Professional Engineering Consulting Services for Water Quality Assessment and System Optimizations

Goochland County, Virginia is requesting proposals for professional engineering consulting services to conduct a water quality assessment and system optimization study of the Eastern Goochland Central Water System under RFP 2027-04, with proposals due September 14, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. This is a competitive negotiation procurement for professional services; cost estimates are not requested in the initial proposal phase, and the County will negotiate contract terms with the selected firm after ranking.

Minimum qualifications require a professional engineering or technical consulting firm licensed in Virginia with documented experience evaluating drinking water distribution systems, successful completion of at least two water quality investigation or optimization projects for public water systems within the past five years, completion of at least one project demonstrating familiarity with Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water regulations, and demonstrated ability to utilize industry-standard hydraulic and water quality modeling software. The selected consultant must carry professional liability insurance of not less than $1 million per claim and $2 million in the aggregate, and comprehensive general liability and automobile liability coverage of $1 million per occurrence / $2 million total.

The scope spans six major tasks: project management, existing conditions assessment, water quality investigation planning, investigation implementation and data analysis, alternatives evaluation, and final report with presentations. The consultant will evaluate aesthetic water quality concerns (earthy/musty odors and black residue on plumbing fixtures) reported since 2016 in Parkside Village and subsequently in Mosaic, Kinloch, and Reader's Branch subdivisions, and will review operational practices, treatment strategies, and distribution system characteristics to identify optimization opportunities and recommend operational, treatment, and infrastructure modifications. The County has assembled substantial background documentation including customer surveys, laboratory reports, operational records, water quality sampling results, GIS mapping, and hydraulic modeling results available to support the selected consultant's work.

Selection will be based on numerical scoring: proposal strength (20 points), ability and methodology (30 points), experience and references (25 points), staffing qualifications (20 points), and other relevant information (5 points). Questions are due August 28, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. The County anticipates contract award by October 7, 2026. Proposals remain valid for 90 days from opening.