Title
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Make findings pursuant to Article II, Section 210 b (6) of the El Dorado County Charter that there are specialty skills required for the work performed under this Agreement that are not expressly identified in County classifications, and that the ongoing aggregate of the work performed under this Agreement is not sufficient to warrant the addition of permanent or extra-help staff; and
2) Authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 166-S1411 with Nichols Consulting Engineers, Chtd. in the amount not to exceed $150,000 for a term of three years to provide specific environmental services for erosion control and water quality projects in the Tahoe Basin in conjunction with the Environmental Improvement Program.
FUNDING: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and United States Forest Service Federal Grant Funds.
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
|
Total Estimated Cost
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$150,000 |
|
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Budgeted
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$30,000 |
New Funding
. |
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Savings
|
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Other*
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$120,000 |
Total Funding Available
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$150,000 |
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Change To Net County Cost
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$0 |
*To be budgeted in subsequent Fiscal Years.
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
The Tahoe Engineering Unit (TEU) of the Transportation Division (Transportation) budgeted $30,000 for use of this Agreement in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013/14. The TEU anticipates budgeting $120,000 for future fiscal budget years. Funding will be provided by Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and United States Forest Service Federal Grant Funds.
Background
Transportation's Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) in the Tahoe Basin is supported entirely by grants from various local, state and federal agencies. Environmental studies are required for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance and will be funded by grants. These studies involve investigating environmental conditions that exist within the project areas along with impacts to sensitive environmental resources resulting from construction activities. These environmental studies look at sensitive botanical species, wildlife species, invasive weed species, historical/cultural resources, wetland areas and waters of the U.S.
Services of an environmental consultant are required to meet regulatory requirements and processes. The services provided are temporary, sporadic and most of the services require specialty skills and/or qualifications which cannot be provided by County Staff.
The Procurement and Contracts Division completed a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process for the Department in February 2011. Nichols Consulting Engineers, Chtd. was ranked first on the list of firms qualified to provide services for erosion control and water quality projects.
Reason for Recommendation
Transportation recommends the Board make findings pursuant to Article II, Section 210 b (6) of the El Dorado County Charter that there are specialty skills required for the work to be performed under this Agreement that are not expressly identified in County job classifications and that the ongoing aggregate of the work to be performed is not sufficient to warrant the addition of permanent staff.
Transportation is proposing to enter this Agreement with Nichols Consulting Engineers, Chtd. (Nichols) for a not to exceed amount of $150,000 for a term of three (3) years to provide specific environmental services for erosion control and water quality projects in the Tahoe Basin in conjunction with the EIP.
The services provided by this Agreement, such as preparation of the studies, technical surveys, and reviews (all documentation required by CEQA), require specialty skills that are not found within Bargaining Unit classifications.
Transportation requires these environmental services to facilitate completion of the design and delivery of EIP projects and to augment existing staff. Transportation has an immediate need to advance many of its projects to meet various grant and regulatory deadlines. Transportation has ongoing EIP projects that Nichols has worked on that need to be advanced to the next phase in the Project Delivery Process to stay on schedule with project delivery timelines and Transportation's grant funding program. Additionally, the environmental work is seasonal/temporary and of limited nature and does not warrant hiring additional County staff.
Under this Agreement, Transportation will utilize disciplines which are not contained in current County job classifications.
The Purchasing Agent reviewed and provided approval of the Department's request to process these Agreements for environmental support services and concurs that the Department's request is in compliance with Board of Supervisors Policy C-17. The El Dorado County Employees Association, Local #1, has been informed of these proposed Agreements.
Action(s) to be taken following Board approval
1. The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair's signature on the two originals of the subject Agreement.
2. The Clerk of the Board will forward one original of the fully executed subject Agreement to Transportation for further processing.
Contact
Bard R. Lower, Transportation Division Director
Community Development Agency
Concurrences
County Counsel and Risk Management