Sole Source Notice - Water Professionals International dba The Associated Boards of Certification for Cetification Exams to certifiy water, wastewater treatment and related water operators

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is pursuing a sole source procurement for certification examination services through Water Professionals International dba The Associated Boards of Certification (ABC). The primary objective is to obtain nationally recognized certification exams for water, wastewater treatment, and related water operators across Arizona. These examinations are critical for ensuring that operators meet statutory requirements and recognized environmental management standards. ABC is uniquely qualified as the only nationally and internationally recognized not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization developing operator examinations through job task analysis surveys that adhere to industry psychometric standards. The procurement covers certification exams for multiple institutions, including Gateway Community College, City of Phoenix, and Central Arizona College, with the contract term extending through June 30, 2028. Key deliverables include comprehensive operator certification exams that assess professional competency in water and wastewater treatment operations. The sole source determination was authorized by the State Procurement Office on October 10, 2023, with a specific focus on maintaining high-quality professional certification standards.

The procurement has no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational respondents, as this is a sole source procurement with Water Professionals International as the sole vendor. The incumbent vendor, ABC, has extensive experience in certifying over 500,000 water and wastewater treatment professionals across 49 U.S. states/territories, 12 Canadian provinces/territories, and international entities. Fees for operator testing will be directly paid by individuals seeking certification to exam proctors and WPI, with no state funds provided directly to individuals. The estimated contract cost for fiscal year 2024 is $234,953, covering three separate agreements with educational and municipal entities. The procurement was determined to be fair, reasonable, and advantageous to the State of Arizona, with WPI holding registered copyrights on exam content and providing specialized certification services that cannot be replicated by other organizations. Proctoring organizations will collect funds from test-takers to cover their operational costs and examination fees, ensuring a self-sustaining certification process.