How to bid on Stevens Creek fishery habitat work for Santa Clara Valley Water District

What the district is buying

Santa Clara Valley Water District is seeking professional services to characterize fish habitat in the Stevens Creek watershed. The work uses field data collection and topographic surveys to support ecohydraulic habitat and salmonid bioenergetics modeling.

The models are intended to assess steelhead habitat capacity across life stages, water temperatures and flow conditions, including habitat for different rearing and migration strategies. This may suit firms with relevant fisheries science and modeling capabilities.

Key dates and the deadline

The RFP was published October 21, 2026. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for November 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM.

Proposals are due December 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET. Submit electronically through PlanetBids before the deadline; the solicitation states the due time, so plan to finish uploading and submitting in advance.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is aimed at professional-services firms with fishery habitat and ecohydraulic modeling experience, including work with salmonid populations in watersheds of similar size and hydrologic conditions.

The proposer or its employees must have at least 10 years of experience in fishery ecohydraulic and bioenergetics modeling, and a drone operator license. The proposer must also know applicable riparian and aquatic ecology regulations and codes, understand local conditions in Santa Clara County, and have demonstrated eco-hydraulic modeling experience.

How to access and respond

Open the solicitation on Santa Clara Valley Water District’s PlanetBids listing. The scope, dates and document list are public. PlanetBids may require a “confirm you are human” check before the page loads.

To download documents, receive addenda and submit electronically, register a free PlanetBids vendor account with the agency. Review the listing and its documents, then submit your response through the portal before the stated deadline.

Prepare a clear, relevant proposal

Use the solicitation documents to build a compliance checklist, and address each requested item in the order and format specified there. Identify how the proposed team meets the stated experience, licensing, local-knowledge and modeling qualifications.

Make relevant salmonid and watershed experience easy to verify. Explain how your approach connects field data and topographic surveys to habitat capacity, temperature and flow analysis across steelhead life stages and migration strategies.

Check the PlanetBids listing for addenda before submitting, and allow time to review your files and complete the electronic submission.