Evaluation of Water Treatment Facilities Local Discharge Limits & Preparation of Local Limits Study

The City of Santa Monica, a beachside municipality in Los Angeles County with a population of approximately 93,000, is seeking to evaluate and establish its own local discharge limits for water treatment facilities to support its expanding Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) Advanced Water Treatment Facility, which produces up to 1.5 million gallons per day of advanced treated recycled water from municipal wastewater, stormwater, urban runoff, and brackish groundwater. Historically, all wastewater was discharged to the City of Los Angeles' Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant under its discharge limits; however, with the introduction of SWIP’s indirect potable reuse program—using subsurface injection to augment groundwater—the City must now develop independent local limits to ensure source protection, regulatory compliance, and future feasibility of direct potable reuse. This effort is critical for reducing reliance on imported water, enhancing drought resilience, and improving water quality in Santa Monica Bay. The procurement under solicitation 2026-RFP-00020 seeks a qualified provider to conduct a comprehensive local limits study, including technical analysis, regulatory alignment, and stakeholder engagement, with deliverables governed by stringent water quality standards under 40 CFR §136 and State Water Board accreditation requirements. The evaluation of proposals prioritizes technical experience and competence at 50%, followed by the ability to meet the work plan at 25%, value-added services at 15%, and cost at 10%, reflecting a best-value trade-off approach rather than a lowest-price selection. Offerors must demonstrate compliance with extensive special requirements including living wage standards, non-discrimination policies, conflict of interest disclosures under the Levine Act, and adherence to California labor and insurance standards, including DIR registration and workers’ compensation coverage. Contractors must also comply with data security frameworks such as NIST 800-53, ISO/IEC 27001, and SOC 2, particularly if handling sensitive data, and must hold a valid Santa Monica business license if operating within city limits. All submissions must be signed by an authorized representative, include resumes of key personnel, and comply with confidentiality rules, with the City reserving the right to terminate the contract for convenience or lack of appropriations. Sampling and monitoring must follow prescribed protocols including chain-of-custody documentation, preservation at 6°C, and analysis by ELAP-accredited labs at designated effluent and influent points, ensuring alignment with NPDES permit conditions and regional water quality standards. Proposals are to be