Dear 

Thank you very much for your response to the committee’s e-mail circular and other communications in regard to a possible constructed wetlands project.  Recognizing the somewhat experimental nature of such a project, we now are soliciting proposals from you and a few other experienced firms to prepare initial evaluations or white papers describing the design approach and construction sites you would recommend, and discussing the implications of significant issues that will determine the feasibility and cost of using constructed wetlands to remove most of the nitrogen from freshwater feeding into Bournes, Green and Great Ponds.

We envisage the preparation of such an initial evaluation will include a brief on-site visit and your review of the following additional data that is provided in the attachments: 
(a)  Map of land uses around Great, Green and Bournes Ponds [from left to right on the map; Bournes Pond is largely in white because GPS missed the salt water inlet];
(b)  Areas of land uses in the three-pond watershed;
(c)  Watershed map showing freshwater bodies contained therein;
(d)  Nitrogen loads from the upper watersheds [north of Route 28];
(e)  Samples of nitrogen concentrations immediately above the coastal ponds;
(f)   Stream flows feeding the three coastal ponds; and
(g)  Recent studies of Mill Pond by MBL Ecosystems Center students.
    
If you would like to participate, please provide us a budget for such an evaluation including a subject outline, the credentials of the individuals who will carry out the work, their hourly compensation, and expected hours.  If you believe the budget should be in excess of $10,000 please identify what portion of the evaluation can be accomplished for that amount.  Also, please make sure we have all the particulars of a detailed statement of your qualifications.

To encourage creative approaches, we intend to contract with more than one firm at least for the initial evaluation phase.  Subsequent contracts, if any, will depend principally on the outcomes of the initial evaluations, including the feasibility, potential benefits and likely costs to apply the concepts identified therein to all three coastal ponds.

Please provide us your written responses in 12 copies by November 2, 2001.

If you have any questions about this solicitation, please call me (508 540-2392) or e-mail us at [email protected] with a copy to [email protected].   We also would appreciate receiving an electronic version of such responses suitable for e-mailing.  Thanks again for your advice to date; we look forward to hearing from you on November 2.
 
Sincerely yours,