Engineering Services Crellin Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements

The Board of County Commissioners of Garrett County, Maryland is requesting proposals for engineering services to prepare a Preliminary Engineering Report and Environmental Report for the Crellin Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements, with proposals due October 8, 2026, and a mandatory pre-proposal conference on September 28, 2026.

The Crellin WWTP, constructed in 1990 and serving approximately 133 customers, operates a sand filtration system with ultraviolet disinfection and requires rehabilitation or replacement due to filter bed deterioration resulting in periodic operational failures, maintenance concerns, and regulatory violations. The scope encompasses existing conditions assessment, regulatory and permit review, development and evaluation of feasible alternatives (rehabilitation, replacement, and process upgrades), planning-level cost estimates, environmental and permitting considerations, implementation strategies, and comprehensive funding acquisition support including USDA Rural Development RD Apply applications, Maryland Department of the Environment funding applications, and project presentations at industry conferences. The PER and ER must be completed and submitted to USDA Rural Development by March 1, 2027.

The estimated contract value and specific budget are not stated. Project funding is expected through USDA-RUS as a Loan/Grant combination. The County will provide all available record drawings, permit information, and operational records at no cost to the engineer and will acquire necessary easements and property if required. Award is anticipated by November 2026, with work to begin thereafter. The engineer must maintain professional liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence, general liability insurance of $2 million annual aggregate, and workers' compensation insurance at statutory limits.

The selection committee will weight proposals as follows: past experience with similar projects and USDA-RUS work (45 points), demonstrated project understanding (25 points), staff qualifications and experience (15 points), current workload and scheduling capacity (10 points), and compliance with submittal format (5 points). Compensation shall be submitted in a separate sealed envelope detailing fees by major task, labor categories, hourly rates, reimbursable expenses, and subconsultant costs, with separate identification of fees for PER/ER preparation and funding acquisition support services. Proposals are limited to thirty typed pages and five hard copies. Questions are due October 1, 2026. The Local Preference Program does not apply.