PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT - Request for Proposal for Water System Master Plan Update (DISREGARD SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS - NO SUBMITTAL)

The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) Department is issuing a pre-announcement for a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Water System Master Plan Update (WSMP), with the actual RFP anticipated to be released in May 2026. This is a professional services procurement seeking experienced municipal water master planning consultants to develop a comprehensive update to the City's water infrastructure strategy. The project will require consultants to evaluate and plan improvements for CPAU's 232-mile water distribution and transmission network across nine pressure zones, incorporating analysis of aging infrastructure, seismic vulnerabilities, emergency response capabilities, and system optimization. Key deliverables and objectives include assessing current system performance against historical data and future demand forecasts, updating pipe replacement strategies beyond the previously recommended ten-year program, evaluating interconnections with external water sources (SFPUC Bay Division, Mountain View, Stanford, East Palo Alto, and Purissima Hills), and developing long-term capital improvement plans that address both aging-related deterioration and seismic resilience. Prospective bidders are encouraged to participate in pre-announcement meetings scheduled with CPAU water engineering staff through Patrick LaBruzzo (Patrick.labruzzo@paloalto.gov or 650-566-4527) to discuss project scope and requirements; these meetings are optional but provide valuable insight into CPAU's needs and will not affect bidding eligibility. The pre-announcement period runs through April 17, 2026, with the formal RFP expected to remain open for approximately three months following its May release, allowing a typical communications blackout during the official proposal period.

The pre-announcement notice does not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, or restrictions on eligible respondent types at this preliminary stage. No incumbent contractor information is provided in the pre-announcement materials. The existing infrastructure baseline documentation provided includes detailed hydraulic profile schematics depicting the system's seven reservoirs (ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 million-gallon capacities), eight active wells, multiple booster pump stations, and pressure regulating stations across varying elevations from 45 to 2,406 feet. Previous planning efforts, including the 2015 Water System Pipe Replacement Plan recommending a $19 million seismic improvement program over ten years (SIP-3 option), will serve as baseline reference material for the master plan update. The pre-announcement materials do not disclose specific budget ranges or award values for the RFP, as this is an informational pre-announcement phase rather than an active solicitation; such details will likely be included when the formal RFP is released in May 2026.