Request for Qualifications 

The Southwest Environmental Finance Center (SW EFC) has operated within a university setting since 1992. SW EFC, a public service entity within the University of New Mexico School of Engineering’s Center for Water and the Environment, is dedicated to assisting state, local, and Tribal governments with the technical, managerial, and financial aspects of environmental service delivery and compliance. Since its inception, SW EFC has worked with water and wastewater entities across the country in a variety of capacities, including training and direct technical assistance. 

The U.S. EPA has awarded a Cooperative Agreement to the University of New Mexico’s SW EFC for the project entitled “Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water” (the Project). The Project runs through March 31, 2027, and includes the following partner organizations in addition to SW EFC: Syracuse University EFC, University of Maryland EFC, Wichita State University EFC, Michigan Technological University EFC, Capacity Collaborative, Moonshot Missions, California State University Sacramento EFC, University of Southern Maine EFC, Mississippi State University Water Resources Institute, University of Tennessee – Knoxville Water Resources Research Center, and Morgan State University (Collectively, “the Team”).  

The overall objective of the Project is to provide training and technical assistance to small drinking water systems nationwide to strengthen their technical, managerial, and financial (TMF) capacity and support regulatory compliance. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), EPA defines small public water systems as those serving 10,000 or fewer customers. 

The Team has provided technical assistance under this Project since January 2025. Although the Team provides support across a broad range of subject areas, requests have arisen that require specialized engineering expertise beyond the Team’s current capacity, including situations requiring professional engineering oversight or stamped deliverables. 

Potential Scope of Services 

SW EFC is seeking qualifications from firms interested in providing engineering services to support small public drinking water systems nationwide on an as-needed basis. Services may include, but are not limited to: 

• Engineering evaluations or assessments 
• Technical memorandums 
• Preliminary engineering reports 
• Environmental planning, assessment, or reports 
• Cost estimates 
• Asset management plans
  

 Additional related services may be considered if they align with system needs. 

In your response, please include the following:  

• Company Description 
• Service Areas: Identify which of the listed services your firm is qualified and interested in providing. 
• Geographic Coverage: Indicate where in the U.S. your firm can provide services. Please note that this is a national project that can provide services in all 50 states, although not all states must be covered by a firm to be selected. 
• Programmatic Capability and Relevant Experience: Describe your firm’s qualifications and experience related to the selected scope areas. 
• Key Personnel: Provide brief biographies for key project personnel including relevant experience, areas of expertise, and professional licenses.   
• References: Provide three references for similar work. 

Budget and Schedule:  

The budget is capped at $250,000 for the entire project period per selected firm. However, the amount of work may vary by firm up to the ceiling amount. It is not guaranteed that the entire budget will be expended. The work will be given to firms on a per task basis with an agreement of the cost per task for the work. No task will be given to the firm that would cause the total amount of award to exceed $250,000. All work must be completed by the end of the Project on March 31, 2027. 

Selection Process: 

SW EFC anticipates selecting up to three firms under this solicitation. Responses will be evaluated based on demonstrated qualifications, breadth of services, and relevant experience. 

Evaluation criteria are as follows: 

• Experience – 15 points 
• Ability to Provide Services – 20 points 
• Geographic Coverage – 10 points 
• References – 5 points

Total: 50 points