SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a professional service agreement with CHA Consulting, Inc. of Tampa, FL to serve as the Water, Reclaimed Water, and Well Program Consultant (26-0007-UT), in the not-to-exceed amount of $9,000,000.00 for a five-year term, pursuant to Request for Qualification (RFQ) 39-25 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
Body
SUMMARY:
In August 2025, RFQ 39-25 Consulting Services - Water, Reclaimed Water, and Well Program, was issued seeking qualified firms to provide consulting services for water, reclaimed water, and well projects throughout the City of Clearwater. The City received two responsive submittals on September 29, 2025.
On October 16, 2025, the RFQ selection committee, consisting of representatives from Public Utilities Engineering and Public Utilities, carefully reviewed each of the submittals received from the two qualified firms. Each submittal was ranked based upon the RFQ criteria and overall responsiveness to the RFQ requirements. CHA Consulting, Inc. was selected to provide the requested Water, Reclaimed Water, and Well Program consulting Services.
Services include, but are not limited to, the assessment of: existing pipeline conditions, replacement of water mains, reconnection of water services to newly installed mains, removal of existing piping networks, well support services, and restoration and upgrades to all disturbed areas. Additional services include design, permitting, construction engineering and inspection services for water, reclaimed water, and well projects, as well as construction management and contractor oversight services provided over a five-year term.
The professional services agreement is anticipated to be funded at $1,800,000.00 per year for a five-year term, for a total of $9,000,000.00. CHA is currently supporting five identified projects/programs with known dollar amounts totaling approximately $38.93 million, including two annual programs and one projected bid-pending project. In addition to those funded efforts, the contract also supports several ongoing engineering and regulatory assignments that do not have a single discrete CIP value attached.
The City of Clearwater’s Public Utilities Department owns, operates, and maintains the potable water system, reclaimed water system, and 44 wells that supply raw water to its three water treatment plants.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
3217321-530100-96721 $ 1,360,000.00
3277327-530100-96784 $ 340,000.00
4212056,4212057,4212058-530100 $ 100,000.00
Funding for the first year’s portion is available in capital project 96721, Water System R&R; 96784, Reclaimed Distribution System, and in various Public Utilities operating cost centers (4212056, 4212057, 4212058) code 530100, professional services. The Public Utilities Department and associated capital projects are funded by revenues from the Water & Sewer Utility Enterprise Fund.
Funding for future years will be requested as part of the annual capital and operating budgets process.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
To further the Council’s Strategic Plan to achieve High Performing Government by upgrading current services related to Water, Reclaimed Waters, and Wells Projects through systematic management. The project also aligns with the City’s strategic goals of Environmental Stewardship.
