Water Treatment and Water Resources Engineering Services

The Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department issued Request for Proposals 23-019 for Water Treatment and Water Resources Engineering Services on April 18, 2023, with proposals due by 3:30 P.M. on April 25, 2023. The procurement seeks a single qualified engineering firm to serve as either Engineer of Record for design, permitting, and construction engineering services or as Design Criteria Professional for design-build projects supporting the county's five water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 113.28 million gallons per day. Key deliverables include comprehensive design services, permitting support, construction engineering, and technical consulting for water system optimization and resource management initiatives. Proposers and all sub-consultants must hold Palm Beach County CCNA certifications in nine specified categories covering surveying, geotechnical studies, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, and hydraulics and hydrogeological services. The contract term is three years with award anticipated for November 2023, following a short list meeting in May 2023 and a selection committee meeting in July 2023. Proposal submissions must include a letter of interest (20 pages maximum), GSA Form SF 330, prime consultant and sub-consultant questionnaires, OEBO Schedules 1 and 2, and required certifications, submitted in nine originals with eight bound copies, one unbound copy, and one CD/USB drive. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held on March 27, 2023, and all prospective bidders were required to acknowledge receipt of three addenda issued on March 28, April 18, and April 18, 2023, which clarified technical specifications, scope of work descriptions, revised evaluation criteria, and CCNA category applicability.

The procurement includes a mandatory minimum Small Business Enterprise (SBE) participation goal of 20%, with up to 15 evaluation preference points available based on certified African American-owned firm participation, thereby promoting equitable participation in the contracting opportunity. All prime and sub-consultant team members must be registered as county vendors and CCNA certified prior to the proposal due date, with no modifications to team composition permitted after submission. Interested parties were required to complete Plan Holder Registration Forms submitted via email to bids@pbcwater.com to gain access to protected bid documentation restricted from public disclosure under Florida Statutes Sections 199.071(3)(b) and Chapter 153. The solicitation was publicly advertised in the Palm Beach Post in compliance with Florida's public procurement requirements. While specific contract values or budget ranges are not detailed in the available solicitation documents, funding for the awarded contract will be sourced through the Water Utility Department's capital improvement or operating budget, with allocations dependent on project phases and implementation timelines. The evaluation process will assess proposals based on stated criteria including relevant experience, technical qualifications, capacity to manage comparable water engineering projects, and the extent of certified minority and small business participation in the proposed team structure.