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Department of Transportation recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the California Conservation Corps Sponsor Agreement CCC-96A (FENIX 4824) for El Dorado County Project work, the Project Evaluation Form CCC 58 (Project R-23-6619-10959), and Agreement Addendum Form CCC-96A (CCC Agreement 24-6619-315R), collectively comprising a new as-needed contract in an amount not to exceed $228,000 for revegetation, drainage maintenance, tree removal, erosion control work, and other miscellaneous work on various projects, with a term effective July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026.
FUNDING: California Tahoe Conservancy and United States Forest Service Grant Funds, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mitigation Funds, and other various Capital Improvement Program funding sources.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In the Tahoe Basin, the Department of Transportation's (Transportation) Erosion Control Projects (ECPs), funded in part by grants from the California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy), include items of work such as revegetation and drainage improvement work to stabilize eroding slopes and drainage channels. Conservancy grant guidelines require the inclusion of California Conservation Corps (CCC) labor and other cost-saving measures to be used on the projects. Transportation has contracted with CCC to provide very flexible and cost-effective labor for over twenty years for ECPs that enhance and maintain environmentally sensitive lands and waters.
Under this new Agreement, CCC will perform work on projects on an as-needed basis. This work includes, but is not limited to, revegetation efforts, drainage improvement work, and vegetation removal on various ECPs in the Tahoe Basin. In addition, the Agreement will also be used for work including, but not limited to, tree and brush removal, tree trimming, and tree and shrub planting as noise mitigation on various Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects.
Pursuant to Article II, Section 210b (6) of the El Dorado County Charter, the County may enter into any contract or agreement in cases where the agreement is with or among any other governmental entities or agencies.
This Agreement is for labor and tools associated with the construction of a public work project and, as such, are not for professional services. It is, therefore, exempt from Government Code Section 31000 regarding contracting for professional services, and Human Resources and Employee Association notifications are not required. As the Agreement is for labor and tools only and not material, it is covered under the exception set forth in Section 20395(b) of the Public Contract Code exempting competitive bidding. Section 20395(b) authorizes the direct contracting provided the County purchases the material.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve this new Agreement, in which case Transportation would need to hire contractors to perform the required work. Without this new Agreement, Transportation would not be able to use various funding sources that require the use of CCC labor. Where these funding sources have already been designated to approved projects, the projects would need to be canceled or other funding sources found.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management have reviewed and approved the Agreement, the Project Evaluation, and the Agreement Addendum.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve staff recommendation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This Agreement is for work on various erosion control projects on an as-needed basis. Transportation’s Tahoe Engineering Unit, the Tahoe Maintenance Unit, the Planning and Building Department, and the Long Range Planning Unit (LRP) have previously used this contract and it will be each department’s responsibility to ensure they have sufficient budget to use it.
Funding for Transportation projects that utilize this Agreement will be provided by Conservancy grants, United States Forest Service Grant Funds, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mitigation Funds, the Road Fund, and various CIP funding sources that fund County projects.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on two (2) original sets of the Sponsor Agreement, the Project Evaluation Form CCC 58 (Project # R-23-6619-10959), and the Agreement Addendum Form CCC-96A (CCC Agreement # 24-6619-315R), .
2) The Clerk of the Board will return the two (2) partially executed original sets to Transportation, Headington Engineering Unit, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation