,000 pop.Rural areas and towns < 10,000 pop.

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• PENNVESTPENNVEST

– Loans and supplemental grantsLoans and supplemental grants– PA municipalities, authorities, and some PA municipalities, authorities, and some

private entitiesprivate entities

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• CDBG through DCEDCDBG through DCED

– Entitlement and competitive grantsEntitlement and competitive grants– Benefits low to moderate income Benefits low to moderate income

communitiescommunities

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• DEPDEP

– Growing GreenerGrowing Greener– Innovative drinking water technologyInnovative drinking water technology

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Financial AssistanceFinancial Assistance

• Exercise!Exercise!

• PENNVEST Utility GuidePENNVEST Utility Guide

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• Government and not-for-profitsGovernment and not-for-profits– DEPDEP– RCAPRCAP– PRWAPRWA– PUCPUC– DCEDDCED– EFCEFC– ETCETC

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• DEPDEP– Small Water Systems Outreach ProgramSmall Water Systems Outreach Program

•Onsite education and assistanceOnsite education and assistance

•O&M and Management issuesO&M and Management issues

– Capability Enhancement (CE) ProgramCapability Enhancement (CE) Program•Capability Enhancement Facilitators (CEFs)Capability Enhancement Facilitators (CEFs)

•Develop and maintain long-term viability Develop and maintain long-term viability

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• RCAP Solutions, Inc.RCAP Solutions, Inc.

– Administrative and financial areas of Administrative and financial areas of water and wastewater system water and wastewater system operations operations

– Liaison between system and Liaison between system and funders/regulatorsfunders/regulators

– Income surveysIncome surveys

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• PRWAPRWA

– Water loss, leak detection, chlorination, Water loss, leak detection, chlorination, metering, rate structuring, proper metering, rate structuring, proper records keeping and day to day records keeping and day to day operation and maintenanceoperation and maintenance

– Training sessions Training sessions

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• PUCPUC

– Rate increasesRate increases– ComplianceCompliance– Billing and collectionBilling and collection

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• DCED DCED

– Municipal Training Program Municipal Training Program – ETPETP– Statewide seminarsStatewide seminars– Onsite trainingOnsite training

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• EFC EFC

– Infrastructure Financing AssistanceInfrastructure Financing Assistance– Management Management – Financial CapacityFinancial Capacity– Planning Planning

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• ETC ETC

– Operations TrainingOperations Training– Technology AssistanceTechnology Assistance– Technology EvaluationTechnology Evaluation

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Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• Technical assistance (TA) providersTechnical assistance (TA) providers

vsvs

• EngineersEngineers

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• Many reasons for engineers, Many reasons for engineers, consultants, and TA providersconsultants, and TA providers

• May be required to hire an engineer May be required to hire an engineer in some casesin some cases

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• RFPRFP

– Developed in house or with technical Developed in house or with technical assistanceassistance

– Forms basis for the engineering workForms basis for the engineering work– Limit RFPs sent outLimit RFPs sent out

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• ProposalsProposals

– Reviewed in house or with technical Reviewed in house or with technical assistanceassistance

– Select short list of top firmsSelect short list of top firms– Prepare for interviewsPrepare for interviews

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• InterviewsInterviews

– Exercise!Exercise!– Come up with some interview questionsCome up with some interview questions

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• InterviewsInterviews

– Questions to askQuestions to ask

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• InterviewsInterviews

– Selection criteriaSelection criteria– ContractsContracts

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• ContractsContracts

– Standard templatesStandard templates– Basic componentsBasic components

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• ContractsContracts

– Review performance regularlyReview performance regularly– Clarify expectations, misunderstandings, Clarify expectations, misunderstandings,

and terms if neededand terms if needed

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• Preliminary engineering reportPreliminary engineering report

– Basic componentsBasic components

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Engineers and ConsultantsEngineers and Consultants

• CostsCosts

– JustifiedJustified– BreakdownsBreakdowns– ApprovalsApprovals

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RegulatorsRegulators

• DEPDEP

– Six regionsSix regions– Local Government HandbookLocal Government Handbook

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RegulatorsRegulators

• DEPDEP

– Local sanitarianLocal sanitarian– Anyone know their sanitarian?Anyone know their sanitarian?

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RegulatorsRegulators

• DEPDEP

– You’re not on your ownYou’re not on your own– Help from engineer or TA providerHelp from engineer or TA provider

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ExerciseExercise

• Take a few minutes to complete the Take a few minutes to complete the exercise in the workbookexercise in the workbook

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SummarySummary

• Key pointsKey points

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ReferencesReferences

• Dennis Lee , PADEPDennis Lee , PADEP• Don Schwartz, RCAP SolutionsDon Schwartz, RCAP Solutions• Jean Holloway, Environmental Finance Jean Holloway, Environmental Finance

CenterCenter• ““Working with Consultants and Working with Consultants and

Assistance Providers” presentation by Assistance Providers” presentation by NETCSCNETCSC

• PENNVEST’s utility publicationPENNVEST’s utility publication• DEP’s “Local Government Handbook” DEP’s “Local Government Handbook”