Independent Organizational Benchmark Study

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is soliciting sealed proposals for an independent organizational benchmark study to be conducted under the purview of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The contractor shall complete a comprehensive review of WSSC's operational efficiency, capital program effectiveness, police force utilization, and governance structure, with benchmarking against peer utilities and actionable recommendations for improvement.

WSCC is a regional bi-county organization established by the Maryland General Assembly with jurisdiction over the sanitary district in Montgomery County and Prince George's County. The organization is governed by six commissioners (three from each county) and operates under the Public Utilities Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Following the appointment of a new General Manager in January 2023, the organization established the General Manager's Office of Performance and Accountability to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.

This benchmark study builds on previous work conducted in 2015, which resulted in a June 2016 report containing 63 recommendations and seven findings. A 2022 OIG performance audit found that management had addressed 51 of these recommendations between 2016 and 2021. Additionally, Maryland Legislature House Bill 1195 requires both management and the OIG to facilitate certain independent evaluations of WSSC's efficiency and sustainability in consultation with the State Department of Legislative Services.

Key dates include a pre-proposal meeting on July 23, 2025, a questions and answers deadline of July 25, 2025, and a proposal submission deadline of August 13, 2025, at 2:00 pm via the Commission's eProcurement Portal. Late responses will not be accepted. Sealed proposals must be submitted through https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/wsscwater.