Request for Proposals

AUTOMATIC SAMPLER AND FLOW METER SUPPLY, TRAINING, AND TROUBLESHOOTING FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES

Responses due:  

5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at

https://wef.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/206/home

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is inviting proposals for the provision of automatic samplers and flow meters, and training and troubleshooting related to their use, to small communities as part of our activities under our Cooperative Agreement with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based disease surveillance emerged as a tool for understanding COVID-19 infection trends in communities independent of healthcare-seeking behavior and clinical testing resources. Participation in wastewater surveillance to date, however, has skewed toward larger, well-resourced utilities. These resources include but are not limited to continuous in-situ monitors and automatic samplers.

To help address disparities in the distribution of automatic samplers1 (also known as composite samplers or peristaltic samplers and hereinafter referred to as “autosamplers”), WEF contracted with two autosampler vendors in February 2022 and procured 226 units for distribution to small utilities across 36 states. WEF is building on the initial success of the autosampler program by providing an additional 20 free autosamplers, including a flow meter, to water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) and organizations that collect sewage from small populations (“small communities”). By doing so, WEF aims to increase participation in wastewater surveillance by small, rural, and Tribal communities and, therefore, expand access to this effective public health surveillance tool.   

Representatives from small communities will apply to receive an autosampler as part of this program and will indicate their preference for either a full-size, refrigerated sampler that can be used to collect a sample where power is available (such as in a pumping station or at the WRRF influent) or portable, compact autosampler that could be deployed in locations without available power (such as a manhole). In addition, communities selecting a refrigerated sampler may opt for either a standard model or a model suitable for operation in cold ambient temperatures, as described for Task 1 below. Communities may also request a flow meter compatible with the autosampler.  

Through this request, WEF is soliciting proposals from contractors for the provision of autosampler and flow meter packages, and training and troubleshooting related to their use. 

Please see the RFP for additional detail for submissions at https://nwbe.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Free-Autosamplers-Flow-Meters-Final-RFP-12-22-22.pdf.