About this opportunity
AI summaryThe City of Philadelphia Water Department requires consulting services to assist its Applied Research Group with planning, executing, and analyzing bench-, pilot-, and full-scale trials of water and wastewater treatment processes. Selected contractors will evaluate innovative treatment technologies, investigate operational process improvements, prepare for future regulatory requirements, and deliver technical expertise for resource recovery solutions under a one-year contract with offsite performance. Only onshore United States organizations are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit complete proposals electronically through eContract Philly by 5:00 PM Philadelphia Time on December 14, 2026. A virtual pre-proposal meeting takes place November 12, 2026, and questions are due November 16, 2026. Proposed compensation ranges from $500,000 to $1,000,000 based on hourly rate compensation capped at $345 per hour.
Buyer and opportunity details
- Client
- The City of Philadelphia
Scope of work
- Assisting in the planning, execution, and analysis of bench-, pilot-, and full-scale trials of water and wastewater treatment processes
- Conducting studies to evaluate innovative technologies for improving water and wastewater treatment
- Evaluating technologies to meet current and future regulatory requirements
- Monitoring contaminants of emerging concern
- Preparation of materials for acquisition of federal research grants
- Providing technical support for investigating operational process improvements
- Planning for future regulatory requirements, including strategies to treat ammonia and total nitrogen
- Exploring and providing technical expertise for resource recovery solutions
How proposals are evaluated
| Criterion | Weight / scoring |
|---|---|
| Superior ability or capacity to meet particular requirements of contract and needs of City | Not specified |
| Superior prior experience of Applicant and staff, including specialized experience in applied research trials and Intuitech pilot systems | Not specified |
| Benefit of promoting long-term competitive development and allocation of experience | Not specified |
| Lower cost | Not specified |
| Anticipated long-term cost effectiveness | Not specified |
| Meets prequalification requirements | Not specified |
| Applicant’s Local Impact or LBE certification | Not specified |
Minimum qualifications
- Demonstrated technical expertise in performing bench-, pilot-, and full-scale applied research studies in water and wastewater treatment
- Demonstrated experience with Intuitech pilot equipment
- Demonstrated sufficient staffing and organizational capacity to perform services
- Staff with appropriate expertise in research design, data collection, and analysis
- Capabilities to perform planning-level engineering analyses
- Active Commercial Activity License (CAL) Number
- Current with City business licenses, permits, and payment of City business taxes or indebtedness
Documents to include with your response
- Applicant information sheet
- Proposed scope of work, budget/cost proposal, and schedule
- Statement of Qualifications and Relevant Experience
- At least three references
- List of prospective subcontractors
- Solicitation & Participation Form (Appendix B)
- Tax and Regulatory Status and Clearance Statement (Appendix C) and Tax Clearance Certificate
- Description of legal proceedings or contract disputes in the past five years
- Documentation demonstrating fiscal solvency and financial capability (or IRS Form 990)
- Appendix D – Rate Proposal Form
Key dates
- RFP Issue Date
- November 2, 2026
- Pre-Proposal Meeting
- November 12, 2026 at 10:00AM – 11:00AM, Philadelphia Time
- Proposals Due
- December 14, 2026, 5pm Philadelphia time
How to submit
- Method
- Electronic via eContract Philly
- Instructions
- Submit online through eContract Philly at https://philawx.phila.gov/econtract/ under the correct opportunity number. Files accepted include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project, Adobe PDF, or compressed zip file.
Contract details
- Estimated value
- $500,000 - 1,000,000
- Place of performance
- Philadelphia, PA
- Insurance and bonding
- The contractor shall comply with all insurance requirements as specified in the City's standard terms and conditions.