Cascade will be seeking consultant help to manage, plan, and design the Cascade Supply Program (CSP). This program will connect Cascade’s member agencies to Tacoma’ water supply system. With an anticipated cost of $1.0 billion, the CSP is the largest program that Cascade has undertaken. Over the next decade, the CSP will focus on the transmission pipeline segments. Later, the project will expand to include distribution pipelines, storage facilities, chlorination facilities, system connections, pump stations, and more.
The anticipated consultant contract packages are listed below. Cascade may modify this prior to issuing requests for qualifications/proposals in the future.
Program and Engineering Support (PES) – anticipated in Q2 2025
The PES contract is planned to be a task-order style contract to provide Cascade with strategic and tactical programmatic support throughout the duration of the program. Anticipated Task Groupings are below, and demonstrate the type of services anticipated, but this is not an all-inclusive listing. The selected consultant/team will sign a master contract for all tasks below, and be issued work assignment packages that may have multiple tasks/subtasks within them. Note that the selected firm and their sub-consultants will be prohibited from proposing and performing follow-on work, either in a prime or sub-consultant role, on the Design Services.
- Task 1: Consultant Project Management
- Task 2: Program Support. This task will include items such as a project execution plan, project governance and KPI development, project procurement plan, and other documents as required. Other tasks may include GIS mapping, website communications, cost estimating and scheduling support, and grant funding applications.
- Task 3: There are many planning documents needed, including an Operations and Flow Allocation plan that identifies the amount of water and methods of transfer from the CSP to the member agencies distribution systems. This plan forms the basis for the system requirements and the development of the Facilities Plan. The Facilities Plan will develop the requirements for project design. Hydraulic and surge analysis will be a component of this task as well. Other planning documents could include an update to the route study, an operations plan to assess future O&M needs, delivery methodology, and more.
- Task 4: Right of Way. Franchise and right-of-way support services are needed to evaluate potential permanent and temporary real property needs and alternatives. Following environmental and permitting review, and prior to final design, assist in acquiring real property rights that are needed for the project.
- Task 5: The PES consultant will provide an early plan for what permits are necessary to complete the program. Through the design phase, this team will support Cascade by reviewing permit packages and coordinating submittals.
- Task 6: Communications and Outreach. Cascade will look to our consultant partner to assist in outreach efforts, creating maps and figures, and providing assistance in all outreach efforts.
- Task 7: Design Support. During the planning phases, provide support on the creation of design standards and assist with design concerns/issues that arise during route selection. Additionally, provide an approximate 10% level of design for certain project elements to use in obtaining ROW and easements. Provide design review professionals during the design phase.
- Task 8: Construction Support. Throughout the planning and design phases, Cascade will request constructability reviews by qualified senior staff. As the program progresses, construction management and inspection services will be requested for the transmission, distribution, and associated facilities and connections.
- Task 9: Operations Support. Through planning and design, provide operational insights. During the construction phase, provide startup and electronic operations and maintenance manuals.
Design Support Services (DSS) – anticipated in late 2026 and beyond
Design support services are further in the future and will be developed as the program proceeds. Anticipated future design contracts are listed below.
- Tacoma Cascade Transmission Line (TCTL). May be separated into phases/segments or awarded to multiple consultants.
- Cascade Chlorination Station (CCS). A re-chlorination facility near the end of the TCTL.
- Cascade Storage Tank (CST). Approximately 20MG of storage, which may be one or multiple tanks on the same property.
- Bellevue-Issaquah Distribution Pipeline (BIP) improvement. Currently the BIP conveys water from west to east in a 36-in ductile iron pipeline. Depending on where the CST is located and the TCTL ends, flow may need to be increased or reversed in this pipeline, which could result in a parallel pipeline.
- Bellevue-Kirkland-Redmond (BKR) Distribution Line. Similar to the BIP, a distribution line to convey flows from the CST to Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond.
- West Transmission Loop (WTL). A potential looped system to provide redundancy to the CST.
Future projects that are currently not planned as part of this program include:
- Lake Tapps Reservoir Water Treatment Plant (LTR WTP).
- Lake Tapps Transmission Line (LTL).
- West Transmission Main.
- West Booster Pump Station.
Questions? Contact Brian Bartle, CSP Program Executive, at bbartle@cascadewater.org.