Dam Safety Engineering Services - Northern California

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Division of Operations and Maintenance, is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Dam Safety Engineering Services in Northern California on an as-needed and as-directed basis. This procurement seeks qualified engineering firms to provide comprehensive support during peak workload periods for the review, inspection, evaluation, analysis, and oversight of structures associated with the State Water Project (SWP), including dams, appurtenant structures, powerplants, canals, radial gates, spillways, valves, penstocks, conduits, and related infrastructure. Key service areas encompass dam performance surveillance and monitoring, risk-informed decision making, project initiation and planning, analysis and evaluations, geotechnical and geologic studies, program development and support, engineering design and review, incidental services, and training. Firms must be registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations for public works and comply with prevailing wage requirements. Critical deadlines include a mandatory virtual pre-SOQ conference on February 17, 2026, with general RFQ questions due by February 12, 2026 and answers provided by February 23, 2026. Statement of Qualifications submissions are due at 2:00 p.m. on March 4, 2026, in five hard copies and one text-readable PDF format. Interviews are estimated for March 30 to April 3, 2026, with contract award anticipated by May 28, 2026. The estimated contract term is three years from May 4, 2026, through May 3, 2029, with options for up to two additional one-year amendments.

DWR strongly encourages participation by Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises (DVBE) and California certified small businesses, with a 25 percent small business participation goal established under Government Code 14838. Attendance at the mandatory pre-SOQ conference is required; failure to attend may result in rejection of the submission. The selected firm will be subject to cost-plus-fixed-fee compensation negotiations, with DWR conducting rate reviews based on actual costs, including true and actual payroll records, fringe benefits documentation, overhead costs, general administration records, subcontractor cost documentation, and compensation policies, which must be submitted within five business days of notification. The contract award value is estimated between $20,000,000 and $40,000,000. No incumbent vendors or existing technology integration requirements are specified in the solicitation materials provided.