Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Facility at Roberto R. Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant (RRBWWTP)

El Paso Water (EPWater), a municipally owned utility component of the City of El Paso, Texas, is soliciting qualifications for a Renewable Natural Gas facility at the Roberto R. Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant under a two-step public-private partnership (P3) process, with qualification submittals due November 25, 2026 at 1:30 PM. EPWater will pre-qualify up to three firms through this RFQ phase before issuing a full RFP.

The scope requires the selected private entity to design, permit, construct, operate, and maintain an RNG production system that converts biogas from the plant's existing anaerobic digestion process into pipeline-quality RNG for injection into ONE Gas's regional natural gas network. The RRBWWTP, located at 10001 Southside Road, currently treats 29 million gallons per day on an average annual basis with a permitted capacity of 39 MGD. Phase 1 utilizes current biogas production; Phase 2 options for co-digestion or new on-site digesters may be negotiated during the RFP phase.

Qualifications must demonstrate three years of audited financials, access to capital for design and construction, documented corporate safety programs with five years of safety performance data, and direct experience with municipal RNG projects at wastewater treatment facilities between 20 and 50 MGD. The anticipated initial contract term is fifteen years, subject to adjustment during RFP negotiation. The private entity assumes full project financing, permitting, construction, operational and market risks, and responsibility for site security; EPWater retains overall stake while the private entity markets renewable natural gas and environmental attributes including Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs).

Evaluation criteria are Financial Condition and Management Stability (25 points), Safety (15 points), Proposed Staff, Resources, Organization, and Technical Capability (30 points), and Experience (30 points). A pre-submittal meeting is scheduled for October 6, 2026; clarifications are due October 13, 2026. Selected firms will be notified by December 23, 2026.