RFP – Fiber Optic Engineering Services

Northern Wasco County Public Utility District (NWCPUD) is soliciting an engineering firm to provide complete design and engineering services for its fiber‑optic network across multiple zones in Wasco County. The scope covers aerial and underground mainline, middle‑mile and last‑mile fiber design, pole‑attachment applications, permitting support, construction‑print development, as‑built documentation, and coordination with the QLife Intergovernmental Agency’s open‑access dark‑fiber model. Work will be delivered zone‑by‑zone, with separate Notice‑to‑Proceed orders; the district intends to award all zones to a single contractor. Funding for Zone 11 comes from the federal BEAD program, while all other zones are funded internally. The contractor must submit Not‑to‑Exceed (NTE) amounts per zone and unit‑rate pricing, with strict caps and no inclusion of construction‑management, easement, or as‑built costs in the NTE. Attendance at the mandatory pre‑bid meeting (Jan 20, 2026) was a scoring factor. • Design of aerial and underground fiber mainlines, including pole‑attachment applications and permitting. • Zone‑by‑zone deliverables with NTE caps; unit‑rate pricing to determine final cost. • Required PE‑stamped as‑built drawings; construction management and easement costs excluded from NTE. • Funding split: BEAD for Zone 11, district funds for other zones; open‑access dark‑fiber network model. • Single‑contract award intended, with tiered issuance of purchase orders as zones are released.