Lewis County RFQ -Thurston PUD Water Systems Acquisition Feasibility Study

LEWIS COUNTY NOTICE TO CONSULTANTS FOR: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Thurston PUD Water Systems Acquisition Feasibility Study 1. Introduction / Purpose Lewis County Public Works (County) is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) from qualified consulting firms to conduct a feasibility study evaluating the potential acquisition, ownership, operation, and long-term management of 54 water systems currently owned and operated by Thurston Public Utility District No. 1 (Thurston PUD) within Lewis County. The study will provide independent technical, financial, regulatory, operational, and risk-based due diligence for consideration by the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Thurston PUD has expressed its intent to divest water systems located outside Thurston County and has provided Lewis County the first opportunity to evaluate purchase of these systems. Current information identifies 7 Group A and 47 Group B systems. System counts, connections, assets, financial assumptions, and acquisition terms shall be independently verified as part of the study. This project is funded through Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Contract GVL32753-0 for the Lewis County Feasibility Study for Consolidation of Thurston PUD Water Systems (Application No. 2025-4651), administered through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The executed agreement provides up to $150,000 in federal funding for the approved scope of work. The consultant contract and all work performed under it must remain within the executed DOH agreement, approved scope, available grant funding, and written Notice to Proceed. 2. Project Background & Objectives The 54 systems are distributed throughout Lewis County and range from small Group B systems with individual wells and limited storage to larger Group A systems with treatment, multiple wells, storage facilities, water rights, and greater regulatory complexity. Thurston PUD has provided system maps, asset management information, financial summaries, water-right records, planning and compliance information, and transition concepts. Lewis County has also completed preliminary field tours and assembled additional background information. All available information is considered baseline material and shall be verified by the consultant. The feasibility study is intended to determine whether County ownership is technically feasible, financially sustainable, operationally achievable, protective of public health, and in the long-term interest of Lewis County and the customers served. The study shall: • Verify the inventory, condition, capacity, water rights, compliance status, treatment, assets, service connections, and capital needs of all 54 systems. • Independently evaluate acquisition economics, rates, revenues, operating costs, staffing, transition costs, reserves, and long-term capital requirements. • Evaluate operational staffing, facilities, equipment, billing/customer service, emergency response, and potential in-house, contracted, or hybrid operating models. • Identify regulatory, water-quality, PFAS, environmental, infrastructure, financial, operational, and ratepayer risks, including risks associated with not acquiring the systems. • Evaluate physical consolidation, interties, regionalization, alternative management approaches, and other opportunities to improve long-term sustainability. • Provide clear alternatives, conditions for acquisition, a transition/change-of-ownership roadmap, and a final recommendation suitable for DOH and BOCC decision-making. 3. Scope of Services The scope below is intended to implement the executed DOH Contract GVL32753-0, Exhibit A. The selected consultant will be expected to complete the technical work and deliverables necessary for Lewis County to satisfy the nine grant tasks. Reasonable refinements may be negotiated only if they remain consistent with the executed grant agreement, DOH requirements, schedule, and available funding. 3.1 Project Management, Coordination & Data Review • Conduct a kickoff meeting and establish a work plan, schedule, data request list, project responsibilities, quality assurance and quality control procedures, and regular progress coordination with the County. • Coordinate with Thurston PUD, DOH, Department of Ecology, and other agencies as authorized by the County; identify data gaps and obtain or request information needed for a defensible evaluation. • Track labor, expenses, progress, and deliverables by DOH grant task and provide sufficiently detailed documentation to support Lewis County's quarterly reporting, invoicing, reimbursement, and project expenditure records. Reimbursement under the grant is based on actual allowable costs and accepted deliverables. 3.2 System Inventory & Technical Condition Assessment • Validate current system names/IDs, Group A or Group B classification, active and authorized connections, service areas, wells, treatment, storage, distribution assets, metering, maps, and other significant facilities for all 54 systems. • Review available WFI records, sanitary surveys, operating permits, planning documents, asset management plans, maps, well logs, O&M records, monitoring data, and known capital projects. • Conduct efficient field verification sufficient to assess each system. Evaluate condition, remaining service life, capacity, redundancy, reliability, hydraulic limitations, fire-flow capability where applicable, deferred maintenance, and priority repair/replacement needs. • Prepare a concise condition matrix for each system and independently validate or update Thurston PUD capital and asset-management assumptions. 3.3 Water Rights, Capacity, Regulatory Compliance & Water Quality • Review water rights and exempt-well status, including instantaneous and annual quantities, place of use, points of withdrawal, pending applications, limitations, and ownership-transfer considerations. • Evaluate source capacity and water rights relative to current demand, authorized connections, known growth, and future service potential; identify limitations that materially affect system value or sustainability. • Confirm DOH operating status, monitoring requirements, sanitary-survey findings, planning-document requirements, outstanding compliance issues, and required ownership-transfer actions for each system. • Review treatment and water-quality history, including PFAS and emerging contaminants. For Sandra Avenue Water System No. 627, evaluate the status of the grant-funded PFAS remediation project, remaining work, transfer obligations, ongoing monitoring and O&M requirements, lifecycle costs, warranties, and the condition Lewis County would inherit. • Identify and evaluate potential opportunities for physical consolidation of the 54 systems where technically and financially practical, consistent with the DOH-approved scope. 3.4 Financial, Rate, Capital & Funding Analysis • Independently validate current Thurston PUD revenue, operating-cost, overhead, capital-surcharge, connection/GFC, acquisition-price, and capital-investment assumptions using current information. • Develop County ownership cost scenarios including staffing, contracted services, administration, insurance, billing/customer service, vehicles/equipment, facilities, utilities, sampling, treatment O&M, emergency response, reserves, and capital renewal. • Prepare rate and revenue models sufficient to evaluate affordability, sustainability, reserve needs, and the implications of retaining or modifying the existing rate and fee structure. • Verify Thurston PUD’s capital improvement plans and develop a prioritized capital improvement plan with planning-level costs, and realistic funding pathways. Identify funding eligibility by system type, recognizing differences between Group A and Group B systems. • Provide sensitivity analysis for major variables such as staffing, capital costs, rates, connection growth, grant availability, and significant known risks. 3.5 Operational Feasibility, Staffing & Transition • Determine staffing and certification requirements for safe and compliant operation of the 54 systems, including operations, compliance, maintenance, emergency/on-call coverage, management, billing, customer service, and administrative support. • Compare in-house, contracted, and hybrid operating models, including estimated annual costs, advantages, disadvantages, and transition requirements. • Evaluate geographic response needs and whether an East County/Packwood-area maintenance or operations base is warranted. Identify required vehicles, tools, telemetry/communications, meter-reading systems, inventory, treatment support, and other operational resources. • Evaluate Thurston PUD transition assistance, including operator training, system management, billing/collections, customer service, records transfer, maintenance support, and knowledge transfer, and recommend an appropriate transition structure and duration. 3.6 Business, Economic & Risk Analysis • Evaluate economic activity supported by the systems, including commercial, institutional, public-service, lodging/tourism, and other non-residential customers; identify growth potential and development constraints. • Identify and rank infrastructure, water-quality, PFAS, environmental, regulatory, operational, staffing, financial, ratepayer, customer-service, transition, and acquisition risks. • Identify material easement/access, property, asset, vendor/contract, warranty, grant-obligation, record-transfer, or ownership issues discovered during technical due diligence that should be referred to County legal or administrative staff. Legal opinions are not required unless specifically negotiated. • Evaluate hidden/deferred costs and risks of both acquisition and non-acquisition, and prepare a practical risk assessment with recommended mitigation measures. 3.7 Alternatives, Recommendations & Change of Ownership • Evaluate full acquisition, alternative management/operations structures, physical consolidation opportunities, and a no-acquisition baseline. • Compare alternatives using technical, financial, regulatory, operational, customer, risk, and implementation criteria. • Identify conditions that should be satisfied before County ownership and distinguish pre-acquisition requirements from transition-period and longer-term improvements. • Develop an implementation roadmap addressing staffing ramp-up, training, billing/customer transition, assets and records, emergency response, regulatory notifications, water-right actions, continuity of service, and other change-of-ownership requirements. 3.8 Feasibility Report, DOH Review & BOCC Presentation • Prepare an initial feasibility report integrating the required analyses, system matrices, financial models, risks, alternatives, and recommendations. • Provide a clear feasibility conclusion stating whether acquisition is recommended, not recommended, or recommended only under specified conditions, with the basis for that conclusion. • Submit the feasibility report through the County for DOH review, respond to comments, and prepare the final report and supporting files for DOH approval. • Prepare an executive summary and presentation materials and participate in a BOCC presentation following DOH approval. 4. Required Deliverables • Project work plan, schedule, data request list, and task-level progress/cost documentation sufficient to support County administration and DOH quarterly reporting. • Task 1 - Validated water systems inventory cross-referenced with DOH records and Lewis County GIS; and Task 2 - condition matrix addressing system condition, compliance, water rights, and fire-flow capabilities for all 54 systems. • Task 5 - Acquisition compliance checklist confirming regulatory requirements and compliance issues for each water system. • Task 3 - Financial and rate model, capital improvement plan, and potential funding eligibility summary, including eligibility considerations for Group A versus Group B systems. • Task 4 - Staffing and operations plan comparing in-house, contracted, and hybrid operating models and addressing a potential phased transfer from Thurston PUD. • Task 6 - Business and economic impact memorandum addressing economic activity, growth potential, and development constraints; and Task 7 - risk assessment addressing infrastructure, water quality, environmental compliance, financial, ratepayer, and non-acquisition risks. • Task 8 - Alternatives analysis and recommendations incorporated into the initial and final feasibility reports, including an implementation/transition strategy and change-of-ownership considerations. • Task 8 - Initial feasibility report, final feasibility report, DOH comment-response materials, and Office of Drinking Water approval letter; and Task 9 - BOCC presentation materials and supporting meeting documentation. • Editable source files for final reports, spreadsheets/models, GIS/maps, and presentations, plus searchable PDF versions. 5. Available Background Information The County anticipates making available relevant project records in its possession, including Thurston PUD proposal and system presentation materials; current master system and tour information; maps, water-right records, asset management plans, financial summaries, and planning/compliance records; the Sandra Avenue 627 PFAS Evaluation and current remediation information; Lewis County preliminary acquisition, staffing, risk/benefit and BOCC materials; the DOH grant application and approved project scope; and reasonably available County GIS and utility records. The consultant shall determine whether information is current, complete, and suitable for reliance. 6. Anticipated Schedule Procurement dates will be finalized before advertisement. The consultant's schedule must support the executed DOH Contract GVL32753-0, including the Exhibit A deliverable dates and the October 1, 2028 contract end date. Any proposed schedule refinement affecting a DOH deliverable date will require County approval and, where applicable, coordination or approval by DOH. • RFQ issued: August 25, 2026 • Questions due: September 16, 2026, 2:00PM • SOQ due: September 22, 2026, 2:00PM • Shortlist/interviews, if conducted: September 25, 2026 • Consultant selection and scope/fee negotiation: October 2, 2026 • BOCC contract approval / Notice to Proceed: October 13, 2026 • Task 1 - Validated water systems inventory: December 15, 2026 • Task 2 - Condition matrix: December 15, 2026 • Tasks 3 and 4 - Financial/rate deliverables and staffing/operations plan: April 1, 2027 • Tasks 5, 6 and 7 - Acquisition compliance checklist, business/economic impact memo, and risk assessment: July 1, 2027 • Task 8 - Initial feasibility report: September 1, 2027; final feasibility report and DOH approval process: March 1, 2028 • Task 9 - BOCC presentation and supporting materials: May 15, 2028 The executed DOH agreement remains in effect through October 1, 2028. All required activities and deliverables must be completed and submitted in sufficient time for DOH review and approval before contract expiration. Work performed outside the grant period is not eligible for DOH reimbursement. The consultant shall allow adequate time for County and DOH review, responses to comments, revisions, and final approval. 7. SOQ Submittal Requirements SOQs shall be concise and directly responsive to this project and include, in the following order: • Cover letter and firm introduction, including proposed project manager and authorized contracting representative. • Project understanding and technical approach, including methodology for efficiently evaluating all 54 systems within available funding. • Team organization, roles, availability, and qualifications of key personnel, including appropriate Washington-licensed professional engineering capability and expertise in utility finance/rates, operations/staffing, water rights/regulatory compliance, asset management, and PFAS/emerging contaminants. • Identification of subconsultants and assigned work. • Relevant experience with water-system acquisition/consolidation, multi-system due diligence, small/rural Group A and Group B systems, DOH coordination, financial/rate studies, and transition planning. • Project schedule, quality assurance and quality control approach, major risks, and proposed mitigation strategies. • Disclosure of actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest, including recent or current work for Thurston PUD that could affect independence. • Five (5) client references from recent comparable work. • Page limit: 20 pages maximum (single-sided equivalent), excluding cover and divider pages. Material should be concise and directly relevant. • Submittal method: Lewis County OpenGov Procurement Portal ( https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/lewiscountywa ), or as otherwise stated in the final advertisement. • Submittal deadline: Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Do not submit cost proposals at this time. This is a qualifications-based procurement. The County will negotiate the final scope, schedule, deliverables, and fee with the most qualified firm. 8. Evaluation & Selection A County evaluation committee will review SOQs and may shortlist firms for interviews. Selection will be based on: • Team qualifications and directly relevant acquisition/consolidation and multi-system due-diligence experience - 30%. • Project understanding, technical approach, and ability to evaluate all 54 systems within the available budget - 30%. • Washington drinking-water regulatory, water-right, financial/rate, operational/staffing, asset-management, PFAS, and grant-funded project expertise - 20%. • Schedule realism, staff availability, project management, quality assurance and quality control, and ability to meet DOH documentation/review requirements - 10%. • Quality and relevance of references - 10%. Following selection, the County will negotiate a detailed scope, schedule, deliverables, and fee. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the County may proceed to the next-ranked firm in accordance with applicable law and County policy. 9. Administrative Information • Questions & Contact: All communications regarding this RFQ shall be directed to the Point of Contact identified in the final advertisement. Unauthorized contact with other County staff regarding this procurement may be grounds for disqualification. • Funding & Grant Compliance: This project is supported by $150,000 in federal funding under executed DOH Contract GVL32753-0, administered through DWSRF. Exhibit A budgets the full project amount as subcontracted services. The selected consultant must comply with all applicable requirements incorporated into the County consultant contract, including applicable federal requirements and required flow-down provisions. No consultant work is authorized before written Notice to Proceed. • Time, Cost & Reimbursement Documentation: The consultant shall provide task-level labor and expense documentation sufficient to support County invoicing and DOH reimbursement. Costs must be necessary, reasonable, allocable, adequately documented, and otherwise allowable under the grant. The consultant shall not bill the County for costs that are paid or will be paid by another funding source for the same service. • Equal Opportunity: The County is an equal opportunity employer and encourages participation by disadvantaged, minority-, women-owned, veteran-owned, and small businesses as applicable. • Reservation of Rights: The County may reject any or all SOQs, waive informalities, request clarification, amend or reduce the scope, cancel or reissue the RFQ, or elect not to award a contract without obligation. • Public Disclosure: Submittals are public records subject to RCW 42.56. Firms shall clearly identify information they believe is exempt from disclosure. • Insurance & Indemnification: The selected consultant must comply with standard County contract requirements, including applicable insurance, workers compensation, automobile, professional liability, and indemnification provisions. • Conflicts of Interest & Independence: Firms must disclose conflicts and be able to independently evaluate the acquisition proposal and information supplied by Thurston PUD. • Procurement Authority: This solicitation is conducted under Lewis County Procurement Policy and RCW 39.80 for architectural and engineering services, as applicable. • Grant Agreement Controls: DOH Contract GVL32753-0 and its incorporated requirements control grant-funded work. If the final consultant scope or performance conflicts with the executed DOH agreement or approved Exhibit A scope, the consultant scope, schedule, deliverables, or procedures will be revised as necessary to maintain grant compliance. • Federal Compliance & Lower-Tier Requirements: Because the DOH award is federally funded, the selected consultant and any approved subconsultants must comply with applicable federal requirements incorporated into the County contract, including debarment/suspension and other required certifications or assurances. The consultant shall carry applicable requirements into lower-tier subcontracts. • Subconsultants: Proposed subconsultants must be identified in the SOQ. Use of subconsultants and any later substitutions are subject to County approval and any DOH approval required under Contract GVL32753-0. The prime consultant remains responsible for all work and grant compliance. • Records & Audit: The consultant shall maintain complete project records supporting costs and performance and make them available to Lewis County and authorized state or federal reviewers as required. Project records shall be retained for the period required by the County contract and applicable grant requirements. • Data & Work Products: Reports, studies, models, maps, presentations, and other data produced with grant funds shall be delivered to the County in the formats requested. Ownership and use of grant-funded data and work products will be governed by DOH Contract GVL32753-0 and the County consultant agreement. 10. Submittal Address & Delivery Responses shall be submitted electronically through the Lewis County OpenGov Procurement Portal, or physical copies if authorized in the final advertisement, delivered to: Lewis County Public Works Attn: Anders Pollman 57 W Main St Chehalis, WA 98532 Label subject line or package: “Thurston PUD Water Systems Acquisition Feasibility Study RFQ - SOQ”. Title VI Notice to Public: It is the policy of Lewis County that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise discriminated against under any of its Federally funded programs and activities. Any person who believes their Title VI protections have been violated may file a complaint with WSDOT’s Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). For information regarding complaint procedures or County nondiscrimination obligations, contact Lewis County’s Title VI Coordinator at (360) 740-2612. — End of RFQ — Publish: Chronicle: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Seattle Journal of Commerce: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 OMWBE: Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Agencia

Lewis County Department of Public Works

N° de solicitud

—

Tipo de aviso

Local Solicitation

NAICS

541611 — Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

PSC

C211 — Architect And Engineering- General: Landscaping, Interior Layout, And Designing

Valor estimado (inferido, no oficial)

$323,304 – $8,203,043 (191 awards similares)

Set-aside

—

Lugar de ejecución

WA

Publicada

25 de ago de 2026

Cierre

22 de sept de 2026

Última actualización

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