Title
Environmental Management Department recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Authorize the Environmental Management Department to amend the existing 3-year Agreement for Services with Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc., increasing the not-to-exceed amount from $300,000 to $400,000, and the existing 3-year Agreement for Services with Joe Vicini, Inc., increasing the not-to-exceed amount from $300,000 for Joe Vicini to $500,000; and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute said Agreements, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management review, including minor revisions as required.
FUNDING: Non-General Fund / County Service Area No. 10 - Solid Waste funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Public Contract Code, section 20121.1, services necessary to maintain day-to-day landfill operations, including grading, drainage, pipe laying, fencing, landscaping, instrument installation, and similar construction and repair work, are exempt from competitive bidding.
The Environmental Management Department (Environmental Management) has contracted for these services with Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc., and Joe Vicini, Inc. Although competitive bidding is not required to procure these services, in April 2019, at the request of the Environmental Management, the Chief Administrative Office, Procurement and Contracts Division (Procurement and Contracts) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to invite qualified firms to submit proposals for the provision of on-call landfill maintenance services at the Union Mine Disposal Site. Services include, but are not limited to, mixing and burying sludge, placement of temporary and permanent soil/synthetic/clay cover material, erosion control, paving and road maintenance, sediment removal, brush removal, hydroseeding, pumping, trenching, grading, drainage, slope maintenance, pipe laying, pipe and valve maintenance, spray irrigation, fencing placement/maintenance, and other similar maintenance work necessary to maintain day-to-day operation of the Union Mine Disposal Site. Additionally, the contractor(s) are required to respond on-site with all necessary personnel and equipment to perform the aforementioned services within forty-eight (48) hours, unless otherwise authorized by Environmental Management. The RFP indicated that the total “as-needed” work is anticipated to be approximately $300,000 per contract, under two separate agreements, over a 3-year period.
Procurement and Contracts issued the RFP on April 8, 2019, and posted it on the County’s website for a period of 4 weeks. Additionally, notice regarding the issued RFP and invitation to bid was sent directly to fifteen (15) contractors via email and/or fax.
Only one proposal was received in response to the RFP. Environmental Management evaluated the proposal from the one (1) proposer and recommends that an Agreement be entered into with Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, Inc. (Veerkamp), in the amount of $300,000. Though Veerkamp was the sole proposer for this project, they were independently evaluated using a point-based criteria that graded them on criteria including: understanding of the work to be done; experience with landfill maintenance or other similar kinds of work; quality of staff for work to be done; capability of developing innovative or advanced techniques; familiarity with state and federal procedures; ability to respond on-site within forty-eight hours for urgent and emergency services; and demonstrated technical ability. The reviewing panel consisted of two (2) Environmental Management staff and one (1) Department of Transportation staff.
Additionally, based on the amount of work required at the Union Mine Disposal Site and the contractor’s availability, Environmental Management requested and was approved to enter into an additional Agreement with Joe Vicini, Inc. (Vicini) for the provision of the same services. Having two (2) on-call Agreements for landfill maintenance services has allowed Environmental Management to alternate between Veerkamp and Vicini for individual projects depending on their current workload and labor force. Both contractors have particular knowledge of, and experience with, landfill facilities and operations, specifically at the Union Mine Disposal Site, and Environmental Management has been satisfied with the work performed by both contractors. Environmental Management does not possess the trained personnel nor equipment necessary to perform the construction maintenance work under the proposed Agreements.
On July 16, 2019, the County entered into Contracts with both Veerkamp and Vicini for $300,000 each (Legistar Item #19-0929). These amounts were budgeted to account for scheduled repairs and maintenance requirements to include: Union Mine landfill access road repair, Landfill hydro seeding, Waste Water Treatment Plant sludge burials, Site winter preparation and more. Also accounted for in the budgeted amount were potential repairs and maintenance needs such as a new storm water permit, groundwater well site preparation, slope repairs, fire main line repairs, class II pump station repairs and many others.
Since entering into the contracts, Union Mine has encountered unexpected repairs and maintenance needs greater than anticipated, resulting in the need for work not currently accounted for by the existing landfill operations work contract amounts. Some examples are as follows:
• Union Mine Class III Landfill slope repairs - Need to be repaired ASAP per the State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB).
• Union Mine Landfill settled area repair by gas extraction well EW-3 - Need to be repaired ASAP per the SWRCB.
• Since COVID-19, we have gone from 12,303 to 14,839 gallon per day monthly average. This increase equals more Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) solids that need to be disposed of in the Union Mine Landfill.
• Landfill winterization and storm water BMP inspection/repair.
• Potable water line repair at the Union Mine WWTP.
Increasing the contract amounts to $400,000 for Veerkamp and $500,000 for Vicini will allow this required work to be completed to be in accordance with guidelines and prevent hazardous conditions from developing.
Upon execution of the proposed agreements, County will amend the funding amounts on the existing contracts with Veerkamp and Vicini which are set to expire July 30, 2022.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to deny the amendment of the Agreement with Veerkamp as well as the Agreement with Vicini. This would result in Environmental Management being unable to continue contracting for on-call landfill maintenance services with both contractors though the end of contract term due to no remaining funds. Environmental Management is required by various permits and state mandates for the Union Mine Disposal Site to perform routine maintenance in order to maintain day-to-day operations of the landfill. Not performing these services would violate these permits and the County would be subject to significant monetary penalties.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion/Background above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement and Contracts conducted the RFP process on behalf of Environmental Management.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this item, as the contracts are funded by CSA 10 Solid Waste funds. The Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget includes designated funding for these specific services under both Agreements. Future budgets will also include the funding for these services.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Jeffrey Warren, REHS, Interim Director
Environmental Management Department