To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tennis Wick, (707) 565-1925, Alisa Keenan (707) 565-2518
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First and Second
Title:
Title
Southern Sonoma County Watershed Education and Outreach Campaign Contract
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Director of Permit Sonoma to execute a five-year contract with TIV Branding Inc. marketing agency to implement the Southern Sonoma County Watershed Education and Outreach Campaign for a total contract amount of $210,000 and a term ending 5/5/2030.
end
Executive Summary:
Sonoma County (County) is a permittee under State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Order No. 2013-0001-DWQ, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit No. CAS00004, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) for Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) (Phase II Permit).
Under Phase II Permit Provision E.7, Public Education and Outreach, the County is required to develop and implement a public education strategy to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and non-stormwater discharges to the MS4. The requirement establishes education tasks based on water quality issues, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements, target audiences, and anticipated task effectiveness.
To leverage resources and implement a unified, interregional water quality campaign that meets the requirements of Phase II permit provisions, the County and its partner Phase II co-permittees (Partnering Agencies), including the City of Sonoma, City of Petaluma, Sonoma Water, County of Marin and County of Napa, applied for and were awarded funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Quality Improvement Fund the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project (NBWQPP). Project Task 3.1 of the NBWQPP is to procure a marketing agency to implement the Southern Sonoma County Watershed Education and Outreach Campaign (Campaign) across partner jurisdictions.
This item requests the Board authorize the Director of Permit Sonoma to execute a five-year contract with TIV Branding Inc. to implement the Campaign for a total contract amount of $210,000 and term ending 5/5/2030.
Discussion:
The Environmental Protection Agency’s San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) offers funding grants for projects supporting and restoring water quality in the San Francisco Bay region. In July 2024, the County and Partnering Agencies were awarded grant funding through the WQIF to support the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project (NBWQPP), a multi-partner water quality effort. The NBWQPP encompasses region-specific tasks aimed at improving municipal stormwater discharge quality, including trash capture projects, habitat restoration and implementation of the Campaign. The grant requires a 50% matching fund obligation from all Partnering Agencies. The County’s match is comprised of budgeted in-kind services from Sonoma Public Infrastructure, Regional Parks, and budgeted financial contribution from Sonoma Water. The County’s funding agreement for the NBWQPP was authorized by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on October 8, 2024. The Funding Agreement for the Environmental Protection Agency Grant Project: The North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project is linked here <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6879286&GUID=8BB51140-FD94-49AA-842D-08FF3CA998B6&Options=&Search=>.
Staff seeks the Board’s authorization to execute a contract to complete grant Task 3.1, which will launch the Campaign throughout the Phase II Permit boundary of the County and Partnering Agencies’ jurisdictions. Permit Sonoma is the project lead for Task 3.1 and will manage the contract to implement the Campaign. The Campaign will encourage public involvement and actions/activities that protect and improve the water quality in the Petaluma River, Sonoma Creek and Napa River and their tributaries. Outreach topics will be focused on current water quality trends and how day-to-day actions and involvement can improve water quality and watershed ecology. A secondary goal of the outreach efforts will be to gather public input to improve local and regional municipal water quality protection efforts, which satisfies Phase II Permit Provision E.7, Public Education and Outreach, across all participating Phase II co-permittee jurisdictions.
On January 15, 2025, Permit Sonoma issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for public education and outreach services, and a marketing campaign to improve water quality in the southern Sonoma County region. An evaluation committee selected TIV Branding Inc. among 6 proposals based on the following: their proficiency and understanding of local stormwater and watershed issues; creativity and innovation as demonstrated by their existing storm water campaign titled Streets to Creeks; ability to meet all functional requirements of the project scope; faster implementation period; and project cost effectiveness.
TIV Branding Inc. will produce a bilingual, multimedia outreach campaign covering topics that range from watershed education to stormwater best management practices to target key pollutants in municipal runoff. The Campaign will utilize multiple media, including digital and print advertising, an interactive website, and youth-centered outreach materials. Outreach strategies will be tailored to the Phase II region and its MS4 permit requirements and unify stormwater messaging at a regional scale. Year 1 of the campaign will launch by August 2025.
Strategic Plan:
Click here to enter text.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
10/8/2024: The Board authorized Permit Sonoma to enter into a funding agreement with the City of Sonoma, as the fiscal agent of the Partnering Agencies, to pass through grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund in the amount of $226,879.77 for accomplishing tasks in a multi-agency water quality partnership grant titled the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project. (SONOMA COUNTY - File #: 2024-1063 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6879286&GUID=8BB51140-FD94-49AA-842D-08FF3CA998B6&Options=&Search=>)
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$60,000 |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$60,000 |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$30,000 |
$25,000 |
$25,000 |
|
Fees/Other |
$30,000 |
$25,000 |
$25,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$60,000 |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Contract costs will be funded by the grant and local match contributed by the Sonoma County Water Agency. This contribution has since been captured in the North Bay Water Quality Partnership Project grant budget as part of the Sonoma County Water Agency’s Water Quality Outreach task non-federal match contribution. There are sufficient appropriations in the FY 2024-25 Permit Sonoma budget to cover contract costs through the remainder of the fiscal year. Contract appropriations are included in FY 2025-26 Recommended budget and future contract appropriations will be included in subsequent annual budgets. Not captured in the Fiscal Summary table are the allocated funds for FY 2027-28, which are identical to FY 2026-27, for a total contract amount of$210,000.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Sonoma County is managing two other tasks under the NBWQPP grant in addition to Task 3.1 (the Campaign). This includes a trash capture pilot study and a vernal pool restoration project. These tasks will be funded by the grant 50% and local match of 50% contributed by in-kind contributions from Sonoma County Public Infrastructure and Sonoma County Regional Parks, respectively. These in-kind match contributions are existing budgeted costs for routine activities that will have no impact on department staff nor require additional budget adjustment. Note: if this contract is not approved, the Campaign will result in substantial impact to Permit Sonoma staff, who would be responsible for developing a stormwater education program that meets the extensive Phase II E.7 provision requirements.
Attachments:
Attachment A: Sample Agreement
Attachment B: TIV Branding Professional Agreement agency contract
Attachment C: Exhibit B and C Scope of Work and Budget
Attachment D: Request for Proposals (RFP): Petaluma River Watershed Education and Outreach Marketing Campaign
Attachment E: NBWQPP Workplan
Attachment F: NBWQPP Letters of Commitment and Support
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A