REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NO.22-01 ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM Activity Date RFP Released Monday, July 26, 2021 Question Submittal Due By 5 p.m. on Friday, August 13, 2021 Response to Questions Released By 5 p.m. on Friday, August 20, 2021 RFP Response and Proposal Due By 5 p.m. on Monday, September 27, 2021 Staff Review of Proposals Week of Monday, October 11, 2021 Notification of Interviews Week of Monday, October 18, 2021 Contractor Presentations/Interviews Week of Monday, October 25, 2021 through Week of Monday, November 1, 2021 RFP Advanced Metering Infrastructure System Question Submittal Response to Questions 1. Question: Can companies from outside the USA apply for this? Answer: Companies outside the USA are ineligible to apply. 2. Question: Where are meetings between the Contractor and City held? Answer: Meetings are held at City Hall in the Park View Room. There will be field meetings as needed. 3. Question: Can the Contractor perform the tasks outside of the USA? Answer: No 4. Question: Can proposals be submitted via email? Answer: No 5. Question: What are the approximate size/make/model of lids that are currently in the system for the below sizes, as well as the current spec details and drawings for these sizes? Answer: 5/8” 4.5” J&R Poly 3/4" 4.5” J&R Poly 1” 4.5” J&R Poly 1.5” 6B J&R Poly 2” 6B J&R Poly
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NO.22-01
ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM Activity Date
RFP Released Monday, July 26, 2021 Question Submittal Due By 5 p.m. on Friday, August 13, 2021
Response to Questions Released By 5 p.m. on Friday, August 20, 2021 RFP Response and Proposal Due By 5 p.m. on Monday, September 27, 2021
Staff Review of Proposals Week of Monday, October 11, 2021 Notification of Interviews Week of Monday, October 18, 2021
Contractor Presentations/Interviews Week of Monday, October 25, 2021 through Week of Monday, November 1, 2021
RFP Advanced Metering Infrastructure System Question Submittal
Response to Questions
1. Question: Can companies from outside the USA apply for this?
Answer: Companies outside the USA are ineligible to apply.
2. Question: Where are meetings between the Contractor and City held? Answer:
Meetings are held at City Hall in the Park View Room. There will be field meetings as needed.
3. Question:
Can the Contractor perform the tasks outside of the USA? Answer: No
4. Question: Can proposals be submitted via email? Answer: No
5. Question: What are the approximate size/make/model of lids that are currently in the system for the below sizes, as well as the current spec details and drawings for these sizes? Answer:
6. Question: After the contract is awarded, what would be the timeframe the City requests for work to be completed?
Answer: The project will take 3-6 years to complete based on annual appropriation of funds.
7. Question:
Is the Contractor based on best pricing scenario? Is a shorter timeframe generally more advantageous to pricing?
Answer: Pricing is one of the main factors to be considered. We will be analyzing software integration costs, initial cost for the first phase of 550 meters, full deployment costs and ongoing monthly costs per unit.
8. Question:
Will there be an area for the contractor to store goods and to park vehicles? Answer:
There will be minimal space available to store goods at the Public Works Yard. Vehicles will not be allowed to park on City property.
9. Question:
Will the scrap meters be returned to the City? Answer: Yes
10. Question: Will there be a place for soil spoils/excess to be dumped on City property? Answer:
The City will provide a small bin to dump soil spoils.
11. Question: Will there be a disposal/recycling for cardboard and boxes provided? Answer: Yes
12. Question: Can the City street lights or traffic signal mast be used to place collector and repeater equipment if equipment is designed to be installed on those assets for wind load and weight?
Answer: Yes
13. Question: What is the project proposed start date? Answer: Any time between May through July 2022.
14. Question: What is the anticipated duration of the project?
Answer: 3-6 years for complete deployment.
15. Question : Will there be multiple phases to this project?
Answer: Yes.
16. Question : What meter(s) and endpoint(s) are being replaced?
Answer: The initial phase will be utilizing the existing 550 meters. ¾”-2” must adapt to Badger meter High Resolution Encoder.
17. Question: Did the City request a special determination from the DIR?
Answer: No.
18. Question: Are there MBE/WBE requirements?
Answer: No
19. Question: Is there a requirement to integrate installation data with a billing software?
Answer: Yes.
20. Question:
What billing software will the exchange file be exported to? Answer:
Oracle CC&B with API Integration
21. Question: Who will provide a data file for mapping the proposed services to be performed for the following: a. All services addresses b. Route numbers c. Read sequence number d. Meter size e. Old meter number f. Old radio ID g. Old GPS coordinates h. Existing location notes or comments describing difficult to locate meters
Answer: a. Water Department b. Water Department c. Water Department d. Water Department e. Water Department f. N/A g. Graphic Information Systems h. Water Department
22. Question:
Will the Contractor be required to mail pre-notification/initial project letters and/or postcards, and if so, what is the time prior to installation? If applicable, where is the pricing to be placed?
Answer: All customer outreach/notification will be handled by City Staff.
23. Question:
Will the Contractor be required to deliver pre/post installation door hangers/postcards, and if so, what is the time prior to installation? If applicable, where is the pricing to be placed?
Answer: All customer outreach/notification will be handled by City Staff.
24. Question:
Will the Contractor be required to provide outreach material? Answer:
The contractor will provide sample outreach materials that the City can then modify to meet our communication requirements.
25. Question:
Is the outreach material: a. In color? b. Languages required? c. Two-sides?
Answer: a-c. Contractor is responsible for providing City staff with black and white, English and
Spanish, two-sided sample outreach material. City Staff will handle final customer outreach/notification.
26. Question:
Will the Contractor be required to provide a call center? a. What are the hours of coverage? b. What languages are required?
Answer: No
a. N/A b. N/A
27. Question: Is a project staging area or safe, secure, and segregated warehouse space provided?
a. Is the staging area centrally located to all work order locations? b. What is the address of the proposed location? c. How many square feet? d. What hours can the area be accessed? e. Will the City provide secure internet access?
Answer: The area that will be provided for storage is secured. No, warehouse space will be provided. a. Yes b. 475 N. Spruce Street, Escondido, CA 92025 (Public Works Yard) c. 1,500 +/- d. 7am – 3:30pm, Monday – Friday(?) e. Yes
28. Question:
Will there be power, office space, and restrooms accessible? Answer:
Temporary power may be provided. There will be no office space, but there will be porta potty access.
29. Question:
Will there be room for a fleet of ½-ton trucks at the provided staging area? Answer:
No
30. Question: Will there be access to a forklift or pallet jack to move material?
Answer: No
31. Question:
Who will take responsibility for storage of all new materials? Answer:
All goods will be the responsibility of the contractor until installation is complete.
32. Question: Who will take responsibility for all disposal of the following: a. Project waste? b. Salvageable material? c. Recyclable material? d. Spoils (packaging, cardboard, plastic, etc.)? e. Hazardous waste (legacy endpoints, batteries)?
Answer: a-e. City of Escondido
33. Question: Are the services in contiguous complete routes?
Answer: Yes
34. Question: Who will assist in locating difficult to locate meters?
Answer: Water Department staff.
35. Question:
What percentage of services are: a. Residential? b. Irrigation? c. Commercial? d. Industrial?
Answer: a. ≈ 90% b. 3% c. ≈ 6% d. < 1%
36. Question:
What number/percentage of meters are in the following locations? a. Indoors? b. Behind locked gates? c. Backyards? d. Alleyways? e. Driveways? f. Roadways? g. Confined spaces (including the location and quantities)? h. Hazardous areas (including the location and quantities)?
Answer: a. 0% b. < 1% c. < 2% d. 10% e. < 5% f. < 1% g. 0% h. 0%
37. Question:
What are the potentially hazardous conditions in rural areas? Answer:
Heat stress, snakes, insects.
38. Question: What are potential traffic control conditions and permit requirements?
Answer: Minimal to no traffic impacts. No permits required.
39. Question: What portion of the project will require traffic control?
Answer: None
40. Question:
How many services are located in hardscapes (concrete, asphalt, etc.)? Answer:
Approximately 50%
41. Question: What are the soil characteristics (clay, rocky, hard, sandy, etc.)?
Answer: Previously distributed soils
42. Question: Is it anticipated that meter boxes will require substantial cleaning (dirt higher than the bottom of the register), and if so, what percentage?
Answer: Yes, approximately 50%
43. Question: What is the typical depth of the existing meter sets?
Answer: Approximately 6”
44. Question:
What type of shut off valve is used (angle stops, curb stops)? Answer:
Angle stops
45. Question: Are existing meters on setter, risers, or straight pipe?
Answer: Existing meters are on 90 degree angle curb stops
46. Question: If lids are being changed out: a. What material are the lids in the system? b. What sizes of lids are in the system? c. Are specific lids sizes known per service location? d. Will holes be drilled in the lids e. Will seed stock be provided?
f. Is it the lid material that will be drilled? Answer:
a. Concrete, polymer, metal b. 3, 3.5, 4.5, 5, 6B c. No d. Only if the lid is not being replaced, and recommended by the manufacturer e. No f. Holes will be drilled in existing lids to allow for endpoint installation.
47. Question:
Is it anticipated that meter pits will have to be removed and reset (or replaced with new) to access the meter connections, and if so, what percentage?
Answer: No
48. Question:
What size and quantity of meter boxes are in the system? Answer:
Approximately 25,000 meter boxes ranging from #3 – 6B.
49. Question: What type of meter boxes (material, straight-sided, wider at the bottom) are in the system?
Answer: Concrete, polymer, straight-sided
50. Question: If a customer side water line breaks during installation due to deteriorating line or infrastructure (old, galvanized pipe), who is responsible for the repair?
Answer: The entity installing the water meter.
51. Question: If a service side water line breaks during installation due to a deteriorating line or infrastructure, who is responsible for service line repairs?
Answer: The entity installing the water meter.
52. Question: What will the process be if a service is too high and the new endpoint radio will not fit under the lid?
Answer: The contractor will notify the City of Escondido Water Department. Water Department staff will make all necessary adjustments to the public water system.
53. Question: What are the percentages of piping materials found on the service side? a. Copper
b. Galvanized c. Poly d. CTS e. PVC
Answer: a. 98% b. 1% c. 1% d. 0% e. 0%
54. Question:
What are the percentages of piping material found on the customer side? a. Copper b. Galvanized c. Poly d. CTS e. PVC
Answer a-e. Unknown.
55. Question: Who will be providing ancillary materials such as bolt kits, gaskets, connectors, gel caps, etc.?
Answer: Contractor
56. Question: Was there a system audit performed during the development of the RFP (meter type, meter size, meter manufacturer, quantity, box condition, lid condition, dirt/debris condition, etc.)? a. What was the audit outline b. Will the results be shared? c. What entity performed the system audit?
Answer: No a-c. N/A
57. Question: During installation services, will there be a third-party auditor performing QA/QC for the project owner, and if so, who will be performing these services?
Answer: No
58. Question: Does the City have a preference for meter type 5/8” – 2” (i.e. Metal Body, Nutating Disk, Positive Displacement, Ultrasonic)?
Answer: Metal body, positive displacement.
59. Question: Would the City like to see both cost tables for Mechanical Nutating Disk and Ultrasonic?
Answer: Yes
60. Question: Is FM fire rating on 3: and above required, as well as a single register?
Answer: If referring to a fire detector check, the only meter that will require a register is the ¾” bypass meter.
61. Question: What value should be used for Pricing Table A-1 Encoder cost?
Answer: Cost shall be per unit in U.S. dollars.
62. Question: Please identify the present meter boxes and cover sizes?
Answer: 3, 3.5, 4.5, 5, 6B
63. Question: What Water Storage Tanks have a safety rail and a power source nearby? Include the height of the structure rather than the elevation.
Answer: All water tanks are equipped with safety rails. See attachment “AMI phase 1 map”.
64. Question: What are the existing communication towers in use by the City with height of the structure (i.e. Emergency Services Communication Towers)?
Answer: See attachment “AMI phase 1 map”
65. Question: What sports park lighting is in excess of 50’ with heights of structures (i.e. baseball field)?
Answer: This is currently not an option. If there are no other options in the area, we can explore this more as a solution.
66. Question: Under Price Table C and D, are there any specification on the dual check installation as well as approximate quantity needed to install? a. In what circumstance would a dual check be installed? b. Is the Contractor replacing an existing or cutting in a new one? c. What model/size/specifications of the dual check is the City seeking pricing for?
Answer: Dual checks will not be required in this project. a. Dual checks will not be required in this project b. Dual checks are not in our district service area c. Dual checks will not be required in this project
67. Question:
Regarding the relocation of the service line horizontally, provide specific details in what scenario the City would expect this work to be completed in? a. How far away will the Contractor need to relocate the service to? b. Will there be concrete demo/restoration on these items? c. What is the estimated quantity?
Answer: N/A a-c. All work that is required on the public water system will be conducted by Water
Department staff.
68. Question: What are the size requirements/configurations in the replacement of meter yoke/setter? a. What is the City trying to accomplish with this item? b. If the Contractor is to supply the parts, what parts are needed?
Answer: N/A a-b. N/A
69. Question:
For the installation of the lockable cutoff valve, is the Contractor going to replace the existing cutoff valve, or install a new one downstream? a. What are the existing specifications (if any)?
Answer: All work that is required on the public water system will be conducted by Water Department staff. a. N/A
70. Question:
Does the replacement of the meter box and lid include hardscape and softscape? Answer:
No, the project will only include retrofitting or replacing the existing meter lid. The meter box at each location will remain the same.
71. Question:
Is the replacement for a vault and lid for a larger meter box? a. What are the dimensions/specifications of the new vault to be installed? b. Is the City looking for several options for the vault? c. Will this be hardscape or softscape?
Answer: No a. N/A
b. No c. No
72. Question:
Will there be disposal of old transmitters that need to be included in the pricing? Answer:
No
73. Question: If GPS is to be collected, will standard work, or is sub-meter required?
Answer: No
74. Question:
Can a Conex container be stored on the City and/or County grounds? a. Are the grounds secure? b. What hours can the grounds be accessed?
Answer: Yes, but limited to only one. a. Yes b. 7am – 3:30pm, Monday – Friday(?).
75. Question:
If there are more than one meter per box, what is the percentage? Answer:
Only one meter per box. 76. Question:
Is there an Opt-Out Policy in place for customers not wanting the new meter? Answer:
Not at this time.
77. Question: Can the City provide a listing of the meter locations with addresses as well as a listing of City-owned infrastructure locations?
Answer: See attachment “AMI phase 1 map”
78. Question: Would the City consider replacement solid-state meters with endpoint versus PD mechanical meters with endpoints?
Answer: The Contractor can provide pricing for both PD meters and solid-state meters in their proposal.
79. Question: What is the data on the age, manufacturer, brand, and type of register on existing meters?
Answer: Average age of meters ≈ 10 years old. ¾”- 2” Badger (analog), Master (analog). 3”- 8” Badger, Master, Neptune, Sensus (analog & electronic readouts).
80. Question:
Can the following locations of water tanks not included in the list of City assets provided be included in the projected proposal?
Answer: See attachment “AMI phase 1 map”
81. Question:
Does the City have a preference in meter type, Positive Displacement vs. Electronic Meters?
Answer: Yes, PD meters are preferred
82. Question:
Will the City forego the analog read requirement on encoders for a LCD screen on electronic meters?
Answer: The Contractor can provide pricing for both analog and electronic meters in their proposal.
83. Question:
Per pricing sheet Table D Additional Services, who is responsible for providing the following? Provide specs and part numbers (if applicable) on the following: a. Yokes/Setters b. Cutoff valves c. Dual check valves d. Meter boxes e. Meter box lids f. Meter vaults/lids g. If the Contractor is responsible for providing these materials, will the City update the
pricing sheet to include the material cost along with the installation cost? Answer:
a. Yokes/Setters will not be required in this project. b. Cutoff valves will not be required in this project. c. Dual check valves will not be required in this project. d. Existing meter boxes will be left in place. e. The contractor will replace or retrofit each lid in order to make room for the endpoint. f. Meter vaults/lids will not be required in this project. h. Please see Price Table A of the RFP.
84. Question:
What is the approximate geographic area of the meters to be covered under this contract?
Answer: See attachment “AMI phase 1 map”
85. Question: Will the City provide an electronic listing of addresses, phone numbers, and account information?
Answer: Only addresses will be provided.
86. Question: If the collection of GPS points is required, is 1-5-meter accuracy acceptable?
Answer: Yes
87. Question: What material does the City prefer for the meter box lids and boxes?
Answer: Polymer
88. Question: Do all settings have shut off valves before the meters? a. Are all valves located in the meter box?
Answer: Yes a. Yes.
89. Question:
What is the procedure for any inoperable or broken valves? Answer:
Notify Water Department staff. All work needed on the public water system will be conducted by Water Department staff.
90. Question:
What is the age and primary make-up of service lines? Answer:
Age of service varies. Primarily copper services on the City side.
91. Question: Are there drawing for large meters 3” and above?
Answer: For drawings, visit, https://www.escondido.org/Data/Sites/1/media/pdfs/Engineering/DesignStandards.pdf
92. Question:
Do the existing 1 ½” and 2” meters have flanged or threaded ends? Answer: