Hawkins represented California American Water as special contract counsel in the development and evaluation of the RFQ and RFP solicitation documents, and in drafting and negotiating a design-build agreement for a 9.6 mgd seawater desalination plant in the County of Monterey, California. The agreement includes an option to reduce the capacity of the plant to 6.4 mgd if an independent groundwater replenishment project is completed. Since the plant will utilize water delivered from beach slant wells whose completion may be delayed due to seasonal construction limitations, mechanisms were built into the agreement to allow for delayed or two-part acceptance testing.
| Client | California American Water |
| Role | Owner's Lead Counsel |
| Distinction | First Investor-Owned Utility Seawater Desalination Project in the United States |
| Delivery Method | Design-Build |
| Project Size | 9.7 MGD |
| Capital Cost | $87 Million |
| Contract Term | 4 Years |
| Contract Counterparties | CDM Constructors |
