1-1 - 26RFSQ13 Regional Water Plan Scope of Services.docx

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

Project Information

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Williamson County is soliciting qualifications of engineering firms interested in providing engineering services to assist Williamson County in the development of a regional water plan. The County anticipates selecting one or more firms for this work.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

1. Project Management / Data Gathering:

a. Project Kickoff Meeting

i. The Consultant will conduct one (1) in-person meeting with the Williamson County Water Group (WWG) staff to review scope and schedule of the project and critical project milestones.

b. Project Management and Communication

i. Throughout the project, monthly status reports will be submitted that summarize the progress and document upcoming tasks. The monthly status updates will outline any upcoming key decisions which require input from or discussion with the WWG.

c. General Information to be Provided by WWG

i. Utility’s Water Supply Plan

ii. Utility’s Water Conservation Plan and Drought Contingency Plan

iii. Projected population and demands from utility planning documents (Water Supply Plan, Water Master Plan, Comprehensive Plan)

iv. Current contracts for water supply

v. Utility’s water system diagram and/or graphical depiction current and proposed service area.

vi. Point of delivery for untreated water

vii. Point of delivery for treated water

viii. Should the utility not respond or not have the information, data from other sources including but not limited to the 2026 Regional Water Plan, utility website, and Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Water Use Surveys will be used.

d. Compile and standardize all data for consistency across providers.

2. Demand Outlook:

a. The Consultant will be provided the population and employment projections for all Williamson County water utility areas for the years: 2026, 2040, 2060, and 2080. They will compare these values with values from the Texas State Data Center and other data provided by WWG members. The population and employment data to be used for water demand analysis shall be agreed upon by the WWG.

b. The Consultant will consider potential future water conservation, water loss, and water reuse programs, as well as utilities’ Drought Contingency Plans, when developing demand projections.

c. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 1 (Demand Scenario Summary)

3. Supply Outlook:

a. The Consultant will review the existing supply reliability for all Williamson County Water providers.

b. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 2 (Existing Supply Summary)

c. Alternative Supply Sources

i. The Consultant will evaluate potential water supply alternatives for an individual utility, partnership of utilities and County as a whole. Examples of alternatives to be evaluated are:

1. Local Groundwater

2. Regional Groundwater

3. Local Direct Potable Reuse

4. Regional Direct Potable Reuse

5. Local Aquifer Storage and Recovery

6. Regional Aquifer Storage and Recovery

7. Advanced Water Conservation – robust incentive programs (rain barrel, xeriscaping, irrigation system removal), landscape ordinance revisions

8. Water Loss Management – review reported data, identify potential inconsistencies/errors

9. Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) as appropriate

10. Brazos River Authority (BRA) as appropriate

ii. Evaluation metrics will include:

1. Infrastructure Requirements: Determine infrastructure needs (pipelines, storage facilities, pump stations, treatment facilities, etc.) for integrating alternative sources into the existing water system.

2. Autonomy: Consider the utility or utilities’ degree of independence from other partners/providers.

3. Water Availability: Assess the availability and reliability of each alternative water source under various scenarios, including droughts. Evaluate timeline for bringing the alternative water source online.

4. Water Quality Considerations: Evaluate the water quality characteristics of each source and the required treatment process to bring water quality to parameters compatible with the existing distribution system. This desktop analysis would be based on available water quality data from previous reports/studies.

5. Environmental Impacts: Evaluate environmental impacts including effects on water bodies and land use.

6. Regulatory Landscape: Review the regulatory framework for each alternative water source including permits, water rights, and environmental approvals.

7. Public Support: Consider potential public/governing body(ies) support or opposition for a project concept.

8. Cost Development: Conduct a cost analysis, including capital, operational, and maintenance costs for each alternative, using the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Uniform Costing Model (UCM).

9. Risk Analysis: The Consultant will prepare a risk analysis based on the likelihood of outcomes impacting successful project implementation and will compile the analyses into a matrix format for review and comparison. The factors evaluated could include:

a. Institutional and Legal

b. Regulatory and Environmental

c. Vulnerability to Drought

d. Reliability During Emergencies

e. Long-Term Sustainability

d. The Consultant will utilize an agreed upon evaluation framework to compare different alternative water supplies based on the analysis.

e. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 3 (Future Water Supply Alternatives)

4. Water Supply and Demand Assessment:

a. The Consultant will compare the projected water demands to the projected water supply to determine the timing and quantity of additional water supply needed for various alternatives.

b. Highlight overlaps, conflicts, and opportunities where providers share similar needs or timelines.

c. Develop small-scale and large-scale regional scenarios using the identified water supply alternatives to meet the needs of the Cities and County.

d. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 4 (Existing Supply and Future Demand Assessment)

5. Water Treatment Assessment:

a. Evaluate water treatment requirements for identified alternatives.

b. Comparison of centralized treatment vs. local treatment for the various options.

c. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 5 (Future Water Treatment Assessment)

6. Water Transmission Assessment:

a. Conceptual layouts of pipelines, tanks and pump stations showing potential interconnections among cities and white spaces for identified alternatives.

b. High-level capital and O&M cost estimates, including phasing strategies.

c. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum No. 6 (Williamson County Water Transmission Assessment)

7. Williamson County Integrated Water Plan:

a. Draft Plan

i. The Consultant will provide the WWG with a draft Integrated Water Resources Plan for review.

1. Comprehensive written report detailing findings and methodologies.

2. Maps and graphics showing conceptual pipeline corridors, service areas, and system layouts.

b. Final Plan

i. The Consultant will provide the WWG with a final Integrated Water Resources Plan that incorporates WWG comments as appropriate.

c. Deliverable: Williamson County Integrated Water Resources Plan Possible additional services after the initial evaluation could include the following:

8. Governance & Ownership Models:

a. Evaluation of potential models (e.g., regional authority, interlocal agreements, city-owned cooperative systems).

b. Implications for cities of different sizes and for white space service.

c. Deliverable: Technical Memorandum (Governance and Ownership Models) Williamson County expects the prime firm to commit its project manager, as proposed in the SOQ, to the duration of the contract. Williamson County further expects the project manager’s commitment to the contract to include commitment as project manager to each work authorization without further delegation or substitution over the course of the contract.

Evaluation Criteria Each Statement of Qualification (SOQ) received in response to this RFQ will be subject to the same review and assessment process. SOQs will be evaluated based on the technical capability and experience presented in the SOQ.

Please note that the County shall weigh the experience of the individuals proposed to work on this project significantly greater than the experience of the firm as a whole. Below is an outline of how the respondents will be evaluated. Respondent refers to firm submitting the SOQ.

All contact during the evaluation phase shall be through the Williamson County Purchasing Department only.

The Respondent shall neither contact nor lobby Evaluators, Elected Officials/Department Heads or Williamson County Employees during the evaluation process. Attempts by the Respondent to contact and/or influence members of the Evaluation Committee, Elected Officials/Department Heads or Williamson County Employees may result in disqualification of submittal.

Selection Process Respondents are advised that the evaluation committee members, at their option, may recommend a contract strictly based on the initial SOQs or may have interviews with some or all of the respondents to determine the overall most qualified firm for final recommendation. SOQs shall be evaluated and scored by a committee of Williamson County employees using the Evaluation Criteria enclosed.

If interviews are held, during the interview, invited respondents shall address the evaluation criteria listed in the request for qualifications and respond to questions from the evaluation and scoring committee.

Submission Information All SOQs must be received in the Williamson County Purchasing Department located at 100 Wilco Way, Suite P101, Georgetown, Texas, 78626 or electronically through the Williamson County Bonfirehub portal no later than 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Questions will be accepted until 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 5, 2026 via Bonfirehub.

Pass/Fail Criteria To be considered for evaluation, all interested firms must be registered with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) as an engineering firm in the state of Texas. A statement indicating this must be included in the SOQ transmittal letter to the County.

1. Statement of Qualifications Format

1. Section one: One (1) single sided page transmittal letter that provides an overview of the firm. In addition, it shall provide the name, physical mailing address, email address and telephone number of the proposed contact for the RFQ and possible interview process. In order to address the pass/fail criteria, the transmittal shall also confirm that the respondent has at least one office registered with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) as an engineering firm in the state of Texas.

2. Section two: One (1) single sided page organizational chart for the project listing all task leaders and key supporting staff. Respondents are required to show who will perform daily engineering activities in addition to task leads. Any names shown on the organizational chart shall be considered as a firm commitment that those individuals shall perform the duties represented. Failure of staff to perform responsibilities represented may result in revocation of the contract. For each individual listed on the organizational chart, indicate the physical office location that individual currently reports to 100% of the time. If the individual reports to more than one office, indicate which offices they are split between and the percentage of time spent in each office. The chart should not be larger than a single 11”x17” page. Resumes shall be provided in Appendix A for all individuals listed on the organizational chart.

3. Section three: One (1) single sided page providing information regarding the Project Manager’s Experience/Qualifications with similar projects.

4. Section four: A maximum of two single sided pages providing information regarding the Individuals on Project Team’s Experience/Qualifications providing Demand Outlook activities as outlined in the Scope of Services.

5. Section five: A maximum of three single sided pages providing information regarding the Individuals on Project Team’s Experience/Qualifications providing Supply Outlook activities as outlined in the Scope of Services.

6. Section six:: A maximum of two single sided pages providing information regarding the Individuals on Project Team’s Experience/Qualifications providing Water Supply and Demand Assessment activities as outlined in the Scope of Services.

7. Section seven: A maximum of two single sided pages providing information regarding the Individuals on Project Team’s Experience/Qualifications providing Water Treatment Assessment activities as outlined in the Scope of Services.

8. Section Eight: A maximum of two single sided pages providing information regarding the Individuals on Project Team’s Experience/Qualifications providing Water Transmission Assessment activities as outlined in the Scope of Services.

9. Section Nine: Availability. There is no page limit for this section, but all information included is limited to the information requested. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in considering the respondent’s information as non-responsive. For each individual listed on the organizational chart, list all projects that individual is currently assigned with their corresponding percentage of time commitment and the projected completion date for the assignment. For each individual listed on the organizational chart, also list all projects and time commitments included in existing proposals. For each individual listed on the organizational chart provide a proposed time commitment for the Williamson County Project. For staffing purposes, assume the notices to proceed will be issued in March 2026.

10. Section ten: Maximum of two (1) single sided pages providing information regarding your understanding of the project.

11. Appendix A: Provide resumes of project manager and staff shown on the organizational chart. Resumes shall include the complete professional employment history of the individual identifying the name of the employer and the time period worked at the firm. For projects referenced, resumes shall indicate the specific activities performed. Resumes not providing correct information may be considered non-responsive. Limit each individual resume to no more than five (5) single sided pages.

12. Appendix B: Debarment and Licensing Certificate – The document is a fillable form that will need to be printed and uploaded as an attachment.

13. Appendix C: Conflict of Interest Questionnaire – Conflict of Interest Questionnaire should be filled out for the respondent.

14. Appendix D: Anti-Boycott Statement – Anti-Boycott Statement should be filled out for the respondent.

NOTE: If filing electronically via Bonfire, the “Conflict of Interest Statement”, “Debarment and Licensing Certificate” and “Anti-Boycott Statement” are fillable forms to be completed and accepted.

A Cover Page, Table of Contents, and divider pages are not required. Minimum font size of 12 is required for text except on the organizational chart. Use Calibri or similar font. Font size smaller than 12 is permissible on the organizational chart.

2. Evaluation Criteria