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Washington County approves engineering contract for Rock Creek renewable natural gas project
Summary
The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a task order with Hazen and Sawyer for design, procurement and bid-phase services for a renewable natural gas project at the Rock Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility, not to exceed $1,050,219, with design milestones and regular updates to the board.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners on June 3 approved a task order with Hazen and Sawyer DPC to provide design, procurement and bid-phase engineering services for a renewable natural gas (RNG) project at the Rock Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility.
The board voted unanimously, 5-0, to authorize task order number 14 under the county’s wastewater treatment engineering master contract, a not-to-exceed amount of $1,050,219. The work covers progressive design to 90 percent, preparation of construction documents, procurement assistance and support through bidding and contractor selection.
The county presented the RNG project as one that could produce marketable pipeline-quality gas by treating biogas from wastewater operations. Bruce Gordon, Clean Water Services’ business opportunities manager, said the project team shifted from an earlier model of simply selling raw biogas to pursuing a county-led project that would design, build and operate RNG infrastructure.
"We have a contract for design services that we're asking the board to approve," Gordon said during the presentation.
The contract includes milestone briefings at approximately 30, 60 and 90 percent design completion so the board can review updated cost estimates, value-engineering options, and the selected gas-treatment technology. County staff emphasized the work will continue to evaluate technology options and potential sales models, and that the board would be updated at each milestone and may choose to change course if project economics or technology assumptions materially change.
Rick Shanley, Clean Water Services’ acting chief executive officer and chief engineer, noted the work will include coordination on potential commercial terms with Northwest Natural and other buyers and will examine opportunities to reduce capital and operating costs.
The board approved the contract after staff described prior economic modeling showing positive net present value across multiple gas-sales scenarios, and after confirming the task order scope reaches final bid documents and contractor selection.
The county said it will return to the board at the identified design milestones to confirm continued pursuit, present refined costs and, if necessary, propose alternative paths.
Ending: The contract authorizes detailed design through procurement and bidding and signals the county’s next step toward an RNG facility at Rock Creek; staff will return with milestone updates and any recommended changes for further board action.
