Prescott National Forest, Forest-wide Water Operator

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to vendor questions regarding solicitation 127EAU26Q0033, clarifying requirements for water system maintenance and chlorination.

• Initial Start-up and Shutdown Responsibilities: For public water systems, the PNF will conduct initial start-up and shock chlorination for the 2026 calendar year. The contractor is responsible for initial start-up documentation for the 2027 cycle. For regulated water systems, the contractor handles ADEQ notification for shutdown, while the PNF handles closing and winterizing.
• Repeat Sampling Costs: Repeat sampling is billed per trip, with the number of samples determined by regulatory and site requirements. Each system (Lynx Lake, Groom Creek, Horsethief) requires 4 repeat samples.
• Distilled Water Supply: The contractor must provide all materials for SOW Section 3.5 (Chlorinator Maintenance and Chlorine Refill), including distilled water, unless they opt to purchase the solution upfront.
• Site Access: The PNF will provide labeled keys and an access document with specific instructions for all water facilities at each recreation site.
• Nitrate Sample Turnaround: A two-week turnaround time for nitrate sample results is acceptable.

These clarifications address specific operational responsibilities, material provisions, and procedural timelines, which may influence bidder understanding of scope and cost.

Amendment / Modification

This document, "Amendment 1 Schedule of Items Forest-wide Water Operations.pdf", appears to be an amendment to a previous solicitation or contract. It details a "Schedule of Items" for "Forestwide Water Operations, Sampling & Testing" for the Prescott National Forest.

The schedule is broken down into several sections, each referencing a specific section of the Statement of Work (SOW):

• 0001 - Disinfection, Start-Up Documentation, Initial RTCR Sampling (Reference SOW 3.1): Lists various locations for disinfection and sampling, with quantities specified as "LUMP SUM".
• 0002 - Water Sampling and Testing (Reference SOW 3.2 & 3.3): Details microbiological (RTCR) and chlorine residual sampling, monthly inspection reports, and nitrate/nitrite sampling for specific cabins and recreation sites.
• 0003 - Chlorinator Maintenance and Chlorine Refills (Reference SOW 3.5): Outlines maintenance and refill services for chlorinators at Lynx Lake and G.C. Horse Camp.
• 0004 - Backflow Preventer Testing (Reference SOW 3.6 & 3.7): Includes inspection and testing of backflow preventers at recreation and administrative sites.
• 0005 - Repeat Sampling (As Needed) (Reference SOW 3.8): Lists various locations for repeat sampling, with quantities specified as "TRIP".
• 0006 - Chlorination, Level 1 or 2 Assessment (As Needed) (Reference SOW 3.9): Details assessment services for chlorination at various locations, with quantities specified as "TRIP".
• 0007 - Troubleshooting, Onsite-Consulting (As Needed) (Reference SOW 3.10): Covers onsite consulting, troubleshooting, mileage, and materials.

Each section includes item numbers, descriptions, quantities, units of issue, and placeholders for unit price and total price.

The document also outlines an Option Period 1 (June 1, 2027 – May 31, 2028) and Option Period 2 (June 1, 2028 – May 31, 2029), which mirror the structure and services of the base period.

This document directly impacts the "Schedule of Items" and potentially the pricing structure of the overall solicitation or contract by detailing specific tasks, quantities, and locations for water operations, sampling, and testing services.

Bidders should review this schedule to understand the full scope of work and associated quantities for pricing their proposals. It provides a detailed breakdown of services required across multiple locations and timeframes, including base and option periods.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Schedule of Items detailing various water operations, sampling, and testing tasks for the Prescott National Forest. It outlines specific items, quantities, and unit prices for services to be performed during the base period (June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027) and option periods.

• Disinfection, Start-Up Documentation, Initial RTCR Sampling: Covers tasks at various forest locations like Granite Basin, Groom Creek Horse Camp, and Lynx Lake.
• Water Sampling and Testing: Includes microbiological (RTCR) and chlorine residual sampling, monthly inspection reports, and nitrate/nitrite sampling for cabins and recreation sites.
• Chlorinator Maintenance and Chlorine Refills: Details maintenance and refill services for Lynx Lake and G.C. Horse Camp.
• Backflow Preventer Testing: Covers inspection and testing for recreation and administrative sites.
• Repeat Sampling, Chlorination Assessment, and Troubleshooting: Lists "as needed" services for various locations, including onsite consulting and mileage.

This schedule provides a detailed breakdown of the services and quantities required for water operations and testing across the Prescott National Forest. Bidders can use this to understand the scope of work, estimate costs, and prepare their pricing proposals. The document references specific sections of the Statement of Work (SOW) for each item category.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for "Forest-wide Water Operations, Sampling and Testing" for the Prescott National Forest. The government requires a certified water operator to perform regulatory water systems requirements, including sampling and inspections.

• Perform regulatory water systems requirements, including sampling and inspections.

• Meet schedule requirements listed in the Statement of Work (SOW).

• Provide a detailed explanation of any requirement that cannot be successfully accomplished.

• If subcontracting, list the proposed subcontractor and their resources.

• Provide current ADEQ Grade 1 Water Operator certification.

• Maintain a main office within two hundred (200) miles of all water systems in the Forest.

• Anticipated award of a firm-fixed-price contract.

• Contract duration: one (1) one-year base period and two (2) one-year option periods, not to exceed three (3) years total.

• Offerors must submit pricing for all individual line items to be considered responsive.

• Quotes will be evaluated based on Technical Approach, Price, and Past Performance.

• Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government.

• The technical approach will be evaluated on the ability to meet requirements and understanding of the scope.

• Price will be evaluated for fairness and reasonableness.

• Past performance will be assessed as acceptable or neutral.

• Offerors agree to hold prices firm for 90 calendar days from the offer due date.

• Questions are due by April 7, 2026, at 12:00 PM Mountain Time and should be emailed to scott.beeman@usda.gov.

• Offer due date: April 13, 2026, at 17:00 MDT.

• The acquisition is listed as "UNRESTRICTED" but also has checkboxes for various small business set-asides, indicating potential for set-aside considerations.

• NAICS Code: 541380, Size Standard: $19 Million.

• The Statement of Work (SOW) and Schedule of Items are available as attachments.

• Relevant FAR clauses and provisions are incorporated by reference and full text is available upon request or online.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This Statement of Work (SOW) outlines the requirements for providing forest-wide water operations, sampling, and testing services for the Southwestern Region 03, Prescott National Forest.

• The contractor will serve as the certified water operator of record for ten (10) recreation water distribution systems within the Prescott National Forest (PNF).

• Responsibilities include:

  • Performing monthly microbiological sampling and testing.
  • Conducting annual nitrate and nitrite testing.
  • Shock chlorination and disinfection for water system startup.
  • Performing certified operator monthly inspections.
  • Updating Microbiological Sample Site Plans (MSSPs) and Site Sampling Schedules.
  • Submitting all required forms, results, and updates to the PNF and ADEQ.
  • Providing backup certified water operators.
  • Troubleshooting issues and providing onsite consulting as needed.

• The PNF will serve as the owner of the water systems and provide access for sampling and inspections.

• The performance period is listed on the Schedule of Items.

• The project involves ten (10) Recreation Public Water System (PWS) sites and five (5) administrative sites across the Prescott National Forest.

• The certified water operator must be located within two hundred (200) miles by ground travel from any water system facility they serve.

• Operators must hold a Grade 1 Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) water distribution operator certification.

• Sampling must adhere to EPA and ADEQ protocols, including specific procedures for cooling, transit, and testing.

• Specific requirements for chlorinator maintenance and chlorine refills are detailed for Lynx Lake and Groom Creek Horse Camp.

• Certified backflow preventer inspections are required for both recreation and administrative sites.

• The contractor must comply with ADEQ Public Notification Rules in the event of contamination or exceedance of standards.