To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Transportation and Public Works
Staff Name and Phone Number: Johannes J. Hoevertsz, 707-565-2231
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
On Call Environmental Services 2022 for Public Infrastructure Improvement Projects
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Approve and authorize the Chair to execute ten, three-year on-call Professional Services Agreements for environmental consulting services with an aggregate not-to-exceed amount for all ten contracts of $15,000,000.
B) Delegate to the Director of Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works the authority to execute individual task orders under the Agreements for any amount up to the aggregate not-to-exceed value of all the Agreements.
C) Delegate to the Director of Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works the authority to execute up to two, one-year, no-cost time extensions to all Agreements, for a maximum potential contract period of five years.
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Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Department of Transportation and Public Works (TPW) is requesting authorization to execute ten Professional Services Agreements (Agreements) for environmental consulting and related services. Each Agreement is for a term of three years with the possibility of two, no-cost, one-year extensions at the Director’s discretion. The aggregate, not-to-exceed value for all ten Agreements is $15,000,000; however, the Agreements stipulate that there is no guaranteed minimum quantity of work. This on-call list replaces a prior list which expired on October 31, 2022. The services will augment environmental planning work already provided by County Staff in order to deliver public infrastructure projects. The previous list was used on projects including environmental permitting for re-paving fire damaged roads, the annual pavement preservation program, and disaster recovery projects. This procurement is vital to support TPW in delivering large infrastructure improvement projects as well as providing capacity to respond rapidly and effectively in the event of an emergency.
Discussion:
The Sonoma County Department of Transportation and Public Works (TPW) is requesting Board approval of ten agreements for on-call environmental consulting services. These services include biological, cultural, and historical architecture expertise. The majority of the projects for which task orders will be issued will be to assist TPW in acquiring CEQA and/or NEPA clearance on major infrastructure projects with a majority relating to roads and bridges.
The term for each contract is three years with the possibility of two, one-year extensions at the Director’s discretion which is consistent with Caltrans and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) practice. The aggregate, not-to-exceed value of all ten agreements is $15,000,000, however, there is no minimum quantity or value of work guaranteed and any individual consultant can perform any value of work up to the aggregate, not-to-exceed limit. This structure has been adopted due to TPW’s expectation that some or all of the projects may receive federal funding and this approach is consistent with 23 CFR 172 and guidance from Caltrans.
On June 13, 2022, TPW issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to provide on-call environmental services with the goal of having services available when the current list expires on October 31, 2022. The RFQ was prepared in accordance with the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) “two-step” method and is compliant with County procurement policies. This includes a general scope of duties from which firms write a proposal and develop a cost estimate. The Department received 15 proposals and selected the ten most qualified firms. The selected firms are, in alphabetical order:
• Area West Environmental, Inc.
• Dokken Engineering
• EBA Engineering
• Environmental Science Associates (ESA)
• Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
• Nichols Consulting Engineers
• Panorama Environmental, Inc.
• Rincon Consultants, Inc.
• SWCA Environmental Consultants
• WRA Inc.
The primary selection criteria included: understanding of work, similar experience, and technical ability and qualifications. Rates were not used as a selection criteria and were not submitted until after all proposals had been evaluated and the shortlist finalized.
Should the Board approve the execution of the on-call agreements as recommended, TPW will solicit individual projects from the shortlisted consultants using project-specific “task orders”. These task orders contain a specific scope of work and each shortlisted firm will have the opportunity to provide a detailed cost estimate based on the rates of compensation established in their original proposal. After reviewing responses from shortlisted firms, TPW will select a proposer and execute the individual task order for the project.
Though this method is time intensive at the beginning, it allows TPW to react quickly once the shortlist is established. A Request for Proposals can take from four to six months to go from proposal to executed contract, however, a task order can be advertised and awarded to a shortlisted firm in as little as two weeks.
While TPW may not use the full $15 million value of these Agreements, the requested not-to-exceed limit provides flexibility and critical capacity to deliver the infrastructure and recovery projects currently committed to, as well as, for future disaster recovery efforts.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Resilient Infrastructure
Goal: Goal 3: Continue to invest in critical road, bridge, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure.
Objective: Objective 2: Increase investment by 5% annually on preventive maintenance on all road infrastructure/facilities.
Prior Board Actions:
10/15/2019 Board date Item#14 - On-Call Environmental Planning Services Agreements
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There is no direct fiscal impact as a result of this Board Item. Expenditures for various projects associated with these agreements are already included in the FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget and will be incorporated into future budget requests as needed.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
None.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Area West Environmental, Inc. PSA
Dokken Engineering PSA
EBA Engineering PSA
Environmental Science Associates PSA
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. PSA
Nichols Consulting Engineers PSA
Panorama Environmental, Inc. PSA
Rincon Consultants, Inc. PSA
SWCA Environmental Consultants PSA
WRA Inc. PSA