FROM: Robert Thompson, General Manager
Originator: Kathy Millea, Director of Engineering
SUBJECT:
title
URBAN RUNOFF OPTIMIZATION STUDY, PROJECT NO. PS21-06
end
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
A. Find that the Urban Runoff Optimization Study, Project No. PS21-06 is exempt from CEQA under the statutory exemptions set forth in California Code of Regulations Section 15262 and authorize staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the OC Clerk-Recorder;
B. Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc. to provide engineering services for the Urban Runoff Optimization Study, Project No. PS21-06, for an amount not to exceed $711,230; and
C. Approve a contingency of $71,123 (10%).
body
BACKGROUND
Treated effluent from Orange County Sanitation District’s (OC San) Plant Nos. 1 and 2 is delivered to the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) for advanced treatment and purification, followed by storage in the Orange County groundwater basin. With the GWRS Final Expansion Project complete, OC San will be delivering up to 175 million gallons per day (MGD) of high-quality treated wastewater so that the OCWD GWRS facility can produce 130 MGD of highly purified water, which is an important element of the local water supply.
Since 2000, OC San has accepted the diversion of dry weather urban runoff to the sewer to assist Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System permittees in addressing various public health or environmental issues that are difficult to control through traditional stormwater best management practices. In June 2013, the OC San Board of Directors adopted Urban Runoff Resolution No. OCSD 13-09, which expanded the waiver of fees or charges on the treatment of dry weather urban runoff from 4 to 10 MGD. This latest policy allows for additional flows to help remediate other environmental problems. OC San continues to work closely with the County of Orange Public Works (OCPW) Watersheds Division, the lead permittee that coordinates the cities’ efforts in implementing the requirements of Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board.
In November 2021, the OC San Board of Directors approved a new Strategic Plan that identifies this study as an initiative which supports the Environmental Water Quality, Stormwater Management, and Urban Runoff policy goal.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
• Meet volume and water quality needs for the GRWS
• Use all practical and effective means for resource recovery
PROBLEM
Urban runoff within OC San’s service area is both a water quality risk and a lost resource for our customers. It is not feasible to maximize public health, resource recovery, and partnering benefits without a coordinated, planned effort to identify the most feasible locations and methods to receive additional urban runoff.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Approve a Professional Services Agreement for the Urban Runoff Optimization Study, Project No. PS21-06. This project will identify and develop feasible opportunities to help improve water quality and sustain water recycling in Orange County by capturing, containing, characterizing, and treating dry and wet weather urban runoff diversions into the OC San collection and treatment system for eventual reclamation via the recharging of local groundwater resources. OC San, along with its partners OCWD and OCPW, will assess the potential to establish cooperative projects to capture, contain, characterize, and treat urban runoff with a controlled discharge to the sewer for eventual reclamation and recharge to bolster local groundwater resources.
TIMING CONCERNS
If this project is delayed, OC San, along with its partners OCWD and OCPW, will not be able to improve water quality and increase water recycling in our service area.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
Improved water quality and increased water recycling in our service area will be delayed.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
N/A
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Consultant Selection:
OC San requested and advertised for proposals for the Urban Runoff Optimization Study, Project No. PS21-06 on September 15, 2022. The following evaluation criteria were described in the Request for Proposals (RFP) and used to determine the most qualified Consultant.
|
CRITERION |
WEIGHT |
|
Project Understanding and Approach |
40% |
|
Related Project Experience |
25% |
|
Project Team and Staff Qualifications |
35% |
Four proposals were received on October 25, 2022 and evaluated in accordance with the evaluation process set forth in OC San’s Purchasing Ordinance by a pre-selected Evaluation Team consisting of OC San staff: Senior Engineer (Project Manager), Senior Engineer (Project Engineer), Engineering Manager, OCPW Representative, and OCWD Representative. The Evaluation Team also included one non-voting representative from the Contracts Administration Division and one non-voting technical advisor from OC San staff.
The Evaluation Team scored the proposal on the established criteria as summarized in the table below:
|
|
Firm |
Approach (Max 40) |
Related Experience (Max 25) |
Team (Max 35) |
Total Score (Max 100) |
|
1 |
Michael Baker International, Inc. |
32 |
20 |
27 |
79 |
|
2 |
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. |
26 |
21 |
27 |
74 |
|
3 |
Hazen and Sawyer |
30 |
17 |
22 |
69 |
|
4 |
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. |
23 |
14 |
19 |
56 |
Based on this scoring, the top three Consultants were shortlisted for interviews on December 13, 2022. Following the interview, each member of the Evaluation Team scored the Consultants based on both the proposals and interviews using the evaluation criteria and weighting described above. Based on the scoring shown below, Michael Baker International, Inc. was selected as the most qualified Consultant.
|
|
Firm |
Approach (Max 40) |
Related Experience (Max 25) |
Team (Max 35) |
Total Score (Max 100) |
|
1 |
Michael Baker International, Inc. |
35 |
21 |
28 |
84 |
|
2 |
Hazen and Sawyer |
31 |
19 |
27 |
77 |
|
3 |
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. |
26 |
17 |
25 |
68 |
Michael Baker International, Inc. differentiated themselves by demonstrating the following:
• Highly qualified staff with directly related project experience and modeling expertise.
• Team has extensive experience with local Orange County issues, storm drain and flood control systems, and a deep understanding of OC San’s Dry Weather Urban Runoff Program.
• Subject matter experts for water quality challenges and environmental impacts.
Review of Fee Proposal and Negotiations:
Proposals were accompanied by sealed fee proposals. In accordance with OC San’s Purchasing Ordinance, the fee proposal of only the highest-ranked firm was opened after approval by the Director of Engineering of the Evaluation Committee’s recommendation.
Staff conducted negotiations with Michael Baker International, Inc. to clarify the requirements of the Scope of Work, the assumptions used for the estimated level of effort, and the proposed approach to meet the goals and objectives for the project.
|
|
Original Fee Proposal |
Negotiated Fee |
|
Total Hours |
3,517 |
3,635 |
|
Total Fee |
$710,475 |
$711,230 |
The negotiated fee changed due to the following reasons:
• Increased hours for the development of conceptual designs for the Existing Diversions Optimization Task. Conceptual designs will be prepared for the five existing diversions that will yield the greatest dry weather urban runoff capture benefits. The original scope of work included language for the consultant to evaluate the existing diversions to see if they can be optimized, it did not specify developing conceptual designs. By adding the conceptual designs to this task, OC San and its partner agencies will be able to act after the Study is complete to improve the existing diversions.
• Reduced hours for the evaluation of OC San and OCWD flow need and treatment capacity. OC San clarified the information available and the intent of this effort which was significantly less than what Michael Baker anticipated.
• Reduced hours for meetings and workshops.
The Consultant’s fringe and overhead costs, which factor into the billing rate, have been substantiated. The contract profit is 9.73%, which is based on an established formula based on OC San’s standard design agreements. Staff is requesting a 10% contingency to address revisions as the project progresses through preliminary and final design.
Based on the above, staff has determined that the final negotiated fee is fair and reasonable for the level of effort required for this project and recommends award of the Professional Services Agreement to Michael Baker International, Inc.
CEQA
The project is exempt from CEQA under the statutory exemptions set forth in California Code of Regulations Section 15262. A Notice of Exemption will be filed with the OC Clerk-Recorder after OC San Board of Directors approval of the Urban Runoff Optimization Study, PS21-06 contract.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
This request complies with authority levels of OC San’s Purchasing Ordinance. This item has been budgeted (Adopted Budget, Fiscal Years 2022-2023 and 2023-24, Section 8, Page 51, Planning Studies Program, Project No. M-STUDIES) and the budget is sufficient for the recommended action.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov) with the complete agenda package:
• Professional Services Agreement
• Presentation
CM:tk