10-B. RFP Solicitation Document FY26-RFP-11 Siphon Cleaning Services..pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

S IPH ON CLEAN ING S ERVICES

RF P # FY 26- RF P- 11

CITY OF CH ARLOT TE

N ORTH CAROLIN A

S EPTEMBER 12 , 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP #FY26-RFP-11

SIPHON CLEANING SERVICES

September 12, 2025

Interested Company:

Charlotte Water, a department of the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, is now accepting Proposals for Siphon Cleaning Services. The requirements for submitting a Proposal are stated in the attached Request for Proposals (the “RFP”). Please review them carefully.

Charlotte Water is using the Bonfire City of Charlotte e-Procurement Portal (“Procurement Portal” -https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com) to accept and evaluate proposals for this RFP. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Procurement Portal on or before the Due Date in order to be accepted.

Each Company is solely responsible for the timely delivery of their Proposal. Companies accept all risks of late delivery regardless of fault. In addition, Companies accept all risks if file is corrupted, incorrect, incomplete, or not attached. Any Proposal received after the date and time specified, regardless of the mode of delivery, shall not be considered.

A Non-Mandatory Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference for the purpose of reviewing the RFP and answering questions regarding the Services will be held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. No onsite meeting will be held and Companies should not come to the City expecting to attend in person. While attendance at the Pre- Proposal Conference is not mandatory, all interested Companies are encouraged to participate.

Click here to join – Microsoft Teams Video Conference Meeting ID: 296 307 729 195 7

Passcode: wT99W7Q2 https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22 Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d

To join via phone only - 872-256-4172 Conference ID: 106 780 879

Please have a copy of the RFP available for reviewing during the Pre-Proposal Conference. Proposal submissions are due no later than October 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

All times stated in this RFP shall be of the eastern time zone (ET).

The City is an equal opportunity purchaser.

Sincerely, Elizabeth (Leigh) Murray Procurement Officer https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d

Checklist for submitting a Proposal:

Step 1 Read the document fully.

Step 2 Review the solicitation timeline and upcoming events in the Procurement Portal and download copies of any documents if you plan to submit a Proposal.

Step 3 Submit any questions via the Procurement Portal by the deadline(s) noted for the solicitation.

Step 4 Conduct a thorough review of the Sample Contract. Any exceptions to the Sample Contract must be uploaded in word format (with redlines/tracked changes).

Step 5 Monitor the Procurement Portal for any addendums and/or responses to questions.

If you plan to submit a Proposal, you must submit all required documents and respond to all questions within the Procurement Portal for the RFP.

If awarded a contract, your company will be required to provide an insurance certificate(s) that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in the Sample Contract.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. OBJECTIVE

1.2. DEFINITIONS

1.3. ACCURACY OF RFP AND RELATED DOCUMENTS

1.4. CITY’S RIGHTS AND OPTIONS

1.5. EXPENSE OF SUBMITTAL PREPARATION

1.6. PROPOSAL CONDITIONS

2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS

2.1. SCHEDULE AND PROCESS

2.2. INTENT TO BID

2.3. INTERPRETATIONS AND ADDENDA

2.4. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

2.5. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

2.6. CORRECTION OF ERRORS

2.7. EVALUATION

2.8. CONTRACT AWARD BY CITY COUNCIL. (ANTICIPATED)

2.9. VENDOR INCLUSION

3. SCOPE OF SIPHON CLEANING SERVICES

3.1. BACKGROUND

3.2. GENERAL SCOPE

3.3. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

3.4. DIGITAL VIDEO INSPECTIONS AND CCTV DATABASE

3.5. VIDEO OVERLAY

3.6. VIDEO FORMAT

3.7. VIDEO MEDIA

3.8. CUSTOMIZED DATA FIELDS

3.9. CLEANING AND TELEVISION OF GRAVITY SEWERS

3.10. WORK ORDERS

3.11. COMPANY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

3.12. COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES

3.13. SEWER CLEANING EQUIPMENT

3.14. COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EQUIPMENT

3.15. TRAFFIC CONTROL

3.16. EQUIPMENT IDENTIFICATION SIGNS

3.17. MATERIAL SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENT

3.18. DEBRIS DISPOSAL

3.19. CLEAN-UP AND DISPOSAL OF EXCESS MATERIAL

3.20. REMOVAL OF PROTRUDING SERVICE

3.21. ROOT REMOVAL WITHIN SEWERS

3.22. CLEANING PRECAUTIONS

3.23. NON-PERFORMANCE OF SIPHON CLEANING SERVICES

3.24. BURIED MANHOLES

3.25. SMARTCOVERS AND FLOW MONITORS

Table of Contents

3.26. WATER SUPPLY

3.27. REDUCED PRESSURE (RP) PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTER

3.28. CONTINGENCY ALLOWANCE

3.29. INVOICE INFORMATION

3.30. PRICING/PAY ITEM DESCRIPTIONS

3.31. CONTRACT TERM

3.32. CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION

3.33. CONTRACT KICK-OFF MEETING

3.34. PRICING

4. PROPOSAL CONTENT AND FORMAT

4.1. PROPOSAL CONTENT

5. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

5.1. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

5.2. PROJECT APPROACH AND PROPOSED SOLUTION

5.3. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND VALUE

5.4. ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT

Section 1 Introduction and General Information

1. INTRODUCTION.

1.1. Objective.

The objective of this RFP is to solicit Proposals that will enable the City to determine which Company and Proposed Solution will best meet the City’s needs for the Services detailed in the Scope of Work.

1.2. Definitions.

As used in this RFP, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acceptance: Refers to receipt and approval by the City of a Deliverable or Service in accordance with the acceptance process and criteria in the Contract.

Affiliates: Refers to all departments or units of the City and all other governmental units, boards, committees or municipalities for which the City processes data or performs services.

Charlotte Business INClusion/CBI: Refers to the Charlotte Business INClusion office of the City of

Charlotte.

Charlotte Business INClusion Policy/ CBI Policy: Refers to the policy adopted by City Council, which seeks to enhance competition in contracting and procurement opportunities for MWSBEs located in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area.

Charlotte Combined Statistical Area: Refers to the area consisting of the North Carolina counties of Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, and Union, and the South Carolina counties of Chester, Lancaster, and York;

a criterion used by Charlotte Business INClusion to determine eligibility to participate in the program.

City: Refers to the City of Charlotte, North Carolina.

City Project Manager: Refers to a specified City employee representing the City’s best interests in this Project.

Company: During the solicitation process, refers to a company that has interest in providing the Services. After the solicitation process, refers to a company that has been selected by the City to provide the Services.

Company Project Manager: Refers to a specified Company employee representing the best interests of the Company for this Project.

Contract: Refers to a written agreement executed by the City and the Company for all or part of the Services.

Deliverables: Refers to all tasks, reports, information, designs, plans, and other items that the Company is required to deliver to the City in connection with the Contract.

Department: Refers to a department within the City of Charlotte.

Documentation: Refers to all written, electronic, or recorded works that describe the use, functions, features, or purpose of the Deliverables or Services or any component thereof, and which are provided to the City by the Company or its subcontractors, including without limitation all end user manuals, training manuals, guides, program listings, data models, flow charts, and logic diagrams.

Evaluation Committee: Refers to a City-appointed committee that will evaluate Proposals and identify the Company(-ies) best meeting the needs of the City.

Minority-owned Business Enterprise/ MBE: Refers to a business enterprise that: (i) is certified by the State of North

Carolina as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) within the meaning of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-128.4; (ii) is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more persons who are members of one of the following groups: African American or Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American or American Indian; and (iii) has significant business presence in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area.

MWSBE: Refers to SBEs, MBEs, and WBEs, collectively.

MWSBE Goal: If an RFP or Contract has separate Subcontracting Goals for MBEs, WBEs, and/or SBEs, the term MWSBE is a shorthand way to refer collectively to all MBE, WBE, and SBE Goals set for the RFP. In some instances, the City may set one (1) combined goal for MBEs, WBEs, and/or SBEs, in which event the term MWSBE Goal refers to that one (1) combined goal. In the latter instance, calculated as a percentage, the MWSBE Goal represents the total dollars spent with MBEs, WBEs, and SBEs as a portion of the total Proposal amount, including any contingency.

Project: Refers to the City’s need for a company to provide Siphon Cleaning Services for the City.

Project Plan: Refers to the detailed plan for delivery of the Services as described in Section 3, in the form accepted in writing by the City in accordance with the terms of this RFP and resultant Contract.

Proposal: Refers to the proposal submitted by a Company for the Services as outlined in this RFP.

Services: Refers to the Siphon Cleaning Services as requested in this RFP.

Small Business Enterprise/SBE: Refers to a business enterprise that is certified by the City of Charlotte under

Part E of the CBI Policy as meeting all of the requirements for SBE certification.

Specifications and Requirements: Refers to all definitions, descriptions, requirements, criteria, warranties, and performance standards relating to the Deliverables and Services that are set forth or referenced in: (i) this RFP, including any addenda; (ii) the Documentation; and (iii) any functional and/or technical specifications that are published or provided by the Company or its licensors or suppliers from time to time with respect to all or any part of the Deliverables or Services.

Subcontracting Goal: Refers to a SBE, MBE, WBE, and/or MWSBE Goal established by the City for an RFP and resulting Contract.

Trade Secrets: Information of the City or any of its suppliers, contractors or licensors that:

(i) derives value from being secret; and (ii) the owner has taken reasonable steps to keep confidential. See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 et seq. Examples of trade secrets include information relating to proprietary software, new technology, new products or services, flow charts or diagrams that show how things work, manuals that tell how things work and business processes and procedures.

Woman-owned Business Enterprise/ WBE: Refers to a business enterprise that: (i) is certified by the State of North

Carolina as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) within the meaning of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-128.4; (ii) is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one or more persons who are female; and (iii) has significant business presence in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area.

Work Product: Refers to the Deliverables and all other programs, algorithms, reports, information, designs, plans and other items developed by the Company in connection with this RFP, and all partial, intermediate or preliminary versions of any of the foregoing.

1.3. Accuracy of RFP and Related Documents.

Each Company must independently evaluate all information provided by the City. The City makes no representations or warranties regarding any information presented in this RFP, or otherwise made available during this procurement process, and assumes no responsibility for conclusions or interpretations derived from such information. In addition, the City will not be bound by or be responsible for any explanation or conclusions regarding this RFP or any related documents other than those provided by an addendum issued by the City. Companies may not rely on any oral statement by the City or its agents, advisors, or consultants.

If a Company identifies potential errors or omissions in this RFP or any other related documents, the Company should immediately notify the City of such potential discrepancy in writing. The City may issue a written addendum if the City determines clarification necessary. Each Company requesting an interpretation will be responsible for submitting them per Section 2.3.

1.4. City’s Rights and Options.

The City reserves the right, at the City’s sole discretion, to take any action affecting this RFP, this RFP process, or the Services or facilities subject to this RFP that would be in the best interests of the City, including:

1.4.1. To supplement, amend, substitute, or otherwise modify this RFP, including the schedule, at any time;

1.4.2. To cancel this RFP with or without the substitution of another RFP;

1.4.3. To require one or more Companies to supplement, clarify or provide additional information in order for the City to evaluate the Proposals submitted

1.4.4. To investigate the qualifications, experience, capabilities, and financial standing of each Company submitting a Proposal;

1.4.5. To waive any defect or irregularity in any Proposal received;

1.4.6. To reject any or all Proposals;

1.4.7. To share the Proposals with City employees other than the Evaluation Committee or City advisory committees as deemed necessary;

1.4.8. To award all, none, or any part of the Services and enter into Contracts with one or more of the responding Companies deemed by the City to be in the best interest of the City, which may be done with or without re-solicitation;

1.4.9. To discuss and negotiate with any Company(-ies) their Proposal terms and conditions, including but not limited to financial terms;

1.4.10. To terminate discussions and negotiations with any Company at any time and for any reason;

1.4.11. To issue additional requests for information; and

1.4.12. To take any action affecting this RFP, this RFP process, or the Services or facilities subject to this RFP that would be in the best interest of the City.

1.5. Expense of Submittal Preparation.

The City accepts no liability, and Companies will have no actionable claims, for reimbursement of any costs or expenses incurred in participating in this solicitation process. This includes expenses and costs related to Proposal submission, submission of written questions, attendance at pre-proposal meetings or evaluation interviews, contract negotiations, or activities required for contract execution.

1.6. Proposal Conditions.

1.6.1. The following terms are applicable to this RFP and the Company’s Proposal Not An Offer.

This RFP does not constitute an offer by the City. No binding contract, obligation to negotiate, or any other obligation shall be created on the part of the City unless the City and the Company execute a Contract. No recommendations or conclusions from this RFP process concerning the Company shall constitute a right (property or otherwise) under the Constitution of the United States or under the Constitution, case law, or statutory law of North Carolina.

1.6.2. Right to Terminate Discussions.

The Company’s participation in this process might result in the City selecting the Company to engage in further discussions. The commencement of such discussions, however, does not signify a commitment by the City to execute a Contract or to continue discussions. The City can terminate discussions at any time and for any reason.

1.6.3. Trade Secrets and Personal Identification Information.

Definition.

Upon receipt by the City, all materials submitted by a Company (including the Proposal) are considered public records except for (1) material that qualifies as “trade secret” information under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 et seq. (“Trade Secrets”) or (2) “personally identifiable information” protected by state or federal law, to include, but not be limited to, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and driver’s license numbers (“Personally Identifiable Information” or “PII”).

Instructions for Marking and Identifying Trade Secrets.

If any Proposal contains Trade Secrets or PII, such Trade Secrets and PII must specifically and clearly be identified by clearly separating them from the rest of the Proposal and marked either “Personally Identifiable Information – Confidential” or “Trade Secret— Confidential and Proprietary Information.” This confidentiality caption must appear on each page of the Trade Secret or PII materials, and the document(s) must be submitted separately in the Procurement Portal.

Availability of Proposals to City Staff and Contractors.

By submitting a Proposal, each Company agrees that the City may reveal any Trade Secret materials and PII contained therein to all City staff and City officials involved in the selection process, and to any outside consultant or other third parties who serve on the Evaluation Committee or who are hired or appointed by the City to assist in the evaluation process.

Availability of Proposals via Public Records Requests.

Any person or entity (including competitors) may request Proposals submitted in response to an RFP. Only those portions of RFPs properly designated as Trade Secret or PII are not subject to disclosure. The public disclosure of the contents of a Proposal or other materials submitted by a Company is governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 132 and 66-152, et seq.

When determining whether to mark materials as Trade Secret, please note the following:

• Entire Proposals may not be marked as Trade Secret

• Pricing may not be marked as Trade Secret

The City may disqualify and Company that designates its entire Proposal as a trade secret, or any portion thereof that clearly does not qualify under applicable law as a Trade Secret or PII. Each Company agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City and each of its officers, employees, and agents from all costs, damages, and expenses incurred in connection with refusing to disclose any material that the Company has designated as a Trade Secret or PII. This includes an obligation on the part of the Company to defend any litigation brought by a party that has requested Proposals or other information that the Company has marked Trade Secret or PII.

1.6.4. Statutory Requirements.

Any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP shall be in full conformance with all statutory requirements of North Carolina and all statutory requirements of the Federal Government, to the extent applicable.

1.6.5. Reservation of Right to Change Schedule.

The City shall ultimately determine the timing and sequence of events resulting from this RFP. The City reserves the right to delay the closing date and time for any phase if City staff believe that an extension will be in the best interest of the City.

1.6.6. Reservation of Right to Amend RFP.

The City reserves the right to amend this RFP at any time during the process, if it believes that doing so is in the best interests of the City. Any addenda will be posted to the Procurement Portal. Companies are required to acknowledge receipt of each addendum.

1.6.7. No Collusion or Conflict of Interest.

By responding to this RFP, the Company shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that the Proposal is not made in connection with any competing Company submitting a separate response to this RFP, and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud.

1.6.8. Proposal Terms Firm and Irreversible.

The signed Proposal shall be considered a firm offer on the part of the Company. The City reserves the right to negotiate price and other terms. All Proposal elements (including all statements, claims, declarations, prices, and specifications) shall be considered firm and irrevocable for purposes of future Contract negotiations unless specifically waived in writing by the City. The Company chosen for award should be prepared to have its Proposal and any relevant correspondence incorporated into the Contract, either in part or in its entirety, at the City's election. Any false or misleading statements found in the Proposal or Contract exceptions not included in the Proposal may be grounds for disqualification.

1.6.9. Charlotte Business INClusion Program.

Pursuant to Charlotte City Council’s adoption of the Charlotte Business INClusion (CBI) Policy, the CBI program promotes diversity, inclusion, and local business opportunities in the City’s contracting and procurement process for Minority-owned, Woman-owned, and Small Business Enterprises (MWSBEs) with a significant business presence in the Charlotte Combined Statistical Area. The CBI Policy is posted at www.charlottebusinessinclusion.com.

https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ https://charlottenc.bonfirehub.com/ http://www.charlottebusinessinclusion.com/

The City is committed to promoting opportunities for maximum participation of certified MWSBEs on City-funded contracts at both the prime and subcontract level. For MWSBE participation to count towards a Subcontracting Goal, MWSBEs must meet both the certification and geographic requirements as detailed throughout this solicitation and in the CBI Policy.

In lieu of a fixed percentage CBI participation goal, the Contractor shall consider quotes from CBI-qualified firms when subcontracting opportunities become available during the contract. When subcontracting opportunities become available, the Contractor shall obtain quotes from qualified subcontractors, including those participating in the CBI program. If the Contractor cannot obtain a quote from a qualified CBI firm, they shall provide written notification to the City Designee stating the reason (none available, no response from CBI firm, etc.) along with relevant supporting documentation. The City Designee shall receive copies of all quotes considered.

1.6.10. Subcontracting.

The Company given contract award shall be the prime contractor and shall be solely responsible for contractual performance. In the event of a subcontracting relationship, the Company shall remain the prime contractor and will assume all responsibility for the performance of the Services that are supplied by all subcontractors. The City retains the right to approve all subcontractors. Additionally, the City must be named as a third-party beneficiary in all subcontracts.

1.6.11. Equal Opportunity.

The City has an equal opportunity purchasing policy. The City seeks to ensure that all segments of the business community have access to supplying the goods and services needed by City programs. The City provides equal opportunity for all businesses and does not discriminate against any Companies regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, and national origin or disability.

1.6.12. Use of City’s Name.

No advertising, sales promotion, or other materials of the Company or its agents or representatives may identify or reference the City in any manner absent the prior written consent of the City.

1.6.13. Withdrawal for Modification of Proposals.

Companies may change or withdraw a previously-submitted Proposal at any time prior to the Proposal due date by editing or removing their submission on the Procurement Portal.

1.6.14. No Bribery.

In submitting a response to this RFP, each Company certifies that neither it, any of its affiliates or subcontractors, nor any employees of any of the foregoing has bribed, or attempted to bribe, an officer or employee of the City in connection with the Contract.

1.6.15. Exceptions to the RFP.

Other than exceptions that are stated in compliance with this Section, each Proposal shall be deemed to agree to comply with all terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements of this RFP including the Sample Contract language. An “exception” is defined as the Company’s inability or unwillingness to meet a term, condition, specification, or requirement in the manner specified in the RFP including in the Sample Contract. All exceptions taken must be identified and explained in writing in your Proposal and must specifically reference the relevant section(s) of this RFP. If the Company provides an alternate solution when taking an exception to a requirement, the benefits of this alternative solution and impact, if any, on any part of the remainder of the Company’s solution, must be described in detail.

Exceptions must be submitted under the Acknowledgement section in the Procurement Portal. If exceptions are not identified in your Proposal, they may not be considered during Contract negotiation and could result in Proposal being rejected from further consideration.

If legal counsel needs to review the Sample Contract prior to signature, reviews must be completed before your Proposal is submitted. The City reserves the right to refuse consideration of any terms not so included. Any proposed changes to the Sample Terms after tentative contract award may constitute a material change to the Company’s Proposal and be grounds for revoking the award.

The City intends to enter into a City-drafted Contract with the successful Company that contains the terms and conditions set forth in the Sample Services Contract. The number and extent of any exceptions and proposed additions to the Sample Terms will be one of the City’s evaluation criteria.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City reserves the right to modify the Sample Terms prior to or during contract negotiations if it is in the City’s best interest to do so.

1.6.16. Fair Trade Certifications.

By submitting a Proposal, the Company certifies that:

• The prices in its Proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement with anyone, as to any matter relating to such prices for the purpose of restricting competition;

• Unless otherwise required by law, the prices quoted in its Proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Company and will not knowingly be so disclosed prior to the Proposal due date; and

• No attempt has been made or will be made by the Company to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a Proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

1.6.17. Companies’ Obligation to Fully Inform Themselves.

Companies or their authorized representatives must fully inform themselves as to all conditions, requirements, and specifications of this RFP before submitting a Proposal.

Failure to do so will be at the Company’s own risk.

1.6.18. Disclaimer

Each Company must perform its own evaluation and due diligence verification of all information and data provided by the City. The City makes no representations or warranties regarding any information or data provided by the City.

Section 2 Procurement Process

2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

This Section 2 contains information about the procurement process for this Project.

2.1. Schedule and Process.

The following chart shows the schedule of events for the conduct of this RFP. The key events and deadlines for this process are as follows, some of which are set forth in more detail in the Sections that follow:

DATE EVENT

September 12, 2025 Issuance of RFP. The City issues this RFP.

September 24, 2025 Intent to Bid. Company submits its intent to submit a Proposal via the Procurement Portal for this RFP by 5:00 p.m.

September 24, 2025 Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference to be held via the link indicated in Section 2.4 at 11:00 a.m.

October 1, 2025 Submission of Questions After the Pre-Proposal Conference. Questions are due by 5:00 p.m.

October 15, 2025 Proposal Submission. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. via the Procurement Portal.

October 2025 Evaluation. The Evaluation Committee will assess each Proposal and conduct evaluation activities with Companies.

November 24, 2025 Contract Award by City Council. (anticipated)

January 1, 2026 Services Commence. Company begins providing the Services.

2.2. Intent to Bid.

Please acknowledge receipt of this RFP through the Intent to Bid feature within the Procurement Portal, advising the City of your Company’s intention to submit or not submit a Proposal. The City strongly encourages Companies to submit their Intent to Bid prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference, but Companies shall not be precluded from submitting a Proposal if they fail to submit their Intent to Bid.

2.3. Interpretations and Addenda.

There are two (2) ways to ask questions about this RFP: (1) submit a question through the Vendor Discussion section on the Procurement Portal; or (2) ask a question at the Pre-Proposal Conference, if one is held. Other than these permitted methods, Companies should refrain from contacting City staff prior to the Proposal due date. The City is not bound by any statements, representations or clarifications regarding this RFP other than those provided in writing by the Procurement Officer.

After the Pre-Proposal Conference, questions must be submitted in the Procurement Portal by the deadline stated in Section 2.1. In the case of questions not submitted by the deadline, the City will, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, decide whether an answer can be given before the Proposal deadline. When responding to Company questions or issuing addenda to the RFP, the City will post the answer or information to the Procurement Portal.

2.4. Pre-Proposal Conference.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference will be conducted on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Meeting information is provided below:

Click here to join – Microsoft Teams Video Conference Meeting ID: 296 307 729 195 7

Passcode: wT99W7Q2 https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?con text=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d

To join via phone only - 872-256-4172 Conference ID: 106 780 879

While attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference is not mandatory, all interested Companies are encouraged to attend. If special accommodations are required for attendance, please notify the City in advance through the Vendor Discussion section of the Procurement Portal.

2.5. Submission of Proposals.

Proposals must be in the format specified in Section 4 of this RFP by Wednesday, October 15, 2025, on or before but no later than 2:00 p.m.

Refer to the Bonfire Procurement Portal Instructions document in the Procurement Portal for submission instructions.

When received, all Proposals and supporting materials, as well as correspondence relating to this RFP, shall become the property of the City. The Proposals will not be read aloud or made available to inspect or copy until any trade secret issues have been resolved.

2.6. Correction of Errors.

The person signing the Proposal must initial erasures or other corrections in the Proposal. The Company further agrees that in the event of any obvious errors, the City reserves the right to waive such errors in its sole discretion. The City, however, has no obligation under any circumstances to waive such errors.

2.7. Evaluation.

As part of the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee may engage in discussions with one or more Companies. Discussions might be held with individual Companies to determine in greater detail the Company’s qualifications, to explore with the Company the scope and nature of the required contractual Services, to learn the Company’s proposed method of performance and the relative utility of alternative methods, and to facilitate arriving at a Contract that will be satisfactory to the City.

The City may in its discretion require one (1) or more Companies to make presentations to the Evaluation Committee or appear before the City and/or its representatives for an interview. During such interview, the Company may be required to orally and otherwise present its Proposal and to respond in detail to any questions posed. Additional meetings may be held to clarify issues or to address comments, as the City deems appropriate. Companies will be notified in advance of the time and format of such meetings.

Since the City may choose to award a Contract without engaging in discussions or negotiations, the Proposals submitted shall state the Company's best offer for performing the Services described in this

RFP.

2.8. Contract Award by City Council. (anticipated)

As soon as practical after opening the Proposals, the name of the apparent successful Company will be submitted to the City Council for final approval of award and the Procurement Officer will provide Contract documents to the Company. In the event the City Council approval is not received within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days after opening of the Proposals, the Company may request that it be released from the Proposal.

2.9. Vendor Inclusion.

The City’s vendor management philosophy supports a fair, open, and inclusive process that offers the same access and information to all Companies. Although Companies are not required to be registered in the City’s vendor registration system prior to submitting a Proposal, in order to execute a contract https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjA3ZTU2MWYtY2I0ZS00YzNlLWJiOWUtYzQxNzc2YjkwZGNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223392a0ee-6ccb-49c5-94b5-f5e6d8a665d6%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2226781ee6-63f0-45ff-8f27-a98dfc19e431%22%7d with the City and receive payment from the City, all Companies must register with the City’s vendor registration system.

Your registration provides the City with baseline information for your company including location, contact and demographic information, as well as your areas of expertise with specific commodity and/or service descriptions. You will also have the opportunity to complete any applicable certifications if your company desires to establish itself as an SBE, MBE, or WBE. The link below will provide you with the opportunity to complete your registration on-line with the City.

http://charlottenc.gov/vendors http://charlottenc.gov/vendors

Section 3 Scope of Services

3. SCOPE OF SIPHON CLEANING SERVICES.

3.1. Background.

Charlotte Water has established an annual sanitary sewer siphon cleaning program to optimize system performance and prevent sanitary sewer overflows. Many of the siphons are difficult to clean and may require specialty cleaning and inspection equipment. The intent of this project is to clean each siphon in the collection system at least once every year. Aerial photos are included as Exhibits to this RFP as a separate file. Also included in the scope of this project is large diameter sanitary sewer mains not associated with a siphon.

3.2. General Scope.

Cleaning and post-cleaning inspection services for various diameters, lengths, and configurations of inverted siphons, including flow control, throughout the Charlotte Water service area. The diameters of siphon pipes to be cleaned and inspected range from 6 inches to 48 inches and include both single and multi-barrels. Available siphon information, along with maps and as-builts, are at As-Builts Zip File.

For access to these files, please contact Elizabeth.Murray@charlottenc.gov .The Company shall verify the sizes and configurations of each siphon and report any discrepancies of the as-builts to Charlotte Water. Cleaning schedules will vary, as required, and may include the need to perform services during nights, weekends, and/or City observed holidays.

This contract will service the Field Operations Division of Charlotte Water and will primarily focus on the annual cleaning and inspection of approximately forty-four (44) inverted siphons throughout the Charlotte Water service area.

The Company will be required to clean and inspect all siphons within the contract time period and will be responsible for scheduling the work. In addition, the Company will be required to clean and TV on average two (2) gravity lines directly upstream and two (2) gravity lines directly downstream of each siphon. Diameter of these lines range from 8-inch to 54-inch.

Every Friday by noon, the Company shall submit a weekly schedule for the upcoming week. The schedule shall define all activities anticipated for that week including specific work on specific siphons.

If changes occur, the schedule shall be immediately updated and resubmitted to the City Designee.

The City Designee may request that the schedules be submitted to other personnel within Charlotte Water, as well as other agencies such as CDOT, NCDOT and Storm Water Services. Work not scheduled shall not be performed and will not be approved for payment. The following week, the Company will receive a work order for work submitted on the schedule.

Work orders shall be completed in the order they’re assigned and according to the submitted schedule.

When a work order is complete, the Company shall move directly to the next work order, without delay.

Work shall continue, without interruption, until all siphons are complete.

In addition, the Company shall submit to the City Designee, work complete forms every Friday. The work complete forms shall document all work completed during the week, including quantities for each bid item.

The Company shall take notes and measurements regarding any conditions which indicate any structural defects of the lines and include these notes with corresponding still photos of the defect areas as part of the work complete form. In addition, the Company shall note the amount of debris removed (heavy or light) and the content of debris (rags, rocks, grease, etc.). The Company shall devise its own work completer form and submit to the City Designee for approval.

https://cityofcharlotte-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/r/personal/mike_wirth_charlottenc_gov/Documents/FY26%20Siphon%20Cleaning%20Contract%20Docs/FY26%20Siphon%20Contract%20Plan%20And%20Detail%20Sheets.zip?csf=1&web=1&e=nqFjNc mailto:Elizabeth.Murray@charlottenc.gov

The Company is responsible for protection of work, material, and equipment prior to rain events.

Company shall monitor weather events daily and report potential events that may impact peak wet weather flow conditions.

The Company shall monitor flows and report any increases of more than 10% or when flows exceed flow control capacity, whichever is less. Work at night during low flow conditions is expected to be necessary for many of the siphons. Inspection methods are to be determined by the Company.

The Company shall continuously monitor the level of surcharge in the upstream manhole of the siphon while flow is being interrupted. The Company may install a level sensor to verify that the interrupted flow is not surcharging the line and/or creating issues upstream.

All CCTV inspection work shall be performed using ITpipes software. The selected company must use the ITpipes Charlotte Water template available from ITpipes.

For more information regarding the template, contact:

E-mail: info@itpipes.com Phone: 1-877-487-4737 Web: www.itpipes.com

The ITpipes Charlotte Water template contains all correct data entry fields, all observation inputs and required parameters, template settings for overlay control and setup, and other settings. Inspections submitted with incorrect or missing data will be returned to the Company for corrections.

3.3. Service Requirements

While the City is flexible with respect to certain elements of the Siphon Cleaning Services, the City has specific requirements and preferences for the Service delivery method.

The Company shall provide cleaning and inspection services for inverted siphons and gravity sewer lines, as needed, ranging in diameter from six (6) inches to fifty-four (54) inches. Charlotte Water will specify the cleaning and inspection services to be performed in the form of a written work order.

The Company shall possess and have at least two (2) crews available for cleaning and CCTV to meet the City’s demand. If an additional crew is deemed necessary by Charlotte Water, the City Designee will notify the Company of the need and the Company will provide a fully equipped crew within seven (7) calendar days. Charlotte Water anticipates that at least one (1) fully equipped, full time crew will be required for this Contract.

Sewer pipes must be cleaned to within ninety-five percent (95%) of the original carrying (flow) capacity of the pipe. All grease, roots, sand, rocks, debris, etc. shall be completely removed to be considered clean. Sewers which do not meet these standards will be re-cleaned and re-inspected at no additional cost to Charlotte Water.

The Company shall use the appropriate equipment to clean all foreign material from each sewer segment thoroughly. The required equipment may be high velocity water jet cleaning equipment with various attachments or mechanical cleaning equipment such as buckets, balls, root cutters, or power rodders. The Company shall select the proper cleaning equipment and procedures based on the conditions of the sewers at the time the work commences.

Prior to inserting any mechanical device into the sewer (such as a root cutter), the Company shall first televise the sewer to make sure there are no other utilities passing through the sewer pipe (such as gas lines, cable lines, power lines, water lines, etc.). This requirement is intended to prevent any damage to other existing utilities and to protect workers. Any damage made to such utilities due to the Companies’ failure to televise said line shall be the responsibility of the Company. The television inspection does not need to be recorded or submitted to City Designee unless there are existing utilities in the sewer, in which case a snapshot video and an accurate location will be required. This type of television inspection shall be considered incidental to the cost and no additional payment will be made.

The cost of these inspections shall be included in the unit costs for cleaning and CCTV inspection.

In some situations, the Company may be required to respond after business hours, on weekends, or on City observed holidays. The Company must be reachable via telephone twenty-four (24) hours a day.

Return calls must take place within an hour. The Company must respond to service and be on site within four (4) hours of receiving call.

Upon completion, the Company shall submit one (1) copy of the final inspections to the City Designee for review. All inspections shall be submitted to Charlotte Water on flash drive, hard drive, or an approved cloud-based file sharing application, whichever is preferred by the City Designee. Charlotte Water may also require the upload of the videos and database to an internet-based website. Color printed, hard copy reports shall also be submitted upon request.

3.4. Digital Video Inspections and CCTV Database

All televised sewer inspections performed under this Contract (including sewer laterals) shall be submitted to the City Designee in electronic (digital) format. All sanitary sewer main inspections performed will be imported into Charlotte Water’s ITpipes inspection software. The import tools used by Charlotte Water will not function properly if data is not submitted in the exact format required below.

Inspections of siphon barrels will be performed using sonar or an alternative approved by Charlotte Water. Videos of sonar inspections will be provided to City Designee along with sewer main video inspections. Sonar inspections do not require ITpipes. Using a mandrel or other cage-type inspection method for siphon barrels is not acceptable.

All inspections shall be performed using ITpipes software in the field. The Company is responsible for obtaining and/or maintaining necessary software licenses. ITpipes must be installed in the truck that is performing the television inspections and used for the live field inspections. If ITpipes with the specific Charlotte Water template is not in the truck(s), the work shall immediately cease until it is installed in the truck(s) to be used during the inspection process.

The Company must use the ITpipes Charlotte Water template available from ITpipes. This template contains all correct data entry fields, all observation inputs and required parameters, template settings for overlay control and setup, and other settings. The Company shall obtain the template prior to performing any CCTV inspections. Inspections performed without using the Charlotte Water template will be rejected, and the Company will have to re-perform the inspections at no cost to the City.

MP4 with the H.264 Codec recording with embedded meta-data is required. Each submittal to the City Designee shall include the ITpipes software database file within the approved structure along with the MP4 video files. The Company shall make all adjustments necessary to adhere to the required format specified herein including performing the work using the required software at no additional cost to the City. After the first submittal, the City Designee will notify the Company of any required changes in the data and file format, and the Company shall make such modifications at no additional cost. The digital recording shall include video information that accurately reproduces the original picture and sound of the video inspection. The video portion of the digital recording shall be free of electrical interference and shall produce a clear and stable image.

3.5. Video Overlay

The final sewer inspection video shall include overlay/text display with an initial display screen and with a continuous running screen.

Each inspection start shall include overlay display of section details including at a minimum:

• City name

• Project name

• Company name

• Street name (if applicable)

• Date/time of inspection

• MH Start #/MH End #

• Pipe material

• Pipe size

• Direction of video

• Weather or Flow Level

• Pipe Identifier Number (GM Number)

The continuous running screen shall include a constant display of the street name, MH Start #/MH End #, date, and distance shall appear on screen.

The CCTV inspector shall move or remove overlay display accordingly, so it does not interfere with the inspection review of particular observations/defects as the inspection is occurring. As an observation/defect is noted by the inspector, a text display shall appear with the text describing the observation/defect. Text shall display for four to five (4-5) seconds.

Distance shall appear continuously in the lower left corner of the video image as the camera is traveling down the line. It is imperative that distance is accurate. The CCTV inspector shall calibrate/test footage at the beginning of each day as incorrect footage will result in return of inspections.

3.6. Video Format

Completed work shall consist of MP4 video files with the H.264 Codec captured live off the inspection camera. Each pipe inspection’s observations shall be related to a time point within the video.

Each pipe inspection MP4 file shall have a related text file, with an identical name but different extension on the file. This file shall contain the distances of each observation and the related time point for that observation. During the inspection, the video file recording shall pause as the operator selects the observation/defect notation, eliminating “on hold” video.

The MP4 files shall be named as follows:

• Example:

Pipe ID is GM-31619 and manhole numbers are (Upstream) MH-249417 to (Downstream) MH- 249341

Then, the video filename = GM-31619_MH-249417_MH-249341.mp4

The video file resolution shall be 640 x 480 dpi minimum. The audio shall be included within the MP4 and not as a separate file.

3.7. Video Media

The database file and the corresponding video files shall be submitted to the City Designee on flash drive, portable external hard drives, or an approved cloud-based file sharing application. One (1) copy of the printed logs, in color, that correspond to the inspections shall be submitted to the City Designee upon request. The City Designee will return the hard drive to the Company after the inspections have been reviewed.

Each submittal to the City Designee shall include a transmittal letter, listing the file names and all sewer segments and video files included on the hard drive.

3.8. Customized Data Fields

Charlotte Water has developed customized data fields for its viewing software. The Company will be required to use these data fields, without any modifications, to enter project information for each inspection. These data fields are available from ITpipes.

Observations for each inspection shall include:

• Distance (part of the Charlotte Water catalog)

• Defect/description (part of the Charlotte Water catalog)

• Counter time observation occurs within digital video (part of the Charlotte Water catalog)

• Severity rating for each observation/defect (part of the Charlotte Water catalog)

• Infiltration rating (part of the Charlotte Water catalog)

Upon the completion of the cleaning and television inspection work for the entire work order, the Company shall submit one (1) copy of the final digital and printed television inspection reports to the City Designee, as specified.

3.9. Cleaning and Television of Gravity Sewers

The…