Water Quality Laboratory Services

Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District requires water quality laboratory services to analyze surface water samples for fecal bacteria and other analytes, supporting shellfish protection and recovery goals in Bellingham, WA. The requested scope involves offsite testing for ambient, follow-up, and storm sampling, providing sterile sample bottles, meeting holding times, sharing internal QA/QC data, and providing preliminary fecal coliform results within 48 hours via Excel. Qualified, USA-based onshore analytical laboratories and affiliated contract laboratories must be accredited by the Washington State Department of Ecology for all analyses. Applicants must submit one wet-signed, unbound original sealed proposal by 2:30 PM on November 3, 2026, to the Whatcom County Courthouse Finance Department. Proposals must be limited to five pages or less, excluding the cover letter and cost information. Evaluators will score proposals up to 100 points based on understanding and methodology, staff qualifications, meeting result preferences, QA/QC procedures, management structure, organization, supplemental responses, and per-test costs. The initial contract term spans January 2027 through December 2027, with options for two annual renewals up to three years total, contingent on budget authority.