27000705 RFI direct cellular Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) water meters, cellular communication endpoints, hosted meter management software, system integration, implementation services, training, and ongoing technical support

The City of Midland, Texas, is requesting information on direct cellular Advanced Metering Infrastructure water meters, cellular communication endpoints, hosted meter management software, system integration, implementation services, training, and ongoing technical support, with responses due October 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. and a pre-response conference scheduled for October 21. This is an RFI supporting a phased transition from the City's existing fixed-radio AMI system; a pre-response conference is mandatory for October 21, 2026, with questions due October 23.

The solution must maintain compatibility with SmartWorks Compass/MeterSense, NorthStar, Neptune 360, and SilverBlaze platforms. The City operates approximately 3,127 active meters (5/8-inch through 6-inch) with estimated annual purchases of approximately 4,811 meters during the contract term. Respondents must provide three comparable direct-cellular references with at least one deployment of 25,000 or more endpoints and demonstrate integration capability with the City's existing enterprise systems. The City retains sole data ownership and requires unrestricted bulk export capability without per-record or data-egress fees.

The initial contract term is three years beginning upon award, with Phase 1 limited to pilot equipment and integration services. Phase 2 broader deployment requires separate City authorization via Certificate of Pilot Acceptance and written authorization. The contract is renewable for up to two additional one-year periods at the City's discretion, subject to available funding and documented price escalation not exceeding three percent annually. All pricing must be firm for the initial three-year term and must include comprehensive meter and endpoint unit costs, activation and provisioning charges, annual recurring cellular and head-end fees per endpoint, integration and testing costs for all four platforms, pilot costs, optional installation labor rates, training and support, and normalized twenty-year total cost of ownership. Respondents must complete detailed pricing tables addressing meter sizes from 5/8-inch through 12-inch. Award is anticipated for January 2027 and will be based on best overall value considering integration capability, lifecycle cost, performance, reliability, warranty, cybersecurity, and implementation risk. The City may conduct product demonstrations, reference interviews, cybersecurity reviews, and best-and-final-offer rounds. Local-vendor preference under Texas Local Government Code Section 271.9051 applies: if a local bidder's response is within five percent of the lowest response from a non-resident bidder, the City Council may award to the local bidder based on determination that the local response offers the best combination of price and economic development opportunities.