33 Miss. Code R. § 14-E
INTRODUCTION
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Bureau of Public Water Supply (Department), will use the Small System Technical Assistance Set-Aside & Local Assistance and Other State Programs Set-aside of the DWSRF LSLR in a Lead Service Line Inventory Program. The program will be surveying the State's drinking water system to identify, plan, and assist water systems in inventorying their service line to identify lead service lines for replacement projects.
SELECTION PROCESS
The contract for coordination of the program will run on a State Fiscal Year Basis. A contract is currently being developed in accordance with State contracting requirements.
A Request for Qualifications will be advertised statewide. Qualifications received will be reviewed by the Department to select the best qualified candidate for the agency. Recommendations for award of a contract will be presented to the Board at their regularly scheduled Board meeting; following authorization by the Board, the coordination contract will be awarded.
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
The state will use the Small Systems Technical Assistance (up to 2%) set-aside from the BIL LSLR FFY-2022 Cap Grant to provide funding for the creation of LSL inventories to small systems serving connections of 750 or less. With approval by the Board, the state intends to use this set-aside to fund a contract for providing professional services for lead service line inventories to water systems serving 750 and fewer connections. on a first-come, first-serve basis to water systems serving 750 and fewer connections. The contractual assistance will work though the selected contractor to assist these small systems primarily in the generation of service line inventories including those service lines that may be lead or lead influenced. The contractual assistance may also include support for non-routine lead sampling, funding applications, and/or public engagement.
The state intends to use Local Assistance and Other State Programs Set-Aside a total of 15% to support the creation of the lead service line inventories for the state's systems that are classified as community systems as defined under the Safe Drinking Water Act. No more than 10% of the 15% will be allocated to creating inventories for systems with 751 to 5000 connections. No more than 10% of the 15% will be allocated to creating inventories for systems serving greater than 5000 connections.
With approval by the Board, the state intends to use this set-aside to fund contract(s) for providing professional services for lead service line inventories to water systems of three separate size categories: A.) small systems serving connections of less than 750 B.) medium systems serving connections of greater than 750 but less than 5,000 and C) large system serving connections of greater than 5,000. This assistance with lead service line inventories will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis to water systems serving a population that falls within the three size categories as defined in this section.
The activities described herein will be accomplished through a four-part process: identification of inventory projects from our priority list and/or communication with the Program's Project Management Staff or the Department's Regional Engineers; communication with public water supply; mobilization of contractor to identified site to develop plans and inventories; and confirmation that the work has been performed.
Identification - The contractor will survey our priority list and/or communication with the Program's Project Management Staff or the Department's Regional Engineers while identifying the proper set-aside category to fund the potential inventory. Systems will have an opportunity through the agency's website to identify themselves as needing assistance through an online application.
Communication - Information on the identified systems will be passed on to staff from the contractor who will meet with system officials to inform them of the program, explain what Lead Line Inventories looks like for their system, and encourage them to take advantage of funding through our program utilizing information available by MSDH to complete LSL inventories..
Mobilization - Once the communication phase has been completed and the system request to move forward, staff of the contractor will mobilize to the selected site and commence with the plan and inventory of the System's service lines. Acceptable methods of inventory will be determined and outlined by the Department to the contractor.
Confirmation - Staff of the contractor will provide the Program's Project Management staff with results and recommendations for a Lead Service Line Replacement Project.
SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETING ACTIVITIES
The schedule for completing Lead Line Inventory Program activities under this work plan will be the schedule established by set contractual dates.
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Program will be monitoring contractors throughout the process to ensure effective completion of contractual assignments.
EVALUATION PROCESS TO ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF SET-ASIDE ACTIVITIES
The success of these set-asides will be defined by the ability of the MSDH through the solicited contractor(s) to identify, plan, and assist water systems in Lead Line Inventories that lead to Lead Line Replacement Projects to create safer drinking water for all consumers of Mississippi's drinking water.
33 Miss. Code. R. § 14-E