| Opportunity ID: | NOI-BIM-2026-02 |
| Issue Date: | August 5, 2026 |
| Closing Date and Time (Pacific Time): | August 19, 2026 – 2:00 PM (PT) |
See the Notice of Intent on BC Bid
Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant Benchmarking and
Upgrade Options Assessment
Official Contact
Sarah Kosari
Director of Engineering and Public Works
Bowen Island Municipality
skosari@bimbc.ca
Summary
Description of the Work
Notice is hereby given that Bowen Island Municipality (the “Municipality”) is contemplating making a direct award of a contract to HDR Inc. (the “Consultant”).
The scope of work includes a comprehensive assessment of the Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant (CBWTP), which currently utilizes aluminum chlorohydrate (ACH) coagulation and ceramic ultrafiltration (CUF) membranes. The project phases include:
- Benchmarking existing system performance against historical raw water data (turbidity, manganese, color).
- Evaluating treatment capacity relative to future population growth and demand.
- Assessing upgrade alternatives, including Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) pretreatment and membrane optimization.
- Preliminary design and Class 3/4 cost estimating for the preferred upgrade alternative.
Estimated Value
The estimated value of the contract for the initial assessment and preliminary design phases is $79,954 CAD, exclusive of applicable taxes.
Justification for Direct Award
The Municipality intends to direct award this contract to HDR Corporation based on the following factors:
- Specific Technical Expertise: HDR possesses specialized technical knowledge of the specific ceramic ultrafiltration (CUF) technology currently in place at the Cove Bay facility.
- Continuity and Efficiency: HDR has previously performed previous work on this plant. Their existing familiarity with the site’s unique raw water challenges (seasonal manganese and high organics) and current infrastructure constraints allows for a highly efficient assessment that avoids the redundant costs and time delays associated with onboarding a new consultant.
- System Integration: The project requires intimate knowledge of the existing facility’s layout and control logic to ensure that proposed upgrades integrate seamlessly with current distribution infrastructure.
Definitions Used in this Notice of Intent
- “Addenda” means additional information or amendments to this NOI issued through BC Bid.
- “ACH” (Aluminum Chlorohydrate) means a high-performance chemical coagulant. It is added to raw water to make tiny particles (like dirt or bacteria) clump together into larger “flocs” so they can be more easily filtered out.
- “BC Bid” means the Province of British Columbia’s electronic tendering system at https://www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca or any replacement system.
- “Challenge” means a written response submitted by a Respondent in accordance with Section 3.
- “Benchmarking” means the process of evaluating the current performance of a system against historical data or industry standards to identify where improvements are needed.
- “Closing Date and Time” means the deadline for submission of Challenges as identified in BC Bid and on the NOI cover page.
- “Consultant” means HDR Inc.
- “CUF” (Ceramic Ultrafiltration) means a high-tech filtration process using membranes made of ceramic material rather than plastic. Ceramic membranes are extremely durable, have a long lifespan, and can withstand harsh cleaning chemicals.
- “DAF” (Dissolved Air Flotation) means a water treatment process that clarifies water by removing suspended matter like oil or solids. It works by dissolving air in the water under pressure and then releasing it, forming tiny bubbles that carry the contaminants to the surface to be skimmed off.
- “Direct Award” (Sole Sourcing): A procurement method where a contract is awarded to a vendor without a competitive process. This is typically only allowed under specific conditions, such as when only one vendor can perform the work or there is a need for continuity with existing systems.
- “Issue Date” means the date this NOI is posted on BC Bid.
- “Municipality” means Bowen Island Municipality.
- “NOI” or “Notice of Intent” means this document and any associated addenda.
- “Official Contact” means the contact person identified in the BC Bid posting.
- “Province” means His Majesty the King in right of the Province of British Columbia.
- “Respondent” means a consultant submitting a Challenge.
- “RFx” has the same meaning as NOI within BC Bid.
- “Submission” has the same meaning as “Challenge.”
Notice of Intent Challenge Guidelines
Submission of Challenges
Suppliers who wish to object to this NOI must submit a Challenge that:
- Is submitted in writing to the Official Contact
- Is received on or before the Closing Date and Time
- Includes a summary of the vendor’s qualifications and experience performing similar assessments on ACH/CUF water treatment systems for municipal clients.
- Clearly demonstrates the Respondent’s ability to meet all technical, operational, and logistical requirements described in this NOI
- Explains why the Municipality’s rationale for a direct award is not justified
- Uses the Challenge Form (Appendix A), where possible
- Includes a signed Submission Declaration
The Municipality will not reimburse any costs incurred in preparing or submitting a Challenge.
All enquiries must be directed to the Official Contact. Responses may be issued through addenda.
Review of Challenges
If a Challenge is received, the Municipality will:
- Assess whether the Respondent has demonstrated the capability to meet all stated requirements
- Consider whether the information provided affects the validity of the Municipality’s rationale for a direct award
- Determine, acting reasonably and in good faith, whether a competitive procurement process should be undertaken
If no valid Challenges are received, the Municipality may proceed with contract negotiations with the Consultant.
Appendix A: Challenge Form
The Challenge Form (Appendix A) will be included in the BC Bid posting under “RFx Documents.”