In December 2025, the City of Bishop received a $2,411,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund planning financing agreement from the State Water Resources Control Board for planning and preliminary design of a consolidated wastewater treatment facility serving the City of Bishop and the Eastern Sierra Community Services District. The City is the financing recipient and is responsible for grant oversight and consultant procurement on behalf of the Bishop Area Wastewater Authority (BAWA). The funded work includes environmental review, sewer rate studies, site surveying, geotechnical investigation, a basis of design report, and 30 percent plans and specifications.

California Government Code section 4526, commonly known as the Mini-Brooks Act, requires public agencies to select architectural and engineering firms based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications rather than price. Under this qualifications-based selection process, the agency issues a Request for Qualifications, evaluates and ranks the responding firms, and then negotiates the scope of services and compensation with the highest-ranked firm. If the agency cannot negotiate a satisfactory agreement at a fair and reasonable price, it formally terminates negotiations with that firm and may begin negotiations with the next-ranked firm, consistent with Government Code section 4528.

The Request for Qualifications was issued on March 5, 2026. By the April 23, 2026 deadline, the City received Statements of Qualifications from Ardurra, Carollo Engineers, PACE Advanced Water Engineering, and West Yost/Lumos. A three-member selection committee consisting of a City representative, an Eastern Sierra Community Services District representative, and the BAWA Assistant Administrator independently reviewed the submittals, developed follow-up questions, interviewed the three highest-ranked firms, and established the following final ranking:

1. PACE Advanced Water Engineering
2. West Yost
3. Carollo Engineers
4. Ardurra

The selection committee ranked PACE first based on the firm's overall qualifications, proposed project management team, and relevant experience designing and constructing mechanical activated-sludge treatment systems, including Aero-Mod secondary treatment, membrane bioreactor facilities, and other extended-aeration activated-sludge systems.

The BAWA Board reviewed the selection process and the committee’s recommendation at two meetings. Following its review, the Board voted to recommend that the City Council authorize staff to negotiate a professional services agreement with PACE as the highest-ranked consultant.

Council approval of the recommended action would authorize staff to request a detailed scope of services and cost proposal from PACE and negotiate a detailed scope of services and a fair and reasonable fee consistent with the RFQ, applicable qualifications-based selection requirements, and the State financing agreement. This action does not award a contract or authorize expenditure of project funds. If negotiations are successful, staff will return to the City Council with a professional services agreement for consideration and approval. If the City and PACE cannot reach agreement, staff will return to the Council for direction before proceeding with another firm.