Project Information

Bid Title

RFQ: Capital Investment Strategy

Issuing Agency

Carrboro OWASA (Water and Sewer Authority)

Location

North Carolina

Published Date

Oct 16, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 16, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Opportunity:	RFQ: Capital Investment Strategy
Pre-Bid Meeting:
Closing Date/Time:	December 16, 2025, at 2 PM
Contact:	Coleman Olinger
Download:	Capital Investment Strategy RFQ
Award Information:

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Orange Water and Sewer Authority

OWASA is Carrboro-Chapel Hill’s not-for-profit public service agency

delivering high quality water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Orange Water and Sewer Authority

Capital Investment Strategy

Issue Date: October 15, 2025

Submittal Deadline: December 16, 2025 at 2PM

1. INTRODUCTION

Your firm is hereby invited to submit a written statement of qualifications to provide professional

services to establish and implement a capital investment strategy (CIS) for Orange Water and

Sewer Authority (OWASA). OWASA will conduct a Qualification-Based Selection process to

identify the best qualified firm with which to negotiate a contract. All firms submitting

qualifications must have demonstrated experience and expertise in previous, similar initiatives.

To be considered by OWASA, responses to this RFQ must be received by 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Refer to Section 5 – Submittal Requirements for details.

2. OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the project is to collaborate closely with staff, the Board of Directors,

and stakeholders to establish level of service criteria across all operational areas and develop a

comprehensive Capital Investment Strategy. This strategy will be data-driven and designed to

address the challenges of determining and communicating necessary investments for repairing and

rehabilitating aging infrastructure. The consultant will be responsible for ensuring that the strategy

aligns with the utility's strategic plan and goals of sustainability, resilience, and maintaining a high

level of service for the community.

Key tasks for the consultant will include:

• Developing enterprise-level risk mapping to identify and mitigate potential risks across the

utility's infrastructure.

• Leveraging asset risk data from existing linear risk models (collections and distribution

systems), as well as from newly implemented NexGen Computerized Maintenance

Management System (CMMS) for vertical assets, facilities, and fleet.

• Engaging with staff, the Board, and stakeholders to gather input and ensure that the strategy

meets the needs and expectations of all parties involved.

• Providing recommendations for prioritizing investments and allocating resources

effectively to achieve the desired outcomes.

3. BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION

400 Jones Ferry Road

Carrboro, NC 27510-2001

Equal Opportunity Employer

Printed on Recycled Paper

Voice (919) 968-4421

www.owasa.org

Request for Qualifications

Capital Investment Strategy

October 15, 2025

The Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) owns and operates a comprehensive and

intricate system of assets primarily distributed across southern Orange County. These assets

include three raw water reservoirs, 14 miles of raw water transmission mains, a drinking water

treatment plant (WTP), 386 miles of drinking water distribution pipes (including emergency

interconnects), six water storage tanks, and four water booster pump stations. Additionally,

OWASA manages 335 miles of gravity sewer collection pipes, 14 miles of sewer force mains, 21

wastewater pump stations, five miles of reclaimed water pipes, a reclaimed water pumping station,

and a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This extensive network ensures the provision of

essential water and wastewater services to the community.

OWASA's asset management strategy is designed to maintain a reliable and resilient infrastructure

that supports essential services. The organization places a strong emphasis on operational

efficiency, risk reduction, and long-term sustainability. To achieve these goals, OWASA conducts

thorough assessments of its existing asset management program, identifying gaps and areas for

improvement. This includes reviewing asset performance data, evaluating current maintenance

strategies, and analyzing inventory management practices. By leveraging these insights, OWASA

aims to define a detailed action plan that incorporates best practices, such as the integration of a

modernized Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), enhanced preventive

maintenance schedules, and improved risk assessment protocols.

To ensure that these assets continue to meet the desired levels of service, OWASA recognizes the

need for a robust capital investment strategy. This strategy is essential for guiding investments in

the assets to align with the organization's goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). By

establishing a clear capital investment strategy, OWASA can prioritize projects that enhance

service reliability, reduce operational risks, and optimize resource allocation. The strategy will

also help to provide a better understanding of budget decisions and potential deferrals, allowing

OWASA to assess the corresponding organizational risks. By identifying and addressing these

risks, OWASA can make informed decisions that balance immediate needs with long-term

sustainability, ultimately supporting the organization's broader goals of resilience, cost

optimization, and continuous service delivery.

Project timing is expected to occur between July 2026 and Winter 2027, with consultant assistance

of budgetary process and implementation of capital investment strategy for the first two subsequent

cycles (Winter 2027 - Spring 2028 and Winter 2028 – Spring 2029).

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The engineering services required for this project are expected to be completed to meet the

objective outlined above and in general accordance with a scope of services as needed to

accomplish the tasks listed below. However, the final scope of services will be negotiated with

the selected engineering firm and may include modified and/or additional tasks.

1. Assessment and Analysis

a. Review existing risk models for linear and vertical assets to determine available

asset level risk data and methods

Request for Qualifications

Capital Investment Strategy

October 15, 2025

b. Identify gaps and areas for improvement

c. Review strategic initiatives, budget/CIP, and prioritization process for budget

development

2. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

a. Engage the board and OWASA’s executive team and develop meaningful levels of

service (LOS) and key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be leveraged for the

capital investment strategy

b. Facilitate communication with OWASA’s management, staff, board, and

stakeholders

c. Provide regular updates and reports documenting the effort and findings

3. Development of Capital Investment Strategy

a. Develop renewal and replacement investment levels to meet OWASA’s goals for

LOS/KPI, financial metrics, and long term obligations for capacity

b. Develop plan to incorporate asset level risk models into long term capital

investment strategy

c. Develop or refine existing prioritization processes to determine optimal project

programming to align with the strategy

d. Develop method of budget deferral analysis as it pertains to organizational

risks and alignment with desired LOS and KPIs.

4. Application of Capital Investment Strategy (optional)

a. Provide analysis and support during the FY29 (Winter 2027 - Spring 2028) budget

development cycle to ensure Capital Investment Strategy is implemented and

incorporated as intended.

b. Provide analysis and support during the FY30 (Winter 2028 – Spring 2029) budget

cycle to ensure Capital Investment Strategy is implemented and incorporated as

intended.

5. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Responses to this RFQ must be received by OWASA no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. To be considered, please submit four (4) hard copies and one

(1) electronic copy in PDF format of the required qualifications to:

Coleman Olinger, P.E.

Asset Manager

Orange Water and Sewer Authority

400 Jones Ferry Road

Carrboro, North Carolina 27510

Submittals (including resumes) shall be limited to a maximum of 20 double-sided pages (i.e., 20

pages printed double-sided onto 10 sheets of 8-1/2”x11” paper). The total page count excludes the

cover, cover letter, title sheets, dividers, etc. Only double-sided proposals shall be accepted.

Request for Qualifications

Capital Investment Strategy

October 15, 2025

Each submittal must include the following in order to be considered:

a) Statement of Interest [5 points] explaining your firm’s interest in performing the work on

this project, including how the project aligns with your firm’s capabilities.

b) Project Team/Org Chart [20 points] showing the proposed project team members,

including sub-consultants (if any), identifying their respective roles on the project, and

indicating their availability to support this project. Each proposal shall include resumes of

key team members. The primary contact shall be clearly identified.

c) Project Approach [20 points] describing your proposed approach to accomplish the work

to meet the project objectives, identifying how you will manage any notable risks. Provide

detailed information that will allow OWASA staff to distinguish your team from other

firms that may be competing for this project.

d) Project Schedule [25 points] provide sufficient delineation of phasing and tasks to

demonstrate your understanding of the necessary project activities and reasonable

durations, sequencing, risks, etc. for this project.

e) Past Experience and References [30 points] provide examples of similar work your team

has performed in the last 5 years for other clients. Identify who served as project manager

and key lead technical roles in those projects.

f) Contract Objections: It is OWASA’s intention to use a contract similar to the one included

as Attachment 1. If your firm objects to any element of the contract, please state the

objections in the submittal.

6. SELECTION PROCESS

OWASA intends to select a firm on a qualifications basis within four weeks of receiving the

responses to this RFQ, and expects to complete final scoping and contract negotiation in Winter

2025-2026. OWASA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any and all

formalities, and to disregard all nonconforming or conditional submittals.

OWASA may elect to conduct face-to-face interviews with two or more firms being evaluated

prior to making a final selection.

If OWASA cannot reach an agreement with the initially selected firm, OWASA will then proceed

to negotiate with other firms that submitted qualifications, or will reissue the RFQ.

7. OWASA POINT OF CONTACT

Coleman Olinger will be OWASA’s primary point of contact for all consultant selection matters

relating to this project. All questions regarding this Request for Qualifications must be

emailed on or before Wednesday, November 19, 2025 to Mr. Olinger at colinger@owasa.org.

8. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Attachment 1 – Sample Contract

No other documents will be shared as supplemental information for this RFQ.

Request for Qualifications

Capital Investment Strategy

October 15, 2025

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541618Other Management Consulting Services

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