Active SLED Opportunity · WASHINGTON · PIERCE COUNTY

    Design Consultant - Chambers Creek Dam Removal and Estuary Bank and Channel Protection Project

    Issued by Pierce County
    countyRFQPierce CountySol. 267344
    Open · 21d remaining
    DAYS TO CLOSE
    21
    due Jun 24, 2026
    PUBLISHED
    May 27, 2026
    Posting date
    JURISDICTION
    Pierce County
    county
    NAICS CODE
    541330
    AI-classified industry

    AI Summary

    Pierce County seeks a design consultant for the Chambers Creek Dam removal and estuary restoration project, including sediment management and habitat restoration. The project supports salmon recovery and environmental protection with federally funded engineering design services.

    Opportunity details

    Solicitation No.
    267344
    Type / RFx
    RFQ
    Status
    open
    Level
    county
    Published Date
    May 27, 2026
    Due Date
    June 24, 2026
    NAICS Code
    541330AI guide
    Jurisdiction
    Pierce County
    Agency
    Pierce County

    Description

    This RFQ seeks a design consultant to design the 30% to 100% design plans associated with the (1) Chambers Creek Dam removal (2) Chambers Bay estuary bank and channel protection measures to include riparian and marsh restoration post dam removal, and (3) Sediment management post dam removal to minimize the impacts of environmental pollution in the Chambers Creek system and to manage the quantity of sediment deposited in the marina and channel to Puget Sound.

     

    Background

    In 1933, the Chambers Creek Dam was built to assist in water withdrawal for Glacier Gravel Company and the Everett Pulp & Paper Company. The dam was constructed to create a water impoundment that would allow each of the companies to utilize the surface waters for their respective gravel mining and pulp/paper manufacturing operations. The Chambers Creek Dam is an earthen-filled dam. The dam’s spillway is concrete and slopes downward to the west. The sides of the dam are constructed of interlocking corrugated metal sheet pile. The dam has a crest length of 170 feet, a height of 22 feet, and a surface area of 5.0 acres. Fish ladders flank either side of the dam. In 2009, Pierce County conducted an inspection of the dam. The dam was found to have cracks in the concrete cap structure, the bottom was scoured, and sections in the lower sheet pile were missing or had holes. In 2012, a second fish ladder was added.

     

    Removing Chambers Bay Dam is a priority action for salmon recovery in Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 12. Removal of the dam and restoration of Chambers Creek will address several threats to salmon recovery: loss of off-channel habitat, disconnection of the floodplain, alteration of natural flow regimes, loss of riparian function, and degraded habitat complexity and connectivity. In addition, the dam impedes fish passage, and its removal will directly benefit species such as Chambers Creek chum salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and bull trout, as well as juvenile rearing populations of Chinook salmon, from all over Puget Sound on a shoreline between the Puyallup and Nisqually River deltas. Removal of the dam and restoration of the estuary will restore tidal and estuarine processes and provide approximately a 40% increase in habitat, more diversity of habitat, and more prey for priority salmon species.

     

    This project is an element of a larger effort to restore the Chambers Bay Estuary that involves the replacement of Chambers Creek Bridge. A separate RFQ led by Pierce County Office of the County Engineer has been produced to lead that stage of the project. Both projects will occur simultaneously to account for the impacts to tidal influence, differing hydrogeomorphology, and channel locations, which will evolve during the construction phases of the project.

     

    The County is initiating engineering design for D817 Chambers Bay Estuary Restoration. To support this effort, Pierce County is seeking an engineering firm to provide Preliminary and Final Design Engineering services for the project. This is anticipated to be a federally funded project and must adhere to the WSDOT Local Agency Guidelines. In 2023, Pierce County completed a Type, Size and Location (TS&L) study for the bridge replacement project, and in 2026 Pierce County completed a Comprehensive Implementation Strategic Plan (CISP).  Both documents can be found on the project webpage here: Chambers Bay Estuary Restoration | Pierce County, WA - Official Website.

     

     

    Project Details

    • Reference ID: 2026-RFQ-149
    • Department: Planning and Public Works
    • Department Head: Planning and Public Works (Director)

    Important Dates

    • Questions Due: 2026-06-18T22:30:00.000Z

    Evaluation Criteria

    • Past Experience - Design (30 pts)

      Previous recent (within last five years) experience completing final design and preparing contract special provisions and cost estimates for projects associated with dam removal, habitat protection and sediment management tasks. List the project(s), the construction cost, provide a summary about each project, your firm's role in its development, and who from your firm worked on the project. 

    • Past Experience - Dam Removal (30 pts)

      Previous recent (within last five years) experience completing final structural design and preparing contract special provisions and cost estimates for dam removal projects. List the project(s), the construction cost, provide a brief summary about each project, your firm's role in its development, and who from your firm worked on the project.

    • Past Experience - Environmental (30 pts)

      Previous recent (within last five years) experience preparing environmental (wetland, stream, shoreline, protected species) mitigation and hydraulic designs using local, state and federal guidelines. List the project(s), the construction cost, provide a brief summary about each project, your firm's role in its development, and who from your firm worked on the project. 

       

       

    • Past Experience - Communication (30 pts)

      Previous recent (within last five years) experience engaging tribes, agencies, interested parties and the community on highly complex and controversial projects.  List project(s), communication and engagement strategies, the construction cost, and provide a brief summary about each project, your firm's role in its development, and who from your firm worked on the project. 

    • Qualifications (20 pts)

      Specific expertise of key personnel, supported by brief resumes of each. List the Project Manager and the Discipline Leads who will be responsible for leading the project. Of those staff, identify who are licensed civil engineers and/or structural engineers in the State of Washington, staff who have Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, and any staff who are on the County's lists for Wetland Specialists, Fisheries Biologist, or Wildlife Biologists

    • Project Approach Narrative (25 pts)

      Firm’s strategy for successfully completing this project, overall project approach, and any innovative technologies or ideas for consideration on the project.

    • Capacity and Availability (10 pts)

      Firm's background and stability, and success at providing similar services to other local government agencies, and availability to provide the requested services in projected time frame.

    • Project Delivery (10 pts)

      Firm's project delivery and management system and internal review process for keeping projects on schedule and within budget. Describe the tools and techniques the firm uses to successfully track and monitor project performance. 

    • Accuracy and Completeness of the Statement of Qualification (SOQ) (10 pts)

      Completeness, accuracy, and organization of the submitted Statement of Qualifications in response to the RFQ and overall evaluation of firm's ability to effectively provide the requested services.  

    • Firm facilities, Equipment and drafting capabilities (5 pts)

      Firm's facilities including, but not limited to, computer equipment and applicable engineering programs and computer drafting capabilities. 

    • Interviews (if applicable) (100 pts)

      Pierce County may interview the top ranked from the evaluation list. If interviews are conducted, rankings of the firms shall be determined by Pierce County using the combined results of interviews and proposal submittals

    Submission Requirements

    • Proposal (required)

      Upload Proposal

    • Project Description (required)

      Please provide a brief, one to two paragraph, description of the project.

    • Initial contract period:

      Please enter the initial contract period:

       

      EXAMPLE:

      The initial contract period is anticipated to be for 12 months. The County has the option of renewing for an additional four years after initial contract is executed. The actual schedule will be negotiated with the selected firm based on consultant and agency staff availability and finalized scope of work.

    • Renewal Options (required)

      Plese enter the renewal options for this project.

      EXAMPLE:

      The initial contract period is anticipated to be for 12 months. The County has the option of renewing for an additional four years after initial contract is executed. The actual schedule will be negotiated with the selected firm based on consultant and agency staff availability and finalized scope of work.

    • Do Federal Terms & Conditions Apply to this Project? (required)

    Key dates

    1. May 27, 2026Published
    2. June 24, 2026Responses Due

    AI classification tags

    Frequently asked questions

    SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.

    SamSearch Platform

    Stop searching. Start winning.

    AI-powered intelligence for the right opportunities, the right leads, and the right time.