Woodland Water District Needs Analysis RFP

The Town of Oneonta, New York is soliciting proposals from engineering consulting firms to evaluate the Woodland Water District's water distribution infrastructure and diagnose operational deficiencies, with proposals due September 10, 2026 (per the posted due date; a separate attachment notes September 3 at 2:00 PM — the attachment date controls and supersedes the posted date).

The Woodland Water District serves approximately 219 service connections within the Town. After connection to the newly defined Southside Water District in 2023, the system began experiencing operational failures including brown discolored water affecting end users, despite prior upgrades including two new 150-foot-deep wells at Fortin Park and decommissioning of a deteriorated storage tank. The scope is limited to diagnostic evaluation and does not include implementation; design and construction of recommended solutions will be procured separately.

The consulting firm must conduct field investigation of existing conditions, perform hydraulic analysis of the distribution system to identify deficiencies, and provide recommendations for restoring reliable operation with preliminary cost opinions. Deliverables are due December 18, 2026. Contract award is anticipated September 9, 2026.

Evaluation criteria weight firm and project-team experience at 60 percent, proposed fees at 20 percent, and project approach at 20 percent. The awardee must provide proof of insurance prior to execution: Commercial General Liability of $1 million per occurrence, Architects & Engineers' Professional Errors and Omissions Insurance of $2 million, and $2 million Excess Insurance. Proposals must be submitted as one USB flash drive with electronic copies and three hard copies. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to negotiate terms with the selected proposer.