Utility Locator Certification Training

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is initiating two separate Request for Proposals (RFP) for utility locator and damage prevention training programs. The first RFP seeks a contractor to deliver 10 in-person, one-day training sessions across Washington State, with a maximum of 40 participants per session, covering underground utility damage prevention. The training must comprehensively address Chapter 19.122 RCW Underground Utilities law, Common Ground Alliance best practices, APWA marking colors, and damage prevention program elements. A second RFP is seeking a contractor to provide eight two-day educational programs on utility locating techniques, with 20 participants per session, focusing on locating instrument operation, equipment types, current and receiver techniques, troubleshooting, and ticket management. Both training programs require proposers to be licensed in Washington, possess at least ten years of excavation or underground utility locating experience, and demonstrate teaching expertise. The evaluation process will assign points across technical (40%), management (40%), and cost (20%) proposal components, with potential oral presentations to determine the final contractor selection. The contract period for both RFPs runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with potential extensions for up to three additional one-year periods.

The RFPs do not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Proposers must be licensed to do business in Washington and demonstrate substantial professional experience in underground utility locating and training. The UTC has budgeted $60,000 for the damage prevention training program, with $45,000 allocated for in-person sessions and $15,000 for online training, including provisions for delivering content in both English and Spanish. For the utility locator certification training, the budget is set at $52,000 per fiscal year. Successful contractors will be required to provide written course materials, produce attendance lists and final training reports, and offer feedback mechanisms to enhance the program. The proposals must not exceed the specified budget amounts, with any submissions over the allocated funds considered non-responsive. Both training programs aim to enhance professional skills and knowledge in underground utility damage prevention and locating techniques across various Washington State jurisdictions, including counties such as Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Yakima, and numerous others.