About the Program:
The Full Delivery of "Turnkey" Water Quality Improvements Program, which funds design-build-maintain contracts to private firms that result in the construction of cost-effective stormwater Best Management Practices on privately owned properties around the County, has become a pillar in the County’s progress toward achieving the goals of our NPDES MS4 permit and the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements.
The Turnkey Program has created a resilient and cost-effective restoration project pipeline that ensures the County’s local tax dollars are invested toward a sustainable future. Innovative public-private partnerships facilitated by the Turnkey Program help expedite the process of restoring Anne Arundel County’s waterways while harnessing the strengths of the private sector. The key to this program is that contractors work with landowners to select a site, then front the initial cost of implementation, and ultimately are reimbursed by the County after the project is constructed and verified (by the County) to be effectively generating water quality credits.
Apply for Funding
Find the Request for Proposals and apply for funding via the Purchasing Office’s Bid Opportunities webpage - search “FULL DELIVERY OF TURNKEY WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS”. The solicitation conventionally opens in the late September to early October timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Solicitations are announced on an annual basis in the Fall. Find the Request for Proposals and apply for funding via the Purchasing Office’s Bid Opportunities webpage - search “FULL DELIVERY OF TURNKEY WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS”
This Program is funded by the Watershed Protection & Restoration Fee (WPRF), more commonly known as the Stormwater Fee. The WPRF is a line item in local property taxes that creates a dedicated source of revenue for the operating, maintenance, and capital improvement expense of stormwater management programs regulated and required by the State and Federal governments. Please visit our WPRF webpage for more information.
Private firms may submit bids on behalf of a site or property owner.
Individual property owners are encouraged to explore the Stormwater Management Property Tax Credit and Watershed Protection & Restoration Fee Credit programs.
Nonprofit/community organizations are encouraged to explore the Anne Arundel Watershed Restoration Grant Program.
Only sites that fall on private property within Anne Arundel County’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) geography, and that do not conflict with existing projects underway, will be eligible for funding.
Competitive proposals are prioritized based on technical merit, including implementation likelihood (the term “turnkey” comes from the goal to fund construction-ready projects), as well as cost-effectiveness metrics relating to the County’s cost per equivalent impervious acre treated, the threshold for which is evaluated annually.
The full award will only be paid upon completion of the project and verification of the project’s benefits, which is typically completed within a year of construction. To the extent that the project requires ongoing maintenance, maintenance payments will be evaluated and released on an annual basis for 5 years after project completion.
Yes. Outside funding sources, such as grants and private contributions (e.g., from landowners who will benefit from the project) can be used to lower the overall cost of the proposed project to the County as long as none of those funding sources have terms attached to their contribution that will diminish or encumber the project benefits (e.g., credits) being offered to the County as part of the proposal.
Outside funding that is applied for, but not in hand, can be mentioned in the proposal, but the County needs to be in a position to award contingent contracts. Keep in mind how that is likely to be weighed in the technical review of your submission.
Awarded Projects:
Year | Award Amount | Equivalent Impervious Acres Treated | Awardee | Project Location | Project Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2,000,000.00 | 400 | Underwood & Associates, Inc. | Davidsonville (Patuxent River watershed) | 1,210 LF Step Pool Storm Conveyance (SPSC) |
| 2022 | $1,990,000.00 | 200 | Underwood & Associates, Inc. | Millersville (Severn River watershed) | 260 LF Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance, as well as 17,000 sq-ft wetland enhancement |
| 2021 | $1,650,000.00 | 137 | Wildlands Engineering, Inc. | Friendship (Patuxent River watershed) | 2,906 LF stream restoration |
| 2020 | $3,000,000.00 | 115 | BayLand Consultants & Designers, Inc. | Shady Side (West River watershed) | 675’ extension of a living shoreline at Jack Creek Park |
| 2020 | "" | "" | "" | Annapolis (Severn River watershed) | 2,200’ living shoreline |
| 2019 | $2,810,000.00 | 145 | BayLand Consultants & Designers, Inc. | Edgewater (South River watershed) | 3,625 LF living shoreline |
| 2019 | $363,000.00 | 36 | Underwood & Associates, Inc. | Annapolis (Severn River watershed) | 911 LF living shoreline |
| 2019 | $2,250,000.00 | 74 | Restoration Systems, LLC. | Crownsville (South River watershed) | 1,775 LF stream and wetland restoration, as well as 480 LF living shoreline |
| 2018 | $1,700,000.00 | 113 | I97 Sewer, LLC. | Millersville (Severn River watershed), Hanover, and Glen Burnie (Patapsco River watershed) | Connecting 290 homes to public sewer |
| 2017 | $2,100,000.00 | 131 | Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC. | Patapsco River, & Patuxent River | 3 opti-pond retrofits |
In the News:
October 25, 2023 - Two stream restoration projects launched to reduce pollution of Severn River headwaters
May 18, 2023 - https://www.naco.org/resources/award-programs/anne-arundel-county-full-delivery-water-quality-improvements-turnkey
August 29, 2022 - Water Environment Federation Recognizes Operational and Design Excellence