Comprehensive Review of Operational Efficiency and Sustainability

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water), a major water and wastewater utility serving 1.9 million residents across Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland, is soliciting consulting services for a comprehensive independent evaluation of operational efficiency and sustainability. WSSC operates an extensive infrastructure including 5,900 miles of drinking water pipeline, over 5,600 miles of sewer pipeline, three reservoirs with 14 billion gallons total capacity, two water filtration plants with combined capacity of 390 million gallons per day, and six water resource recovery facilities treating up to 95 million gallons of wastewater per day.

The selected consultant will provide independent subject matter expertise to conduct comprehensive organizational performance and program evaluations, review systems and key operations, identify opportunities for improvement, recommend actionable measures to enhance operational efficiencies, and establish baselines for continuous performance management. The engagement must meet requirements of Maryland House Bill 1195 and will involve coordination with the Maryland General Assembly's Department of Legislative Services (DLS), with required bi-monthly meetings and DLS attendance at project meetings. Deliverables include final reports to the Commission Board, County Councils, County Executives, Maryland General Assembly, and a public-facing report of findings and recommendations.

The contract will be structured in two phases: Phase I will be completed by August 2027, and Phase II will span two years beginning August 2027, focusing on implementation support. Phase II award is contingent upon Phase I performance. The Commission reserves the right to modify the Phase II scope based on timing, operational needs, and funding availability. Key dates include a pre-proposal meeting on August 21, 2025, Q&A deadline of August 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM, and proposal submission deadline of September 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM via WSSC's eProcurement Portal.

This engagement follows a 2015 Veolia Water study that generated 63 recommendations, of which 51 were addressed by 2021. WSSC seeks vendors with strong qualifications in utility operations assessment, organizational performance evaluation, and change management implementation to support management's efforts to improve effectiveness and reduce operating costs.