City of Wheaton Wells and Storage Study Re-Bid

NOTICE TO BIDDERS
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
Issue Date: September 24, 2026
Last Date for Questions: October 12, 2026, at 11:00 am (CST)
Due Date: October 15, 2026, no later than 11:00 am (CST)
Return submittal to:
City of Wheaton
303 W. Wesley Street - 1st Floor Finance Counter
Wheaton, IL 60187-0727
Attn: Tony Sperkowski, Procurement Officer
The successful Vendor will be required to submit the following additional documents:
* Certificate of Insurance with signed endorsements
* Signed Agreement (Exhibit B)
* Vendor Information Form
Page 1 of 1
Notice to Bidders

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
INTRODUCTION
The City of Wheaton is seeking proposals from qualified engineering firms to conduct a
comprehensive Emergency Well and Storage Expansion Study. The study follows a 2026 Risk-
Based Water System Analysis which identified a critical vulnerability in the City's reliance on the
DuPage Water Commission (DWC) without active countermeasures.
At the conclusion of this Study, the City will be able to evaluate the relative risks and associated
costs of alternative for relying on wells and/or additional storage in the event of a total supplier
loss.
It is the intent of the City to hire a single highly qualified firm that can provide the following
services:
* Project Management and Scheduling: Coordinating all aspects of the study within the
2026-2028 capital planning cycle.
* Emergency Well Evaluation: Performing Level 2 constant-rate pump tests and detailed
water quality/blending analysis for two of the City's six wells to determine the costs for
rehabilitation versus full replacement.
* Storage Capacity Cost Analysis: Providing financial modeling for expanding storage
capacity to address current deficits.
* Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Projections: Determining the annual maintenance
costs required to maintain both groundwater wells and additional storage assets in a
state of permanent operational readiness.
* Reporting and Decision Support: Delivering a final roadmap and financial study to guide
the City's critical 2028 capital investment decision point.
BACKGROUND
The City of Wheaton's water distribution system serves over 52,000 residents and currently relies
on treated Lake Michigan water purchased from the DWC as its sole active source. A recent 2026
strategic risk analysis conducted by Arcadis U.S., Inc. identified a critical vulnerability: the system
possesses no active countermeasures to mitigate a total supply loss from the DWC. While the
City maintains six emergency groundwater wells, these assets have been tested monthly but have
not been in continuous use since 1992 and require evaluation to determine their operational
viability and compliance with modern Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) standards.
Furthermore, the strategic risk analysis identified that the City's current storage capacity (7.27
MG) is insufficient for its 4.57 MGD average day demand, resulting in a storage deficit of 1.87
million gallons (MG) relative to DWC's 48-hour minimum storage mandate.
OBJECTIVES
The primary goals of this study, framed as a Water Quality in Emergency Preparedness project,
include, but are not limited to:
Page 1 of 5
Scope of Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
* Emergency Well Evaluation: Determine the feasibility, cost, and water quality impacts
of utilizing all six Wheaton wells as primary emergency supply sources for up to 30 days
without full treatment (excluding chlorination).
* Emergency Daily Water Use: Determine the minimum amount of water needed to
support fire suppression, residential, and commercial needs during a key supplier
outage.
* Storage Expansion Analysis: Develop a cost-effective roadmap to reach the DWC
required volume of storage (providing a full 48-hour supply).
* Long-Term O&M Planning: Project annual maintenance costs for both operational wells
and storage assets to ensure permanent operational readiness.
SCOPE OF SERVICES TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Task 1: Technical Assessment of Wheaton Wells
* Level 2 Pump Testing: Conduct a constant-rate pump test for each of the six wells to
evaluate drawdown, production capacity, aquifer health, and equipment stress.
* Water Quality Desktop Study: Perform a desktop analysis comparing well water samples
against the well supply. This must evaluate disinfection and corrosion control needs, as
well as secondary standards such as Iron, Manganese, and Zinc.
* Blending & Lead Analysis: Analyze the impacts of shifting from surface water to
groundwater, specifically regarding Lead Service Lines (LSLs) and potential water quality
issues impacting public health.
* Rehab vs. Replacement Costing: Provide estimates to rehabilitate legacy equipment
versus full replacement to meet modern IEPA standards.
* Redundant System (Optional): At a very high level, review the conceptual feasibility and
costs of using wells as a redundant (treated) supply source.
Task 2: Storage Expansion & Financial Analysis
* Infrastructure Alternatives: Provide high-level options to increase total system storage
to meet requirements.
* Siting Study: Evaluate land acquisition needs or the use of existing municipal sites (e.g.,
Fire Station adjacent to President site).
Task 3: Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Costing
* Upfront Cost: Provide construction costs for additional storage and pumping stations.
* Groundwater O&M: Estimate annual costs for routine monthly testing, sampling, and
chemical (chlorine) system maintenance.
* Storage O&M: Provide a maintenance budget for storage assets, including mixers,
cathodic protection, and recoating.
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Scope of Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
DELIVERABLES
* Technical Memorandum: Results of the constant-rate pump tests and comprehensive
water quality findings for all six City wells.
* Capital Improvement Planning Framework: Provide a menu of elective projects,
budgetary estimates, and recommended scheduling for 2028 and beyond. Specifically,
provide itemized standalone cost models and life cycle cost estimates for individual
improvement options allowing the City to create a multi-year capital plan.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals must include the following components:
* Company Qualifications: Description of relevant experience in municipal hydrogeological
studies, Level 2 constant-rate well pump testing, and water storage infrastructure
financial modeling.
* Staffing Plan: Proposed staffing levels and technical expertise, specifically including
licensed hydrogeologists and professional engineers experienced in Illinois water system
regulations.
* Pricing: A total project cost and a per-well rate (broken down by Level 2 pump testing,
water quality analysis, and storage infrastructure costing).
* Timeline: A proposed project schedule to complete all technical evaluations and the final
resiliency roadmap within the 2026-2028 capital planning window.
* Licensing/Insurance: Proof of required professional licenses and insurance certificates as
outlined in the City's standard professional service requirements.
* Procurement Forms
Fee Proposal Form (Exhibit D)
Notice of Deviations Form (Exhibit E)
Listing of Subcontractors, Consultants and Agents Form (Exhibit F)
References Form (Exhibit G)
Vendor Certification Form (Exhibit H)
Vendor Information Reporting Form (Exhibit I)
COMPENSATION
Fees for services will be based on a cost plus not to exceed basis using a unit price per well tested
or an hourly rate for engineering analysis. Direct costs, such as laboratory water quality testing,
will be charged at the actual rate incurred with no markup
PROJECT TIMELINE
* RFP Issue Date: September 24, 2026
* Proposal Due Date: October 15, 2026
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Scope of Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
* Contract Award: November 2, 2026
* Work Commencement: Fall 2026
* Project Completion: Fall 2027
This is a tentative schedule only. Dates and events may be revised if in the best interest of the
City.
EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
City staff shall evaluate submittals based on the criteria listed below. During or after the
evaluation of proposals, City staff may submit written questions and requests for clarification to
the Firms.
Firm Qualifications & Staff Availability 30%
Project Team Technical Expertise 30%
Technical and Management Approach 20%
Fees 10%
AWARD
The award shall be made to the Firm(s) whose Proposal, in the City's sole discretion, furthers the
City's best interests. The City reserves the right to make a primary and secondary award. If the
primary Firm cannot respond to a service request within the time stipulated in their proposal
response, the secondary Firm will be contacted to perform the required work.
DUE DATE FOR QUESTIONS
All questions or requests for clarification, either administrative or technical, shall be submitted
via email to Tony Sperkowski at asperkowski@wheaton.il.us prior to October 7, 2026, at 11:00
am CST. Questions/clarifications will be responded to in the form of a written addenda and
published on the City's website.
RFP SUBMITTAL
Submittals must be received by October 14, 2026, at 11:00 am CST. Late submissions will not be
accepted.
Submit one (1) original hard copy to:
City of Wheaton
303 W. Wesley Street - 1st Floor Finance Counter
Wheaton, IL 60187-0727
Attn: Ton Sperkowski, Procurement Officer
All submittals shall be in a sealed envelope marked with the RFP Name & Number, Closing
Date/Time, and Vendor Name and address. It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor to ensure
Page 4 of 5
Scope of Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
that their submittal is delivered by the stated date/time. The City is not responsible for
misdirected packages.
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT PERFORATED PAGES, NOR BIND YOUR PROPOSAL IN ANYTHING
OTHER THAN PAPER CLIPS OR BINDER CLIPS.
ADDENDA
All questions, clarifications or revisions regarding this proposal will be issued via a written
addendum and published on the City's website. Each Vendor shall acknowledge receipt of any
addenda on the attached Fee Proposal form (Exhibit D). Each Vendor, by acknowledging receipt
of any addenda, is responsible for the content of the addenda and any changes to the proposal.
Failure to acknowledge issued addenda may cause the proposal submittal to be rejected.
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Any proposal material that is to be considered proprietary or confidential in nature must be
clearly marked as such by the propose. Failure to do so may result in information becoming a
public record.
COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONDING
The City will not be responsible for any expenses incurred in preparing and submitting a proposal.
CITY'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (EXHIBIT B)
In submitting a proposal, the Firm agrees to enter into an agreement with the City utilizing the
City's Professional Service Agreement. Enclosed is a draft of the City's Professional Service
Agreement, which shall be used for this contract.
INSURANCE (EXHIBIT C)
The Vendor must carry and maintain adequate insurance consistent with the requirements listed
in Exhibit C-Insurance Requirements. Provide a current Certificate of Insurance with submittal as
proof of insurance.
INVOICES
All invoices shall reflect the following applicable information: Agreement number, name of the
Project, name of the Firm, and the services/deliverables with the price depicted in the same
format as the offer.
Invoices shall be emailed to Accounts Payable at AP@wheaton.il.us.
Page 5 of 5
Scope of Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING SOLICITATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Solicitations are open to all qualified firms actively engaged in providing the services specified and inferred.
Active engagement will be verified via references.
1) SOLICITATION PROCESS:
a) Request for Proposal: The City of Wheaton solicits qualified firms for Professional Services. Firms are
qualified based on:
i) A public formal Request for Qualifications (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP).
ii) Prior experience with the City's facilities, equipment, infrastructure, or issue at hand.
b) A formalRFQ or RFP is submitted to qualified firms.
c) It is the responsibility of the Proposer to seek clarification of any requirement that may not be clear.
Questions concerning this request shall be submitted via e-mail to the attention of the Procurement
Officer by the last date for questions as reflected on the Notice to Bidders. A written response in the
form of an addendum will be posted on the City's website for all Proposers to download. It is the
responsibility of the Proposer to review all addendums.
d) Proposers shall acknowledge the receipt of any addendum on their proposal.
2) THE CONE OF SILENCE:
a) The Cone of Silence is designed to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from
undue influences.
b) During the period beginning with the issuance of the RFQ or RFP through the execution of the award
document, Proposers are prohibited from all communications regarding this request with City staff, City
consultants, City legal counsel, City agents, or elected officials.
c) Any attempt by a Proposer to influence a member or members of the aforementioned may be grounds
to disqualify the Proposer from participation in this solicitation.
d) Exceptions to the Cone of Silence:
* Written communications directed to the Procurement Officer.
* All communications occurring at pre-bid meetings.
* Oral presentations during finalist interviews, negotiation proceedings, or site visits.
* Oral presentations before publicly noticed committee meetings.
* Firms already on contract with the City to perform services for the City are allowed discussions
necessary for the completion of an existing contract.
* Procurement of goods or services for emergency situations.
3) INVESTIGATION:
a) It shall be the responsibility of the Proposer to make any and all investigations necessary to become
thoroughly informed of what is required and specified.
b) If the site of the work is an area restricted from the general public, an opportunity will be provided for
Proposers to perform this inspection.
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General Instructions Regarding Solicitations for Professional Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING SOLICITATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
c) If the site of the work is an area open to the general public, the Proposer may perform their inspection
at a time of their choosing.
4) PROPOSALS:
a) Proposals must reference the project name and date of the RFQ or RFP. Documents should not utilize
binders, folders, or papers larger than 8.5 x 11.
b) Delivery of a proposal is acceptance of the City's Agreement. Proposals containing terms and conditions
contrary to those specified may be considered non-responsive.
5) SIGNATURES AS OFFER:
a) Under the conditions of the Uniform Commercial Code, the signing of the proposal by the Proposer
constitutes an offer. If accepted by the City, the offer becomes part of the Agreement.
b) Offers by:
* Individuals or sole proprietorships shall be signed by a person with the authority to enter into legal
binding contracts. Said individual shall use his/her usual signature.
* Partnerships shall be signed with partnership name by one of the members of the partnership, or an
authorized representative, followed by the signature and title of the person signing.
* Corporations shall be signed with the name of the corporation, followed by the signature and title of
person authorized to bind it in the matter.
6) WITHDRAWAL OF OFFERS:
a) Offers may be withdrawn at any time prior to the due date. Requests to withdraw an offer shall be in
writing, properly signed, and received by the Procurement Officer prior to the due date.
b) Offers may not be withdrawn after the due date without the approval of the Procurement Officer.
c) Negligence in preparing an offer confers no right of withdrawal after opening / due date.
7) TIMEFRAME AND CONSEQUENCES:
a) Offers must be received before the designated time.
b) Offers received after the designated time will be returned to the sender without review. Offers received
late that may be attributed to delays by overnight delivery services, or by delivery services trying to
deliver when offices are closed, will be considered late, and returned to the sender.
c) Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, offers shall be binding for ninety (90) calendar days
following due date.
8) RECEIPT OF FORMAL OFFERS:
a) Formal offers by sealed envelope will be opened at the time and location stated.
9) TAXES:
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General Instructions Regarding Solicitations for Professional Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING SOLICITATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
a) The City is exempt by law from paying sales tax on goods, equipment, and products permanently
incorporated to the project, from State and City Retailer's Occupation Tax, State Service Occupation Tax,
State Use Tax and Federal Excise Tax.
b) The City's Sales Tax Exemption Number is E99974312.
10) EVALUATION OF OFFERS:
a) Rejection of Offers: The City reserves the right to reject any and all offers in whole or in part according
to the best interests of the City.
b) Receipt of One (or too few) offers: If the City receives one or too few proposals, as defined by the City,
the City may reschedule the due date. The offers received will either be:
* returned unopened to the Proposer for re-submittal at the new due date and time, or
* if there are no changes in requirements, and pending Agreement with the Proposer, held until the
new due date and time.
c) If the request was publicly broadcast, and the City did not receive any proposals, the City may negotiate
with any interested parties.
11) DETERMINING RESPONSIVENESS OF THE PROPOSAL:
a) Responsive proposals are inclusive of, but not restricted to: received prior to the due date and time,
completed as stated in the solicitation request, inclusive of all requirements, able to meet delivery
requirements, accepting of all Agreement terms and conditions.
b) The degree to which a proposal meets the requirements is determined solely on the judgment of the
proposal evaluation team.
12) CLARIFICATION OF OFFERS:
a) The City may conduct discussions with Proposers to further clarify the offer as may be necessary.
Clarifications shall be documented by the Proposer and submitted (email or fax) within three (3) business
days.
13) CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION:
a) Proposals are subject to Illinois State FOIA requirements including the following exemptions:
* (5 ILCS 140/7) (From Ch. 116, par. 207) Sec. 7.
* Exemptions. (1) The following shall be exempt from inspection and copying: (g) Trade secrets and
commercial or financial information obtained from a person or business where the trade secrets or
commercial or financial information are furnished under a claim that they are proprietary, privileged
or confidential, and that disclosure of the trade secrets or commercial or financial information would
cause competitive harm to the person or business and only insofar as the claim directly applies to
the records requested.
b) Proposers considering requests to be proprietary and confidential should submit an additional redacted
offer. Failure to do so may result in information becoming available to the public.
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General Instructions Regarding Solicitations for Professional Services

EXHIBIT A
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #26-221
CITY OF WHEATON WELLS AND STORAGE STUDY RE-BID
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING SOLICITATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
14) SELECTION PROCESS:
a) An evaluation team will review all proposals based on weighted requirements. The evaluation team shall
be composed of City staff and other Subject Matter Experts as required.
b) Interviews may be conducted with Proposers on the short list. Said Proposers may be required to submit
additional data during the interview process. Revisions to proposals may be permitted after initial
submission and interview, but before award, for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers.
c) Proposers may be required to provide references. The City reserves the right to contact said references
or other references that may be familiar with the Proposer. The City reserves the right to eliminate a
Proposer who has not demonstrated the required years of service within the required specialty.
d) The City reserves the right to negotiate the price and any other term with the Proposer offering the best
and final offer. Any oral negotiations must be confirmed in writing prior to award.
e) If a negotiated Agreement cannot be reached with the front runner, the City may proceed to negotiate
with the second best and final offer.
f) The City's determination of award for best overall value will consider the following non-exclusive list:
available project management resources, soft costs of Agreement management; and training costs.
15) AWARD:
a) Award is based on the best overall value to the City; and deemed most advantageous to the City, based
on the totality of lawful considerations, price and other factors considered.
b) While numeric evaluations may be used in some aspects of the process to identify strengths and
weaknesses of proposals, and to establish a ranking, the final decision will be a business decision by the
City and will not be based on a numerical score. A recommendation to award will document the basis
for the award decision.
c) The City shall make every effort to award within ninety (90) days from the opening date.
d) The City reserves the right to award by phase, part or portion of a phase, any line item or option
regardless of order listed.
16) REQUIREMENTS IF AWARDED THE WORK:
a) Insurance:
* The successful Proposer, if awarded by Agreement, will be required to carry insurance acceptable to
the City.
* Certificates of Insurance, Endorsements, and a Waiver of Subrogation must be submitted with the
execution of the order.
* The Proposers obligation to purchase stated insurance cannot be waived by the City's action or
inaction.
17) SECURITY CLEARANCE:
a) Background checks inclusive of finger printing may be required for service providers working in secured
areas. Service providers will submit a list of employees' names to the Project Manager who will
coordinate the background checks with the police department.
Page 4 of 7
General Instructions Regarding Solicitations for Professional Services