RFP 6268 - Circuit Rider Drinking Water Services

The Oregon Health Authority is requesting proposals for Circuit Rider Drinking Water Services under RFP 6268, with proposals due October 29, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The RFP seeks one contract (though OHA may award less than full scope) to provide on-site technical assistance to Oregon community water systems serving populations under 10,000 and not-for-profit non-transient water systems.

Proposers must meet minimum qualifications: at least one current Oregon-registered Professional Engineer, current Oregon Operator Certificates for all key personnel, and one or more key persons holding Oregon Level 3 or Level 4 Water Treatment Certificates. All team members must have current resumes demonstrating experience with government or private agencies within the last three years.

The scope covers troubleshooting and technical assistance limited to 10 hours per water system without prior written approval, with additional hours authorized case-by-case. Services include groundwater and surface water system optimization, leak detection, distribution repair, contact time calculations, asset and project management, and Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund support. Proposers may request conference and trade show attendance; engineering and non-engineering attendance rates are fixed at $150 and $55 per hour respectively (pre-approval required). Travel time is billable at $150 per hour.

Compensation is fixed-rate: $150.00 per hour for troubleshooting, with additional hours authorized in 15-hour increments for specialized services. No cost proposal is required. The initial contract term is two years with renewal options to a cumulative maximum of five years. Federal funding derives from the Safe Drinking Water Act's small-system technical assistance allocation.

Evaluation criteria are organizational capacity (20 points), fiscal stability (10 points), key persons qualifications (20 points), project implementation plan (50 points), and reference checks (10 points), for a maximum 110 points. Proposers must submit three reference check forms from clients within the past five years. Questions are due October 9, 2026. Proposers must complete a Responsibility Inquiry form and provide financial documentation. Proposers employing 50 or more full-time workers on contracts exceeding $500,000 must submit a current Pay Equity Certificate. The firm offer is valid for 180 days. Contractors must obtain Commercial General Liability ($3 million per occurrence/$5 million aggregate), Professional Liability ($3 million per claim/$5 million aggregate), and Automobile Liability ($5 million combined single limit) insurance.