RFP Meter Boxes and Lids

The City of Fort Worth Purchasing Division issued Request for Proposal 26-0096 on February 16, 2026, for the procurement of meter boxes and lids to support the Water Department on an as-needed basis, with proposals due by March 12, 2026. The City maintains over 306,000 active water meter locations and annually installs approximately 8,000 new meter boxes while replacing roughly 2,000 existing units. Proposers must supply composite water meter boxes and lids across eight classes (Classes A, B, and C for new installations; Classes D, E, and F for retrofit lids; Classes G and H for cast iron retrofit lids) that comply with specified technical requirements including composite material blends with tensile strength exceeding 1700 psi, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) receptacles, and established load performance standards. The City will evaluate proposals on a best value basis using the following weighted criteria: cost (15 points), small business participation (20 points), performance and durability (25 points), safety and security (15 points), installation and maintenance/quality (20 points), qualifications and experience (10 points), and ability to meet City needs (10 points). Proposers must demonstrate manufacturing and supply experience with composite water meter boxes and lids for municipal utilities, provide firm fixed price quotations through the designated bid table, confirm ability to provide emergency deliveries within 24 hours, specify current lead times, and submit three customer references with detailed contact information. Responses must be submitted electronically through the Euna Portal with all required documents included, including W-9 forms, conflict of interest questionnaires, small business utilization forms, deviation forms, authorized signature forms, and pricing in the specified discount calculator format. The initial contract term is one year with up to four optional one-year renewal periods at the City's discretion, provided neither party provides 90 days' notice of non-renewal prior to expiration.

The City of Fort Worth has established a 30 percent small business participation goal for this procurement, which may be satisfied through self-performance by a prime contractor certified as a small business, utilization of certified small business subcontractors, or a combination of both approaches. Small businesses must be located in Tarrant, Wise, Johnson, Parker, or Denton County and hold current certification from an organization approved by the City Manager, specifically the North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (NCTRCA), for the relevant commodity and service codes. Bidders must complete the Small Business Utilization Form in its entirety and submit current certifications for all small businesses; failure to do so may result in zero points being awarded for the small business goal criteria. The draft Vendor Services Agreement specifies that the vendor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), Workers' Compensation at statutory limits, and Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions ($1,000,000 per claim/$1,000,000 aggregate), with the City designated as an additional insured. The RFP does not specify an explicit award value or budget range in the available documentation, though pricing shall be submitted as firm fixed prices in United States dollars with all associated costs including handling, delivery, and fees included in unit prices, and payment terms are Net 30 Days. The City reserves the right to negotiate all elements of the successful proposer's response, award to multiple proposers on a non-exclusive basis, request Best and Final Offers from selected proposers, or utilize alternative procurement methods.