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Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience (OWPR), a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommending the Board:
1) Make findings pursuant to Section 3.13.030 (C) of El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 3.13, Contracting Out, that due to the limited timeframes and temporary nature of the work, the project management work related to the Weber Creek Project is not sufficient to warrant addition of permanent staff;
2) Award Request for Proposal 2025-0139 to 4LEAF, Inc. for Construction Management Services for the Weber Creek Project;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement 9819 with 4LEAF, Inc. for Construction Management Services for the Weber Creek Project for a three year period from October 6, 2025, through October 5, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $1,944,800; and
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute any necessary amendments relating to Agreement 9819, excluding term extensions and increases to the total compensation amount, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Funds (90%), State of California Wildfire Mitigation Program (5.14%), and General Fund (4.86%).
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On July 25, 2023, the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience (OWPR) received notification from FEMA that Phase I of the Weber Creek Project (Project), a pilot project funded under the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) aimed to reduce the impacts from natural disasters such as wildfire through implementing a series of defensible space and home hardening retrofit measures, was approved in the amount of $1,404,532.50. The remaining grant funds totaling approximately $23 million for Phase II of the Project will be awarded by FEMA upon the successful completion of the Phase I activities, including programmatic review and Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) approval.
Under this CWMP Project, OWPR will be responsible for managing a program to perform defensible space and home hardening retrofit measures at no cost to the homeowner for existing residential homes in the Project area, which is an area identified with high risk of fire severity and is located within a wildland-urban interface area. This Project area includes parcels both within and outside the limits of the City of Placerville spanning approximately 850 acres and containing a total of 525 homes. Of the 525 homes, 76 homes have been evaluated through the environmental review process and determined to be “no issue” parcels. These parcels are currently under review with FEMA, and when approved, work can begin on these parcels.
On August 8, 2025, the Chief Administrative Office, Procurement and Contracts Division, on behalf of OWPR, initiated Request for Proposals (RFP) 2025-0139 Construction Management Services for the Weber Creek Project. Following the evaluation of proposals received, OWPR selected 4LEAF, Inc. as the successful proposer and began working to finalize the scope of work and Agreement.
Under the proposed Agreement, the Construction Manager will be tasked with overseeing and tracking the defensible space and home hardening scope of work inspections, working with the City of Placerville and the County to obtain necessary building permits for home hardening retrofits as needed, batching homes for bidding by contractors and subcontractors who will be completing the work, and evaluating completion of work identified, up to the maximum dollar allowance per home.
The CWMP staff have notified the County that work on FEMA-approved parcels can be completed utilizing funding authorized in Phase I of the grant. CWMP training for scope of work inspections is scheduled for the OWPR Defensible Space Inspectors and the Construction Manager in October 2025. Additionally, the Construction Manager will work with OWPR staff to conduct public outreach efforts to engage and educate homeowners within the Project area about the program, assist homeowners with the application process to ensure eligibility criteria is met and applications are submitted, perform home assessments to identify the appropriate defensible space and home hardening retrofit measures for each property based on risks and exposures, and develop defensible space and home hardening scopes of work for each property.
ALTERNATIVES
Project management services are a required element of a project of this magnitude. The Division could solicit a different consultant from its RFQ list, but a new project management firm at this point in the project would also add significant time and additional costs. Delays in the project could also jeopardize funding.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar file 22-0491 - March 22, 2022 - as part of a presentation and conceptual approval of OWPR, the Board approved and designated $3,375,000 of excess contingency funds to be used as the local matching funds for the Weber Creek Project under the original application for this grant project under FEMA’s HMGP.
Legistar file 23-1568 - August 29, 2023 - The Board accepted a grant award under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for the Weber Creek Project, Phase I, in the amount of $1,404,532.50 for a term of June 28, 2023 to June 27, 2026.
Legistar file 23-1571 - August 29, 2023 - The Board adopted and endorsed the Wildfire Strategy, which included the award of the Phase 1 California Wildfire Mitigation Program Weber Creek Project.
Legistar file 24-0760 - June 11, 2024 - The Board approved and executed Agreement 8717 with EMC Planning Group, Inc. to perform the environmental and historical preservation review of the Weber Creek homes.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
Procurement and Contracts
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no increase to Net County Cost associated with the approval of this Agreement. Funding for the Weber Creek Project has been included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget and will be included in future year budgets, as needed. Reimbursement for Project expenses, including this Agreement, will be provided by FEMA and CalOES on a quarterly basis.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Board Chair’s signature on one copy of Agreement 9819 and forward to Annika Andersson in the Procurement and Contracts Division.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Tanya Harlow, Acting Program Manager
Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience