Engineering and technical advisory services

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is procuring engineering and technical advisory services through a sole source contract with Burns & McDonnell to support drinking water system improvements for the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The scope of work encompasses comprehensive design management services for a water treatment plant reconstruction following the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, with deliverables including weekly engineering progress meetings, bi-monthly management meetings, quality control and quality assurance oversight, project scheduling, cost estimating, and preparation of detailed design documents at 60%, 90%, and 100% completion levels. Additional services include permitting and stakeholder coordination, water sampling and analysis support, and bidding phase services such as bid document preparation, bid opening attendance, and issued-for-construction document preparation. The contract explicitly excludes construction services, general contracting, subcontractor bidding, equipment procurement, and construction management activities. The contract has a four-year term with a posting date of March 11, 2026, and a proposal due date of April 8, 2026. Burns & McDonnell's qualifications are based on its prior involvement in emergency engineering assessments and preliminary engineering documentation for the City of Las Vegas water system, combined with its established institutional knowledge, local presence through its Albuquerque office, proven design-build capability, and immediate readiness to advance accelerated design schedules.

This is a sole source procurement, which restricts competition to Burns & McDonnell based on the determination that transitioning to a different engineering firm would introduce an estimated 4-6 month delay, require duplication of completed analytical work, and necessitate re-establishment of regulatory coordination frameworks that would jeopardize public health and water system reliability. No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are indicated in the documentation provided. Burns & McDonnell is the current contractor, having mobilized in early September 2025 and maintaining continuous on-site presence conducting performance evaluations, field investigations, and system-specific testing under post-fire conditions. The sole source request was posted for 30 days for public protest and requires written approval by the State Purchasing Agent before becoming effective. The estimated contract value is $6,024,004.00 before tax over the four-year contract period.