To: Boards of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency, Occidental County Sanitation District, Russian River County Sanitation District, Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, South Park County Sanitation District
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency, Occidental County Sanitation District, Russian River County Sanitation District, Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, South Park County Sanitation District
Staff Name and Phone Number: Brad Sherwood (707) 547-1927, Aaron Fulton 707-547-1974
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
As-Needed Geotechnical Services
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager acting on behalf of Sonoma County Water Agency, Occidental County Sanitation District, Russian River County Sanitation District, Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, and South Park County Sanitation District to execute an agreement with Geologic Associates, Inc., in substantially the form presented to this Board, for geotechnical services through June 30, 2031, in the not-to-exceed amount of $500,000.
B) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager acting on behalf of Sonoma County Water Agency, Occidental County Sanitation District, Russian River County Sanitation District, Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, and South Park County Sanitation District to execute an agreement with Kleinfelder, Inc., in substantially the form presented to this Board, for geotechnical services through June 30, 2031, in the not-to-exceed amount of $500,000.
end
Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency and its affiliated sanitation districts (collectively referred to as “Sonoma Water”) require timely and efficient geotechnical services to support capital improvement projects. This item requests approval of two as-needed geotechnical agreements to ensure Sonoma Water can respond to urgent projects and establish more efficient contracting processes for time-sensitive capital infrastructure projects.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Sonoma Water’s Capital Improvement Plan identifies key infrastructure projects to meet the needs of wastewater, flood management, and water transmission facilities within its jurisdiction. Geotechnical engineering services are an essential component in supporting the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and emergency response activities for Sonoma Water infrastructure and capital improvement projects. Geotechnical services will provide critical information regarding soil, rock, groundwater, slope stability, and foundation conditions that directly affect the safety, constructability, and long-term performance of facilities. Such services help ensure that public facilities and infrastructure are safe, reliable, resilient, and compliant with applicable building codes and engineering standards.
Sonoma Water seeks to establish as-needed geotechnical services to support design and maintenance projects throughout Sonoma County. Establishing as-needed geotechnical agreements provides contracting efficiency to mitigate potential workload constraints of internal staff and consultants and allows Sonoma Water to engage consultants specializing in analyses specific to the subject water, flood, and wastewater infrastructure. The agreements also allow Sonoma Water to respond quickly to urgent geotechnical needs and developing priorities while reducing administrative costs and improving project delivery timelines.
SELECTION PROCESS
Geologic Associates, Inc. and Kleinfelder, Inc. (Consultants) were selected from a list of qualified consultants developed from a competitive selection process. Attached is a memo that explains the competitive selection process.
Geologic Associates, Inc. was selected because they have over 30 years of experience completing geotechnical and geophysical services in the Bay Area, have a local geotechnical-focused office in Petaluma, and are currently supporting Sonoma Public infrastructure and Marin County Public Works on numerous slope stabilization projects throughout Sonoma County and Marin County. They also have extensive experience assessing sites for liquefiable soils and seismically induced ground failure, one of the primary risks to Sonoma Water infrastructure.
Kleinfelder, Inc. was selected because they have over 40 years of experience completing geotechnical and geophysical services in the Bay Area, have a local and responsive geotechnical-focused office in Santa Rosa, and have successfully provided geotechnical and geophysical services on multiple Sonoma Water flood and water transmission projects. Kleinfelder retains staff with a vast resume that demonstrates an ability to ensure designs incorporate key geotechnical constraints.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed agreements, Consultants will provide as-needed geotechnical services that may include the following tasks:
1. Consult with Sonoma Water to identify geotechnical boring locations.
2. Perform geologic, geophysical, and geotechnical engineering exploration.
3. Perform geologic, geophysical, and geotechnical engineering analyses and provide design recommendations and reports.
4. Provide testing and analysis of site conditions and soils during construction.
Geologic Associates, Inc. Agreement: The cost of services will not exceed $500,000; the term end date is June 30, 2031.
Kleinfelder, Inc. Agreement: The cost of services will not exceed $500,000; the term end date is June 30, 2031.
Through the agreements, the General Manager will be delegated the authority to approve written amendments to extend the term of each agreement for up to two additional years by providing written notice to the other parties thirty days in advance of the term end date and by executing agreement amendments.
California Environmental Quality Act
The General Manager has determined that execution of the agreements are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15306, Information Collection, because activities, such as land surveying, geotechnical investigations, and potholing, would avoid sensitive environments and would not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource or result in a substantial adverse change to a historic resource. Future projects designed under the agreements will be subject to future environmental review pursuant to CEQA. Sonoma Water staff has prepared a Notice of Exemption for the agreements in accordance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and Sonoma Water’s Procedures for the Implementation of CEQA.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
This item directly supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following goal, strategy, and action item.
Goal: 2. Planning and Infrastructure - Implement comprehensive, integrated, and innovative infrastructure planning to strengthen existing services, minimize life cycle costs, and prepare for the future.
Strategy: 2.3 Fund and implement the planned capital and maintenance projects on schedule to ensure reliable services.
Action: 2.3.2 Fund Capital Improvement Program budgets to meet infrastructure needs.
Approval of the item will decrease project delivery timelines by providing alternative and redundant contracting procedures to facilitate implementation of infrastructure projects that ensure reliability of existing services and prepare Sonoma Water infrastructure for the future.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
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General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $200,000 is available from FY 2026/2027 appropriations for the Water Transmission Fund, Flood Control Zone Funds, Occidental, Russian River, South Park, and Sonoma Valley County Sanitation Districts’ Funds, and for the Geyserville, Penngrove, Airport/Larkfield/Wikiup, and Sea Ranch Sanitation Zones’ Funds. The revenue source for the Water Transmission Fund is water rates, Flood Control Zones are primarily funded by property taxes, and the sanitation Districts and Zones are funded by ratepayer annual sewer service charges. Work contracted through the proposed as-needed agreements will be budgeted separately and included in the Board-adopted fiscal year appropriation for the subject enterprise fund. No additional appropriation is requested.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Draft Agreement with Geologic Associates, Inc.
Attachment 2: Draft Agreement with Kleinfelder, Inc.
Attachment 3: Competitive Selection Process Memo
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.