2026-0262-PW Water and Wastewater Rate Study

Location:	New Mexico
Posted:	Apr 6, 2026
Due:	May 7, 2026
Agency:	Santa Fe County
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	B - Special Studies and Analyses - Not R&D H - Quality Control, Testing, and Inspection Services Z - Maintenance, Repair or Alteration of Real Property
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SANTA FE COUNTY

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Comprehensive Water and Wastewater Rate

Study

NM Commodity Code(s): 92596, 92597,

92695, 95895, 96892, 96895, 96896

RFP NO. 2026-0262-PW

April, 2026

RFP NO. 2026-0262-PW

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

ADVERTISEMENT .......................................................................................................4

II.

INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................5

A. PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ............................................5

B. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................5

C. SCOPE OF WORK................................................................................................5

D. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................9

E. PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST ..........................................................................9

F. DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGY...................................................................10

III.

CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT...............................................12

A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ..................................................................................12

B. EXPLANATION OF EVENTS...........................................................................13

1. Issuance of RFP .........................................................................................13

2. Pre-Proposal Conference...........................................................................13

3. Acknowledgement of Receipt Form Due..................................................13

4. Deadline to Submit Additional Written Questions ...................................13

5. Response to Written Questions .................................................................13

6. Submission of Proposals ...........................................................................14

7. Proposal Evaluation...................................................................................14

8. Selection of Finalists .................................................................................14

9. Best and Final Offers from Finalists (If applicable) .................................15

10. Oral Presentations by Finalists (If applicable)..........................................15

11. Contract Negotiations ...............................................................................15

12. Contract Award .........................................................................................15

13. Right to Protest .........................................................................................16

C. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ...........................................................................16

1. Acceptance of Conditions Governing the Procurement ............................16

2. Incurring Cost............................................................................................16

3. Prime Contractor Responsibility ...............................................................16

4. Subcontractors ...........................................................................................16

5. Amended Proposals...................................................................................17

6. Offerors’ Rights to Withdraw Proposal ....................................................17

7. Proposal Offer Firm ..................................................................................17

8. Disclosure of Proposed Contents ..............................................................17

9. No Obligation ............................................................................................18

10. Termination...............................................................................................18

11. Sufficient Appropriation ...........................................................................18

12. Legal Review ............................................................................................18

13. Governing Law .........................................................................................18

RFP NO. 2026-0262-PW

14. Basis for Proposal....................................................................................18

15. Contract Terms and Conditions...............................................................18

16. Contract Deviations.................................................................................19

17. Offeror Qualifications..............................................................................19

18. Right to Waive Minor Irregularities ........................................................19

19. Change in Contractor Representatives.....................................................19

20. Notice.......................................................................................................19

21. County Rights ..........................................................................................19

22. Right to Publish .......................................................................................19

23. Ownership of Proposal…………………………………………………20

24. Electronic Mail Address Recommended .................................................20

25. Preference in Procurement by Santa Fe County ......................................20

26. Double-Sided Documents ........................................................................22

27. Living Wage ............................................................................................22

IV.

RESPONSE FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION ........................................................23

A. NUMBER OF RESPONSES...............................................................................23

B. NUMBER OF COPIES .......................................................................................23

C. PROPOSAL FORMAT .......................................................................................23

1. Proposal Organization ...............................................................................23

2. Letter of Transmittal..................................................................................24

SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................26

A. INFORMATION .................................................................................................26

1. Time Frame ...............................................................................................26

B. EVALUATION CRITERIA ................................................................................26

1. Introduction ...............................................................................................26

2. Technical Competence and Specialized Experience .................................26

3. Evidence of Understanding Scope of Work ..............................................26

4. Capacity and Capability ............................................................................27

C. COST PROPOSAL .............................................................................................27

VI.

EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS ...............................................................................27

A. EVALUATION SCORING.................................................................................27

B. EVALUATION PROCESS .................................................................................28

APPENDICES

A. Acknowledgement of Receipt Form....................................................................30

B. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form............................................................31

C. Resident Veterans Preference Certification…………………………………….34

D. Cost Proposal .......................................................................................................35

E. Sample Agreement................................................................................................36

RFP NO. 2026-0262-PW

I. ADVERTISEMENT

SANTA FE COUNTY

Comprehensive Water and Wastewater Rate Study

2026-0262-PW

Santa Fe County requests proposals from qualified vendors or firms to provide a comprehensive

water and wastewater rate study. All proposals submitted shall be valid for ninety (90) days subject

to action by the County. Santa Fe County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals in part or

in whole. A completed proposal shall be submitted in a sealed container indicating the proposal title

and number along with the Offeror's name and address clearly marked on the outside of the

container. All proposals must be received by 2:00PM on Thursday May, 7 2026 at the Santa Fe

County Purchasing Division, 102 Grant Avenue, (First Floor), Santa Fe, NM 87501. The

submission of Proposals will also be accepted electronically utilizing a DropBox. Please utilize this

link

upload

your

proposal

submission.

https://www.dropbox.com/request/CwDA4uzdCzFoaERHqqFG Log into dropbox to obtain a link

for vendors to upload proposals.

By submitting a proposal for the requested services each Offeror is certifying that it is a qualified

firm and its proposal complies with the requirements stated within the Request for Proposals.

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held at 10am on Wednesday April, 22 2026 online via

Microsoft

Teams

the

following

link:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21329143500433?p=Q8XCwCH29APSrEFoUF or in person in

the Lamy Conference Room 102 Grant Ave., First Floor, Santa Fe, NM 87501. The Pre-

Proposal Conference is not mandatory but is highly recommended.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: All qualified Offerors will receive consideration of

contract(s) without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin, ancestry, age, physical and

mental handicap, serious medical condition, disability, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation or gender

identity.

Request for Proposals will be available by contacting Ben McCormack, Procurement Specialist Sr.,

102 Grant Avenue, (First Floor) Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, or by telephone at (505) 986-6337 ,

or by email at dmccormack@santafecountynm.gov

or on our website at

http://www.santafecountynm.gov/finance/purchasing-division/current-bid-solicitations.

PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED ABOVE WILL NOT

BE CONSIDERED AND WILL BE REJECTED BY SANTA FE COUNTY.

Santa Fe County

Published April 5 and 6, 2026

RFP NO. 2026-0262-PW

II. INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The Utilities Division of the Santa Fe County (SFC) Public works Department is seeking

proposals from qualified firms to conduct a comprehensive cost of service analysis and

rate study for its water and wastewater utility systems. SFC’s long-term objective is to

operate its water and wastewater services as a sustainable enterprise fund, fully

independent of the SFC’s General Fund. The previous SFC Cost of Service Study (2018)

and subsequent comments on the City of Santa Fe’s 2021 study have identified the need

for a detailed financial plan and a multi-year rate schedule to achieve this goal. Through

this effort, we would also like to address aging infrastructure and ensure equitable rates for

all customer classes. The firm will be expected to build upon previous studies,

incorporating new data and addressing prior recommendations.

Currently, nine Master Meters convey and deliver SFC water through the City of Santa

Fe’s water transmission and distribution system, at an average rate of 1225 AFY. Once

water is delivered to SFC, SFC provides potable water to over 4,000 residential users, 100

commercial users and the communities of Agua Fria, Cañoncito, Eldorado and Las

Campanas. The SFC Utilities Division also operates a 24-hour Automated Bulk Water

Dispensing Facility “Ojo de Agua” Convenience Center, the new Turquoise Trail Bulk

Water Station, and the under-design Hondo Bulk Water Station. Approximately 1/3 of

these customers are also served by the Quill wastewater treatment plant. Current demand

sits at annual average and peak of approximately 34 Million Gallons (MG), 63 MG, 3.8

MG, 4.5 MG for water/wastewater respectively. Furthermore, planned development with

some areas already under construction, in the SFC Sustainable Development Area One

(SDA-1) is expected to require an additional 1273 AFY. Existing and future water demand

may be supplemented by an interconnect with the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System

(PBRWS) currently under construction. The interconnect is estimated to provide 1,000

AFY per year to the SFC water utility system.

B. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The Purpose of this Request for Proposal is to accomplish five main objectives:

1. Establish a Multi-Year Financial Plan: Develop a five-year financial model that

forecasts revenue requirements, operational expenses, and capital needs to ensure

the financial viability of the utility enterprise funds. The selected firm will also

review relevant County planning documents (e.g., the Water Utility master Plan

and Effluent Management Plan) and the County’s current list of active/planned

water and wastewater projects underway with timelines.

2. Conduct a Comprehensive Cost of Service Analysis: Perform a detailed analysis

to accurately determine the costs of providing service to each customer class (e.g.,

residential, commercial, wholesale) and meter size.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

2026-0262-PW Water and Wastewater Rate Study

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