Title
Planning and Building Department, Airports Division, recommending the Board:
1) Find in accordance with Section 3.13.030(B) of the County Ordinance that there are specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications involved in Airport Consulting Services for the Placerville and Georgetown Airports;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 6451 for as-needed airport design, engineering, and construction management services in the not-to-exceed amount of $2,430,000 for a term of five years; and
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 6452 for as-needed airport planning and environmental services in the not-to-exceed amount of $775,000 for a term of five years.
FUNDING: Federal Aviation Administration Grants (90%) and Accumulated Capital Outlay Fund (10%). (Federal Funds)
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Planning and Building Department, Airports Division, recommends the Board approve two contracts for services to assist in applying for and obtaining federal assistance for airport-related Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects and to continue implementation of the County’s CIP for the Placerville and Georgetown Airports. Services under these Agreements include project coordination and related services, including preparation of applications for FAA grant funding and representing the County in discussions with the FAA regarding the airport work program, grant requirements, and project documentation.
At the request of the Planning and Building Department, Airports Division, Procurement and Contracts issued Request for Qualifications 22-918-006 for Airport Consulting Services and respondents could propose on one or more airport consulting service areas (planning and environmental services, design/engineering services, construction management services). Two qualified responses were received: Brandley Engineering, Inc. (Brandley) and Environmental Science Associates (ESA). Brandley proposed on all three service areas and the ESA proposal was for planning and environmental services. An evaluation panel consisting of two Planning and Building Department employees and an engineer from the County’s Department of Transportation reviewed the proposals and Brandley was the top ranked consultant in all three service areas. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prefers that planning and environmental services be under a separate agreement from design/engineering services and construction management services.
Brandley will perform as-needed airport design, engineering, and construction management services under Agreement for Services 6451 and as-needed airport planning and environmental services under Agreement for Services 6452 in support of County staff for FAA, State of California Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics (State), and County funded projects at the Placerville and Georgetown Airports.
Attachments C and F include a list of possible projects that may be completed during the five-year term of the Agreements with estimated project costs and the total estimated cost of each Agreement. The list includes the CIP Project number for reference. The list also includes several new projects, including extending utilities to the east end of the Placerville Airport and hangar development, for which there is currently no funding; however, Brandley advised to keep the projects on the list in case future funding should become available. The cost estimates also include FAA Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) for the next five years from the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and a 20% contingency.
The Planning and Building Department, Airports Division, will return to the Board to request grant award acceptance and approval of each FAA and State grant agreement prior beginning each project. In accordance with Board Policy A-6, the Planning and Building Department Director will execute all documents required to apply for FAA and State grants. Historically, FAA grants fund 90% of eligible project costs and State grants fund 5% of the FAA grant amount. These funds are received on a reimbursement basis as each project progresses, typically within a fiscal year.
The County does not have any classifications for airport planners or engineers and airport engineering requires specialized skill sets and certifications that other County engineers do not possess. Therefore, in accordance with El Dorado County Ordinance Code, Chapter 3.13, Section 3.13.030(B), the Planning and Building Department requests that the Board make findings that there are specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications involved in the performance of the work.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve one or both of these Agreements, which would result in the County not receiving FAA grants that fund 90% of project costs to support airport projects in the CIP.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel, Risk Management, Human Resources, Procurement and Contracts
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for these Agreements will be provided by grants from the FAA (90%), with the local match from the Accumulated Capital Outlay (ACO) Fund (10%). The State has provided matching funds for airport projects in past years; however, State matching funds were not programmed in the proposed 2022 CIP Book or the Planning and Building Department’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 (FY 22-23) proposed budget as these funds have become unreliable. ACO funds were included instead. State funding will continue to be pursued and, if awarded, would fund 5% of the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Grant amounts for each project. If the Planning and Building Department is awarded State AIP matching grants, a portion of the ACO funds will be replaced with the State matching funds.
The Planning and Building Department programmed adequate appropriations for airport consulting services for the airport projects in the proposed 2022 CIP Book and in the Planning and Building Department’s FY 2022-23 budget request, which includes $154,400 for Placerville Airport projects and $145,200 for Georgetown Airport projects. Appropriations for these two Agreements will be included in the Planning and Building Department’s proposed budgets in future fiscal years.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on two originals of Agreement for Services 6451.
2) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on two originals of Agreement for Services 6452.
3) The Clerk of the Board will forward one fully executed original of each Agreement to the Planning and Building Department, Airports Division, attention of Sherrie Busby, for transmittal to Brandley.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure, Public Safety, Economic Development
CONTACT
Chris Perry, Assistant Director
Planning and Building Department