Request for Proposals for Wastewater Biosolids Sampling and Testing of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances

The City of Charles Town, West Virginia, by and through its Utility Board is seeking proposals for professional services from qualified firms for testing of biosolids from the Charles Town Wastewater Plant.

CTUB is seeking a firm that has the capabilities to assess the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) content of biosolids from the Charles Town Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Charles Town, West Virginia. The firm selected should utilize a laboratory approved by EPA to Support UCMR 5 testing. The firm selected should also be proficient in Method 1633A of 40 CFR Part 136 testing methods for wastewater and biosolids. The firm selected should be equipped with the expertise to physically collect, process and analyze at least four (4) weekly sets of samples for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) content of the biosolids product from the Charles Town Wastewater Plant.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) submission with its terms, conditions, attachments and all other forms in this package are due by Friday, February 7, 2025 by 4:00 pm. RFP’s received after the due date and time will not be accepted.

Please submit three (3) copies (via Mail or Hand Delivery) of all requested information to:
Charles Town Utility Board
661 S. George Street, Suite 101
Charles Town, WV 25414

A copy of the RFP is available at the Charles Town Utility Board office as listed at the address above or email Ashley Stottlemyer at astottlemyer@ctubwv.com.

The City of Charles Town, by and through its Utility Board will afford full opportunity for minority business enterprise to submit a show of interest in response to this invitation and will not discriminate against any interested firm or individual on the grounds of race, creed, color, sex, age handicap or national origin in the contract award and reserves the right to accept or reject any/or all proposals.

CTUB reserves the right to modify or cancel this RFP and/or the project; to reject any or all proposals; and to waive any or all irregularities. This RFP does not obligate CTUB to award a contract for the project or to reimburse any costs associated with the preparation of any proposal.

Proposal Requirements
Responses are to be concise, specific and straightforward. All pertinent information is to be contained in the response. Each response is to include the following:

Item 1 – Information pertinent to the respondent’s background and experience relative to this project, public relations experience with a utility provider and/or public entity. List specific experience pertaining to UCMR 5 and Method 1633A testing.

Item 2 – List of current clients.

Item 3 – Three (3) references. The Proposer shall provide a list of three (3) client references, at least two (2) of which shall be current clients, for whom the same or similar type of services as those sought in this RFP have been or are being provided. The Proposer shall provide the location of the properties served, a contact person, electronic mail address, if available, and telephone number for each. CTUB reserves the right to contact clients for reference checks. In the event the Proposer plans to subcontract any services, the above information shall be provided as it relates to the subcontractor(s) and the services that will be performed by such subcontractor.

Item 4 – Firm Name, Address and Telephone number and email addresses.

Item 5 – Main Contact person.

Item 6 – Resumes of personnel to be assigned to the project.

Item 7 – Fee proposal, include a breakdown of all fees for each task.

Item 8 – The proposer must be a registered contractor with the State of West Virginia and obtain a business license with the City of Charles Town.

Information Requests
All questions and requests for information are to be directed to the designated CTUB Contact Person, Ashley Stottlemyer at (304) 885-0010 or astottlemyer@ctubwv.com.

Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025. Three (3) copies of each proposal are to be delivered to 661 South George Street, Suite 101, Charles Town, West Virginia, 25414 to the attention of Kristen Stolipher, Utility Manager. Proposals received after this time will not be considered and will be returned unopened. All proposals being mailed (including Federal Express, UPS, Priority Mail, etc.) or hand-delivered shall be directed to the attention of Kristen Stolipher, Utility Manager, in a sealed envelope and be clearly marked on the outside of the mailing or hand delivered envelope as follows: “RFP Proposal – WASTEWATER BIOSOLIDS SAMPLING AND TESTING OF PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL (PFAS) SUBSTANCES”

Evaluation and Selection
All proposals will be evaluated by a small in-house committee made up of at least two (2) CTUB Directors and two (2) CTUB staff members familiar with the project. Interviews and/or presentations of the proposals will be requested if needed. The proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria listed above. Although not required, a point ranking system may be used to aid in the evaluation process.

The final scope of work and fee will be negotiated with the selected vendor. All firms submitting proposals will be notified of the selection results.