10510 RFQual.pdf

10510 Request for Qualifications (RFQ):

Water Treatment Polymers

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Issue Date .................................................................................................................................... Friday, June 27, 2025

Requests for Clarification and Additional Information Deadline ........................... Wednesday, July 09, 2025 5:00 P.M.

Response to Written Requests for Clarification and Additional Information .............................. Monday, July 14, 2025

Deadline to Submit Intent to Respond ......................................................................... Friday, July 18, 2025 5:00 P.M.

Statement of Qualifications Due Date ........................................................... Wednesday, August 06, 2025 5:00 P.M.

*All dates are tentative and subject to change and/or cancellation at Denver Water’s sole discretion. Denver Water will notify potential Suppliers of any and all necessary changes and/or cancellations via written addendum. All times included on this Schedule of Events are Mountain Time.

Procurement Contact: Aura Cerchiaro Barros

Email: aura.cerchiarobarros@denverwater.org

Phone: 303-628-6107

Procurement Section, Administrative Services Division

REV 7/22/24

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: RFQ PURPOSE

1.1 PURPOSE

1.2 BACKGROUND

1.3 TIMELINE

1.4 PRODUCT SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

1.5 SCHEDULE A: POLYDADMAC PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

1.6 SCHEDULE B: POLYACRYLAMIDE PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SECTION 2: GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 SOLICITATION INTRODUCTION

2.2 INTRODUCTION TO DENVER WATER

2.3 SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS AND ADDENDA

2.4 ADDENDA

2.5 RESPONSE PREPARATION COST

2.6 ACCEPTANCE

2.7 WITHDRAWAL OR MODIFICATION OF RESPONSE

2.8 RIGHT TO REJECT RESPONSES

SECTION 3: SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

3.1 REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

3.2 INTENT TO RESPOND

3.3 RESPONSE SUBMISSION FORMAT

3.4 DESIGNATION OF ANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

SECTION 4: EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 AGREEMENT REQUIRED

4.2 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

SECTION 1: RFQ PURPOSE

1.1 PURPOSE

Denver Water is requesting Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) from Suppliers of Polymers for use in the water treatment process.

Suppliers may submit a SOQ for one or more of the following schedules:

• Schedule A: Polydiallyldimethylammonium Chloride (PolyDADMAC) for Coagulant Aid

• Schedule B: Polyacrylamide for Flocculant and/or Sludge Conditioning Aid

These two polymer categories will be generally referred to as “Polymers” throughout this document unless specified otherwise.

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to:

i. Test the available samples of Polymers that meet or exceed all requirements of ANSI/AWWA Standards and shall be certified as meeting ANSI/NSF 60 standards for use in potable water treatment.

ii. Gain a better understanding of the quality of Polymers available on the market through Denver Water’s testing.

iii. Determine which samples of Polymers may be most suitable for Denver Water’s water treatment process during various seasonal conditions.

iv. Secure feedback from Suppliers may be used to develop a subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP);

however, Denver Water has no specific date or timeline for this event.

Suppliers qualified through this RFQ will receive a direct invitation to compete in the upcoming polymer solicitation.

Suppliers that are not qualified under this RFQ will not be eligible to compete in the subsequent competitive formal selection process for this purchase.

1.2 BACKGROUND

Denver Water currently operates four potable and one reuse water treatment plants. The water treatment plants that use Polymers are located at:

Foothills Treatment Plant 6730 N Rampart Range Road Littleton, CO 80125

Marston Treatment Plant 6100 W Quincy Avenue Denver, CO 80235

Moffat Treatment Plant 10901 W 20th Avenue Lakewood, CO 80215

Northwater Treatment Plant 6949 Hwy 93 Golden, CO 80403

Recycling Treatment Plant 5650 York Street Commerce City, CO 80022

Furthermore, Denver Water's treatment process is influenced by three specified seasons, each characterized by variations in source water chemistry and temperature:

• Summer (high production)

• Winter (low temperature)

• Spring (runoff)

The composition of source water can vary significantly, depending on whether it originates from the east or west slope, leading to different water chemistries. These variations present challenges for Denver Water's treatment facilities as they strive to deliver high-quality water at the volumes requested by the community.

It is of scoring that, there are predictable patterns regarding the characteristics of raw water from each source during the aforementioned periods. Therefore, Polymer testing should be conducted across all three major seasons before proceeding with a subsequent RFP.

To determine the most cost-effective polymer for each season, comprehensive testing cycles must be performed.

Jar testing will serve as Denver Water’s method for this approach and will be used to establish effective dosing relationships for each desired polymer at each water treatment plant during the specified periods.

Additionally, the selected Polymers must perform effectively until the storage tanks are switched to the new polymers for each season. The ideal scenario would involve a low-dosage polymer that operates efficiently at all facilities throughout the year.

1.3 TIMELINE

The anticipated timeframe for issuing an RFP to Suppliers qualified through the RFQ process is July 2026.

The polymers testing process will occur over three seasons, we anticipate informing Suppliers about the prequalified

Polymers in June 2026.

1.4 PRODUCT SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

A. Suppliers that participate in this RFQ must submit samples product(s) per polymer category at three separate intervals for testing purposes. Failure to submit product samples by the deadlines below will result in disqualification.

B. Seasonal Testing Deadlines Summer Product Samples Deadline ................................ Wednesday, August 06, 2025 5:00 P.M.

Winter Product Samples Deadline ................................. Wednesday, January 07, 2026 5:00 P.M.

Spring Product Samples Deadline ....................................... Wednesday, April 08, 2026 5:00 P.M.

Please allow sufficient time for product sample shipment. Product samples that are not received by the specified deadlines above will not be accepted.

These deadlines shall be subject to change at Denver Water’s sole discretion. Denver Water will notify Suppliers of any and all necessary changes via written addendum. All times included on this Schedule of Events are Mountain Time.

C. Suppliers can submit polymer product samples solely for those product(s) for which all requisite product documentation and technical information were duly submitted by the Statement of Qualifications Due Date, as specified in the Schedule of Events.

D. Suppliers cannot submit polymer product samples at subsequent testing intervals that were not part of their initial submission.

E. Sample Size

The Supplier is required to submit a maximum sample of 125 ml (4 oz) of each product per schedule per seasonal testing deadline.

F. Responsibility for Shipment I. The Supplier is solely responsible for complying with regulatory and shipping standards as well as ensuring that the sample is packaged securely and arrives untampered.

II. The Supplier is responsible for all costs associated with the submission of samples at each interval, including shipping and handling of the product samples. This includes ensuring that all samples are shipped promptly and without delay to meet the deadlines above.

III. The Supplier is solely responsible for ensuring that all product samples are shipped on time and in accordance with the RFQ’s shipping requirements and deadlines. It must allow adequate time for shipping to avoid any delays and to ensure that all samples arrive on or before the deadlines.

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1.5 SCHEDULE A: POLYDADMAC PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

A. POLYDADMAC FOR COAGULANT AID PRODUCT STANDARDS

I. PolyDADMAC polymer must meet or exceed all requirements of ANSI/AWWA Standard No. B451-23 for Polydiallyldimethylammonium Chloride and shall be certified as meeting ANSI/NSF 60 standards for use in potable water treatment.

II. PolyDADMAC production facility and product must be certified to meet ANSI/NSF 60 Standards for drinking water treatment chemicals – health effects.

B. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS

I. PolyDADMAC polymer shall be clear, colorless to pale yellow, free of visible foreign matter, sediment, and turbidity.

II. PolyDADMAC shall contain no foreign substances in quantities capable of producing deleterious or injurious effects to the health of those consuming water that has been treated with polymer in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and within the maximum allowed dosage.

III. Denver Water uses PolyDADMAC to supplement Liquid Aluminum Sulfate and Liquid Acidized Alum 5% in the coagulation process.

IV. Annually, the Supplier is required to submit to Denver Water a letter certifying that the PolyDADMAC product meets the requirements of Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations 141.111 Treatment Techniques for Acrylamide and Epichlorohydrin.

C. ESTIMATED USAGE

I. The estimated annual usage of PolyDADMAC is approximately 1,400,000 lbs in a typical year.

PolyDADMAC polymers usage can vary significantly on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis due to changes in weather or other factors.

II. The quantity stated here is intended to provide planning guidance to the Suppliers and does not represent actual purchase quantities. No guarantee of quantities is intended, either express or implied.

III. A typical annual distribution of PolyDADMAC usage between Denver Water’s four water treatment plants is as follows:

Water Treatment Plant %

Foothills Treatment Plant 70%

Marston Treatment Plant 10%

Moffat Treatment Plant 10%

Northwater Treatment Plant 10%

This distribution is provided as general information only. The actual distribution between plants varies year to year based on plant outages, weather patterns, and other factors.

Representative Percent (%) of Annual PolyDADMAC Usage by Month

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

4 4 5 5 9 15 16 14 12 8 5 5

IV. The Supplier is expected to be able to provide PolyDADMAC to meet Denver Water’s needs regardless of changes in water production rates.

D. ORDERING PROCEDURE

I. PolyDADMAC usage varies seasonally and with changes in weather conditions that affect production rates.

II. Denver Water may place monthly PolyDADMAC polymers orders based on water treatment needs.

III. Order standard lead time of five (5) business days After Receipt of Order is required.

E. SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS

I. Shipping Volume Requirements

i. PolyDADMAC must be shipped in self-powered, self-contained pneumatic truck trailers.

ii. PolyDADMAC must be shipped in full tanker loads for deliveries to the respective Denver Water

Treatment Plant

iii. Bulk deliveries to each of Denver Water’s water treatment plants shall be as follows:

Foothills Water Treatment Plant 45,000 lbs

Marston Water Treatment Plant 45,200 lbs

Moffat Water Treatment Plant 45,000 lbs

Northwater Water Treatment Plant 45,200 lbs

II. Delivery Vehicle Requirements

i. The shipper must supply all hoses and fittings required to connect to existing Denver Water facilities.

ii. The delivery vehicle must be equipped with 40 feet of hose and a 3-inch female camlock quick-connect coupling.

iii. Delivery vehicle hoses must be clean, capped, and sealed while in transit to prevent product contamination.

III. Packaging Requirements Packaging and shipping requirements must meet those stated in ANSI/AWWA B451-23 or latest revision. The absence of, or irregularities in, seals may be sufficient cause Denver Water rejects the delivery.

IV. Delivery Hours Denver Water will only accept deliveries of PolyDADMAC five (5) days per week, Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time (MST)

1.6 SCHEDULE B: POLYACRYLAMIDE PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

A. POLYACRYLAMIDE FOR FLOCCULANT AND/OR SLUDGE CONDITIONING AID PRODUCT STANDARDS

I. Polymer for flocculant and/or sludge conditioning aid must meet or exceed all requirements of ANSI/AWWA Standard No. B453-19 for Polyacrylamide for potable water supply service applications and shall be certified as meeting ANSI/NSF 60 standards for use in potable water treatment.

II. Polyacrylamide polymer for flocculant and/or sludge conditioning aid production facility and product must be certified to meet ANSI/NSF 60 Standards for drinking water treatment chemicals – health effects.

B. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS

I. Polyacrylamide polymer for flocculant and/or sludge conditioning aid shall be clear, colorless to pale yellow, free of visible foreign matter, sediment, and turbidity.

II. Polyacrylamide polymer shall contain no foreign substances in quantities capable of producing deleterious or injurious effects to the health of those consuming water that has been treated with polymer in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and within the maximum allowed dosage.

III. Denver Water uses Polyacrylamide polymers for a variety of applications in treatment process areas such as flocculation, filtration aids, gravity thickeners, and sludge dewatering units.

IV. Annually, the Supplier is required to submit to Denver Water a letter certifying that the Polyacrylamide product meets the requirements of Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations 141.111 Treatment Techniques for Acrylamide and Epichlorohydrin.

C. ESTIMATED USAGE

I. The estimated annual usage of Polyacrylamide for flocculant and/or sludge conditioning aid is approximately 8,000 lbs in a typical year. Polyacrylamide polymers usage can vary significantly on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis due to changes in weather or other factors.

II. The quantity stated here is intended to provide planning guidance to the Suppliers and does not represent actual purchase quantities. No guarantee of quantities is intended, either express or implied.

III. Three of our four potable water treatment plants—Marston, Moffat, and Northwater—and one reuse plant—Recycling, utilize Polyacrylamide polymer for various applications. The information below outlines the necessary requirements for each plant:

Treatment Plant Requirements

Marston Treatment Plant

Dry polymer in 1-ton super sac to feed a belt press and gravity thickener 55-gallon drums of a nonionic to feed the flocculation process and a gravity thickener from the same feed system

Moffat Treatment Plant 265-gallon totes of a nonionic to feed the flocculation process and a gravity thickener from the same feed system

Northwater Treatment Plant 265-gallon totes of a nonionic to feed the flocculation process and a gravity thickener from the same feed system

Recycling Treatment Plant 265-gallon totes of a polymer to feed their gravity thickener

Representative Percent (%) of Annual Polyacrylamide Usage by Month

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

5 5 3 14 8 11 14 16 16 5 1 2

IV. The Supplier is expected to be able to provide Polyacrylamide polymer to meet Denver Water’s needs regardless of changes in water production rates.

D. ORDERING PROCEDURE

I. Polyacrylamide polymer usage varies seasonally and with changes in weather conditions that affect production rates.

II. Denver Water may place monthly Polyacrylamide polymers orders based on water treatment needs.

III. Order standard lead time of five (5) business days After Receipt of Order is required.

E. SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS

I. Shipping Volume Requirements

i. Polyacrylamide deliveries to each of Denver Water’s water treatment plants shall be as follows:

• 55-gallon drums with two 2” bungs

• 265-gallon totes

II. Packaging Requirements Packaging and shipping requirements must meet those stated in ANSI/AWWA B453-19 or latest revision. The absence of, or irregularities in, seals may be sufficient cause Denver Water rejects the delivery.

III. Delivery Hours

Denver Water will only accept deliveries of Polyacrylamide five (5) days per week, Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time (MST).

SECTION 2: GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 SOLICITATION INTRODUCTION

The City and County of Denver, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners (also “Denver Water” and “the Board”), is issuing this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) to determine qualified Suppliers. The Board is seeking Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) from Suppliers that meet the requirements in this RFQ. Suppliers qualified under this RFQ will receive a direct invitation to compete in a subsequent formal competitive process for the purchase described in this RFQ.

A Supplier must submit a SOQ in response to this RFQ regardless of its current business relationship with Denver Water and qualified under this RFQ to receive an invitation to compete for this purchase. Individual requests to qualify a supplier after the RFQ period closes will not be considered.

2.2 INTRODUCTION TO DENVER WATER

Denver Water is a municipal corporation and a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, under the control of a five-member Board appointed by the Mayor of Denver. As such, it is governed by the Denver Charter and other laws applicable to governmental entities. The Denver Charter grants the Board all the powers of the City and County of Denver including those granted by the Constitution and by the law of the State of Colorado and by the Charter.

Specifically, the Charter gives the Board complete charge and control of a water works system and plant for supplying the City and County of Denver and its inhabitants with water for all uses and purposes. It is the largest municipal public utility in Colorado, serving water to more than one million people, about one-quarter of the state’s population.

2.3 SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS AND ADDENDA

Potential Suppliers should obtain all relevant documents pertaining to this solicitation and all issued addenda from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado.

2.4 ADDENDA

In the event it becomes necessary to revise, change, clarify, provide additional information about, and/or cancel this RFQ, Denver Water will issue a written addendum. It is the sole responsibility of the Supplier to acknowledge all addenda in its Response.

2.5 RESPONSE PREPARATION COST

Denver Water will not be responsible for any costs incurred by Suppliers in the preparation of Responses. All costs, including but not limited to printing, materials, travel and expenses, incurred in the preparation and submission of a Response must be borne solely by the Supplier.

2.6 ACCEPTANCE

By submitting a Response to this RFQ, Supplier acknowledges that its Response is valid for a period of two years from the due date.

2.7 WITHDRAWAL OR MODIFICATION OF RESPONSE

Responses may be withdrawn or modified by Suppliers prior to the due date, but only upon written request. After the due date, Denver Water will not return Responses or other information supplied to Denver Water.

2.8 RIGHT TO REJECT RESPONSES

The Board may choose to reject any or all Responses, either in whole or in part, and to waive any formality in Responses received, if deemed in the best interest of the Board. Basis for rejection may include but is not necessarily limited to the following:

• Any Response conditioned upon the Board’s acceptance of terms and conditions deemed by the Board to be unacceptable.

• Any Response from a Supplier who is in arrears to the City and County of Denver or the Board upon debt or contract, or who is a defaulter as surety or otherwise, upon any obligation to the City and County of Denver or the Board.

http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado

• Any Response from Suppliers determined to be financially unable to perform the required work. This determination will be at Denver Water’s sole discretion and may be based upon analysis of the Proposer’s Certified Financial Statements, Dun and Bradstreet reports, and/or other requested financial information.

• Any Response received after the specified Response due date and time. Any Response so received may be returned to the Supplier unopened.

• Any Response that does not meet the requirements specified in this RFQ and/or has been determined to be unsatisfactory, in whole or in part, by Denver Water in its sole discretion.

SECTION 3: SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

3.1 REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All requests for clarification or additional information must be made in writing to the primary contact at the e-mail address shown below:

Procurement Contact: Aura Cerchiaro E-Mail: Aura.CerchiaroBarros@denverwater.org Phone: 303-628-6107

The Procurement Contact listed above is the sole point of contact between Denver Water and all Suppliers.

Suppliers may not contact any other Denver Water personnel regarding this solicitation during the competitive process without prior written authorization from the Procurement Contact.

Responses to requests for clarification and additional information and/or changes to the solicitation received before the deadline specified in the Schedule of Events will be made by written addendum. All responses to requests for clarification and additional information from any Supplier will be provided to all Suppliers. Oral explanations, interpretations or representations given by Denver Water employees cannot be construed as a change to the solicitation requirements.

3.2 INTENT TO RESPOND

Suppliers must submit an Intent to Qualify (ITQ) to this RFQ via email to the Procurement Contact on or before the deadline specified in the Schedule of Events to receive instructions and the address to submit product samples.

Late ITQs will not be accepted. Suppliers that fail to submit an ITQ will not be permitted to participate in the RFQ.

3.3 RESPONSE SUBMISSION FORMAT

Supplier must submit the respective Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Response Template – Exhibit A to respond to this RFQ:

• Schedule A: PolyDADMAC Statement of Qualifications (“SOQ”) Response

• Schedule B: Polyacrylamide Statement of Qualifications (“SOQ”) Response

Suppliers must submit electronic response(s) (PDF format) via email to the contact listed above by the deadline listed in the Schedule of Events.

Denver Water’s size limit for receiving e-mails is 35MB. If you are submitting documents or sending e-mails larger than 35MB, Supplier may split up its Response and send it via multiple e-mails to successfully submit all required documents. If Supplier intends to do this, indicate in the e-mail subject line the number of e-mails it is sending to the Denver Water recipient. Denver Water will not be responsible for any missing Response submission via e-mail.

Responses must be e-mailed to the point of contact listed in Section 3.1.

3.4 DESIGNATION OF ANY PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Suppliers acknowledge that Denver Water may be required to disclose any or all of the documents submitted with a Response, pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act, C.R.S. § 24-72-201.1, et seq. Under C.R.S. § 24-72- 204(3)(a)(IV), Denver Water may deny inspection of any confidential commercial or financial information furnished to Denver Water by an outside party. Therefore, to aid Denver Water in determining what must be disclosed in response to a request for documents under the Colorado Open Records Act, the Response shall be submitted in the following manner.

Supplier must submit one (1) Response marked ‘ORIGINAL’. In addition, Supplier must submit one (1) second version of their Response, which clearly designates any sentences, pages or sections of the Response that the Supplier deems confidential or proprietary and must include it as a separate file on the same e-mail, marked “REDACTED ORIGINAL”. The designation shall be made by stamping, typing, or writing the word “CONFIDENTIAL” in a conspicuous place on every page of the document that is confidential or proprietary. If only some portions of any document are confidential or proprietary, such designation shall be made by redacting those portions only. The Proposer’s designation must be reasonable, or it will not be honored. For example, a Supplier may not designate the entire Response to be confidential and proprietary.

mailto:Aura.CerchiaroBarros@denverwater.org

SECTION 4: EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 AGREEMENT REQUIRED

This RFQ is not a contractual offer. Any successful Supplier s selected to advance in response to this RFQ will be directly invited to compete in a subsequent formal competitive process for the purchase described in this RFQ. The successful Supplier will execute an Agreement with Denver Water.

4.2 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Responses will be evaluated by criteria described in this RFQ. Responses considered responsive will be evaluated for completeness of information provided, the Proposer’s adherence to RFQ requirements, support for claims made, and the overall approach taken. Denver Water’s objective is to select the Response(s) judged to be in the best interest of Denver Water.

Responses may be evaluated using criteria including but not limited to:

• Sample Quality

• Compliance with AWWA and NSF specifications

• Jar Testing results

• Any other relevant and appropriate factors as determined by Denver Water

This list does not reflect or imply any weighting or relative importance of criteria.

HIBIT E