RFP Water Meter Replacement Project
Classified Details
- Classified ID
- 2204
- Description
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE (AMI) SYSTEM
METER REPLACEMENT PROJECT
SECTION 1: SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND
1.1 The Town of Manchester is a small municipality in Vermont with approximately 1,600 residential and commercial connections to its water system. Manchester is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system to replace our existing water meters. The primary goals are 1) to improve billing accuracy; 2) to increase operational efficiency by automating all data collection; 3) enhance system integrity through leak detection and tamper alerts; and 4) implement a secure, scalable system with a long operational lifespan (minimum 20 years).
1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICE: The selected vendor will be responsible for providing a complete, functional AMI system, including all necessary hardware, software, integration, and training.
- Total Service Points: Approximately 1600 residential and commercial meters, in both Manchester Center and Manchester Village.
- Existing System: Sensus meters paired with a Sensus drive-by radio read system. The majority are model SR II positive displacement meters 5/8” (approx. 1,400), with some model Iperl electromagnetic type meters, as well as compound meters, with diameters of ¾” (31), 1” (95), 1 ½ ((27), 2” (22), 3” (9), and 4” (3) (approx. 200 total).
- Existing Billing Software: NEMRC – New England Municipal Resource Center.
SECTION 2: RFP RESPONSES
2.1 Any written questions must be submitted by or before April 1, 2026. Bid responses are due no later than Friday, May 8, 2026 at noon. Please mail, deliver, or email Bid responses to:
Town of Manchester
c/o Scott Murphy, Town Manager
40 Jeff Williams Way
Manchester Center, VT 05255
s.murphy@manchester-vt.gov
METER REPLACEMENT PROJECT
The point of contact throughout this process for the Town shall be Town Manager Scott Murphy, who may be contacted at 802.362.1313 or the email identified above. Mr. Murphy shall act as the Town’s project manager, with assistance from Eric Severance, the Town’s Water & Sewer Superintendent.
2.2 All RFP responses shall include the following:
A. Executive Summary
A concise overview of the proposed solution, the firm’s qualifications, and the total cost. Provide detail on the availability of the software support and hardware product in the event of failure.
B. Company Profile & Experience
a. List of at least three (3) references from municipalities, preferably of similar size, that have completed an AMI installation using the proposed system within the last five (5) years; and
b. Company history, legal name, and primary business location; and
c. Information to demonstrate financial stability: and
d. Any other information that the company believes would be helpful to the Town in evaluating its proposal.
C. Technical Proposal (AMI Solution)
- Meter & Endpoint: Detailed specifications, cut sheets, and a demonstration of how the proposed equipment meets the requirements detailed on the attached Schedule A.
- Network: Detailed network architecture diagram, including the location and estimated number of required collectors/gateways for the Town of Manchester, VT.
- MDM Software: A full description of the software, its security credentials (SOC 2, etc), data logging capabilities, and the integration method with our existing billing system.
D. Implementation Plan
- Detailed project timeline with milestones (e.g Network Design, Equipment Delivery, Installation, Pilot, Integration, System Go-Live.
- Quality assurance plan for installation and data verification.
- Training plan for Water Board and Utility staff on hardware, software, and daily operations.
2.3 Vendor should provide an estimated total cost, with information about the costs of residential and larger commercial AMI water meters, the cost of any communication endpoint/transmitters, and the cost of any software license and initial setup. Vendor should also identify subsequent annual MDM Software maintenance fees and any other additional fees which may be imposed.
2.4 Proposals with generally comparable systems will be accepted. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids if it is in the best interest of the Town.
DATED February 11, 2026 at Manchester, Vermont
SCHEDULE A
- Meter Type - Propose new ultrasonic, electromagnetic meters, or modern positive displacement meters.
- Certifications - Meters must meet or exceed AWWA C715-18 and be NSF/ANSI 61 certified for drinking water components.
- Data Capture – Meters must capture and log consumption, with the option of capturing leak events, tamper attempts, and reverse flow (backflow) alarms.
- Durability – All equipment installed outside must be IP68 rated (fully submersible) and designed to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of Vermont (extreme hot and cold).
- Functionality – Provide a hosted, cloud-based, or locally-hosted MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution that offers tamper alerts, leak detection reports, consumption analysis, and customizable dashboards.
- Security/Compliance – The MDM must be compliant with industry standard security protocols (e.g. SOC 2 type 2 or ISO 27001) for data integrity and protection.
- Billing Integration – The MDM must seamlessly integrate with Manchester’s existing NEMRC system or provide a flexible data export for easy transfer into our current system.
- Customer Portal – The vendor must offer the option of a secure online customer portal allowing residents to view their own consumption data, receive leak alerts, and understand their billing impact.
- Warranty – Must offer a minimum 20-year operational life and a corresponding 20- year accuracy/battery warranty on all meter and communication components.
- Network Type – Propose a fixed Network AMI that ensures 100% read reliability across all 1,600 endpoints.
- Coverage – Vendor is responsible for performing a network design and RF study to guarantee complete coverage, including the number and placement of any necessary repeaters/data collectors.
- Data Resolution – System must be capable of collecting consumption data at a minimum of hourly intervals.
- Security – The network must utilize secure encrypted communication protocols to protect data transmission and prevent unauthorized access or denial-of-service attacks.
- Title
- RFP Water Meter Replacement Project
- Application Deadline
- 03/13/2026
- Location
- Manchester Center, VT
- Application URL
- https://manchester-vt.gov/news
Contact Information
- Name
- Dixon, Katie
- Phone Number
- (802) 751-5533
- k.dixon@manchester-vt.gov
- Best Method of Contact