River Well #1 Renewal Project

The City of Bend, Oregon is soliciting engineering services through Request for Proposals (RFP) 26-3256 to design and implement improvements to River Well #1, a critical municipal groundwater source constructed in 1972 and located in Deschutes County. The procurement seeks comprehensive engineering services encompassing a full alternatives analysis, preliminary and final design, permitting support, and construction engineering services for the approximately 2.5-year project, which includes approximately 10 months for design and permitting, 3 months for bidding, and 14 months for construction. The project addresses significant structural, geotechnical, and well integrity deficiencies, including approximately 3.5 inches of differential settlement, foundation cracking caused by highly compressible subsurface soils, and multiple casing leaks between 357 and 480 feet below ground surface; the preferred solution involves installing a new 14-inch cement-sealed steel casing inside the existing 16-inch casing combined with full wellhouse replacement and associated mechanical, electrical, and site improvements. Key deliverables include design documentation, permitting applications, construction specifications, and engineering support during the construction phase. Evaluation of proposals will be weighted on project understanding and approach (400 points), project team qualifications and experience (300 points), firm experience and quality of service (300 points), and interviews if conducted (200 points). Proposals must be submitted electronically through the City of Bend eProcurement Portal no later than May 20, 2026, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time, remain valid for at least 90 days, and include a letter of transmittal, project understanding and approach statement (limited to 15 pages), project team qualifications with resumes, related project experience descriptions, and Oregon Statutory Certifications; an optional pre-submittal meeting is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM via Microsoft Teams.

Proposers must certify compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, ORS 659A, the City of Bend's non-discrimination policy, Oregon Workers' Compensation Law, and state tax laws, and must disclose whether they qualify as a "Resident Bidder" under ORS 279A.120; proposers are also required to maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including commercial general liability of $2,000,000 per incident, commercial automobile liability of $2,000,000 combined single limit, and professional liability insurance of $2,000,000 per claim with 24-month tail coverage. The consulting engineer selected to provide design services will be precluded from providing construction services for the same project, ensuring separation of design and construction responsibilities. No current incumbent contractors are identified in the procurement documents, though the project will require integration with the existing River Well #1 infrastructure, which operates at approximately 1,930 gallons per minute through a 15-stage pump powered by a 500-horsepower motor and includes SCADA communication and programmable logic controller capabilities. The anticipated budget for engineering design and implementation services is approximately $525,000, with the full project costs ranging from approximately $3.8 million to $5.2 million depending on the selected alternative, and an additional $3.5 million potentially available for optional manganese treatment if required. The City reserves the right to negotiate final agreements with the highest-scoring proposer and may conduct interviews or seek clarifications from proposers; protests must be submitted at least 7 calendar days prior to the proposal closing date.