Laboratory Analysis Services

The City of Turlock, California, is soliciting laboratory analysis services under RFP 2026-RFP-016 to support the ongoing monitoring and regulatory compliance of its drinking water and wastewater systems. The City operates fifteen municipal supply wells, four above-ground storage tanks, the Turlock Regional Water Quality Control Facility, and associated infrastructure managed through the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority. Daily sampling is conducted across these systems, requiring timely laboratory analysis of various water quality constituents with strict holding time constraints to meet state and federal regulations. The contract is structured for a five-year performance period and mandates compliance with the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (CASWRCB-ELAP), with proposers required to hold current ELAP certification at the time of submission. Deliverables include electronic reporting via the CASWRCB-DDW CLIP software, submission of QA/QC data for each analytical batch, and results that meet State Detection Limits for Reporting and Reporting Limits for wastewater. The City reserves the right to conduct inspections at the destination site, with final acceptance contingent upon full compliance with all technical standards and regulatory requirements. Proposals will be evaluated on a trade-off basis, prioritizing technical merit over price, with the proposed scope of services and the laboratory’s experience in public agency water testing each weighted at 40%, while price carries a 10% weight and references contribute another 10%. Alternative evaluation criteria also consider qualifications of key personnel, approach to service delivery, innovation, and references, with price ranging between 10% and 25% depending on the evaluation framework used. The City requires detailed documentation of past performance within the last five years and expects the contractor to maintain consistent staffing, with key personnel substitutions requiring written approval. Special contract requirements include mandatory submission of safety programs within 30 days of award, adherence to OSHA standards including Lock-Out-Tag-Out procedures, complete insurance coverage with the City as additional insured, and strict conflict of interest prohibitions barring involvement in future solicitations related to this project. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the OpenGov Procurement portal by the May 18, 2026 deadline, with no physical mail accepted. The contract includes no populated pricing line items, and while an estimated project budget of $2.5 million is referenced, no formal contract value is defined until award. The City retains full discretion in award, may negotiate terms, and will not base the decision solely on lowest price.