HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.24.25 Board Correspondence_ FW_ Development and Implementation of a Water Accounting System for the Colusa Subbasin.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
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From:Clerk of the Board
To:Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod;
Kitts, Melissa; Krater, Sharleen; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney,
Kathleen; Teeter, Doug
Cc:Loeser, Kamie; Nuzum, Danielle
Subject:Board Correspondence: FW: Development and Implementation of a Water Accounting System for the Colusa
Subbasin
Date:Friday, July 25, 2025 9:06:21 AM
Attachments:RFP_2025 GSP GW Accounting RFQ.pdf
Please see Board Correspondence
From: Lisa Hunter <LHunter@countyofglenn.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:43 PM
Subject: RFP: Development and Implementation of a Water Accounting System for the Colusa
Subbasin
The Colusa Groundwater Authority and the Glenn Groundwater Authority issued a Request for
Qualifications for Development and Implementation of a Water Accounting System. Statement
of Qualifications are due August 29, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. For more details, please review the
attached Request for Qualifications or visit the webpage at:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/colusasubbasin-rfq-water-accounting.
If you have experience in this area, we hope you will consider responding. If you know of
others that may be a good fit for this opportunity, please consider forwarding the information.
Sincerely,
Lisa Hunter
Program Manager
Glenn Groundwater Authority
(530) 934-6540
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 1
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Development and Implementation of a Water Accounting
System
RFQ Issue Date: July 25, 2025
Submission Deadline: August 29, 2025 4:00 PM
Issued by:
Colusa Groundwater Authority and Glenn Groundwater Authority
Mailing Address for RFP:
225 North Tehama Street
Willows, CA 95988
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 2
1. Introduction
The Colusa Groundwater Authority (CGA) and Glenn Groundwater Authority (GGA) are seeking
a qualified firm/professional to develop a water accounting system (WAS) for the Colusa
Subbasin that will calculate water budgets and groundwater use for different sp atial scales in
the basin and time scales, and be able to provide detailed reporting to the GSAs, members of
the GSAs, and landowners with the ability to send communications to landowners. The WAS is
needed to implement groundwater demand management as required for Sustainable
Groundwater Management compliance. More details are provided in the Scope of Services
included herein as Attachment 1.
The CGA and GGA (collectively Agencies or GSAs) intend to award a contract to a firm or
professional (respondent) that meets the qualification criteria described in this Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) and has successfully performed services for similar accounting systems
with similar needs and purposes. The successful respondent will be required to enter into a
contract with the GSAs for services requested in this RFQ. Please provide a copy of your firm’s
standard contract for review by the Agencies, which may need to be amended as needed by the
Agencies to comply with legal and organization requirements.
Submittals must be received by August 29, 2025 at 4:00 PM to be considered for this
opportunity.
All proposed respondents should understand that it is their responsibility to:
• Read carefully all the contents of this entire RFQ.
• Ask for clarification in writing by the due date to allow for an adequate response from
the Agencies. Any clarification and response will be shared with other potential
respondents.
• Address all requirements and follow all procedures of this RFQ.
• Immediately inform the RFQ Contact Person of any problems with this solicitation.
• Submit all responses by the required dates and times.
2. Background and Project Description
The Agencies are within the Colusa Subbasin, which is part of the Sacramento Valley
Groundwater Basin. On January 28, 2022, the GSAs submitted a Groundwater Sustainability
Plan (GSP) (referred to as the 2022 GSP or 2022 Plan) for evaluation by the Department of
Water Resources (Department). On October 26, 2023, the Department issued a Staff Report
(referred to as the 2023 Incomplete Determination) and Findings determining the 2022 GSP to
be incomplete, because the 2022 GSP did not satisfy the requirements of the Sustainable
Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), nor did it substantially comply with the GSP
Regulations. The Department’s 2023 Incomplete Determination identified deficiencies that
precluded approval and provided the GSAs with corrective actions that were intended to
address the deficiencies. Of interest, related to this RFQ was the deficiency that the 2022 GSP
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 3
did not include a reasonable assessment of overdraft conditions and reasonable means to
mitigate overdraft. The Department provided the Agencies with 180 days to address the
deficiencies. On April 22, 2024, the GSAs submitted a revised Plan (the 2024 GSP) to the
Department addressing these deficiencies, which included development of demand
management program, of which, the basis of the program would be the development of an
accounting system that would enable the Agencies to make decisions on how to implement
demand management, if necessary. On February 27, 2025, DWR noticed the Agencies of an
Approved Determination of the 2024 Groundwater Sustainability Plan Submitted for the
Sacramento Valley – Colusa Subbasin. Documentation is available at
https://sgma.water.ca.gov/portal/gsp/status.
3. Scope of Services
Respondents are expected to be familiar with SGMA laws and regulations as well as general
water accounting procedures, equations and formulas. Attachment 1 provides a list of
requirements for the WAS and questions that the respondent should address in its written
submittal as well as being prepared to discuss during respondent interviews, if selected for an
interview. Attachment 1 can be provided in word format if the respondent would like to use
the list as a form to provide responses within as part of th e submittal.
Additionally, the respondent should be aware that the GSAs intend to publish an RFQ for
Remote Sensing for crop evapotranspiration (ET) to be used to generate water use data for
input into the WAS after the award of this RFQ. The respondent should be prepared to assist
the GSAs with the preparation of the ET RFQ so that data generated from remote sensing can
be inputted into the WAS.
4. Desired Qualifications
The successful respondent must demonstrate experience in the following areas:
• Familiarity with applicable SGMA laws and regulations
• Groundwater Sustainability Planning including data analysis and preparation of reports
that can be understood by GSA staff, Boards, and the interested public
• Successful completion and an operational accounting system that can accurately track
groundwater and surface water uses and account for changes in use over time and
scales and be able to generate reports that can be available to water users, the GSAs,
the state and others as may be determined by the GSAs
• Ability to communicate clearly for public outreach, presentations, and coordination with
partners as may be determined by the GSAs
5. Format for Proposal
Responses to the RFQ must be made according to the requirements set forth in this section,
both for content and for sequence. Failure to adhere to these instructions, or inclusions of
conditions, limitations, or misrepresentations in a response may be cause for rejection of the
submittal. Incomplete proposals will not be considered. Proposals must be submitted on 8-
1/2” X 11” sheets (fold outs are acceptable for charts, etc.). Type size must be large enough to
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 4
be easily legible but shall not be smaller than 11 point. Submissions must be received no later
than August 29, 2025, 4:00 PM.
Mandatory Content and Sequence of Submittal:
a) Cover Letter shall be a maximum two (2) page Cover Letter and introduction, and shall
include the name and address of the respondent submitting the proposal, together with
the name, address and telephone number of the contact person who will be authorized
to make representations for the respondent, the respondent's federal tax ID number
and a list of subcontractors, if any.
b) Table of Contents shall be a detailed Table of Contents and shall include an outline of
submittal, identified by sequential page number and by section reference number and
section title as described therein.
c) Summary of Firm Capabilities and Experience shall be a maximum of seven (7) pages in
length and shall describe the respondent’s experience in Water Accounting related to
groundwater sustainability agency needs including similar systems in operation with
other Agencies and a description of the Respondent’s resources for successfully
developing and completing this project.
i. Background and Experience. In this section, describe your firm’s background, its
organizational structure, identify decision-making roles, and why this is
advantageous to the project. Describe the roles and background of the team
leader and key team members. Please provide a narrative history of the firm and
its experience in providing services similar to the scope of this proposal.
Describe related past projects (please limit to 3 projects) completed along with a
discussion comparing similarities with this proposed project. This section shall
also contain a list of references for each sample project wherein similar services
were performed. At a minimum, the following information must be included for
each client reference:
• Client name, address, direct project manager name, telephone number,
and email address.
• Detailed description of services provided similar to the services outlined
in the description of services required.
ii. Key Personnel. Briefly describe the background and statement of qualifications
for key personnel your firm will use on this project, including any subcontractors
that are considered as key personnel on this project. Resumes may be provided
in an Appendix.
iii. Statement of Qualifications for any subcontractors. If subcontractors or
subconsultants are to be used, the prospective contractor must include in the
proposal a description of the work to be done by each subcontractor or
subconsultant. All subcontracts must be approved by the GSAs and no work shall
be subcontracted without prior written approval. It is expected that the
discussion of subconsultants will also include experience and references for
similar types of work.
d) Scope of Work and Schedule should describe the work necessary to meet the objectives
of this RFQ and their approach to completing this project. Please refer to Attachment 1.
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 5
Additionally, a schedule for this project should be included which would demonstrate an
accounting system which would be operating prior to January 1, 2027 and be able to
provide reliable reporting to users and the GSAs. The schedule should include regular
updates to the GSAs that demonstrates progress on the accounting system and
identifies key input and decision points by the GSAs. The respondent may want to
consider developing a pilot phase or small scale implementation of the WAS to ensure
review and agreement by the GSAs prior to implementation for the entire sub basin
scale. Should there be any tasks that are expected to be performed by the GSAs, these
should also be clearly described as GSA tasks in this section. The section shall also
include a draft schedule with the timeline for completing all tasks, including adequate
time for the GSAs to review work products.
e) Cost. While this is an RFQ and the Agencies’ goal is to seek a qualified respondent, the
Agencies will need an estimated cost to complete the accounting system for budget ary
planning and contracting purposes. Respondents shall provide an estimate of the
number of hours necessary to complete each task along with the billing rate for all
reimbursable expenses. This billing rate should be provided for all personnel, along with
their classification, and any other reimbursable expenses. If a contract is entered into as
a result of this RFQ, the Agencies and respondents will work to jointly to develop refined
not to exceed cost estimate and terms for a contract based time and materials based on
the rates provided in the RFQ.
f) Copy of the Respondent’s Standard Contract
6. Submittal Instructions
Proposals shall be submitted in the following manner:
• Submission shall contain one (1) signed, unbound original and six (6) hard copies on
8-1/2” X 11” paper (fold outs are acceptable for charts, etc.).
• One (1) electronic copy shall be provided in CD or thumb drive format or via email
(Dropbox, Sharepoint, or other electronic deposit approach.) The electronic copy
shall be a PDF with electronic bookmarks for each section noted in Section 5: Format
for Proposal.
• Submittals shall be delivered in a sealed box or envelope by the submittal deadline,
clearly marked with the respondent’s name and the description “Development and
Implementation of a Water Accounting System RFQ”. Submittals shall be delivered
to:
o Glenn Groundwater Authority
ATTN: Lisa Hunter
225 North Tehama Street
Willows, CA 95988
• Late or incomplete submittals will not be considered.
7. Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be used by the GSAs in evaluating proposals:
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 6
1. Demonstrated capabilities, experience, and reputation for being reliable in performing
tasks to the satisfaction of its clients and delivering on schedule and on budget.
2. Comprehensive scope of work and ability to meet the timeline.
3. Comprehensive consultant fee schedule.
4. Thoroughness of submission.
5. Interview Process
The GSAs reserve the right to select more than one (1) contractor or not select a contractor
under this solicitation. The GSAs additionally reserves the right to reject incomplete or late
proposals.
8. Timing and Schedule
The following timing and schedule are estimated and subject to change.
Event Anticipated Date/Time (Subject to
Change)
Issue RFQ July 25, 2025
Final Date to Submit Questions and Request
Clarification
August 8, 2025, 4:00 PM
Questions Answered via Addendum(s) August 15, 2025
RFQ Submittals Due August 29, 2025, 4:00 PM
Selection Committee Review September 5, 2025
Respondent Interviews September 8 to September 12, 2025
Award of Contract September 19, 2025
9. General Information
Any and all communication regarding this solicitation shall be in writing and directed to:
Glenn Groundwater Authority
Lisa Hunter
Program Manager
225 North Tehama Street
Willows, CA 95988
LHunter@countyofglenn.net
This person will serve as the GSAs contact for this solicitation and will develop an addendum to
the solicitation to provide clarifications if necessary. DO NOT contact other GSA staff, Technical
Advisory Committee members, Board members, or Selection Committee members regarding
this project or selection procedures. Failure to adhere to these instructions may result in
disqualification.
Questions and requests for clarification may only be submitted by e -mail or U.S. Mail. Verbal
and phone inquiries will not be answered. All questions and requests for clarification shall be
submitted no later than August 8, 2025. The GSAs reserve the right to decline a response to any
question on a case-by-case basis. The GSAs will provide answers and clarifications by posting
an addendum(s) on their websites by August 15, 2025 so all potential respondents receive
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 7
consistent information. It is the responsibility of all interested firms to access the website for
this information. Questions received after August 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM will not be answered.
10. Disclosure of Information
All information and materials submitted to the GSAs in response to this RFP may be reproduced
by the GSAs for the purpose of providing copies to authorized GSA staff and selection
committee members involved in the evaluation of the proposals, but shall be exempt from
public inspection under the California Public Records Act until such time as a Contract is
executed. Once a Contract is executed, proposals submitted in response to this RFQ are subject
to public disclosure as required by law. Your submission of a proposal is considered your
consent to the GSAs’ disclosure of the proposal. The GSAs shall not be liable for disclosure of
any information or records related to this procurement.
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 8
ATTACHMENT 1
Scope of Services Requirements and Questions
Water Accounting System (WAS) Requirements/Questions
• Identify the software/program that will be used for the WAS.
• Is the software/program code available to the GSAs and will it be provided should the
GSAs decide to run the program after the contract with the respondent expires or is the
program proprietary?
• Describe the initial cost of the program and annual subscription, if needed.
• Explain how the accounting program would interact with existing groundwater models
(i.e. IDC / IWFM etc.) to compare water accounting results to groundwater modeling
results.
• What hardware is required to run the system and where would the hardware be
housed, including data storage needs, backup systems, web access and firewall , and
identify all related costs?
• Is the program code easily modifiable based on future GSA/GSP needs?
• How often would hardware and storage need to be upgraded?
• Describe what different spatial scales (district boundary and parcel scale) and time
scales are available and how that could generate accounting balances.
• Describe interface for landowners/growers and for GSAs.
• Describe benefits that may be realized by growers using the WAS.
WAS Inputs
• Identify what inputs the program is capable of including and what inputs would be
excluded, examples include but not limited to: remote sensing ET data, groundwater
well data, shape file boundaries, crop mapping, surface water measurement data, etc.
• Explain what remote sensing options are compatible and can be inputted into the
program.
• What limitations or additional costs exist with different input alternatives
• Is there an ability to capture information from other databases electronically? (i.e.
precipitation amounts, applied surface water, parcel information, groundwater
modeling)
• How will parcel data be obtained and what is the process to update ownership, parcel
changes, etc.
Staffing Resources
• Describe what consultant staffing and budget is needed to set up the WAS program and
to have it functioning and ready to proceed with implementation.
• After setting up and shifting to implementation, describe the following resource needs:
o If the consultant continues with implementation, describe the staffing needed
and estimated budget. Also include information such as phone service,
messaging, email support, etc.
RFQ for Water Accounting System │ 9
o If the implementation is handed off to the GSAs, identify what staffing/personnel
is needed including brief job descriptions as well as other support services such
as technical support, hardware needs, etc.
• Describe the how staff will engage with the public including GSAs, public, and
landowners
• Describe the interaction between staff and landowner to address questions or correct
errors
Policy
• Describe how the WAS will assist with groundwater demand management and be
responsive to DWR requirements and support GSP reporting
• Describe how your system is similar to neighboring basins, if any
• Describe any potential conflicts your firm or system may have within the basin or
neighboring basins
•
Reporting, Features, Communications
• What features are standard in the program and what additional features would the
GSAs require, or desire based on your understanding of the GSP and DWR approval
requirements?
• Describe available communication tools.
• Explain or describe the WAS features in terms of tracking, reporting, or communicating the
following:
o Billing options including invoicing landowners or surface water agencies based on
groundwater use and/or generation of invoices by parcel, by groundwater well, or by
acre-feet of groundwater pumping
o Reporting frequency capability (Annually, Quarterly, Monthly, Weekly, Daily)?
o Form of reporting (paper statements, emails, online portal)
o Ability to calculate surface water applied or consumed
o Ability to calculate groundwater recharge resulting from surface water diversion
or dedicated recharge projects.
o Ability to track groundwater recharge and potential credits
o Ability to track groundwater transferred within the subbasin
o Ability to track water use within common landowner ownership
o Ability to scale reports/data analysis which could vary from parcel level data in
certain areas to basin-wide scale data, and cost considerations for producing a
scalable program.
o Ability for owner to provide ground water flow meter data and convert into
consumption to adjust or dispute assigned consumption
o Ability to generate agricultural well inventory
o Ability to generate domestic well inventory
o Ability to track landowner or lessee information by parcel
o Ability to generate crop reports from remote sensing data