June 5, 2024:
The Angelina & Neches River Authority (ANRA) is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) for engineering services for design of water system improvements for its Central Heights Utilities.
Engineering services include the following:
- Design detail for preliminary engineering reports;
- Engineer’s Opinion of Probable Costs;
- Environmental and cultural resource assessments;
- Development of standard details and specifications for construction;
- Preparation of bid packet and contract documents;
- Field testing and inspections; and
- Other related tasks as may be required.
Statement of Qualifications shall include:
- Front cover and Section dividers
- Cover letter
- Detailed outline of the firms qualifications and competencies
- Organization Chart(s)
- Resumes of individuals anticipated to provide work
- Conflict of Interest Statement
SOQ’s shall only be submitted electronically in PDF format, via email at solicitations@anra.org or via USB thumb drive mailed to 2901 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin Texas 75904.
All SOQ submission must be received at ANRA’s Central Office no later than 12:00 noon on June 21, 2024. For more information, please contact Mr. Kelley Holcomb by phone at 936-632-7795 or by email at kholcomb@anra.org.
Printable version of this RFQ:
The 24th Annual Neches River Rendezvous, which was scheduled to be held on May 18, 2024, has been cancelled due to unsafe river conditions. The Neches River Rendezvous is a family-friendly 10-mile paddling adventure down the Neches River.
This is the first year that the Angelina & Neches River Authority was scheduled to host the event. It was previously hosted by the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce. Held for the first time in 1997, it quickly became a popular annual event, with up to 300 people participating, however, due to Covid-19, weather conditions, and supply chain issues, the event had not been held since 2018.
“With unpredictable weather patterns in East Texas, it’s tricky trying to schedule a date for an event of this nature. There’s a short window of opportunity to host this event between weather extremes, flooding events and high heat indexes, so timing this event has proven to be challenging. By the time river conditions improve to a safe level, it will likely be too hot to hold the event, especially since most participants are novice paddlers,” Kelley Holcomb, the Authority’s general manager said. “While we are disappointed that we have to cancel the event in our first year, safety is our first priority.”
At the time of this release, the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services indicated that it could be weeks before river depth and discharge velocities decrease to safe enough levels for recreational activity. Both the event launch area, the Neches River at Anderson Crossing, between Houston and Cherokee counties, and the takeout area, the Neches River at Highway 7, in Angelina County are experiencing discharges of 20,200 cfs (cubic feet per second).
To put that into perspective, between the launch and takeout areas, the river is flowing at about 151,096 gallons per second. While there is not a river gauge at Anderson Crossing, the gauge at the Neches River at Highway 7, shows a depth of about 27 feet. While this location has limited historical data since it is a new gauge, the upstream gauge near Alto and the downstream gauge near Diboll, indicate major and minor flooding. The Alto gauge indicates a depth of 20.2 feet and rising. The record crest for this location is 28 feet in 1884. The Diboll gauge indicates 16.4 feet and rising. The record crest for this location is 21 feet.
The river is more than ½ mile out of its banks in some areas and has washed out the county roads leading to Anderson Crossing. In addition to high water levels and fast-moving currents, even getting to the river may prove to be difficult for quite some time until county officials can make repairs.
The Authority would like to thank all of the event sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and participants. First, Platinum Sponsor, Stella-Jones, Gold Sponsors; Kyncey Developments, LLC, Lufkin Gears, and Soil Therapy Compost; Silver Sponsor, Texas Conservation Alliance; Bronze Sponsors, Cadence Bank and Hackberry Bunkhouse and Kayak Rentals; Rendezvous Crew Sponsors, Sarabella’s Jewelry, Texas Conservation Alliance, River Bottom Cap Company, and the Law Office of Maira F. Carrillo, PLLC; and in-kind sponsors, Brookshire Brothers, Millenia Water & Ice, Mudbelly Outdoor Supply, Railblaza, and Visit Lufkin. Additional support is appreciated from Classic Country Willy 103.3, Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, Texas Master Naturalist – Longleaf Ridge Chapter, Dos Amigos Taco Truck, I’ve Got Your Dog, Heaven’s Rita, B&T Vans and Shuttles, Real Graphics, Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful, and Angelina Beautiful/Clean.
The Authority would also like to thank the more than 140 volunteers that signed up to help with the event. “The eagerness we have seen from individuals in the community to help bring this event back has been absolutely astonishing and we cannot thank our volunteers enough for all the work they have put into the Rendezvous already, as well as the time and effort they were willing to give to make the Rendezvous happen on Saturday. It would’ve been an amazing event because of their volunteer spirit and I’m optimistic that next year will be the best Rendezvous yet,” Kimberly Wagner, the Authority’s communications director, said. Special appreciation goes out to the following local entities and volunteer organizations: International Paper’s North Boggy Slough, Deep East Texas Amateur Radio Club, Houston County EMS, Hudson Fire Department Search & Rescue Team, Five Rivers District – Boy Scouts of America, and Trail Life USA, Troop 1807.
Event registration maxed out with a total of 151 individual paddlers expected to launch in more than 100 kayaks and canoes on the river. “The enthusiasm for the comeback of this event was clear and while we are severely disappointed to have to cancel the event, we’re already making big plans for next year, so we encourage the public to stay tuned and follow us on social media,” Wagner said.
Registration fees and rental fees will be refunded to participants within the next 30 days. Participants and volunteers are also encouraged to come by the Authority’s office, located at 2901 N John Redditt Drive, in Lufkin, to pick up their t-shirts and goody bags – filled with great items from Rendezvous sponsors. Those that live out of town can contact the Authority if they would like to have their goody bag mailed to them. The Authority’s office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“All is not lost, even in cancelling the event. We’ve still been able to bring a lot of recreational and conservation awareness to the public’s attention and that’s the mission of the Rendezvous – awareness of what we have to lose if we don’t take care of our most important and beautiful natural resource – our rivers,” Wagner said. Once river conditions improve, for those who still want to enjoy a day on the river, contact one of the following East Texas area outfitters: Hackberry Bunkhouse and Kayak Rentals, Lake Livingston Kayak Adventures, and Tack-a-Paw Expeditions.
For more information, call the Authority’s Central Office Facility at (936) 632-7795, email recreation@anra.org, visit https://www.anra.org/conservatio…/neches-river-rendezvous/ , or find both the Authority and the Rendezvous’ event pages on Facebook.
Angelina & Neches River Authority “(ANRA)” will receive bids TWDB Project No. 73829 Regionalization of ACFWSD1 WWTF. Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at the ANRA Central Office located at 2901 N. John Redditt Dr., Lufkin, TX 75904. The bids will be opened and read aloud at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at the ANRA Central Office located at 2901 N. John Redditt Dr., Lufkin, TX 75904.
The project consists of decommissioning the existing Angelina County Fresh Water Supply District No.1 WWTF, installation of lift stations with associated line work to transfer flow to the ANRA’s North Angelina County Regional Wastewater Facility (NACRWF), and improvements to the chlorination and disinfection system at NACRWF as an additive bid option.
Bid/Contract Documents, including Drawings and Technical Specifications are on file at Schaumburg & Polk, Inc., 320 S. Broadway Ave, Suite 200, Tyler, Texas 75702, 903-595-3913 Phone. Bid/Contract Documents can also be found on https://www.civcastusa.com/project/65fad36fe35d4d068e294be5/summary
PLANS & SPECIFICATIONS may be examined without charge at the ANRA Central Office and at the office of Schaumburg & Polk, Inc. One copy of each set of documents may be obtained from Schaumburg & Polk, Inc., upon payment of $100.00. No refunds will be made.
A Bidder’s Bond, Certified or Cashier’s Check in an amount not less than (5%) of the total bid shall accompany each quote as a guarantee that, if awarded the contract, the Contractor will promptly enter into contract with the Angelina & Neches River Authority.
Attention is called to the fact that not less than, the federally determined prevailing (Davis-Bacon and Related Acts) wage rate, as issued by the Texas Department of Rural Affairs, and contained in the contract documents, must be paid on this project. In addition, the successful bidder must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.
There will be a pre-bid conference at the ANRA Central Office located at 2901 N. John Redditt Dr., Lufkin, TX 75904, at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Attendance is mandatory.
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids and waive any or all irregularities. No bid may be withdrawn until the expiration of 60 days from the date bids are open.
This contract is contingent upon release of funds from the Texas Water Development Board. Any contract or contracts awarded under this Invitation for Bid (IFB) is/are expected to be funded in part by financial assistance from the TWDB. Neither the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the State of Texas, nor any of its departments, agencies, or employees, are or will be a party to this Invitation for Bid or any resulting contract.
FOR CWSRF: Any contract(s) awarded under this Invitation for Bids is/are subject to the American Iron and Steel (AIS) requirements of Section 608 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
This contract is subject to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, which includes EPA-approved fair share goals toward procurement of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) businesses. EPA rules require that applicants and prime contractors make a good faith effort to award a fair share of contracts, subcontracts, and procurements to M/WBEs through demonstration of the six affirmative steps. For more details of the DBE Program and the current, applicable fair share goals, please visit http://www.twdb.texas.gov/dbe.
Equal Opportunity in Employment – All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the Department of Labor regulations at 41 CFR Part 60-4, relating to Construction Contractors–Affirmative Action Requirements, which include the President’s Executive Order No. 11246, as amended by Executive Order No. 11375 and Executive Order No. 13672, in the award and administration of contracts awarded under TWDB financial assistance agreements. Failure by the Contractor to carry out these requirements is a material breach, which may result in the termination of the awarded financial assistance.
Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements apply to the construction, alteration or repair of treatment works carried out, in whole or in part, with assistance made available by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) or a construction project financed, in whole or in part, from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The Davis- Bacon prevailing wage requirements apply to Contractors and Subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration or repair (including painting) of a treatment works project under the CWSRF or a construction project under the DWSRF. For prime contracts in excess of $100,000, Contractors and Subcontractors must also, under the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, pay laborers and mechanics, including guards and watchmen, at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply to Davis-Bacon covered contracts. Any contracts or subcontracts in excess of $2,000 must include the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements found in TWDB Guidance No. DB-0156. Wage Determinations – U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) wage determination must be included in the bidding and contract documents. DOL wage determinations may be obtained online at http://www.wdol.gov/. Once it is determined that Davis-Bacon wage rates will apply to a construction contract, the Applicant must state in the solicitation that Davis- Bacon prevailing wage rates are applicable and bid packages must include the current Davis-Bacon general wage determination for the area where construction will occur. While the solicitation remains open, the Applicant must monitor www.wdol.gov on a weekly basis to ensure that the wage determination contained in the solicitation remains current. The Applicant must amend the solicitation if the DOL issues a modification more than 10 days prior to the closing date (i.e. bid opening) for the solicitation. If DOL modifies or supersedes the applicable wage determination less than 10 days prior to the closing date, the Applicant may request a finding from TWDB that there is not reasonable time to notify interested Contractors of the modification of the wage determination. For additional information on Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements and its applicability to this contract, please consult TWDB Guidance No. DB-0156.
This contract is subject to the federal requirements of Subpart C of 2 CFR Part 180 and Part 1532 regarding Debarment and Suspension. The Contractor will comply with the assurances provided with the bid that leads to a contract.
Angelina & Neches River Authority does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familiar status or disability. Angelina & Neches River Authority is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer & encourages the participation of Section 3 residents and businesses.
Registration for the 24th Annual Neches River Rendezvous is now live!
To register, please use the following link: https://www.anra.org/conservation-recreation/neches-river-rendezvous/participant-information/
Registration for the 24th Annual Neches River Rendezvous will open on Monday, March 18th. The Neches River Rendezvous is a fun and family-friendly 10-mile paddling adventure down the Neches River and will be held on May 18, 2024.
This is the first year that the Angelina & Neches River Authority will host the event. It was previously hosted by the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce beginning in 1997, and it quickly became a popular annual event, with up to 300 people participating, however, due to Covid-19, weather conditions, and supply chain issues, the event has not been held the past five years.
The Rendezvous will be limited to 100 paddlers for the first year that the Authority hosts the event in 2024, but depending on the available supply of vans, trailers, kayaks, and canoe rentals needed for the event to be successful, the Authority hopes to increase the number of participants back to 300 paddlers within the next few years.
On the day of the event, paddlers will park at International Paper’s North Boggy Slough Conservation Area and will then be shuttled upriver, where volunteers will assist them in launching their kayaks and canoes in the river. There will be four staggered launch times to avoid overcrowding.
After a leisurely 3-4 hours paddling the river, paddlers will end their journey at the Highway 7 bridge, next to Hackberry Bunkhouse & Kayak Rentals, where they will be assisted out of the river and then shuttled back to North Boggy Slough, where they can purchase a meal from one of several food trucks that will be on-site.
No experience is needed to participate in the event, however, anyone under the age of 18, must have a legal guardian present. Since safety is the top priority of the event, life jackets must be worn by all paddlers. Paddlers must provide their own life jackets. A multitude of local organizations will assist with logistics and safety during the event, including the Deep East Texas Amateur Radio Club, Hudson Search & Rescue, Houston County EMS, Boy Scouts of America, and Trail Life USA.
The Authority is still seeking volunteers and sponsors for the event. A volunteer guide and a sponsor information packet can both be found on the Authority’s website.
Early bird registration begins Monday, March 18th and ends Friday, April 19th. Late registration begins on Saturday, April 19 and ends on Friday, May 3rd. Registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Paddlers are highly encouraged to register online, but paper registration forms can be downloaded from ANRA’s website or picked up at ANRA’s office at 2901 N John Redditt Drive, in Lufkin, Texas. Forms and registration fees can be submitted via mail or at ANRA’s office.
For more information, call the Authority’s Central Office Facility at (936) 632-7795, email recreation@anra.org, visit https://www.anra.org/conservation-recreation/neches-river-rendezvous/ , or find both the Authority and the Rendezvous’ event pages on Facebook.
On February 22, 2024, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required the Prairie Grove Utilities public water system (PWS ID Number TX0030027) to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Prairie Grove Utilities has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by Prairie Grove Utilities used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of February 23, 2024.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Mr. Chris Key, P.E., Executive Manager, Utilities, Angelina & Neches River Authority at (936) 632-7795 or (800) 282-5634.
If you wish to contact TCEQ, you may call (512) 239-4691.
Boil-Water-Notice-Rescinded-to-All-PGU-Customers-2024-02-23Thursday, February 22, 2024
8:45 a.m.
Systemwide Low Pressure Update
We are happy to report that the issue that caused the systemwide low pressure issue this morning has been repaired (It was a failed check valve).
The system is now in recovery mode and while water pressure may be erratic throughout the day, every one should have water.
However, we are issuing a Boil Water Notice. We apologize for this inconvenience and we will conduct the required testing and lift this notice as soon as we possibly can.
Boil-Water-Notice-to-All-PGU-Customers-2023-02-22The Angelina & Neches River Authority has been engaged in a water system improvements project over the last 24 months and is pleased to announce that the last phase of construction, at the water treatment plant, will begin on February 12, 2024 with an anticipated completion date of February 26, 2024.
Customers may experience slight variations in water pressure during this time. As a result, all water customers are asked to conserve on water use during this construction activity. Please be advised that these measures are temporary and is a normal occurrence for a project of this nature.
Operations staff will work diligently to minimize these occurrences. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience during this time.
On February 6, 2024, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required the Central Heights Utilities public water system (PWS ID Number TX1740008) to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Central Heights Utilities has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by Central Heights Utilities used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of February 8, 2024.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Mr. Chris Key, P.E., Executive Manager, Utilities, Angelina & Neches River Authority at (936) 632-7795 or (800) 282-5634.
If you wish to contact TCEQ, you may call (512) 239-4691.
Sunset Advisory Commission Invites Public Input on the Angelina & Neches River Authority of Texas
The Sunset Advisory Commission is reviewing the mission and performance of the Angelina & Neches River Authority of Texas (ANRA) and welcomes public comments on ideas to improve its operations and services. The Texas Sunset Act requires the Sunset Commission to periodically review ANRA and recommend whether to change state law to improve the authority’s efficiency and effectiveness. The Legislature ultimately will decide whether to adopt Sunset’s statutory recommendations. The Sunset Commission also may adopt management directives for ANRA that do not require statutory change.
The Sunset process has three stages. First, Sunset staff will evaluate ANRA, seek public input, and issue a report recommending solutions to problems found. Second, the Sunset Commission will hold two public meetings: a hearing on the staff report and the authority, and a decision meeting to adopt recommendations to the Legislature based on the report and public comments. Third, the Legislature will convene in January 2025 and will consider Sunset’s statutory recommendations in a Sunset bill for ANRA.
Here are several ways to provide comments and suggestions to Sunset staff on ANRA’s mission, operations, and services:
• Send an email to sunset(a)sunset.texas.gov
• Submit comments online at www.sunset.texas.gov
• Send a letter to Sunset Advisory Commission, Attn: ANRA, P.O. Box 13066, Austin, Texas 78711
• Call (512) 463-1300 to speak to Andrew McConnell, project manager of the ANRA review
Please provide your comments by September 12 to ensure Sunset staff can fully consider your input while conducting their review. Comments submitted before the staff report is published in November 2024 will remain confidential.
Stay informed! Visit www.sunset.texas.gov to sign up for email alerts on the Sunset staff report and the Sunset Commission’s public meetings on ANRA.