On-Demand Engineering Services - SLBE Small Firm Annual Contract

The Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) is issuing a Request for Proposal for On-Demand Engineering Services through a Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) Small Firm Annual Contract, seeking to engage up to three (3) qualified SLBE firms to provide comprehensive engineering support across water, sewer, and stormwater operations. Services encompass four project categories: Asset Management, Water and Wastewater Facilities, Stormwater, and Utility Operations and Performance Management, with work assigned through task orders on an as-needed basis to support regulatory compliance, facility planning, design and optimization, infrastructure, and operational priorities. Proposers must be certified or have the qualifications to become certified under CCWA's SLBE program by the March 19, 2026 submission deadline and are not required to have experience across all four categories—they will be evaluated only in their selected categories. Evaluation will be based on Company Experience (30 points), Key Personnel and Qualifications (30 points), References (10 points), Presentations (20 points), and SLBE Preference Points (up to 10 points for Clayton County certified firms or up to 7 points for ten-county regional firms). Critical deadlines include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on February 26, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., a question deadline of March 5, 2026 at 4:00 p.m., final addendum issuance on March 12, 2026, and electronic proposal submission through the Bonfire Portal by March 19, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., with subsequent short-list notification on April 16, 2026, presentations on April 30, 2026, and Board approval on June 4, 2026, leading to a planned contract start date of September 1, 2026.

This procurement is restricted exclusively to Small Local Business Enterprise firms certified or eligible for certification under CCWA's SLBE program, creating a set-aside opportunity designed to support local business development in Clayton County and the surrounding ten-county region, with geographic preference incentives embedded in the scoring methodology. Interested firms must meet substantial insurance requirements, including professional liability insurance with minimum annual limits of $5,000,000 per claim and aggregate, workers' compensation coverage, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and automobile liability coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit, with all policies maintained through contract completion and extended periods as specified. Compensation will be provided on a cost-reimbursable basis using a billing rate schedule submitted by the proposer, and the contract will be awarded for an initial twelve-month period with the possibility of renewal for up to four additional one-year terms upon mutual written consent. Direct expenses for travel, lodging, and meals must comply with CCWA's Travel Policy, which restricts premium accommodations and prohibits reimbursement for entertainment and alcohol. No incumbent vendors or current contractors were identified in the procurement documents, and no specific budget range or award value was disclosed in the available materials.