Summary:

Through this Request for Proposals, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (the “OBWB”) invites Proposals for the supply of an aquatic weed harvester, which it seeks to purchase for its operations to manage the growth of milfoil and aquatic weeds in various water bodies located throughout the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia’s Interior.

The following is a summary of the OBWB’s minimum requirements for the aquatic weed harvester (referred to herein as the “Equipment”): 

• The Equipment must not exceed 3.5 meters in width while it is in transport on a trailer, in order to avoid the need for a pilot car on British Columbia highways.  The OBWB will however accept proposals where paddlewheels can be removed for transportation to be within this maximum width.
• The Equipment shall be capable of traveling on water at a temporary maximum height of 84 inches from the water line when unloaded to ensure that it can traverse beneath a road bridge between two lakes during high water.  This can be accomplished with a movable platform, or collapsible guardrails, control panels, operators seat and all other equipment and accessories, or by any other method that meets the temporary maximum height requirement. 
• The Equipment should have a stainless-steel hull (preferred, but not mandatory), be paddlewheel-driven, and come with a cutting head of no less than 7ft in width.
• The Equipment must be delivered to Vernon, British Columbia no later than July 4, 2025.
• The Equipment must be approved by Transport Canada for operation on water bodies with the Province of British Columbia.

The OBWB is open to a range of solutions which best meet the requirements and preferences stated herein, and therefore Respondents may submit multiple proposals for different Equipment if they wish. 

Full details on the requirements, plus forms to complete and submit a proposal, are contained in the attached RFP Documents.