The procurement includes groundwater, soil air, pore water, wastewater, surface water, and stormwater sampling related to the joint monitoring of groundwater in Lahti and Hollola (hereinafter 'joint monitoring'), as well as groundwater level measurements, sample analysis services, interim and annual reporting per operator, and the compilation of an annual summary. Groundwater samples constitute the largest proportion of samples. Additional sampling, analysis services, and their reporting may be procured as additional work. The contracting authority is the City of Lahti, and the monitoring is coordinated by the environmental services unit.
The procurement is divided into two separate lots. Service providers can submit offers for either one or both lots. The lots are: 1. Sampling and reporting services for the joint monitoring of groundwater in Lahti and Hollola (hereinafter 'sampling and reporting services') and 2. Analysis services for the joint monitoring of groundwater in Lahti and Hollola (hereinafter 'analysis services'). If a service provider submits an offer for both lots, the offers must be itemized separately to ensure comparability with other offers.
A more detailed description of the subject of the procurement is provided in the appendices to the request for proposals.
The joint monitoring of groundwater, managed by the City of Lahti, began in 2019, and the procurement agreements for the second competitive tendering period are valid until 31.12.2026 (analysis services) and 28.2.2027 (sampling and reporting) according to the agreed option year. The third period of joint monitoring for the years 2027–2029 is now being tendered. The procurement agreements for the new operating period will commence on 1.1.2027. The period can be extended by a two-year option period for the years 2030–2031. Groundwater monitoring requires long-term observation and comparability of results. The three-year contract period and the two-year option period ensure the continuity of monitoring, enable cost-effective implementation, and provide the contracting authority with the opportunity to assess the quality of the service before the option period is exercised. In addition to the City of Lahti, which manages the joint monitoring, the Municipality of Hollola, the Hollola Water Utility, and Lahti Aqua Oy have participated in the planning of the new operating period and the development of joint monitoring.
The environmental sampling for joint monitoring primarily consists of groundwater sampling, which also includes groundwater level measurement. Soil air, pore water, wastewater, surface water, and stormwater sampling may be included in the joint monitoring program. Groundwater level measurements, separate from sampling, are taken in accordance with the monitoring obligations of each site. The monitoring sites are primarily operators obliged to monitor groundwater under environmental or land use permits, the City of Lahti's own environmental status monitoring, and the voluntary and mandatory monitoring of water utilities.
In March 2026, a total of 31 separate monitoring sites and 86 groundwater pipes or wells were included in the joint monitoring. At the beginning of 2027, joint monitoring will be extended to the Nastolanharju-Uusikylä A and B groundwater areas, from which at least three sites and three groundwater pipes, as well as one surface water observation point, are estimated to be added. Hollola will add one more site and three observation pipes. One monitoring site will be removed after 2026 due to the cessation of operations. The final number of monitoring operators, sites, and observation pipes will only be known after the contract phase. Agreements with operators for joining the joint monitoring will be made after the tendering phase, when the tendered monitoring costs are known. The contracting authority does not know the final number of participants at the time of procurement. New operators from the groundwater areas involved in monitoring may also join before or during the new contract period. The contracting authority does not commit to the estimated number of operators, observation pipes, sampling points, or analyses.
The environmental services unit of the City of Lahti acts as the managing entity for the joint monitoring. The Director of Building and Environmental Supervision makes the procurement decisions and agreements concerning joint monitoring with service providers, and separate agreements with the operators participating in the joint monitoring. Service providers and operators participating in the joint monitoring are not in a direct contractual relationship with each other. Service providers will invoice the agreed services to the City of Lahti. The amounts of the invoices will be allocated per operator annually based on the actual monitoring costs and will be invoiced to the operators at the end of each monitoring year.
The estimated value of the procurement for the new operating period is EUR 70,000–75,000 per year. Sampling and reporting services Sampling and reporting services include water and soil air sampling for the joint monitoring of groundwater in Lahti and Hollola, groundwater level measurement, pre-treatment of samples in the field and sensory assessment as needed, reporting and interpretation of results, and compilation of the annual summary. Cooperation with the analysis service provider and the contracting authority is an important part of the monitoring implementation. Analysis services Analysis services include the analysis of water and soil air samples for the joint monitoring of groundwater in Lahti and Hollola, and the transfer of results to the joint monitoring and environmental administration information systems. Cooperation with the sampling and reporting service provider and the contracting authority is an important part of the monitoring implementation.
