Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Services for the SBIWTP

The International Boundary and Water Commission U.S.-Mexico seeks operations and maintenance services for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego, with proposals due January 6, 2027 at 2:00 PM MST. This is a civilian, fixed-price contract with no set-aside, awarded using Highest Technically Rated with Fair and Reasonable Price (HTR-FRP) methodology.

Place of performance is San Ysidro, California (2995 Dairy Mart Road, San Diego, CA 92154). The facility treats wastewater originating from Tijuana, Mexico, at 35 million gallons per day (25 MGD secondary treatment, 10 MGD primary treatment with bypass). The contract includes a base year (June 1, 2027 through May 31, 2028) plus four unexercised option years through May 31, 2032. Planning target prices for the base year range from $21,000,679 to $23,211,276, with option years escalating accordingly.

The contractor must provide 24/7 operations and maintenance, all chemicals and consumable supplies, bilingual operators for coordination with Mexican authorities, laboratory sampling and analysis per NPDES Permit (CA0108928, Order R9-2026-0005), daily canyon collector inspections with post-storm restoration within 96 hours, preventive and predictive maintenance, SCADA system operations with IT/OT cybersecurity compliance per NIST SP 800-171 and FISMA, and monthly and annual reporting. Over-and-above work exceeding $200,000 requires written government approval. Key personnel must include a Program Manager, Superintendent (Grade V certified with 7+ years experience), dedicated Site Safety and Health Officer, SCADA Systems Personnel with advanced IT/OT expertise, and Plant Asset Manager; all contractor personnel require background investigations and security clearances prior to physical access.

The facility is undergoing major expansion from 25 MGD to 50 MGD (75 MGD peak) through 2031, requiring close coordination between the O&M contractor and the design-build project team. Contractor responsibilities include maintaining five canyon collectors, two pump stations, junction boxes, outfall systems, and all facility infrastructure; developing and implementing standard operating procedures; conducting annual condition and risk assessments; and preparing five-year capital plans. The government furnishes existing office space, utilities, and government-owned SCADA equipment; all contractor-purchased equipment becomes government property. Performance bonds at 25 percent of contract price are required.

Evaluation weighs technical factors at 100 percent: Plant Operations and Permit Compliance (20%), Unique SBIWTP O&M Conditions (20%), Company Experience (15%), Staffing and Key Personnel (15%), SCADA Operations (10%), Plant Coordination (10%), and Past Performance (10%). Price is evaluated solely for fairness and reasonableness. A mandatory pre-proposal site visit is scheduled for October 14, 2026 in San Diego. Amendment 0001 (effective September 24, 2026) updated attachment references in Section J.01 and the Performance Work Statement, added FAR clauses 52.215-10, 52.215-12, 52.215-15, 52.215-16, and 52.215-20 Alt III, and removed clause 52.215-14. Controlled Unclassified Information documents require SharePoint access approval and Non-Disclosure Agreement execution. The Contracting Officer is Philip Johnson (johnsonpk@state.gov).