Professional Engineering Services for the Development of Talent - Ashland - Phoenix Water System Imp

The City of Ashland, in coordination with the cities of Talent and Phoenix, is seeking professional engineering services for the Talent - Ashland - Phoenix (TAP) Water System Improvements project in Jackson County, Oregon. The procurement is a Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive engineering services focused on water system infrastructure resilience and seismic improvements. Specific deliverables include conducting a seismic study of the Talent Booster Pump Station, modifying the Ashland Booster Pump Station to enable water supply to Talent and Phoenix, and implementing seismic improvements to the 24-inch pipeline in Phoenix. The project aims to enhance the regional water system's infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery capabilities. Proposals are due by June 20, 2023, with an anticipated contract award date of August 8, 2023, and a projected project completion timeline of 18 months. The selected consultant will be required to enter into a Personal Services Agreement with the City of Ashland and must comply with the city's Living Wage requirements. Compensation will be determined using methods such as cost plus fixed-fee, fixed price, or time and materials.

The contract opportunity does not explicitly specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The project is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant awards administered by Business Oregon, which means contractors must comply with specific federal Uniform Guidance requirements. These include mandatory provisions such as contractor registration in SAM.gov, whistleblower protections, equal opportunity clauses, and preferences for U.S.-made goods. Contractors will need to adhere to additional contract clauses for agreements over certain dollar thresholds ($10,000, $100,000, and $150,000). While specific budget ranges are not detailed in the documents, the comprehensive nature of the water system improvements suggests a significant investment in infrastructure resilience. The project involves multiple jurisdictions (Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix) and will require close coordination between the engineering consultant and local government entities to successfully implement the water system improvements outlined in the 2020 Seismic Resilience Plans for each city.