The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting proposals from contractors to design vacuum sewer system upgrades in Deering, a community of about 120 people on the Seward Peninsula.

Proposals are due May 5 at 2 p.m. Alaska time. The project falls under the department's Village Safe Water Program, which works to improve water and sewer infrastructure in rural Alaska communities.

The request for proposals does not specify which parts of Deering's vacuum sewer system need upgrades or the estimated project cost. The full solicitation document is available as an attachment to the public notice.

Contractors who download the solicitation from the state's online notice system must register with procurement officer John McDonald to receive any amendments or updates. Registration must be in writing and can be done by email to [email protected]. The state warns that failure to register may result in rejection of a proposal.

Contractors needing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact McDonald at least 10 days before the May 5 deadline.

Deering is located on the coast about 57 miles southwest of Kotzebue. The community relies on vacuum sewer technology, which uses air pressure differences rather than gravity to move wastewater through pipes.