Treatment Plant Upgrades for PFAS Reduction in Drinking Water Through CMAR Collaborative Delivery

The City of Calhoun, Georgia is requesting Statements of Qualifications and proposals from Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) organizations for treatment plant upgrades at two drinking water facilities to achieve PFAS/MCL compliance, with proposals due July 30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. and a mandatory information conference on July 9. The CMAR delivery method and the two-step evaluation process (qualifications and cost first, then interviews) are the primary structural constraints.

Contract A covers the 12.8 MGD Brittany Drive WTP, and Contract B covers the 18 MGD Mauldin Road WTP. Both require design and construction of reverse osmosis treatment systems with microfiltration pretreatment, chemical feed systems, SCADA controls, and waste-stream processing. Contract A includes a new operations and laboratory building; Contract B adds hydraulic system improvements, new clearwells, and a finished water pump station. Proposers may bid on either contract individually or both combined; the City reserves the right to award separately or to one or multiple firms.

Pre-construction and procurement services begin in October 2026 for 300 days, followed by construction notice to proceed in October 2027 for 920 days, with final completion expected in April 2030. Proposers must hold a Utility Contractor License, register and purchase complete documents from QuestCDN.com (Quest Number 10233316, $50.00 fee), and demonstrate satisfactory debarment status.

Evaluation criteria (Step One) weight water/wastewater experience and references at 25 points, financial capacity at 20 points, construction services experience at 22 points, CMAR project experience at 10 points, key personnel qualifications at 15 points, local participation at 5 points, and preconstruction services at 3 points. Step Two interviews add up to 20 points for a 120-point maximum. Proposers must document at least five similar completed projects and acknowledge all addenda. Virtual interviews are scheduled for July 31, 2026.