RFP #2026007 - Juvenile Fish Monitoring Services

Northern Wasco County People's Utility District (NWCPUD) is requesting proposals for juvenile fish monitoring services at the North Fishway Hydroelectric Project on the Columbia River in Klickitat County, Washington, with proposals due October 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM PST via OregonBuys and an optional preproposal conference on October 20 at 9:00 AM PST via Microsoft Teams.

The scope is weekly monitoring of juvenile fish conditions following passage through the penstock intake screening structure during April through July each year. Services include one 24-hour sampling period per week, species identification, recording of descaling and injury incidence, length and condition data collection, anesthetizing and returning sampled fish, data analysis, weekly summaries and annual reports, and representation at Fish Passage Operation and Maintenance meetings. The contractor must provide all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, transportation, and incidentals, and must acquire a Scientific Collection Permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (estimated $117 annually) and meet all federal permitting requirements.

The contract term is three years from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2029, with an option to extend for one additional one-year renewal period by mutual written agreement. Pricing shall be submitted as annual rates with a not-to-exceed total for the three-year period; the contractor's initial rates remain firm for twelve months, after which adjustments may be requested subject to a cap of the lesser of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers annual increase or three percent. The District has no obligation to guarantee minimum work or compensation and reserves the right to increase, decrease, suspend, or terminate services based on project needs, funding availability, or regulatory requirements.

Proposals are evaluated on proposal content (0–10 points), firm qualifications and experience (0–20 points), assigned staff experience and resumes (0–20 points), availability and commitment of resources (0–20 points), pricing competitiveness (0–20 points), and exceptions to agreement/insurance/indemnification (0–10 points), with potential interviews (0–50 points) for a maximum of 150 points. The District anticipates award recommendation on November 19, 2026, and contract execution on December 2, 2026.