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Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, recommending the Board consider the following pertaining to the Rubicon Parking Lot project:
1) Find in accordance with Chapter 3.13.030 of County Ordinance Code, Contracting Out, that environmental assessment services for the project requires specialty skills and qualifications as well as being temporary in nature;
2) Award Request for Qualifications 23-918-072 to Nichols Consulting Engineers, CHTD to provide environmental assessment services for project;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement 8311 with Nichols Consulting Engineers, CHTD in the amount of $211,115 for a term effective upon execution through September 30, 2026; and
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute any necessary amendments relating to Agreement 8311, excluding term extension and increases to the not-to-exceed amount, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: California State Parks - Off-Highway Vehicle Division.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Rubicon Trail is a 22-mile trail that traverses through El Dorado County, in the Eldorado National Forest, and through Placer County within the Tahoe National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The Rubicon Trail parking lot expansion project will expand an existing parking lot at the Tahoma Staging area on the Tahoe side of the trail along McKinney Springs Road. When current parking lot is full, parking on the road can cause overcrowding and resource damage to the adjacent lands. This project will provide expanded parking to alleviate parking issues on the road.
In June 2023, the Parks Division initiated Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 23-918-072. A list of qualified firms was established in August 2023 from the RFQ. From this list, the Parks Division began the process of working with Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE), CHTD on a proposal for biological studies, aquatic studies, cultural studies, and environmental review for the Rubicon Trail parking lot expansion project.
The proposed Agreement 8311 will allow NCE to provide biological studies, aquatic studies, cultural studies, and environmental review for the Rubicon Trail parking lot expansion project for a term effective upon execution through September 30, 2026, with a not-to-exceed of $211,115. NCE will be responsible for managing the delivery of the environmental compliance portion of this project, which consists of necessary technical studies and database searches to support the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental document, the heritage response inventory report, aquatic resources delineation of the proposed parking lot expansion project, protection of wetlands, assessment of air quality effects related to construction, the environmental assessment document, and public outreach for the project.
The El Dorado County County Code of Ordinances Title 3 - Revenue and Finance, Chapter 13 Contracting Out, Section 030 - Criteria states that the Board can award contracts with independent contractors when the Board makes findings that the work will meet certain criteria. Agreement 8311 meets the following two criteria:
B. Specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications are involved in the performance of the work.
The project includes biological studies, aquatic studies, cultural studies, and environmental review for the purpose of compiling an Environmental Assessment as required by NEPA. The skills and qualifications required for the studies are not expressly identified in current County classifications.
C. Due to the limited time frames, temporary or occasional nature, or schedule for the project or scope of work, the ongoing aggregate of work to be performed is not sufficient to warrant addition of permanent staff.
This project is for a project with a defined timeline, and is therefore temporary in nature. Additional staff would not be needed after the completion of the project and therefore would not warrant the addition of additional staff.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not approve the proposed Agreement 8311, however, this would result in project delays as the department would need to start negotiations and project discussion with another engineer from a different qualified firm listed on Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 23-918-072.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
23-2156 - On January 9, 2024, the Board authorized the Chair to sign Resolution 008-2024 accepting grant funds in the amount of $357,586 for the Rubicon Trail projects from the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grant Funds, for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 (G23) grant cycle.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Department of Transportation
United States Forest Service
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Rubicon Planning Grant G23-03-06-P01 project was budgeted in its entirety in the Parks Division FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget. Funding for the Agreement is provided by California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Vehicle Division through grant G23-03-06-P01.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain Board Chair signature on one (1) copy of Agreement 8311 and forward to CAO Fiscal, attention Kelley Lawrie.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Jennifer Franich, Deputy CAO