Professional Engineering Services for Buckman Direct Diversion Facility

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) is to solicit Statements of Qualifications (“SOQ” or “SOQs”) from a qualified Offeror interested in providing Professional Engineering Services for the redesign and reconstruction of portions of the Buckman Direct Diversion Facility (Facility) intake and raw water pumping facilities. This RFQ is being issued by the City of Santa Fe (City) on behalf of the Buckman Direct Diversion Board (Board).

Background

The Facility is a diversion and treatment plant on the Rio Grande River near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The point of diversion is approximately 15 miles northwest of the City of Santa Fe and is located about three miles from the confluence of the Rio Grande River and Los Alamos Canyon.

The Facility was intended to operate in this fashion: 

• Raw water is pulled from the Rio Grande diversion site.
• Sediment is removed near the diversion site through Lakos separators.
• Water is pumped uphill (1,100 vertical feet through 11 miles of 30” raw water pipe and three pump stations).
• The water is filtered and purified at an advanced treatment plant.
• Drinking water is then pumped to the utility providers.
• The illustration of the major systems in the process train are uploaded in the Vendor Questionnaire #18

The Board was created pursuant to a Joint Powers of Agreement between the City and Santa Fe County, effective March 11, 2005. The Board oversees the management and operations of the Facility. The Board is made up of two City Councilors, two County Commissioners, an At Large Citizen member, an Alternate Citizen member, and two non-voting representatives from the Las Campanas Community.

Under the Joint Powers Agreement for the Facility, the Board is responsible for diverting, treating, and transmitting surface water in accordance with respective diversion allocations and delivery demands.

The planning and design of the Facility began in 2001 and the Facility became operational in 2011. The Facility was expected by the Board to provide the necessary robust diversion, treatment, and reliable operations to meet much of the water demands of the City and the County for the foreseeable future. The Facility was intended to be able to divert, convey, and treat varying daily and monthly water diversion volumes, depending on water demands and source water availability. A maximum daily diversion of 20.8 MGD (32.2 CFS) at the river and 15 MGD net at the treatment plant could be needed at any time throughout the year. 

The Facility does not currently operate or perform as anticipated or desired, due to a number of issues. Many of the issues can be attributed to the Facility’s inability to adequately address extensive seasonal and precipitation triggered fluctuations in sediment and turbidity conditions in the Rio Grande. To improve the Facility’s performance and operation, the Board anticipates that design and construction of a new intake facility to exclude sediment from entering the intake will be a first step priority, coupled with improvements to the sediment removal process.

The Facility is the foundation of a resilient water future for the partners and as such a permanent solution must be achieved.

Project Details

• Reference ID: FY26-TRFQP - A&E-094
• Department: Buckman Direct Diversion
• Department Head: Brad Prada (Facilities Manager)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-22T23:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-05-26T23:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-18T16:00:00.000Z — https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/269189962156179?p=hRXVtb0WezXxlnCD00

Meetings & Milestones

Evaluation Criteria

• Organizational Experience (600 pts) —

  Points will be awarded based on the thoroughness and clarity of Offeror’s response in this Section. The Evaluation Committee will also weigh the relevancy and extent of Offeror’s experience, expertise and knowledge; and of personnel education, experience and certifications/licenses. In addition, points will be awarded based on Offeror’s candid and well-thought-out response to successes and failures, as well as the ability of the Offeror to learn from its failures and grow from its successes.

• Organizational References (150 pts) —

  Points will be awarded based upon an evaluation of the responses to a series of questions on the Organizational Reference Questionnaire. Offeror will be evaluated on references that show positive service history, successful execution of services and evidence of satisfaction by each reference. References indicating significantly similar services/scopes of work and comments provided by a submitted reference will add weight and value to a recommendation during the evaluation process. Points will be awarded for each individual response up to 1/3 of the total points for this category. Lack of a response will receive zero (0) points.

• Mandatory Specifications (100 pts) —

  Points will be awarded based on the thoroughness and clarity of Offeror’s response in this Section. The Evaluation Committee will also weigh the relevancy and extent of Offeror’s experience, expertise and knowledge represented in the response to "a" through "f" in this Section.

• Interview Presentations (100 pts) —

  Points will be awarded based on the quality, organization and effectiveness of communication of the information presented, as well as the professionalism of the presenters and technical knowledge of the proposed staff. Prior to Oral Presentation, the Department will provide the Offeror a presentation agenda. (If no Oral Presentations are held all Offerors will receive the maximum amount of total points for this Evaluation Factor). 

• Financial Stability (50 pts) —

  Points will be awarded based on the audit opinion, the balance sheet, and statements of income, retained earnings, cash flows, and the notes to the financial statements. If independently audited financial statements do not exist, then points will be awarded based on the reason and the submitted sufficient information (e.g., D & B report).

• Local Preference (30 pts) —

  Local resident businesses are awarded additional points equivalent to 3% of the total possible points.

• Local Preference with Local Subcontractors (30 pts) —

  Businesses with all local resident business subcontractors receive an additional 3% of the total possible points.

Submission Requirements

• NM Business Tax Identification Number (NMBTIN) fka CRS (required)
• Identify the individual(s) authorized by the organization to contractually obligate to queries on behalf of this Offeror: (required) —

  Please provide the following:

  • Name
  • Title
  • Email
  • Telephone Number
• Identify the individual(s) authorized by the organization to negotiate to queries on behalf of this Offeror: (required) —

  Please provide the following:

  • Name
  • Title
  • Email
  • Telephone Number
• Identify the individual(s) authorized by the organization to clarify/respond to queries on behalf of this Offeror: (required) —

  Please provide the following:

  • Name
  • Title
  • Email
  • Telephone Number
• Will you require the use of subcontractors? (required)
• Subcontractors (required) —

  Please provide a list of subcontractors who will be used in the performance of any resultant contract.

• Describe any relationship with any entity (such as the City of Santa Fe, State Agency, reseller, etc. that is not a subcontractor(s) listed above), if any, which will be used in the performance of any resultant contract. (required) —

  N/A, None, Does not apply, etc. are acceptable responses to this item.

• RFQ Acknowledgement (required) —

  By clicking "Please confirm" below, the Authorized Signatory attests to the accuracy and veracity of the information provided on this form, and explicitly acknowledges the following:

  • On behalf of the submitting-organization, I accept the Conditions Governing the Procurement, as required in Section II.C.1. of this RFQ;
  • I concur that submission of our proposal constitutes acceptance of the Evaluation Factors contained in Section "Evaluation" of this RFQ; and
  • I acknowledge receipt of all amendments to this RFQ, if any. 
• Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Conflict of Interest Statement Acknowledgement (required) —

  The City of Santa Fe policy is to prevent personal or organizational conflict of interest, or the appearance of such conflict of interest, in the award and administration of City contracts and Purchase Orders.

  The Offeror shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Governmental Conduct Act, Chapter 10, Article 16 NMSA 1978 and include a full disclosure of all potential organization conflicts of interest in the Proposal.

  The Engineer, on behalf of the Firm and Key Personnel, shall complete the Conflict of Interest Form below certifying that the entity has read and understands the City’s policy regarding conflict of interest and the CFR. If there is a conflict with the Project, then the Engineer and known key personnel needs to describe the conflict.

  The Engineer agrees that, if after award, an organizational conflict of interest is discovered, the Engineer makes an immediate and full written disclosure to the City that includes a description of the action that the Engineer has taken or proposes to take to avoid or mitigate such conflicts. If an organizational conflict of interest is determined to exist, the City may, at its discretion, cancel the contract for the Project. If the Engineer was aware of an organizational conflict of interest prior to the award of the contract and did not disclose the conflict to the City, the City may terminate the contract for default.

  The City may disqualify an Offeror if any of its key personnel belong to more than one Submitter organization/firm.

  By clicking "Please confirm" below, I certify that I/We have no personal or financial interests and no present employment or activity which would be incompatible with this firm’s participation in any activity related to the RFQ or execution of the awarded Professional Engineer Services. For the duration of this firm’s involvement in the Professional Engineer Services contract, this firm agrees not to accept any gift, benefit, gratuity or consideration, or begin a personal or financial interest in a party who is bidding and/or proposing, or associated with a bidder and/or Offeror on the Professional Engineer Services contract.

  I certify that this firm will keep all Professional Engineer Services contract information confidential and secure. This organization will not copy, give, or otherwise disclose such information to any other person unless the City of Santa Fe has on file a confidentiality agreement signed by the other person, and the disclosure is authorized and necessary to the Professional Engineer Services contract. I understand that if this firm leaves this Professional Engineer Services contract before it ends, this firm must keep all contract information confidential. I agree to follow any instructions provided by the City relating to the confidentiality of the Professional Engineer Services contract information. I fully understand that any unauthorized disclosure made by this firm may be a basis for civil or criminal penalties. I agree to advise the City’s Procurement Officer, at 505-955-6432 immediately in the event that I or another person within this organization either learn or have reason to believe that any person who has access to the Professional Engineer Services contract confidential information has or intends to disclose that information in violation of this agreement.

  The above information is subject to verification by the City of Santa Fe. If the City finds a misrepresentation, the bid may be automatically disqualified from the procurement process or the contract may be canceled.

• Non-Collusion Affidavit Acknowledgement (required) —

  Please insert the following information in the box below to affirm that: I am the (insert title) and the duly authorized representative of (insert organization’s name) whose address is (insert address). And, that I possess the legal authority to make this affidavit on behalf of myself and the firm for which I am acting.

  I affirm:

  1. I am fully informed respecting the preparation and contents of the attached proposal and of all pertinent circumstances respecting such proposal.
  2. Such proposal is genuine and is not a collusive or sham proposal.
  3. Neither the said Offeror nor any of its officers, partners, owners, agents, representatives,  employees or parties in interest, including this affiant, has in any way colluded, conspired, connived or agreed, directly or indirectly with any Offeror, firm or person to submit a collusive or sham proposal in connection with the Contract for which the attached proposal has been submitted or to refrain from offering a proposal in connection with the Contract, or has in any manner, directly or indirectly, sought by agreement or collusion or communication or conference with any other Offeror, firm or person to fix the price or prices in the attached proposal or of any other Offeror, or to fix any overhead, profit or cost element of the proposal or the offer price of any other Offeror, or to secure through any collusion, conspiracy, connivance or unlawful agreement any advantage against the Mayor and Council of City of Santa Fe, New Mexico or any person interested in the proposed Contract; and
  4. The price or prices quoted in the attached proposal are fair and proper and are not tainted by any collusion, conspiracy, connivance or unlawful agreement on the part of the Offeror or any of its agents, representatives, owners, employees, or parties in interest, including this affiant. I do solemnly declare and affirm under the penalties of perjury that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct.
• Technical Proposal (required) —

  Offeror must upload their Technical Proposal (response to Organizational Experience, Mandatory Specifications & Local Preference (if applicable)) here. 

• Financial Stability (required) —

  Offerors should submit copies of the most recent years independently audited financial statements and the most current 10K, as well as financial statements for the preceding three years, if they exist. The submission must include the audit opinion, the balance sheet, and statements of income, retained earnings, cash flows, and the notes to the financial statements. If independently audited financial statements do not exist, Offeror must state the reason and, instead, submit sufficient information (e.g., D & B report). 

  Multiple files are allowed if the Offeror requires a Confidential Proposal for submission. Make sure to title the documents as Public (Redacted) and Confidential (Unredacted).

• Organizational Reference Questionnaire (required) —

  Provide a list of a minimum of three (3) references from similar projects performed for private, city, state, or large local government clients within the last three (3) years.

  Offeror shall include the following Business Reference information as part of its proposals:

  1. 2. 1. Client name;
        2. Project description;
        3. Project dates (starting and ending);
        4. Technical environment (i.e., river water intake);
        5. Staff assigned to reference engagement that will be designated for work per this RFP; and
        6. Client project manager name, telephone number, fax number and email address.

  Offerors will upload the above information either in a Word document or and Excel spreadsheet. Then, the Offeror will download the Organizational Reference Questionnaires (“Questionnaire”) and send it to the business references listed as instructed above. The listed businesses must submit the Questionnaire directly to the designee identified in the Questionnaire. The businesses must not return the completed Questionnaire to the Offeror.

• Draft Contract —

  Please download the Draft Contract for review.

• Draft Contract (required) —

  The Board discourages exceptions from the contract terms and conditions as set forth in the RFQ Draft Contract. Should an Offeror object to any of the terms and conditions as set forth in the RFQ Draft Contract strongly enough to propose alternate terms and conditions in spite of the above, the Offeror must propose specific alternative language.

  Failure to propose any alternate terms and conditions during the procurement process (the RFQ process prior to selection as successful Offeror) is an explicit agreement by the Offeror that the contractual terms and conditions contained herein are accepted by the Offeror. No proposed alternate terms and conditions will be considered later during the negotiation process.

  Either upload the redlined version of the contract with Comments or a Word document with a sentence saying no changes needed.

• Design Inputs & Constraints —

  Please download the below documents for informational purposes only.

• Conceptional Design —

  Please download the below documents for informational purposes only.

• Major Systems —

  Please download the below documents for informational purposes only.

• Do you understand that your Proposal may be disqualified if you fail to meet any of the RFQ's requirements? (required)
• Brief Description of Service(s)/Product(s) (required)
• Resulting award for contract (required)
• Which apply to your project? (required)
• Pre-Proposal Meeting Attendance Required? (required)
• Address for Site Visit (required)
• Will this project be federally funded? (required)