Project Information

Bid Title

RFP Missoula Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan

Issuing Agency

City of Missoula

Location

Montana

Published Date

Mar 13, 2026

Closing Date

Apr 9, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	RFP Missoula Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan
Category:	Professional Services--General
Status:	Open

Description: The City of Missoula is seeking proposals from consulting companies capable of conducting studies of water, wastewater, and stormwater rates and related rate infrastructure. The City of Missoula has an approximate population of 78,000 and owns and operates three utility systems: Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater. Each utility is accounted for in separate enterprise funds. Growth of the general community is driving the need for improvements and upgrades to infrastructure and an increase in capacity. In 2025, the City completed Water and Wastewater Facilities Plans, which included detailed 20-year projections for Capital Improvement Plans (CIP’s).  The Stormwater Utility completed a Comprehensive Stormwater Quality Plan in 2025, which includes a 10-year CIP to guide future investments in water quality protection and stormwater infrastructure. The City maintains a long-term financial proforma for each of the three utilities which can be provided to the selected consultant. The most recent rate study for the wastewater utility was completed in 2017, and this will be the second such study performed for the water utility (while under City ownership). The Stormwater Utility was established in 2016, and a rate study was completed in 2019. The general goals for this study are to validate equitable utility rates to reflect current and anticipated conditions; adopt a financial plan for future operations and capital improvements. The City’s current rate structure for water and wastewater is a uniform block rate structure, while stormwater rates are based on vehicle trip counts, all of which the City intends to maintain. Proposals should be no more than 25 pages, not including resumes. A digital copy of the written proposal clearly identified as the Missoula Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan shall be submitted online through the link /FormCenter/Public-Works-14/Utility-Rate-Study-and-Financial-Plan-Su-353 on or before 3:00 PM local time on Thursday April 9 th , 2026. Submittals received after this deadline shall not be considered. Publication Date/Time: 3/13/2026 3:00 PM Publication Information: 3/22/26, 3/29/26 Closing Date/Time: 4/9/2026 3:00 PM Submittal Information: /FormCenter/Public-Works-14/Utility-Rate-Study-and-Financial-Plan-Su-353 Contact Person: Questions may be directed to Mercedes Price by EMAIL ONLY Pricemj@ci.missoula.mt.us Download Available: Yes Related Documents: RFP Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan

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Request for Proposal

for the Missoula Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan

for the City of Missoula, Montana

Proposal Submittal Due Date: April 9, 2026, 3pm MST (submit 1 electronic copy)

NOTICE TO QUALIFIED CONSULTING FIRMS: Notice is hereby given that the City of

Missoula, Montana, will receive written Proposals from qualified consultants to prepare the

Missoula Utility Rate Study and Financial Plan. A consultant contract resulting from this

selection process may be expanded to include similar or related work.

The City of Missoula is seeking proposals from consulting companies capable of

conducting studies of water, wastewater, and stormwater rates and related rate

infrastructure. The City of Missoula has an approximate population of 78,000 and owns

and operates three utility systems: Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater. Each utility is

accounted for in separate enterprise funds. See Addendum 1 for financial reference.

There are approximately 23,000 water meters, which includes approximately 17,775

single-family residential water meters, 4,388 multifamily or commercial meters and 800

irrigation meters. There are also approximately 2,500 flat rate water accounts that

need to be included in the rate study.

The City also has 26,000 wastewater accounts, spread across metered and flat rate

user classifications of single- and multi-family residential, general commercial, food

service, hospitals, schools, industrial, hauled waste and mixed use with food service.

Industrial users are permitted separately by the Wastewater Division and are charged

specifically for high strength wastes.

The City also has over 24,000 stormwater accounts that are currently billed based on

vehicle trip counts for various user classifications as determined by the Institute of

Transportation Engineers (ITE)’s Trip Generation Manual.

Growth of the general community is driving the need for improvements and upgrades to

infrastructure and an increase in capacity. In 2025, the City completed Water and Wastewater

Facilities Plans, which included detailed 20-year projections for Capital Improvement Plans

(CIP’s). The Stormwater Utility completed a Comprehensive Stormwater Quality Plan in 2025,

which includes a 10-year CIP to guide future investments in water quality protection and

stormwater infrastructure. The City maintains a long-term financial proforma for each of the

three utilities which can be provided to the selected consultant.

More information about the community, local government, and public utilities can be found at

www.ci.missoula.mt.us.

The most recent rate study for the wastewater utility was completed in 2017, and this will be the

second such study performed for the water utility (while under City ownership). The Stormwater

Utility was established in 2016, and a rate study was completed in 2019. The general goals for

this study are to validate equitable utility rates to reflect current and anticipated conditions;

adopt a financial plan for future operations and capital improvements. The City’s current rate

structure for water and wastewater is a uniform block rate structure, while stormwater rates are

based on vehicle trip counts, all of which the City intends to maintain.

Required Services

The general scope of work may include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the following:

1. Evaluate & recommend rates for residential and commercial domestic water

distribution including: irrigation and fire suppression services, tap installation,

meter installation cost and hydrant use billing.

2. Evaluate & recommend rates for residential, commercial and industrial

wastewater collection and treatment services. Consideration should be given

for re-evaluating commercial flat rate minimum charges.

3. Evaluate & recommend rates for residential and commercial stormwater utility services.

The City currently bills stormwater on a trip-based structure. The City can adjust the

Annual Regulatory Compliance Charge, Annual Operations and Maintenance Charge,

and Annual Trip Charge. The Average Daily Trips are not adjustable as it is determined

by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual. Evaluate &

recommend a rate component to support long-term maintenance of green stormwater

infrastructure, including medians, swales, and urban forest.

4. Evaluate and recommend rates for Water and Wastewater Development fees that can

be used to fund growth-related capital improvements per City Ordinance 3662. See

Addendum 2.

5. The Consultant should provide options for low-income utility assistance

programs as may be allowed by Montana law.

6. Provide the City with the rate model for the Water, Wastewater, and

Stormwater Utilities in an unlocked Excel-native format.

7. Produce a written report summarizing the findings and recommendations for

the proposed rate structures and schedules. Separate rates should be

presented for each utility as well as separate Water and Wastewater

Development fees

8. Develop and present a Power Point presentation to City Council

9. Prepare all work products and reports in conformance with applicable regulations,

Montana state law, policies, and guidelines as necessary to facilitate applications for

state and federal funding programs.

10. All financial projections shall be based on at least a ten-year period including

assumptions for growth, O&M/capital needs, inflation, and reserve targets.

Length and Content of Submittal

Submittals shall be limited to no more than 25 pages, not including resumés, and shall include

the following:

1. The name of the firm, physical business address, contact person, email address, and

telephone number.

2. The location of each office to which the project or portions of the project will be

assigned.

3. A description of the firm’s organization and fields of expertise.

4. A description of at least five projects completed during the past five years that included

analysis and development of municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater utility

financial plans and rate studies for communities of not less than 50,000

population. Preferably, one or more of these projects should be for a rate study

completed in the State of Montana. Provide dates, references, and contact information

for each example project, as well as a statement of involvement and duties, by project,

for each staff person to be assigned to the Missoula rate study.

5. A resumé for each person who may be assigned to this project and a statement of

specific responsibilities.

6. Identification of key personnel and a commitment of dedication and continuity for these

personnel for the duration of this work.

7. Identification of sub-consultants, as well as their office location(s), specific roles, and

personnel.

8. Proposed project schedule with milestones

Submittal Deadline and Address

A digital copy of the written proposal clearly identified as the Missoula Utility Rate Study and

Financial Plan shall be submitted online through the link /FormCenter/Public-Works-14/Utility-

Rate-Study-and-Financial-Plan-Su-353 on or before 3:00 PM local time on Thursday April 9th,

2026. Submittals received after this deadline shall not be considered.

Selection Process, Negotiation, and Contract Award

A Selection Committee appointed for this purpose will evaluate the proposals in accordance

with the following criteria, with a total maximum score of 100 points:

• The firm’s knowledge of and experience with public utility financial requirements and

cost of service rate design (0-25 points).

• Technical capability and experience of individual personnel assigned to the project (0-25

points).

• The firm’s, as well as assigned individuals’, past performance on similar projects for

other public water and wastewater utilities.(0-25 points)

• Clarity of submittal and responsiveness to the Request for Proposal (0-20 points).

• Location of the office(s) in which the work will be performed (5 points will be given to

firms with project staff located in Montana)

The three or four highest ranked candidates will be interviewed virtually by the Selection

Committee at which time additional information will be requested. The scope of services and

proposed costs may be discussed in more detail during the interview phase. The City’s goal is

to complete interviews no later than April 28,2026 and award a consultant contract as soon as

possible thereafter.

Public Works staff will commence contract negotiations with the top-ranked firm as soon as

possible following the interviews. Contract negotiations will include, but not necessarily be

limited to, the scope of work, concepts, project timetable, products of work, and fees. If the

negotiations result in mutually acceptable terms, an award recommendation will be referred to

City Council.

If mutually acceptable terms cannot be reached, as determined by the City at its sole discretion,

the next highest-ranked firm will be invited to participate in contract negotiations. This process

will continue until a contract is awarded or the list of preferred proposals is exhausted. If the list

of preferred consultants is exhausted without a contract being awarded, the request for

qualifications may be re-advertised.

The City of Missoula reserves the right to select a firm that the Selection Committee deems to

be in the City’s best interest and to reject any proposals deemed not to be in the City’s best

interest for any reason.

Other Information:

A consultant contract resulting from this selection process may be expanded to include similar

or related work.

The City does not reimburse costs associated with the preparation, submittal, or presentation of

statements of qualification or proposals. Consultant firms are advised that in accordance with

Montana law, any information submitted may be subject to public inspection.

Questions may be directed to Mercedes Price, Utility Billing Manager, by e-mailing

pricemj@ci.missoula.mt.us, no phone calls will be accepted. Questions will be answered within

48 hours unless received on a weekend. All questions must be emailed 72 hours prior to the

deadline. No questions will be answered if received after 3pm on April 3,2026.

RFP Issue Date: March 13, 2026

RFP Deadline: April 9, 2026

Question Period: March 13 – April 3, 2026

Publish:

March 22, 2026

March 29, 2026

Target Contract Execution: May 5, 2026

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541330Engineering Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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