Unaccounted for Water Audit

The Town of Boone, North Carolina, is seeking qualified private engineering firms to conduct an Unaccounted for Water Audit under a lump sum firm fixed price contract valued at $150,000, funded by the North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure through ARPA-AIA. The solicitation, numbered 678-WATERAUDIT-08142026, was posted on July 14, 2026, with responses due by August 14, 2026, and selection anticipated by August 21, 2026. The contract requires the selected firm to investigate water metering accuracy, reconcile utility billing data, and provide technical recommendations to reduce unaccounted-for water within the Town’s jurisdiction. All work must be performed locally in Boone, NC, by a firm with a physical office and staff based in North Carolina, and all engineers in responsible charge must hold an active license from the North Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The contractor must provide proof of at least $1 million in professional liability insurance, maintain an adequate accounting system, and demonstrate financial capability to manage the project. Evaluation of proposals is based entirely on technical merit, with no pricing evaluation, using a trade-off approach weighted as follows: 40% for experience with water metering methodology and data reconciliation, 30% for the qualifications and relevance of proposed staff, and 30% for understanding of the project’s specific challenges and responsibilities. Submissions are limited to eight total pages in a single document structured into a cover letter (2 pages), evaluation factors section (3 pages), and supportive information (3 pages), which must include organizational charts, resumes of key personnel, and details on NC-based staff. Firms are encouraged but not required to identify as small, minority-owned, or female-owned businesses. All submissions must include a conflict of interest disclosure. Final deliverables, including a comprehensive report, are due no later than November 16, 2026, with invoicing to be submitted directly to the Town’s Department of Public Works. There are no federal acquisition regulation clauses, CAGE codes, UEI numbers, or line-item pricing required. The Town will conduct oversight, with Joshua Eller, Deputy Public Works Director, serving as the primary contact for administrative and technical matters.