Water Patrols and Water Use Audits

The City of Santa Monica is conducting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for water conservation services, specifically seeking qualified vendors to provide nighttime water waste patrols and daytime water use audits across its 8.3 square mile jurisdiction with approximately 18,000 water service connections. The procurement focuses on drought response efforts to reduce water waste from outdoor irrigation, inefficient fixtures, and leaks through comprehensive monitoring and audit services. Water waste patrols will be conducted during late night/early morning hours to identify irrigation system violations when customers cannot observe issues, while water use audits will focus on detecting irrigation system deficiencies and making efficiency recommendations. Vendors may submit proposals for water waste patrols, water audits, or both services. The evaluation of proposals will be based on a points-based system with six key criteria: experience (35 points), references (20 points), work plans/timelines (10 points), project team capabilities (15 points), value-added services (10 points), and cost (10 points). The RFP was released on September 23, 2022, with a question submission deadline of September 30, 2022, and a proposal response deadline of October 24, 2022, at 5:00 pm.

The RFP includes several compliance requirements for potential contractors, including adherence to the city's Living Wage Ordinance, which mandates a minimum wage of $16.63 per hour for service contracts exceeding $54,200. Contractors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), and Workers' Compensation insurance. The city requires vendors to complete non-discrimination policy acknowledgments, debarment certifications, and non-collusion declarations. Specific proposal forms include the Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form, which requires transparency about company leadership and ownership for contracts over $25,000. While specific budget details are not explicitly stated, the Professional Services Agreement template indicates that compensation will be determined based on a budget outlined in an exhibit, with a total amount not to exceed a specified figure. The city reserves the right to award the contract to the most qualified proposer, which may not necessarily be the lowest-cost bid, and the final contract may require City Council approval.