title
APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH LARRY WALKER ASSOCIATES TO PROVIDE STORMWATER PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING SERVICES
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to:
1. Award a Professional Services Contract to Larry Walker Associates of Davis, CA in the Not-to-Exceed amount of $2,775,245 to provide Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services for five years with two possible one-year extensions.
2. Approve findings pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070 in support of an exception to the competitive bidding process.
It is also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take appropriate actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
body
Summary
Urban runoff from the City of Stockton and the San Joaquin County (City/County) is regulated under a shared National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services are necessary to comply with the Stormwater NPDES permit requirements.
On October 8, 2020, the City advertised a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services. On November 12, 2020, the City received one proposal. The received proposal for Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services was submitted by Larry Walker Associates.
If approved by Council, this action will award a Professional Services Contract to Larry Walker Associates of Davis, CA, in the not to exceed amount of $2,775,245 (Attachment A) to provide the required Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services for five years, with two possible one-year extensions.
DISCUSSION
Background
Urban runoff from the City/County is regulated under a shared NPDES permit. The City/County are co-permittees for the Stormwater NPDES permit. The permit requires the implementation of programs to effectively reduce contaminants in urban runoff. Extensive data tracking and complex documentation must be prepared and submitted annually to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to meet the State's permit requirements. The tracking and analysis of the data requires the assistance of consultants with expertise in stormwater management, reporting, and water monitoring and analysis.
In 2014, by Motion 2014-05-20-1203-01, the City hired Larry Walker Associates to provide Stormwater Program Management Services for five years, with two possible one-year extensions. The City also retained Condor Earth Technologies by Motion 2014-05-20-1203-02 for Stormwater Quality Monitoring Services for five years, with two possible one-year extensions. Both professional services contracts expire in the spring of 2021. It is critical to have Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services in place to ensure the City complies with the NPDES permit.
Present Situation
On October 8, 2020, the City advertised a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services, PUR 20-031. On November 12, 2020,
one proposal was received from the following firm for Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services:
|
FIRM |
CITY |
COST PROPOSAL |
|
Larry Walker Associates |
Davis |
$2,775,245 |
Staff from the Municipal Utilities Department (MUD) evaluated and ranked the proposal based on the proponent’s experience, quality of work, qualifications of staff, cost, and ability to meet the needs of the City’s Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services. Consultant selection for the Stormwater Program Management Services is based on the consultants' understanding the Permit, the mandated programs and activities, and approach to meeting the needs of the City. Other considerations in the consultant selection process include the consultant's qualifications, experience, designated staff, and ability to provide services on time and within budget.
Staff determined that Larry Walker Associates demonstrated the technical experience and expertise in the regulations, permitting, and science needed to complete the scope of work. Over the past year, the City/County have been working with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to develop a newly structured Stormwater permit. The new permit is anticipated to be a region-wide Stormwater Permit for the entire Central Valley, like the regional permits recently issued in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. Given the possible restructuring of the City's new permit, the selection committee deemed it imperative for the consultant selected to have experience working with permittees under similar region-wide permits.
The cost to provide Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services submitted by Larry Walker Associates is consistent with and lower than the current cost paid for these services. For comparison, Stormwater Program Management Services are currently provided by Larry Walker Associates and Stormwater Quality Monitoring Services are provided by Condor Earth Technologies, Inc. The two separate Agreements total $2,949,678 and the proposed Professional Agreement, which combines both services into one Professional Agreement, has a total cost of $2,775,245, saving $174,433 over the next five years.
Staff recommends Council approve a motion to award a five-year Professional Services Contract in the amount not to exceed $2,775,245 to Larry Walker Associates for Stormwater Program Management and Monitoring Services for five years with two possible one-year extensions.
Findings
Pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070, Council may approve findings which support and justify an exception to the competitive bidding process. The following findings support such an exception:
1. Urban stormwater runoff from the City/County is regulated under a shared NPDES permit that requires the implementation of programs to effectively reduce contaminants in urban runoff.
2. Extensive data tracking and complex documentation must be prepared and submitted annually to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to meet the State’s permit requirements.
3. The City does not have the technical experience nor expertise to meet the State’s permit requirements.
4. Use of the RFP process is appropriate for this Professional Services Contract because it relies on the evaluation of professional qualifications and performance as the basis for selection of a vendor. Use of these criteria helps ensure selection of a vendor that will provide the highest quality professional service, which is in the public interest.
5. It is also in the public interest to implement programs that effectively reduce contaminants in urban runoff that enters local streams, canals, and sloughs.
6. The City negotiated a contract following the solicitation of competitive proposals in accordance with SMC section 3.68.070.A.3.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The Fiscal Year 2021-22 Annual Budget will include appropriation in the Stormwater Utility fund, Stormwater Administration program: Special Services account for the Professional Services contract for the first year. Costs for the subsequent years will be budgeted in the same account and subject to Council approval during the annual budget development process. The total not to exceed cost of this contract over a period of five years, with two possible one-year extensions is set at $2,775,245.
There is no impact to the General Fund, or any other unrestricted funds, from this action.
As stated in the Stormwater program cost share agreement, a 20 percent proportionate share of the costs associated with the service contract will be reimbursed by the San Joaquin County to the City of Stockton Stormwater Utility Fund.
Attachment A - Professional Services Contract with Larry Walker Associates