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Community Development Services, Department of Transportation, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the First Amendment to Agreement for Services 111-S1511 with North State Resources, Inc. extending the term for one additional year expiring on September 22, 2018 and updating administrative details, to perform on-call environmental review services in support of various Capital Improvement Program projects, including those due to the storms of 2017, with no increase in rates or the not to exceed amount of $147,000.
FUNDING: Various Capital Improvement Program Funding Sources (including Federal, State, and Local funds).
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Services (CDS), Department of Transportation (Transportation), recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the First Amendment (Amendment) to Agreement for Services No. 111-S1511 (Agreement) with North State Resources, Inc. (NSR) extending the term for one additional year expiring on September 22, 2018 and updating administrative details, to perform on-call environmental review services in support of various Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, including those due to the storms of 2017, with no increase in rates or the not to exceed amount of $147,000.
Transportation recommends the Board make findings in accordance with Section 3.13.030 of the County Ordinance that it is more economical and feasible to engage an independent contractor for these services because there are special skills required for the work performed under this Agreement that are not expressly identified in County classifications. Some CIP projects involve environmental review services which require familiarity with State and Federal environmental procedures, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and permitting processes.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
At a regular meeting on September 23, 2014 (Item 9), the Board approved the Agreement with NSR to perform on-call environmental review services in support of various CIP projects. The Agreement was approved by County Counsel and signed by the Board Chair with a not-to-exceed amount of $147,000. To date, Transportation has engaged NSR for work in the amount of $81,068.38, leaving a balance of $65,931.62. Recently, many emergency projects have surfaced due to the 2017 storm events, creating a critical need for environmental review services. Transportation requests the expiration date be extended an additional year, to September 22, 2018, to allow additional task orders and work orders to be issued for this year's emergency situations, in addition to the normal CIP work to be performed over the extended term of the Agreement. Due to the critical need of these services, additional language has been added in the Amendment which allows the Consultant to perform emergency services more quickly as needed.
The Procurement and Contracts Division completed a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process at the request of CDS in March 2014 for a variety of project support services. A multi-jurisdictional panel evaluated and ranked each Statement of Qualifications and established, based on category of service, a short list of acceptable service vendors. NSR was determined to be highly qualified to provide the environmental review services required in this Agreement. In February 2017, another RFQ process was completed which provided updated short lists of acceptable vendors based on category of service, with NSR once again determined to be a highly qualified environmental review service vendor. Both the 2014 and 2017 RFQ processes were conducted in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17.
The El Dorado County Employees Association, Local 1, has been informed of this proposed Amendment.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Direct Transportation to make changes to the Amendment and return to the Board at a later date. Transportation's ability to move forward on the emergency repair projects for 2017 would be delayed.
2) Direct Transportation to complete the environmental reviews through an alternate agreement. This option would also result in delayed completion of the emergency repair projects for 2017 and potentially increase costs.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management have reviewed and approved this Amendment.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for this Amendment will be provided by various CIP funding sources that fund Transportation’s projects. The County is currently coordinating with State and Federal officials regarding anticipated disaster relief funding, but has not yet received confirmation of approval.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on two (2) original copies of the Amendment.
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward one (1) fully executed original Amendment to CDS, Administration and Finance, Contracts and Procurement Unit, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Bard Lower, Interim Director
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation