CPO, Water Treatment & water Distribution Services

CITY OF LEMOORE
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
CHIEF PLANT OPERATOR,
WATER TREATMENT & WATER
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
1. INTRODUCTION
The City of Lemoore ("City") is soliciting proposals from qualified firms (Firm) to provide Chief
Plant Operator ("CPO"), Water Treatment and Water Distribution services for the City's Water
System.
The Firm shall provide professional operational oversight, regulatory compliance management,
emergency response support, maintenance coordination, reporting, and technical expertise
necessary to ensure the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of the City's water facilities.
The City intends to enter into a professional services agreement with the Firm determined to be
most qualified and whose proposal is in the best interest of the City.
2. BACKGROUND
Lemoore is located in the Tulare Lake Hydrologic Region and extracts groundwater from the
Tulare Lake Sub-basin to meet all of the City's water supply needs. The shallowest groundwater
aquifers range from three to seven feet below the land surface. Water is taken from the
underground aquifers via eleven active groundwater wells. Currently, these wells have a combined
capacity of approximately 19.2 million gallons per day.
The City is required to maintain safe operation of all facilities and ensure water quality through
routine sampling and reporting. The City follows all federal and state requirements for drinking
water systems.
Water is conveyed from the wells to four above-ground storage reservoirs/tanks with a total
capacity of 4.4 million gallons and delivered to consumers via a distribution pipe system. The
City's main water storage and distribution plant is located at 40 G Street, just west of Lemoore
Avenue.
The City currently contracts out operational services for treatment and distribution.
3. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City is seeking professional consulting services for its Chief Plant Operator position for
treatment and distribution as well as all operational staff required to complete all treatment and
distribution services. The individual proposed to act as Chief Plant Operator by the selected Firm
must be certified for Treatment and Distribution. Minimum certification requirements for this
individual shall be: Distribution 3 (D3) and Treatment 4 (T4). Firms that do not propose an
individual with at least a D3 and T4 certification will not be considered as Lemoore is required by
the State to maintain a Chief Plant Operator with at least a D3 and T4.
The successful Firm shall provide professional operational oversight, regulatory compliance
management, emergency response support, maintenance, reporting, sampling, metering and
technical expertise to ensure a safe, reliable and compliant operation of the City's water treatment
and distribution system.
The successful Firm shall maintain regular CPO, water treatment and water distribution services
to the City Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and maintain twenty-four (24) hour
emergency response.
The successful Firm shall become familiar with all applicable permits, operating procedures,
emergency response plans, monitoring requirements, and regulatory obligations associated with
the City's facilities.
The City will provide facility information, permits, monitoring reports, compliance records,
operational data, and other relevant documentation to the selected proposer upon contract award.
3.01 Operational Responsibility Matrix (or incorporate with next section)
The City intends for the selected Firm to provide complete operation, maintenance, monitoring,
staffing, management, and regulatory compliance services for the City's water treatment and
distribution system.
Unless specifically identified as a City responsibility, all labor, supervision, equipment, vehicles,
tools, administrative support, regulatory compliance activities, reporting, monitoring,
maintenance, and operational functions necessary to safely and compliantly operate the system
shall be the responsibility of the Firm.
Firm Responsibilities
* Operation of all wells, storage facilities, treatment facilities, booster facilities, controls,
SCADA systems, and distribution infrastructure.
* Provision and supervision of all operations personnel.
* Regulatory compliance and reporting.
* Water quality monitoring and sampling.
* Preventive and corrective maintenance.

* Water meter replacement and maintenance.
* Fire hydrant inspection, testing, maintenance, and painting.
* Emergency response.
* USA marking services associated with water facilities.
* Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Program administration.
* Inventory management.
* Operational reporting and recordkeeping.
* Recommendations for asset replacement and operational improvements.
* Immediately report theft of water/suspected theft of water/improper use of water to City
Finance Director.
City Responsibilities
* Ownership of all facilities and assets.
* Capital improvement projects.
* Approval of budgets and expenditures.
* Utility billing and customer account administration.
* Utility rate setting.
* Development fee administration.
* Engineering design services.
* Procurement of major capital projects.
* Contract administration.
* Policy decisions and governing body actions.
Shared Responsibilities
* Regulatory inspections.
* Long-range capital planning.
* Grant-funded projects.
* Emergency management coordination.
* Water conservation initiatives.
3.1 Chief Plant Operator Responsibilities
The Firm shall designate a qualified California-certified Chief Plant Operator who shall serve as
the City's Operator of Record and be responsible for operational oversight of the Water Treatment
Plant and Distribution Systems.
The CPO shall:
* Serve as the primary technical advisor to the City.
* Maintain all required operator certifications.
* Ensure regulatory compliance.
* Supervise operational activities.
* Review treatment and distribution processes and performance.

* Coordinate with regulatory agencies.
* Attend City meetings as requested.
* Provide recommendations for operational improvements.
3.2 Operations Oversight
The CPO shall provide operational oversight including:
* Evaluation of treatment and distribution processes.
* Process optimization.
* Review of operational data.
* SCADA system review.
* Operational troubleshooting.
* Provide direction, supervision and oversight of all of Firm's staff assigned to City's water
treatment and distribution systems.
* Review of plant performance.
* Water sampling.
* Waterline repair.
* Water metering and meter replacement.
* Fire hydrant testing, painting and curb painting.
* Dead meter replacement within thirty (30) calendar days.
* Water testing and reporting at City splash pad(s).
* Oversee Firm's staff in public Underground Service Alert (USA) markings for water.
3.3 Regulatory Compliance
The Firm shall:
* Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
* Maintain compliance with permit requirements.
* Coordinate inspections and audits.
* Respond to regulatory inquiries.
* Prepare and submit required reports including, but not limited to, electronic Annual Report
(eAR), Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), Annual Water Loss Audit Report, and Public
Health Goal Reports.
* Maintain operational records.
* Assist with permit renewals and amendments.
* Ensure Firm has all necessary vehicles and equipment for Firm's staff to perform assigned
duties.
* Administer City's Cross-Connection Control/Backflow Program responsibilities shall
include:
* Maintenance of backflow prevention device records.
* Annual test tracking and compliance monitoring.
* Customer notification and follow-up.
* Coordination with certified backflow testers.

* Enforcement of testing requirements.
* Regulatory reporting.
* Maintenance of program records and compliance documentation.
The City currently maintains a Cross-Connection Control Program management system.
The Firm shall utilize the City's designated system and shall maintain all inspections,
testing records, notices, compliance activities, and program documentation within that
system.
* Assist the City in maintaining compliance with the America's Water Infrastructure Act
(AWIA), including updates to the Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA), Emergency
Response Plan (ERP), and related compliance documentation as requested by the City.
* Monitor regulatory changes and advise the City regarding new or revised drinking
water system requirements.
* Track water loss performance and provide quarterly recommendations to reduce real
and apparent water losses.
* Identify significant water loss trends and recommend corrective measures including
leak detection, meter replacement, pressure management, and operational
improvements.
Applicable agencies may include:
* California State Water Resources Control Board
* Division of Drinking Water
* Regional Water Quality Control Board
* Kings County Department of Public Health
* Other applicable regulatory agencies
3.4 Water Quality and Laboratory Oversight
The Firm shall oversee:
* Drinking water monitoring.
* Sampling schedules.
* Laboratory coordination.
* Data review and validation.
* Regulatory reporting.
The Firm shall immediately notify the City of any:
* Permit exceedance.
* Water quality violation.
* Positive bacteriological sample.
* Treatment process failure.

* Distribution process failure.
* Spill or unauthorized discharge.
* Regulatory notice of violation.
3.5 Preventive Maintenance and Asset Management
The Firm shall:
* Develop and maintain preventive maintenance schedules.
* Review equipment condition.
* Coordinate maintenance activities.
* Recommend repairs and replacements.
* Maintain equipment, asset and inventory records.
* Assist with capital planning.
New Section 3.5A Electronic Records and City Systems
The Firm shall utilize all City-designated software systems, databases, and electronic
recordkeeping platforms associated with operation of the water treatment and distribution system.
The Firm shall utilize the City's Tyler Technologies systems, GIS systems, SharePoint systems,
asset management systems, and any successor systems designated by the City.
The Firm shall maintain current electronic records for:
* Work orders.
* Preventive maintenance activities.
* Water sampling and monitoring data.
* Meter installations and replacements.
* Hydrant inspections and maintenance.
* Asset inventories.
* Regulatory compliance records.
* Customer-related field activities.
All records shall be maintained in a timely manner and in accordance with City standards.
(a) Confidentiality & Data Ownership
All operational records, SCADA data, customer billing/usage records, water quality reports,
system schematics, GIS data, network layouts, and electronic information collected, processed, or
stored by the Firm in performance of this Agreement (collectively, "City Data") shall remain the
sole and exclusive property of the City. City Data is confidential and protected under California
law, including the California Public Records Act (Gov. Code 7920.000 et seq.). The Firm shall

not disclose, sell, assign, or use City Data for any purpose other than fulfilling its contractual
obligations under this Agreement without express prior written approval from the City Attorney.
b) Network Architecture & Access Separation
The Firm shall maintain strict structural network separation between administrative/enterprise
systems and critical infrastructure networks:
* Separate Access Paths: The Firm shall maintain completely independent, logically or
physically separated access paths for the City's administrative systems (e.g., Tyler
Technologies / MUNIS) and the City's Operational Technology (OT) / SCADA control
system. Cross-network routing or dual-homing between administrative databases and
SCADA control networks is strictly prohibited.
* Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): The Firm shall enforce mandatory Multi-Factor
Authentication (MFA) for all user accounts, remote access tools, VPNs, and system
administrative interfaces accessing City systems or City Data.
* Employee-Specific Credentials: Every individual assigned by the Firm to perform work
under this Agreement must use unique, employee-specific access credentials. Group,
shared, or generic system credentials are strictly prohibited.
* Immediate Access Termination: The Firm shall notify the City's Information
Technology Department in writing within three (3) hours of the separation, resignation,
termination, or reassignment of any Firm employee or subcontractor who holds access
credentials to City systems. The Firm shall immediately terminate such employee's access
to all City systems, networks, and facilities upon separation.
c) Security Training & Background Checks
* Background Checks: Prior to granting access to City facilities, networks, or SCADA
systems, the Firm shall conduct comprehensive background checks (including LiveScan
fingerprinting and criminal history checks through the California Department of Justice)
on all assigned personnel and subconsultants. The City reserves the right to reject any
personnel based on background check results.
* Annual Cybersecurity & Privacy Training: All Firm personnel with access to City
networks, systems, or data shall complete annual cybersecurity awareness and data privacy
training meeting California state standards. The Firm shall maintain and provide proof of
training completion to the City annually.
(d) Cybersecurity Insurance, Incident Reporting & Breach Notification
* Cyber Insurance: The Firm shall procure and maintain Cyber Security / Technology
Errors & Omissions Insurance with minimum coverage limits of $5,000,000 per
occurrence, as specified in Section 11 of this RFP.

* Security Incident & Breach Notification: In the event of any suspected or confirmed
unauthorized access, ransomware attack, data breach, SCADA interference, or security
incident affecting City Data or systems, the Firm shall:
* Verbally notify the City Manager and City Attorney within two (2) hours of
detection.
* Provide written notice within twelve (12) hours detailing the nature of the breach,
affected systems, and initial remediation steps.
* Fully cooperate with the City and state law enforcement, pay all statutory
notification costs required under California Civil Code Section 1798.82, and
provide up to 12 months of credit monitoring to affected consumers if customer
personal information is compromised.
e) Records Retention & Right to Audit
* Records Retention: The Firm shall retain all electronic records, work orders, logs, water
sampling data, testing results, maintenance logs, and financial accounts related to Firm's
services to the City for a minimum of five (5) years following contract termination or
expiration, or until all pending audits or legal claims are resolved, whichever is longer.
* Right to Audit: The City, its designated auditors, or state/federal regulatory agencies shall
have the right to audit, inspect, review, and copy all electronic files, system access logs,
operational records, and financial books maintained by the Firm relating to the scope of
services during normal business hours.
3.5B Ownership of Records and Data
All operational records, maintenance records, compliance records, GIS information, asset data,
inspection records, monitoring records, photographs, reports, and other information generated,
collected, or maintained under any resulting agreement shall remain the property of the City.
The Firm shall provide such records to the City upon request and upon expiration or termination
of any resulting agreement.
The Firm shall not withhold City records due to the use of proprietary software or internal
recordkeeping systems.
3.6 Annual Facility Assessment
Within ninety (90) days of contract execution and annually thereafter, the Firm shall provide a
written report identifying:
* Facility conditions.
* Equipment deficiencies.
* Remaining useful life estimates.

* Capital improvement recommendations.
* Estimated replacement costs.
* Operational risks and vulnerabilities.
3.7 Emergency Response
The Firm shall maintain twenty-four (24) hour emergency response capability.
The Firm shall:
* Respond to emergencies within one (1) hour of notification.
* Assist City personnel during operational emergencies.
* Coordinate emergency notifications.
* Assist with regulatory reporting.
* Provide written incident reports within forty-eight (48) hours.
Emergency situations include:
* Water quality violations.
* Permit violations.
* Equipment failures.
* Treatment process failures.
* Chemical spills.
* Power outages affecting treatment or distribution operations.
* Natural disasters.
* Other significant operational events.
3.8 Monthly Reporting
The Firm shall provide monthly reports including:
Operations Summary
* Plant performance.
* Compliance status.
* Operational issues.
* Well production.
* Unaccounted for water.
* Broken, damaged or non-functional water meters.
Maintenance Summary
* Completed maintenance.
* Outstanding maintenance items.
* Equipment failures.
Regulatory Summary
* Reports submitted.

* Inspections conducted.
* Regulatory correspondence.
Inventory Summary
* Chemical inventories.
* Critical spare parts inventories.
* Asset and equipment inventories.
* Meter inventories.
* Supply recommendations.
3.9 Meetings and Communication
The Firm shall:
* Attend monthly staff meetings as requested.
* Attend City Council meetings when requested.
* Attend regulatory meetings and inspections.
* Provide presentations regarding performance and compliance.
3.10 Performance Standards
The Firm shall meet the following minimum performance standards:
* Emergency Response
* Remote response within fifteen (15) minutes of notification.
* Qualified field personnel physically on-site within one (1) hour of notification.
* Meter Services
* Dead or non-functioning water meters replaced within thirty (30) calendar days of
identification.
* Meter accuracy complaints investigated within five (5) business days.
* USA Marking Services
* Respond to all Underground Service Alert notifications within legally required
response times.
* Maintain records of all USA markings performed on behalf of the City.
* Hydrant Maintenance
* Complete annual testing and inspection of fire hydrants.
* Maintain records of hydrant inspections and maintenance activities.
* Reporting
* Submit monthly operational reports by the tenth (10th) day of the following month.
* Submit all regulatory reports by applicable regulatory deadlines.
4. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS