WATER MAIN ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES VI

The City of Cleveland (City), Division of Water (CWD) through its Director of Public Utilities, is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants interested in providing engineering services for inspection, replacement and rehabilitation of water mains. Although this program is designated as the 2028-2029 Program, construction projects and other tasks herein described could begin as early as 2026 and end as late as 2031. It is necessary that the consultant be familiar with potable water distribution systems and facilities, with considerable experience in the engineering design of water mains.

Background

CWD is a major regional utility, which supplies water to more than 1.5 million residents in Cuyahoga, Medina, Summit, Geauga, and Lake Counties. CWD services approximately 450,000 retail accounts in the City of Cleveland and 64 suburbs.  CWD sells water on a wholesale basis to four suburban communities on a continuous basis, and to five other communities on an emergency or temporary basis.

The water system consists of nine hydraulic districts that cover an area of 620 square miles and includes 5,500 miles of water mains. CWD has water mains ranging in size from 4 inches to 60 inches in its distribution system – concrete (multiple types), ductile iron, steel and cast iron.

There are four pressure districts (high services). Each high service operates under a different hydraulic grade. Within each high service, pressure regulated sub-zones exist.

CWD operates four treatment plants, primary and secondary pump stations, reservoirs, elevated towers, water mains, etc. The distribution system is presently recorded on paper-based mapping systems and a fully functional geographic information system (GIS).

CWD purifies Lake Erie water at four treatment plants.  Finished water clearwells exist at each plant. The primary pump stations of the system are located at or near the treatment plants and are part of the plant’s operations. The treatment plants are Crown, Morgan, Baldwin, and Nottingham. Baldwin utilizes the Fairmount treated water and Kirtland raw water Pump Stations.

The secondary pump stations are located throughout the distribution system.  The secondary stations receive water either from First, Second, or Third High service and pump into higher hydraulic grades. The secondary stations are operated remotely via a SCADA telemetry system from the Parma Control Center.  CWD maintains and operates 21 secondary storage facilities.

CWD needs the services of an engineering firm to assist our engineering staff. Due to the nature of the engineering activities, it is expected that the selected consulting firm will need to acquire the services of subconsultants specializing in various disciplines to successfully complete the contract tasks.

Tasks may require services such as design, plan review, planning, project and construction monitoring, inspection, environmental site assessments, identification of surface and subsurface conditions, preparation of reports for regulatory agencies, specialized technical assistance, lead project design services, construction administration services, and field services.

Fee Proposal: This RFP has 2 fee proposals.  Proposer should submit its Fee Proposal for all services via OpenGov under Proposal Submittals .

The first Fee Proposal shall be based on 20,000 hours of engineering work during two years plus other direct expenses (reimbursables). The second Fee Proposal shall be for electronic inspection of Pre-stressed Cylinder Concrete Pipe transmission mains over a period of two years.

Proposer shall provide the best estimate of expenses including, but not limited to, travel and associated expenses. No qualification of the financial offer will be accepted. The Fee Proposals shall be a firm and final amount including the costs and expenses for all anticipated services. Work is expected to begin as early as the Fall of 2026. Proposers must submit both Fee Proposals as the intent is to award one contract.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or portions thereof, to waive irregularities, informalities, and technicalities, to re-issue or to proceed to obtain the service(s) desired otherwise, at any time or in any manner considered in the City’s best interests.  The Director may, at his/her sole discretion, modify or amend any provision of this notice or the RFP.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2026-RFP-125
• Department: Public Utilities
• Department Head: Martin J. Keane (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-20T16:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-13T14:00:00.000Z — Via TEAMS Phone 929-352-1743, code 733 799 939

Evaluation Criteria

• Team experience/qualifications and past performance on similar projects and on past projects performed (10 pts)
• Proposed team organizational structure, responsibilities, management and technical approach, and utilization and qualifications of sub-consultants; (10 pts)
• Response to CWD questions (scenarios) (10 pts)
• Quality of written presentations. (An oral presentation by the short-listed firms may be requested by CWD) (10 pts)
• Acceptance of contract conditions and requirements (10 pts)
• Availability of resources (10 pts)
• Local presence in the Cleveland area (10 pts)
• References (10 pts)
• CSB participation (10 pts)

Submission Requirements

• Technical Proposal (required)
• Proximity Table (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• CWD Questions - Scenario (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Fee Proposal (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Fee Table 2 - PCCP Transmission Main (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• City Required Forms
• NOTICE TO BIDDERS AND OEO SCHEDULES —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• FEDERAL FORM W-9 (required)
• VENDOR ENTRY FORM (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• AFFIDAVIT (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Non-Competitive Bid Contract 2026 (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Northern Ireland Fair Employment Practices Disclosure —

  INSTRUCTIONS: Pursuant to Codified Ordinance Sec. 181.36, the information requested on this page must be supplied by all contractors and any subcontractors having more than a fifty percent (50%) interest in the proposed contract prior to any contract being awarded by the City of Cleveland.  Any contractor or subcontractor who is deemed to have made a false statement shall be declared to have acted in default of its contract and shall be subject to the remedies for default contained in its contract.  For failure to cure such a default, the contractor or subcontractor shall be automatically excluded from bidding for the supply of any goods or services for use by the City for a period of two (2) years.

• CHECK WHICHEVER IS APPLICABLE: (required)
• By confirming, the proposer affirms that they are in compliant Northern Ireland Fair Employment Practices. (required)
• Proof of Compliance
• Select the applicable Division (required)