Environmental_Lab_Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - GOODS AND SERVICES

RFP GGS-26-0363

ENVIRONMENTAL LAB SERVICES

CITY OF PHOENIX

WATER SERVICES

200 W WASHINGTON ST

PHOENIX, AZ

85003

RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: July 31, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: August 11, 2026, 2:00 pm

City of Phoenix

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - GOODS AND SERVICES

RFP GGS-26-0363

Environmental Lab Services

1. INTRODUCTION

2. INSTRUCTIONS

3. SCOPE OF WORK

4. EVALUATION PROCESS

5. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

6. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7. DEFENSE AND INDEMNIFICATION

8. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

9. SUBMITTALS

10. PRICING PROPOSAL

Attachments:

A - Acceptance of Offer Form 2026

Request For Proposal - Goods and Services #RFP GGS-26-0363 Title: Environmental Lab Services

1. Introduction

1.1. Contact Information

Matthew Melnik

Water Services

Email: matthew.melnik@phoenix.gov

Phone: (602) 534-6879

1.2. Schedule of Events

The City reserves the right to change dates, times, and locations, as necessary. The City does not always hold a Pre-Offer Conference or Site Visit. All times in the Schedule of Events are

Local Phoenix, AZ Time.

To request a reasonable accommodation or alternative format for any public meeting, please contact the Procurement Officer (Matthew Melnik) at (602) 534-6879/Voice or 711/TTY, or matthew.melnik@phoenix.gov, no later than five (5) business days prior to the meeting.

Solicitation Issue Date: July 21, 2026

Pre-Offer Conference (Non-Mandatory): July 28, 2026, 10:00am

Via Webex:

Join from the meeting link https://cityofphoenix.webex.com/cityofphoen ix/j.php?MTID=madf4b9f3fe2515e08d08458 ef673c512

Join by meeting number

Meeting number (access code): 2349 455

Meeting password: MSdbTpFV838

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only)

+1-415-655-0001,,23494558349## US Toll

Join by phone

+1-415-655-0001 US Toll

Global call-in numbers

Join from a video system or application

Dial

23494558349@cityofphoenix.webex.com

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

Written Inquiries Due Date: July 31, 2026, 2:00pm

Offer Due Date: August 11, 2026, 2:00pm https://cityofphoenix.webex.com/cityofphoenix/j.php?MTID=madf4b9f3fe2515e08d08458ef673c512 https://cityofphoenix.webex.com/cityofphoenix/j.php?MTID=madf4b9f3fe2515e08d08458ef673c512 https://cityofphoenix.webex.com/cityofphoenix/j.php?MTID=madf4b9f3fe2515e08d08458ef673c512 mailto:23494558349@cityofphoenix.webex.com http://173.243.2.68/

2. Instructions

2.1. Description – Statement of Need

The City of Phoenix invites sealed offers for environmental lab services.

The Effective Date of this Agreement will be upon final signature and recording by the City

Clerk’s department.

The Commencement Date of this Agreement will be upon October 1, 2026, or the Effective

Date, whichever is later.

The term of this Agreement will be for five (5) years, beginning on the Commencement Date, with no options to extend.

This solicitation is available through the City’s Procurement Portal. For technical support issues related to the City's Procurement Portal, Offeror may use the support bubble on the bottom right, or email procurement-support@opengov.com for any assistance. For other issues related to this solicitation please contact the procurement officer listed under Contact Information.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement will terminate upon the earliest occurrence: by reaching the end of the term including any extensions exercised, or termination pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

2.2. Preparation of Offer

All forms provided must be completed and submitted with the Offer. The signed and completed

Conflict of Interest and Transparency form must be included, or your Offer may be deemed non-responsive.

It is permissible to copy Submittal forms if necessary. Erasures, interlineations, or other modifications of the Offer must be initialed in original ink by the authorized person signing the

Offer. No offer will be altered, amended or withdrawn after the specified offer due date and time.

The City is not responsible for Offeror’s errors or omissions.

All time periods stated as a number of days will be calendar days.

It is the responsibility of all Offerors to examine the entire solicitation and seek clarification of any requirement that may not be clear and to check all responses for accuracy before submitting an offer. Negligence in preparing an offer confers no right of withdrawal after due date and time. Offerors are strongly encouraged to:

A. Consider applicable laws and/or economic conditions that may affect cost, progress, performance, or furnishing of the products or services.

B. Study and carefully correlate Offeror’s knowledge and observations with the solicitation and other related data.

C. Promptly notify the City of all conflicts, errors, ambiguities, or discrepancies that Offeror has discovered in or between the solicitation and other related documents.

mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com

D. The City does not reimburse the cost of developing, presenting or providing any response to this solicitation. Offers submitted for consideration should be prepared simply and economically, providing adequate information in a straightforward and concise manner. The Offeror is responsible for all costs incurred in responding to this solicitation. All materials and documents submitted in response to this solicitation become the property of the City and will not be returned.

E. Offerors are reminded that the specifications stated in the solicitation are the minimum level required and that offers submitted must be for products or services that meet or exceed the minimum level of all features specifically listed in this solicitation. Offers offering less than any minimum specifications or criteria specified are not responsive and should not be submitted.

F. Offer responses submitted for products considered by the seller to be acceptable alternates to the brand names or manufacturer’s catalog references specified herein must be submitted with technical literature and/or detailed product brochures for the

City’s use to evaluate the products offered. Offers submitted without this product information may be considered as non-responsive and rejected. The City will be the sole judge as to the acceptability of alternate products offered.

G. Prices will be submitted on a per unit basis by line item, when applicable. In the event of a disparity between the unit price and extended price, the unit price will prevail unless obviously in error.

2.3. Fixed Offer Price Period

All offers shall be firm and fixed for a period of 180 calendar days from the solicitation opening date.

2.4. Obtaining a Copy of the Solicitation and Addenda

Interested Offerors may download the complete solicitation and addenda from the City's

Procurement Portal: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123/. Any interested Offerors without internet access may obtain this solicitation by calling the

Procurement Officer or picking up a copy during regular business hours at the City of Phoenix, Water Services Department, 200 W. Washington St. 9th floor Phoenix, AZ 85003. It is the

Offeror’s responsibility to check the City's Procurement Portal, read the entire solicitation, and verify all required information is submitted with their Offer.

2.5. Exceptions

Offeror must not take any exceptions to any terms, conditions or material requirements of this solicitation. Offers submitted with exceptions may be deemed non-responsive and disqualified from further consideration in the City’s sole discretion. Offerors must conform to all the requirements specified in the solicitation. The City encourages Offerors to send inquiries to the

Procurement Officer rather than including exceptions in their Offer.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123 https://solicitations.phoenix.gov/

2.6. Inquiries

All questions that arise relating to this solicitation should be directed via City’s OpenGov

Procurement Portal and must be received by the due date indicated in the Schedule of Events.

The City will not consider questions received after the deadline.

No informal contact initiated by Offerors on the proposed service will be allowed with members of City’s staff from date of distribution of this solicitation until after city council awards the contract. All questions concerning or issues related to this solicitation must be presented in writing.

The Procurement Officer will answer written inquiries in an addendum and publish any addenda on the City’s OpenGov Procurement Portal.

2.7. Addenda

The City of Phoenix will not be responsible for any oral instructions made by any employees or officers of the City of Phoenix regarding this solicitation. Any changes will be in the form of an addendum. The Offeror must acknowledge receipt of any/all addenda through the City's

Procurement Portal.

Changes to terms and conditions of the Solicitation and resulting Agreement made pursuant to an addendum shall be memorialized in the Solicitation and resulting Agreement document. To that end, a parenthetical will be added to applicable provision(s) referencing the addendum that imposed the change. The language in the final provision will reflect the updated version.

2.8. Business in Arizona

The City will not enter contracts with Offerors (or any company(ies)) not granted authority to transact business, or not in good standing, in the state of Arizona by the Arizona Corporation

Commission, unless the Offeror asserts a statutory exception prior to entering a contract with the City.

2.9. Licenses

If required by law for the operation of the business or work related to this Offer, Offeror must possess all valid certifications and/or licenses as required by federal, state or local laws at the time of submittal.

2.10. Certifications

By signature in the Offer section of the Offer and Acceptance page(s), Offeror certifies:

• The submission of the Offer did not involve collusion or other anti-competitive practices.

• The Offeror must not discriminate against any employee, or applicant for employment in violation of Federal or State Law.

• The Offeror has not given, offered to give, nor intends to give at any time hereafter, any economic opportunity, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discount, trip, favor, or service to a public servant in connection with the submitted Offer.

2.11. Submission of Offer

Offers must be in possession of the Department on or prior to the exact time and date indicated in the Schedule of Events. Late offers will not be considered. The prevailing clock will be the

City Department’s clock.

Offers should be submitted electronically via the City’s Procurement Portal by clicking on “Draft

Response” via https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123. Offerors that are unable to submit electronically should contact the Procurement Officer to discuss the logistics of hard copy submittals. Offerors must be registered with OpenGov by signing up via https://procurement.opengov.com/signup. Vendor training guides can be found at: https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/ca6d1285-1e48-4a21-bb0d-715edb7794ed

Any original documents (such as bonds, guaranties, powers of attorney), if required by the solicitation, must be separately delivered to and received by the City on or prior to the exact time and date indicated in the Schedule of Events, with a clear indication of the Offer for which it is attributed.

It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the Offer is timely and to confirm that there are no technical reasons that any offer submitted electronically may be delayed. The date and time on the upload as received/stamped by the City’s Procurement Portal will provide proof of submission and verification whether the Offer was received on or prior to the exact time and date indicated in the Schedule of Events.

For assistance with submittals, vendors are welcome to use the OpenGov support chat (blue chat bubble in the bottom right corner) to connect with a member of OpenGov's support team who will be able to assist you with your submission.

Please DO NOT submit links to Google Docs, Dropbox Paper, or similar services. Your offer may be deemed non-responsive if your offer is supplied utilizing these services.

2.12. Withdrawal of Offer

At any time prior to the solicitation due date and time, an Offeror (or designated representative) may withdraw the Offer by clicking “Unsubmit Response” on the Offer submission via the City’s

Procurement Portal.

2.13. Offer Results

Offers will be opened on the offer due date, time and location indicated in the Schedule of

Events, at which time the name of each Offeror, and the prices may be read. Offers and other information received in response to the solicitation will be shown only to authorized City personnel having a legitimate interest in them or persons assisting the City in the evaluation.

Offers are not available for public inspection until after the City has posted the award recommendation on the City's Procurement Portal.

The City will post a preliminary offer tabulation on the City's Procurement

Portal: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123 within five business days of the offer opening. The City will post the information on the preliminary tabulation as it was read during the offer opening. The City makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of any information on the preliminary tabulation. Once the City has evaluated the offers, the City will https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123 https://procurement.opengov.com/signup https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/ca6d1285-1e48-4a21-bb0d-715edb7794ed https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/271123 post an award recommendation on the City's Procurement Portal. By signing and submitting its

Offer, each Offeror agrees that this posting of the award recommendation to the City's

Procurement Portal effectively serves as the Offeror’s receipt of that notice of award recommendation. The City has no obligation to provide any further notification to unsuccessful

Offerors.

2.14. Pre-Award Qualifications

Offeror must have been in operation a minimum of five years. The Offeror’s normal business activity during the past five years will have been for providing the goods or services in this solicitation. This information must be provided in Vendor Questionnaire section, under Years in

Business and References form of this solicitation.

Upon notification of a recommended award, the Offeror will have 14 calendar days to submit a complete certificate of insurance in the minimum amounts and the coverages as required in the

Insurance Requirements of this agreement. Insurance requirements are non-negotiable.

2.15. Certificates of Insurance

Upon notification of a recommended award, the Offeror will have 14 calendar days to submit a complete certificate of insurance in the minimum amounts and the coverages as required in the

Insurance Requirements of this solicitation. Insurance requirements are non-negotiable.

2.16. Award of Contract

Unless otherwise indicated, award(s) will be made to responsive, responsible Offeror(s) who are regularly established in the service, or providing the goods, contained in this solicitation and who have demonstrated the ability to perform in an acceptable manner.

A. Factors that may be considered by the City include:

1. Technical capability of the Offeror to accomplish the scope of work required in the

Solicitation. This may include performance history on past and current government or industrial contracts; and,

2. Demonstrated availability of the necessary manpower (both supervisory and operational personnel) and necessary equipment to accomplish the scope of work in the Solicitation; and,

3. Safety record; and,

4. Offeror history of complaints and termination for convenience or cause.

B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this solicitation, the City reserves the right to: (1) waive any immaterial defect or informality; or (2) reject any or all offers or portions thereof; or (3) reissue a solicitation.

C. A response to a solicitation is an offer to contract with the City based upon the terms, conditions, and specifications contained in the City’s solicitation. Offers do not become contracts until they are executed by the Chief Procurement Officer or Department

Director. A contract has its inception in the award, eliminating a formal signing of a separate contract. For that reason, all of the terms, conditions and specifications of the procurement contract are contained in the solicitation, and in any addendum or contract amendment.

2.17. Solicitation Transparency Policy

Commencing on the date and time a solicitation is published, potential or actual Offerors or respondents (including their representatives) shall only discuss matters associated with the solicitation with the Mayor, any members of City Council, the City Manager, any Deputy City

Manager, or any department director directly associated with the solicitation (including in each case their assigned staff, except for the designated Procurement Officer) at a public meeting, posted under Arizona Statutes, until the resulting contract(s) are awarded to all offers or responses are rejected and the solicitation is cancelled without any announcement by the

Procurement Officer of the City’s intent to reissue the same or similar solicitation.

As long as the solicitation is not discussed, Offerors may continue to conduct business with the

City and discuss business that is unrelated to the solicitation with the City staff. Offerors may not discuss the solicitation with any City employees or evaluation panel members.

Offerors may discuss their proposal or the solicitation with the Mayor or one or more members of the Phoenix City Council, provided such meetings are scheduled through the Procurement

Officer, and are posted as open meetings with the City Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled meetings. The City Clerk will be responsible for posting the meetings. The posted notice shall identify the participants and the subject matter, as well as invite the public to participate.

With respect to the selection of the successful Offerors, the City Manager and/or City Manager's

Office will continue the past practice of exerting no undue influence on the process. In all solicitations of bids and proposals, any direction on the selection from the City Manager and/or

City Manager's Office and Department Head (or representative) to the proposal review panel or selecting authority must be provided in writing to all prospective Offerors.

This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all Offerors, assure that contracts are awarded in public, and protect the integrity of the selection process. OFFERORS THAT

VIOLATE THIS POLICY SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED. After official Notice is received by the City for disqualification, the Offeror may follow the Protest process, unless the Solicitation is cancelled without notice of intent to re-issue.

“To discuss” means any contact by the Offeror, regardless of whether the City responds to the contact. Offerors that violate this policy will be disqualified until the resulting contract(s) are awarded, or all offers or responses are rejected and the solicitation is cancelled without any announcement by the Procurement Officer of the City’s intent to reissue the same or a similar solicitation. The City interprets the policy as continuing through a cancellation of a solicitation until Council award of the contract, as long as the City cancels with a statement that the City will rebid the solicitation.

2.18. Protest Process

Offeror may protest the contents of a solicitation no later than seven days before the solicitation deadline when the protest is based on an apparent alleged mistake, impropriety or defect in the solicitation. Protests filed regarding the solicitation may be addressed by an amendment to the solicitation or denied by the City. If denied, the opening and award will proceed unless the City determines that it is in the City’s best interests to set new deadlines, amend the solicitation, cancel or re-bid.

Therefore, unless otherwise notified by a formal amendment, the Protester must adhere to all solicitation dates and deadlines, including timely filing of an offer, regardless of filing a protest.

Offeror may protest an adverse determination issued by the City regarding responsibility and responsiveness, within seven days of the date the Offeror was notified of the adverse determination.

Offeror may protest an award recommendation if the Offeror can establish that it had a substantial chance of being awarded the contract and will be harmed by the recommended award. The City will post recommendations on the City’s Procurement Portal to award the contract(s) to an Offeror(s). Offeror must submit award protests within seven days after the posting of the award recommendation, with exceptions only for good cause shown, within the

City’s full and final discretion.

All protests will be in writing, filed with the Procurement Officer identified in the solicitation and include the following:

• Identification of the solicitation number;

• The name, address and telephone number of the protester;

• A detailed statement describing the legal and factual grounds for the protest, including copies of relevant documents;

• The form of relief requested; and

• The signature of the protester or its authorized representative.

The Procurement Officer will render a written decision within a reasonable period after the protest is filed. The City will not request City Council authorization to award the contract until the protest process is complete. All protests and appeals must be submitted in accordance with the

City’s Procurement Code, (Phoenix City Code, Ch. 43) and any protests or appeals not submitted within the time requirements will not be considered. Protests must be filed with the

Procurement Officer.

2.19. Public Record

All Offers submitted in response to this solicitation will become the property of the City and become a matter of public record available for review pursuant to Arizona State law. If an

Offeror believes that a specific section of its Offer response is confidential, the Offeror will isolate the pages marked confidential in a specific and clearly labeled section of its Offer response. An Offeror may request specific information contained within its Offer is treated by the

Procurement Officer as confidential provided the Offeror clearly labels the information

“confidential.” To the extent necessary for the evaluation process, information marked as

“confidential” will not be treated as confidential. Once the procurement file becomes available for public inspection, the Procurement Officer will not make any information identified by the

Offerors as “confidential” available to the public unless necessary to support the evaluation process or if specifically requested in accordance with applicable public records law. When a public records request for such information is received, the Procurement Officer will notify the

Offeror in writing of any request to view any portion of its Offer marked “confidential.” The

Offeror will have the time set forth in the notice to obtain a court order enjoining such disclosure.

If the Offeror does not provide the Procurement Officer with a court order enjoining release of the information during the designated time, the Procurement Officer will make the information requested available for inspection.

2.20. Late Offers

Late Offers must be rejected, except for good cause. If a late Offer is submitted, the Department will document the date and time of the submittal of the late Offer, keep the Offer and notify the

Offeror that its Offer was disqualified for being a late Offer.

2.21. Right to Disqualify

The City reserves the right to disqualify any Offeror who fails to provide information or data requested or who provides materially inaccurate or misleading information or data. The City further reserves the right to disqualify any Offeror on the basis of any real or apparent conflict of interest that is disclosed by the Offer submitted or any other data or information available to the

City. This disqualification is at the sole discretion of the City. By submission of a solicitation response, the Offeror waives any right to object now or at any future time, before any agency or body including, but not limited to, the City Council of the City or any court as to the exercise by the City of such right to disqualify or as to any disqualification by reason of real or apparent conflict of interest determined by the City. The City reserves the right to replace the disqualified

Offeror.

2.22. Contract Award

The City reserves the right to award a contract by individual line items, by group, all or none, or any other combination most advantageous to the City. The City reserves the right to award multiple contracts.

2.23. Determining Responsiveness and Responsibility

Offers will be reviewed for documentation of minimum qualifications, completeness, and compliance with the Solicitation requirements. The City reserves sole discretion to determine responsiveness and responsibility.

Responsiveness: Nonresponsive Offers will not be considered in the evaluation process. The solicitation states criteria that determine responsiveness, and the solicitation includes terms and conditions that if included or excluded from Offers (as the case may be) will render an Offer nonresponsive.

Exceptions, conditions, reservations, or understandings are presumed to be unacceptable, and an Offer that includes unacceptable exceptions, conditions, reservations, or understandings may be rejected as nonresponsive. Alternatively, the City in its sole discretion may instruct in writing that any Offeror remove the conditions, exceptions, reservations or understandings. If the Offeror fails to do so in writing, the City may determine the Offer to be nonresponsive.

Responsibility: To obtain true economy, the City must conduct solicitations to minimize the possibility of a subsequent default by the Contractor, late deliveries, or other unsatisfactory performance that may result in additional administrative costs. It is important that the Offeror be a responsible Contractor. Responsibility includes the Offeror’s integrity, skill, capacity, experience, and facilities for conducting the work to be performed.

The Procurement Officer will review each Offer to determine if the Offeror is responsible. The

City’s determination as to whether an Offeror is responsible will be based on all information furnished by the Offeror, interviews (if any), and information received from Offeror’s references, including information about Offeror’s history, terminations for convenience or cause, contract breach lawsuits or notices of claim and any other sources the City deems appropriate. Award of the Contract resulting from the solicitation will not be made until any necessary investigation, which each Offeror agrees to permit by submitting its Offer, is made by the City as it deems necessary. A review of responsibility may occur up to contract award.

The Offeror’s unreasonable failure to promptly supply information about an inquiry with respect to responsibility may be grounds for a determination of non-responsibility with respect to such

Offeror.

2.24. Equal Low Offer

Contract award will be made by putting the names of the tied vendors in a cup for a blind drawing limited to those bidders with tied offers. If time permits, the offerors involved will be given an opportunity to attend the drawing. The drawing will be witnessed by at least three persons, and the contract file will contain the names and addresses of the witnesses.

2.25. Evaluation of Competitive Sealed Offers

The City will use its discretion in applying the following processes to this solicitation. Any ties in scoring will be resolved with a best and final price request and the lowest price will prevail.

2.26. Detailed Evaluation of Offers and Determination of Competitive Range

During deliberations, the Evaluation Panel will reach a consensus score for each evaluation criterion except price. The Procurement Officer will score the price, which will be added to the overall consensus score. The overall consensus scores will determine the Offerors’ rankings and which offers are within the Competitive Range, when appropriate.

2.27. Offers Not Within the Competitive Range

The City may notify Offerors of Offers that the City determined are not in the Competitive

Range.

2.28. Discussions with Offerors in the Competitive Range

The City will notify each Offeror whose Offer is in the Competitive Range or made the ‘short list’ and provide in writing any questions or requests for clarification to the Offeror. Each Offeror so notified may be interviewed by the City and asked to discuss answers to written or oral questions or provide clarifications to any facet of its Offer. The Offerors in the competitive range may be required to provide a demonstration of their product.

Demonstrations - Offerors in the competitive range may be invited to construct a hands-on sample or presentation of their solution at the City of Phoenix. In addition, each finalist may prepare and deliver a presentation of their proposed solution based on the script developed by the evaluation panel. The City may also require a hands-on lab demonstration designed specifically for the evaluation panel. The results of the surveys will be tabulated and delivered to the evaluation team for the final review and solution selection session(s).

If an Offer in the Competitive Range contains conditions, exceptions, reservations or understandings to or about any Contract or Solicitation Scope requirement, the City may discuss or negotiate the conditions, exceptions, reservations or understandings during these meetings. But the City in its sole discretion may reject any and all conditions, exceptions, reservations and understandings, and the City may instruct any Offeror to remove the conditions, exceptions, reservations or understandings. If the Offeror fails to do so, the City may determine the Offer is nonresponsive, and the City may revoke its determination that the Offer is in the Competitive Range.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the City will not provide any information, financial or otherwise, to any Offeror about other Offers received in response to this solicitation. During discussions with Offerors in the Competitive Range, the City will not give Offerors specific prices or specific financial requirements that Offerors must meet to qualify for further consideration.

The City may state that proposed prices are too high with respect to the marketplace or otherwise unacceptable. Offerors will not be told of their relative rankings before Contract award.

2.29. Best and Final Offers (BAFO)

A BAFO is an option available for negotiations. Each Offeror in the Competitive Range, which is determined in the City’s sole discretion, may be afforded the opportunity to amend its Offer and make one BAFO.

If an Offeror’s BAFO modifies its initial Offer, the modifications must be identified in the BAFO.

The City will evaluate BAFOs based on the same requirements and criteria applicable to initial

Offers. The City will adjust appropriately the initial scores for criteria that have been affected by offer modifications made by a BAFO. Based on the criteria defined in the solicitation as weighted, the City will then perform final scoring and prepare final rankings.

The Evaluation Panel will recommend the Offer that is the best value and most advantageous to the City based on the evaluation criteria.

The City reserves the right to make an award to an Offeror whose Offer is the highest rated, best value, and most advantageous to the City based on the evaluation criteria, without conducting written or oral discussions with any Offeror, without negotiations, and without soliciting BAFOs.

3. Scope of Work

3.1. OBJECTIVE

The City of Phoenix Water Services Department (WSD) provides water and wastewater services to the United States’ fifth largest city in an area of approximately 540 square miles and for a population of approximately 1,660,000. The department’s mission is to provide high quality, reliable, and cost-effective water services that meet public needs and maintain public support.

The department’s Environmental & Safety Services Division’s (ESD) ensures city water and wastewater facilities protect public health and the environment by maintaining compliance with environmental laws, and by providing high quality and reliable services to the Department, City staff, and the public. To that end, ESD performs testing in the following areas: Organics, Radioactive Chemicals, General Chemistry, Metals, and Microbiology in Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Hazardous Material samples.

WSD is seeking companies to conduct routine environmental testing and analyses on an as-needed basis for purposes of compliance with Federal, State and Local regulations.

3.2. STATEMENT OF WORK

The Contractor will provide all labor, supplies, materials, professional equipment, transport, tools and supervision necessary to perform laboratory testing services as specified herein.

A. All work must be performed in a manner satisfactory to the City and in accordance with all Federal, State, or local regulations in their most recent form, including but not limited to:

1. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

2. Arizona and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES & NPDES) permits

3. Clean Water Act (CWA)

4. Arizona Aquifer Protection permits

5. Arizona Water Reuse permits

6. City's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

7. Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP)

8. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rules

B. Contractor must posses ability to perform rush testing, Level 4 data package requests, and hazardous waste/sample disposal.

C. The City reserves the right to add, change or delete quantities or analyses as circumstances including licensing and regulatory requirements may require. This includes parameters needed for UCMR5 monitoring.

3.3. CERTIFICATION AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

At a minimum, offerors must meet the following certification and licensing requirements. Copies of all licensees and certifications must be submitted with the proposal response and upon any license or certification renewals thereafter.

A. Contractor must be licensed by the State of Arizona Department of Health Services

(ADHS), Office of Laboratory Licensure, Certification and Training for all requested analyses for compliance testing for the duration of the contract.

B. Contractor must meet the laboratory licensure requirements as required by Arizona

Revised Statutes Section 36-495 et. seq. for all compliance-related testing.

C. Accreditation by National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) is optional. Offers must include documentation of accreditation with submittal for the accreditation to be considered.

1. The Contractor must promptly notify the City Project Manager of any censure, fine, revocation, or any investigation by any certifying agency including, but not limited to, Arizona Department of Health Services or the United States Environmental

Protection Agency. Initial notification to the City must occur within 24 hours of notification by the certifying/licensing agency, followed by written notification within

48 hours of the certifying/licensing agency's notification to the Contractor.

2. The Contractor must certify in its proposal response that neither the Contractor nor any subcontractor proposed to perform compliance-related analyses under this

Contract has any current unresolved enforcement actions, notices of violation, or outstanding corrective actions issued by any certifying, licensing, or regulatory agency.

D. The Contractor must provide the same notification to the City for any censure, fine, revocation, or any investigation of its Subcontractor(s) if the Subcontractor has analyzed any compliance samples for the Contractor during the course of this Contract.

3.4. AUDITS

The City reserves the right to audit the Contractor’s laboratory to ensure the necessary capability, capacity, and quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) exists to provide the specified laboratory services.

A. The City reserves the right to review audits and/ or licensing status at any time during the contract period, including ADHS records of the contractor’s audit history.

B. If, during any City audit, Contractor is found to have falsified data within the previous two years for any analysis or project being performed in their laboratory, whether for compliance or otherwise, the awarded contract will be subject to termination. This applies to all data including sample results and QC data.

3.5. LABORATORY SERVICES AND ANALYTICS REQUIREMENTS

A. All Contractor laboratories providing analysis through this contract must have the ability to receive and transmit data electronically.

1. The Contractor must have the ability to produce and adjust Electronic Data

Deliverables (EDD) so that they are compatible with the Laboratory Information

Management System (LIMS) used by the City, including any updated or replacement

LIMS adopted during the term of the Contract.

B. Contractor must have an established Ethical Conduct and Data Integrity policy, and include this policy with their submittal documents.

C. Contractor must meet detection limits required by State or Federal regulations, including the low detection limits outlined in the updated methods of the 2017 Method Update

Rule (MUR).

D. Contractor must meet all detection limits and Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) required by the Drinking Water Manual for all drinking water parameters.

E. A full description of any anticipated or realized problem areas must be communicated to the Project Manager (or their designee) prior to analyses of any sample so that appropriate corrective action can be coordinated.

1. Final results reported with data qualifiers associated with these problems that invalidate the data will not be accepted and shall not be invoiced.

F. Analytical or sample problems encountered by Contractor subsequent to or during the analyses of any sample must be communicated via telephone or email to the Project

Manager (or their designee) within 24 hours.

1. In addition, Contractor must include written communication of these problems and detailed corrective action taken with the final sample results.

G. Results indicating exceedance of SDWA MCLs and of City of Phoenix NPDES/ AZPDES and Stormwater Permit limits must be communicated via telephone or email to the

Project Manager within 24 hours followed by written communication included with the sample results.

H. Samples analyzed outside of the specified QA/QC procedures without prior consent by the City shall not be invoiced and paid under this Agreement.

3.6. SAMPLE SCHEDULING

A. The City will notify the Contractor a minimum of two hours prior to the requested sample pickup time.

B. Contractor shall coordinate pick-up and shipping of samples at City location, at no additional cost to the City. Contractor is responsible for shipping fees of samples sent out for testing.

C. All samples will be picked up from and delivered to the following location:

▪ City of Phoenix Water Services Department

▪ Environmental Services Division, Laboratory Services Section 2474 South 22nd

Avenue, Building #31

▪ Phoenix, Arizona 85009

▪ Phone: (602) 534-2895

▪ Fax: (602) 534-1850

▪ Email: ESDAdmin@phoenix.gov

D. Samples must be delivered and picked up Monday – Friday, (excluding City of Phoenix holidays) between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., local Arizona time.

E. Contractor will perform rush testing per written or verbal request of the City Project

Manager. Rush test surcharges must be included in the fee schedule.

F. The City reserves the right to cancel sample requests within 24 hours of sample receipt at no cost if sample prep/ analysis has not started.

1. Cancellation requests occurring with less than 24 hours’ notice may be subject to a cancellation fee as indicated in the fee schedule.

3.7. SAMPLE CONTAINERS AND SUPPLIES

A. Contractor will provide new or certified-clean sample bottles and sample labels, as required, to perform field sampling. Reagent grade preservatives shall be added to the appropriate sampling container by the laboratory prior to field sampling.

1. Sample containers shall be pre-labeled identifying the analyses type requested and preservative used.

2. The sample label information provided by the City must align with information contained in the chain of custody forms and shall include the following: analyses requested, sample ID number, date and time the sample was taken, location of field sampling, name or initials of the person obtaining the sample.

B. The Contractor will provide all necessary shipping containers and a method to keep the containers cool during transport. The City may provide ice to cool the samples if appropriate and requested by the Environmental Laboratory.

3.8. CHAIN OF CUSTODY

A. All original chain of custody report shall be provided by the City of Phoenix. A representative example of this form is included as Exhibit B - City of Phoenix, Water

Services Environmental Services Division Chain of Custody Report (Sample).

mailto:ESDAdmin@phoenix.gov

B. One City of Phoenix chain of custody report and the Contractor laboratory chain of custody must accompany each sample set sent to the Contractor’s laboratory. Copies of the completed chain of custody reports for each sample set must be included at the end of each individual analyses report.

C. Contractor will, at a minimum, adhere to standard U.S. EPA chain of custody procedures, as documented in National Enforcement Investigations Center Policies and

Procedures Manual, as revised in May 1986, and amendments thereto, and the National

Enforcement Investigations Center Manual For The Evidence Audit, published in

September 1981, and amendments thereto.

3.9. SAMPLE CONTROL

Contractor will demonstrate and document that samples have been received in a properly preserved condition.

A. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to notify the City’s Project Manager of any sample or trip blank received by the Contractor in unacceptable condition or rendered unacceptable for analyses while in the possession of the Contractor, within 48 hours of loss of sample.

3.10. HOLDING TIMES/SAMPLE RETENTION AND DISPOSAL

The Contractor will adhere to all required analysis holding times and disposal requirements as required by the promulgated methods.

A. Contractor must include, as part of their bid submittal, an analyses reference chart indicating the Contractor’s standard holding times, preservatives and sample containers.

B. Analysis holding times shall be defined from the date/time of the sample collection from

ESD to the date/time of sample analysis.

C. Contractor is required to maintain documentation that clearly shows the dates and times for all sample handling/manipulation processes.

D. Sufficient time must be allowed for re-analysis of samples within holding times in the event that calibration, method, or quality control failures occur.

E. Contractor must notify the City’s Project Manager within (or no later than) 24 hours upon discovery that holding time(s) have been exceeded so that resampling can take place.

F. The Contractor must comply with all Federal, State, and local regulations for disposal of samples and associated laboratory waste. Disposal fees will be responsibility of

Contractor.

3.11. REPORTING OF ANALYTICAL RESULTS

A. Contractor must submit all analytical results to the City within thirty (30) calendar days of date of collection, or within the applicable regulatory time frames established in rule, if such regulatory time frames are less than 30 calendar days, or within mutually agreed upon reporting time frames.

B. Results used for NPDES, AZPDES and Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) permits must be reported to the Method Detection Limit (MDL) as required by the regulatory agencies.

C. Fines or penalties levied against the City of Phoenix by the State or Federal government due to late submittal of analysis results to the City by Contractor, that are the result of the Contractor exceeding the required delivery times as specified in Section 3 – Scope of Work, Paragraph L.1 will be paid by the Contractor.

D. Written Reports: Typewritten reports and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

(ADEQ) Report Forms, when applicable, of the sample results must be submitted complete, error free, and must be in the possession of the City's within thirty (30) calendar days of Contractor’s receipt of each sample.

1. Contractor shall report all quality control tests and checks used to prepare each sample. Reporting will include:

a. All detection and reporting limits as applicable;

b. Method references;

c. Date of sample receipt;

d. Date of analyses;

e. Dilutions;

f. Duplicates and matrix spike results (MS/MSD);

g. Blanks;

h. Reagent blank and trip blank results each applicable constituent requested.

2. At a minimum, Contractor analysis reports shall include the following documentation:

a. Cover letter, including a listing of any subcontractors used and their ADHS license number, and any problems encountered during sample analysis;

b. Analysis results including all QA/QC, compounds analyzed, method detection and reporting limits, and analysis method;

c. City of Phoenix Chain of Custody report;

d. Data from analysis of samples collected for compliance with the Safe Drinking

Water Act shall be submitted on the appropriate Arizona Department of

Environmental Quality (ADEQ) forms.

E. Electronic Transfer of Reporting Results: Contractor must submit all analyses and

QA/QC results both via e-mail and in an EDD format with the bound written report copies as required by Section III, Paragraph 5.

1. Electronic data must be submitted complete and error free within 30 calendar days of receipt of sample.

2. EDD must be formatted to be imported directly into the Water Department’s laboratory information system (i.e. CSV or Excel files).

3. All electronic data Contractor directly uploads to State or Federal databases shall be submitted complete, error free, and within the established regulatory deadline (i.e.

EPA CDX).

F. Errors and omissions: Contractor shall be responsible for providing written and electronic communication of any miscalculation or error in analytical results to the City's

Project Manager.

1. Errors include, but are not limited to: operator error, equipment malfunction, exceeding holding time, out of control results or any other quality control exception, and laboratory contamination in ambient air, glassware, standards, reagents, or equipment that could impact the quality or validity of the analytical results.

2. Contractor shall reissue, at their own expense, corrected hard copies and electronic data as necessary.

3.12. RECORD KEEPING AND RETENTION

A. Record Keeping: Contractor will maintain all raw and final data and supporting quality control data (including electronic data) for all test results for a minimum of ten years after the final report date or as required by State and Federal regulation, whichever is greater.

1. A minimum of twelve years retention is required for all metals or lead copper data;

2. Contractor will require each Subcontractor to retain all raw and final data and supporting quality control data (including electronic data) for the same time frames specified in this section;

3. All records will be subject to inspection and audit upon request.

B. Record Retention: Contractor will not disclose data or disseminate the contents of the final or any preliminary report without the written permission of the WSD.

3.13. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

A. Contractor’s laboratory shall maintain a quality control system appropriate for the type, range, and volume of analytical services it provides. The elements of this quality system shall be documented within a Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan or related documentation.

B. Contractor’s laboratory management is responsible for communicating the stated policies and practices to laboratory personnel, and for ensuring all information is clearly understood and implemented.

C. Contractor must maintain a Quality Assurance Program that includes, but is not limited to:

1. Having a Quality Assurance Plan;

2. Standard operations manual(s) for each procedure;

3. Participation in required proficiency testing programs;

4. Chain of custody documentation procedures;

5. Performance of required audits (system and technical), in compliance with regulatory requirements;

6. Monitoring of method performance (sensitivity, precision and bias);

7. Corrective actions to ensure maintenance of a quality system.

D. Contractor’s laboratory shall have and maintain a written Quality Assurance Plan which describes the general and specific procedures used within the laboratory to achieve scientifically valid and legally defensible data.

1. The Quality Assurance Plan shall document the laboratory's policies, organization, objectives, functional guidelines, and specific QA/QC activities designed to achieve the data quality requirements needed when running methods that are or may be used for compliance purposes.

2. At a minimum, the Quality Assurance Plan must include the following elements:

a. Title page identifying the laboratory and date of review, including laboratory director’s signature of approval;

b. Table of contents;

c. An organization chart including names of laboratory personnel and QA personnel;

d. Statement of QA objectives, including data quality objectives with precision and accuracy goals;

e. Specifications for sample containers, preservation of samples, maximum holding times and chain of custody documentation;

f. Procedure for tracking laboratory receipt of samples;

g. Procedure for analytical instrument calibration;

h. Procedure for validation and reporting of final results including data qualifiers and calculations;

i. Statement of the frequency and acceptance criteria for all quality control checks;

j. Preventative Maintenance procedures;

k. Assessment procedures for data…