Puyallup Watershed Irrigation Efficiencies Project for Planning & Public Works

Pierce County, Washington is requesting proposals for the Puyallup Watershed Irrigation Efficiencies Project under RFP 2026-RFP-146, with proposals due July 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM and questions due July 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM. The project is a public works procurement subject to prevailing wage requirements under Washington RCW 39.12 and mandatory compliance with prevailing wage training certification.

The scope encompasses purchase and installation of six variable frequency drives (VFDs) and ancillary equipment on existing agricultural irrigation systems at six privately-owned farms—Duris Cucumber Farm, Local Color Farm, Sidhu Farms, Sterino Farm Orting, Tahoma Farm, and Wild Hare Farm—within the Puyallup River Watershed, followed by system testing and on-site operator training. Work must follow electrical design sheets prepared by Huitt-Zollars. Equipment purchase must be completed by September 25, 2026; installation by December 4, 2026; and all testing and training by December 11, 2026. Substantial completion of all base work is due within 182 calendar days of the Notice to Proceed, with final invoices due by February 26, 2027.

The total contract value is $400,000 over an initial six-month period. Contractors must perform a minimum of 25 percent of work with their own forces, maintain comprehensive project scheduling, and submit a schedule of values within fourteen days of Notice to Proceed. Proposers must provide detailed labor, equipment, and materials pricing for each site.

Evaluation criteria weight qualifications and experience at 25 points, approach at 20 points, pricing at 50 points, and three references from similar projects completed within the last three years at 5 points. The contractor must obtain General Liability ($1 million combined single limit per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1 million combined single limit per accident), Professional Liability Errors and Omissions ($1 million per claim/aggregate if applicable), Workers' Compensation at statutory levels, and Employer's Liability ($1 million per occurrence), with Pierce County named as additional insured on all liability policies except Professional Liability and Workers' Compensation. A payment and performance bond for the full contract amount with 5 percent retainage throughout is required. The project is funded through a Floodplains by Design grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology; Pierce County reserves the right to revise the number of sites selected during contract negotiation and the right to award the base proposal with all, some, or none of any alternate proposals.