25-174 Water Meters

The Augusta Utilities Directorate (AUD) in Richmond County, Georgia, is seeking proposals for a long-term contract to purchase replacement water meters for their entire distribution system, encompassing over 70,000 meters. The procurement is part of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) implementation aimed at improving meter reading safety, reducing operational costs, and minimizing billing errors. The Request for Proposals (RFP) covers five distinct meter categories: 5/8 x 3/4 to 2 Inch Positive Displacement Meters, 5/8 x 3/4 to 8 Inch Type 1 Solid State Meters, 2 to 12 Inch Type 2 Solid State Meters, 3 Inch Aluminum Fire Hydrant Meters, and 5/8 x 3/4 to 1.5 Inch Remote Shutoff Meters. Proposers are required to submit detailed technical specifications and pricing for their meters, ensuring compatibility with Augusta's existing AMI network. The evaluation will follow a comprehensive 100-point scoring system, assessing factors such as response completeness, qualifications, organizational capabilities, service scope, financial stability, references, and cost. Key dates include a pre-proposal conference on June 2, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., and the proposal submission deadline of June 18, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

The contract will have an initial three-year term with options to extend for two additional one-year periods, potentially spanning a total of five years. While no specific set-aside designations are mentioned, the RFP indicates that proposers are not required to bid on all meter categories but must include all items within a chosen category to be considered. The current meter inventory is predominantly Badger meters, with approximately 70% of existing meters from that manufacturer. The solicitation aims to identify a single proposer for each meter category, with the understanding that price will not be the sole determinant in the award decision. Although specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive replacement of over 70,000 water meters suggests a significant procurement value. The AUD has already selected an AMI vendor through a previous competitive bid process, and the new water meters must integrate seamlessly with this existing network infrastructure.